Gachal Goatal realized that his time was running out.

The overwhelming power within him was spiraling out of control—an unstoppable surge. There was no denying it. 

But why was it rampaging now?

Had it abandoned him?

Rather than indulging in such trivial thoughts, the King of Birds focused on something more productive. 

If he was going to go down, he wouldn’t go alone. 

That was Gachal Goatal's resolution. 

Yet, his body refused to follow his will, casting doubt on whether he could truly put an end to both the Snake Queen and that lizard.

What’s more, he could sense that Pillbang was being pushed back by the previous King of Birds.

Meanwhile, Nachaljo was struggling against a divine spear thrust by the suddenly intervening unicorn.

Moving was already difficult; if he delayed any longer, the others would join in, making it impossible to achieve his goal.

Thus, he made his choice.

The lizard and the Snake Queen.

The former King of Birds and the unicorn.

Not just them, but also the young dragons and the daughters of the tribe leaders in this jungle.

He made a choice that would wipe out all of them at once.

His plan was to summon an overwhelming agent to destroy this place.

If he unleashed all of his rampaging power, he could call forth an existence stronger than himself. 

Of course, such a being was unlikely to obey his command. 

But that didn’t matter. 

Gachal Goatal's objective was the complete annihilation of all beings.

So if he could call forth a creature that would destroy everything without his control, that would be enough.

He decided on his target.

An entity within his detectable range.

The strongest presence he could sense. 

One closest to the forces of darkness.

With conviction, Gachal Goatal uttered his summoning chant.

For he had found a being known as the Incarnation of Death, or perhaps even the Incarnation of Malice.

Without hesitation, he summoned that entity.

Even if he himself were to perish at its hands, he would have no regrets.

The devastation of this place was inevitable.

After all, his life was already forfeit, so he played his final hand with nothing left to lose.

At last, the entity appeared.

A monstrous aura that even the heavens trembled before.

Its killing intent was powerful enough to annihilate not only the Ten Thousand Peaks but also the Central Plains.

Despite his fading life, Gachal Goatal kept his eyes wide open, eager to witness the lizard’s end.

But what was this?

"Are you ready?"

The killing intent was not directed at the lizard but at him, the King of Birds.

“…Incarnation of Malice. Death. What are you talking about?”

He could understand if she aimed to kill him since he summoned her without permission, likely offending her.

It was only natural that a being of her strength held the right to decide life or death.

But why wasn’t her killing intent directed at that lizard?

If anything, she was caressing it with a gentle touch.

"I summoned you! Destroy that lizard! This jungle! These Ten Thousand Peaks! Burn everything to the ground!"

She stepped forward silently.

“You, you…!”

The figure of a woman drew nearer.

Finally, Gachal Goatal could see her face clearly.

“No… it can’t be!”

He refused to believe what he saw.

The figure before him was someone he had once killed with his own hands.

Or, more accurately, someone who had disappeared alongside the incarnate gods.

She was the master of both himself and the Snake Queen.

The face was unmistakable.

The only difference was her eyes, now a cool blue, and her once warm expression now a chilling stare.

“…Your arm seems broken.”

Baek Yeon-Yeong raised her palm slowly.

With a flick of her wrist, space itself warped.

“This, this is impossible!”

A tremendous shock reverberated through the heavens.

Her target was the one remaining arm of Gachal Goatal.

With a deafening snap, his arm twisted hundreds, thousands of times.

“Kraaaaah!”

Gachal Goatal spat out dark blood repeatedly.

“It seems you can hardly see anymore.”

His vision darkened entirely.

“Huaaah!”

An overwhelming strength that he dared not resist.

Gachal Goatal desperately wished this was all a nightmare.

“The tail of wisdom was mercilessly severed.”

With a flick, she tore into him.

“Aaaaargh!”

“And you dared mar that beautiful face.”

Another flick.

Boom!

He lay collapsed on the ground, barely able to draw breath.

Baek Yeon-Yeong raised her hand to deliver the final blow.

“N-no… aaaargh!”

Evil responds to malice.

The swirling energy within him began to gather once more.

“Keh-hah!”

Blood-red tendrils sprouted from his severed limbs.

“Power of Tasei! Yes, I understand!”

The King of Birds gained strength beyond anything he had before.

The figure before him was formidable, but in the end, she was human.

