Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 448

Pajijijit!

The door of the Gaeshin Library [a mystical library] was spewing blue currents.

Paat!

The exploding currents collided and bounced off.

Ha Se-min and the others quickly stood in front of Lee Ro-woon.

Kwaang!

The currents that collided with them caused a massive explosion and….

Jureuk!

Pushed them back.

“Keok!”

Ha Se-min coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Ha Se-min, who could now be said to have definitely reached a certain level, had his internal organs severely damaged by a single blow.

He had fortified his body both externally and internally with his protective aura and even further with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art [a powerful martial art], yet….

Pajit!

The light emitted by the Gaeshin Library possessed an offensive power that seemed to completely ignore such defenses.

“See, you shouldn’t do useless things.”

At Lee Ro-woon’s words, Ha Se-min frowned as if feeling wronged.

Jeobeok.

Lee Ro-woon walked further.

“Dangerous….”

Ha Se-min, who was about to stop him, soon closed his mouth.

Indeed.

Seueuk.

Who here could be stronger and safer than Lee Ro-woon?

As expected, Lee Ro-woon reached out and grabbed the bouncing currents.

Geugeugeugeuk!

Sparks flew from Lee Ro-woon’s hand as he held the currents, creating an unpleasant noise.

A power that seemed ready to flow through Lee Ro-woon’s hand and fry his entire body.

Such a transcendent power….

Pasut!

Lee Ro-woon extinguished it by clenching his fist.

Only then did Ha Se-min and the others adjust their postures.

If they had thought of the light emitted by the Gaeshin Library as a great threat just a moment ago,

Jeobeok.

Now, they thought of it as just a crazy colt under Lee Ro-woon’s control.

“What is going on?”

Lee Ro-woon would know the answer.

“…….”

However, Lee Ro-woon did not answer and stood in front of the door of the Gaeshin Library.

“It’s collapsing.”

The Gaeshin Library was collapsing.

“……!”

Those who heard the words widened their eyes.

They had already heard what would happen if the Gaeshin Library collapsed.

A dimensional collapse and a shock that could wipe out a continent.

“Then, isn’t it dangerous?”

Lee Ro-woon nodded at the obvious question.

The Gaeshin Library was precarious, as if it would collapse at any moment.

However.

“Not yet.”

Not yet.

“He’s still fighting.”

Lee Shin-woo, he was struggling with the Gaeshin Library inside.

The scene Lee Ro-woon saw was of Lee Shin-woo, who looked like he could collapse at any moment, and the Gaeshin Library, which was desperately trying to crush him to death.

The outcome of the battle was as good as decided, but….

“He hasn’t given up yet.”

Lee Shin-woo was still running towards the Gaeshin Library without giving up.

Pajit!

The light emitted by the Gaeshin Library was a result of that fight.

Pa ha hat!

Blood splattered from under Lee Ro-woon’s feet.

Soon, it seized the door of the Gaeshin Library and created a red sphere.

A barrier.

Pajit!

The light from the Gaeshin Library was no longer threatening.

However, everyone could tell.

That it was only a matter of time, and the result depended on Lee Shin-woo.

There was a way.

To destroy the Gaeshin Library before Lee Shin-woo failed, and bury it along with Lee Shin-woo.

That way, they would not be able to save the location of the stake or Lee Shin-woo, but they could at least prevent the shock of the Gaeshin Library collapsing.

However, no one dared to say such a thing.

It wasn’t because Lee Shin-woo was Lee Ro-woon’s kin.

Kukukuku!

They believed in Lee Ro-woon, who believed in Lee Shin-woo.

If necessary, Lee Ro-woon would move first.

“How long will it take?”

Time.

“It’s almost over.”

Lee Ro-woon said, squinting his eyes.

Lee Shin-woo was in a state where he could collapse at any moment.

On the other hand, the Gaeshin Library was exploding with power, desperately trying to hold on.

It was obvious to anyone that the outcome of the fight was near.

