By Zephyria 
“I’m about to gag, so stop with the disgusting stories.”
Young-pa strode forward until he stood before Azure Dragon and faced Ji Seo-gu. He then pointed the tip of his sword at him.
“My home is here on the mortal realm, where the sunlight and moonlight shine down upon me. There is no longer any way you can take me underground alive. Today, one of us will vanish forever.”
As soon as Young-pa finished speaking, a violent dust devil appeared and slammed down upon Ji Seo-gu’s head. The seemingly solid form of Black Tortoise scattered into black smoke from the sorcery. The serpent vanished, but the shadow remained. A low laugh flowed from it.
“Azure Dragon, since you did not stop that insolent human and instead shielded him, it cannot be helped. Everything that happens from this moment on is your responsibility.”
“Nonsense!”
Driven by rage, Young-pa summoned an even larger swirling wind. However, wind could not erase a shadow; it only pushed back the mist surrounding the place that had originally been Manhakcheonbong.
As the mist cleared, a black film covering the mortal realm became visible. Looking closer, it was not a shadow, but serpents. A sickeningly large number of serpents were crawling toward them.
“You truly intend to dye the mortal realm in blood,” Biryoo murmured with a composed demeanor. Young-pa glared at Black Tortoise’s army, which filled his entire field of vision.
“Will you not regret this, Azure Dragon?”
“You talk too much. Just climb on my back.”
A smile flickered across Biryoo’s lips.
‘I love you so much it hurts.’
Suppressing the words he wanted to say, Young-pa climbed onto Biryoo’s neck. As he settled into the gaps of the mane, a blue energy surged around them and the ground trembled. The tension before war and a burning romantic longing mixed together, making his heart pound as if it would burst. Burying his face in the blue-white mane, Young-pa asked:
“If this is over… and if I survive… will you take me to the heavenly realm?”
“You foolish thing, I have already built a room for you in my palace.”
“I… I thought that was for Yeon-hwa….”
“I know what you were thinking.”
As Azure Dragon’s body ascended, the black shadows also soared, lunging toward them. Young-pa summoned a strong wind to push back the mist. As Azure Dragon flew gracefully, blood dripped from his wounds.
“If you hadn’t been playing these foolish games, you would be pounding the mortar with a deity in that room by now. You are the one who should be regretting.”
Young-pa couldn’t help but laugh. Even in a situation where he was escaping the clutches of a venomous Black Tortoise, this man made him smile. After laughing out loud, his worry and guilt toward Biryoo subsided, and the burden weighing on his heart scattered. Young-pa gripped the tiger tooth severing sword tightly and ignited his fighting spirit.
“It is already too late; what use is there in regretting? I shall quickly execute that mongrel serpent and taste the deity’s phallus in the heavenly realm.”
Biryoo flew higher. Far below on the mortal realm, an infuriated Ji Seo-gu was driving his subordinates forward.
“Go!”
Before long, Black Tortoise’s subordinates, riding winged failures, followed Azure Dragon’s trajectory. At first, five were visible, but they quickly increased to ten, then twenty. They covered the sky like a swarm of flies, flying fiercely toward them.
Azure Dragon swung his tail, and two lost their lives. Three fell from their failures due to the thunderbolt he unleashed. Young-pa also drew down lightning strikes to execute two more. Despite this, the number of enemies in the air only continued to grow.
‘How many more of those failures are there? How long can Biryoo hold out?’
As he brought down the twentieth enemy, Young-pa grew increasingly anxious. They had already caught up to them beneath the clouds. Appearing from every direction, it felt as though they were surrounded.
Moreover, the enemies were becoming stronger. Among the mindless masses were elites that Black Tortoise would likely employ. They attacked fiercely and died without a hint of fear. Whenever they vanished, another serpent took their place and lunged.
“Azure Dragon.”
“What is it?”
Biryoo answered while incinerating more than ten enemies at once. Young-pa swung his sword at a serpent approaching from behind.
“The enemies are endless. If you go back to the heavenly realm and rest for a while, I will clean this up.”
