Chapter 81
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Blood Hand Demonic Lord (1)
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“Is that him?”
“…It is.”
The Mad Demon's gaze was fixed on the middle-aged man fighting the White Tiger Brigade.
‘This is the first time I've seen him look like this.’
A fighting spirit emanated from the Mad Demon's body as he watched the man.
It was so powerful that Jinmyeong felt a chill despite standing beside him.
‘So that's the former Vice Cult Leader?’
As if sensing the Mad Demon's stare, the man fighting the White Tiger Brigade whipped his head around.
Despite fighting Song Yeonghyeon, the disciple of the Righteous Alliance Leader, and nearly a hundred members of the White Tiger Brigade, he looked remarkably at ease.
‘He looks quite young.’
The deeper one's internal energy, the more they could stave off aging and maintain their youth—that was a rule in this novel.
It wasn't just about preserving youth; in some cases, it even extended one's lifespan.
The Mad Demon and the Heavenly Demon both looked to be just over thirty, and the former Vice Cult Leader, who was older than both, appeared to be around the same age.
It was a testament to how profound his internal energy was.
‘As I thought, he wasn't acting alone.’
Jinmyeong frowned at the sight of figures in dark blue martial arts uniforms who had appeared out of nowhere.
They joined the former Vice Cult Leader in fighting the White Tiger Brigade.
Even though they were an elite unit led by the Righteous Alliance Leader's disciple, they began to be pushed back by the men in blue uniforms.
‘I was hoping it wasn't them.’
In this novel, those who wore dark blue uniforms were rare.
‘The masterminds of this novel.’
He still couldn't recall their official name, but their signature color was that very dark blue.
Moreover, a Qilin, a mythical beast, was embroidered in pure white thread on the dark blue uniforms, which confirmed their identity for Jinmyeong.
‘So he was able to hide himself by joining that organization.’
As Jinmyeong quietly assessed the situation.
“Do you know those bastards?”
“Pardon?”
“The look in your eyes as you watch them seems unusual.”
While seemingly keeping his eyes fixed on the former Vice Cult Leader, the Mad Demon was also observing Jinmyeong's reaction.
“I don't.”
“……”
Even if he knew, he couldn't say.
No one would believe him if he revealed their identity now, but explaining *how* he knew about them would be even harder.
Claiming to have met them before would be difficult, and no one would believe him if he said he knew because he'd read about them in a novel.
“How about it?”
“Pardon?”
“Will you take on the Blood Hand Demonic Lord?”
The Mad Demon was telling Jinmyeong to fight the former Vice Cult Leader, the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
‘Is it okay to refuse?’
He would be strong.
It wasn't for nothing that the Mad Demon had come here to face the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
‘A master on the Mad Demon's level.’
It would be difficult to win.
No matter how much his skills had improved, he hadn't yet reached the same realm as absolute powerhouses like the Three Revered and Ten Kings.
‘And here I was, thinking I'd finally caught up to the Violet Mist Sword.’
He thought he had just reached the level of Mae Jinpung, the Violet Mist Sword and leader of the Mount Hua Sect, but now he had to fight someone even stronger.
“I'll do it.”
But his hesitation was brief.
Jinmyeong nodded, accepting the Mad Demon's proposal.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“It's too dangerous.”
It was Maeng Yo and Shin Yehyang who tried to stop him.
The two of them hadn't expected Jinmyeong to accept the offer.
And for good reason—they could sense the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's power even from a distance.
“You two go with him.”
The Mad Demon didn't think Jinmyeong could handle the Blood Hand Demonic Lord alone either.
But it seemed he believed there was a chance if Shin Yehyang and Maeng Yo joined in.
“I'll keep the rest of them from getting close.”
At the Mad Demon's words, Jinmyeong nodded and looked toward the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
He planned to watch the situation and decide when to attack.
‘This is dangerous.’
Just then, Jinmyeong saw Song Yeonghyeon being pushed back by the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
“Ugh!”
Song Yeonghyeon finally succumbed to the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's attack.
Struck in the chest, he was sent flying back a good distance before he began to vomit blood.
‘Was this where he died?’
Even as Song Yeonghyeon was being attacked, the White Tiger Brigade was blocked by the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's subordinates, unable to help their leader.
And as the Blood Hand Demonic Lord walked toward Song Yeonghyeon, no one in Jinmyeong's group moved.
At this rate, Song Yeonghyeon would be killed by the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
‘What should I do?’
If he intervened now, he could save Song Yeonghyeon.
But in the original story, he was supposed to be killed here by the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
‘Will his survival have a positive effect?’
The reason Gang Muhwi had been able to secure a key position in the Righteous Alliance, despite interference from the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans, was thanks to the Alliance Leader.
The Alliance Leader had recognized Gang Muhwi's talent and, taking a liking to his martial prowess and character, had supported him.
By succeeding in many missions, Gang Muhwi forced even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans to acknowledge him.
‘But that was because the Alliance Leader had no disciple.’
With Song Yeonghyeon dead, the Alliance Leader must have seen his deceased disciple in Gang Muhwi.
‘In the end, it's better for Gang Muhwi if this man dies here.’
If Song Yeonghyeon didn't die, the Alliance Leader might not pay as much attention to Gang Muhwi.
Song Yeonghyeon might take on the missions meant for Gang Muhwi, which could prevent Gang Muhwi from obtaining his fortuitous encounters.
“…Do what you want to do.”
Shin Yehyang's voice reached Jinmyeong's ears as he deliberated.
“I don't know what you're hesitating about, but do what you want, Young Master Jin.”
At her words, Jinmyeong nodded.
