So This Is Where You Were Hiding.

The first to move was Jo Chung.

Using the darkness as cover, he rushed at Gyo-ha.

His long arm lashed out like a whip. But Gyo-ha had already experienced this kind of attack before.

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost.

Kkang!

Gyo-ha’s iron shackle and Jo Chung’s arm collided with a metallic clang.

Gyo-ha’s eyes gleamed as he looked at Jo Chung’s transformed arm.

It was different from Darkshadow Mountain Ghost. Not just the fingers but the whole arm from elbow to hand had turned into a weapon.

Then his other hand went for Gyo-ha’s head.

Gyo-ha twisted his head aside to dodge.

But a bead of blood formed on his cheek.

A murmur of admiration slipped from Gyo-ha’s lips.

“You have good eyes.”

Gyo-ha’s night vision was good as well, enough that he did not need eye arts. But Jo Chung was different.

It was beyond simply having good night vision.

He saw as clearly as if it were day.

Seeing those eyes shining with green light, Gyo-ha licked his lips.

Another attack came flying in.

When Gyo-ha blocked it, the arm seemed to lengthen.

But faster than that, Gyo-ha’s foot lashed out and kicked Jo Chung.

“But you are sloppy.”

Driven back, Jo Chung clenched his teeth and charged again.

They were irregular attacks that made use of his excellent physical abilities.

That was Jo Chung’s strength.

However, Gyo-ha was not lacking in physical ability either.

He snatched the claw-like hand as it slashed in.

An Ink Blood Claw technique.

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost’s attacks had been so precise and variable that Jo Chung could not even compare.

The thorns between the fingers stung his grip, but Gyo-ha did not even twitch an eyebrow.

Instead, he simply twisted the hand he had seized.

Dduduk!

“Mm!”

The sound of bones breaking rang out.

With that gruesome sound, a groan escaped Jo Chung’s mouth.

And when it came to eyes, Gyo-ha was no pushover either.

It was not that he had night vision like Jo Chung.

Hwirik!

He caught the arm that came flying at him and yanked it off as it was.

The limb dangled limply.

Jo Chung’s attacks were easy to read. Gyo-ha could clearly see how he would move.

He could also predict to some extent how that changing body would move.

‘At most his arms get a bit longer and his joints move the opposite way.’

As long as one did not cling to preconceptions, it was easy enough to deal with.

Jo Chung hurriedly backed away. Gyo-ha did not pursue him.

He simply looked at the hand that had torn off Jo Chung’s arm.

Blood was smeared there. It was because of the thorns sprouting along Jo Chung’s arm.

They were far larger and sharper than those on his hand.

But Gyo-ha just wiped it off on his thigh and looked back at Jo Chung.

“I guess you do not feel much pain either.”

He had only let out a single groan when Gyo-ha crushed his fingers.

At Gyo-ha’s question, Jo Chung only grimaced and could not answer.

Who was he to talk?

The one drenched in blood was Gyo-ha. Even after being stabbed and cut by the thorns, his expression had not changed.

No, something had changed. The spark that had risen in Gyo-ha’s eyes was slowly dying out.

“Is that all?”

Was this really all he could do with a body like that?

It was disappointing.

“If that is all, you’ll die.”

Gyo-ha spoke calmly. To be honest, it would not make much difference even if there was more.

At his words, Jo Chung bit his lip.

He glanced back. He was checking for a way out.

But he could not move his feet.

The moment he tried to flee, Gyo-ha would come at him.

A predator never lets prey live after it shows its back.

Yet he hesitated to charge at Gyo-ha.

This was different from when he had fought Jeon Gwang and Jeon Hong. Gyo-ha was not overpowered by Jo Chung’s brute strength.

On the contrary, Gyo-ha overwhelmed him.

Jo Chung chose neither option.

He threw himself toward a corpse instead.

Seeing that, Tang Ho shouted in haste.

“Young hero, be careful. That thing heals itself by eating hearts!”

“Oh?”

But Gyo-ha only brightened his eyes with interest and did not stop him.

Soon Jo Chung pulled a heart from one of the corpses and brought it to his mouth.

