TL: Yul, xLordFifth
PR: Gort
—Pain was familiar.
He thought it was familiar.
That was what he thought after going through so many types of pain. Although his memory was a blur, he had still died before.
From dying to returning to the past to now, Lee Sungmin’s life had never been smooth. There was always an enemy; there was always conflict.Never had there been an easy victory. In retrospect, all the opponents Lee Sungmin faced had pushed him to the brink of death.But death never claimed him. Regardless of the circumstances, Lee Sungmin always emerged victorious. The protection of fate ensured his survival in such a manner.The more he fought, the more his body resembled not a human’s but that of a monster, and the regenerative abilities he acquired healed even fatal wounds instantly, keeping Lee Sungmin on the move.This regenerative power was a curse. If only he had been born with the weak body of a human…“Ah, aaaaah….”He wouldn’t have had to suffer this pain.Geniella’s words were right. Pain never became familiar. It was only that his pain tolerance increased.In the past, despite excruciating pain, he could disregard it. It wasn’t about becoming accustomed to the pain; it was about increasing tolerance.No matter how painful, he could think, “This much is nothing….” because he had already experienced such levels of pain. That’s why he could endure. He thought it was manageable.But when that pain went beyond a certain threshold, reaching a domain never felt before…Geniella was skilled at inflicting pain. Living for hundreds of years had taught her how to break and subdue the human spirit through pain.To Geniella, Lee Sungmin was the ultimate toy. He had the spirit of a human yet wasn’t easily broken.Geniella had already dismembered Lee Sungmin’s fingers and arms dozens of times, which regenerated.His dismembered arms were reconstructed from the bones. A complete monster’s body, overflowing with yokai energy, refused to let Lee Sungmin die.[You damn wretch!]Heoju screamed. He gritted his teeth, deeply feeling his own powerlessness.All he could do now was to keep calling Lee Sungmin’s name to prevent his spirit from shattering and to push Geniella away with his yokai energy.[[Lee Sungmin-nim!]]Rubia cried out, tears in her voice. She was just as powerless.She had inhabited Lee Sungmin’s embrace to shield him from a fatal attack that could lead to death to take it in his place.She held her breath for the critical moment to unleash the protection of the dead Queen of Spirits, who had protected the Crazy Heavenly Demon once in the past. However, Lee Sungmin was already cornered before she could act.“Move aside….!”Oslo charged forward with a scream, her body wrapped in light. Her charge seemed quite powerful.Had it landed, it truly would have been.“I told you.”Geniella lowered her outstretched hand. She laughed lightly, watching Oslo, who’s body was pierced by dozens of spikes.“You can’t do it. You’re too weak.”“Ah… uh….”“Are you familiar with pain, immortal? It doesn’t seem so… Do you know why? Did you think you could do something to me in this forest? Ahaha, isn’t that too arrogant? What confidence do you have? Sure, you’ve lived longer than me. But all that time, in this peaceful forest, playing house with mischievous fairies… how could you stop me?”Listening to Geniella’s mocking, Oslo twisted her body. Every movement brought excruciating pain, whitening her consciousness.Il-Chun… Il-Chun…Oslo called his name through her sobs.“He’s dead.”I don’t want to hear any whining. Geniella flicked her finger.
PUAAK!! A red spike shot up from beneath Osla’s jaw, piercing her head straight through.“Even if you wail and call for the dead Lord, do you think he’ll come back to life? Oh, sorry, sorry. He was your master, wasn’t he?”Geniella stopped her mockery and looked down at Lee Sungmin.“He was a foolish human. I kindly even went as far as to tell him that he would soon die… And yet, knowing of his death, he didn’t run away. Did he think that was brave?”“Shut… up…!”Lee Sungmin spluttered out, blood spilling from his lips. Geniella cackled easily, tearing through his yokai energy with her hand.“Heoju, please learn a bit from this. You, left with only your soul, can’t do anything. Did you think I wouldn’t know? You’ve lingered too long. You’ve already reached your limit, haven’t you?”[Shut up.]Heoju’s spiritual power surged as though his reverse scale was touched.
Geniella laughed out loud.“It’s natural to have limits. It’s been hundreds of years since you died. No matter how powerful of a yokai you were, to only have your soul remain for such a long time must be painful… you’re scraping together the remnants of the yokai energy you once wielded just to stay in this world. Why are you still here? Do you have any lingering attachments to this world?”[Shut up…!]Geniella was right. Heoju had lingered in this world for far too long. When he stepped out of the Sleeping Forest many years ago, his limit quickly approached.If not for the fact that he absorbed remnants of his old yokai energy from the south along the way, he would have reached his limits even faster. (TL: he might be referring to when LSM and he went and got the dragon heart, bones, and infinite alcohol gourd.)“Right now, you can’t even forcibly move that powerless body.”Damn woman. He should have killed her 400 years ago. Heoju gritted his teeth in regret.What she said was true.Previously, while Lee Sungmin was unconscious, he could briefly move Lee Sungmin’s body in his place.But now, having reached his limit in staying in this world this way, even that was impossible.“I wonder what kind of good fortune you expect to see by staying in this world.”[Hey.]Heoju ignored Geniella.[Are you listening?]Lee Sungmin was blankly listening to Heoju’s voice. It hurt. It hurt so much.His entire body.His thoughts couldn’t connect properly because of the red spike piercing through his eyes.[She didn’t say anything wrong. Why, for what good fortune, am I staying in this world?]Heoju chuckled to himself.[I could have left this world ten years ago. But I didn’t. It wasn’t my end I wanted to see, but yours. I wanted to see… what you would do. Whether you, struggling, could actually save this dogshit world.]Are you listening? Heoju asked again.[You did your best. You did. You’re a tragic kid. Does it hurt a lot?]‘Yeah.’[What will you do now? Your strategy failed. Even though you fought in this forest, you couldn’t bring down that crazy woman. It’s unavoidable. Geniella is stronger than you thought.]What will you do now? Heoju asked again.[You worked hard. If some fucker laughs and says that’s all you’re capable of, I’ll kill him. You did your best. You did all you could. But still… that’s the way it is. No matter how hard you try, some things just don’t work out. You can fail.]Trying your best doesn’t guarantee success.[After all this… I guess it’s alright to give up.]‘Haha… That’s not like you.’
