TGHD Ch 27

“Ugh…”

Cheon Ryubeom groaned in pain as he lifted his head. It felt like he had been caught in a whirlwind, rising high only to crash down from a great height. His whole body ached. His vision was a mess, and it took several blinks before he could see clearly.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the dirt ground, suggesting he had rolled on the ground. Groaning, Ryubeom knelt, took a deep breath, and stood up. His head was so foggy that he staggered.

Barely regaining his senses, Ryubeom first sought Yeohwi. Swept away by the gust, he expected Yeohwi to have rolled down a hill or, if unlucky, a cliff.

However, when Ryubeom checked ahead, he froze.

“…?”

He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them again, even rubbing them with his hands. But the scene before him didn’t change, so he felt his head, searching for a bump from hitting something.

It was inevitable because the scene before him was strange.

“Where is this…?”

There were shops lined up on both sides of a dirt road. The exterior of the small wooden buildings with thatched roofs was unfamiliar. Most notably, the clothes of the merchants soliciting customers and the passersby were mostly plain hanbok, which was the strangest part.

This place looked like a market from a distant past.

Ryubeom, who was blankly scanning the space that seemed to go back at least a hundred years, soon found Yeohwi. He was standing dazedly in front of a shop, and when Ryubeom approached and called, “Yeohwi?” he flinched. It was a rare reaction.

“…Young master?”

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine, but ugh…”

But as Yeohwi continued speaking, he clutched his head and staggered. It was such an unusual reaction that Ryubeom hurriedly supported him. Yeohwi seemed to have no memory of the last events.

Ryubeom hadn’t heard the conversation between Imugi and Yeohwi properly due to the gust. He only remembered Imugi laughing sinisterly at the end. The creature had said something while flicking its tongue…

[I must read your desires too.]

Barely recalling Imugi’s last words, Ryubeom tilted his head in confusion. What did Yeohwi’s desires have to do with this marketplace? The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed, but he opened his mouth to tell Yeohwi.

Thud.

“Sorry!”

Someone bumped into Yeohwi. Ryubeom instinctively raised his guard but relaxed when he saw it was a young boy. Yeohwi, with a slightly dazed look, just stared down at the boy, so Ryubeom awkwardly spoke to him instead.

“You should watch where you’re going…”

But before Ryubeom could finish, the boy passed by. It was as if Ryubeom was invisible, and the boy repeatedly apologized to Yeohwi before moving away. The boy even passed through Ryubeom’s arm.

“…?”

It felt like he had become a ghost. Ryubeom looked at his body in bewilderment. He couldn’t find anything strange with his eyes, but it seemed he wasn’t perceived by others. Why could Yeohwi see him, but not others?

“Yeohwi, did you see that? What is this place…?”

As Ryubeom asked in confusion, he noticed Yeohwi frowning while looking somewhere. His expression changed so drastically that it was hard to believe he had been dazed moments ago. It was the first time Ryubeom had seen Yeohwi so displeased, and it was startling.

As if recalling everything that had happened, Yeohwi muttered with a cold, hardened face.

“How dare…”

His crimson eyes seemed to burn with anger. Ryubeom followed Yeohwi’s gaze in confusion. It was the direction the boy they had bumped into earlier had moved.

The boy was offering a pink flower to a scholar wearing a gat.

“Sir, buy a flower!”

Amidst the crowded market, the presence of the figure in a refined deep blue hanbok stood out prominently. Although the veiled hat he wore obscured his face from behind, Ryubeom couldn’t look away, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.

Was it the build that seemed familiar, or was it the atmosphere?

Ryubeom slowly registered the figure tilting his head sideways. The red lips visible through the veil curved into a smile that was surprisingly familiar.

When Ryubeom finally confirmed the man’s side profile, he held his breath.

He looked like Yeohwi.

“…Ryeong.”

At that moment, a faint whisper was heard beside him. Startled, Ryubeom turned his head. He felt he needed to discuss this situation with Yeohwi.

However, when he turned his head, Yeohwi was gone.

“…Yeohwi?”

Yeohwi had disappeared without a trace of movement. Ryubeom blinked blankly. Had he been so distracted by the man in the blue hanbok that he hadn’t noticed Yeohwi moving? No, even so, he wouldn’t have completely lost track of Yeohwi.

But to have suddenly vanished from sight…

Ryubeom slowly turned his creaking neck. He looked at the back of the man who had just bought the flower, his eyes filled with deep confusion. A hypothesis struck his mind like a bolt of lightning, seeming unreal.

