Chapter 107: Fall
With a sorrowful and bitter expression, Cheol Muguk spoke.
“You... you really did this, Cho Ryang?”
“Hehehe… It’s the best way to capture the Infinite Heavenly Flame. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. It’s safe.”
“So this is what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you trust. Sopyeong, I never imagined even you would turn against me.”
“Father, if a man turns a blind eye to the suffering of the people, then he is no man at all.”
In the middle of the wasteland, Cheol Muguk had been tied to a log.
Not all of the Red Dragon Domain had burned, so they had found a patch of still-living land.
“Haah… Lord Sado, is this really necessary?”
“Think of it as a sacrifice made by the leader.”
“Leader?”
“Aren’t we the ‘Muguk Expedition Team’? So, Lord Cheol, you should be the leader.”
“…Doesn’t seem like the same ‘Muguk’ though.”
Even so, Cheol Muguk cracked a smile — it seemed he liked being called “leader.”
[Monster, you were right about that curse of declining intelligence.]
Honestly, it did seem that way. So I decided to toss in a little lip service.
“Leader, don’t worry. When the Infinite Heavenly Flame shows up, Saweol will act immediately.”
At the word leader, Cheol Muguk’s lips curled up even more.
“Where is she hiding right now?”
“She’s in your shadow, Leader. As soon as it’s in range, she’ll use the Golden Chain Lock.”
“That’s incredible. Even if my skills are only First-rate, I can’t sense her presence at all.”
Cho Ryang’s plan was simple:
– Tie up Cheol Muguk and hide the rest of us in the hut.
– Cheol Muguk releases the cheonghwa (blue flame) to lure the Infinite Heavenly Flame.
– Saweol, hiding in his shadow, strikes with the Golden Chain Lock.
– Cheol Sopyeong grabs the chain and pulls the divine beast to the ground.
– Cho Ryang tames it.
I was assigned the role of backup — though realistically, it felt like there was nothing for me to do. This is why auto-hunting is so convenient.
“Still, couldn’t you untie me a bit? I have my dignity — it’s not like I’d run away.”
“They say divine beasts were offered sacrifices since ancient times. Of course, the Infinite Heavenly Flame doesn’t accept offerings, but there’s no harm in mimicking the ritual.”
“This isn’t payback for me trying to mess with the iron-lunchbox earlier?”
“Would I be so petty in the middle of an official mission?”
“Hmm…”
Finally, Cheol Muguk seemed to give up.
“Fine. Go hide already.”
Leaving behind Cheol Muguk and the hidden Saweol, we retreated into a hut just ten jang away. It was a shabby, cramped shelter used by commoners for resting — but it was enough to avoid the Infinite Heavenly Flame’s gaze.
“Lord Cheol, please conceal your presence.”
“Understood.”
“And if possible, don’t move. Every time you move, I feel like this hut might collapse.”
“I just got a little excited, that’s all. Haha…”
Cheol Sopyeong gave a sheepish laugh.
“This reminds me of when I went hunting with Father as a child. We used to hide like this, waiting for wild boars. Though Father grumbles like that, I’m sure he’s secretly enjoying himself.”
Even though the bait was his own father, he didn’t seem bothered — just further proof that Cheol Sopyeong was a model cultist. This expedition was a reminder that true cultists made no exceptions — not for age, not for gender, not even family.
“Anyway, it’s all thanks to you, Lord Sado.”
“...What is?”
“Thanks to your concern, the relationship between my father and I has improved.”
“Hmm.”
“I heard from Saweol that you’ve always been like this — doing great things without ever showing it.”
“...Hmm.”
“This must be one of those times. Truly, thank you.”
I had no idea what I did, but since he said so, I just nodded. With Cheol Sopyeong now on my side alongside Cheol Muguk, things were shaping up nicely.
“If the Hyuk Clan interferes while we capture the Infinite Heavenly Flame, then I, Cheol Sopyeong, Young Lord of the Iron Mountain Cheol Clan, shall become your sworn ally, Lord Sado.”
That was reassuring.
How long had we waited like that?
Just as the boredom was making me stifle yawns—
Piiiii!
“It’s here!”
We began to hear the shriek of the Infinite Heavenly Flame.
“I told you not to move.”
“Ah!”
***
The Infinite Heavenly Flame originally loved peace.
What it enjoyed most was sitting by a quiet, secluded stream where no one would approach, folding its wings, and listening to the sound of flowing water.
It might have remained that way… if those arrogant humans hadn’t provoked it.
They had been allowed to live in what was once its territory, and now they acted as if they were the rightful owners of the land.
Humans were irritating.
It only wished to live peacefully, but they kept disturbing it. Especially that ridiculous young man with the dragon emblem — he was the worst.
The memory was still fresh.
“Even if it’s not the Great Red Dragon, at least that one…!”
The Great Red Dragon, they called him?
