Chapter 74 : Chapter 74
Chapter 074. Light Wolf (3)
The ability of Predation that Dam Jeok-san possesses is the ability to swallow everything from the ego, power, and even the status an individual possesses and make it his own.
That is why he cannot recklessly swallow an existence stronger than himself. If he did so, he would be unable to suppress the predator's ego and lose himself.
The reason he didn't bother to predate Murong Gang, whom Un Wol-hyang slaughtered, was also for that reason. He is stronger than Dam Jeok-san. Furthermore, the hatred and anger he possessed were sticky and intense to an unknown depth.
If Dam Jeok-san had predated Murong Gang, a monster hating the Martial Sovereign Castle and Namgung Clan might have been born into this world once again.
Of course, in most cases, if he fought and won, it would not be a problem.
However, the Light Wolf was an existence that did not fall under that ‘most’.
Although the current Light Wolf forgot the intellect and nobility of its prime and became corrupted, memories of those days still existed deep inside its ego.
“Kuk…….”
As the powerful self-consciousness of a Spiritual Creature who had lived hundreds of years invaded Dam Jeok-san's mind, his head hurt as if it would split.
A sense of crisis that he would lose himself as is if he let go of his consciousness even a little rushed in. However, Dam Jeok-san clenched his sword hilt tightly instead of panicking.
‘I must not forget my Origin.’
The Origin named Dam Jeok-san, the Origin of a swordsman, and thus the Origin that will cut and cut monsters again. If he does not forget that Origin, he will be able to contemplate without being swept away no matter how huge the Light Wolf's ego is.
‘Anyway, I won, right?’
Dam Jeok-san thought so and began to accept the Light Wolf's sentiments and memories.
‘……Terrible.’
The Light Wolf's memories seemed to be condensable into just a few words.
Black Dragon. And remorse and regret.
Even before corruption, and after that. The only existence with light in the Light Wolf's world was solely the Black Dragon.
So after becoming corrupted, the Light Wolf slowly rotted away feeling regret and remorse from the guilt of failing to protect the Black Dragon.
“Hah…….”
Dam Jeok-san, who was enduring that pressure, exhaled a long breath while clutching his sword. It was because enduring the torrent of rushing emotions was burdensome even though he clearly remembered his Origin.
“Hah, hah―…….”
When that wave lulled somewhat. Dam Jeok-san breathed roughly and looked ahead.
In that spot, a girl with white hair hanging down stood all alone.
“You.”
Seeing Dam Jeok-san's eyes fluctuate anxiously, Dark Heaven opened her mouth with a worried look.
“It has been a long time, my Master.”
“……!”
Dam Jeok-san said while bowing his head enough to touch the ground. With an attitude as if a lowly creature was having an audience with the creator.
Since the Light Wolf obtained ego, name, and status from the energy the Black Dragon shed, it was half true.
Except for the fact that the subject uttering it was Dam Jeok-san.
“Were you, eaten?”
Dark Heaven asked while frowning as if she couldn't believe it. At the same time, five-colored auspicious energy possessing indescribable mystery formed in her hand.
An omen that a sorcery possessing the power of exorcism and purification will be manifested. Dark Heaven cherishes the Light Wolf very much, but she never once wished for it to remain as a deluded existence. That would probably be the same for that child.
If Dam Jeok-san's ego was truly invaded, she intended to unfold the sorcery without hesitation.
“I am sorry for failing to protect you. And I am glad to see you again even like this.”
However, Dam Jeok-san continued speaking without caring at all about such a reaction from Dark Heaven.
When Dark Heaven's expression distorted complicatedly.
“Perhaps, it wanted to say this.”
Dam Jeok-san suddenly straightened his waist and said while calming his voice.
While floundering in the Light Wolf's sentiments, when he faced Dark Heaven, Dam Jeok-san felt indescribable turbulence rising in his heart.
Predation is a fight between ego and ego. Dam Jeok-san clutching the sword was confident he could suppress it as is even if the opponent was the Light Wolf.
But isn't it true that someone doesn't necessarily have to be defeated? Dam Jeok-san thought so and lent his mouth for the Light Wolf for a very brief moment.
Because he read its memories and sentiments, the voice flowed out naturally. It was a very dangerous action to perform in a situation where they were struggling for dominance of the ego, but Dam Jeok-san had a certain conviction.
‘What the Light Wolf wants is not my body.’
What the beast, who left after living a life full of regret and remorse, wished for was merely a final farewell. That conviction was not wrong.
The moment he conveyed its will, the splitting headache also subsided a little. The Light Wolf quietly withdrew without trying to invade Dam Jeok-san's ego anymore.
One might say what power would the Light Wolf with only sentiments left have, but Dam Jeok-san felt it clearly. That all pressure conveyed from those sentiments disappeared the moment he conveyed the final farewell to Dark Heaven.
“Thank you.”
Dark Heaven said with a bitter smile.
She, the Black Dragon of the desert, chose to abandon its domain and even its own body to run away from corruption.
And that corruption was a disaster that even the Black Dragon itself could not block, a cataclysm where the world itself changed. Yet the Light Wolf was feeling responsibility for it until the end.
“I won't say sorry, since I entrusted that role to you.”
She muttered while looking at the corpse sprawled out like a rag.
Hundreds of years ago, on the day of disaster when heaven and earth were covered in demonic energy. The Black Dragon ordered the Light Wolf.
― Child, can you buy some time?
