Chapter 37
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Act First, Think Later (1)
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“Wh-what is this…?!”
CRASH!
Tables shattered and all sorts of furnishings flew through the air.
Do Wigyeong, who had wanted to provide a model example of how one should act when faced with a reality beyond human comprehension, fainted.
He wasn't the only one.
The waiters cried, "Heavens, no!" and fled through the back door, while the cooks hastily hid in the kitchen.
The problem was the members of the Berserk Demon Unit, who filled the second and third floors.
"What, what the? Is this a real fight?"
"Aaaah! Is the Commander throwing down with the Third Young Master right now?!"
"We're fucked!"
They all knew that their commander, who was usually quite benevolent despite her rough edges, turned into the craziest bitch in the world once she snapped.
Wasn't it said that among all the past commanders of the Berserk Demon Unit, Wi Hongryeon was the one best suited to the unit's name?
‘Still, even so!’
They had never imagined she would fight one of the Cult Leader's disciples, a candidate for the next succession. Her habit of calling even the Nine Great Demonic Lords 'bastard' this and 'bastard' that hadn't gone anywhere.
"Kraaaaaah!"
The look on Wi Hongryeon's screaming face was truly a sight to behold.
One eye was swollen shut, and her hair was a disheveled mess.
Seo Ryang smirked.
"She really is a crazy bitch."
BOOM!
Wi Hongryeon charged.
The Purple Haze Tavern was spacious, but it was still a tavern. To charge with all her might in a place like this meant she truly couldn't see anything straight.
Seo Ryang's eyes flashed.
‘Fast.’
She was different from before, when she had taken a few hits. She was running with her Azure Demon Arts pushed to their absolute limit, sending shattered furniture flying in all directions.
POW!
Wi Hongryeon's eyes glinted.
The punch she had thrown with full intent was blocked by Seo Ryang's hand. And quite easily, at that.
"Nice impact."
WHOOSH!
No sooner had he spoken than a leg shot up. A high kick from the right, aimed at his chin.
It was a kicking style focused more on speed and sharpness than weight. A superb strike that not only packed a powerful punch but was also calculated for a follow-up attack.
‘Well, look at this.’
To execute such a strike even while blinded by rage. It meant her honed martial arts were ingrained to the point of instinct.
In other words, she was a bitch who knew how to fight properly.
Their fists and feet moved like mad.
PAPAPAPANG!
The shockwaves from their blows whipped up a gale.
They exchanged dozens of strikes, each one capable of shattering a stone wall. The fierce exchange cracked the floor and crumbled the walls.
WHOOM!
A fine blue glow emanated from Wi Hongryeon's fist.
Seo Ryang's eyes flashed.
Crack!
"Keuk!"
Wi Hongryeon's head snapped to the side.
Sparks flew before her eyes. The kick, which had sent a shock through her jaw and ear, caused the demonic energy rising from her hand to recede.
"Conjuring a fist aura in this cramped space? You're out of your mind."
"Kraaaahk!"
POW!
Seo Ryang staggered back.
But that was all. Wi Hongryeon's powerful blow had only forced him back three steps and failed to inflict any damage.
‘Indeed.’
Charging with a palm strike while letting out a sound that was somewhere between a lion's roar and a scream, she was like a crazed beast.
‘She’s a useful one.’
Now he understood why Hong Wi-mun had slipped this bitch some money.
If nothing else, she could be trusted when it came to a fight. She was difficult to befriend, but once you did, she was a versatile asset.
‘I was going to use her as bait to hook that bastard Hong Wi-mun, but the more I see, the more I covet her.’
WHOOM!
Once again, a blue glow rose from Wi Hongryeon's hand.
Seo Ryang frowned.
‘If only she knew some restraint.’
CRACK!
"Urgh!"
The blue glow vanished again.
It was unheard of for a peak expert of her level to have difficulty circulating their internal energy just from taking a blow. It only happened because Seo Ryang's kick had shaken her from her upper to her middle dantian.
In other words, he could take her down whenever he pleased.
Though she was half-mad with rage, she couldn't have been unaware of that fact.
"You bastard!"
BOOM!
Seo Ryang's body jolted. This strike was considerably powerful.
