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EP.73 A Little Scratched (2)

A little scratched (2)

Gu Ryeonghwa’s day started bright and early.

Like most disciples of Hwasan, she’d rather wake up before dawn and wait for sunrise.

Dressed neatly, she stepped outside cautiously, hoping her master wouldn’t wake up at any disturbance.

Usually, she would practice in the nearby forest, fetch water, and do chores around the house.

But today, she had to run an errand to the county.

It was a direct task from Shin Yi.

With some coins given for purchasing medicinal ingredients, Gu Ryeonghwa set off.

Normally, when buying herbs, if the buyer seemed inexperienced or young, dishonest sellers would give them bad herbs or overcharge them.

But wearing Hwasan’s Plum Blossom Robe changed the game.

If they wanted to give her fewer herbs, they wouldn’t dare to mess with a Plum Blossom-patterned disciple from Hwaeum-hyeon under the Hwasan Sect.

Perhaps Shin Yi was counting on that.

Holding the paper with the needed herbs listed by Shin Yi, Gu Ryeonghwa approached the herbal shop.

‘…It smells too bitter.’

Clutching a box filled with unfamiliar plants tightly, she stepped outside.

As she returned to the street, the scent of food wafted everywhere.

With the sun rising, vendors seemed to get ready for business.

Though she hesitated at the aroma and delicious-looking food, she didn’t stop.

Her master was more important after all.

“I must hurry…!”

Had her master awakened?

Since getting weaker, her master had been sleeping more, and she was worried if they’d risen by now.

By the time she arrived, wouldn’t the meal be ready too?

The grandson of Shin Yi, who she lived with almost half the time, was somewhat inconvenient for Gu Ryeonghwa.

Regardless, the kid was quite good at cooking.

She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking half the time, but he was quick on the uptake and handled chores like a champ.

‘…I should be able to do that too.’

If she could do more, she could be of help until her master fully recovered.

As those thoughts crossed her mind, her determined steps suddenly halted.

– You won’t make it past this year.

Shin Yi’s decisive voice kept echoing in Gu Ryeonghwa’s ears.

She suddenly wiped her cheek anxiously with her sleeve, brushing away the tears that were flowing.

Even if she cried and composed herself behind the scenes, her master would sense it like a ghost and she didn’t want to worry them.

Nevertheless, her tears wouldn’t stop flowing easily.

Once crying started, it was hard to stop.

That’s why Gu Ryeonghwa hated crying.

As she diligently wiped away the tears streaming down her face, she thought.

‘…When my master is gone…’

What would be left for her if left alone after her master departed?

Nothing would remain.

Gu Ryeonghwa was certain of that.

Family?

‘No…’

At the chilling thought that suddenly crossed her mind, Gu Ryeonghwa instinctively recoiled.

She still remembered that dark night all too well.

A blurry yet vivid memory still shackled her heart.

The day the light fell apart.

Her crying mother, and her father looking down with a cold expression.

And Gu Yangcheong, who had collapsed.

Gu Ryeonghwa couldn’t forget that.

That was her mother’s last moment, the day everything shattered.

Then what about the Hwasan Sect?

Without knowing that either, Gu Ryeonghwa just shook her head.

Whenever she tried to touch someone, it often ended in growling.

Let alone, being the latecomer disciple meant she couldn’t mingle with the Three Great Disciples.

After her master departed, would Hwasan accept her?

Even if they did, would she be able to endure it?

Gu Ryeonghwa kept wiping away the tears that flowed incessantly.

As she walked, she found herself arriving at a hut.

She needed to compose herself and show a respectable face.

As a disciple, she thought that was at least the minimum duty.

As Gu Ryeonghwa steadied her heart and took a step toward the hut, her figure that was visible from the outside disappeared in an instant.

Like smoke, just like that.

Perhaps because of that.

The men quietly watching her reacted with bewilderment.

“…Where did she go?”

“Did we get noticed?”

“Did a little girl who looks like she barely passed the second tier notice us? Rather, it’d be more believable if Maehwa Seon transformed into that girl.”

“Shut up and keep an eye out, something feels off.”

A small man in a black hood began to inspect the area where Gu Ryeonghwa had vanished.

Nothing seemed extraordinary, but he felt an eerie sensation.

‘Is it a formation?’

If that were the case, what would a formation be doing in such a deep mountain, he instinctively reached out.

Thud-!

“…!”

With a blunt sensation in the air, his hand was repelled back.

It was a strong recoil.

Nursing his numbed hand, the man corrected himself.

‘It’s not a formation.’

Though it seemed like a formation was involved, at its essence, this was nothing but a simple energy barrier.

An energy barrier made dense as if betting everything on it.

“…Is it the work of Maehwa Seon?”

It could be, but no other martial artist in the area could produce this level of energy barrier aside from those from Hwasan.

Even a man who looked like a monster wouldn’t be capable of spreading this level of energy barrier.

“I think there’s something here…”

Could there really be someone hidden inside?

‘For now, I have to return to the branch.’

There was nothing he could do about the energy barrier right now, and acting rashly would catch the Hwasan Sect’s attention.

“I’m going back.”

After his question, a sturdy man grumbled with regret.

“Are we seriously just leaving…?”

Gritting his teeth at the disgruntled heft of the man, the man thought it was because of the little girl who had just vanished.

“What’s bothering you again, Du Seom?”

“It’s about that girl we just saw. She was pretty cute, can’t we just have a taste, Captain?”

