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I couldn’t utter a word.

The wind that flowed in bypassed Shin Noya and blew towards me.

The Plum Blossom Fragrance carried by the wind was fragrant, yet somehow tinged with sadness.

It felt empty. And cold.

I quietly widened my eyes, staring only at Noya.

I couldn’t say anything as I processed what I’d just heard.

“The demon beasts coming out from the Demonic Gate….”

They’re the existence of a world that perished because a new master appeared? My head spun with information I had never heard before.

When the master of a world disappears and a new one appears, the life forms of that world cease to exist.

This was the law of the world as I knew it, the information I understood.

However, that was as far as it went. I thought that was all there was.

“Was this related to the Demonic Gate?”

The creatures that vanished do not simply disappear; they are expelled as demon beasts through the Demonic Gate. And that—

“We hunt them.”

The Sword Team had been hunting and dealing with the Demonic Gates that appeared in the Central Plains.

Yet I had never seriously considered what the Demonic Gates were or what demon beasts are.

The reason was simple.

“It wasn’t necessary.”

It was something that didn’t require deep thinking.

This was merely common knowledge.

While there had been times when the Martial Alliance and other sects sought to examine the process in detail,

the information produced was almost nonexistent.

Most of it had barely scratched the surface of understanding the demon beasts.

In that circumstance—

“Just how deep is this entangled?”

What on earth was happening, and where did it all connect?

Why did the vanished life forms appear as demon beasts?

And—

“If Noya’s words are true….”

What was that being he mentioned that was on the verge of becoming a demon beast?

Furthermore, what is this place we’re in? I had to frown as a flood of information and questions overwhelmed me.

While I was deep in thought,

“Get a grip and move. It’s not time to stop yet.”

I blinked at Noya’s words. Shin Noya was already walking ahead.

I hurriedly followed and asked,

“If what you said is true, then what about those earlier creatures?”

“I told you. They were about to become demon beasts.”

“That’s not a coherent explanation, is it?”

What was I expected to understand if that was all there was?

“If they had to disappear or become demon beasts, then what’s the deal with that Duryeong?”

“Strange?”

Noya turned to look at me.

“Wrong.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s not strange. It’s how it was meant to be from the start.”

“What….”

“To say they were about to become demon beasts means they are not demon beasts. Therefore, it should be seen as their original form.”

“…!”

Hearing that, my eyes widened.

Does that mean—

“…that they are life forms from another world that didn’t become demon beasts?”

“That’s correct.”

“You said that a life form without a master becomes a demon beast.”

“That would be the case under normal circumstances.”

“Then how….”

How could they be here without becoming demon beasts? I was about to ask when—

“We’ve arrived.”

Noya interrupted my question and turned his head. It felt like he’d intentionally cut me off. I frowned a bit, but in that moment—

“…Huh?”

I let out a sharp breath at the sight laid out before me. What was that?

‘A tree?’

Before my eyes stood a gigantic tree.

It was so big that if it grew any taller, it might touch the clouds.

And the leaves blooming—what were those?

‘Isn’t that a Plum Blossom?’

Its unique color filled the surroundings. It was undoubtedly a plum blossom tree.

What on earth was such a plum blossom tree doing here?

Moreover, it wasn’t just the tree. Something was laid out underneath it. What was it?

‘A wall?’

Wait, is that a wall? The tree was ridiculous already, but now there’s a wall?

As I chuckled at the absurdity of the situation,

“Let’s go in.”

Shin Noya casually walked toward it.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you not going in?”

“…Is that the destination?”

“Of course! We can’t talk on the ground, can we?”

“…”

I could probably care less about talking on the ground, but that wasn’t the main point.

Why was something like that even here? I was about to ask when he said,

“I’ll tell you about the curiosities once we get there.”

Noya’s words made me seal my lips.

I quietly followed his broad back. However, staying silent completely proved impossible.

At the very least, I had to ask one thing.

“Noya.”

“Yes?”

“What’s that place, exactly?”

What kind of place are we heading to?

At this question, Shin Noya smiled softly as he replied,

“Hwasan Sect.”

“…Excuse me?”

My expression crumpled at the answer I received.

 

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