Chapter 227

[Heavenly Dokkaebi]
Cheon(天)-Dokkaebi.
Also mockingly called Cheon(賤)-Dokkaebi, meaning “vile” or “low.”

From ancient times, the Heavenly Dokkaebi was said to be a capricious being that interferes with human society without distinguishing between good and evil. It was believed that lightning, rain, thunder, wind, and fog were all the result of its mischief.

Because people feared this being that represented the absurdities of heaven, they replaced Cheon(天) (heaven) with Cheon(賤) (vile) and called it the “Vile Dokkaebi.”

—Origin: Proverb “The crime is committed by the Heavenly Dokkaebi, but the lightning strikes the dead tree.”

“So this means I’ve unintentionally opened the path toward Third Awakening?”

In truth, Hyun had already planned how he wanted his Third Awakening to be formed.

If the First Awakening borrowed the power of the Snow Queen, and the Second borrowed Sun Wukong, then the Third should naturally be themed around his own inherent inheritance.

But he wasn’t sure how he would find the right direction for it.

“To think I’d acquire the key this early.”

A faint smile tugged at Hyun’s lips.

“This means I can finally use Bihyung-rang’s relic again… the one I haven’t touched in ages.”

Among the original dokkaebi-related relic set he possessed, the last one remained unused—the Bihyung-rang’s Earrings.

He had kept them aside, thinking it wasn’t the right time yet.

But now, it felt like he could finally bring them back out.

[The relic “Lightning-Bright Azure Eyes” has reached its completed form.]

[A Heavenly Dokkaebi has been added to the origins of the relic, alongside “■■King Oogong” and “Great Sage Who Levels the Heavens, the Bull Demon King.”]

[The Heavenly Dokkaebi has obtained its first relic.]

[Summoning information for Lightning-Bright Azure Eyes!]

[Lightning-Bright Azure Eyes (雷眼靑睛)]
A newly created relic formed from the fusion of two symbolic eyes from Journey to the West: Fiery Golden Eyes and Spirit-Discerning Eyes.

It sees through the hidden truths and weaknesses concealed beneath the world’s surface, and can alter them to a degree through dokkaebi mischief—that is, by creating the inexplicable.

—Type: Relic
—Origin: Myth “Journey to the West,” Folklore “A Good Day for a Dokkaebi to Play”

“It even connects to the folklore?”

Hyun burst into laughter without realizing it.

For some reason, it felt like it would pair extremely well with Duoksin’s Fangs.

Or perhaps they could even be unified into one.

He wondered how it would feel to wield an axe while having these eyes.

He was already curious.

“…The more I look at you, the stranger you are.”

At that moment, the Bull Demon King stared at him intently.

Hyun snapped back into reality and looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re undoubtedly human—your birth and fate are unmistakably human.”

His twin Spirit-Discerning Eyes glowed sharply.

“But somewhere along the way, your fate bent in a different direction.”

A statement too heavy to simply ignore.

“What do you mean by that…?”

“The Spirit-Discerning Eyes can perceive the flaws—the lines—flowing through all things. Once more mastered, they can observe causality, and eventually even glimpse a human’s karma and destiny.”

“…!”

Hyun immediately remembered the countless white lines he saw cutting through the world when he first gained the Lightning-Bright Azure Eyes.

“So those were the flaws.”

And when those lines gather, they form destiny… and the Heavenly Energy.

“And when even more gather, that becomes causality?”

Meaning he needed to keep refining the eyes to see more.

“The Bull Demon King’s flaw lines… I can’t see them.”

The completed Azure Eyes showed the Bull Demon King surrounded by flaw lines, but none connected to him.

Likely due to an overwhelming difference in level.

However—

Between himself and the Bull Demon King, he could clearly see a red thread.

The Thread of Fate.

Proof that the Qi Contract between them had been fully established.

“But what I see in you,”
the Bull Demon King said, stroking his chin,

“your destiny… it isn’t flowing the way it originally should have. It feels as though something—an external force—forcefully bent it.”

“…Someone interfered with my life?”

“Perhaps.”

“…”

“But because of that interference, a fate that would’ve lived quietly and died quietly shot upward instead.”

The Bull Demon King’s lips twisted.

“That might be why you’re experiencing such outrageous events. And why, unlike normal humans, you’ve formed such deep ties with Yo-ma. Truly inexplicable.”

Inexplicable.

The very word that represented a dokkaebi.

The moment Hyun heard it, something clicked in his head.

“Then… could it be—”

“You want to ask whether it happened because you met your brother?”

Hyun silently nodded.

The Bull Demon King shook his head firmly.

“No. In fact, your brother was originally meant to simply pass by you.”

“…!?”

“But due to certain events, you two became deeply intertwined.”

“…”

“Even as your Qi Partner, I cannot see beyond that point… Truly a curious matter.”

His words rang through Hyun’s mind, creating ripples.

They were originally destined to pass each other by—yet became bound so tightly.

Some secret must lie there.

And because of that, a certain figure flashed through Hyun’s mind.

“Could it be…?”

But he shook the thought away.

Now wasn’t the time to chase guesses.

The main topic of their conversation was still not over.

“To think you’d willingly hand over your leash. Hah! Should I call you brave or stupid?”

The Bull Demon King grasped the thread of fate between them.

Grip—

Hyun felt his breath catch.

If the Bull Demon King severed it here, he would surely die.

But Hyun smiled.

