Chapter 292 : Five Colors

"Snowman..."

I nodded.

"That's right. The S-rank magical beast that was coming south with the monster wave."

"Then this is an S-rank magic stone...?"

"That's right."

Siri looked at the snowman's legacy with wide eyes, and then, as if it were strange, she fiddled with it.

"I can feel a tremendous energy from inside. This is an S-rank magic stone...!"

I watched Siri observe it from various angles, and then asked.

"Can you purify that?"

Siri's eyes widened.

"Pardon? Me?"

"If not you, then who will purify it?"

"Uh, uh... wouldn't it be better to ask a skilled priest?"

A sneer escaped my lips.

If I left it to them, they would probably blow away at least half of this immense energy.

"Siri."

"Yes?"

"There is no clergyman with as much skill as you. A person who even defeated the Hero of Light."

"That was you, Big Brother..."

"It would have been impossible without your help. Have some confidence."

Siri, who had become very discouraged, fiddled with the magic stone.

"But... this is my first time with an S-rank magic stone. This is very precious."

"No matter how precious it is, if you can't use it, it's just a pretty stone."

"Mmm..."

"Just try it without any pressure. If you fail, well, we'll just have to catch another S-rank magical beast."

Siri chuckled.

"That's not very reassuring."

Unlike her words, it seemed some of the pressure had disappeared, and Siri nodded with a determined face.

"Keung... alright. I'll give it a try."

"That's our spotted Siri."

"It's the Saint of Chaos, Sirila."

"Anyway, try it."

Siri closed the lid of the box and then placed the magic stone on top of it.

I watched her quietly and then said.

"When you're ready, start whenever you want."

Siri let out a long breath.

And then she closed her eyes and slowly raised her two hands.

A bright light flickered in one hand, and a deep darkness in the other.

In that state, she took a deep breath.

Flash!

She opened her eyes.

Her white pupils sparkled with a dazzling light, and her black pupils were pouring out a black darkness that seemed to suck you in.

"I'll do it."

Siri slowly wrapped the magic stone with her white and black hands.

Woong—

The snowman's legacy vibrated with a sound, as if in response.

Soon, the light and darkness that had formed in Siri's hands slowly seeped into the magic stone.

The blue magic stone turned white and black.

It was a situation where the white light and the black darkness had surrounded the blue energy it originally had.

The cornered blue energy growled threateningly, and then suddenly rushed at them.

It was its last act of defiance.

But it was a rather fierce act of defiance, and the white light stepped back.

Then, in reverse, the darkness rushed at the tail of the blue energy.

It became a three-way battle.

And so, they slowly began to rotate.

The speed gradually increased.

It was as if the Snow Branch and the Blue Flame had been forcibly clumped together, and they began to spin.

A black, a white, and a blue wolf chased each other's tails in a circle.

As I was watching it quietly.

A single worry crept in.

'Wait. This isn't going to explode, is it?'

I also knew the end when the blue and white wolves spun around and finally bit each other's tails.

It had exploded grandly and been annihilated.

How loud must it have been to be named the light that overturns the sky (Reverse Heavenly Light)?

When I looked at Siri's face, her eyes were pouring out light and darkness respectively.

She was sweating profusely with a face full of concentration.

I thought I could somehow endure the aftermath with the Snow White Ice Curtain even if it exploded.

But I was worried about Siri.

What if it really exploded?

But even so, for now, I had no choice but to trust Siri.

And so, with an anxious heart, I watched Siri's concentrated face and the white, black, and blue wolves chasing each other's tails and spinning.

And then, when the speed became so fast that it couldn't be controlled anymore.

As if it had been flung out by the speed, the blue color shot out and hit my head.

In that moment, a scene came to my mind.

It was a field covered in white snow.

Rustle, rustle.

I could hear several footsteps.

And people wearing black robes approached.

After walking for a while, it seemed they were whispering among themselves.

And one of them came closer.

He was holding a flower in one hand.

He came closer and looked down at me, and then crouched down in front of me.

