Regret (7)
Old Monster Hunt.
That was the operation name given to them by the guy called the leader. His sense of naming really seemed like crap.
That bastard me just tossed out the main point and then disappeared like yesterday.
I don’t know why he’s acting so busy, as if he’s something special.
I glared piercingly at the entrance where he vanished, then turned my gaze away.
Right after the demonic qi that had filled the interior disappeared, the demons burst out the breaths they’d been holding.
“…It’s no joke today either. It feels like the pressure has gotten even stronger.”
One of them starts the conversation as if opening the floodgates. Oh, is this the time for backtalk about me?
I found myself listening with interest without realizing it.
‘Though it’s obvious it’ll just be curses.’
If I had a bastard like me as a superior, I might have ripped his throat out myself, so how much more for these guys.
Thinking that, I perked up my ears.
“How is it that he’s getting stronger and stronger? As expected, the leader is different.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Some old fogey in the back like the Heavenly Venerable… To our leader, he’s just one punch away.”
…Huh?
‘…What?’
As I listened in subtly, the conversation flowing out was something different from what I expected.
What the hell are these crazy bastards saying right now…?
“It needs to spread even a little more, the leader’s prestige across the Central Plains.”
“Even if he doesn’t want it, it’ll spread soon enough. There’s no way those orthodox bastards can block the leader’s prestige.”
‘What the hell.’
The more I listened to the conversation, the more it felt like I was losing my mind.
What on earth are these guys talking about?
‘…What?’
No matter how much I listened, I couldn’t understand it. The conversation deepened even further.
“The monster who single-handedly burned the Mount Hua Sect to the ground.”
It wasn’t alone.
Since the Heavenly Demon had taken care of the Plum Blossom Sword and the other major powerhouses, I just caught the remaining sect members.
“Not just the Mount Hua Sect, but he wiped out the Sichuan Tang Gate all by himself too.”
This was also after the Sword Demon and the Green King’s units had raided, and the Black Flame Squad followed up in support.
I just approached the Poison Phoenix, who was completely drained of strength, and finished her off.
‘What the hell are these bastards?’
The more I looked, the less I understood.
As the unheard-of praises continued to flow.
I had to furrow my brows deeply, discovering nausea and my ears heating up.
In the midst of that, someone noticed my expression and spoke to me.
“You seem like you don’t know much about this, newbie?”
“What…? A demon not knowing about the leader’s prestige?”
My dislike must have shown, because the demons’ gazes turned toward me with unpleasant expressions.
It’s chilling. These bastards’ eyes were all dead serious.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
This was something unexpected. I thought they’d naturally see me as utter trash, but what the hell are these looks?
“…It seems everyone… likes the lea—the leader quite a bit?”
“The leader is the hope of the demons, and you seem unaware of that.”
“Judging by your age, it looks like you haven’t been a demon for long. How old did you say you were?”
Um… how old should I say? I pondered for a moment.
“Twenty… two.”
I figured that would be about right.
“Twenty-two, huh. Have you crossed the wall?”
“Yes… sort of.”
“At that age, reaching the peak… You’re a monster.”
“…”
At the demon’s words, I had to cough a few times. Since I was forcibly hiding my energy, it would be hard for them to gauge my realm.
While I was continuously coughing, another demon approached and asked.
“What made a promising talent like you become a demon?”
“…Um.”
Why did I become a demon?
Why did twenty-two-year-old Paljeolyeob become a demon…
“…My family was ruined by those orthodox bastards.”
“So, revenge.”
“Yes.”
They didn’t seem to doubt the excuse I roughly made up. In a way, it was the most common and convenient excuse.
To captivate these guys, cursing the orthodox was the best.
“…Those filthy orthodox bastards…”
“They pretend to be good and clean on the outside, spouting hypocrisy, but the world behind is all like this.”
“Don’t worry, little one. The leader will fulfill your revenge for you.”
No, no, you crazy bastards.
Your leader doesn’t fulfill stuff like that. He’s just too busy living his own life and ignores it all.
I don’t know where this kind of faith comes from.
‘And the nickname has already become little one.’
This kind of faith usually stems from being bound by the Heavenly Demon’s demonic qi.
The situation where betrayal is absolutely impossible helps create this kind of faith.
It means that ridiculous faith is generated under the Heavenly Demon’s demonic qi.
No matter what that bastard’s personality is like, at least he won’t betray the demonic cult.