Could this place be Yeohwi’s past?

Yeohwi had frowned upon seeing the market, and the figure resembled Yeohwi too much. Suddenly, the thought of the strangely potent energy from the last downpour surfaced. Could it be… the water from the Wishing Pond? If so, is this place related to Yeohwi’s wish?

…But isn’t a wish usually for the future? Could this place simply be a manipulated memory? Ryubeom felt his head getting genuinely complicated but started to follow the man who had bought the flower. The man was already walking away in the distance.

Ryubeom needed to confirm if it was Yeohwi, but without being able to physically grab him, following was all he could do. The veil under the gat covered his face like a curtain, revealing only a glimpse of his jaw as he walked, but it wasn’t enough to be certain it was Yeohwi.

The man eventually left the market and walked into a quiet forest.

Ryubeom continued to chase after him anxiously. At one point, he saw the surroundings around the man begin to distort. The scenery of the forest rolled up from both sides like a scroll, soon completely transforming. It seemed they had crossed some kind of barrier.

‘…Where is this place?’

Ryubeom was genuinely surprised. The forest had disappeared, and a neatly paved road appeared, leading to dozens of grand tile-roofed mansions. It looked like an ancient village. The serene scenery was both admirable and puzzling.

Then, the man turned his head. With a long, slender finger, he lifted the veil…

Their eyes met.

“It’s truly an unchanging place.”

The man turned back and spoke in a familiar tone. His lush eyelashes fluttered with every blink, and his smooth, upward-curving eyes created a beautiful smile. Ryubeom momentarily couldn’t breathe. Although the man was looking not at him but at something behind him, Ryubeom froze, unable to think.

Ah… It is Yeohwi.

The moment their crimson eyes met, Ryubeom was certain. Though his hair was tied up and he wore a hat and hanbok, it was undoubtedly Yeohwi.

If this was really Yeohwi’s past, then…

‘How old is Yeohwi exactly?’

Ryubeom, who had vaguely estimated Yeohwi to be at least twice his own age, was shocked. No wonder Yeohwi kept treating him like a child. It was a natural reaction, but a strange sense of emptiness followed. A ridiculous resentment that he would never shake off being treated like a child for life.

Ryubeom shook his head to dispel his thoughts. This wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

Ryubeom shouted at Yeohwi immediately. He had been hesitant, but there was no need to hesitate anymore. Since Yeohwi seemed to have disappeared into his past, Ryubeom had to wake him up.

“Yeohwi! Can you hear me? It seems like we’re trapped by Imugi’s curse. You need to wake up!”

No matter how loudly Ryubeom shouted, his voice didn’t reach Yeohwi. Even waving his hand in front of Yeohwi’s face didn’t get his attention. Was it because they had been accidentally swept into Imugi’s curse together, or was it because this place was Yeohwi’s past, making Ryubeom unnoticeable?

In the end, when Ryubeom waved his hand infused with spiritual power, Yeohwi briefly hesitated.

“Hmm?”

Yeohwi tilted his head as golden shimmer brushed past him. But even after looking around, not finding anything unusual, he turned back and continued walking.

Ryubeom, waving his hands frantically from behind, felt dejected. Only by pushing his spiritual power to the limit could he send even a wisp of shimmer.

He had to wake Yeohwi, but how?

If this place was truly related to Yeohwi’s wishes, grudges, or desires… could helping Yeohwi achieve what he wanted here wake him up?

Though he speculated boldly, he quickly felt overwhelmed. Even with his best effort, producing only a wisp of spiritual energy seemed quite despairing. However, the more he tried, the more energy he seemed to draw out.

If he became familiar with this place without blending into it, he might be able to use his spiritual energy.

Yeohwi was already walking far ahead. Ryubeom, after belatedly checking where Yeohwi had been looking, hurriedly followed. The forest path they had been walking on was now gone, replaced by a winding river and mountains. It was a mystical landscape where one might expect to find a sage.

The village was even more intriguing. Numerous tiled and thatched houses stood together, making this place seem like an ancient village compared to the grand mansion of the Cheon family, where Ryubeom lived. It resembled the traditional experience centers he had visited with his parents as a child. Well, this place was indeed from an old era…

As Ryubeom slowly looked around, he noticed fox Suins everywhere.

‘Ah, could this be… the fox clan’s homeland?’

He remembered Yeohwi once telling him that the fox clan’s homeland was similar to the capital, where many lived together. It wasn’t a special space where the clan head resided but closer to everyone’s hometown. Although he had always been curious about the fox clan’s homeland, he never thought he would see it in this way. Despite it being a scene from the past, Ryubeom took in the view with fascination.

