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Chapter 8: The Enigma of Darkness

“Just how many are there?!”

The presence I felt was beyond imagination. Sure, it included bugs and wild animal auras, but—

“Even excluding those, something’s off!”

The sheer number of recognizable energies was bewildering. To put it in perspective—

“More than Yawol!”

Yawolgung. It didn’t even compare to that place the Yusa guy was talking about.

It could make sense in a way; the Spirit Mountain had previously felt too lacking in presence, which wasn’t exactly normal.

“But still…”

What I witnessed while coming here was the problem.

“The fact that I can sense so much presence…”

Meant that the distance couldn’t be all that far, right?

All I could see while flying was the forest.

There didn’t seem to be any space significant enough to give off such presence.

“Where on earth?”

Where was all this presence coming from?

I heightened my Qi perception. The sensed energies became clearer. However—

“…so much.”

There was an overwhelming amount. Scatter around me in every direction.

Something felt fundamentally strange.

“Feeling this much is just… unnatural.”

The absence of presence was an issue, but conversely, too much was also problematic. If there was this much scattered yet nothing substantial surrounding them—

“It’s just a bizarre situation.”

I retracted my Qi perception.

And then I felt certain.

“This is it.”

This spot was correct. The location of the Black Phoenix Palace. Otherwise, this scenario made no sense.

Then—

“I’ll find it.”

What remained was to accurately assess the Black Phoenix Palace. With that in mind, I immediately gathered my strength.

I wouldn’t broaden my Qi perception. Since I was feeling presence in all directions, this method wouldn’t work.

So what should I do?

The answer was simple.

“I’ll visit everywhere.”

Just had to go wherever I sensed presence. Just that, but—

“Too many places to go.”

There was only one body, so I couldn’t be everywhere at once. Then—

“I can stretch my body.”

If I extend my body, I can visit multiple places at once.

Eeeeeeeeek—!!!

I manifested my powers.

A dimensional tear behind me formed a Demonic Gate. The black dimension opened up with a slosh.

Grrrrrr—!!!

Growl…!!!

Sleek-looking Demon Beasts burst forth en masse.

“Find it.”

Grrr-!

The moment I gave the command, the Demon Beasts dashed into the forest, scattering about, while I immediately closed my eyes.

At that moment—

My multiple perspectives activated. It was the view from the Demon Beasts. They spread in every direction, dizzying my senses. Just watching made me feel nauseous, yet I managed to endure thanks to the familiarity.

“Must be because I always travel with my Heart Eye active. This is bearable.”

I was used to calculating based on the paths the herbivores took, leading me to withstand the gaze of the Demon Beasts too.

I had felt this during battles before. I could share the vision of the Demon Beasts and used that to my advantage.

The Demon Beasts swiftly scoured the forest. They were in search of something under my will.

As mere moments passed—

Grrrrr—!!!

One Demon Beast halted near the forest’s edge. The area was suddenly wide open.

“Found it.”

Although it looked wide open, I could tell.

“That’s it.”

Snap. I flicked my finger. The energies of all the scattered Demon Beasts dissipated.

Now that I had located the position, I didn’t need to maintain it. I leaped toward the location.

It was the same wide-open field the Demon Beast had seen earlier. Upon arrival, it became evident.

“This is it.”

An overwhelming presence engulfed me. There was clearly nothing there, yet such overwhelming energy was felt.

“What are we dealing with here if there are no bugs?”

I chuckled. The more I thought about it, the weirder it felt.

“Instead, there are no insects or wild animals here.”

The energies of the bugs and wild animals I had felt in other forests felt nowhere to be found here like ghosts.

This indicated one thing.

Woo Hyeok.

I focused my gaze and activated my Heart Eye. Still not visible. I pushed my energy even deeper.

Woo Hoon.

The energy pacing from my heart flowed into my eyes, illuminating the surroundings.

And then—

“I see it.”

A rippling shimmer appeared. A distortion emerging in the empty field. I didn’t miss it.

“It’s sorcery.”

That was indeed sorcery. Similar to what was spread in the Spirit’s Den. The difference was—

“This lacks the power to obscure presence.”

What spread in the Spirit’s Den had the power to conceal presence within, while what was here only seemed to deceive spatial awareness.

“Hmm…”

While observing, I reached out my hand. At the same time, my power surged within my heart. Heart’s Ring of Sorcery appeared, rotating swiftly.

Riding the energy swirling around my fingertip, I touched the void.

Chiiiiii—!!!

My finger met the sorcery before me. Immediately, knowledge flooded in.

A complex and tightly knotted technique. The confusion was alarmingly intense.

“Not too hard though.”

This was simple enough. Much easier compared to what a turtle had once shown me.

Riding the flow on my fingertip, I stirred it precisely four times.

The fourth ripple moved through the air.

Whooooosh—!!!

