It was nearing the end of its transformation, and so it was gradually regaining its reason. Of course, even with its reason returning, it was still eroded by madness, and the endless hunger was unavoidable. Thus, it constantly devoured whatever it came across.
The only things it could devour were the vengeful spirits in the same predicament as itself. For over a decade, trapped beneath this cliff, it ate and ate the despairing, tormented, vengeful spirits. It hadn't been like this from the beginning.
When the vengeful spirits began devouring each other, it had only fled and hidden, driven by the desire to survive. But that desire for life eventually led to an explosion of resentment and madness.
It had been over a decade since it was seized by madness and began devouring everything in sight, but something else had now intruded upon that cycle of repetition. It stared at the being bound in chains, as if in wonder.
‘A human?’
Could it be a living being? For so long, this place had been filled only with vengeful spirits. New ones were periodically added, but never before had a living being appeared.
Yet now, in a hellish place like this, a living creature had appeared. -Shudder! It couldn't hide its excitement. The dead vengeful spirits alone couldn't quell its crazed hunger.
But the appearance of this living being was more than enough to pique its curiosity.
‘Be afraid.’
And so, it tried to bestow upon him fear and terror. The fear and terror emanating from a living being was great nourishment for a vengeful spirit. But, “We seem to be in agreement.”
What was with this human? He was smiling in a situation like this. And that smile was filled with a rather unpleasant malice.
With just a little force, the limbs bound by the chains would be torn apart, yet his leisurely demeanor was utterly displeasing. Hoh, is that so? Then I shall relish your suffering as I tear off your limbs one by one and devour them. -Chaaaaaaaang!
Mok Gyeong-un, bound by the chains, was forcibly dragged over by a single gesture from the being. Knowing that he was helpless against its strength, Mok Gyeong-un offered no resistance. Throughout the process, he still wore a smile on his lips.
He was so utterly composed that it only infuriated the being further. It pulled the chains until he was right in front of it and spoke. -I will rip off all of your skin, carve out your flesh piece by piece, and devour you down to the bone. At this threat, Mok Gyeong-un sneered and replied.
“You have quite a refined hobby.” -Refined?
Insolent human.
To act so leisurely right before my eyes.
Fine.
Let's see if you can still act that way after experiencing some pain. -Stab!
Chrrrrrr!
In an instant, one of the chains pierced through Mok Gyeong-un's left shoulder. It didn't matter if he was brave or simply numb to fear. Once he experienced pain, things would be different.
And yet, “Is that all you’ve got?” His expression didn't change as he continued to sneer. If this wasn't enough, then fine.
At its signal, the chains that covered the floor like a writhing mass of snakes moved as if alive. -Chaaang!
Chrrrrrr! -Puk! Puk! Puk!
One chain pierced Mok Gyeong-un's right shoulder, and two others pierced his thighs. As if that wasn't enough, another one drove into his abdomen. -Stab! This was not a pain that could be endured with mental fortitude alone.
The chains felt both extremely cold and hot, bringing a pain as if his flesh and organs were being burned and frozen the moment they were touched. Everything stemmed from the mind. This human must be tasting the worst pain imaginable…
‘!?’
What is this man? His expression still hadn't changed. In fact, he was smirking, staring right at it.
How could a living being, bound by the confines of the flesh, endure such pain so nonchalantly? As it watched in astonishment, Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth.
“Did you think doing this would make me afraid or feel pain?” -…
“You’re wasting your time.” -Ruuuumble!
No sooner had Mok Gyeong-un's mocking words ended than the entire space began to shake violently, as if in an earthquake. It was furious. A worthless being dared to laugh at it?
Fine.
Then I shall grant your wish and devour you alive. -Chrrrrrrrrrrr! The chains pulled taut, and Mok Gyeong-un's body, his limbs still bound, was dragged right before its face. Then, it opened its mouth wide.
The mouth that opened between the gaps in the chains was far from human. Perhaps altered from devouring so many vengeful spirits, hundreds of sharp spines protruded from it, and a purple smoke flowed out from within. -Grooooooooowl! Its mouth grew large enough to swallow Mok Gyeong-un in one bite. -Chrrrrrrr!
The chains embedded in his body were released one by one. With a clatter, Mok Gyeong-un's body drew closer to the creature's mouth. -Chrrrrrrr! He had almost reached the gaping mouth, from his head to his shoulders.
At that moment, something alien fell from Mok Gyeong-un. -Thud! The being thought it was just a piece of blood or flesh falling off and paid it no mind. But the moment it was swallowed down its throat, -Chiiiiiiiii!
It felt a searing pain, as if its throat was burning away. -Gggck!
You! What!
What did you do?
“You shouldn't let your guard down just because you think you've caught me.”
The ring that had been on Mok Gyeong-un's hand was gone.
