Chapter 466 - Welcome.
Dragon (龍).
In the past, it was a creature only passed down in legends.
However, after the Bloody Demon Great War that occurred several centuries ago, its meaning had shifted somewhat.
Because at that time, all kinds of white demonic beasts were collectively called dragons.
Or so the historical records state.
Of course, the Wulong (Mist Dragon) that Shin Noya had caught.
And even the hundred-grade demonic beast that Dang Je-mun had caught.
They had been called dragons based on their appearances.
However, judging by what that bastard was saying right now.
"...If I do this 'shedding,' are you saying I'll transform into a dragon or something?"
[It is a noble thing. And a precious thing as well.]
To my question, the bastard offered an answer without concealing its ragged breathing.
[For an insignificant creature to become the seed of the divine. It is something you cannot be grateful enough for.]
"What the hell is this crazy bastard saying."
[However, you bastard who accumulated that immense energy and housed it within a vessel, yet still wished to remain human—you are not qualified for such.]
"I wanted to just keep living like this too. If I don't do it, I'll die. Who are you kidding?"
Like I want to become something that doesn't even know who or what it is.
In my heart, I just wanted to live as a human. The problem is this fucking world won't let me be.
"I don't want to do it either."
[Then hand it over.]
"I hate that even more, you bastard."
Who the hell are you kidding right now.
"If you're so bothered, come take it. Don't just stand there begging."
[...]
As I spoke mockingly, a crackling sound came from the bastard's body.
[Wretched thing. You know not your place. Do you truly believe you can endure this with a human mind?]
"And you can endure it?"
[A natural question. I am the seed of the Dragon Emperor (龍帝). I am telling you, I am different from you.]
[Therefore.]
Kuuuuu-!
[I am telling you to simply surrender your body obediently--!]
The blood qi, surging with power, rushed at me once more.
Kuuung-!
I scraped together every last bit of meager energy and twisted my body to dodge.
Udeuk-!
However, I couldn't dodge completely this time either, and one arm was bitten by the bastard again.
Of all things, it was the same arm that had been bitten earlier.
As its fangs dug in, the arm was chewed to pieces.
"Kguh...."
A groan escapes reflexively from the pain, but it's fine.
'It bit well.'
Looking at the bitten arm, I bit my lip slightly.
I had barely succeeded.
Since it was better to have it bite the relatively mangled arm, I had put a bit of force into it.
Fortunately, it took the bait properly.
The pain was enough to drive me mad, but compared to the pain that Toapacheonmu inflicted, this was mere child's play.
With my arm caught, the moment the bastard tried to move again.
Uuuung-!
Reading its movement, I immediately activated the Demonic Heavenly Absorption Technique.
[...Keuruk!?]
Feeling an anomaly from the arm in its mouth, the bastard flinched and tried to throw me off again.
Sensing that, I raised the power even faster.
Huuuuuk-!
Energy enters my body.
'As expected.'
Fortunately, it was just as I had anticipated.
There was one thing I had grasped when my fingertips grazed it earlier.
'This bastard. I can absorb it.'
Perhaps because it was in the form of blood qi, but since it was touching my flesh, the Demonic Heavenly Absorption Technique activated.
I was absorbing energy that was already inside my body once again. I couldn't fathom how this was possible, but.
What mattered now.
[Y-you... bastard...!!]
was that this situation was anything but favorable for the bastard.
As I gradually began to suck out its energy, its thrashing grew violent.
Kkwak.
I held on with all my might, determined not to let go despite its rampage.
It was possible thanks to the absorbed energy beginning to circulate through my body.
[Let go! Do you think your will shall be accomplished by doing this!]
Perhaps because its energy was gradually being stolen away.
Urgency seeped into the blood qi bastard's voice.
[You will ultimately be unable to endure. I am telling you, it is obvious you will die with your mind collapsing, unable to endure anything!]
Its arm dug in to tear me away.
I didn't avoid it.
Even if its claws pierced my body, I endured.
Huuuuuk-!
The energy kept flowing into my body.
It was far greater than the amount of blood qi I had originally possessed.
I wondered what the difference was, but I had no time to think of such things.
Because just withstanding the surging energy was overwhelming enough.
'Fucking hell, it's a lot.'
It felt like it was filling my entire body beyond where the vessel had been.
Is it okay to fill up like this?
Such worries crossed my mind, but.
'So what if it's not.'
There was no other way anyway.
I could see it.
That the bastard's body was growing smaller the more I absorbed.
I didn't think about what kind of effect this much energy would have on my body.
Because right now, I had to make it my goal to devour this damned bastard whole.
[L-let... let go... I...! Am... great...!]
"Shut up. A bastard who didn't even pay rent dares to crawl up here."
You came in on your own and now you're coveting my body?
Not a chance. The smaller the bastard grew, the greater the energy in my body became.
It was an instant, but now the tables had turned to the point where its rampage wouldn't matter at all.
Even in this situation, I didn't stop and kept absorbing repeatedly.
[Keureureuk...!]
The bastard finally let out a short groan and disappeared without a trace into my body.
"..."
Immediately after, the space was plunged into silence.
"... Hoo...."
I swept a hand over my body and quietly let out a sigh.
