Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Internal Strife
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“Cadet 1390, Maeng Ak. Heed my command.”
A deep, heavy voice from behind made Maeng Ak, who was about to step down from the training ground, flinch in surprise.
“……!”
Maeng Ak was not the only one. Everyone in the grand plaza was startled by the voice, their gazes shifting unconsciously toward its source.
The owner of the voice was none other than the Cult Leader.
As Maeng Ak turned to face him, the Cult Leader continued where he had left off.
“I shall appoint you to the position of Young Cult Leader. Therefore, you need not return to the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon. Come with me to the Cult Leader's Palace.”
Words that could only be described as shocking came from his lips.
Even the Guardians who assisted the Cult Leader stared at their master with wide eyes, not having anticipated this.
Of course, no one here thought Maeng Ak was unqualified for the position of Young Cult Leader.
Just moments ago, had not the greatest masters of the Sword Heaven Gate been annihilated by his hand?
His strength was proven, and in the Demonic Cult where the strong prey on the weak, there was no qualification more important than strength.
But strength alone does not provide justification. Maeng Ak himself knew this, which was why he had intended to return to the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon.
And yet, the Cult Leader, who normally valued justification more than anyone, was offering the position of Young Cult Leader himself.
Even the Guardians, who were constantly by the Cult Leader's side, could not help but be astonished.
In truth, the reason was simple.
As always, it was the Cult Leader being greedy.
‘So Ryong is a gifted child, but he could never defeat the one who even the Sword Heaven Gate could not handle. Sending him back to the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon would only make it a matter of time before he seized the Young Cult Leader position anyway. In that case, it's better to make the first move before those old snakes in the Council of Elders snatch him away.’
The Cult Leader had calculated his move.
He recalled the poison, the Blood Gu, that he had once entrusted to the Silent Kill Group.
He was already picturing Maeng Ak as his new puppet.
It was a perfect plan, in his mind. He hadn't expected a better puppet than So Ryong to appear, but it didn't matter; he would simply make this one his own.
‘Now, accept it. You have no reason to refuse.’
He painstakingly hid his insidious thoughts and was about to ask Maeng Ak again.
To ask if he would come to the Cult Leader's Palace right now.
But he was interrupted by the Great Elder, Gwangma.
“Cult Leader! Did you not promise that the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon would be managed under the authority of the Council of Elders!”
“How dare you! Even as the Great Elder, disrespect toward the Cult Leader is punishable by immediate death!”
The Left and Right Guardians drew their saber and sword respectively, blocking the Great Elder Gwangma.
As the two masters of the Transformation Realm raised their auras, the entire area seemed to resonate.
But that alone was insufficient to stop the old monster, Gwangma.
“You green-faced brats have grown up. But you're still far from good enough to stand in my way!”
He unleashed a Lion's Roar, just as he had when he stopped the Sword Servant who had rushed at Maeng Ak.
Its tremendous force struck the Left and Right Guardians directly.
They had anticipated this much when they raised their auras, so they didn't suffer internal injuries like the Sword Servant. But they were pushed back a few steps as they endured it.
It was a moment that proved why Gwangma was called a living legend by his very existence.
‘To be able to overwhelm two masters of the Transformation Realm... I expected he wasn't ordinary, but this is surprising.’
Even Maeng Ak, who was watching, couldn't help but be astonished.
He could feel the weight of the Great Elder's position.
Though he was a far cry from the Heavenly Demon, he showed no signs of being intimidated by the Cult Leader, the current number one in the Demonic Cult.
It was no wonder the Five Heavenly Pillar Gates and the Cult Leader's faction couldn't ignore the influence of the Council of Elders.
However, it wasn't a complete rout.
The Cult Leader countered the Great Elder Gwangma's Lion's Roar.
“Hah!”
He too unleashed a shout, imbued with profound internal energy, toward Gwangma.
Thanks to him, the power of Gwangma's Lion's Roar diminished, and the Left and Right Guardians could breathe easily again.
“Our apologies.”
“It is fine.”
The Cult Leader, leaving the ashamed Left and Right Guardians to bow their heads, turned to Gwangma and spoke.
