Chapter 246: Now, Come Out of That Narrow, Suffocating Place.
Chapter 246: Now, Come Out of That Narrow, Suffocating Place.
“I want to play a little longer.”
At Geom Mu-geuk’s words, Demon Buddha nodded.
“Then let us play.”
Demon Buddha was pinning all his hopes on changing Geom Mu-geuk’s mind.
“But let’s get out of here first. I have no desire to wander around a place swarming with poisonous insects without the Poison King present.”
“As you wish.”
Geom Mu-geuk and Demon Buddha turned back the way they had come.
With the Poison King gone, Demon Buddha’s expression looked considerably more relaxed. It seemed even he had found the Poison King’s presence unsettling.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming all this way to find me.”
“I got the impression you’ve been struggling lately.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve gone for a swim or a walk. I feel much better. How about you, Lord Demon Buddha?”
“I enjoyed it as well.”
In truth, Demon Buddha’s mood wasn’t actually that good. His heart felt more hurried now that even the Poison King had declared his support for Geom Mu-geuk. Only one method remained: changing the mind of the man himself.
“They say it takes one to know one when it comes to having fun, and I intended to have a grand time with you today, but even that isn't easy,” Mu-geuk remarked candidly.
Demon Buddha matched his honesty. “Since you’re young, you feel like you have to do something for it to feel like play. But when you get older, resting is playing.”
Demon Buddha paused and looked up at the sky.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve rested like this.”
The fact that Demon Buddha lived in constant tension was evident even in this brief moment. He looked like a man who had surfaced from the deep sea just to take a single breath. When he was spitting vitriol beside Mu-geuk's older brother, he had seemed like nothing more than a wicked Demon Lord, but now…
“Lord Blade Demon always tells me: if it’s hard, take a rest before moving on.”
Demon Buddha looked at Geom Mu-geuk and asked, “Do I look like I’m struggling?”
An unexpected answer followed.
“Whenever I look at you, I think that you must have lived more earnestly than anyone else.”
It wasn't some Flattery Divine Art; it was the simple truth.
“You’ve worked hard until now.”
Demon Buddha would likely dismiss it as mere flattery, but this was exactly what Geom Mu-geuk had been striving to protect lately: the habit of saying what needs to be said without delay.
Demon Buddha, too, likely wanted someone to truly recognize his hardships, so Mu-geuk expressed it for him.
You’ve been through a lot, Demon Buddha.
Demon Buddha felt it. He saw that the sentiment in Geom Mu-geuk’s eyes was sincere. He tried his best to mask his emotions, but a flicker of passion crossed his gaze.
Damn it!
How could someone so young look at another person with such depth?
Demon Buddha moved first, and Geom Mu-geuk followed quietly behind him. The two walked in silence for a long time before stopping at a spot with a beautiful view.
“Let’s rest here for a bit.”
“Let’s do that.”
Geom Mu-geuk dipped his feet into the clear, flowing stream.
“It’s so cool and refreshing. You should dip your feet in too, Lord Demon Buddha.”
“Are you not afraid?”
“Of what?”
“They say the Thousand Poison Forest is full of all sorts of venomous creatures. How do you know what might be lurking in that stream?”
“I heard from the Poison King before. He said there are no venomous creatures in flowing water. Come on, join me.”
“I’m fine.”
“When was the last time you dipped your feet in a stream?”
Demon Buddha couldn't even remember. Aside from when he was very young, when had he ever done such a thing? Had he ever?
“It’s my wish! Just once, let’s do it together.”
“Is that all you have to wish for?”
“I want to brag about it later. I’ll say, ‘Back in my day, I dipped my feet in a stream with Lord Demon Buddha, went for walks, and even bet on finding poisonous herbs. We did it all.’”
Demon Buddha laughed, looking incredulous.
“These feet have spent enough time splashing in places where blood flows; they deserve this kind of luxury once in a while.”
As Geom Mu-geuk pulled at him, Demon Buddha gave in. He took off his shoes and dipped his feet. They were small, pale feet.
“I’m doing all sorts of strange things in this life.”
The Poison King said the same thing. He called it the strangest of strange events.
“It’s cool and nice, isn't it?”
Demon Buddha stared intently at Geom Mu-geuk.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because at times like this, you don’t seem like a young man.”
“It’s because I grew up constantly walking on eggshells around my father. You know what he’s like.”
“He is not an easy man.”
Father was indeed a universal remedy. Whenever something was hard to explain, blaming it on his father usually led to instant understanding.
“Lord Demon Buddha, when was the happiest moment of your life?”
At Mu-geuk’s question, Demon Buddha fell into thought.
When was it?
The past years flowed through his mind like the stream his feet were currently in. But happy memories didn't readily surface. Surely there must have been some.
Instead of answering, Demon Buddha asked back, “What about you?”
