Episode 25
Episode 25
Translation: Godtl
Cheon Yu-rin was not one to be shaken by mere words.
If anything, she raised her sword higher, maintaining her guard. But that was her miscalculation.
At this close range, the only thing she likely expected was a fist strike.
Every variable she could have considered—hidden weapons, daggers, or poison—was still within the realm of this era's common martial arts.
But there was one variable no one from this time could have anticipated.
'Now.'
Cheon Mu-jin immediately aimed the energy gun hidden in his sleeve.
It was a weapon that had nearly fallen out of use among hunters due to its fatal flaws: it required extremely close range to be effective, and its lengthy charging time after each shot made it impractical in real combat.
But for this moment, it was perfect.
That was why he had gone to the arms dealer beforehand to purchase it.
The dealer had grumbled—What kind of hunter-in-training buys this many weapons?—but after being paid handsomely, he quickly shut up.
Vvvvvrrrr!
The energy charge was complete. He had successfully closed the distance.
And just in case she tried to deflect it with sword energy, he had already drawn her attention elsewhere.
"Say goodbye to your shoulder."
"......!?!"
KWA-BOOM!
"AAAH!"
The energy bolt grazed Cheon Yu-rin's shoulder. He had aimed for the outer edge of her body—had he targeted her heart, she might have died.
Cheon Yu-rin was a right-handed swordswoman. If he destroyed her right shoulder, she wouldn't be able to fight anymore.
It was the most efficient choice.
Looking at her shoulder now—flesh torn open, blood streaming down—it was clear she could no longer fight.
"If you don't surrender now, you'll never use your right hand again. Admit your defeat and yield."
"......Khhh."
Though he wasn't entirely satisfied that the Cooperative Battle had devolved into a clash between group leaders rather than a proper formation battle, there was absolutely no chance of turning things around now—not with her arm reduced to a mangled mess.
"......I lose."
In the end, Cheon Yu-rin surrendered.
Once her injuries were treated, she would undoubtedly participate in the Losers' Revival Tournament.
If she makes it back through the revival round, I'll see her again. If she fails, she'll fall into Ju-rin's hands.
Either way, the future looked promising.
"WOOOOOH!!!"
"We won!"
Of course, the most ecstatic cheers came from Team Four.
None of them had ever imagined that a team led by Cheon Mu-jin—someone not from the Four Great Clans—could win.
If anyone asked whether their opponent was weak, the answer was obvious: No. Cheon Yu-rin was the heir of the Sword Demon Clan.
And judging by the technique Cheon Mu-jin had displayed at the end, it was clear he possessed considerable power.
It was enough to unsettle the onlookers.
......He was hiding that kind of strength?
Cheon Gi-baek was visibly shaken.
Was that condensed Thunder Energy? It felt dangerously powerful.
Cheon Ha-na forced a bitter smile.
And Flame Emperor was deeply suspicious.
Finger Flick Art? No, it was fundamentally different. It didn't even seem like pure Thunder Energy. What kind of trick is he hiding?
No doubt, this was why Cheon Mu-jin had refused his offer to teach him martial arts.
If he had been the one to receive that attack—what then?
A quick mental calculation gave him the answer.
If caught unaware, I might have fallen for it. But now that I know, there's no way it would work on me.
With that thought, his wariness faded. There was no need for excessive caution.
"I congratulate Team Four on their victory! All members of Team Four have passed the third stage of the trial!"
Soon, Flame Emperor refocused on his role.
With this, Team Four became the first to clear the third stage.
For those who had expected Cheon Yu-rin's victory, it was a fresh shock. And with Cheon Mu-jin making his presence undeniably known, some had even begun to rally behind him.
"You've worked hard, Master."
Ye-ryeong approached Cheon Mu-jin and spoke.
In this battle, there had been nothing she could do to assist him.
It had been purely a clash between group leaders—this victory was his alone.
"You did well too."
Ju-rin was one thing, but it was Ye-ryeong who had held off the Sword Demon Clan disciples under Cheon Yu-rin.
Had she not been there, things could have gotten much messier.
Once I enter the third floor of the Secret Manual Library, I'll need to learn at least the higher-tier martial arts of the major sects.
He couldn't rely on modern weaponry forever. Sooner or later, he'd encounter opponents they wouldn't work on—and even his trump card, the energy gun, would be nearly impossible to use from now on.
An opportunity like this wouldn't come again.
The third floor should have proper sword techniques for Ye-ryeong to learn.
The structure of the Demon Path Pavilion's Secret Manual Library was simple.
The first floor contained only low-tier martial arts or non-combat techniques.
The second floor held mid-tier martial arts. Disciples from major sects rarely bothered with these.
But from the third floor onward, it housed martial arts of the upper sects or techniques mastered by renowned experts.
Each sect had contributed their own martial arts for the advancement of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and over the years, the cult had also compiled and stored numerous techniques—either hunted down or plundered from powerful martial artists.
