1202 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crunch. The sound of chewing could be heard, as if something was being devoured with open jaws. A presence was taking shape and ravenously consuming the aura surrounding the Blood Demon. "What is this…?" The red aura that had emerged from the ring enveloped the whole body, but a purple aura began to voraciously encircle the Blood Demon's energy, as if intending to devour it all. 'What's going on?' I stared at the energy in bewilderment. Why was it behaving like that all of a sudden? 'The aura was definitely said to be from the Blood Demon.' How could a divine entity harm its own master? While pondering the oddity of it all— Crunch-crunch! The aura continued devouring bit by bit until finally, the red aura completely disappeared. Swoosh—! “…!” Suddenly, his mind cleared, bringing sharp awareness. "…Ugh." He clutched his swaying body and grabbed his forehead in distress. "Ugh…" A headache surged in, but he felt his mind clear as if a dark cloud had lifted. Along with it— "You son of a…" Rage began to rise. "Hey!" He addressed the lingering red aura. "What did you do to me?" "Ke-ke-ke." His voice growled as he questioned, and the Blood Demon chuckled softly. "Ah, what a shame. I had the chance to obtain an excellent vessel…" "You lunatic! I asked what you did!" As his mind suddenly cleared, his thoughts began racing. Only then did he realize the oddities he hadn't noticed before. 'Why did I come here?' He had realized something was wrong with the Do family but still came here. Although he had requested supervision from his father, there was something off about it. Had he noticed anything strange, he would not have come in such a manner or ended up trapped underground. His body, no different from that of an ordinary person with its limited internal power. Knowing that, moving in such a way made no sense. And. 'Completely ignoring everything else and focusing only on the Do family business was absurd.' He had not focused on the condition of his body. Furthermore. 'He had ignored even Namgung Bi-ah's matters.' Even ignoring Namgung Bi-ah's presence, he had been absorbed in this issue. It was ridiculously out of character. It felt as if… ‘I was brainwashed.’ A feeling of intense immersion as if it was something he must do. Additionally, he had some understanding of what this sensation was. "It was you." It was the Blood Demon's doing. "You must have secretly done something to me, right?" He questioned the ring. Another twisted laugh echoed. "Keh-keh-keh. Ah… what a pity." His brows furrowed in response to that voice. "If only the vessel hadn't been incomplete, what an excellent opportunity it would have been… but to ruin things like this." "When was it? When did you do this to me?" Even as he asked, he had already realized the answer. "Was it when you gave me this ring?" This peculiar ring, despite being given by the Blood Demon, he carried it without any suspicion. Thinking back now, what could be stranger than that? “Most notably, although it was a complete body, it was a vessel that had not long attained enlightenment. There was nothing better to delve into.” So, it was indeed when he gave him the ring. "And then, by some stroke of luck, Taecheon messed around and you even reached the level…" The laughter in the Blood Demon’s voice abruptly vanished. "You are hindering me. What are you doing?" Creak—! The purple aura devouring the blood energy growled in response to the Blood Demon's words. "This is impossible. My prey wouldn’t be acting foolishly." Though the Blood Demon continued to mumble in bewilderment at the aura's reaction, he trusted it no more than anything else. Knowing full well what the Blood Demon was capable of, he believed even this could be a deception. ‘In that case, I can’t trust the egg either.’ Whatever the intention, the egg was still related to the Blood Demon. Just then. Crack—! A sound emerged from the ring. A crack had formed. A prominent and thick crack ran through it. “Oh my. Has the time already run out?” The Blood Demon clicked his tongue while eyeing the ring. "See you next time, not too long from now, I suppose." "You piece of…!" Before he could finish speaking, the Blood Demon's ring crumbled to the ground. He clenched his teeth at the sight of it shattering without a hitch. 'Rotten bastard.' Had everything that seemed odd so far been the Blood Demon's doing? 'From the moment I obtained the ring?’ While he had acquired its divine aura, it had not blossomed, leaving the vessel unstable. Had the Blood Demon taken advantage at that time? ‘Even after achieving the level of its master, it was since the gap had not been sealed entirely, it lingered?’ In the world he originally came from, something similar had happened. There had been precedents where his grandfather had burned away the Blood Demon's tricks. 'Especially given that my body's energy was sealed…' It meant it had been a state ripe for the Blood Demon to manipulate. ‘But even then, still…’ Crunch. He stomped on the remains of the broken ring, infuriated by the fact that he had been deceived by the Blood Demon. 