Chapter 405 – The Black Moon

A man plummeted from the heavens, crashing into the factory compound as if he were a bolt of lightning.

– Thump! Krrrrack!

His hands plunged into the rooftop to brace his fall, the impact causing the very foundation to elevate and wires to twist. Cracks traced the concrete, seeping down the outer walls of the building.

“Heugh… Haa. Haa.”

Every gasping breath expelled chunks of coagulated blood. The man, a catastrophe personified, was riddled with wounds both deep and superficial, teetering on the brink of death.

His foot, twisted awkwardly outwards, revealed protruding bone. His arm, gashed and flesh-torn, trembled as muscles palpitated visibly beneath. Soon after, an elder man descended from the sky.

– Thud!

The moment he landed, he hoisted his sword with one hand and launched an unrelenting assault.

Despite his advanced age, he was a sword master. A unique entity who had surpassed the pinnacle of swordsmanship, commanding countless sword lines beneath him.

– Swoosh!

A ripple flowed down the length of his blade. An inaudible, unseen sword stroke radiated with a crystalline clarity, slicing through the man’s ankle tendons.

A relentless barrage of blows rained down, leaving no room for the man to harness his Qi. Under the onslaught, he was driven into the factory floor.

– Crash!

The rising dust obscured their vision, but neither of the two men was incapacitated enough to lose track of their surroundings.

“Ah, such a pity.”

Mugung strolled into the factory, his voice a soft murmur.

“Do you feel wronged?”

Lee Si-heon remained unresponsive. Shreds of flesh torn from the floor adhered to his body.

– Shuffle, shuffle.

“I asked if you feel wronged.”

Mugung paused mid-stride.

“So, you couldn’t resist and committed the act. Do you even know how many innocent lives you’ve taken?”

An old wolf and a not-yet-grown hunting dog. These two ill-fated adversaries stood facing each other, a pillar separating them.

Lee Si-heon, who had been leaning against the wall, tilted his head back.

His eyes, grotesquely bloodshot, questioned the boundaries of humanity. The blood vessels were ruptured, his eyes trembling with an unsettling excitement. The chilling aura surrounding him seemed to freeze the immediate vicinity.

“… You’re quite remarkable.”

The scent of the musty factory mixed with the smell of dried blood and dust caked onto his body.

– Drip, drip.

Drops of blood falling from his chin spread onto the floor.

A bitter sigh escaped Mugung’s lips, and with it, words of resignation.

“You, of all people, have the right to resent the world. I shall grant you a swift death.”

As he unsheathed his sword, Mugung contemplated the eyes he had just seen. That vitality.

‘He hasn’t lost his spirit yet.’

It was a sight akin to a formidable hunting dog that refuses to let go of its prey’s throat, even at death’s door.

‘I had considered persuading him by any means necessary.’

Mugung bowed his head, a sense of regret washing over him.

Lee Si-heon was an individual beyond his control, not something any being in this world would dare to encompass. It was too much. Too superior. Within this fleeting span, he had grown to the point where he was now ready to consume even himself.

– Thud, thud.

He sought an opening, lips spread wide, dripping crimson drool and sneering. The fact that Lee Si-heon didn’t move meant Mugung offered no vulnerabilities.

Mugung calmly scrutinized Lee Si-heon’s physique with his gaze.

The fleeting emotions glimpsed within that horrific talent, could they be described as human? Mugung had the ability to discern the darkest secrets and purest intentions of others. Seeing Lee Si-heon’s emotions thus, Mugung could only feel a sense of pity.

Even his pride bowed its head this time.

– Thump!

Without missing the brief window of emotion, Lee Si-heon hoisted his fist.

– Bang!

Mugung’s form reeled. In an instant, it burst through the factory wall and fell into the distance. Two birds sprang abruptly from the now standing body of Lee Si-heon.

[Chirp?! Master, Master!? Your body….]

“……..”

[Yes? Rescue operation? But Master….]

