Chapter 49
Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon's Coronation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The day before the Heavenly Demon's coronation ceremony.
A scandalous rumor spread throughout the cult in the dead of night.
It claimed that the Sacred Black Flame, thought to be eternal, had been extinguished.
At first, no one believed it, but when the source was revealed to be the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Gate, they took it seriously.
“Is it really true?!”
Dok Cheon-roe was one of them.
He was the successor to the Poison Heavenly Pillar Lord and a disciple who had been thoroughly crushed by Maeng Ak when he first entered the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon.
“I knew it! The Sacred Black Flame must have been angered that a brat like him inherited the will of the founding Heavenly Demon!”
He had desperately wished for Maeng Ak's downfall.
He couldn't help but be overjoyed.
From the first day in the Divine Hall when Maeng Ak had shattered him, he had never forgotten.
The humiliation he had suffered at his hands.
But his will had faltered after the Sword Heavenly Pillar Lord, a man on par with his own father, died by Maeng Ak's hand.
Maeng Ak had become so distant that he couldn't even dream of revenge anymore.
The sense of deprivation was indescribable.
After that, everything within the cult revolved around him.
The prestige once held by the Five Phoenixes and One Dragon was nowhere to be seen.
The Five Heavenly Pillar Gates themselves were in decline.
Then, one day, he heard that Maeng Ak was to become the next Heavenly Demon.
That was the most dreadful day of his life.
Just imagine.
The enemy you want to kill most becoming a divine being you must serve.
He became utterly devastated.
From that day on, he stopped training and spent his days meaninglessly.
Like Geom Cheon-ha, who had lost the Sword Heavenly Pillar Lord, he drowned himself in alcohol.
But what was this?
The Sacred Black Flame had gone out just hours before the coronation ceremony!
This was an opportunity.
A chance to prove that the current Heavenly Demon was unworthy.
*If I can just prove it...!*
He couldn't dare to have the Heavenly Demon removed, but he could buy enough time for the declining Five Heavenly Pillar Gates to regain their strength.
If that happened, plotting revenge in the future might be possible.
“This is the Sacred Black Flame we're talking about. A sacred artifact bestowed upon the cultists by the founding Heavenly Demon, along with the Heavenly Demon Sword! For it to lose its power... what more definitive proof could there be!”
It felt as if all the questions that had been swirling in his mind were answered in an instant.
It was like a weight he'd carried for a hundred years had finally been lifted.
*Right, it never made sense. How could some orphan bastard with nothing become the second Heavenly Demon to lead the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!*
Dok Cheon-roe moved faster than anyone.
Through his father, the Poison Heavenly Pillar Lord, he gathered those who held grievances.
And he prepared a plan to be executed in just a few hours.
Time was short, but it was worth a try.
An event that drew as many people as the coronation was rare, which actually worked to their advantage.
Their goal wasn't to take Maeng Ak's head, but to sow confusion in the hearts of the cultists.
“We'll hide agitators among the cultists. Then, as soon as the ceremony begins, they'll start stirring things up. What do you think?”
“Agitation? Our opponent is the Heavenly Demon. What could you possibly say to incite them?”
The Poison Heavenly Pillar Lord asked Dok Cheon-roe in front of everyone.
It served as both a confirmation and an explanation for those who had just gathered.
“That the reason the Sacred Black Flame went out is, in fact, due to the unworthiness of the one who would be Heavenly Demon.”
Dok Cheon-roe spoke as if it were already an established fact.
Of course, to everyone present, whether it was true or not didn't matter.
They only thought about what they could gain by using those words.
But they didn't know.
That they were not the only ones listening to this conspiracy.
The meeting about the agitation plan dragged on, and the sun rose.
The time for the Heavenly Demon's coronation ceremony was fast approaching.
So many cultists had gathered that the vast Main Plaza couldn't contain them all.
So, the ceremony was held without designating a separate viewing area.
Of course, the central Main Plaza was filled with Maeng Ak and the cult's leadership.
