Possessing Nothing

Because Wijihoyeon said that Kazuya shouldn’t die, Lee Sungmin asked him if he wanted to come with him to the Forest of the Fairies.

However, he laughed bitterly and shook his head. He needed to stay near the forest to keep the seal from breaking, meaning he would have to be stuck in the village until he died.

Thinking that living only by eating grain pills was a terrible life, Lee Sungmin used Erebrisa to bring enough food for Kazuya to live comfortably.

‘Greed.’

Wijihoyeon got information from the Demonic Spirit consistently. She probably knew more about the Apocalypse than Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin looked around the Sleeping Forest before leaving the village.

The Queen of the Spirits, The Vampire Queen, and Greed.

[They haven’t harvested anything, huh…]

Heoju was in deep thought, pondering what that statement meant.

[This world was created as a kennel to raise the perfect talent. Does that mean that a suitable person hasn’t risen yet?]

‘…The Predator of Massacre told me that Master was deeply involved in the beginning of the Apocalypse.’

Because Yang Il-Chun was too strong as a human, because the achievements he made in the path of martial arts were too high, it had started the Apocalypse. Yang Il-Chun’s talent and skills would probably have been perfected at that point.

According to The Predator of Massacre, the Apocalypse was different every time. The only consistent thing was the existence of The Predator of Massacre.

A returner who returned to the past would be designated as The Predator from the moment he returned. As soon as the Apocalypse began, he would turn into the existence that devours everything.

This trip also taught him another existence he had to be wary of… Greed. Lee Sungmin bit his lower lip, eyebrows furrowed.

The Predator of Massacre eats everything in the world, then Greed swallows the world itself, turning it into Mu [TN: Mu = nothingness, emptiness.]

If that were the case, Greed would appear at the very end of the Apocalypse. Wijihoyeon was sure that it would not appear now. That would also mean that if it weren’t the end of the Apocalypse, Kazuya wouldn’t die.

However, he couldn’t be relieved just yet. He had to keep track of Kazuya’s health.

Wijihoyeon had also said that Greed was a being that she couldn’t handle. It was a dangerous creature.

Something he had to do.

The bracelet on his wrist started to vibrate.

[[Who is that?]]

Rubia, who was hiding in Lee Sungmin’s chest, asked. Lee Sungmin examined the bracelet with energy and discovered that the connections between his bracelet and Scarlett and Baek Sogo’s bracelets shook slightly.

The pair had successfully reverse-summoned the Spirit King.

Lee Sungmin summoned the Pegasus and traveled to Behenger.

***

“It was boring.”

Almost a week after Lee Sungmin came back from the Forest of the Fairies, the Spear King and Lloyd sent a signal that the Spirit King of Earth had been reverse-summoned. After they returned, the Spear King recounted what happened with a bored expression.

It sounded boring. Ten days were spent wandering around the Ancient Sites of Dahar and attacking the Spirit King to reverse-summon it successfully.

“Its attacking methods were annoying, and its defense was commendable, but that was about it. I waited for 10 days just to face this monster, and it only amounted to that much. It was boring.”

“I’m glad it was easy.”

“Are all Spirit Kings supposed to be this weak?”

The Spear King continued to complain. However, Lee Sungmin knew why the Spear King thought the Spirit King was weak. The Spear King was too strong.

He was a being that stood at the pinnacle of the weapon called the spear, and he was also someone who could understand a bit about the one that started the Apocalypse, the one who was undoubtedly the strongest in the world.

“It’s just that Spirit Kings that haven’t stabilized their powers after descending are relatively weaker than those who have.”

“Huh, look at this kid. Are you siding with the Spirit Kings because you’re also a spirit?”

“I’m not siding with them…”

“What do you mean you aren’t? Would you rather me die while fighting there? Huh? Or wait a bit after that bastard descended to fight him?”

Rubia’s shoulders shuddered as the Spear King kept on mocking her. Out of all of Lee Sungmin’s companions in the Forest of the Fairies, the Spear King had the worst personality.

“…Okay, it’s just that Grandfather is too strong.”

“How am I your grandfather?”

“Look at how old you are! You are more than enough to be a grandfather by your age.”

The Spear King snorted at Rubia’s words and turned away. Lloyd, watching from a bit away, sat down and sighed.

Lloyd’s face was gaunt, and his cheeks were sucked in. Even if no one asked, they could tell he suffered greatly from the Spear King’s words at the site.

“You did a lot. Thank you for your hard work.”

Jehu massaged Lloyd’s shoulders with an understanding expression on his face.

Scarlett, meanwhile, was in her tower, and Baek Sogo was meditating under a tree.

[[Lee Sungmin-nim.]]

Yana sent a mental transmission toward Lee Sungmin, who was listening to the Spear King’s complaints. Lee Sungmin turned around and saw Yana standing far away, looking at him.

[[What is it?]]

[[I…]]

Yana had an embarrassed expression on her face, which was the first time that Lee Sungmin had seen her with that face. Lee Sungmin ignored the Spear King’s ranting and walked over to Yana.

[[…need to go to the Demonic Spirit.]]

At that, Lee Sungmin’s face stiffened slightly. Yana’s power as a Gumiho was given to her by the Demonic Spirit. Due to that, she had to travel to the Hujel Mountain Range periodically to perform a ritual.

Lee Sungmin had never been to the Demonic Pavillion. However, he wanted to meet the Demonic Spirit after he broke out of the seal that kept him in place for 10 years.