Short-lived humans, perhaps, but calling that creature "great" made the Infinite Heavenly Flame scoff in disbelief.
One of them even came up and tried to stick a talisman on it.
How absurd — as if some human sorcery would work on a being like it, born with the purifying flame.
Even so—
The Infinite Heavenly Flame had decided: it would drive out these bothersome humans.
Of course, it loved peace.
That’s why it never directly harmed them — it only chased them away. Yet they treated it like a curse-bringer.
Disgusting.
It exhaled flame from its mouth.
Earlier—
After biting the flame giant, its mouth had felt dry and bitter. It was curious about the taste, but it wasn’t pure flame — it had the taste of metal.
Such was human energy.
It wanted to absorb a new fire quickly to rinse out its mouth.
Then, as it soared through the sky, it sensed something.
Far below — a flickering blue flame.
Azura Flame?
The bluest, purest of flames — a symbol of true, refined fire.
The Infinite Heavenly Flame began its descent.
That human…
The small one who had stood next to the flame giant earlier. The energy was so pure and clean that it was hard to believe it came from a human.
The beast felt a twinge of hunger.
It didn’t need to eat or drink — just sunlight was enough to sustain it. But even so, it felt an urge.
Yet… no human would just sit tied up like that. Even an idiot would recognize this was a trap.
There were definitely humans hiding in that shabby hut. It even wobbled slightly when it descended.
Piii—!!
Letting out a shriek, the Infinite Heavenly Flame flew upward again. It wasn’t stupid enough to fall for such an obvious trap.
Still… maybe just one bite wouldn’t hurt?
That thought suddenly crossed its mind.
The human imitating the Red Dragon, the one who summoned the flame giant — they were annoying, but not threatening. It was confident it could win against them.
Its mouth was still dry anyway. One quick bite and it could be gone before anyone could react.
Piii—!
The beast turned again and dived rapidly toward the ground.
The cheonghwa still flickered temptingly.
The Infinite Heavenly Flame ignited its tail feathers. It accelerated — to the point it was invisible to the ordinary human eye.
“Waaah! I’m gonna die!”
The little human who had summoned the blue flame screamed. The beast snickered and bit into the flickering fire.
This taste…
Sweet.
Of all the flames it had consumed recently, none had been this sweet or stimulating.
Just one more bite…
“...!?”
Suddenly, an ominous energy pricked its senses. The beast twisted its wings.
Clatter!
A woman had thrown a golden chain — like a snake striking its prey — aimed directly at its wings.
The chain lunged like a serpent, trying to bind it.
The Infinite Heavenly Flame folded its wings and spun its body to escape the chain’s range.
Piiiii—!
Humans, how dare you…!
It roared, unleashing fire toward the woman.
But Saweol evaded the flames using such strange and swift footwork that even the beast struggled to track her.
At the same time, she flicked her left index finger — the one not holding the chain.
Clatter!
The chain, which had missed, suddenly shifted direction and flew toward the beast again.
The Infinite Heavenly Flame, undeterred, intensified the flames on its wing tips and flapped hard, blasting its body backward.
“You used sword-flight (이기어검) with a chain?!”
“Not the time! Move!”
BOOM!
Right as Saweol shouted, the hut exploded, and the flame giant reappeared.
It caught the beast midair with both hands.
“Got it!”
Just as Cheol Sopyeong cried out—
Crack!
The giant’s hands shattered, and the beast burst free.
Its eyes gleamed with fury.
How dare these humans challenge a direct descendant of the Vermillion Bird!
The Infinite Heavenly Flame folded its wings, then snapped them open like a whip. Feather-shaped flames shot out like arrows in every direction.
The flame giant blocked them all, protecting the others.
Saweol took the chance to launch the Golden Chain Lock again— but…
Too slow.
The beast turned its head, dodging it easily. With a cold gaze, it looked down.
The humans, grounded as they were, looked helpless and panicked — of course. How could they hope to capture a being of its bloodline?
But then—
“You dare glare at me?”
The beast recoiled in shock.
A cold-eyed man appeared right beside it, shrouded in a deep, dark aura.
His gaze carried a terrifying power.
“When did he… use the chain?!”
Saweol’s shocked voice rang out below. The chain she had held was now in the left hand of Sado Hwan.
Piiiii!
The beast flared its flames and tried to flee.
But—
“…?!”
Sado Hwan, still wreathed in that shadowy aura, appeared again right beside it — as if mocking its speed.
“So slow… it’s pathetic.”
At some point, the chain had already bound the beast’s leg.
The Infinite Heavenly Flame felt something — as though its power had been sealed.
No matter how hard it flapped, no flames came forth.
A bird that has lost flight… had few options left.
“Such pitiful resistance from a lowly creature. Now then—”
With Sado Hwan’s declaration—
Supreme Reign.
“Fall.”
CRASH!
The massive body of the Infinite Heavenly Flame slammed into the ground.