Chapter 763: Appearance of a Hero (Revised 2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 763: Appearance of a Hero (Revised 2)
Pshhh….
The demon's body scattered into the wind, leaving only the White Demonic Stone behind on the ground.
The Demonic Stone stood perfectly upright, as if someone had carefully placed it there. It looked translucent at a glance, yet its white hue was distinct, and I could feel the immense energy contained within—an amount of energy far surpassing even the Heavenly Poison Orb, which was said to be a top-tier spirit pill.
I knew obtaining it would be a massive boon, but…
“...”
I couldn't bring myself to touch the Demonic Stone recklessly. Part of it was that I couldn't use the Demonic Absorption technique with so many eyes on me, but I also froze as I recalled what had just happened.
‘What was that?’
What was this unsettling feeling? What did I just hear?
[Thank… thank… you….]
“...”
Before the demon disappeared, it had thanked me. Its speech was slurred, but I had no trouble understanding it.
Did I mishear? Was it an auditory hallucination? I knew better than anyone that it wasn't.
‘What the hell.’
The fact that a demon spoke human words wasn't that surprising. In the first place, it seemed problematic to treat beings like dragons as mere demons. That bastard named Mang I met in the North Sea had also conversed perfectly fine, so this wasn't a total shock, but…
“Why…”
Why did this thing, which hadn't uttered a single word until now, speak to me at the very end? And of all things, why were they words of gratitude?
Because of what I’d heard, an unsettling feeling bloomed in my chest the moment it vanished. What was the reason? I could have just ignored it, but once the question arose, it stuck in my throat.
‘Ah, this is so annoying.’
I ended up scowling. It should've just died like a monster. Why did it have to go and make a person feel so unsettled?
‘Nothing ever gets resolved cleanly.’
That's my life for you. Fuck.
Ignoring the complicated knot in my chest for now, I collapsed onto the ground.
“Hoo…”
I let out a breath I'd been holding. Just then, voices filled with tension drifted over as the others surveyed the scene.
“I-Is it over?”
“The demon…?”
“I can't see it… It seems… it really seems to be over.”
In the quiet—or rather, the deathly silent—atmosphere, one person suddenly shouted with an enthusiastic voice.
“I-It seems the Lesser King of Hell finished off that monster!”
Huh?
I immediately turned my head at that bullshit. What was he saying now?
“No wonder…! I thought it was strange for him to approach with his body in that state, but it was to deliver the final blow!”
“With that dying body…? Don't tell me… he wanted to save us from danger…?”
“Lesser King of Hell… you…”
The men's eyes all reddened in unison. Disgusted by the somewhat creepy sight, I shouted, “Did you all get drunk together? Did you not see the thunder falling from the sky just now?”
I'd never heard such bullshit. Anyone watching would think I took it down alone. The Heavenly Venerable did all the hunting, but I'm the one getting the applause? How could they reach such a fucked-up conclusion?
“I just came to check something. It was already dead, so please don't misunderstand.”
“To possess such humility as well…”
“How cowardly and pathetic of me to judge him based on rumors… The Lesser King of Hell is a completely different person from the stories.”
“They said he was skilled but had a foul temper, looked terrifying, and was busy chasing women… To think he was a young man so full of self-sacrifice.”
“This is why you can't believe rumors…”
“…I think I really need to rip their tongues out.”
I held it in and held it in until I was pissed off enough to try and stand up.
Stagger—!
“Ugh!”
My body swayed, and I collapsed back down.
“Haa… haa.”
I almost fucked up. It seemed my body had reached its limit; I nearly lost consciousness.
‘No.’
Absolutely not. I couldn't pass out yet. The demon was dealt with, so the immediate crisis was over, but…
‘…There's still work to be done.’
The most important task remained. Remembering that, I barely managed to pull myself together.
“Hoo…”
As I was steadying my breath, Tang Soyeol rushed over to support me.
“Are you okay…?”
“…Of course, I'm fine.”
“What part of you is fine…?”
“My arms and legs are all attached, aren't they? Then I'm fine.”
At least nothing was torn off. That was enough. Ignoring the blood rising in my throat, I swallowed it down and observed my body. The dragon's body had already begun to regenerate.
I didn't use any Qi. A minuscule amount was left, but I had to conserve every last bit, so I couldn't waste it on regeneration. I looked up at the empty sky.
‘…That was fast.’
As if to announce the demon's death, the sky was gradually clearing. Just as relief began to spread across the faces of the others, I spoke in a low voice.
“This is no time to be standing around. That unknown thing seems to have been dealt with… but the attack isn't over yet, is it?”
“...”
My reminder to stay vigilant immediately hardened their expressions. The main blaze had been extinguished, but the embers were still burning. That was the intention behind my words.
The attack wasn't over. I had only managed to let the people in the center escape. Since not all the assailants had been subdued, battles were likely still raging in various places.
Also, if possible…
‘It would be nice if they could buy a little more time.’
It probably wouldn't be for long. Those bastards must have looked at the sky and realized it by now—that something had gone wrong with their plan.
‘Though it's too late for them to realize that now.’
