Chapter 403: Do You Dare to Hit Me in the Back of the Head? (6)

Cale lay in the infirmary bed.

“Ahh.”

“Why are you sighing?”

Cale turned his head toward Queen Tamahi, who had asked the question.

Cale, lying neatly in bed with the blanket pulled up to his chest and bandages wrapped carefully, showed her bright eyes that reflected back at her. He seemed to be in a good mood.

“…I don’t know if this will be acceptable.”

But she felt uneasy.  

It wasn’t quite the same as sleeping with the enemy.

Wanderer Cho and Ryeon.  

The thought of sending those two along with Cale and Eruhaben made her anxious.

“Yes! And what? Isn’t it good?”

However, Cale responded with an innocent smile. He truly looked excited.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“Not at all.”

Cale had no reason to be nervous.

“If things really go wrong, I’ll just escape.”

He was confident he could get away without any trouble. Especially if he was with the Ancient Dragon, with a thousand years of experience, nothing would scare him.

“Don’t worry.”

Cale said, smiling broadly, though the fake wounds and bandages made him look almost like a zombie.

“I’m going to fool them well. I’ll make the two forces clash in such a way that the sanctuary is completely destroyed. Ha, ha, ha!”

Queen Tamahi, seeing his clear face, relaxed for a moment, but then spoke again with a stern face.

“Even though Wanderer Cho can be fooled, I doubt you can completely fool Ryeon. Besides, you have to make her face the Chaos as well.”

Although she trusted the Queen’s words, the cautious Ryeon wondered: was she really going to face the Cult of the God of Chaos?

At that moment, Cale’s lips curved into an enigmatic smile.

“Your Majesty,” he said softly, “don’t we still have one last move to play?”

His gaze shifted to the side.
The Queen followed it—and froze.

“……”

There, arms crossed and posture proud, stood the Ancient Dragon, Eruhaben. Even in silence, his very stance radiated the refined grace of a living masterpiece.

He tilted his head slightly to the side.

“I will execute the final move. Do you think I will fail?”

Wanderer Cho and Ryeon…  

The final move to deceive them belonged to Eruhaben.

Queen Tamahi slowly shook her head.

“No.”

The Dragon before her didn’t seem like someone who would fail. In fact, Cale believed that both he and Eruhaben would see it through to the end.

“Besides,” Tamahi continued, “Ryeon seems far too cold. I fear that even in the final move, she won’t be able to keep her composure.”

“Well.”

Cale shrugged lightly.

“We’ll follow the plan. We don’t know how it’ll end—but I have a feeling the final move will go our way.”

“Mmm. I’ll trust in that.”

She decided to simply believe in them.

Knock, knock.

From outside, the head servant’s voice could be heard.

“It’s time.”

“Your Majesty.”

Cale asked the Queen.

“We’ll depart in about ten minutes.”

“Understood.”

The Queen left first to face the Wanderers.

Cale stayed behind in the infirmary, using the excuse that he needed to reapply his bandages and recover a bit before heading to the Demon Kingdom. “Should we send a message?”

At Eruhaben’s question, Cale nodded.  

Those ten minutes were reserved for one purpose — to contact his companions.

* * *

“They’ve arrived.”

At Rosalyn’s words, two figures rose from their seats in the center of the Seventh Evil — the Cotton Candy Castle.

Alberu and the Heavenly Demon.

“Good luck! I’ll bring Choi Han to follow you later!”

Raon, On, and Hong waved energetically as they said their goodbyes.

Of course, there was also the little Dragon, Eden Miru.

Eden Miru let out a long sigh — Raon still hadn’t stopped patting his head.

“I’ll take good care of Eden Miru! Hehe!”

At those words, Eden Miru couldn’t even sigh. He averted his gaze from Rosalyn, Alberu, and the Heavenly Demon — all three smiling at him.

“But, I tell you…”

The Heavenly Demon stepped onto the teleportation magic circle and glanced at Alberu.

“Isn’t teleportation supposed to be impossible inside the Demon Kingdom?”

“Exactly,” Alberu replied. “You have to reach the border of the Demon Kingdom before you can enter.”

