A Happy Death.

As soon as the old man left, Ah-ryeong came over.

“Do you think it’s all right not to run away?”

It was a worried question. Ah-ryeong had clearly read something in the old man’s eyes as well.

Gyo-ha thought for a moment, then nodded.

At another time it would have been dangerous, but not right now.

Besides, the old man would not deceive them.

He had no need to deceive them.

Even if he had attacked them back there, they would not’ve been able to stop him.

Ah-ryeong seemed to realize that fact as well, and didn’t ask further.

Even if they ran, there was nothing else they could do.

So the two silently waited for the old man.

The old man returned after a short while had passed.

In the hand of the old man who stepped down from the clouds was a strange being.

The old man slammed what he was holding down onto the ground.

It looked like a butterfly and a human mixed together.

At the grotesque form, Ah-ryeong swallowed a breath.

But Gyo-ha could guess what it was.

A strange scent was coming from it. It was neither that of a yokai nor of an immortal.

A yokai immortal.

[And, our promise?]

The voice sounded blurred, but not to the point of being unintelligible.

“…Is this mongrel doubting my word?”

The old man frowned in displeasure. At that, the yokai immortal’s long snout trembled slightly.

His fear of the old man was plain to see.

Avoiding the old man’s gaze, the yokai immortal’s black eyes turned toward Gyo-ha and Ah-ryeong.

And in those eyes, an emotion other than fear rose up.

[You, really, are, human.]

Greed.

At that look, Ah-ryeong unconsciously hid behind Gyo-ha.

But the yokai immortal was looking only at Gyo-ha.

[That human there, may I personally guide him?]

The yokai immortal cautiously asked this while looking at the old man.

The claw-like hand of the yokai immortal was pointing at Gyo-ha.

“…Personally, you say?”

The old man looked back and forth between the yokai immortal and Gyo-ha. The yokai immortal flinched.

Yet unlike before, he didn’t avert his gaze from the old man.

That was how appetizing Gyo-ha looked to him.

A human who possessed the energy of a yokai.

“It shouldn’t matter.”

The old man nodded. All he had promised was to send them back to the world where their bodies were.

After that, it would be up to their own abilities.

At that, the yokai immortal’s antennae began to move busily.

He was rejoicing.

“In return, you must guide both of them properly.”

[I, understand.]

Satisfied with the answer, the old man turned his head toward Gyo-ha and Ah-ryeong.

“As I said earlier, if you find the Dream Moth in your dream and kill it, you will be able to return to your bodies. The Dream Moth will take the form of the person most precious to you, so it will not be hard to find.”

At the old man’s words, Gyo-ha glanced at the yokai immortal.

It was useful information, but not something to say with the very culprit standing behind them.

Yet the yokai immortal neither denied the old man’s words nor seemed troubled by them.

He simply stared calmly at Gyo-ha.

“We will likely not see each other again, but I shall introduce myself. My name is Gwang Seong-ja¹.”

The old man, Gwang Seong-ja, left after saying that.

Thus only the two of them and the yokai immortal were left on the plain.

Big eyes and antennae.

Its height only reached about Ah-ryeong’s chest.

The two arms sticking out from its Taoist robe looked like claws.

But on its back were large wings.

Black and blue wings.

They glittered under the sunlight.

An awkward air flowed between the three.

“Um…”

Just as Ah-ryeong was about to speak, the yokai immortal raised his hand.

Black butterflies drifted out of his sleeve and wrapped around Ah-ryeong.

And Ah-ryeong’s figure vanished.

At that sight, Gyo-ha clenched and unclenched his fist.

According to Gwang Seong-ja, the Dream Moth’s physical strength was not that great.

Mental strength mattered more than combat power.

Ah-ryeong should be able to handle it.

[Next is you, human.]

The yokai immortal’s gaze turned to Gyo-ha.

The moment he nodded, deep darkness swallowed Gyo-ha.

---

Leaves swayed gently in the wind.

Birds and insects chirped as if singing, and the fragrant smell of grass cleared his mind.

