Rooooaaaaar---!!!!

The beast's cry echoed through the space.

Crack! Crack!

The air itself fractured, splintering into shards that rained down. And it wasn’t just one or two—countless cracks spread across the void, exuding a black energy that was deeply ominous.

Even the aura alone was enough to crush the space around it.

Kiiiaaaaah!!

Grrrhhhkk.

The cries of countless beasts filled the air, pressing down on the surrounding atmosphere.

Grrrrr......

The chieftain also let out a rough growl as he stared into the void.

What was that? What could possibly feel so ominous?

The fractures continued to grow in size.

Watching them, the chieftain tightened his grip on his weapon.

“You wretch.”

“...!”

A voice rang out.

“You’re afraid.”

The chieftain's gaze shifted from the sky to the front.

There, standing arrogantly, was the one who dared to call himself the heavens.

“Are you scared?”

A mask concealed his face, leaving only the vivid glow of violet eyes flickering within.

Afraid? Him?

“What a joke.”

Boom!

The chieftain swung his axe down, striking the ground with force.

At that moment—

Roooaaar--!!!!

Something tumbled out of the fractures near him.

Thud! Thud thud--!!

Whatever it was crashed into the rocky ground, shattering it into pieces.

Upon closer inspection, they were massive beasts.

Standing on two legs.

Gripping shields and swords in their hands.

Humanoid yet distinctly inhuman.

Watching them, Cheonma—

Gu Yangcheon tilted his head slightly.

Well, now?

A strange sensation ran through him. A peculiar sense of déjà vu stabbed into his vision.

They’re not living beings, are they?

He hadn’t noticed at first, but now he could tell.

Those things. They’re not alive.

The ground was now filled with creatures that weren’t actually alive.

An unnatural sensation crawled over his skin.

They appear to be breathing, but...

They looked the part. Their shoulders and chests rose and fell ever so slightly, as if taking measured breaths.

Even the sound of exhalation, a hushed hoo, could be heard.

But they have no soul.

They lacked the unique presence that living beings carried.

That warmth.

That spark of life.

Hmm.

What were they? He couldn’t tell.

And also—

It wasn’t the chieftain who summoned them.

The one responsible for this wasn’t the chieftain. His expression made that clear.

Extreme wariness. And within it, an unplaceable frustration.

That frustration wasn’t directed at Gu Yangcheon. Even the words the chieftain had shouted earlier—

“Raven--!!”

That was the name he had called out the moment the Magyeong Gate opened.

Raven, huh.

Who did that refer to? He didn’t know.

Even when he spread his senses, he couldn’t locate whoever it was.

Was it because they were that powerful? Or—

Was it simply because it was night?

He glanced up. The moonlight was blindingly bright.

A new question arose.

Unlike during the day, he couldn’t sense the presence of anyone within Mount Marryeong.

The moment night fell, it was as if they had vanished like ghosts.

Which meant—

Is it just because it's night?

Or was it a peculiarity of Mount Marryeong itself?

Whatever the case, one thing was clear.

I need to figure out the cause.

Was it that he couldn’t sense the mountain’s presence? Or was it that being in Mount Marryeong was interfering with his senses?

That difference was crucial.

Hmm.

What had caused his senses to become unreliable?

The question lingered, sharpening his vigilance.

Something had created that rift—something he still couldn’t sense.

Which means it might still be nearby.

It could be lying in wait, just like last time, aiming for him.

So he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

Unfortunately, I’ll have to leave that matter to someone else.

He had already made arrangements regarding that.

For now, his focus needed to be on the ones in front of him.

Kyaaaaaah!

Grrrroooooar--!!!

The bipedal beasts surrounding the chieftain radiated hostility.

Even if they lacked life, the killing intent they emitted was real.

Saliva dripped between their fangs.

Sssszzzzz--!!!

Where it landed, the ground hissed and melted.

And there were a lot of them. Even at a glance, their numbers easily exceeded a hundred.

Gu Yangcheon smirked.

“Not bad.”

He didn’t flinch at their numbers.

And then he spoke to the chieftain.

“If you intend /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ to capture me, this much should be expected, don’t you think?”

Grrrrr.......

The chieftain let out a dissatisfied growl, but that was all.

He was displeased, but he didn’t reject the challenge.

The one who had been furious about being interrupted in battle was acting strangely this time.

Had he abandoned his pride? That didn’t seem likely.

Does he have something planned?

There was no way he didn’t have an ulterior motive.

That much was obvious.

But—

Swish.

Gu Yangcheon raised his hand.

“...?”

A flicker of doubt appeared in the chieftain’s eyes.

Over a hundred enemies.

And yet, Gu Yangcheon showed no fear.

Enemies without life, driven only by killing intent.

No matter how many of them there were—

The same applied to his side.

Coincidentally—

Roooaaaar--!!!!

The creatures he commanded weren’t all that different.

Crack! Crack!