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord, who had reached Song Yeonghyeon, raised a hand stained red with blood.
*Clang!*
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord's hand, which looked ready to crush Song Yeonghyeon's head, was blocked by a sword that suddenly flew in.
“Are you moving to save one of the righteous bastards?”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord glared at Jinmyeong, the one who had thrown the sword, his face contorted like a demon's.
He seemed more enraged by the fact that a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had moved to save a warrior from the Righteous Alliance than by his attack being blocked.
“That wasn't my intention, but it seems that's how it turned out.”
“It seems the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has become the Righteous Alliance's dog in my absence.”
“You're not even listening.”
Jinmyeong watched the Blood Hand Demonic Lord, who only said what he wanted to say, and moved his sword toward him again.
‘I just want to see the protagonist suffer a little.’
He was curious how the Alliance Leader would treat Gang Muhwi with his disciple still alive.
‘I really don't like the protagonist.’
When he read the novel, he just thought the character was a bit frustrating.
He had too much of a righteous faction personality.
He couldn't stand injustice and cherished life as if he were a Shaolin monk.
He hated killing even his enemies, which sometimes caused problems.
‘It's gotten to the point where I feel his personality in the novel was better.’
Since he disliked Gang Muhwi so much, he found himself hoping the man wouldn't have such a smooth ride as he did in the novel.
‘When I think about it, the protagonist doesn't necessarily have to be the one to kill the final boss.’
Back then, there was no Heavenly Demon, nor was there a Mad Demon.
Furthermore, the Righteous Alliance Leader and the Leader of the Heretical Alliance were not in their prime due to the years-long war between the righteous and demonic factions.
With the Three Revered missing from the Three Revered and Ten Kings, it was only natural that they had to bet everything on the protagonist.
But if all Three Revered were alive, there was no need to entrust everything to the protagonist.
‘Those two don't mesh well.’
Jinmyeong sighed as he watched Maeng Yo and Shin Yehyang confronting the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
Since both of them used large weapons and their attacks had wide motions, they frequently got in each other's way.
‘I'll have to help them.’
In the end, Jinmyeong had no choice but to move his sword from behind, watching to ensure the two didn't collide.
“Hmph!”
Maeng Yo frowned as a sword suddenly zipped past him.
If he hadn't stopped moving, his arm would have been pierced by Jinmyeong's sword.
*Clang!*
Thanks to that, however, Shin Yehyang was able to swing her saber at the Blood Hand Demonic Lord without colliding with Maeng Yo.
“…That bastard's daughter.”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord's face twisted as he watched Shin Yehyang's martial arts.
Even after blocking just one attack, he recognized her saber arts as the Mad Demon's Gale Saber Arts.
“It seems I must kill you, wench.”
She was the daughter of the Mad Demon, one of the people who had caused him to leave the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
He had lost everything, so shouldn't the Mad Demon lose everything as well?
*Clang!*
When the Blood Hand Demonic Lord pushed her saber away, Shin Yehyang, unable to withstand the force, was knocked back.
*Whoosh!*
Seizing the opportunity, Maeng Yo approached the Blood Hand Demonic Lord from behind and swung his axe.
“Don't interfere. I'll deal with you in a moment.”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord kicked Maeng Yo in the stomach.
“Gah!”
As soon as Maeng Yo staggered back, the Blood Hand Demonic Lord immediately turned to find Shin Yehyang.
*Clang!*
“……”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord frowned as he swatted away the sword that had appeared before his eyes.
‘I felt it before, but…’
Jinmyeong's sword, wreathed in white flames, was certainly powerful.
And tricky. The way it skillfully interfered with his attacks was incredibly annoying.
‘But I just need to dodge it…’
At the moment, the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's attention was focused solely on Shin Yehyang.
He casually knocked Jinmyeong's sword away and immediately rushed toward Shin Yehyang.
She swung her saber at him again, but the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's hand was faster.
“Ugh!”
After striking Shin Yehyang's arm to stop her swing, the Blood Hand Demonic Lord reached for her face again.
*Clang!*
But once again, his attack was blocked by the flying sword.
“…You're a nuisance.”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord frowned at Jinmyeong, who was interfering yet again.
“A nuisance? We haven't even started.”
Jinmyeong grinned at the Blood Hand Demonic Lord and pointed his index finger.
*Thwack!*
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord blocked the sudden projectile of energy.
“I was going to kill that girl first, but…”
It seemed he would have to kill Jinmyeong first.
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord lunged straight at Jinmyeong.
“This isn't good.”
Not expecting him to charge directly at him, Jinmyeong gave a bitter smile and moved his sword.
“Controlling multiple swords. Truly fascinating.”
The Blood Hand Demonic Lord immediately threw a punch at Jinmyeong.
*CRASH!*
Jinmyeong blocked the attack with his sword, but the tremendous impact sent his body staggering.
“Tch!”
Jinmyeong clicked his tongue and tried to retreat again to put some distance between himself and the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
But the Blood Hand Demonic Lord stuck close, as if refusing to let him go, and threw another punch.
However, Maeng Yo appeared between them and blocked the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's attack.
“Tsk! Interfering again.”
Annoyed by the repeated interruptions, the Blood Hand Demonic Lord clicked his tongue.
“Heh heh. This isn't easy.”
Just from blocking a few of the Blood Hand Demonic Lord's attacks, Maeng Yo's face had turned pale.
Though he enjoyed fighting the strong, he felt he no longer wanted to fight the Blood Hand Demonic Lord.
“Is he really not going to step in?”
Maeng Yo looked at the Mad Demon with a resentful gaze.