It was to create leeway to confine itself and separate its ego. Of course, that was not a choice for its own safety.
― If We also become corrupted, the range of the polluted earth will become vastly boundless……. Perhaps the entire Central Plains might become a land of death. I ask of you.
― I will willingly do so, Master.
The Light Wolf answered so without hesitation, and that was the last meeting of the two.
Dark Heaven recalled distant memories that seemed like hers but also not. She felt like tears would flow. In the days when she was a dragon, she couldn't feel something like sadness. Because the joys and sorrows of mortals felt too distant to her.
But living while trapped in something close to a human body has also been hundreds of years. She lived like a human and saw countless deaths and just as many births.
In that process, she inevitably had to learn what human emotions are.
So she could know. That she was currently feeling sadness and a sense of loss.
However, Dark Heaven quickly gathered her confusion. Because it wasn't the time to be wallowing in sentimentality.
[---------!!!!!]
Is it because she got close to her original body? Inside her head right now, unclean will was echoing wildly.
Undefined because nothing is decided. Also unrighteous because it is wicked. Either way, it is equally bad.
If she falls for that whisper, she will become one with her original body as is. Then she would have to be trapped inside the sealed body unable to do anything.
‘……If the Sword Venerable and Dam Jeok-san succeed, corruption might be avoided.’
If that happens, she will be able to perish completely, as the Black Dragon once wished. However, she cannot entrust everything to them. It wasn't simply because she couldn't trust them.
‘I don't want to disappear.’
Desire for survival. Desire for existence. What she thought she lost long ago arose again.
“Child, as one who watched both your birth and demise, I promise. That I will never forget all those moments.”
Dark Heaven bent her waist and reached out her hand to stroke the Light Wolf's corpse which had become a rag.
A body where not a shred of warmth was felt. The immense essence it possessed transformed into demonic energy, and that demonic energy was also fully absorbed by Dam Jeok-san.
“Will you remember it together?”
Dark Heaven looked at Dam Jeok-san and asked.
“I cannot forget even if I wanted to.”
Dam Jeok-san shrugged his shoulders and answered.
Just as he cannot forget the monkey monster, just as he cannot forget the Butcher, the Light Wolf is the same.
It will become a part of Dam Jeok-san. Since predation is such a process.
“Good, let's slowly go out now. It is hard to endure anymore.”
Dark Heaven smiled faintly and said.
“If you say it is hard to endure, I will use my hand.”
“No, that level is…….”
Dark Heaven tried to stop him, but.
Dam Jeok-san had already drawn his sword. Colorless energy waves pulsate from his sword.
Because there is no color or sound, it looks like nothing is wrapped around it at a glance, but Dark Heaven could know that tremendous power was condensed in that sword.
He drew his sword down in the void without an inch of worry.
SLICE-!
At that moment, a cutting sound rang as if something was cut off, and timely, the call echoing in Dark Heaven's mind almost ceased.
“This, makes no sense.”
A mutter close to astonishment flowed from her mouth.
Dam Jeok-san's single blow just now cut off the formless string firmly connected between her and the Black Dragon.
Of course, it wasn't perfect. The call ceased only for a moment. Before long, the formless string will connect again and the call will restart.
But since she obtained freedom even for a moment…….
“It turned out well.”
Dark Heaven muttered with a bright smile.
“Just in time, the density of demonic energy also dropped significantly.”
She glanced at the Light Wolf's corpse once again and muttered.
Since the child who harbored the most demonic energy in this place except for the Black Dragon had all its energy taken away by Dam Jeok-san. It is a natural result.
“That vulgar sorcerer bastard's face will be worth seeing.”
Dark Heaven smiled while condensing whitish energy waves in both hands.
“What are you doing?”
“I am going to shatter this space itself.”
She answered Dam Jeok-san's question without an inch of hesitation.
Thick demonic energy dissipated and the call disturbing her mind also stopped. If it is now, what Un Wol-hyang tried to do from outside, Dark Heaven can sufficiently accomplish from inside.
The energy condensed in her hands is forged sharply like a spear. As if that wasn't enough, when Dark Heaven recited some unknown incantation, pitch-black dragon scales (龍鱗) began to sprout on the sharp energy.
An appearance similar to the armor made of dragon scales (龍鱗) she gave to Dam Jeok-san. However, ferocious killing intent as if to tear the whole world apart right away hovered on the spear. That is exactly the Black Dragon's essence.
CRASHHHHHHH!!
The spear of sorcery extended with ferocious momentum touches the pitch-black curtain made of demonic energy.
The curtain shakes violently as if it would collapse at any moment. However, soon the shaking subsided, and it seemed to regain stability.
It definitely would have been so.
CRASHHHHHHH! CRASHHHHHHH! CRASHHHHHHH!
Dark Heaven's sorcery was just starting from there. The power dwelling in the spear originated from the dragon's arrogance and ferocity, but the power wielding the spear consisted of a mortal's desperation and earnestness.
Dark Heaven's desperate chain attacks, neither human nor dragon, broke down the old barrier surrounding her original body.
There was no loud noise or grandiose moment of rupture. The barrier collapsed gently like a sandcastle as if enduring until now was a lie, and beyond it, the scenery of the present world spread slowly like a painting coloring a canvas.
“Did you see, my words are right, aren't they?”
What the Monster Repelling Squad party saw first in the reality reached like that was…….
The appearance of the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable speaking triumphantly towards Wi Cheon-rak.