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**

I’m just repeating meaningless actions.

If I don’t do even that, I feel like I’ll crumble.

“…….”

In the filthy room, Seob Honyohee felt a presence entering the formation.

Two. It’s two this time. Last time, five came in at once, and I ended up seeing things I didn’t want to.

Fortunately, this time, they are somewhat spaced out. There’s no chance of them getting tangled together. Seob Honyohee peeked at the two figures with the fake eyes that she had lifted.

One is a man wearing a deep-brimmed hat. It’s pulled down so much that I can’t see his face properly. The only thing visible are the scars etched on his face.

The one behind, I recognize. He’s the man who nearly got consumed but managed to escape from this place. Seob Honyohee tilted her head in confusion about why he would return.

If he had entered once, he would surely have realized the dangers.

Yet to return…

“….tch.”

He’s probably just like the other men.

Risking their lives for a moment of pleasure.

Well then. If that’s what he wants, let him spill his feelings until he’s all dried up. I’ve warned him enough.

Let’s see what happens when that carefree face can’t even smile anymore…

What will become of him?

. . .

“Mu Gongja, could you walk a bit slower?”

“Didn’t I tell you to keep your distance?”

“I’ve spaced out enough. You’re the one shouting like it’s the end of the world.”

The fog began to settle in the forest. Along with it, the scenery around slowly changed.

Behind me, Black Wind marveled.

“It’s only the second time seeing this, but it’s still impressive. I wonder who made it… The formation seems alive, doesn’t it? Where are the core and the axis… Heheh, I’m curious.”

“Can you stop talking to yourself and quietly follow?”

“Talking to myself? This is all conversation! I’m saying this so you can hear it! Mu Gongja! If you take three more steps from there…”

—Thud.

Suddenly, the voice vanished. I looked back.

I was alone standing in the fog. I couldn’t tell front from back, nor left from right.

Is this where the test begins?

I took a step forward. I kept walking in the direction I was headed, but nothing happened.

I sat for a moment and thought. Yo Ma Hwan Yeong Jin.

What does that really mean? What must have happened for the energy to be drained away?

“Brother.”

What on earth…

“Excuse me.”

“Huh?”

“When someone calls you, you should respond. You’ve become desolate in the meantime.”

I turned my head. A sweet smell brushed my nostrils.

In an instant, I felt my mind waver. But Cheongeop immediately devoured the strange scent.

A familiar face was right in front of me. An unforgettable face.

“…Baekmae?”

“At least you haven’t forgotten my name. I’d have been angry if you treated me like a stranger.”

She puffed her cheeks slightly. On her cold face, emotions stirred just a little.

Before I could speak, I suddenly became alert.

“…Are you the core of this formation?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“……?”

“What’s wrong? Did you expect me to deny it? But you know, if a typical warrior enters a place like this, they’d know right away. Ah. This is fake. This is a lie—.”

Something borrowing Baekmae’s body whispered to me.

“But can you simply dismiss a fake that is endlessly close to the real thing?”

“…What?”

“Show me your hand. Quickly. Hand it over.”

Before I knew it, I had given it.

The unknown being that had borrowed Baekmae’s body laid its hand over mine.

The sensation was felt. Warmth.

The softness of flesh.

“Is this still a fake?”

“…That’s something Baekmae wouldn’t do.”

“But I’m Baekmae and yet not Baekmae. But I’m based on that person, you know? So look here. Fluttering—”

I turned my head away from her intentionally elongating her posture.

She smiled.

“You don’t need to be shy. You’ve wanted to see how this feels at least once, right?”

“…….”

“I’ve wanted to see too. To be honest, I was curious how you felt inside. So…”

Her skin was sticking to me.

She whispered while pressing her chest. Her eyes, looking up, were mischievous.

“How about we take a peek at each other’s? It’s just a fake anyway. It’s in a formation that nobody else can see. Just a little fun for the two of us, Brother.”

“……”

“Nobody will know. Not even the real Baekmae will know about this. So let’s just take a tiny peek… just the two of us… an unnoticed story…”

She took my hand. Her snake-like, sticky hand was silently glancing down at me.

Desire. I have it too. But as she approached, that desire began to freeze even more.

“That’s something Baekmae wouldn’t say.”

“I’m not Baekmae.”

“And that makes it even more unpleasant.”

The woman I knew didn’t take kindly to seducing others with her body.

She gave it her all in what she wanted, and even if she gave up midway, she would return as a warrior.

That is Baekmae.

“If there are ten charms in a person, body and face are just one of them.”

“……”

“What you’re doing now isn’t really a temptation against me.”

I pushed her away.

“You’re insulting the Baekmae I hold dear.”

She fell on her backside. Instead of disappearing, she grumbled.

“Can the real one act like this? Would you shove me away again, telling me it’s an insult?”

“Only time will tell. But at least she would never approach me like this.”

“…Hmph. I doubt that…”

“What do you know?”

“Because it’s based on your memories. Still, it can’t be helped. If you’re that stubborn…”

Baekmae brushed off the dust and stood up.