A conversation established without words. Two birds, bewildered at the sight of the critically injured Lee Si-heon, soon took flight out of the factory.

– Chirp!

A limping leg. He did not cease his advance.

In this bloodstained world, all he could see were his fists and his adversary. Saliva, stretched thin like a spider’s web, droplets breaking off and slithering down onto the floor.

He could land enough solid hits. His mind hadn’t hardened to the point of making erroneous judgments.

Despite all he had done, the realm still seemed infinitely distant. The pursuit of reaching the realm had long been abandoned.

“Huff….”

He swallowed his breath, raised his fists, and assumed his stance. Something white in Lee Si-heon’s pupils was rapidly rocketing towards him.

【 Hundred-Step Heart System · Single Flower · Hankyoreh 】

– Wham!

* * * * * * * * *

Gu-seul expelled a sigh, waiting for contact.

“I never imagined things would come to this.”

It may have been the limit for Lee Si-heon to hold out any longer. In a situation where even those around him were under threat, with no hope left, it wouldn’t be strange for his will to break.

“The third leaf, Sisyphus, and a few elite Flower forces are gathering in Seoul.”
“To help?”
“No. Perhaps… they intend to deal with their adversaries in collaboration with the association during this crisis. Sisyphus seems convinced that the Heavenly Demon will come to rescue Lee Si-heon.”

With the pronouncement of Lee Si-heon’s disaster, the world’s attention was drawn to Korea. The World Tree of Justice was reportedly making a personal appearance.

Countless battle priests and representatives of the World Tree of Justice had converged here with the intent to kill Lee Si-heon, their numbers immense.

‘All this movement… over just one academy student?’

Gu-seul found herself questioning the situation. She too had made her way to Korea, awaiting orders from her superior with her eyes closed.

‘Who would have thought the title of King Mokryeong would have such a large impact?’

They all knew the fate of those who had faced King Mokryeong. Indeed, the world had once been torn in two, and until now, they had been unable to counteract this due to their ongoing war with the entity known as Flower. They had been on guard.

But now, with Lee Si-heon’s emergence… The majority of their forces were amassing in Korea.

Sistus, who had been leading the war, and the World Tree of Justice. As their focus shifted to Korea, the other forces naturally followed suit.

‘Could this be intentional?’

Given the timing, it seemed the only plausible explanation. This must be Lee Si-heon’s plan, a suicide mission designed to drain Flower and the World Tree of Justice of their forces in this war as much as possible. He had invaded the Hunter Association, risking his life.

Could this be seen as a leap of faith? The butterfly effect was in motion, even altering the landscape of the war.

-Ring Ring.

And caught within this butterfly effect was Gu-seul herself.

“…This is a direct order.”
“Ah.”
“It’s an order to save Lee Si-heon by any means necessary.”
“Am I allowed to use my abilities?”
“……”

Nodding, her subordinate dropped the gun he had been holding.

-Thud!

Exiting the alley with a cold expression, Gu-seul gave the employee’s shoulder a tap.

“That’s fine. You may go.”

The World Tree of Justice and Flower. If both entities were targeting Lee Si-heon, his life could not be saved, no matter what conflict arose.

They needed a larger, more enticing trap. It was clear that Flower would arrive later than the World Tree of Justice. From Sistus’ perspective, it was better to be late.

The reality that Korea, where the core strength of the Association was gathered, could collapse like a house of cards. There was no need to be the first to engage and aim for Lee Si-heon. In other words, Lee Si-heon would have to single-handedly handle the forces of the World Tree of Justice, who had entered without Flower’s interference.

‘Of course, that is… assuming he survives the encounter with Mugung.’

The odds of that were slim.

Despite this, Lee Si-heon was what they needed. Gu-seul, having emerged from the alley, began to draw on her magic.

“…I did tell you.”

Facing towards where Lee Si-heon would be, Gu-seul gave a bitter smile.

