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It was warm.

I could feel someone gently embracing me from behind.

Cozy and comfortable.

It was a nostalgic sensation I had felt in my early childhood.

Could it be…?

I tried to speak with my eyes wide open.

“Umm….”

[Shh.]

A delicate voice was heard in my ear, and I felt a touch on my lips.

Realizing that, I closed my mouth.

[Just a moment. Please stay still.]

With the gentle voice, fingers brushed against my hair.

The hand softly ran through my strands.

My body stiffened.

[Good boy.]

“…”

Something was bubbling up inside me. I couldn’t react.

In that situation.

“Mankye.”

The Blood Demon spoke, maintaining a serious expression.

“It seems you’re in a hurry. To show up in person rather than just from the Abyss.”

A voice replied to the Blood Demon.

[The child is very busy. There were many tasks assigned.]

“Ha. Are there matters more important than guarding your own traces?”

Traces. My ears perked up at those words.

[Guarding, you say.]

The voice chuckled.

[Our son isn’t weak enough that I need to guard him.]

Upon hearing that, I clenched my fist.

Certainly. The owner of this voice was…

‘Mother…’

It appeared to be my mother.

I had felt it back at Shinryong Temple, but she was definitely alive.

“What a contradiction.”

The Blood Demon furrowed his brow at my mother’s words.

“For someone who claims that there is no need for protection, your actions seem contradictory.”

[That’s just how parents are. Moreover.]

Swoosh.

A breeze began to swirl around my body.

At the same time, a scarlet energy started to envelop me. A refreshing floral scent invaded my nostrils.

[If you step in, it’s no longer a child’s fight but an adult’s fight.]

“…”

[…Dragon Emperor. No, the owner who has long lost their name.]

Wooong–!! The voice pressed down upon the sky.

[Don’t keep crossing the line. If you do, I’ll have to punish you.]

It was a clear warning.

Upon hearing the warning, the Blood Demon narrowed his eyes.

“…How absurd.”

Creeeak–!

Energy began to gather in his hand.

It looked the same as before, but this time it appeared much more intense.

“Line? Did we ever have such a thing?”

A thick contempt seeped into the Blood Demon’s eyes as he spoke.

“We’re merely pieces playing according to orders. This is true for you as well.”

Red energy began to conglomerate in the sky.

“There seem to be those who don’t know their place, getting punished for failing to fulfill even their assigned tasks.”

He was getting punished. I opened my eyes wide at the Blood Demon’s words.

“No matter how much you claim to be noble, how far can you protect if you can’t even fulfill your devotion properly?”

Wooong.

A crimson-sea of energy surged in the sky.

“Let’s see you do it.”

The Blood Demon smirked, pouring vast energy down to the ground.

[Oh my.]

The approaching energy was enormous.

Just looking at it made me numb. How could I possibly stop that?

Could Mother easily thwart something like that?

As that question arose—

[This isn’t working, huh?]

“…Pardon?”

I unintentionally let the words slip at the bewildering voice.

[Well, I thought it might work a little… you’re smarter than I expected.]

“What do you mean…?”

What was he talking about?

Turning my eyes in confusion.

[Hmm…]

It was the voice of someone who was deep in thought. This was not the time for this.

Energy was already pouring down from the sky.

Gritting my teeth, I gathered my energy.

Flame Burst—!!

I recalled how I had used White Flame to stop the Blood Demon’s power before.

I tried to use that again to block—

[No.]

My hand, turned to fire, was seized.

[You can’t use that.]

“…But…”

[Don’t worry.]

Once more, I felt a touch in my hair.

[Mom will handle everything.]

“…”

After hearing those words, I unconsciously extinguished the flames.

Just like I had in the past.

A long, long time ago.

Whenever something happened in my childhood, my mother would always say:

—Don’t worry, son. Mom will take care of everything.

The words and the smile she had back then resurfaced in my mind. Something felt like it was swelling up.

I barely calmed my ragged breath.

At that moment.

Whoosh—!!

The scarlet energy that had surrounded me suddenly shot upwards into the sky.

Kaboom!!!

The energy exploded, sending a tremendous pressure radiating outward.

The energy scattered into the air like flower petals.

It felt like the spring fallen in autumn.

I stared blankly at the spectacle.

How could the energy be that beautiful?

In a sense, it resembled the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of Hwasan. No, it was far more primal than that.

It was truly flowers.

It felt like, instead of energy, real flowers were fluttering about.

“…”

Regardless of the situation, I was captivated by its beauty.

I felt mesmerized.

As I stared, entranced by the dancing petals—

Swoosh—!

Energy rushed toward me.

It gathered and gathered until it transformed into a shape resembling a human.

