–Tzrrrk.

–Pii!

–Tzrut.

–Kku-kku-ooo!

No sooner had Sister Seol finished speaking than shadows surged in.

Still seated cross-legged, I had no choice but to topple backward like a roly-poly doll.

One at a time, I could’ve handled them, but when they all rushed me at once, their combined weight was too much to bear.

Besides, I had just come out of my internal realm after several days—my body was stiff.

My arms and legs couldn’t move properly yet, so I had no choice but to accept the children’s enthusiastic greeting as it was.

“Hey, okay, kids. Calm down.”

The moment they pounced, the kids began licking me like excited puppies welcoming home their runaway owner.

My face, nose, neck, eyes—everything was getting soaked in their drool.

–Kku-kku-gu. 『Father, we were worried.』

–Kku-u. 『That’s right, Father.』

–Kkyut! 『Granpa!』

It seemed the connection had succeeded, as Seol, Bing, and Dong-i’s voices resonated in my heart. Their tone matched their mature-looking faces—dignified and adult-like.

It almost felt like I had grown-up children now.

‘I’m starting to feel like I should be the one calling them "Father."’

–Tzrrrk! 『Yeah! Why were you so late?!』

–Tzrut! 『We were worried! Daddy!』

Just when I thought they’d calm down soon enough, I heard more of their voices and realized—they’d been truly anxious the whole time.

Even Hwayang, who cared about nothing except food, was licking my cheek.

Hyang, Bini, Hongdan, Seol, Bing, Dong-i—they were all claiming different parts of my body.

“Yeah. Daddy was a little late, huh? I’m sorry. Sorry. Just move aside for a second—Daddy’s body still doesn’t feel right.”

“Alright, Auntie Seol will massage Daddy’s body. Move aside now, everyone.”

–Tzrrrk.

–Pii!

As always, Sister Seol told them she’d massage me and asked them to step aside, but the kids shook their heads and instead began pressing down harder on me.

‘Gyaaah!?’

I’d heard of cat "kneading," but poisonous creature kneading?

Bini’s legs pounded my body like rippling waves, while Seol, Bing, and Dong-i tapped my body with their tails.

Hwayang pressed on my face like she was applying a facial pack, and Hyang squeezed and released my limbs rhythmically.

‘Why is Hwayang plugging my nose with her front paw, though...?’

Sweet as they were, I had to get my blood flowing before I suffocated. It seemed I needed to awaken my stiffened muscles quickly just to survive.

As I slowly began circulating my internal energy, my joints and muscles loosened far faster than before.

The energy rising from my danjeon spread rapidly through my body, like dried tree roots soaking up water and bursting with life.

My fingers and toes twitched, and soon my joints began to move.

“So-ryong, are you okay? Move too fast and you’ll hurt your bones and muscles.”

Sister Seol looked at me with a worried expression, perhaps surprised at how quickly I was recovering. But my body felt surprisingly light.

“No, I think I’m fine. Strangely, once I started circulating my energy, everything started moving smoothly.”

“Really? Maybe your breakthrough helped.”

As I moved my limbs, I decided to whisper to the kids who weren’t here yet.

They must’ve been worried—time to let them know I was back.

‘Cho. Daddy’s awake.’

–Tzrrrk! 『Daddy! I’ll be there right away!』

The moment I messaged my eldest daughter, her joyful voice rang out.

Just like before I entered the internal realm, she had been staying vigilant—watching the skies. But hearing my voice, she replied instantly and said she was coming.

Next, I whispered to Cheongwol.

She had been stuck on the boat with Yeolbi and Geumdo. She must’ve been bored. I sent her a message filled with apology.

‘Cheongwol, I’ve finished my training and I’m back.’

–Krrng? 『Is that so? Is your body alright?』

‘Yeah, sorry for leaving you alone.’

–Krrrng. 『Ah, no. There was plenty to see by the flowing river, and Geumdo was with me, so I wasn’t too bored.』

‘Thanks for saying that.’

–Krr. 『Th-Thanks, you say...』

Cheongwol sounded quite embarrassed.

‘Okay, I think I’ve calmed Cheongwol. Then... next is Cheongyu?’

Just as I finished recovering and sat up, I was about to send a message to Cheongyu—

Arms and legs wrapped around me from behind.

Not the limbs of a bug or venomous creature, but human-colored arms and legs.

“H-Hwa-eun?”

–Chiring.

For a second, I thought it was Hwa-eun—but the bead-tied red string around the legs said otherwise.

It was Yo-hwa.

