TGHD Ch 44

But Guil didn’t laugh at that story. With a pale face, he just stood silently as if nailed to the spot. Yeohwi shrugged his shoulders and slowly walked toward Guil.

The touch on the shoulder was gentle.

“Good job.”

“……Master.”

“And you’ll have to work even harder in the future. We need to reform the family structure. I’ve prepared a lot by referring to what I saw abroad, but it’ll be complicated to apply it directly. You shouldn’t have said you’d follow me back then, right? Saying one wrong word, and it’s come to this.”

“……”

“What can we do? Let’s take this as a lesson and be more careful with our words in the future.”

At the stream of words, Guil eventually let out a hollow laugh. To think he would joke even at such a moment. There was no time for the atmosphere to become serious. Guil looked at Yeohwi to argue but before he could say anything, Yeohwi moved away.

The faint touch on the shoulder remained.

Yeohwi’s steps, leaving the main house, were calm. It was peaceful, as if walking a path he had prepared for a long time. At some point, a white fox approached him naturally, or perhaps inevitably.

“It’s a pity, Ryeong. The triplets liked you quite a bit, but since you’re coming with me, they’ll forget about you too.”

[……I only remember being annoyed because they grabbed my tail too much.]

“Hmm. I saw you shaking your tail on purpose.”

Yeohwi squinted his eyes and smiled at Ryeong’s answer. Though the time Ryeong and the triplets spent together was short, the kids were very fond of Ryeong whenever they happened to meet. There was no other being that could so easily spark their curiosity as the white nine-tailed fox.

When they first met, Geumo immediately approached with shining eyes, Euno fell on his bottom, and Dongo, spouting mythological tales at a rapid pace, exclaimed, ‘That nine-tailed fox…!’ Ryeong, despite being annoyed, subtly lowered his body and waited until the timid Euno approached.

“Maybe I should have left your memories intact. Being the only one in the clan with memories of seeing a divine beast would have been special.”

[No need. And why do you keep calling me a divine beast?]

“I’ve been pushing the idea of you being a divine beast since last time.”

[Enough. Raising an evil spirit that devoured the clan to the level of a divine beast would only lower the family’s prestige.]

Ryeong replied coldly. That day, Ryeong ate the corpses of foxes from the collapsed house fire. There was no hesitation in eating those he had spent time with. It was to carry more grudges, to harbor more resentment, and to become an evil existence.

Ryeong never regretted that act. Even if he could go back, he would make the same choice. But since that day, he never once entered the main house. Despite Yeohwi’s saying that the scenery of the main house had completely changed, he never set foot there.

Knowing that, Yeohwi just softened his gaze.

“Well, wasn’t the tiger god an old man with dementia? If the one who paved the way for the massacre of a clan can be worshipped as a god, why shouldn’t you become a divine beast?”

Admiring his own words as quite a commendable argument, Yeohwi smiled. Ryeong, finding it absurd, let out a hollow laugh. Should he be impressed by such an unchanging demeanor?

But soon, Ryeong looked at him with calm eyes.

Rumble- The sound of the sky roaring fell gloomily between them. Though he existed within the moment they had planned for a long time, his gaze was calm, as if looking at a completely different being.

[……Yeohwi.]

“Ah. You’re going to ask why I caused such a fuss again, instead of using the tiger.”

Reading the familiar gaze, Yeohwi shook his head knowingly. His attitude, shrugging even his shoulders, seemed extremely composed.

“Anyway, that guy was in no condition to return to the family. How could he escape with a brand on his body? Not alone, and not with others. He would have been caught in a few days.”

He had tried to take not only the tiger god but also the souls of the father and the malevolent spirits laden with murderous intent. It was a fanciful idea to think he could calm those trying to escape the jar and take them away.

“I didn’t expect things to get this complicated either. I just changed the plan when the barrier of the hermitage weakened.”

[…….]

“Isn’t this better? We’re ruining the tiger clan’s business too.”

Due to the anger of the malevolent spirits, not only the businesses of the elders of the tiger clan but also the businesses connected to the human world through the heavenly fox foundation were all being struck. Especially those who had exploited the malevolent spirits were facing a disaster akin to divine punishment. Even if the tigers later tried to woo them back with promises of more malevolent spirits, it wouldn’t be easy. They were experiencing firsthand what happens when one uses a god.

Yeohwi also sent out Ok Seoktae, who had been hidden away. That man had other routes to expose the corruption between the presidential candidate and the Cheon family, so he eagerly contacted the press upon seeing the commotion. The prestige of the tiger clan was crumbling in real-time.

“The head of the family must hate this.”

Yeohwi chuckled softly. He continued smoothly, saying that using the malevolent spirits seemed much more efficient and that if he had known this earlier, he wouldn’t have wasted time. His tone was perfectly natural, but that made it sound even more out of place.