Ugeok ugeok.

Unlike before, he did not savor it.

He chewed and swallowed the heart in a hurry while watching Gyo-ha.

Then, as if it were a lie, his shattered hand and missing arm returned.

That was not the only change.

Now even parts of his face sprouted rough little thorns.

On top of that, the other hand that had been relatively intact lengthened as well.

Apparently thinking that was not enough, Jo Chung took out and ate another heart.

“What in the world…”

The others, who had arrived late, stared at the sight in shock.

But feeling the power overflowing inside him, Jo Chung smiled.

“I will make you regret giving me time, brat.”

Jo Chung hurled himself forward.

He leaped in an instant. His legs had turned like those of a grasshopper.

Jo Chung swung his arm.

Kwaang!

Gyo-ha’s body slammed into a wall from the blow.

“Young hero!”

“Brother Gyo!”

The voices of the group rang out.

They hurried to join up with Gyo-ha.

“I’m fine.”

If not for that single sentence from Gyo-ha.

Soon a large shadow rose up from beyond the collapsed wall.

“I like it.”

Dduduk, ddu-du-duk.

Gyo-ha stretched his body with a bright smile.

At that, Jo Chung’s face twisted.

“Let us see how long you can keep smiling like that!”

Jo Chung charged again, so fast it was hard to track him with the eyes.

Kwaang!

Gyo-ha’s body was pushed back.

Another arm came flying in, but it was blocked by Gyo-ha’s iron shackle.

Koong!

This time Gyo-ha’s knee went for Jo Chung’s forehead.

Jo Chung raised his hand to block it, but the impact made his head shake.

‘What the…’

Bewilderment flashed in Jo Chung’s eyes, but he shook his head.

Not yet.

In terms of speed, he was faster.

Kicking Gyo-ha away, Jo Chung sprang forward once more.

Just as Jo Chung’s hand was about to pierce Gyo-ha’s throat, Gyo-ha’s body spun.

Kwagang!

His fist smashed into Jo Chung’s temple.

Driven back, Jo Chung dropped down on his rear.

Gyo-ha spoke to him.

“I told you it’s too obvious.”

Jo Chung stared at him blankly, as if to ask what he was talking about, and Gyo-ha blinked.

“…Oh? Did I not say it out loud?”

He must have only thought it to himself. At that reaction, Jo Chung’s face contorted.

“Eek.”

Backing away, Jo Chung pulled another heart from a corpse.

This time, even the group did not try to stop him.

Soon, wings sprouted from Jo Chung’s back.

Pung!

The air burst with a pop. His speed grew even faster.

Gyo-ha was startled for a moment but quickly began to overpower Jo Chung again.

At that sight, the group shook their heads.

“It’s hard to tell who’s the real monster.”

None of them could deny Tang Ho’s words.

Each time he ate a heart, Jo Chung continued to change. Now even his raw strength surpassed Gyo-ha’s.

But Gyo-ha was adapting even faster than that.

Speed, strength, regeneration, he held the advantage in everything, yet Jo Chung still could not surpass Gyo-ha.

Gyo-ha dodged Jo Chung’s attacks as if he could see the future.

“Kkieeeek!”

In the end, Jo Chung, his face now twisted like that of an insect, let out a roar.

He looked around, but there were no hearts left in sight.

His gaze fell on the group.

They flinched and shivered.

Jeon Pyeong and Seo Jong-dae drew their sword and fan and stood in front of the others.

But Jo Chung could not rush at the group.

Because a wall called Gyo-ha stood in his way.

Kwaang!

His head snapped back.

He swung his arm, but Gyo-ha’s fist struck his shoulder first.

The arm that had been flying out only swept through empty air.

Then the knee that had been driving forward buckled.

His head rose again, and another fist slammed down on it.

Kwaang!

This time the impact was even greater than before.

His head was driven into the ground. It was already crushed beyond recognition.

Even his neck was bent backward. Any living thing would have died long ago.

Yet his legs still writhed, trying to kick at Gyo-ha.

But that too was caught by Gyo-ha’s arm.

The foot was wedged under his arm at his side.

