169 – The Most Dangerous and Terrifying Poison

169 – The Most Dangerous and Terrifying Poison

Two concept stones existed within my pocket.

One was the “Immortality” concept stone recovered from Nambada, and the other was the “Conquest” concept stone I had taken from Namsanho.

To face Bbang-ddae, whose concept of “Death” had begun to run wild, I also needed to possess a corresponding power.

Concepts often have an affinity, like Pokémon types, and the affinity of “Death” would most likely be “Immortality.”

Therefore, I swallowed the troublesome Immortality concept stone. A pain like swallowing a heated, kiln-dried rock filled my esophagus─.

「Name: Baek Yeo-ul and Dang Dal-gi」

「Once separate beings, they were twisted into one by a tangled fate. Two souls reside in a single body, but their cries never harmonize.

Bound by the blood of kinship, they embraced each other, but the result was the manifestation of death itself, a reaper made manifest.」

The concept stone immediately unleashed its power within my body. My concept of “Emotion” began to relay information beyond its usual capacity.

What on earth was happening?

「Warning – Information exceeding brain capacity.」

There was a rumor, see, that humans can’t hear the sounds of Earth’s orbit and rotation because the brain mutes these massive noises automatically.

Protects the brain, it does.

My… “emotions” seemed the same.

Like, usually I deliberately kept the info flow low to protect my brain, but acquiring this concept of “Immortality” kinda overclocked the performance.

Simply put, I’m in a Hanamjin Overclocked state.

Problem is, mana is rampaging like a molten furnace beneath my skin, tormenting me like my body’s about to explode any second.

I get why Nambada, who swallowed the immortality concept stone, suffered so much.

But—

Right now, my own torment didn’t matter a lick.

If I left those Bbangdaengi’s like this, something far more terrible, more tormenting would happen. And so, I took that heavy first step.

Thud.

My leg’s heavy as lead.

But not beyond control.

“Don’t… come… closer!”

Then, Danggdalgi, a veritable avatar of death, screamed like a piercing ultrasonic wave. And that scream pierced my neck like shards of glass.

Shhwing.

My neck… was severed?!

That’s the feeling I got, but when I touched my nape, there wasn’t a scratch.

“Impressive.”

Undying, unable to die.

Is this a blessing or a curse?

“Hanamjjin… I can’t hold on much longer… Run away… quickly…”

The Bbangdaengi, locked in Danggdalgi’s embrace, was suffering terribly.

“Bbangdaengi, ‘retreat’ isn’t in my vocabulary.”

And again, I took a step towards that Bbangdaengi.

Of course, even this one step wasn’t without its troubles.

“Split in half and die!”

Because Danggdalgi yelled, loud.

I had to vividly experience the pain of being sliced precisely in half, from head to crotch. My body was untouched, sure, but my mind felt already dead, and cold sweat poured from me in sheets.

Yet, one more step was possible.

Thump-.

“Burn away!”

*Sosa*, burned to death, is what it means.

Thump-.

“Be crushed to nothing!”

*Apsa* is to be crushed under something and die.

Thump-.

“Drown to death!”

*Iksa* is to drown and die, and there were also *jilsiksa* (suffocation), *dongsa* (death by freezing), *byeongsa* (death by illness), *asa* (death by starvation), *poksa* (death by explosion), *gyosa* (death by hanging), *naksa* (death by falling), *jungdoksa* (death by poisoning)—so many forms of death.

With each step, so many kinds of death violated my body.

But thanks to the Conceptual Stone of 「Immortality」, my body could, at least outwardly, maintain its shape. Of course, my mind, having experienced so much death in an instant, was in a haze, but still, I took another step.

“Almost there.”

Before I knew it, the distance where my hand could touch *Ppangdaengyi* was within reach.

But the moment I reached out, I felt my body being broken down into molecules.

*Kadeudeudeudeudeuk-.*

*Ppangdaengyi*’s body was encased in an invisible energy barrier, scattering everything it touched into dust.

But even this mysterious power couldn’t stop my hand.

I endured the pain of my flesh turning to dust and the pain of being regenerated from dust at the same time, and slowly reached out to *Ppangdaengyi* and *Dangdalgi*, grabbing their shoulders.

“You! Why are you going so far! Doesn’t it hurt?”

*Dangdalgi* asked me.

I’m the one who wants to know.

“Why are *you* going so far?”

I promptly kicked *Ppangdaengyi’s* *Ppangdaengyi* with all my might.

*Ppangdaengyi*, who had been embracing *Dangdalgi* in a tangled mess, went flying like a soccer ball, burying his face in the rotting reed field.