Empowered by the full might of Tasei, he was certain he could defeat her.

With a shiver, he extended thousands of tendrils.

“I shall tear out that woman’s innards and offer them to you!”

Baek Yeon-Yeong quickly retreated.

“Kehahahaha! You have brought me to this state; I will repay this gift with death!”

The number of tendrils grew, and a thousand eyes glittered, aiming for her neck.

“Keh! Like a mere insect! Where has that intimidating presence gone?”

Shhhaaa!

“Khehe… good, very good! Take this!”

All tendrils merged into one.

A thousand eyes focused on a single strike.

A red lance of pure destruction hurtled toward Baek Yeon-Yeong.

Baek Yeon-Yeong raised one hand and lowered the other.

“You’ve finally come out.”

Gachal Goatal felt an intense sense of déjà vu.

Even drunk on his newfound power, he understood the meaning of her movement.

Heaven-Earth Shift.

A supreme technique that could command the flow of power.

As fluid as the wind, Baek Yeon-Yeong transformed into water.

The tendrils wrapped around her hand, circling once.

“This, this is!”

With overwhelming speed and violence, everything reversed back toward Gachal Goatal.

Splurt!

Finally, Gachal Goatal understood why she had avoided his attacks.

It wasn’t because she was weaker.

“A lowly monster dared touch my beloved disciple.”

She had waited until he drew out all of Tasei’s energy to strike his core.

The woman before him wasn’t even looking at him.

“Even you… even you don’t see me!”

Gachal Goatal roared in agony.

Flashes of his past life rushed through his mind.

His childhood was not a happy one.

Together with the Snake Queen…

Splurt!

“I have no interest in your miserable life.”

Without a glance, Baek Yeon-Yeong turned away.

The energy of Tasei dispersed.

The impact had been severe, but it was not yet enough.

Stronger.

So strong that he would never even think to linger on the Ten Thousand Peaks again.

Baek Yeon-Yeong gathered her energy.

Huoseong, Tasei.

Huoseong was a star that did not exist.

To strike Tasei, she needed it to be bound to someone.

With Gachal Goatal dead, she could no longer attack Tasei directly.

“An evil god should not be so cowardly.”

Baek Yeon-Yeong drew her inner energy from her core.

Her power was leagues beyond Gachal Goatal’s.

She focused it into a single point.

A dark golden glow emerged from her body.

Her next action was simple.

She raised her foot and brought it down.

The moment her foot touched the ground.

Crack!

The heavens roared, and the earth wept.

Her overwhelming energy shook the entire Ten Thousand Peaks.

A single step powerful enough to annihilate the remnants of Tasei’s power.

**…**

“Gehk…”

I struggled to stay conscious, unwilling to miss this rare chance to witness Baek Yeon-Yeong in action.

I needed to remember every one of her movements.

But as time passed, my energy drained.

No, my body was shrinking.

It wasn’t as if I’d triggered a shrinking ability by accident.

Was this a side effect of having used too much power?

The battle was over.

Gachal Goatal had met his end by Baek Yeon-Yeong’s hand.

With a single step, she had reshaped the heavens and earth.

I didn’t know why she used such a grand technique in the end.

There must be a reason beyond my understanding.

I could hold on no longer.

My eyes began to close.

…

…

A warm energy enveloped me.

“…Huiya.”

A familiar voice echoed in my ears.

“Are my fingers that tasty?”

And then, a familiar taste…

Wait?

Was I biting Baek Yeon-Yeong’s fingers?

That explains why I didn’t want to let go.

“Geh…”

I was grateful, but I had no strength left.

Master, could you please handle the cleanup?

I made a weak, exhausted sound to convey my plea.

“Geeehk…”

I even wiggled my short, half-grown tail, as if to ask her to also take care of the Snake Queen.

…Whether she understood me or not, at least she wouldn’t treat someone who resembled her harshly.

It was done.

I had finished everything I needed to do.

The fatigue overwhelmed me.

I drifted into unconsciousness in Baek Yeon-Yeong’s embrace.

…

“Huiya.”

…

“Are you truly unconscious?”

I crawled

 toward the warmth.

“Why do you keep snuggling closer?”

I didn’t really know, but this felt nice.

Soft and comforting.

I felt at peace.

“…My disciple, yet so openly indulgent.”

“When you wake, I’ll have to teach you directly.”