Ryeong stared at him for a moment before turning his head away.

[So you took my blood to make poison, and it ended up being useless.]

“……That…”

Yeohwi fell silent. It was as if all the eloquent words he had been saying were to avoid this topic, and he dropped his gaze diagonally.

[There was a reason you mixed my blood with yours.]

“……Yes. Because you have more memories with that child.”

Yeohwi and Ryeong’s ultimate goal was to find the ‘child.’ The only son of Yeomyeong.

They didn’t think the tiger clan head would simply consume the child’s spiritual power and be done with it. The one who committed such a heinous act wouldn’t be satisfied with just becoming stronger himself. The fact that the Cheon family enjoyed special prosperity after that day was proof.

Unfortunately, Yeohwi had few memories with the child. The child was born while he was traveling far away, and he first saw the child when he came to check on his condition at Yeomyeong’s request. So small and fragile, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the life extinguished at any moment.

‘There’s no way except to transfer all life force and spiritual power. It’s unfortunate, but it might be better to let him go quickly so he doesn’t suffer more…’

Yeohwi regretted saying that for a very long time. He wished he hadn’t mentioned that method even as a metaphor for impossibility, and he wished he hadn’t answered Yeomyeong’s question about how to transfer life.

“……But it’s certain he’s near Daehogwan. There’s a stone pagoda there…”

Yeohwi spoke in a slightly lowered voice. He had heard there was a small stone pagoda with a golden rope around it in the bamboo forest of Daehogwan. From the moment he heard that description, he immediately saw the possibility. Although at the time, he was distracted by the thought that ‘he’ might cry again…

[……Yeohwi, you…]

Ryeong moved his lips but ultimately said nothing.

They arrived in front of the Cheon family’s mansion. Normally, its location couldn’t be identified from the outside, but now the malevolent spirits tainted with evil were crashing into it, revealing its position. The malevolent spirits, created from the tiger’s energy, instinctively knew where the Cheon family’s mansion was.

The malevolent spirits seemed to rush into the air, but the space beyond shimmered transparently.

[Hyaaaah…!]

[Ugh, oh…!]

Boom! Boom! The barrier shook. They were faithfully following the conditions Yeohwi had imposed in exchange for overlaying them with malice. After avenging themselves on the humans who exploited them, they were to rush to the Cheon family’s mansion. The malevolent spirits, bouncing off the barrier and receiving the impact back twice as hard, writhed in pain. But they endlessly rose again.

Even if they were broken, their gestures of relief at finally being able to avenge themselves were pitifully desperate.

Boom! At that moment, a red malevolent spirit glanced at Yeohwi and then charged straight at the barrier. The spirit reeked of blood. It was obvious whose blood was dripping from its fingertips. As the red malevolent spirit stepped forward, the barrier shook even more violently.

In the place where the pitch-black evil energy swirled chaotically, Yeohwi’s robe flapped wildly. Amidst the deafening roar that seemed to shake the world and the chaotic and noisy situation with dozens of evil spirits charging, his crimson eyes were calm.

Yeohwi knew what Ryeong had almost said earlier. He couldn’t help but understand the criticism Ryeong had swallowed.

The malevolent spirits alone couldn’t break the Cheon family’s barrier.

Even though the red malevolent spirit was dealing significant damage, even if they all exerted their full strength, they might only break half of it. Moreover, it would recover over time. Some were seen squeezing through the cracks in the barrier, but they would probably die before taking a few steps inside.

…If he had used ‘him,’ he could have broken the barrier in an instant. He could have made the Cheon family’s energy itself turbid, dealing a significant blow to the clan, and he could have summoned the child. The curse he had prepared for a long time was extremely delicate and powerful.

The spell inscribed on his body was progressing smoothly. Just one more drink, and it would be complete. And giving that one drink wouldn’t have been difficult at all. The guy who reached out without any suspicion. He even sought the poison himself.

But Yeohwi didn’t give him that last drink. At that time, the guy was unwell due to the curse of the malevolent spirits, and later, he was busy searching the country, thinking he would have time once Sagwido was over. The reasons that followed sounded like excuses.

Suddenly, Yeohwi tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. It was already deep into the night.

‘…He must be far away by now.’

Yeohwi shook his head at the thought that came to him unconsciously. As soon as he connected a single thought, he tried to crush and sever the thoughts that mercilessly headed towards that existence. He told himself it was all useless now, that it wasn’t something he should care about.

But once a thought started, it couldn’t be stopped. It was like trying to cover a crack with your hand only to see it shatter completely.

…He shouldn’t have touched the tears back then.

