Chapter 218: Snake's Head (11)
Chapter 218: Snake's Head (11)
Chapter 218: Snake's Head (11)
"That's correct."
Kasia politely bowed her head.
No hint of lies could be detected in her gaze or voice.
Ohjin grabbed his disheveled hair and bit his lip.
'So, to put it simply...'
The Black Heaven that the Heavenly Demon possessed was incomplete.
To complete the Black Heaven, he needed to kill and absorb the Heaven-Defying Star.
However
'That damn Shinhyuk has been dead for ages!'
Ohjin clawed at his hair, releasing a silent scream.
Shinhyuk, who was initially fated to be the Heaven-Defying Star when Ohjin's Black Heaven first awakened, was now dead.
'Wait, what does this imply?'
Both the Black Heaven he and the Heavenly Demon possessed were in 'incomplete' states. If only Ohjin's Black Heaven became 'complete' by absorbing the Heaven-Defying Star...
'The Heavenly Demon's next target would be...'
Ohjin's face turned pale.
If the Heavenly Demon wanted to complete his incomplete Black Heaven, wouldn't his next target naturally be Ohjin himself, who absorbed the Heaven-Defying Star?
"Oh, fucking shit!"
The crude curse slipped out involuntarily.
The back of his head felt as if it had been struck from behind with a hammer.
Was this transcendent being, the supposed creator of the Celestials, really targeting him?
"Lo, Lord Heavenly Demon? What seems to be the problem?"
"...No, it's nothing."
Ohjin steadied his pounding heart and took a light breath.
'Calm down.'
Looking at it positively, as long as he was alive, the Black Heaven possessed by the Heavenly Demon would remain incomplete.
Even if the Heavenly Demon targeted him, with his complete Black Heaven, he could defeat
'Can I really emerge victorious? Against the Transcendent who created Celestials?'
He questioned whether a method to fight and win against such a being even existed.
"Haah."
This situation was driving him nuts.
For now, he had to hold onto the hope that the Heavenly Demon was so deeply in hiding that even someone like Kasia, who could be considered his confidant, wouldn't know his whereabouts.
If the Heavenly Demon were to make his move at this point, Ohjin would be utterly defenseless against him.
"Have you found out who the Heaven-Defying Star is?"
"I haven't yet discovered the identity of the Heaven-Defying Star."
Kasia apologetically bowed her head.
"Bu, but if you just give me a little more time, I will definitely find the Heaven-Defying Star!"
"No, there's something else we need to do first."
"Something we must do...?"
Kasia tilted her head curiously.
Ohjin continued in a low, sunken voice.
"Lately, I noticed flies were buzzing and flying around."
"......."
Kasia's eyes shone coldly.
She gently lifted up her jet-black dress and bowed at the waist.
"I do as the Lord Heavenly Demon commands."
Good.
Ohjin clenched his fist tightly.
What was that saying again? To fight poison with poison?
If he could use her to eliminate the Musca faction, it would be killing two birds with one stone.
And what shall the Lord Heavenly Demon?
"I will first return to Earth."
"Ah."
Kasia looked at Ohjin with a look of disappointment.
But that only lasted a moment.
"Understood. Then I shall have my children safely escort the Lord Heavenly Demon."
Children?
Ohjin tilted his head and looked at Kasia.
Kasia slowly raised her hand and lightly snapped her fingers.
Snap.
Gugugugugu!
When she snapped her fingers, the ground started shaking.
The earth split open, and ferocious monsters emerged from every direction.
"Krrrkkk."
"Kikikik."
Dozens of them, each radiating a power rarely seen on Earth.
'This is insane.'
* * *
Ohjin nervously gulped as he surveyed the multitude of monsters. Despite their ferocious appearance, they stood docile, as tame as lambs, their heads bowed.
'So this is Kasia's ability.'
The power to control demonic beasts.
Come to think of it, the savage mother beast that charged at him earlier had immediately started hurting itself with its sharp legs at her command as well.
'In that case, are all demonic beasts of the Demon Realm under Kasia's control?'
Ohjin looked at Kasia with a tense expression.
If she could control every living demonic beast in the Demon Realm
She was literally at a level where she could bring about the end of the world.
"Have you tamed all the monsters in the Demon Realm?"
"Hmm?"
Kasia tilted her head as if she didn't understand what he meant.
Soon she smiled lightly and shook her head.
"Hehe. No, the only monsters I can tame are those outside the influence of the 'Kings'."
Kings?
The kings of demonic beasts or something?
'Since I know so little about the Demon Realm, I can't understand what she's saying.'
For now, just knowing Kasia couldn't tame every monster in the Demon Realm was enough.
"These children will ensure the Heavenly Demon's safe journey to earth."
A colossal reptilian demonic beast approached Ohjin and bowed, lying flat on its belly. Ohjin hopped onto the beast, its scales shimmering ominously.
"Are you uncomfortable in any way?"
"I am a bit uncomfortable."
The beast's scales were as hard as steel, making it far from a comfortable ride.
"It won't be too difficult to ride..."
"Why are you still alive? The Lord Heavenly Demon has expressed his discomfort."
Kasia frowned, tapping the lizard's head repeatedly.
"Karrrh!"
At Kasia's command, the lizard bit down on its long, extended tongue. Its sharp claws jabbed into its eyes, penetrating the brain within.