“Oh, it was you, Yo-hwa. Thank you for watching over me.”

–Kissit.

From the silk thread hanging from the ceiling, it seemed she had been keeping watch from above the whole time.

As she hugged me from behind, Yo-hwa pointed at her own face.

–Kishishi.

“Hmm? Ah! Hwa-eun?”

She seemed to be asking whether I’d contacted Hwa-eun.

Caught up in the kids’ greeting, I’d totally forgotten.

I was grateful to Yo-hwa.

Hwa-eun could’ve taken it personally if I left her hanging for days, but Yo-hwa had helped guard against that.

I turned to Sister Seol and asked,

“Sister Seol... where’s Hwa-eun?”

But as I asked, something felt off.

Even if I hadn’t messaged her, someone like Hwa-eun would’ve stayed close ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) by.

For her not to be here now was unusual.

Until now, every time I’d emerged from my internal realm, she’d always been the first to greet me.

“Oh, she went to the market.”

“At this hour?”

Outside, it was already dark—the sun had clearly set.

Going to the market at this hour didn’t make sense.

“She ran out of ingredients and rushed off before sunset.”

“Ah...”

–Clatter.

That was when the door opened, and Yeondu and Cho came flying in.

–Shaaa.

–Tzrrrk.

As I opened my arms, both of them leapt into my chest.

“You were all worried, weren’t you? It’s okay now—everything’s fine.”

As I felt their intense, drooly welcome once more, I heard Sister Seol speaking to Yo-hwa.

“Yo-hwa, now that So-ryong is awake and Hwa-eun should be returning soon, could you go meet her? Help her carry the groceries, will you?”

–Kissit.

The moment Sister Seol spoke, Yo-hwa darted out through the open door Cho and Yeondu had left behind.

And then—

–Shiaaa!

Cheongyu’s urgent voice rang out.

She rushed in through the open door and, upon seeing me, widened her eyes and cried,

–Shiaaa! 『So-ryong! You’re awake! It’s an emergency!』

‘Cheongyu Sojeo?’

Her voice left no doubt—it was Cheongyu Sojeo.

I was just thinking it must’ve been about two weeks when her rapid-fire words came in again.

–Shii, Shia. 『We have to go down the mountain right now! No, wait—contact Hwa-eun! No—since you’re awake, I’ll message her myself!』

‘Cheongyu Sojeo, hold on a second—’

I tried to calm her down to hear what she had to say, but then an unbelievable exchange hit the group chat.

『–Shiaaa! (Hwa-eun!)』

‘Huh? Cheongyu Sojeo? If the group chat’s open, does that mean So-ryong is awake?’

–Shiiiiii! 『So-ryong is awake!』

‘So-ryong!?’

‘Hwa–’

I tried to respond to Hwa-eun’s voice, but Cheongyu shouted again—

『–Shiiia! Shii! That’s not important right now! Listen carefully! Remember when we said the snakes released by the Golden-Crowned Death King saw people near the area when Hwa-eun left?

‘Yes, when I left, I definitely saw villagers...’

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

–Shiiiiia! 『No! If my memory’s right, those weren’t villagers—they were warriors from the Blood Cult. Be careful!』

‘The Blood Cult!? Ugh...’

‘Hwa-eun!?’

‘Hwa-eun!?’

Just learning that the Blood Cult had been spotted was shocking enough—but then, Hwa-eun’s voice suddenly cut off.

Cheongyu and I shouted desperately, but only one final message came through the group chat—accompanied by her pained voice.

『‘Kuh... It’s an ambush!’』

***

Hwa-eun was carrying a bamboo-frame backpack, on her back, with another basket in her hand.

She had bought meat, flour, rice, vegetables, oil—there was quite a bit to carry.

Even though she’d packed most of it into the backpack, she still had to hold an additional basket.

“Is it good?”

–Pipi.

She handed Sandan a piece of sliced chicken from the basket, and the little one looked utterly delighted.

The chicken disappeared into Sandan’s mouth, leaving only bone behind.

As Hwa-eun reached in for another piece and handed it over, she felt proud of herself.

Knowing Sandan would be hungry, she had asked the butcher to chop the chicken into smaller pieces at the meat stall.

Just as they left the market and reached the entrance of the mountain path—

She looked up toward the peak. The sun had already set, but a bright full moon was now hanging in the sky.

“Oh... Cheongyu Sojeo must’ve awakened. I need to hurry.”

The appearance of the full moon meant Cheongyu Sojeo was now awake.

Hwa-eun picked up her pace.