“Are you telling me to abandon you and run away now?”
Biryoo snorted and unleashed a thunderbolt that cleaved the sky. He was still powerful, but his movements had slowed due to the spiritual energy exhausted in the battle with White Tiger and the severe wounds he had sustained. Even when Biryoo annihilated a swarm of serpents gathered in one spot, an equal force instantly materialized on the opposite side.
“You are badly injured. I am worried.”
The enemies appeared continuously without tiring. Those who had just arrived were each holding a rope. Yin energy emanated from the cords made by twisting three colors of thread: green, vermilion, and blue.
‘Threads made from sedge, centipedes, and ground iron. I know what this means.’
Young-pa grit his teeth, recalling Ji Seo-gu’s words. Even though he hadn’t mentioned it, Biryoo seemed to have realized the nature of the ropes. The serpents narrowed their perimeter and threw the ropes.
“You pests!”
Young-pa created a wind to blow the ropes away. The serpents did not give up; no matter how many he killed, burned, or pushed back, they drew closer, filling the sky with ropes.
One rope that Young-pa failed to clear caught on Azure Dragon’s horn. Young-pa severed it the moment he saw it, but he noticed a faint burn mark left on the pure white horn.
‘Since when has Black Tortoise been preparing this hunt?’
Ji Seo-gu was a meticulous man, having even planted centipede venom in Young-pa’s shoulder, anticipating that Azure Dragon would come to rescue him. A sudden fear that he might lose everything swept over him, and the hand gripping the sword trembled.
Whether he knew his heart or not, Biryoo called out affectionately.
“Young-pa. I will sweep away those nuisances in one go and then find another way. So, hold on tight.”
Young-pa stabbed a serpent that had gotten too close and lowered his posture.
“Yes.”
He answered as calmly as he could, but he was terrified that Black Tortoise’s ropes would hurt Biryoo.
As Azure Dragon released a thunderbolt, the ring of serpents fell in clusters. Just then, a deafening roar echoed from behind. Biryoo frowned and looked in that direction.
From afar, a flame-like figure flew in like an arrow. A dragon covered in red scales violently tore through the serpents indiscriminately. Biryoo, who usually never changed his expression regardless of the situation, looked surprised.
“Yeomdan!”
Flames that burned everything away. A densely packed wave of power. Biryoo’s call contained a passion like a raging fire and a strong bond.
Jeok-nyong was much smaller in size than Biryoo. However, his momentum as he dove into the center of the serpent swarm was fierce, and his movements were quick enough to escape without a single scratch.
“To think you were enjoying such a fun game all by yourself!”
After knocking down several serpents with his head, Yeomdan flew gracefully, avoiding the ropes. Biryoo flew beside him, clearing the surrounding enemies. Through his scales, Young-pa could feel that he was happy yet troubled.
“How did you know to come here?”
“Seo-o has such a loose tongue.”
“Go back. This is no place for a young dragon like you.”
“I’m over nine hundred years old; how am I young? Always ‘this isn’t allowed,’ ‘that isn’t allowed’! I’m bored to death!”
As if he had run out of things to say, Biryoo took his frustration out on the serpents. Young-pa, seeing Biryoo flustered for the first time, laughed silently. Yeomdan’s pitch-black eyes lingered on Young-pa and narrowed.
“You were foaming at the mouth saying we shouldn’t even make eye contact with humans, so who is that pretty thing on your back?”
“It is a complicated story. I will tell you everything once this is over, so wait at the cloud palace.”
“Since when have I ever taken your words literally?”
Yeomdan answered primly and knocked two serpents out of the air. With a confident expression, he blocked the path in front of Azure Dragon.
“Go home and wipe off your blood, Azure Dragon. We shall clean up here.”
Biryoo’s expression distorted as if he found this incomprehensible.
“We?”
Yeomdan laughed loudly and dove into the area where the serpents were most concentrated. Simultaneously, sounds like blades slicing through the air echoed from behind. Suddenly, two small and slender water dragons appeared.
