Chapter 354: The Dark King (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 354: The Dark King (4)
The Night Reapers.
They were the most feared name in the Central Plains, a guild of assassins synonymous with lethality and ruthlessness. Their reputation was twofold: first, for their absolute efficiency, and second, for their staunch independence, remaining unaffiliated with any major power.
Their very existence spoke volumes about the unspoken rules of the martial world. These were people who traded in death for coin, yet the Murim Alliance knowingly turned a blind eye. That tacit approval was proof enough of their perceived necessity. It was an open secret that some of the noble clans even cultivated their own assassination units.
This was especially true for one of the Four Noble Clans, a pillar of the Orthodox Faction: the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
Just a few centuries prior, this clan, famed for its mastery of poison and steel, had been an outsider. It was only after the Blood Demon's disappearance and the war's end that the Orthodox Faction welcomed them into the fold. Tang Jaemoon, the clan lord at the time, was hailed as a hero for his role in ending the conflict. This shift was cemented when Yeon Il-Cheon established the Murim Alliance and became its first Leader, with Tang Jaemoon accepting his offer.
From that day, the Tang Clan rose to become one of the Four Noble Clans. But their darker heritage was a recent abandonment. They still possessed martial arts perfected for assassination and torture, and their physiques were honed for such deadly work. Shadows still clung to the Tang Clan, making their status as an Orthodox pillar feel somewhat tenuous. Though they publicly claimed to have shifted their focus to weapon smithing, many suspected this was a mere facade for their true activities.
Was that true?
I, however, knew the real truth about the Tang Clan.
But they weren't the only one among the Four Noble Clans with such secrets. I couldn't be certain about the Moyong Clan, but I was sure the Peng Clan exploited such means, and the Namgung Clan was no different. The Hwangbo Clan was probably in the same boat. The Gu Clan? I wasn't sure. As far as I knew, they didn't maintain an assassination group—but then again, I knew precious little about my own damned clan.
In a world where even the Murim Alliance found uses for assassins, one name stood above all others: the king of the Night Reapers. The very ruler of the night, an unmatched, ultimate existence whose title was undisputed.
The Dark King.
But why is he here right now?
It was said that no one in the Central Plains knew the Dark King’s true identity. His age, gender, appearance, voice—even his martial arts were a complete mystery.
And yet, I just learned it all.
The realization left me speechless. Well, perhaps it was an overstatement to say I learned it all. In truth, I had learned nothing concrete. He could conceal his gender, his face, and his voice at will. The only known fact was that he had been active for decades, meaning he was, at the very least, not a young man. That was the extent of my knowledge.
Not only was this legendary figure standing right before me, but he had sought me out through the Sword Queen herself.
Moreover…
It was he who interfered back then.
When the Black Dragon had begun his monstrous transformation, it was the Dark King who saved me by severing the creature. Did he have some purpose in being here now?
As if reading my thoughts, the Dark King spoke once I recognized him.
-I have seen what I came to see. You may leave now.
His tone suggested a simple curiosity had been satisfied. I couldn't help but respond.
-…You call me here just to look at my face? If that's all, why bother summoning me in the first place?
Damn this mouth of mine. An old habit resurfaced, and the words came out far too bluntly. I should have thought before speaking, but I’d failed that simple task. The moment the words left my lips, I knew it was a mistake. A chill ran down my spine. I needed to be cautious, especially with someone like him.
-…
The Dark King’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly as he stared at me. I was at a loss for words, already mentally preparing an apology.
-Ha.
He let out a short, soft laugh.
-You talk just like your grandfather.
-…Huh?
His response threw me into confusion. Grandfather? There was only one person who fit that description for me.
-…You know the First Elder?
The First Elder was the man others often called my grandfather. Did that mean the Dark King and the First Elder were acquainted? Just what had that old man been up to in his prime to be connected to all these people—
-First Elder? Who are you talking about?
-Huh? I assumed you meant Gu Ryoon…
-Gu Ryoon is not your grandfather.
-Well, that’s how others refer to him—
Wait…?
If he wasn’t talking about the First Elder, then…
-…If not the First Elder, then who do I resemble?
The Dark King sounded equally puzzled.
-I am obviously speaking of your grandfather. Who else would I mean?
He was referring to the previous Lord of the Gu Clan, a man who had died before I was even born.
So… the Dark King knew my grandfather.
Judging by his tone, they must have been active in the Central Plains during the same era. The First Elder was also prominent then, but it was rare to hear anything about my actual grandfather. The information felt strangely refreshing.
Amused by my expression, the Dark King smiled.
-I will come visit you in the near future.
