Chapter 326: The Abyss (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 326: The Abyss (1)
“…You were waiting for me?”
A faint tremor laced Jang Seonyeon’s voice.
“Not for long. I just got here myself.”
Gu Yangcheon replied with a casual smile.
Jang Seonyeon’s brow furrowed. The response was an admission. He had been waiting.
How did he know…?
“Why do you seem so surprised?” Gu Yangcheon asked.
Jang Seonyeon lifted his head at the question.
“Didn’t you come here for the same reason?”
“…!”
“What an amusing reaction. So this is what you were like at this age.”
Ignoring the cryptic remark, Jang Seonyeon focused on the earlier words.
-For the same goal.
As the phrase echoed in his mind, he recalled what Gu Yangcheon had told him before.
-You will die here.
The memory made Jang Seonyeon’s fist clench.
“I don’t understand.”
“Your expression says you understand perfectly. Why else would you have sought me out? Let’s not waste time. We have Demons to hunt, after all.”
Jang Seonyeon ground his teeth. Was it the peculiar cadence of Gu Yangcheon’s speech? The mocking smile? The blatant, unconcealed malice? He wasn’t sure if the obstacle was Gu Yangcheon’s talent alone.
No.
He knew the answer. He had just been pretending not to. The truth was, Gu Yangcheon’s very existence was the problem. A heaven-sent talent wielded with pure malice. From the beginning to the future, this man would always stand in his way.
Jang Seonyeon needed to stand above all, to shine brighter than anyone. Yet this man was always ahead, blocking his path, outshining him. Even with the resources of the Beggar’s Sect, he could uncover little about Gu Yangcheon’s origins. Worse, the sect itself seemed hesitant to aid him fully, fueling his frustration. Gu Yangcheon was a colossal obstacle.
“Isn’t it the same for you, Master Gu?” Jang Seonyeon asked, concealing his trembling fists.
“What are you talking about?”
“The fact that you were waiting for me. Aren’t you also supposed to hunt Demons?”
Gu Yangcheon smirked. “That’s right. I do need to hunt them.”
“Then why don’t—”
“And I’m hunting one right now.”
Jang Seonyeon frowned. He sensed no Demons nearby.
“Not everyone is human just because they wear a human face. When someone is driven purely by instinct, they’re no different from a Demon.”
As always, the mocking words stabbed deep. The emotions in Gu Yangcheon’s eyes were obvious, as was his attitude. Jang Seonyeon despised how he acted recklessly, without a care for perception. Jang Seonyeon, in contrast, was constantly preoccupied with maintaining a kind facade, worrying about how others saw him. He wondered how this man could behave so freely and still be surrounded by people. Sometimes, he wondered if he himself was the problem. But that thought only deepened his hatred.
No, he wasn’t the problem. That had to be the case.
“So, are you going to kill me, then?”
Gu Yangcheon’s tone was flat. “Why are you playing the victim? You’re such a funny bastard.”
Steadying his emotions, Jang Seonyeon locked eyes with him. “I still don’t understand.”
“What?”
“Why do you hate me? What did I ever do to deserve it?”
The frustration was clear, and Gu Yangcheon understood it. It was true. In this timeline, Jang Seonyeon hadn’t yet caused him direct trouble. His methods were foul, his talent undeniable. Even without underhanded tactics, he might have reached the Peak Realm before twenty—a genuine genius. His confusion was logical.
“It’s too much to explain. Just accept it.”
He wasn’t in the mood to elaborate. What would it change? Would Jang Seonyeon even understand if he spoke of a past life? In this life, those sins weren’t committed yet. He had spared others who had changed.
Of course.
“You hate me too. So, let’s call it even.”
That didn’t mean he would include Jang Seonyeon in that clemency.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“You’re not even going to deny it?”
“…Are you suggesting we fight to the death here?”
“That sounds like a good idea. But are you confident you can win?”
Jang Seonyeon’s face twisted at the mocking smirk. It was satisfying to see his composure crack.
