When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 116
Chapter 116
“Aaaargh!!”
The moment the aura surrounding the beast touched Ju Suyeon, a searing pain, as if she were being burned alive, shot through her.
Ju Suyeon screamed, the agonizing pain feeling as if her body was being ripped into a thousand pieces.
The pain was so intense that she couldn't think.
She couldn’t even register that her flesh was burning and melting.
The Mystic Ruler, still frozen in place, stared blankly at the horrifying scene, unable to even think of escaping.
‘…What… am I looking at?’
Even as he watched, he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.
The Mystic Ruler’s unblinking eyes finally blinked slowly.
Even after regaining his focus, the sight before him remained unchanged.
What should he call that?
The large beast was enveloped in a light that seemed to emanate from deep within its body, as if the sun itself had descended.
The aura radiating from its back looked like wings, and its form resembled a deer.
It seemed to have shimmering scales along its neck, and its face and horns, within the bright light, resembled a dragon.
The old man had lived for a very long time.
By switching bodies, by submitting to the Corrupt Dragon that ruled the Ju Clan.
He had prolonged his life for a long time through a wretched method, but he had a reason.
It was a dream he had had long ago, when he first took over his son's body.
One day, he would become a Divine Beast, the last Red Dragon of the Mystic Realm.
He would save his dying world and etch his existence into eternity as the greatest Divine Beast.
He would not let his son’s sacrifice be in vain.
That resolve had faded considerably over the years, as he endlessly consumed his own bloodline without any results.
However, the single goal of becoming a Divine Beast remained, making him cling to life.
Even Baek Giha's appearance hadn't erased the old man’s dream.
He was confident that even if he couldn’t be the only Divine Beast, he would be the one to save the Mystic Realm.
Therefore, he believed he could endure any sacrifice for his grand dream. Nothing could be achieved without sacrifice.
But at this moment…
The old man felt as if his lifelong dream was being completely shattered by someone.
‘Is that… also a Divine Beast? Another Divine Beast has appeared?’
What he saw before him didn’t resemble any of the seven known Divine Beasts of the Mystic Realm.
But a divine aura overflowed from its entire being, leaving no doubt that it was a Divine Beast.
The five-colored aura was also full of vitality, and beneath the beast’s long legs, which seemed to tread on air, green spring grass sprouted.
The old man trembled.
A chill ran down his spine.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Yet, he couldn’t stop the immense despair that welled up within him.
He had a feeling. A realization he didn’t want to acknowledge.
Perhaps… this dying world had been waiting for that being.
That the old would fade away…
And the era of new Divine Beasts would arrive.
That he had no place in this historical moment.
—Didn’t you feel that presence last night? Didn’t you feel the coming of the awakening?! You have to stop it. Even if it means turning that girl into a Corrupt Dragon!
Why was he remembering that voice now, ringing sharply in his ears?
‘…That spiritual power earlier… It wasn’t Baek Giha, was it? …Could it be…?’
“You… Ju… Sehwa…?”
At his words, the being’s gaze shifted to the Mystic Ruler.
“!!!!!”
And then…
The being, despite its divine appearance, which had been cruelly burning Ju Suyeon's body, now flew towards the Mystic Ruler.
Baek Giha moved quickly.
Finding the key to the suppression seal was his top priority, so he frantically searched the bodies of the unconscious warriors.
Since he had to search so many bodies, it took him quite some time.
So, by the time he subdued Sa Yeonju and her guards, found the key, and headed towards where the incomprehensible being had gone, it was already over.
The Mystic Ruler’s warriors lay scattered on the path like stepping stones, their eyes closed.
Following their trail, Baek Giha noticed something strange.
Even though so many people had ridden through here, their horses’ hooves churning the earth…
Freshly sprouted green grass and small flowers were vividly blooming on the dirt path, in the shape of stepping stones, like footprints.
They weren't exceptionally beautiful or eye-catching, just simple, ordinary flowers and grass, yet they exuded an indomitable vitality, as if they couldn't be trampled by any despair or persecution.
For some reason, as he looked at them, Baek Giha felt his throat tighten. An inexplicable, instinctive joy made him feel tense.
He followed the trail. And at the end of the path, he saw Sehwa, still in her transformed state.
The beast’s neck was held high, its gaze clear.
But its light-shrouded body, except for a brief moment, was mostly formless and unstable.
As if a form not yet ready had been forcibly pulled out.
Standing on air, just an inch above the ground on four long legs, she was looking at something and making a low, mournful sound.
Each time she did, a blue light pulsed strongly within the five-colored aura.
“Sehwa!”
The beast’s gaze turned towards him.
At that moment, the light surrounding the beast exploded outwards.
“!!”
In that brief moment, as he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light…
The bright aura transformed into the form of a breathtakingly beautiful woman and scattered into the air.
As her long, black hair cascaded down like a veil, Sehwa, her hazy gaze fixed on him, opened her red lips with difficulty.
