〈 Episode 637 〉 Baekya (White Night).
Its appearance resembled Ttolttongi somehow.
Especially the shape of its head was quite similar, but the body was different.
If Ttolttongi had a form like a snake,
then this bastard's body resembled those of fierce beasts like tigers or lions.
Its tail was a bizarre hybrid reminiscent of a snake.
Looking at such a strange creature, I recalled.
White (白).
The final color of the Green-Blue-Red-White ranking system for demon beasts.
A being that had not appeared alongside Red demon beasts for a long time,
and a creature I had never once encountered even in my previous life.
"Crazy, what the hell is that."
The moment I saw it, curses spilled out on their own.
-Grrrrrr--!!! Aaaaaah--!!!
My entire body tingled at the rough roar.
Its body was covered in white scales,
and its size was gigantic, as if several Red demon beasts had lumped together.
Just one Red demon beast was larger than a single dwelling,
so if it was on the level of several gathered together, just how enormous should I describe it as?
I examined the creature with a furrowed brow.
Kwadeudeudeuk-!
When its massive body moved even slightly, shockwaves spread in every direction.
Kung-!
Ice mountains were crushed and forests were thrown into chaos.
Historically speaking, it was said that White demon beasts were a calamity merely by breathing,
and that story seemed exactly right.
'If something like that moves, that's a calamity, what else.'
A mountain was moving. It wasn't Mount Tai, but it felt like that.
'Seriously.'
Where the hell did something like that pop out from?
Kkadeudeudeuk-!
In the gaps of the surging cold air, the creature continued to run amok.
"Kuaaack-!"
Kung-!
Its tail moved and crushed people,
and in the places it swept past, only crushed corpses remained.
I expanded my energy sense and shifted my gaze.
'The Demonic Gate?'
I wasn't sure if that thing was a White-rank demon beast or not.
But, as it was a demon beast, if it had appeared, a Demonic Gate should have been left behind.
However, there were no traces of a gate having opened.
This meant,
'It was here from the start.'
Where could it have appeared from?
That size wasn't something you could hide just by trying to.
'Is it really White-rank?'
Nothing else came to mind to say it wasn't.
A rank that hadn't been seen even in my previous life and had appeared only a handful of times throughout all of history.
However, though their numbers were few, the aftermath they left behind was never small.
The prime example: Huashan Immortal Sword Shin Cheol.
The White-rank demon beast called Muryong (Fog Dragon) that Elder Shin handled covered an entire terrain in fog upon its death, turning it into a forest humans couldn't approach.
The Suryong (Water Dragon) that Dangje Gate caught spewed water currents upon its death, turning an entire region leading to Sichuan into a great river where demon beasts dwelled.
Not only that, the burning cliff said to be on the way to Xinjiang was created when the greatest under heaven of that era,
Fist King Yeon Ilcheon, hunted the Taehwaryong (Great Fire Dragon).
The aftermath they left behind was grand enough to overturn an entire terrain,
and that was the kind of strength White-rank demon beasts possessed.
Facing one directly, I understood even better.
'How the hell did they catch something like that?'
When I had only heard that someone hunted a White-rank demon beast alone, I didn't know.
Now that I see it, it's absurd.
They caught that alone?
Elder seems amazing all over again.
The problem was,
'Tch.'
there was no time to think about this for long.
-Kuaaaaa---!!
The creature let out a bizarre scream and headed somewhere.
In the chaotic situation, I wondered where it was looking like that.
"Fuck."
Seeing who it was targeting, I immediately shot my body forward.
I could tell even from afar. How could I not?
Namgung Bia was visible among the countless people. It looked like Dang Soyeol was carrying her on her back.
Of all directions, the creature was heading that way.
-Grrrrr--!!!
It rapidly closed the distance. I swung my fist with all my might right at it.
Kwang-!
-Kureureuk!?
My fist struck the creature's head directly.
A loud sound burst out and the creature's head swayed, but.
'Damn it.'
The one who landed the punch, me, also had to furrow my brows.
'It didn't go in properly.'
Feeling the sensation of the punch, I was certain.
The attack hadn't penetrated properly.
Just like Red demon beasts, this bastard also had some kind of energy membrane wrapped around its body.
Because of that, it seemed the attack didn't work properly.
Then.
Hwiik-!
