Chapter 54: Hexennacht (13).

Calmness, serenity.

There was not a trace of agitation in the pure white light that settled in Arena’s eyes.

“Ahahaha, Lena-yaa~? It seems like you’re not even sad that your friend died anymore~?”

Rubrum-Luna speaks to try and unsettle her.

Even so, there is no change in Arena’s expression at all.

A perfect blank face, devoid of all human emotions.

The white eyes, reminiscent of a clear mirror, stared blankly at Rubrum-Luna.

And,

A pure white light shone from her eyes.

Rubrum-Luna, who had felt an instinctive sense of crisis, rushed towards Arena right away.

She followed the beast’s instinct that she had to kill her right now.

However, before Rubrum-Luna could even take a step, a light that seemed to blind the eyes exploded from the girl’s body.

A light single flash.

Exploding sword energy.

The densely packed pure white sword energies that were rampaging spread to the surroundings with Arena’s body as the center.

“No way…!”

Rubrum-Luna’s words ended there.

The huge white tornado that was swirling around with the girl in the eye of the storm as the center swallowed everything around her, including the red demon.

The storm raged, and the white net tore apart the sky.

Absolute Severance.

The dense spider web that cuts everything in this world passed through while cutting its soul in one stroke regardless of whether they were animals or plants. The demon who had been covered in the white spider web was also killed by the power of regeneration and resurrection, and disappeared from this world as a soul body as it was.

The ground was splitting as if an earthquake had occurred, and the trees were collapsing and the surroundings were devastated.

In the middle of that, only the eye of the storm was calm.

The ground rumbled.

“What is this?”

<<That’s the one. I’ll guide you!>>

At Heukgu’s instruction, Chayeon sharply changed direction in the air.

With those movements that could be called acrobatics, Wolmyo, who was lifting up Yeonkyung, was struggling to follow behind her.

Behind her, the remaining Ineungnyeokja were trying to follow while gathering all the strength they had and screaming.

Even though they were using flight ability and had received the help of a support-type Ineungnyeokja who was increasing their movement speed, they were finding it difficult to follow Chayeon and Wolmyo.

The speed and movement that evoked chills without realizing it.

Even those who had been half-believing at first had no choice but to believe it now.

-That is the one who was chosen by Heukgumiho, who is called the king of the Shinryeong.

The Ineungnyeokja who had single-handedly annihilated the numerous demons, who they could only be unilaterally attacked by even though they had tried every means.

The level of strength was different.

On the other hand, the impressions that Chayeon had were the exact opposite of theirs.

‘They’re too slow…!’

She was matching their speed since she couldn’t leave them behind, but they were too slow, too slow.

If she had her way, she would want to rush forward alone right now.

The reason she wasn’t doing that was purely because of Heukgu’s advice.

<<It seems that guy has awakened after all.>>

‘Awakened? What are you talking about?’

<<The Pure White Witch.>>

The name that Heukgu had put into words was a name that Chayeon also knew.

The name that she had heard when Arena had been chattering about her Shinryeong and abilities.

It was the name of the Shinryeong who had taken Arena as her vessel.

<<The Seven Divine Pillars are said to be the seven Shinryeong and Shinsoo who have privileges befitting that name.>>

‘I guess.’

<<And now that we’ve eaten Odysseus, the Shinryeong, who had been seven, have become six.>>

That meant that,

‘Another one of the Seven Divine Pillars is being born?’

<<You got it right right away. To be exact, the one who is the most suitable among the existing Shinryeong or Shinsoo will inherit the authority of the vacant Seven Divine Pillars.>>

Just because one Shinwi dies doesn’t mean that the Seven Divine Pillars will become the Six Divine Pillars.

The Seven Divine Pillars will definitely maintain seven, befitting that name.

<<I’ve been thinking about it ever since I saw that ability at the old building.>>

-That fingernail, it’s tough. You cut something like that in one stroke?

