#95 On a Certain Spring Day, That Man Saw Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei's mind was already brimming with nothing but desire for the Eternal Crystal in Kirin's heart. Nothing could squeeze into that narrow gap.
Papapapap!
Zhang Wei kicked off the snowy plain and scattered the talismans from his bosom.
Puffpuffpuffboom!
Fearsome jiangshi rose from all directions. Without hesitation, the jiangshi charged at Kirin.
"......Zhang Wei."
Kirin groaned and rose unsteadily to its feet. The jiangshi surrounded Kirin on all sides and thrust their sharp claws in unison.
Pop!
Kirin kicked the ground and leaped into the sky.
"So this was your plan all along."
"Things have gone this far off course—I'll take your heart at least. Die!"
Zhang Wei bellowed and emptied the rest of his talismans. A typhoon whipped up, and fireballs painted the air. Brilliant yellow lightning descended upon Kirin's entire body. The Eternal Crystal in its heart throbbed, spewing out the last of its life energy.
Kwaaaaa!
At the same moment, Kirin's body swelled like an inflating balloon, growing five times its size.
Flinch!
Zhang Wei's eyes widened in shock.
Rumble—Kwa-gwang!
The sky was wrong. As if all the world's storm clouds had gathered in one spot, a darkness blacker than pitch descended over Zhang Wei.
"A greedy human like you... I cannot let you wield this power."
"You would surely bring ruin to the world...!"
Flash!
It was as if a white expanse unfolded before his eyes. The strike fueled by Kirin's remaining life summoned a massive bolt of lightning. From the far end of the sky, a vivid, brilliant yellow thunderbolt crashed down on Zhang Wei's crown.
Kwajijijik!
The whole world sparkled like stars. His body burned with agony as if on fire, white steam escaping his mouth.
"Graaaaaah!"
Cough! Blue blood erupted from Kirin's mouth at the same time. But Kirin didn't hesitate and poured out more power.
Flash!
Another bolt struck!
Kwajijik!
Zhang Wei, struck by the second lightning without time to react, heard something crumpling in that instant.
Uzuzuzuzijik!
"Kyaaaaak!"
The sound of his bones shattering? Flesh bursting? No. It was the sound of the mana hole he'd amassed his entire life breaking apart.
At once, his magic power dissipated around him, forming blue vapor.
"N-No, no, no!"
Gugung!
The airborne Kirin rolled its eyes back as if saying it was done. Its body shrank even further. The rapidly diminutive Kirin plummeted to the ground.
"Keurk! Keuk! Keuk!"
Zhang Wei spat blood repeatedly, looking around. His precious jiangshi were dropping one by one. Blue vapor from his body was dyeing the white snowscape.
"No...!"
He reached out desperately, but it was futile. The power that had filled his body vanished like an illusion.
Yet he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand.
"You... can't stop... my dream of unifying the Central Plains..."
He staggered forward. In the distance, he saw the man standing there, cradling Kirin in his arms.
"G-Give it... that's... m-mine, mine, mine..."
Thoom!
Suddenly, immense magic power radiated from the man. An overwhelming silence followed.
"......!"
Chill!
A shiver ran through Zhang Wei's entire body. An oppressive pressure as if frozen solid! That absurd terror gripped him completely.
The man before him paid no heed to the likes of Zhang Wei, silently gazing down at Kirin.
Suddenly, the man seemed infinitely vast. To Zhang Wei's eyes, he was like... 'Mount Tai!' The overwhelming presence of that immense natural force from when he'd first met Kirin.
'That man...'
He knew the name well. Though he'd never faced him directly, was there any world ranker who didn't know him?
'Choi... Kang-ho...!'
"......"
Kang-ho lifted his head and turned his gaze to Zhang Wei.
Crack!
In that instant, Zhang Wei felt terror descend upon him. Like a mouse freezing before a snake, primal fear seized his body. He trembled uncontrollably.
The desire for the Eternal Crystal that had filled his mind vanished in an instant. In its place, fear surged in, rebuking his past arrogance toward this small nation.
Kang-ho stared at Zhang Wei impassively, then slowly stepped forward.
"This place is getting too noisy with all these uninvited guests. Maybe I should move."
Crunch—Crunch—Crunch—
The sound of snow under his boots echoed with each step toward the snowy plain. To Zhang Wei's ears, it rang like:
Snap—Snap—
His upper and lower teeth chattered violently. His body wouldn't budge, as if ensnared by some colossal force.
By the time Kang-ho reached him, Zhang Wei was drenched in cold sweat.
'This is the Beast King......!'
Kang-ho frowned, standing before Zhang Wei, and pressed his index finger firmly to his forehead.
"Already noisy enough with the military folks around."
"......"
