Chapter 335
Chapter 335
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 335
>Chapter Title: Dawn (4)
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Shaking his head to dispel the arrogant thought that had surfaced in his mind, Il-mok refocused on the spar.
Even at this very moment, the scorching energy pouring along Wi Jin-hak's greatsword threatened to incinerate the entire training ground.
‘He’s definitely different from before.’
It wasn’t just the massive scorching energy Wi Jin-hak was emitting that brought this thought to mind.
He was amazed by the exquisite skill with which he wielded that immense power.
Even as the scorching energy filled the training ground, it didn’t affect the spectators around them in the slightest.
Considering that he hadn’t been able to train properly in recent years due to his duties as the Demonic Pavilion Lord, this was an even more astonishing achievement.
‘Well, on top of his work, he was training as well—that’s why he was so exhausted, eyes bloodshot despite his reborn body.’
Just how diligently had he lived to be worn out to that extent, even after shedding his mortal shell?
‘I could never live like that. No way.’
Quite some time had passed since his rebirth as Il-mok, but what remained most important to him was still a balanced life.
While Il-mok admired Wi Jin-hak’s efforts, Gu Yang-pae’s impressions—facing him in this deathmatch—were somewhat different.
‘…I’d forgotten about the Eldest Young Master’s talent, overshadowed by the Eighth Young Master’s renown.’
Before the Heavenly Demon took Il-mok as his youngest disciple, Wi Jin-hak had been hailed as the supreme genius of the demonic path within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Even after turning over forty—an age too late to be called a prodigy—no one had claimed that title from him. Not until Il-mok joined the cult.
His talent in martial arts was that overwhelming. It was so exceptional that, despite his merely average intellect, he bore the stigma of being called a fool.
In truth, the influence of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art played a part in earning him that fool’s reputation.
He was the type to charge ahead blindly, consumed by rage before even thinking.
But thanks to Il-mok’s advice, it had been years since he achieved Transcending Demon.
Now, the former supreme genius of the demonic path—freed from the shackles of his anger issues—had finally fully bloomed.
Boom!!
Each time Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword danced, countless flames riding along its blade filled Gu Yang-pae’s vision.
* * *
How long had Wi Jin-hak and Gu Yang-pae been clashing atop the training ground?
The ground, already scarred from the previous deathmatch, was now completely devastated.
Thud.
Gu Yang-pae dropped to one knee on the floor, Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword aimed at his throat.
Wi Jin-hak had emerged victorious, but he was far from unscathed.
Gu Yang-pae had pierced through the scorching energy multiple times to target him, leaving countless wounds across Wi Jin-hak’s body.
He had simply failed to land a fatal blow.
With the second deathmatch decided, the left and right Guardian Beasts stepped forward.
“The Eldest Young Master and Gu Yang family head, return to the infirmary and rest.”
“The deathmatch between the Eldest Young Master and the Dokgo family head will proceed in three days.”
They were granted the minimum time needed to heal from today’s injuries.
After the two deathmatches concluded, discussions about them buzzed throughout the main headquarters.
“No matter how I look at it, I think the Dokgo family head will win.”
“Tch. You’ve got no eye for this. After seeing the Eldest Young Master’s demonic art, how can you say that?”
Who would be selected as the next cult leader?
It was the greatest topic of interest for the cult members.
“Hmph. Compared to wasting energy everywhere, the Dokgo family head’s swordsmanship showed far superior skill.”
“Looks like you need your eyes dug out today.”
Debates over the upcoming deathmatch in three days sometimes escalated from words to fists among the cult members.
Il-mok’s maidservants were just as curious about the outcome of the struggle. Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a casually posed a question.
“Young Master, who do you predict will emerge victorious?”
Perhaps she’d brought up the hot topic just to strike up a conversation with him.
In any case, the other women were interested too, all turning their gazes to Il-mok.
With his skill level, he could gauge the two experts’ standards to some degree.
“Hmm. Based solely on the skills shown in today’s deathmatch, their martial realms are neck and neck. The issue lies with internal energy, though.”