<<Although I had lost my power, that girl cut the fingernail that even my sword couldn’t cut in one stroke. In the end, I forced my way through with power and broke that fingernail, but.>>

Her vision changed quickly.

The trees that appeared in the middle, she quickly changed her route and dodged nimbly, passing by them.

To the people who were following behind her, Chayeon’s appearance was nothing short of amazing.

<<I’ve been thinking about it since then. If a vacancy is created and the next one of the Seven Divine Pillars appears.>>

Finally, her vision was opened up.

<<It will definitely be her.>>

What had unfolded before her eyes was the aftermath of a storm.

The surrounding trees and ground were all turned over, looking like a bomb had exploded.

It was in the form that a huge force had become a tsunami and had swept the surroundings spirally with one point in the center as the origin.

What was strewn on the outside was a demon that Chayeon also knew.

And at that one point in the center, there was Arena and Byul.

“Arena!”

The voice of Chayeon, who had called her lover’s name loudly with the joy of finally meeting her, was cut off sharply.

Arena was kneeling and hanging her head.

Lying in front of her was a girl who was all too familiar to Chayeon, with her purple hair spread out long.

The girl was sleeping with a peaceful face.

Except for the blood that had spread from her heart and the empty right wrist, she was sleeping like that as if she was having a pleasant dream.

Thud.

Chayeon landed on the ground, and Arena turned her head.

Arena wasn’t crying.

However, she was just staring blankly into the distance with pure white eyes that had lost their brightly shining gold.

“…Chayeon-ah.”

In the end,

“I couldn’t protect her.”

Was she too late?

She was losing her sense of reality.

The girl, who looked like she would stand up at any moment and say ‘I’m just kidding~’ while smiling slyly, was lying in her seat without moving even though Chayeon had come.

What a hateful girl.

I wish she would stop with these mischievous pranks.

“Byul fought.”

“I couldn’t do anything and was just standing there blankly.”

“I was too scared, it was scary even though I was just watching, and my legs wouldn’t move.”

“So Byul grabbed the demons who were approaching me several times, and grabbed them, and grabbed them again and again…”

Arena, who was looking at the air, was constantly muttering.

“In the end, you know, I gave up.”

“…Stop it.”

“I stopped, resigned, and let go.”

“I know, so stop it.”

She tightly embraced the girl who was digging at her wounds.

Even so, the girl’s mouth didn’t stop.

“If I, if I had only been a little faster, ・・・if I had only tried harder.

The girl’s voice, who had been muttering in a tone without any intonation as if she had lost her emotions, began to be tinged with tears.

Arena’s body began to tremble like an aspen leaf, and Chayeon’s chest, which was enveloping her face, was being soaked with wetness.

She had to comfort her.

She mustn’t collapse, either.

She had to become a pillar of support.

With only such a single thought, Chayeon bit her lower lip until it bled, enduring her expression that was about to contort.

“Move away.”

The voice that she had forgotten for a moment awakened Chayeon.

Anger, sadness, futility, regret.

The emotions that couldn’t be discharged and were rampaging inside her were capturing their directionality.

It’s this woman.

Everything had been distorted because of this woman.

<<Chayeon.>>

Everything is all because of this woman.

Pay the price.

<<Chayeon!>>

Only after Heukgu had barely managed to control Chayeon’s body did she realize that she had somehow held her sword to Yeonkyung’s neck.

Blood was flowing down along the tip of the sword that was touching the end of her neck.

Even though her neck was about to be cut, Yeonkyung was just looking straight at Chayeon with cold eyes.

“Get lost.”

“Move away.”

“Don’t come near Byul!!”

It was a plea at the same time.

It was a desperate request and prayer to no longer torment them.

“Haa.”

Yeonkyung sighed once.

“Since it might not be too late yet, come out of there for a bit.”

“…What?”

<<Chayeon, trust her. No, trust me. Can you step aside for a moment, trusting me?>>

Chayeon’s train of thought stopped at Yeonkyung’s words and the words that followed from Heukgu.

…It’s not too late?