It surged. The bound sorcery overflowed like a tidal wave, quaking violently. I watched the fierce reaction with uneasy calm and moved my hand again.

I thrust my hand into the water-like flow. Normally, water shouldn’t be grasped.

But sorcery was different.

Within it lay many formulas and techniques. If I could grasp this flow—

Crack-!

It wasn’t too hard to seize control. Among the chaotic flow was a consistent thread, and gathering it in one place, I pulled it with all my might.

Just at that moment—

Whoooooosh—!!!

The void dispersed, triggering a minor shift.

I shifted my gaze towards my arm.

I could see my hand trembling slightly.

It was strenuous, but I hadn’t completely dispelled the sorcery; I only released the entrance level. That was tougher. Frowning at the quaking space, I sensed the risk.

“Got discovered.”

Truthfully, this level could have been sensed, but I assumed it wouldn’t be.

The newly revealed entrance felt rather subtle.

“What is this?”

The atmosphere was entirely different. Outside was refreshing, filled with lush forests brimming with life, yet—

“What the heck is this?”

The sight before me was entirely contrary.

Yet all the presence was felt from beyond there. Strange.

“Hmm…”

I stared at it quietly before letting go of the sorcery I was sustaining.

The choices were already few. I couldn’t just turn back like this.

“I guess I have to go.”

With tension heightened, I stepped through the entrance.

*

Upon entering through the doorway, my initial impression was heaviness. The stale air made my face scrunch painfully.

Where had the fresh air I had just felt disappeared to? Only this unpleasant sensation lingered instead.

“And what’s that over there?”

Not only the air but the visual scenery was also problematic.

“Is this a forest…?”

It was a forest alright. Trees lined up as if connecting to the outside. Yet the state was peculiar.

“All dead trees.”

Blackened and singed, devoid of life. No vitality could be sensed whatsoever.

The world appeared no different. The sky was a gray hue rather than black. The earth was dead too.

And—

“Vitality.”

Contradictorily, an immense amount of life energy was felt ahead.

“What’s going on?”

While this area seemed void of any, from afar, vitality was palpable. I moved closer.

I concealed my presence as much as possible. Calmly, I flew in the direction where I sensed vitality.

I approached a cliff. Ahead, below the cliff was visible. The vitality emanated from beneath it.

As I drew closer and looked down—

“Huh?!”

My eyes widened. The scene sprawled beneath was simply astounding.

“What’s this?!”

What lay before me was a colossal castle.

A castle far larger than the one in Yawol.

Draped in black, the towering structure evoked a sense of unease and constriction just to look at.

And—

“Below it, a village.”

There was a village beneath the castle. Also draped in black, yet vitality was sensed from there too.

I descended carefully. Looking around to enter the village, I found no one on guard.

“Feeling vitality yet no one on guard?!”

There weren’t even sentinels at the door. I felt strange as I entered the village. Still, no one was visible.

I couldn’t see any people, yet the vitality remained. What is this?

“…….”

I released the energy I had been holding back. Slightly opening my presence, I glanced to the side.

I could see houses. Approaching in that direction, I sensed vitality inside.

I placed my hand on the doorknob.

Crackle!

The doorknob crumbled under my touch. It seemed like it hadn’t been handled by human hands in ages.

With the doorknob gone, I just touched the door itself.

Crack—!! Again, it shattered to dust.

“Hmm…”

I felt awkwardly clenching my hand and entered the house.

Inside was not as clean as expected… It was messy, filled with the marks of time.

Creak.

Stepping on the dust and debris that lay on the floor, I ventured in.

I searched for the source of vitality.

In the end, I found the origin of the vitality.

“…crazy.”

I grimaced at what entered my line of sight.

What could possibly hold vitality in a house that gave off no life?

Something was lodged in the wall.

It must have originally been a living being; it still bore vitality, yet—

“This isn’t… alive.”

A humanoid figure, petrified like stone, was fixed to the wall.

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem alive.

Yet—

Thump—! Thump—!

My eyes narrowed at the sound piercing my ears.

It was the heartbeat.

From that taxidermied human form came the beating of a heart.

“Alive?!”

Even in such a state, it was somehow alive.

How is that even possible?

Flustered by its horrendous state, I heard a voice from behind.

“Quite fascinating, isn’t it?”

My body instinctively moved.

Flurr—!!!

Flames entwined around my arm as I instinctively struck out, but—

Bang-!!

It was blocked by something.

Upon closer inspection, it was a Black Spear. The spear had halted my attack, and—

Fluttering—

Behind the spear’s owner, black wings flapped.

“Nice to meet you.”

The man spoke as he looked at me.

“So it’s you. The one trying to thwart my plans. I—”

“What the hell is this idiot saying?!”

Not bothering to hear him out, I unleashed the Flame Jade.

Koooom—!!!!

Flames raged, slicing through the air around me.

 

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