Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 77 - Team Leader (3)

Chapter 77 – Team Leader (3)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Ah, don’t mind me. Please continue what you were doing.”

Waving his blood-smeared hand back and forth, Mok Gyeong-un spoke as if nothing were wrong.

At this sight, the boy did not know what to do.

He had already been pleased that, if only for a short while, he was sharing a room with Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley, and yet in no time at all, things had turned into this.

‘W-what the hell is that bastard?’

He fully acknowledged that Mok Gyeong-un had stood out through the second gate.

But now the restriction on internal power had been lifted.

And yet he had reduced not just anyone, but Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley after the restriction on internal power was lifted, to that state. Was that bastard some kind of monster?

Mok Gyeong-un paid the boy’s reaction no mind at all.

Rather, as if he were done with his business, he grabbed the unconscious Yeom Ga by the hair and dragged him out into the corridor.

“Ah!”

The boy started to rise, wondering if he should try to stop him,

“Why? Do you want to come along too?”

Mok Gyeong-un asked.

At that, the boy flinched, then shook his head quickly without even realizing it out of flustered panic.

“N-no, that’s not…….”

“A wise choice. Then just stay there.”

-Thump!

When the door closed, the boy collapsed down onto the bed, his legs apparently having gone weak.

He had no confidence at all that he could follow and help Yeom Ga.

Having stepped out of the room, Mok Gyeong-un looked at Yeom Ga’s face and let out a small sound.

“Hmm.”

The nearly pulped face was rather conspicuous.

The moment he saw the tattoo on Yeom Ga’s body heating up red, he had instinctively felt that the other party meant to kill him, so this was what he had done.

-You should have shown some restraint.

“You’re right.”

At Blue Spirit’s voice, Mok Gyeong-un muttered quietly.

He had intended to beat him a little and then make him into a teammate, but this had gone beyond merely a little.

However, setting that result aside, there was one thing that differed from his expectations.

“Was someone at the peak state really this weak?”

After the restriction on internal power was lifted, among the eighty boys there were seven who were presumed to have reached the peak state.

One of them was Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley.

Mok Gyeong-un had chosen Yeom Ga as his first target not only because he wanted him as a teammate, but also because he wanted to test his own strength against someone who openly showed hostility toward him.

But he had been weaker than expected.

‘He was slow.’

Even back at Yeon Mok Sword Manor, although he could watch the movements of those called first-rate masters, his body had reacted slowly.

But now, the movements of Yeom Ga, who could be called a peak-state master, felt slow.

-………

‘That is what I want to say, sentient being.’

Blue Spirit as well was inwardly surprised by this unexpected result.

Although Mok Gyeong-un had opened his middle dantian through the profound principles of the Eight Forms of Mind-Breaking, and although his death aura had reached what would, in terms of internal power, be the utmost extreme of the peak state, he lacked enlightenment, so she had expected him to be on equal footing with Yeom Ga or perhaps slightly ahead.

Yet Mok Gyeong-un had completely overwhelmed Yeom Ga.

‘Has this boy’s martial talent far exceeded even my expectations?’

After confirming this, she found it hard to suppress her excitement.

He still had a long way to go, but at this rate of development, he was certainly someone worth expecting much from.

Inwardly, she wanted to reveal her true thoughts, but if this sentient being became arrogant and neglected enlightenment…

-Do not jump to conclusions. He subdued him rather easily, yes, but that was also because this fool had let his guard down.

At Blue Spirit’s words, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged.

There was reason in what she said.

It was still too early to conclude what the strength of a peak-state master was from Yeom Ga alone.

-More importantly, this has become interesting.

“In what way?”

-At the very moment I was curious how the death aura would act, we have now confirmed it.

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un recalled what Yeom Ga had said.

[If it isn’t qi-scattering poison, then why does my internal power scatter whenever I come into contact with you?]

That remark had indeed felt quite strange.

“Can you tell why that happens?”

-It seems to be neutralized by the death aura.

“Neutralized?”

-Yes. You said that when others tried to send true qi into you to probe your acupoints or examine the state of your body, they experienced their qi scattering, did you not?

“Yes.”

-The energy you possess, sentient being, is a force completely opposed to the energy of living humans.

“A completely opposed force… so you mean it was neutralized?”

-That is how it appears. The energy of rising yang would encourage vitality, but your death aura instead brings death.

That likely caused the other party’s energy to scatter even more.

That was her guess for now.

Since there had never been a precedent for this in the history of the martial world, even she could not know exactly how this death aura would affect things in the future.

But if this force could truly serve a function like qi-scattering poison and disperse an opponent’s energy, then it would be no exaggeration to say a tremendous natural enemy of martial artists had appeared.

“Useful.”

To the pleased Mok Gyeong-un, Blue Spirit said,

-Just in case, learn to regulate it.

“Regulate it?”

-Yes. If it becomes known that you can disperse an opponent’s cultivated power, then before you have even fully matured, you may become the target of everyone’s vigilance.

“Hmm. That could happen.”

Just as she said, martial artists might become wary.

