Baekwoon looked up at the sky in shock.

"The sky…!"

Just a moment ago, it had been broad daylight. But now? The sky was shrouded in an ominous, dark red mist. One of the peaks of the Ten Thousand Mountains was veiled by a black curtain in the distance.

"What on earth is going on…?" exclaimed Jangbong, equally stunned.

They had barely made it out of the Ten Thousand Mountains alive, only to witness this bizarre phenomenon, the likes of which they had never seen before.

A natural disaster? Or perhaps a bad omen?

"It's Tae-Sae," muttered Namgung-Yeon.

Tae-Sae—Baekwoon had heard the name a few times but couldn’t quite recall the details.

"Tae-Sae?" Baekwoon asked.

"Let’s keep moving while we talk."

Following Namgung-Yeon’s words, they quickened their pace. Even without an explanation, their instincts told them they needed to get as far from here as possible, and quickly.

"You’ve heard of the Thirty-Six Celestial Generals and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends?"

The Thirty-Six Celestial Generals and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends—thirty-six stars bearing celestial names and seventy-two stars bearing earthly names. Together, they are known as the 108 ominous stars.

"Of course. Celestial Killstar and Earthly Malstar. Among all the stars, the most famous one would be the Celestial Killstar," Baekwoon responded.

"Right, Baekwoon. And opposing that Celestial Killstar is the Purple Mi Star."

Baekwoon, having trained under Jongnam, was familiar with this story. It was strange for martial artists to discuss such matters. But with Jongnam being the birthplace of Taoism, Baekwoon quickly understood Namgung-Yeon wasn’t just testing his knowledge.

"The Celestial Killstar and Purple Mi Star... They could be said to determine the fate of Murim."

Those born under the influence of the Celestial Killstar would turn Murim into a sea of blood. And whenever the Celestial Killstar appeared, a person destined under the opposing Purple Mi Star would rise against it.

Murim had always shifted according to the incomprehensible movements of celestial bodies.

"Are you saying that phenomenon is related to celestial bodies? Something similar to the Celestial and Purple Mi Stars?"

"If only it were that simple. Tae-Sae is a star that opposes the Three Stars."

The Three Stars—one of the enormous stars representing the wood element in the yin-yang five elements. Essentially, Jupiter.

"A star that opposes the Three Stars? Such a star couldn’t possibly exist!"

"It doesn’t. Such a star isn’t supposed to exist."

"Then what is Tae-Sae?"

"It doesn’t exist, yet it exists."

Namgung-Yeon spoke in a cryptic tone.

"The star is buried in the earth. Does that make sense to you?"

"…Buried in the earth?"

"A false star, Tae-Sae. A star that isn’t in the sky but is buried beneath the ground."

"Tae-Sae Star Sovereign?"

Jangbong interjected.

"Hmm, more knowledgeable than I expected. The Five Great Sects and Nine Factions work hard to keep this information hidden."

Namgung-Yeon turned with a smile.

"...I heard it in passing, from a wandering rogue of the unorthodox sect."

"There are some who call it the Tae-Sae Star Sovereign. But that’s a misconception."

Rumble…

Dark clouds gathered in all directions.

"An evil spirit, that’s what it is. Calling it a god is a mistake. Maybe it was once, but now it can no longer be considered a god… Even if a disaster deity is still technically a deity."

"An evil spirit…."

"It would be wise to get out of here quickly. Stay, and you won’t fare well."

Namgung-Yeon, who knew so much about information supposedly concealed by the Murim Alliance, remained calm. Baekwoon was tempted to question Namgung-Yeon’s true identity, but this was hardly the time for jokes.

Instead, he pressed his lips together and increased his pace. He had to escape that ominous energy as quickly as possible.

---

I’m facing an entity I cannot defeat.

My instincts told me so. But escaping wasn’t an option, either. It was an existence that wouldn’t allow such things.

I had nearly exhausted all my resources. In my current state, I wasn’t much of a combatant. All I could do was support the Snake Queen in whatever small way I could.

"Grrr…."

I puffed myself up and let out a fierce roar.

Woong.

The energy of the Biikjo core within me resonated once more.

Just once.

I had regained the strength for a single attack.

"Oho… You still refuse to surrender?"

The Bird King’s twisted smile grew wider.

"Haha! How amusing!"

Slowly, the Bird King approached.

"Companion, when I give the signal… you must flee."

Flaaash!

The Snake Queen’s form shifted, now appearing almost human, as if she wore armor crafted from my dragon scales. She positioned herself between me and the Bird King.

"Snake Queen, this isn’t your fight."

Boom!

The Snake Queen vanished, sent hurtling backward from a single blow. I couldn’t even see the movement.