"Am I a joke to you, you son of a bitch?!"
RUMBLE!
Seo Ryang's body smashed through three tables before he was slammed into a wall.
It was the most powerful attack he had weathered so far. It was a rather burdensome blow to simply receive, unless one was fighting with the intent to kill.
‘As expected.’
There's a reason for anything called the best. Her reputation was for infamy, not martial prowess, but even that was something a powerless organization could never obtain.
"...Alright."
Seo Ryang, who had relaxed his stance to receive another blow, paused.
Wi Hongryeon, who had been glaring at him, now wore a blank expression.
‘She’s completely lost it.’
Just then, Seo Ryang's eyes caught sight of Geumho, sitting by the window and staring blankly at him.
Despite all the commotion, the little fox hadn't run away. It was wagging its body-sized tail, watching the situation with curious eyes.
‘That little bastard?’
What? When did he get there? Why had I forgotten about him?
Wi Hongryeon's gaze followed Seo Ryang's to the window.
She frowned.
‘What’s that?’
It had been right there next to Seo Ryang, but she had been so startled by the Third Young Master's sudden appearance that she hadn't even noticed it. That was why she was only now surprised to see Geumho.
Woosh.
She waved her hand.
She intended to use a gentle palm force to shoo it out the window. Even in her state of utter rage, she sought to avoid needless killing.
A truly sensible person. Despite being the leader of an organization infamous throughout the world, she possessed a minimal respect for life.
The problem was how her 'action' appeared in Seo Ryang's eyes...
Flash!
The moment Wi Hongryeon's palm energy shot out, Seo Ryang's body moved like a beam of light.
BOOOOOM!
With a deafening roar, the window frame was obliterated. A gaping hole was punched through the sturdy tavern wall.
Even Wi Hongryeon was startled by the sudden shockwave. Was my palm energy that strong?
Crumble.
Wooden debris and dust rained down from the shattered ceiling. A few unlucky members of the Berserk Demon Unit who happened to be in that spot leaped down to the first floor and quickly found their footing.
All eyes turned toward the window.
Whoosh.
The blowing wind cleared the dust, revealing Seo Ryang crouched there.
His back was turned, so his face was not visible.
Wi Hongryeon's lips twitched.
"You've got some fancy footwork."
Seo Ryang slowly stood up.
His disheveled hair looked similar to Wi Hongryeon's. Though his back was turned, anyone could tell he was in a sorry state.
Wi Hongryeon punched the air wildly and shouted.
"Turn around, you bastard! If you go easy on me again, I'll kill..."
It was then.
CRACK!
"Young Master! Are you alright?! Young Master! Young..."
Ma Dongpil, who had burst through the first-floor door in his haste, froze solid.
‘Huh? Huh?’
The first floor was a complete mess. More than half the tables were shattered, and cracks spiderwebbed across the floor. The atmosphere was several times more menacing than the scene before him. It was suffocating.
And there stood a woman radiating madness, a few men, and finally, Seo Ryang, standing with his back to them in front of a shattered window.
Wi Hongryeon's eyes narrowed into slits.
"And who the hell are you?!"
Ma Dongpil didn't even glance at her.
"Young Master! Are you alright?!"
"..."
There was no reply from Seo Ryang.
Wi Hongryeon, who had been staring at Ma Dongpil, suddenly roared.
"I asked who you are, you bastard!"
"Silence!"
"What?"
"Do you have any idea who you're causing this ruckus with? He is the Third Young Master of our sacred cult!"
"So what?!"
"...Ah?"
What do you mean, so what?
Ma Dongpil was momentarily stunned by the other party's ignorant response.
"You knew he was the Third Young Master and still did this?!"
"Shut up! Stay out of it if you're not involved, you bastard!"
He'd never seen such a crazy bitch.
A fire blazed in Ma Dongpil's eyes.
"Commander of the Berserk Demon Unit! Do you wish to be executed on the spot for blasphemy?"
SHIIING!
In an instant, killing intent poured out from all directions. It wasn't Wi Hongryeon's killing intent, but that of the Berserk Demon Unit members.