Yet, the warning that Laplace of Erebrisa gave him, to not trust the Demonic Spirit that much, was slightly concerning. After meeting Laplace, Lee Sungmin avoided trying to meet the Demonic Spirit.

[[What happens if you don’t go?]]

[[My powers as a Gumiho would disappear.]]

Yana’s voice was bitter.

Usually, Gumihos were foxes that transformed into monsters after a thousand years of practicing magic.

Yana, who had lived for 400 years, wasn’t even halfway there. She had acknowledged that fact.

[The thing that I received from the Demonic Spirit was the power that I could never get on my own. No matter how talented I am at utilizing my yokai powers, I cannot compare my power to a Gumiho that has lived for over a thousand years.]

The Demonic Spirit had listened to Yana’s desires and gave her the power to become a Gumiho.

[If I don’t perform rituals at the Demonic Pavillion, the energy I got from the Demonic Spirit will disappear. That was the agreement that we made at the beginning.]

[I understand…]

He did not want Yana to lose her powers. After all, she was one of the group’s strongest members.

He could be overreacting. The fact that the Demonic Spirit was suspicious was told only by Laplace, so there could be a chance that the Demonic Spirit wasn’t doing anything behind everyone’s backs.

Lee Sungmin took Yana to the City of Endless Night on the Pegasus. It was convenient because he also had something to do there.

“You again?”

Frau looked at Lee Sungmin with a fed-up expression. Under her gaze, Lee Sungmin calmly pulled out tributes from his embrace.

Frau clicked her tongue as chunks of gold and jewels came onto the table.

“This is too much money to reject.”

“I need your help.”

“Give it to me.”

Frau sighed while stretching her hand toward Lee Sungmin. He pulled out Wolhu’s belongings that he found back at the Moon Palace and placed them on the table, gazing softly at Frau.

At his gaze, Frau licked her lower lip and asked, “Why, you want to do it with me?”

“Yes?” (TN: This could also be read as being like “Huh?” Or “What?” but the joke is that it can be read as an affirmation)

“No? Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s just… it’s a little uncomfortable for me to come and ask for something like this every time, so…”

“Shut up.”

Frau glared and spat out at him.

“This type of relationship is perfect. I can’t see your fate anymore, and there’s no fate forced upon you… So you are dangerous. If I’m with you, I’ll likely die a dog’s death.”

“What does that mean?”

“Without being bound to a certain fate or destiny, you can do whatever you want freely.”

Frau muttered and lifted a bronze mirror from the table. The surface was worn out and dirty due to a lack of care.

“And that kind of bastard isn’t living peacefully but trying to defy the fate of this world. What would an existence similar to a god of this world, who set your destiny and this world’s destiny, see you as?”

“…He probably wouldn’t care about me.”

“Maybe so. After all, you cannot change the location of a boulder by throwing an egg. However, the egg that hits the boulder is bound to break apart.”

Frau smirked.

“…I don’t want to say that Abel’s death was a dog’s death. And I don’t want to say he was as worthless as an egg. However, he died in the end.”

“If the Apocalypse happens, everyone will die.”

“If everyone dies, it’s fair for all.”

Frau’s laughter became louder.

“Doing everything you can to stop the end, but dying nonetheless. If that death changes the world’s fate and the end… what then? You’re already dead. ‘Oh, I’m dead, but other people who did nothing are living happily ever after.’ I hate those types of scenarios. Do I look selfish to you?”

“Yes.”

“I like you because you’re truthful. Yes, I’m selfish. I know myself and only myself. I don’t want to die like a dog. Anyways, I’d like to reject following you only to die.”

But.

“I’ll give you a warning. I told you about the power of fate a while ago.”

The power that influences fate.

Beings who live in this world are inevitably, unavoidably, and naturally entangled in the great flow of fate.

Fate was an ambiguous thing and could change at any point, but the flow of fate was so big that unless the change was impactful enough, fate itself would not change.

“You, who have escaped from the power of fate, do not exist inside the flow. Therefore, your existence itself can counter fate itself and become a variable against fate. However… if you repeatedly clash with fate, you will get caught up in that flow, whether you like it or not, and crash. Not only you but also those who follow you and who act with you.”

Frau finished speaking and started to chant. Suddenly, the objects on the table were covered in a fog-like light.

“…What the fuck is this?”

Frau muttered.

Crack!

The objects inside the fog simultaneously broke. Frau quickly stopped chanting and created a barrier with her hands open wide.

Puhuak!

The blinding light that appeared from the cracks of the broken objects burst out and covered Frau. However, the barrier that she had summoned a split second before stopped the light from crossing over.

“Look at that.”

Frau said with an annoyed expression.

“If I’m with you, I’m bound to die a dog’s death.”

“What was that right now?”

“Can’t you tell by looking at it? The owner of the objects set that contraption from the beginning. If anyone tried to use these things to track them down, a deadly curse would be inflicted upon them. It’s because it was me that we were safe. If it was just a mediocre sorcerer, they would have died without being able to block that curse.”

Frau waved her hand and swept the broken pieces to the side.

“I failed to find out where the owner was. By looking at the strength of that curse, it seems like they really don’t want people to find out where they are. I’m not giving you the jewels back, even if I failed. I almost died.”

“…That’s fine.”

“Go back.”

Frau collapsed on the bed and waved her hand to the side.

“Because of what happened just now, I really don’t want to follow you.”

Lee Sungmin left the mansion without saying another word. However, he did not return to the Forest of the Fairies.

While he was out, he wanted to stop by a place.