Chapter 268

Before setting out to find Yoo Haon and Sophia, the issue we had to consider was where exactly we should go to find them.

“Even with the merchants and Daehwarim Taoist Masters putting in so much effort, they couldn’t be found. If we wander around aimlessly, we’ll likely just repeat the same outcome.”

Shin Pyoeul’s point was valid.

If they could be found through ordinary movement, results would have appeared long ago.

Therefore, we first needed to establish a clear destination.

“Patrons, regarding that, I have a somewhat plausible idea.”

True to his exceptional intellect despite his young age, Hochoong presented one possibility to us.

“If even with people deployed, no traces have been found until now, shouldn’t we suspect places they couldn’t investigate?”

“Places they couldn’t investigate…”

Simultaneously with those words, Hochoong continued, thinking deeply.

“Jirikok, ruled by the Specter group called Sadoopae, and the residence of the secretive Hawon Clan. If it’s those two places, it wouldn’t be strange that our collaborators couldn’t obtain information.”

“Are you saying those two places are suspicious?”

“At least to my knowledge, those are the only places in this vicinity one cannot recklessly search.”

Hochoong’s words made sense.

Especially Sadoopae, as it was mentioned in detail in the setting materials, was a faction I had also wanted to make contact with at some point.

“Then we’ll have to choose one of the two first.”

With those words, the gazes of everyone present gathered on me.

The decision-making authority had been implicitly handed to me, acting as the group’s leader.

“This isn’t something to judge hastily.”

“…Or, junior. What about splitting the team?”

Indeed, considerable time had already been lost.

While prioritizing safety was good, I also felt that if we made a mistake, we might miss an irreversible point.

After frowning briefly, I turned to Hochoong, who had been standing beside me, and made a request I had been contemplating.

“Hochoong-nim, might you be able to help us?”

“Of course, I wish to be of assistance to the patrons, but I’ve felt something recently and wish to focus on training for now. If I achieve the expected results, I can become a great help to the patrons afterwards.”

Since he put it that way, it felt awkward to push further. Ultimately, whatever the case, we had to resolve this matter ourselves.

After long contemplation, I made a decision and opened my mouth.

“We’ll split the team. Senior and I will go to Jirikok. The rest of you, please head to the Hawon Clan’s territory and gather information.”

“Oppa, will the two of you be okay?”

“I’ve gathered some information about Sadoopae on my own. However, I know next to nothing about the Hawon Clan side, so that side makes me more uneasy.”

“If that’s the case, then there’s no helping it…”

After finishing my words, I summoned a specially crafted Shikigami from the shadows.

Slither

Puhwak!

“This is…”

It was a tiny bird the size of a finger segment. However, making it required considerable effort.

“If a crisis comes, it will send a signal.”

“A signal?”

“Yes. If it perishes or detects a crisis, it’s set up to transmit its location at that moment to me.”

Even knowing that wouldn’t immediately allow me to do something, I could at least rush towards them as quickly as possible.

Gazing at the bird’s tail feathers nestled in Han Seoa’s embrace, we finally scattered and headed towards our respective destinations.

“…Junior, are we there yet?”

“Please bear with me a little longer. We’ve traveled a considerable distance, so even if we don’t know exactly, we should be quite close by now.”

This time, with Hochoong’s help, we received the exact location of Jirikok, so we traveled through the air with the aid of Black Bird and Black Yin.

We rested intermittently and stopped by cities to relieve fatigue as much as possible, but Arietta seemed to get motion sickness from flying, looking utterly miserable for days.

“You said that yesterday too…”

“This time it’s for real. The city we visited yesterday was the last stop anyway.”

Since Jirikok was located quite far from Jinyeonsan, it took a full eight days even though we flew all day.

However, now that journey was also nearing its end.

Sensing the strange energy emanating from a distance, I looked at the slumped Arietta.

“It seems we’ve arrived. Can you feel it?”

“…Yes. A rather bizarre energy.”

Rather than the energy of an Exorcist or Specter specifically, it felt like that strange sensation was flowing from the place itself.

That this unidentified gorge was Jirikok was something one could know without thinking too hard.

Thud

“From here on, let’s proceed on foot. We don’t know what kind of being might appear.”

“…The first good news I’ve heard in a while.”

Unlike me, who carefully descended to the ground using Black Bird, Arietta jumped down to the ground without hesitation from an altitude of over 20 meters.

Even before, her physical abilities surpassed human limits, but now, half a year after falling into the World of Forbidden Techniques, they seemed to have reached an even higher level.

“Is your physical condition okay? We can rest a bit before moving on.”

“No problem. I’m fine once I’m on the ground.”

Whatever the case, since it was a Specter dwelling, one never knew when or where combat might break out.