Yeohwi headed toward a tiled mansion located higher up in the village. As he stepped onto the uphill path, something jumped out from the mansion’s fence and approached him.

“What’s this, coming out like a dog?”

A fox? Ryubeom looked down at the small fox circling Yeohwi’s feet with confused eyes. Its fur was white, and its eyes were red, which unconsciously reminded him of the nine-tailed fox he had seen under the Han River. But the fox under Yeohwi’s feet had only one tail and was much smaller.

Most notably, its expression was different. It had the gentle look of an animal raised with lots of love. There were small scars on the white fox’s back, slowly healing as if someone had taken great care of it. Medicine was still applied to its wounds.

The white fox seemed to understand Yeohwi’s remark about it being like a dog and tried to bite his leg. Yeohwi lightly avoided it and continued walking forward. It seemed the two didn’t get along very well.

Around then, a kind voice was heard from above.

“Hu. Isn’t it a bit too harsh to be so cold to the one who came to greet you?”

The man who appeared in front of the tiled mansion said this. Dressed in a light green hanbok with long brown hair flowing down one side, he had a gentle and friendly impression. Yeohwi glanced up at him and replied indifferently.

“It’s obvious what it’s up to. It knows that if it goes back with me, *-nim will be pleased. It’s not coming out to greet me but to please itself and fulfill its own desires. It’s just like a fox.”

“Don’t you think *-nim wants you two to get along well?”

“Why would I?”

Yeohwi and the man’s voices were partially faint. A blank space appeared, as if their conversation had been cut off, making Ryubeom tilt his head in confusion. He couldn’t tell whom they were referring to. However, one thing was clear…

He could sense a deep affection for that person from both of them.

“Anyway, you should stop picking up pitiful things.”

Yeohwi clicked his tongue and, upon reaching the mansion, was appalled to see foxes lying all over the vast yard. There seemed to be over twenty of them.

“What the…? There are even more foxes now. Is this a fox sanctuary or something?”

“Foxes are better than people who don’t listen. No matter how many times I called, you never came.”

“Are you saying that to me?”

“I was just answering your question…”

As they bantered back and forth, someone walked out from inside the mansion. Ryubeom first noticed the light pink skirt and slowly looked up. The woman, dressed in an elegant hanbok with her hair neatly pinned up…

“Oh my, Hwi has come?”

Her face was not visible.

It was as if someone had poured black ink over it, completely obscuring her face, which startled Ryubeom. It was somewhat eerie. Was this part of Imugi’s curse? Or perhaps… Yeohwi was hiding it. The only thing visible was the red gemstone earrings she wore.

The woman covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

“You’re wearing a hanbok today? Last time, you wore a Western suit because you found it more comfortable. I was disappointed, thinking you were already becoming an advocate of Western culture at such a young age…”

“What are you talking about? How am I young?”

Yeohwi let out a scoff, finding her behavior of treating him like a child absurd. Then he glanced aside and said, in a somewhat awkward voice,

“…You said you wanted to see me in a hanbok last time. I’m just indulging you when I come here.”

The woman laughed out loud, a clear and bright sound. The man with long hair muttered, “Who’s trying to get on someone’s good side now…” and shut his mouth when Yeohwi glanced at him. The woman, seemingly accustomed to their bickering, approached Yeohwi, extending her hand.

“Indeed, Hwi looks particularly good in a dopo.”

She continued with what sounded like proud remarks about how Hwi looked good in anything. Yeohwi, momentarily looking embarrassed, furrowed his eyebrows before bowing slightly, bringing his face closer to her hand. A slow smile spread across Yeohwi’s face as he naturally accepted the hand that cupped his cheek.

“…”

Ryubeom quietly watched that smile. A strange shock came over him. He always thought Yeohwi smiled often, so seeing him smile wasn’t surprising… But this smile was completely different from what Cheon Ryubeom had seen before. It made him think all the smiles he had seen were mere masks.

Yeohwi’s smiling face looked genuinely at ease.

He realized then that this place was extremely precious to Yeohwi and that the people here, even though Yeohwi bickered with the long-haired man, were very close to him. Especially the woman whose face was hidden… It was clear that she was someone Yeohwi cherished dearly.

The subsequent events were somewhat dreamlike. Whether due to becoming attuned to Yeohwi’s emotions or not, moments passed by like a dream.