It meant the sense of relief coming from there.
It’s ridiculous. A sense of security among demons.
I wondered if perhaps the Heavenly Demon had aimed for this and started it.
But that too was something I didn’t know well.
The important thing in the end.
‘Is why these bastards like me.’
I couldn’t figure it out. I’d only created situations where they absolutely couldn’t like me.
What was the reason they showed such deep faith?
“…Um, over there.”
Just as I was about to ask about it. Someone appeared, opening the door. It was Mukgwon this time too.
“Paljeolyeob.”
“That lea—the leader.”
“Paljeolyeob. Can’t you hear?”
“Ah.”
In the midst of trying to continue speaking, I realized that what Mukgwon was calling now was me.
Right, whether it’s Chiljeolyeob or Paljeolyeob, I had said something like that yesterday.
“…Did you call for me?”
“Follow me.”
As soon as Mukgwon appeared, the demons took stiff postures as if nothing had happened.
The hierarchy was impeccably strict.
‘…’
I looked at that with a strange expression and then followed Mukgwon out anyway.
Even while deliberately moving my steps, my expression remained crumpled due to the incomprehensible situation.
The place I arrived at following Mukgwon was outside the main unit.
It wasn’t too far from the forces. If I had to say, it was a position for standing guard.
Mukgwon had come out with me saying he had to stand guard.
‘Annoying.’
Seeing that, I had to click my tongue inwardly a few times.
It was obvious he had come to get information.
A demon of Mukgwon’s level standing guard?
Who in their right mind would have an elite separately stand guard like that.
“Paljeolyeob.”
“Yes.”
“You said you were twenty-two.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“You’re young.”
If I said five years younger than this, he’d probably faint.
I had to think similarly while looking at Mukgwon.
‘It’s been a while.’
The intention was irritating, but seeing Mukgwon itself wasn’t bad.
He was one of the more normal demons I knew.
If he hadn’t done that dog-like thing at the Hwangbo Family, he wouldn’t have become a demon.
Mukgwon was a guy who suited being called a martial artist rather than a demon until the moment he died.
That’s why it must be even more welcoming.
Of course, unlike my feelings, Mukgwon didn’t hide his wary eyes toward me.
“It seems like you’ve reached the Hwakyung realm, is that right?”
“Yes.”
At my light response, Mukgwon’s eyes narrowed. He seemed quite surprised.
Well, he’d be surprised even if it was the peak, but Hwakyung would be even more shocking.
‘Though it’s just the realm, and since I can’t use flames, it’s half-baked.’
It was already incomplete, and since I can’t use the Gu Flame Wheel Art, it’s right to see it as even weaker.
“…Hwakyung at twenty-two.”
Mukgwon seemed considerably surprised. Well, even if I heard it, I’d be unbelievably shocked.
That’s why he’s having Mukgwon guard me.
And this also meant another problem.
“For a martial artist like you, how is it that not a single rumor has spread? That’s what’s puzzling.”
At a level that should have been rumored as the top late bloomer of the era.
How could you pop up like this out of nowhere.
It was a situation sufficient to raise doubts not only for Mukgwon but for others as well.
This was something I was worried about too.
“In the past days, I gathered a bit of information about you.”
The demonic cult was fairly quick and accurate when it came to information.
“Paljeolyeob… Not to mention a specific family, there wasn’t even information about where you lived…”
As Mukgwon spoke, a chilling killing intent emanated from his body and eyes.
Guguguguk.
The sensation of my shoulders being crushed was considerable.
“You, what exactly is your identity?”
“…”
Killing intent spread around my body. What to do about this.
“Your name is clearly an alias. Is your face a human skin mask?”
Mukgwon reached out his hand, just before his fingertips brushed my face.
Grip.
“…!”
I grabbed Mukgwon’s hand.
“Why are you doing this?”
Right before Mukgwon showed a reaction, I looked at him and smiled slightly.
Seeing that expression, Mukgwon flinched.
“Everyone has one or two secrets, don’t they?”
“Ha, do you think it makes sense to have secrets under the name of our cult? Do you know who’s above you to dare.”
“At least it’s not you, senior, or the leader.”
Kugugugung-!
At my arrogant tone, Mukgwon finally tried to unleash his power, but he couldn’t do so after hearing the words I spat out next.
“In our cult, there is only the cult leader as the heaven.”
Flinch.
