Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 35
>Chapter Title: Pill Rush (1)
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After the man in the darkness withdrew.
The Protectorate Leader fell deep into thought.
‘Skilled at incitement...’
Some might take that in a negative light, but incitement was an important skill. At least when it came to leading any group.
Especially if that group was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, a religious organization—it was an absolutely crucial ability.
Of course, the guard had added that he seemed like a con artist.
But the Protectorate Leader didn’t see it that way.
‘If he were really some con artist, there’s no way the Heavenly Demon would fall for it.’
The current Heavenly Demon wasn’t naive enough to be duped by a swindler.
Such a man wouldn’t have ascended to Heavenly Demon in the first place, nor would they have any reason to move so cautiously now.
The current Heavenly Demon’s abilities were beyond doubt, and faith in him within the cult was absolute.
That was precisely why they were biding their time, hunkered down, waiting for the Heavenly Demon to ascend.
So the conclusion was clear.
‘That con artist facade must be an act to deceive outsiders.’
The Protectorate Leader’s arms broke out in goosebumps at the thought.
Such depths of scheming at just fifteen years old.
‘He must be dealt with.’
From Il-mok’s perspective, it was an utterly unfair misunderstanding.
* * *
The day after returning to the main headquarters.
My routine returned to normal.
Or at least, I hoped it would.
“Why have you come again?”
I asked Gwan Mu-yeol and Jang Hoe, who had shown up at Wind Rock Hall early in the morning. The two men answered in turn.
“It’s because of the order from the exalted one who admitted defeat and the Protectorate Leader.”
“From now on, we’ll be your dedicated guards, just in case.”
Hearing their reply jogged my memory of being chased by my rampaging eldest senior brother.
Sure enough, surviving in the Demonic Cult seemed to require bodyguards.
But I had a history of being put through hell by these two.
“You’re not planning to make me train like last time, are you? I’m already getting plenty from Jin So-jeo and Master.”
“That time, we had no choice because of the exalted one’s orders.”
Jang Hoe emphasized ‘no choice,’ while Gwan Mu-yeol looked like it wasn’t even worth responding.
“We’ll just stay by your side and protect you. We won’t interfere in your affairs otherwise. Unless the exalted one orders it.”
“Hmm. Fine, I’ll trust you for now.”
With that, I ignored the two guards who had taken up positions in one corner of Wind Rock Hall. My morning lesson with Jin Ha-yeon began.
By the time lunch and external art training were done, Gwan Mu-yeol’s voice from the entrance mingled with a lively voice I hadn’t heard in a while.
“Young Master, a guest has arrived.”
“Oppa!!”
I ordered the door opened, and the moment Gwan Mu-yeol did, Seon-a came running in with little pattering steps and threw herself into my arms.
It must be like this when you come home from a business trip after days away, and your daughter runs out barefoot to hug you.
“Hahaha. Did you miss me that much?”
A comfortable smile naturally crept onto my lips.
Surrounded by people itching to monitor my every move or work me to the bone, this was like a refreshing rain for someone tormented by demonic arts and cult doctrines.
Time spent with this adorable little kid, who was happy just because I was there.
“Yeah. Did you train hard while I was gone?”
At my question, Seon-a looked up at me with sparkling eyes and began bragging about the past five days.
“Yes! Now I can punch through rocks with the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art! Great-aunt says this means I could skip the ribs and stab straight for the heart to kill!”
“I-is that so?”
I had no idea why her brag was so brutal.
Anyway, after spending some time listening to Seon-a’s boasts.
“Young Master. The eldest young master has arrived.”
“Hahaha. Little brother! You in there?”
This time, it was my eldest senior brother visiting Wind Rock Hall.
I patted Seon-a’s head as her lips pouted out, then greeted my eldest senior brother.
I hated losing my break time, but there was no helping it.
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother. What brings you here?”
As I asked, I glanced at Hang Geon standing beside him. Why was that guy with my senior brother?