Yeohwi handed the pink bouquet he had bought from the market below to the woman, then sat next to her on the veranda of the tiled house, talking, and even the white fox that came up to the woman’s lap for a nap…

Ryubeom blinked blankly. Was this Yeohwi’s home? Then Yeohwi’s wish was to live here peacefully forever? He didn’t know how to wake him, but even if he did, he felt reluctant to do so.

Dark clouds gathered in the sky.

“…?”

As Ryubeom looked up at the ominous dark clouds and lowered his gaze again, the scene had changed to where the long-haired man and Yeohwi were talking.

The man said to Yeohwi,

“Why don’t you stay here now?”

“What’s the point of me being here? And as I’ve said many times, staying in one place doesn’t suit my nature. It’s boring.”

“…Actually, *-nim’s health isn’t good.”

“What?”

Cracks appeared in Yeohwi’s expression. He, who had been lounging on the veranda, stood up abruptly, staring directly at the man, then glancing toward the room where the woman was likely to be. Finally, he let out a hollow laugh.

Yeohwi forcefully threw open the doors and entered the woman’s room. The room was cluttered with papers and things strewn about. Yeohwi walked in, stepping over them.

He muttered in an angry voice.

“I told you not to do that.”

“…Did you hear, Hwi?”

The woman, as if she had expected this to be revealed someday, calmly accepted Yeohwi’s anger. She busily tidied up the papers on the floor, seemingly to make space for Yeohwi to sit.

“The flow of the world is unusual. We will eventually have to deal with humans, and until then, we must protect the world of…”

Ryubeom, watching the situation from behind, tilted his head. The woman’s voice wasn’t clear. Was it because she was muttering softly? Knowing that he wouldn’t be seen by them anyway, Ryubeom quietly entered the room, suppressing his presence. The atmosphere was tense.

It seemed like they were arguing.

As he carefully entered the room, he noticed that the back of the woman was also covered in black ink. Having seen such scenes multiple times in this mansion, Ryubeom walked past it familiarly. Suddenly, something caught his eye.

Ryubeom looked down at the paper under Yeohwi’s feet in bewilderment. The magic circle drawn on the paper seemed familiar. It looked like something he had seen in his family’s house…

Crash! But before Ryubeom could examine it properly, a commotion broke out. A crimson wind, seemingly resonating with Yeohwi’s emotions, began to swirl violently. Drawers overturned, spilling their contents, and scrolls were torn. The bouquet scattered and rolled on the floor. In the midst of the chaos, Yeohwi shouted something. It was the first time Ryubeom had seen Yeohwi so agitated.

He was truly unable to contain his anger.

“I don’t care about the flow. Do whatever you want with humans. But why make such choices in the process? What’s the point of that!”

And then, with a look of despair,

“Risking your life?”

“If you have someone you cherish…”

“Is that cherishing? Isn’t it foolishly clinging to something you can’t accept?”

“Yeohwi.”

“If you were going to be so stubborn, why did you ask me? If you were going to show me such a disgraceful sight, why did you call me?”

Yeohwi twisted his lips into a smile.

“To show me you’re dying with all your spiritual power drained? To make me feel sorry for you and keep me here? In the end, becoming such a…”

Cheon Ryubeom watched the scene blankly. Even as the voices became inaudible, he stared at Yeohwi in a daze. The anger on Yeohwi’s face was clear.

He thought he had entered Yeohwi’s peaceful past. He thought Yeohwi cherished this place so much that he longed to stay here.

But why were they fighting? Did Imugi deliberately trap Yeohwi in a painful space? No, Imugi wanted to read Yeohwi’s desires. If so, this situation was also part of Yeohwi’s wish.

Then, the desire that could be read here…

At that moment, Yeohwi’s eyes met his. Ryubeom thought Yeohwi was looking at something behind him, but no. Their gazes locked precisely. His crimson eyes seemed to be filled with blood.

“Get out.”

With those coldly spat words, Ryubeom was swept away by the crimson energy. Through the red curtain that obscured his vision, Ryubeom saw Yeohwi’s arm, torn and tattered. Blood dripped from the wounds, as if scratched by nails, and Yeohwi used that blood to draw out spiritual power and push him away. The first thing Yeohwi did with the rationality he barely held onto in the past was that.

Cheon Ryubeom was violently ejected from the space.

He was violently thrown and rolled somewhere. Just like when he first fell into the past, he tumbled through the air as if caught in a whirlwind, hearing the sharp sound of something breaking. His back ached.

“…!”

Ryubeom quickly pushed himself up from the ground. He saw the shattered remains of an altar in front of him. It was a familiar clearing. It was the place where, just hours ago, the hypnotized villagers had knelt. He had been completely ejected from Yeohwi’s past.

