Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Master of Killing Intent
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‘What is this killing intent?’
The chilling killing intent that burst into the conference hall rapidly bore down on my shoulders.
‘I... I can’t breathe...’
This wasn’t the first time I’d felt killing intent.
Gwang-yu’s was just as strong.
But I’d been fine then...
Yet strangely, this killing intent from someone whose face I didn’t even know felt like it was strangling my throat.
As if I’d once before been threatened with death by the exact same person’s aura.
‘I need to snap out of it... but I can’t shake it off.’
In my fading consciousness, I heard the sound of a child crying.
‘Whose crying is this?’
“Bean, relax your body.”
Just before I collapsed, Gwang-yu crouched low, caught my staggering form, and urgently whispered in my ear.
“I can’t breathe...”
“You can’t breathe?”
Gwang-yu’s expression grew grave as he looked at me.
“Pressed down by that guy’s killing intent? That shouldn’t be possible...”
Gwang-yu looked momentarily confused, then seemed to decide this wouldn’t do and scooped me straight into his arms.
“Hey, do you really need to bring killing intent just to enter a conference hall?”
“What?? You insolent snake!”
“So reel it in already. ...Unless you want to see blood here.”
Gwang-yu turned toward the opposite side, radiating a killing intent far stronger than what had crushed me.
His golden eyes flashed murderously—a side of him utterly unlike the Gwang-yu I knew.
‘It was the gaze of a beast ready to snap its enemy’s neck at any moment.’
As Gwang-yu’s killing intent intensified, the pressure strangling my throat vanished.
Only then could I finally breathe.
“Kuhk!”
My blocked airways cleared, and I coughed repeatedly.
“Seol Advisor doesn’t seem well, so I’ll take her outside for a bit.”
“...Seol Advisor?”
A familiar yet unfamiliar voice reverberated heavily in my ears.
‘Where have I heard this voice before?’
But I couldn’t recall where.
In the meantime, Gwang-yu was dashing off somewhere, still holding me.
“Master, where the hell are you taking me? Stop!”
I grabbed his collar and yanked, and only then did he finally look at me.
“B-Bean...! Are you okay now?”
‘Where did that fierce beast I just saw go?’
Before me was only the crybaby snake who’d lived a thousand years and still teared up in an instant.
“I’m fine, so stop crying and running!”
At my words, Gwang-yu halted his Void Step and landed lightly on the ground like a falling leaf.
“Still, just in case, maybe you should see a physician? Your health might’ve taken a turn.”
“You know that’s not it, Master. It wasn’t my health. So put me down already!”
Only belatedly embarrassed at being carried in his arms, I yelled, and he reluctantly set me down.
“I didn’t even carry you that far, so we could’ve just gone back to the conference hall like this...”
Even after letting me go, Gwang-yu watched me with eyes dripping reluctance and worry.
‘When you really look at him, Gwang-yu worries about me just as much as Daddy does.’
“I’ll take the sentiment. But since it’s my first meeting, I want to walk in on my own two feet.”
“...But why’d you suddenly get crushed by that killing intent? You’ve been around me, so you should be used to that level by now.”
Realizing he couldn’t persuade me, Gwang-yu asked about my strange symptoms.
“Yeah... It wasn’t even that strong, but my body felt crushed anyway. And...”
“And? Any other symptoms?”
“I heard a baby crying. Really loud, like my head was ringing. That’s when breathing got hard.”
“Have you ever met Heung-po before?”
“Heung-po? What’s that?”
“One of the Eleven Elders—the owner of the killing intent you just felt.”
‘That was a person’s name?’
I hadn’t expected that at all.
“I didn’t see his face, so no clue.”
‘But just from the name, he sounds ridiculously intimidating...’
“Hm, you probably wouldn’t have anyway. He guards the northern borders of the cult, so he only comes here a handful of times a year.”
“Why ask, though? Is it related to my symptoms?”
“There are two reasons someone gets crushed by killing intent. First, when you meet someone with far greater power than yours. Second...”
Gwang-yu folded his thumb, then his index finger, as he continued.