I shook my head and spoke to the others. “Now is the time to do what needs to be done, not to feel relieved.”
“…He's right.”
“We still have work to do.”
Everyone nodded. They set off to clean up the remaining enemies and protect the civilians—people who would draw their swords at any time for the sake of stability.
Even as I put on a disgusting pretense of nobility, I memorized each of their faces. As I quickly scanned the dozens of people, I realized one thing.
‘…They're almost all faces I don't know.’
The majority were people I didn't recognize. In my past life, they were probably the ones who died early in the war.
“...”
I savored and memorized their faces, one by one. In my past life, neither I nor anyone else would have bothered to do so. I know I don't have the right, but this time, I wanted to be the one to remember.
* * *
The place I headed to immediately was the civilian evacuation zone. It wasn't too far from the Murim Alliance headquarters—a location from which one could easily see the main buildings if they wanted to.
You might wonder why it was set up so close to the headquarters where the attack was happening, but there was a reason for it.
‘They have to be able to see it.’
The gathered people needed to be able to look at the Murim Alliance. That way, their distrust would deepen. Those who grew to distrust the Alliance during the evacuation, or those whose faith had wavered in the current crisis—it was a means to deepen the chasm of resentment they harbored.
And this method was more effective than I'd thought.
“Be careful!”
“Please watch your step as you move!”
The area was crowded with a massive throng of people. In their midst, martial artists in yellow uniforms were serving as both escorts and guides. They were from the Hwangbo Clan.
“Anyone feeling unwell, come here immediately!”
Healers and water had been brought and stationed. In preparation for a possible attack, martial artists stood guard, warily surveying the surroundings.
“…To even provide healers…”
“How could they…”
Watching this, many people expressed their admiration. In the current Central Plains, healers were precious figures, and those belonging to the great clans were people even their own blood relatives couldn't easily access. To station such healers in a shelter to care for commoners…
“…The Hwangbo Clan is truly a noble clan among noble clans…”
“I heard they were the first to act during the attack, even before the others.”
“They are truly amazing people.”
“How can we ever repay this kindness…”
Their faces were full of gratitude. This was even more so because most of the people here had been personally helped by the Hwangbo Clan.
“Compared to them, those people from the Murim Alliance…!”
At those words, the surroundings fell silent for a moment. The man who had spoken seemed unable to suppress his emotions, despite the heavy atmosphere.
“Be careful… No matter what, cursing the Murim Alliance is…”
“Calm down? What is there to calm down about? What have they done while the situation got this bad!”
Cursing the Alliance in the middle of Henan was a very dangerous thing to do. Yet the man couldn't hold back, and the others, while hesitant, wore expressions of agreement.
“They walked around with their heads held high, claiming to protect the Central Plains, but where were they and what were they doing?!”
“…Th-That's right. They were too busy escorting the merchant lords and innkeepers with powerful backers. They didn't even spare us a glance.”
“I saw it too…!”
As people chimed in one by one, the voices grew louder, catching a current of shared rage.
“What justice is there to speak of… I hear even the Alliance Leader is trapped over there, unable to move. What in the world has been protecting us…”
The heat of anger eventually dissolved into lamentation—a sense of emptiness, wondering what it was they had believed in for so long.
Watching these bitter people, I quietly moved. No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say the Heavenly Venerable moved. What this meant was that I was currently being carried on the Heavenly Venerable's back.
‘…Hmph.’
To think I'd live to be carried on the back of one of the Three Venerables. It was a truly uncomfortable situation, but it couldn't be helped. I needed to recover my strength in a short amount of time, so I had to rest. And since I had to move separately, I needed to borrow someone's strength…
‘…Why are they fighting over it?’
Three women had suddenly started fighting over who would carry me. Was it a mistake to ask for a ride to my destination? The moment I said it, fire lit up in their eyes.
It started with Tang Soyeol. She casually stepped forward to carry me, but Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah blocked her at the same time. The reason was simple: why should Tang Soyeol be the one?
In response, Tang Soyeol argued that since she had always supported me, she should be the one to carry me this time as well. It was a logical enough reason, but the other two didn't accept it.
Namgung Bi-ah said Tang Soyeol had only done it because she wasn't around, so now she would take over. Wi Seol-Ah went so far as to say that since she was originally my servant, she would carry out her duty.
I was so flustered hearing that. When did she even quit being a servant? And it was Wi Seol-Ah herself who had been lying in a sickbed with bandages wrapped around her chest just moments ago. It was absurd to think about who was going to carry whom.
At first, it seemed to be progressing with logical arguments… but it didn't take long to realize that in reality, there was no logic at all—just a burning desire for each of them to be the one to do it. In the middle of it all, Bongsun suddenly tried to sneakily carry me, got caught, and the situation devolved into an even bigger mess.
In the end, the atmosphere grew increasingly murderous, and just as I was wondering what to do about this shitty situation—
—This old man will carry him.
The Heavenly Venerable, who had been watching, stepped in and sorted things out. They had been on the verge of fighting, but at his words, they all shut their mouths.
