Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 182

Nangseon Gi Hwan Dam – 181

My body refuses to obey.

I can’t even draw a breath.

Yet, my mind remains terrifyingly lucid.

The smoke emanating from my body felt as though my very life force was being leached away.

“Master, Master! Ahhhhh! Master!!”

Hongyeon’s desperate cry reached me.

But I was powerless to respond.

My mouth had locked shut.

I had heard chilling tales of Bungyang Chosu [a legendary poison]. In a single breath, the entire body hardens, the inner essence dissolving into smoke. Eventually, the body crumbles to dust, leaving no trace.

Even existence is cleanly erased.

Not a single bone fragment remains; death is instantaneous. It truly deserves to be called the deadliest of the ten extreme poisons.

‘Die? Me?’

The words, death, seemed to creep closer from behind, inch by agonizing inch.

No, not inch by inch. It was swift.

It came far too quickly.

I strained to move my feet, to escape, but it clung to me as if glued to my back.

‘Ah….’

Now that I think of it, it felt like this back then, too.

The moment of facing death.

That day when I was on the verge of collapse from exhaustion, after desperately fleeing.

It was like this that day, too.

Hundreds of years ago.

The first time I encountered that bastard.

Death was this close.

* * *

Four hundred and fifty years ago.

I was an ordinary fox, Hori.

I possessed no special lineage, no extraordinary gifts.

I was simply a common wild animal.

A wild animal who knew neither parents nor siblings.

An ordinary fox who hunted when hunger gnawed and sought shelter in a den when sleep beckoned.

A fox with no distinguishing features save for its black fur.

But back then, I didn’t care.

I didn’t know how to live; I simply existed because I was alive.

That’s why I lived.

A beast that hunted and sometimes narrowly escaped being hunted.

That was me.

Days when the word ‘satisfaction’ held no meaning, and I was content simply when my belly was full.

Days when I reveled in the simple joy of running through these mountains and those mountains on my strong legs.

Those days stretched on.

My life was like that.

A peaceful and uneventful existence, free from worry.

But even that life was destined to end.

Thud, thud, thud!

I felt it instinctively.

A predator was stalking me.

No, looking back, it wasn’t an ordinary beast.

It was a spirit beast [a creature imbued with magical energy].

The thing grunted some unintelligible sounds, but I couldn’t understand it.

I ran and ran.

My pride was my strong and swift legs.

I trusted my legs implicitly.

But tragically, its legs were far faster.

It seemed to be toying with me, running alongside me, knocking me down, waiting for me to rise, and then resuming the chase.

It was the worst kind of torment.

If it intended to kill me, why engage in such cruel mockery?

Despite its cruel game, I desperately wanted to live.

I wanted to live, so I ran and ran.

My breath grew ragged, and my body burned with heat.

I longed to catch my breath, to cool my overheated body.

I yearned to seek shade, to pant with my tongue lolling out, and recover my strength.

But it relentlessly pursued me.

I couldn’t rest.

I crossed this mountain and that mountain.

I ran and ran, oblivious to my direction.

In the midst of that desperate flight.

I could run no further.

My body was scorching, and my head swam.

I was so breathless that my body felt as if it would explode, and I was utterly unable to move.

Only then did it approach, chuckling.

Only then could I properly see its appearance.

It was a wild boar.

The wild boar prodded me only after I had run myself to exhaustion, teetering on the brink of death.

It rummaged through me a few times with its filthy snout and attempted to nudge me to my feet, as if urging me to run more.

But I had already depleted my reserves of energy.

My tongue lolled out, and my eyes were glazed over from the heat.

The wild boar soon lost interest and opened its hideous mouth.

I instinctively sensed death.

It was then.

Kwwaaaaang!!

A roar like thunder erupted, and the impact of something massive falling in front of me sent shockwaves through the air.

Kkweeek! Kkweeek! Kkweeek!

The wild boar’s terrified squeals echoed throughout the mountain.

