After feeding the horses, we sat on a hill and rested.

The gentle breeze tousled my hair. But it seemed that the wind of blood still raged in the heart of the cruel Soma.

“How did you kill the Seobhon Majon?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You said I was persistent while pretending to be kind, didn’t you? Soma, your persistence is just as strong as mine.”

“Don’t you want to boast about it? A young man like you should want to boast to the whole world. I killed Seobhon Majon! Now, bow down in front of me, you insolent brat! Don’t you want to be the supreme, unchallenged?”

“I do have a bit # Nоvеlight # of pride, but I wouldn’t go as far as pretending to do something I didn’t. It’s true, I’m strong. To the point where I’m suspected of it. But I didn’t kill him.”

I kept denying it. To say anything that could give him leverage against me would be the same as handing him my weaknesses. If I spoke in the heat of the moment, I’d regret it for a long time.

“Alright, then. How about we fight?”

I knew this would come up.

He had likely been watching me deal with the assassins and thought he could take me on now, fueled by the bloodlust that had risen after killing them. His desires, which he had long suppressed, had finally surfaced.

“No thanks.”

“Why not?”

“Fighting amongst ourselves before facing a strong opponent is foolish.”

“We don’t have to fight too hard, just enough to test each other’s skills.”

“Fighting always excites me.”

“You won’t be excited.”

“I will be. If I’m truly as strong as you think—strong enough to kill Seobhon Majon—then do you think you can handle an excited version of me?”

“Ah, that’s why you want to fight even more, huh?”

The lava was bubbling up, ready to spill over. If I didn’t let some of it out today, it would cause a major disaster.

“Fine, let’s do it.”

“No.”

“Many assassins died today. Are you really going to attack again so soon? It’s impossible.”

“I have other reasons for not wanting to fight.”

“Such as?”

“Winning or losing is a loss for me either way.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If I win, you’ll want to kill me. If I lose, your interest in me will fade.”

“Why would I be interested in you, a young man?”

“Because that’s my goal. If you side with me, it’ll be a decisive factor in me becoming the successor. I can make all the other Majons my enemies.”

The cruel Soma sneered.

“You say that now, but next, you’ll try to pull in another Majon, right?”

“Is it obvious? How did you know?”

“Of course.”

He had a deep distrust of humans.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t sail the same boat as you.”

“Why not?”

“You know, don’t you? That the kind of magic you dream of isn’t my kind of magic. So, there’s no need to try to please me. Your flattery is just a waste of energy.”

“I’ll still try harder.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s nothing to lose.”

The cruel Soma laughed. It seemed my answer was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“That’s a very good reason. If I’d said something like ‘I like you’ or ‘I respect you,’ it would’ve had the opposite effect.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he were just the kind of person who stopped there?

But that’s just his outer shell. His shoes, his mask. His true nature comes later.

“So let’s fight. We’ll never truly become friends, so there’s no point in delaying it.”

What he showed me as the world was not really his world.

I know the true world of the cruel Soma.

The moment his madness erupts, when his eyes lose all sense and he sees nothing, that’s when his real world appears. In that instant, he truly feels alive.

Right now, he’s only holding back because of his curiosity about me and my unique push into areas he hadn’t expected.

He’s not someone who challenges others to a fight. He’s someone who rushes in to kill without hesitation. I mustn’t let him realize how much he’s holding back.

“Alright, let’s fight.”

“!”

The cruel Soma was surprised. It seems he didn’t expect me to accept the challenge.

“Alright! Let’s do it now!”

He laughed heartily, genuinely happy.

“Soma.”

“Yes?”

“Do you see that tree over there?”

“I do.”

“Let’s first race with light steps.”

Before his disappointed gaze could settle in, I quickly added, “If you win, we’ll fight.”

“Good.”

I saw a hint of disdain in his eyes. Naturally, he thought he’d easily win the race with his confidence in light steps.

“If I win, though, will you do me a favor?”

“Anything, just ask.”

“Let’s have a drink tonight. You don’t have to take off your mask. Just lift it slightly and drink.”

I mimicked lifting my mask and pretending to drink.

“You…”

“Why, are you that shocked? I’m a little mad too, but I like it this way. You call it persistence, but it’s actually just stubbornness.”

I laughed maniacally. This was the way I chose to deal with him. He calls it persistence, but it’s merely obstinacy.

Knocking, knocking, always knocking at the same spot. Where I knock, there is his mask.

“Alright. If I lose, I’ll drink.”

“Then let’s see.”

We lined up side by side. It had been a long time since I had a race like this.

The cruel Soma asked, “Have you ever raced before?”

“Yes. Just once.”

“With whom?”

With you.

“I had an old friend.”

“A bad guy?”

“I guess so.”

