Ch. 366 - Absence (1)

Scarlet Summer Moon, the Ruler of Crimson Flames—  

A being capable of controlling all fire on the surface as he pleased.  

Despite his terrifying powers, he usually maintained a neutral disposition.  

In Aether World Online, Scarlet Summer Moon occasionally appeared as an event boss and became hostile to players.  

However, during the game’s story progression, Baek Yu-Seol had never fought him, so he’d never faced him in battle before.  

But there was one exception—  

A random opportunity to join a Scarlet Summer Moon Raid had presented itself.  

It all began when Dalso, the sole name on Baek Yu-Seol’s friend list, sent him an unexpected party invite.

At the time, very few players had enough information to even attempt the Twelve Divine Moons Raid.  

Baek Yu-Seol had nearly abandoned any hope of attempting it—

But thanks to Dalso, he got the chance to face Scarlet Summer Moon.  

Baek Yu-Seol couldn’t recall the exact conversation he had with Dalso back then.

But he vaguely remembered asking—  

"How did you even trigger the Scarlet Summer Moon Raid event?"  

Dalso had simply smiled.

"It’s a secret."  

Dalso was an enigma, always possessing knowledge that seemed to defy explanation.

Baek Yu-Seol had accepted it, half-convinced his friend was either a game developer or someone with insider connections.

Now, facing Scarlet Summer Moon again, Baek Yu-Seol looked down at the Flash of Tribute in his hand.

Regret gnawed at him.

Despite using it in the recent battle.

He hadn’t even been able to unleash 10% of its full potential.  

Back when he faced Thirteenth Onyx Moon,  

His abilities were enhanced by the Nature’s Heavenly Energy Body and had been pushed to their absolute limits,  

Allowing him to cover the entire map with a single strike.  

"I’m weaker."

Even his appearance reflected it.  

If he’d brought over the strength of his ingame character,  

He would have been clad in the mythical armor [Reflecting Radiance]. 

And equipped with countless legendary weapons.  

But here—  

He stood in a school uniform,  

Holding nothing but the Flash of Tribute.  

The inability to manifest his full power—  

Baek Yu-Seol understood why.  

‘It’s because I’ve never truly experienced that level of power in reality.’  

In the game, his strength had bordered on godlike—

But that strength belonged to pixels and code.

Since he had never experienced that power in reality, it was impossible to fully manifest it now.  

The only reason Baek Yu-Seol was able to use this much power was because he had once inhabited his future self after defeating Thirteenth Onyx Moon.  

That brief experience allowed him to wield some of that strength.  

‘If I hadn’t experienced that back then, this could have ended badly.’  

Baek Yu-Seol lowered his gaze, looking at the fallen Scarlet Summer Moon.  

Even in this mental realm, where consciousness could not be severed,

Baek Yu-Seol’s strike had pierced so deeply it left the mighty being unresponsive.

‘That was too close.’ 

One of Scarlet Summer Moon’s primary abilities was his ‘eternal flame’—a fire that never went out.  

His regeneration was nothing short of monstrous.

It was this terrifying ability that had doomed Baek Yu-Seol and Dalso in their earlier raid.

Scarlet Summer Moon’s terrifying regeneration had been the bane of their past attempts—

A force as relentless as fire itself.

No matter how many times the flames were cut apart,

They always reformed, whole and unbroken.

But here, in this mental world.

It seemed that Scarlet Summer Moon’s regeneration couldn’t even operate at 10% of its full potential.  

Baek Yu-Seol drove the Flash of Tribute into Scarlet Summer Moon’s skull,  

Then bound him with chains of mana before turning away.  

At the center of the five circular altars.

Hong Bi-Yeon was bound by chains over a massive golden chalice.  

Without hesitation, Baek Yu-Seol rushed to her side.

He shattered the chains with his bare hands,

Gathered her into his arms, and leaped to the ground.

Normally, her pride would have made her resist.

But now, she seemed too weak to say anything.  