“*Hiyaak!*”

A truly excellent kick.

As I’ve felt before, *Ppangdaengyi* is good to kick.

I went to *Ppangdaengyi* and helped him up.

“You alright?”

“…Ugh, I’m gonna die. My butt hurts!”

“You’re fine, what are you on about.”

Seo Gaeul felt goosebumps prickling on her skin and lifted her head.

Something unsettling was definitely unfolding over by the reed fields, where the sun was beginning its slow descent.

She’d been practicing “Flabby Flab,” but it seemed there was something more important at hand.

If something terrible had happened, Hanamjin was sure to be mixed up in it.

So, Seo Gaeul ran as fast as she could and finally arrived at the scene.

There, in the disheveled reeds, were nymphs collapsed, the Chinese agent Dang Dalgi, and Hanamjin and Baek Yeoul.

Seo Gaeul shouted at Hanamjin and Baek Yeoul, who both looked to be in considerable pain.

“What on earth happened to you guys—”

What on earth happened?

She wanted to ask, but Seo Gaeul’s mouth stopped making noise as if someone had plugged it with a cork.

The sight of Hanamjin holding Baek Yeoul and supporting her in the sunset-tinged reeds was so perfect, like a frame from a masterpiece.

“Bbangdaeng, are you with it?”

“I don’t know!”

It was a scene already complete in itself.

Like a sculpture and composition calculated and meticulously arranged by the painter.

‘There’s just no room for me to step in.’

Seo Gaeul was slightly resentful of that fact.

And, something she had been thinking about for a long time was becoming a little clearer.

‘Hanamjin, you really do…’

The Hanamjin that Seo Gaeul had seen was quite strict with women. To the point where he would often treat even Seo Gaeul, whom he usually boasted about liking, ruthlessly.

But Hanamjin was unfailingly kind to Baek Yeoul.

Perhaps because they were partners who had worked together reasonably well.

Seo Gaeul felt a slight, unpleasant jealousy, but right now, something more important seemed to be happening, so she tried to calmly approach Hanamjin.

“What on earth happened? Did the concept of death go on a rampage or something?”

“Uh, it sort of did. But the situation’s mostly under control now.”

“Huh? It actually went on a rampage? And you managed to deal with it?”

Seo Gaeul’s unease reached a peak.

Seo Gaeul was no fool; she could immediately grasp the situation.

“Hanamjin, don’t tell me you ate it? The Conceptual Stone of Immortality!”

“Did.”

“…Why the hell would *you* eat it!”

In an instant, Seo Gaeul reached the boiling point of her rage. Truthfully, Seo Gaeul had been planning to consume the Conceptual Stone herself.

She intended to control it through the concept of “Miracle.”

After sending everyone to the moon, she planned to remain alone on this Earth, atoning for her mistakes.

But Hanamjin had swallowed that plan whole, so, from Seo Gaeul’s perspective, she had every right to be furious.

“Well, what else could I do? If I’d just left it there, something truly terrible would have happened.”

Seo Gaeul scrutinized Hanamjin.

On the surface, he seemed fine, but in truth, it wouldn’t be strange if he were to suddenly run wild.

“Remember that technique you used on Nam Bada to make him vomit up the Conceptual Stone? Can’t you use that to make it come back out?”

“How am I supposed to use *my* technique on myself?”

Thump.

Hanamjin collapsed to the ground.

“I can still manage it… for now.”

*For now*.

From those two words, Seo Gaeul judged that Hanamjin would reach his limit eventually.

And so, Seo Gaeul’s consciousness drifted towards the sword “Danpung” hanging at her hip.

Could this sword, which possessed the concept of “Plunder,” perhaps steal the concept of “Immortality” from Hanamjin?

Of course, the prerequisite for that was stabbing Hanamjin with this sword.

It would be troublesome if she stabbed him wrong and Hanamjin ended up dying.

‘Why did he have to eat the damn thing…’

What was going to happen now?

Seo Gaeul mentally asked Kore, who dwelled within her, what she should do.

However, Kore, who had imparted the knowledge of “Squishiness” to Seo Gaeul, was now silent, like the fading echo of a sound.

Was she asleep, or had she vanished forever?

“…Ki-kill.”

Just then, Dangdalgi, collapsed in the reed field, spat out a mouthful of blood and muttered.

“Kill… Or else I…will kill you all…”

Clutched in Ha Nam-jin’s arms, Baek Yeo-ul, still half-dreaming, snapped wide awake at the sound.