“I’ve had several recently. As you know, I’ve been running around quite a bit. If I had to pick just one, it was when I went hunting with my father.”
There were many other joyful moments, of course, but he didn't mention his dealings with the other Demon Lords to Demon Buddha.
“What did the Cult Leader say when you went hunting?”
“He mocks me every time I open my mouth. You know how he is.”
Geom Mu-geuk mimicked his father’s mocking expression. Demon Buddha nodded.
“That’s quite accurate.”
“I’ve been subjected to it so much that I’m good at the impression now.”
Since Demon Buddha still couldn't recall a happy moment of his own, Geom Mu-geuk thought of other joys.
“It was also fun when I left the Cult and pretended to be someone else. Oh, and there’s my right-hand man, Investigator Seo. It’s fun to tease him. You know the type? Someone who takes all the teasing. He doesn't take it because he’s a fool, but because he has a big heart. Oh, and there’s more. I have a subordinate named Lee An, the most beautiful woman in the Central Plains. She’s pretty, smart, and has a kind heart. Just thinking about her makes me happy. And… I also enjoy being alone in the quiet.”
Even as he spoke, Demon Buddha couldn't think of anything.
“What about you?”
“I’ll pass.”
“No matter how happy you were, if you don’t remember it, it’s as if it never happened. Isn't that a waste? Just think of one thing, even if it’s trivial.”
Geom Mu-geuk was persistent.
“If I were you, I’d give any answer just to stop the pestering.”
It was then that Demon Buddha spoke abruptly.
“A cave.”
Demon Buddha recalled his childhood from a very long time ago.
“There was a mountain behind my house that I used to climb often when I was little. There was a small cave there. I felt good when I was inside it.”
Demon Buddha’s gaze deepened.
Small since childhood, he had been different from the other children. He could endure the teasing and exclusion from his peers, but the fact that even his parents and siblings treated him as if he were abnormal had left a deep scar on his heart.
The day he first discovered the cave was the day he was first beaten by his younger brother. Because his frame was so small, he was no match for the strength of a brother several years younger. What made him angrier and more resentful than the beating itself was that his older brothers, who were watching, didn't stop it.
He had wandered the mountain alone, crying.
That was when he found the cave. He could enter because of his small stature. The entrance was so narrow that even other children struggled to fit, but he could slip inside. Once through the narrow opening, there was a small space where the young Demon Buddha could sit. And there was a crack through which he could see the outside.
Being there made him feel at peace. Safe.
From that day on, it became his sanctuary.
“I have a memory of feeling good while in that cave.”
Geom Mu-geuk felt a pang of pity. He had asked for a happy moment, and the man had to go all the way back to his childhood?
“Could you describe that cave and the surrounding scenery in detail?”
“Why?”
“Just because.”
As Demon Buddha gave a rough description, Geom Mu-geuk asked question after question until he had every detail. Only after he had enough information to paint a picture did he stop.
“Why on earth did you ask all that?”
“Don’t be startled.”
Snap!
The moment Geom Mu-geuk flicked his fingers, the world shifted. Suddenly, the two of them were standing in front of a cave.
Demon Buddha was stunned. It was the cave from his childhood. The sanctuary where he had crawled to hide from the world.
“Is this an illusion?”
Demon Buddha’s voice trembled. He knew Geom Mu-geuk’s martial arts were exceptional, but he hadn't known he could cast illusions of this caliber.
“It is a technique called the Space-Time Displacement Technique,” Geom Mu-geuk answered honestly.
Demon Buddha asked in a shaking voice, “Is that the martial art of the Pungcheon Cult Leader?”
“It is.”
“Ah!”
Having once been the closest person to the Pungcheon Cult Leader, he knew of the technique.
“He passed this on to you?”
“Yes. Aside from the Pungcheon Cult Leader, only one other Demon Lord knows I’ve learned illusions. Even my father doesn't know this secret.”
Demon Buddha was shocked.
“Why are you telling me such a secret?”
“Because I had to tell you in order to bring you to this cave.”
At that, Demon Buddha pulled his feet out of the stream and stood up abruptly.
“Second Young Master!”
He was truly angry.
“This is exactly what I worry about! This emotional side of yours! This impulsive sentiment that leads you to reveal such a secret to me, your enemy!”
Geom Mu-geuk, still staring at the stream, spoke calmly.
“Why are you an enemy?”
“...!”
“You will become my Demon Lord. Just like the others.”
Mu-geuk’s gaze slowly turned toward Demon Buddha. Their eyes met in mid-air. Since Mu-geuk was sitting and Demon Buddha was standing, their eyes were at nearly the same level.
Thus, Demon Buddha could see clearly. Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze was more resolute and intense than ever before. The playful Geom Mu-geuk was gone; in his place stood the man who intended to become the next Heavenly Demon.
“Please, become my Demon Lord.”