If Cheongyu Sojeo was awake, she would likely inform her of So-ryong’s condition.

Even without So-ryong to translate, they could still communicate through written messages.

But just as she began walking briskly—

The voice she shouldn’t be hearing at this moment—Cheongyu Sojeo’s—came through, echoing in the air.

『–Shiaaa! (Hwa-eun!)』

It sounded a little urgent, but the fact that she could hear Cheongyu Sojeo’s voice in the group chat meant that So-ryong had woken up.

With joy in her heart, Hwa-eun responded.

『‘Huh? Cheongyu Sojeo? If the group chat’s open, does that mean So-ryong is awake?’』

–Shiiiii! 『So-ryong is awake!』

‘So-ryong!?’

Just as she called out to him in her heart, the voice she had missed so much, the one she had longed to hear, finally reached her.

『‘Hwa—’』

At the very first syllable of her name, her heart fluttered—

But Cheongyu Sojeo’s shout cut him off.

『–Shiiia. Shii! That’s not important right now! Listen carefully! Remember when you left earlier, and the Golden-Crowned Death King’s snakes spotted people nearby?』

What could possibly be more urgent than So-ryong?

Still, pressured by Cheongyu Sojeo’s urgency, Hwa-eun cautiously recalled what had happened and answered.

『‘Yes, when I left, I did see some villagers...’』

Indeed, the Golden-Crowned Death King had drawn people on a leaf and shown it to her. Hwa-eun had assumed they were just some passing villagers.

But Cheongyu Sojeo’s next words made the hairs on Hwa-eun’s neck stand on end.

『–Shiiiiia! No. If my memory is right, those were warriors from the Blood Cult. Be careful!』

‘The Blood Cult!? Ugh—!’

And right then, a sharp sound cut through the darkness.

–Shiiing. Shiiing. Shiiing.

Hwa-eun threw her basket and leapt aside, but an arrow tore through the edge of her skirt.

『‘Hwa-eun!?’』

『‘Hwa-eun!?’』

Cheongyu Sojeo and So-ryong’s voices overlapped as projectiles began raining down toward Hwa-eun.

–Shiiing! Thwack-thwack.

『‘Kgh... It’s an ambush!’』

***

She even tossed aside her jukbaeru and dashed toward the house, but—

There were far too many projectiles flying at her from the shadows.

–Thwack-thwack.

She twisted her body and narrowly dodged arrows and hidden weapons several times, but her body still hadn’t fully adjusted to the power of Three Flowers Gathering.

She had completed the absorption of her inner energy, but it would take time before her body could respond naturally to its newfound strength.

In the end, her foot snagged on a tree root in the dark, and Hwa-eun slipped and tumbled across the grassy slope.

–Shaaak.

As she struggled to right herself, more hidden weapons came flying.

She rolled to evade them, but soon felt the presence of a rock beside her.

Turning her head, she realized her body had rolled into a boulder hidden in the tall grass.

“Damn it...”

It was too late to dodge. The next wave of projectiles was closing in.

Knowing she would likely get hit, she began drawing up poison-based internal energy in preparation and shouted toward Sandan.

“Sandan! Get behind me!”

–Piiiii!

But rather than retreating, Sandan darted forward to stand in front of her.

She had leapt from Hwa-eun’s head and now stood squarely between her and the oncoming weapons.

“Sandan!”

Seeing her small child stand protectively in front of her with that tiny body, tears suddenly welled up in Hwa-eun’s eyes.

How could these children be so loyal, so full of love? No wonder both she and So-ryong were completely taken with them.

Just as Hwa-eun reached out to cover Sandan with her own body—

Sandan spread her front legs and wings wide, and in a blur of motion, lunged at the oncoming projectiles.

–Badadadadak!

Though her body remained pressed to Hwa-eun’s stomach, her afterimages completely shrouded her.

It looked like a flower field blanketed in lilies.

The rain of darts followed—but not a single one struck Hwa-eun.

Every one of them was caught in Sandan’s forelegs.

–Shiiing. Shiiing.

More hidden weapons came, but none could get past Sandan.

No matter the angle or direction, they couldn’t escape her uncanny speed and vision.

–Pii!

As Sandan’s cry echoed beneath the night sky, her flickering form filled Hwa-eun’s vision—it looked like martial arts.

The way she snatched the projectiles with precise movements of her upper body and forelegs, the explosive jabs of her legs...

Agile footwork and lightning-fast strikes.

If it had a name, it would be Mantis Fist.

The Fist of the Mantis.