Chapter 362 – The Wounded Beast (1)

“Thank you for teaching me so much, Master.”

I severed the entwined roots.

Even if it meant driving a nail into Cheondo’s heart.
If our opinions only clash, then this is the right course.
Anyone in need of salvation would have acted this way.

“…”

The conversation died.

The atmosphere, akin to an icy dam breaking, froze as cold as winter frost.
Her brow trembled. For the first time, her eyes turned away from me, looking down at the table below, filled with sorrow.

Someone should have bowed their head and left in a humble manner.
One might try to persuade by invoking past connections, but Cheondo and I could not do so.

A person beyond reproach.
Though my words had become harsh, they still cared for and respected me.

“…I’m sorry.”

The difficultly spoken words caused my heart to ache.

Echoes of unceasingly cascading emotions.

“Do not consider forgiving my foolishness.”

Yet, these emotions feel hollow when displayed to others.

“However… there is one thing I wish to clarify.”

Cheondo’s words remained soothingly hushed, just as they were when she taught me. A voice that resonated faintly in my ears.

“Where does fate exist if not in chance encounters? So many connections merely pass by like fleeting gusts of wind.”
“…”
“…It has always been this way.”

It was difficult to witness her grappling with her own inner turmoil. Among all the people I knew, those from Dowon had lost the most connections.

Cheondo was no exception.

After losing the sanctuary of her heart, she found herself in a world where her body merged with another, with nothing left to hold onto. Despite possessing the power of Heavenly Demon, her hard-won disciple uttered words that defied her expectations.

I caught a glimpse of a darker, more pessimistic side of Cheondo that I had not known before.

“You are incredibly precious to me. Even if you were to leave my embrace.”

Me too.

“But, it seems I was merely a fleeting breeze in your life.”

“What are you talking about?”

I want to deny those words.

This is the person who has saved my life countless times. I defied Heaven’s will because I couldn’t bear to let go of either side.

“Didn’t I say? I would have done the same, even if the situation were reversed.”
“No. You shouldn’t have done that, even if the situation were reversed.”
“Really?”

Compassion fills Cheondo’s gaze.
It’s a face that looks upon me tenderly.

“…Take care of yourself.”

I couldn’t find the words to respond.

The growing silence signaled the end of our conversation. The tiny tea leaves floating in the now-cold teacup were the only things stirring in this still place.

* * * * * * * *

-Frostbite.
-…Can’t we reconcile?
-Heaven… I’m truly sad. Just a single conversation, can’t we have that?
-Could there have been a misunderstanding?

I know.
I’m equally heartbroken.

-…Idiot. Loser. Fool.
-You don’t deserve to be a third-class disciple. You’re a fifth-class disciple.

Yet, you still hold onto the title of a disciple.

The last day passed with difficulty, lacking any meaningful conversation, amidst White Peach’s cold gaze and Zodiac’s restless persuasion.

As if that marked the end of our connection.
I couldn’t even step out to bid farewell.
Unbeknownst to me, Heaven had already departed.

‘How…’

Why does this weigh so heavily on my heart?
Do-won, Heaven’s ally within the association, will undoubtedly attempt to kill Cornus.

Now that it has come to this.

Cheondo might have attempted something with Sansuyu even before I took action.

‘I should give up.’

What lingers in my mind is that starting today, I must worry about my teachers’ disappearance as well.

– Tinkle.

The ice in the coffee stirred, making a sound. I lifted my gaze to the man before me.

“…So.”

A phone call arrived at dawn while I was with Cheondo, expressing a desire to meet once more. I wanted to hear what else he had to say, but Seong Ji-ho’s words didn’t veer far from my expectations.

Never, ever intervene.
Isn’t life too precious?

“It’s a request from Miss Sansuyu.”
“Go to hell.”

My mood was sour, and my temper had reached its peak, preventing any pleasant words from escaping. Seong Ji-ho’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Why are there so many people concerned for my life? Do I appear that fortunate?”
“…”

Just preserve your life.
For my potential is assured.

“Once everyone’s dead, there’s no point in saying such things. No one will remain.
I’ve been to the past and witnessed your deaths.
And you expect me to stand idly by like a madman?”

“I must reiterate.”
“I’m telling you once more, my life belongs to me.”
“…There may be some forceful methods involved.”

Seong Ji-ho clenched his fists, subtly hinting at a threat.

-Boom!!!!

In that instant, a massive explosion rocked the surroundings.
Swirling magical energy engulfed the confined room.

Seong Ji-ho’s face crumpled as his momentum was broken in a single breath.

“What…on earth?”

Seong Ji-ho was astonished, feeling the surging magical power.

The coffee trembled on the table. Even the building faintly vibrated.
His complexion turned pale, as if he were suffocating.

“Where is Sansuyu?”
“What… Why possess such power and go to the academy?”

“Don’t evade the issue. After all, if you were also a servant, you’d be prepared to die together, wouldn’t you?”

The person who had always supported Cornus, standing by her side. Rather than a purely contractual relationship, their connection was likely rooted in loyalty and affection.

Even in a situation like this, they continue to carry out their duties till the end, which only reinforces that idea.

Why wouldn’t this person try to save Cornus? Although I had my suspicions, it wasn’t my place to question.

If this individual truly cared for Cornus, they wouldn’t be able to accept this dire situation with her life hanging in the balance. I pursed my lips, swallowing the bitterness within.

“Well, since you’re Cornus’s secretary, I suppose you’ll respect her wishes. That’s what you mean, isn’t it?”

Seong Ji-ho’s eyelids twitched in response.

