Subdued Soul Chronicle

What Zaha showed was the bracelet of the Devil Lair Lord.

A snake biting its tail in its mouth. A symbol of an eternal cycle.

When he saw it in the Ghost City, it was full of Yokai^n1[TL/N: Demons] qi, and it made him feel it was alive.

But now it just looked like a thing—maybe even a corpse? It just looked dead to him.

Seol Young looked surprised.

“Where is this from?”

Zaha replied casually.

“It was from Seo Geom-rang. You didn’t find it, so I took care of it.”

“…”

He completely forgot about it.

It was like seven years ago. The moment he found the secret of the Lord and killed him, the bracelet fell off his wrist.

Rather, after that, he was chained and dragged away, and after the twists and turns, he completely forgot about it as he came out of the lair.

It was ridiculous to think about such a thing.

“This time, it’s not that I was distracted because of my younger self, but I would have remembered it when I visited Seo Geom-rang again! How would I forget it?”

“Do not beat yourself up too much. That could be some sort of curse.”

“Please come here and take a closer look.”

“Admit it. The High Governor has God-like powers.”

“…the High Governor is like a God…”

“Say that again.”

Zaha was having a lot of fun here, but Seol Young’s face went cold.

“…”

That was what he thought when he was sitting alone in his room.

‘The next time I will meet the High Governor, I will treat him better.’

But when he looked at that face, that thought vanished.

Perhaps it was 90% the fault of the other party.

“Everything Teacher said is right, but there is just one thing that is wrong.”

Seol Young said that in a blunt tone.

“Teacher was worried about the power of the Lord that hadn’t left me completely. There was just one person who could help me in that situation, but since he was in seclusion for a year, he couldn’t find that person…”

“Baek San said that? That is strange. When he was alive, he just nagged me.”

“It is true. But even my teacher got tricked.”

“Why?”

“The High Governor at that time would have killed me the very moment you would have seen me. Just thinking of the numerous times you tried to stab me, I still flinch at the sight of your sword…”

Zaha suddenly went silent, as if pretending he didn’t hear that. Then Seol Young quickly snatched the bracelet away.

And Zaha? He looked at it, but the bracelet was gone.

He protested.

“Seol Young-rang, why are you doing this?”

“Why? Are you saying that you are the only one who could use that technique? You should know that if you treat the others as fools, you will be treated the same.”

Seol Young responded quickly and changed the topic.

“Anyway, doesn’t this conclude it? The Lord was resurrected because someone woke him up. This bracelet is his keepsake. If I can use this, I can get a glimpse of when he got resurrected.”

Of course, it was the God of Cataclysm who woke him up. In other words, they could get a glimpse of the moment when he was revived.

“Right.”

Zaha didn’t make any more jokes and agreed with him right away.

“If we do well, we can get a clue about the God of Cataclysm.”

“Nice. Then let’s do it. But…”

Seol Young looked around since he needed a quiet place where no one could disturb them, but the entire place was crowded today.

Where would be a good place?

He immediately remembered something.

‘Come to think of it…’

Seol Young lowered his gaze.

There were two weapons that helped them in the Ghost City.

One was the soft sword, but as soon as it returned to the human world, it turned into scraps.

The other was the ring—the weapon of the Sun and Moon Troops.

Seol Young looked at the ring where Senior Oni was inside and raised his head.

“What about the basement in the Hwarangs’ Hall? It is a place where no one comes.”

Zaha nodded.

“Come to think of it, it is quiet and dark there.”

“Good. I have something to do.”

Seol Young got up and took the alcohol bottle.

“I will take this one and bring you a better one the next time.”

And the two left for the palace.

After seeing their leaders, the ring lost its shine.

However, as soon as they opened the door to the Hwarangs’ Hall, a light shone brightly.

Seol Young silently took out the ring and put it on the dead On So-rang’s desk.

Zaha glanced over.

‘He didn’t need to have such an ending.’

He seemed to be thinking that.

Well, to be honest, he coveted Oni’s ability, and there was nothing that could be used as an excuse for using a dead man’s research.

But…

He kept thinking about how Oni followed their seniors and thumped his head while looking at them. And the look on its face, wondering why it couldn’t touch them.

So it was better to put it back in its rightful place.

“I will come and often play with you.”

After Seol Young said that to Oni, he opened the bottle he had with him. Without telling anyone in particular, he looked around and said,

“Since the time is approaching, this junior will pour some alcohol for his seniors.”

Seol Young brought the glass from the palace that the Hwarangs used.

Jin Hwa, Su Oh, Myo Eun, On So, Eul So, and Ho Yeon.

Calling the names of the people, he placed a glass for each of them, and then he stepped back as he said,

“As you drink one drink at a time, this junior will play one song.”