Ryubeom quickly looked up. A massive black sphere was positioned above the mountain, swirling and creating wind. Imugi screamed amidst the raging whirlwind.

[Ugh, ah, argh…!]

It was a strange situation. The black sphere was likely the curse Imugi had cast on Yeohwi earlier, but now Imugi was struggling against the murderous energy emanating from it. The crimson energy within the swirling wind cut through Imugi like blades.

The ground shook violently, and dark clouds roiled in the sky. It was weather that seemed to herald a disaster.

Imugi recoiled and retreated. Seeing Imugi’s attempt to flee, Ryubeom bit his lip. Should he attack Imugi or save Yeohwi first?

Chasing after the fleeing Imugi might allow for a successful ambush. Having been ejected from Yeohwi’s past, the chances of re-entering were slim, and even if he managed to slip back in, Yeohwi would likely expel him again. Moreover, he couldn’t use his spiritual power properly in that place, and he would undoubtedly be harmed by the crimson rage.

Therefore, naturally…

Cheon Ryubeom ran up the mountain. Reaching out his hand,

“Yeohwi!”

He charged toward the black sphere. He faced the fierce wind that pushed him back but didn’t retreat, wrapping his body in spiritual energy as he pushed forward. His hands and arms were cut, and blood dripped, but the scent of blood inside was even stronger, and Ryubeom didn’t stop.

He recalled Yeohwi’s tattered arm and his eyes, filled with anger as if soaked in blood, vividly etched in his mind.

Gritting his teeth, Ryubeom plunged into his memories. He wielded his golden spiritual energy to protect himself, but the deeper he went, the more the protective barrier shattered. The murderous energy seeped through the cracks, stabbing his body, but Ryubeom didn’t retreat.

His vision blurred with confusion.

The scene was like black ink spilled everywhere, with crimson energy swirling like blood. Had he still not entered? No, that wasn’t it.

This place itself was the landscape of Yeohwi’s memories.

Realizing this, other senses began to return. The scent of blood stung his nose, and there was a burning smell. Endless screams and cries echoed… But he couldn’t see anything clearly. His vision was a mess, as if black ink had been splattered everywhere. It seemed Yeohwi had further obscured his memories.

Had he hidden them knowing Ryubeom would come back, or did he hide them because he didn’t want to see them anymore?

Everything was pitch black as if ink had been poured over it, but faint glimpses of the scenery were visible. A collapsed tiled mansion. Flames rising above it, covering the sky, and the river turned red. The white fox he had seen earlier, covered in blood, crawling among the corpses of other foxes.

In the midst of the shattered landscape, Ryubeom found the crimson sphere again. He had barely pierced through the black sphere, only to face another sphere inside. It was a bizarre shape, like a sphere wrapped in thin threads of blood. Ryubeom was certain.

“…Yeohwi.”

That was Yeohwi.

In front of the collapsed tiled mansion, Yeohwi existed in that form. Although his face was not visible, and only the grotesque red sphere was in sight, a sense of devastating anger was palpable.

Ryubeom looked around. Just a few minutes ago, it had been a peaceful tiled house. But upon re-entering, everything had changed. And this was likely the same for Yeohwi.

He recalled the last scene of Yeohwi arguing with the woman. Most of the conversation was erased, making it hard to understand, but it seemed they were facing some upheaval in the world. And in that process, Yeohwi was enraged by the woman’s choice and probably left…

Ryubeom bit his lip and approached the crimson sphere. The wind was so fierce that taking each step was incredibly difficult. It felt like he could lose his balance and be thrown back at any moment. It was hard to break through the crimson wind, the anger.

Even getting this far was tough, but the closer he got to Yeohwi, the more it felt like he was facing an ever-growing wall.

That wall was made of crushed anger. But it wasn’t just anger and murderous intent. It was emotions piled up and hardened, so much so that their original form was unrecognizable.

He barely peeled back one layer and approached.

There was desperate hatred.

He pierced through another layer and approached.

There was deep resentment.

Another layer, there was terrible loathing…

…

Layer by layer by layer.

In the end, all those emotions were directed at himself.

Blood-red threads were tightly wrapped around Yeohwi’s neck. Standing there, strangled without any resistance… Ryubeom finally reached him.

Whoosh! But before Ryubeom could call out to Yeohwi, he reacted first. He reached out with one hand, grabbing Ryubeom by the collar, and with the other hand, he deployed an attack spell. The characters for “destruction” swirled menacingly around his hand. His reddened eyes were unfocused.

