When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Through the fierce wind, the spirit stones that Youngchae had thrown rose up. Then—
BOOM! CRASH!
The spiritual power enveloping Sehwa's body began to surge and swirl violently.
The onlookers' expressions tensed as they watched, barely able to keep their eyes open against the powerful wind.
"This, this might be...!"
Could this be the process of becoming a complete Divine Beast?
The previous form of the White Dragon had seemed both like and unlike a Divine Beast. For one thing, it lacked two horns, and its body was small, as if not yet fully mature. Divine Beasts were immortal with incredibly fast healing—Sehwa shouldn't have lost consciousness and collapsed like this.
'Perhaps the slightly deficient spiritual power is being filled, allowing her to be reborn as a perfect Divine Beast.'
Excitement spread across everyone's faces.
More than the fact that she would become a Divine Beast, they were anticipating that once she became one, any wound would heal in the blink of an eye.
The whirlwind of spiritual power continued for a very long time.
Everyone watched with great anticipation as the flower-like spiritual power gradually grew smaller.
And then, at the moment everything began to settle—
In the dark pre-dawn sky outside the mansion, unnoticed by anyone, the heavens briefly split open.
Through that gap appeared a bright blue daytime sky. Simultaneously, stars began to shine.
The sunlight streaming through the rift was like silk scattered across the earth, and the sight of the entire sky filled with countless stars was magnificent.
But it was incredibly brief.
The daytime sky closed its eyes and vanished, as if saying it wasn't yet time.
The dark night sky maintained its place as if nothing had happened.
Due to the late hour, almost no one witnessed this spectacle. Those in the annex were still watching what appeared to be the final stages of the awakening.
After a long while, the flower of spiritual power opened, and something white peeked through.
Just as the three sisters clasped hands in tension, expecting to see their young lady as a Divine Beast—
"Hmm?"
Ju Myoungyoon frowned first, sensing something strange.
"Huh?"
"This is..."
All the observers could only blink before turning to look at Baek Giha.
"...What in the world."
Baek Giha too stared for a long while at where the spiritual power had dissipated, completely stunned by this unexpected outcome.
On the bed lay Sehwa, transformed as everyone had expected.
However, breathing peacefully with a face notably more relaxed than before despite still being unconscious, was not the White Dragon they had all anticipated, but—
"Huu... kyu."
A baby white tiger.
The three sisters carefully examined the body of the sleeping white tiger.
The wounds that had been twisted by the flames had all disappeared, and there seemed to be no other problems.
This alone made them so happy that they embraced each other with tears in their eyes.
Though it was somewhat concerning that they hadn't seen her open her eyes, the baby white tiger occasionally mumbling "nyam, nya" didn't seem at all like someone who was unconscious or in pain.
They wondered why she had taken this form. But compared to the joy of their young lady being alive, such questions meant nothing.
Behind them, Baek Giha was sweating profusely.
"F-Father."
He had used spiritual power desperately for two nights without any rest.
He had been afraid that if he was late, it would lead to irreversible consequences.
Afraid that he might never see Sehwa again. That he would have to live alone for a very long time with an empty heart.
He would never forget the urgency of that moment when he ran with his heart about to burst from fear.
But now...
"This is, well, that is... well..."
The tension he felt now as Sehwa's face grew more peaceful was no less than what he had felt then.
When the Elder's gaze flew steadily toward him, he felt an enormous pressure to explain something.
But what could he explain?
He too had no idea what was happening in this situation.
Meanwhile, the tactless Baek Manyong continued to exclaim with an extremely moved and touched expression.
"How can this be! Look at this appearance. The black fur that flows with such grace across the white fur whiter than snow, darker and more lustrous than a crow's feathers! Not only is the contrast of colors perfect, but the pink nose and these pink paw pads amid the delicately proportioned features! My word. She looks exactly like our Clan Head did when he was young. When I was young and saw that form of the Clan Head, I was so surprised and amazed that I vowed again and again to dedicate my life to the Baek clan. Besides, how long has it been since the line of Divine Beasts was broken, and now another Divine Beast is born in the Baek clan alone? This must be Heaven's profound intention to use the Baek clan for the most important matters. The young lady was destined to abandon the Ju clan and become part of the Baek clan!"
"!"
'...This bastard?!'
There are things you should and shouldn't say at moments like this. Why was he stoking anger by completely uprooting their gratitude for protecting the mansion?
Baek Giha, terrified upon seeing Ju Myoungyoon's murderous glare, signaled toward the door, but Baek Manyong continued speaking in the meantime.
"How could she embody all the features of the Baek clan without missing a single detail? This Baek Manyong cannot help but marvel at this auspicious event never before experienced, and to the young lady who is destined to raise the status of the Baek clan throughout the Mystic Realm as the second Divine Beast— mmph!"
Unable to wait for someone to come take him away, Baek Giha personally covered Baek Manyong's mouth and dragged him out the door.
Ju Myoungyoon watched them leave with a cold gaze before approaching the bed.
He quietly looked down at the small white tiger lying with its legs stretched out and eyes closed.
"Looking at how she's not curling up, she must be comfortable."
"We'll have to wait until she wakes up to be sure."
"True."
Nodding his head, Ju Myoungyoon spoke to the three sisters.