“And what kind of place is that?”

Alberu didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his head toward Rosalyn.

Rosalyn met the Heavenly Demon’s gaze and spoke quietly.
“It’s the grave of the outcasts.”

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon’s face lit up with an enigmatic smile.

Flash!

In a burst of brilliant light, the four of them vanished—headed straight for the border of the Demon Kingdom.

There were four known entrances to the Demon Kingdom.
They had chosen one.

* * *

“Are those two close friends?”

“Yes,” the Queen replied politely to Wanderer Ryeon’s question.

Ryeon’s gaze was fixed on the man who had just stepped through the doorway of the infirmary.

Eruhaben approached, carrying Cale on his back.

– I never imagined that, at my age, I would be carrying a brat like you.

Of course, no one else could hear Eruhaben’s grumbling.

Wanderer Ryeon spoke again.

“So, you’re saying he’s merely a bodyguard? Just a guard?”

“Yes. That servant offered to act as a bodyguard when he entered the royal palace,” the Queen explained smoothly. “He worked in the palace where Hinpa Gong resided, and at times, he served as my guard during rotating shifts.”

Queen Tamahi added calmly,
“The servant always seemed more at ease when he was with the guards, so we eventually assigned him to that role full-time.”

“…I see.”

“Yes.”

Ryeon looked at Eruhaben with an enigmatic gaze.  

He was a dark-haired man, wearing the ordinary uniform of a palace bodyguard.  

Strange. 

She hadn’t noticed it before—perhaps because she’d been too absorbed in processing the flood of information—but that man…

That bodyguard was peculiar.

Beyond his strikingly handsome face, there was something about him—his aura, the quiet confidence in his steps—that felt… out of place.

Mmm. She doesn’t seem to be lying.  

Queen Tamahi didn’t appear to have lied about the bodyguard.

There would be no reason for it.

Would she really dare to lie so openly?

Queen Tamahi wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences of such a lie—and she knew that well.

Then…

A faint, peculiar light flickered in Ryeon’s eyes.

There was only one possibility.

If that man wasn’t truly a bodyguard, but an infiltrator within the palace… then his identity could only belong to one group—

The Cult of the God of Chaos. 

It was highly probable that he belonged to that cult.

Would they really vanish after carrying out something of such magnitude? That made no sense.

Ryeon’s gaze darkened.

The Cult of the God of Chaos—an organization that had deceived the Five Color Blood Family without leaving a single trace, and was now preparing for betrayal—didn’t fit the image of a group that would simply disappear after acting.

No.

They must have left something behind.

A hidden clue, perhaps, to watch over the movements of the Kingdom of Lan and the Five Color Blood Family.

If so, where would they have planted that clue?

There was only one possible place—

The witness’s sole point of support.

Yes. That lone witness — the one who still shudders just remembering the God of Chaos.

If his companion turned out to be that hidden clue, then ultimately, he would come face-to-face with the Queen of the Kingdom of Lan and the Wanderers… allowing him to gauge the situation with ease.

“…Ryeon!”

“Ah.”

Ryeon halted mid-thought.

“What are you doing?”

Cho’s expression showed clear irritation.

“Hmm.”

Just then, the servant and the supposed bodyguard appeared before them.

The Queen turned toward the bodyguard and spoke.  

“Take good care of both of them, and your task is to take care of this boy.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The bodyguard replied with a solemn expression.  

It was a simple command — nothing special — yet his face was unusually resolute, as if he carried another mission hidden beneath the Queen’s words.

Ryeon’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Ryeon! What the hell are you thinking?”

At Cho’s sharp tone, she immediately snapped out of her thoughts.

Yes… it’s just a suspicion.

She couldn’t let a single doubt ruin everything.

After all, that bodyguard might simply be an ordinary man.

Despite her suspicions, Ryeon decided to follow the plan.

“Let’s go.”

Wuuung, wuuung, wuuung—

On the teleportation magic circle crafted by the mages of the Kingdom of Lan, Cho stepped on first and gestured for the others to follow.

The servant and the bodyguard were already beside him.

“Well then, let’s go.”

