Chapter 177
Chapter 177
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon Jin Ha-ryeong
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cheonma Jin Ha-ryeong.
He was the figure who had left the deepest bloodstains in the history of Murim.
The first thing he did after inheriting the position and name of Cheonma through his own power sent shockwaves through the martial world.
He had slaughtered every single member of the Cheon산 Sect, known as the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
And that wasn't all.
Right after, he severed the head of the Murim Alliance Leader at the time, completely overturning the martial world in just a few days.
He had turned the entire martial world—Cheonma Divine Cult and Murim Alliance alike—into his enemies.
The demon who single-handedly erased the Cheonma Divine Cult and took the Murim Alliance Leader's head.
Truly the Heavenly Demon.
The devil standing tall in Murim, the strongest player of the present era, now looked down at Soo-hyuk.
"Much smaller than I expected."
Well, that made sense.
Soo-hyuk's feelings as he looked up at Jin Ha-ryeong, who muttered those words, were indescribably complex.
He shared an inseparable bond with Soo-hyuk.
'I knew it would come someday...'
Most people looking at the Heavenly Demon would feel fear. And Soo-hyuk was no different.
It had been the same in his previous life. There was some primal force or presence about him that instinctively instilled terror in humans.
But at the same time, there was a sense of familiarity.
'To show up at this timing, of all times.'
The Heavenly Demon was the reason Lee Soo-hyuk could become a legend and the greatest player.
Long ago, defeating the Heavenly Demon in the Great War had earned Soo-hyuk recognition as the strongest player in the world.
That was the kind of man he was.
Defeating him alone was enough to be acknowledged as the best.
No one but Lee Soo-hyuk could surpass him, and no one ever would—an unrivaled existence.
'Wonder who he's here as today.'
Soo-hyuk stared straight into Jin Ha-ryeong's eyes without flinching. When dealing with him, the first thing was to figure out who he was.
Cheonma or Jin Ha-ryeong.
They were the same person, but utterly different. And the approach had to change accordingly.
Back then, maybe not, but now he was a predator who could sever Soo-hyuk's neck in one stroke.
'Today... it's Jin Ha-ryeong.'
He discerned his identity through those eyes.
Fortunately, he hadn't come here as the Heavenly Demon today.
"No need to be too disappointed."
That meant the words Soo-hyuk needed to say now were these.
"There's still plenty of time. If you were expecting a sparrow, it won't take long."
"Do you know who I meant by 'sparrow' when you say that?"
"Of course—"
No.
"...Lee Soo-hyuk, right?"
Jin Ha-ryeong's lips curved up ever so slightly at Soo-hyuk's response.
From his expression, Soo-hyuk was certain. Jin Ha-ryeong had come to see another version of himself through Soo-hyuk.
"I hope you're not all talk."
"And you... you're different from the rumors myself."
More precisely, he was different from the one Soo-hyuk knew.
"Me?"
"Yes. Hiding like this, for one..."
Soo-hyuk's gaze swept the surroundings.
No one except Unhyang, sitting at the same table, paid any attention to Jin Ha-ryeong. He had intentionally created this situation.
Then, Soo-hyuk's eyes shifted to Jin Ha-ryeong's left arm.
"And getting injured somewhere..."
A faint glimpse of bandaging peeked through his clothes.
Considering his personality, which wouldn't bother with even minor wounds, this was no light injury.
"Don't worry. It's not an embarrassing wound."
"Was there anyone in this era who could injure the Heavenly Demon?"
In an era without Soo-hyuk, the Heavenly Demon was the best. That fact remained unchanged.
Some compared the great mage Hails to the Heavenly Demon, but that was nonsense. She still couldn't match him.
"No, no human could."
Jin Ha-ryeong replied. The opponent wasn't human.
At that moment, beings capable of injuring Jin Ha-ryeong flashed through Soo-hyuk's mind.
They were all like mirages. Just rumors, and Soo-hyuk had only seen one once.
"Done probing?"
Soo-hyuk nodded at Jin Ha-ryeong's question.
"Yes. Seems like that's the extent of it."
"You know well."
"And you? Done with your business?"
"I've seen you once, that's enough. I was curious what kind of guy was imitating the sparrow."
As if seeing his face satisfied him, Jin Ha-ryeong turned to leave.
"You've been cheeky, so show results to match. Otherwise, next time won't be as pleasant."
As expected, right now he was Jin Ha-ryeong, not the Heavenly Demon. They were the same person, but distinctly different.
If Jin Ha-ryeong was intimidating, the Heavenly Demon was terrifying. If Jin Ha-ryeong was manly, the Heavenly Demon was brutal.
Of the two, the one Soo-hyuk respected was, naturally, Jin Ha-ryeong.
Having finished his business, Jin Ha-ryeong left immediately.
The main purpose of this meeting was truly just to see his face once.
But Soo-hyuk didn't place much significance on this encounter.
'Can't say I've seen the real him yet.'