Suddenly, a thought that emerged from the darkness grabbed Yeohwi’s ankle. It stopped his steps and pulled his thoughts back to a moment in the past.

He shouldn’t have caught the collapsing guy, shouldn’t have held him in his arms. Even though he intended to destroy him, even though he planned to ruin him with his own hands. Why did he hate seeing him fall to the cold ground? His gesture of urgently embracing him seemed like he was afraid he would scatter and disappear.

* * *

That one misjudgment made Yeohwi stand under the moonlight.

Under the bright moonlight, which seemed even brighter than midday, he ended up hearing an utterly absurd story. From beginning to end, it seemed utterly impossible. Not only was it extremely idealistic, but in some ways, it could also be considered insulting. The idea that the tiger clan would mention reconciliation.

Yet, Yeohwi couldn’t say anything in the end. He just listened quietly to the absurd future he was talking about. Was he at a loss for words, or was he too dumbfounded to find anything to say?

Or was it because the light in that being’s eyes was too clear at that moment?

‘You have to try as much as you can!’

So, did he end up dreaming of such a future himself?

Since that day, he had never once thought he would exist at the end of all plans, nor had he ever dared to escape from that moment in his life.

He shouldn’t have listened to that absurd talk. He should have coldly cut it off as nonsense. If he had rebuked him coldly, he would have immediately apologized and shut his mouth. He wouldn’t have dared to show his disappointment and would have just looked apologetic.

Because he didn’t want to see that.

He didn’t want to see that dejected look, so in the end, Yeohwi couldn’t cut off his story. It was a really strange contradiction. He had approached him because he was so timid, thinking it was a vulnerability.

Suddenly, he recalled the sight of him a few hours ago. With a pale face, unable to say anything in front of him, not knowing what to do. Was he shocked by the truth he finally faced, scared, or… feeling immense sadness?

Would it have been better if he had ended at Daehogwan without knowing anything? According to the original plan, he was supposed to die there, bleeding out without having time to judge anything. Even if he realized it, he would have been dead by then.

If that had happened… he wouldn’t have made that expression.

But such assumptions were impossible. Not because they were meaningless now, but because Yeohwi could no longer imagine such a scene.

‘Have I finally become foolish too?’

Yeohwi shook his head to cut off all thoughts. There was no need to trace back where things went wrong. It was all scattered and disappeared in the cold wind. Now, all that was left ahead was a cliff.

[……Yeohwi, should I do it?]

“No, I’ll do it.”

Yeohwi shook his head at Ryeong’s question. He seemed to have been lost in thought for too long in front of the barrier. Yeohwi smiled the same smile he always did at Ryeong, who was looking at him, and then reached out his hand.

Crackle…

He confirmed the position where the barrier collided and immediately unfolded the spell right in front of it. The red energy that spread from the tip of his index finger drew a circle as it swirled, and soon a much larger spell circle than Yeohwi was created. Dozens of strings of characters permeated the circular formation. It looked eerie, as if drawn with thick blood.

Yeohwi’s face was calm as he drew the large-scale attack formation. Perhaps because it had been a long time since he had taken off his prayer beads and unfolded a spell, it was rather fun without any restrictions.

He had to break the barrier in one go. He would take damage, but because of that, he had to finish everything with the first attack. He didn’t want to suffer pain multiple times.

Would half of his body be destroyed? No, maybe even more. Yeohwi calmly prepared for that, planning what to do after his body was broken. He didn’t want to show a tired appearance to the tiger, so he had to take the spirit pill as soon as he entered to make himself look fine. Quick recovery was, of course, impossible, and it would just be a facade.

Crackle…

The barrier began to vibrate ominously. It seemed to sense the fierce attack spell right in front of it and tried to become more solid. It was an excellent barrier. Yeohwi poured more spiritual power into it and overlaid the malevolent spirits charging at the barrier with malice. Boom! Boom! The loud noise continued.

Yeohwi’s eyes glowed red. They were vivid and deep, as if soaked in blood. The eyes of someone prepared to be broken were more relieved than solemn.

He had been tied to that day all his life. He had never tried to escape, nor had he dared to dream of it. It was his sin and his fault. Even though there was no one and nothing left, he kept feeling choked.

It seemed he had endured for too long.

Yeohwi finally drew the last spell. The attack formation had grown so large that it seemed to cover the entire area, causing fierce winds. His new robe flapped wildly. Yeohwi took a light breath, then exhaled it slowly and reached out his hand. There was no hesitation.

But at that moment.

Crack!

The barrier shattered into pieces. The transparent glass-like barrier that held the scenery of the mountain shattered in an instant, changing the view in front of him. It happened before Yeohwi’s attack formation even touched the barrier.

Yeohwi’s face turned pale. He instantly realized the situation. The Cheon family’s barrier had been broken from the inside. This incredibly sturdy protective formation had been shattered…

Cheon Ryubeom had been captured by the family.