They had been holding back because their opponent was the Third Young Master, but some nameless loudmouth was not an object of their patience. Blasphemy and summary execution directed at their respected commander?
"The hell is that guy saying?"
"Kill that bastard! Let's rip his tongue out first!"
RUMBLE!
The surging killing intent induced an auditory hallucination akin to thunder. Even for Ma Dongpil, it was difficult to withstand the killing intent pouring from two hundred men.
Normally, he would have been tense and considered retreating.
But not now.
Ma Dongpil shouted.
"You curs! How dare you unleash your killing intent in his presence!"
CLANG!
His shout was heavily laden with internal energy.
It was a wave of power far stronger than that of any unit member present. The current Ma Dongpil was now nearly as strong as the sub-commanders of the Inner Palace combat units.
A truly surprising amount of internal energy and power.
But his shout was like pouring oil on a fire.
"And who the hell are you to be spouting such nonsense?!"
"Kill him! Kill him!"
"Dice the son of a bitch up!"
RUMBLE!
The killing intent, which should have subsided, grew even more vicious than before.
At this point, even Ma Dongpil couldn't help but be flustered.
‘These lunatics!’
He'd heard stories about the Berserk Demon Unit, but he never thought it would be this bad. With a shred of common sense, they should have known how serious the situation was, yet these bastards were raising an even bigger fuss.
Wi Hongryeon spoke, her eyes fixed on Seo Ryang.
"Boys. Get this new moron out of my sight."
"As you command!"
SWISH!
The Berserk Demon Unit members poured forth.
The company dinner and everything else was forgotten; they could see nothing else. Each drew their weapon and charged at Ma Dongpil, their eyes blazing with genuine killing intent.
Ma Dongpil ground his teeth. He realized that further conversation was meaningless.
CLANG!
A clean draw of his sword flowed into a swift series of sword forms.
It was a display of swordsmanship worthy of admiration, but there was no one present to offer any.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Several members of the Berserk Demon Unit were sent flying back along with their weapons.
To force back multiple experts with a single sword. It showed that Ma Dongpil's martial arts had truly reached a high level.
A demonstration of a clear gap in power in a single exchange.
Unsurprisingly, it posed not an ounce of threat to the members of the Berserk Demon Unit.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Dieeee!"
They were like a pack of wild dogs.
Beasts charging like a wave, their bloodshot eyes glinting. The madness that united them as one was more terrifying than their numbers.
Ma Dongpil shouted one last time.
"Commander of the Berserk Demon Unit! Do you truly intend to see this to the end?!"
It was a hollow cry. He was no longer the focus of Wi Hongryeon's attention.
‘Dammit! At this rate, I have to at least get the Young Master out of here...’
Ma Dongpil glanced toward Seo Ryang.
In that instant, his eyes widened as if they would tear.
Sizzle.
A faint glow began to emanate from the back-turned Seo Ryang. It wasn't the usual flame-like red demonic energy, but a thick, blood-like demonic energy.
Wi Hongryeon smiled coldly.
"You bastard, finally deciding to get serious..."
"Get back!"
This shout, she had to pay attention to. The desperation and terror in the voice were too immense to ignore.
Wi Hongryeon frowned.
"Someone shut that guy's mouth..."
"Get back! You'll die!"
"What?"
THWACK! THWACK!
Ma Dongpil, who had recklessly thrown his fists to send two Berserk Demon Unit members flying, rushed desperately toward Seo Ryang.
"Young Master! Young Master! Even so, you can't kill...!"
Just then, Seo Ryang's body flashed.
BOOOOOM!
The sound was so intense it completely silenced the clamor of the Berserk Demon Unit.
Wi Hongryeon's body flew through the air, coughing up blood, before crashing through the kitchen wall. She had been hit so hard she didn't even scream.
"...I let this bitch off easy, and she..."
Sizzle!
The shadowy demonic energy erupting from his entire body shimmered like boiling blood.
Seo Ryang, holding a perfectly unharmed Geumho in one arm, roared like a wounded mother tiger.
"How dare you touch Geumho!!"
BOOM!
Seo Ryang shot toward the kitchen at an incredible speed.
And then, a series of brutal sounds echoed out.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK