Chapter 441: Regret (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 441: Regret (7)
The Hunt for the Old Monster.
That was the official name of the operation the Captain had given. His naming sense was truly abysmal.
After issuing the order, the Demon Emperor bastard vanished to who-knows-where, just like he had the day before. I had no idea why he was putting on such a busy act.
I glared at the doorway he’d exited through before finally turning my gaze away.
With the oppressive Demonic Qi that had filled the room now gone, the other Demonic Humans finally began to breathe easily again.
“…No joke today, either. It actually feels stronger than usual,” one of them muttered, sounding almost like he was complaining. Wait, were they talking about me behind my back?
My interest was piqued.
Of course they’re bad-mouthing me.
If I were in their shoes, I’d want to wring the Captain’s neck, too. I was sure these bastards felt the same. With that thought in mind, I pricked up my ears and listened in.
“He’s getting stronger, somehow. As expected of our Captain.”
“I know, right? A washed-up old man like the Heavenly Venerable… he’s no match for our Captain.”
…Huh?
…What?
The words coming from their mouths were the last things I expected to hear.
What in the world are these lunatics going on about…?
“Our Captain deserves to be better known throughout the Central Plains.”
“Even if he doesn’t seek it, his fame will spread with time. There’s no way those bastards from the Orthodox Faction haven’t realized how great our Captain is.”
What is going on?
Listening to this conversation was making me feel like I was losing my mind. Were these guys okay?
…Why?
No matter how much I listened, I couldn’t understand them. And the conversation only got more absurd.
“The monster who single-handedly scorched the lands of Mount Hua.”
I didn’t do that alone.
The Heavenly Demon had already dealt with powerful martial artists like the Celestial Plum Blossom. I just cleaned up the rest.
“It’s not just Mount Hua; he probably annihilated the Tang Clan of Sichuan by himself, too.”
That wasn’t true, either. After the Sword Demon and the Green King’s armies ambushed them, the Black Flame Army joined in. I only finished off the Poison Queen, who was already exhausted.
What is wrong with these bastards?
I couldn’t make any sense of them at all.
I frowned as this torrent of unwarranted praise continued. My ears were growing hot, and I was starting to feel sick. Then, someone noticed my expression and spoke to me.
“Do you not understand what we’re talking about, newcomer?”
“What…? He doesn’t know our Captain’s greatness, even as a Demonic Human?”
It seemed my disgust hadn’t gone unnoticed. All the Demonic Humans were now focused on me. Their gazes were cold and sharp. These bastards were genuinely angry.
I’m going to go insane.
This was completely unexpected. I’d been so sure they were talking behind my back, but judging by their glares, I was utterly mistaken.
“…You all seem to… love our bas—… our Captain, huh?”
“Our Captain is our hope. It seems you don’t realize that yet.”
“Judging by your youthful appearance, it can’t have been long since you became a Demonic Human. How old are you?”
Hmm… What should I tell them? I thought for a moment.
“I’m… twenty-two.”
I thought that was a reasonable answer.
“Twenty-two, huh. Have you overcome your wall?”
“Yes… I suppose.”
“To reach the Peak realm at that age… you’re a monster.”
“…”
I had to cough awkwardly a few times upon hearing that. I was deliberately concealing my true level; they shouldn’t have been able to see through it so easily.
As I was clearing my throat, another Demonic Human approached and asked, “Why would a prodigy like you choose to become a Demonic Human?”
“…Hmm.”
Why did I become a Demonic Human?
Why did a twenty-two-year-old Pal Jeolyub become a Demonic Human…
“…My household was destroyed by the Orthodox Faction.”
“So it was for revenge.”
“Yes.”
The Demonic Humans didn’t seem suspicious of my half-hearted answer. In a way, the reason I’d given was the most common one, which made it convenient for me. Bad-mouthing the Orthodox Faction was the most efficient way to get on their good side.
“…Those filthy Orthodox Faction bastards…”
“They put on a clean, righteous act, but that’s the reality of this world.”
“Don’t worry, youngest brother. Our great Captain will avenge you.”
No, no, that’s not it, you idiots. Your Captain won’t lift a finger for that. The only thing he cares about is his own skin.
I couldn’t fathom where this blind trust in me was coming from.
And now they’re calling me ‘youngest brother.’