With a sharp realization that pierced his brain, Yeohwi immediately ran inside. His mind went blank. He was consumed by the thought that he had to find him, Cheon Ryubeom. He was so desperate that the breath caught in his throat felt like it was tearing him apart.

Cheon Ryubeom had bled near Daehogwan. Otherwise, the barrier wouldn’t have broken like this.

As Yeohwi ran frantically, the scenery of the Cheon family soon came into view. And he encountered an unexpected situation. It was a scene similar to the mansion of Kyung Jaehwan he had visited before. But in a much grander and more antique place, the malevolent spirits were rampaging.

He had seen the malevolent spirits crawling into the cracks in the barrier from earlier. But since the barrier hadn’t been broken, meaning the protective energy of the mansion hadn’t disappeared, he thought the malevolent spirits would be powerless inside and would collapse.

However, the malevolent spirits were rampaging fiercely. The mansion was being destroyed, and the pitch-black evil energy was swirling like a storm. Yeohwi’s gaze, which was scanning them in confusion, soon stopped beyond.

In the distance, in front of a palace-like building, Cheon Ryubeom was tied up. The space prepared as if for an execution was eerie. Cheon Ryubeom’s clothes were soaked in blood, and he was even vomiting blood.

Next to Cheon Ryubeom was the head of the tiger clan, Cheon Gun.

“How dare you side with the foxes!”

Cheon Gun roared. Blood dripped from the tip of the sword he held. The tiger cubs around him were shouting and pointing at Cheon Ryubeom.

“No wonder you were friendly with the foxes last time!”

“Did you put the foxes before the clan?!”

“A disgrace to the tigers! How could you side with the enemy clan!”

It was a scene filled with madness. They didn’t seem to realize that the barrier had been broken. They were only focused on condemning Cheon Ryubeom and shouting that he should be punished. Especially Cheon Yeongdo was shouting the loudest.

Cheon Gun clicked his tongue and looked at Ryubeom.

“I understand that you were shocked by the truth about your parents’ death. I was also furious when I heard that the elders killed Eunhwa.”

Behind Cheon Gun, the elders were bowing their heads deeply. When Cheon Gun turned around, they flinched in surprise and kept bowing, looking for his reaction. They apologized for hiding the truth, but there was a faint relief on their faces. The head’s anger was directed at Cheon Ryubeom, not them.

“But how could you conspire with the fox clan leader!”

Cheon Gun’s face twisted. The growl that came from his lips tore through the space ferociously. The clan members trembled but looked up at Cheon Gun with eyes full of expectation.

Confusion and bewilderment were etched on Yeohwi’s face as he watched the scene.

How?

Not even a day had passed since the morning commotion. How did they find the connection so quickly? Even if they figured out that the malevolent spirits were from Yuseom Mountain, how did they deduce that Cheon Ryubeom was keeping them? And how did they find out that he leaked information to the fox clan leader? Yeohwi couldn’t find the answers.

But there was no time to ponder further.

“Everyone, look. This is what happens to those who betray the clan and conspire with the foxes.”

Cheon Gun raised his sword high. Even under the dark night sky, the sword he held up was clearly visible. The words that they needed to scatter the Cheon family’s blood to calm the rampaging malevolent spirits and that they would use Cheon Ryubeom as the sacrifice faintly reached his ears.

‘No.’

Yeohwi ran towards the scene. His face turned pale, and his outstretched hand trembled miserably. Yet, the direction his hand reached was clear.

As the red spiritual energy wrapped around his hand and he began to draw the spell.

Whoosh! Yeohwi was pushed into the bushes beside him. Someone had urgently grabbed and pushed him.

“……!”

Boom! Boom! At the same time, a massive explosion occurred where Yeohwi had been standing moments before. It was a fierce and terrifying explosion, as if a trap had been set to react to the fox clan leader’s energy.

The explosions continued several times, and soon smoke spread thickly. It was enough smoke to cover the entire mansion.

[Hyaaaah!]

At that moment, the malevolent spirits charged towards the mansion. They rushed into the broken barrier and poured in like lightning. The space became chaotic in an instant.

Yeohwi looked at the scene with surprised eyes for a moment, then slowly shifted his gaze to confirm the presence in front of him. The one who had pushed him to this place.

“Thank goodness. I was right.”

Cheon Ryubeom was right in front of him.

Seeing him even smiling with relief, Yeohwi was momentarily dazed, then realized the truth and his face twisted. Cheon Ryubeom had deliberately gotten himself captured in the mansion.

In front of that truth, Yeohwi felt heat rising in his eyes. Whether it was shock, anger, or something unnamed, his head felt like it was going to explode. His breath kept catching intermittently until he finally burst out in a shout.

