The look in his eyes made it clear that he knew I had figured it out.

And I hated it.

That smirking mouth, that gaze fixed on me—it was all unbearable.

I wanted to punch that damn smug face so badly,

but right now, I couldn't afford to waste my energy picking a fight with him.

"Even the Abyssal Pit... was part of my mother's plan?"

The sacred tree beneath Mount Hua.

And the Abyssal Pit—no, Kurung—that had been there.

Noya had called it a being of master-class significance.

But why had such a thing settled under the Mount Hua sacred tree in the first place?

‘And now you're telling me even that was at my mother’s request?’

According to Shin Noya, all of this was orchestrated by my mother.

Noya becoming a general.

Noya betraying them and disappearing with the sacred tree.

The resulting instability in Mangye.

And now, even the calamity caused by the disappearance of the Abyssal Pit—

All of it had been set in motion by my mother.

"...For what purpose?"

What was so important that it had to be done this way?

What was my mother's goal?

And why had Noya gone along with it?

I couldn't understand it, so I had to ask.

It wasn’t just about acknowledging that my mother had created this situation.

I needed to understand why.

Noya, upon hearing my question, looked at me with a somewhat indifferent gaze.

"Who knows? I don’t fully understand your mother’s intentions either..."

He trailed off for a moment, pausing in thought before he continued.

"If I had to guess, the first reason would be to prepare something for you.

And the second—"

Noya lifted a finger and pointed to the sky once more.

"—Would be because she seeks the end of Mangye."

"...!"

His words made my face harden.

"...The end of Mangye?"

Where the hell had that come from?

Why was he suddenly talking about the end of Mangye?

"She has spoken of it often.

And everything happening now—this crisis—

It’s simply the result of your mother’s wish finally taking shape."

"I don’t understand what you mean. Explain in more detail."

"I already told you—the moment one sacred tree was disturbed, an anomaly spread across all of Mangye."

"...Yes."

That anomaly had caused the sudden increase in energy density in the air.

"If the loss of one sacred tree caused this much disruption,

then what do you think would happen if more sacred trees were removed?"

"..."

"It would be a catastrophe.

And more importantly—"

Noya lifted his head toward the sky.

To the place he had pointed at before.

"If something were to happen to the master’s sacred tree up there...

I can’t say for certain,

but it would likely bring about something truly devastating."

Hearing this, I immediately responded.

"...So that’s what you mean by ‘the end of Mangye.’

And you’re saying my mother wanted that?"

Noya and the Abyssal Pit had moved to carry out that plan.

But the current master was unaware of it?

Why would my mother have wanted something like that?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand.

And another thing—

"You also said this was all for me.

I can’t accept that explanation either."

Something that had been prepared for me?

"I haven’t received anything."

There was nothing I had gained here.

Not even the one thing I had wanted most.

The mother I longed to see didn’t even remember me.

How could any of this be connected to me?

How did any of this matter to me at all?

"..."

Noya remained silent.

He simply looked at me.

And the expression in his eyes—

That heavy, complicated gaze—

It pissed me off.

"...Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Originally," Noya began.

"I would have liked to explain everything to you, as if I knew all the answers.

But I can’t do that anymore."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don’t know everything your mother is thinking.

And besides—

Something has happened that even I wasn’t aware of."

"Something you didn’t know about?"

"That so-called Divine Sword.

I mean Yarang."

"...!"

Noya had mentioned the Divine Sword.

Hearing that, I fell silent for a moment.

"I never heard anything about that child."

His voice, though calm, carried a faint trace of unease.

Normally, I wouldn’t have thought much of it.

But this was different.

I knew that my mother and Shin Noya had some level of history between them.

And it didn’t seem like just any connection.

So the fact that Yarang’s existence was something unknown to him—

It clearly meant something.

"As things stand, I truly don’t know what your mother is trying to accomplish."

Even he wasn’t sure.

I bit my lip slightly at those words.

"But there’s one thing you should remember."

Noya fixed me with a serious gaze.

"No matter what—

Your mother has been doing all of this for you."

"...How can you be so sure?"