Was it because she was in human form that she was so easily thrown? No, it wouldn’t have made much difference even in her true form. With her massive body, she might have taken even more damage.

"Well, I’ll save the best for last. Shall we have a chat?"

"Grraaargh…."

The Snake Queen was sent far away. But that also meant she had the chance to escape from here.

I knew what I had to do—buy her as much time as possible.

"Graaaah!"

With a roar, I charged at him.

Splaash!

A black-red tentacle shot up from the ground.

Wham!

The tentacle tossed my heavy body into the air.

Then—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of devastating impacts smashed into me, slamming me back to the ground.

Splaash!

Barely given a moment to breathe, I was hurled into the air again.

Crash!

Crack!

Splaash!

I ricocheted around like a ball trapped in a low-ceilinged room, my body bouncing helplessly.

Kra-boom!

When Ketchalgoatal finally finished his assault, I was left in tatters.

"Geh…."

I spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Grrr…."

I forced myself to stand, though every bone felt shattered. Using my tail to support my body, I glared at him. I needed to hold his attention. Only then could the Snake Queen survive.

I would give my life for her. Not out of some grand sentiment. If she survived, my own chances of survival would increase.

"Oh… Such remarkable resilience."

Clap.

The Bird King applauded mockingly.

"Shall we end the entertainment here?"

Thud!

A tentacle lifted me up.

"Beast with dragon scales, I will offer you one last chance."

…A last chance?

Did that mean he’d spare my life?

"Swear your loyalty to me."

What a ridiculous proposal. I wasn’t even worthy of standing at his feet in my current state. He had no reason to offer me anything.

He had another objective, clearly—forcing the Snake Queen into submission. He could have delivered a more lethal blow earlier, yet he’d only knocked her away.

This creature didn’t want her dead; he wanted her to willingly submit to him. Such twisted desire was all too clear.

"Making you submit by force would be easy enough."

He wasn’t wrong. I was barely clinging to life as it was.

"Look."

A dark shadow engulfed my body.

Swoosh!

Hiss….

Black smoke rose from me as the pain vanished. My shattered bones mended, and my torn scales regrew.

Ketchalgoatal had healed me, his enemy. He wanted to prove that my recovery was meaningless.

"I am the destruction that will burn the world, and the immortality that will enrich it."

To crush my spirit.

"Wouldn’t you want this power?"

The Bird King’s sinister voice continued.

"You could become anything you imagine."

Woosh!

"Picture yourself soaring through the skies on massive wings."

Gigantic wings grew from Ketchalgoatal’s shoulders.

"A dragon. You could become a true dragon."

He gazed at me with his grotesque face.

Pssht….

When I didn’t respond, he seemed to lose interest in the idea of a dragon. The wings disappeared.

"Or… What about becoming human?"

He molded his tentacles into the shape of a human form.

"Every spirit creature longs to become human. It’s an instinctual desire. Take my hand, and I will give you a human body."

Ketchalgoatal extended a pale, monstrous hand.

If I took that hand, I could return to being human.

Human limbs.

A human voice.

A human face.

Though I hadn’t shown it, I had missed those things deeply.

But there was only one answer I could give.

Thwack.

I spat the blood in my mouth right into his face. Blue flames from my dragon blood splashed onto him, but he merely chuckled.

"Oh… Stubborn, aren’t we? I don’t dislike that about you."

Smack.

Ketchalgoatal slapped me across the face.

The impact nearly snapped my neck. I almost blacked out.

"But that’s not what I want to see right now."

Smack!

"One defiant being is enough. Between the Queen and you, I don’t need two. It’s rather irritating."

As he raised his hand to strike again—

Boom!

An intense beam blasted towards him. The Bird King’s tentacles blocked the attack.

"The Queen has returned."

…Didn’t I tell her to flee? She never listens.

"Then I’ll take on the Queen while you think it over."

Clap.

The Bird King clapped his hands.

"That is, if you can escape at all."

He grinned maliciously.

At that moment, darkness swallowed my vision.

---

What just happened?

My head hurt.

"Wake up!"

Someone was shaking me roughly.

…Right. This was no time to be lying around.

I opened my eyes urgently.

Why was I lying here? I was… doing something.

…What was it?

"The sun is already high in the sky. Hurry and get up."

"Mmm. I did move around quite a lot yesterday…."

"S-Sis!"

I turned to see two women looking at me.

They were unfamiliar, but something about them felt familiar.

…What was going on? Why couldn’t I remember?

"Oh, you’re awake."

One of them confirmed I was up, then perched herself on the bed, subtly edging closer to me, watching my expression as if expecting me to remember something.

What on earth was happening?

I glanced over at the other. She was staring at my lower half, drooling.

This scene… I’d seen it somewhere before.

Yes.

These two must be….

"Tus, Pus?"