“Why are you so reckless, why!”

His hands gripped Cheon Ryubeom’s shoulders tightly.

“You were used by me. Then you should have run away, scared of being caught by the family. If you were caught, you should have at least complained about the injustice. You should have begged, saying you didn’t know anything!”

His voice trembled with rage that reached the top of his head. It was the first time he had ever been so angry. He felt suffocated, as if his insides were going to burst, and even felt an impulse to break things randomly. But instead, the strength in his hands holding the other person slowly weakened. His hands kept slipping as if he were collapsing.

“Why, why.”

Only now could Yeohwi recall the moment when Cheon Gun’s sword touched Ryubeom’s neck, and his figure scattered like smoke. It was a fleeting scene. Cheon Ryubeom had used an illusion spell.

But the blood Cheon Ryubeom had shed before that was real. The spell to break the family’s barrier had definitely been activated. So the blood on Ryubeom’s lips now was not a lie but reality. Yeohwi’s crumbling hands eventually reached there.

“Why, why do you make me like this.”

His trembling hands wiped the blood. His face, which had seemed pale with anger, now looked suffocated with fear.

“Why do you make me worry about you.”

The eyes that looked at the being he had hated and tried to kill all his life finally revealed the emotions he couldn’t swallow. Yeohwi could no longer cover it with his hands.

“Why do you keep making me… unable to do anything in front of you.”

* * *

At Ryubeom’s weary whisper, his eyes widened, then slowly relaxed. He seemed to be smiling, just a little.

A few hours earlier.

Led by Cheon Hoyeon, Ryubeom arrived at the hermitage and fell into deep thought. Following her instructions, he cleaned up the traces left in the hermitage, checked on his grandmother with Baekyeong, and confirmed that his father and other silver spirits were safe. He kept thinking, endlessly.

It felt like his head was going to explode from overload, but he didn’t stop thinking. Cheon Hoyeon repeatedly urged him to run away, to never return to the family, and to make sure the connection with the fox clan leader was never discovered. But in the end, Cheon Ryubeom reached a different conclusion.

Cheon Ryubeom remembered every moment with Yeohwi.

He was his first friend and the first person he liked. Every memory with him was special, and he would reflect on them daily. It was fascinating how all his thoughts would turn to him whenever he had a moment. Ryubeom, who had always been trapped in the past, at some point, thought only of Yeohwi.

So when he first faced the truth, it felt like his head, heart, and entire body were collapsing. The truth that every moment with Yeohwi was a lie and that he had been used and deceived as a means was incredibly painful.

But as he distinguished between lies and truth, Cheon Ryubeom realized something else.

When was the moment the one who always played pranks stopped doing so? When did the one who always showed a smiling face stop smiling? When did the perfect mask-like expression break? And when did he eventually choose to cover his eyes instead of putting on a mask?

He traced back through his memories, gathering those moments. The process of discovering them was arduous, but Ryubeom didn’t give up. One clear thing kept him going.

Just before the malevolent spirits were released, Yeohwi had touched Ryubeom’s forehead.

‘Maybe he’s checking how foolish I’ve become…’

Ryubeom could understand what that touch and the self-mocking words meant. Even Cheon Hoyeon had been injured by the malevolent spirits, but he was unharmed. Despite being closest to the hermitage, he was fine. So Ryubeom could keep recalling his memories.

To uncover all the hidden truths, he asked Cheon Hoyeon to identify the exact nature of the poison in his body. Yeohwi had shown particular interest in Daehogwan, so breaking the protective formation was likely his main goal. But Ryubeom sensed there was another purpose.

And through Cheon Hoyeon’s analysis, another formation was revealed.

The Summoning Formation.

Now Ryubeom could connect all the truths. What he saw in the god’s memory, the sound he heard in the bamboo forest, and the special prosperity of the Cheon family pointed to that horrific truth.

In front of the revealed truth, Cheon Ryubeom had to conclude what he truly wanted to do.

Just before leaving the hermitage, Ryubeom told Cheon Hoyeon that he would go in a completely different direction from what she suggested. Cheon Hoyeon was genuinely shocked. Not just because the truth related to the fox clan was shocking, but because of what Ryubeom was willing to endure on that path. Cheon Hoyeon tried to dissuade him, but Ryubeom was resolute.

In the face of his firm determination, Cheon Hoyeon eventually surrendered. The word ‘request’ that Ryubeom used, something she had never granted since childhood, finally made her nod.

‘Cheon Ryubeom realized the truth about his parents’ death and, in his anger, made a wrong choice.’