Ryubeom barely dodged it and rolled on the ground.

“Huff…!”

He had barely gotten close, only to be pushed far away again. But whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Yeohwi now charged at Ryubeom. The murderous intent made Ryubeom’s hair stand on end.

He was not in his right mind. Ryubeom was busy dodging the all-encompassing murderous intent. Yeohwi’s hanbok was stained with blood, making it look grotesque, and his neatly tied hair was now loose, his long black hair flying in the air. His charging figure was terrifying. He moved so fast that it was hard to follow with the eyes.

Thud! Yeohwi finally grabbed Ryubeom by the neck and threw him down. Coughing, blood mixed with his breath. Struggling to twist his body and catch his breath, Ryubeom made a different choice instead of chanting a spell.

Grabbing Yeohwi’s arm, which was choking his neck,

“This isn’t all your fault!”

He barely shouted. But even with the shout right in front of him, the attack spell still swirled menacingly around Yeohwi’s hand. Just the energy gathering in the spell cut Ryubeom’s hand, and blood trickled down his face as if it were cracking. The sharp pain was felt, but Ryubeom didn’t back down.

He couldn’t fully understand Yeohwi’s memories. Most were obscured, and he had only seen fragmented scenes, making it hard to grasp. He only vaguely realized that this was why Yeohwi seemed to know about the great fire of the fox clan.

But even if he couldn’t understand, he could empathize. He could feel what tormented Yeohwi the most. The guilt of being unable to do anything in the face of losing someone precious. It strangled him, making him loathe himself. He must have thought everything was his fault.

He seemed to understand why Yeohwi’s past appeared in the place where his desires were read. Why it wasn’t a peaceful scene, but one of fighting with someone precious. And why he stood blankly in front of such a horrific scene.

Yeohwi regretted all these moments. He wanted to turn back time, to shut his mouth that had poured out blame on someone precious, so…

He wished he had died that day instead.

‘I received the proposal, but I ran away because I didn’t want to take responsibility.’

‘So now I’m being punished like this…’

Yeohwi’s voice, saying he had to be punished forever, echoed in his mind. At the time, he was simply surprised, but now he seemed to understand why Yeohwi had answered “forever.”

Why it was forever and not a lifetime. Why he chose a word that signified endless existence beyond the moment life ended.

Yeohwi believed that even if he died, he would never escape that punishment, that sin.

“No matter how great the wrongs of the past, don’t let them choke you forever. Don’t gather all the guilt and pain to stab yourself, please!”

Ryubeom reached out again, embracing the fiercely charging yet endlessly crumbling Yeohwi.

“Because that person wouldn’t want you to suffer like this…!”

Just moments ago, Cheon Ryubeom had discovered something while looking around the space. Through the collapsed mansion, he saw the woman’s room, where the ceiling had also fallen, but next to the fallen ceiling, something precariously maintained its form.

A pink bouquet, neatly placed in a vase. Perhaps Yeohwi despaired upon seeing it too.

Ryubeom couldn’t fully grasp Yeohwi’s guilt. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the loss and pain Yeohwi had experienced. His understanding and empathy were mere specks, but he still wanted to stubbornly speak. His words might sound foolish, but if they could make Yeohwi feel even a bit, if they could wake him up, it would be worth it.

So Ryubeom could only return the words Yeohwi had once said to him. At the time, he had found Yeohwi’s words absurd and hadn’t fully accepted them, but strangely, those words had stayed with him for a long time.

“This isn’t all Yeohwi’s fault…”

Ryubeom’s voice trembled as he whispered that it was just an unfortunate accident. It sounded as if Cheon Ryubeom was crying…

Slowly, very slowly, the grip on his neck loosened.

Ryubeom watched as the long black hair that filled his vision gradually shortened. Returning to the familiar form, the one he desperately wanted to see.

Yeohwi, now back to the form Ryubeom knew, quietly met his gaze.

“…”

Yeohwi seemed to want to say something. But he didn’t open his mouth, and no expression could be read on his face. Too many emotions were mixed, making it hard to distinguish any.

Ryubeom still knew nothing, but he decided to move, trusting only the fact that he was looking Yeohwi straight in the eyes.

Finally, Ryubeom grabbed Yeohwi’s hand.

“Let’s get out of here. I’ll help you.”

Yeohwi didn’t respond, but he didn’t pull his hand away either.

