Chapter 133: Leaving the Mountains

That night.

Because the inside of the cabin was narrow, the production crew, the Demon God, Yoon-seo, and Ji-ho ended up sleeping outdoors.

“Sun-woo, have you ever slept outdoors by any chance?”

MC Oh Sung-hyun approached the Demon God’s side.

As the filming time lengthened, he had come to speak informally before he knew it.

“Sleeping outdoors? Of course.”

“Of course? Was something like camping your hobby?”

“Rather than a hobby, it was daily life.”

“?”

The days of leading a massive army and roaming the universe.

The days of traveling from battlefield to battlefield, building barracks, and sleeping continued countlessly.

“You must have gone camping often.”

“Let’s go with that.”

“Then you must know how to pitch a tent?”

“No. I have never pitched one.”

“?”

Because barracks are pitched by subordinates.

Sleeping outdoors wasn’t arduous either.

Inside the Demon God’s barracks, it was as comfortable as the Demon King’s palace with all kinds of magical items.

It was so comfortable that it reached a point where subordinates sneaking in to spend time there emerged one after another.

– It is too comfortable!

– There are many delicious things too!

– Even the temperature and humidity are perfect!

– Shut up. Erect pillars outside and make sure to tie these fellows up.

Still, the subordinates caught did not easily decrease.

Because the sturdy subordinates were perfectly fine even if tied to a pillar for about a day.

Their missed faces flashed by.

Sorrow, indeed.

The Demon God closed and opened his eyes for a moment and looked at Oh Sung-hyun.

“Such being the case, help Ji-ho and complete the tent.”

“?”

Yoon-seo spoke.

“If you accept it as asking for help, your mind will be at ease.”

There is no risk of harming your mental health, and you can feel rewarded for helping others.

Oh Sung-hyun tilted his head, but eventually began to help Ji-ho pitch the tent….

Clatter, clatter.

It ended with the Demon God commending Oh Sung-hyun, who pitched the tent in no time like his former subordinates.

And when everyone went to bed.

“Yoon-seo, Ji-ho.”

The Demon God called the members quietly.

“Yes?”

“Why?”

“I shall go out for a moment. Do not be startled even if the time lengthens.”

The voices heard by the natural person were two conflicting ones.

One told the natural person to live well, and the other got angry at the natural person, asking why he survived alone.

The natural person himself considered it to be merely created by his own heart, but.

‘No. There are existences actually speaking to him.’

It was to the extent that it was amazing he had survived in this state.

“Sun-woo Hyung, what are you trying to do?”

“You’re not going far, right? The mountain at night is dangerous.”

“Would it be so for me too?”

Ji-ho, who was warning of danger, shut his mouth.

By common sense, hiking at night is dangerous.

Nonetheless, Sun-woo always transcends common sense. It didn’t seem particularly dangerous.

“Remember that the shooting continues tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

Having confirmed up to this point, Ji-ho closed his eyes peacefully.

His body was tired, inside the sleeping bag was cozy, and the mountain air was pleasant.

He normally slept well anyway, but today a deep sleep was guaranteed even more.

But Yoon-seo asked, feeling anxious in any case.

“Hyung, is there no need for me to go together?”

“You are in the way.”

“…….”

Conversation ended.

Yoon-seo also went to bed peacefully.

Rustle.

The Demon God came outside the tent.

He pricked up his ears at the blowing mountain wind—

– Return home. There is no need to be like this here. Here is…

– Why? Why did Dad survive alone? You should be beside us!

“Mhm.”

As soon as he heard the voices, the Demon God moved his steps quickly, yet secretly.

***

Deep in the mountains, an even deeper place.

At a place unreachable by human footsteps, a certain shadow was standing.

Because it was the mountain at midnight, it was dark all around, making it difficult to distinguish the shadow.

Nonetheless, there was clearly light faintly cast by the moon and stars.

Only the shadow existed as complete darkness, devouring even that light.