So Cheon Hoyeon brought Ryubeom into the family as if taking him into custody. At that time, the elders were flustered by the head’s suspicion of collusion with the foxes, so they were surprisingly welcoming when they saw Ryubeom with the brand. Cheon Hoyeon subtly empowered the malevolent spirits that had crept into the family. Chaos was necessary.

The head of the family praised Cheon Hoyeon greatly. Receiving a gaze full of trust, she suggested sprinkling tiger’s blood to calm the rampaging malevolent spirits. She also proposed that, given the severity of the current situation, they should punish the offenders at Daehogwan to set an example for the younger clan members. The head of the family agreed, calling it an excellent idea.

Thus, Cheon Ryubeom could now speak to Yeohwi.

“You promised. If there was a way to reduce your punishment, I would definitely help you.”

Yeohwi’s lips moved in confusion. At first, he seemed bewildered by the sudden statement, then his face turned distant as he recalled a past promise. It was something that could have been dismissed as a passing remark, and Yeohwi had never given it much thought. But there was nothing Cheon Ryubeom said to Yeohwi that wasn’t sincere.

Ryubeom had kept every word he said to Yeohwi. So he could confidently demand.

“Now that I’ve fulfilled the condition, you’ll answer my question, right?”

“What…”

For a moment, a blank look crossed Yeohwi’s face. Condition. As he chewed on that word, something came to mind. If Cheon Ryubeom succeeded in deceiving Yeohwi with a mental spell, he would answer his question.

And just a moment ago, when the sword was about to pierce Cheon Ryubeom, Yeohwi had run without realizing it was an illusion. He had reached out his hand, thinking he had to save him.

Cheon Ryubeom had finally fulfilled that condition.

Yeohwi sighed. His action of asking a question in this situation was absurd, but the sight of the person in front of him, eyes shining brightly with expectation, held his gaze helplessly.

Ryubeom opened his mouth. But unexpectedly, he hesitated and couldn’t easily speak. Having boldly claimed to have fulfilled the condition and demanded a reward, his hesitation now made Yeohwi impatient, wanting to ask what he was curious about. What could he possibly want to know, having already learned everything about the past?

As Yeohwi finally met his gaze without avoiding it, Cheon Ryubeom, with a tense face, spoke.

“Yeohwi, you like me, don’t you?”

The completely unexpected question shook Yeohwi to his core.

For a moment, Yeohwi forgot to breathe and stared at him. His pale face seemed to fear something, but Ryubeom didn’t stop speaking.

“I know you hated me at first. I know you found my existence detestable, that you deceived me from the beginning, and told countless lies… But…”

“……”

“So, I also know what your last lie was.”

No sound came from Yeohwi’s slightly parted lips. A dazed look crossed his eyes.

Why is this person like this? He always did unexpected things that left him bewildered, but he never thought he would do this even at this moment. And even more, it was a statement far more surprising than anything he had done before.

Yeohwi remained silent. He could just claim that promise was also a lie, that it was just a deception with no intention of answering anything. But for some reason, he couldn’t easily open his mouth.

Because he was flustered, surprised, and…

“……Answer me.”

The sight of Cheon Ryubeom, who had confidently spoken but was now looking for reassurance, caught his eye. It felt as if he had barely managed to stand here, stitching together his torn heart, showing his entire sincerity as a last act of defiance.

Yeohwi had an intuition that if he remained silent and let this pass, Cheon Ryubeom would never ask such a question again. He might even apologize and leave. Though he had never thought about what would come after this plan, Yeohwi suddenly felt a sense of desolation at the thought of that scene.

Cheon Ryubeom kept making Yeohwi feel desolate.

He had always responded with sincerity, even though Yeohwi had only shown lies. Foolish, naive, and pure to the point of absurdity.

Yeohwi had deceived Cheon Ryubeom’s sincerity all along. Today, he had even trampled on it openly. He had shattered the past in front of him. But Cheon Ryubeom had picked up the pieces and come here. Even as his hands were cut, he had gathered the pieces and handed them to him.

Ah, how could he…

Yeohwi finally faced an emotion close to inevitability. His head dropped weakly, as if exhausted from resisting for too long.

“……Yes. I dare to care for you.”

“……”

“Dare I say, I……”

Words spilled out several times, failing to form a complete sentence. But that was everything that explained Yeohwi. His shattered past, the present built on deception, and even the future he hadn’t yet drawn.

Yeohwi had never thought of anything other than revenge. He had never harbored other emotions. To say such things were luxuries would be inappropriate. From the beginning, Yeohwi never desired those things. He never thought he would remember or dwell on anything other than ‘that day.’

So Yeohwi ignored the cracks that had formed in the sticky, heavy darkness that eventually became his own. He covered it, pretended not to notice, saying that such a thing would never disappear just because of a mere crack. But at some point, the cracks began to appear everywhere. He tried to cover, hide, and conceal them, but soon they connected, blooming fully.

