Book 2: Chapter 456
‘The chance that he knows is high.’
That was Lukas’ thought.
The reason Yang In-hyun had imprisoned Lee Jong-hak instead of killing him was most likely because he had somehow managed to sense the presence of the Lightning G.o.d.
“…”
Instead of answering, Yang In-hyun lowered his gaze slightly. It seemed like he was avoiding his gaze, or perhaps he was lost in thought.
When he raised his head again.
Lukas realised what Yang In-hyun was thinking.
“Here?”
“Here.”
A short question and short answer.
Lukas nodded gently.
Whoosh-
A gentle breeze blew. The gentle breeze flowed through his hair as a b.u.t.terfly flew in from the window. At first, he thought it was a plum blossom. This was because the b.u.t.terfly’s wings were surprisingly similar in colour.
Yang In-hyun held out his index finger towards the flying b.u.t.terfly. And just as the b.u.t.terfly sat upon it…
Whoosh-
Plum blossoms bloomed all around.
It felt like he’d gone blind in both eyes. The scent of plum blossoms made his nose tingle. For a moment, he lost sight of Yang In-hyun due to the countless plum blossoms flying around.
‘An illusion.’
And at the same time, this scene was also real.
This wasn’t just nonsense.
The plum blossoms seemed to change according to Yang In-hyun’s wishes. They could disappear with the flick of a finger, or they could become corporeal and directly threaten Lukas. Anything could happen as Yang In-hyun wished.
He could change the landscape and imitate nature with just his consciousness.
The stage he had reached was clearly visible. As expected, Yang In-hyun was a peerless Great Master of Swordsmanship.
‘That isn’t the Everlasting Plum Sword.’
He knew because he’d experienced the Everlasting Plum Sword’s First Move, Martial Annihilation before.
This scene was just a reflection of Yang In-hyun. But what was the point of showing him this scene?
First off, he was certain that he didn’t have any intention of attacking.
‘Is this a test?’
Lukas chuckled.
It was rude, but Yang In-hyun had the right to do so. And it was natural to measure the other party before accepting their proposal.
If Lukas failed to meet Yang In-hyun’s expectations here, he would kick him out. Or kill him. Before learning how to utilise void, Lukas probably wouldn’t have been able to realise what this scene meant.
He probably would have hurried to defend himself.
It was obviously a handshake.
He let his entire body relax. He leaned back into the chair and raised his chin.
“…”
It was at that moment that Yang In-hyun’s gaze became stange.
Boom!
With a loud sound, the plum blossoms exploded. The exploding plum blossoms scattered into snowflakes.
“…you took back the spring I summoned.”
“I thought this would be a rarer sight to see here. Do you not like snow?”
Yang In-hyun held out his palm and caught a snowflake. The snowflake that landed on his palm quickly melted. Feeling the crisp and chilly air, Yang In-hyun opened his mouth.
“I like falling leaves more.”
“…”
“Since I got a nice present, I suppose I should reciprocate.”
As he said that, Yang In-hyun got up from his seat. Then, he rummaged through a drawer and began to prepare something.
Lukas was able to witness a rare sight. The Everlasting Plum Sword Yang In-hyun had began to personally brew tea leaves.
“Would you like a drink?”
It was a simple offer for a cup of tea.
“…”
But Lukas couldn’t help but feel strange because of it.
Even though it was a small gesture, he was being treated like this directly by Yang In-hyun.
No. That wasn’t all. Yang In-hyun’s current att.i.tude was something Lukas had never experienced before.
Yang In-hyun acknowledged Lukas as an equal. He took him as someone who could sit at the same negotiation table as him and talk.
Something similar to pleasure rolled down his spine at the thought.
Lukas let out a low laugh as he said.
“Do you not have coffee?”
“…what is that?”
“If you don’t then it’s fine.”
And he hid his smile.
Right.
Finally, Lukas had reached the same level as the Twelve Void Lords.
Lukas told him about the Lightning G.o.d. Throughout his story, which was neither long nor short, Yang In-hyun remained silent. At first glance, it seemed like he wasn’t paying full attention because all he did was occasionally bring the cup of tea to his lips.
