The Master's Benevolence (8)
BUUUUUNG!
A buzzing sound like the wailing of bees echoed right beside my ear.
It wasn’t a hallucination.
In other words, countless insects had burst forth from the very depths of the Wondrous Castle and were thrashing their wings wildly.
Each one of those insects was at least Four Pillars realm power.
Yet I knew their true terror wasn’t simply their cultivation level.
BUUUUUNG!
They enveloped the surrounding barriers, tore up the ground, crossed through space, and filled the interior of the Wondrous Castle with the puppets they had brought with them.
Little by little, the area itself was turning into a fortress centered on the Wondrous Castle.
And the left hand of the Star Shattering / Void Refinement saint had become trapped right at its heart.
WOONG!
The saint’s left hand wriggled, its coral-like protrusions on the surface shooting blood-colored light in every direction.
Each one was a terrifying curse that shattered the opponent’s mind!
However, the compatibility was not good.
CLANG, CLANG, CLANG…
The puppet that received the spiritual seal from the saint’s left hand twitched for an instant, yet it continued working perfectly as before.
Of course.
The fake souls the puppets possessed were, after all, fake.
Since they lacked the highest-level mentality, they were the worst possible counter to the spiritual-seal technique of the Underworld Judge.
Realizing that his left hand had no effect on the spiritual law arts, the Underworld Judge began to gather dark energy and prepare techniques that combined physical force.
KUGUGUGUGU!
The sky had turned blood-red again, and the world was shaking.
‘Is this madman trying to blow the entire occupied zone to smithereens!?’
This attack was one that even the saint would be exhausted from.
As proof, the eyes sprouting on his left hand had sunk deep into their sockets, oozing solemn will.
But that was a mistake on my part as well.
SCREEEEEEECH…
All three gates of the Wondrous Castle had opened at once.
And from inside, a flood of puppets began pouring out.
Not the labor puppets meant to turn the surroundings into a fortress, but the genuine combat puppets of the One-Gate Dharma Refiner.
KUGUGUGUGU!
‘…He really is insane. Is it the butterfly effect? He produced that many puppets this quickly in this life—far faster than in my previous one….’
I looked at the One-Gate Dharma Refiner with dumbfounded eyes and let out a groan.
‘I really need to stay alert….’
If I was careless for even a moment, I could be captured by the puppets summoned through the strategy of Ijeje and modified right beside the saint’s left hand.
“Ahh… Is this really part of a Star Shattering / Void Refinement saint’s body? I’m so moved. I could sense the Integration stage perfectly, but after that realm… I had no idea how to make puppets that powerful. Yet here they are in front of me….”
A chill ran down my spine.
Even though I had heard the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s voice many times before, seeing the puppets he had brought made my skin crawl even more.
“Integration realm puppets—nine. Four Pillars realm puppets—two hundred and four. Heavenly Person realm puppets… one thousand fifty. Nascent Soul realm puppets… phew, too bothersome to explain. In any case, bring all the Star Shattering / Void Refinement research materials! Hehehe, finally….”
STEP, STEP…
The One-Gate Dharma Refiner, soaring above the Wondrous Castle, swiveled his eyes in different directions and scanned the surroundings.
And his gaze locked precisely onto me.
“Finally! Aaaah! Little one, it’s time to keep your promise. You said in the letter I sent with those puppets that you would keep it, right? Are you ready? Don’t worry—if you’re not, I’ll evolve you even superiorly in this world and make sure you’re properly prepared!”
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!
The One-Gate Dharma Refiner chewed his fingers madly and shouted in all directions.
I broke out in cold sweat and sent a transmission to Hyun-un.
[Commander, evacuate the people…]
In the distance, nine Integration realm puppets led by Her had surrounded the saint’s left hand.
‘The battle between true monsters is about to begin….’
Two hundred and four Four Pillars realm puppets formed a formation beneath the Integration puppets and supported them.
The saint’s left hand felt the eyes swiveling, calculating power.
Hyun-un wasn’t clueless either; he hurriedly led the human army into flight.