“When you have a memory of being crushed by that specific intent before. It’s not physical—it’s psychological. Like trauma where your body’s fine, but your mind carries the scar from a near-death experience.”
‘Psychological trauma... But the only time I nearly died was when I snuck off to train alone, got lost in the mountains, and almost froze to death...’
Remembering that time—when Daddy hadn’t come searching, I’d have been done for—sent chills down my spine.
“So it’s definitely not the first case?”
“Nope! My killing intent’s more than a match for Heung-po’s.”
‘Master... Don’t brag about overflowing with killing intent like it’s a good thing.’
Still, it was true I’d have suffered without his help, reason or not, so I decided not to chide him.
“Anyway, maybe going back to the conference hall and seeing Elder Heung-po’s face will jog something?”
“But there’s one thing you mustn’t forget.”
“What’s that?”
“That you have power equal to Heung-po’s. Keep that etched in your mind, and you won’t get crushed again.”
‘I see... But...’
“Master, does that mean I’m stronger than Elder Heung-po?”
I looked up at him with expectant eyes, but Gwang-yu slyly averted his gaze.
“Potential. Power you haven’t awakened yet.”
“Ugh... Anyone could say that.”
I deflated, and Gwang-yu placed a hand on my head, meeting my eye level with a playful grin.
“Why not? You ate the seed of the Golden Immortal Lotus. Gonna underestimate a spirit beast’s power?”
“True, you’ve got a point.”
‘At least I have something to rely on.’
No need to worry too much.
Wait, come to think of it... This is what I meant to give him!
With the situation settled, I remembered what I’d forgotten.
The black snake-embroidered handkerchief I’d made by hand for Gwang-yu!
“Master, here.”
I pulled out the prepared handkerchief with my small hands and offered it to him.
“No way...! The handkerchief from Bean? You fixed it already?”
“Yeah, my skills are lacking, but I tried hard. Don’t expect too much.”
Having already gotten harsh feedback from the Golden Immortal Lotus, watching Gwang-yu happily accept it made my heart race anxiously.
“Pfft, I love any handkerchief from Bean!”
Excited, Gwang-yu unfolded it vigorously.
‘He won’t fail to recognize the embroidery like Lian-hwa did, right?’
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly.
“Oh? A snake this time?”
I’d expected him not to recognize it!
But he saw the embroidery I’d sewn as a snake!
“Right! I thought of you while embroidering a snake.”
“I see... Embroidered while thinking of me...?”
I buzzed with the thought that my sincerity got through, but Gwang-yu’s face had gone pale.
“Master, you okay? Why’s your face so white?”
“No, I’m fine. My disciple.”
‘What? Why’d his tone suddenly change?’
Gwang-yu insisted he was fine, but his actions were noticeably unnatural.
“Disciple, may this master ask you something?”
Gwang-yu smiled faintly at the handkerchief, then turned to me.
“Sure, no beating around the bush.”
“This embroidery isn’t meant as a death threat, right?”
‘What? Death threat?’
“How’s this a death threat? Anyone can see it’s a black snake! You even recognized it as a snake!”
Frustrated, I pointed at the embroidery and yelled. Gwang-yu pointed at the squished shape with a pitiful expression.
“But it’s a dead snake... It’s vomiting blood here.”
‘I never planned a blood-vomiting black snake!’
Following where he pointed, I saw red thread spurting out long.
‘This is...’
“It’s the snake’s tongue! How’s that vomiting blood?”
‘Okay, it pricks my conscience a bit.’
Ugh, if it’s gonna bother my conscience this much, why’d I say I’d embroider it? I could’ve just bought one!
“Forget it! Give it here! I’ll buy you a pretty new one.”
“Wait, I didn’t say I didn’t like it!”
“I said forget it! It’s different, okay?”
Hurt, I reached to snatch it back, but Gwang-yu nimbly dodged and tied it around his neck, meeting my eyes.
“Thank you, Bean. This master will raise his disciple big.”
Gwang-yu’s crescent eyes flashed golden for an instant.
“The spirit beast Black Snake Gwang-yu swears on this one life.”