Many familiar figures were present, and even reclusive masters he had never seen before had appeared.
Maeng Ak spent a considerable amount of time getting acquainted with people.
Perhaps it was a natural duty for the Heavenly Demon.
Remembering the faces and names of the cultists was the most basic of basics.
However, for Maeng Ak, a born martial artist, it was also the most arduous time.
“Hmph... I'd rather be in closed-door training.”
Maeng Ak grumbled without realizing it.
The Great Guardian and the Old Elder standing beside him chimed in.
“Haha, this is the first time since the founding Heavenly Demon. There must be many cultists whose lifelong wish is to see you, my lord.”
“The Old Elder is right. It may be taxing, but if you can endure it for just a little longer, we will finish swiftly.”
Indeed, the two of them did a great deal to help from the sidelines, making things as easy as possible for Maeng Ak.
The Old Elder rattled off the personal details of each person who came to greet them, while the Great Guardian handled the trivial formalities in a simplified manner.
Thanks to them, the coronation proceeded relatively quickly.
Some time passed.
The atmosphere of the coronation ceremony grew more intense, and finally, the moment came to prove his status as the Heavenly Demon before all the cultists.
The Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord of the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Gate, who had traditionally been in charge of maintaining the Sacred Black Flame, ascended the platform.
*Gulp.*
The expressions of the cultists looking up at her became quite serious.
Everyone waited for her words.
Finally, the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord turned to confirm Maeng Ak's nod.
*Is it really beginning... the start of a new Divine Cult!*
She rubbed her arms, recalling a scene from that day a few days ago.
Just thinking about that day still gave her goosebumps.
The day the Sacred Black Flame went out.
In that brief moment, Maeng Ak had come up with several schemes.
The first was to learn sorcery from the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord, who was begging for forgiveness.
The Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord had committed the blasphemy of distrusting and blaming the Heavenly Demon.
She naturally accepted Maeng Ak's proposal.
In fact, she felt grateful that he had used it as a pretext for forgiveness rather than an order.
But that was only for a moment.
Her heart sank when she heard Maeng Ak's next words.
And she thought.
She was glad she hadn't made an enemy of Maeng Ak.
*How did he think to use this situation as bait in such a short time?*
Honestly, she had thought Maeng Ak was like any other ignorant martial artist.
Especially since he was the one who had beheaded the Sword Heavenly Pillar Lord in front of everyone.
But that was a misconception.
The man before her now was cunning to a chilling degree.
The Great Guardian, who was listening beside her, had a similar reaction.
“You mean to keep the extinguishing of the Sacred Black Flame a secret, only to release the news a few hours before the coronation?!”
“Is there a problem?”
“My lord, forgive me, but doing so would provide our enemies with a pretext for internal strife right before the ceremony.”
“Great Guardian, that is precisely what I'm aiming for. If things continue as they are, they will keep their rotten intentions hidden. But what if they find out just a few hours before the coronation?”
This time, the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord answered.
“...They might see it as their last and only chance.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
Maeng Ak asked, as if testing her.
“I was taught that haste clouds judgment. With your ascension to the Heavenly Demon's throne all but certain, they are already desperate, even without us pushing them. If they learn of this, they will likely see it as an opportunity they cannot miss.”
“And so?”
“Is this not your plan to corner them in a short amount of time, cloud their judgment, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop?”
Instead of a verbal affirmation, Maeng Ak simply nodded.
It was an accurate analysis.
Maeng Ak also thought that if he used this situation well, things would become much easier.
*If I can't solidify my control internally, I can't conquer the Central Plains or achieve my revenge.*
Maeng Ak immediately summoned the Silent Killers and gave his command.
To tail any suspicious individuals before, during, and after the coronation.
That wasn't all.
They were on standby to neutralize any plans the enemy had devised.
They were prepared to assassinate and silence anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Thanks to this, the news of the Sacred Black Flame's extinguishment only began to spread several days later.
And only now, during the coronation ceremony, was it being brought to the stage.
The Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the enemies hidden among the cultists.