The fractures widened, releasing a violet glow.

And from within—

Figures emerged.

Kyaaaaaah---!!!!

The beasts that had been radiating hostility at him lunged.

Their speed was swift.

The claws of one reached for his throat—

"Devour."

He whispered softly.

Crunch!

From the catastrophe he had unleashed, his own beasts erupted forth—

And tore the enemy’s throat apart.

**********

Kyaaaaaah---!!!

Krrraaaaaa---!!!!!

The vast expanse of Mount Marryeong echoed with the relentless howls of beasts. The sound of things breaking and flesh being torn apart resounded simultaneously.

It was a gruesome, bone-chilling spectacle.

A brutal clash driven by overwhelming numbers. The sheer intensity of the battle, combined with the rising heat of violent killing intent, was enough to raise the air’s temperature.

A true asura field.

Not a single gap remained in the vast battlefield.

Amid the densely packed chaos, a fierce battle raged on.

Watching from above, a man in midair furrowed his brows.

What the hell is this...?

Flap.

His black wings spread as he surveyed the scene below with trembling eyes.

What in the world was going on?

This was beyond anything he had expected.

Even if he didn’t particularly like that brute, he couldn’t just let him die, so he had intended to lend a slight hand.

He had even gone so far as to tamper with a space that should have remained sealed without his master’s command, sending reinforcements.

And yet—who the hell is that?

A being called Cheonma.

An unknown existence.

Rumors had spread that this one had been rampaging through the Myriad Realms lately. At first, he had dismissed it as a minor anomaly.

But to his shock, this thing had killed one of their generals—one of the Yusa.

It hadn’t been confirmed yet, but from what he saw, it was all but certain.

The first death of a general in hundreds of years.

That alone was more than enough reason to be wary of him.

And yet those fools don’t even care.

He could understand why that brute of a chieftain was indifferent. That idiot cared about nothing but Mount Marryeong and fighting.

That woman Yarang wasn’t much different either.

She was a mere wanderer who hadn’t even possessed a Sacred Wood, and though she had somehow gained her master’s favor and become a general, her position had always been shaky.

At the very least, Yusa would have taken things seriously.

But that fool died first.

Whether this was part of the enemy’s plan or not, the situation was undeniably grim.

Not only were the two remaining generals next to useless—

Even our master is acting strangely.

The bizarre shift in their master’s condition was another issue.

Ever since the Master of the Abyssal Pit failed to fulfill their role and vanished—

The Master of the Myriad Realms had hurriedly moved their main body to seal the Abyssal Pit’s rift.

Now bound in place, what sat upon the throne was nothing more than a husk, an empty shell with only their mind remaining.

That alone could explain their abnormal state, but...

Is that really all there is to it?

Something about this situation didn’t sit right with him.

If things had reached this point, our master should have already taken action.

A general’s death had disrupted the balance of the Myriad Realms.

The master should have moved personally.

After all, those beings never tolerated anomalies in their realms.

And she—one of the highest-ranked—was in charge of overseeing the Myriad Realms.

And yet—

Why isn’t she moving?

She must be aware of what was happening.

Yet, for some reason, she remained strangely passive.

I don’t understand.

The man simply could not comprehend it.

At this rate—

...Should I report this to my true master?

Not the Master of the Myriad Realms.

His real master.

The thought crept into his mind.

It’s not time yet.

Even if the moment was drawing near, it wasn’t time yet.

They had been waiting for the perfect moment. Acting now, at such an uncertain time, would be unwise.

Which means I can’t let the chieftain die just yet.

If the time hadn’t come, then the chieftain needed to live.

He didn’t know how powerful this Cheonma was or what his goal was—

But I need to intervene.

The power he was wielding was anything but ordinary.

How was he...

...able to use something so similar to the Abyssal Pit’s authority?

Tearing open a rift and summoning his forces.

That was akin to the Abyssal Pit’s power, something only used with their master’s permission.

Of course—

It’s not exactly the same.

It was a power he had never seen before.

So there had to be a difference.

But I can’t let this continue.

His instincts screamed at him. That thing could not be allowed to run unchecked.

And as if to prove his instincts right—

The monstrous black beasts that Cheonma had summoned were annihilating the reinforcements he had sent to aid the chieftain.

Click.

Is it still not enough?

He frowned and moved his fingers slightly.

If he sent any more forces, he himself might end up in danger.

The Master of the Myriad Realms didn’t care about much, but they despised those who used their power without permission.

He was well aware of that.

And yet—

I have no choice.

For his plan to succeed, the chieftain could not die.

So, even if he had to push himself, he was ready to send out more forces.

That was when—

“Found you.”

A soft voice rang out nearby.

He whipped his head around.

Crunch--!!

“Ghk--!!”

A white hand shot out, seizing his face.

“You.”

And then—

“You’re coming with me.”

His body plummeted toward the ground at terrifying speed.