Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Windless Killing Curtain (2)
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The man we captured said his name was Ha San, and that he was in charge of crafting skin masks and handling liaisons for the Windless Killing Curtain.
Perhaps because of that, he knew quite a bit about the revived Windless Killing Curtain.
Thanks to him, the information he wrote down contained many surprising details.
Among them was the fact that our cult and the fallen Windless Killing Curtain had been connected.
“I never dreamed the Windless Killing Curtain was connected to our cult.”
“So, you didn't know either, Great Elder.”
Of course, it was still uncertain if Ha San's information could be trusted.
I had watched with my own two eyes as he cleverly escaped the torturer.
‘He's the type who could easily fabricate false information.’
He said he was in charge of crafting skin masks and handling liaisons.
The fact that he handled the rare technique of skin mask crafting and managed liaisons that dealt with information supported the idea that he was quite clever.
‘Well, if he's truly clever, he wouldn't try to lie in this situation.’
His mouth and body were sealed, and on either side of him stood two absolute masters.
He would know that if he lied and was caught, his death would not be a peaceful one.
Still, just in case, I needed to remind him once more.
“You know this well, but if there is even a shred of falsehood in this information, I will find not only you but also your family and friends and make sure your souls wander the nine heavens.”
“This old man will personally step in to help.”
The Great Elder, seemingly sharing my thoughts, chimed in.
And we read Ha San's expression.
Fortunately, it seemed truthful.
“Hmm, it doesn't seem like a lie, but what should we do?”
The Great Elder said, stroking his beard.
He seemed to be contemplating whether to continue the investigation based on this information or to report to the Heavenly Demon first.
I was pondering the same thing.
A brief silence passed, and then, having made my decision, I spoke.
“Since we have a living witness, how about we report to the Heavenly Demon first?”
The Great Elder readily agreed, as if he had been thinking the same.
“I thought the two of us would be enough, but I agree with you. This seems too grave a matter for us to handle on our own. Well then, shall we hurry?”
“Yes, I will take care of this man.”
“Thank you.”
After sealing Ha San's demonic pressure points again, I hoisted him onto one shoulder and prepared to follow the Great Elder out of the secret room.
But at that moment.
I felt a presence standing behind me, one whose arrival I hadn't even sensed.
“……!”
At that unbelievable presence, not only I but also the Great Elder walking ahead of me froze.
‘Judging by the internal energy I feel, he is on our level. But there's something unsettling about him…!’
It was an aura that overwhelmed even the Great Elder and me, who practiced demonic arts.
Just being near him felt like my mind was being eaten away.
I turned my head to confirm his identity.
Dark black hair, a blindfold tied crosswise over his eyes, and a venomous snake coiled around his neck that looked anything but ordinary.
That bizarre combination matched the description Ha San had written of the Silent Kill Demonic Emperor.
The man asked me.
“Hmm… this aura… the Great Guardian and Great Elder of the Demonic Cult? What brings such esteemed individuals all the way here?”
Despite his eyes being completely covered, he recognized the Great Elder and me at a glance.
He was an unpredictable man.
Fearing I would lose the upper hand if I lost my composure, I replied without thinking.
“To recognize us by our aura alone, you must know a great deal about our cult.”
“Hah, if one is to entrust themselves to another's nest, they should at least know this much.”
The Silent Kill Demonic Emperor retorted calmly.
He then glanced at the Great Elder, who wore a grave expression, and continued.
“Old man, no need to be so tense. Even for me, it would be difficult to face you both alone here.”
“Ha! Does that mean you could take on the two of us, who have reached the Profound Realm, by yourself if you had to?”
“It wouldn't be easy, but it's not impossible. Of course, if you just hand over that boy and leave quietly, it won't come to that.”
The Silent Kill Demonic Emperor said, his gaze fixed on Ha San, who was slung over my shoulder.
Seeing him want Ha San in this situation, it seemed the boy really was favored enough to make the torturer jealous.
‘Either that, or there's something more important.’
Whatever the case, I had no intention of giving him what he wanted.
The end of the fourth test was approaching, and the Heavenly Demon's command had to be carried out, no matter what.
“I cannot do that. We are on a mission directly from the Heavenly Demon. We need this man to carry out that order.”
Honestly, Ha San wasn't that important, but I couldn't just give up someone the Heavenly Demon had specifically mentioned. I was also curious why this man was so obsessed.
But suddenly, the Silent Kill Demonic Emperor's face twisted into a demonic rage, and he erupted in anger.
“Hah!”
That unsettling aura exploded from his entire body once more. Thanks to that, assassins who had been hidden throughout the secret room began to reveal themselves one by one.
The number of assassins who appeared reached a staggering fifty.
Seeing them reminded me of the Silent Kill Brigade that the Cult Leader had personally raised.
Of course, compared to them, the skill level of each and every one of these men seemed far superior.
The men, exuding powerful auras, looked at the Silent Kill Demonic Emperor, who seemed ready to charge at the Great Elder and me at any moment, and spoke.
“Honored Killer! What is happening!”
“Protect the Honored Killer! The intruders' martial prowess is extraordinary!”
“Surround the intruders!”
In an instant, we were completely surrounded by fifty assassins.
Just then, the Great Elder quietly asked me.
“Great Guardian, how about we just hand the boy over? We've already gotten as much information as we need. If this continues, we might not make it back before the fourth test ends.”
The Great Elder was not wrong.
No, to be honest, he was putting it mildly. In this situation, even for two absolute masters, survival was not guaranteed.