“Azure Dragon, the day has finally come for us to be of help!”
“Please let us join in the fun, Azure Dragon! Please don’t tell us to go back.”
They had scales of a much lighter blue than Biryoo. Since they looked like young dragons at a glance, Biryoo seemed even more bewildered than when Yeomdan had appeared.
“Cheon-hae! Suro!”
A violent wave with the power to cleave the sky. A wise and beneficial waterway that wets the entire land. In the names of the two dragons, a sensation of being drenched in different ways surged.
As soon as Cheon-hae and Suro appeared, they flew on either side of Yeomdan and struck down the serpents. Though small in size, their skills seemed formidable. Biryoo flew above them, scattering thunderbolts in all directions. With Young-pa’s sorcery joining in, the serpents could no longer push forward.
“Hyung-ni-iiiiiim!”
The last to join were Lee Shim, Seo-o, and Cheongsim. Because Cheongsim headbutted him, Young-pa almost fell off Biryoo’s back and flew away.
“Cheongsimi!”
Cheongsim expressed his joy at meeting Young-pa again through whimpering and struggling. Lee Shim was riding on his back, and Seo-o was flying beside them.
Yeomdan, Cheon-hae, and Suro flew near Biryoo and formed a line. Just a moment ago there were two, but now there were eight. The group that had rushed over upon hearing that Azure Dragon was in danger looked at him with proud faces.
“This is not a scale you can face. Withdraw.”
Young-pa could detect affection in his trembling voice—the heart that was proud of the dragons he had raised like children, yet worried they might get hurt. However, the three dragons were indifferent to his words.
“Is that big thing Black Tortoise?”
“No, you idiot. That’s just a big snake.”
“Then where is Black Tortoise? I wonder how big they are.”
Judging by their chatter, they seemed excited among themselves; even the face of the eldest, Yeomdan, was brimming with anticipation. Seeing this, Biryoo rolled his eyes and sighed.
Just then, a winged beast soared up. Like the other failures, it looked like a graft of various animals, but it carried no serpent. As Yeomdan tried to step forward, Biryoo blocked him with his body.
Black Tortoise’s failure ascended to where they were and let out a scream with a horrific expression.
Kreeeeeeek!
A black energy in the shape of an arrow burst through its chest. Even after the lifeless beast plummeted, the serpent-shaped smoke did not disappear. Cheongsim barked furiously in rage.
“Azure Dragon, no matter how powerful you are, what can you do with such a broken body and a mere handful of forces? Since ancient times, you dragons have never known how to unite.”
Ji Seo-gu’s voice murmured boastfully. Yeomdan tried to lunge again but was blocked by Biryoo.
“Flee to the heavenly realm, Azure Dragon. The retribution has already begun; from now on, your kin will not be able to set foot on the mortal realm.”
The entire sky was noisy with Yeomdan’s shouts and Cheongsim’s barking. Young-pa summoned a wind to scatter Black Tortoise’s message.
Biryoo turned his head and looked at Young-pa.
“That man intends to pollute the waters we love with poison and mist. You realize now that this is no longer just your fight.”
Young-pa nodded. The plan Ji Seo-gu had been weaving with his ropes—it was to drive the dragons out of the mortal realm.
“Seo-o.”
At Azure Dragon’s call, the Celestial Scribe soared up with a powerful flap of wings.
“You go and….”
“I shall obey your command!”
Even though Biryoo hadn’t finished speaking, Seo-o seemed to know his intentions exactly. In the blink of an eye, the black-capped bird vanished from sight.
“What is happening, Azure Dragon?”
“Please tell us too, Azure Dragon. We really don’t know.”
The young dragons hovered around Biryoo, acting coquettishly as if there were some spectacle to watch. Biryoo ignored them with a familiar air.
Before long, a bird’s cry was heard from high above. It was not a cute chirping. It was an unmistakable scream, as if determined to tear the ears apart.
Jjaeeeeek! Kkaeeeeek!