“Great Elder, state your reason for opposing. If it is a valid one, I shall withdraw my command. However, if it is not, you will pay the price.”
The Cult Leader treated the Council of Elders with the respect due to seniors, and the Council of Elders in turn showed deference to the Cult Leader. It was a relationship of mutual courtesy.
But as their opinions clashed, that relationship began to crumble.
The Cult Leader's question was a final courtesy, and a warning.
In truth, he didn't even need to ask.
He knew why Gwangma was trying to stop him from making Maeng Ak the Young Cult Leader and taking him to the Cult Leader's Palace.
‘He’s whining like a child just because the doll he wanted was taken away.’
He had read the same desire in Gwangma’s eyes as he looked at Maeng Ak.
And Gwangma was not unaware of this either.
‘A brat who still has milk on his lips dares to covet what an elder was eating. Tsk.’
Gwangma, his expression twisting at the Cult Leader's warning, opened his mouth.
“A valid reason… I am rather taken aback that you would ask something so obvious. The Council of Elders took charge of the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon to prevent conflict between the Five Heavenly Pillar Gates and the Cult Leader's Palace over the position of Young Cult Leader. For you to act so willfully... are you perhaps seeking a dispute?”
“A dispute? Khahahaha! Great Elder, you've grown so senile, there's no need to respect you as a senior anymore. In the Great Elder's eyes, does that dragon still look like a lesser serpent in need of growth?”
The Cult Leader burst into a crazed laugh at Gwangma's words and pointed at Maeng Ak as he replied.
Dragon. The implication of that word was by no means small.
Especially when the one who said it was the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
He had as good as declared Maeng Ak not just the Young Cult Leader, but the vessel to whom he would entrust the Cult in the future.
The crowd, who understood this, held their breath and watched the situation unfold.
It seemed that the power structure of the Cult might shift dramatically today.
The four pillars in the guest seats were no different.
They watched intently, looking for an opening to intervene.
Individually, the masters of the gates were relatively weaker in martial prowess compared to the Cult Leader and Gwangma.
If they acted rashly, they could end up like the Sword Heaven Gate, so they were merely looking for an opportunity.
Hoping for the situation to become chaotic enough for them to step in and eliminate Maeng Ak.
Of course, not everyone was holding their breath.
The cadets of the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, clueless about the situation, were struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing circumstances.
Among them was So Ryong, who had been unceremoniously abandoned.
However, the Cult Leader and Gwangma were not ones to care about such trivial details.
The two were focused solely on the opponent before them.
At the Cult Leader's direct provocation, Gwangma narrowed his eyes and replied.
“Even after ascending to the weighty position of Cult Leader, your childhood habits remain. Cult Leader.”
“Just answer the question.”
The Cult Leader was now speaking down to him completely.
He had decided on a direct confrontation rather than risk losing Maeng Ak to the old man.
The Great Elder, incensed, was about to retort.
But his eyes met those of the Great Guardian standing behind the Cult Leader.
To his surprise, a chill ran down his spine.
*Shaaaa.*
“Gulp……!”
Gwangma had forgotten the meaning of fear after reaching the initial stage of the Profound Realm.
But that lost sensation was revived with a single glance.
Gwangma unconsciously lowered his gaze.
He, who had not yielded an inch even when directly confronting the Cult Leader, had backed down from a mere exchange of glances.
‘To think the Cult Leader's hidden card was the Great Guardian!’
Honestly, he had always been a figure shrouded in mystery.
But Gwangma had never imagined he would be a master capable of overwhelming even himself.
He had thought him to be only slightly stronger than the Left and Right Guardians at best…….
This was an unforeseen variable.
Though he only sensed it for a moment, the Great Guardian was undoubtedly a peerless master nearing the peak of the Profound Realm.
‘Damn it...! If only I could make that one my puppet, I could have restored the glory of the Cult with my own hands!’
He screamed inwardly. The plan he had been formulating ever since he first heard about Maeng Ak from the Chief Instructor had been shattered by a single person.
But this was the Demonic Cult, where the strong prey on the weak.