If they had to fight Mok Gyeong-un, then unless they possessed clearly superior strength, their internal power would scatter in battle and leave them at a severe disadvantage.

“How do I regulate it?”

-……..Hoo. Your order of learning is truly a mess.

Blue Spirit clicked her tongue.

If he had reached the peak state by a normal path, he would have properly mastered the way of transmitting qi.

But though Mok Gyeong-un had reached the peak state, he still could not even use external force, internal transmission into the body, or power release, all of which were direct methods of sending qi.

‘When there is time, I will have no choice but to cram them into him one by one.’

Since the order had already been thrown off, there was nothing else to be done.

While that was happening, they arrived at the room.

There was no one inside.

Though everyone else was sharing two-person rooms, Mok Gyeong-un was the exception.

Because all of them refused to share a room with him, and fortunately there had been a spare one left, he ended up using it alone.

“Ughhh.”

Just then, Yeom Ga, who had been unconscious, let out a groan as he woke.

At that, Mok Gyeong-un looked down at him as if this were just what he wanted and met his eyes.

-Flinch!

The moment he woke and saw Mok Gyeong-un’s face, Yeom Ga convulsed.

That was only natural, since as Mok Gyeong-un had beaten his face into this condition, he had fallen into the extreme terror that he might die.

It was only natural that such a reaction would come out.

“Are you conscious now?”

“You…you…what exactly……ughhh. Ptui.”

At the pain and strange sensation inside his mouth, Yeom Ga spat something out.

It was one of his own broken teeth.

His whole mouth throbbed, perhaps because he had bitten his tongue several times, and it was filled with the taste of blood.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“……..”

Was that even something worth asking?

Yeom Ga stared at Mok Gyeong-un with an incredulous expression.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un scratched his head and said,

“I wasn’t going to kill you, but I beat you a little too much. Still, now you have a more manly face, so I don’t think it’s all that bad.”

‘This bastard right now……’

Was he making fun of him?

Even moving his facial muscles slightly hurt as if he were being seared by fire.

He had made his face into this state, to the point where even opening his eyes was difficult, and yet what he said sounded like nothing more than mockery.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“Well? Would you like to join my team?”

Grinding his teeth, Yeom Ga barely squeezed out a voice.

“Get…..lost!”

He would rather die than ever work with this bastard.

He understood that he had been no match, but even if he had lost, Yeom Ga did not want to submit to his opponent.

At that, Mok Gyeong-un clapped lightly and said,

-Clap clap!

“Such a firm will that refuses to submit.”

“……..”

“That’s a pity. You seemed useful enough that I hoped we could be in the same team.”

Hearing those words, Yeom Ga, who had been tense inwardly, let out a sigh of relief.

He had been worried that this madman might ignore the rules and kill him simply because he disliked him.

But it seemed he was not that impulsive.

At least that was fortunate.

‘Never get involved with him.’

This incident had made him realize it clearly.

This bastard was just as he had first felt, a madman who embodied ominousness itself.

He understood now that nothing good would come of getting entangled with him or provoking him.

-Tremble tremble!

Yeom Ga tried to get to his feet so that he could leave this room as soon as possible.

Then Mok Gyeong-un placed a finger on Yeom Ga’s forehead and lightly pushed.

It was not much force, but Yeom Ga, who had been trying to stand, fell back down again.

-Thump!

“What…..are…..you doing?”

“Who said you could go?”

“What?”

What was he saying now?

Had he not just spoken as though he were giving up on making him part of his team?

Then there was no reason for him to stay here.

So what exactly was this?

-Slide!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un took a wooden doll from his breast.

Then, forming a hand seal with one hand, he recited an incantation.

“By the force of linked destinies, return to the old source, release!”

‘!?’

What had he just done?

Not knowing much about occult arts, Yeom Ga could not hide his confusion at Mok Gyeong-un’s strange action.

So he tried to draw out the energy from his dantian, but,

‘Damn it!’

He had not noticed before, but at some point his acupoints had already been suppressed.

There was a reason his body felt so unusually weak.

And while that was happening, a bizarre sensation suddenly sent a chill down his spine.

-Srrrrk!

It felt as though something were seeping into his body, and that sensation was so unpleasant and cold that it was hard to endure.

“Huk. You…you? What did you do to me? Ugh.”

-Tutu-tuk!

Yeom Ga’s back bent like a shrimp.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly and said,

“I’ll make good use of that body.”

“W-what exactly…..kuhk!”

-Dudududuk!

The sight of Yeom Ga’s neck and whole face, black veins bulging all over them, was grotesque beyond words.

But it did not last very long.

Before long, the body that had been twisting about and convulsing with rolled-back eyes returned to normal.

Of course, when those eyes opened, someone else had taken his place within them.

“How does the body feel? Demon Monk.”

“It seems usable enough.”

The vengeful soul that had possessed him was none other than the Demon Monk.

Having acquired the youthful body of someone who had reached the peak state, the Demon Monk wore a satisfied expression.

“I should have handed it over in better condition.”