Only then did I open my eyes, and my whole body froze.

Crimson brown fur and stylishly connected black stripes.

And a dignified face and red eyes that made my legs tremble simply by looking at them.

A powerful predator that dominated everything with its mere presence.

That was the first time I saw the Mountain Lord of Baekseok, and the first time I saw…

A tiger.

* * *

Pajijik! Pajik!

Red lightning crackled from Hongyeon’s body.

“Heuaaaaaaa!!”

Her eyes glowed red, and fur sprouted across her skin.

It was red fur.

Soon, she had transformed into Jeokroe Jurang [Red Wolf Lightning], a red wolf crackling with red lightning.

Kururung Kwahang!!

But the golden staff was binding her body.

What kind of treasure could withstand Hongyeon’s potent red lightning? Wasn’t it a legendary artifact only whispered about in legends? Amazement flickered across Yoo-jung’s face, but only for a moment.

He swiftly drew several throwing knives from his chest and hurled them all at once.

Thwack, thwack!

Jeokroe Jurang’s scream pierced the air.

“I won’t kill you right now. I’ll show you what it’s like to live without being able to die. You can look forward to it.”

The other Ghost Kings were in a similar predicament.

They were desperately trying to release the Geumchuna [Golden Spring Energy] that the golden staff had transformed into, but their efforts were futile. Geumchuna’s energy was gradually weakening, but it would only be released after the transfer was complete!

Yoo-jung glared at the Ghost Kings, laughing maniacally as if he couldn’t contain his glee. Even while bound, Jeokroe Jurang struggled to reach Gu-gwi.

“It’s useless. You’ve been struck by Bungyang Chosu; you’ll soon crumble. You, as Jeokroe Jurang, should know that best, right?”

Jeokroe Jurang was the creator of Bungyang Chosu.

Yoo-jung turned his head.

Gu-gwi stood blankly, his body surface gradually cracking.

The surface was turning to stone, preparing to crumble into dust.

Jiwonjin essence [life force] leaked from the cracks, but even that was coming to an end.

‘What a remarkable poison.’

The smoke is faint.

In contrast, the light of the transfer formation is blindingly bright.

Yoo-jung’s lips curved into a sinister smile.

He spread his arms wide.

Whirr.

The sleeves of his robe fluttered, and the Iron Castle Labyrinth began to glow with a blood-red light.

Geeeeee!

A sinister light as if the whole world was dyed blood-red.

The light of the transfer formation blazed even brighter.

* * *

I didn’t know it back then, but I learned of it later.

The tiger that subdued the wild boar, which had been mocking me with its fierce eyes, in one fell swoop.

That he was the Mountain Lord of Baekseok.

That he was Daeho [Great Tiger].

Kkweeek! Kkweeek! Kkweeek!

Unlike when it stood proudly before me, it was now cowardly and pathetic.

It seemed to be begging for its life.

Inwardly, I wished.

Never save it.

It’s a truly vile creature!

Did it sense my thoughts?

[What the fuck.]

Kwajik!

I don’t know what it said, but the Mountain Lord crushed its head with its massive forepaw in one swift motion.

I cheered at the sight of its instant demise, but soon fear crept in.

Because the tiger’s eyes were now fixed on me.

I was terrified.

The unwavering red eyes stared down as if piercing through my very soul.

It was frightening, but… for some reason, I couldn’t avert my gaze.

As if being drawn in.

And after a moment.

The Mountain Lord turned and disappeared leisurely.

I don’t know if it sensed my impending death or if it deliberately spared me.

The important thing was that I was alive.

But if I collapsed like this, I would become prey for other beasts.

So I had to move.

It was an instinctive thought.

I gathered my trembling body and stood up, despite my spinning head.

I barely managed to stand, but something caught my eye.

Something that shone particularly brightly in the moonlight from the wild boar’s mangled corpse.

It was a spirit orb [a concentrated source of spiritual energy].