Lying on the ground, Hong Bi-Yeon avoided his gaze.

Her eyes were distant.  

A brief silence ensued. 

"... Thank you."  

When she finally spoke, Baek Yu-Seol let out a relieved smile and asked—  

"Are you okay?" 

"This isn’t my real body, so the injuries don’t matter, right?"  

"Hey! Don’t say stuff like that."  

"If your soul takes damage, your real body will suffer too."

Her eyes wavered.

She hadn’t known.

"That’s why Scarlet Summer Moon was trembling so much."  

At the mention of Scarlet Summer Moon, Hong Bi-Yeon struggled to sit up.  

When Baek Yu-Seol quickly tried to help her, she pushed him away.  

"I can stand up by myself."  

"Alright."  

She steadied herself, though her gaze lingered on the massive crimson skull resting amid the city’s ruins.

It still didn’t feel real—  

That such a monstrous presence had been lurking inside her mind.

Then, as if compelled by disbelief, she turned to him.

"You even took down one of the Twelve Divine Moons… You’re strong. Is this your real power?"  

What should he say?  

From the way she looked at him, she clearly suspected something—  

So Baek Yu-Seol gave a vague response.  

"You could say… it’s a fragment of the power I once wielded."

"A part…?"  

Baek Yu-Seol tightened his grip on the Flash of Tribute.  

"This level of strength wouldn’t have been enough to cut through Scarlet Summer Moon’s flames. You helped, didn’t you? You were suppressing his powers."  

Her words carried a hint of certainty,  

But Hong Bi-Yeon simply blinked in confusion, as if she had no idea what he was talking about.  

"I… I didn’t really…"  

— How curious.

A voice interrupted, as ancient as time itself.

Startled, Hong Bi-Yeon let out a soft yelp, instinctively retreating.

Her frayed nerves left her completely exposed.

"Who’s there?!"  

— Who’s there? Seriously? After all the help I gave? And now that the fight’s over, this is how you greet me?

The voice belonged to Silver Autumn Moon, who alternated his gaze between the two of them before nodding in understanding.  

— Well… I suppose it makes sense. It’s my fault for butting in. 

"Don’t say weird things."  

— Fine, fine. That aside…  

Silver Autumn Moon examined Baek Yu-Seol closely.  

— You held back, didn’t you? Enough not to destroy him completely. Even the Twelve Divine Moons can’t stand against your mental strength.

"I suppose so." 

— This isn’t something we can just brush off lightly.  

Silver Autumn Moon spoke firmly.  

— The truth is already clear. You’re a vessel… one capable of holding the powers of all Twelve Divine Moons.

"Then… What do we do now?"  

To be honest, Baek Yu-Seol seriously considered killing Scarlet Summer Moon.  

Scarlet Summer Moon had endangered the lives of those he cared about.

That alone was reason enough to justify his death.

But—  

The blessing of Pink Spring Moon restrained his anger.  

Guiding him back toward reason with an almost unnatural calm.

‘... If I kill one of the Twelve Divine Moons here, everything will fall apart.’  

Even if one of the Twelve was destroyed.

He might lose any chance of preventing the future catastrophe.  

He still didn’t know how Thirteenth Onyx Moon would appear—  

Or how to stop the continent’s destruction without plunging the world into chaos.  

The Twelve Divine Moons needed to survive for that purpose.  

— Scarlet Summer Moon will wake up soon and return to Fawn Prevernal Moon.  

"That’s the problem…"  

— There’s a way. We can transfer his power elsewhere. If you absorb it, the balance won’t be disturbed.

Baek Yu-Seol’s eyes widened slightly.  

"Are you suggesting… We should kill Scarlet Summer Moon?"  

— Exactly. To a Divine Moon, losing their power means losing their existence. It’s death.  

"But there are only twelve of you in the world… Can we really do that?"  

Silver Autumn Moon turned his gaze and locked eyes with Baek Yu-Seol.  