Their trust stemmed largely from the Heavenly Demon’s Demonic Qi. Since betrayal was impossible under its influence, it fostered a strange sense of camaraderie. That was the power of the Heavenly Demon’s Demonic Qi.
No matter how terrible a person’s character was, they could never betray the Demonic Cult. That’s why they could trust one another.
It was ironic. Demonic Humans trusting each other? I wondered if the Heavenly Demon had planned for this, but I couldn’t be sure.
There was a more pressing question.
Why do these bastards like me so much?
I just didn’t get it. I’d done nothing but things that should earn their hatred, yet here they were, loyal and full of trust.
“…Uh,” I began, about to ask a question on that very subject, when the door opened and someone entered. It was the Silent Fist again.
“Pal Jeolyub.”
“When… did you guys start praising our Cap—"
“Pal Jeolyub. Do you not hear me?”
“Oh.”
I’d been so focused on my question that I’d only just realized the Silent Fist was calling me. Right, I’d forgotten I’d introduced myself as something like Chil Jeolyub or Pal Jeolyub.
“…Did… you call me?”
“Follow me.”
The moment the Silent Fist arrived, everyone snapped to a rigid, formal posture as if they’d been standing that way the whole time. The hierarchy here was out of control.
…
After shooting them a disgusted look, I followed the Silent Fist out. Even as we walked, I couldn’t wipe the bewildered expression from my face, still reeling from the incomprehensible situation I’d just left.
* * *
I was led outside the headquarters. We weren’t completely away from the main base, but we were right at the edge of its territory. The Silent Fist hadn’t brought me here to stand watch together.
What a hassle.
I clicked my tongue softly. It was obvious he’d chosen this spot to interrogate me in private. A high-ranking Demonic Human like the Silent Fist guarding the perimeter? An elite like him would never be assigned such a menial task.
“Pal Jeolyub.”
“Yes.”
“You said you are twenty-two?”
“That’s right.”
“How young.”
He’d really lose his mind if I told him I was actually five years younger. I had a similar thought to the one I’d had back then as I looked at the Silent Fist.
It’s been a while.
His current intent was annoying me a little, but it wasn’t bad to see him like this. He was the most normal of the Demonic Humans, relatively speaking. If not for what happened with the Hwangbo Clan, this bastard never would have become a Demonic Human. Even in death, he had carried himself more like a true martial artist than a fiend. That was why I was fond of him.
Of course, the Silent Fist was still deeply wary of me, a sentiment I did not share.
“You seem to have reached the Fusion Realm. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
The Silent Fist’s eyes narrowed at my response. He seemed genuinely shocked. To be fair, someone my age reaching the Peak Realm was shocking enough; his reaction was understandable.
That might be my nominal level, but I’m only half as strong without my flames.
My foundation in the Fusion Realm was already unstable, and being unable to use the Gu Flame Wheel Art made me significantly weaker.
“…Fusion Realm at twenty-two,” the Silent Fist murmured, clearly taken aback. It made sense. I would have been shocked, too. That wariness was precisely why he was interrogating me now. But this also pointed to another problem.
“Why isn’t a martial artist of your caliber known in the world? I wonder.”
I was more than qualified to be called the greatest young prodigy, yet I had appeared out of nowhere within the Demonic Cult. That alone was enough to make me suspicious, not just to the Silent Fist, but to others as well. I’d been worried about this very issue.
“I gathered some information about you over the past day.”
The Demonic Cult was frighteningly accurate and swift when it came to intelligence gathering.
“Pal Jeolyub… There is no information on which clan you came from, nor even where you lived…”
A cold Combat Qi began to radiate from the Silent Fist’s body, and his eyes turned icy.
Rumble—
The pressure bearing down on my shoulders was immense.
“You. What is your true identity?”
“…”
Killing intent began to leak from his pores. What should I do?
“Your name sounds fabricated. Perhaps you are even wearing a mask?”
The Silent Fist reached out his hand. Before his fingers could touch my face—
Kwak.
“…!”
I caught his wrist.
“Why are you doing this?”
Before he could react, I looked at him and offered a faint smile. The Silent Fist froze for a moment upon seeing it.
“Isn’t it normal for everyone to have a secret or two?”
“Hah. Do you think it’s possible to keep secrets under the Heavenly Demon? How dare you speak so lightly when you don’t even comprehend who stands above you.”