“…Please… take care… of Mother…”
“Sehwa!”
Baek Giha rushed forward to catch her as she slowly fell from the sky.
As he drew closer, he saw what she, in her beast form, had been protecting.
“Madam Ju!!”
After gently laying Sehwa down, he quickly ran towards Cheon Sua, who was lying unconscious on the ground.
“Aaargh!”
“M-Madam…”
“Y-You… crazy… bitch! Are you trying to burn my face off?!”
Ju Suyeon, her eyes wild with pain, grabbed the hair of the maid applying medicine to her face and shook her with her weakened arm.
“Madam! Madam!”
“Take this bitch away! Burn her face too!”
“Madam?! Madam!”
Afraid of her rage turning towards them if they hesitated even for a moment…
The maids hurriedly dragged away the maid who had been applying medicine to Ju Suyeon’s face.
“Madam!! Please spare me! Madam!”
“What are you all doing?! Hurry up and get another maid to apply the medicine!”
It would have been better to just drag the maid away.
After witnessing that scene, who would dare apply medicine to Ju Suyeon’s face?
The maids, wanting to avoid responsibility, exchanged fearful glances.
Even the Ju Clan’s secret medicine wasn't helping at all. If they continued to apply medicine and only exacerbated the pain, they might become the next victim.
Just as the maids hesitated, afraid to step forward, Ju Suyeon was about to scream at them to drag them all away…
“You have quite the nerve, coming back alone after abandoning your older sister. You should lower your voice before He hears you.”
Ju Suyeon, her lips trembling as she endured the pain, grimaced at the intruder who had barged into her room.
“…What… do you know? He saved me, so stop nagging… and just take me to Him… I need to switch bodies… quickly…”
Ju Suyeon’s memory of the incident was hazy, her skin completely melted, her muscles exposed in several places.
All she remembered was that whatever had been burning her body had suddenly flown away, and at that moment, the Corrupt Dragon’s spiritual power, accompanied by a strong wind, had saved her and the Mystic Ruler.
“......”
The Seventh Consort simply looked at Ju Suyeon without answering and sat down beside her.
“What? Do you… have more to say…?”
“You can’t switch bodies anymore, Sister.”
“…? What… did you say?”
“He said so Himself. You can’t switch bodies anymore, so either let you die on your own to lessen the pain… or end your life with my own hands.”
“!”
Ju Suyeon’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“I don’t know who did this to you, Sister, but He said your body and soul are fused because you absorbed that spiritual power for too long.”
“L-Lies… lies!!”
“It’s true. He said that even the Mystic Ruler, who was attacked for a much shorter time, might not be able to switch bodies now.”
“N-No way… no way!”
“......”
Ju Suyeon’s lips trembled as she denied it.
But the Seventh Consort’s expression remained unchanged.
Realizing the truth from her reaction, Ju Suyeon screamed.
“A… Aaargh! Aaargh!”
The Mystic Ruler was also groaning in pain, just like Ju Suyeon.
However, he was lying in a large cavern where even the lamplight couldn’t fully illuminate the space.
A damp wind stirred within the cavern.
The Mystic Ruler’s body trembled every time the Corrupt Dragon exhaled.
His master was barely preventing his skin, which wasn’t healing properly even with medicine, from melting further.
“C-Can I switch bodies?”
—…
“Master.”
—If you had been exposed to its spiritual energy even a little longer, your soul would have been completely fused to your body, making it impossible.
“S-So you can do it? I… I’ll be alright?”
—…I still can’t guarantee success.
“As long as there’s a chance, it’s fine. Let’s proceed. I… I can’t stand this body any longer…”
The old man clenched his grotesque fists, the bones visible beneath his melted skin, to endure the pain.
The five-colored spiritual energy surrounding the new Divine Beast had revitalized the surrounding trees and grass…
But it had melted the old man’s body as if lava had been poured on him.
“…Is that… her?”
The old man gritted his teeth, ignoring his broken gums.
“Is she… Ju Sehwa? Has she… transformed into a Divine Beast?”
—No. The heavens haven’t opened yet!
The Corrupt Dragon roared, its voice rough and cracked.
A grating sound, like chains dragging across the floor, followed each roar.
—So we have to capture her now! We might not get another chance!
You understand what I mean now, don't you?
The Mystic Ruler, his eyes bloodshot, nodded as he listened to the Corrupt Dragon’s voice.
He finally understood why his master had been so insistent on capturing Myoungyoon's daughter, why he had been in such a hurry.
‘I won’t let you… I will never allow you to become a new Divine Beast!’
The old man swore, enduring the agonizing pain by biting his lip until it bled.
Just then…
He heard cautious footsteps approaching, filled with fear, and several of his guards entered the cavern.
One of them was carrying something in their arms.
“…We’ve brought him, Mystic Ruler.”
The guard laid down the unconscious Ju Kyunghyun before the Mystic Ruler, whose skin was completely burnt.
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