That's right.
What had gone down its throat was the ring imbued with an incantation made by Occultist Jo Ui-gong. Just then, Mok Gyeong-un formed a hand seal with one hand and shouted loudly. -Fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip!
“Okjeyuchik sinmungyeongnyeong hyeongyeounmu sangnyeolguseong sinmukgyeongma-byeongnyeokgyubun geupgeubyeoyullyeong!”
It was the Art of the Imperial Ink Incantation. The moment his shout rang out, a brilliant light erupted from within the being's mouth. -Woooooooong! It was a curse that summoned a god into the enchanted ring, causing a powerful force to explode and exorcise the vengeful spirit.
Since it was a ring imbued with an incantation and it had exploded from within, its power was such that, -Kraaaaaaaaaaaaa! Even the being that had been constantly transforming writhed in pain from the exploding curse power. However, this alone was not enough to exorcise a high-rank being like it.
Though its body temporarily contorted in agony, it still maintained its form. -Chrrrrrrrr! But thanks to being momentarily weakened, the chains that bound his body scattered and disappeared. In that instant, Mok Gyeong-un threw himself towards the creature's gaping mouth, which it held open in agony. -!?
What is this? To leap into its mouth of his own accord? The being did not miss the opportunity and tried to chew and swallow Mok Gyeong-un who had jumped in.
Just then, Mok Gyeong-un reached his hand towards its throat. -Thwack! And then, ‘Mujeolmangnyeoseo ihyeongwisimyang muojeongeosang musanghyeongwijeon magaryanghaegeo yeokhaemugeukyeol.’ He chanted the incantation of the Binding technique.
It was a gamble. The most direct way to absorb the death energy of this massive bundle of resentment. That was to aim for its insides.
Outside, he would be bound by the chains, so this was the only way.
However, -Swoooosh!
‘Huh?’
Instead of Mok Gyeong-un’s body absorbing the creature’s energy as he performed the Binding technique, it was sucked deep into its mouth as if overwhelmed by its mass. As if there was a hidden space inside its mouth, Mok Gyeong-un's body fell deep inside. -Shwooooooosh! In the darkness, like a bottomless pit.
Mok Gyeong-un's body was pulled toward the creature's origin. In the process, fragments of its memories flowed into him like a flashing lantern.
[Brother! Brother! I will always be with you.]
[As your right hand, I will support our family. Do not worry.]
A younger brother, following him with a bright smile. And a stern father.
[This is for the long-held aspiration of our society. The descendants of the other Five Kings have all agreed to do it, so you too must take the lead and participate.]
[I will keep that in mind.]
Soon, a familiar place appeared in his memory. Seen countless times in the darkness, it was the valley where the battle for the steel beads had taken place.
[Pant... pant... Brother...]
[Take it.]
[But Brother, didn't you find this?]
[You go on ahead. I can find another one quickly.]
[Brother......]
And then, another memory slithered in. Someone strikes the back of his head with a sharp stone. He gasps for breath and turns his head, and there, his younger brother who had followed him so brightly was looking down at him with cold eyes.
[You... you... how could you...]
[Damn you. If you just die, everything will be solved.]
[You... you...]
[Just because you had everything, you always acted superior and pitied me...]
[I... I never...]
[You were just born before me, that's all.]
With those words, his brother smashed a rock into its face. Not satisfied with just once, he struck several times before disappearing. Along with that, a surge of emotion, a mix of anger and resentment, was felt.
The next vision was quite different. It seemed not to be a memory from when it was alive, but one that continued after death. -Let me eat. Let me eat you. -Die!
Die! -I said die! Vengeful spirits rushing at him madly. An intense feeling of fear and despair is felt.
It gradually escalates. -Why... why me? Why must I be eaten like this even after death? -Did I live just to suffer like this? -Am I meant to be eaten? -I… -I… refuse… to be… eaten… -I will… devour… them all! As it was being torn apart and eaten by those vengeful spirits, its madness finally erupted. -Aaaaaaaahhhhh!
The resentment of its madness was so strong that it felt like he would be devoured in an instant. At the same time, an unbelievable amount of death energy surged through his palm, and the screams of countless resentful spirits echoed in his head. -I will devour you too! The creature's madness was transmitted.
The desperate roar felt like it would shatter his skull, but Mok Gyeong-un did not stop the Binding technique.
‘Mujeolmangnyeoseo ihyeongwisimyang muojeongeosang musanghyeongwijeon magaryanghaegeo yeokhaemugeukyeol.’
-Crunch! Whoooosh!
The head of a vengeful spirit was crushed, and it eventually scattered into the air like ash. The owner of the hand that had been gripping the head was none other than Blue Spirit.
