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Chapter: The Encounter with the Monster

“Growl…….”

A monster, pierced by a spear, was dripping with blood.

“Grr…… growl…….”

The creature, struggling to break free, suddenly fell silent.

Its torn scarlet eyes widened slightly.

Suuuuu.

An odd transformation began to take place in the monster’s body.

Suuuuu.

The wind picked up. Amidst the howling wind, thunder qi surged. In the sky still showing night, the scarlet aurora flickered.

While the scarlet aurora danced, Taechon gazed across.

On the charred ground stood a woman. Her expression looked somewhat weary, but her purple eyes were shining bright.

She staggered, clutching her sword.

“Cough.”

She vomited blood. Grasping her head as if it ached somewhere, she exhaled her ragged breath.

Taechon, witnessing this, asked.

“How fascinating.”

She nodded. As Taechon nodded back, his physical body crumbled. The shattered flesh fell apart like shards on the floor.

Taechon remained indifferent, merely gazing at the woman with an expression devoid of concern.

“Surely, she’s enveloped in divine status. How can she be so weak?”

The more they fought, the more doubts filled Taechon’s mind.

The divine status enveloping that woman was by no means low. Even Taechon would be surprised by its caliber.

Yet, for something surrounded by such power, it was perplexing.

The woman was strong, but compared to what she possessed, she seemed utterly trivial.

Her power and abilities were extraordinary, yet how could she be so ineffective in utilizing them?

Expressing doubts, he reached a conclusion.

“She’s blocking it herself.”

She was preventing her power from being used. It couldn’t be otherwise.

Then—

“For what purpose?”

Why has she blocked her power? Taechon could not fathom this part at all.

If there were a separate main body, he could somewhat understand…

“No, from the beginning, your existence itself is a mystery.”

Even with the divine status, she was not her master.

Despite possessing power, she could not use it. He could not comprehend how she maintained this form.

“What are you?”

What on earth is that woman? No matter how many times he thought about it, he could not understand.

At that moment.

“You’ve already answered the question of what you are.”

The woman spoke. The Heavenly Demon lifted her head and said.

The answer was already given.

Remnant, it is.

Her name, her reason for living—all of it was due to that.

“Remnant? That’s a pointless thing to say.”

Taechon laughed.

For those who live in immortality, it couldn’t be more futile.

“So, does that remnant mean the work you’re doing now is somehow related?”

For what reason.

Leaving aside the existence of that woman, what was she blocking for herself?

The answer could be found behind her.

“Are you trying to protect that?”

“…….”

Something impaled by Taechon’s spear. What had only moments ago been dripping blood could now make no sound at all.

Had it died? From the vitality still felt, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Are you trying to protect that?”

Was the woman trying to protect it?

That must be it. It would have to be why she endured until now.

“Not moving an inch.”

She hadn’t moved at all despite taking Taechon’s attacks.

The woman had endured all those assaults solely to protect that monster.

Then, could she be an Apostle too?

Since both were related to the Dragon Emperor, perhaps that relationship could allow for such a connection.

“What a trivial act.”

Suiruu.

Taechon gathered his spear in one hand.

No matter what intention that might have, it was no longer of great importance.

It had always been this way for Taechon.

“It’s about time to end this.”

The regeneration of the broken body had slowed. The half-body descending had reached its limit.

Time was tight. He needed to finish this as soon as possible and return.

Kiiiiiing–!!!

Energy concentrated in the spear. It would pierce through her and reach the divine tree.

Thinking this, he channeled his energy when—

‘This is troublesome.’

The Heavenly Demon smirked bitterly at Taechon.

‘What a dilemma.’

The energy he drew reached its limit. No matter how hard he tried to block it, it was a situation he could not prevent.

What to do. The Heavenly Demon glanced back.

He saw the one lying there as if dead.

Though his form had become grotesque, the woman still sought out his shape within that appearance.

‘Still sleeping a lot.’

He, who had always slept so much, seemed to have no intention of waking even now.

Truly a frustrating person.

‘If only he would show his face.’

She had endured and reached this point just to see a single glance.

Yet, he did not stir.

‘It’s alright.’

The woman thought it was fine even after hearing that. The time to regret such things had long passed.

If the only regret had been for such things, she should have resolved it long ago.