The moment he heard those words, Demon Buddha’s chest tightened. Overwhelming emotion and the urge to deny those words tangled within him.
Geom Mu-geuk continued calmly.
“It’s true. There are Demon Lords I like more. Those I follow like parents or masters, and those I consider brothers or friends. Just a moment ago, the Poison King was someone I was happy to bark alongside like a dog.”
“Yes, so why? Even if I am not your enemy, as you say, I would be at the very end of the line of Demon Lords you cherish. Why reveal your secret to me?”
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze returned to their feet submerged in the stream.
Splash, splash.
Mu-geuk, moving his feet as if playing in the water, spoke softly.
“To be honest, I don’t know either. I don’t know if I should grandly tell you, ‘This is my winning move!’ or if it’s just an impulsive emotion as you said, or perhaps it’s respect for your loyalty toward my brother.”
Mu-geuk stopped splashing.
“Or maybe it’s just that cheap sentimentality my father says is perfect for getting oneself killed. I’m not sure myself.”
Demon Buddha said quietly, “One day, you will make a grave mistake because of such emotions.”
“Then, at that time, you must stop me.”
“...!”
“I am working hard to reach that kind of relationship with you. When I said I cleaned the Poison King’s dwelling, did you tell me to choose my tasks more carefully? No. Even after I become the Heavenly Demon, I will clean the Demon Lords’ rooms if necessary. That is the kind of Heavenly Demon I will be. Stay by the side of such an emotional Heavenly Demon and stop him. Tell me, ‘You can’t do that, you emotional fool of a Heavenly Demon!’”
After a brief silence, Demon Buddha refused.
“I decline.”
He was still the man whose single-minded loyalty belonged to the First Young Master.
The two were silent for a while. Then, Demon Buddha spoke up.
“Enlarge the cave entrance. I want to go inside. Oh, and there was a small crack in front of the cave where I could see the village below.”
Geom Mu-geuk altered the cave exactly as Demon Buddha described. Demon Buddha crawled inside.
“Do you like it?”
“Not really. It’s narrow and suffocating. It’s hard to breathe.”
What was so good about this stifling cave that he had come here every day?
He looked out at the village from within. Geom Mu-geuk had created it with such meticulous detail that smoke was even rising from distant chimneys where meals were being prepared.
He used to stay like this before leaving the cave and looking down at the path leading up to this spot from where Mu-geuk was now standing. He had held onto a sliver of hope that maybe his mother or brothers would come looking for him to tell him it was time to eat. Of course, that hope had never once been fulfilled.
Then one day, instead of going down the mountain, he had descended in the opposite direction and left his hometown. He had never returned since.
Demon Buddha looked at Geom Mu-geuk through the narrow crack. Mu-geuk was sitting with his back turned, looking down at the village.
“If you think about it, you must have had many happy moments. Can this old memory really be the best? What about when you first learned martial arts, or the day you became a Demon Lord? There must have been a day when someone truly recognized you. There were likely many happier days that you simply don’t remember right now. How was today? Was it not enjoyable?”
A golden radiance erupted from the narrow crack of the cave.
“Who on earth are you?”
Still with his back turned, Geom Mu-geuk spoke.
“I am the man who will become your Heavenly Demon. So, please, come out of that narrow, suffocating place now.”
One might have expected a reply starting with, “Oh, you Second Young Master!” but Demon Buddha emerged from the cave in silence. Then, he sat down side-by-side with Geom Mu-geuk.
The two looked down at the distant village for a while. Then, looking up at the sky, they saw a single bird flying.
“It’s that bird from back then. You rascal, I’m not envious of you at all anymore!”
At Mu-geuk’s shout, Demon Buddha thought to himself: I really need to find a word other than ‘madman’ to describe him.
Geom Mu-geuk sprawled out on his back.
“I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
Large cumulus clouds were drifting across the blue sky.
“Look at those clouds. I made them, but aren't they spectacular? Ah, this is nice.”
He had looked up at the sky with Demon Buddha several times recently, but this moment felt the most relaxed. He felt the tension that always seemed taut within Demon Buddha finally beginning to slacken.
Yes, this is enough. This looseness is enough.
Geom Mu-geuk wasn't doing this just to become the successor. He cherished Demon Buddha because he was someone who would become his Demon Lord. He only hoped his feelings would reach the man.
It was then that Demon Buddha also slowly lay back. He propped his head on his arms and looked up at the sky. Then, he closed his eyes.
He recalled the moments he had lain here as a child, looking up at the sky. The sensation of the grass tickling his back, the sound of the birds, the rush of the stream. The ants tickling his feet. Those memories merged with his current senses and came back vividly.
Watching a faint smile touch the corners of Demon Buddha’s mouth, Geom Mu-geuk also closed his eyes with a peaceful heart.
A cool breeze blew, and sleep began to drift in.