The young dragons shrank back in surprise. Since Biryoo told them nothing, Suro grabbed Yeomdan and asked if Seo-o was feeling unwell. Yeomdan did not answer, but he smiled mischievously as if he knew the meaning of that sound.
“We also know how to unite when necessary,” Biryoo said, looking down.
“Especially when there is an enemy that everyone hates.”
He looked back at Young-pa. As their eyes met, he smiled faintly.
≋ ≋ ≋
As the large black-capped bird stirred the tranquil heavenly realm, the dragons learned the news. Word spread from dragon to dragon that the serpents of the underground had swarmed and dared to attack Azure Dragon and threaten the heavenly realm. And soon, it reached the ears of the winged beasts who loved gossip, spreading through the whole world like wildfire.
Dragons are flying. All sorts of dragons are flying toward the battlefield.
At first, only one or two were seen, but before long, they gathered from every corner of the earth.
The first to appear was the White Dragon who lived at West Wind Hill. He was faster than anyone at hearing all the rumors of the world, and his flight speed was equally so. The second to appear was the Yellow Dragon who lived at Aram Pavilion. He loved decorating his scales with sparkling jewels, and his voice was so loud that the entire heavenly realm shook when he shouted. The third to appear was the Black Dragon who lived at Dolti Pass. He was usually a gentle soul, but when angered, he became so ferocious that everyone mistook him for another dragon. The fourth to appear were the water dragon and fire dragon couple who lived at Second Hill. Though they fought fiercely every day, they had lived together for a long time, and they became one side when a common enemy appeared. The fifth to appear was the Red Dragon who lived at Bimuri Pond. He took pride in the scars all over his body and claimed he had never lost a fight. The sixth to appear was the grey dragon who lived at Anchor Ridge. He was exceptionally small in size, but he was skilled in sorcery and made a profession of teaching young dragons. The seventh to appear were the Yellow Dragon sisters who lived at Uljae. They loved food and traveled to all sorts of regions; accordingly, they were large in size and strong in power. The eighth to appear was the Black Dragon who lived at Tarae Ridge. He was full of wit and mischief, spending his time playing tricks on others, and among them, he loved teasing serpents the most. The ninth to appear was the water dragon who lived at Neoul Pavilion. He was a man of few words, but he possessed a kind heart that rushed to help any dragon in need. The tenth to appear was the White Dragon of Aranae. He possessed beautiful scales that shone in five colors, and his front legs were exceptionally long, giving him great scratching power.
Beyond them, dragons from the major regions of the heavenly realm, such as the Mist Forest, Garam Hall, Mir Hill, Bigak Hall, East Wind Hill, and Flower Jealousy Stream, covered the sky.
From pure white White Dragons to those with a whitish-grey tint, or deep charcoal, or polished silver, or dark as rain clouds, or Black Dragons with glistening pitch-black scales, they flew in.
From brilliant gold to bright forsythia yellow, subtle milky white, deep citron yellow, and the colors of orange, tangerines and persimmons, carrots and walnuts, flame-like crimson to the deep red of dried persimmons, syrup, and red beans, light pink, crested ibis, and peach-colored scales—not all Yellow Dragons or Red Dragons were the same, and the splendor was blinding.
And what of the water dragons? Boasting scales in colors from deep navy to violet-tinted azure, deep purple, light purple, violet, greenish turquoise and malachite, light silver-blue and royal purple, and the hues of hydrangeas and pigeons, it was a feast of blues that mirrored the seas and skies of the four seasons.
They were large or small, their horns long or short, their manes lush or sparse, their special abilities strong or weak, gentle or ferocious, bold or timid, old or young, their teeth sharp or blunt, robust or frail, yet they were all dragons. They had rushed to oppose the serpents upon hearing Azure Dragon’s call.
Dragons do not follow just because someone tells them to fight, nor are they beings that can be gathered into a herd in the first place. Considering they prefer to travel alone and that it is not easy for even two to gather, this was a rare spectacle that would be hard to see again.