Yeohwi realized too late that covering up the moment wouldn’t solve anything.

A smile slowly bloomed on Ryubeom’s face. The hesitation he had shown moments before was gone, replaced by a clear light in his eyes.

“The answer is a bit different from what I wanted, but for now, I’m satisfied with this.”

Ryubeom decided to be content with hearing the truth from Yeohwi. Because Yeohwi had answered his question without lying. He savored the sincerity he finally heard, repeating the answer over and over.

Yeohwi scanned the space. Boom, bang! The sound of malevolent spirits charging through the thick fog echoed. It had been noisy all along, but it was astonishing how the Cheon family estate was in such chaos. The roars of the tiger Suin echoed from all around.

“……What does this mean? Does it change anything? Soon……”

“It can change. I will make it so.”

But Cheon Ryubeom’s answer came immediately. It was even quite firm. Yeohwi was at a loss as to how to react.

In the past, he had always been timid, worrying if he could do it, if it was possible, shrinking back even in front of trivial matters. But in this war, Cheon Ryubeom was the most confident.

Although he found it truly absurd, Yeohwi couldn’t take his eyes off him. Ryubeom’s eyes gradually began to shine with a different color.

“It’s about time.”

As his words ended, the smoke that covered the Cheon family estate began to clear.

* * *

Ryubeom carefully surveyed his surroundings. The Cheon family members were trying to hunt down the malevolent spirits but failed repeatedly. It wasn’t that they were protected by the tiger god’s blessing; their attacks were simply not landing accurately. This was because the earlier spread of smoke contained a spell that temporarily blurred their perception.

Cheon Gun was the first to emerge from the smoke and, finding the empty pyre, let out an enraged roar.

“Cheon Ryubeom, you wretch!”

The family barrier had been broken, and the malevolent spirits turned evil were pouring in. The answer to the situation was clear.

Soon, Cheon Gun began to cast a massive annihilation spell. Whoosh! The wind whipped up like a storm. In an instant, a sharp tension filled the air as its flow was grasped in Cheon Gun’s hand. The atmosphere turned ferociously murderous. It was a spell that would sweep everything away.

[Yeohwi! That old tiger has gone mad…!]

Just in time, Ryeong appeared. Upon confirming that the family barrier had broken earlier, he had smashed all remaining barriers to open the doors wider. This was to allow the malevolent spirits to enter freely and to prevent new barriers from forming by scattering curses everywhere. He believed Yeohwi’s energy felt fine inside, so he moved with confidence.

Seeing Cheon Ryubeom standing by Yeohwi now made Ryeong pause.

[……?]

Confusion appeared on Ryeong’s face. He wondered why a being he thought he’d never see again was here, and why Yeohwi was so close to a young tiger. He couldn’t even guess what had happened.

Ryeong understood that the reason for the barrier’s collapse was Cheon Ryubeom, but everything else was confusing. There was no time to resolve his questions. Knowing this, Ryeong set aside his curiosity and informed Yeohwi of the situation.

As Ryeong trampled the barrier outside, he saw the malevolent spirits charging towards the Cheon family.

[Yeohwi, there are a lot more malevolent spirits than the number you cursed…]

“Oh, I called them,” Ryubeom replied.

[……What?]

Ryubeom slowly stood up and took a deep breath. He felt dizzy from the blood loss incurred while breaking the barrier but tried not to show it. His ‘plan’ wasn’t complete yet.

Ryubeom looked at Yeohwi and spoke.

“Yeohwi, you said it was hypocritical of me to try and console the malevolent spirits. That I was forcing them into another jar and making them ascend by consoling them.”

His tone was very calm, but Yeohwi flinched. He stood up and subtly turned his head to avoid Ryeong’s gaze.

Although Yeohwi had lashed out at Cheon Ryubeom to push him away, the content of his words was true. While some might welcome ascending without losing their identity as gods, Yeohwi couldn’t fully agree with that.

And in front of Yeohwi, Ryubeom nodded.

“I thought about it, and you’re right.”

“……What?”

“It was a unilateral decision and hypocrisy. Even if they became evil spirits and attacked the Cheon family, they would vanish meaninglessly. I wanted to console them for that reason.”

Ryubeom had pondered Yeohwi’s words for a long time. The idea that some comforts are achieved through revenge remained clear in his mind. After much contemplation, Ryubeom came to a new realization. He understood what he truly wanted and why he felt sorry for the malevolent spirits.

“Now I understand. It’s not that I don’t want them to be angry… I don’t want their anger to be trampled.”

“……”

“Instead of urging them to shake off the anger that gnaws at their insides, I should have helped them maintain their clarity and fully express their will even within their anger.”