“Hahaha. Master entrusted me with the academy idea you proposed. He says since I’ve reached a certain realm, I need to learn cult administration on top of leading the martial unit.”
“Congratulations, Eldest Senior Brother. Master must expect you to become the Heavenly Demon someday. Hahaha.”
“Uhahaha! It’s all thanks to you, little brother!”
My flattery worked; the squad leader senior brother burst into hearty laughter.
“Anyway, that’s why I’m here. Master said to coordinate with this friend and our youngest brother, compile basic internal and external arts for the kids, and draft teaching materials to send to each branch.”
“That’s right, my lord.”
“Heh heh. I heard from this guy. He’s sworn to serve you as his lord now? I’ll be your lord too, so he’ll be my loyal subordinate as well. Hahaha!”
Watching Hang Geon, whose attitude had flipped to respectfully serving me, and my senior brother rattling on nonstop made my head spin.
But the guests didn’t end there.
“Young Master. The third young master has arrived.”
Not some emotionless doorbell, Gwan Mu-yeol announced in his flat tone, and soon my third senior brother entered Wind Rock Hall.
Caught off guard by Eldest Senior Brother’s presence, Third Senior Brother hurriedly clasped his hands in greeting.
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Hahaha. Looks like Third has business with our youngest too!”
“That’s right.”
After a brief exchange, Third Senior Brother approached me directly.
“Little brother.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
“Thank you.”
“Huh?”
What nonsense was this out of nowhere?
“This senior brother has made progress in his martial arts lately. Isn’t it all thanks to our little brother believing in me?”
“H-hahaha. It must be Senior Brother’s effort and talent. What did I even do?”
“No. Thanks to you, I’ve had fewer negative thoughts lately. That’s your doing too, Il-mok.”
“Ahem. I can only congratulate your achievement, Senior Brother.”
“Uhahahaha! Congratulations, junior brother! If I don’t work harder, Third might catch up!”
Perhaps because Eldest Senior Brother jumped in, cries of ‘Congratulations!’ erupted from all over Wind Rock Hall toward Third Senior Brother.
Jin Ha-yeon with her stoic expression, Jang Hoe with a faint smile.
“Congratulations!!”
Hang Geon shouting at the top of his lungs like a true Heavenly Demon Divine Cult follower, flattering for all he was worth.
‘Why’s he acting up now?’
Even if his mindset had changed, this was a guy who’d only cared about his pride—now turned bootlicker overnight.
“Congratulations.”
Seon-a peeked out from behind me and said that much, hiding.
She said it out of courtesy, but her face wasn’t bright, probably because these people were stealing my time.
Maybe because congratulations poured in from everywhere.
“Ahem.”
Third Senior Brother, pale and sickly from avoiding sunlight, blushed and fidgeted.
It was somehow creepy, so I laughed awkwardly. Then the human doorbell rang again.
“Young Master. The sixth young master has arrived.”
“!?”
This guest was unexpected.
My sixth senior brother, tormented by hallucinations and auditory delusions from practicing the Mad Soul Sword Art, had no connection to me.
We hadn’t met since the group dinner last time.
But I couldn’t turn him away at the door.
“Greetings, Senior Brother.”
As Jong-ri Chu entered and I greeted him with clasped hands, Sixth Senior Brother immediately paid respects to Eldest and Third.
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother. Greetings, Third Senior Brother.”
“Hahaha! Come on in. What brings Sixth here?”
Acting like it was his house, Eldest Senior Brother asked for me.
“I heard Eldest Senior Brother and Third often visit the youngest here, so curiosity brought me today.”
“Hahaha. Is that so! Oh, right—you haven’t heard yet, Sixth. We were celebrating Third’s martial progress.”
“Congratulations, Senior Brother!”
As Sixth clasped hands toward Third.
The human doorbell Gwan Mu-yeol rang again.
“Young Master! Gu Yang-mun of the Hundred Ghosts Squad is here.”
At this point, the thought hit me.
