Chapter 97

I returned to the room where Inssimwon was.

The room filled with hallucinogenic painkillers – when I touched some kind of device, a staircase going down appeared.

Since I obtained Inssimwon’s memories, I know how to go down but I don’t plan on telling anyone.

So I played dumb and followed Inssimwon down underground.

Down there is a cave. If you listen closely, you can hear the constant sound of machinery. If it stops, the drainage system will break and this place will be flooded.

It’s a backup system just in case.

Most people would probably drown at about halfway through the passage.

Unless they’re a race that can breathe underwater.

While thinking about that, I kept walking through the damp cave.

After walking for quite a while along the path, we arrive at a place with architecture completely different from anything we’ve seen so far.

Buildings made of stone should have sharp angles, but this one looks like flowing waves frozen in stone – a very fluid design.

As soon as we enter, several creatures that are half-seafood, half-human appear.

Their skin is peeling off in places, revealing muscle underneath – clearly not in their original form. Just like that girl who turned into a monster earlier, these were once human.

They stare at us with milky white eyes and charge forward, revealing needle-like teeth.

Good try.

But when Chooma extended her palm forward, a dark purple wave shot out and erased them without leaving a trace.

Seriously, she might be the strongest person I’ve ever seen in terms of raw power.

Of course, there are those who can unleash greater destructive force. But eliminating enemies so cleanly without damaging the surroundings… I’ve never seen anything like it.

Inssimwon stares at her blankly.

Instead of saying anything, he tightens his grip on the girl on his back and keeps walking forward.

Inssimwon has memorized the entire layout of this place.

Thinking about the faded memories, I can guess why it’s designed this way. It’s not just to confuse people – it’s to control water flow when the place gets flooded.

It’s a structure known as a Tesla valve.

Following the central pathway of the valve brings us to a large underground temple.

It’s designed like an amphitheater, with steps leading towards the center. However, about half of it is flooded.

Well, technically the whole place was designed to be submerged eventually.

On the dry areas, practitioners of Hematoma Mystic Arts gather. Beneath the water, there are Immortal Sea Beasts.

At the central podium, the Tongcheon Sect Leader preaches.

“Here is as far as followers of Hematoma Mystic Arts may go. Beyond this point lies the territory of the sect. No ordinary person should dare approach.”

The boundary between land and water where Inssimwon stands.

Many things happen here. It’s where humans fully transform into monsters, and where living sacrifices are offered.

Surprisingly, the Tongcheon Sect Leader’s sermon isn’t that strange. It’s basically about training hard to become powerful Immortal Sea Beasts.

And it’s also a place where they tempt people with the promise of becoming Immortals themselves.

“I guess we can go.”

“Yeah.”

I was wondering if I should swim through the water, when a dark purple barrier spread out from Chooma.

“Ohhh…”

Inssimwon looks at Chooma with pure awe, trembling as if resisting some immense pressure coming from her.

It’s actually physical force.

Which is weird because I don’t feel anything. Is it selective somehow?

While I’m pondering this, Chooma steps onto the water surface.

Creeeak…

Kreeeeek…

With a sound like walls vibrating against each other, the water just… disappears.

Not turning into steam or being pushed away – it just vanishes.

It’s like there’s a hole wherever Chooma is standing. Any fish or strange creatures with human limbs in the water disappear too.

When all the water is gone, Chooma turns around to look at us.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

I jumped down, then glanced back at Inssimwon. He’s hesitating, holding the girl on his back, looking torn about whether to follow us.

Looking at how he keeps shifting his gaze between us and the floor, he seems to be hoping someone will tell him what to do.

“Inssimwon.”

“Yes, yes!”

He can’t even answer properly – hilarious considering he was supposedly the head of the Moon Festival Hall. Shouldn’t he at least pretend to be more composed?

Then again, maybe the current situation is too chaotic for him to put up any pretenses. I just told him one thing:

“Decide for yourself what to do next.”

Then I immediately followed after Chooma.

What was the intention behind those words?

Nothing special.

I’ve decided to push through with the value of freedom that I’ve chosen. Since I’ve resolved not to lie, I need to make sure my actions align with my words so far.