And, a voice flowed out from the shadow, which could hardly be called having a mouth.

– Why are you still there? Quickly come to where we are.

The voices of the wife and daughter were calling the natural person in anger.

Today, many people appeared around the natural person, who had always been alone. As if they disliked that even more, the voices had become considerably rough—

Rustle.

A person appeared.

At the sound of him stepping on the bushes, the shadow swayed its body as if pleased.

– Yes! Here! Please come this way! Why are you so late?

The calling voices only grew louder.

Rustle.

Once again, a step.

Approaching toward that direction.

– Here! This way….

Suddenly, the voices died down.

“Why? Didst thou not tell me to come?”

An uninvited existence appeared.

The Demon God, who goes where he wants, whenever he wants, appeared.

“This is yet another considerably insignificant existence.”

He was also a Demon God who spat out abuse as he pleased.

Trembling, the shadow shook.

“To think thou didst try to use the memories of one who suffered an accident in the mountains. The idea is excellent, but the quality is poor.”

The shadow’s shaking grew severe.

– Why? Why? Here! Come!

The repeating lines burst out intensely as if reflecting the shadow’s feelings.

“It seems thou canst only speak specific words. In this case, is it about a few words reviving the voices in the natural person’s memories.”

The Demon God paid no mind to the shadow’s feelings and continued his exploration.

The demonic Aura was kept concealed.

Thanks to that, the shadow was running wild without sensing the Demon God’s status.

– Honey! That’s a cliff there! Go the other way!

– Elder, this path is blocked. Go around.

– Run! Run! It is not dangerous!

The lines acquired by the shadow popped out.

Hearing that, the Demon God frowned.

Since they must be words used for hunting. This shadow fellow had not only targeted the natural person but had used this mountain as a hunting ground.

“Stop.”

Now it is enough.

The Demon God released his Aura.

– Kieeeeh!

At that moment, the shadow let out a scream of shock.

Not the lines it had been repeating so far, but it screamed in its original voice.

An existence of incomparable status revealed itself before its eyes.

Ominous and terrifying, and above all, extremely powerful.

The shadow intuitively felt dissipation.

– Kiii!

It could not simply accept it.

No wings were visible from the Demon God.

Perhaps if it flew up to the sky, it might survive.

Clinging to such a sliver of hope, it leaped upward, but.

Grab.

The Demon God grabbed what could be called the shadow’s ankle.

The shadow’s scream echoed.

Because the moment the Demon God touched it, that part crumbled away.

The Demon God did not bother to slam the shadow on the ground, and merely reached his next hand.

As his hand touched what could be called the calf, it crumbled away as expected.

Next, the thigh.

It crumbles.

Next, the pelvis.

It crumbles.

The shadow, which held a form similar to a human, crumbled away every time the Demon God touched it.

“It was originally unpleasant, but now it is even more unpleasant.”

To the Demon God, who had begun to learn [Sorrow], the shadow was an exceedingly unpleasant existence.

He was a Demon God who felt disgust toward a fellow who used loss.

Soon, only the head remained of the shadow.

“Well, try asking me to save you?”

An unreasonable demand for the shadow, which could only speak specific lines like a tape recorder.

But.

– S-Save— please save me—

Surprisingly, the shadow managed to speak by gathering all its strength before the terror of dissipation.

A desperately begged request for survival.

“I refuse.”

Dismissing such a request was also none other than the Demon God.

He lightly brought together his two hands holding the shadow’s head and made a clapping sound.

That was the last sound the shadow left.

The sound of applause celebrating dissipation.

***

Simultaneously, that applause was also a clapping of calling spirits.

“You saw, right? Come out with an easy mind.”

The Demon God spoke toward the bushes where no one was visible.

Still, the bushes remained as they were.

No rustling sound was heard either—

But there were two existences that revealed themselves toward the Demon God.

“The shadow hovered around, yet there seemed to be absolutely no problem with the natural person’s mind. It was likely thanks to you.”