Wi Jin-hak and Dokgo-ryong had at least twenty years’ difference in training time, creating an inevitable gap in their internal energy reserves.
“If it’s a difference born of experience, wouldn’t their combat experience differ as well?”
When Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a asked again, Il-mok shook his head.
“I’m not dismissing the Dokgo family head’s experience, but if we’re talking pure combat experience, Eldest Senior Brother is no slouch either. Just think of his nickname from his youth.”
“Ah….”
Only then did they nod in understanding.
Wi Jin-hak’s old moniker was Mad Demon. And it wasn’t given by the cult—it came from the Central Plains.
Whenever his anger issues flared and he went berserk, he’d head to the Central Plains to wreak havoc.
He’d rampaged through the martial world dozens of times and lived to return each time, so his practical experience was beyond measure.
“Then, Young Master, are you favoring the Dokgo family head?”
“…Based on what’s been revealed in the deathmatch so far, yes.”
Il-mok paused briefly before answering Jin Ha-yeon’s question.
Something was nagging at him.
It wasn’t about having to step in himself or with Baek Un-hak if Dokgo-ryong became cult leader.
‘For some reason, Eldest Senior Brother didn’t seem to be going all out. Is he holding back on purpose for the next deathmatch?’
* * *
Was it anticipation for the imminent deathmatch? The three days dragged on as slowly as a slug crawling.
But time is ultimately fair to all. Even those called gods couldn’t escape its flow, and the morning of the deathmatch dawned.
“Hahaha! So we meet like this, Eldest Young Master.”
“Hahaha. Please go easy on me, Dokgo family head.”
The old man and the middle-aged warrior shared a hearty laugh as they faced each other.
“We shall begin the deathmatch between the Eldest Young Master and the Dokgo family head!!”
The moment the Radiant Left Guardian’s internal energy-infused shout rang out.
Boom!!
The two men charged without waiting for the other, their swords clashing in the center of the training ground.
Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword, wreathed in scorching flames, met Dokgo-ryong’s massive sword layered with sword energy, erupting in blasts again and again.
Boom!!
Dokgo-ryong swung his massive sword, shoving Wi Jin-hak back, and bellowed with a furious expression.
“Is the cult leader’s seat that easy?!”
Even the honorifics he’d used for the Eldest Young Master were gone.
In just a few exchanges, he’d come to the same realization as Il-mok.
But having crossed blades directly, his impression was slightly different.
“Or do you think you can subdue me without killing me?!”
Only then, hearing Dokgo-ryong’s successive roars, did Il-mok grasp his senior brother’s true intent.
‘No way… he planned to subdue him alive from the start?’
It was a cliché tale, but subduing was several times harder than killing.
And in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, selecting the cult leader meant a true deathmatch.
When one side attacked with killing intent while the other aimed only to subdue, reality favored the killer.
“Fine! If the great Dokgo family’s Dokgo Massive Sword seems so easy to you, try subduing me!”
Feeling belittled, Dokgo-ryong’s eyes flashed madly as he unleashed a barrage of offense.
He’d always looked like a madman, but now it was worse.
He blatantly exposed vitals, pouring out attacks like a true lunatic.
Wi Jin-hak, gradually pushed into a defensive posture, made Il-mok swallow a sigh inwardly.
‘…Senior Brother. This matchup isn’t favorable.’
The Dokgo Massive Sword was inherently a deranged, all-offense style.
Against it, holding back lethal strikes allowed Dokgo-ryong to unleash his sword art freely without interference.
Whether he knew Il-mok’s inner thoughts or not.
Wi Jin-hak blocked or dodged the relentless Dokgo Massive Sword as he pondered.
The Heavenly Demon’s dying words to him before departing.
—Jin-hak, you are my first disciple and the one this old man trusts most.
It wasn’t a lie. The trust the Heavenly Demon placed in Il-mok was, in a way, trust in his abilities. No matter the task, Il-mok would accomplish it.
But as man to man, as master to disciple, the one he trusted most was Wi Jin-hak.
His first disciple, the one he’d spent the longest with.