“So, how do you know all of that?”
After the story was finished, it was clear that he wasn’t.
Yang In-hyun was probably also wondering about things that Lukas hadn’t mentioned. And his guess was surprisingly sharp.
“Because I am also from the outside.”
“…outside. Then that means you’re a Twelve Void Lord Candidate. Or…”
Void King Candidate. Yang In-hyun didn’t bother to mention that. He closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to be thinking deeply about something.
Lukas quietly lifted his teacup. He liked the feeling of the lukewarm water on his lips.
Then, after pouring the remainder of the cup into his mouth, he said.
“The Lightning G.o.d can temporarily descend to this world by using Lee Jong-hak as a medium. Of course, he has to face considerable restrictions so he can’t use his full power. Nevertheless, the fact that he is a dangerous being doesn’t change. In particular, the ‘Thunder’ power that he uses could be called the most deadly poison for the beings in this world.”
Even with void, the wounds would heal slowly. In other words, most of the treatment methods in this world would be useless against wounds caused by Rulers.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Even if you are one of the Twelve Void Lords, there is no guarantee that you’ll win.”
“…”
Yang In-hyun didn’t refute that statement.
Of course, for Lukas, his remarks weren’t just speculation. They were fact. In a certain future, the two of them had fought, and the only result was mutual destruction.
“I don’t think you want to keep a bomb like the Lightning G.o.d in Flower Mountain. That guy’s existence will certainly bring harm to you at some point. So I’ll help you.”
“You want to fight together?”
“The risk of death will almost disappear completely, and the damage would be minimal.”
This was also not an exaggeration meant to win the negotiation.
Currently, Lukas on his own had about a 50% chance of defeating the Lightning G.o.d. If Yang In-hyun’s power was added to the mix, then obtaining an easy victory wouldn’t be impossible.
“Fighting the Lightning G.o.d would be a burden for you as well. Are you sure you want to take that risk just so I will owe you a favour?”
“Right.”
“What do you want in return?”
“Accompany me to the Magic Planet.”
His true intention wasn’t something he needed to hide.
Yang In-hyun tilted his head at that.
“You want to take me to the Demon Planet? Did the Beginning Wizard ask you to come to me?”
“It’s not like that. And I’m not from the Magic Planet.”
“…mm.”
Yang In-hyun’s forehead became wrinkled. He had ruled out the possibility that Lukas might be from the Magic Planet.
Instead, he seemed more fit to be a ‘Twelve Vord Lord Candidate’ or even a ‘Void King Candidate’.
“If it’s just to accompany you… then there is no problem, but it seems you’re a bit wary of the Magic Planet.”
“It’s not something to take lightly. I received advice from someone I know that I shouldn’t go to the Magic Planet alone. She said I should take at least one other person on the same level as me.”
“Someone, you know?”
“The Blue Knight.”
This was also not something he needed to hide, so he confessed it honestly. It was better to tell him in advance since he would learn about it when he accompanied him anyway.
For the first time, he was able to see an agitated expression on Yang In-hyun’s face. As expected, the existence of the Blue Knight, Pale, was not something the Twelve Void Lords too lightly.
“She is your companion?”
“For now.”
“…indeed. It seems you will probably bring more trouble to the World of Void than I expected.”
After mumbling those meaningful words, Yang In-hyun fell silent again.
He was probably trying to guess Pale’s intentions.
But even Lukas couldn’t tell what she was thinking at this point. He also wasn’t sure why he needed to find a reliable being to accompany him to the Magic Planet. If he were to ask directly, he’d probably never receive a straight answer.
Was it simply to prepare for the Beginning Wizard? That might be the case. In the past, the Beginning Wizard had been the strongest of the Twelve Void Lords, and even the Blue Knight Pale, who was far stronger than the average Void Lord, was wary of him.
Or maybe there were strong enemies in the Magic Planet. Or maybe he needed the presence of one or two more individuals for a different reason other than a physical threat.
In the end, it was still a mystery.
Therefore, it was necessary for him to bring in a being like Yang In-hyun.
If this man was his companion, he would be able to leave his back to him at any time. Even if it was just a temporary verbal agreement. At the very least, Yang In-hyun wouldn’t betray him first.