'Holy, what the fuck.'
Ohjin swiftly dismounted the lizard, staring at Kasia in disbelief. Her readiness to order death without a moment's hesitation, simply because he had expressed discomfort, sent a chill down his spine.
'She's absolutely nuts.'
Even if the subject had been a human, she would have ordered its death without hesitation.
"Let's see... which one would be suitable for the noble Lord Heavenly Demon to ride on?"
Kasia's gaze darted left and right, studying the demonic beasts lined up in rows. Her eyes settled on a beast with the body of a lion, the tail of a snake, and the head of an eagle.
"Come here."
"Krrrling."
At Kasia's call, the demonic beast with an eagles head crawled over to her and lay flat on its belly.
Like an artisan crafting custom furniture, she stroked the soft brown fur covering the lizard monster's back.
"Hmm, you pass."
Seemingly satisfied, Kasia nodded.
"Hehe. Lord Heavenly Demon, why don't you try riding this child?"
"...Fine."
Ohjin climbed onto the eagle-headed demonic beast's back.
Thanks to the soft brown fur that acted like a cushion, the ride was much smoother than before.
"How is it?"
"Good."
"Ah, that's a relief."
Kasia smiled brightly, seemingly pleased as she nodded.
"There is quite some distance to the nearest gate, excluding the one that is here... It'll probably take a few days."
It would take days?
'Still, as long as I can return.'
He only needed to just sit there, without having to consume his energy by running there on his own.
"I see."
"Ah... I wish I could be with the Lord Heavenly Demon a little longer...."
Kasia looked at Ohjin with sad, longing eyes.
"There will be another chance."
"Hehe, you're right. I will visit again soon."
Kasia elegantly bowed at the waist, grasping the ends of her jet-black dress with both hands.
Her graceful and refined posture seemed to come naturally, as if she was from an aristocratic family.
Ohjin found himself secretly curious about Kasia's life before she met the Heavenly Demon. However
'Now isn't the time to ask about that.'
He had to return to the house where Ha-eun, Isabella, and Vega were waiting as soon as possible.
"Then I'll be off."
Ohjin grabbed the mane of the eagle-headed demonic beast.
Though its head resembled an eagle, the fluffy, lion-like mane around its neck made for a perfect handhold.
"Grrrling."
As Ohjin grasped its fur, the eagle-headed demonic beast let out a low whine and shook its body cutely.
It swayed its snake-like tail as if fawning over him.
'It's kind of cute.'
Maybe it was because the monsters he had faced before were so grotesque.
The monster he was riding now felt unexpectedly cute.
'From now on, your name is Boppi.'
Ohjin gently patted Boppi's head.
"Oh, right. In case you grow hungry on the trip, take this."
Kasia held out a large sack from the shadows.
Inside were various Korean snacks like potato chips and beverages like coke and cider.
"This is...?"
"They may not suit the noble Lord Heavenly Demon's tastes, but these are the simple snacks I enjoy."
"......."
The image of Kasia noisily munching on potato chips
'I can't even imagine it.'
Ohjin let out an empty laugh as he accepted the sack of snacks.
"Alright."
"Then I bid you safe travels."
Leaving behind Kasia bowing her head, Ohjin set off on the journey back home to Earth.
* * *
In a dark room.
A woman with luscious platinum hair sat on the bed, knees pulled to her chest.
"...Mr. Ohjin."
Isabella murmured his name in a weary voice.
"I miss you, Mr. Ohjin."
Her clear tears rolled down her cheeks buried between her knees.
Before entering the fracture.
That kiss they shared kept replaying in her mind.
If only she had been more careful back then.
If only she had been more attentive back then.
By now, Ohjin would...
"Hic... huk."
Her slender shoulders shook.
Isabella chewed her lip, shedding sorrowful tears.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Mr. Ohjin."
She should have been the one to stay behind.
She should have forced him into the fracture by ordering him from the start.
Endlessly regretting what could not be undone, she cried ceaselessly.
Suddenly...
Slam!
Light flooded into the dark room as the door was thrown open roughly.
"M, Mr. Ohjin...?!"
Isabella hurriedly sat up.
"Like hell its Ohjin-whatshisface."
"Ah"
Seeing Ha-eun enter, Isabella plopped back down on the bed.
"I made food, so eat."
"...I'm not hungry."
Isabella turned her head away.
Ha-eun's brows furrowed as she approached Isabella.
"You haven't eaten anything since you returned."
"I'm fine."
"You look half-dead, how is that fine?"
As Ha-eun pulled Isabella along, her body limply tumbled off the bed.
"...Mr. Ohjin."
Whether she fell off the bed or not, Isabella didn't seem to care.
Like a broken doll, she simply stared vacantly into space, murmuring Ohjin's name over and over.
"Haah."
Ha-eun let out a deep sigh and roughly grabbed Isabella by the collar, lifting her up.
"...Ha-eun-ssi?"
Only then did Isabella look back at her.
"Bite down hard."
Slap!
Ha-eun fiercely slapped Isabella's cheek.
"...What?"
"Don't 'what' me."
Ha-eun continued in a fierce, growling voice.
"Are you not going to save Ohjin-whatshisface?"
"......."
Light returned to Isabella's empty eyes.