Chapter 270

The moment he headed toward the World of Forbidden Techniques in Mountain Sky with his companions, Yoo Haon felt his soul being pulled by someone.

“What is this? Who are you……?”

“…….”

In an instant, separated from his companions and dropped into an unknown space, Haon.

The white-haired woman standing before him merely swept her cold gaze over him.

“Hey……”

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

It was a sudden statement.

Yet, Yoo Haon could deeply feel the immense hostility contained within it.

A feeling as if emotions had taken form and were strangling him from all sides.

Since this was his first time facing this type of attack, Haon was flustered and helplessly found his movements sealed.

“Why on earth did you crawl in here……! Because of you, I was forced to recognize a truth I never wanted to know.”

The woman, who expressed her anger as if chewing on it, then continued with a bright smile, as if nothing had happened.

“But in a way, I’m also grateful. After all, I now have a chance to become real from being a fake, right?”

“I don’t understand……what you’re saying.”

“You don’t need to. Besides, you’ll soon be unable to think of anything.”

Though he didn’t fully understand, the woman before him was dangerous. In response, Haon mustered all his strength, drawing up his Spiritual Power to resist her schemes.

And then.

Creeeak—!

“What! This can’t be……”

“Please send me back to where my companions are. Otherwise, I will exorcise you.”

As if the situation was utterly unexpected, the Soul Enchantress remained silent with an expression of complete incomprehension.

Then, she lightly smiled.

“Your power doesn’t seem that great…… Could it be that being from the outside grants such an advantage in the Mindscape?”

The Soul Enchantress’s demeanor had distinctly changed from before.

If she had considered Haon easy prey just moments ago, she now seemed to recognize him as an opponent requiring her full strength.

“You can look forward to it. You’re the first one I’m showing this to.”

A new Secret Art originally intended to be used against that damned supreme Taoist Master presiding over the contract, Seo Cheonye.

The moment it was activated, Haon perceived that a world that had appeared before him had imprisoned him whole.

And he instinctively felt it.

The fact that no matter how hard he struggled, he could not escape this.

“How on earth……do you possess such power?”

“Why, does it seem unreasonable? Honestly, I’m feeling something similar right now.”

Why was she born a fake? And must she be toyed with by the real ones from the outside like this?

That could never be.

Gazing at Haon, who stood frozen with a stiffened expression, the Soul Enchantress smiled faintly, filled with all sorts of imaginings.

“I’ll take my time, very slowly, to steal everything from you.”

“Ugh……”

There were many methods.

If one didn’t work, she would simply keep trying others.

And so, Haon’s arduous struggle began.

Four months since Mountain Sky’s Secret Art was activated.

Yoo Haon was still engaged in a repeated tug-of-war with the Soul Enchantress within the Mindscape.

Though Haon was also a remarkable Exorcist, the level of the Soul Enchantress before him was simply on another dimension.

Frankly, it felt strange that such a being hadn’t been able to do anything to him until now.

“Hoo, this one’s a miss too. What on earth is this phenomenon?”

The Soul Enchantress spoke. She had tried hundreds of methods, but ultimately, ordinary means couldn’t seize Haon’s soul and body.

After that, the Soul Enchantress’s attitude began to change noticeably.

“…Why aren’t you doing anything?”

“Because it’s meaningless. Don’t bother me and wait. I’m currently peeking at something quite interesting.”

Instead, the Soul Enchantress withdrew her attention from Haon and wandered the Mindscape for a long while, focusing on something.

It could be considered fortunate, but Haon felt a hint of foreboding from her actions.

And that premonition wasn’t wrong.

“Interesting.”

“…What is?”

“Can’t you tell even when you see? I’m reading the traces of mind left by your companions.”

“If you touch them, I will stop you by any means necessary.”

Despite the sharp warning, the Soul Enchantress smiled meaningfully and retorted to Haon.

“Oh? But, you seem to know nothing about those companions you hold so dear.”

“What do you mean……”

“The others were the same, but especially this human named Han Kangyoon is peculiar. To the extent that even I cannot read his deeper layers.”

That’s why it took an extremely long time.

However, in the end, by tracing the residual traces of mind that Han Kangyoon himself had left, she barely managed to uncover a few facts.

“You hold quite complex emotions toward this human named Han Kangyoon. Affection, admiration. Among other things……”

But.

“How much do you actually understand about him? Can you even be sure you’re in a trusting relationship from the start?”

“…….”

Haon immediately frowned. Because he couldn’t understand what the Soul Enchantress was trying to say.

“Of course. He is an excellent, trustworthy companion.”

“Really? But it seems the other party doesn’t think so?”

Nonsense.

It was such a clichéd attempt to sow discord.

Toward Haon, who had concluded as much, the Soul Enchantress continued speaking.