— Our purpose is to protect this world. If we become threats instead… Then we must be prepared to make sacrifices.

"… I understand. So how do we transfer the power?"  

— That’s the problem.  

"Huh?"  

After talking as if he had all the answers, Silver Autumn Moon suddenly paused, unable to explain the actual method. 

"Can’t we just transfer it to me?"  

— You fool. You can’t even handle a single Divine Moon’s power properly.  

"That may be true, but—"  

— Becoming a vessel doesn’t mean you can contain a Divine Moon’s full power. If you try, your soul will burn to ashes.

"Then what choice do we have? If not me, then who else can bear it? I’ll risk my life if I have to!"

— No. There is someone better suited for this than you." 

Silver Autumn Moon turned his gaze toward Hong Bi-Yeon, who was sitting quietly in the corner, listening to their conversation.

She frowned as both men suddenly looked at her.  

"... What?"  

— You two even talk alike.

Realizing what Silver Autumn Moon meant, Baek Yu-Seol immediately shook his head.  

"No. Absolutely not."  

— She’s far more capable than you. Didn’t you see? Even while bound, she instinctively suppressed Scarlet Summer Moon’s flames. At full strength, she could wield that power.

"I said no!"  

Baek Yu-Seol’s firm refusal made Silver Autumn Moon click his tongue.  

He couldn’t force something so dangerous if Baek Yu-Seol was this opposed.  

"Why aren’t you asking me what I think?"  

But Hong Bi-Yeon had different thoughts.  

"I… I’m sorry."  

— Ahem… My apologies. We tried to push this burden onto you without even asking.  

As the two men apologized.

Hong Bi-Yeon suddenly scowled.  

"Why are you apologizing? I’m doing it."  

"… What?"  

— Huh?  

She rose slowly, her movements shaky but resolute.

Then, she gazed at Scarlet Summer Moon’s massive skull.

A monstrous relic of fire and ruin.

"So, I just need to absorb that, right?"  

— Well, yes… But… It won’t be too difficult. After all, he’s already inside your mental world. 

"Silver Autumn Moon!"  

— Whoa, what’s with the yelling all of a sudden?  

"Don’t say things like that so lightly."  

— Hey, I was just—  

"I won’t allow this."

Baek Yu-Seol was still visibly angry and tried to argue further—  

But Hong Bi-Yeon suddenly cut him off.  

"Baek Yu-Seol."  

Her tone was warm, yet firm and cold at the same time.  

And just like that, Baek Yu-Seol’s anger subsided.  

"I already said I’ll do it."  

"Still, this is—"  

"Dangerous? And what about all the dangerous things you’ve been doing up until now?"  

"You keep saying only I can do this, right? And this is something I want to do."  

Silence fell between them.  

Silver Autumn Moon sensed the tension and carefully spoke up.  

— If Princess Hong Bi-Yeon absorbs Scarlet Summer Moon’s power and gains even partial control over it, then the curse on her heart will be completely lifted. Her body will no longer be something the flame’s curse can even interfere with.  

"You heard that, right?"  

Hong Bi-Yeon looked at Baek Yu-Seol, who remained silent for a long moment.  

Finally, he nodded.  

"… Fine."  

A faint smile of victory appeared on Hong Bi-Yeon’s lips.  

"So, what do I do now?"  

— It’s simple.  

Silver Autumn Moon explained—  

— Approach him and imagine yourself devouring his entire body.  

"That’s… simple enough."  

— Don’t take it lightly. You’ll feel like your entire body is burning. It will be the most excruciating pain a human can possibly endure… The pain of being burned alive.  

But Hong Bi-Yeon responded with a confident smile without the slightest trace of fear.

"I’ll be fine. Burning? I’m used to it."

The memories of that painful day had once been a source of trauma— So much so that just thinking about it had once been agonizing.  

But not anymore.  

If that pain allowed her to help Baek Yu-Seol here and now.

Then Hong Bi-Yeon was ready to endure even greater wounds. 

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