There are moments when the night falls apart.

Even when the moon disappears.

It’s not because the stars stop shining.

It’s not out of fear of the approaching day, nor because the sun is rising.

It’s when there is no one waiting for the night.

Or when no one remembers it anymore.

Only then does the night fall apart.

The woman realized this after making her decision, but she didn’t regret it.

It had to be this way.

She had to fall apart for the day to come. What those who remember her needed wasn’t the night, but the day.

Thus.

She was certain she had to do it. But despite her resolve, if there was any regret, it was that she should have made the decision just a little later.

She should have chosen a day more lazily.

That was the only thing she regretted.

***********

Hooohhh—!!

Black smoke swirls. The rising force shot up from below, and in the rising energy, it almost seemed like the night had arrived.

An overwhelming and colossal energy.

Watching this, Taechon narrows his eyes.

“Haha.”

What should he say? Judging by the sheer amount of the energy itself, it would indeed be surprising. How could someone with such a small aura emit such vast energy?

It was fascinating, but...

The real problem was.

“I didn’t misjudge.”

What was contained within that energy.

Looking at it, Taechon was sure of what he had been wondering.

“It’s divinity.”

The energy contained within it.

That was definitely not a level of power any mortal could have. A force that can only be obtained when one surpasses the vessel of existence and the world grants it.

Divinity.

The supreme energy, one that can only be attained by the rulers of a world, is contained within this.

“You’re not the master, are you?”

That thing was not the master. No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t feel like a master. Even though it had divinity, it wasn’t a master. What should he call this strange phenomenon?

Glancing, Taechon looked behind.

“Krrr--!!!”

The creature, impaled on his spear, unable to move. If they were to call a master, it would be that one who seemed more like a master.

The divinity of Mangye. Among the countless realms, one of the rare divinities is Mangye power.

The divinity of Mangye itself contains peace, mercy, and death—opposing divine powers all at once.

The reason other masters covet Mangye is that it has a vessel capable of holding such divinities.

“Why did Mangye...?”

Why did Mangye attempt to give its divinity to this unknown being?

Or maybe not?

“It might not have been an attempt to give it away.”

Since Taechon didn’t know its intentions, it was difficult to guess. But something must have happened to Mangye, and it might have tried to take advantage of the situation, seeking something as Taechon had done.

As this thought crossed his mind, Taechon turned his gaze.

If that’s the case.

“What is that?”

What exactly is that?

He had never heard of it.

“How...”

How could such an intense divinity exist here?

That’s...

“It’s almost like a descent.”

A descent. A master pulling out their true body and appearing in the lower realm.

Normal lands cannot handle divinity and are either crushed or, like this, the natural world itself suffers damage.

Even now, it’s clear.

The crimson sky of Mangye is being devoured by that black energy, entangling.

Watching this, Taechon couldn’t understand.

“You... what are you?”

He asked, gazing at the being staring back from the black energy.

In response, the woman inside spoke.

“Hmm?”

Her tone was monotone. She seemed to be smiling, but perhaps she was angry as well.

It was hard to grasp. Feeling this, Taechon’s face twisted.

Not being able to recognize it? Did it mean that the presence itself couldn’t be recognized?

Is this me?

“Ha.”

Taechon let out a hollow laugh.

He, who had never once descended from the sky since its existence began.

And yet, he couldn’t properly recognize that being?

“Isn’t this ridiculous?”

Taechon smiled.

Even though he hadn’t descended in his true body, how could he not sense what that being was?

He couldn’t understand.

Creek.

Taechon gripped his spear.

“Dragon Lord. What is your relationship with that forgotten one?”

“......”

At the mention of the Dragon Lord, the woman slightly extended her hand. In that moment.

Kugugugugu--!!!

The energy that had been creating the night suddenly halts its upward path and descends back to the ground.

It slumps, collapsing into the night.

It almost seemed like prey was falling, dripping.

It flowed down, moistening the ground. The night had fallen over both the sky and the earth.

Splash.

As she stepped on the created food, the woman looked at Taechon.

“What do you think it is?”

“You’re passing a question with another question, aren’t you?”

“Sorry. I do want to answer, but...”

Tsrrr...

The food swirls in a vortex.

The gathering currents slowly converge in the woman’s hand, and what gathered formed the shape of a sword.

“I haven’t thought about it for such a long time.”

