Chapter 661: The Reason for Siding with the Young Cult Leader
Chapter 661: The Reason for Siding with the Young Cult Leader
“Master!”
At the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord’s cry, Jin Ha-gun and the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad finally realized the truth.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader had arrived. The man standing tall at the prow of that massive ship was indeed the Pungcheon Cult Leader himself.
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord had mentioned she was late because she was meeting someone important; it was now clear that person was her master.
“Even the Pungcheon Cult Leader has come?”
In response to Jin Ha-gun’s surprised question, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord replied, “Captain Jin, you have no idea how much the Young Cult Leader concerned himself with this.”
Jin Ha-gun thought of Geom Mu-geuk. Whenever he pictured the man, the first thing that came to mind was his smiling face. Though he always seemed intent on teasing Jin Ha-gun with pointless jokes, he never missed a single detail. He was the kind of man who could ensure such a massive ship arrived at the exact moment of crisis.
The Young Cult Leader had concerned himself with this more than he knew?
“No, I think I have an idea.”
Though he phrased it as a guess, his voice was filled with certainty.
Just then, the suin poking their heads above the water let out bizarre shrieks of excitement at the sight of the ship. To be precise, they were shrieking at the Pungcheon Cult Leader standing at the bow.
Having seen them up close, Jin Ha-gun could feel it. That excitement and rage were born of pure terror. Even the suin created through the Soul-Seizing Technique could sense the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s overwhelming presence.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader slowly uncrossed his arms and reached forward. Something began to manifest in his hand.
A fishing rod shimmering with red energy extended outward with a sharp shuck.
“Well then, shall I show off my skills for the first time in a while?”
Swoooooosh!
A fishing line of red energy streaked out.
The suin in the line’s path were caught one after another and yanked into the air. As their bodies flew up like dolls, a red glow enveloped them.
Pop! Plop! P-p-pop!
In midair, the suin vanished, turning into harmless water droplets with cute popping sounds.
Swooooosh!
The red fishing line cut through the air once more.
This time, even more suin were flung into the sky, bursting into droplets. The suin that vanished after being "caught" by the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s fishing did not reform as they had before.
To the onlookers, it looked like child’s play, but the suin on the receiving end screamed in terror and dove beneath the surface to hide.
“You rascals, where do you think you’re going!”
This time, the Pungcheon Cult Leader swept both hands through the air. Instead of a fishing rod, a massive net appeared in his grasp. The net, surging with red energy, unfurled toward the sea.
Sh-sh-sh-sh-shhh!
A whole haul of suin was caught in the net and hoisted upward. The net seemed to suck them in as they tried to flee, trapping them all.
“It’s a full catch!”
Pop! Pop! P-pop! Pop-pop-pop!
Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Extermination Squad warriors truly hadn't imagined this. To think those terrifying suin would vanish so easily. In fact, the water droplets catching the light and bursting into grains in every direction were almost beautiful.
Once the suin had all vanished, the Pungcheon Cult Leader looked down at Jin Ha-gun from the ship and asked jovially, “How was it? Did I look cool?”
In truth, Jin Ha-gun didn't know the Pungcheon Cult Leader well. However, having heard enough about his personality from Geom Mu-geuk, he replied with a smile.
“You looked magnificent.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader crossed his arms again, looking as gallant as a sea captain.
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord was the first to leap toward the ship.
“Come, everyone, get on board.”
Following her lead, Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Extermination Squad warriors all leaped onto the ship. Because the vessel sat so high in the water, the warriors with weaker Lightness Skills couldn't make it in one go and had to kick off the hull midway to reach the deck.
Jin Ha-gun leaped up while carrying the hostage, Gwak Ju. Throughout this terrifying battle, Gwak Ju had been deeply moved by the way Jin Ha-gun looked after him. Despite carrying another person, Jin Ha-gun was the first to land on the deck.
Once they were down, Gwak Ju belatedly expressed his gratitude. He hadn't had a chance to properly thank him while the fighting was raging, but he felt he had to do it now.
“Thank you, truly.”
Jin Ha-gun replied quietly.
“Save your thanks for your sister. She is the one who sent us here.”
A look of deep emotion crossed Gwak Ju’s face. He didn't need to be told to know how much his sister must have struggled for his sake.
“Please, you must save me. I have to see my sister.”
He knew he had been kidnapped because of his sister, the master blacksmith of the iron workshop. He didn't resent her; instead, he worried about how much she must have suffered and blamed herself because of him. That was why, when they finally met, he intended to say this before even saying thank you:
I’m okay. I’m perfectly fine.
Jin Ha-gun told him, “We will make sure to take you home.”
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad landed all around Jin Ha-gun. Once all his subordinates were on board, Jin Ha-gun walked toward the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“Cult Leader, thank you truly for saving us.”
Jin Ha-gun gave a respectful fist salute, and the Demon Extermination Squad warriors followed suit in unison. Gwak Ju and the Grandmaster, Hwa Song, also bowed their heads. They had truly met the Pungcheon Cult Leader at the very threshold of hell.
