〈 Episode 602 〉 North Sea.
A black sky, and a blizzard obscuring their vision.
With vision obscured.
Countless people traversed the ground with hurried steps.
Among them, a man at the forefront muttered as if whispering.
"We'll arrive shortly."
Even as he spoke, his steps did not stop.
His gaze was fixed solely on the front.
Though nothing was visible due to the blizzard.
The man clearly remembered the situation that had unfolded just moments ago.
'I saw a light.'
Between the raging blizzard and the night sky.
He had seen something shining conspicuously.
What could be happening?
The man raised his guard and surveyed the front.
He couldn't see anything.
It looked as if there had been nothing there from the start.
But the man did not let his guard down.
'I can't get in contact with those who were lying in ambush.'
Contact with the unit waiting in the canyon had been cut off.
That alone prevented the man from easing his tension.
Could it be.
'Did they fail?'
It was said that the Commander-in-Chief chasing the escaped Baekyeo had also headed toward the canyon.
He had heard they would drive Baekyeo into the canyon, join with those lying in ambush, and capture him.
In such a situation.
'The fox hunt failed?'
Did it mean the critically wounded Baekyeo had killed both the Commander-in-Chief and the ambushers and fled?
It was something hard to believe.
'Something has happened.'
Judging so would be correct.
They had bothered to drive Baekyeo into a corner; if this were to fail, how would those above react?
'Tch…'
At the chilling thought, the man clicked his tongue briefly.
He could only hope that wasn't the case.
'Rather, I wish the Palace Lord's warriors were in the canyon.'
If that were the case, he could capture those guys and make some excuse.
Sorting his inner thoughts, the man slightly turned his head back and opened his mouth.
"Everyone, do not let your guard down. There's no telling what might happen…"
At that moment.
"C-Captain-!"
One of the warriors following behind spat out in a trembling voice.
"O-over there--!"
With a surprised expression, he pointed at something.
The moment the man turned his head again after seeing that.
"What are you suddenly talking about… huh?"
The man looking up at the sky also had to make a surprised expression.
Something was rising high into the distant sky.
Could it be that thing from earlier?
The man narrowed his eyes and looked at the empty air.
Then he could tell.
'No. That's not it.'
The light that had briefly floated in the air.
It was different from that.
It was rougher and far brighter.
'What is it?'
What on earth was that?
What could it be to shine so brilliantly?
And.
'Why…'
Why did he feel such a spine-chilling sensation?
He was merely looking at it, yet somehow cold sweat flowed.
Just as the man felt confusion at this unidentifiable feeling.
"...!"
The eyes of the man watching the light grew wide as flower lanterns.
Was it an illusion?
He thought so for a moment, but.
'It's not an illusion.'
He could immediately realize it wasn't so.
The light burning brilliantly in the air.
'It's getting bigger.'
It was growing larger.
At the same time, the man realized a foreign sensation brushing against his cheek.
"...Hot…?"
The passing wind was hot.
This was a sensation absolutely impossible in the North Sea weather.
Could it be because of that light?
The man stopped walking and urgently raised his hand.
"Halt."
At his words, those who had been moving stopped their steps simultaneously.
He felt uneasy.
Far too uneasy.
Blue light.
Just looking at it filled him with fear, swept by maddening anxiety.
What on earth was that?
What could it be to inspire such fear?
For a moment, curiosity stirred.
The curiosity felt when seeing something unknown.
Such was human instinct, but.
"...Warriors, listen."
As if such curiosity was nothing.
"We retreat from this place immediately."
Fear was consuming him entirely.
"Turn around right now and return to the main force--!"
The moment he was about to declare retreat due to fear.
Far away, a change occurred in the light.
The light that had been slowly increasing in size stopped amplifying and began to move gradually.
Seeing that, the man's body had to harden like stone.
Because he somehow felt the flame's behavior seemed to be searching for something.
Was it searching for something?
'No way.'
A bad premonition pierced through the man.
And. As if proving that premonition was not wrong, the light floating in the air stopped moving.
This time it was neither an illusion nor a guess.
It was certainty.
That light was looking in the direction where the man was.
Afterward.
"...!?"
A roar burst from the light and it began flying toward the man.
And very quickly at that.
"Run...! Now--!"
The man shouted upon realizing this, but.
The light flying at high speed fell directly to the ground where the man was.
Hwarurrureuk-!
Kwaaaaaaa---!!
An enormous shock surged.
"Kuaaaaa!"
The warriors screamed at the sudden impact.
Wind pressure surged.
Those caught in the wind couldn't endure and flew into the air.
"Kkuh...!"
The man who barely endured let out a groan.
His skin felt like it would burn from the hot energy mixed in the wind.
If he was like this, what had happened to his subordinates?
'Damn it.'
Such a thought crossed his mind, but there was no time to care.
Beyond the heat, something was visible in the man's eyes.
It was the spot where the light had fallen.
The area where snow ought to have been was hollowed out deeply.
The deeply piled snow had melted, revealing the original ground.
And.
Above it.
Something presumed to be the fallen light was burning fiercely.
As the man glared at it warily.
"What...?"
His expression went blank as he confirmed the true nature of the light.
It was not a simple light or flame.
Surprisingly.
'A person...?'
It possessed the form of a person.
Someone was slowly rising up from the ground.
Flames were wrapping around and burning with him at the center.
What on earth was this situation?
When bewilderment settled in the man's eyes.
The one who had risen turned his gaze this way.
Even though wrapped in blue flames, the gaze alone was clearly visible.
Blue eyes with vertically slit pupils.
A chill-!
