Chapter 44
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 44
‘Why is it so quiet?’
It felt as though she had wandered too deep into the woods.
The memory of getting lost in the mountains not too long ago flickered unbidden in her mind.
So-ya was about to stand up, thinking she should find Ga-hyeon and tell him they should leave, when—
Shudder.
Suddenly, without warning, goosebumps erupted across her skin.
Frozen in place, So-ya slowly turned her head.
“……!”
Her breath hitched. Her entire body locked up.
Her eyes met those of a man wearing a black mask.
“My, my. And here I thought I had completely hidden my presence.”
The man muttered in an embarrassed tone, as if he truly hadn't expected to be caught, and pulled down his mask.
“How fascinating. Do you really have the power to sense evil arts? I’ll have to check your spirit core to be sure.”
‘That man is…!’
At the sight of his revealed face, So-ya flinched and scrambled backward.
‘It’s him. The one who tried to kill me in the Southern Land….’
The man, bearing a tattoo of a three-legged crow that stretched from his cheek to his neck, was someone So-ya had encountered before.
‘But Sa-eon dealt with him….’
Her pale pink eyes trembled violently as she stared at him.
“Allow me to introduce myself, little lady. I am… Oh? Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”
The man tilted his head curiously, then felt his own face and let out a smirk.
“Ah. I suppose this husk is frightening to you. Tsk. Why are humans so obsessed with what they see on the surface?”
The man drew a pitch-black sword from his waist and began to approach So-ya slowly.
“Do not be so afraid. I won’t kill you right away. There is something I must confirm with you—”
It was then.
“Stop! Don’t come any closer!”
Ga-hyeon stepped in front of So-ya, drawing his sword and glaring at the man with fierce eyes.
“Brother!” So-ya cried out in surprise.
The opponent was an adult man, at least two heads taller than Ga-hyeon. The difference in their physiques was overwhelming.
However, Ga-hyeon pointed the tip of his steady blade at the man and demanded, “I am Baek Ga-hyeon, the second son of the Western Divine Beast White Tiger Clan. Who are you?”
“Oh dear. A young lord of the Baek family. This makes things a bit tedious.”
The man sighed with a troubled expression.
“However…”
Grin—
The man stared at Ga-hyeon’s face, his lips curling into a wide, grotesque smile.
“That husk of yours doesn’t look too bad either. Perhaps it’s time for a change.”
“What…?”
In the brief moment Ga-hyeon’s brow furrowed at the nonsensical words—
“It’s dangerous, Brother!”
The man lunged at Ga-hyeon without warning.
Swoosh, Clang—!
Ga-hyeon immediately swung his sword to parry the incoming strike.
Feeling the palpable murderous intent, Ga-hyeon’s hands trembled involuntarily as he gasped for breath.
Born as the second son of the White Tiger Clan, he had trained until his sword felt like an extension of his body, but this was his first time crossing blades with an enemy who truly intended to kill him.
But he couldn't afford to be weak. The man’s sword was already flying toward him again.
Clang—!
Clash, clang, clash—!
The blades collided, letting out sharp, metallic shrieks.
Despite the difference in size, Ga-hyeon held his own, exchanging blows with the man as an equal.
Then, in an instant—
Clatter!
The man’s sword was sent flying. Simultaneously, Ga-hyeon’s blade slashed down toward the man’s head.
Slash—!
The man’s body collapsed.
“Huff, huff….”
Ga-hyeon panted, staring down at the fallen man.
“I did it….”
Just as Ga-hyeon was about to sheathe his sword—
“…As expected of a young lord of the Baek family, you’re quite a handful.”
“……!”
“……!”
Startled by the voice of the man they thought was dead, So-ya and Ga-hyeon both spun around.
“I thought this husk would last a while, but it’s ruined again. Well, no matter. I’ve just found a new one, so there’s no loss.”
The man chuckled as he stumbled back to his feet.
“W-what…!”
Crack. Snap.
Fine, hair-line fractures began to spiderweb across the man’s skin, following the path where Ga-hyeon’s sword had struck.
And then—
Rip—!
The man’s skin tore open, and a massive, pitch-black beast erupted from within.
‘He’s… not human?’
It was a demonic beast with the face of a monster and the body of a bear.
Its black face had neither eyes nor ears. Instead, a massive mouth situated in the center of its face dripped with saliva as it licked its lips.
“The Peril Beast, Hondon….”
Ga-hyeon recognized it, his voice turning pale.
“Heh, hehehe. Now that I’ve shown my true form, I have no choice. I’ll have to finish you both here.”
Hondon let out a murky laugh, his voice raspy and metallic.
“Of course, I never intended to let either of you leave alive anyway.”
Skreeeeeeee—!
As Hondon unhinged its jaw, dozens of snakes surged out like tangled vines.
“So-ya…!”
Ga-hyeon immediately pulled So-ya into his arms, but he couldn't dodge the flying mass of snakes.
Thwack!
The snakes left a long gash on Ga-hyeon’s arm, and both children tumbled onto the dirt.