“What is that Young Cult Leader doing, leaving his friend in such a bind without even showing his face?”
As expected, the Pungcheon Cult Leader started badmouthing Geom Mu-geuk the moment they met.
“Then again, he was always such a selfish and cold-hearted man. He makes people suffer through all sorts of hardships and never bothers to visit.”
“He is likely facing a difficult situation himself,” Jin Ha-gun offered.
When Jin Ha-gun took his friend’s side, the Pungcheon Cult Leader shook his head firmly.
“No way! Whoever is dealing with the Young Cult Leader is the one in a difficult situation.”
As he spoke, the Pungcheon Cult Leader habitually glanced behind him. Usually, whenever he badmouthed the Young Cult Leader, the man would appear behind him to retort, but he was absent today. A fleeting look of disappointment crossed the Cult Leader's eyes.
Pushing the disappointment aside, the Pungcheon Cult Leader stepped beside Jin Ha-gun and asked slyly, “So, what did the Young Cult Leader take from you? Treasured swords, precious jewels, that sort of thing? Come on, think of me as an older brother and tell me everything.”
Jin Ha-gun was flustered; he hadn't expected such a question in this dire situation. Cult Leader, do you not see the waves surging over there?
“No, he hasn't taken anything.”
“Right, I was embarrassed and kept it hidden at first, too. Eventually, we’ll end up sharing everything.”
Jin Ha-gun realized the Pungcheon Cult Leader was a far more free-spirited person than he had heard. Was it because he was this kind of person that he became friends with Geom Mu-geuk? Or had he changed like this because of him?
After greeting Jin Ha-gun, the Pungcheon Cult Leader turned his gaze toward his disciple. The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord bowed her head, looking ashamed.
“I am sorry. I should have ended this with my own hands.”
“No. You fought well enough.”
It seemed the Pungcheon Cult Leader had watched her entire fight. He looked at the massive approaching wave and reached his hand into the air.
Flash!
A blue energy bloomed from the air, as if caught by his fingertips.
“The Blood Heaven Soul-Strengthening Art deployed here is too powerful. I’ve never seen a Soul-Strengthening Art this strong. It must have been prepared over a very long time.”
Jin Ha-gun nodded and said softly, “Your observation is correct. This conspiracy has been in the works for decades.”
The person most pained by those words was Grandmaster Hwa Song. He had spent all those years with Jin Hyu as a colleague and a friend. Jin Hyu had deceived him for that entire time.
Meanwhile, the wave drew near. Jin Hyu, standing atop the crest, was staring at the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord. The wave approached slower than its natural speed; he was clearly observing the newly arrived Pungcheon Cult Leader as he rode the water.
The surging wave stopped. It hung high in the air like a painting, and Jin Hyu raised the water even higher to meet the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s eye level. He recognized his opponent.
“That crazy bitch even called her master.”
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord felt a pang of guilt, feeling as though she had caused her master to be insulted.
“I am sorry.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader didn't mind at all.
“The fact that your opponent’s mouth is so foul is proof of how well you fought.”
After comforting his disciple, he threw a sharp remark at Jin Hyu.
“Only I am allowed to insult my disciple. Got that, you cowardly old man!”
Jin Hyu’s aged eyes instantly turned fierce. Having heard the word "cowardly" enough for one day, his response was equally foul.
“I’ve heard the rumors about you. I heard you abandoned the Pungcheon Cult to cling to the Demonic Cult?”
Of course, the Pungcheon Cult Leader was not one to lose a war of words.
“To be precise, I sided with the Young Cult Leader.”
He admitted it readily, but then added, “The very same Young Cult Leader who is currently snapping all your necks one by one. Come to think of it, it seems you’ve sided with the wrong person.”
Rumble!
As if reflecting Jin Hyu’s mood, the surrounding waves rose higher and dark clouds swirled in.
“Yes, I knew a day like this would come eventually.”
Killing intent radiated from Jin Hyu’s body. He projected a presence far more powerful than when he had fought the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord. It was as if he were revealing that his hidden strength wasn't just a fraction, but a significant portion of his true power.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader, who had been staring at him quietly, spoke unexpectedly.
“When I was young, I heard a rumor. That a person with a heavenly talent for the Soul-Seizing Technique had appeared in the Central Plains.”
The Soul-Seizing Technique Jin Hyu was currently displaying had reached the Ultimate Principle. In the Soul-Seizing Technique, talent was more important than in any other martial art. One could never reach such a realm without being born with it. No matter how much help he received from the Blood Heaven Soul-Strengthening Art, defeating the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord in a contest of souls was no easy feat. He was undoubtedly the one once called a genius.
“I heard that news of him stopped at some point, but it seems that talent didn't translate into good judgment.”
Jin Hyu snorted. He didn't deny that he was that person.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader confirmed his hunch was correct. The reason he remembered was because of his own personality. He had also grown up being called a heavenly talent, so when he heard there was such a person in the Central Plains, he had been jealous and envious. He remembered badmouthing the man for quite a while.
“This world of ghost-play is quite small.”