"...!"
Something approached in front of me.
It was the creature's tail.
Fitting its gigantic frame, even just its tail looked like a common Red demon beast.
'Fast.'
It was even fast compared to its size.
It was too late to dodge.
Kkuuk.
I urgently raised my energy to erect a wall with protective qi.
Shweeek-! Kwaaang-!
Energy flying from afar struck the creature's tail and pushed it away.
Taking the opportunity created, I hurriedly descended to the ground.
Upon landing, the one who had knocked away the tail approached me.
"Your return is rather rough."
It was Paejon.
He had saved me using his fist energy.
"...What is going on?"
Without a word of thanks, I asked about the situation first.
At that action, Paejon smirked. He looked like he had expected as much.
"What is that?"
"Indeed. I was sleeping well... when some bizarre creature disturbed me."
"Disturbed?"
Being disturbed while sleeping meant,
'Did that thing attack the hideout?'
A White-rank demon beast attacked the hideout out of nowhere?
Questions arose about the incomprehensible situation, but I kept being bothered by an unpleasant energy.
No, I already knew the answer.
'Mang.'
From that White-rank demon beast's body, I could feel Mang's energy.
And very thickly at that.
The reason I had flown here leaving Uhyeok behind was, after all,
because Mang had disappeared, yet the creature's energy was felt thickly.
I didn't know how this had come about.
'If it's going to die, it should just die cleanly.'
I could tell things had gotten slightly annoying.
Kuaaaaa---!!!
Screeching, the creature started moving again.
The loud sound caused vibrations in the surroundings.
'What a fucking mess.'
Holding back curses, I looked around. Countless people were trembling in fear. They seemed overwhelmed by the demon beast's roar.
In the midst of that,
"My lord!"
I turned at the soft voice. I saw Dang Soyeol approaching this way.
On her back, Namgung Bia was carried.
She had her eyes closed as if unconscious, and her condition did not look good at all.
As I furrowed my brow seeing that, Dang Soyeol looked at me and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Sister...!"
"What happened."
"...She was protecting me."
"..."
Listening, I raised my hand to stop her.
"That can wait."
I turned my head and looked at the demon beast.
It was not the time to listen to every little detail.
"Her condition."
"...!"
"How is her condition?"
At the blunt words without beating around the bush, Dang Soyeol flinched for a moment,
but soon gave an answer.
"...She wasn't injured in any vital spots. Probably, wounds from being buried under the rubble seem to have reopened."
"I see."
I suppressed the emotions that threatened to boil over.
Colder and colder. Now was the time for that.
Seeing this, I immediately asked Paejon.
"Did the Palace Lord get hit?"
Was the Palace Lord hit by the demon beast? Is that why it was roaring like that?
To that question,
"Hmm."
Paejon pondered for a moment.
"I do not know."
Then gave an ambiguous answer.
"I couldn't properly grasp the situation. However, from what I heard... rather than the Palace Lord having been hit."
Ssk.
Paejon pointed to the front with his hand.
"They say that thing itself is the Palace Lord."
"Pardon?"
Hearing that, I looked at the demon beast.
What did Paejon just say?
'The demon beast is the Palace Lord?'
I thought it was complete nonsense.
'Ha.'
Only after hearing those words did things I hadn't seen slowly come into view.
Kuaaaa--!!
The energy of the creature screeching to its heart's content.
That was the energy Mang had possessed.
And also.
'...So it was something about the body.'
He had put his energy into Uhyeok.
I recalled that he had said his original physical body had seeped into another ice spirit.
Thinking that the time the energy began to be felt was simultaneous with Mang's annihilation.
"Tch."
Does that mean that's Mang's physical body?
Then, what does it mean here that it's the Palace Lord?
I don't know. I don't know, but.
Udeuk.
Loosening up slightly, I took a step forward.
"Do you intend to catch it?"
"Yes."
I nodded and answered Paejon's words, but
even while speaking, I was slightly conflicted.
Since I was in a somewhat exhausted state, just running away seemed best, but.
'...It feels off.'
I had never seen a White-rank demon beast in my previous life.
No matter how far the North Sea was,
with this level of impact, there was no way I wouldn't know; even if the hunt succeeded without damage, I would have heard bits of information.
But if there wasn't even that,
'It means this is a twisted mess caused by my recklessness.'
