Chapter 551: What’s Wrong with Risking Your Life?
Chapter 551: What’s Wrong with Risking Your Life?
Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Extermination Squad were locked in a desperate struggle at the final gateway of the Blood Path Labyrinth Formation.
"Watch your left!"
Jin Ha-gun swung his sword, parrying a flurry of flying hidden weapons. From behind, a long spear lunged out with blinding speed, grazing his ear before retracting back into the darkness.
Mechanisms of all kinds surged from every direction, targeting the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad. As time passed, the traps grew faster and more lethal.
"Hurry!" Jin Ha-gun shouted to Jeong-gyeong.
Amidst the chaos, Jeong-gyeong, the squad’s formation expert, was frantically searching for the Gate of Life. This particular gateway required a solution based on the generating and overcoming cycles of the Five Elements.
On the floor were pressure plates inscribed with the characters for the Five Elements. To unlock it, he had to navigate the generating cycle first, followed by the overcoming cycle.
"Wood overcomes Earth, and Earth overcomes Water..."
Jeong-gyeong stepped on the plates in the correct order: Wood, then Earth, then Water.
The problem was that the formation refused to let him move freely.
"Get down!"
At Jin Ha-gun’s command, the Demon Extermination Squad warriors dropped to the floor in unison.
Whir-r-r-r-r-r!
A massive, rotating blade shrieked over their heads at a terrifying speed. It was clear now why this labyrinth was called the "Blood Path."
"Fire overcomes Metal, and Metal overcomes Wood."
If his footwork was even a second late, he would fall into the Gate of Death. If that happened, they would have to risk their lives just to claw their way back out.
This is it!
Jeong-gyeong leaped through the air, reaching for the final plate.
Swoosh!
A blade, timed perfectly for that exact moment, flew toward him. In his excitement at seeing the end, he had been too hasty.
No!
He despaired, realizing it was too late to dodge. Even if his head was lopped off, he prayed his body would at least land on that plate.
Clang!
The rotating blade was deflected just as it grazed him. Jin Ha-gun had rushed in, striking the blade aside with a heavy blow. There was no time for thanks.
Jin Ha-gun charged toward the opposite side to draw fire, and Jeong-gyeong threw himself onto the final plate.
The moment he completed the cycle and stepped on the final Wood plate—
Click.
With a heavy mechanical thud, every trap ground to a halt. One warrior of the Demon Extermination Squad stared at a blade that had stopped mere inches from his eyes. The mechanisms that had filled the room with the screech of grinding metal began to retract into their original positions.
Grind.
A door hidden in the wall slid open. They had finally opened the Gate of Life for the last gateway.
The warriors looked at one another, exchanging weary glances. They had survived more brushes with death than they could count.
"You did well," Jin Ha-gun said, commending Jeong-gyeong.
"No, Captain. If it weren't for you, we would have lost many of our comrades."
The other warriors nodded in solemn agreement. Jin Ha-gun’s performance during this formation had been nothing short of spectacular. It was a moment that made them see him in a completely new light.
"Let’s head out for now."
They had yet to kill the Heavenly Freak, the one who had deployed the formation. Now that the formation was broken, he would surely show himself once they passed through that door.
But as they prepared to enter, the Heavenly Freak’s voice echoed through the chamber.
"To break through to the final gateway without a single casualty... truly impressive."
The voice reverberated from all sides, making it impossible to pinpoint its source.
"The Demon Extermination Squad... you truly are the pride of the Murim Alliance."
Jin Ha-gun felt a surge of unease. Despite them breaking the final gateway, the villain’s voice remained calm and composed.
"However, it would be a shame to let you go just like that. I’ve prepared a parting gift."
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
More than a dozen doors opened all around them. Beyond them lay long corridors, at the ends of which people were bound. Some rooms held a single person, others held several.
"Save us!"
"Please, help me!"
"At least save my child!"
Dozens of blades hung suspended over their heads. The captives trembled in terror, never knowing when the blades might fall.
The Heavenly Freak’s voice rang out again.
"Saving them won't be easy."
Jin Ha-gun could tell. Dangerous mechanical traps were hidden in every single one of those corridors.
Rumble.
In front of the Gate of Life, a device rose from the floor. It was a scale, the same kind they had seen before to indicate a time limit.
"If you do not exit through that Gate of Life within the time limit, you will have to fight through an even stronger Blood Path Labyrinth Formation from the very beginning. Dreadful, isn't it? I doubt everyone will make it back here alive next time."
If the labyrinth became even more powerful, there would be many sacrifices. Even getting this far had been incredibly difficult.
"And everyone you fail to save will die. Now, how many can you save? I wonder who the proud Demon Extermination Squad will choose?"
The implication was clear: everyone else would be left to die. The Heavenly Freak was acting like a true demon.
"You will live the rest of your lives burdened by guilt!"
With the Heavenly Freak’s mocking laughter, the scale began to tip, and time started to slip away. Judging by the speed of the scale, they didn't have much time.
