Chapter 216: Sashimi Speaks Louder Than Words
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 216: Sashimi Speaks Louder Than Words
Elder Log, the Dark Elf, kept his eyes cast downward, staring solely at Kang Geomma’s shoes. He couldn't muster the courage to lift his head.
It isn't death that I fear.
Having lived through ages that no human could ever dream of, the elder had long since outgrown the fear of death. If anything, he had slowly grown tired of living. He no longer had a purpose or direction in life.
Yet now, this withered old monster was dripping with cold sweat. It was like wringing water out of a bone-dry towel. The monster standing right before him, Kang Geomma, had struck a raw nerve of deep trauma.
The profound humiliation he had suffered at the hands of the Hero of the Origin. Hundreds of years later, Log was feeling that very same disgrace all over again—and from a human claiming to be the disciple of Balor Joaquin, no less.
He is not Balor Joaquin.
The Heavenly Sword, Kang Geomma. Compared to the Hero of the Origin, he was still weak. Balor Joaquin was the human who had slain 1st Corps Commander Lycan, the undisputed strongest warrior in history.
Kang Geomma was undoubtedly powerful. But if the benchmark was Balor Joaquin, that was a whole different story.
He's at a level that could be handled by 2nd Corps Commander Kuarne.
It seemed Kang Geomma couldn't fully unleash his power yet. It was unrealistic to consider him on equal footing with the Hero of the Origin.
Even so, the demon elder's instinct screamed alarm bells. This boy would eventually become an indescribable entity.
"Hey."
Kang Geomma spoke while rubbing his eyes. Maintaining the 'Blessing of the Sword God' for nearly a minute had left his eyes stiff and sore.
"Done playing crazy?"
"..."
Kang Geomma crouched down and stared at the elder. Log’s wrinkled face twitched nervously.
Meanwhile, things were settling down on the Sword Emperor and Hon's side as well. Once Log, the leader of the pack, was captured, the remaining elves lost all will to fight. Throwing down their weapons, the elves clasped their hands behind their heads and fell to their knees.
Only then did the Sword Emperor come rushing over. He urged Kang Geomma to stop in an urgent voice.
"Heavenly Sword! Wait, hold on!"
Kang Geomma tilted his head. The Sword Emperor panted heavily and continued.
"Do not kill him right away! Look over there. The remaining elves don't even number twenty, and every last one of them has surrendered. So, please, no more unnecessary slaughter..."
"I don't intend to kill him."
The Dark Elf elder raised his head reflexively. No intention to kill?
Kang Geomma finished his sentence.
"Not yet, anyway."
Having exceeded the time limit for the 'Blessing of Painlessness', he could no longer manifest the 'Blessing of the Sword God'. Even if he were to kill them, he intended to leave the cleanup to the Sword Emperor or the Association.
Tying up loose ends cleanly is nice, but not if I have to endure unbearable pain to do it.
Besides, this old elf seemed to know something about Boss. On top of that, there was the 'Fifth Fragment'. He needed to find the fragment located somewhere on Hawaii Island. Since the area around the Demon Realm Gate was the Dark Elves' territory, they were bound to know the geography like the back of their hand.
I was planning on keeping a few of them alive to act as guides anyway.
An elf elder would surely know the layout well. Weighing all his options, keeping him alive for now was the best course of action. Naturally, if he showed any suspicious moves, Geomma would cut him down instantly.
Kang Geomma lowered his gaze. Should I start by chopping off this old Dark Elf's fingers? After contemplating for a moment, he shook his head. He wasn't a butcher; mutilating body parts felt off. If he was going to cut anything, he'd rather just take off his head.
"Ju... Just kill me instead!"
It was Log's outburst—his final stand as an elder of the elves. Some Dark Elves were still alive to witness this. Even if his end was near, he had to save face.
"I would rather die by a single strike than speak a single word to the likes of you!"
"..."
Kang Geomma frowned.
Why is it always like this when I try to talk things out?
It was always the same story. Demons and villains never understood plain words on the first try.
As expected, sashimi speaks louder than words...
Kang Geomma let out a sigh and extended his right arm to the side. Everyone's eyes widened to the size of saucers. It was a sight impossible to believe even while watching it with their own eyes.
"Urrghh..."
Hollow, sunken eyes like a spoiled fish. Unnatural movements. A Daixo Sashimi Knife thrust straight through his throat. Laden with unmistakable signs of death, the close elf aide dragged himself up, staggering like a zombie.
The Dark Elf elder's eyes darted around in utter shock. His lips parted and trembled.