He said he would visit me. The statement was deeply unsettling. Was I really supposed to wait for the king of assassins to drop by? The mere thought sent a fresh wave of chills down my spine. Not that I needed more problems; my plate was already overflowing.
Crack.
In the quiet of the night, I stretched my body alone at the center of the cracked and crumbling training ground.
Woong.
I felt my Qi surge instantly to my upper Dantian. The speed was incredible, and my exhausted body felt revitalized. More accurately, I was forcing energy back into my limbs with Qi.
It's definitely improved.
And it was supremely effective. This wasn't just the arrogance that came with reaching the Fusion Realm. With access to my upper Dantian, the power of my martial arts had grown exponentially. This was the level I had attained in my past life, and the stage where I had spent the most time. Not only had my Qi reserves increased, but my control was now far more efficient and precise.
This realm also unlocked new abilities, which was its true essence. If I were a pure swordsman, I could now float my blade in the air and control it at will—a technique often called Sword's Will. But aside from the Leader of the Wudang Sect, almost no one used it, as it was notoriously inefficient even for those at the Fusion Realm. That was the power of this level: it made the impossible merely difficult.
In just a few years since regressing, I had reached a stage that, in my past life, had required the aid of Demonic Qi.
But it's still not perfect.
I had already touched the Fusion Realm within the Abyss, but losing all that progress upon returning to reality created a strange dissonance. This discrepancy likely stemmed from that loss, though I doubted it would become a major issue.
I've felt this since the beginning.
The emptiness I experienced after regressing into this younger body was far worse than what I felt now. This was negligible in comparison.
The important thing was,
What I need to do from now on.
I had reached the Fusion Realm. Others might be shocked, but…
It's not enough.
It was nowhere near sufficient for me. This feeling was especially acute when I remembered the Heavenly Demon I had recently encountered. Its presence was utterly overwhelming. I knew this from my past life, but the reminder in this one was visceral. In my current state, I stood no chance against the Heavenly Demon. If it decided to kill me, I wouldn't last more than a few seconds.
So what do I do?
The pressure was immense. I knew very little about the level beyond the Fusion Realm. It was recorded in texts, but how many had actually reached such heights was unknown.
The Three Venerables… did they reach it?
Perhaps they had, but even they fell to the Heavenly Demon. At the very least, I needed to regain the strength of the Celestial Sword from my past life. The goal felt overwhelming. It wasn't as simple as it sounded.
Rumble.
Lost in thought, I instinctively began to channel Demonic Qi within my body. My heart pounded, and a surge of heat bloomed inside me. Feeling the Demonic Qi merge with my heart, I opened my eyes.
"...So this still works."
I couldn't see my reflection, but I was certain my eyes had turned violet. I had transformed into a Demonic Human. I could feel the change without even testing my martial arts; I was far stronger than in my normal state.
I began a thorough examination of my body. There hadn't been time after the battle, so now was the moment. I checked my appearance, the flow of Qi, and my mental state.
My body is stronger, my Qi is surprisingly calm, and mentally, I feel fine.
Most importantly, I had managed to revert to my human form. That was the most significant outcome; my previous experience as a Demonic Human was a deep regret.
One thing still concerns me…
I rolled up both sleeves. My body had changed in subtle ways. The light pink bandage on my left arm had turned black, and a strange mark had appeared on my previously unblemished right arm.
Just what is this?
It wasn't large, about the length of two knuckles. The problem was its mere existence. It looked like…
…A reptile's scale.
It resembled the skin of a snake, and it made me deeply uneasy. This hadn't happened in my past life.
Why did this appear?
It seemed to have emerged after I became a Demonic Human this time, but what was the cause?
Do you know anything?
I directed the question inward, hoping the beast within might have an answer.
[ Grr… ]
However, the bastard only responded with a sleepy groan. I had noticed something else: the beast seemed to grow exhausted every time I underwent this transformation.
[ Grrrr… ]
Alright, just a little longer.
It was so bad that it was practically begging me to revert. Its whining was annoying, but I needed to finish my check-up. I examined the bandage on my left arm and called out to someone else.
"Elder Shin."
[ … ]
I called, but there was no response. I needed to ask about this bandage… but Elder Shin wasn't waking up.
"Tsk…"
I clicked my tongue in frustration and willed myself back to my normal form. The boiling heat within me subsided, and my body grew heavier. A strange, dull pain bloomed near my heart and Dantian.
It wasn't strong… but it meant one thing.
That I can't use it for too long.
I would need to spend more time researching how this transformation affected my body.
What's left…
Many questions remained, but one surfaced above all others.
"...Did she not wake up yet?"