What he'd seen today was Jin Ha-ryeong. If the Heavenly Demon had come here, he wouldn't have been so cheeky or still breathing.
More concerning was Unhyang.
"...You okay?"
Her condition had been off ever since Jin Ha-ryeong arrived.
She looked terrified, frozen solid. Even breathing seemed difficult, like a patient on the verge of death.
No matter how fearsome the Heavenly Demon was.
'This is weird.'
Unlike other times, this Jin Ha-ryeong had deliberately concealed his presence. Even though he'd revealed himself to them, it was odd for Unhyang to tremble like this.
She was skilled enough to block Cheonroe Sword Jaun-yeop's attack, even if not on the Heavenly Demon's level.
"Maybe..."
"Don't ask anything."
Scrape. As Soo-hyuk tried to ask, Unhyang abruptly stood from her seat.
"Just now... nothing."
"......"
Whoosh. Unhyang turned and followed after Jin Ha-ryeong.
On her way out, Soo-hyuk caught the resolute determination on her face.
Soo-hyuk watched Unhyang's retreating figure as she hurried away.
She always seemed bright and positive. But peeling back one layer revealed she wasn't just a beautiful flower garden.
Shinryeon Castle. Uncheon Extreme. Heavenly Demon. And Unhyang.
It felt like puzzle pieces revealing themselves one by one, not yet fitting together.
And as they did, he began to vaguely picture what the completed image might be.
He wanted to ask. What happened back then?
But.
'No way I can ask that.'
"I came looking for you, Soo-hyuk."
"I had a feeling you'd be here."
"You don't have to ask. Would it be good if you did?"
She hadn't pried into anything about him. Despite finding it strange, she'd waited for him to speak first.
So he had no choice but to do the same—wait for her to open up first someday.
"...Still so far away."
The table, which had felt close and intimate moments ago, suddenly seemed distant and vast.
Just as he had secrets from her, she had circumstances she couldn't share with him.
Now that they both knew each other had secrets, were they closer? Or further apart?
Unhyang hurried outside.
The streets were crowded. The inn where Soo-hyuk and Unhyang stayed was on the seventh floor, the busiest district.
Players out shopping or sightseeing mixed with residents, forming a chaotic throng.
Unhyang plunged into the crowd. If he'd gone outside, he had to be somewhere here.
'Where did he go?'
Even without sensing his presence, she knew. He wouldn't have gone far. He was nearby.
And sure enough.
"Unexpected."
In the chaotic crowd.
The same voice from before came right from behind her.
"That you're here at all. And that you didn't run far even if you were."
She lacked the courage to turn around. Regret flooded in for following him.
She hadn't known. On a day when she should desperately flee, she'd end up chasing him herself.
"...Stay away from my streamer."
"Your streamer? Is that guy special to you?"
"I'm his manager. So—"
Taking a deep breath, she mustered courage for the first time and spat it out.
"If you're planning harm, do it to me instead."
"Harm..."
Laughter tinged the fading voice.
"Who knows. Haven't decided yet. Whether I will or won't. We'll see."
"Absolutely not—"
"But one thing's certain."
Jin Ha-ryeong's voice drew closer.
"Don't think chasing after me like this means you can affect me. Look. You can't even challenge me to a fight, let alone meet my eyes."
Sizzle—.
Everything around them except her and Jin Ha-ryeong vanished. The ground felt like hell with flowing lava, the sky turned blood-red.
'He's here.'
Jin Ha-ryeong vanished, and the Heavenly Demon appeared.
That was his true form, as Unhyang knew it.
Back again.
To her original world.
Thump, thump, thump—.
Her heart pounded violently, as if it would burst. She'd struggled so hard to escape this place, yet here she was, walking back in.
A overwhelming terror made her regret charging out in haste.
The lava scorched, the blood stench at her nose overwhelmingly foul.
Then.
"Don't be so scared."
Whoosh—the pressure binding her heart vanished as if it had never been.
The lava ground. The blood sky. All returned to normal.
Jin Ha-ryeong's voice receded.
"No intention of taking you now. My interest lies elsewhere, as you're worried."
Step—.
The moment his presence faded.
"Absolutely not...!"
Unhyang whipped her head around.
"Pardon?"
A different person stood there. An ordinary woman passing by gave her a puzzled look upon eye contact.
Jin Ha-ryeong was gone.
Realizing that, her legs gave out.
"...Haa."
Thud—.
A few people glanced at her as she collapsed. Ignoring them, Unhyang was lost in worry and relief, polar opposites.
'Yeah. That's the kind of person he is.'
For a brief moment, he'd shown the Heavenly Demon she originally knew.
A man who could turn the world into hell with a mere thought. And that man had taken an interest in Lee Soo-hyuk.
She'd thought she'd escaped.
This time, it was because of her first managed streamer that she'd gotten entangled with him again.
"Really..."
Slumped on the ground, she muttered in a voice thick with exhaustion.
"Being a manager is so tiring."