While at the same time, she led the coronation ceremony.
“All members of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, hear me! We will now begin the coronation ceremony according to the Heavenly Demon's decree! Witness this moment of the Heavenly Demon's return and pass on its greatness to future generations!”
Her clear, ringing voice echoed across the Main Plaza.
It was a signal.
For the Windless Killing Curtain, it was the signal to eliminate the agitators. For the agitators, it was the signal to hide among the vast crowd and begin their work.
The agitators moved first.
But before they could achieve their goal, they lost their lives to the waiting assassins.
“Hey, did you hear? Last night, the Sacred Black Flame... *Gurgle*.”
“You there?”
The cultist, who hadn't been to the main branch in a long time, was quite surprised when the person speaking in front of him suddenly collapsed.
However, he was easily fooled by the smooth acting of the Windless Killing Curtain assassin who appeared right after.
“Haha, this fellow's been drinking since noon. Pay him no mind.”
“Tsk, tsk. Even on a joyous day like this. Must he drink himself into a stupor?”
That was just one example.
Among the densely packed cultists below the platform, countless battles of wits were taking place.
Some to incite, others to stop them.
And just as Maeng Ak had commanded, only a very small number of agitators were left.
They went about their business, cheerfully chattering away, unaware that their comrades were being eliminated.
Thanks to them, disturbances broke out in several places.
“Is that really true?”
“Have you lived your whole life being deceived? Open your eyes and watch closely. Soon, the coronation involving the Sacred Black Flame will take place. If the Sacred Black Flame doesn't appear then, you'll remember my words.”
It was just the right amount of chaos Maeng Ak had wanted.
A moderate level of noise, not enough to disrupt the ceremony.
*If everything goes too perfectly, it will arouse suspicion.*
He hadn't completely taken control of the Demonic Cult yet.
To prevent internal dissent far into the future, he needed to sort things out now.
If a scandal was bound to arise, it was best to deal with it here and now.
Thanks to the noise, a moderate wind of suspicion blew among the cultists.
Do you know?
That human beings, once they believe they have verified something for themselves, will believe it more deeply than if they had simply trusted it blindly?
This time was no different.
A small flower of doubt had bloomed.
If he could just pluck this flower, no ordinary scandal would be able to make the flower of doubt bloom again.
Maeng Ak stepped forward to the front of the platform, heeding Hwan Cheon-hwa's words to receive the choice of the Sacred Black Flame.
*Thud. Thud.*
A truly countless crowd of people lay beneath his feet.
It was a new feeling, one he had never experienced even in his past life in the Green Forest.
As Maeng Ak stood before the platform, the Phantom Heavenly Pillar Lord commanded Hwan Cheon-hwa.
“Bring the Sacred Black Flame here.”
All eyes turned to Hwan Cheon-hwa.
No, to be precise, they turned to the metal box she was holding.
It was a box with black scorch marks, adorned with jewels that were clearly priceless.
At that, various reactions erupted from the cultists below the platform.
“That's...?”
“The Sacred Black Flame is really out?!”
“It can't be...!”
They hurriedly looked around.
They were searching for the person who had first told them about the extinguished flame and the Heavenly Demon's lack of qualification.
Of course, the agitators had already left their spots.
They had been caught and killed by the assassins of the Windless Killing Curtain.
Like the wavering eyes of the cultists, the waves of confusion slowly grew larger.
*Now is the perfect time.*
The atmosphere was neither too quiet nor too overheated.
Maeng Ak reached his hand toward the metal box without hesitation.
*Fwooooosh!*
Then, a black flame that seemed capable of burning everything to ashes leaped from his hand to the box.
That wasn't all.
Maeng Ak immediately used the power of sorcery to open a spatial rift and pull out the Heavenly Demon Sword.
And raising it high above his head, he shouted.
“All members of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, revere me, Maeng Ak, as your Heavenly Demon!”
His thunderous voice resounded throughout the Main Plaza.
Every cultist felt a tingling sensation run through their entire body from the ferocious energy carried in his voice.