[I feel sorry for you… that’s why.]I pity you.Heeju’s added words had Lee Sungmin laughing merrily.“Okay.”Geniella licked her lower lip.“It seems you can endure this level of pain. I’m bored of plucking out fingers and eyes. Shall we enjoy something more? How about ripping out the innards? Have you properly seen organs before? The stomach, liver, or the intestine… Did you know? The intestine is incredibly long. I wonder how long yours is.”Or.[…Let your mind go.]Heeju offered advice.“Should I torment someone else instead?”[Don’t listen.]Geniella stood up from her crouched position.
His senses were heightened. There was a smell—not the acrid smell of spilled blood, but something different. Lee Sungmin recognized that smell.Don’t feel it, Heeju said again, his voice shaking. He was sincerely saying this for Lee Sungmin’s sake.So Lee Sungmin wouldn’t fall into further despair. So that he wouldn’t scream.[This is too cruel.]I know.She always had this smell about her.The scent of some nameless wildflower.Lee Sungmin’s fingertips trembled.“Do you want to see?” Geniella asked with a smile. A magical force forcibly turned Lee Sungmin’s head to the side.He opened his only eye wide. He saw Geniella standing up, her shoulders shaking with laughter, her feet lightly tapping from excitement, and Baek Sogo standing in front of her with a deathly pale face.–She came back after killing Kuhn.The death of Kuhn would return his power to Geniella, but she thought it would be fine if she joined forces with her junior brother and fought together.Kuhn was strong, and the full moon made his power and regenerative abilities even stronger, so it took longer than expected.But it wasn’t difficult. His attacks were not lethal, nor was he as fast as she.It was easier than she thought. On her way here, she thought the fight with Geniella would be easier than expected.If she fought alongside her junior brother, she thought she could defeat the so-called powerful vampire queen.
–“…brother?” (TL: so Baek Sogo calls Lee Sungmin “사제 (師弟),” which means junior brother in Murim, over and over again throughout the novel)“Don’t worry.”The one who answered wasn’t Lee Sungmin but Geniella.“Even looking like that, he’s still alive. Continuously regenerating even at this moment. Impressive, isn’t it?”“Junior brother….”“He’s listening to everything we are calling out. Why? Do you want to hear his voice? Then, let me help you.”Geniella flicked her lifted hand.Wham!A red spike burst from the floor, piercing through Lee Sungmin’s abdomen. The coiled intestines came up close to Lee Sungmin’s nose.“Aaaahhh!”A scream erupted from Lee Sungmin’s mouth. Please, senior sister. Lee Sungmin bit his trembling lips.
Run away.He said, with his lips twitching slightly. Heoju did not say anything more.I didn’t want to show you this. Heoju’s muttering sounded distant.“Junior brother!”Baek Sogo screamed. Her mind went blank. Her foot stomped on the ground. Shadowless Steps unfolded as naturally as breathing, moving Baek Sogo’s body.Her eyes wide open, she charged towards Geniella.“Please, senior sister.”Lee Sungmin called out to Baek Sogo with a choked voice. You can never defeat that monster. Run, you have to run. His consciousness wavered.It feels like I’m going to shatter.“Yeah.”Geniella chuckled softly.Baek Sogo’s hand, reaching for her neck, was caught by Geniella’s hand. She gently smiled as she twisted and bent Baek Sogo’s wrist.Baek Sogo did not resist but instead rotated her body so that her wrist would not break.During this, Baek Sogo’s other hand sliced off Geniella’s wrist. Pfftt! Blood spurted from the severed wrist. Lee Sungmin, tears of blood streaming down his face, looked at Baek Sogo. Baek Sogo’s eyes met Lee Sungmin’s.‘Why are you crying?’That’s what Baek Sogo thought.‘Does it hurt a lot?’Don’t worry, Junior brother. It’s okay. Like how you’ve saved me from danger several times before, I can save you this time.Baek Sogo’s hand reached out. A stretched sleeve flew towards Geniella, who was grinning at them.“Please.”“Yeah?”Geniella turned her head to look at Lee Sungmin.“What did you say?”Baek Sogo collapsed on the spot. She blankly blinked as she watched the dripping blood. Geniella pulled out her hand that was buried in Baek Sogo’s abdomen.“You should have spoken sooner. Then I could have stopped appropriately.”“Ah… uh…”Blood dripped from Baek Sogo’s mouth.“Aaaaah!”Lee Sungmin vomited blood as he cried out. His regenerated body started to move. Before it could fully move, Geniella flicked a magic orb, bursting Lee Sungmin’s head.“It’s okay, it’s okay. I won’t kill you. Not yet, anyway.”Humans are troublesome, though. Geniella took out a bottle of Elixir and poured it into Baek Sogo’s gaping wound.“It’s hard to control my strength.”Geniella muttered this as she lifted her gaze.“Are you just going to watch?”Geniella addressed this question to those hidden in the darkness.
—
Hey guys, it’s Yul here. Hopefully, chapter releases will be more frequent from now. This chapter was pretty heavy.
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