Of course, it was nearly impossible to escape outward, so the human army’s escape route was naturally fixed in one place.
Eighth Occupation Zone, underground. The cave containing the Gongryeong-ji.
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
While we fled quickly, the saint’s left hand and the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s legion collided.
Blood-colored light gushed out in all directions, shoving the puppets away.
Even if the backlash from the ritual seals I had placed on them had already happened.
Even if the saint’s left hand was rotting, it began shoving the puppets away with overwhelming force even while surrounded by the Integration puppets.
But whether before or now, the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s tactics were always consistent.
Swarm tactic.
UUUUUUNG!
When over two hundred Four Pillars realm puppets formed a formation and emitted light simultaneously, the burden on the saint’s left hand at the center of the formation became visible to the naked eye.
Then, with Her and eight Integration puppets launching a pincer attack from outside the Four Pillars formation, the saint’s left hand spread a red curtain and fell into a defensive posture.
‘Damn it.’
KUUUUNG!
An enormous shockwave hit, and the already tattered occupation-zone barrier that had blocked the saint’s offensive collapsed completely.
Even while fleeing, the human army was crushed by the shockwave and vomited blood everywhere.
‘The barrier has broken….’
I glanced.
Isn’t that right?
KURUL, KURURULUNG!
Thunder rumbled, and something rose from the center of the barrier.
‘Jeon Myeong-hoon… The seal on that guy has been lifted.’
If that madman started rampaging while all his eyes were wide open, it would be absolute chaos.
‘While I’m in this mess, maybe I should do what I intended to do.’
Since I had summoned the One-Gate Dharma Refiner, the important part was from now on.
From the moment I wrote the letter to him asking him to fight the Demon Realm Integration realm taesu, I had already planned this.
Of course, since the madman One-Gate Dharma Refiner was involved, I had to prepare for many variables, and in reality so many had arisen, but the big picture hadn’t changed.
I climbed onto Oh Hyun-seok’s back and looked up at the sky while fleeing.
The One-Gate Dharma Refiner controlled the Wondrous Castle from above it, and the Wondrous Castle was directing the battlefield under his instructions.
And the presence of ‘General Seo’ could be felt from inside the Wondrous Castle.
‘Good.’
From the way it felt, I could sense that the control of the Wondrous Castle had been taken away and it had been further modified by the One-Gate Dharma Refiner.
I had expected this would happen when I sent General Seo to the One-Gate Dharma Refiner.
That was why I sent him.
‘I spent a thousand years inside the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s Wondrous Castle as General Seo.’
Of course, he knew the command protocols for controlling the puppets, as well as the entire system and every detail inside the Wondrous Castle.
Inserting a command sequence that could shatter the Wondrous Castle’s command system inside General Seo’s circuits wasn’t difficult.
And since the One-Gate Dharma Refiner had taken General Seo without a second thought, the poison I had implanted inside General Seo had already spread throughout the entire Wondrous Castle.
‘Now, the real start begins.’
The original plan was, in the situation where the One-Gate Dharma Refiner fought the Demon Realm Integration realm taesu, to use the commands I had input into General Seo to disrupt the Wondrous Castle’s command system.
And then, using the gap, to activate the Wondrous Castle Connection of Connections based on my understanding of In-yeon’s abilities and the Wondrous Castle.
After that, to become a saint and gain the Wondrous Castle, and then survive together with Kim Yeon—that was the original plan.
But instead, it had become a battle with the Underworld Judge’s Star Shattering / Void Refinement left hand and the One-Gate Dharma Refiner, and Jeon Myeong-hoon had become an additional variable, and In-yeon had his mind sealed by the law arts of the saint’s left hand.
The situation had diverged slightly from what I had initially planned.
But that was fine.
‘From now on, I’ll go to In-yeon, who is hiding, and break his seal.’
Originally, when the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s Wondrous Castle came close, I would have used the madness of the Wondrous Castle to shatter his seal, but now I could do it with my own hands.
There was no need to risk such danger.
