This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 666

The cold itself wasn’t the problem.

After years, I discovered another use for my ability; just by standing still and extending my hand, I could quell the storm of cold.

Thus, the cold itself wasn’t problematic, but… the lingering chill left behind by the howling storm that threatened to overturn the world was something I couldn’t ignore.

In reality, it was summer, and given how light my clothing was, I was now in a state where I was even stripped of that flimsy shirt to cover my left arm, feeling like the chill seeped straight into my skin.

Moreover, I’d just been sweating just a while ago.

So, facing the cold that remained from the storm while my body was still soaked in sweat… it felt exactly like being trapped naked in a freezer.

No, it would be an understatement to say it felt that bad; it definitely felt even worse.

It felt like being thrown into the middle of Antarctica without any proper winter gear.

Putting one foot in front of the other was a painful ordeal.

The cold that had seeped inside my body was pulling my skin taut.

If even more time passed here…

The skin that was barely holding up would eventually crack and fail.

I should have grabbed a jumper or something if I’d known this was going to happen.

But who could have possibly foreseen finding themselves in such a situation?

‘Where are you…?’

I could feel my consciousness fading slowly.

My mind was filled with seemingly pointless thoughts for that very reason.

If I didn’t do that, if I didn’t focus on something, it felt like my awareness would blur into nonexistence.

I couldn’t allow that to happen.

I wanted to avoid that.

Having come this far, trampling on the heart of my worried Senior, only to flicker out without even achieving the goal of meeting Yoonseo would make the emotional pain my Senior felt at this moment utterly pointless.

So I had to go.

I had to reach her no matter what.

Perhaps because of how tight my skin was from the cold.

Or maybe… it was due to the chill that had seeped into my body.

I wasn’t sure which was influencing me more, but my knee felt like it was creaking as I took a step forward.

No, perhaps it had been broken for a while, and I just hadn’t realized it.

“Haah…!”

I exhaled the pent-up breath that had surged uncontrollably.

What escaped was quickly transformed into a white mist, scattering chaotically.

The surroundings were filled with a bone-chilling cold that made that scene feel utterly normal.

‘At this rate…’

I wouldn’t even be able to say a word to Yoonseo if I met her.

By that time, my lips might be stuck together, unable to part.

The steps I took already felt burdensome, and to make matters worse, the path was curvy like a snake.

I almost tripped, misjudged the terrain and nearly rolled forward, and after staggering hundreds of times like a toy being kicked, I finally managed to escape that wretched path.

And as soon as I cleared that winding area, I was confronted with an enormous chasm—a place I had once passed by with Chae-rim.

Actually, calling it a chasm might not be accurate anymore.

There were way too many gaps and collapse spots to refer to it as such.

What had happened here?

Had something occurred with Yoonseo here?

The condition of the chasm was so devastating, it would be an understatement compared to my last visit, that it caused my legs to weaken without my knowing.

‘That thing’ occupied one side of the chasm, looking like it could crumble at any moment.

Could the cold outside have gathered and shaped itself into such a form?

The sphere of cold, tinged almost white, was unleashing chill that spread around.

Those scattered chills flowed into the numerous splits and collapses, seeping in.

If that state continues…

Soon, the entire Heogye might be encased in ice.

Even if it didn’t come to that, it would definitely deal a fatal blow to that damn tree.

The roots would freeze solid; how could that not be devastating?

Thanks to that, I quickly grasped it.

Yoonseo was inside.

I didn’t know why it was wrapped around like that, or how such output was even possible… but I thought it didn’t matter.

What mattered was the fact that if I went there, I could face Yoonseo.

No matter what means it took, I would smack her perfectly smooth forehead.

Then I would grab her by the collar and shake her, asking her what right she had to cause so much worry and trouble…

Then I would go back.

Back to where my Senior was waiting, and where everyone was waiting.

Repeating those words like a chant, I forced my exhausted body to rise.

It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

In the moment I paused, the cold skin felt like it might split apart at any moment, and my overworked knees creaked like rusty machinery, but I gritted my teeth and took a step.

After taking that initial step, the next ones felt relatively easy.

I kept walking.

If I encountered a split or a collapsed area that would be impossible to tread through, I opted to detour around it.

The distance I had to cover increased as such, but compared to the path I had traversed thus far, the difference was negligible.

Finally, standing before the sphere of cold consuming one side of the chasm… it seemed like whatever had been unleashing a ferocious presence, ready to freeze anything that approached, granted me a passage.

A gap just wide enough for a single person to squeeze through.

I wedged my body into that narrow space.

Thus, after walking and walking, I finally saw her.

Yoonseo, sprawled on the ground.

My heart dropped.

It was because of the presence of an object that was piercing through her right arm—something so familiar to me.

A large, sharp fang, as if carved from the bone of some colossal creature.

That was sticking out of Yoonseo’s forearm.

Seeing that, I knew instantly.

It was already… too late.

My stomach churned.

Having insisted and pushed my way here, I should have continued fighting instead of shutting my eyes to the reality.

Her tranquil expression, as though she’d fallen asleep, made me sick to my stomach.

And so—

“This…! You fool!!!”

I couldn’t hold back any longer and yelled.

Fortunately, it seemed she still had enough presence of mind to respond.

Yoonseo’s eyelids fluttered open.

Seeing that, I charged towards Yoonseo, who lay on the ground.

Was it the anger rising within me?

I felt an incredible surge of power coursing through my body.

I encapsulated that feeling in my fist and struck the forehead of Yoonseo, who was wide-eyed in disbelief.

Whack—!

The sound that had once gifted me memories of a past life exploded from her forehead.

“What a sight…”

Despite feeling an unusual strength coursing through me, words struggled to form.

“What the hell is this…?”

Every time I tried to speak, something bubbled up inside me.

“Y-you… why are you here?”

“Why? I came looking for you, you… fool.”

“Then why…”

“And you? What on earth were you thinking coming here? What’s with this state?”

Perhaps she didn’t want to talk about anything that might cast her in a bad light.

With her eyes darting around to avoid my gaze, Yoonseo continued in a whispering voice.

“Don’t nag… I’m in pain…”

“Yeah, you must be.”

Yoonseo didn’t tell me to go back.

Perhaps she knew that I wouldn’t listen.

Instead of telling me to go back… she began to act spoiled.

Maybe thinking that this could be her last chance to indulge herself.

“Can… can you hold my hand?”

“Which one?”

“My left, no, right hand!”

Was she suddenly concerned about her right arm, which was slowly changing to match my left?

I chuckled at Yoonseo’s panic and laid down next to her.

And this time, I tightly grasped her hand, which had grown rougher since the last time I held it.

“It… feels good.”

“Someone’s about to have their stomach churned over here… and you’re saying it feels good?”