“Regardless, you need to come to us.”

Lignification. One of the abilities that trees could use, amplifying all their potential to temporarily equate with the World Tree of Justice.

The Three Disasters. The worst calamity born from an era in a lofty position.

When the trio unites… It was universally acknowledged that no matter how transcendental a being was, it could not exist without life.

A nameless tree was inherently incapable of lignification.
The blood of the World Tree was pale, devoid of any flower language or origin, indicating it was a pariah, positioned at the very bottom of the genealogy.

However, Gu-seul was an exception for an unknown reason.
Despite lacking a name or a flower language, her physical form remained intact.
Her vitality was so immense that it surpassed the World Tree, her body and energy core so robust, that those around her suggested she used prosthetics, unable to control her power on her own.

However, the fact was undeniable.
She was still a tree without a name.

And no other name was given to this form.

【Liberation】

Gigantic trees burst through the asphalt, shooting up, covering the entire road.
The enormous bark violently grappled with Gu-seul’s form, and soon, the human silhouette vanished entirely, replaced by a beast the size of an entire building stationed in the middle of the road.

It was closer to a wooden beast than a wooden human.

An enormous creature, its appearance similar to a wolf, hence called the Mokrang (Wooden Wolf).
Who could have guessed that the unstoppable disaster, rumored to occasionally appear, was in fact an underling of the Flower?

A multitude of characters flashed by, sensations beyond comprehension.
The colossal creature writhed.

“Grroowlll…”

A beast incapable of understanding human language.
A sharp branch sprouted from its back, which was then promptly ejected, detonating in the distant sky.

-Boom! Boom!

Like missiles raining down, the majority of the Hunter Guild branches located in Seoul disintegrated into dust.

-Kaboom!

A deafening explosion, followed by an eerie silence.
People fled in panic, and the beast, paying no mind to them, planted its lion-like paws onto the ground, once more amassing its magic.

Countless World Tree soldiers were charging towards this place.
Only Gu-seul was equipped to handle this.

She trusted the rest would manage on their own.

Gu-seul, now standing tall, let out a roar so intense that it felt as if the very heavens and earth were being upturned.

“────!!!!”

A flicker of determination rose in Gu-seul’s blood-stained eyes, peering through the gaps between the trees.

* * * * * * * * * *

Severed strands of hair fluttered onto the pool of blood.

【Double Flower • Seorak】

Mugung’s Swordsmanship.
Undeniably the pinnacle of all existing swordsmanship, it was divided into six spiritual realms, each corresponding to different movements and techniques.

The White Danjeon realm of Mugung’s swordsmanship was the most frequently seen stance, its complexity, however, was inexpressible.

-Crash!

The wounds gashing her entire body were severe.
Magical power acted like a venom, solidifying the wounds to form blood clots, preventing blood from circulating through her arms and legs.

A duel with one who had achieved enlightenment.

Before the blood clotted on my fists could even touch the ground, the subsequent sword strike grazed my chin.

-Whiiing!

A shrill ringing echoed in my ears.
I managed to parry Mugung’s relentless sword attacks, but at this rate, my life would be the first to be extinguished.

It bore no resemblance to the era of Sanhyeokwon.
There was no room to employ any techniques, and thus, injuries sustained were superficial.

In contrast, every single one of my opponent’s movements was lethal.
Such an overwhelming difference.

I locked my two fists, facing Mugung who had closed in.

【 Single Blossom · Arirang 】

-Thud!

Against the unmoving sword strike, thud. My body collapsed, my consciousness swirling with shock.
I was the first to fall.

-Thump!

Bursting from the building, I plunged into the muddy water, my vision becoming murky.
In reality, my reflection in the waterway had a grey tinge, as if I had become blind.

“The end has come.”

Mugung, sensing his victory, muttered softly.
Over the surface of the murky puddle burying my face, blood swirled with the water, reminiscent of smoke from a mosquito coil.