Ryeon stepped onto the circle after them.

As the runes began to glow, she recalled the message she had received after reporting to the Five Color Blood Family.

Cult of the God of Chaos.  

A force that could be both the greatest ally and the most dangerous enemy—facing them required direct authorization from her superiors.

And in the entire family, only three people could grant such permission.
Three who possessed the Unique Power of the Five-Colored class.

‘You and Cho hold powers of the transparent level, but together, your strength ascends to the Five-Colored class.

Together, you’ll be able to handle almost any situation… even within the sanctuary of the God of Chaos.’

Cho and Ryeon — twins born with opposite Unique Power — were said to reach the Five-Colored level when their powers combined.

‘Ryeon, you’re a sensible girl. Keep Cho from making reckless decisions. I trust your judgment—act as you see fit.’

Her superiors had granted her full authorization to enter the sanctuary and had entrusted her with command over all decisions.

All right. Let’s proceed carefully.

The moment Ryeon reached her conclusion, she felt the magic circle activate with a brilliant glow.  

Amid the light, she heard her brother’s voice—Cho’s final words to the Queen.

“Hey, Queen!”

Wanderer Cho, who under normal circumstances would never dare address the Queen so casually, now showed not a trace of restraint. 

He spoke bluntly, almost like a warning.

“I’ll be watching in the future.”

The Queen’s expression darkened. Even through the shimmer of the teleportation light, the look on her face—one that made anyone want to slam a door in Cho’s face—was unmistakable.

Cho just laughed softly.

“How amusing.”

With those words, his gaze turned towards the southwest, towards the Demon Kingdom.

* * *

Demon Kingdom.

That was the name given to a vast region of jungles, deserts, and all kinds of rugged terrain. 

‘Deserts, jungles, underground mazes, labyrinths… there’s everything.’

Alberu explained the situation to Cale as they reviewed their next destination.

‘Each zone has its own ruler, and the number of forces there is countless.’

‘The peculiarity of the Demon Kingdom lies in this — according to the rules of the game, teleportation within its borders is impossible.’

‘And because the land itself is perilous, movement across it is extremely difficult.

If the Eight Evils are difficult to approach because they’re too powerful and fearsome, then the Demon Kingdom, for a different reason, remains equally avoided.’

‘First, because traveling there is complicated.’
‘Second, because it’s practically useless.’
‘And finally, because very few missions ever lead to that place.’

‘It was the place where the outcasts of the New World gathered —rejected races, people with various stories that forced them to leave their homeland, and sometimes even criminals.’

‘Truly, all kinds of people ended up there. The constant clashes among them gave rise to countless incidents, turning the region into a haven of disorder and crime.’

‘Unless you were a seasoned veteran, the Demon Kingdom was not a place one dared to enter.’  

‘Moreover, the Demon Kingdom rejected outsiders — sometimes even attacking them on sight.’ 

‘It was considered an extremely hostile region.’

Flash!

With a brilliant flash, Cale arrived at the border of the Demon Kingdom.  

Of the four possible entrances, the one chosen by the Wanderers was—

“Bah, there are too many bugs and weeds here; I don’t like it.”

It was a jungle.  

A low, rough wire fence marked the boundary line, and beyond it stretched a dense, tangled forest — thick enough to hide anything, yet strangely easy to cross.

“There’s no other option. This path is the fastest.”

As Ryeon said, the route through the jungle was indeed the quickest way to reach the Primordial Sanctuary.

Cale buried his face against Eruhaben’s back and smiled faintly.

Surely Alberu Crossman has already entered the Demon Kingdom from this side too.  

“I roughly know the location.; let’s go that way.”

Ryeon, taking the lead, turned to glance back at them.

“Stay in the middle.” 

“Yes.”

Following her instructions, Eruhaben positioned himself between Cho and Ryeon.  

“Don’t do anything foolish. Better yet, just follow me—and don’t make a sound.”

“Yes.”

Eruhaben bowed his head slightly and nodded with obedient grace.  

“Ryeon, why are you even doing this?”

“Ryeon, we have to hurry!” 

“Understood.”

She asked Eruhaben.  