When he took off his hood, long, black hair poured out.

A pale face appeared between his hair.

A gloomy and exhausted face.

—Hello.

He said that and held out the flower he had brought in front of me.

—This is called a flower. Isn't it pretty?

Although the atmosphere was very different, it was not difficult to recognize him.

I froze at the sight of his strangely familiar face.

Because he was a person who should not have been there.

'He was alive?'

The life teacher who had given me my first betrayal.

The reason I hated rainy days.

The traitor who had sold Tina to those strange fanatics.

It was Yuri.

"It's done!"

I was awakened from my thoughts by Siri's shout.

I came to my senses and looked at her.

Siri was sweating profusely and holding a small bead.

"This is...?"

"Yes!"

Siri nodded confidently.

What had been a blue gem had now turned into a white and black bead.

The color was one thing, but how did the shape change too?

"Take it, Big Brother."

Siri handed it to me with a proud expression.

I carefully took it and stared at it blankly.

[It's in the shape of a Taegeuk. Coincidentally.]

"..."

All the turbidity had evaporated, and only pure energy remained.

It was an immense energy.

It was a mystery how so much energy could be contained in this small thing.

How much? It was more than the amount of inner energy I had accumulated in my dantian so far.

[In terms of energy alone, it is superior to the Great Return Pill of the Shaolin Temple.]

"Hmm."

I don't know what it was, but it seemed to be saying it was amazing.

[If you're not careful, a reversal could happen.]

"A reversal?"

[The owner of the body changes. Since you can't control the energy, you lose the initiative. If the rolling stone is bigger and harder, it can push out the embedded stone and take its place.]

"...Then who is the owner?"

[Is there any other? The heart demon that has been coveting your body will become the owner.]

"Hmm."

The risk of failure was high.

But that meant that the reward for success was also high.

I was not a man who would step back in fear of failure.

Advancement was my life's duty and driving force.

Even if I broke, I would break by hitting it until I could.

It was unacceptable to be hit on the back of the head while retreating.

I do not tolerate retreat.

The Heavenly Demon laughed lowly.

[It will be a long fight.]

"How long will it take?"

[It depends on your ability.]

"Uh, Big Brother?"

I raised my head and saw Siri looking at me blankly.

Siri pointed at my forehead and asked.

"Are you talking to that master?"

"That's right."

"Aha."

"Siri."

"Yes?"

"Can you call Linda and Shushuruta?"

Before Siri could answer, the door opened.

"Did you call?"

Shushuruta was outside the door.

"Eung!"

Thump.

Linda, who had been listening at the door, slid inside when the door opened.

Did she think we were secretly eating something delicious?

Anyway, it worked out well.

"Shushuruta."

"What is it?"

"Stand guard for me."

Shushuruta patted her chest.

"Leave it to me."

"It seems it will take a long time. So you two take turns standing guard. And don't come into the room no matter what."

Linda stood up and answered.

"Alright!"

Siri looked at me.

"Big Brother, what about me?"

"Siri, you've worked hard, so you rest."

Siri wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and said.

"I'm fine. I can do it too. But what exactly is a guard?"

"Shushuruta will tell you. Since she's the great guard."

Shushuruta tilted her head.

"Great guard? What's that?"

I explained roughly.

"You can think of it as the leader of the guards."

"Aha, is that so."

Shushuruta crossed her arms and looked down at Linda with a solemn expression.

"I am the great guard."

Linda looked at me.

"Devil, what about me?"

"I'll appoint Linda as the middle guard, and Siri as the small guard."

"Wow! I'm the middle guard!"

The Heavenly Demon, who had been listening quietly, chuckled.

[What a mess.]

I said in a serious tone.

"Then, according to the great guard's instructions, the great guard, the middle guard, and the small guard will take turns standing guard."

Shushuruta nodded solemnly.

"Alright. Everyone, come out. So that Ashuban can focus on his breathing."

Siri followed her out and asked.

"Hey, Big Sister Shushu. What's breathing?"

"Ahem. Call me the great guard."