Squish—
In that moment, Kang-ho appeared to Zhang Wei like an immense Buddha.
"Why do you all come to this quiet world and stir up trouble?"
The realization hit him—he was just a wild monkey running amok. All his life so far felt denied.
Kang-ho gazed at Zhang Wei with cold eyes. In those eyes lurked a monster. Swimming leisurely in a sea of deep blue magic power, it was an unknown entity utterly unlike the fears he'd imagined.
Soon, Kang-ho murmured.
"Your future life will be hell."
Psssh—
The moment the binding force released, Zhang Wei lost all strength and collapsed to his knees.
"Huaaaang!"
Tears poured from his eyes.
Kang-ho turned his back on such a Zhang Wei and vanished into the distant snowscape.
. . . . . . .
Kirin opened its eyes. This world was quite different from the heaven it had imagined.
The sky of heaven was made of trees.
There was an island in the northern fantasy realm of Murim, called the Illusion Realm, where spirit beasts and immortals coexisted.
For a very long time before the Heavenly Demon who plunged Murim into terror appeared, there had even been times when peace felt boring.
The Heavenly Demon encountered in that strongest era of the Illusion Realm was overwhelmingly powerful. After meeting him, Kirin's fate was thrown into a vortex of upheaval.
Having committed countless sins, all the merit it had accumulated was surely gone.
So.
'This is the end, then.'
Kirin thought. Even if this wasn't heaven but purgatory, it would humbly accept it.
Suddenly, a little child popped into Kirin's view.
The child, who looked about five or six, had lustrous silver hair cascading down. One plump cheek bulged out, munching away as if savoring something delicious.
Soon, the child spoke.
"Mommy."
Mommy?
The child turned and shouted behind her.
"Mooom!"
"What mommy?"
A voice came from afar.
'This voice...'
"You don't have a mommy."
The child's face soured.
"I do!"
"No, no. You don't have a mommy... Ack!"
The voice's owner yelped as if smacked, grumbling unjustly.
"No... it's not like she doesn't exist... Aaaack!"
"Shut up. Keep babbling and I'll kick you out."
"Hey, why pick on me? Species discrimination?"
Soon, a man entered Kirin's view. He scanned Kirin's body and nodded.
"It's working."
The man smiled faintly at Kirin.
"Sleep more."
Kirin couldn't resist the drowsiness overtaking its body. Its eyelids, heavy as mountains, closed tightly.
How much time passed?
When Kirin opened its eyes again, it felt like it had dreamed a long dream.
Suddenly, Kirin felt a pleasant coolness settling on its broken horn.
"......"
"I'm still alive."
"Yes."
Answering was the Ice Dragon. She silently drew out the heat from Kirin's body by its side. Strength was returning to its limbs.
It had unleashed two strikes at the cost of all its life force. Yet, a sliver of remaining life power was growing bit by bit.
"How...?"
She quietly turned her gaze out the window. Cheorwon's sky was clearer and calmer than ever today. No snowstorm adorned the world, no biting winds blew.
True spring had arrived in this world at last.
Kirin shook itself and rose from its spot. Beyond the window, a man gazed at the full moon, cradling that child from before as if she were most precious.
A massive Shabel Tiger stood beside the man.
"That man... saved me?"
"Yes."
The Ice Dragon nodded. Before long, Kirin's body had recovered enough to move. Though shrunken, it felt the Eternal Crystal in its heart beginning to generate magic power again.
"How...?"
"He possesses a chosen power. Inexplicable and mysterious, yet..."
She whispered, gazing at Kang-ho outside the window.
"Infinitely merciful and warm."
Kirin slowly took in its surroundings. A very soft bed. By the bedside were fluffy towels and a fur sweater, folded just right for a curled-up nap.
Kirin scanned the house once, then leaped down from the bed. It bowed its head slowly to the Ice Dragon.
"......I'm sorry."
"......"
She nodded slowly.
Creeak—
The door opened, revealing the man's back. Kirin walked slowly forward, passing the man and heading to the far side before turning around.
A brilliant full moon poured down from the sky.
Kirin could feel it. The immense aura emanating from that man rivaled even the Heavenly Demon's.
Yet the emotion it evoked was coziness. Utterly unlike the world-shaking killing intent of the Heavenly Demon.
Yes, perhaps he was a god. Thanks to this man, Kirin now lived a third life.
Kirin stared at him intently, then knelt and bowed its head. And vowed.
This third life would be dedicated to that man. To the absolute being who granted it new life.
"......"
Over there, the man flicked his hand as if to say forget it.
A small smile tugged at Kirin's lips. It kicked the ground and rose into the sky.
Floating lightly, Kirin's body headed toward the endless snowy plain beyond.
It was a certain spring day, with the massive full moon shining down like a cascade from the heavens.