Cries for help erupted from the corridors.
"There are eight people in that room! We should save the largest group first!"
"No! There’s a child in this room! Save this one first!"
The warriors reported the situations in each room, their eyes turning to Jin Ha-gun. It was an agonizing decision. By his command, some would live and others would die. Meanwhile, the scale continued to tilt.
Then, Jin Ha-gun spoke in a low voice.
"There is no need to agonize over who to save."
The warriors looked at him, startled.
Jin Ha-gun strode forward and, with his own hands, slammed shut the Gate of Life—their only way out.
Thud.
Having closed the door, he turned back to his subordinates.
"We save everyone, and then we start this formation over from the beginning!"
"!"
The decision was so unexpected that everyone stood frozen in shock. Jin Ha-gun turned toward the rooms and shouted to the captives.
"We will save all of you! Please, stay calm and wait!"
Sighs of relief echoed from the corridors. Jin Ha-gun turned back to his men.
"Some might call this decision foolish. Some of us might die. Perhaps all of us will. But I believe this choice is what differentiates us from the Demonic Cult or the Unorthodox Faction."
A flicker of regret crossed Jin Ha-gun’s face. He offered a formal fist salute to his subordinates and bowed his head.
"I apologize for not giving you a choice. I shall offer my formal apologies in the afterlife."
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad looked at one another.
Shing!
In perfect unison, they drew their swords and roared.
"Exterminate Demons, Break Evil! The Path of Chivalry!"
From the beginning, they had no intention of defying their leader’s decision. If the Captain of the Demon Extermination Squad told them to die, they would die.
The moment they moved to enter the first room—
Fshhhhh.
Everything around them began to vanish. The open doors, the desperate captives—all of it. They now found themselves in a different plaza. Incense burned everywhere, and the walls and floor were covered in mysterious, indecipherable characters.
In the center sat the Heavenly Freak.
The look in the Heavenly Freak’s eyes as he stared at Jin Ha-gun was one of pure disbelief.
"You actually chose to close the Gate of Life yourself?"
A stream of blood trickled from his mouth. Seeing this, Jin Ha-gun and his men realized the truth. The formation had been broken. By destroying the formation, the Heavenly Freak had suffered a massive internal injury.
Closing the Gate of Life—surprisingly, that very choice was the method to completely dismantle the Blood Path Labyrinth Formation.
The room with the child, the room with the most people—all of those scenarios were traps. They were designed to make them agonize over the choice so they would lose sight of the essence of the formation.
"You stayed in this labyrinth just to save people you don't even know?"
To that doubt-filled question, Jin Ha-gun answered calmly.
"It may be surprising to you, but to us, it is only natural."
The Heavenly Freak didn't believe him. Looking at Jin Ha-gun as if he were a hypocrite, he asked again.
"Captain of the Demon Extermination Squad... were you always this kind of man?"
Jin Ha-gun couldn't answer that. He wasn't sure himself. Had he always been this way? Or had something changed him?
"Someone once told me, 'You will make a wonderful Alliance Leader.' So, I’ve decided to try and become one."
Jin Ha-gun drew his sword. Following his lead, the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad drew their blades and pointed them at the Heavenly Freak.
Whir-r-r.
The sound of wind filled the room, though there was no breeze. Light began to pulse from the eerie patterns and characters on the floor.
Swoosh!
Jin Ha-gun unleashed a wave of sword qi, but it passed right through the man as if he were an illusion.
Then, Hwang-ju, who was skilled in sorcery, shouted.
"You must enter the circle where he sits and strike him directly!"
Indeed, the Heavenly Freak sat in the center of a circle filled with unrecognizable incantations. Just as Jin Ha-gun was about to leap toward him—
Whoosh!
A vicious wave of wicked energy swirled toward him. The Heavenly Freak had gathered his remaining internal energy to unleash his unique evil sorcery.
Heart Demon Black Shadow Art!
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad flinched. Some cursed, while others screamed. Visions appeared to everyone—the people and events they had hidden deepest in their hearts. The things they wanted to hide from the world.
"Recite the oral formula for the Righteous Heart Technique!"
It was the Murim Alliance’s unique mental method for protecting the mind from wicked sorcery. As they recited the technique, the illusions in their minds flickered, vanishing and reappearing in a constant struggle.
As the squad resisted with the Righteous Heart Technique, other patterns and characters around the Heavenly Freak began to glow. This time, they shone in a multitude of colors.
Slither.
Shadows holding swords rose from the floor. Hwang-ju shouted again.
"They are Shadow Ghosts! We must extinguish the candles around the room!"
The warriors clashed with the Shadow Ghosts, their blades ringing out.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The entities might have been illusions, but the swords they held were very real. Even as they fought the Shadow Ghosts, the warriors recited the Righteous Heart Technique and struggled to blow out the candles. The Shadow Ghosts attacked with desperate fury to stop them.
While the battle raged all around, Jin Ha-gun pressed forward toward the Heavenly Freak.
Screech!
