Chapter 300: Sky Mountains (6)

“Oh, fire.”

Like a firefly, a flame flickered at the tip of a cigarette. With a flick of her finger, Song Ha-Eun shot the cigarette forward.

“Burn.”

Fwoosh!

The flame spread out like a fan, becoming a fierce storm that swept through the surroundings. Horrific screams echoed from all directions, and the stench of burning flesh filled the foggy mist.

“

Kheeek!

” A spider demonic beast burst through the flames and charged at Song Ha-Eun.

Kwon Oh-Jin and Riarc, who had been standing by her side, stepped in to block the creature. A spear and sharp claws, charged with blue lightning, tore through the beast.

Isabella had been moving around and spreading blood. “Both of you, please step back for a moment.”

The two nodded and stepped back.

“Bloom,” Isabella said.

From a drop of blood that fell to the ground, a red flower blossomed. The petals of the blood flower scattered like cherry blossoms in the wind.

“

Kheek! Kheeek!

”

The spider demonic beasts that touched the petals dried up like mummies and crumbled. A heavy silence fell over the area where the blood petals had passed.

Song Ha-Eun looked around and reached for another cigarette. “Is it over?”

At that moment, one survivor leaped at her from the pile of dried-out demonic beast corpses.

“

Grrr!

” Boppy swatted the jumping spider monster like a cockroach with its front paw, causing the beast to release an unpleasant green fluid.

Splat.

Kwon Oh-Jin tapped Boppy’s back and glared at Song Ha-Eun. “You just had to say that, huh? That’s why one more showed up at the end.”

“How is that my fault?”

“It is your fault.”

She might as well have cast a resurrection spell.

“Anyway, this is bad,” Song Ha-Eun muttered and pulled out a cigarette as she looked at the corpses surrounding them.

The spider demonic beasts weren’t particularly difficult to handle, but they possessed overwhelming numbers. The real issue was that this was only the entrance to the Sky Mountains.

“Should we just turn back, after all?” Song Ha-Eun asked again.

If the entrance was this bad, the thought of how many demonic beasts they would face deeper in made her head spin.

“I’d love to, but it’ll take too long,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied.

They had already wasted days getting here. Even with Boppy, going all the way back and finding a way around the mountains would take who knows how long.

“Come to think of it, Mr. Oh-Jin, don’t you have a flying skill?”

Isabella must be referring to Lightning Steps.

“It’s a bit different from flying. Even if I use it, crossing the mountains will be tough.”

Lightning Steps was great for repositioning himself in combat or making impossible movements possible, but it wasn’t meant for long-distance travel. Like skipping stones, he would eventually fall after using it a few times. On top of that, it would become even less practical if he had to carry Song Ha-Eun and Isabella.

“I wouldn’t recommend using Lightning Steps either.” Vega frowned at the thick fog. “This fog isn’t natural.”

That made sense.

A fog that disrupts the senses wouldn’t be natural.

“Then, what is it?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

“There may be a force strong enough to warp natural phenomena like a Dragon Vein.”

A dragon vein, huh.

“If you try to fly over the mountains, you might get caught up in that force,” Vega explained.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“So, basically, we either go all the way back or walk through.”

The choice had already been made.

“Let’s go,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

“

Ugh

, those spider freaks were disgusting.” Song Ha-Eun grumbled, but still walked beside Kwon Oh-Jin.

“

Grrr!

” Boppy lowered itself, offering its back for them to ride.

Kwon Oh-Jin stroked Boppy’s head and shook his head. “I’ll walk from here.”

“

G-Grrr?

” Boppy seemed to think Kwon Oh-Jin was leaving it behind as its eyes welled up with tears.

Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled and scratched its chin. “You can follow us from behind, right?”

With sparkling eyes, Boppy backed up. “

Grr! Grrr!

”

Riarc stepped forward. “I’ll take the lead.”

Even with their senses dulled by the fog, Riarc’s natural perception and speed made him the best leader.

“Ah, right. Before we head out, everyone gather up for a second.” Kwon Oh-Jin pulled out a long wire from his wire shooter. “Let’s stick together with this.”

“Oh, that’s something mountaineers often do,” Isabella said.

“Yeah. This way, we can keep a bit of distance without losing each other.”

“

Hmmm

, but I’d rather be stuck to you, Mr. Oh-Jin.” With a playful smile, Isabella tightly wrapped herself around Kwon Oh-Jin with the wire.

“Isabella.”

“

Hehe

, just kidding.” Sticking out her tongue cutely, Isabella properly fastened the wire.

Now that the wire connected them all, Kwon Oh-Jin’s group stepped into the Sky Mountains. They moved cautiously with nervous expressions. The deeper they went into the Sky Mountains, the thicker the surrounding fog became.

“This is driving me nuts. I can’t see anything.” Just as Song Ha-Eun said, the inability to see ahead made the pressure and tension nearly unbearable.