“Too bad. I would have liked to meet him.”

“Probably. He might have hated me for being so similar.”

The cruel Soma gave me a strange look as I smiled mysteriously.

“Can I go first?”

“Go ahead.”

“Here I go!”

As I took off, the cruel Soma casually followed behind.

In the blink of an eye, he caught up with me, then mockingly dashed ahead of me. As he did, he looked back and said,

“Is that the best you can do with your light steps?”

“It’s not over yet.”

I didn’t manage to close the gap until we reached the designated tree at the turn.

Of course, Soma was cautious. He knew I wouldn’t challenge him without the intention of winning.

But he seemed to think I was still no match for him.

As we neared the finish line, Soma’s arrogance returned.

“You do have a weakness after all. Now you look human.”

“What did I look like before?”

“A monster. Too young, making people careless, but secretly a monster.”

“Like this?”

Before he could finish, I suddenly sped up, using the Wind Riding Technique to close the gap instantly.

The speed was blinding. The cruel Soma, realizing too late, tried to catch up but the distance only grew.

“Stop!”

He shot a blood arrow in warning, but it missed me as I passed by.

When I neared the finish line, he unleashed a fierce attack, but it barely grazed me. The tree ahead of me shattered as his attack veered just beside me.

The leaves fell, as if celebrating my victory.

The cruel Soma reached me, his murderous intent palpable, ready to unleash his fury.

“Twice in one day? Are you sure you want to lose again?”

I spoke calmly, and it had its effect.

Though a villain, Soma was no small-minded person.

Instead, he released his frustration into the sky, his attacks roaring like thunder in the clear sky.

I waited quietly until his anger subsided.

Once he had cooled off, he turned to me.

“What was that technique?”

“It’s a secret move I’ve been hiding.”

“Tell me, what was it?”

“I can’t. It’s my trump card.”

He didn’t accept the loss.

“Let’s fight again. This time, from start to finish, using that technique.”

It wasn’t just the loss that angered him, it was the fact that he had been caught off guard.

“Next time.”

I jumped onto my horse, preparing to leave.

Once again, his bloodlust flared up behind me, only to calm down soon after.

Click, click.

Soma followed at a distance, and I could feel the heat rising behind me. The warmth I wanted—the lava of his rage flowing towards me.

Yes, your madness. Let it out, even if only a little.

That night, we camped out. The next village was still far away, so we had plenty of time.

Soma sat silently, watching me clean the game I had hunted. He hadn’t said a word all day.

At least the campfire made the silence feel natural.

I roasted the meat and handed it to him.

“Go eat in the cart.”

Finally, Soma spoke.

“Why don’t you ever suggest drinking? Is it because you think I’m the kind of trash who won’t keep a promise?”

His sharp words didn’t faze me.

“I’ll do it.”

His momentary silence showed he hadn’t expected that answer.

“Of course. You ran so hard to win, after all.”

“Then why haven’t you?”

“I want to eat first. You don’t seem like someone who enjoys drinking. You don’t like drinking with food, do you?”

“Why offer a drink when you know I don’t like it?”

“Because it’s punishment. If I lose a match, I have to do something I don’t want to.”

Soma stared at the meat I offered. Then, suddenly, he lifted his mask slightly and began to eat.

I was taken aback.

I didn’t expect him to so easily lift his mask and eat in front of me. I thought I’d need to poke his pride first. His unpredictable nature was something I couldn’t understand.

“It’s bland.”

“There’s salt here.”

I reached out, and the salt on the leather pouch floated into the air. Soma’s eyes widened. He knew that it was far more difficult to lift countless grains of salt into the air than to lift a single object.

The salt sprinkled onto his meat.

Soma’s eyes trembled as he looked at me. The desire to fight flared up again.

“It’s still bland.”

“Have you even tasted it?”

He smiled, sensing my growing frustration.

“Eating blandly leads to longevity. That’s what the Master says, so you can believe it.”

“You...”

Soma stopped, unsure what to say next. Perhaps he was going to call me mad or say I was annoying. Or maybe...

He went back to eating the meat, and I followed suit.

After my hunger was somewhat satisfied, I brought out the alcohol. We never ran out of it on our travels.

Once again, Soma lifted his mask slightly to drink. Despite claiming not to like it, he drank without hesitation.

“Not even taking off your mask. Doesn’t that seem pathetic?”

“It doesn’t seem pathetic.”

“Finally being honest, huh?”

“That’s why I like it. I’m uncomfortable with people trying too hard to look impressive. You can see that with my brother.”

Suddenly, Soma scratched a line on the ground with a bone he was holding.

Then, he drew a vertical line where I had once drawn one.

“I’ve made it this far. You said I’d be safe if I reached this point. Have I reached it?”