Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Birth of the Heavenly Demon
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I've encountered plenty of wicked people in my life, but rarely have I faced malice as purely unadulterated as this.
Even though I wasn't confronting it directly but merely glimpsing the author's thoughts indirectly through their writing... I felt a surge of nausea for the first time in ages, accompanied by a faint trace of fear.
It was because the creators of this Heavenly Demon Divine Cult operated on a fundamentally different level from other villains.
Most villains recognize, at least on some level, that their crimes are wrong.
They have at least a conceptual awareness that what they're doing is something they shouldn't.
In other words, they possess a minimal sense of guilt......
But the guilt I'm referring to here is entirely different from remorse.
It simply means the ability to acknowledge that they've committed a wrong.
So, in my view, a true villain is......
Someone who commits wrong acts without feeling any shame or showing the slightest sign of remorse.
Yet the author of this Heavenly Evil Birth Record—or authors—didn't even exhibit that minimal guilt.
They kidnapped innocent children, gouged out their eyes, and genuinely believed they were doing the right thing.
That's why it's terrifying, and even more revolting.
In my world, the only group like this is the Dark Cult.
Coincidentally, both organizations are religious groups.
At that moment, I felt like I understood the fundamental reason why the Empire's greatest enemy had to be the Dark Cult.
──.
I slowly regulated my breathing.
I don't particularly enjoy reading books to begin with, but this one was especially grueling.
Still, believing there must be a reason why the second young master gave it to me, I read it to the end.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—those who called themselves a demonic cult—grew increasingly extreme.
The following year, they secretly fed poison to the ninety-nine surviving children, stripping away their sense of touch, then subjected them to even harsher trials.
Forty survived.
The year after that, the children lost their sense of smell, and fifteen remained......
The next year, among those who lost their sense of taste, only five survived.
And yet another year later.
When those five children—no, now youths—also lost their hearing......
Only one remained.
[At last, the Heavenly Demon was born.]
[Today, our cult can finally proclaim the name Heavenly Demon Divine Cult throughout the martial world.]
[Little Spirit—no, our great Cult Leader—shall now shatter this foul sky and utterly consume the chaos of this age.]
That was the final entry in the Heavenly Evil Birth Record.
True to its title, it chronicled the birth of an evil that would devour the heavens. There was nothing about what came after.
So, is this a true record?
I'm not sure.
Because the second young master I know only lost his sight and nothing else, whereas according to the book, this Cheon So-ryeong lost all five senses.
Meaning there's some contradiction with the written account.
"Haa......"
For now, I exhaled the heat that had built up in my head and chest with a sigh.
Then, with a slightly cooled mind, I reread the book carefully.
Reading in a relatively calm state revealed details I missed before, and the emotional fluctuations were markedly reduced.
Even so, I still had no clue why the second young master gave me this book.
......
That's when I suddenly realized the sound of rain pattering on the carriage roof had grown much fainter.
I pulled back the canopy and checked outside.
The rain had clearly weakened.
"Ah."
At last, the downpour had ended.
* * *
"We've arrived!"
"Ooo......!"
Gon's shout announcing the end of the journey.
Mir cheered the most enthusiastically.
He'd been fidgeting all over since yesterday, complaining his body itched.
Honestly, he'd held out longer than I'd expected.
Any other giant would have smashed through the carriage door and bolted after a day or two, let alone a week.
"This is the city where Heros Headquarters is located......"
Evan muttered in a slightly excited voice. Stepping into a place he'd admired since childhood must feel special.
I too was naturally awed by the grandeur of this metropolis......
But something else caught my eye first.
"There's no wall around the city?"
"That's right."
Gon answered my question with a familiar tone, as if he'd seen this reaction many times before.
"Why not?"
"If you think about the fundamental reason for building walls, the answer becomes clear. Tephyr has no particular fear of invasions or raids from outsiders."
"What does that mean?"
"Tephyr's floating population is at least tens of thousands per day. In terms of density alone, it surpasses even the capital's bustling districts. During peak times, it can exceed double that, and inspecting every single person would be endless."
It didn't sound wrong.
After entering the city, even though the main roads for carriages were well-paved, our progress was sluggish.
A procession of wagons reminiscent of a merchant caravan stretched right ahead.
"So they just demolished the walls and did away with checkpoints altogether?"
"Not entirely for that reason, but yes."
"Isn't that... too risky? Forget public order—even security could collapse......"
Evan asked in a flustered voice.
The unspoken part was: what if unidentified criminals sneak in?
Gon smiled faintly at that.
"Everyone worries the same at first. But Tephyr's crime rate is the lowest among all the Empire's cities."
"Ah. Because Heros is based here?"
"Exactly. That reputation alone deters riffraff from even thinking of committing crimes. And secondarily......"
"Thief! Pickpocket!"
A shout erupted from somewhere in the street.
A middle-aged woman had collapsed, and a ragged-looking man was sprinting away clutching what appeared to be her stolen basket.
As Evan and Mir moved to intervene, I gestured for them to hold back.
The next moment, a figure bursting from a side alley drove a fist into the pickpocket's side.
"Guhk......?!"
The man spat out his breath and tumbled to the ground.
The basket shot into the air from the impact, its contents scattering everywhere......
And the woman from the alley caught them all with stylish flair.
She snagged the basket first, then used incredible dynamic vision and flexible wristwork to scoop everything back inside.
"Waaah-!"
"It's Heros's vigilante corps!"
The movements were so fluid they drew involuntary admiration.
Citizens cheered, applause pouring in.