‘There, Jeon Myeong-hoon is also mad right now, so he might buy me some time against the One-Gate Dharma Refiner.’
KURUL, KURURULUNG!
By now, Jeon Myeong-hoon had fully regenerated his body and was scattering lightning as he joined the battle between the One-Gate Dharma Refiner and the saint’s left hand.
The One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s mad laughter could be heard.
“Hehehe! What are you now? Oh, I see. You, too, have suffered pain. Ah, yes. The kind of horrific thing that makes you lose many people… your mind is rotten…”
The One-Gate Dharma Refiner wiped tears from his eyes and spoke to the rampaging Jeon Myeong-hoon.
‘Don’t worry, I will accept you into this superior world and evolve you so you no longer suffer.’
[Y-YOU DIE!]
‘I will accept you as the general of the Wondrous Castle. What is your name?’
[I WILL ERASE THIS FILTHY WORLD ENTIRELY!]
‘Hehe, since you use lightning, the Thunder General would suit you. From tomorrow, you will be called the Thunder General.’
[DIE, DIE, DIE!]
‘Ah, I see you too. Today I discovered another soul who has a sad story like us. And tomorrow, I will no longer torment this young man….’
The two were speaking to each other, but surprisingly, while they spoke, I could see a bizarre sight where no conversation at all was being exchanged.
‘…Don’t worry.’
From now on, if my plan succeeds, everyone will find peace.
The Underworld Judge will be erased, and the Wondrous Castle will belong to In-yeon.
And Jeon Myeong-hoon will be sealed again and find peace.
‘Everyone, please wait just a little longer….’
I entered the underground, leaving behind the thunder god and the countless puppets fighting in the sky.
According to the plan, everything would be perfect.
Yes, my plan was perfect.
It had diverged a little from the situation I initially assumed, but the big picture had not changed, and the result would not change either.
Although it was a little unexpected that the One-Gate Dharma Refiner would fight the saint’s left hand instead of the Demon Realm Integration realm taesu, it hadn’t changed the fact that I would distract the One-Gate Dharma Refiner’s attention.
That was why I had thought everything would go well.
In the end, I had thought everyone would be happy.
But the world is not just about results.
“….”
I looked at the scene before me, and the ‘process’ created by the result I had intended twisting midway.
Looking at this enormous tragedy, I slowly climbed down from Oh Hyun-seok’s back.
STUMBLE, STUMBLE…
Everything was dizzy.
Why…
Why had this happened?
No, why hadn’t I expected this to happen?
If I had somehow collected the information that the Underworld Judge’s left hand would use spiritual law arts, maybe I could have prepared…!
CRACK…
Eighth Occupation Zone underground.
The massive common area containing the Gongryeong-ji.
They had brought a weak demon tribe there that would be difficult to use as combat troops in advance.
That was why.
Since they were hiding, they had let their guard down completely.
Even while fighting the saint’s left hand, they had thought they would be safe.
But why had I been so stupid?
RED SEA!
Everywhere was a sea of blood.
The demons I had tried to protect had all been torn apart and scattered.
And even while their bodies were torn, they were still alive and writhing.
“Aaaah… aaaa….”
Even those who were almost dead were still alive.
And even in that state, they were scattering red light and tearing at each other madly.
“A… uh… a….”
That was it.
The spiritual law arts used by the Underworld Judge’s left hand.
It wasn’t only deployed on us fighting at the front line.
It had been used on all the demons who were hiding, and these demons had been affected by the evil the One-Gate Dharma Refiner poured out and killed each other.
Even after being killed, the influence of the law arts had kept them alive long enough to bite each other.
THUD, THUD…
I walked through the sea of blood with a stunned expression.
At that moment, a clear consciousness wave echoed from far away.
‘Are there still… sane ones left?’
I hurriedly ran toward it and could only force out a bitter laugh.
Gyeon Shin, and Su-in and Hong-yeon.
The three demons I had gotten closest to in this eighth occupation zone were embracing each other.
Su-in, the female demon, had her eyes gouged out.