No, perhaps if she had let go, it would have been better.

But she couldn’t, leading her to this point.

‘Remnant.’

Even she thought it was an apt description.

Squeezing.

She put force into the energy clump resembling her sword in hand.

Could this be her last?

Perhaps it might be. But—

“It’s alright.”

The woman even said that was okay. This was a promise to herself.

Even if she couldn’t see him.

Even if eventually she would fade away into forgetting, it was still fine.

This was the life she had decided to live.

‘So please.’

Even if the remnant departed, and only he remained.

‘Just you.’

She wished that he would be alright.

For the woman, that sense of assurance was directed not only at herself but ultimately a word directed towards him.

Kikirikiri!!!

A massive surge gathered in the distance.

‘Is he intent on ending this?’

Taechon was preparing a strike with all his might.

That meant that the other side was also anxious.

Glancing.

The woman looked back. She saw Gu Yangcheong lying there and closed her lips.

There was no escape. Taechon would surely know the woman was protecting Gu Yangcheong.

Knowing that she couldn’t dodge and had to block, she focused her energy.

“Suuuu.”

She let out a soft breath.

The woman pulled up her energy.

It was already empty. From the cracked doorway seeped energy escaping. That alone was utterly insufficient.

She could use what was locked within the door, but—

She couldn’t do that. It was a lock she had placed herself.

To unlock this, forgetting had to end. That was what she had sacrificed. And she knew that forgetting would not be undone.

Remembering this, the woman was about to prepare for Taechon’s attack when—

She flinched.

“……!”

A presence was felt from behind. As the woman swiftly turned her head—

Pasusssss!!!

Gu Yangcheong’s body began to change. The massive frame shrank, and the hair and tail sprouted forth.

His original form returned, reverting back to human shape before that change.

At that moment.

“Ha!”

Taechon let out an exhale upon seeing Gu Yangcheong.

“What a mess.”

His voice turned urgent, as if sensing something. What could he have felt? The woman felt nothing, her energy reaching its limit.

Only,

‘At least I got to see him.’

She found contentment in having seen him.

Just after he completely returned.

Crack!

The spears impaled in him were pulled out spontaneously. No one had removed them, yet the spears moved as if possessing their own will.

And—

“Haah…”

With a deep sigh, Gu Yangcheong rose.

The wounds that had been gaping closed rapidly. Almost instantly, skin grew back, revealing the changeling light in his exhausted gaze.

It was like when he was in monster form. The scarlet iris floated in Gu Yangcheong’s eyes now.

Completely different from his usual eyes.

As the woman sensed something odd in his form—

“…….”

Gu Yangcheong’s gaze landed on the woman.

Their eyes met. Just as the woman was about to speak to him, Gu Yangcheong addressed her.

“Yeohwa.”

The name slipped out softly.

Hearing that, the woman—the body of Yeohwa—went rigid.

A name that should not have been spoken reached her ears.

And then.

Kikirikiri……!!!!

The lock within Yeohwa’s body snapped open and fell to the floor.

As the firmly locked door opened, the black heavenly qi poured out.

Swaaaaa!!!

The spilled heavenly qi began to fill the empty space, and before long, Yeohwa’s insides were entirely filled with black heavenly qi.

The surging heavenly qis filled completely without gaps. Among them, Yeohwa’s eyes began to shine.

“You!”

Hastily, Taechon unleashed a decisive strike. The tremendous surge prepared for Yeohwa and Gu Yangcheong cascaded forward. The blue spear contained all of Taechon’s force. Typically, it would have pierced through and vanished.

It should have been like that again.

Thus, just before the spear tip touched the two—

Swish!

A sound like something being cut resonated. Taechon’s spear split in two.

Kuaaaaaaaa!!!

The dispersed energy burst into all directions.

With the spear torn in half, it swept through the air before erupting with a loud bang.

Taechon widened his eyes at the sight of his own energy breaking apart.

More accurately, it was the sight of the woman who had severed his energy.

“What the…!!”

A force that should not break so easily did so without a care.

What in the world was happening?

Something had changed. There was a rapid transformation.

“Ah.”

Yeohwa let out a word.

Waaahaaa!!

From Yeohwa’s fingertips, darkness spread like a sea, engulfing the surroundings.

 

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