I didn’t even know what it was back then, but I instinctively coveted it.

It wasn’t very big.

It was a red spirit orb.

A red and round spirit orb, just like the tiger from before, as if I would fall into it.

Maybe that’s why.

I swallowed it in one gulp.

I don’t remember what happened after that.

When I regained my senses, I could speak, and I had gained intelligence.

I had fallen somewhere and was collapsed in a cave.

And I met him there.

A huge red wolf.

[You have a lot of nerve. I was hiding my energy, but even wild animals don’t come near my abode, and now a guy who just became a spirit beast has rolled in.]

It was a size that made my legs tremble just by looking at it.

It was bigger than the Mountain Lord I had met earlier.

But strangely, it didn’t possess the same aura as the Mountain Lord.

If I couldn’t see it, I wouldn’t even know it was there. But I could smell it.

The cave reeked of blood.

It seemed to be injured.

But it was a terrifying existence to me.

[I, I’m a tiger!]

I shouted those words, though they didn’t come out quite right. Looking back, I understand Hongyeon’s dumbfounded expression.

[…Aren’t you a fox?]

[I’m a tiger! I will become a tiger!]

I don’t know why I did that.

I didn’t need to make such a fuss.

Was it because I had just learned to speak?

Or was it because I had gained intelligence?

I babbled on and on like a dam had burst.

[I’m going to become a tiger! I will definitely become a tiger… Anyway, I’m going to become a tiger!]

[I can’t have a conversation with you.]

Hongyeon seemed to find the fox babbling to itself cute, or perhaps he was simply exhausted, so he left me alone and watched.

I repeated the same words like an idiot.

[I’m going to become a tiger and have my own mountain! I’m going to punish that pig bastard too! And and… I’m going to fight and win against that tiger!]

[I’ve met all kinds of crazy bastards, but you’re the most absurd one. A fox wants to become a tiger… That’s the first time I’ve heard such a ridiculous thing.]

He seemed to be laughing, even though he claimed it was absurd.

[You want to become a tiger… Do you really want to become a tiger?]

[Of course! I’m going to become a tiger!]

The red wolf grinned.

It seemed like something else was reflected in the wolf’s eyes as it gazed at the black fox.

The sharp eyes of the wolf suddenly softened.

Flash.

A light erupted, and a beautiful woman with red hair materialized in the air.

“You are different from those who act recklessly without knowing their place, so this is also fate.

It can be said to be made of red thread [a metaphor for destiny], so it matches the ideal I have been hoping for.

Unlike those guys, your head is empty, but for some reason, I like you, so I will grant your wish.”

The woman then knelt on one knee and bowed her head to me.

“That ridiculous statement that you will become a tiger.”

I will definitely make it come true.

* * *

“Get a grip! You must get a grip, Master!! Master! Ugh!!”

Hongyeon’s voice was frantic.

It was the first time I had seen Hongyeon so agitated. But unfortunately, my eyes could no longer see.

It is a darkness where nothing can be seen.

Only Hongyeon’s muffled voice conveyed her expression and emotions.

But that was only for a moment.

Soon, no sound reached me.

Neither the surrounding sounds.

Nor Hongyeon’s voice.

Nothing was heard.

My eyes perceive only darkness, and the senses of my whole body have long since vanished.

Perhaps I’m already dead. It doesn’t feel real.

There were still many things I wanted to try, and many things I hadn’t achieved.

And things I hadn’t conveyed.

‘Ah.’

Things I hadn’t conveyed.

There are many things I haven’t conveyed to that bastard.

There are so many.

In an instant, that bastard’s appearance was vividly etched in my mind.

Even though I can’t see, how is that bastard’s appearance so vivid?

It shakes my heart until the very end.

But this is also a futile act.

If I’m going to crumble, I want it to be quick.

That way, I will be reborn again.

‘I will be reborn again and see you.’

It was then.

[Blackie.]

A familiar voice echoed in the darkness.