Kung!

The barrier created by Lee Ro-woon trembled from the massive impact.

Kung! Kung!

Another shock occurred.

And finally.

Kwaaaang!

With a huge shockwave, Lee Ro-woon’s barrier shattered.

They quickly took a defensive stance, their nerves on edge.

However, the door of the Gaeshin Library was silent, no longer emitting currents.

“…….”

Silence fell.

Gulp.

The sound of swallowing in tension.

Slowly, slowly.

Pajijit.

The Gaeshin Library began to emit light again.

An even brighter light than before.

Something was about to happen.

At that moment, when the tension was at its peak.

“Welcome.”

Lee Ro-woon’s voice was heard.

A being wrapped in blue light was emerging from the Gaeshin Library.

* * *

What emerged from the Gaeshin Library was a being like a spirit wrapped in blue light.

Its face was indistinguishable, and it was something transcendent that was difficult to call human.

However.

“Welcome.”

With Lee Ro-woon’s one word, everyone could identify the identity of the being.

Lee Shin-woo.

Goooooo!

A surging energy.

Gugugugu!

Just the presence of it caused the inner energy of Ha Se-min and the others to boil and rampage.

Therefore, they had to quickly circulate their energy and control it.

‘What kind of tremendous power is this?’

The Blood King’s Castle was trembling.

“Keuk.”

He swallowed a groan of pain and looked at Lee Shin-woo and Lee Ro-woon.

Ha Se-min was uneasy.

Was the being with such an appearance really the Lee Shin-woo they knew?

Also, would he….

‘Jinchen [a term of respect].’

Was there a guarantee that he wouldn’t oppose the Blood Demon?

What if Lee Ro-woon was swayed by his emotions and made the wrong decision?

If such a being took advantage of Lee Ro-woon’s weakness and attacked?

Lee Ro-woon could also be in danger.

Kkwaak.

Ha Se-min clenched his fist.

In case of an emergency, he might have to step forward even if it meant sacrificing his life.

But soon, Ha Se-min released the strength in his fist and focused on circulating his energy.

‘It’s Jinchen.’

It’s Lee Ro-woon.

His choice would not be wrong, and he would be right.

This was not blind faith.

It was faith in what Lee Ro-woon had shown so far, and true trust.

Hwaaaak!

Lee Shin-woo emitted an even brighter light.

-Geugeuk…. Geugeugeuk….

Something that could not be called human language was directly heard in their minds from his mouth.

In the next moment.

-Shit….

A vulgar curse.

Along with that, the light that filled the space gradually began to disappear.

Whish.

The light distorted and swayed.

A collapsing figure.

Lee Ro-woon reached out and grabbed him.

Kkulreong!

The moment he touched Lee Shin-woo, veins popped out on Lee Ro-woon’s arm and swelled as if they would burst.

An overwhelming power had flowed into his body in an instant.

Hwaak!

Golden light burst from Lee Ro-woon’s eyes, and the rampaging energy began to subside.

Slowly, very slowly….

“Haa….”

Lee Shin-woo lost his light and regained his senses.

“I…., succeeded….”

Lee Shin-woo, who had regained his original form, said.

“Damn it…. You’re really Ro-woon, right…?”

A dry voice.

“Yes.”

“You are…, you are….”

But Lee Shin-woo soon closed his eyes without finishing his words.

“……!”

Those who saw it were surprised.

“Don’t worry. He’s not dead.”

Ssaeak.

Lee Shin-woo’s chest slowly swelled.

“He’s just asleep.”

Only then did the others let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief.”

“Success….”

Relief, joy at the success.

However, Lee Ro-woon’s expression was not good.

“It ended earlier than I thought.”

It was a mission with no guaranteed time.

One month, one year, even Lee Ro-woon didn’t know how long it would take.

But Lee Shin-woo had returned relatively quickly.

“Earlier.”

Lee Ro-woon frowned as he spoke.