'Rotten.' Swallowing back curses, he shifted his gaze. The aura encircling his body. Towards the purple egg. "What are you?" Having seemingly consumed all the Blood Demon's aura, it began gradually reclaiming its energy. Thump-Thump! Thump-Thump! The sound of his heartbeat resounded in his ears. What was that about? What was the reaction it had shown to the Blood Demon just now? 'Though they said it was the Blood Demon's aura…’ If the physical body and aura were separate, it had been called the aura. Basis of divine power. Just as the Blood Demon had left his heart in the North Sea, this was said to be akin to the Blood Demon's power. '…To think the Heavenly Demon’s aura could be felt from it.’ He had seen the Heavenly Demon being raised by the Black Night Palace master. Then, it would be related to the Black Night Palace master. ‘And that Black Night Palace master is…’ He was akin to Do-cheol, the current head of the Do family. Then. ‘The egg that contains the power of the Heavenly Demon…’ He bit his lip at the thought crossing his mind. Could it be? ‘Could the Heavenly Demon be inside?’ The Heavenly Demon. Could she be in there? Wondering how a human could exist inside an egg, but— ‘The Heavenly Demon isn’t human.’ She is not human. Even in the myriad realms, she was said to be a dragon. ‘Seeing how it was influenced by my greed.’ The power to nullify and devour a dragon's power. He recalled how his greed attacked the Heavenly Demon and was defeated by it. This means— ‘The Heavenly Demon wasn't attacked because she was a dragon.’ It was because she was the power itself. If that power had taken on a human form and suffered because of it— ‘…That makes sense.’ The question of how a power can take a human form remains, but putting that aside, everything else fits. “…Because the Heavenly Demon is considered the Blood Demon's aura.” It seemed to explain why it worked. ‘If that egg is indeed the source of the Heavenly Demon.’ So the Heavenly Demon is to be born from there? With the energy continuously fed by the people of the Do family? ‘…Then.’ Another puzzling thought brushed through his mind. ‘…If the aura is the Heavenly Demon.’ If the Blood Demon's power is said to be the Heavenly Demon— ‘What about the physical body?’ What of the body that housed it? The body of the Blood Demon itself. “…” A figure passed behind his trembling sight. “No…” He wanted to deny it, but— “Damn.” It couldn’t be true. The conclusion formed without his consent. If the Heavenly Demon is the Blood Demon's power, then he already knew what the physical form was. A woman who, with a face identical to the Heavenly Demon's and absurd physical abilities, swiftly ascended to the pinnacle of the martial world. ‘…The Divine Sword.’ The Divine Sword, Wi Seol-Ah. It seemed that Wi Seol-Ah was the body of the Blood Demon. “…” His hesitant eyes shifted to his hand. The trembling fingertips reflected his emotional turmoil. “Huh…” Could this really be true? ‘…The Blood Demon's aura and body is the Heavenly Demon and Wi Seol-Ah?’ And so. ‘Is that why he referred to them as his daughters?’ The Blood Demon calling them daughters wasn’t because they were his literal children. ‘But because they were his vessels.’ Split into different parts. It made sense that he referred to the Heavenly Demon and Wi Seol-Ah as his daughters. “Hoo…” Cold sweat trickled down. It felt like discovering a truth he never wanted to know. How could it be like this? “Why…” Why of all people, Wi Seol-Ah? ‘There was a reason I fought so hard…’ To ensure her world would be different from the past. A world where she could smile. Even if he fell apart for that cause. He had hoped for a life different from before. ‘Fate doesn’t change.’ “…” It truly was a cruel world. “Ah…” His throat was dry. A thirst gnawed at him. His weakened knees met the ground. “Ah…” He needed to pull himself together. Escape here and set aside what he learned for later. Then, plan the next steps. Rationally he knew what needed doing, but— “Damn.” Grit. He clenched his teeth. Rationality? What a sick joke. Even in this situation, should he be rational? “Screw rationality.” Bam—! He pounded the ground with his fist. Frustration boiled to the point of impotence. His heated breath escaped in a sigh. “Haa… Haa…” He had to stand, somehow. Enraged or not, something had to be done. Reason clashed repeatedly with his damnable emotions. While struggling to regain control of his wavering mind— Crrrrackkk---!!! “…!” A violent noise resounded nearby. “What…” He looked to the side with startled eyes. To where the purple egg was. And then— Crunch! Crack—!!! “What…” The purple egg, having ceased its heartbeat, began breaking itself apart. Tap—! The egg cracked all around in an instant. Something began emerging from within. ‘…What is that?’ To his astonishment, what emerged was— “A hand?” A snowy white hand. It was unmistakably a human hand.