Chapter 419:

Chapter 419:

Under the dark night sky, a bonfire blazed red.

Yoo Young-min sat in a suitable spot, leisurely tending to his weapon.

Around him, his mercenary subordinates were either chatting loudly or enjoying their own time of rest.

Whoosh!

In an instant, everything around became silent, and the sound of something slicing through the air rang in Yoo Young-min's ears.

Yoo Young-min's hand, which had been cleaning his sniper rifle, halted, and simultaneously, the laughter of his subordinates ceased.

In the suddenly tense atmosphere, a subordinate who had taken on the role of lieutenant approached him, calling to him in a low voice.

“Captain.”

“I know. I heard it too.”

The subordinates hardened their expressions and moved their hands to their weapons. Yoo Young-min also gripped his sniper rifle, ready to retaliate if necessary.

Even though they tried not to, their gazes naturally turned toward the dark forest beyond.

Soon, someone began walking toward them from the depths.

Just as the mercenaries were about to attack, Yoo Young-min, recognizing the approaching figure as it slowly emerged from the darkness, raised his hand to stop them.

“Everyone, stand down.”

“What?”

“This is an acquaintance of mine.”

As soon as he spoke, the taut atmosphere instantly relaxed.

The mercenaries immediately let go of their weapons and returned to their resting positions as naturally as if nothing had happened.

The midnight visitor approached Yoo Young-min with light steps and sat across from him, facing the bonfire.

“It’s been a while, Young-min.”

“Yes. Have you been well, Ji-a?”

At Yoo Young-min’s casual greeting, Kwon Jia nodded.

“More than that, I was surprised. What brings you here at this hour?”

“Yu-hyun has returned.”

“I’ve heard.”

“Right. I figured you’d already know. I heard you helped when he fought?”

“Well, I couldn’t just sit back and watch.”

“Is that so?”

Kwon Jia glanced around at the surrounding mercenaries. In the Mixed World, Yoo Young-min was more famous by his title, Mercenary King, than by his real name. Naturally, he was surrounded by people fitting for such a title.

There weren’t many of them, but in terms of skill alone, they were all transcendents.

Though they were laughing and chatting now, they were sharp enough to respond instantly if Kwon Jia did anything suspicious.

“You have fine subordinates.”

“It wasn’t intentional. I was just wandering around, and things naturally turned out this way. But the fact that you came all this way yourself... Does that mean my brother is looking for me?”

“Yes. Why didn’t you meet Yu-hyun back then?”

“Why, indeed?”

At Yoo Young-min’s playful response, Kwon Jia replied calmly.

“I heard you’ve been gathering Fragments.”

“...You noticed?”

“I’ve been wandering around, too. The rumors about the Mercenary King going around were enough for me to notice a pattern in the types of ‘prey’ you were hunting. Oddly enough, they were always evaluated as peculiar even within the Mixed World.”

“Tch.”

Yoo Young-min showed an expression of discomfort, realizing he had been caught so easily.

“Well, if you know, then it saves me some trouble. I have things I need to do right now, so I can’t go see my brother immediately.”

“Because of the Fragments? Do you really need to?”

“It’s not just because of the Fragments.”

Yoo Young-min hesitated, unsure whether he should say it, then sighed and slumped his shoulders.

“Sister, I met Jin Cheong-woon. Not only that, I’m working with him.”

“...”

At the mention of Jin Cheong-woon’s name, a frown appeared on Kwon Jia’s forehead.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“That depends on your answer.”

Yoo Young-min felt somewhat relieved. He had expected Kwon Jia to explode in anger the moment she heard that name.

“Why are you working with Jin Cheong-woon?”

“As you can see... to collect the Fragments.”

“Even if his reason for gathering Fragments is secondary, surely you didn’t have to associate with him to collect them?”

“Well, I thought that way at first, too. In fact, back then, I didn’t even feel the need to collect Fragments. Once my brother disappeared, the Fragments fell out of my interest.”

One day, however, Jin Cheong-woon approached Yoo Young-min.

Alone, with no one accompanying him.

It was practically a suicide mission. Jin Cheong-woon knew full well how much Yoo Young-min loathed him.

Despite knowing that Yoo Young-min, and everyone in White Flower Management, held him responsible for Yu-hyun’s disappearance, he had approached Yoo Young-min openly.

“...Where is Jin Cheong-woon now?”

At Kwon Jia’s cold voice, filled with sharpness, Yoo Young-min gave a bitter smile.

