Absolute Regression - Chapter 838

Chapter 838: You Will Die in Two Hours

Geom ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Woojin was also fighting alongside Mugeuk.

Though ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he had only been watching, in his heart, he fought together with his son.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thrust his sword together with him and blocked the incoming blade.

Because ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they moved as one in mind, he was able to react faster than anyone else.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment he felt all strength drain from his son’s body—

Geom ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Woojin’s figure was already tearing through the air like lightning.

Before Geom Mugeuk could collapse, Geom Woojin had already caught him.

With one arm, he held his son, while the Heavenly Demon Sword in his other hand flew toward Hwa Moogi’s neck.

Swoosh!

Hwa Moogi stood still and did not evade.

Even in a situation where Geom Woojin, driven by emotion, might stab his neck with the sword, Hwa Moogi was certain that he would not kill him. He trusted his opponent’s skill—believing he would remain composed no matter the situation.

Indeed, the Heavenly Demon Sword stopped just short of his neck.

Hwa Moogi calmly spoke while staring at Geom Woojin standing behind that cold blade pointed at him.

“If you kill me, your son dies.”

Geom Woojin immediately noticed that almost no Internal Energy remained in Hwa Moogi’s body.

‘That strike contained everything.’

As a result, his son had lost consciousness in his arms.

“Even if you touch my body, your son dies.”

Geom Woojin simply stared with indifferent eyes, showing no reaction. Rather, he had become even colder in this situation.

In the meantime, the Fist Demon King approached and received Geom Mugeuk.

After carefully examining Geom Mugeuk’s condition, the Fist Demon King spoke calmly.

“There are no external injuries, but he has completely lost consciousness.”

Jin Paecheon, Baek Jagang, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult, the Poison King, and the Sword King also approached Geom Mugeuk. The usually talkative Geom Mugeuk lying there with his eyes closed and mouth shut was truly out of place. Though to varying degrees, all of them were worried about him.

Next, the Poison King stepped forward and examined him.

“He hasn’t been poisoned.”

Unlike usual, the Poison King’s voice was slightly heated. His gaze toward Hwa Moogi openly revealed irritation. It was almost the first time he had shown such emotion in front of Geom Woojin.

Hwa Moogi said to Geom Woojin,

“Your son is inside my body.”

At those words, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult deduced what secret art Hwa Moogi had used.

“Dark Heaven Soul-Binding Art! A secret technique of the Dark Palace that traps a person’s soul inside the body.”

He added in a slightly tense voice,

“If that truly is the Dark Heaven Soul-Binding Art, he must break it and escape within two hours. If he fails… he will be trapped inside that man’s body forever.”

As if confirming the accuracy of that guess, Hwa Moogi provoked Geom Woojin.

“I wonder—can the Demonic Cult Leader of this era kill his enemy even when his child’s soul is inside that enemy’s body?”

Hwa Moogi spread both arms wide, as if daring him to try.

Geom Woojin silently stared at him. With Hwa Moogi’s Internal Energy depleted, killing him would be as easy as flicking a finger.

At that moment of taut tension, Jin Paecheon stepped forward.

“The Cult Leader Geom is not someone bound by petty emotions, so perhaps he could kill you.”

Of course, he had not stepped in to support Hwa Moogi’s provocation.

“But there’s no need for that. The Young Cult Leader will surely break your dark sorcery and return.”

Hwa Moogi’s gaze shifted past Geom Woojin toward Jin Paecheon.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

His confident demeanor was enough to make everyone uneasy.

If this side had Geom Mugeuk, the other side was the Heavenly Killing Star who had once come alone to the main division of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

This time, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult stepped forward.

“You—are you sure about this? If the Young Cult Leader gets trapped in you, he’ll chatter nonstop all day, every day. Are you confident you can live with him forever? Don’t come crying later, begging us to take him back—just hand him over now.”

No one took his words as a joke.

“The Young Cult Leader is not someone a single person can handle.”

Everyone fully agreed.

Setting everything else aside—if Geom Mugeuk’s soul continuously hurled curses inside one’s mind, it would not be easy to endure.

Geom Woojin asked Hwa Moogi,

“What do you want?”

Hwa Moogi said something unexpected.

“If you let me go, I’ll release the Young Cult Leader as well.”

Surprisingly, Hwa Moogi intended to use Geom Mugeuk as a hostage to escape.