The one leading the pack was the arrogant and spirited Jeok-nyong. He was someone Azure Dragon had taken in as a follower early on and taught personally; he possessed a strong physique and exceptional talent. Beside him, two young water dragons wore proud expressions.
“O Great Azure Dragon, we have gathered at your noble call. Please give us your command.”
As the red dragon bowed his head and spoke, Azure Dragon gazed silently at the crowd. The silence did not last long.
“Descend and defeat the enemy.”
The moment the order was given, hundreds of dragons took flight simultaneously. Like a raging wind, like pouring torrents, like a sudden downpour, like falling shooting stars, like flashing lightning, like fluttering five-colored banners, and like shot arrows, they surged toward the mortal realm.
They poured down, crashed down, shook the earth, blazed up, fell in droves, rolled away, thundered with a roar, vibrated with a tremor, shivered in fear, flashed like lightning, soared high, floated above the clouds, were flung down with a splash, wailed, screamed, choked, and flowed.
The claws of enraged dragons scratched the earth. They tore into serpents with sharp teeth and fired sorcery indiscriminately. The serpents could neither advance nor retreat; their vision went dark, their breath was stifled, they floundered, were torn apart by teeth, ripped by claws, beheaded, disemboweled, drowned, burned, crushed, and died in every conceivable way.
The serpents’ only weapon was their sheer number. No matter how many were killed, they surged forward endlessly. Dark anacondas, massive yellow anacondas, reddish-brown stone anacondas, multicolored anacondas, striped seven-spotted snakes, green blood-eyed snakes, spotted pit vipers, slender oil snakes, powerful nungsa, agile silk snakes, white-striped silk snakes, black-and-yellow rat snakes, pure white white snakes, multicolored flame venom snakes, and water snakes from the ditches flocked in succession.
—Do not retreat!
—Let’s go!
The serpents fought back with cold energy and venom. The torrents unleashed by the water dragons met freezing sorcery and fell as icy hail. Dragons flying low were paralyzed by poison. The serpents had come bearing centipede venom in their poison sacs. Unlucky dragons were bound by ropes and dragged to the ground, where hundreds of serpents sank their teeth in and injected venom, leaving nothing but dragon bones shortly after.
The dragons maintained their distance from the ground to cast sorcery, while the serpents responded by throwing ropes or riding flying beasts to ascend.
In the midst of this, Young-pa, having pushed Lee Shim aside to mount Cheongsim, tore through the battlefield where water-lightning and flames poured from the sky and cold energy and toxic fumes wavered on the ground. Standing on the side of the dragons, he took the lives of serpents more fiercely than any other dragon.
Feeling impatient, Young-pa scratched the earth with wind. Even then, he remained conscious of his enemy, the mastermind behind everything.
‘A gloomy fellow; he must be hiding in the shadows.’
Young-pa looked around, scanning below. If he knew which shadow the man was hiding in, he would drag him out and finish him, but that cunning man rarely revealed himself.
Young-pa knew that Black Tortoise would not give up on Biryoo. Their inferiority complex and hatred toward the heavenly realm were inexplicably strong.
‘A haughty one who despises the underground from on high. I will use this opportunity to end the insolent dragon who dared touch my property.’
A blue body flickered between the clouds. Azure Dragon was looking down upon the mortal realm, raining down a terrifying deluge. Young-pa knew that just as he could not take his eyes off the other, Azure Dragon was watching him as well.
Young-pa hoped he would ascend to the heavenly realm, but it was difficult for him to persist in that wish until the end. This was also Azure Dragon’s war. The only consolation was that he did not move recklessly and remained above the clouds.
He passed by numerous dragons. He saw Yeomdan struggle against a serpent riding a flying beast before burning it to death. He saw Cheon-hae and Suro flying in spirals as if competing. They were providing great help with talents that exceeded those of typical young dragons.
Dragons began to join in from afar. Wandering dragons settled in the mountains, lakes, and rivers of the mortal realm, and even the Sea Dragons led by Seohae Yongwang came after hearing the news. Among them was Jeolgon, who harbored a deep hatred for serpents. As he screamed and slaughtered the enemy, piles of corpses mounted around him.