The long-awaited fourth floor was accessible only to the victor of the Young Cult Leader Succession Battle.
It was the very place where the original forms of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art were kept, along with the martial arts practiced by the cult's guardians.
If one reached there, they could truly be reborn as a Heavenly Demon.
***
Meanwhile, Cheon Gi-baek was in an extremely foul mood.
The scenario he had envisioned was meeting Cheon Mu-jin, overwhelming him in battle, and making the gap between them unmistakably clear.
That was why he had gone so far as to bring out a Dharma Artifact—something he rarely ever used.
'I even went through the trouble of bringing out the Flood Dragon Gauntlet...'
The Flood Dragon Gauntlet was forged from the scales of a flood dragon. Given how notoriously durable flood dragons were, no further explanation was needed.
He had intended to crush Cheon Mu-jin with it, but unfortunately, their confrontation never came to pass.
Still, that didn't mean his battle-ready stance had to change.
His target had simply shifted—from Cheon Mu-jin to Cheon Ha-na.
Cheon Gi-baek's gaze immediately locked onto Cheon Ha-na standing opposite him. The saber she wielded was far longer than her own height.
'All meaningless. A saber beyond your station won't be enough to defeat me.'
Though this wasn't the scenario he had wanted, he still planned to use this opportunity to prove that he was the most fitting candidate for the position of Young Cult Leader.
Even if the cult leader had sired Cheon Mu-jin by loving a lowly servant, someone of such humble origins could never ascend to the seat of the Supreme.
The lowborn should crawl on the ground where they belong.
And the first step toward that was crushing Cheon Ha-na.
"Cheon Gi-baek, I'll defeat you here and claim the position of Young Cult Leader myself."
"What arrogant nonsense. You think you can defeat me? Preposterous."
This Cooperative Battle was unfolding much like the previous group's.
With most participants already injured, it was only natural that the fight would come down to a duel between the Group Leaders.
In the end, the outcome would be decided by sheer martial prowess.
Effectively, this was a battle between the Fist Demon Clan and the Blade Demon Clan.
Cheon Ha-na drew her saber and immediately unleashed the opening stance of the Blade Demon Clan's signature technique—the Crazy Demon Blade Technique. The overwhelming momentum of the Crazy Demon, the clan's founder, was palpable in her blade.
But Cheon Gi-baek did not respond with the Fist Demon Clan's own signature move.
Instead, he simply slipped the Flood Dragon Gauntlets onto both hands and faced her head-on.
"What are you thinking? Show me your clan's technique already!"
"Do I really need my clan's secret art to defeat the likes of you?"
"...What did you just say?"
"It means crushing you will be child's play."
The moment he finished speaking, Cheon Gi-baek stomped the ground and lunged. The earth cracked like a spider's web from that single leap.
BOOM!
A simple punch—yet the force behind it was anything but ordinary.
Cheon Ha-na barely managed to block it with her saber, yet the impact still sent her skidding back several steps.
The earth tore apart beneath her feet as she was forced backward.
"What kind of strength is this?!"
"I've reached the Peak Realm. This is just the beginning—after the Young Cult Leader's seat, the Supreme's throne will be mine."
From the observation platform, Flame Emperor watched the battle with a frown.
This was no mere display of Peak-realm strength.
At that moment, his eyes caught the glint of Cheon Gi-baek's weapon.
The gauntlets on his hands were anything but ordinary. They shimmered faintly with a blue hue.
'Flood Dragon Armor? No, slightly different... but that color is unmistakably flood dragon scales.'
When listing the hardest materials in the world, flood dragon scales were always mentioned alongside Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.
There was no doubt—those were flood dragon scales.
'The Fist Demon Clan Leader... surely she didn't bestow the Flood Dragon Gauntlet upon her son?'
Bringing out such a divine artifact for the Young Cult Leader Succession Battle was an enormous investment. It was practically a declaration that the Fist Demon Clan intended to claim the Supreme's seat this time.
Given that the current Supreme hailed from the Sword Demon Clan, the Fist Demon Clan must have suffered considerable losses over the years.
This was a clear statement that they would tolerate it no longer.
'Still, a divine artifact made from flood dragon scales... That's excessive.'
Being a former member of the Fist Demon Clan himself, Flame Emperor knew exactly how precious that weapon was.
It was an heirloom passed down only to the sect's successor. By giving it to Cheon Gi-baek, the sect master had effectively declared that no one else would inherit it.
The difference in skill was one thing, but with a divine artifact like that in play, Cheon Ha-na stood no chance against Cheon Gi-baek.
"I don't know what trick you're using, but this Crazy Demon's blade will—!"
"Pathetic! Know your place, woman!"
Cheon Ha-na's Crazy Demon Blade Technique clashed against Cheon Gi-baek's murderous fists.
KABOOOM!
The moment they collided, a chilling aura erupted between them.