To clash with the Cult Leader, he would first have to overcome that inhuman Great Guardian.
That was impossible for him right now.
In the end, Gwangma had no choice but to back down.
“…I was foolish. I will follow the Cult Leader's will.”
His fists trembled.
The agony of having to give up with his goal in sight was excruciating.
Worse, this was a case of doing all the work for someone else to reap the rewards.
The pain was all the greater.
It was an agonizing situation even if left alone.
But the Cult Leader provoked him further.
“Tsk, it seems it's time for you to retire. The Council of Elders will hold the Great Elder responsible and will reflect on its actions for the time being.”
The victor was decided, and the loser, as always, clenched his teeth and accepted the punishment dealt by the winner.
As Gwangma retreated, the situation returned to how it was when Maeng Ak was first called out.
The only differences were that the Five Heavenly Pillar Gates, who had been looking for an opening, now had eyes tinged with disappointment, and the crowd had once again witnessed the extent of the Cult Leader's power.
All that remained was for Maeng Ak to follow the Cult Leader to the Cult Leader's Palace as the Young Cult Leader.
Of course, no one considered that a remaining ‘task.’
They all assumed Maeng Ak would naturally accept the Cult Leader's command.
The Cult Leader himself had appointed him to the coveted position of Young Cult Leader. He had even antagonized the Great Elder to do so.
There was no reason to refuse, and to do so would be tantamount to rebellion.
For a mere cadet to disobey the Cult Leader's command was grounds for immediate execution, so refusal was not really an option.
But Maeng Ak had no desire for a position handed to him by another.
Not even if it was the position of the Demonic Cult's Young Cult Leader, which he had been aiming for.
His goal in seeking the Young Cult Leader position was to eventually seize control of the Demonic Cult.
If he ascended to the position by the Cult Leader's command, he would only make more enemies within, and it would be difficult to achieve the effect he desired.
Thus, Maeng Ak uttered words no one could have predicted.
This time, his target was not the Chief Instructor or the Sword Heaven Gate.
His opponent was the absolute ruler of the current Demonic Cult, the Cult Leader.
“Cult Leader. I apologize, but I cannot do as you say.”
“…What did you say?”
Even the Cult Leader doubted his own ears.
‘Did he realize I plan to use the Blood Gu to make him a puppet? But how?’
Perhaps because he was harboring ulterior motives, he even felt a pang of guilt.
But no matter how he thought about it, that couldn't be possible.
There was no way the Silent Kill Group could have been discovered, or that the wooden box containing the Blood Gu could have been stolen.
In the end, he had no choice but to ask directly.
“Do you know what you are saying right now?”
His bewilderment had already turned to rage, and the Cult Leader's eyes, staring intently at Maeng Ak, were murderous.
“You need not look at me with such eyes. It is not that I dislike the idea of joining you, Cult Leader. I simply prefer to seize things for myself rather than accept what is handed to me.”
“You baaastard! Are you not only mocking me but trying to lecture me as well!”
At Maeng Ak's words, the Cult Leader finally exploded.
No, to be precise, he pretended to explode.
His plan was to drag him to the Cult Leader's Palace, force him to submit, and feed him the Blood Gu anyway.
‘To give me a pretext on his own, what a fool!’
Having made his decision, he pointed at Maeng Ak and issued a command to the Left and Right Guardians.
“Left and Right Guardians, what are you doing! Subdue that foolish cultist who has betrayed the doctrines of our Cult this instant!”
The Left and Right Guardians were of similar skill to the master of the Sword Heaven Gate.
He figured that although Maeng Ak had won decisively against the Sword Heaven Gate, he wouldn't be able to block the combined attack of these two.
Furthermore, by directly ordering the Left Guardian, who seemed to have some connection to Maeng Ak, to attack, he decided to test him.
‘There is definitely something between them. This will be a good opportunity to confirm it.’
*Shinggg!*
As they had when facing the Great Elder Gwangma, the Left and Right Guardians drew their saber and sword.
But the Left Guardian's expression, reflected on the surface of his blade, was somewhat strange.