The gazes of the two men locked in midair across the churning sea. Then, Jin Hyu questioned the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“And why were you recruited by the Young Cult Leader?”
This was what Jin Hyu was most curious about. To step down from the position of Cult Leader to follow a mere Young Cult Leader? It was utterly incomprehensible.
“I wasn't recruited.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader sighed and added, “I was kidnapped. By the Young Cult Leader.”
Jin Hyu didn't understand what he meant, but Jin Ha-gun, who was listening, gave a faint smile. He understood why the man described it as being kidnapped. It was that feeling of waking up to find Geom Mu-geuk standing in front of you, saying:
You’ve been kidnapped by me.
Yes, he could certainly empathize. Of course, Jin Hyu could empathize with neither the words nor the sentiment.
“To think you’d dare step into my world of your own volition. It seems you enjoy being kidnapped.”
Jin Hyu began to push his internal energy to its limit. A blue aura erupted from his body.
Sssssssssss.
The fierce wind whipped the clothes of everyone on the ship. The gale began to blow harder and harder. Soon after, spray began to rise from the sea, and whirlpools started to form.
Roooooar!
There wasn't just one whirlpool. They began to form all around the ship until there were more than a dozen. It was a terrifying sight. The whirlpools generated from beneath the water grew larger, their rotation speed increasing.
It seemed as though he intended to smash the ship with the whirlpools, but that wasn't it. Something emerged from within them.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
What burst out were massive tentacles. He had used tentacles from his back when fighting the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord, but these looked like giant octopus limbs rising from the depths of the sea.
K-boom!
Tentacles lashed out from all directions toward the warriors. Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Extermination Squad drew their swords in unison and leaped into action.
Crash!
The ship lurched as a massive tentacle struck it. The Demon Extermination Squad warriors scattered in all directions, unleashing Sword Qi. The Sword Qi carved deep wounds into the tentacles.
Splat!
Blue blood sprayed from the wounds. As the blood hit the deck—
Sizzle!
It began to melt the wood, and blue smoke rose into the air.
“It’s poison mist!”
The warriors retreated, covering their mouths and noses. Jin Ha-gun unleashed a palm force to blow the smoke away and shouted, “Do not cut them recklessly!”
With the tentacles becoming dangerous to cut, the situation for the Demon Extermination Squad grew even more difficult. The Pungcheon Cult Leader remained standing at the bow with his arms crossed. One of the tentacles lunged toward him.
Standing beside him, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord gathered her remaining internal energy and thrust her hand toward the tentacle.
Whoosh!
The lunging tentacle was engulfed in flames. It shrieked and dove back into the water. After extinguishing the fire and rising again, it did not dare attack the Pungcheon Cult Leader again.
The deck was in utter chaos. One warrior was snatched by a tentacle and hoisted into the air. Jin Ha-gun leaped and swung his sword.
Swish.
The tentacle, severed by his Sword Qi, released the warrior. Jin Ha-gun caught him amidst the spraying blood and brought him to safety.
Watching the scene with calm eyes, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord, “What should we do in a situation like this?”
“We must find the counter-method.”
“Then find it.”
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord first looked at Jin Hyu. He was still standing on the wave with his eyes closed, controlling the tentacles. Three or four tentacles stood guard around him. Killing him would obviously make this space vanish, but her master likely wasn't asking for that fundamental solution.
“The counter-method is underwater.”
Since the tentacles came from the water, the source of the technique had to be down there as well.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader looked at her steadily and asked, “Shall I go?”
“Ah, no. Your disciple will go.”
Without hesitation, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord dove into the water. Seeing this, Jin Ha-gun dove in after her. He knew her internal energy was nearly depleted.
“I will help.”
As Jin Ha-gun entered, several warriors from the Demon Extermination Squad followed suit.
“They’re all so young!”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s gaze deepened as he watched them disappear beneath the surface. Then, Jin Hyu opened his eyes.
As Jin Hyu stared at him, the Pungcheon Cult Leader patted his stomach and said, “I’ve lost a lot of weight lately. But after having a few drinks with my disciple from the Outer Lands, this beer belly came right back.”
Jin Hyu’s expression said it all: Is this man insane?
Of course, despite the banter, the eyes of both men were terrifyingly cold. It was the gaze of those who would not permit even a moment’s opening.
“You asked why I was recruited by the Young Cult Leader? I was no different from you. I didn't care if others lived or died as long as I satisfied my own desires. But this loathsome Young Cult Leader acts as if he cares about others first. His dark ulterior motives haven't been exposed yet, but they will be one day. Don't you think?”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader laughed loudly, and Jin Hyu spat out contemptuously, “Bullshit.”
At that, the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s eyes grew profound.
“Exactly. That’s why. You were called a genius, and I was called a genius. But this is the result. What’s the point of being a genius in martial arts? When narrow-minded people like us get together, this kind of bullshit is all that happens. That’s why. That’s the reason I sided with the Young Cult Leader.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader finally gave the answer to his own opening statement.
“To try living a bit differently.”