He applied strength, and there was a loud crack as it broke.

And once more.

Gyo-ha’s fist came down on Jo Chung’s head again.

This time it was different from before.

This blow carried internal energy.

Wild Ruin Strike, Simplified Form.

Kwagagang!

Unable to withstand the impact, his head burst apart, and only then did the twitching of his limbs finally stop.

“Is it… over?”

At Bong Seok’s mutter, everyone’s gaze turned to him.

“…What?”

“No, it just sounds ominous when you say it.”

At Seo Jong-dae’s words, Bong Seok frowned but did not bother to argue.

He himself had realized as soon as he said it that it was a mistake.

It was one of the unwritten rules of the Kangho.

“…Just what was that thing?”

Tang Ho muttered with a sickened look, and Bong Seok looked at him as if he found him pathetic.

“They said it was a yokai. Can you still not tell even after seeing it yourself?”

“Just speak casually. It is not that I am asking because I do not know.”

They had seen it with their own eyes, so they could not look away. They had to accept reality.

At that moment, Bong Seok tilted his head as he looked at the unmoving Gyo-ha.

“By the way, why is he like that?”

Gyo-ha was staring fixedly at the dead Jo Chung.

“Hey, knock it off and come here. You are making me nervous too.”

Even at Bong Seok’s words, Gyo-ha did not budge. Were his wounds that bad?

Instead, Gyo-ha went further and squatted down in front of Jo Chung.

The anxious group supported the injured and approached Gyo-ha.

At that moment, Gyo-ha’s fist shot out toward the dead Jo Chung like a bolt.

Kwaang!

His chest caved in deeply.

The group froze mid-step at the sudden action.

But what happened next was even more shocking.

Jo Chung’s belly split open and a small object sprang out.

It flew straight at Bong Seok’s face.

“What the—!”

Puk!

The thing was hit by a throwing knife and dropped to the ground.

Something writhed on the ground.

The group saw what it was and sucked in a breath.

It was a bug. Its body was small, but the eight legs were longer than a person’s fingers.

There were no eyes to be seen on its head, and countless teeth writhed there.

It was a repulsive sight.

Impaled by the knife, it thrashed about.

The shocking part was that instead of fleeing, it writhed, trying to move toward where the people were.

“So it was alive after all.”

Gyo-ha approached casually and picked the bug up.

At his unhesitating manner, the others held their breath.

It immediately tried to gnaw at Gyo-ha’s flesh with its front legs and mouth.

“So this is where you were hiding.”

But Gyo-ha’s skin was tough, so it did not look easy.

“…How about you stop doing that and just kill it already? I think its head is already inside you.”

As Seo Jong-dae said, the bug’s head was burrowing into Gyo-ha’s body.

Just a little more and it looked like the body would dig in as well.

Everyone watched Gyo-ha with horrified expressions.

Gyo-ha nodded and clenched his hand.

Kwajik!

A red fluid like blood dripped onto the ground.

“A-are you okay? You are not going to get infected, are you?”

Saying that, Bong Seok took a step away from Gyo-ha. The others did not back off like he did, but they watched with worried looks.

At Bong Seok’s question, Gyo-ha rested his chin in his hand with a thoughtful hum.

There had been a change.

“My body feels a bit lighter, I think.”

“Eeik.”

Bong Seok backed away again, and Jeon Pyeong approached with a sigh.

“How did you know this thing was still alive?”

As he spoke, Jeon Pyeong furrowed his brow.

“Wait, is this thing even Jo Chung?”

“No.”

Gyo-ha shook his head. It was a different being. He could sense that clearly.

“It was probably, mm, parasitizing Jo Chung’s body.”

Gyo-ha chose his words with some effort.

Each time Jo Chung ate a heart and transformed, this thing’s scent had also grown stronger, though not as much as his.

It had surely been using Jo Chung.

At Gyo-ha’s words, Tang Ho nodded.

“So it lured him into eating hearts. His changing appearance might have been this thing’s doing as well.”

The group looked at Tang Ho in surprise.

Until just a short while ago, he had been suspicious of Gyo-ha. Yet Tang Ho spoke as if it were nothing.