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The size of the pond was only big enough for five adult men to fit in, but that was merely the visible portion; the interior was much wider.

A pond cradling golden light. My eyes widened the moment I glimpsed inside.

The hidden size of the pond was astonishing, but more so was what it contained within.

It was so vast that I couldn’t make out its entirety at first. At first, I wondered what it could possibly be.

‘…That’s….’

Before long, I recalled what it was. A huge snake.

A very, very huge snake.

In fact, I had seen it before.

‘…Isn’t that the snake I met at Biwaegun from the Geumcheon Clan?’

It was less than a year since my regression.

The same creature I encountered at Biwaegun while alongside Wi Seol-Ah.

At first, I panicked thinking it was a demon beast, but then I nearly fainted when it started talking.

‘Could it be that thing from back then?’

Was it really the snake I met back then? If so, why was it here like this?

Given its condition, it seemed long dead.

‘…Moreover.’

As I examined the interior of the pond, I discovered another strange thing aside from the snake.

Something was floating in the pond.

It was about the size of a thumbnail and round in shape.

Immediately, I used my void manipulation to pull one out.

A white orb.

‘Isn’t this the same thing I ate before?’

The spirit pill I had taken after defeating an unnamed creature. It was the same item.

So, this must be it.

The ones consumed by the Gyecheon Sect Leader and the ones that had died were all this item.

‘Why is this floating around in this pond?’

Why is the snake’s corpse embedded in the pond, and why is there this orb inside?

I couldn’t understand. So, I thought.

‘I need to find out.’

I resolved to investigate now. With that thought, I waved my hand.

“Thump!”

The frozen Gyecheon Sect Leader crashed to the ground.

I immediately loosened his blood seal.

“This—!! Gah….”

As soon as the seal was broken, he started to stutter something, but I cut him off and grabbed his throat.

I also kept an eye on him so he wouldn’t bite his tongue in self-destruction.

“I have a lot of questions for you.”

My heart thumped loudly!

“But I don’t really have time… and it just so happens I have something to test out.”

Swoooosh!!

The demon energy surged from my palm.

“Let’s make this quick and easy.”

With that, I enveloped the Gyecheon Sect Leader.

A quiet breeze blew, and the young man sitting there opened his eyes.

“Ugh.”

He let out a short sound, stretching his limbs.

“Hmmmm.”

There was a sense of inexplicable joy in his voice as he repeatedly opened and closed his hands.

“Not bad. It’s been tough.”

“It hasn’t.”

The young man, the Blood Demon, replied as the woman knelt before him.

Hearing the response, the Blood Demon slowly rose from his chair.

His appearance was quite different from before.

His limbs had been shattered, leaving one to wonder how he was still alive.

Now, however, he had returned to a healthy physical form.

“With this, I might be able to make some use of you.”

The Blood Demon smiled, seemingly satisfied.

His body, which could barely endure one-third of the desired intensity, was now much improved, perhaps due to overusing his materials.

With this vessel, it seemed I could—

Maybe even half. Compared to his true self, that’s a fair bit, but simply comparing to the past, it could yield that much.

With that thought, the Blood Demon started to walk.

“How’s the situation?”

“…As you said, preparations are complete.”

“Good to hear.”

“However…”

At the dancer’s words, the Blood Demon turned to her.

“What shall we do about the Star King? There have been no explicit instructions, so we are currently waiting.”

“The Star King? Ah…”

The Blood Demon nodded as if recalling. Yes, he had acquired such a title.

“Leave that child alone.”

“Pardon?”

The dancer’s eyes widened.

“Do not concern yourself with his actions. In fact, I’d prefer if he kept moving as he is.”

“However…”

“Hmm?”

At her words, the Blood Demon slightly tilted his head.

Upon feeling his gaze, the dancer immediately lowered her forehead deeply.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Chuckle.”

The Blood Demon chuckled softly, then looked straight ahead.

He understood why she spoke that way.

Unusual occurrences kept happening.

With the sudden emergence of an entity, the plans had shifted, and a situation entirely different from what the Blood Demon had anticipated had unfolded.

For that reason, the dancer appeared to be worried.

‘Good, good.’

The Blood Demon found the situation rather pleasant. Something even he was unaware of. And something the world was oblivious to—a series of anomalies.

He had thought such unpredictable events could no longer happen.

How amusing it was.

Even now, look at this.

‘Something changed.’

The Blood Demon felt as though the air had shifted in the brief moment he had closed his eyes.

What could it be? He didn’t dwell on the thought for long.