"Thanks to the Baek Clan Head, we've put out the urgent fire, so you too should stop being stubborn and drink the medicine Merchant Ji brings. You need to be healthy to endure a long journey."
"A journey?"
"Yes. Pack Sehwa's belongings once you've taken the medicine and recovered. It seems Sehwa had more to do here, but it might be dangerous to stay like this."
The old warrior's eyes flashed as he stroked the head of the sleeping white tiger.
"We will go to the Baek clan."
"!"
Baek Giha, who was entering the room, stopped at those words.
"Really?"
Ju Myoungyoon nodded at his quiet approach and question.
"Manyong!"
At the Clan Head's call, Baek Manyong, who seemed somewhat more dejected than before from whatever he had heard, peeked into the room.
Regardless, Baek Giha's face brightened as he commanded his chancellor with shining blue eyes.
"Send the signal we prepared. It's time for us to leave this place!"
"You stupid wench!"
SMACK!
"...!"
The Mystic Ruler roughly struck Seowol's bruised face.
Seowol's lips trembled as she clenched her teeth against the terrible pain.
"You make this mess of things and still had the mind to take medicine as soon as you returned?! You pathetic thing!"
Despite her ruined shoulder, Seowol kept her gaze down and endured the verbal abuse without moving an inch.
Her face half-melted by spiritual power and the arm where muscles had burst from the Baek clan chancellor's arrow still hadn't fully healed despite taking medicine immediately upon return.
The fear that she might have to live with this appearance forever dominated Seowol more strongly than any other pain.
"Consider yourself lucky you brought back the Divine Dragon's spirit orb. Otherwise, I would have burned you to death right here."
"I apologize. But if you give me just one more chance, this time I will surely—"
"Useless thing. Get out! Go take care of Kyunghyun's body!"
"What? M-Mystic Ruler! Mystic Ruler!"
She desperately grabbed the Mystic Ruler as they turned away.
"Even though I brought back the spirit orb... please at least switch my body. At this rate, Seowol will..."
"Have you lost your mind? You want me to beg them on behalf of someone like you after messing up like this?! Forget it! Get out!"
"M-Mystic Ruler! Any body will do. As long as it's female, I won't complain. So please!"
"Didn't I tell you to get out?!"
"Mystic Ruler! Mystic Ruler! I brought back the spirit orb with great difficulty. Please! Mystic Ruler!"
The guards dragged away Seowol's ruined body.
Ignoring the fading screams, the old man returned to his seat and anxiously drummed his armrest.
'Ju Myoungyoon must know everything now. What do I do?'
It didn't matter whether that old warrior knew what he had done or not. He was a card meant to be discarded anyway.
But once that guy starts preparing, it will become even more difficult to bring that girl Sehwa.
'What should I do? Should I send troops under the Mystic Ruler's name, framing them with the crime of treason?'
At that moment, the Chief Attendant who had been away quietly approached.
He reported with a trembling voice.
"Mystic Ruler... They are calling for you."
"!"
The old man froze for a moment, unable to move right away.
"The servant girl? Did you send in the servant girl?"
"Yes. As soon as I received the order to bring you, I sent in another one. Today, they've already consumed eight."
The old man's face, like an ancient tree, turned pale.
He gripped the armrest in intense fear.
But he had to go.
Rising unsteadily, he slowly walked somewhere.
The old man passed through the entrance of multiple sealed chambers and slowly descended a long stone staircase devoid of light.
Clank-clank—
As he went deeper, the sound of chains clashing and a pungent bloody smell grew stronger.
Dry saliva passed down the old man's throat.
Despite the perfectly sealed stone chamber, a hot and humid wind continued to blow from somewhere.
As he stepped off the stairs, a massive cavity appeared before the old man's eyes.
A heavily cracked and torn voice, like rags, resonated in his head rather than his ears.
-That girl?
The Mystic Ruler's complexion grew even paler.
-That girl?
"I apologize."
-!!
The old man's face contorted at the strong burst of sound that threatened to tear his ears.
It was such powerful spiritual force that an ordinary person would have immediately collapsed, spewing blood from all seven orifices.
The old man's throat moved again, swallowing dry saliva.
-Didn't I say we must find her! Before she becomes a Divine Beast!
"About that, don't worry. She just completed her exuviation, and we've recovered the Divine Dragon's spirit orb, so she won't be able to become a Divine Beast—"
-You fool!
Another tremendous heat wave swept through.
"!!"
Unable to withstand the heat, the old man finally collapsed.
-Did you not feel that presence that spread last night! Did you not feel that the time of awakening is approaching! We must stop it. If necessary, even if we have to turn that girl into a Corrupt Dragon!
"...Awakening?"
-Judging by how small the change was, she probably isn't a proper Divine Beast yet. Time is of the essence. Find that girl as quickly as possible!
The twisted and broken voice commanded through gritted teeth.
-Once you find her, capture her without looking back at anything. We must have her in our grasp!
Something writhing before the old man opened its mouth, revealing fierce anger in its bright yellow eyes.
KYAAAAK!
As the ear-splitting screech shook the sealed chamber, the old man staggered, blood flowing from his nose and ears.
-If not, you'll be next! I won't leave you alone either!
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