Mang died, causing a problem in this ice spirit as well, leading to this incident.
If so, wouldn't you feel this was somewhat my fault?
Kuaaaa-!
The creature approached this way.
Kung-!!
Then it widely opened its massive muzzle.
Pajik-!
"Huh?"
I could see energy gathering in its mouth.
The moment I saw that, chills ran down my spine.
Dangerous.
The moment I detected it instinctively.
Hwik-!
My collar was grabbed and my body was rapidly lifted up.
I couldn't even react properly.
Just like that, the moment my feet left the ground.
Kwaaaaa---!!!
An unknown energy spewed from the creature's mouth swept across the ground.
Jjeojeojeojeok---!!!
When the wide and fast energy brushed past, the ground froze in an instant.
Floating in the air, I had to widen my eyes seeing this.
"That crazy bastard."
"That's my line, you brat."
Paejon, who had approached my side at some point, sighed as he looked at me.
"You should have run right away, what were you doing gawking at that?"
"I reacted fairly quickly...."
Only a little slower than Paejon.
The moment I confirmed the energy, Paejon had grabbed my collar and thrown me into the air.
Whether I survived thanks to that was a bit ambiguous,
because it was a speed I could have dodged if I tried.
"Hah...."
At my excuse that wasn't an excuse, Paejon let out another deep sigh.
"Anyway, I understand you intend to catch that."
He tilted his head and loosened his body.
Seeing that, I asked.
"Are you going together?"
"Hehe."
Paejon laughed as if exasperated at the question.
"...It's the sin of having taken a wrong disciple in my old age. What can I do when he insists on going to a place of death."
A place of death (死地).
It was an extremely rare word to come from Paejon's mouth.
It probably meant that even in Paejon's eyes, it wouldn't be easy.
"Then you can just stop me."
If you stop me from going, that's that; why go together? I asked thus.
Paejon clicked his tongue loud enough for me to hear.
"It's obvious you wouldn't listen even if I stopped you. Moreover."
Paejon spat out as if scolding me, but then relaxed his expression and smiled faintly.
"I have never taught you how to flee. And likely, I have no intention of teaching you in the future, either."
"..."
It sounded like something really cool.
But looking at Paejon's expression, I didn't feel that sentiment at all.
'...Looking at his face. This old man seems to be enjoying this the most.'
His face was filled with ecstasy before the fight. It was exactly the same face as when he beat me, so I couldn't not know.
Such vivid emotion was truly terrifying beyond compare.
"Ah, right. And, disciple."
"Yes."
"Explain later how that body of yours came to be as well."
Pat-!
Having spat out those words, Paejon's figure disappeared.
"...Haha."
Left alone, I had to laugh emptily.
I had wondered if he hadn't noticed because I deliberately didn't bring it up,
but it seemed Paejon had immediately realized my realm had risen.
'Like a ghost, this old man....'
Anyway, he isn't easy to deceive.
Thinking thus, just as I was about to rush at the demon beast as well.
Tuk-!
Something fell to the ground.
"Hmm?"
Looking down, it was a red jade bead.
It was an item that had fallen from my clothes. Probably, the pouch had torn from moving violently.
Without bending my waist, I lifted the bead into the air with energy.
Uung-!
I briefly examined the bead floating in the air.
Wondering what it was, I thought for a moment.
'What was this... Ah.'
I remembered.
It was an item Madam Mi had prepared for me before going to the North Sea.
'She definitely told me to use it in a dangerous situation.'
An item I had received with just the instruction to use it, without even hearing how.
It looked like an ordinary red jade bead, but it was probably a spiritual artifact.
Uuung.
The jade bead floating in the air seemed somehow to shine faintly.
'Does it react when energy touches it?'
Observing this briefly, I grabbed the bead with my hand, thrust it into my bosom, and leaped toward the demon beast following Paejon.
I had no intention of using the spiritual artifact.
Though it was a dangerous situation, using it would mean admitting just that.
Afraid that Madam Mi would find out about this later. Afraid that she would know I had been in danger.
I didn't know why, but it bothered me.
So I tried not to use it.
I definitely tried not to....
I didn't know.
That the jade bead's 'method of use' was so simple.
And what the spiritual artifact's effect was.
I had no idea at all.