<<It won’t take long.>>

Heukgu said once again.

Those words also sounded like an earnest request for some reason.

No matter how she looked at it, it was hard to see Byul as alive.

Her heart had been pierced, and her skin was pale.

There were no remnants of life visible anymore.

Even so.

Because it’s Heukgu.

Because it was what Heukgu had said, no less.

Holding onto a glimmer of hope, Chayeon raised Arena up.

She took the completely exhausted Arena, from all the weeping, and moved a little away from Byul.

Seeing the two of them come out, Yeonkyung approached Byul and knelt down.

She quietly swept over her body from head to toe once with her hand.

“Okay. It’s not too late yet with this much.”

Soon, Yeonkyung closed her eyes.

A blue energy began to surge from her body.

That energy eventually flowed along Yeonkyung’s arm and into Byul’s body.

At the same time, Yeonkyung’s eyes opened,

Hwareureuk-

As if a flame was burning, a light settled in her blue eyes.

“…Uh?”

Arena, who had been dazedly watching that scene, began to have light settle in her eyes.

Chayeon was the same.

It was being regenerated.

Her heart, her pierced chest, her severed right wrist, those body parts were sprouting again as if a demon was regenerating.

Blood began to flow into her pale skin.

She could feel the aura of death retreating, and life settling in its place like a new sprout.

A miracle.

A phenomenon that she could only express as such was unfolding before their eyes.

Huuuwoong-

For a long time, the blue energy flowed into Byul, and finally reached its end.

Yeonkyung got up from that spot silently.

“It’s done.”

Twitch-

At the same time as Yeonkyung opened her mouth, Chayeon’s eyes captured Byul’s right hand, which had regrown, twitching.

“Umm……..”

A voice that she still couldn’t believe, that she desperately wished for.

Byul, opened her eyes.

“…L, Lena-ya?”

“…Byu, Byu…….?”

Before she could even say anything, Arena clung to her friend tightly and hugged her.

“…Lena-ya?”

“Ah, aaa, Byu, Byu, aaaa. It’s a relief…It’s a relief………….”

Tears wet the snowfield once again.

Byul had come back to life.

Really, it had been just a glimmer of hope.

She really came back to life.

“I’m glad I wasn’t too late.”

Chayeon was startled and turned her head at that tone that was flat as if such a situation was nothing.

Yeonkyung was brushing off her knees, saying that with the same face as always.

“Thank you.”

What should she say?

How should she start it?

The woman whom she had thought was tormenting her until now, whom she had thought was her enemy, had saved her precious friend’s life.

Various emotions, numerous thoughts were coming up and it was confusing, but in the end, the words that came out of Chayeon’s mouth were that.

“Really, thank you.”

Even though she had received words of gratitude, Yeonkyung furrowed her brows instead.

“……I’ve been feeling this since a while ago, but you don’t seem like a vessel of Heukgumiho at all. You’re too full of emotions.”

Yeonkyung lightly passed by Chayeon’s side.

“I just did what I had to do. It all started from my mistake in the first place, after all.”

-I have to take responsibility, right.

Saying that, Yeonkyung walked out behind Chayeon.

When Wolmyo tried to follow after her, she lightly raised her hand and stopped her.

“I’ll be back after scouting the surroundings for a bit. It’s enough if I’m alone, so please calm the children down in the meantime. It’s not over yet.”

After saying that, Yeonkyung soon hid her body in the shadows of the thicket.

Thump thump.

If she’s walked this much, she’s fallen behind quite a bit, right?

Had she become to the point where she couldn’t be seen or heard?

Since she didn’t know, she walked a little more.

Thump thump.

<<Yeonkyung-ah.>>

A faint voice echoed in her head.

<<This is too-!>>

“I know.”

She stops Yggdrasil, cutting off what she was saying.

She could tell what she was trying to say.

Thump thump.

Is this much enough?

It was hard to endure any longer.

“Uwoop, keoheok, keok, cough, cough!”

