Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Hero and the Heavenly Demon's Master (1)
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The Hero, Verdandi, was having a wondrous experience as she watched the two engage in their verbal sparring.
It was visualizing the verbal sparring as actual combat forms, like watching black and white pieces move on a chessboard.
One person would draw close, only for the other to pull away again.
"Master is truly amazing! To use this method to heal Senior Sister, who's turned into a villain!"
Verdandi could see them tugging at each other's domains, vying for control of the board.
She didn't know what Heavenly Demon Soul Assault or Silent Dragon Blood Step meant, but her special eyes let her see how people fought.
"Verdandi, do you understand what those two are saying?"
"No, I don't! But somehow, I can see your fight with my eyes!"
"...What?"
"First, Senior Sister used invisible poison to dominate the space around her, then Master leaped into the sky using it as a foothold!"
Verdandi was commentating for her mother and Wolfram, who knew nothing of martial arts.
"Then this girl will use swordsmanship too! I'll settle it with the Nangong family's Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder!"
"I'll block those sword strikes with the Jeomchang school's Fire Dragon Sword."
"This time, Senior Sister exploded the aura flowing through her body, striking at Master with lightning-like sword strikes!"
Verdandi gripped her hands tightly, sweat forming as she watched these two transcendent experts duel with words alone—a sight she'd never seen before.
"Master counters by slashing upward with a sword igniting flames! It looks just like a wyvern taking flight wrapped in fire!"
Is this what it would feel like to be chosen as the Hero and fight the Demon King? Watching Bing Yeon battle evil for justice stirred excitement in her chest.
[The person before you is an 'Extreme Villain.']
Her Truth-Seeing Eye showed that info about Biwol, lost to her heart demon, but unlike before, Verdandi didn't charge in blindly.
She naturally believed her master, Bing Yeon, would save his senior disciple who'd arrived first.
[The person before you is a 'Sage.']
Whether villain or sage, he leaped to save without regard for his body, even for total strangers—a truly good person.
So the black-haired girl raised under him must have some reason for turning out that way.
That's what she thought of the man who saved her and her mother.
"Ah, Master has entered Senior Sister's heart! The scenery around has changed!"
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Verdandi saw the landscape shift. Heavy rain poured on a large wooden building filled with children's screams.
"...Is this purgatory? It feels like a place where demons gather! I see villains torturing children!"
Within it, she glimpsed Biwol's past.
"Ugh... Uuugh..."
A child endured training: nails and toenails pulled, thigh flesh carved away.
Training to acquire Diamond Indestructible Body postnatally.
Dozens of times a day, she'd faint from pain, only to be revived with cold water.
"Aaaah...! Aaaaaah!"
Another child walked scorching iron plates in experiments to artificially gain Extreme Yang Body.
The smell of burning flesh sizzled as skin blackened and stuck, but no one except her cared.
"Horrible! Places like this must vanish from the world! What past did Senior Sister endure to have this hideous hell in her heart?!"
Verdandi grimaced. Even if illusions of the mind, this was a gathering of atrocities beyond measure.
"Some inject poison into children, others bury them in snowfields to forcibly toughen them!"
Tortures from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to induce Diamond Indestructible Body, Extreme Yang Body, Immunity to All Poisons, even Cold and Heat Immunity.
The pre-Bing Yeon Verdandi would have raged to execute justice immediately.
"Can you describe it in more detail, Verdandi?"
"No! Mother is already retching!"
Verdandi held back; her weak-stomached mother was vomiting stomach acid and food.
"Urp. My daughter, how can you watch that...?"
"Yes! A Hero who faces any sorrow or pain for justice doesn't look away! I learned that from Master!"
Verdandi stared wide-eyed at Biwol's past. A scene to make anyone scream.
"...To truly become a good Hero, you must know others' pain and strive to understand everyone!"
Her master kept his eyes open, slowly taking in every hellish vista.
Bing Yeon, peeking into the mental world, met Verdandi's gaze and gave her a gentle, approving smile.
Watching that, Verdandi judged that seeing, empathizing, and understanding others' pasts was the true path to becoming a Hero.
Before meeting her master, she'd been dogmatic, believing all evil must be slain without question.
She knew no empathy for others' pain, prizing only her own as the world's deepest wound.
"There are so many in this world with more sorrow and agony than me, Mother!"
But the scene before her clearly proved otherwise.
"I came from a seaside village. I helped Dad catch and sell fish, but then tax collectors came and took all our food as taxes."
She befriended a child whose parents died to tax collectors' blades, only to soon see flesh and blood splatter.
"My mom worked at a brothel. But she hated having me from some unknown dad, so she sold me here!"