On one side, the instruments used by their seniors were placed neatly.

A three-string pipa, a harp, a bamboo flute, and some large flutes that they used.

Seol Young picked up one of them.

Seeing the character ‘Yeon’ on the pipa, he thought it was used by Senior Ho Yeon.

“Then…”

Glancing at Zaha, he put his hand on the string.

And Zaha asked,

“What song will you play?”

“Just a song.”

Seol Young turned and began to pull the strings. The bright and clear sound of pipa filled the place.

The song had lyrics. And they were as follows.

*Dear Moon, are you moving to the West now?*

*Please tell me in front of the Buddha.*

*Respect the Buddha, who has a deep resolve, and put your hands together to pray.*

*Please tell me there is someone who misses you…*

The song went as such, and it was written by a great monk during the reign of King Munmu.

Seol Young saw how the seniors were in a horrible state and promised them a parting ritual.

A requiem that drew in the hopes of the deceased and prayed for their rebirth.

However, the Hwarangs were naturally not friendly with talismans, and they mainly performed rituals with incense.

So Seol Young had to do this.

He played the same song for each of the instruments there.

Maybe even Zaha knew the origins of a few of these music sheets that he was playing.

But whatever this was, what he was doing now was enough. Fortunately, Zaha didn’t speak much and stayed still.

Eventually, it ended, and Seol Young bowed to them one last time.

“I will stop by often to give you drinks and maybe play some songs again too.”

He returned the pipa to its rightful place and headed to the dark room next to it.

But the moment he closed the door, he heard someone talking from behind.

Both of them looked back.

The door had cracks in it.

*Whisper.*

Hwarangs with silver belts were gathered and talking.

Some were sitting on the desk, while others were holding books in their hands and reading them. And there was On So in the back with a brush placed near his ear.

The illusion appeared and vanished for a brief instant, but they were certain of one thing—everyone seemed fine.

“He never once looked like that to me.”

Zaha mumbled, but he didn’t seem to hate it.

-The High Governor was very close to the Sun and Moon Troops.

He remembered what Baek Eon said.

Seol Young quickly erased the memories of the Hwarangs in their horrid state from his mind.

At that time, he heard that the dead Hwarangs had been hit in an instant without knowing anything.

It would not be like that this time. He vowed that to himself.

“Should we do it then?”

Seol Young put the bracelet down in the dark room. Then he wrote the character ‘Permission’ on a talisman and handed it to Zaha.

When he put it on the wooden necklace, the reaction was huge.

Seol Young closed his eyes and put his fingers on the bracelet.

“I will start it now.”

As spiritual power was infused into it, the surroundings changed a little.

“Show me the moment of death.”

Seol Young ordered.

The next moment, they were in the Lair. It was a place that he clearly remembered. It was the huge hall where the Lord would perform his evil deeds.

Zaha asked,

“You killed him here?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, another young Seol Young was there. His hair was neatly tied, and he had a long robe too.

[Devil Lair Lord!]

The young kid attacked the moment the Lord used his law of cause and effect.

There were two Lords. They collided with the intent to take down each other since only one of them could be there. And then there was a flash of light.

‘Finally…’

The thoughts of the Lord could be heard.

But before he died, that bastard managed to perform one last spell.

*Clack!*

Suddenly, shackles appeared and went around the wrists of the child.

Then there was a loud scream. The joy and happiness the child must have felt were over.

After that, the world was dark.

How long was it?

Black flames began to rise, and Seol Young looked at Zaha.

“It is coming.”

The flame got bigger and bigger. The Lord was being awakened.

And they realized it.

The skull mask that he handed over was still actually on the Lord’s head, and that was when he realized he had failed.

The Lord began to move, following the black flames, which woke him from his slumber. Then Seol Young took the lead.

“Follow me.”

The two ran ahead and went for the flames too. They saw the back of the Lord running in front.

Under the hairpin that looked like a huge crown, black hair hung like a veil.

Black smoke rose from every spot where the hem of the dress would touch.

The God of Cataclysm.

Seol Young asked,

“What now?”

“We move forward.”

Zaha boldly said,

They moved in a path that had one or two turns, and through the flames, they could slowly see her.

A face with countless talismans and her hair that flowed.

Zaha lowered his voice.

“Can you see the face behind the talismans?”

“This is just the consciousness of the Lord. If he saw her face, we could see it too. If he didn’t see it, we cannot either.”

“So nothing we do changes it?”

“Yes, it is just replaying the scene.”

Seol Young looked ahead.

The figure of the God of Cactlysm was getting close. The wind shook, and there was black smoke everywhere.

The beads around her began to dance wildly, and the talismans on her face were blown upside down by the wind.

‘What…’

Seol Young opened both his eyes to the best of his ability and stared beyond the talismans.

Something began to show.