As the Heavenly Demon’s name came out, Mukgwon’s actions stopped once more.
“Regarding my secrets, the cult leader already knows. Moreover, knowing them, she sent me here.”
When this situation arose, how to resolve it, I had judged.
It wasn’t difficult.
Just like with the Sword Demon Empress, put the Heavenly Demon in every word.
Because these cultist bastards can’t go against that heavenly existence.
And in their eyes, I must be the same.
“…Can you take responsibility for those words?”
That the Heavenly Demon knows everything. And despite knowing, she secretly sent me to the Black Flame Squad.
Can I take responsibility?
“Yes. Swearing on the cult leader, my words are all true.”
I answered like that with a bright smile.
Responsibility? Why would I take that.
“There isn’t a shred of falsehood. I am the cult leader’s faithful servant.”
As I said that firmly, Mukgwon’s killing intent faded somewhat.
Words that a demon utters with the Heavenly Demon included cannot have lies.
At least this part is fortunate. From my position where it’s fine to sell out the Heavenly Demon a hundred times.
It means there’s at least one breakthrough to use like this.
“My secrets are secrets, but at least I won’t do anything to harm the main unit. This too, in the cult leader’s name…”
Bang-! Kwagagagak-!
Just as I was about to speak, Mukgwon’s fist grazed past my side.
Right after, my rear exploded with a loud boom, bursting out in a wide range.
I hadn’t noticed Mukgwon extending his fist. These crazy humans, they’re disgustingly strong for real.
Wondering what this sudden ambush was, I looked at Mukgwon.
“I understand your words, but don’t casually mention the cult leader. There is no one in our cult who can call her so easily.”
“…Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”
It was quite the loyalty.
Seeing that, I smiled bitterly.
Yet your leader doesn’t even care about such things.
‘Moreover.’
This old monster hunt is the same.
The Heavenly Venerable’s purpose too.
That guy who clearly knew in advance about the Hegemon Venerable’s appearance as well.
Knowing that, he was planning to proceed with the operation, even boldly meeting the Hegemon Venerable.
‘From the beginning…’
Is he going because of loyalty to the Heavenly Demon, even though it’s a fight he can’t win?
‘No way.’
There was no way I had loyalty to the demonic cult. Nevertheless, the reason for deliberately doing such futile things was none other.
My purpose at this time was.
None other than reducing the demonic cult’s forces.
Kwadududuk-!
Around the time dawn was breaking, the training ground was still noisy.
In the air, golden sword qi was moving ceaselessly as if replacing the sun.
And below, a woman with her hair tightly tied was sweating as she moved her body.
Shwiik-!
Unlike the sword moving smoothly, the result shown by the sword tip was sharp.
The sword wind bursting from the sword continued to slice through the air.
Shwik-! Shwik shwik-!
Following the woman’s movements, the sword floating in the air moved simultaneously.
It seemed like the sword control called the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but it was a bit different from that.
Drip.
A sweat drop fell from the woman’s chin after moving for a while. The sword that had been dominating the air soon stabbed into the ground.
Boom-! The ground shattered as the sword stabbed in.
Soon after.
Paaang-!
The sword stabbed into the ground emitted light and exploded.
Due to the impact, the once tidy ground became a mess.
As if leaving traces, qi was still widely scattered in the air.
Only after confirming that did the woman finally release the breath she’d been holding.
“…Haa….”
Just as she was about to roughly wipe the sweat with her sleeve.
Someone approached the woman and handed her a towel.
“You’ve worked hard, Little Sword Venerable.”
At the call, the woman turned her head to look at the man.
“…You’re in the midst of being busy, so why have you come?”
She could have furrowed her brows at the man’s shabby appearance, but the woman’s expression was utterly impassive, without any such thing.
The woman called the man.
“Beggar King.”
At the woman’s call, the Beggar King smiled bitterly.
In his eyes, a painful emotion was clearly contained.
“…There’s something that requires you to step in, miss.”
The guilt in the Beggar King’s voice was clear.
She tried to speak impassively in response, but in the end, she couldn’t.
Asking this fragile woman for sacrifice was still something the Beggar King couldn’t do.
Knowing that, the woman just looked at the Beggar King and nodded without saying anything.
“Let’s go.”
Having spat out the short words, the woman walked past the Beggar King.
Her golden hair fluttered in the wind.
The season was gradually getting colder.
The woman’s eyes were sunk coldly as always.