The woman set the basket down beside her with an expressionless face, then kicked the head of the crawling man.
He went limp like a puppet with cut strings.
"That's......"
"A hero. Tephyr's vigilante corps. But that woman—is she perhaps......"
Gon glanced at me subtly after seeing her face.
As expected of a coachman, he seemed to know a lot.
Evan and Mir hadn't realized yet, which wasn't strange.
She didn't particularly resemble me, after all.
Then our eyes met exactly......
......!
I sensed a flinch in her violet eyes.
"You......?"
"Oh. Good work."
At that moment, a man who appeared to be her colleague emerged from the alley.
A muscular youth with a large axe strapped to his back.
"What's up?"
"...Nothing."
"Alright. Let's go then. We're gonna be busy starting tomorrow."
"Don't nag."
"Aw......"
The youth shook his head with an annoyed expression, and the two soon vanished amid thunderous applause from the citizens, dragging the bound pickpocket with them.
"Well, I can see why they don't need walls."
I nodded in agreement, and Gon said nothing more.
We continued sightseeing Tephyr's streets, and about an hour later, we finally reached our destination inn.
Gon bowed politely.
"You've had a hard journey. I'll take my leave now. Young leaders, you all worked hard."
"Not at all. You had it worse, Gon."
"Good work!"
Gon looked at us with a warm smile.
His gaze was like that of a father seeing his mischievous kids—perfectly fitting for a man who might have children our age.
"It was an honor to escort future heroes. A precious time for me as well. Though it was a downpour, I apologize again for the delay. I wish you all success in achieving your goals."
With those likable final words, Gon departed with the rented carriage.
That was the reason I'd rented instead of buying one. Rentals aren't cheap, but far more economical than outright purchase.
"Alright, then......"
I looked at the inn.
Situated in the city center, it was a fairly upscale place, but since Gon recommended it personally, the facilities should be excellent.
As is typical for such inns, the first floor doubled as a tavern—which was intentional.
When arriving in an unfamiliar city, gathering info at places like this is standard.
"Let's head in."
The client, I entered first.
We booked rooms, then sat at a suitable spot.
The moment I glanced around, I wondered if I'd stumbled into a southern tavern.
"Kuhahaha! So what happened next?"
"Told the bastard to quit his bullshit, then knocked all his teeth out. He'll be on a liquid diet till he croaks."
"Wheew─!"
A sharp whistle pierced my ears.
It reminded me of mercenaries hunkered down in southern taverns.
'No. They actually look like mercenaries?'
Here for Heros entry?
Even accounting for lunchtime, the sheer number felt off.
I ordered food first, then spoke to the server pouring water.
"Mind if I ask something?"
"Sure thing!"
The girl with a friendly face approached with a bright smile.
Despite our group looking young and unassuming, she showed no disdain.
To keep the goodwill going, I flicked her a silver coin.
"Gasp......!"
Her eyes lit up as she snatched it.
Probably more than her daily wage. Her demeanor shifted instantly, her voice overly eager.
"Ask away!"
"Is it always this crowded here?"
"Oh, no! Next week, Heros's 'The Origin' starts, so more people than usual are flooding in!"
The Origin.
I'd heard of it.
Grand name, but it's the exam for entering Heros.
"Held once per quarter, right?"
"Yes!"
"Tomorrow, huh... Wonder if applying now is too late."
"Registration's open till the weekend, so plenty of time! The desk is close to our inn too— you could eat and head over today."
"Aha."
I nodded, saying I'd ask more if anything came up. She smiled and withdrew.
"Exam season, huh. Perfect timing."
Evan muttered, then looked at me.
"Oh, right—you don't need to take the exam, Ruan. You already qualify."
"Yeah?"
Ruan Bednicker, who placed third at the Bednicker Family's training assembly, already possesses a Heros Hero Badge.
D-grade, but still.
"Even so, I might join this exam if possible."
"Why?"
"Heard you can get up to B-grade based on results. Extremely rare, but there are precedents."
Naturally, one such precedent is the Iron-Blooded Duke.
He skipped straight to A-grade upon entry, beyond B.
After a few missions, when S-grade promotion came up, not a single opposing vote.
......
......
But the moment I said that, the surroundings seemed to quiet down oddly.
I felt the eyes of the booze-guzzling mercenaries turning our way.
I couldn't help a slight smile at the familiar attitude. It stirred old memories.
"Umm. Heros, huh......"
Mir groaned awkwardly.
"Do I even qualify to be a hero......?"
"More than enough."
"Really?"
I don't make empty promises about this stuff.
"Both of you could pass as D-grade heroes already. With luck in this exam, C-grade's within reach."
"That'd be great, but......"
Mir was skeptical, and Evan fell into thought, seemingly assessing his own skills.
Then Mir asked something unexpected.
"What about you?"
"Hm?"
"What's your level right now, Ruan?"
Evan perked up with interest, staring at me.
"Hmm......"
I pondered my own level for a moment before replying.
"About B-grade, I'd say?"
S-grade is still way out of reach......
With the Seven Sins Sword, Yin-Yang, Self-Flame, the newly added Silver Scale Armor, and a few other means... I could beat an A-grade.
But I'm a humble man, so I said that much.
"Pfft!"
Laughter exploded from the right.
Turning, a burly mercenary-looking man was sneering at me.
"You serious, kid?"
Truth be told, he'd been itching to pick a fight since earlier.
Not just him—most of the guys filling the nearby seats.
"Uh......?"
The server girl glanced around nervously, while I alone nodded.
'As expected.'
It was about time for something like this to happen.