“Since you’re a palace bodyguard, you should have the agility to move quickly. Will you be able to keep up if we increase the pace?”

“I’ll do my best.” 

“Good.”

Ryeon pushed off the ground, her steps light and sure as she surged forward.
Her speed increased—

Ssshhh—

Even though it was a jungle, there was a faint path near the entrance, making it easier to move through.

Of course, branches, vines, leaves, and all manner of weeds and insects still barred their way.

Crack!

Everything froze.

Shrrrk!

Frozen branches snapped apart.

Meanwhile, Ryeon cast a quick glance over her shoulder. 

“……”

The bodyguard was lagging behind, breathing heavily, clearly struggling to keep up.

So far, he didn’t seem to be using internal techniques, but simply relying on his physical strength.

“Ryeon, this guy moves well enough! Don’t worry and keep going. Otherwise, I’ll just take these two with me!”

Ryeon nodded and turned her gaze back to the front. Of course, she gave the bodyguard one last look, a cold and menacing one, like a warning.

“……”

Eruhaben bowed his head slightly and ran with quiet determination.

Ryeon’s focus shifted ahead, though she could still feel Cho’s watchful gaze lingering behind her.

Eruhaben looked around.  

Demon Kingdom.  

The jungle was a dangerous terrain because, as you go deeper, the path disappears, and all kinds of natural formations get in the way, plus insects, poisonous herbs, beasts, and monsters lurk.  

The jungle was full of huge trees that were several times taller than humans, and the deeper you went, the darker the area became. It wasn’t as dark as at night, but even in broad daylight there were many places where sunlight didn’t penetrate.

– Cale, when the time comes, send me a signal.

When Cale, who was on his back, sent Eruhaben the first signal,  

Grrrrr—!

The roar of a beast echoed in the deep darkness of the jungle.  

Crack! Crack!

Something massive tore through the trees, splintering trunks as it emerged from the shadows.

Grrhn—hah… hah!

The immense creature, showing a renewed appetite, was not a beast.  

Wanderer Ryeon murmured softly.

“…They’re Beast People.”  

They were Beast People — one of the factions that ruled the jungles of the Demon Kingdom.

In truth, the Beast People were not considered outcasts in the New World.
But these ones were different.

The Beast People who had chosen to live in the Demon Kingdom had long abandoned the conventions of the outside world.
Here, they lived by instinct alone.

Grrrrr—!

A Tiger Beast Person.  

Ryeon’s eyes darkened as she faced the massive creature blocking the path.

“Hehe—"  

The tiger Beast Person licked his lips, as if savoring the sight of prey.

Flap!

At that moment, a crow that had been perched on a nearby branch took flight and vanished into the sky.

Cale, watching the signal disappear, fixed his gaze straight ahead. 

Grrrr—!

The majestic Tiger Chief of the Beast People — Gashan — had unleashed himself, his eyes burning with a ferocity he hadn’t shown in years.

In that place, Cale’s companions were four in total:  

Alberu, Rosalyn, Heavenly Demon, and Gashan.

“The prey has arrived! Hahaha!”

Chief Gashan bellowed with wild laughter as he played his part before the two Wanderers.
But inwardly, his thoughts were calm and sharp.

Will that ‘rabbit’ be crushed to dust when Eruhaben strikes?

Having lived through countless battles, Gashan knew exactly when to fight—
and when to flee.

And then, in that instant—

“What?! This damn beast!”

Cho brushed past Cale, stepping forward with clear irritation.

Cale, his lips curling into a faintly mischievous smile. 

“Cho, I’ll take care of it. You, stay put.”

At that same moment—

Tap, tap.

Cale sent the signal to Eruhaben.  

It happened in an instant.
That brief pause—just long enough for one of the Beast People to appear, underestimated by the Wanderers—was all it took.

Cale caught a glimmer of platinum dust flicker in the air, reflected in their eyes.

-----

P/R Thoughts: Cale enters the Demon Kingdom under disguise, luring fire and ice Wanderers into a trap while his allies prepare the jungle’s beasts—and Eruhaben’s final strike—to ignite the perfect chaos.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]