Ryubeom stood up and took a deep breath. The air was thick with heat, making it hard to breathe, but he inhaled calmly. He raised his sword high, waited for a moment… and finally, exhaling his cold breath slowly, he slashed the air with his sword. The golden spiritual energy of the breaking spell burst forth like a bloom.

As the world split in half, the view changed.

They finally escaped Imugi’s curse. The outside was still filled with dark clouds, and the mountain was in disarray, not a pleasant sight, but Ryubeom sighed in relief at being free from the spell.

“…?”

As soon as he came out, Ryubeom saw a huge beast’s footprint. It looked like something had approached and then retreated. But it was hard to track precisely as the ground was swept by the wind. Ryubeom looked away from it and searched for Imugi.

Imugi was crouched on the other side of the hill, trembling. The scales were broken from the fierce crimson energy earlier, and blood was flowing.

[You… you…]

Imugi’s voice trembled as if he was extremely surprised, confused, or frightened. Ryubeom looked at him curiously, then hid Yeohwi in a crevice behind a rock. Yeohwi still didn’t say anything, just stared at him, but at least he wasn’t attacking anymore.

“It’s dangerous, so stay here carefully.”

Yeohwi’s wounds, self-inflicted to wake up from the curse, were deep, but Ryubeom’s condition was actually much worse. However, Ryubeom worried about Yeohwi and hid him securely in the rock crevice.

Then Ryubeom took out a spiritual pill from his pocket and chewed it. He repeatedly thought it was a good idea to bring the spiritual pill along with the treasures from his family. What he had brought was not a healing agent but a spiritual pill that temporarily made him feel better. It was similar to a stimulant.

In a few hours, he would return to his original state, and the deferred pain would come back even stronger, but Ryubeom didn’t hesitate. As his external wounds healed, his spiritual energy also recovered, and he drew energy from his dantian. It became much easier to breathe, and his eyes slowly turned golden.

Seeing Ryubeom charging fiercely, Imugi was startled.

[Argh! This tiger brat, like a zombie!]

“Isn’t it you who is more like a zombie, known to be dead but still moving?”

[The tiger strangely hangs out with the fox…]

Imugi’s eyes questioned whether they were birds of a feather or if he had been influenced. Of course, Ryubeom had no reason to answer.

The crimson murderous energy that had spread earlier had wounded Imugi all over. It was surprising that Yeohwi’s energy had such power, but for now, Ryubeom had to take advantage of the opportunity before Imugi could recover. He persistently targeted Imugi’s injured spots.

Imugi tried to shake off Ryubeom by recklessly shooting black Yogi, but Ryubeom didn’t back down at all. It was as if bleeding from cuts was nothing to him.

[I can hold you off as long as I want!]

As Imugi screamed, black evil spirits rushed at Ryubeom. The spirits, now more distinctly human-shaped than before, clung to Ryubeom’s legs.

[Save me, please, save me…]

[Please…]

Ryubeom stopped dead in his tracks at the painful pleas. Seeing his reaction, Imugi sneered. Once again, the righteous cub couldn’t ignore the sorrow of the spirits. If he kept wielding the spirits like this, the cub would never reach him.

Imugi controlled the spirits’ consciousness to cling more desperately to Ryubeom. Ryubeom quietly looked down at the sobbing spirits.

[Hahaha, what a merciful saint we have here!]

Imugi laughed mockingly, but Ryubeom slowly raised his head and looked at him. His face still held sadness and pity, but there was no sign of confusion.

Instead, he frowned as if tired of Imugi’s tactics, then sighed slowly.

“You gave me a clue.”

[…What?]

“You said the mountains of this land react strangely to tigers.”

Ryubeom, holding his sword diagonally, took a deep breath. The storm had stopped, but the air was still wet. He could smell the forest, the wet earth, and more vividly.

Ryubeom inhaled the mountain air, drawing in its energy.

He recalled what Yeohwi had told him a few days ago. The same voice echoed in his ears, bringing back the feelings he had at that time.

‘The power that tigers have in this land is truly immense. In a place where the land itself is described as a crouching tiger, the reverence and praise that the tiger clan can wield are enormous.’

Yeohwi had explained the powers that tigers could use one by one. Overwhelming physical strength, superior dominance, control. And that other species instinctively lower themselves before a tiger…

‘That is the power of mythology.’

It was a power that only the deserving could wield correctly. Until now, Ryubeom had never thought he deserved to be a tiger. He was always compared within the family, and the reality of not finding his father constantly reminded him of his inadequacies. He was ashamed of not feeling like a tiger.

But if he truly deserved to be a tiger, if he could wield his power correctly…

The myths of this land would become his power.