It felt unexpected. He had seemed like the kind of Heavenly Killing Star who would either survive alone or kill everyone—someone who would see things through to the end here. Yet he was planning for the future.

“If you don’t release me immediately, the Young Cult Leader dies!”

The moment those words ended—

Thud!

Geom Woojin’s fist exploded into his face. Hwa Moogi was sent flying and rolled across the ground.

Everyone was shocked, staring at Geom Woojin. No one had expected him to strike without warning.

Fortunately, since the punch had not been imbued with Internal Energy, Hwa Moogi’s head did not shatter.

He had said that even touching his body would kill Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Woojin was certain he could not do it.

Walking over, Geom Woojin grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

Though the punch had lacked Internal Energy, Hwa Moogi had also been struck without Protective Energy, leaving his face wounded as he looked at Geom Woojin.

Geom Woojin sensed that this Heavenly Killing Star was not merely using this method to escape. He was plotting something—something dangerous that triggered his instinct for danger.

Without showing it, Geom Woojin spoke coldly,

“Whether Mugeuk breaks it and comes out… or fails to do so—”

After a brief pause, he added in a chilling tone,

“In two hours, you will die.”

The Fist Demon King stepped forward and sealed Hwa Moogi’s pressure points, in case he attempted to recover his Internal Energy while standing.

He knew Geom Woojin’s words were sincere. It was only possible because he trusted his son more than anyone else—believing he would certainly break through and return.

But he also knew the opposite was true.

Even if Geom Mugeuk failed to break free, Geom Woojin would truly cut off Hwa Moogi’s head. He would not allow his son to continue living inside the Heavenly Killing Star’s body.

His son would not want that either.

Geom Woojin would surely think so.

And so, the Fist Demon King sincerely hoped—

‘Mugeuk… you must escape.’

Since no one had expected Joo Ga-shin to step forward, all eyes turned to him.

Geom Mugeuk made a request.

“Could you guide us to that place?”

—the place within Hwa Moogi’s mental world that had remained the most unchanged.

At Geom Mugeuk’s request, Joo Ga-shin nodded.

He had intended to reveal the location from the beginning.

“Very well.”

When he readily agreed, Geom Mugeuk asked with an apologetic expression,

“But if you help me like this, won’t there be consequences? Like being locked up somewhere… perhaps in a prison?”

Joo Ga-shin said nothing. Instead, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword spoke.

“He might even be rewarded.”

He did not trust Joo Ga-shin.

“It’s not certain whether he’s truly helping you.”

He might lead them somewhere else and waste time. Despite having spent so long together, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword still did not fully understand what kind of person Joo Ga-shin was or what he was thinking.

Even now, he could not tell what intention lay behind helping Geom Mugeuk.

On the other hand, Geom Mugeuk showed no anxiety.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why?”

“If that happens, he’ll be tormented endlessly—not by me, but by Cult Leader Hyeok.”

Because Hyeok Do-cheon, who desperately wanted to escape this place, was here. Indeed, Hyeok Do-cheon was glaring at Joo Ga-shin as if warning him not to lie.

Geom Mugeuk looked at the others.

“Will you come with me?”

Except for Hyeok Do-cheon, who had clearly demanded to be released, the others had not yet expressed their intentions.

Naturally, Hyeok Do-cheon stepped forward, and the Martial Emperor Divine Sword also intended to help Geom Mugeuk until the end. The Heavenly Will Palace Master likewise decided to join.

“There’s no time, so let’s move with lightness technique.”

Geom Mugeuk extended both hands. Everyone was startled.

“Don’t tell me… you want us to hold hands?”

“You don’t have Internal Energy, do you? I can’t exactly tuck you under my arms and carry you.”

Though they behaved like real people in this mental world, they had no Internal Energy.

But Geom Mugeuk still retained both his Internal Energy and martial arts. If he wished, he could destroy this entire mental world.

Of course, being a mental world, it would eventually reform—but it would become a different world from the current one.

Standing on Geom Mugeuk’s right, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword did not hesitate to take his hand.

On the other side, Hyeok Do-cheon hesitated.

“Are you trying to make things difficult for us on purpose? Use Void Telekinesis to carry us. With your skill, that should be enough.”

Geom Mugeuk refused immediately.

“I don’t know what might happen, so I can’t waste Internal Energy like that. If you don’t like it, you can stay here. I’ll go with the two Alliance Leaders.”