Hong-yeon, the male demon, had his legs cut off.
Above them, Gyeon Shin was barely alive with all his tentacles torn out.
“Th-this….”
I slowly approached them.
Hong-yeon and Gyeon Shin looked at me.
Gyeon Shin spoke in a weak voice.
[…Through the Strange Parasite technique, I tried to block the Underworld Judge’s law arts as much as possible. But with my ability… I could only protect these two from the influence of the law arts he used…]
I grabbed the shoulders of Su-in and Hong-yeon with trembling hands.
“You two….”
It was there.
Gyeon Shin had done everything he could to protect their minds, but that was the end.
The surrounding demons had all gone mad from the law arts of the saint’s left hand, and these three had been swept up in that madness.
At least, thanks to Gyeon Shin protecting them as much as he could, they had maintained their body shapes to some extent.
But that was the end.
“Dan….”
Even among demons, there were things called Dan or Magak.
These Magak, similar to the golden pills of human shamans, were essentially the origin of a demon’s life.
But the two’s Dan had not survived the recent madness and had completely shattered.
The life force of the two men and woman could clearly be seen flowing out.
“Chieftain-nim… Did you come?”
Su-in called to me in a weak voice.
Her beautiful eyes could see nothing anymore.
“Yes, I’m here. I’m right here.”
For the past eighteen years, I had watched these two men and women grow.
Since I had seen them grow, my feelings toward them were like family.
But how could this have happened!?
While I was in despair, Su-in grabbed Hong-yeon’s hand.
Hong-yeon’s lips moved as he held her hand.
His condition looked even more severe than Su-in’s.
It was certain.
These two would not be possessed by the saint’s left hand, but they would die soon.
While I was trembling, Hong-yeon spoke.
“You… blessed us with our engagement, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“One more thing… Can I ask you for one last favor?”
“Speak.”
“Today….”
Su-in smiled faintly and said.
“Before we die… Please allow our marriage.”
“Yes, I want to entrust the blessing of my chief to you.”
I gritted my teeth at their words.
‘Chief-nim, please bless us.’
‘Then… we will be able to go in peace.’
I looked at the two and could not say anything.
I could only clench my hands that trembled.
I forced my mouth open.
Something was flowing from the corners of my eyes.
“…Yes.”
Summoning the White Orchid Blessing Gate, I blessed them.
“From now on, do you swear to love each other?”
“Yes… From now on, I will be In-yeon’s legs.”
“From now on, I will be Su-in’s eyes.”
Su-in and Hong-yeon, the two demons, received my blessing and became connected.
They swore to become each other’s eyes and legs and become one.
And I sincerely.
Sincerely praying for their blessing, I held their hands and said.
“In your next life as well, I hope your love continues.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Really… truly….”
The two friends looked at me and smiled brightly.
“Thank you for your kindness.”
Just like that.
The two demons I had tried to protect died smiling.
[Like this… going?]
“…Go well.”
Gyeon Shin was also twitching his tentacles and his consciousness was gradually weakening.
The guy was next to say goodbye.
[Thank you until now.]
“…Me too.”
I saw off the last moment of the three demons.
No, three friends.
SHLAAAARK!
The White Orchid Blessing Gate spread in all directions and released the minds of the demons still held captive by the One-Gate Dharma Refiner.
They all faced their final moment in blessing.
“…May you all find peace.”
I’m sorry.
All of you, I was weak, foolish, and unable to do anything, so I couldn’t protect you.
Instead…
“The ones who remain.”
The ones still alive.
“I will never let you die.”
Whether it was hypocrisy or not, I didn’t care.
The ones I still had to protect would never die.
I approached Kim Yeon, who had become a complete idiot from the seals and was hiding in a corner, unaffected by the law arts used by the saint’s left hand.
“Yeon-ah, now it’s time to wake up.”
The time had come to end everything.
UUUUUUNG!
I gripped the horse stance and once again recalled the moment I had used the Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace technique.
Danak Sword Art.
25th form.
“Uihye Eunsan!!!”