“…Or are you here to assassinate me? Even with the Academy instructors watching from all sides?”
“Tell me about it. I was wondering that myself. What were you planning?”
They were out of direct sight, but instructors were scattered everywhere.
Peek.
He shifted his gaze slightly, glancing behind Jang Seonyeon.
There he was. Cheol Jiseon.
The barrier around him was strange. He had cloaked himself in something extra, not skilled enough to fully conceal his presence.
What is it?
It didn’t feel like a normal barrier. A faint sound.
Sound Art?
Oddly, it seemed to use sound. When he focused, he could hear a faint echo. Cheol Jiseon was likely using it to avoid the instructors’ eyes. The same method from his past life. This piqued his curiosity further. As Jang Seonyeon said, instructors were everywhere. Did he have a plan to cover up a murder?
He wasn’t the type to act without dealing with the consequences.
That meant an escape plan. He doubted the man had come here recklessly.
Shifting his gaze back, he spoke. “You said you don’t understand why I hate you, right?”
“…”
“If I had to give you one reason, it’s because I can already see exactly what you’ll do from here on out.”
“What…?”
“You may think you’re hiding it well, but your nasty greed is so vast it’s visible to my eye.”
He hopped down from the rock he’d been sitting on.
“All the other young prodigies… you see them as jokes, don’t you?”
“…”
“You believe you can make them all bow to you because you think you’re that great.”
He was like that in the past life, and this time would be no different.
“You’ll probably join the Murim Alliance after graduating. Start at the lowest rank, despite being the Alliance Leader’s son—to appear humble.”
Jang Seonyeon’s expression shifted slowly as he kept speaking.
“It won’t matter; you’ll climb rapidly. And I’m sure your lackeys will handle any rumors.”
“…How do you…”
Jang Seonyeon quickly covered his mouth, almost revealing his shock.
“And what’s next? You’ll start ‘saving’ people from Demons, playing the noble hero. Up to that point, it seems almost admirable.”
Saving people was a good thing. Even for a wretch like Jang Seonyeon, had that been the true goal, forgiveness might have been possible.
But Jang Seonyeon was still Jang Seonyeon.
“The Demon attacks… you’re the one who will orchestrate them, aren’t you?”
“…!”
“Of course you would.”
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes widened in shock. This wasn’t a prediction. In his past life, Jang Seonyeon was talented, but even he paled next to Wi Seol-Ah, the youngest army captain. Yet, Jang Seonyeon earned the title “Meteor Sword” and became a captain, hailed as a hero who arrived like a comet to save people from Demons. To the world, a shining hero. But he knew the truth.
Every attack was staged. A twisted performance. Well, not all of it. The deaths were real. The people torn apart were real. But Jang Seonyeon’s heroics were pure theater.
And the proof stood right there, behind him. The one who could manipulate the Abyss itself, opening and closing its gates at will.
Zhuge Jihee.
Whether it was Cheol Jiseon or Zhuge Jihee, that slippery bastard—Jang Seonyeon owed everything to him.
The world always hungers for a hero. The handsome, powerful Jang Seonyeon, with his prestigious background, quickly became one. But in reality, he was feeding people to the Abyss, sacrificing lives to craft his image.
But that wasn’t the only reason for his hatred. It was a sad act, but hardly surprising—he had long lost faith in the Orthodox Faction. He simply wondered if Jang Seonyeon would be different this time.
The words echoed.
-What did I ever do to deserve so much of your hatred?
A thought struck him. The one he should have killed on sight. The reason he had spared Zhuge Hyuk, the Demonic Cult mastermind. Why let him live? Why, then, must he kill Jang Seonyeon?
He glanced at Jang Seonyeon, his head bowed in silence. “Fine. I’ll give you a chance.”
“…”
“If you walk away now, without causing harm, I might reconsider my view of you.”
Was he searching for a reason to spare him? No. He simply wanted to rid himself of the contradiction. The reason for sparing Zhuge Hyuk and the reason for killing Jang Seonyeon. It was simple.