“I intend to save Cornus.”

So, if it’s a gamble, let me know the stakes and keep the costs low. Despite the respectful tone, Seong Ji-ho’s expression turned troubled at the coarse language used.

He closed his mouth and maintained his silence. Granting some time for contemplation was only fair.

As he slowly withdrew his mana and paused, his mouth opened before long.

“You will die.”

The warning seemed laughable now.

“If you want to save someone who’s going to die, you have to think about dying too.”

Seong Ji-ho’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected to hear such words. With trembling hands, he took a sip of coffee and calmed down.

“Why are you trying so hard to save her?”
“Then, is it fine for Sansuyu to die here?”
“…”

He laughed as if it was absurd. That alone didn’t explain everything, but he never intended to reveal everything in the first place.

“…It’s a gamble.”

He cracked his knuckles and stared. He repeated the gesture and looked at me with skeptical eyes. I understood that he still couldn’t trust me.

Just like Cheondo had said, Sansuyu and I had only known each other for a few months at most.

But on the other hand, her situation was similar to Cheondo’s.

Just as Cheondo had given her life for me, a recent acquaintance, in order to dispel my doubts and allow me to depend on her,

I was merely proving the depth of our bond.

“…Let’s talk.”

Sung Ji-ho’s words fell.

* * * * * * * *

-Bang!

The door burst open with a sound akin to splintering wood.

“Damn, that scared the hell out of me.”

Tae-yang, who had been lying down, looked toward the door in surprise. He held a comic book on the bed, while Aori was working on something atop a blanket spread on the floor.

Upon seeing the two, I immediately nodded.

“…Brother?”

“Get ready, you perverts.”

“Uh, what?”

“I’ve discovered Sansuyu’s location.”

Tae-yang rose from his spot, hastily shaking off his drowsiness.

I grasp his wrist as he tries to reach for the teacup.
No need for tea.

“Aori, what are you doing?”
“I’m making a nine-tailed knot plug. Want to use it on your girlfriend? It’s soft and feels nice to touch.”
“…Prepare yourself as well. It’s time to go.”
“Hmph.”

How on earth does she create something like that?
Her dexterity is truly astonishing to witness.

Aori’s cosplay collection, which I had caught a glimpse of before, is undeniably of professional quality. Even I, a novice in such matters, couldn’t help but gape at the sight of it. Aori pouts her lips as she rolls the tightly knotted plugs in her hands.

“Brother, it’s good to know the location, but… what are you going to do?”
“What do you think we should do?”
“Are you planning on barging in and taking her out? It seems difficult at the moment.”

Tae-yang is right.

According to Seong Ji-ho’s information, Cornus’s experiments are being conducted in a massive mansion located in the western part of European Russia. We know the approximate coordinates and even have a rough map of the mansion’s layout.

However, the numerous guild hunters, who had prepared artifacts and fortified their defenses, were beyond my capabilities to handle alone.

There were also several S-class hunters. No matter how formidable Tae-yang and Aori might be, attempting to assault their stronghold would be too reckless.

Thus, we had to be patient. I asked Tae-yang:

“What do you think we should do?”

“Well, we’ll wait for the heresy announcement. During the Hunter Association’s all-out attack, we’ll just sneak in and extract Cornus.”

His thoughts mirrored my own. Lacking in both power and numbers, our only option was to seize the right moment and rescue a single person.

We would take care of the aftermath one way or another.

“So, what should we do with the remaining time?”

“…Well, take it easy?”

*Thud!*

Tae-yang’s head slammed into the floor as a fist struck his forehead. His entire body trembled as if he were experiencing rigor mortis.

“Aori. Speak up.”

Aori, who had been fiddling with the knot plug for a while, glanced at me and cocked her head.
Her red hair swayed and her large breasts jiggled.
Come to think of it, she was wearing just her underwear. Her white thighs were exposed.

“Umm… It’s something the king must do.”

Aori placed her fist on her palm and let out an ‘Ah!’ sound.

“Is it to be fastened to a tree?”
“Good grief, Aori, you fool. Do you really think your brother would do something like that?”

Tae-yang, who had risen and rubbed his forehead at Aori’s words, scolded her. Aori stuck her tongue out at Tae-yang.

“Blood.”
“Think before you act, will you? It would be nice if you could pay some rent too.”
“I don’t want to~”

Watching their banter as it unfolded wouldn’t be a bad way to pass the time, but unfortunately, there were many pressing matters that demanded attention.

“That’s right.”

I nodded in agreement with Aori’s words.

“…Huh?”
“What?”

Tae-yang and Aori, upon seeing me almost simultaneously, widened their eyes as if in disbelief.
If asked what the best course of action was at this moment, honing our abilities was the top priority.
If the quickest path to growing stronger involved thrusting into trees and women…

‘We must do whatever it takes.’

There was a dire need to cling on.

“…Brother, the tree…”
“What?”
“You…penetrated it?”
“So?”

– Drip.

Suddenly, a glistening liquid fell from the corners of Tae-yang and Aori’s eyes.

“Are you two…crying?”
“No, we’re not crying. It’s just that we’re overwhelmed with emotion…sniff.”
“The king will penetrate the tree. Sob.”

Pretending to wipe away their tears, Tae-yang and Aori wailed loudly.

“Our king!!!! Panting and gasping in the tree!!! Uh-huhhh.”
“Damn it, shut up, Aori!! What would you do if you suddenly didn’t want to be penetrated!!!! Sob.”

It felt as if I were losing my mind.

“What are you trying to mock me for?”
“Ughhhhh!”