My thoughts turned to Wi Seol-Ah, who had lost consciousness. The mere thought of her made me anxious. I'd even been rude to the Dark King, but my unease about her was on another level.
How did she do it…
How was she in this world? Did she regress like I did? But when? Maybe from the very start? That probably wasn't the case; if she had, she would have stabbed me in the neck long before ever offering me a potato.
When was it, then? I had no way of knowing, but I desperately wanted to. The most frustrating part was that I could do nothing but wait for her to wake up.
I looked up at the sky. It was still the dark of night. Naturally, it was dark because it was nighttime, but that wasn't the issue.
Why hasn't it disappeared?
The Black Dragon was imprisoned, and most of his underlings had been captured—though, of course, there weren't many survivors. I had killed more than half of them myself. It seemed the reinforcements from the Alliance weren't coming, likely because of the barrier…
"Do you know how unfair you are?"
"...!"
A voice broke the silence, startling me. I hadn't sensed anyone's presence at all.
"How could you not even come to see me once?"
I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed her approach.
"...Oh."
The girl standing before me frowned at my brief, dumbfounded reaction.
"Oh? Did you just say 'oh'?"
"Wait, I was busy… and I was planning to go see you right now."
"Are you really using that as an excuse?"
The one speaking with such anger was Moyong Hi-ah.
Right… I had completely forgotten to go see her.
I didn't go because I assumed she'd be perfectly fine on her own.
I'd heard she was alive and unharmed, and that she'd even been assisting the medical team. Her? It was surprising that someone so calculating would volunteer, but I felt a strange sense of pride. Still, it was a grave error not to check on her.
"...You are so cruel."
Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes began to glisten with tears as she looked at me.
Wow, I'm fucked. She, of all people, is crying… The usually cold and sharp Snow Phoenix was on the verge of tears right in front of me. I had truly committed a sin.
"Sorry. It wasn't on purpose."
"...Of course it wasn't. You wouldn't have forgotten me on purpose. If you had, you'd be barely human."
"…"
"Could you just bark instead of responding?"
I nearly let out a bark before catching myself. "Sorry…"
"…"
Moyong Hi-ah bit her lip as I apologized repeatedly.
"...I wasn't always like this, you know?"
"Hmm?"
"I hate how my anger just melts away because of your stupid apology."
"…"
"I came here to curse you out… and I even had to seek you out first to do it."
"...Oh… So—"
"Don't apologize. It's annoying…"
"Okay."
Was this the first time since regressing that I'd seen Moyong Hi-ah this angry? I'd seen it almost daily in my past life, but experiencing it now felt strangely new.
"Were you smiling just now?"
"You must be seeing things. It's dark, after all."
"As if I'd ever mistake an expression on your face."
"…"
"Ugh, so annoying, seriously."
She began kicking the ground lightly, as if frustrated with her own words. She seemed to be fighting a battle with herself.
"...Haah, whatever… I didn't come here to do this…"
"But what about cursing me out?"
"That was part of the reason…"
Ah, I see.
Moyong Hi-ah looked me over and asked, mid-conversation, "...Are you not hurt anywhere?"
"Mhm."
"...I see."
So that was what she really wanted to ask.
"What about you?"
"Thanks for asking so quickly. Can't you tell just by looking?"
"…"
Looks like I messed up again. Moyong Hi-ah sighed deeply, looking at my confused expression.
"How did I end up falling for such a jerk…"
"Jerk…"
"You know it, right? What will happen afterward."
"…"
My mouth shut instantly at her words.
"I came here expecting that you would know."
"...Oh, that?"
I flinched, half-wondering if she'd discovered my regression, but that wasn't it.
"I am… predicting a little, indeed."
"It's less a prediction and more a certainty, given how massive this incident was."
Only then did I understand what she was referring to.
"...If things continue as they are, it's bound to happen. This incident was that huge."
"Hmm."
"A gathering of the Orthodox Faction. They will try to make that happen."
That meeting would convene the Ten Sect Alliance, the Four Noble Clans, and all affiliates of the Murim Alliance. It had been decades since the last one, but an incident of this magnitude might just force another.
"Then… my father will come too, right?"
"Probably."
The Moyong Clan was one of the Four Noble Clans, so the Lord of the Moyong Clan, the White Heavenly Sword, would undoubtedly attend.
"Before that happens," Moyong Hi-ah spoke softly, tugging at my sleeve. She looked mournful. What could she be about to say?
Just as I began to wonder, she uttered words that left me in utter disbelief.
"Let's run away."
"What?"
"If we don't," she whispered, her voice filled with urgency, "you're going to die, Master Gu…!"
I couldn't help but wonder what kind of nonsense she was talking about.