The spirits of a mother and daughter who looked ordinary.

They were precisely the natural person’s family. They held the exact same faces he had seen when lightly lifting the frame he had covered.

The mother and daughter opened their mouths.

– Return. Go and get along well.

– Dad, leave the mountain.

Spirits can speak to the Demon God.

Just the three artists who still hadn’t left the Demon God’s room spoke whatever they wanted.

But now, the mother and daughter were merely repeating a few words, just like the shadow earlier.

“Was it too long.”

Too much time had passed since the accident occurred.

It was time when any other spirit would have already ascended or dissipated. Or become an evil spirit.

The mother and daughter were neither.

They were merely bound to the mountain, protecting the natural person so he wouldn’t be possessed by the shadow.

In the meantime, they had weakened to the point of weakness, and now couldn’t even speak as they pleased.

All they could do was only words to protect the natural person.

“You have worked hard.”

The Demon God felt the loss and sadness they experienced and commended them.

The mother and daughter, who had fought here to save the family member who survived over the long years, were indeed heroes.

“Your wish has been achieved. Therefore, depart without worries.”

The effort to protect the family was successful.

He remains in the mountain amidst confusion, but since the wicked voices won’t be heard anymore, he will regain his senses.

He will remember you, grieve, yet live on.

As the Demon God’s will was delivered, a faint smile also shone from the two faint spirits.

The time of ascension had come.

“Wait a moment.”

– ??

Telling them to go and then?

But the Demon God was the Demon God.

Obstructing the natural flow of ascension was also none other than the Demon God.

The Demon God stretched his hand forward.

The edge of his Aura touched the two spirits.

“Do not move. If touched wrongly, it is dissipation.”

– …….

Holding onto the two trembling spirits so they couldn’t ascend.

The Demon God lent them an extremely faint strength, enough for even weakened spirits to accept.

It would still be sufficient.

“Wouldn’t you still worry if you just left. Make sure to bid your final farewells before you go.”

So they could deliver greetings to the natural person.

The Demon God gave them strength.

***

The next morning.

“You are going to descend?”

Oh Sung-hyun asked the natural person in surprise.

“Yes, I will descend.”

A calm answer flowed out.

His face was different from yesterday.

Not an emptied face, but a face that had been cleared refreshingly.

“Because I met my family yesterday.”

“Pardon?”

Oh Sung-hyun stared at the natural person, wondering what that meant.

Did the spirits of his family perhaps visit him.

“I mean, in my dream.”

The natural person smiled as if embarrassed.

“Ah, a dream.”

Oh Sung-hyun also understood and nodded, and everyone listening to this conversation also understood since he said it was a dream.

Only the Demon God nodded with a different meaning.

‘He used the power I gave him properly.’

A dream, the method of delivering greetings to the natural person without startling him.

“So? How is your heart? Are you not sad anymore?”

Abruptly, the Demon God threw a question.

But the natural person did not panic and looked at the Demon God.

“Are you asking if I am not sad? No way. I am still sad.”

“Then?”

The natural person quietly recalled yesterday’s dream.

What his wife and daughter had said to him.

Actually, what they said appearing in the dream wasn’t to leave the mountain as they normally did.

That single statement was.

– I love you.

– I love you.

And the natural person was also the same.

“I am sad, and I still love them.”

And as an existence that loves and is loved, he gains energy.

“Hmm. Is that it.”

The reason one can still endure even when someone leaves their side is because the love exchanged with them remains inside them.

“My realization is late, but. Yes, that is it.”

The Demon God also recalled the past.

Did he feel loss and fall into deep sadness?

No. The Demon God was not such an existence at all.

However—

“I feel like I know slightly.”

The Demon God drew closer to [Sorrow].

***

Click.

Ji-ho captured the Demon God’s melancholy-filled face with his phone.

That photo was transmitted to the company as soon as they came down from the mountain.

Naturally, to the clothing company too.

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