Lee Sungmin wanted to ignore the night and move undisturbed. Even if he got a guide, the fact that this forest was a dangerous place remains unchanged. At night, fear and energy thickened disturbingly and empowered the monsters. It was more or less an act of suicide for anybody to do such a thing.
As he was advised not to do anything stupid during the night, Lee Sungmin left the evil spirits and returned to the fire, changed his mind to go in the morning. The spirits hovered around Lee Sungmin without leaving.
Eventually morning came and Lee Sungmin got up fatigued and prepared his breakfast.
[Come on then, let’s go!], Heoju exclaimed in a cheery voice.
He looked the happiest since he was tied to Lee Sungmin as a mere soul fragment. He had finally returned to the forest he had dwelled in for so long and it was brimming with the power of fear. Why wouldn’t he feel great?
Lee Sungmin could not relate to Heoju. Heoju had died while having things still intact like his territory and powers of fear. While Lee Sungmin had died a dog’s death in an unknown dungeon to many in his past life. But, he wasn’t going to ruin Heoju’s happiness over some dull feelings.
“What happened to the pursuers?”, he asked the group including Heoju. Though the group wouldn’t be able to hear Heoju’s response.
[Gahahahah! I don’t know for sure but, they probably experienced hell for a nightime. Maybe some of them are already crazy or dead. Fear is like a contagious disease in this forest.], said Heoju ringing out with laughter inside Lee Sungmin’s head
“Maybe they gave up pursuit and went back.”, Rubia suggested.
“Maybe. They should be somewhat smart. They’re sure to be sensitive to deaths around them if they aren’t fools and head back.”, The Crazy Heavenly Demon added, hoping the pursuers would piss off already.
“That’s only if they aren’t arrogant and made a stupid decision”, Lee Sungmin spoke, shutting down the hopefulness and bringing light to the more likely truth.
When Lee Sungmin began to move, the spirits followed suit. In the morning of the forest and in the low shadows of the trees, the evil spirits were faintly visible among the surroundings.
[This way… this way… With…], dozens of demons talked like that in Lee Sungmin’s head.
“Huh, you’ve been resourceful here and there, but now you can even communicate with spirits?”
“Yeah don’t ask too much about it…”
Since Lee Sungmin didn’t introduce Heoju to The Crazy Heavenly Demon, he made up an excuse saying he had learned the skill in the past. Byuk Won-Pae did look surprised but he did not doubt Lee Sungmin in the slightest.
He followed the spirits that were guiding them. This time the group wasn’t wandering around in circles like before as they noticed the landscapes slowly change bit by bit.
‘Where are they leading us?’ , Lee Sungmin asked Heoju as he understood that the yokai had given them instructions.
[Isn’t it obvious? We’re going to get my damn treasures already! HAHAHAH!], Heoju cheered loudly, as Lee Sungmin could feel Heoju’s soul fragment tingling with excitement within his dantian.
It was only a side attraction to get the treasures as Lee Sungmin wanted to escape the forest and leave as soon as possible. He was more focused on getting to the tribe The Crazy Heavenly Demon had met in the past and learning their ways of handling forces and energy.
The spirits however, weren’t that fast as they were incorporeal and floated at a rather slow pace.
—
Two days had passed since Lee Sungmin’s group had followed the spirits. They were growing frustrated at the time spent in this blasted forest when suddenly, Lee Sungmin came to a stop. But, it wasn’t just his steps that stopped. The spirits guiding them halted too.
[Wow…Wow…]
[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…]
The evil spirits trembled in awe. He moved with the spirits for two days, but this was the first time they made this kind of response. On the way, he killed some monsters that tried to obstruct them, but the spirits never responded to his amazing martial arts or skills.
It was different this time. Suddenly, the spirits started to turn grey and scatter as small specks of light came into contact with them. They trembled as they finally dissipated abruptly from the domineering intent that poured over them.
Paaaaaaah!
The hideous presence completely disintegrated the spirits. The bushes and trees shivered. The forest, which was full of a disgusting fear that pressed on all individuals within the forest, disappeared for a second like it was all a complete lie.
