Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Hero (5)
The family is growing.
"Aren't you ashamed of the Heavenly Demon Cult's name?"
Hundred Tiger Ghost was furious. After seeing the skills of the five newly joined members. All were from the Heavenly Demon Cult and belonged to the Hundred White Blood Corps.
'It would have been difficult for the Thousand White Blood Corps to reincarnate with their skills.'
In the end, the possibility of Heavenly Demon Cult members reincarnating was narrowed down to the Hundred White Blood Corps. At most 100 people, certainly far fewer than that, must have reincarnated.
The five newly joined members were to be managed by Hundred Tiger Ghost just like in their past life. A new building was already being constructed behind my lodgings. Five single-story country houses were being built, each designed to accommodate 4 people. A space that could house a total of 20 people.
'Will it be filled?'
I couldn't be certain of that yet.
"Hundred Tiger Ghost."
"Yes! Cult Leader!"
I still can't get used to Hundred Tiger Ghost's round face with horn-rimmed glasses.
"Don't push them around like you did in the past life. You know what I mean?"
"Yes, sir!"
He answered confidently, but I didn't trust him. The five standing behind him had resolute expressions, but somehow there was a sense of incongruity.
'Because the world has changed.'
In our past life, those expressions and postures were familiar. But in this life, they're different.
'I'll need to create detailed guidelines.'
My standard of thinking is this: At least within the Heavenly Demon Cult, members should be more prosperous than the world's average and have pride. In our past life, that meant honor and food, but in this life, personal satisfaction and leisure are important.
"Hundred White Blood Corps."
At my call, six people, including Hundred Tiger Ghost, answered loudly.
"From now on, you'll each use your own names."
The five who joined were Hundred White Blood Corps No. 3, No. 6, No. 11, No. 14, and No. 17. In our past life, we assigned numbers according to skill instead of names like this.
The Thousand White Blood Corps had so many people they were numbered by order of entry, but the Hundred White Blood Corps was the pride of the Heavenly Demon Cult, so numbers directly represented skill.
Hundred White Blood Corps No. 3. He was skilled enough to face even ordinary martial arts masters alone, so I knew him well. In this life, his training was at an ordinary level, so he was being pushed back by No. 6, but his internal energy cultivation was solid. As time passed, he would naturally push No. 6 back again.
"Any name is fine. Tell me the name you want, and I'll call you that from now on."
The Hundred White Blood Corps answered vigorously once more. Various ethnicities had gathered. Two were Westerners, two were Easterners, and the last one was a Black person from Kenya.
"Cult Leader!"
"What?"
"Can I just keep Hundred Tiger Ghost?"
"Fine."
I left the rest to Hundred Tiger Ghost and was about to turn around when I heard Yuna's voice.
"Oppa!"
With Yuna's appearance, everyone's mood relaxed. Yuna was the mascot of this house. She got along well with everyone and acted cute, asking to be held.
I received Yuna from the Witch. Yuna looked at the Hundred White Blood Corps members while in my arms. While everyone was smiling, the eyes of the Kenyan Black man became noticeably warmer. In his early 40s, he playfully clicked his tongue and made a grimacing face when he saw Yuna.
"Hehe."
Yuna stretched her hand toward him. When I set her down on the floor, Yuna ran over and held out her hand to him. He picked up Yuna naturally.
"Mister, what's your name?"
"It's Plante."
Yuna getting along well with everyone was because there were no language barriers. This was also possible because of magic.
"Mister Plante? Hehe."
Yuna laughed while being held in his arms. Plante holding Yuna didn't look awkward at all. Yuna played with the Hundred White Blood Corps for about 10 minutes before going to the research lab with the Witch.
"Plante."
I called his name. Plante straightened his body again and answered.
"Do you have family?"
"Yes. I have a fourteen-year-old daughter and a twelve-year-old son."
"Your wife?"
"She died in an accident three years ago."
"Where are the children?"
"At my parents' house."
Accepting someone as family is not simply just their problem. Parents, wife, and children—it's a problem for the entire family. Those who were merely warriors in our past life had now become heads of households.
"If you want, you can bring them. If you don't want to, I'll definitely support living expenses."
"Thank you!"
Plante had a moved expression. I had seen this expression on my father's face.
'Everyone has their own circumstances.'
Life includes many things like this. The reason Heavenly Demon Cult members joined later than I thought was also because of reasons like this.