They wouldn’t know.

Time.

Those who had not entered that concept and experienced it directly would never be able to understand.

“No.”

Lee Ro-woon said, holding Lee Shin-woo in his arms.

“It’s not as short as I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

The scene Lee Ro-woon had seen, the one he had watched right in front of him.

That time was….

“At least several years.”

It felt like several years to Lee Ro-woon.

“……!”

They had already experienced it in the Gaeshin Library.

The vast amount of information, the power that distorted dimensions.

The Gaeshin Library itself was a transcendent being that had gained the power to manipulate time.

Time had already flowed slowly once.

“Could it be…, are you saying that the time Cheong-gwi [Lee Shin-woo’s nickname] spent there was several years?”

Lee Ro-woon walked away, holding Lee Shin-woo in his arms.

Nod.

He slowly nodded his head.

* * *

It was more than a week later that Lee Shin-woo woke up.

Gulp, gulp.

Lee Shin-woo drank the water he received without stopping.

Only then did a smile spread across his face.

“This isn’t a dream, right?”

His voice was no different from usual, but there was a dryness in it.

“Why are you all looking at me with such faces?”

Lee Shin-woo, who was making the same jokes as usual.

“Still… I succeeded.”

Lee Shin-woo said with a smile, looking at their unresponsive faces.

“Are you okay now?”

Lee Shin-woo, who had tried not to enter the Gaeshin Library.

The only reason he had entered the Gaeshin Library was because of his sense of duty.

With a sense of duty that if he left it as it was, something irreversible would happen, and that he had to save hundreds and thousands of lives and protect their homes.

“Yeah. Now I am.”

Lee Shin-woo smiled at Lee Ro-woon’s words.

However.

“…….”

His face slowly distorted.

As if….

“Everyone, please leave for a moment.”

As if he was about to burst into tears.

At Lee Ro-woon’s words, the others left the room.

They had to hear what had happened and what had been accomplished, but not now.

“Keuheuk.”

In the end, Lee Shin-woo lowered his head and burst into tears.

“Keuheueueuk.”

He seemed to be trying to hold it back.

“You don’t have to hold back.”

Lee Ro-woon’s one word.

At that, Lee Shin-woo muffled his voice even more.

But the raindrops falling below his lowered head were saying everything.

“I… wanted to give up.”

He could have given up at any time.

If he had given up everything, there would have been no pain.

There would have been temptations as well.

The Gaeshin Library was a living being in itself.

It would have desperately tried to survive, and it would have tried to persuade Lee Shin-woo.

It would have shown its immense power and offered it without any cost.

If Lee Shin-woo had given up like that….

“I… couldn’t….”

Lee Shin-woo would have disappeared.

The Gaeshin Library, which had taken over Lee Shin-woo’s body, would have fought him again.

“Even if I wanted to give up…, I couldn’t….”

Lee Ro-woon left Lee Shin-woo alone.

“I couldn’t count the days or the time. I couldn’t figure out how much time had passed.”

It was not a place where the sun set and night came.

“It felt like I was dreaming. Everything…, everything….”

Lee Shin-woo said.

“It felt like I was fighting something shapeless in the dark depths of the sea, trying to stay awake.”

Lee Shin-woo was swallowing his tears.

“When I thought a day had passed, I would carve a scar on my body.”

There were no scars on Lee Shin-woo’s body now.

However.

“A thousand. I stopped counting when I reached that number.”

Lee Shin-woo raised his head.

The faint smile that could be seen was more difficult and sad than ever.

“Do you know why I held on?”

Lee Shin-woo said.

The reason he had entered the Gaeshin Library was, as he had said, a sense of duty.

But the reason he hadn’t given up was….

“It’s because of you.”

It was because of Lee Ro-woon.

“You….”

In the Gaeshin Library, Lee Shin-woo was able to endure.

“What on earth did you go through?”

Lee Ro-woon said, reading the fragments he had experienced.