The man’s brows furrowed sharply at Du Seom’s words.

“Dammit, didn’t I tell you not to stir up trouble for no reason? Is that something to even say?”

Despite the man’s scolding, Du Seom merely clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“…I mean, it’s just been so long since I’ve had a taste… wouldn’t you enjoy it too, Captain?”

“Stop with that disgusting talk. What pleasure could you even find in tasting a kid who isn’t fully grown? Please get your head straight, you brat.”

“By the way, the girl was wearing Hwasan Sect robes. If we captured her, wouldn’t the branch leader be pleased too?”

“You think there’s anything we can extract from a mere child…! Dammit, I told you not to touch kids!”

“Right, we shouldn’t touch kids.”

“Yeah, let’s just head back now….”

The man was about to speak but clamped his mouth shut.

At that moment, the actions of the men lingering in front of the energy barrier froze simultaneously.

They heard a voice they had never heard before during their conversation.

The hesitation was brief.

The man drew his sword and swung it toward the direction of the voice.

Swoosh!

Even with a powerful swing infused with sword energy, the sword merely sliced through the empty air.

A presence had definitely originated from around here…?

Thud-!

“Grrr…!”

The sound of bones cracking echoed along with Du Seom’s wheezing.

As the man shifted his gaze, he saw Du Seom’s massive body slowly crumpling down.

Though not as large as the branch leader, he was still a sizeable individual.

Boom!

The heavy thud of the collapsing giant resonated in the air.

His neck awkwardly twisted; it was obvious he was dead.

“Who the hell… what are you?” the man questioned.

His eyes caught a boy standing majestically behind the fallen Du Seom.

With lightly tinted red-black hair and crimson eyes filled with what seemed like blood, he wore a red martial robe and stood with perfect posture, making the boy seem anything but ordinary.

The boy’s gaze focused on the man.

With lips twitching slightly, the boy answered the man’s question.

“What does it matter to you, you punk?”

With that coarse curse, flames burst forth.

The once quiet forest became a whirlwind of chaos in an instant.

Crackle-!

Fierce flames danced violently, engulfing everything around.

Bae Chong, taken aback by this bizarre development, couldn’t comprehend the situation.

What on earth was that crazed monster?

He had only stepped out to survey the area, and this was an unforeseen turn of events.

He thought he had moved safely avoiding the Hwasan Sect’s attention, only to run into a lunatic.

Glancing towards the lifeless Du Seom, he assessed.

Aside from the dead body with a twisted neck, there were no other visible injuries.

Given how instantaneously it had happened, it made sense.

‘No hesitation in killing.’

That was a disposition unfitting for a boy of that age.

Especially for a martial artist who primarily relied on their hands; that had to be the most difficult part.

How could such a young boy act this way?

‘Moreover…’

Flame Burst!

“Dammit…!”

Barely managing to block the flames coming from all directions with his sword, he dodged away.

What the hell was this maddeningly swirling fire?

‘Fire Technique…? There aren’t any sects using fire techniques in the area…!’

The bright yet chaotic flames had a clear purpose amid the tumult.

Bae Chong understood that all these flames were moving according to the caster’s will.

Just that showed him the boy had reached a realm he couldn’t even dream of.

For a top-tier martial artist like him not to be able to deal with this boy meant something.

‘A monster wearing the guise of a human?’

Just when Bae Chong clenched his teeth tightly.

“Gaaaah!”

One of his comrades, who had come with him, found himself grabbed by the boy.

The boy enveloped his hand in flames and burned him alive.

“…Grah…aaah!”

The scream of the burning man echoed throughout the forest, but the boy’s sharp eyes remained as emotionless as ever.

“I made one tiny mistake.”

The boy spoke.

A chill ran down Bae Chong’s back at his voice.

An abyss of nothingness.

It felt as if he was currently standing within that deep void.

“I should have burned that pig from the inside out. It’s been so long since I killed someone that I made a little mistake.”

The way he casually dusted off his hands felt too familiar.

It even seemed to suit him.

Bae Chong’s cold sweat barely concealed his anxiety as he asked.

“…You, what are you?”

“Didn’t you hear me earlier? What are you gonna do about it?”

“Do you think you are someone we should fear…”

“Who do you think you are? Just some lackeys of the Demon Lord.”

“…!”

At the boy’s words, Bae Chong froze in place.

“How do you know…”

As the boy stepped forward while smiling, the blazing flames remained hot and, while drawing closer, the boy caught another one of his subordinates to slay.

“Creeeak!”

The scream erupted once more.

“I also want to ask you something.”

Flames swirled.

To Bae Chong, the approaching boy began to resemble a flame instead of a human.

Slowly approaching, the flames enquired.

“I don’t know much about your side, but interesting facts are coming to light.”

To Bae Chong’s eyes, it felt like the world was melting away.

How could a person take on such a form?

It wasn’t the same kind of fear he felt when looking at the branch leader.

It felt like fear, but it was of a different caliber altogether.

What am I even facing…?

Eventually, the concentrated flames latched onto one of Bae Chong’s arms.

“…Urrgh…!”

Overwhelmed by dread, he couldn’t even scream as he saw his burning arm.

He could only retreat clumsily.

The flames watched Bae Chong fleeing, then continued speaking.

“Why do you all…”

His slit-like eyes began to shine brightly red.

“…possess Demon Energy?”

With the boy’s question and the pungent smell of burning flesh, Bae Chong lost his voice completely.

 

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