How many hours had passed?

“Should we take a break?” Isabella asked.

With their stamina, walking for a few hours didn’t require any rest. However, staying on high alert because of the fog quickly wore them out.

“Yeah. Let’s eat something while we rest.” Kwon Oh-Jin pulled out ingredients from his backpack.

“I’ll do the cooking,” Isabella offered.

“Then, I’ll set up a perimeter alarm,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

Even a simple contraption with wires strung between trees with bells was better than nothing. After setting up alarms, Kwon Oh-Jin joined them for a meal.

Song Ha-Eun stretched out her legs and yawned. “

Haaa

. I feel alive now that I’ve eaten something! Oh-Jiiiiin.”

With a full belly, the tension slightly eased. Song Ha-Eun snuggled right up to Kwon Oh-Jin.

Before he could stop her, she lay her head on his thigh and curled up like a cat. “I’m gonna nap for a bit. Wake me up in twenty minutes, okay?”

“You can sleep in this situation?”

“People still gotta sleep, you know.”

In a way, her carefree nature was enviable.

With a sigh, he stroked her head as she nuzzled his thigh like a kitten seeking affection.

Speaking of cats...

“Isabella, do you know anything about the Celestial of Felis?”

“Celestial of Felis?”

“Yeah. You said before that you knew the executor of the Felis faction.”

“Oh, yes. I did.” Isabella nodded before continuing. “But I honestly don’t know much about the Celestial of the Black Stars. They’re not like the others. You can’t even meet them at the Sanctum.”

“That’s true.”

Even for those one could meet, only a few Awakeners ever went to the Sanctum to meet a Celestial. Celestials weren’t exactly the kind of beings one casually dropped in on like old friends.

“

Ah

, but I did hear that Celestial is pretty jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Yeah. Most Awakeners of Felis are said to be very prone to jealousy. People say it’s an influence from their Celestial.”

It wasn’t uncommon for Awakeners to be influenced by the personality or traits of the Celestial who granted them their Stigma. Isabella’s own thirst for blood stemmed from such an influence.

“Prone to jealousy,

huh

.” Deep in thought, Kwon Oh-Jin turned to Vega. “Have you ever met the Celestial of Felis?”

“I haven’t since I mainly stay within the temple.”

Figures.

Vega was definitely an outsider among Celestials. The Celestial of Felis had been demoted to false star status and banished from the Sanctum long ago, so they would have never seen each other.

“Now that I think about it, why were those Celestials called false stars banished in the first place?” he asked.

“There are several reasons. Some were too violent, others caused major conflicts, or they had significant problems with their Stigma, like a thirst for blood.”

Kwon Oh-Jin had a good idea of which Celestial had been banished for being blood thirsty.

“These are just stories I’ve heard. I don’t know the full details,” Vega said.

“You really weren’t close with the others, huh?”

Sometimes, he genuinely found it hard to believe that Vega was even a Celestial considering how little she knew.

“T-That’s not true! I have a Celestial that I consider a true friend!”

“Oh, right. There’s Spica... anyone else?”

“W-Well...!” Vega hung her head in defeat.

Such a question was probably a bit too harsh for such a socially isolated being.

“Mr. Oh-Jin, you shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Sorry, Vega. I didn’t think Spica would really be your only friend.”

“Q-Quiet!” Vega shouted in embarrassment as her face reddened. “I’ve simply devoted myself to fulfilling my duties and responsibilities as a Celestial!”

Of course, of course. My dear goddess could’ve made friends whenever she wanted. It’s not that she couldn’t make any. She just chose not to.

“Stop looking at me like that!” Vega slapped her palm against Kwon Oh-Jin’s forehead.

Smack!

He chuckled and nodded. “Alright, I guess we should start—”

Just then, the sound of a faint bell rang out.

Jingle.

Kwon Oh-Jin quickly rose to his feet and took out Dantalian.

Song Ha-Eun, who had been lying with her head on his thigh, rolled off. “

Ack!

”

“It’s that way,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

“Yes, Mr. Oh-Jin.”

Kwon Oh-Jin and Isabella turned toward the direction of the sound.

For a bell to be heard even through this sense-dulling fog meant that the threat was already close. They gathered their mana and prepared for an ambush when a black cat walked out of the fog toward them.

“

Meow

.”

“A cat?”

The cat swayed its tail and nonchalantly licked its fur as it emerged. Its cute, relaxed demeanor almost made them drop their guard.

“Kid,” Riarc said.

“I know.”

No ordinary cat could possibly be in the Sky Mountains, a place labeled as a forbidden zone even in the Demonic District.

Crackle!

Lightning sparked at the tip of Kwon Oh-Jin's spear.

The cat’s eyes shifted toward him. “Who are you, meow?”

“

Huh

?”