“...It’s been a long time, you say?”

Does that mean it’s related?

It must be. Taechon looked at the woman, knowing. That energy was from the Dragon Lord.

Behind, the writhing monster. It wasn’t just a small aura emanating from it. This was the true energy of the Dragon Lord.

All of it was gathered there.

The signature arrogance and deep fighting spirit. It felt violent and disorderly.

However.

Even as he felt this, the reason Taechon couldn’t be sure was simple.

“How could such an energy create an independent divinity?”

It was the energy of the Dragon Lord, but it couldn’t be called his divinity.

It was clear. That wasn’t the divinity of the Dragon Lord.

It was something independently constructed.

It seemed to be a divinity raised by its own power. So, then.

“Even so, how is it not the master? How could that be?”

To have created such a divinity and not be the master?

Taechon couldn’t understand.

The being he had just fought.

Was it Shin Cheol? He recalled the figure that had shown him that power.

It was the moment when they tried to pierce °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° through the realm of the lower world, seeking divinity with the power of their true body.

But although his soul’s level had risen, his body ultimately collapsed, and he couldn’t achieve his goal.

Taechon found that truly regretful.

For a mortal to ascend to divinity...

That was a miracle that might only happen once in an eternity of endless time.

And to be so close to it, but not be able to see it... That was regrettable.

“...This is impossible.”

Not only had this being established an independent divinity, but it had also learned to apply it so expertly?

“What are you? What is it that you’re cloaking yourself with?”

Taechon, unable to believe it, kept questioning the woman.

“Hmm...”

As she listened, the woman merely exhaled quietly.

“I don’t really like terms like divinity or master.”

Once upon a time.

A long, long time ago. In a past that she didn’t even wish to remember, or one that was hard to recall, she had once obsessed over it.

She thought that when she reached that place, something would change.

Regarding what she had yet to achieve. If she could reach that point, perhaps she would find a clue.

She had been so fixated on it at one point.

“But I found that it doesn’t really matter.”

Once she got there, she realized.

It was not something that offered any advantage to herself.

Divinity and master.

Even if one achieves that...

“In the end, you cannot change destiny.”

It’s too shallow and fragile to stop what has already begun to flow.

Thus, the woman had long given up on this matter. It was just a remnant from that time.

Thud.

The food soaked in, and in the end, one sword was completed.

From the tip of the sword, a drop of black liquid fell, one by one.

“...”

Taechon watched and stirred his energy.

It was dark.

Despite the brilliance of the extreme aurora unfolding in the world, how could it be that only that place was so dark?

It felt like it was gathering the darkness alone.

It was ominous.

He shouldn’t approach that darkness. This thought came naturally to him.

“Do you know?”

The woman spoke.

Was it an illusion? Taechon felt that the woman’s voice seemed to be wavering.

“You always had that expression.”

“What...?”

“You seemed afraid. And you seemed hesitant.”

“What are you saying?”

It was as if she had met him before.

Taechon tried to recall, but only confusion arose.

No matter how long he had lived, he couldn’t have forgotten such a being.

He remembered nothing of it.

The woman smiled, as if she was familiar with Taechon’s confusion.

“Don’t worry about it. As always.”

And then.

“It’s not really that important.”

“...!”

The night shook with the movement of the sword.

Kuaaahhh----!!!!

Darkness poured out with a single strike.

The purple-hued black energy fell toward Taechon.

Seeing it, Taechon moved the spear he held.

Kwagk-!!!

The blue and black collided, and shockwaves exploded in all directions.

The world trembled.

As the divine powers clashed with a tremendous sound.

The woman, watching the energy pouring out, thought to herself.

‘Come quickly.’

It wouldn’t last long.

And then.

‘But at least show me once.’

Even if everything disappears, if she could see that person even once...

The woman, as always, could do anything for that.

**********

At that moment.

Boom-!!

“Cough!”

Gu Yangcheon, rolling on the ground, coughed up blood.

“Cough.”

He staggered to rise, coughing up a handful of blood, but—

Thud-!

“Ugh!”

His head was stomped on, and his face slammed into the ground.

Shaking violently, he could not get up.

“Tsk tsk.”

The one who had stepped on Gu Yangcheon’s head spoke.

“You useless fool.”

The goblin, with flames sparking, glared at Gu Yangcheon.