Even though his weakness was exposed, he could read the Bull Demon King’s surface emotions.

He had no intention of harming Hyun.

“Please… tell me about my brother now.”

The Bull Demon King’s expression wavered greatly.

As expected.

Their relationship was likely far deeper than Hyun had imagined.

“You’re speaking of the boy who, by the ‘original’ fate, would’ve become the youngest Apostle without issue?”

The fate of the brothers had diverged solely because destiny had bent.

Hyun nodded quietly.

“Your brother is alive. I saw him with my own eyes only a few years ago. Unless disaster befell him afterward…”

“…!!”

Hyun clenched his fist tightly.

“Nothing happened to him. I’ve confirmed his survival by other means.”

“Is that so?”

“Where… where is he now?”

The Bull Demon King’s gaze darkened.

“In Gensokyo—the place we call the homeland of Yo-ma, anomalies, spirits, and strange phenomena.”

“…!”

“But that is only what we call it. Another name for it is… hmm. You humans call it the Sea of Primordium.”

The Sea of Primordium?

Even with all the mythology he studied, Hyun had never heard the name.

But for some reason, it didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.

He thought to check with Igunsan’s network and Homerus Holdings later, when—

The Bull Demon King added something that struck Hyun like a hammer.

“Or perhaps you’ll understand if I say—
The Nest of Tiamat.”

“…!!!”

* * *

Veldana discovered something important while combing through Sama Society’s research materials with her subordinates.

“A tool to control U.C.O… is right here!!”

Everything she had experienced from Sama Society told her they were meticulous to the extreme.

So if records of their experiments existed, there must be something else—a countermeasure.

If U.C.O. went berserk, there had to be an emergency restraint device.

As she sifted through charred documents, she finally found it—

A collar.

“If I can obtain U.C.O… I might reach not just the 4th level, but even higher!”

Greed filled her eyes.

“Maybe I can ruin that arrogant Giyujin’s face… The Tower Lord might entrust the top-floor conquest to me again.”

For a brief moment, she even imagined challenging the Tower Lord’s seat itself.

But she immediately dismissed the thought.

The Tower Lord was an absolute being near the 9000s.

Perhaps even surpassing Mountain God soon.

Even if U.C.O. was a fallen divinity, going against the Tower Lord was suicide.

So she would take it slowly.

But Giyujin—
she would drag her down and claim all the glory.

Only one problem—

She wasn’t alone in the research facility.

“Should I try an ambush…? No. We’re outmatched.”

The first person she thought of was Hyun. She grit her teeth.

Just imagining his cold, razor-sharp eyes made her legs tremble.

“And there’s OverZero too. I must delay until I secure U.C.O. completely… Wait. No. It doesn’t have to be that complicated, does it?”

A sly smile crawled over her lips.

“Everyone is scattered in the temple looking for hints… meaning I can eliminate them one by one.”

And she had the perfect tool.

“If I can just get Moloch’s Sea of Fire ready…”

Of course, she couldn’t use it immediately.

First, she needed to secure the collar.

“You must not reveal any of this. I’m going to find the collar—if someone comes looking for me, stall them.”

“Yes, understood.”

Her heart pounded with excitement imagining everyone bowing before her.

After being trapped in this dungeon for a month, she was starving for victory.

[Attempting to disperse using Ash-Smoke (A) and move into the temple’s underground.]

Fsssss—

Veldana dissolved into pale smoke and seeped downward.

“The collar must be behind the altar… hidden in the secret chamber beneath the temple.”

A place so dark and ominous that the researchers hid it with utmost secrecy.

It was where U.C.O. was originally stored, overflowing with monstrous miasma—lethal for ordinary people.

But for her, a priestess of Moloch, it was ideal.

Tsutsutsu…

“Hm? What was that?”

“What?”

“You didn’t feel that? There was someone behind us.”

“There’s nothing there. Stop imagining things.”

“…Must’ve been a mistake.”

She passed by several Hunters but avoided them with ease, eventually reaching the hidden room—

“…Someone was here. Jet?”

Realizing she was late, Veldana hurried forward.

And then—

[You have entered the Hidden Boss Room.]

“This is it!!”

She laughed broadly when the message appeared after wandering through the darkness.

Hyun’s traces had vanished long ago—he had taken a wrong path or evaporated.

Thanks to that, she was first to find the altar at the room’s center.

Covered by a veil of darkness, a large crimson orb rested atop it—about the size of a human head.

Fwoosh!

Veldana materialized and smirked coldly.

“The collar… without a doubt. It’s brimming with U.C.O.’s miasma. And heat, too.”

Rumor said it was created based on the Sun God Yarhibol’s relic.

It radiated scorching heat like the sun itself.

Most Hunters couldn’t even enter this room.

But for a priestess of Moloch—

It was paradise.

“Hohoho! This is practically made for me. With this I can control U.C.O… and unleash a sea of fire.”

Just imagining Hyun writhing in agony made her heart race.

She reached toward the orb, grinning—

Thud.

A white hand burst through the darkness and seized the orb first.

“…!?”

She hadn’t sensed anything.

Veldana hurried to invoke Moloch’s authority—

But something flashed.

A hand axe split her skull before she even realized it.

Crack!!

“……!!”

As her vision faded, the last thing she saw—

Was a heavenly dokkaebi with cold, gleaming eyes staring at her from the darkness.

Hyun—
no—
a vicious, monstrous Heavenly Dokkaebi.

Veldana’s head burst apart.

Splatter!!