Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Meeting Arak Siru
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Ak Muyoo glanced back and forth between the Fear Demon and the Mad Demon Armor.
“Fear Demon... want it, old timer?”
This time, Ironwood looked at Ak Muyoo. Then he asked,
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“To me, it’s like a pearl necklace on a pig. Even if I died and came back to life, the Fear Demon would never shine. But in your hands, it feels like it could become something amazing.”
“Haven’t you considered that I might be too old?”
“You’re not saying the Fear Demon is too heavy, are you?”
“It is heavy.”
“Learn a movement technique, and it won’t be.”
“Maybe in battle, but it’d be tough for everyday life. Have you entered the shrine?”
“Yeah.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
“There must have been better items than the Fear Demon. Why pick that one specifically?”
“Most of the others already had owners.”
“So you chose the ownerless one.”
“Bittersweet fate for someone without internal energy.”
“You never trained in martial arts?”
“Nah. Started at three and trained for thirty years.”
“And yet...”
“I have no dantian.”
“...”
“So I can’t wield this thing with flair or even sheathe it properly. Can’t stand tall before the strong. That’s why I picked it up. It was the most unremarkable one there. Just like me.”
“What a strange connection.”
Ironwood chuckled softly.
“You think it’s fate?”
“If you’d had internal energy, would you still have chosen it?”
“Who knows.”
“That’s why I call it fate. Anyway, try it on.”
Ironwood held out the Mad Demon Armor.
Ak Muyoo took the Mad Demon Armor.
“What about your wound? How can you wear that?”
Haru shouted sharply.
“Grown-ups don’t feel pain.”
“Wait a sec anyway.”
Haru went inside like it was her own home and came back with a clean cloth. Then she wrapped it around Ak Muyoo’s wrist.
Once the wound was fully bandaged, Ak Muyoo donned the Mad Demon Armor. It was designed to open lengthwise on one side. He slid his arm into the bottom, covered the top, and secured it with the hinged clasp that had a ring attached. The ring was uniquely spaced a bit away from the top.
He shook his arm. The Mad Demon Armor stayed firmly in place, unmoved even by vigorous shaking.
“The Mad Demon Armor has a few functions.”
Ironwood said.
“Like what?”
“You attach the Fear Demon to this ring.”
Ironwood fitted the Fear Demon onto the ring above the clasp.
“Now it’s a full set of pincers.”
“With internal energy, you can attach and detach it freely.”
“Makes sense.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
Ironwood removed the Fear Demon again and connected it with the iron chain. The connection method was simple.
Ak Muyoo took the Fear Demon and stepped out of the forge. He lightly tossed the Fear Demon held in both hands.
Clang!
The Fear Demon unfurled like wings. He swung his arms back and forth with them spread wide. The Fear Demon glided slowly through the air like a bird.
“Is that easy to do?”
Haru asked Ironwood.
“That’s not something you can do just because you have internal energy.”
“You have to keep the speed steady, right?”
“Exactly.”
Thud!
Ak Muyoo’s front foot punched through the ground.
Screech!
The Fear Demon sliced through the air with a fierce wind. Ak Muyoo’s body lurched forward. Then his left arm cleaved the air. As he stumbled and rose, his movements grew faster. At some point, neither his feet nor the Fear Demon whirling front, back, left, and right were visible.
“Wall...”
Ironwood murmured like a groan.
Until now, the wall—sword aura walls, saber aura walls, and such—had been the domain of absolute masters who reached the realm of energy projection. They were shields formed by spreading energy widely.
Yet Ak Muyoo had created one.
But it wasn’t energy. It was purely blocking all space by swinging two weapons at terrifying speeds. An impossible sight.
Whoosh!
Then a lump of metal flew toward the ironclad wall Ak Muyoo had formed. The thrower was Arak Haru, who had been watching.
Clang! Clink clink clink!
“Ha!”
Arak Haru’s eyes widened.
“How...”
She wasn’t alone. Ironwood also muttered with a dazed expression. The metal lump Arak Haru threw had been sliced into small pieces and fallen.