As we cautiously moved forward, the massive gorge we had seen from the air finally revealed itself before us.

“This place, Jirikok…”

We had already moved beyond what could be called the gorge’s entrance to a considerable depth, but strangely, no signs of other life forms could be found.

After advancing for about five minutes like that, I opened my mouth, having reached a conviction.

“It seems we’ve been caught in some kind of trick.”

It wasn’t a Barrier Technique. If it were, I would have realized it much sooner.

It was a subtly different feeling; if I had to define it, this seemed more like sorcery.

“Does that mean we have to get past this to enter the real Jirikok?”

“I think that’s probably the case.”

“Then leave it to me. Junior.”

Whoosh

Psssssh

Arietta, who had moved a short distance away from me, dyed her eyes an even deeper red and concentrated an immense energy into her right hand.

Simultaneously, as the Art Formula she was constructing completed, Arietta breathed into it and sent it flying forward.

“Blood Blossom.”

Sssssssssssss─!

A crimson flower bud, as if made of blood, soon bloomed fully, fluttering in the empty air.

And shortly after, as the red petals seeped into the atmosphere and disappeared, the sound of something distorting began to be heard.

Crackle!

Cracklecrackle─!

Creeeak─!*

“…That’s quite the energy. I almost couldn’t dispel it.”

As expected, we had been played by someone’s trick. Before us, who had broken the sorcery, the true form of Jirikok was revealed.

A truly massive gorge.

Upon entering, the first things that caught our eyes were broken and corroded weapons or the remnants of old flags.

Besides that, animal bones and man-made liquor bottles were scattered chaotically, making it a truly bizarre sight.

“…Junior, what is all this?”

“Perhaps items from humans who attacked this place in the past.”

It was as if the gorge itself was a long passageway, allowing us to see their traces in sequence.

And at its end, surprisingly, several crude dwellings, seemingly made by humans, were arranged.

“Junior, there are stairs here too.”

“I knew to some extent, but still, their lifestyle is…”

Very similar to humans.

Well, of course. According to the original work’s setting materials, Sadoopae of Jirikok was a group of special Specters who did not antagonize humans and wished to live as part of the world.

However, from the outside, it looked no different from a human settlement, so I couldn’t help but show considerable surprise.

“You there! Stop right where you are!”

As we tried to ascend the stairs towards the cluster of dwellings, a group of Specters that appeared nearby blocked our way.

Horned Specters with horns on their heads, and beings of fantastical forms I was seeing for the first time.

I tensed up, thinking an attack might come any moment, but they addressed us with a more rational attitude than expected.

“What’s this, humans? Lady Hwaryeon’s Illusion Mist should have been deployed… Well, whatever. Go back quietly before you get hurt.”

The Horned Specter waving his hand dismissively had a truly bizarre attitude for a Specter.

“Do you truly not antagonize humans?”

“We simply don’t interfere. Don’t tell me you’re Taoist Masters who came here to exorcise or something? It’s been a while since we’ve seen that.”

As if they had some experience with that, the other party’s eyes gleamed as they began to stare at us.

“The girl… seems quite strong. How about fighting this Uchi-nim?”

The Horned Specter who called himself Uchi lifted the iron club resting on his shoulder with an unwavering attitude.

However, if communication was possible, there was no need for conflict, so we shook our heads.

“We are wandering the world to find our scattered companions. Has a somewhat peculiar human ever visited this place?”

“Humans do visit occasionally, though rarely, but beyond this point is a restricted area. We cannot let you in without the leaders’ permission.”

Uchi gave an immediate answer, but I could sense something slightly off in his attitude.

So, I let out a sigh and spoke.

“I’m sorry, but we need to search this place. By force if necessary.”

“Kehaha! Quite the confidence for a human. Give it a try!”

As Uchi fully entered his Combat Posture, a sharp Spectral Energy that seemed to pierce the skin was suddenly felt from behind him.

Uchi, who also sensed it, turned his head in a fluster.

“Wha, Youngest Leader! Why are you…?”

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t step in?”

“They’re clearly small fry, there’s no need for you to do this!”

“Haa, Uchi. They are not your match. Do you intend to court death by charging in recklessly?”

“Th, they are that strong?”

A black-haired girl wearing an unidentified wooden mask appeared before us.

The traditional attire that looked quite elegant suited her perfectly, and she exuded an atmosphere like a princess from a fairy tale.

“…Hmm?”

Seeing that, Arietta tilted her head with a subtle expression, and I also let out a stifled laugh.

The real reason I was interested in Sadoopae from the setting materials.

It was solely because of her.

“It’s been a long time.”

“…Do you know me?”

“Probably so. At least more than you think.”

Yeon Jaki.

The her from her youth, who once belonged to Sadoopae, was revealing herself before us.