—Embrace all of the Divine Cult. You can surely manage it.
Perhaps it meant embracing even Il-mok, who might surpass him in the future.
But Wi Jin-hak interpreted it differently.
‘I cannot let what Master built crumble by my hand.’
Already, three of the cult’s top experts had been executed due to matters involving Il-mok.
He couldn’t stand by and let another leader of the cult die just to select a new one.
To become a man who could embrace all of the cult, he had to achieve at least that much.
That was Wi Jin-hak’s conclusion.
Even now, endlessly pushed back by Dokgo-ryong’s assault, his life hanging by a thread, his resolve remained unshaken.
“Uahaha! How long do you plan to just block?!”
The moment Dokgo-ryong’s massive sword came flying again.
“Hraaah!!”
Wi Jin-hak roared fiercely and swung his own sword in response.
Boom!!
The instant their swords collided, Wi Jin-hak summoned every last bit of energy from his dantian in one surge.
The scorching energy lingering in his dantian erupted like a volcano, racing through his body’s meridians.
In that violent flow, his meridians screamed as if melting in lava.
It was the first pain he’d felt since reaching Transcending Demon and freely wielding the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art’s energy.
But Wi Jin-hak wasn’t shaken by mere pain.
Instead, he began forcibly compressing the energy surging into his sword.
Whiiiinnn.
As Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword, pressed against Dokgo-ryong’s massive sword, let out a shriek, the scorching energy gathered on it condensed, radiating brilliant light.
Unwilling to lose the contest of raw power, Dokgo-ryong grinned ferociously and drew up his energy indiscriminately.
Soon, a sword ring of condensed sword energy formed on Dokgo-ryong’s blade as well.
For a moment, the flames on their swords devoured and tangled with each other.
Then, the flames on Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword began to shrink.
Not consumed by Dokgo-ryong’s sword ring.
‘Suppress and concentrate.’
It was merely the process of compressing the wasted, scattered energy again and again into a single point.
The moment that compression reached its peak.
Slash!
With a chilling sound, Dokgo-ryong’s massive sword was severed—along with the energy flames on it.
“!!!”
Dokgo-ryong’s eyes widened at the unexpected turn.
Clang.
Wi Jin-hak’s greatsword halted instantly before his throat.
The situation felt somehow eerie.
Clearly, Wi Jin-hak had subdued Dokgo-ryong.
But blood now trickled from Wi Jin-hak’s seven orifices, his body flushed red as if about to burst, trembling uncontrollably.
It was only natural.
He’d unleashed power beyond his limits, compressed it, and no sooner had he severed Dokgo-ryong’s sword than forcibly retracted it.
That immense energy, yanked back by force, now rampaged wildly inside his body.
Amid the pain threatening to tear him apart, Wi Jin-hak spoke.
“My apologies, Dokgo family head. I didn’t mean to belittle you by trying to subdue you.”
With each word, blood dripped from Wi Jin-hak’s mouth. But he paid it no mind.
“I simply thought the cult’s future required keeping you alive.”
Unlike usual, Dokgo-ryong gazed at Wi Jin-hak with a complicated expression and asked.
“…And if that had killed you, what good would it do?”
The question went beyond their prior clashes. The current state said it all.
Despite the blade at his throat, Wi Jin-hak had reached his limit. It was the price of his life-or-death gamble.
If Dokgo-ryong refused defeat and swung now, Wi Jin-hak would die defenseless.
Wi Jin-hak knew this too.
“If so, then my vessel is simply too small.”
Wi Jin-hak offered a smile unfitting his wrecked state.
“What use is being cult leader if I can’t embrace all of the cult?”
The moment he met Wi Jin-hak’s smile, Dokgo-ryong instinctively realized.
‘…His vessel is different from mine.’
Dokgo-ryong paused, then drove his broken massive sword into the ground.
Kneeling on one knee, he bowed his head and paid respects to Wi Jin-hak.
“With my life and name as Dokgo Mo-ui, I pledge my utmost loyalty to Cult Leader Wi Jin-hak!”
It was the moment the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s new sun rose.