“Strange…”, Lee Sungmin muttered.
Lee Sungmin didn’t dare to move from the sudden intense pressure that befell them a moment ago. His gaze finally shifted to the being that started to emerge from the forestry. A man with red hair, and a face so haggard you would think he was just waking up from a hangover, came into view. He met Lee Sungmin’s eyes with his own eyes devoid of any emotion.
[No it can’t be… Henemy?]
Heoju spoke as if he could not possibly believe it. Henemy . Lee Sungmin muttered the name in a small voice. He was the King of Monsters belonging to Predator. One of the monsters that reigned at the top of Predator when Heoju was alive. But, he was known to be possessed by Kumiho from the information he knew of. Lee Sungmin was wary, but the man in front of him looked so fragile as if he would shatter if you tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
Things weren’t adding up. But regardless, Heoju identified the man in front of him as Henemy.
When Lee Sungmin travelled to the North, he had seen what one of the 5 elders of Predator was like. The Vampire Queen Geniella, was the complete opposite from this man. She was like a tidal wave of ominous, vile power. The man in front of him was like an ant who got washed up from the shore of a beach.
Lee Sungmin was confused.
[He’s weaker than he was 300 years ago… What the hell happened?]
[Heoju?], the man’s mouth opened.
He blinked at Lee Sungmin as the man was confused why he felt the presence of Heoju in a human. Lee Sungmin nodded in response to the gaze. Lee Sungmin’s biggest question was about the whereabouts of Kumiho, the Nine-Tailed Fox. Kumiho had defeated Henemy, but there was more. Wasn’t Kumiho supposed to be possessing the body?
[I thought he died 400 years ago… Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. Monsters of his caliber obviously wouldn’t die so easily.]
Henemy smiled widely. Unlike Heoju who was born as a monster from birth, Henemy was a monster that was born human that turned into a monster later on.
[Why did you come here after 400 years? Looks like you didn’t even have full control of that human body…], Henemy continued.
[He came to take mine.], Heoju replied flatly.
Heoju suddenly started to raise Lee Sungmin’s internal energy forcibly, as Lee Sungmin was shocked albeit for a second, could feel Heoju did it out of uneasiness of the man in front of them.
[Ah how interesting it is, that you of all people came back here after 400 years hahah!] , Henemy laughed as the corners of his lips curved upwards to form a malicious grin.
[What are you doing here?], Heoju asked, this time not in surprise but in a tone of hostility.
Lee Sungmin finally felt like the pieces of the puzzle were coming together now.
[Because my body looks like this.], Henemy replied in a cold manner this time, with zero emotion present on his face.
In the eyes of The Crazy Heavenly Demon, the man in front of them seemed to be talking to himself facing Lee Sungmin, but he felt that he understood now what was going on, albeit his guess was a bit different than the actual truth. He figured that Lee Sungmin himself was a spirit possessing the body. Which was partially true and not at the same time.
[My heart was ripped out], Henemy continued to speak.
Henemy moved his hands to grab the hem of his shirt and lifted upwards. Lee Sungmin flinched at the gruesome sight in front of him. There was a fist sized hole right through the man’s chest where one’s heart would normally be placed.
[It was taken away by the fox girl who is now controlling the elders behind the scenes at Predator.], Henemy spoke, revealing what had happened to him, and spilling some information that could be incredibly surprising if true.
But, Heoju was still wary and tense as he spoke.
[So…You’re here to take my strength from this place aren’t you?]
[That’s right.], Henemy replied flatly.
He had nothing left to hide. His pride as the King of Monsters had disappeared long ago when his heart was ripped out of his chest by a monster that wasn’t even at the level of the 5 elders 400 years ago.
[This forest is full of energy. I was trying to recover from my illness here. I was going to benefit from the fear and energy you left lingering behind.]
[How sad.], Heoju replied.
[But, at least I’m not dead], Henemy grinned and continued.
[Unlike you.], his smile returned in a half joking manner.