"What kind of parent would do something harmful to their own child?"

"..."

Tch.

I couldn’t agree with that at all.

I had seen plenty of cases where that wasn’t true.

Hell, my own family was a perfect example.

We weren’t exactly a harmonious household.

Maybe my face showed my displeasure,

because Noya gave a wry smile.

"Well, I wouldn’t know—I’m an orphan, after all. Hah!"

"..."

Even in a moment like this, he cracked a joke.

What the hell was I supposed to say to that?

Damn old man.

I let out a deep sigh, turning to face the setting sun.

"...So then, for now, is there no way for me to see my mother?"

Even if I met her, she wouldn’t be the same as before.

But Noya had met her.

So surely, there had to be a way.

That’s why I asked.

"Hell if I know."

And the bastard gave the worst possible answer.

"As I said before, I can’t be sure.

But..."

He trailed off for a moment before adding—

"If you do what she was trying to do,

then maybe you’ll find your answer."

"..."

What my mother was trying to do.

"Destroying the sacred trees?"

She wanted every single one of Mangye’s sacred trees destroyed.

And doing that might lead me to her?

What kind of ridiculous logic was that?

"...Well, I guess it works out."

I rose to my feet.

I already had business in Mount Hua.

I already had plans to act for the sake of my sect.

And if my mother’s goal just so happened to align with that...

Then maybe—

‘Who knows.’

Even Noya wasn’t certain.

So how the hell could I be?

But—

‘...It’s not like I have any other options.’

There was nothing else ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) I could do.

And this was the only lead I had.

I pulled something from my sleeve.

"Noya."

"...Yeah?"

"Just to be sure, let me ask you something."

Click.

Slowly, I placed a mask over my face.

[Did you follow me here just to tell me all this today?]

My voice changed.

Noya watched with faint amusement.

Had he come all the way to Yahwol simply to explain these things to me?

"No. Like I said, I had my own reasons."

[Meeting Yusa?]

"Yeah."

That guy...

Well, whatever.

I could worry about that later.

For now—

[The night is coming.]

The fading sunlight signaled that it was time.

[I’ll hear the rest when I get back.]

I had work to do in Yahwol’s night.

As I turned fully toward the dying sun—

"Want some help?"

Noya’s voice called after me.

I scoffed.

[No need.]

Hooom.

Dark energy surged within me as I lifted into the air.

[Just sit back and watch. I won’t take long.]

With those words, I vanished into the night.

****************

The moment Gu Yangcheon disappeared—

Shin Noya silently stared in the direction where the black flames had faded.

"...That brat."

His ability to manipulate energy had improved considerably.

Far beyond what he had displayed during their last spar, when Shin Noya had used him to vent his frustrations.

‘Did he realize something in that time?’

But there hadn’t been any major opportunities for such an epiphany.

If he had gained insight into something, what could it have been?

Shin Noya never even considered that Gu Yangcheon might have learned something from watching him beat Yusa to a pulp.

He simply thought—

If the kid had found enlightenment in something, then that was enough.

And just as he was about to smile slightly—

"Cough...!"

Suddenly, Shin Noya shut his mouth and dropped to one knee.

"Sect Leader...!"

Gubong, who had been keeping his distance, rushed over in alarm.

"Are you all right...?!"

"I’m fine. It’s nothing."

"No, you’re not! Please, we need to return to Mount Hua immediately...!"

"Return? It’s already night— where would we go?"

Given the state he was in, he would have to wait until morning at the very least.

Besides—

"If I pretend nothing’s wrong and leave now, what will we do if that brat causes a mess? Heh..."

"Sect Leader..."

"It’s fine. I’m just... a little tired."

As if to prove his point, Shin Noya pushed Gubong’s hand away and straightened his posture.

He acted as though he were fine.

But in truth—his body was in terrible shape.

Even the faint tremor in his fingertips—he tried to hide it.

And as he let out a dry laugh—

‘Damn it.’

This wasn’t good.

No, it was far worse than that.

‘It seems... I don’t have much time left.’

The miracle that had been granted to him—

It was reaching its end.