Everyone except Seon-a, just leave.
“Young Master! Ha-yeon! You in there~?”
Oblivious to the situation inside, Gu Yang-mun’s cheerful voice came from beyond the door.
“Sigh. Let him in for now.”
With a sigh, I called out, and soon the door opened as Gu Yang-mun entered.
Carrying a small box.
“Ha-yeon! Look what I caught on this trip...”
Gu Yang-mun, excitedly entering to brag to his beloved, froze like a broken wooden doll.
Then he hurriedly clasped hands and greeted around.
“Greetings, Eldest Young Master! Greetings, Third Young Master! Greetings, Sixth Young Master!”
Once done, he unleashed his sociable charm, chatting animatedly with the senior brothers.
“Congratulations, Third Young Master! It’d be an honor to witness your Shadowless Fourteen Hands sometime! Hahaha.”
“Ahem. Well, nothing I can’t show.”
As the madmen chattered away in someone else’s home, I noticed Sixth Senior Brother, who hadn’t joined in, smiling contentedly.
“Are you alright, Senior Brother?”
“Hehehe. Much better than being alone in my quarters.”
“Is that so?”
“Being alone, I start seeing things or hearing voices—messes with my head. But with eleven people together like this, no hallucinations or voices.”
“......”
At Sixth Senior Brother’s words, I was momentarily speechless and scanned the room.
After confirming, I cautiously told him.
“Uh, there’s only nine people here right now, Senior Brother.”
Even including Gwan Mu-yeol outside, it was ten.
* * *
Three senior brothers. Jin Ha-yeon and Gu Yang-mun. Two guards. Plus Hang Geon and Seon-a.
Counting myself, a whopping ten people crowded Wind Rock Hall, chattering away, and time flew by unnoticed.
The two guards at least kept quiet, but for Il-mok wanting peaceful rest, it was all the same.
That hellish time finally ended thanks to the human doorbell Gwan Mu-yeol.
“Heavenly Demon arrives! Myriad Demons bow! Greetings to the Lord of Myriad Demons!”
An hour had passed like an arrow, signaling training time with the Heavenly Demon.
With his arrival, the guests ebbed away like a receding tide, leaving only Il-mok’s breathing to fill Wind Rock Hall.
“Let’s begin training.”
Meaning, time to be worked like a dog.
While Il-mok was being drilled by the Heavenly Demon.
“Haat!”
Back at the Hyeok-ryeon clan, Seon-a practiced the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art alone in the training yard.
Beyond the yard’s wall, someone watched her fondly.
‘Heh heh heh. Perhaps in the next generation, my granddaughter could lead the clan.’
The Demonic Cult revered martial prowess, so women could become clan head in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—as long as they were the strongest.
But Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang didn’t know what Seon-a, immersed in training, was thinking.
Thud!
Seon-a pierced the training dummy’s heart area with her nails, then gazed at her bloodied claws, lost in thought.
‘I need to get stronger. To stay by Oppa’s side forever.’
Seon-a was young, but no fool.
She knew.
The ones stealing time with Il-mok were all higher up than her and him.
Eldest Young Master, Third Young Master. Even the Heavenly Demon.
So the child thought.
‘I have to get stronger. Stronger than anyone.’
So no one could dare interrupt her time with Il-mok.
Slash!
Seon-a’s swinging nails traced a red arc, cleanly bisecting the dummy’s neck.
“Whew.”
As Seon-a regulated her breath, the red aura in her eyes and hair had deepened noticeably.
* * *
Deep into the night, when all were asleep.
Even moonlight shrouded in clouds, darkness blanketing Wind Rock Hall.
A hazy figure cloaked in shadow slithered like heat haze toward Il-mok’s quarters.
An eerie sight.
The door opened and closed without a sound.
Blending with the hazy form, it seemed as if it had never opened.
The shadow that slipped into Il-mok’s quarters under cover of darkness now gazed down at the deeply sleeping Il-mok.