[Hahaha! You got me there! Yes indeed I am dead, but also I am not at the same time.]
Heoju replied with a big smile releasing the energy and tension he had been holding onto up till now out of vigilance.
[If you want to restore your strength by holding onto your life like that, then do as you please. You don’t need to see me any longer in this pitiful state…], Henemy spoke in a quiet tone towards the end.
Henemy then turned his attention to Lee Sungmin and nodded his head.
[You’re standing at the border between man and monster. You’re not even half-way there. What a weirdo.], he murmured at Lee Sungmin and then turned around to leave and vanished.
[I don’t need any more guidance from here to find the treasure.]
Heoju said to Lee Sungmin as he returned his seeping energy back inside Lee Sungmin’s armor and dantian.
Eventually Heoju led them with his knowledge, and the group finally appeared in front of a huge mansion that was infested with weeds and rubble.
[It was good to see in the old days. There were many slaves in the back courtyard. I even used to personally tend to the garden.], Heoju murmured regretfully.
They passed the gate and looked around. Rubia came out of Lee Sungmin’s arms and turned back into a human form. She and the Crazy Heavenly Demon looked around intrigued how such a mansion could be inside a horrid forest.
[That should be it.]
Lee Sungmin stopped walking at Heoju’s words. He hadn’t even entered the mansion yet. Nearby was a sunken hole that was once a pond. Heoju’s energy shot out of the armor suddenly. A surge of force swelled and popped in the air. The goblets surrounding the mansion lit with an eerie, green fire. The goblin fire brimmed with life and in front of the mansion a spatial rift formed in front of Lee Sungmin and stabilized.
It took the form of a black and rusted door.
[Go ahead], Heoju said, quelling Lee Sungmin’s anxiety.
Lee Sungmin put his hand on the door and the power of the yokai borrowed from Heoju’s enveloped his body lightly as if embracing him like a child.
To Rubia and the Crazy Heavenly Demon it looked as if Lee Sungmin had gone delusional and was grasping at the air. But, that was due to the safety measures Heoju setup to avoid his treasures being robbed by other sorcerers who might be able to see through the illusion. Even if they saw the door, it wouldn’t open unless they had Heoju’s personal signature of yokai power.
The door creaked open as Lee Sungmin heard the grinding and creaking of small gears opening the door using old machinery. He peered inside but didn’t step inside as he couldn’t see past 2 meters in front of him.
[Come on inside and you’ll see.], Heoju told Lee Sungmin with a warm smile as he savored the nostalgia he had.
‘Are you sure it’s alright?’ , Lee Sungmin questioned.
[Don’t worry, if anything you’re the only person I’m willing to give these things to, so go ahead.], Heoju replied.
Lee Sungmin cautiously put a step in the space and noticed nothing malicious happened so he sighed. Rubia and The Crazy Heavenly Demon’s jaws were about to fall off their face as, from their perspective, Lee Sungmin just walked into thin air and vanished.
Inside was a white subspace completely opposite to the original dark corridor he had expected to be in. It reminded Lee Sungmin of the time he had spent in his own subconscious during Denir’s Trials.
But instead of just white empty space, there were several boxes laying around neatly.
Heoju and Lee Sungmin were connected to each other so Lee Sungmin felt Heoju’s sense of pride soar as if showing off his trophies.
[Go ahead and open one.], Heoju said with an undeniable happiness in his voice.
Lee Sungmin then approached a nearby box and opened the lid. Inside, was what seemed to be some kind of green gem shaped like a ruby. He didn’t know what it was and looked at it confusedly.
[Hoh? Is this your first time seeing one of these?] Heoju asked, feeling Lee Sungmin’s confusion.
Although he pretty much expected Lee Sungmin to be confused as this was no ordinary object. In fact it was incredibly rare and only heard of in legends. If this was known to be obtained and sold through Erebrisa, the amount of people trying to obtain it would be in the billions.
‘What is it?’, Lee Sungmin asked full of curiosity as he felt an inexplicable foreign energy surging through the air around the gem.
[…This… is the heart of a Dragon.], Heoju replied.