“He grew up not knowing his birth parents his whole life, and in fact, they were killed by someone named Joo Woon……”

Though the Soul Enchantress was poking at a sore spot, Haon wasn’t flustered.

Because it was a matter he had already resolved and concluded within his own heart.

However, even so, the next words were something even Haon hadn’t anticipated at all.

“That Joo Woon’s son is none other than your companion, Han Kangyoon.”

“…What?”

“Why, do you think I’m spouting lies? Unfortunately, I don’t engage in such unnecessary acts.”

It’s a lie.

From the start, it was too contrived a story.

“Weren’t you suspicious from the beginning too? Han Kangyoon knew far too much about you.”

That was certainly true.

Han Kangyoon had clearly known Haon from their very first meeting.

If he were Joo Woon’s son, that causal relationship could be sufficiently explained.

Yet, Haon calmly settled his heart.

“So, what does that matter?”

“What?”

“A parent’s sin cannot become the child’s sin. He is a respectable person, and I have received much help from him. To me, he is not something like Joo Woon’s son but simply Han Kangyoon, my Academy senior.”

As if such a reaction was unexpected, the Soul Enchantress laughed with a somewhat absurd expression.

“I thought clinging to such trivial causality was human nature……. Well, I’ll admit it. You possess quite exceptional mental strength even among humans.”

However, the Soul Enchantress didn’t seem the least bit disheartened.

Just as Haon felt an inexplicable unease, the Soul Enchantress spoke again.

“But that’s……your thought, isn’t it?”

“…….”

“What does Han Kangyoon actually think of you? You don’t know, do you?”

To be honest, the Soul Enchantress saying this wasn’t much different.

But at the very least, she had already prepared several weapons to shake Haon.

“I’ve already seen everything. So, I even feel a bit of pity for you.”

“What……nonsense……”

“From the start, a human who hid facts from you for his own convenience—who can know his true intentions?”

Along with her words, the Soul Enchantress summoned a stream of light from a corner of the Mindscape and sent it flowing toward Haon.

Whoosh.*

“See for yourself. This is undoubtedly an emotion extracted from the residual thoughts of that human named Han Kangyoon.”

As she said, it was certainly Han Kangyoon’s emotion. And one directed at Haon himself.

“Why, how……”

Within the stream of light, Han Kangyoon felt pleasure watching Haon struggle against pain and move forward.

Though it was merely a form of emotion, it was clearly discernible.

While it contained a hint of affection, its meaning was distinctly different from what Haon had thought.

A feeling akin to watching over a cherished toy.

It was the emotion of Han Kangyoon, the gamer who had been playing the Exorcism Academy Series, but of course, Haon had no way of knowing that fact.

“…I won’t be deceived. That can’t be.”

“You can deny it. There’s still plenty left.”

Soon, several more streams of light flowed into Haon’s mind, disturbing his spirit.

This time, Han Kangyoon’s emotions directed not at Haon but at other companions.

However, there wasn’t much difference there either.

Han Kangyoon observed his companions not as equal comrades but from the perspective of an observer, as if enjoying a game.

To Haon, who had momentarily fallen into confusion, the Soul Enchantress smiled meaningfully and handed over the next fragment of emotion.

“Don’t deny it. And accept it.”

In another fragment, Han Kangyoon was denying Haon.

Not merely rejecting him, but denying his very existence itself.

In truth, it was Han Kangyoon’s emotion from when he first met Haon, closer to confusion regarding the change in gender and the loss of the Demon-Suppressing Trait.

However, the Soul Enchantress cleverly twisted it to continuously unsettle Haon.

“Even now, you can’t accept it? You know nothing about that human named Han Kangyoon.”

“…….”

Haon remained silent.

And hung his head low, unable to lift it.

But despite that, the look in Haon’s eyes remained unchanged.

“I cannot fully accept your words. Even if all these emotions are true, that is something I must ask him directly and judge for myself.”

Truly, a will of steel.

Having already overcome countless crises, Haon had established his own unbreakable will.

Seeing this, the Soul Enchantress sighed and readily confessed the truth.

“…That’s right. Most of it is merely pieced together as I pleased. You really are an exasperatingly upright human.”

“As I thought……!”

“But, it’s already too late.”

All the Soul Enchantress needed was a slight wavering, and a small crack to wedge into within it.

And the Soul Enchantress had already achieved her purpose during their exchange.

“Unfortunately, I’ve already connected one thread.”

As the Soul Enchantress pulled the white thread in her hand, Haon felt an overwhelming drowsiness in an instant.

He tried to resist, but couldn’t hold on.

His consciousness sank into a dark abyss, and his firm will slowly melted away.

“…Have a good dream. Forever beneath.”

That was Yoo Haon’s last memory.