"Great guard. What's breathing?"

"Breathing is..."

The sound of their chattering faded away, and the door closed.

I looked at the small bead the size of a child's fist in my hand.

At a glance, the pale face of the traitor flickered before my eyes.

I swung the sword of my heart and split it in half.

I had no time to worry about him now.

[Are you ready?]

"Anytime."

I took a deep breath, and then put the bead in my mouth.

As soon as it touched my tongue, it melted and a sticky liquid flowed down my throat.

And at the same time, I felt a huge wave of energy.

The inner energy in my dantian, as if it had sensed the presence of an unfamiliar visitor, a ripple appeared on its calm surface.

It was a natural course of events that it soon became a fierce storm.

The Heavenly Demon's calm voice descended on my ear.

[It's no different from usual. It's just that the amount is large and fierce.]

Twitch.

He opened his eyes.

The energy of the Snowman that was imbued in the magic stone moved as if it were alive.

He coiled up in my stomach.

As if to say, 'I'm ready, so come at me.'

The guy in my mind, for some reason.

It had the form of a dragon, the strongest being on earth that had been extinct a long time ago.

I drew out the surging inner energy from my dantian and advanced towards him.

It was similar to when I had first eaten Linda's poison.

It's just that now, it wasn't poison, but a fierce monster.

This was a life-and-death war.

A cold and merciless war where the one who brings the other to their knees and receives their surrender takes everything.

Just as the war was about to begin.

The sound of thumping was heard, and a red giant appeared.

It seemed he had also become stronger as I had, and he was several times bigger than when I had last seen him.

He sat down a little away from the battlefield, and then grinned at me.

As if to warn me that he would take over my body as soon as I was defeated.

I did not avoid his eyes.

Just then, the sound of footsteps was heard.

And from the other side, a girl appeared.

A girl with snow-white hair and sky-blue eyes.

Tina smiled at me.

I also smiled.

Finally, the Heavenly Demon, with his fishing rod on his shoulder, appeared on the battlefield with a leisurely gait.

The air changed with his appearance alone.

The dragon, which had been waiting for me leisurely, flinched slightly, and the heart demon growled at the Heavenly Demon as if on guard.

But the Heavenly Demon didn't even care and looked around, and then sat down on a suitable rock.

When Tina bowed her head and greeted him, the Heavenly Demon nodded.

"Is everyone here?"

I muttered, cracking my neck.

It seems everyone who had made a nest in me was present.

"Now that the spectators are all here. Shall we begin properly?"

I held out my hand.

The Moonlight Sword appeared at my will.

[Disciple.]

"Yes."

The Heavenly Demon looked at me.

His eyes were as red as blood.

[Be careful not to be swallowed.]

"Yes, Master."

I rushed at the dragon with the Moonlight Sword in my hand.

A silent war began.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Ashuban had shut himself in his room.

Shushuruta was walking up the stairs with a handful of various dried fruits.

It was a snack to eat while standing guard.

And in Shushuruta's eyes, she saw Linda with her ear to the door.

Shushuruta tilted her head.

Normally, she would be dozing off in front of the door or doodling on the floor with her finger.

Sometimes, Sirila would come and chatter, but most of the time, she would spend her time bored like that.

She had glared at the door, saying she would protect the devil, but that was only at the beginning.

After a week, sleep had filled her eyes instead of vigilance.

Shushuruta mumbled, chewing on the dried fruit.

"What are you doing?"

Linda answered without taking her ear off the door.

"I think I just heard something."

Shushuruta approached and said.

"I didn't hear anything."

"It's true. Listen."

Just in case, Shushuruta also put her ear to the door.

Rustle—

"...!"

Shushuruta's eyes widened.

Really, there was the sound of clothes rustling.

"Ashuban!"

Shushuruta opened the door.

"Eung!"

Linda, who had been leaning against the door, fell forward.

And in the room that had been opened after more than two weeks.

There, Ashuban was still sitting cross-legged.

And behind him, five colors were shimmering like a mirage.

(End of Chapter)