Did it work?
Feeling the energy flowing inside my body, I nodded slightly.
"Seems like less of a big deal than I expected?"
I thought it would be incredibly difficult since Shin Noya had warned me so much.
For what it was, it felt fine.
It was a problem that my body was wrecked, but this was a mental space anyway; it would be fine when I returned to reality.
"The energy is also, well...."
Though the energy filling my entire body gave me a sickening sense of fullness, as if I might vomit at any moment.
Even this was bearable.
"So, is it over now...?"
For something called shedding and all, spoken of as if it were so grand, it was rather anticlimactic.
I didn't feel much change either.
'The vessel hasn't returned or anything....'
The emptiness remaining in my body was still there, and moreover.
'How do I get out?'
Just as I was wondering how to get out of here....
Ung.
I felt a vibration once again.
"Hm?"
My gaze lowered.
The position was where my heart was.
I definitely felt the vibration from there.
"What the...."
The moment I tried to examine what on earth I had felt just now.
Kkadeudeuk-.
After hearing something crack.
Kwa-aaaaah-!
"Keok...!?"
Tremendous pain began crashing near my heart.
I curled up at the throbbing pain and let out a groan.
Uuuuung-! Suddenly, an anomaly occurred in the surrounding water.
The water currents began to coil around my body.
Kuuuuu.
The currents coiled around my body soon dug inward as well.
It was clearly felt, separate from the pain in my heart.
This was energy.
As the surrounding water dug into my body, it transformed into energy and began to wreak havoc inside.
Feeling that, I regretted.
Right, no wonder it felt too easy.
Just as expected, it's screwing me over.
My body was already at its limit having devoured the blood qi.
It was all I could do to maintain my sanity with that amount, and now even more energy was entering?
'Heh heh, holy shit....'
This felt as though my body was being tested to see how long before it would explode.
Kkeudeuk.
I gritted my teeth.
My body trembled at the sensation of the energy crashing in.
I felt I understood why Shin Noya, as well as the blood qi wearing the guise of a dragon, would regret and say I wouldn't endure.
This was absolutely not a situation a human could endure.
Instinct told me.
If I let go even a little in this situation.
'I die.'
The one called me would probably burst and die from within.
If that happens.
'Will that blood qi bastard take over my body?'
Or if not, will something else appear.
Whatever it was, I knew something that was not me would fill my body.
'I can't let that happen.'
Ppadeudeuk-!
I heard the sound of my teeth cracking from how hard I was biting down.
I clenched my fist tight.
Even if I can't endure, I endure.
If I were going to give up, I should have done so earlier.
It's too much of a waste to let go after coming this far.
'Somehow endure through it.'
Regarding Dang Je-mun's matter, Shin Noya. I'll make a fool of that old man and stop him.
Perhaps thanks to that trivial goal.
I was barely able to hold onto my mind that was about to let go.
******************
Ung....
"..."
A shallow sensation felt from within the body.
At this, the eyelids of Shin Cheol, who had been quietly keeping his eyes closed, open.
"Hm...."
It seems something has happened after all.
A strong resonance is continuously felt from within the body.
Ung-ung-!
Though it was a small vibrating sound to the ears, to Shin Cheol it felt as if a blunt weapon was striking vigorously from the inside.
Should I say it's trying to break down the walls to get out?
This was a sensation even Shin Cheol was feeling for the first time.
Feeling such vibration, he looks to the front.
Nothing could be seen in front.
It was originally a position where Cheonjon should have been sitting, but Cheonjon was nowhere to be seen.
"... Hmph."
Seeing that, Shin Cheol lets out a short snort.
He had known even with his eyes closed that Cheonjon was moving.
But Shin Cheol hadn't bothered to stop him.
As a martial artist, he was already dead.
There was no point in further interference.
Even if Cheonjon was someone who had to die.
Finishing him was not his own role.
Shin Cheol lowers his gaze and checks his hand.
To be exact, it was Guyangcheon's hand.
The body was still stained black, as if devoured by shadows.
"Eing, tsk tsk."
What torment even after death because of this damn bastard; his back, which had been straight for his age, now felt like it was hunching on its own.
That he couldn't do this for a descendant of Hwasan, yet was doing this for a foul-tempered praying mantis bastard—from Shin Cheol's position, it was enough to make his blood boil.
"Moreover. You dare mock me?"
The words Guyangcheon had said at the end come to mind.
"-I believe I have something to say regarding Lady Dang Je-mun."
"Huum."
Remembering that made him angry, but also gave rise to questions.
No matter how much Shin Cheol thought about those words, he couldn't understand them.
"... Hm."
Shin Cheol had been inside Guyangcheon's body the whole time, but he had been unable to keep tabs on the situation because he was holding back the vessel that was on the verge of shattering.
He knew they had met Dang Je-mun, but that meant he hadn't caught what sort of conversation the two had shared.
That was why he was puzzled.
'What on earth did they talk about.'
That rotten bastard called that Je-mun bastard "Lady"?
Shin Cheol could only keep tilting his head at the incomprehensible situation.
And no wonder.
Because the Dang Je-mun that Shin Cheol knew was not a woman, but a man.