Not yet. I mustn’t die.
Even if I were to die here, I would need to at least shatter one of my master’s enemies.

The dirt from the puddle seeped into my eyes.
Although my eyes were bloodshot and even bleeding, my eyelids refused to close.

-Ripple.

The water puddle trembled under Mugung’s footsteps. I mustn’t move yet.
The very last moment… There must be a gap if he’s human.

The longer one stays at the apex, the more likely he is to become complacent in his arrogance.
Unbeknownst to me, Mugung had reached my proximity, extending his sword towards me. Mugung’s sword tip was aimed at my forehead.

“If there were any distractions… Perhaps the tables would have turned.”

Just before my eyelids slowly closed, Mugung’s sword moved.

-Thrust!

A blade penetrating the forehead.
The sharpened, pointed tip of the sword pierced my forehead like cutting through tofu. Neither bone nor muscle managed to resist it.

In that fleeting moment, a sigh of relief crossed Mugung’s face.
I seized the opportunity and jolted my body upright.

The concealed magic energy exploded in an instant, setting my body ablaze.

-Bam!

Surprised, Mugung stepped back as I rose from my spot, charging ahead while splashing muddy water. I channeled all my magical power.

The outlets of my danjeon, which had been tightly sealed to prevent harm to my life, began to loosen, allowing magic energy to burst forth.

Already. It couldn’t possibly end.
I haven’t closed my eyes yet.

【 Form of the Eight Arms 】

Black spots expanded in a flash, engulfing my body.
My vision blurred rapidly, as if my wide-open eyes were being drained of their vitality.

The size of the muscles decreased. However, in contrast, my strength grew, morphing into a form that was perfect for burning that single moment.

Once. A concept that had vanished from this world.

As the age of Moorim wanes, a power once deemed fantastical emerges.

The Primordial Qi.

Moreover, the Light of Retrospection.

-Thud!

My surroundings are steeped in darkness, a black moon ascends, centered around me. Mugung’s eyes snap open. In a moment that seems frozen in time, I aim for Mugung’s throat.

Suddenly, the conscious Mugung’s blade strikes against my head.

-Thud!

I remain unbroken. His blade fails to pierce the magic armor enveloping me. A chuckle is impossible to suppress. Above my trembling lips, a ghostly pallor spreads.

The notion of defeating one who has reached such a state purely through will has never crossed my mind.

However, I can render a leg useless for good.
At least if my life is the price.

“……!”

For the first time, Mugung’s face loses its composure, white magic bursting forth from his hand.

I will strike first. The scene has played out repeatedly in my mind.

I dodge his thrusting blade. Even if I can’t, it doesn’t matter. Even if my cheek is sliced open and my jaw’s tendons snap, rendering my mouth slack, it is sufficient if I can get close.

‘Heavenly Demon Arts.’

-Thud!

‘The blossoming of a white flower.’

“…White Peach.”

A weary voice seeping from my lips. Exhausted, it has softened, its strength flickering like a dying flame.

White flowers intertwine. Orange blossoms burst forth anew.

“The one that blooms red is Zodiac.”

One more strike.

“Uh… huh?!”

The magical barrier, seemingly impregnable, is pierced through. My fist burrows deep into his body, eliciting the first cry of pain from Mugung’s lips.

‘All that has been stripped away.’

The life force on a knife’s edge.
Putting aside only enough to breathe, the rest is expended.

The Seventh Form. Heaven.
I grit my teeth and drive my fist forward.

……However.

“…….”

My body refuses to move any further. The black moon shimmers, then shatters. Light returns to the world.

-Crackle.

Mugung’s energy center is not unscathed. It didn’t fully penetrate, but Heaven’s energy did seep in, albeit shallowly.

“…….”

The energy within me also dissipates into dust. As my life force severs, I collapse onto the ground, utterly drained. When I thought it was the end, I began to sense the energy of a few hunters and my familiar master converging towards me.

One strike. I gave it my all.