Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Sword Demon Ma Ilcheon (1)
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Barbecue joint near Mount Jiri.
The Hunters who contributed to blocking the multiple gates were enjoying a lively after-party.
In the raucous atmosphere, one thoroughly tipsy Infinite Guild Hunter raised his glass high and stood up, prompting horrified looks from those around him.
'Ugh, not again?'
'Cut it out! Enough already!'
'Heh heh. Why? I think it's fun.'
'Argh. Can't you sit somewhere else?!'
But such inner grumblings from the other Hunters never reached the ears of the Infinite Guild member, so rookie Infinite Guild Hunter Han Juyeong boldly shouted out.
"Infinite!"
At that, the Infinite Guild Hunters in the barbecue joint slammed their glasses on the tables while bumping shoulders.
Thud! With a resounding crash, they all shouted together.
"Infinite!"
And again, in rhythm, thud!
"Infinite!"
Thud! Infinite! Thud! Infinite! Thud!
That eerie echo and beat formed a rhythm around the word "Infinite," drawing all eyes as Han Juyeong bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Infinite Guild rookie Defender, Han Juyeong here! Please take care of me! Infinite Guild! Forever eternal!"
Eternal—!
Wooo!
"Hahaha! Awesome!"
"Take care of us, rookie!"
"A Defender, huh? Looks solid!"
Whistles and cheers echoed throughout.
Voices cheering Han Juyeong on burst out from every corner.
Satisfied, Han Juyeong sat back down.
Cha Gangju, sitting beside him, shot him an incredulous look.
"You sure change when the booze hits."
She held back from saying he went from innocent teddy bear to rowdy gorilla.
"It might look weird, but it feels refreshing once you do it. Want to give it a shot, Cha Gangju?"
Cha Gangju recoiled in horror at Han Juyeong's suggestion.
"Are you nuts? No. Way. In. Hell."
Han Juyeong smacked his lips in disappointment as he watched her stern expression.
"Too bad Kim Gunja couldn't make it."
"Hmm... That guy's always got this busy vibe, you know?"
"Oh? You felt that too? Good to know I'm not the only one."
Cha Gangju wagged her finger as if to say he still had a lot to learn.
"You can tell just by looking—he's got goals. People like that don't just act different; their eyes give it away. They're always fixed on some distant point, a clear destination, so there's no hesitation."
At her words, Han Juyeong couldn't help but recall.
Kim Gunja, who had answered without a flicker of doubt.
—My limits are mine to set. Not yours.
And the embarrassing things he'd said, like lacking talent or being fully prepared to become the perfect Hunter.
'Why the hell did I say all that crap!'
His already flushed face from the alcohol burned even hotter as Han Juyeong rubbed his face with his big, bear-paw hands.
Cha Gangju tilted her head at him.
"What's up? Out of nowhere?"
Lacking the guts to confess what had happened, Han Juyeong changed the subject.
"Nothing. Just thinking back— the Hunter license exam had so many memorable moments."
Not knowing the exchange between Han Juyeong and Kim Gunja, Cha Gangju took it differently.
"Yeah, it sure did. I was shocked when we found out Jin Garyul was a Homunculus. You saw it firsthand, right?"
Han Juyeong nodded gravely at her words.
It was a shocking memory for him in many ways.
The safety officer's death, the grotesque transformation of human flesh...
"Yeah, it turned horrific. I just can't understand it. New humanity this, new humanity that... It's infuriating that a crazy group like that still exists."
Cha Gangju gave a wry smile and clinked glasses with him.
"Can't be helped. They operate so covertly. Especially the eleven Alchemists called the executives of the Homunculus group—their abilities are so unique, it makes them extra hard to catch, from what I've heard."
Sizzle—
Han Juyeong downed his drink and placed meat on the grill as he replied.
"I've heard that too. A well-prepared Alchemist can even challenge top rankers."
"Real headaches. They're sneaky and meticulous."
Cha Gangju refilled her glass, flashing a small smile to lighten the mood.
"But no need for us new guild recruits to worry about that. Let's just savor the joy of sealing those multiple gates today, yeah?"
"Haha, right. Then, to celebrate, how about you do some Infinite Guild FM...?"
"Abso. Lute. Ly. Not."
Exchanging light banter, the two shared a laugh and clinked glasses once more.
Gently setting aside their regret that exam comrade Kim Gunja couldn't join them today.
Mount Jiri Homunculus Laboratory.
The moment Manube turned to mush, raucous applause echoed inside the barrier.
Clap clap clap clap clap—!
"Kee-hee! Impressive! Not a masterpiece, but definitely a fine work!"
Skin like tattered rags stitched with countless needle marks. A skull-pale face.
The figure emerging from within truly resembled him.
The shattered Manube.
And beside that speaking Manube, another stepped forward.
"Kee-ha-hat! Thought we'd hooked a big one with bait for trash, but we got played! Totally played!"
Another Manube beside him.
"Kik! Definitely not Sword Saint Jin Wei. The Sword Saint never carries just one sword."
And another beside that.
"For sure. Face-Changer said Jin Wei's still in Shanghai."
Puppets.
The term meaning marionette or puppet.
Manube, the Alchemist of Puppets, lived up to his moniker with abilities that never revealed his true form to the world.
The reason Ma Ilcheon called the 'broken Manube' a 'freakish jiangshi,' and chose 'Descent.'
Otherwise, Kim Gunja had no chance of survival.
Before the absolute gap in power, all struggles were futile.