She checked her chest slyly.

“Last question. Don’t you want to see the real thing? It’s outstanding. The biggest ever. Wow. Unbelievable.”

“Get lost.”

“Hahaha! You’re quite the picky one!”

The image of Baekmae crumbled in an instant.

I started walking again.

“Junior.”

Is that Eun Seol-ran this time?

In what seemed like a natural occurrence, she followed close by. I glanced at her. Her fierce eyes were softer than I’d ever seen, and her steps were extremely light.

“Do I disgust you?”

“Get lost.”

“Ah, I see. So you think I’m not worth it. But you know, if we’re being honest, there’s quite a lot to see. I have some value too.”

“I never asked.”

“Don’t be so cold. Junior. Have you forgotten our bond? Huh? We rolled around in the Demon Valley together, exposing the secrets of the Black Heaven Sect…”

I placed my hand on my sword.

I quietly warned her.

“Don’t insult my senior any further.”

“…Ah, I see. So this is your trigger.”

Eun Seol-ran vanished.

A heavy voice came from behind.

“Hyung!”

“Do you want to die?”

“……”

Yeon Guang faded away quickly. Something rushed towards me.

“B-Bi, Bi Warrior!”

“Aren’t you leaving?”

“The northern gate…when will it be…”

“……”

“Ahhh!”

I threw Seo Cho-hee, who had followed me, into the forest.

I quietly murmured towards Seob Honyohee, who seemed to be watching.

“It’s quite unpleasant, so could you please clear the way?”

There was no answer. The fog persisted.

I heard a presence up ahead. I suddenly stopped my feet.

What stood before me was Ilma without a mask. The beauty I had seen before was looking back at me.

“You don’t just tell me to get lost, do you?”

“…This is ridiculous.”

Ultimately, I drew my sword.

“Are you touching what shouldn’t be touched?”

Ear Sword Bai Ya growled as if to echo my irritation. A gathered energy surged through the sword.

Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique

Third Brother

Overlord Demon Technique

The blood shadow covered my entire body. The strengthened step left deep marks on the ground.

Ilma’s disguise flinched. For a moment, his hands flailed.

“W-wait! I-I could be the real Ilma…!”

“If he were, he’d surely withstand a blow of this level.”

A growl surged from the base of my throat.

I had no intention of tolerating any further ugliness.

“This is a test… just unpleasant.”

Without recognizing the value of the people I know, just mimicking their shells.

“I’ll cut them all down.”

Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique

Fourth Form

Flash Dispersal

—Kwadadadadadadadadadadak!!!!

The slash of my sword ripped through the realm.

The last moment of the first half. The Overlord Demon Technique enveloping it.

As those two overlapped, what had taken the form of Ilma split in two.

The fog lifted. The unpleasant fog disappeared.

—Splaaash!!

Through the gap that opened, the surrounding white mist was all sucked away. I heard a whisper in that void.

“Excellent.”

I turned around. The twisted illusion of the Heavenly Demon was waving at me.

“What childish pranks it was.”

“…Master?”

“Hmm. No, the one here isn’t the real daughter. But speaking of real, even her shadow cannot be wielded by anyone. The existence of her very being is colossal, so no matter how much she’s split, isn’t it natural for it to be heavy?”

The only one who seemed genuinely like herself smirked. She lightly lifted her chest.

“But still, it might be a waste of a chance, so should I show you? Bark, do you want to see mine? It’ll be definitely greater than any of those you’ve seen before.”

“…Don’t tease me.”

“Heheh. Just kidding.”

The illusion of the Heavenly Demon was also sucked away. In the fog that momentarily cleared, I heard the voice of a man groaning.

I didn’t want to see it, but I turned back. Black Wind was enthusiastically shaking his waist in mid-air.

“Hey, yeah! Let’s die at least once today!”

“……”

Ignoring it, I walked forward.

The voice called out.

“How… how did you… this fast…?!”

“I’ve done enough with Seob Honyohee. Now let me go.”

“…No. You should come a little deeper. The second and last test remains. It’s been years since I last had someone pass my first test.”

At the farthest point of my sight, a house appeared. A large mansion seemed to have been built with delicate care.

“Come in.”

With the voice, the door opened on its own. Inside was just as dark as when I had entered the formation; I didn’t want to set foot inside.

“…Can I really not just leave?”

“There’s no other way. Unless you want to wander this forest for the rest of your life, you must come in, Warrior.”

The tone of address had turned polite. I didn’t quite know what she wanted.

Still, I stepped forward. As I entered through the door, it closed behind me.

—Thump.

The light of a lamp that had been placed on the side table was lit.

An ominous atmosphere surrounded an endlessly stretching hallway that awaited me.

The structure inside differed from what I saw outside. This is…

“…Is this the formation?”

Piercing through the darkness wasn’t difficult. But it felt odd to take the lamp that seemed left for use, so I decided to take it anyway.

I stepped into the hallway.

The first thing I discovered in that darkness was a painting.

 

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