NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 7
The temperature in the underground chamber rose rapidly, transforming into a scorching furnace in an instant. Nakyoo Seong, staring at Ji Seon Woo cradled in Jayan’s arms, felt an uncontrollable surge of fury and humiliation. First, because something precious had been taken from him, and second, because they dared to underestimate him.
“No more mercy.”
Bulging veins crawled up his neck, his rage manifesting visibly. The air around them wavered ominously, heat distorting its flow. Jayan, too, began summoning his hidden strength.
Just as the two Espers were about to clash, the underground door swung open, and Kaoru entered. He approached the two, bringing with him a group of guards and the remaining Espers.
Within minutes, Kaoru, gasping for breath, wore an expression of pure exasperation. With a mere tilt of his head, the guards and Espers moved in unison, encircling Nakyoo Seong.
[No matter how I look at it, this power is astonishing. Just as much as yours, Jayan.]
[Don’t compare us. That hurts my feelings.]
Even in the face of Jayan’s teasing, Kaoru remained serious.
[What do you plan to do?]
He gestured toward Ji Seon Woo, still panting in Jayan’s arms.
[He must have liked my kiss. Adorable.]
[Jayan.]
Jayan raised a single eyebrow and let out a chuckle, while Kaoru simply shook his head.
[Personally, I think both this boy and that child should join Sable. They would be invaluable assets. Especially that child—his power is extraordinary. Something I’ve never seen before. He stopped us from being consumed by our instincts.]
Kaoru exhaled deeply as he spoke.
[My body feels refreshed, and my mind is clear. If we have him, we can wield our powers without risk. That’s a miracle. We could secure several times more supplies and stand against Ruik with greater force. We could protect our families.]
Emotion thickened Kaoru’s voice. Unlike the indifferent Jayan, Kaoru regarded Ji Seon Woo as something akin to a deity.
Taking a moment to steady his breath, Kaoru suppressed the overwhelming emotions threatening to overtake him. Now was not the time for illusions. If a god had descended, they had to ensure he remained bound to the earth.
[We need him. There’s no other option, Jayan.]
[I agree.]
[But not that boy. Of course, it would be beneficial if he joined us, but if not… we’ll have no choice but to eliminate him. He saw where the World Tree is. If he doesn’t become one of us, he’s bound to become a threat.]
[Our little lord is quite the nuisance, isn’t he?]
[Exactly. He could reveal the World Tree’s location to Ruik, or worse, inform him about the child. There’s also the possibility he’ll gather his own forces and create a new faction. Damn it, we already have enough trouble with Donggyeong, don’t we?]
[Ruik, that petty bastard. Why is he so obsessed with tormenting me? Or maybe… he actually likes me?]
[Jayan!]
[Alright, alright. Don’t get mad.]
Jayan shrugged. Only then did Kaoru reach out to take Ji Seon Woo from his arms.
[This child will be fine. Despite his extraordinary power, he doesn’t seem to have any combat abilities. Even if he resists, it won’t be a major issue. But that boy… I hope he makes the right choice.]
Kaoru trailed off, sensing that Nakyoo Seong would never surrender to them easily. Jayan must have thought the same, as he nodded, revealing the inevitable outcome.
[You’re right. If he refuses to join Sable, even if it costs us, eliminating him for the sake of the future is the better option.]
[What a shame.]
[You’re not blaming me, are you? I was never cut out for babysitting. And just look at his face—does he look like the type to ever listen to me, even if I beat him half to death?]
Kaoru, don’t make me out to be the villain here. Jayan smiled subtly.
[So, does this mean we have the approval of both the district leader and the supervisor?]
Watching the scene unfold from behind, Cheon Chan-woo grinned wickedly. Finally, he would get to pummel that annoying brat. He couldn’t have been happier. After all, he would never forget the humiliation he suffered in front of “Wu.”
A sinister chuckle escaped him, and his comrades beside him clicked their tongues, shaking their heads.
[How childish.]
[Shut up! Revenge should be thorough—that’s what makes a man!]
When Cheon Chan-woo shouted, his comrades chimed in.
[Since when was ganging up on someone considered manly?]
[Aah, but I kind of liked that kid… He’s good-looking, you know? If he doesn’t have a lover, I was thinking of throwing my name in the ring.]
[Chan, be honest. You just want to have that pale little kid with his mysterious powers all to yourself, so you’re jealous and want to beat that guy up, don’t you?]