And I’ve already gathered all the information I needed from him. I don’t expect much anyway, so whatever Inssimwon does from now on is fine.

Betrayal?

Yeah, that’s allowed too.

If he gives me more warmth…

Thinking about that, we continued forward through the originally submerged area.

Conveniently, there are glowing stones embedded in the floor.

Is this place radioactive or something?

Still, I can understand why they’d need light down here.

So while absorbing the warmth from creatures dying in Chooma’s barrier far ahead, we kept moving forward.

Soon we reach massive doors, with water crashing against Chooma’s barrier at incredible speed before disappearing.

But then the water stopped disappearing. We can see water droplets further away than Chooma’s barrier now – it’s no longer being erased.

Through those droplets, a dark shadow appears. A gigantic humanoid sea creature looms behind the water barrier, easily large enough to dwarf dozens of people lined up side by side. There’s a bright light shining from its chest.

The monster bursts through the water currents, shrinking in size as it approaches and transforming into a man wearing a scaly cloak.

“The ones who inherit the name Chooma still wield unbelievable power.”

The man waved his hand, creating cracks in the air behind him.

One of those cracks shot forward and collided with Chooma’s barrier, causing it to collapse silently.

Then he walked toward us step by step.

“Are you the Tongcheon Sect Leader?”

The broad-browed, hairless man looked down at me with milky white eyes.

“So you’ve intruded into my domain and dared to touch my property. You must have prepared to die, right?”

Listening to him, it sounds like he considers this body to be his property.

“Originally, this body was meant to be a vessel for our bodies. How dare you come and steal it, ruining the vessel we carefully crafted using slaves… Now we’ll have to remake it, won’t we?”

The slaves he’s referring to are the Hematoma Mystic Arts practitioners.

There is something strange though.

“Why do you need a human body? Your current form looks much larger and stronger.”

The man chuckled.

“Ah, this body was also carefully crafted. However, there are limited vessels capable of containing a god, and they don’t last long either. We need to be reborn.”

When he reached out his hand, it wasn’t toward my head or body – it pointed to my abdomen. I understand what he wants now.

Rather than possessing a body like mine, he plans to use my body to create his next vessel.

“Can’t you just exist without a body?”

If you need a body, why not ask me first?

“Humans are insignificant beings who would go mad upon beholding us directly. To prevent that, we need to wear bodies from this world. And that applies to you too, foreign god.”

So he’s an incredibly powerful existence. Powerful enough to drive people insane just by looking at him.

Indeed. That’s what gods are like, apparently.

Even in the faded memories of humanity, the one true god couldn’t be directly observed, and in polytheistic religions, looking directly at a god would cause a person to burn up.

“No, I’m not a god. I’m just a monster that sank to the bottom. People have stared directly at me just fine.”

After my words, the Tongcheon Sect Leader smiled happily.

“Aha, so you understand the difference in rank? Very well. Your abilities are quite interesting. Turning people into ragged messes and regenerating them… Quite useful indeed. We could offer you decent treatment.”

He speaks as if my submission is a given.

Look at this.

“How about a position among the Ten Thousand Heavenly Armies? If you work hard under me, we could certainly raise your status.”

He’s already talking as if I’m his subordinate.

“Ke he he.”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

For some reason, Chooma froze with an expression of shock and quickly retreated.

“Oh dear. Running away won’t help.”

The Tongcheon Sect Leader swung his arm. Water shot down like a snake through the droplets toward Chooma.

Meh, she can handle that. She drew a sword from her robes and slashed, dispersing the water with loud splashes. I paid it no mind and kept walking toward the Tongcheon Sect Leader.

The closer I get, the stronger the smell of fish becomes.

After becoming this body, I didn’t react to such smells anymore, but I’ll remember this one as dirty and disgusting from now on.

I approached him and grabbed his neck. Though my strength is only about that of a strong girl.

“So, you intend to resist?”

The Tongcheon Sect Leader looked at me with amusement. I had no intention of strangling him.

I noticed it right away when I saw him earlier, and now seeing him up close confirms it.

When falling beneath the surface, I saw a similar massive orb of light near the surface.

In other words…

“There’s a lot of warmth here.”

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