It wasn’t complete. It felt like a mere representation made of petals.

It was a head shorter than me, and its shape was faint, but I couldn’t utter a word as I watched it.

As I quietly gazed, the figure raised a hand and waved. It seemed to be greeting me.

[Hello. Our son.]

Hearing the voice, my heart sank with a thud.

The petals reached out towards me.

They gently caressed my cheek.

[You’ve grown well. You look wonderful.]

“…Mother.”

[Oh my?]

The petals fluttered at my words.

[You’re too formal. You used to call me Mom. Have you become an adult now?]

“…”

Her voice sounded oddly excited.

Even as I saw that, I couldn’t find the words.

Not knowing how to respond, I stood there, and my mother spoke to me.

[An adult, huh… yes, I am an adult.]

Her voice became somewhat serene.

[You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?]

My breath trembled. I wasn’t sure if it was my insides shaking or if it was me myself. But something felt vastly shaken.

[You’ve suffered a lot.]

“Ah…”

[Mom is sorry. I couldn’t protect you until you became an adult.]

My vision blurred. I wanted to hold back, but it wasn’t easy.

It can’t be.

Despite my age, I shouldn’t be this way.

I definitely shouldn’t be.

[I’m sorry for being a bad mom. I should have been there for you, but I couldn’t.]

The petals brushed against my cheek and head.

[Truly, you’ve suffered a lot.]

A warm voice invaded my ears, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“…It’s okay.”

Despite everything, the touch that continued to stroke my head didn’t cease.

[I’m sorry.]

Hearing that apology, I bit my lip.

What I wanted to say wasn’t that.

The moment I learned that my mother was alive, there were so many questions I wanted to ask, but now I couldn’t ask any of them.

My mouth wouldn’t easily open.

[Son.]

“…Yes.”

I answered while forcibly holding back my tears.

Thankfully, my voice didn’t tremble.

[I’d like to see you a little longer, but I don’t have much time right now.]

At that, my eyes widened.

“What do you mean…?”

[So I apologize in advance. Ah, I keep saying sorry. This isn’t what I intended.]

She laughed awkwardly.

Then the petals began to move.

I furrowed my brow at what I was seeing.

“Are you leaving again?”

Would she disappear again? I asked that.

[Hmm… it’s somewhat similar…]

My mother gave a rather vague answer.

[What should I call it…? It’s a bit ambiguous.]

“Pardon…?”

[There isn’t enough time for an explanation.]

My mother hurriedly added.

[This is something Mom didn’t expect either. The promise with that tree wasn’t supposed to involve this… Just think of it as something that happened because my son is extraordinary.]

“What are you talking about right now? I don’t quite understand.”

[Son.]

“Yes.”

[Regardless of other things, remember this one thing.]

“…”

Swoosh.

The movement of the spreading petals was eerie to me.

Amidst the slowly overwhelming view, my mother spoke to me.

[You must never seek me out.]

“Pardon?”

The petals fluttered as if blooming.

The problem was—

‘Huh…?’

The petals didn’t merely go somewhere; they completely enveloped me.

What is happening?

As I pondered over the sudden situation—

Thud-!

My consciousness abruptly flickered.

On a massive throne lay a woman.

She had incredibly long white hair that flowed down to the floor, surrounded by an unknown white fur.

In that space.

“Umm…”

The woman opened her eyes, sparkling like jewels.

She seemed uncomfortable, straining to lift her body. At that moment, someone appeared before her.

[My lady.]

Seeing the being that appeared, the woman wore a languid expression.

[Are you well?]

“…”

The woman did not reply.

She simply frowned.

Then the enormous clumps of fur inside her stirred.

The woman, wearing a thoroughly uncomfortable expression, spoke to the being.

“It feels like I dreamed something…”

No matter how hard she tried to recall, it remained fuzzy.

“I can’t remember…”

It probably wasn’t very important.

Determining that, the woman lifted her body.

Seeing this, the being addressed her.

[My lady, I have located the position of the Abyss.]

At those words, the woman’s ears perked up. Her ears were similar to those of a beast.

Sleep vanished in an instant. Whatever she had been contemplating also disappeared like a mirage.

Her drowsy eyes sharpened with focus.

The calm pupils split into thin slits.

“Where is the wretch?”

[It’s in the western Seven Peaks.]

“Let’s go.”

Her sleek legs moved, and her toes touched the floor.

At that moment, the clump of fur behind her swiftly moved, shrinking in size.

Kugugugung–!! It roughly swept through the interior, transforming as it was sucked toward the woman.

The completed form was, astonishingly, a tail.

Seven tails arranged in white.

Gliding with the tails sweeping the ground, the woman moved gracefully.

 

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