Chakra (3)
The elder, who had a close relationship with him, continued with a serious expression.
– “You, too, were educated as a descendant of the Yoon Clan, so you should understand well. We can’t act rashly in the current situation.”
This was what Yoon So-hwa heard after rushing to the Elder Council upon hearing the news that contact with Lucette had been cut off.
If they had officially entered Hongsan Kingdom under the name of the Yoon Clan, it might have been different, but since they were secretly operating to trace the kidnappers behind the current incident, it was a bit difficult to act actively.
– “Of course, that doesn’t mean we will just sit idly by. We can’t just ignore the fact that news of a representative practitioner of our Yoon Clan has been lost. However, we also cannot send forces recklessly into their territory without consideration for Hongsan Kingdom.”
Hongsan Kingdom and Cheonghae Kingdom were the two great powers dividing Sabacheon.
It was indeed a fact that the Seongcheon Yoon Clan, caught in between, was responsible for maintaining the balance and mediation between the two sides.
Their might was so formidable that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them the strongest clan on the continent.
But no matter how elite the practitioners of the Seongcheon Yoon Clan were, they couldn’t confront a nation directly.
The overwhelming national power derived from the vast territories and populations was on a completely different level than the Yoon Clan, which governed only a few cities.
– “I have already discussed with the upper authorities of Hongsan Kingdom and secured their maximum cooperation. They have begun searching on-site, and we also plan to send a responsible party as soon as discussions are concluded. ··· Of course, we will need to comply to some extent with their regulations.”
Despite such a disparity in strength, the fact that the Yoon Clan could maintain its current position was all due to the ‘Peace Treaty’ signed decades ago by the clan head, as well as the existence of hostile nations at their borders.
Even if they could not compare to a nation, having numerous elite practitioners positioned at strategic points was a considerable threat if they decided to ally with the opposition, right?
In the end, the authority they had enjoyed for so long could only exist to a degree under the respect and concessions of the other side, meaning anytime they made requests, they had to step back that much more.
That was how international diplomacy worked.
– “But don’t worry too much. Lucette is not someone who would easily fall for such tricks, right? It’s just that we lost contact due to some unavoidable circumstances. She will reach out again soon. What we are doing now is just precautionary measures for the possibility.”
The elder, who spoke so, seemed frustrated, as he had to resort to such generic remarks.
Despite all that, however, there were things that couldn’t be helped.
“···For that reason, members of the Yoon Clan cannot rashly act until discussions are over. If there were solid evidence that the forces behind this incident are within Hongsan Kingdom, things might be different, but before we can even catch that, my sister has already gone missing…”
Yoon So-hwa sighed as he explained the situation to Hoon.
Of course, he understood the circumstances of the clan well enough.
Even though Lucette, who had reached the deep levels at a young age, was indeed an important figure, neglecting such international relations could lead to seeds of discord.
If the conflicts that had accumulated led to war, who would take responsibility for that?
“···But you, an outsider, are different.”
That was precisely why Yoon So-hwa urgently sought Hoon.
Even though he was still a guest, he hadn’t been in the clan long enough for his status to be publicly recognized yet.
‘Above all, he is strong enough to take down multiple upper-level practitioners in an instant. Moreover, it seems he’s hiding something even deeper…’
There was no one more fitting for the task.
With his eyes shining, he concluded with an exclamation.
“I don’t know what situation my sister is in, but I can’t just waste time like this. If you help me this time… I’ll be greatly grateful… I mean, I will! Please!”
Shaking at the end of his words with tightly clenched, trembling fists, Hoon gently stroked his chin as he looked down at the fervent Yoon So-hwa.
‘So a deep-level practitioner went missing without a word…’
He recalled Lucette, whom he had encountered several times.
As a practitioner at a decent level, she was by no means an easy opponent.
Whether she had already been subdued or had hidden herself somehow, pulling off such an act would require substantial preparation.
‘Could it be a trap?’
Perhaps it was orchestrated by someone who had directly intervened in the transcendent realm.
Either way, it was clear that this incident would cause a significant stir in Sabacheon.
‘Ugh… just leaving it be feels uncomfortable.’
Maybe it was because he had been traversing numerous dimensions and calming chaos wherever he went.
He frowned slightly at the ominous signs that had started to prick at his nerves.
‘But Ramu is around… so it’s a bit…’
Sensing Hoon’s hesitation, Yoon So-hwa eagerly opened his mouth.
Looking at his expression, it was evident that if it wasn’t now, there wouldn’t be another chance.
“If you rescue sister Lucette safely…!”
His raised voice faltered, and he hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.