“Sister, please calm down. I know you despise him the most.”

“...Right. Sorry.”

“I understand why you hate him.”

Five years ago, on that day when Yu-hyun disappeared along with the Nightmare World, it was Jin Cheong-woon who had created Kwon Jia’s nightmare.

When her sealed memories awakened, all her experiences turned into a nightmare that corroded the world.

How must Kwon Jia have felt watching that?

And the loss and rage she felt when she saw the man who saved her vanish.

It was all because of him.

“When I saw him, I wanted to kill him on the spot, but I can’t imagine how much worse it must have been for you.”

“Why did you let him live?”

Absorbing lessons like a sponge was impressive enough, but if she had devised this spear technique on her own...

The talent Kang Yura possessed was perhaps...

“Hmm.”

His thoughts cut off there.

Choi Do-yoon looked up at the distant sky.

Kang Yura asked why he was doing so, but he didn’t answer and squinted further.

Something was coming.

Just as he thought that, a white shadow descended from the sky.

“Oh! What are you doing here?”

“Huh? Sumin!”

“Yura! Long time no see!”

Seo Sumin, the Heavenly Demon.

On her way back to Old Town, she’d noticed Kang Yura and Choi Do-yoon training outside the city and decided to stop by.

“Did you finish what you were doing?”

“Yes, it somehow worked out.”

“Did you meet my brother?”

“Yes. We talked, and I’m heading back first. Yu-hyun said he’d follow later.”

“Really?”

“More importantly, Yura...”

Seo Sumin glanced at the direction in which Kang Yura had been thrusting her spear.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“Hehe.”

Though embarrassed by the compliment, Kang Yura smiled shyly. But Seo Sumin was being genuine.

What she saw was a large mark carved into the ground by the spear. The earth was split into sharp segments, and it was difficult to gauge the depth.

All of this was the result of Kang Yura’s thrusts.

Just from thrusts.

‘Could someone create such marks with a spear technique’s thrusts? Though I helped refine her skills, I didn’t expect results like this. At this rate, she’s growing as fast as... that man...’

The memory of Yu-hyun, who had perfected her Seven Demonic Black Sky Divine Art, overlapped with the image of Kang Yura.

Given her understanding of Yu-hyun’s past, she knew that Kang Yura was another version of him, but even so, her talent was something else entirely.

She had assumed Yu-hyun was extraordinary, but Kang Yura’s potential was undeniable.

“Hmm?”

Seo Sumin shifted her gaze from Kang Yura to Choi Do-yoon, who was watching them. The two of them, alone in this remote place, seemed suspicious.

Could they be... in a relationship?

Seo Sumin and Choi Do-yoon exchanged stares.

They were somewhat acquainted, but they had never really spoken.

They weren’t friends or enemies, just mutual respect for each other’s strength.

But now, the atmosphere was... different.

“Hm.”

“Hmm.”

Their intense gazes collided in midair.

Choi Do-yoon broke the silence.

“Sorry, but could you avoid disrupting my training?”

Seo Sumin retorted, annoyed.

“And why are you teaching her? I was the one who taught Yura her spear technique!”

“The core technique is hers, not yours. Just because you added a few elements doesn’t make it yours.”

“Ever heard of joint ownership?”

“And the Heavenly Demon is citing copyright over martial arts?”

“And who are you to teach my Yura spear techniques?”

“Hmph. ‘Your Yura’? What nonsense. She sought me out first.”

“Yura, is that true?”

“Huh? Uh... Well... But why are you two acting so intense all of a sudden...”

Kang Yura didn’t understand why the two were in a standoff.

And that it was all because of her.

* * *

“Is this the place?”

Yu-hyun halted as he took in the view before him.

It was an unusual world. To his right was a bleak, frozen wasteland; to his left was a warm, radiant sky filled with light.

He stood on a distinct border where the black and white lands met without blending.

Ahead of him was a small cabin hidden between dimensions.

Though invisible to others, Yu-hyun’s enhanced sight, including his Golden Eye of Fire and Laplace’s Eye, saw it clearly.

He walked toward the cabin.

Passing through the front yard, he felt a strange sensation as he crossed a dimensional barrier but ignored it.

Creak.

The door, apparently long unattended, groaned as he opened it.

“Welcome.”

Inside, someone greeted Yu-hyun.

As if they had expected him to arrive.

“It’s been a while, False Prophet... or should I say, Jin Cheong-woon?”

Jin Cheong-woon.

The man sat alone on a chair, waiting for Yu-hyun.