The Zhuge Hyuk he met wasn’t the Man of Heaven from his past life; he was just a boy. Likewise, he saw Namgung Bi-ah as an individual, not the Demonic Sword—just a girl seeking peace.
He wasn’t a good person. He knew that better than anyone. He would kill whoever was necessary. The man before him was on that list, but he wanted confirmation.
“How about it?”
Jang Seonyeon remained silent, gaze fixed on the ground. What decision would he make? He waited, amusement flickering, but his patience waned. “Why don’t you say any—”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Jang Seonyeon slowly raised his head.
“…!”
He froze, speechless, at the expression he saw. It was blank. Not the crumbled facade from earlier, nor the false smile for others. It was nothing. No trace of emotion.
Then—
Crack-!
“This is…!”
The ground beneath Gu Yangcheon warped and shifted. Cracks spread rapidly.
Swoooosh!
A powerful wind whipped through the area as the earth changed. Something was opening.
As the scene unfolded, Jang Seonyeon spoke. “This is my first time witnessing it. Just as fascinating as I imagined.”
“You…!”
Gu Yangcheon tried to move, but his body was paralyzed by the shifting environment. Whatever had opened beneath the fractured earth was strong enough to restrain even a Peak Realm expert.
Seeing him immobilized, Jang Seonyeon exhaled. “As I thought, I was right to eliminate you. You’ve been a hindrance from the start.”
Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened, unprepared for the sudden confinement.
“So, you planned to kill me from the beginning?”
“Yes. I didn’t like those eyes of yours.”
Jang Seonyeon swept his hair back casually, as if weary of the conversation. “It irritated me to see a so-called prodigy from a worthless clan stare at me like that.”
“…”
“And I didn’t want to admit it, but you truly possess monstrous strength.”
His lips curled into a cold smile. “How annoying it was…”
He was a completely different person now, a far cry from his Academy facade.
“You asked how I would do this with instructors everywhere, yes?”
“You…”
“It wasn’t easy. So I decided on a grander show. I even found a like-minded ally. But that doesn’t concern you. You’ll be gone soon.”
The cracks widened, slowly taking a distinct shape. It was strange, the way the ground morphed, but there was no mistaking it—a gate to the Abyss.
Jang Seonyeon marveled at the man-made gate. “As I expected… I was right to find you. You will be essential.”
A shiver ran down his spine, overwhelmed by the sheer power. Even Gu Yangcheon couldn’t move an inch.
I told you I wouldn’t let you escape.
He wanted to see him on his knees. He hadn’t achieved that, but this was enough for now. He could watch him disappear. Soon, the world and Wi Seol-Ah would be his—
“Is this enough for you?”
“…What?”
Just as the gate fully opened, a calm voice, entirely different from before, interrupted his thoughts.
“What did you just…”
“Hey, you can close it now.”
The moment Gu Yangcheon spoke—
Swoosh!
He vanished instantly from Jang Seonyeon’s sight. But he shouldn’t be able to mo—
“Cugh!”
Jang Seonyeon’s vision blurred as his body convulsed violently. When his sight returned, he realized he was atop the gate, dragged there by Gu Yangcheon.
“Y-You…!”
“I’m glad.”
Gu Yangcheon smiled brightly, his hand clenched around Jang Seonyeon’s throat. “If you’d chosen to leave quietly, it might’ve been more troublesome for me.”
“H-How…?”
Craaack-!
As terror gripped Jang Seonyeon, the Gate of Demons beneath him stirred. It felt like a sticky swamp and a giant mouth ready to swallow him whole.
“Surprised I could move?”
“L-Let go…!”
“I was surprised, too. Somehow, I moved through it. But that’s not what matters.”
“Let me go! At this rate, you’ll also—!”
Despite the panic, Gu Yangcheon kept smiling. “I was planning to go there anyway. Bet you didn’t know that.”
“What do you…!”
“How about we go on a journey together.”
As Gu Yangcheon spoke, still smiling—
Chooomp-!
The gate to the Abyss snapped shut, swallowing them both in one violent motion.