‘Why is there so much?’

The presence I felt was beyond imagination. Of course, it included the presence of insects and wild animals.

‘But even excluding that... something feels off.’

When I assessed the presence and the powers associated with them, there were far more than expected.

To give an example:

‘More than Yahwol.’

The Yahwol Palace, the place where the late Yusa had been in charge, was beyond comparison..

It might seem like that, since Mount Marryeong lacked so much presence, it was not entirely strange from a common-sense perspective.

‘But still...’

What I saw on my way here was the problem.

‘The fact that so many presences are being felt...’

It means the distance isn’t that far.

When I flew here, all I could see was the forest.

There was no space that could have had such a concentration of presences.

‘Where is it?’

Where could all these presences be coming from?

I concentrated my senses even further. The presence grew clearer. However...

‘...It’s a lot.’

It was indeed a lot. They were scattered in all directions.

Something felt wrong.

‘This feels... alien.’

Even without a presence, it was a problem. But on the flip side, having too many is also an issue. If they’re scattered like this and yet there’s nothing tangible, then it’s just an odd situation.

I recalled the spread of my senses.

And then I was certain.

‘This is it.’

This was the place. If this was the Black Phoenix Palace or whatever, this location made sense. Without it, this situation wouldn’t have been logical.

Then.

‘Let’s find it.’

What was left now was to confirm the Black Phoenix Palace. I immediately focused my energy.

I didn’t expand my senses. Since I could feel the presence everywhere, this method wouldn’t help.

Then, what should I do?

The answer was simple.

‘I’ll go everywhere.’

I would go to where I felt the presence and check it. However.

‘There’s too much to check directly.’

I couldn’t visit all those places with just one body. So.

‘Stretch my body.’

I could stretch my body to visit multiple places at once.

Whoooosh—!!!

I unleashed my power.

Behind me, the dimension cracked open, and the Magyeong Gate formed. The dark dimension opened with a crackling sound.

Hissss—!!!

Agile-looking demonic beasts began to emerge in droves.

“Find it.”

Krgh—!

The moment I gave the command, the demonic beasts surged into the forest, scattering. I closed my eyes immediately.

In that moment.

Multiple perspectives appeared. It was the sight of the demonic beasts. They were visible everywhere, making my vision dizzy. It was enough to make me feel nauseous, but I could endure it because I was somewhat used to it.

"I think it's because I always use my Heart's Eye. I can handle it."

Since I always calculated by watching the path of the herbivores through my divine vision, I could tolerate the vision of the beasts.

I had experienced it before during battles. I could share the vision of the beasts and use it to my advantage.

The demonic beasts quickly rummaged through the forest. They were looking for something at my command.

After a brief moment.

Hissss—!!!

One of the beasts stopped near the edge of the forest. It was a place that looked empty.

‘Found it.’

It appeared empty at first glance, but I knew.

‘There it is.’

I snapped my fingers. The energy that had spread with the demonic beasts dissipated.

Now that I had found the location, there was no need to maintain the connection. I leapt towards the spot.

It was the empty plain the beast had seen earlier. Once I arrived, I was sure.

‘This is it.’

I could feel the presence everywhere. Even though there was nothing here, this presence was undeniable.

‘There aren’t even any insects or animals.’

I smiled faintly. Realizing that, I felt something even stranger.

‘There are no insects or wild animals here.’

In the other forests, I had felt the presence of insects and wild creatures, but here, there was nothing like that.

This could only mean one thing.

Whoooosh.

I focused my divine vision, and the sight of the surroundings illuminated. It still wasn’t visible, so I pushed my energy further in.

Whooosh.

The energy in my chest surged into my eyes, illuminating the background.

Then.

‘It’s visible.’

I saw a ripple. A shimmer appeared in the empty field. I didn’t miss it.

‘It’s magic.’

It was magic, just like the one in Mount Marryeong. The difference was that...

‘This one doesn’t seem to have the power to suppress the presence.’

The magic that had been spread at Mount Marryeong concealed the presence inside it, but this one seemed to only deceive the space.

‘Hmm.’

I extended my hand, and at the same time, I gathered energy in my chest. The magic circle appeared and began to rotate.

The energy wrapped around my fingers, and I reached for the air.

Sssshhh—!!!

My finger touched the magic before me. Instantly, information began to flow into me.

It was a complicated and tightly-wound spell. The level of entanglement was serious, but...

‘It’s not hard.’

This was easy compared to what the turtle had shown me.

I stirred the energy with my finger. Exactly four times.

With each movement, the air rippled.

Whoooosh—!!!

The magic surged like a tidal wave, rocking the area. The response was intense, but I watched calmly, moving my hand again.

I reached into the wave. Normally, water was something you couldn’t grasp, but...

The magic was different.

Inside it, there were many formulas and techniques. If I could grasp the flow, it wouldn’t be hard to control.