She greeted a child unloved due to her mother's promiscuity, but found the cold corpse the next day.
"I was almost eaten by some uncle after being swapped with the neighbor kid, but I barely escaped!"
"Mom and Dad said to eat mushrooms together, but they hid some to give me later. Turns out they were poison; they wanted to die with me."
"I dream of becoming a strong martial artist! Like the Ice Dragon in the Righteous-Demonic Great War, helping the sick and poor!"
Children desperate to live one more day, yielding meager food to parents, dreaming of futures.
"Dreadful! Was this really from the world where Master and Senior Sister lived?!"
All turned to cold corpses. Verdandi couldn't help sighing.
"Hic, huuugh..."
She glimpsed young Biwol, habitually eating filth and dirt to avoid human flesh and blood.
It felt like watching herself, ostracized and enduring abuse and violence.
"Senior Sister, just hold on a bit! Master will come save you soon!"
Verdandi could only cheer her on from the mental world.
With the verbal sparring ended, I slowly opened my eyes.
Biwol's heart demon was defeated thanks to my aid in the debate. It took the form of the Heavenly Demon exactly as I wrote in the original novel [Diamond Fist King].
I don't know how such a coincidence arose, but it resolved well, so that's fortunate.
"Master, did you cough? Hehe."
Biwol shoved her face into my view, humming happily as she wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug.
"This chokes me. Let go."
"No. Didn't Master come as a sage to pull me from my inner hell?"
I tapped out like in MMA, but she only rubbed her scent on me more, enjoying it.
"If there's a Buddha in hell, it's Master. Allow this spoiled child her whims, please."
After a while, she finally cleared her throat and pulled away.
"Ahem. If it truly choked you, I apologize. This girl was just so overjoyed to see Master's noble face again..."
Biwol's expression post-heart demon was much lighter. She moved more cautiously, not dumping heavy emotions on me without thought.
"...Is your body alright?"
"Yes. I've surpassed peak realm, entering early transcendent without qi deviation."
The energy from Biwol now felt like a perfectly sheathed sword, fully under control.
"All thanks to Master. This unworthy disciple thanks you for your guidance."
Biwol bowed deeply in gratitude, like offering nine bows. Seeing her sincerity, I felt like teasing a bit.
Her heart demon torment revealed her hidden feelings, after all.
"I didn't know you cherished me so. Sorry for not noticing sooner."
"D-don't tease! This girl did so because she knows our days together are numbered..."
Biwol flushed red to her neck, like a ripe persimmon, sweat steaming from her forehead.
"Yes, as you know, my life is short. But you've been so sincere."
I beckoned her closer. She approached slowly, puzzled.
"...As a master, as a man receiving one person's love, it's no good if I can't reciprocate properly."
I pressed my thumb to my lips like a stamp, smiling softly at her.
And,
"For now, make do with this."
I quickly pressed that thumb to her lips. No adult kiss, but this affection should suffice.
"Ah? Hueh?"
Biwol made a deflating balloon sound, surprised by my action.
Hand to cheek, eyes wide, she relished the indirect kiss, lips quivering softly.
"Until you come of age, if this feeling holds and I'm still alive, I'll accept your love then."
"...Master."
I stroked her hair gently, and like flipping a switch, she shoved my chest, toppling me.
"...?!!"
Splash.
"Mmm...♡ Mmph, haah...♡ Haa-mmph..."
With slurps, smacks, and kisses, Biwol thrust her tongue deep into my mouth, devouring me.
Hot breaths mingled, tongues and saliva squelching sweetly around us.
"Stay... still..., You tempted me first..., didn't you...?"
Teasing my palate, swirling her tongue in circles to find my weak spots—she was succubus-like.
"...Puha, Master. Kisses are done like this."
"......"
Gulp.
Biwol's throat bobbed visibly.
Holding my nape to prevent escape, she ravaged my lips long and hard before exhaling hotly.
"Brhehe...♡"
She stuck out her tongue, mouth agape, confirming she swallowed my saliva with her eyes on mine.
"...Biwol, isn't your heart demon resolved?"
"Yes, so I won't lay hands on Master beyond this. Until adulthood, of course."
"Yet you do this indecency..."
"This girl merely showed her resolve."
Biwol narrowed her eyes foxily, enunciating clearly.
"I vow to cherish this love forever, and one day claim Master."
A declaration and act that left even onlookers speechless and blushing.
"As expected of Senior Sister!"
Amid it, the golden-haired Hero sparkled with eyes and fists, jumping in place.
"If I keep promises too, can I share such tender kisses with Master?!"
Only Verdandi felt a bittersweet pang, showing Biwol jealous praise.
"I want to promise Master here too!"
"...What?"