He flicked his lips as if torn about something.
In that moment, doubt about whether this was truly the right thing to do flooded in.
‘No, I’ll think about later later. Whatever happens, saving my sister comes first.’
Having once been kidnapped himself, he instinctively felt this was far from ordinary.
If he hesitated here, he would surely regret it later.
Ultimately, he shut his eyes tight and made a bold decision once more.
“… In exchange, I will teach you the Yoon Clan’s secret chakra manipulation technique—Wheel of Law (전륜도)!”
“Huh? Wheel of Law?”
Hoon tilted his head at the unfamiliar term.
He had never even heard of such a thing during his training.
“… Of course, unofficially. Normally it’s not something one should share…”
Yoon So-hwa, who had forgotten even the aspect of being an elder, fumbled for words and lowered his head.
Whatever it was, it seemed rather important.
‘Oh? So they were hiding something like that? A secret…’
But he had somewhat anticipated this.
No matter what anyone said, the Seongcheon Yoon Clan was one of the most powerful forces throughout all of Sabacheon.
It wouldn’t be strange for them to have a hidden trump card they kept solely for themselves.
“Okay, deal.”
He was already pondering what to do anyway.
With that one additional weight added to the scale he had been balancing, there was no further need for hesitation.
‘For now, I need to gather anything that appears beneficial. If they have that, it will help accelerate my chakra growth.’
With the Yoon Clan’s descendants personally guiding him, he wouldn’t have to worry about Ramu’s safety.
Moreover, he would also be able to enhance his proficiency with chakra through practical experience.
It felt like this route might be better than being cooped up within the clan repeatedly doing the same training.
And while he was at it, he might as well explore other regions of this world.
“You’ll provide transportation, right?”
“W-well, of course… cough! Naturally!”
“Oh, right, I’m broke.”
“We are the Seongcheon Yoon Clan! We will provide ample security support!”
如何 윤소회 managed to convince the elders, Hoon’s journey to Hongsan Kingdom proceeded smoothly.
Due to their position of needing to maintain balance, they wouldn’t carelessly take action, but if the alternative came forward, there was no need to decline.
Just less than half a day after the news of Lucette’s disappearance reached them.
An otherworldly being was dispatched to Hongsan Kingdom.
*
Bang!
Hoon, whose rectangular box had been flipped open, crawled out while rubbing the stiff back of his neck.
“Ugh, is this what chakra feels like? Incredible, there are all sorts of abilities.”
Having been within the Yoon Clan’s territory, it didn’t take long for him to arrive at the site of the incident across the border.
It was truly indescribable—only the term ‘express delivery’ would suffice.
‘A real rising star in the delivery industry. With that capability, I wouldn’t have to worry about starving even on Earth.’
Even though his body was reinforced as much as possible for transporting living beings, his entire body still ached.
But since he had crossed a distance that would have taken a week by road in less than half a day, it wasn’t the time to complain.
“Is this really the place?”
Breathing steadily, Hoon tried to elevate his condition to the fullest while slowly surveying his surroundings.
Woodland filled with trees laden with reddish leaves was spread out everywhere.
Though it was still far from the time for leaves to fall, the spectacular sceneries made it immediately clear why this area was called Hongsan Kingdom (紅山國).
“… It’s vast.”
And climbing up a nearby tree, taking a look around made it clear why the search was sluggish.
A massive mountain range expanded out as far as the eye could see.
Finding traces of just one person somewhere in this immense expanse would not be easy.
Let alone if those traces had been cleaned up entirely by an outlaw…
‘If I’m not careful, I might not be able to meet the deadline.’
The fact that a practitioner of such caliber couldn’t even leave a mark meant she was currently in a rather unfavorable situation.
As time passed, her survival rate would inevitably decrease exponentially.
“Can’t just leave it be.”
Of course, Hoon had no plans to let it go at that.
If he hadn’t taken the job in the first place, perhaps he might have thought otherwise, but to come this far and return empty-handed was simply out of the question.
From the beginning, he didn’t intend to prolong this matter.
“Hoo, then…”
Taking a deep breath, Hoon opened up his inner cosmos.
Through the “Root of the Ideal,” a singular mental image was drawn up.
“Let’s get started.”
Woowoo—
With those words, a faint vibration emanated from his body.
Spreading out fearfully, it softly dispersed, blending into the flora and fauna of the mountains.
The chakra transformed into a star shape as he blinked several times to resonate with the ‘nature’ around him.
‘… Hmm, indeed. The efficiency is not great.’
Not being able to maintain that for long, he squeezed his eyes shut and furrowed his brow.