‘One absolute master who is our equal or greater. And fifty assassins who are, on average, at the peak level… This won't be easy.’
I, too, began to share the Great Elder's opinion.
‘Even if we return empty-handed right now, there shouldn't be a major issue in completing the order to investigate the Windless Killing Curtain.’
The problem lay elsewhere.
It was that man right in front of me, exuding a killing intent so thick it made my hair stand on end.
‘Silent Kill Demonic Emperor and Honored Killer… Titles that suit the aura I feel from him.’
Unlike before, when he seemed like he would let us go, the man now radiated an intent to kill us, expressing it with his entire being.
‘I need to make a decision.’
It was a situation where negotiations could be considered off the table.
If it came to this, it was better to strike first.
However, he was faster.
*CRACK!*
The man stomped his foot hard, aiming for me.
No, to be precise, he was aiming for Ha San, whom I held captive.
“Now you dare to defile His name?! How dare you!”
Spitting out incomprehensible words, he thrust a hand-blade imbued with powerful energy at me.
I didn't know what his story was, but there was no reason to silently take the hit.
I tossed Ha San, who was slung over my shoulder, into the air for a moment, simultaneously drawing my sword and taking a defensive stance.
*CLANG!*
Flesh and steel clashed, but sparks flew.
“Do you really want to do this, Silent Kill Demonic Emperor!”
“Ha! Did you think you could get away with carelessly uttering the noble name of the Heavenly Demon?”
“What? Don't tell me it's because of that…”
“Silence!”
*CLANG!*
He gave me no room to speak.
In the blink of an eye, his hand-blade seemed to have tried to stab me dozens of times.
It was absurd.
How could a man who wasn't even part of our cult become so enraged just because I mentioned the Heavenly Demon?
‘Clashing with us means he's prepared for mutual destruction.’
As I questioned his fury, a piece of information from Ha San suddenly came to mind.
‘He said the Windless Killing Curtain was originally founded by an assassin who was indebted to the Founding Heavenly Demon. But for some reason, it split in two, and that reason was related to the unfortunate incident that led our cult to bury this secret room and pavilion.’
I didn't know the exact details, but one thing was certain: it wasn't a reason to fight right now.
‘There isn't much time left until the end of the fourth test…!’
A misstep could lead to disappointing the Heavenly Demon. While the tide of battle favored our side with two masters, we were short on time.
And that unsettling aura I felt from him was also suspicious.
“Hey, Silent Kill Demonic Emperor! I know why you're angry. But it's a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding? What do you know to be spouting such nonsense?”
“It seems you've been watching our cult for a long time, haven't you? If so, you must be the ones carrying on the will of the assassin indebted to the Founding Heavenly Demon. The ones who were destroyed were the other faction of the Windless Killing Curtain that split from you.”
“……!”
Fortunately, my guess seemed to be more or less correct.
The man watched Ha San, who had just fallen from the air and was now back on my shoulder, and then spoke.
“You must have heard that from Ha San. Are you spouting off as if you know everything based on that?”
“You're rather impatient for an assassin. I'll explain calmly, so just calm down for a moment.”
“Stop with the pointless tricks and keep talking.”
*Shhhk.*
He said, showing his hand-blade, which was wreathed in powerful energy.
The Great Elder and the other assassins also stopped fighting and turned their gazes to me.
“The Heavenly Demon I spoke of was not the Founding Heavenly Demon.”
“Of course! He wouldn't be in such a rotten place.”
“Rotten… Yes. It was. But things are changing, thanks to the Second Heavenly Demon who gave us our orders.”
“The Second Heavenly Demon?”
It seemed he had judged our cult based only on the now-dead Cult Leader and Great Elder.
That's why he had gotten angry, thinking that those men, blinded by greed, had dared to touch the symbol of the Heavenly Demon.
‘Well, they did almost do that.’
In any case, that wasn't the situation now.
Because Maeng Ak, who would become the current Heavenly Demon, existed.
However, the man had not yet met him.
So he couldn't believe my words and kept denying them.
“Nonsense! If you're talking about that greed-blinded Cult Leader, I'll rip him to shreds right…”
“He is already dead, by my sword.”
“……!”
Killing one's own master was not a proud accomplishment, but it was the truth.
Thanks to that, the man fell silent for a moment, looking somewhat shocked.
This was my chance.
“Yes, you probably can't understand. A Guardian, bound by a terrible blood curse and forced to obey the Cult Leader's orders, killing the Cult Leader himself. But, if it is the command of the Heavenly Demon, it is possible.”
“Were you serious…?”
“Yes. The true Second Heavenly Demon, who carries on the will of the Founding Heavenly Demon, is with us.”
“Such a…!”
Just then, the Great Elder chimed in, supporting my words.
“This old man saw the Heavenly Demon's Royal Descent with my own eyes, so it is no lie.”
“The Heavenly Demon's Royal Descent!”
The Heavenly Demon's Royal Descent.
The legendary ultimate technique with which the Founding Heavenly Demon was said to have shattered the Shaolin's famed One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation with a single step.
Being able to use it was synonymous with being the current Heavenly Demon.
Of course, we couldn't prove it on the spot, so a perfect persuasion was difficult.
But at the mere mention of seeing that technique, the man's attitude flipped.
“…If what you say is true, I will let you go.”
“Honored Killer!”
His subordinates tried to stop him, but his mind was already made up.
“Hah! I will not permit any dissenting opinions. And that goes for you two as well.”
The man continued to watch us before presenting a condition.