As Gyo-ha absentmindedly watched, a familiar voice reached his ear.

“What are you staring off into space for?”

“Ah, Master.”

When he turned his head, Yun Heo was looking at Gyo-ha with a kindly gaze.

‘…Huh? Kindly?’

Tilting his head, Gyo-ha briefly looked down at his own hand.

It was a child’s stubby hand, though covered in many scrapes.

Only then could he recall what he had been doing.

“I was training.”

“Ho, so it seems you have had some insight.”

Yun Heo nodded.

“But if you are too hasty, it can be harmful instead. Come now, let us go eat.”

“Okay, Master.”

Gyo-ha, who had been on a rock, hopped down.

But he moved before his feet reached the ground and stumbled.

Gyo-ha looked down at his legs.

Short legs.

They felt like legs that didn’t quite fit him.

But he soon thought nothing of it.

Following his master like that, he saw meat set over a campfire.

Gyo-ha turned to Yun Heo with widened eyes.

“…Did you catch it yourself, Master?”

“What are you talking about? When have I ever not?”

When Yun Heo laughed playfully, Gyo-ha tilted his head as if to say maybe so.

Then he sat down and began to eat the meat.

The moment he put it in his mouth, the meat’s juices burst out.

It went without saying that Gyo-ha’s eyes widened.

It was a taste he could not believe had been achieved without any special tools.

As he ate mindlessly.

Twitch.

When Yun Heo reached for the meat, Gyo-ha’s body shuddered.

But Yun Heo didn’t seem to notice and simply tore into the meat.

Gyo-ha brought the meat back to his mouth.

However, as time passed, his expression worsened.

Only then did Yun Heo notice Gyo-ha’s mood.

“Hmm? Does it not taste good?”

“…No.”

Gyo-ha shook his head.

The meat was delicious. He didn’t tire of eating it.

Yet for some reason he still felt hungry.

A hunger that couldn’t be filled by mere meat.

Gyo-ha lifted his head and looked at Yun Heo.

Yun Heo was smiling gently.

He looked like a master who cherished his disciple.

Yet why was it?

A new desire rose up.

Gyo-ha hesitated for a moment, then chose to follow his instincts.

He thrust his fist at Yun Heo’s head.

Caught by the sudden attack, Yun Heo could not even resist and took the blow.

Puk!

Struck in the face, Yun Heo staggered back.

Then the surroundings began to change.

No, what changed was Gyo-ha.

As his height grew, the grass around him shrank.

Looking at his rough, hard fist, Gyo-ha recalled memories he had forgotten.

‘This is a dream.’

At that moment, Yun Heo spoke.

“How did you know?”

“I didn’t.”

Gyo-ha scratched the back of his head.

It was the truth. Yun Heo furrowed his brows.

“Then why in the world did you attack?”

Yun Heo looked at Gyo-ha with eyes that said he could not understand.

The happy days.

They were memories with the person Gyo-ha cherished.

He had not thought it would be exposed so quickly.

Gyo-ha himself had not understood at first, but now he could.

“…You are mistaken.”

He had not attacked on his own.

“What I like is fighting with my master.”

Back then, attacking was the natural thing to do.

He had to be wary even when eating or sleeping.

That was his memory of his master.

If you see an opening, attack.

It was what his master always said.

In his childhood, fighting had been both training and play for Gyo-ha.

It was part of his life, so he had reacted.

From Gyo-ha’s point of view, he had simply done what was natural.

‘Thinking about it now is kind of unpleasant.’

A kind master of all things.

The thought alone was awful.

Even after Gyo-ha’s explanation, Yun Heo’s expression didn’t relax.

It was because he couldn’t understand.

But Gyo-ha also had no intention of making him understand.

And the same was true for Yun Heo.

“Even if you have realized it, it does not matter.”

Twitch, twitch.

Yun Heo’s form changed.

His arms lengthened and wings sprouted from his back.

Beautiful black wings.