Her eyes glowing with a blood-red light, Blue Spirit shouted at the vortexes that were closing in, surrounding her. -If you're so eager to be extinguished, then come at me, little ones. At her cry, the vortexes seemed to hesitate, their movements stopping.
Just when she thought they had finally gotten scared after she had extinguished seven Yellow Spirit-rank entities, -Fwoooooooosh! In that moment, an immense death energy spread out in all directions. She frowned and looked on.
‘Don't tell me?’
The source of this was none other than the massive vortex. A crack had suddenly appeared in the vortex that was nearing the end of its transformation, and all the power it had been condensing burst forth. The other vortexes had stopped moving in response to this.
And now, they all moved toward the being that was cracking apart and about to reveal its form. -Damn it! Just when she had managed to divert their attention, this was beyond troublesome. At this rate, her efforts in deliberately setting up the Blood Realm, a ghost domain, would be for naught.
Just as she thought that. In that instant, -Chrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! -Chaaaaaaaaaaaa! Numerous chains shot out from the cracked fissure, indiscriminately binding the approaching vortexes and the countless vengeful spirits around them.
The force was so strong that even the transforming vengeful spirits couldn't move a muscle. Even a few Green Spirit-rank entities were no exception. -Aaaaaah! -Gaaack! Even they couldn't withstand the chains and soon, -Shwoooosh!
Bound, they were sucked into the gaping fissure. She instinctively understood why this phenomenon was happening.
‘Is it about to be completed?’
The Gu poison was finally about to be born. It was now indiscriminately consuming what it lacked to transform into its most ideal, no, its most terrible form. Just then, a thick chain flew towards her.
Not content with devouring the vortexes, it was now aiming for Blue Spirit. -Did he fail in the end? She muttered as she watched the approaching chain. She could see the red thread of their connection shaking violently.
This was a sign that her master's life was in grave danger. If it continued to shake and the red thread were to dissipate, she too would be extinguished. -Chrrrrrrr! The chain was about to wrap around her body.
She swung her long pipe. In that moment, the tip of the chain shattered just before it touched her, and she rode up along it. -Fwip! Blue Spirit's form also followed the shattering chain and flew into the vortex where the fissure was opening. -Chrrrrrrrr! -Chaaaaaaaa!
Countless chains shot out to capture her, but, -Whack!
Whack!
They were all deflected by her swinging long pipe. Soon, she passed through the fissure and entered inside. In the center of the place where the death energy of resentment was swirling like a tempestuous torrent, she saw a being covered in chains.
The screams of the resentful spirits that had been dragged in first echoed in her ears. -Run.
Run.
Run. -The resentment has reached its peak. -A being of deep, despairing blue malice is born.
Blue malice.
That meant its rank had reached that of a Blue Spirit. Originally, such a terrible vengeful spirit could only be born after a hundred years of deep-seated resentment, but this one was on the verge of completion as a Gu poison, created by being forced to devour one another. -Shwoooooo!
Even the screaming vengeful spirits were sucked in, and the chains covering the being grew darker. She snorted and muttered. -How arrogant for a little one. As if others haven't experienced the same.
With that, as Blue Spirit stepped on the ground, droplets of blood shot upwards from the center. With each step she took, they spread out in all directions. They collided with the chained being's domain, and the space shimmered here and there as blue flames erupted and burned like tree roots. -Crackle-crackle-crackle!
The blood-red hue of Blue Spirit's eyes deepened. -If you don't release that mortal, you will be extinguished here the moment you are born, little one. -Goooooooooo! The energy surged dramatically. It was at that very moment.
Just as Blue Spirit was about to take another step, the chained being suddenly began to twist and contort its body. The condensed energy of resentment was forcefully spewing out from the gaps. -Clank!
Clank!
Was it doing that because the Gu poison was about to be completed? Just as she was wondering, the chains wrapped around it began to tighten on their own accord. As if strangling itself.
‘What is this?’
The process of transformation was bizarre. As she watched in confusion, cracks suddenly appeared on the tightening chains. -Crack! A single crack.
It became two, and then the number rapidly increased. Soon, the cracks grew until the chains shattered and fell to the ground with a clatter. Was the completed Gu poison finally about to reveal itself? -Ssk!
Blue Spirit raised her long pipe, preparing to face it. Just then, all the chains fell away, revealing a human figure. He was none other than, -Mortal!?
It was Mok Gyeong-un. Her eyes narrowed. -Goooooooooo! The immense death energy emanating from his body was condensed to the point that it seemed ready to explode at any moment.
Could it be that his body had been taken over by the completed Gu poison? Blue Spirit aimed her long pipe at him and spoke, her voice laced with anger. -You fool. Did you finally get eaten?
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un's lips twitched, and he looked at Blue Spirit before opening his mouth.
"I wasn't eaten. I did the eating." '!!!!!!'