In the end, Hyeok Do-cheon grabbed Geom Mugeuk’s hand. Holding the hand of this strange Young Cult Leader was easier than expected. The real issue was having to hold Joo Ga-shin’s hand with the other.

Yet Joo Ga-shin took it without hesitation.

‘An incomprehensible man!’

Even Hyeok Do-cheon could not read his thoughts.

The final hurdle was between the Martial Emperor Divine Sword and the Heavenly Will Palace Master.

Ordinarily, they would never hold hands even in death, yet the Martial Emperor Divine Sword willingly extended his hand.

“Take it.”

He valued helping Geom Mugeuk more than his own feelings. He felt it—this was fate’s final command to aid the Young Cult Leader.

Perhaps sensing this unusual mindset, or perhaps unwilling to be left out, the Heavenly Will Palace Master also took his hand.

“Alright, here we go!”

As Geom Mugeuk leapt into the air, they all rose with him.

At first, it seemed like madness—but the refreshing wind swept those thoughts away.

How long had it been since they last flew?

How long had they wanted to soar this freely?

Though they had fought earlier by borrowing Hwa Moogi’s body, flying through the air in this way within their own world was something they had never experienced.

For the first time, they were holding hands and flying together with those they had spent three hundred years alongside. It felt strangely moving.

At that moment, the weather suddenly changed, and dark clouds gathered in an instant.

As if refusing to permit their flight.

Flash!

Thunder crashed down.

Boom! Boom! Crash!

Geom Mugeuk twisted midair, and the lightning grazed past them.

“If we die here, what happens?”

At his urgent question, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword answered,

“We revive after some time. Sometimes quickly, sometimes after a few days.”

Though they lacked Internal Energy, it seemed they had killed each other before. Perhaps those battles had been even more brutal.

“We absolutely must not die within two hours!”

Geom Mugeuk made his determination clear—he would bring everyone out.

Flash! Flash!

Rumble! Crash!

Whether it was Hwa Moogi’s interference or the Dark Heaven Soul-Binding Art itself, lightning continued to strike them.

But the one leading them was Geom Mugeuk. And though they relied on his Internal Energy to fly, they were all leaders of cults, alliances, and palaces.

Lightning could not break their will.

They became one and weaved through the storm. To anyone watching, it would have been an unbelievable sight.

“There.”

Geom Mugeuk descended with everyone to the place Joo Ga-shin indicated.

They had arrived in an instant by flying through the sky.

“I thought you’d take us to that castle.”

He had expected to be led to the ancient castle beyond the swamp, perched on a distant hill.

But the place Joo Ga-shin guided them to was neither a floating mountain nor a labyrinth nor that grotesque castle.

It was a village.

Beyond a field littered with corpses, smoke rose from it. Corpses were scattered there as well.

Hyeok Do-cheon looked around.

“Come to think of it, this village was here from the beginning.”

The stench of rotting bodies was so foul that no one came near. Moreover, there was nothing special about it—just a small rural village, filled with corpses as if it had endured a war.

Then Joo Ga-shin spoke.

“This place has changed a lot too.”

All eyes turned to him.

“The roads changed, and the houses and walls shifted little by little. Sometimes the paths narrowed, and the walls rose and fell. But the fundamental layout of the village remained the same.”

Geom Mugeuk realized—Joo Ga-shin had visited this place many times.

Perhaps he had wandered this mental world more than anyone else, searching for a way out.

“Did you also want to leave this place?”

Joo Ga-shin replied,

“Who wouldn’t?”

Geom Mugeuk looked back at the village.

“If it existed from the beginning, then this must be a place the Heavenly Killing Star cannot forget.”

Everyone nodded.

“Is it his hometown?”

Then Hyeok Do-cheon spoke as if realizing something.

“The Dark Palace Master must have slaughtered his family and villagers when bringing him in—just to further amplify his killing intent.”

The Martial Emperor Divine Sword frowned, troubled. If that were true, they could not claim to be unrelated to the massacre of this innocent village.

But Geom Mugeuk’s next words eased that burden.

“I don’t think this is his hometown.”

Everyone turned to him in surprise.

“There’s a reason.”

“The Dark Palace Master I experienced was someone who used everyone except himself. If the Heavenly Killing Star had a family, he would have used them rather than killed them.”

In other words, he would not have simply massacred them like this.

The Martial Emperor Divine Sword asked,

“If it’s not his hometown, then what is this place?”