Ryubeom spoke his conclusion clearly. His smile at Yeohwi, who was listening blankly, seemed to ask, “Isn’t this right?” It was as if he was boldly demanding praise.

“You gave me a new realization.”

So Cheon Ryubeom had freed the malevolent spirits bound to other humans before entering the family. He had found out the most recent locations where the malevolent spirits had been received through Cheon Hoyeon and launched surprise attacks. The humans, realizing they were facing disasters from the malevolent spirits given by the tigers, had fled in panic.

Thanks to this, Ryubeom easily entered the underground warehouse and cut his hand to sprinkle blood on the jars. The malevolent spirits, reacting to the Cheon family’s blood, broke out of the jars in a rage. Even though they were newly created, their murderous intent was immense. Ryubeom persevered and eventually succeeded in conveying his purpose to the malevolent spirits.

‘I want to free all the malevolent spirits trapped in this land.’

At first, the malevolent spirits doubted his intentions, but Ryubeom’s actions of revealing all the locations where other malevolent spirits were trapped eventually convinced them. Thus, one malevolent spirit freed another, and they moved to free all the bound malevolent spirits.

However, Ryubeom’s goal did not end there.

“I asked my father if there was another way to console a vengeful spirit with deep resentment.”

As he spoke, Ryubeom slowly looked around, as if searching for someone.

“And the answer I received was, if the resentment cannot be resolved by the spirit’s will alone, and if it only deepens the grudge…”

Suddenly, Yeohwi felt a foreboding intuition. He realized where Cheon Ryubeom’s gaze was directed and what he intended to do as he took a step outside. Yeohwi quickly reached out to him, but Ryubeom continued without hesitation.

The last smile Ryubeom gave Yeohwi was faint. His eyes had turned silver.

“Lending one’s body is also a way.”

Whoosh! Another storm blew through the space. One wind swirled around Cheon Gun standing at Daehogwan, and another poured towards Ryubeom standing on the opposite side. The sound of the space tearing was deafening.

Ryubeom staggered in the fierce wind but stood firm, planting his feet strongly. Black streaks poured into his body. The sight of bars being driven in made Yeohwi’s face turn pale.

And finally, when the largest darkness headed towards him, Ryubeom staggered. The deep, ancient malice pierced his body mercilessly. His head grew muddled, and he was about to be consumed by primal rage. He wanted to destroy everything, to punish everything on this land.

Ryubeom’s body shook as if it would collapse, and his head ached as if it would shatter into pieces. He clutched his head in pain with both hands… and finally, when he slowly raised his head, one of his eyes was blood-red.

Cheon Ryubeom had finally possessed the malevolent spirit of the red group.

“……”

Yeohwi reached out his hand, his mouth opening and closing silently. Even though he had seen what happened with his own eyes, it was hard to accept. Fortunately, Ryubeom’s other eye remained silver, though it flickered occasionally…

No matter how strong a tiger’s mental strength is, how could he dare to possess an evil spirit? And he had taken in all the malevolent spirits present here. While Yeohwi couldn’t even sigh, Ryeong sighed in his place.

[……That young tiger has become even more reckless.]

There was no one who followed the saying “If it doesn’t work, make it work” better than him. Ryeong thought that young tiger might have nine lives, but then concluded that he would use them all up in an instant.

But Cheon Ryubeom, who had finally possessed the evil spirit, fumbled with his body with a strange expression. His touch was somewhat awkward. He muttered in a perplexed tone. His face clearly showed his confusion at experiencing possession for the first time.

“Um, I think I need some time to adjust to this state…”

Boom!

At that moment, Cheon Gun’s attack spell exploded. The golden light gathered around him and then burst out, sweeping the area. Even before the spell hit, the gathering energy pushed Ryubeom’s body back. His vision flashed white.

But just before Ryubeom fell, his waist was firmly grabbed, and darkness fell over his vision. Yeohwi had caught him with one arm and raised the other to spread his robe like a protective shield.

The golden light fiercely split around the suddenly formed dark red sphere. Despite the intense collision, the sphere remained unshaken.

“……Right. Saving the day in moments like these is always my job, isn’t it?”

Ryubeom blinked. Even though his consciousness was confused from housing the vengeful spirit, the scent brushing past his nose and the warmth holding him were vividly clear. Ryubeom soon smiled.

“Thanks to you, I learned. I put it to good use this time.”

Yeohwi frowned at Ryubeom’s rather calm and even brazen response. He let out a small laugh of disbelief, but his eyes, looking at someone he could no longer do anything about, carried a gentle emotion.

Yeohwi stepped forward, leaving Ryubeom inside the protective sphere. In his hand was a smooth, flawless black bead—Imugi’s bead.

Soon, a red light began to swirl around Imugi’s core.