Yang In-hyun had a reputation for being able to remain calm in any situation and there were no doubts about his combat power. Lukas, who had been killed by Yang In-hyun’s sword, knew this better than anyone else.
But more than that, there was a decisive reason why Lukas chose him as the ‘reliable being’.
Yang In-hyun was a human.
In the World of Void, humans were very rare and hard to find. Although one might not think so at first.
“So, will you accept?”
“…”
Yang In-hyun opened his eyes. Looking into those eyes, Lukas realised he’d come to a decision.
“I accept.”
Lukas wasn’t overjoyed, but he still let out a soft sigh. From a rational perspective, the odds of rejection were extremely low, but considering who the other party was, he couldn’t relax at all.
“Before we subjugate the Lightning G.o.d, there is something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“His host, Lee Jong-hak. Can we ensure his survival?”
Although it might seem like a trivial question, this matter was very important for Lukas.
He couldn’t let Lee Jong-hak die. He didn’t want to. It was enough to see his acquaintance be controlled and made into a puppet for a Ruler.
If Yang In-hyun were to reject this request, then Lukas’ plan would go awry. It was possible that —just before defeating the Lightning G.o.d— the target of his attacks would change to Yang In-hyun. That would be a very risky choice for Lukas.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Because one of Lukas’ objectives was to free Lee Jong-hak from the Lightning G.o.d’s possession. This was absolutely necessary to save Sedi from the Demon G.o.d in the future.
And Yang In-hyun nodded easily.
“I think so. Because I don’t want to kill members of Flower Mountain with my own hands.”
“…”
Those words gave Lukas a strange feeling.
Was it possible that the reason Yang In-hyun didn’t kill Lee Jong-hak and instead confined him to prison wasn’t simply because he felt the presence of the Lightning G.o.d?
…It was a difficult conclusion to make at that moment.
Yang In-hyun got up from his seat. Then, he retrieved his sword, which was laying on another table.
“Let’s end it quickly.”
“Are we going to start right away?”
“Is there a problem?”
“…”
For a moment, Lukas thought about getting Pale. She was a being that could be considered the perfect final weapon to use against the great Rulers.
In the event that Lukas and Yang In-hyun weren’t enough, Pale’s existence would be the perfect safety net.
“No. There isn’t.”
But he decided not to. He couldn’t rely on Pale forever.
Besides, it was possible that his behaviour might disappoint Pale. Then, she would cut Lukas’ neck with her blade again. It was like enticing a tiger to drive out a wolf.
“Then like you said, shall we start immediately?”
With those words, Lukas snapped his fingers, and the surroundings changed.
They were now in the underground prison below Flower Mountain.
“Spatial movement…” (TL: Still half half on ‘s.p.a.ce or spatial’. Which do you guys prefer?)
Yang In-hyun muttered in a surprised voice. He couldn’t believe that this man was able to move freely through s.p.a.ce like that even though this was his territory. Though he did have a strange feeling from the way he had suddenly entered Flower Mountain.
“Uhuk!”
The manager of the underground prison, Yong So-han, was shocked out of his wits by Lukas’ sudden appearance.
“Wh-, who on earth… Se-, Sect Leader?”
Just as he quickly pulled out his sword and shouted, he finally noticed Yang In-hyun.
“U-, uhh. What is this…”
Yong So-han blinked his eyes with a dream-like expression, and just as Yang In-hyun was about to say something, Lukas waved his hand once again.
Then, Yong So-han disappeared.
“I didn’t kill him. I just thought he’d get in the way if he stayed here.”
“Where did you send him?”
“Where we just were.”
Yang In-hyun’s eyebrows twitched at that.
“…Cloud Pavilion is a history residence that only the Sect Leader is permitted to freely enter. Even Elders aren’t allowed to come and go as they please.”
“Really?”
“I’m asking you to be more mindful next time.”
“Hm. My apologies.”
After giving a rough answer, Lukas turned to look through the iron bars in front of them.
In that place, was Lee Jong-hak.
‘…now.’
First off, it was time to call out the Lightning G.o.d.