‘Is it you again?’

That child.

The dagger of Mankye, which he deliberately chose to leave behind to create a gap for rebellion.

‘What amusing trouble has he stirred up this time?’

What could he possibly have done to warrant such—

‘Is the world mad at him?’

The Blood Demon smiled faintly, concealing it behind his lips.

At the same time, he stopped his steps and gazed at the sky. Although the ceiling looked solid and unyielding, the Blood Demon knew better.

“If it displeases you that much, why not intervene?”

Chuckle.

The Blood Demon spoke lightly as he resumed walking, fully aware that no answer would come.

One change had already begun, and it couldn’t be undone.

The Blood Demon felt it and smiled slyly.

The time had come. Or perhaps it had already passed?

“Dancer.”

“Yes.”

“I must go see my precious daughters.”

“…!”

At the Blood Demon’s words, the dancer’s body trembled violently. She understood the implications of what he was saying.

“…Which… Which side do you intend to visit first?”

“Hmmm… Well.”

After a moment of contemplation, the Blood Demon responded.

“For now…”

The smile on the Blood Demon’s face was terrifying as he said:

“I must satisfy my hunger and regain my strength.”

The space was the same as before. The position had not changed in the slightest.

And I stood in the exact same place.

Nothing had changed at all, but—

I gazed down with narrowed eyes at something.

It was the pond from before.

The pond stained with golden light. As I looked at it, I glanced to the side.

“…Hah… Hah…”

An elderly man, dry and emaciated, knelt on the ground, shaking his head.

He looked as though he had slightly lost his mind.

The vitality in his eyes was long gone.

The resentment or despair he once had while looking at me was also absent.

He seemed to have lost even his essence and soul.

Seeing him, I moved my hand.

Crack-!!

Thwack.

The head that was hit crumpled and fell to the ground. Instant death.

“…”

Without even wiping the blood from my hand, I smirked. I had already learned all the information I needed.

What group birthed that ridiculous organization called Ilcheongyo. What they were doing here.

Also, I’d grasped what their intentions had been.

I had understood everything I wanted to know through the Gyecheon Sect Leader’s mouth.

“…I can’t take it.”

Even after hearing all that, I couldn’t easily understand.

It wasn’t about the situation.

I completely understood that. It was simply—

What the Gyecheon Sect Leader had said last stuck with me.

I turned around. To where the King of Demons had been.

Nangong Bi-ah and Wi Seol-Ah were wearing shocked expressions. Was it troublesome that I didn’t let them go outside and shared the experience together? Or perhaps they were astonished because they witnessed me using demon energy to influence the Gyecheon Sect Leader.

From my perspective, it was intentional. I couldn’t keep hiding indefinitely.

At this point, I intended to gradually reveal what kind of person I truly was.

The issue was that—

‘Something far bigger had happened.’

Something much more shocking than what I had just shown them.

Because of that, leaving aside the two of them—

‘The King of Demons…’

The reason the King of Demons held such a blank expression was precisely because of that.

What thoughts he was having. What emotions he was feeling, it was hard to fathom the King of Demons’ face, yet clear emotions were evident as day now.

Confusion.

And shock.

It was his first time wearing such a face.

‘…That’s understandable.’

Considering the King’s situation, it made sense. How could it not be?

The location of this place, the events that transpired, and even the last words of the Gyecheon Sect Leader.

If I were the King of Demons, I would have had a more pronounced reaction than this.

‘How on earth?’

No matter how much I pondered, it didn’t make sense; I kept mulling it over.

However, even after repeatedly considering, I couldn’t comprehend.

It was inevitable.

Anyone would feel the same way.

“Tsut.”

I furrowed my brow as I replayed my final conversation with the Gyecheon Sect Leader in my mind.

– So, who the hell is the one who planned this?

-…

It couldn’t have been a solo plot.

There had to have been someone behind it. I asked him about this, and the Gyecheon Sect Leader stuttered for a while before finally saying:

-…Yoon Ilcheon.

-…!

I grimaced upon hearing the name. What kind of crazy talk was this?

– Why is that gentleman’s name coming up all of a sudden? He’s been dead for hundreds of years.

The Gyecheon Sect Leader should have been spitting out only the truth, yet he said something bizarre, leaving me astonished.

– What, is he alive or something?

To my question, the Gyecheon Sect Leader replied.

– That… is correct.

-…What?

– Yoon… Ilcheon… is… alive.

At the Gyecheon Sect Leader’s answer, everyone around froze.

 

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