"Then Hundred Tiger Ghost, take care of the rest. Make sure to train properly, but no beatings outside of sparring."
Though few in number, the Hundred White Blood Corps had been revived. Satisfied with this, I was turning around when I heard Hundred Tiger Ghost's voice.
"Then let's start with sparring."
My head throbbed. I was about to say something again, but left it alone in case Hundred Tiger Ghost's spirit would be dampened.
***
I discussed in detail with Jimun Seo-saeng the treatment of those who joined. Jimun Seo-saeng had the same thoughts as me, so we made plans to definitely support them. We put effort into the operational plan in our own way, and when this was ending, the Witch came to visit. Unlike usual, she didn't call me to the research lab but brought up the topic where Jimun Seo-saeng was present.
"I need to mark my territory a bit."
"Because of the reporters?"
Many reporters are still covering us. This isn't coverage, it's surveillance level.
"That too, and there are suspicious guys too close."
I was also concerned about that.
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to release some pets. Do you agree?"
"Alright."
The Witch simply finished speaking and stood up. Then, just before leaving the lodging, she said in passing.
"About building houses behind here."
"Why?"
"This is my land. You know that, right?"
I looked at Jimun Seo-saeng. Jimun Seo-saeng seemed to have consulted with the Witch about it, but didn't convey it to me.
"Just so you know."
The Witch left those words and exited the lodging.
"Jimun Seo-saeng, what does that mean?"
Jimun Seo-saeng answered immediately.
"It seems to be the minimum level of warning."
"At least it's fortunate it's the minimum."
Recently, the Heavenly Demon Cult family has been growing. Currently, 14 people are living together within the same fence. From the Witch's perspective, her family of 5 has gained 9 guests.
"Make sure there's absolutely no harm to the Witch. Tell the newcomers clearly, too. Even if they hear words cursing me, tell them to let it go. That she can do that because she's my older sister."
"Understood."
It's good to clearly set the line.
"You don't need to worry too much. Miss Yuri also secretly enjoys it."
"The Witch enjoys having many people around? No way."
"Would you like to bet?"
I've never won a bet against Jimun Seo-saeng. But as always, I end up hearing the betting conditions.
"What kind of bet?"
"When we're playing together, will Miss Yuri get angry, or will she secretly watch or join in?"
"She'll obviously get angry. You just saw her say it's her land."
"I'll bet on the opposite."
Even if it's Jimun Seo-saeng, I'll win this bet.
"What are you betting?"
I asked first. Jimun Seo-saeng answered with a smile.
"I'll let you play with Kim Mu-jin periodically. Somehow with guaranteed secrecy."
It's a condition that ignites my fighting spirit.
"If I lose?"
"You'll give up until you're twenty."
It's as if he's reading my mind. I was already racking my brain about how to handle that part anyway.
"Fine. No going back on your word."
"Of course."
Thus the bet was established.
***
I left the lodging to proceed with the bet. But the surroundings were in chaos. First, I saw the police leaving the house. The government had specially dispatched police to guard the house, but the Witch had sent them away. Instead, 12 animals were released inside the house. Five puppies, 3 cats, 2 moles, and 2 foxes. All with fluffy fur like they had just been born and cute appearances, so Yuna loved them very much.
The 12 animals that had been tangled around Yuna's body, acting cute, changed their eyes according to the Witch's command. The 12 animals all stood in front of the fence at once and began transforming. The animals that became monsters you'd only see in hell threatened the reporters and pushed them back. At first, reporters who had taken out their cameras screamed and retreated when the monsters rushed at them roughly.
"I can't even control these guys. So if you carelessly enter, these guys will chew you up to the bone."
As those words ended, the monsters shrieked, and all the people around started running away. The Witch didn't stop there and began drawing a line made of magic circles on the land in the distance that she owned. She clearly drew a line one meter wide, which connected all the way to the mountain behind that the Witch owned.
One of the reporters watching this was pushed by someone else and stepped on that line. Then an explosion erupted and a noisy alarm sounded. At the same time, the monsters all pounced on the reporters. The moment the monsters' giant mouths were about to swallow the reporters' faces, Yuna shouted.
"Stop it!"
The monsters all stopped their actions at once.
"Come back."
The monsters transformed back into cute appearances and ran to Yuna. The Witch clearly told the reporters who had wet their pants in fear.
"Next time, Yuna won't save you."