Poison, mist, rain, lightning, fire, rock, hail, flesh and bone, and blood. The thick scent of blood wafted from all directions. On the red-stained earth, new serpents appeared only to die repeatedly. Countless dragons were dragged down to the mortal realm, losing their lives with screams.
The killing intent and the smell of blood on the battlefield exhilarated Young-pa and Cheongsim. It was while they were flying low, mixed with other dragons, killing serpents on sight.
—Do not… let them live. Their limbs, their heads… cut… them off.
A voice, nearly a sob, was heard. The moment he looked back, a sharp blade narrowly grazed Young-pa’s cheek.
—Kill… them, while they still breathe, grind them… to death in a mill…
Before Young-pa’s eyes was a winged monster. It was a failure, a graft of a tiger’s body onto a human’s neck. The man’s face was mangled, but not to the point where he couldn’t be recognized. Cheongsim let out a loud cry as if in distress.
“I have just come from killing myself. Do you think I would be afraid of something like this!”
As Young-pa shouted, the monster flew in and swung its forepaw. The moment he pierced its heart with the tiger tooth severing sword, Young-pa saw eyes filled with hatred. The failure hated Young-pa fiercely.
As he withdrew the sword, the lifeless body fell. Young-pa gave a bitter smile, recalling the day he first met Immortal Flower. Even when he knew nothing of the circumstances, how much he had envied him.
—Die! Die! D… ie!
The next one to fly in was not much different in appearance. This time it was a monster mixed between a serpent and an eagle, possessing four eyes.
—Die… ! Just die!
Young-pa flew toward the monster and severed its neck in one blow. As soon as he turned around, another failure appeared.
—If only you… disappeared… Only you… Keeeeeeek!
While repeating this act, which was no different from slaughter, the emotion Young-pa felt was not anger or contempt, but sadness. Young-pa silently accepted their resentment and cut their throats one by one, so that those who had already suffered more than enough could finally be at peace.
‘Can I say that those things are also me?’
Young-pa looked at every part of his own body. He saw his head, neck, torso, waist, two legs, and two arms severed and fragmented, attached to the bodies of others. Paradoxically, this cleared the confusion in his mind.
From the moment he escaped the collapsing net cave and wandered, Young-pa had desperately wanted to know who he was. Even when he saw the past in the changjingyeong and mistakenly believed he was a split crystal of malice, a sense of uncertainty remained. It was the same after learning the truth about Immortal Flower. Even after knowing he was a hero who walked the mortal realm three hundred years ago, the confusion lingered.
‘I think I finally understand a little.’
Young-pa muttered inwardly as he executed a two-headed monster.
He killed and killed again. At least dozens, perhaps over a hundred. The failures found Young-pa amidst the chaotic battlefield and threw themselves at him like moths to a flame, losing their lives.
—The ankles… cut them… so they cannot… escape… The tongue… cut it… so they cannot… say… anything…
The last to appear was a large white serpent with great wings. In the place where a serpent’s head should have been, Young-pa’s head—relatively intact—was attached. Young-pa had seen this white serpent in the changjingyeong.
—Lock me… forever… so I cannot… escape…
It flew nimbly and attempted to wrap its tail around Young-pa’s neck. Cheongsim sharply pivoted, dodging the attack. For a split second as their eyes met, Young-pa felt as if he were looking at himself in a mirror. The opponent’s black eyes distorted with hatred.
—If only it weren’t for you… Only you!
The upturned corners of the eyes dropped, losing focus. Young-pa slowly withdrew the sword from the enemy’s heart.
The monster—a fusion of Young-pa, an unnamed eagle, and Chilno—fell, its hair fluttering. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Young-pa thought he saw the corners of its mouth curl upward.
Young-pa watched until the body fell upon the mountain of debris and rolled down. He considered this the final courtesy to Chilno, the sacrificed beasts, and the other versions of himself who had suffered.