The yokai immortal, returned to his original form, slowly rose into the air.

Then he looked down at Gyo-ha with his large eyes.

“Even if you know, what can you do?”

His voice was clear now, unlike outside.

The dream was his domain. He was no ordinary Dream Moth.

He was a yokai who had cultivated for a long time and reached the Immortal Dao.

Gyo-ha clicked his tongue as he watched the yokai immortal floating at a height his arms could not reach.

‘Even if I jump, I cannot reach him.’

There was only one way.

Flying Dragon Chasing Lightning.

Gyo-ha’s body shot out like a cannonball.

At that moment.

His vision went completely dark.

Kwaang, Kwagang!

It was a wall. Gyo-ha’s body, which had hit the wall, fell to the ground.

His whole body throbbed.

At some point, the surroundings had become a cave.

It was the cave Gyo-ha had once seen.

The yokai immortal floating at the cave’s ceiling circled over Gyo-ha’s head.

“This is my domain. And I have seen your memories, so I know all your tricks.”

The yokai immortal spoke calmly.

He didn’t simply lead one into a dream.

To beguile his host, he also had to read the host’s memories.

But that voice of the yokai immortal didn’t reach Gyo-ha’s ears.

Because the moment he saw the cave, Gyo-ha was already moving.

Pat.

He pushed off the cave wall and leaped up.

In an instant, Gyo-ha flew to the opposite side.

Kwaang!

Landing, Gyo-ha looked up. The ceiling was closer now.

It was a height he could reach with a jump.

He could see the yokai immortal’s face clearly.

With the ceiling blocked off, he could no longer flee upward.

Just as he was about to jump once more.

The world changed.

Gyo-ha’s body was now floating in the sky.

He hurriedly stretched out his foot, but it only stepped on empty air.

Koong.

Falling to the ground, Gyo-ha shook his head.

Then he looked up at the yokai immortal floating above.

He was trying to gauge the distance.

Noticing Gyo-ha’s intent, the yokai immortal clicked his tongue.

“You really are as thickheaded as in your memories. I meant to grant you a happy death.”

The yokai immortal’s long claws slipped into his sleeve.

When they emerged from the sleeve, a slip of paper hung from the claw tips.

“I should take a bit of strength from you first.”

Then the slips rushed toward Gyo-ha.

The moment Gyo-ha tried to dodge them, the slips exploded.

Kwagagagang.

Gyo-ha’s body was flung away.

The burned slips fell to the ground.

Sorcery.

The Dream Moth before him was not a simple yokai.

He was also a yokai immortal.

He was skilled not only in yokai power but also in spiritual power.

Rising from the ground, Gyo-ha brushed off the embers clinging to his body.

But they didn’t go out easily.

They were slowly burning his body.

When he lifted his head, the yokai immortal was taking out new slips.

“Will you keep going, or will you accept my mercy?”

Before he knew it, countless dishes of food were laid out before his eyes.

They were all foods Gyo-ha had eaten before.

If he reached out to them, he could meet a happy death just as the yokai immortal had said.

Gyo-ha immediately rushed toward the food.

He tried to step on the table and leap.

The table and the food vanished.

Instead he pushed off the ground and jumped, but it was still far from enough to reach the yokai immortal.

“Stupid human.”

The yokai immortal looked down at Gyo-ha with a cold gaze and scattered talismans.

This time he could not even dodge.

Gyo-ha covered his face with both hands.

And the talismans exploded in front of him.

Peobeobeobeong!

Gyo-ha, blackened with soot, fell to the ground.

Koong.

“Khuk.”

Gyo-ha spat out smoke along with blood.

‘This one was a bit much.’

He barely managed to stand. Slowly lifting his gaze, he saw the yokai immortal.

The yokai immortal looked down at Gyo-ha as if he were ridiculous.

No matter how he struggled, there was no way to reach the yokai immortal.

‘Is there really no way?’

Just then, something inside Gyo-ha whispered.

No. There is.

A bolt of lightning crashed through his hazy mind.