A shiver ran down the man's spine as their gazes met.
At that moment.
Pat.
The flames the man had been watching burst and disappeared.
"It disap...?"
As the man tried to speak after seeing this.
"Crack."
A single sound was heard from beside the man.
His gaze moved following the sound.
What was visible in the man's eyes was slowly bursting blood and.
Crunch-!
The face of his subordinate whose body was being torn away from the neck by someone's hand.
As the man tried to turn his body in haste.
Huwook-!
What was visible in the man's eyes was someone's palm.
Kwak-!
"Kgeup!"
A hand roughly clamped the man's mouth.
Hwaruk-!
An unknown heat was felt from the palm.
"Kgeueueup!"
The man tried to say something, having sensed something, but.
With his blocked mouth, he couldn't utter a single word.
Immediately after.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa---!!!!
A massive flame burst from the hand and engulfed the man's body.
******************
My ears felt somehow stuffy.
It was like water had filled them completely.
Or like cotton had been stuffed into them to block them out.
It was frustrating and annoying.
Such was the feeling.
Moreover, it wasn't exactly serene either.
[Agwaaaa!]
[Save...!]
Unknown sounds were heard from within my ears.
They seemed to be shouting something.
Or perhaps crying.
It was noise I didn't want to hear.
I would have been better off if it had been silent instead.
'A disgusting sound.'
Why was it so disgusting?
Why was the voice of such a trivial creature so unpleasant to hear?
As such thoughts arose, my hand moved on its own.
Something was caught.
A neck?
I tore it out.
[Kgrrrek-!]
Crunch-!
[P-please save me...!!]
Hwarurrureuk-!
If there was one crying noisily, I covered its mouth and burned it.
A foul stench passed the tip of my nose.
The surroundings were full of the smell of burning.
Even the smell of burning is this foul for disgusting creatures.
Thinking this, I grew angry.
A maddening anger welled up.
Why? Why was I so angry?
I couldn't remember.
For now, I only thought I needed to unleash this anger.
[Kgeooooraaaa!]
When I grabbed another trivial creature and threw it aside.
I was able to know why I was angry.
'Ah. I see.'
Trivial and filthy existences.
Inferior and insignificant ones abandoned by the heavens.
The fact that I was breathing the same air as such creatures.
That must be what made me so angry. Surely that was it.
I couldn't endure it.
Hwarurrureuk-!
Anger became flames and spread.
I burned whatever I caught.
[Kyaaaaaaa!!]
I had to erase them all.
So they wouldn't be visible before my eyes.
I had to clear and sweep everything away to make it clean.
That was what I had to do.
Such conviction came over me.
'Where, where are they?'
I turned my eyes.
The white snowfield was full of traces of burning and tearing.
It was still not enough.
'Still. More.'
To quell this anger, I had to clear away more.
If I did so and killed all the trivial creatures in the world.
Then this anger would be relieved.
Puseok-!
I turned my eyes at the sound.
Far away, one was running away.
I took one step.
That was enough to reach him.
[Kgeheok.]
I approached and grabbed his neck.
The eyes of the caught trivial creature were full of fear and desperation.
[P-please... please spare me...!! I'll do anything, anything-!!]
The buzzing was loud.
[Hgr... grrr....]
A crying sound was heard.
I didn't want to hear it anymore. Just listening felt like my ears would rot.
So this time too, as I tried to tear it off.
Tak.
A sensation was felt from my hand.
Moving my gaze, someone was holding my wrist.
"Stop it."
It was another trivial creature.
Unlike the others, I felt a strange energy in his indifferent eyes.
But.
"I don't know why you're so angry, but shouldn't you keep at least one alive?"
That did not become a reason for a trivial creature to block me.
"For someone who isn't even in good health, what do you think you're doing unleashing all your energy like this..."
"Let go."
"Hm?"
At my words, the trivial creature flinched.
His face clearly showed an expression as if he had misheard something.
Indeed a trivial existence.
It seemed he could not understand the words of a superior being like me.
"...What did you just say..."
"I told you to let go. You trivial trash."
"..."
After spitting out the words, I had to feel something strange.
For some reason, I felt like I had uttered words I absolutely should not have spoken.
Perhaps it was a ridiculous delusion.
What words could there be that I couldn't speak to a trivial lesser being....
"Hehe. Well now."
Stiffly.
At the laughter, I unknowingly let go of the trivial creature I had been holding.
My hand moved on its own.
What is this?
"Yes. When a person gets angry, their vision can blur for a moment."
Then my legs moved.
One step back.
What? What did I just do?
"I was like that when I was young too, so I understand. Thus, as a teacher, I cannot help but lend a hand."
Was it trying to run? Was my body trying to run?
'That can't be.'
How could I fear such a trivial creature?
"My disciple. Do you know the easiest way to cool your head when that happens?"
I exuded fighting spirit and moved my hand.
I would grab and tear out the neck like this.
"Generally."
By doing so, I had to show the clear difference to this insignificant one.
Kung-!
"Kgeuk-!"
My leg rose.
At the same time, an impact was felt in my chest.
"If you get beaten until you cool down, it will be resolved."
I tried to control my floating body too late, but.
Beyond squinted eyes, something was visible.
It was a foot.
A foot was approaching right before my nose.
Kwaaang-!
"Keok!"
My head turned from the impact.
I felt pain.
I had to somehow turn my body.
With that instinct, as I tried to move my body.
Huwook-!
"Don't take it badly."
I felt energy gathering in front.
"This is simply discipline."
A fist dug into my stomach.
Kuuung-!
The ground shook along with the impact.