“Brother! What are you doing! Wake up!”
At the sound of the voice calling him, Young-pa snapped his head up. Lee Shim, riding on Seo-o’s back, was playing tricks on the serpents.
“What are you doing, spacing out like that? Hurry up and kill at least one more to be of help.”
Seo-o scolded him.
Young-pa nodded and looked around.
By now, the battlefield had been somewhat cleared. The corpses of serpents formed mounds here and there, covering the mortal realm in black. The remaining serpents were fighting while hiding behind the corpses of their comrades. The dragons looked exhausted, but their numbers did not seem to have decreased significantly.
‘The heavenly realm has seized the advantage.’
Young-pa looked up and saw that the sun had leaned far toward the west. Since it must have been around noon when Ji Seo-gu appeared, several shijin had surely passed.
Rumble! Boom! Boom!
A large-scale lightning strike erupted in the distance. Dozens of thunderbolt streaks, like pillars, struck the ground again and again. The roar, as if the sky were splitting, and the heavenly flash that dyed the distance white were indescribably loud.
“That way! Hurry!”
Cheongsim immediately flapped his wings and flew in the direction Young-pa pointed. His heart beat with an ominous dread, worrying that something might have happened to Biryoo. His vision was dizzy due to the various dragons flying in all directions.
‘A haughty one who despises the underground from on high. I will use this opportunity to end the insolent dragon who dared touch my property.’
Ji Seo-gu’s voice lingered in his ears. Anxiety surged, and his mouth went dry. Young-pa grit his teeth and gripped his sword tightly.
By the time they arrived at the place where the thunderbolts had struck, the fierce battle had ended. The surroundings were devastated as if a violent storm had passed, and six or seven dragons lay fallen atop a thick layer of serpent corpses that resembled a field. The surviving dragons huffed with rage, letting out loud shouts. Some flew over the corpses, crying sorrowfully.
“I… I am sorry… I… should have… been more… careful…”
One of the fallen dragons was none other than Yeomdan. He seemed to have suffered a fatal wound, but he was still breathing. Azure Dragon, having descended to the mortal realm, was curled up beside him.
“It is enough that you are alive. Let us go home.”
Biryoo muttered, trying to remain calm. He placed his snout beneath the limp belly of Yeomdan, attempting to lift him onto his back. He seemed intent on taking Yeomdan directly to the heavenly realm. Young-pa jumped off Cheongsim’s back and ran toward them.
Even seeing Young-pa, Biryoo could not manage even a small smile. His scales were trembling slightly from the fear of losing someone precious.
As Young-pa silently pushed him up with all his might, Yeomdan let out a groan. He had suffered great wounds to his back and waist, and his entire body was covered in blood. After placing Yeomdan on Biryoo’s back, Young-pa called upon wind sorcery to push him so he wouldn’t fall. Both his hands were sticky with sweat and dragon blood.
“Be careful. I will not forgive you if he is hurt even slightly.”
Before taking flight, Biryoo spoke while looking into Young-pa’s eyes. The worry contained in those deep eyes made Young-pa’s chest ache. Young-pa nodded and kissed the bridge of the dragon’s nose.
“The dragons have already won this war. Please rest comfortably in the heavenly realm.”
Biryoo whispered with a faint smile.
“I will come for you soon, my love.”
Young-pa’s mouth hung open blankly. He wondered if he had heard correctly.
“I didn’t hear you well… o-once more…”
“I’ll do it a hundred times later.”
Biryoo shyly averted his eyes.
As he ascended, the corpses piled on the ground flew up like dust. The heads, tails, skins, and bones of the serpents swirled in an indistinguishable mass. Young-pa watched Biryoo ascend toward the heavenly realm.
‘My love… he said.’
Young-pa roughly wiped his burning cheeks with the back of his hand.
He never imagined he would feel such an embarrassing sensation in the middle of a battlefield. A ticklish excitement and a precarious anxiety mixed together, making his heart thumping. He stood there blankly until Cheongsim nudged his shoulder with his nose.