At those words, the Demon Monk touched his face a few times, and the broken bridge of his nose straightened while his face roughly returned to its original form.

“Ohh.”

That was rather fascinating.

He could not do very much about what had actually been broken, but he had improved it considerably.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s reaction, Blue Spirit said,

-For us, adjusting a possessed body into roughly the state we want is not particularly difficult. Unlike humans whose souls remain bound, we can freely handle the body we have taken over.

“It seems so.”

It felt as though there should also be some useful way to make use of that.

While that was happening,

-Step, step!

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Mok Gyeong-un turned his gaze toward the door.

Someone was coming toward the room where he was.

They were light footsteps, but judging from the somewhat unnatural sound, the condition of the approaching person did not seem very good.

-Knock knock!

Then someone arrived in front of the door and knocked.

“Please come in.”

At that, the door opened and an unexpected person appeared.

It was none other than Mo Ha-rang of Mo Hwa House.

She had received treatment, but he had thought she would be focusing on restoring her body through meditative breathing after being injured, so why had she come here?

At that moment, the voice of Green Spirit Gyu So-ha sounded by Mok Gyeong-un’s ear.

-Master! Master! Please give that human’s body to me!

It seemed she had taken a liking to Mo Ha-rang’s body.

At that, Blue Spirit said,

-Brat. You keep insisting you are a man, so why are you making such a fuss over wanting a woman’s body?

-………

Gyu So-ha fell silent.

Ignoring their exchange, Mok Gyeong-un lightly smiled and said,

“What brings you here?”

-Slide!

At that question, Mo Ha-rang’s gaze shifted to the Demon Monk, who stood behind Mok Gyeong-un possessing the body of Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley.

At that, Mok Gyeong-un casually said,

“Ah, this person has decided to join my team.”

At those words, the Demon Monk nodded as if he were Yeom Ga.

Seeing that, Mo Ha-rang turned back toward Mok Gyeong-un and said,

“……..What did you do?”

“What do you mean, what did I do?”

“That isn’t Yeom Ga.”

At those words, one of Mok Gyeong-un’s eyebrows rose slightly.

What sort of certainty did this woman have to say such a thing?

Mok Gyeong-un replied as if nothing were wrong,

“What do you mean by that?”

“…….That guy’s pride is too strong. There is no way he would submit to you so easily. And Yeom Ga is absolutely not someone who would ever place himself under another person.”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un’s lips twitched.

Come to think of it, he remembered how, even during the flag test, she had been clever enough to quickly guess his purpose just by watching his actions.

And,

‘She did say their eyes met, didn’t she?’

Mo Ha-rang had said that her eyes had met those of Gyu So-ha, the Green Spirit.

At that time, since it could have been mere coincidence, he had not thought much of it.

But if that was really true, then did this woman perhaps also possess aptitude as an occult practitioner?

Interest stirred in Mok Gyeong-un, and pointing at Yeom Ga with a hand gesture, he spoke.

“Then if this person is not Yeom Ga, what exactly is he?”

“…….I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, then why did you say that?”

“I saw it.”

“Saw what?”

“That one wrapped in chains beside you…….”

“That one?”

“Something like a ghost.”

She spoke as if she herself was not fully certain that this was right.

She wanted to know whether what she had seen had truly been real.

If that was true, then this man was controlling something like a ghost, something that could only be called a strange phenomenon.

“Something like a ghost…….”

“My mind was hazy then, but I saw you speaking with it.”

Even while saying this, she trailed off at the end, as if she herself lacked confidence in what she had seen.

At that, Mok Gyeong-un stared straight at her with a smiling face.

At that sight, Mo Ha-rang grew confused.

As someone from Mo Hwa House, one of the groups called a fourth-generation assassin organization, she had received countless kinds of training, and among them was a skill for reading a person’s mind through their expression and eyes.

‘…….I can’t read him.’

But she could not read Mok Gyeong-un’s thoughts from his expression and eyes at all.

She could read simple emotions, but nothing beyond that.

So she bit her lip tightly.

‘Was I mistaken?’

She was speaking of her guesses and what she had seen, yet Mok Gyeong-un showed no special reaction.

Rather, he only looked interested.

That made her wonder if she was making trouble for no reason.

And so, in the end, she said,

“Sorry. I think I must have seen things then because I had lost too much blood.”

With those words, she turned her body to leave the room.

But then,

-Papapapak!

“By the force of linked destinies, return to the old source, release.”

She heard what sounded like an incantation being recited behind her.

At that, Mo Ha-rang stopped walking and slowly turned her head.

-Shiver!

As she turned her head, goosebumps rose all over her body.

Beside Mok Gyeong-un stood a half-transparent, blurry figure of a girl with streaks of white in her hair and chains draped over her.

‘Ahh!’

What she had seen then had really been real.

As she stood astonished, Gyu So-ha, the Green Spirit, reached out a hand, and chains whipped around Mo Ha-rang’s body.

With her body bound by the chains, Mok Gyeong-un smiled, filled with malice, and said,

“The price for seeing what you wanted is going to be rather high. Is that all right?”