[Y-you, y-you, y-you, you’re crazy! That’s not it at all! I just… I just don’t like seeing someone as sweet as ‘Woo’ being dragged around by that vicious bastard. If it were me… well, I would have treated ‘Woo’ with care, that’s all…]
Cheon Chan-woo’s face turned beet red as he stole a glance at Ji Seon Woo, who was still squirming in Kaoru’s grasp. Small and pale, he kept triggering his protective instincts. Just imagining how much that black-clad, ominous bastard must have put him through made his blood boil. He had even tried to drag him away by force last time! ‘Woo’ must want to get away from him too, no doubt about it.
As the chatter grew louder, Kaoru clapped his hands together.
[Alright, enough idle talk. Focus, everyone. We need to lure them outside as much as possible. Even though the World Tree has incredible regenerative abilities, we must be careful. If that proves difficult, we’ll have to fight while protecting it. Now, time for our specialty—pack hunting begins.]
The sounds of battle preparations echoed throughout the area.
Don’t lose control. Gritting my teeth, I did my best to suppress my emotions. I knew that if I let my rage take over, my ability to control my powers would deteriorate.
Kill them as quickly as possible. Take back Ji Seon Woo. Then, get the hell out of here.
‘Yeah, I was an idiot. I should’ve done this from the start.’
The first time and the second time—I had given up fighting both times because I prioritized Ji Seon Woo’s safety. But this time was different. They didn’t seem to have any intention of harming Ji Seon Woo.
Of course, even if that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t stop. If I kept playing nice, they’d just take him away from me anyway. It was better to take a hardline approach, even if it meant getting a little hurt.
‘Seon Woo will realize it too—he made the wrong choice.’
…If, by any chance, he blamed himself or felt sad after this, I’d apply for leave as soon as we got back to Korea. I’d take him on a trip somewhere. Where should we go? It couldn’t be too long, so maybe a short trip to Japan or Taiwan? Or perhaps I should just buy a villa and spend some quiet time together.
If he ate good food and saw beautiful things, he’d forget all about this place. Or maybe staying home wouldn’t be so bad either. We could spend the whole day inside, going nowhere, just the two of us, reclaiming our peace.
“That sounds perfect, Seon Woo-hyung.”
Crunch!
I exhaled heavily, pressing my foot down on the face of the trash lying on the ground.
[Ghkk—! Guhh—! Kugh…!]
I had promised myself I wouldn’t lose control, but by the time I finished my thoughts, there was only one figure standing in front of me—a silver-haired one. The surroundings were in ruins, as if they had been bombed. I let go of the fool’s hair, spitting out the blood pooling in my mouth onto the ground.
“Ugh, damn it, it’s hot.”
I ran a hand through my sweat-drenched hair. Ji Seon Woo must be burning up too. I had to finish this quickly.
As I clenched and unclenched my numb fingers, I glanced at Ji Seon Woo, lying motionless in the distance. That’s when I heard a low growl from nearby.
[Damn it, it’s hot.]
The silver-haired man cracked his neck as he approached.
[Ha, shit. Hey, little lord, just how many times have you killed me now?]
Despite his battered state, the bastard grinned. His shirt had been completely burned away, leaving his bare upper body exposed, and his hair and face were covered in soot and blood.
‘What a cockroach.’
I scowled, peeling off my sweat-soaked shirt and tossing it aside. The hot air brushed against my bare skin.
I had hoped it would cool me down a little, but it was useless. I needed Ji Seon Woo’s guiding. My throat was parched, and my mind was starting to fray… The thirst for Ji Seon Woo kept welling up inside me, unbearable and insatiable.
“Let’s end this.”
I ran a hand through my hair and spoke.
[That sounds good.]
The bastard picked up a discarded iron spear. Either that lethal-looking spear would pierce my heart, or he would burn to ashes—this time, it would be decided for sure.
[My men took quite the beating. So here’s the plan: I’m going to string your corpse up over the wall. The monsters will swarm out to devour you, and when they do, I’ll cut them down and feed their remains to your precious one. Just like we always have.]
I scoffed at his incomprehensible muttering and replied, smirking.
“Speak Korean, you bastard.”
At the same time, both of us lunged at each other—
Or at least, we tried to.
If it weren’t for the person who suddenly got in the way.
I staggered to a halt, barely managing to stop myself, as if I had slammed on the brakes. The bastard across from me did the same.
The one who had stepped between us just before our clash—
Was Ji Seon Woo.
“Haa… hyung….”
With his head lowered, he stood between me and the silver-haired bastard.