Click!
“One Thousand Steps.”
Ak Muyoo murmured lowly.
Clap! Clap clap clap clap!
Arak Haru grinned broadly and clapped.
“Not bad, huh?”
Ak Muyoo beamed at Ironwood. It was more than not bad. Wearing the Mad Demon Armor and swinging the Fear Demon made him truly understand what it meant to unleash. The Fear Demon obeyed his will perfectly. Forward on command, backward on command. Halt when told, charge with ferocious momentum when ordered.
He pulled both arms back sharply and stopped.
Whoosh!
The Fear Demon flew backward, its handle slotting perfectly into the ring.
“This works.”
He grinned, detached the Fear Demon, hung it at his waist, and wrapped the dangling chain around the Mad Demon Armor before securing it to the ring.
“Thanks.”
He bowed his head toward Ironwood.
“I never dreamed I’d witness the Mad Dance.”
“It’d be even cooler with internal energy backing it. Right?”
“It’s plenty cool as is. I’ve never seen such a splendid dance.”
Ironwood said with an entranced face.
“Now that this guy’s fixed, shall we head elsewhere?”
Ak Muyoo looked at Arak Haru.
“Where do you want to go?”
“I want to see everything. Learn about the kingdom too.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go.”
“You coming along?”
Ak Muyoo asked Ironwood.
“Shall I?”
Ironwood joined them.
“You know the Chacha Kingdom consists of six clans, right?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard.”
“The first clan to settle here was the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan. The kings were from the Cha family too.”
“I see.”
“The second was the World Subduing Heaven Rak Clan. They became in-laws with the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan, and kings came from both houses. Then the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan’s heir gave up the crown prince position and left for the Central Plains.”
“To tour the Martial God Tower, I suppose?”
“Oh, really?”
“He must have been too big for the Chacha Kingdom.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Those without talent cling to comfort over challenge.”
“That could be. Anyway, after that, kings came only from the World Subduing Heaven Rak Clan. Around then, four clans migrated in at once: the Yellow Dragon Great Heaven Mujak Clan settled in the west, the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan in the east, the Cloud Middle High Solitary Mysterious Weep Clan in the south, and the Mysterious Rain Storm Full Clan in the north.”
“They all lived peacefully until now?”
“Yeah.”
“Any recent changes?”
“What do you mean by changes?”
“Hard to explain. Simply put, like a dirt-poor family suddenly getting rich.”
He spoke to Haru, but his gaze turned to Ironwood.
“Why do you ask?”
“Cha Jiwoong knew.”
“Knew what?”
“My wife and I never told anyone my brother died.”
“Did Cha Jiwoong know?”
“He didn’t say it outright, but he came charging in yelling he was the heir.”
“So they put out the hit.”
“Yep. The question is whether all five clans or just some.”
“What if all five?”
“That’s the problem. If they all push me out, I should go. But the ones pushing are all latecomers. Think about it, Iron Old Man. Iron Old Man works hard and builds a forge. Then beggars show up one day, begging to settle nearby. You give them space and some land, tell them to live well. Time passes. Now the beggars act like they own the place. Then they tell Iron Old Man to get out. What would you do? Oh, can I call you Iron Old Man?”
“You already have.”
“Still had to ask.”
“It’d be tough.”
“Exactly. If we had the strength, we could sweep them away. But we’re the weakest of the six clans. And sweeping them would revert us to when we first settled here a thousand years ago. Not easy. So why is that?”
“A gold mine was discovered.”
The answer came from behind.
Ak Muyoo turned. A woman of indeterminate age walked toward the three of them. She looked sometimes in her twenties, sometimes her forties.
‘But...’
Ak Muyoo glanced at Haru.
The woman strongly resembled Haru.
“Mom or sister?”
“Haru’s alone.”
“Mom it is.”
“Right. I’m Haru’s mom.”
“First time meeting you.”
Ak Muyoo greeted her.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Siru.”
The woman smiled brightly and greeted back.
“But what do you mean a gold mine was discovered?”