A massive amount of wicked energy buffeted him. His skin felt like it was being shredded, and it was hard to even breathe, but Jin Ha-gun silently moved forward, reciting the Righteous Heart Technique. The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad fought desperately to keep the Shadow Ghosts from reaching him.
The closer he got to the Heavenly Freak, the more the illusions shook his heart. The phantom of his grandfather appeared before him.
— I do not consider you my successor! Do you truly think you are worthy of inheriting my position?
His grandfather glared at him with terrifying eyes. The illusion was so vivid that the rejection stung his heart. Jin Ha-gun kept moving, reciting the technique. This time, his younger sister appeared.
— Brother, you’re a hypocrite. All this effort to uphold chivalry is just a means to become the Murim Alliance Leader, isn't it? Why else would your 'chivalry' be so exhausting? It’s because your motives aren't pure.
He knew this was an illusion created by sorcery, yet it hurt.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing steel rang in his ears. He realized that if his men weren't protecting him, he would have succumbed to the illusions and fallen to an attack. Next, the child he had saved in the past appeared.
— Would you still save me even if it meant giving up the position of Alliance Leader?
Immediately, he saw visions of people pointing fingers at him for failing to become the successor.
— How incompetent must he be? His grandfather is the Alliance Leader, yet he couldn't even inherit the position.
And the most painful part of all these illusions was a single thought: Is the desire to become the Murim Alliance Leader all that remains in my heart?
That was why the sorcery was able to burrow into his mind and attack. He was disappointed in himself—disappointed that the desire for power sat at his very core. Like a money grub who sold his soul for gold, or a lecher who sold his soul for lust... had he sold his soul for power?
He knew the illusion wanted him to feel this way. Knowing it didn't make it any less painful. In fact, knowing it made it worse.
Hiss-s-s.
As he drew closer to the Heavenly Freak, the wicked energy reached its peak. He felt dizzy and faint. He wanted to just collapse and give up on everything.
While one part of Jin Ha-gun suffered, another part of his mind roared.
Don't make me laugh! I won't lose to a pathetic spell like this!
He grit his teeth. This Jin Ha-gun kept thinking of one person. He didn't know why it was Geom Mu-geuk, but in this extreme moment, he needed him.
I will overcome this, just as you would.
Then, he heard Geom Mu-geuk’s voice. If he were here, this is what he would say.
— I told you, don't try so hard to be perfect. Just trust yourself as much as you can, and do as much as you're able.
Thinking of Geom Mu-geuk, Jin Ha-gun grit his teeth and took another step forward. Step after step. He moved as if he didn't care if his body was torn apart. Then, in an instant—!
The crushing wicked energy vanished as if it had never existed. The dark thoughts plaguing his mind disappeared with it.
Before him, the Heavenly Freak was coughing up mouthfuls of blood. His internal injuries were too deep; he was beyond saving. Jin Ha-gun had overcome the Heart Demon Black Shadow Art through sheer force of will.
The Heavenly Freak looked up at him with venomous eyes.
"You've staked your life on becoming the Alliance Leader, haven't you? Your chivalry is nothing more than a tool to get there."
Jin Ha-gun said nothing to the malice of a man trying to leave a scar even in his final moments.
Swoosh!
Stab!
Jin Ha-gun’s sword pierced the Heavenly Freak’s heart. Without withdrawing his blade, Jin Ha-gun spoke to his subordinates without looking back.
"What he said might be true."
He honestly confessed to his men the words he hadn't said to the villain. A brief silence followed. Then, someone spoke from behind.
"What’s wrong with risking your life for it?"
Jin Ha-gun turned his head. It was Jeong-gyeong. He thought the man was saying it because Jin Ha-gun had saved him several times while breaking the formation. But then Hwang-ju chimed in.
"I would actually prefer it if you did. I’d rather that desire came before chivalry or kindness."
Was it because of what he had shown them during the formation? Even after hearing that he wanted the position of Alliance Leader more than chivalry, the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad showed no sign of wavering. One of them even said:
"I don't think ambition is a bad thing. I want to achieve great things with someone like you."
Perhaps because it was their first real chance to speak, even the usually silent, stoic warriors added their own words.
"You've done so well up until now. How much better could you possibly be?"
"I think anything more than this would be greed."
"If you're too perfect, it makes things hard for us."
Jin Ha-gun had never imagined his subordinates would say such things. He hadn't known they felt this way. Come to think of it, they had never had a heart-to-heart talk, even though they had faced death together many times.
After staring at his men in silence for a moment, Jin Ha-gun turned back to the Heavenly Freak. The man’s wide-open eyes had lost all spark of life.
"Fine. I’ve staked my life on becoming the Alliance Leader."
Jin Ha-gun pulled his sword from the Heavenly Freak’s heart.
Spurt!
He didn't bother to dodge the spray of blood. As the dead Heavenly Freak slowly slumped over, their surroundings began to shift.
Thud.
The place where the Heavenly Freak fell was the courtyard of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion. And so, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Extermination Squad returned.