A fury, sharp and twisting, gripped Baek Yeo-ul. It was all Dang Dal-gi’s fault; she wanted to tear her apart.

“Then die! You almost killed Ha Nam-jin because of you!”

And she rained blows upon Dang Dal-gi, still sprawled on the ground.

Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!

But Baek Yeo-ul found she couldn’t purely hate Dang Dal-gi.

For a fleeting moment, she’d been one with Dang Dal-gi, and understood the vast reservoir of rage that pulsed within her.

Dang Dal-gi was a human raised solely to be an assassin.

A vessel of Gu poison, unfamiliar with the warmth of human touch – a solitude of isolation.

And so Baek Yeo-ul stopped hitting her, and instead, shouted, laced with wrath, towards Dang Dal-gi.

“You don’t get to die easy! You will live and repay everyone you hurt, earn forgiveness for all your sins. Only then will you be worthy of death. Understand?”

Having said that, Bbangdaengi glanced sideways at Ha Nam-jin, unsure if he would agree with her decision.

Thankfully, Ha Nam-jin respected Baek Yeo-ul’s wishes.

“Escaping through death is far too easy.”

“…Ugh.”

Dang Dal-gi, instead, was stricken.

This second chance, this notion of forgiveness and atonement, were alien, profoundly unfamiliar.

It seeped into her deeper than any poison she’d known; a venom that melted the soul and heart, not merely the body.

Overwhelmed by these never-before-felt emotions, Dang Dal-gi wept tears like blood before losing consciousness.

“Inonoi must wake up, dat… ! Inonoi…! This Bao-noi is calling you…? Inonoi must open her eyes at once, dat…!”

Bao-noi shouted, creating a commotion amidst the situation.

The fact that Inonoi hadn’t regained her senses made Bao-noi’s hair stand on end.

Inonoi was breathing heavily, consumed by poison and death.

She was fragile, like a seedling that had barely sprouted in winter, only to be frozen and killed.

“Bao-noi…”

“Inonoi… ! Don’t die and leave this Bao-noi behind, dat… ! This Bao-noi has no friends, Bao…! If even Inonoi leaves, this Bao-noi will be so very lonely, dat…!”

“Bao-noi…”

Inonoi instinctively knew her time was short.

As a fairy born of nature, she was returning to the fields.

But Inonoi could not easily release the string she held.

There were words held back for so long-.

And so, Inonoi, as if coaxing a sprout from a seed long-held within the damp earth, drew the words nestled in her heart, small and careful, past her lips.

“Baonoi… For so long, I am sorry I could not go to see you… If this Inonoi had stayed with Baonoi instead of following Kore, it would have been better, is what I think…”

“Inonoi must not apologize to this Baonoi-! Because Inonoi did nothing wrong-! This Baonoi had fun every day because Inonoi is my friend-!”

*Drip, drip-*

Baonoi wept tears like rain from her eyes, round as marbles.

Inonoi, watching Baonoi, laughed as if it were amusing.

“Meehee… Baonoi is such a crybaby, is what I think…”

*Swish-*

Inonoi’s body shimmered like a swarm of fireflies.

When that light scattered like bubbles, a honey-colored flower bloomed where Inonoi had lain, its color like her hair.

Is it the way of nymphs to one day become a flower resembling themselves?

It was at that moment that Baonoi began to sob freely.

“…Wait.”

Seo Gaeul reached out a hand toward the honey-colored flower.

Then, with a *hooh-* of focused effort, the flower kissed by 「Miracle」 seemed to swell and grow, until at last, it was a flower bud the size of a person.

“Nnngh!”

Seo Gaeul strained further, and the flower bud unfurled with a rustle, revealing a fairy inside, one that resembled the honey-colored flower perfectly.

It was Inonoi.

“Aah-! I do not know how this has happened, but this Inonoi has been revived, is what I think…! I had heard tell of flower-turned-fairies being born anew as fairies again, but it was true, is what I think…!”

“Inonoi is such a silly-! If you were going to revive in less than ten minutes like this, you shouldn’t have died in the first place-! This Baonoi wasted the moisture in her body by crying for nothing-!”

*Whump-*

Inonoi and Baonoi embraced each other.

For the end of a long, long fight was always reconciliation─.

“…To think I had such an ability.”

Seo Gaeul, observing this scene, was greatly surprised by the potential of the 「Miracle」 she possessed.

And, a way to resolve Hanamjin’s problem, of foolishly swallowing the power of 「Immortality」, also occurred to her.

Like the saying goes that with great power comes great responsibility, for a great responsibility, one simply needed to have an even greater power.