The moment she released the breath that she had forcibly suppressed, blood began to pour out madly from her throat.

An amount of blood that she could express as spewing it out.

It was difficult to breathe as her lungs were constricting.

“Cough, cough, kooheek!”

Unceasing coughing.

At the same time, she could feel blood flowing from her eyes and nose as well.

“Haa, haa-”

After throwing up like that for a long time, she supported the tree trunk next to her and forcibly controlled her staggering body.

<<You pushed yourself too hard after all! Now……..!>>

“Stop!”

With a voice that was gurgling with bloody phlegm, Yeonkyung cut off Yggdrasil’s words.

She somehow regulates her breathing.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Breathe in, breathe out.

After leaning against the tree trunk like that for a long time, she began to be able to control her body a little.

“Haa, haa. Don’t say anything more.”

<>

“They’re my students. I have to take ‘responsibility’.”

It was a natural thing to do.

That’s all.

Yeonkyung checked just in case blood had splattered on her clothes or body.

She had been pulling her neck out all the way to the front when throwing up in order to not leave any traces somehow, did it have an effect?

Fortunately, there were no places where traces had been left.

The places where blood had been smeared were due to the wounds from the battle earlier.

There was nothing new.

“I just need to rinse my mouth.”

<>

She scooped up a handful of snow in front of her and stuffed it into her mouth.

After waiting for it to melt in her mouth as it was, she gargled and spat it out.

The snow that had been stained red with blood was poured onto the floor.

She held the snow in her mouth and spat it out several times until the red tint disappeared.

After doing it about twenty times, all that was coming out was clear water and saliva.

Next, she scooped up the snow and washed her face several times until the blood on her face was gone.

After confirming that she was clean, Yeonkyung shook off the water that had been ask on her face and hands.

“Let’s go back.”

Without answering Yggdrasil’s call, Yeonkyung returned the way she had come.

This time, the two of them lowered their heads together.

It was an ambiguous attitude.

It seemed that they themselves were also confused.

I wondered how I look to these kids.

She mocked herself inwardly.

Yeah, that’s right.

How foolish.

I’m feeling disgusted with myself.

No, it can’t be.

Such emotions become the prey of demons.

She would correct her mistakes. She would try. She would forget the past and only think about the best result and the future. That’s all.

She would kill her emotions.

“I said it, I just did what I had to do, and did what I could do.”

Seeing Yeonkyung saying that with an indifferent expression, Chayeon and Arena raised their heads, stammering.

“More than that, it’s about Jindal.”

As Yeonkyung started talking, Chayeon’s eyes narrowed.

Although she had been expressing hostility towards Jindal just a moment ago, that emotion was no longer felt.

That was a good thing.

Heukgumiho’s cooperation was more than reliable.

“I contacted Jindal, but I still haven’t received an answer. Something must have happened. Will you help me as promised?”

At Yeonkyung’s words, Chayeon nodded readily.

“Is Seohee-sensei, is she there, right?”

“I’m not sure. But I think it’s highly likely that she’s inside Jindal.”

Judging from the circumstances, it was so.

If she had kept her mind straight, it would have been one thing, but now that it had been revealed that Chayeon was not a demon, the story was leaning towards that.

If she was separated from her for a long time in that state, her clone would naturally disappear.

“There’s a boat that we came on. Since the number of people has decreased, we can just use one of them, right. In case something happens, please use telekinesis to drag the remaining boats along.”

Yeonkyung said to the man who was standing in the back.

To operate several boats at the same time.

It was a ridiculously difficult request that only Seohee could have pulled off without difficulty, but since he couldn’t refuse, the man could only answer that he would do his best.

“Then everyone, hurry and return to the pier.”

The three girls and the Ineungnyeokja from Jindal left the island and headed for the mainland.

And,

As soon as they stepped on the ground, they realized.

That the world that they knew was no longer anywhere.

Jindal had been destroyed.

The world had been destroyed.

Hexennacht-

Walpurgis Night had arrived.