“At the very least, that ‘who’ is not you. Or the Captain.”
Rumble—!
The Silent Fist tried to surge his Qi at my arrogance, but he stopped short upon hearing my next words.
“Only our Leader is heaven within the Demonic Cult.”
Pause.
The Silent Fist halted again at the mention of the Heavenly Demon.
“The Leader is aware of my secrets. Despite that, I was still sent here.”
Dealing with situations like this wasn’t difficult. Just as I had with the Demonic Sword, all I had to do was invoke the Heavenly Demon’s name. These bastards couldn’t defy their heaven. In their eyes, I was one of them.
“…Can you swear to the truth of those words?”
The Heavenly Demon knew everything and had still sent me to the Black Flame Army. Could I swear to that?
“Yes. I swear to our Leader that what I have said is the truth,” I replied with a smile.
Swear? Why the hell would I do that?
“I haven’t uttered a single lie. I am, after all, a loyal servant of our Leader.”
Hearing my firm tone, the Silent Fist’s Combat Qi gradually subsided. A Demonic Human wouldn’t dare lie while invoking the Heavenly Demon’s name. This was my saving grace. Because I could use the Heavenly Demon’s name freely, it served as a perfect escape route.
“I may have my secrets, but I would never do anything to harm our army. I swear this again upon the Heavenly Demo—”
Pow—! Craaack—!
Just as I was about to speak, the Silent Fist’s fist shot past my face, missing by a hair’s breadth. A moment later, an explosive sound erupted from behind me, echoing across a wide area. I hadn’t even seen his fist begin to move. These crazy bastards were far too powerful.
I stared at the Silent Fist, wondering why he had attacked so suddenly.
“I understand your meaning,” he said, “but do not speak our Leader’s name so lightly. There is no one in the Demonic Cult who dares to utter it with such ease.”
“…Ah, yes. I apologize.”
His loyalty was extreme. I could only offer a bitter smile at the sight.
Well, your Captain doesn’t even care about you.
Moreover…
This "Hunt for the Old Monster" was a perfect example. Even knowing the Heavenly Venerable’s goal and the inevitable appearance of the Dishonored Venerable, the bastard was pushing ahead with the plan. He would even meet the Dishonored Venerable because of it.
This battle was unwinnable from the start…
And yet, I still planned to go. Was it out of loyalty to the Heavenly Demon?
Of course not.
I held no loyalty to the Demonic Cult. Despite that, I was engaging in this pointless endeavor for one reason alone.
At that time, my goal was to whittle down the Demonic Cult’s forces.
* * *
Craaack—!
Despite the late hour, the training ground was as noisy as ever. A golden Sword Qi, resembling the sun itself, swung through the air without end. Beneath its radiant light, a woman with her hair tied back moved tirelessly, her body glistening with sweat.
Swish—!
Though her sword movements were fluid, the Qi unleashed from her blade was razor-sharp. Sword waves continuously shot forth, slicing through the air.
Swish—!
Swish, Swish—!
Her sword followed the arc of her motions perfectly. It resembled a technique where a sword user levitates their blade, but it was subtly different.
Drip.
A bead of sweat fell from the woman’s chin. Simultaneously, her sword fell from the air and stabbed into the ground.
Clang—!
The impact cracked the earth. Then…
Pow—!
The sword blazed with a golden light before exploding moments later, leaving the once-smooth ground a torn-up mess. Traces of her Qi still lingered in the air.
The woman let out a heavy breath.
“…Hah…”
As she moved to wipe her sweat on her sleeve, someone approached and offered her a towel.
“Good work, Celestial Sword.”
Hearing the voice, the woman turned her head to look at the man who had come near.
“…Why are you here? You must be very busy.”
It would have been understandable for her to frown at the man’s rough appearance, but her expression remained neutral. She spoke his name.
“Beggar King.”
The Beggar King responded with a bitter smile. His eyes, too, held a deep bitterness.
“…Something has happened. Your presence is required, Young Lady.”
The Beggar King’s tone was thick with guilt. He tried to maintain his composure, but he couldn’t hide his distress. He still couldn’t bring himself to accept that this young woman had to sacrifice herself.
“Let us go,” she said simply, walking past the Beggar King without another word. Her golden hair swayed in the wind. The weather was growing colder, and the woman’s eyes seemed as icy as the coming frost.