Even the final method Kim Gunja had tried.
The number of identical—no, subtly different—Manubes controlled by the real one exceeded ten.
The 'Manubes' began voicing their individual opinions.
"Andrei? At least a Montzi, I thought!"
"Kee-ha-hat! Failure! Total failure!"
"But look! At that beautiful creation!"
"Ooh— Ecstasy! Whose work is it?"
"Rip it open, kee-hit! Dissect and see!"
"Dissect! Dissect! Dissect! Dissect! Dissect!"
Dozens of Manubes surrounded and closed in on Kim Gunja.
The sight of dozens resembling the recently slain one spouting madness would chill any ordinary person to the bone.
But.
"Hmph..."
The one before them was no ordinary man.
Sword Demon Ma Ilcheon.
The one who dominated the world with a single blade.
Ma Ilcheon's lake-calm eyes ignored the approaching Manubes, fixed instead on a motionless man off to the side.
The real Manube, convinced of his perfect stealth, manipulating the puppets.
Manube's shoulder twitched under that gaze.
'Kee-hat! Coincidence... Just coincidence!'
His skeletal, slender fingers clutched the artifact around his neck.
Confirming the artifact's activation, Manube sneered at Kim Gunja.
'Shattering puppets I painstakingly made to fight rankers so easily... What the hell is this guy? Where's Pentagram while some nobody's ruining everything!'
Pentagram.
They were a thorn in the Homunculus group's side.
Popping up at every turn to sabotage research for new humanity!
That's why.
They'd lured and planned to kill one of them.
Exploiting Pentagram's caution in Korea due to White Flame, they deliberately leaked traces.
To draw out and eliminate a loner ranker from Pentagram.
A strong warning to stop interfering.
But it went wrong.
Because of an unplanned man.
Yet this was his laboratory, prepared meticulously as an Alchemist to face rankers.
Puppets aplenty—overflowing, even.
No ranker could escape easily.
No reason to retreat against someone slightly strong.
'Kee-ha-ha-hat! Didn't catch a Pentagram ranker, but I'll snag the perfect test subject!'
As Manube moved his puppets to seize Kim Gunja's body,
"Do you remember my words?"
A soft, benevolent voice.
The Manubes' heads turned 90, 180 degrees like clock hands, faces full of confusion.
Not grasping why the foe showed mercy, nor the question's intent.
But soon, Manube realized.
The words weren't for him.
Ma Ilcheon held no interest in him.
Ma Ilcheon was speaking to Kim Gunja through Kim Gunja's mouth.
Though in Descent state, Kim Gunja clearly heard.
"My sword was not suited for protection."
Moonlight settled on the glow of pure white sword aura.
"Having walked alone my entire life..."
One step.
Ma Ilcheon took a light stride forward.
A pure white line slashed the night sky.
Two puppets entering Ma Ilcheon's 'domain' had their heads float up, bursting like watermelons in a fountain of blood.
"......!"
"......!"
Manube frantically maneuvered puppets to widen the gap, but
"The sword was my sole companion, parent, and child."
Two steps.
Sword aura severed space, cleaving the world.
Frontline puppets split in half, spilling entrails.
"Thus, I knew not how to protect."
Through sight, breath, sensation from his sword-grip hand.
Kim Gunja absorbed Ma Ilcheon with his whole body.
The heart of one born under heavenly punishment, raised alone, walked alone, stood alone.
"In the end, a mere wretch who couldn't even care for his own body..."
Three steps.
Puppets turning to flee crumpled to the ground as if crushed.
Kim Gunja wanted to ask.
Why.
Why risk annihilation for someone he'd just met.
Did that emotion transmit?
A faint smile bloomed on Kim Gunja—no, Ma Ilcheon's lips.
"If a master doesn't cherish a disciple walking the righteous path, who will? Heh."
Ma Ilcheon, who walked alone his whole life, called Kim Gunja his disciple.
Ma Ilcheon's gaze turned to the Homunculus lab.
The machines tormenting children had all ceased under his sword.
"Swinging a sword different from my path, just once... Feels not so bad."
Ma Ilcheon smiled and turned his head.
There, Manube fleeing beyond the barrier.
"Watch closely."
He didn't say "learn."
Just "take it in with your eyes."
The final consideration from a master for a child walking a different path.
"This is the path I walked. The sword of one who knows not protection. The Heaven-Shattering sword."
Crimson-black aura surged from Ma Ilcheon's entire body.
Crimson flash rent the night sky and fleeing Manube alike.
Craaaack—!
Beneath the crimson streak across the heavens, the sky shattered like glass.
The massive barrier over the lab destroyed in an instant.
And Manube's body, fleeing like flight, dissolved into a puddle of blood.
Leaving only a necklace behind.
Despite that divine might, Kim Gunja couldn't smile.
Ma Ilcheon smiled as if no regrets remained, but Kim Gunja's heart ached.
One-sided.
Too selfish.
Wasn't he just passively receiving from Ma Ilcheon without knowing anything?
Such a man facing total annihilation?
Unacceptable.
He refused to accept it.
Had he known it was like this, he wouldn't have accepted so easily.
But how?
He could do nothing, knew nothing.
Majesty Ring? Master?
What kind of Master just watches helplessly!
Kim Gunja's emotions shifted from anger to longing, then to desperate prayer—and it didn't take long.
And to that Master's plea,
Vrrr—
Just like in the hospital room that day, the Majesty Ring began to respond.
Glow faintly blue.