“Eight out of ten parts of that back mountain belong to the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan. A gold mine was found there. And the reserves are no joke.”
“Who’s most eager to take it besides the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan?”
“How did you know the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan is the most aggressive?”
“One guy picked a fight at their gate, so I made sure he’d eat nothing but soft, easy-to-digest porridge for life.”
“You didn’t even spare the Heavenly Center Corps captain’s head?”
“Leaving because they hate the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan is fine. But treason can’t be tolerated.”
“Ah!”
“Who else?”
“What?”
“The thieves eyeing the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan’s wealth.”
“Oh, everyone except the World Subduing Heaven Rak Clan.”
“The World Subduing Heaven Rak Clan isn’t on our side either, right?”
“They’re neutral. Won’t side with the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan.”
“That’s something. Do you know where the gold mine is?”
“In the Western Pure Land Plains. But you shouldn’t go.”
“There are guards?”
“Yes.”
“Funny bunch. The owner never asked them to guard it...”
Ak Muyoo looked at Ironwood.
“Speak.”
Ironwood said.
“Can you make this?”
Ak Muyoo pulled something from his bosom and held it out. The Dark Current Arrow from Seo Haran.
“This is...?”
“They say it’s a Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan treasure, the Dark Current Arrow.”
“To make this, we’d need glass hard fur...”
Glass hard fur was a treasure transparent like glass but harder than ordinary steel.
“The rumors are out.”
“Rumors?”
“They say you got glass hard fur, right?”
The one who taught him about glass hard fur was Luya.
“Spooky.”
“Will you make it?”
“How much do you need?”
“The more, the better. Could trade for this.”
Ak Muyoo pointed to the Fear Demon.
“Don’t like that one?”
“It’s not that. I feel bad.”
“Bad for whom?”
“Sorry to Old Demon Heaven who left it, and to the Fear Demon itself.”
“You cut steel with it.”
“Steel gets cut by anyone with the basics.”
“Didn’t Life-Death Bind say the weak can win sometimes?”
Haru said.
“Very rarely. And only with luck. Mostly, the weak die first. That’s the way of the world. So don’t slack off. Work hard.”
“Hmph!”
“Thanks for the tour. And...”
Ak Muyoo looked at Ironwood.
“Speak.”
“Besides glass hard fur, could you make some with regular steel? Possible?”
“Yes.”
Ironwood nodded.
“Let’s go, Zabujong.”
Ak Muyoo waved and turned.
As he walked, he drew the Fear Demon and attached it to the Mad Demon Armor. Then he dashed off, whirling the two weapons.
“Do you know him from before?”
Siru asked, eyes fixed on Ak Muyoo.
“Met him today for the first time.”
“And yet...”
“He has the item my grandfather and father searched for their whole lives.”
“The Fear Demon?”
“Yes.”
“Why feel bad about it?”
“No dantian.”
“...Martial arts stagnation?”
“Yes.”
“How did someone without internal energy cut steel?”
“The result of thirty years of blood and sweat.”
“...I see.”
Siru nodded.
“But why has Your Highness come out?”
Indeed, this woman was Arak Siru, king of the Chacha Kingdom.
“This kid ran off during training, so I came looking.”
Arak Siru pulled her daughter Arak Haru close and hugged her from behind.
“I’ll go train now.”
“Really?”
“I’ll work hard from now on.”
“Hohoho! She must’ve learned something.”
“Anyway, I’ll train hard.”
“Good. Let’s head back too.”
Arak Siru turned.
“Oh, will you make it?”
Arak Siru asked Ironwood.
“He’s even offering the Fear Demon. How could I refuse?”
“What about the divine sword you promised?”
“Have to give it up.”
“Better iron will come along.”
“I hope so.”
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
The three walked away.
Meanwhile.
Returning to the Heavenly Center High Citadel Cha Clan, Ak Muyoo moved his luggage inside. He pulled out the Heavenly Divine Solar Bow from the luggage.
“Today I’m really stringing you up, so cooperate. Got it?”
Ak Muyoo said, aiming the Heavenly Divine Solar Bow.