“Ugh….”
“Brother Hyeon!”
So-ya screamed in horror at the sight of Ga-hyeon’s bleeding arm.
But Ga-hyeon immediately pushed himself up and stood before her….
Poof!
He underwent his beast transformation, turning into a snow-white tiger.
“Roaaaaar…!”
Ga-hyeon bared his sharp fangs and let out a powerful roar.
So-ya’s eyes widened at the sight of the massive white tiger.
Until now, the only tigers she had seen were small, cute cubs like Ga-yul and Ah-rang.
A white tiger that had completed its First Growth was larger than an adult man.
‘Is that… a tiger…?’
Ga-hyeon lunged straight at the demonic beast.
Swoosh!
Thud!
Ga-hyeon pounced on Hondon, pinning it down with his massive forepaws.
Just as he was about to tear into Hondon’s throat—
Skree!
Dozens of snakes burst from Hondon’s mouth like vines, coiling tightly around Ga-hyeon’s body.
Ga-hyeon struggled to break free, but the more he thrashed, the tighter the snakes constricted him.
“Grrrr…!”
“Brother!”
So-ya grabbed the fallen scabbard from the ground and ran toward Ga-hyeon.
“G-get away…!”
So-ya gripped the scabbard with both hands and swung it at the snakes binding Ga-hyeon.
The black snakes crumbled upon impact.
Taking advantage of the loosened grip, Ga-hyeon tore through the remaining snakes.
“We did it!”
“Are you sure about that?”
Hondon, who had been watching them without attacking, chuckled and asked cryptically.
“Ugh…!”
Suddenly, Ga-hyeon’s legs gave out.
“Brother!”
A dark-red poison was spreading from his front leg. He had been bitten by one of the snakes Hondon had released earlier.
“P-poison….”
“N-no, Brother!”
“So-ya, you… ugh… you have to run….”
Ga-hyeon spoke with difficulty, coughing up blood. His snow-white fur was being stained crimson.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make good use of your husk.”
Hondon began to walk toward the tearful So-ya, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.
“The Lord will be pleased with the second son of the Baek family. My master has quite a grudge against your clan, after all.”
“Stop!”
Trembling, So-ya stood in front of Ga-hyeon.
“I-if you want something from me, then just come for me! Don’t touch my brother!”
“Brother, you say?”
Hondon let out a sneer at So-ya.
“How ridiculous. How can a tiger and a bird be family?”
So-ya flinched at those words, but she soon remembered what Ga-hyeon had told her.
[I want to be real family with you, So-ya.]
[A real family that protects and cherishes each other regardless of what we look like, whether we’re birds or beasts.]
[I promise, I’ll be a shield that never changes and protect you. Because I’m your real brother.]
He, who had promised to be her ‘real brother,’ had kept that promise even as his body was being torn apart.
“He said a tiger and a bird can be family. He said he’d be my shield and protect me forever.”
So, now it was her turn to protect her ‘real family.’
“So I’m going to protect my real family, too.”
Though her small body shook instinctively, So-ya’s voice was steady and firm as she glared at Hondon.
In truth, she knew. She knew she couldn't possibly defeat that monster.
But still, they were family.
A ‘real family’ that would never abandon each other, no matter the situation.
So she wouldn't run away alone.
Even if it resulted in a meaningless death, she would protect her brother.
“Hahaha! Then by all means, try to protect him!”
Hondon’s black mouth split wide in a laugh.
A massive serpent lunged from its throat, flying straight toward So-ya.
‘I will protect him…!’
Just as So-ya raised the scabbard high with both hands—
Flash!
The sky suddenly ignited with a blinding bolt of light.
Rumble!
Mt. Horim began to vibrate.
“W-what is this…!”
Hondon, who had been shouting in confusion, suddenly froze like a stone.
It wasn't just Hondon.
The black serpent lunging at So-ya, and Ga-hyeon, who was losing consciousness while coughing up blood—everything stopped.
As if time itself had frozen, the leaves swaying in the wind and the sound of the bubbling spring… everything went silent.
In the midst of the stillness, within the frozen time, only So-ya remained, her lips parting as she let out a shallow breath.
“How is this… happening…?”
As So-ya looked around in bewilderment—
ROOOOOOOOAR!
With a roar like thunder, a massive spiritual beast wreathed in white light appeared.
‘A phantom beast?’
For a moment, So-ya thought it was an illusion. It glowed with the same white light as the phantom beasts Sa-eon created with his illusions.
—So, it was you who woke me.
So-ya’s eyes went wide at the clear, divine voice that seemed to echo directly in her mind.
‘No, it’s not a phantom beast. This is….’
So-ya swallowed hard as she stared at the snow-white spiritual beast.
Somehow, she felt she knew what it was.
Because… the spiritual beast before her resembled Ga-hyeon’s transformed state.
The snow-white fur and blue eyes. Though it wasn't small and cute like the tigers So-ya knew.
‘There’s no mistake.’
It was the Ancient Divine Beast, the White Tiger.