Finally, the Witch picked up her phone.
"Please come do some doorbell construction here."
With that, the Witch's territory was clearly marked.
***
I waited until the Witch turned around before executing the operation.
'Let's make sure.'
I had a bet I couldn't give up on the line.
"Start."
A net was set up on the lawn.
"The rules are simple. If you drop this on the opponent's floor, you win."
I was holding a soccer ball.
"You must pass it over the net within three touches, and if you burst the ball, you're disqualified. Internal energy use is prohibited. External energy is allowed."
The basic rules were volleyball rules. We immediately divided into teams. Hundred Tiger Ghost, Plante, another Hundred White Blood Corps member, and I were one team. The opposing team was So Iryeon, Cheong Ak-sal, and 2 Hundred White Blood Corps members. Jimun Seo-saeng and 1 Hundred White Blood Corps member who lost in rock-paper-scissors were referees.
"Wow! This looks fun!"
At this ball game she was seeing for the first time, Yuna sat in a line with the animals to watch. My parents also showed interest and took seats next to Yuna. I moved the 1 Hundred White Blood Corps member not participating in the game next to my parents. To prepare for any possible accidents.
"5-point match! Start!"
The game began. I took the first serve. Then Cheong Ak-sal received the ball with his toes and raised it at a right angle. So Iryeon threw 1 Hundred White Blood Corps member into the air. The Hundred White Blood Corps member who rose 10 meters flipped his body in mid-air and slammed the ball down with his foot. Hundred Tiger Ghost moved quickly to catch the ball falling in our camp. But just before receiving the ball, Hundred Tiger Ghost's body flinched. The ball ended up falling next to him.
Beep!
Jimun Seo-saeng blew the whistle.
"Protector Cheong, hidden weapons are not allowed."
Hundred Tiger Ghost had missed the ball after being hit by Cheong Ak-sal's hidden weapon technique.
"It's external energy, not internal energy."
"Attacks must only be done with the ball. This attack will be treated as invalid."
The game started again. Since they all had competitive personalities, once the match started, all extreme external energy techniques were displayed.
Bang!
In the end, So Iryeon's fist burst the ball.
"Disqualification. 1 point to the opposing team!"
We got the first point. Before I knew it, I was absorbed in the match, laughing and chatting. The spectators were the same, and my parents even cheered. The score was 4 to 4. With everything riding on the last point, all 8 people on the court showed resolute will.
Cheong Ak-sal served and the rally continued endlessly. Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Diamond Divine Art, Blood Shadow Movement Technique, Octagonal Fist, Moon Shadow Leg, Reviving Line Palm Technique, etc. All martial arts were displayed, utilizing each person's specialties.
'Opportunity.'
Hundred Tiger Ghost received Cheong Ak-sal's spike with his head and the ball flew high. I saw the opportunity and rose to the height of the ball and just smashed it down. Coiled Dragon Leg. The ball was crushed as if about to burst, made a brilliant flight, and headed toward the opponent's court. Just before it crashed into the floor after narrowly crossing the net, So Iryeon slid on the floor and kicked it up with her knee. But the ball that bounced back quickly, Cheong Ak-sal suddenly appeared using Blink and slammed it into our court. It happened while I was still floating in the air, so I had no time to do anything.
"Referee! Isn't magic a foul?"
"Not this magic. It's allowed since it moved their own body, not the ball."
"What are you talking about!"
In the end, Jimun Seo-saeng declared So Iryeon's team the winner. When the game ended, Jimun Seo-saeng came to my side.
"You seem to have found a wholesome way to play."
Honestly, it was fun. But Jimun Seo-saeng's smile bothered me.
"Play wholesomely like this until you're twenty."
Jimun Seo-saeng's gaze headed behind Yuna.
"How come……."
The Witch was standing behind Yuna with an expressionless face.
"She was watching the whole time. I won the bet."
Four years of enjoyment flew away. I urgently asked Jimun Seo-saeng.
"I can still date, right?"
"How could I stop that? But not two people at the same time."
Only then could I understand the fate of celebrities whose private lives are restricted.
***
The next morning. I opened my eyes with my body in perfect condition. Even the last remaining internal injury wounds had all been healed. I opened my eyes in such a refreshing mood, but the news that soon came in made all of us serious.
"Cult Leader, an opposing force has appeared."
At Jimun Seo-saeng's words, I hurriedly turned on the news.