Crack—!

It wasn’t difficult to grab onto it. Among the chaotic flow, there was a single thread, and once I gathered it and grabbed it—

The moment I pulled,

Whooosh—!!!

The air scattered, and a small change occurred.

I shifted my gaze and looked at my arm.

I could see my hand trembling.

It was hard, but I hadn’t fully released the magic, only opening the entry level. That was the harder part. I squinted at the shaking space.

If I flinched for just a moment, the magic would completely break. That couldn’t happen.

‘I’ll be discovered.’

Truthfully, even at this level, I might have been noticed. But I assumed I wasn’t.

The entry that appeared was subtle.

‘What is this?’

The atmosphere felt completely different. Outside, the air was fresh, and the dense forest seemed full of life.

‘...What is this?’

The scene before me was entirely different.

Yet, I could still feel all the presence from there. It was strange.

‘Hmm.’

I stared silently for a moment before releasing the magic I had been holding.

There weren’t many options. I ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) couldn’t just go back like this.

‘Guess I have to go.’

With the tension rising, I stepped forward into the entry.

**********

Entered through the entrance.

The first sensation was stifling. The thick, murky air made my face twist instinctively.

Where had the clear air I felt just moments ago gone, leaving only this foul, unpleasant atmosphere?

‘And what is that?’

It wasn’t just the air—the scenery was a problem, too.

‘Is this... a forest?’

A forest, indeed. Trees lined up as if continuing from the outside world. But something was off.

‘They’re all... dead trees.’

The trees, charred black, had long lost their vitality. There wasn’t a hint of life to be felt.

The world itself was no different. The sky wasn’t black but a dull, lifeless gray. The earth, barren and dead.

And yet—

‘Life.’

In stark contrast, I felt a multitude of life forces ahead.

‘What... is going on?’

Though this space seemed utterly devoid of life, a strong vitality radiated from somewhere beyond. I moved.

Suppressing my presence as much as possible, I soared calmly toward the direction of the life force.

What I reached was a cliff. The path ended there, and the cliff stretched out before me. The life I sensed was coming from below.

I stepped forward and looked down.

“Huh?”

My eyes narrowed in disbelief at the sight below.

“What... is this?”

A colossal fortress came into view.

It was even larger than the one in Yahwol.

The towering, jet-black fortress, looming high into the sky, emanated an oppressive and unsettling aura.

And beneath it—

‘A village.’

A village lay below the fortress. It, too, was cloaked in black. Yet, the life force was emanating from there.

Cautiously, I descended. Surveying the surroundings to approach the village—yet no guards, no sentries.

‘No one’s standing guard despite this strong life force?’

Not even a gatekeeper. Finding it strange, I stepped into the village. And still—no people.

There were no signs of anyone. Yet, the life force remained as strong as ever. What was this?

“......”

Releasing the energy that had been cloaking me, I allowed a trace of my presence to slip out and glanced to the side.

A house stood nearby. I felt life coming from inside.

I approached it.

Placing my hand on the door handle—

Crack!

The handle crumbled to dust under my touch. Likely, it had weakened from years of neglect.

With the handle gone, I pressed my hand to the door itself—

Craaaack—!!

It, too, disintegrated into powder.

“Mm...”

Clenching my hand awkwardly, I stepped inside.

The interior wasn’t exactly clean—far from it. Dust and debris, signs of the passage of time, were scattered everywhere.

Crunch.

I stepped over the littered debris, the floor creaking under my weight as I moved deeper inside, tracking the source of the life force.

Finally—I found it.

And—

“...What the hell.”

My face twisted at the scene before me.

No wonder I’d felt life from this place that seemed utterly lifeless—

Something was embedded into the wall.

It had likely once been a living being. Even now, life force emanated from it—

But—

“This... isn’t alive.”

The form of a person, petrified into something stone-like, was fixed into the wall.

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem alive.

And yet—

Thump— Thump—

A sound reached my ears. My eyes narrowed.

A heartbeat.

The sound of a heartbeat was coming from that petrified form.

‘Alive?’

Even in that state... it was still alive.

How... How was that possible?

As I stood frozen, shocked by the grotesque sight—

"Fascinating, isn’t it?"

A voice rang out from behind me. My body moved on instinct.

Fwoooosh—!!!

My arm, wreathed in blazing flames, lashed out in an instant attack—

Clang—!!

But it was blocked—

A black spear had stopped my strike cold.

The spear’s wielder stood before me, and behind him—

Flap—!

Black wings fluttered.

“Greetings.”

The man’s lips curved into a smirk as he addressed me.

“So it’s you. The one trying to disrupt my plans. I am—”

“What the hell is this moron rambling about?”

I cut him off and detonated the flames.

Kuuuuuuuuung—!!!!

The firestorm roared, splitting the space apart.