‘What the hell is the big deal…’
I couldn't understand why they would fight so fiercely over something as simple as carrying me on their back.
Anyway, after observing the refugees' reactions for a moment, I headed toward the pavilion with the Heavenly Venerable's help.
‘I see it.’
The pavilion built inside the Murim Alliance headquarters, where the martial arts tournament had been held. Arriving there again, I could see several people gathered together. As soon as they spotted us, they immediately drew their swords.
Shing—!!
“…Identify yourselves.”
I observed them from a distance.
‘Ha.’
A dry laugh escaped me as soon as I saw their faces.
‘Three Captain-level fighters?’
There were over forty martial artists gathered, and among them, I could see three Captains. In particular, the man who drew his sword upon seeing us was a face I knew well.
“One Azure Sword.”
Jang Seongmyeong, the One Azure Sword. The current Captain of the Blue Dragon Army and a master who had entered the ranks of the Hundred Masters of the World.
‘That Jang son of a bitch's right-hand man.’
He was the man called the Meteor Sword's right hand in my past life. Just then—
“…L-Lesser King of Hell…?”
The person next to him recognized me, his eyes widening.
“Oh.”
I wondered who it was, but it was a familiar face.
“It's been a while, Captain of the Sky Dragon Army.”
As I spoke with a smile, he flinched and his body trembled. The man was none other than Beomdong, the Captain of the Sky Dragon Army.
“H-How are you…”
As Beomdong spoke in bewilderment, the One Azure Sword next to him made a strange expression.
“I thought you looked familiar. So the Young Master was the Lesser King of Hell.”
He had learned my identity, but he still didn't sheathe his sword.
“I know who you are. However, I must ask why you have come here.”
I could feel his wariness. Despite sensing the sharp energy, I stepped forward.
“I heard the Alliance Leader is trapped here, so I came to offer my assistance.”
“…You did?”
Hearing my answer, his wariness only increased. Well, if I were him, I would have found it strange too.
“Yes.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but there is no need.”
“Why is that?”
“Given the circumstances, this is a time when we must prohibit outsiders from entering. If you wish to help, it would be better to use your strength elsewhere.”
“…Given the circumstances…”
I mulled over his words. They were so ridiculous that I had to seriously consider how to respond.
“Indeed… the situation is a total mess right now.”
“Thank you for your understand—”
“But in a situation like this, what are all of you doing here?”
“…What did you say?”
I habitually started to crack my neck but stopped. It felt like it would hurt like hell if I did it now.
“The city has been wrecked by the assailants' attack. The citizens are screaming and wailing, it's chaos… and I'm asking what you all are doing here.”
The attack broke out, and the demon went on a rampage, but what was the Murim Alliance doing in the meantime? I already knew the answer to that.
“Busy taking care of the innkeepers and merchant lords. The sponsors first… and with three so-called Captains fooling around here, of course the situation turned into such a mess.”
As I continued to speak, the One Azure Sword's expression crumpled.
“What… did you just dare to say?”
“You don't seem old enough to be deaf, but I can repeat myself if you wish. However, it might be a bit harsher than what I just said. Are you okay with that?”
“You—!”
The One Azure Sword, enraged, immediately unleashed his fighting spirit.
“Are you insulting not only myself, the Captain, but the entire Alliance?”
“Does this look like a compliment to you? If you heard it that way, you must be sick somewhere, so you should probably see a healer quickly.”
“This bastard, really—!”
The One Azure Sword approached as if to cut me down on the spot. Watching him, I remembered. Honestly, I didn't care whether he got angry or not. In fact, I had hoped he would act this way. It would make my job easier.
That should have been the case.
‘But this is too fucking much.’
No matter what, I couldn't stand it. The memory of the people who had rushed to fight the demon came to mind. The faces I'd forced myself to memorize flashed through my head. It was a mistake. I shouldn't have bothered memorizing them. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten so pissed off.
‘But what can I do.’
Now that I've memorized them, I have to take responsibility.
The One Azure Sword approached, looking furious. Seeing him, I was about to power up my heart when—
“Calm yourself.”
The Heavenly Venerable's hand gripped my shoulder. Feeling his touch, my body seemed to stop on its own.
“My apologies. This old man will apologize on his behalf.”
“His words insulted the Alliance! This is not a matter for anyone to interfere in…”
The One Azure Sword raised his voice at the Heavenly Venerable before faltering. It seemed he finally recognized who he was talking to. As a Captain of the Alliance, there was no way he wouldn't know the Heavenly Venerable's face.
“…E-Elder…?”
The One Azure Sword's face went pale the moment he confirmed it was the Heavenly Venerable.
“H-How is it that you are here, Elder…”
To the shocked One Azure Sword, the Heavenly Venerable said, “Our Young Master had some business, so we stopped by for a moment.”
“Young Master… you mean…”
The One Azure Sword's gaze turned toward me. Normally, I would have denied or clarified it, but this time, I didn't bother.
“What are you looking at?”
“...”
It was my way of telling him to go get fucked. And judging by the look on his face, the message got through loud and clear. It was quite a sight.