“From now on… I will make this place my territory.”

The will of the ‘mountain guardian’ protecting the mountain imbued his sword.

Cheon Ryubeom swung his sword wide horizontally, adding spiritual energy. He instantly cut through the ghosts that were dragging him down by his ankles. Light spread widely in the area.

Imugi flinched at the unwavering sword strike and criticized Cheon Ryubeom.

[To destroy those who pleaded for their lives! And you call yourself a tiger…!]

He didn’t know what resolution Ryubeom had made to cut down the spirits, but he expected the overly righteous cub to feel guilt. So Imugi harshly criticized Ryubeom to provoke his guilt…

[…What is this?]

He froze at the sight before him.

Cheon Ryubeom’s sword didn’t cut the spirits. Given the direction the spiritual energy spread, the spirits’ heads should have fallen, or they should have been completely destroyed, but instead, the energy was implanted in their bodies like gold dust.

The black bodies began to shine.

What seemed like small grains of gold at first started to glow, spreading like leaf veins, creating stems, and eventually bursting into radiant light, holding their sorrow.

Finally, a sacred light burst forth from the vengeful spirits, sweeping across the space.

Imugi then realized that the spell Cheon Ryubeom had used was not a simple destruction spell. It comforted and soothed the tainted souls deeply corrupted by the evil Yogi, ultimately offering them true solace.

Before he knew it, Cheon Ryubeom’s eyes shone silver.

The spirits swayed around Ryubeom. Liberated, they could now ascend freely from Imugi. However, they didn’t immediately leave for the afterlife; they wanted to repay Ryubeom, their final protector. They stayed by his side, ready to follow the commands of a being like the mountain guardian.

Understanding their intent, Ryubeom looked straight at Imugi and spoke.

“…I want to find Imugi’s orb.”

The spirits moved immediately. They, now glowing brightly, swiftly charged toward Imugi. Once minions of Imugi, they knew where the energy was most concentrated in his body.

Imugi hastily raised Yogi to push them away.

[Get away! How dare you…!]

Despite being severely injured now, Imugi was still an ancient, evil creature of legend. The evil energy Imugi unleashed caused some spirits to dissipate like mist, completely annihilated.

But the spirits no longer feared annihilation.

Instead, it was Imugi fleeing from the spirits, with the spirits chasing him. Imugi desperately tried to conceal the location of the orb… But following the direction the spirits moved, the remaining silver became a ‘path’ for Ryubeom.

Cheon Ryubeom ran along the path.

[Tiger brat! No, tiger!]

Imugi shouted desperately at Ryubeom’s fierce charge. The spirits clung to Imugi, making it hard for him to flee. He wanted to use the orb, but he had already exhausted his energy cursing the fox and stirring up the storm earlier.

He needed to buy even a moment to recover. Ten minutes, no, just five minutes…

[Are you really with that fox? You shouldn’t trust the fox!]

“Trying to stall won’t work.”

[Please, tiger! I’m saying this for your sake. I saw something in that one’s past…!]

“Shut up.”

Ryubeom growled.

“I don’t want to know about a past someone dug up against their will.”

He had no desire to pry into another’s wounds to satisfy his own curiosity. If he was too curious, he would achieve the ‘condition’ Yeohwi had set and get the answer. Ignoring Imugi’s cries, Ryubeom pushed off the ground.

[You fool…!]

Imugi lifted his head, ready to spit venom at Ryubeom. But the spirits clung to his mouth again. Some spirits vanished in the evil Yogi, but none hesitated to throw themselves at him. What seemed like a desperate movement was a sincere act of earnestness clearly visible to Ryubeom.

Leaping high into the air, Ryubeom held his sword upside down with both hands and fell sharply. In an instant, the energy gathered around the sword took the form of a divine blade.

The golden energy fell in a straight line, slicing through the cloudy sky.

Boom!

Ryubeom struck Imugi’s neck fiercely. Imugi screamed and thrashed wildly, but Ryubeom’s energy plunged deeper until it finally pierced ‘that place.’

Standing in the space where dark red blood dripped, Ryubeom held an ebony orb in his hand.

“No wonder I couldn’t see the reverse scale. You hid the orb under it.”

[Gah, ugh…]

“It seems less like you hid it because the reverse scale was a weakness and more like you wanted to cover up the unsightly reverse scale on your great body…”

Imugi writhed and gurgled at Ryubeom’s muttering. Imugi tried to curse Ryubeom, but only a hissing sound escaped from his pierced throat. Deprived of the orb, Imugi could no longer recover his body.