“We have to go back. To catch serpents.”
Cheongsim barked. As Young-pa mounted his back, he flapped his wings powerfully and soared. Young-pa pondered for a moment where to go and then pointed in the original direction. That was where the largest number of serpents had gathered.
“Let’s go, Cheongsim.”
As Young-pa patted his back, Cheongsim growled and picked up speed. The hill of mixed serpent and dragon corpses quickly receded.
Feeling the wind hit his cheeks, Young-pa looked back. The sight of Biryoo ascending while carrying Yeomdan looked as grand as a natural vortex. Yet, that retreating figure also looked somewhat lonely.
‘It will be alright.’
Young-pa forced himself to look forward, but his heart would not calm down. Even after swallowing hard and blinking, it was the same. His gaze kept drifting back toward Biryoo.
He was flying toward the clouds, but perhaps because he was injured or because he was carrying another dragon, he wasn’t gaining much speed. The further he grew from Biryoo, the stronger the anxiety that weighed heavily on his heart became.
‘He has to be… alright.’
Young-pa suddenly widened his field of vision.
As the sun crossed into the west, dusk was falling upon the mortal realm. The earth looked heavy with lifeless bodies and spilled blood. Against the darkening sky, skirmishes continued without end. Battles risking loyalty, pride, and life were unfolding everywhere.
Someone was standing on a hill far removed from the battlefield. Young-pa narrowed his eyes and looked closely at the figure shrouded in mist. The moment he realized who it was, he screamed.
“Back that way! Now!”
Cheongsim barked and made a sharp turn.
It was said that no one knew that person’s appearance, but Young-pa had seen it. The form of the King of the Underground disguised as a human.
The man, whose ebony hair was tied up with a hairpin, was draped in black fabric that seemed to flow like mist. Because he stood in a secluded spot, no one paid him any attention.
Young-pa shouted for Biryoo to be careful. But he was too far, and the surrounding noise was too loud. Biryoo was focusing all his attention on not dropping Yeomdan. His senses must have been dulled by the scent of blood.
Ji Seo-gu looked at Young-pa. Despite the distance, he could tell their eyes had met. As he curled the corners of his mouth and waved his hand, a launcher resembling a crossbow appeared behind him.
“No.”
Ji Seo-gu looked straight at Young-pa and brushed the Golden Needle set in the launcher with his fingertip. Even without asking, he knew what was coated on that Golden Needle.
The final strike capable of ending a divine dragon. Black Tortoise had let his subordinates die, waiting for the moment Azure Dragon’s attention was diverted and he let his guard down.
Young-pa shook his head and screamed. Cheongsim was flying as fast as he possibly could. The distance to Black Tortoise was now only five ri. Because he hadn’t blinked for a long time, moisture welled in his eyes. The heart-wrenching tension made it feel as if his breath would stop.
As if mocking Young-pa, Black Tortoise toyed with the Golden Needle and let out a smile full of malice. In the next instant, a golden bolt tore through the air. The pointed tip of the projectile aimed straight for the divine dragon, whose head was turned toward the sky, and a long rope was attached to its end.
“No!”
Young-pa shouted with all his might. Even as his voice spread, the Golden Needle flew toward Biryoo’s heart.
Why did he come this way? He could have stayed by Biryoo’s side. He could have at least looked around once. His mind was dizzy with regret.
Young-pa kicked off Cheongsim’s back and leaped high. What could a wingless human possibly do by doing that? It was not something he had thought through. It was an act driven by his heart, without even knowing what he was doing.
In that indescribably foolish moment, as he fell through the air, Young-pa realized the answer to the long-standing question of who he was.
Just as the wind has no fixed form, so did Young-pa. A wicked and evil person. A heroic and moral person. Young-pa was all of those things.
‘I am a human who chooses. Every choice I made created me.’
It wasn’t because he was a rebel that he escaped the underground. The moment he escaped Black Tortoise’s grasp, a rebellious human was created.