If it had been High Elf Harris, the master of that mental image, he would have been able to scan the whole mountain in one go.
Feeling regretful that he had reached his limit merely inspecting a single peak, Hoon licked his lips in disappointment.
‘Still, there is some progress.’
Even if he couldn’t completely replicate it, it was the mental image of a being who had transcended and achieved oneness with nature.
Though he hadn’t discovered any concrete traces, momentarily merging with this place allowed him to hear the whispers of the wind, telling him where to look next.
‘It certainly feels like something happened here. There’s a hint of someone having been up to something.’
He directed his gaze toward a nearby peak.
… No, his gaze was fixed further that way.
“Finishing this today might be tough.”
His steps, light as a cloud, glided along.
To the location where the mastermind that had brought him to this distant land resided.
*
In the eerily quiet forest in the dead of night.
With the moon and stars that should have served as the light of the dark night all withdrawn, the ground, devoid of any light, was filled with a chilling atmosphere.
Normally graceful, the trees now appeared grotesque, resembling monsters with twisted faces, while the plants that should have wrapped softly around him turned into thorny vines lying in wait to ensnare unwitting victims.
On top of that, razor-sharp rocks and sticky swamps ready to grab at his feet melded with the pungent scent of blood all around.
This place truly embodied a haunted forest of nightmares.
“Hah, hah…”
In the heart of this ghostly forest, a woman with messy hair hastily tied back was panting heavily.
She was well aware that she needed to keep her quiet as much as possible, but it was inevitable.
She was reaching her limit.
‘This discomfort… The time flow is indeed warped. How long has it been outside?’
She had endured for more than ten days in this place.
Despite her continuous struggle to escape the haunted forest, she hadn’t caught a single glimpse of the rising sun.
‘… I had underestimated the situation. I truly didn’t expect to be this deeply entrenched.’
This state of affairs befell Lucette because she had fallen into a trap while pursuing the kidnappers behind the Yoon So-hwa incident.
The trap had been meticulously crafted, as if someone had anticipated her arrival.
‘How could this be? There must be a mole within the clan… one at a rather high level…’
As she pondered that, she bit her lip and shook her head.
If that were true, it would be nothing short of a disaster.
For someone like her, who held deep loyalty to the clan, it was a notion she simply couldn’t accept.
While catching her breath and desperately formulating a plan to cope with this situation.
“This is where it ends, huh? I guess you’re starting to wear down.”
The now-familiar voice of a thin man cut through her thoughts.
Lucette gritted her teeth as she turned to face the presence she sensed.
“General Bu-ryeong…!”
A tall man, disheveled yet oddly pristine, sporting a goat-like beard stood there, giving an unkempt grin, unlike her haggard form.
His green eyes, adorned with numerous swirling orbits, sparkled with delight.
“Ugh, here we are. The famed brain hasn’t made it this far? You’ve done well to last here, though. I never thought you’d endure this long. The Yoon clan, after all…”
Craaar—!
His leisurely drawn-out words didn’t finish as a massive beam of light erupted from Lucette, sending him flying.
“… You’re quite hasty, aren’t you? I didn’t realize you still had that much power left.”
But the figure that emerged from the other side merely shook his head as if it were nothing serious.
Having gone through this scenario multiple times by now, he remained unfazed.
“Huff, huff.”
Lucette tried to steady her breath while glaring at the noble-born general in front of her.
She had already been well aware of who he was.
A practitioner who had reached the deep level, General Bu-ryeong.
Had they been in the same condition, she wouldn’t have struggled nearly as much.
No, considering her fighting nature, she might have easily subdued him.
However, the moment she fell into the trap that had been so meticulously set up, her chances dwindled to nothing.
‘It’s not just him. There are at least five upper-level practitioners supporting this trap. Who knows how many lower-level ones are lurking around.’
By falling into a trap, she was already in an unfavorable position, and now it was an unfair one-on-one.
Under such circumstances, she could only perceive the situation as vastly unjust.
‘… Do you think I’ll just give in like this? Whether it be death, I’ll make sure I land a solid hit on you before I go.’
As before, she didn’t whine but rather angered herself to action.
Clenching her teeth, lightning danced in her eyes.
Focusing solely on her opponent, she pushed aside thoughts of the traps and the mole, as well as images of her brother that had intruded her mind all along.
For now, she had no luxury to spare on distractions.
As she steeled her resolve, her fighting spirit peaked sharply.
[Ah, hello? Can you hear me well?]
A familiar voice rang in her mind.
[Hmm? The connection is fine, but… you can’t hear? This is Hoon speaking.]
The startling voice of the man she had spoken to several times before echoed in her ears.