"Gremfield... Why... No... What in the world...?"
The elder's mind went completely blank. Even after living nearly a thousand years, he had never seen or heard of anything like this. A corpse coming back to life? Was Kang Geomma truly a demon in human skin?
The Sword Emperor, Director Seong, and everyone present turned pale as well. It was their first time witnessing the 'Power of the Underworld King'. Even Hon, who had seen it before, shrank her shoulders back.
No matter how many times I see it, that power is terrifying...
The shock didn't end there. Kang Geomma waved his extended hand through the air. At once, the close aide—now an undead—froze like stone. It wasn't a figure of speech. Petrifying from the soles of his feet upward, the elf aide transformed into a stone statue. Watching this, a chill ran down Hon's spine.
The Evil Eye of Petrification...!?
It was an authority obtained by enhancing Murasame after slaying the Basilisk—the ability to turn a target pierced by the blade into stone. However, due to several conditions attached, practical use was tricky. Having deemed it a dud and shelved it, Geomma hadn't expected to use it like this.
It feels a bit dirty, like desecration, but...
He needed to instill fear into this old elf. Shock therapy, so to speak.
This should be enough.
Kang Geomma withdrew his arm and turned his eyes back to the Dark Elf elder.
"People say the dead tell no tales, but you just saw it yourself. I can bring back someone who died, even if only briefly."
Kang Geomma stretched his neck left and right.
"Rather than bothering to squabble with the living, I can just revive them like this and ask them instead."
Naturally, it was a complete bluff. A corpse reanimated through authority was nothing more than a mindless puppet. But those unaware of this fact would let their imaginations run wild.
"Which means I could decapitate those surviving Dark Elves over there one by one, revive them, and get my answers. But I'm giving you room to negotiate."
"..."
"Make your choice. Cooperate obediently, and I'll spare you and your kin. Though you'll still be dragged off to the Hero Association's prison, of course."
"...If you can revive the dead to answer you, why make such an offer?"
Geomma replied briefly.
"Mercy."
The Dark Elf elder gritted his teeth tightly. Kang Geomma raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
"Fine, if you want to kick away the chance to negotiate... Hey, over there. You... hero?"
"Ah, are you speaking to me, Lord Heavenly Sword?"
"Yeah."
Kang Geomma gestured with his chin toward a male hero standing awkwardly nearby. The man's weapon was a greatsword fit for an executioner.
"For every minute this elder stays silent, chop off the head of one Dark Elf."
"B-But..."
The man hesitated. Decapitating surrendered enemies—he wondered if this was really right.
Kang Geomma issued an order that sounded like a command from on high.
"I am speaking to you as one of the Seven Stars. Disobey my command, and you'd better prepare for disciplinary action. Besides, you saw it yourself, didn't you? I clearly gave him a chance. If he refuses, what choice do I have?"
"Ah..."
"It's one thing if the Dark Elves are willing to cooperate, but if they aren't, they'll only become trouble down the line. Who knows what these venomous demons will do?"
The man swallowed hard and replied.
"...There is a risk they might go 'berserk' and cause further damage."
"Exactly. So isn't it right to nip it in the bud before that happens?"
The man nodded.
"I was being short-sighted, it seems."
He approached one of the elves and raised his greatsword high.
"I shall follow the Heavenly Sword's command!"
And at that exact moment—
"AAAAAAAHHH!"
The Dark Elf elder collapsed onto the ground, half out of his mind. Wailing loudly, he pounded the earth. His will had finally broken.
Kang Geomma watched the spectacle expressionlessly.
For some reason, I feel like I'm the villain here.
It couldn't be helped. Humans and demons—two races with diametrically opposed natures—were villains in each other's eyes. There were exceptional cases like Hon, but she was an anomaly.
Above all, Dark Elves relished cannibalism—or rather, eating humans. Cannibals were common enough among demons, but the Dark Elves' methods were particularly despicable. They would approach with gentle, friendly faces to break down their target's guard before launching an ambush.
Furthermore, according to what he had seen on the online forums, during the Second Human-Demon War, they sided with humanity only to stab them in the back. The moniker 'treacherous point-ears' wasn't slapped onto them for nothing.
"I... I will cooperate..."
The Dark Elf elder sobbed. In just a short span of time, he looked like he had aged another two hundred years.
Kang Geomma watched him briefly before nodding to the man holding the greatsword. The male hero nodded back and lowered his weapon. The brutal greatsword slammed into the ground right next to the elf who had been on the verge of execution.
Kang Geomma flopped down onto a tree stump—the very spot where the Dark Elf elder had been sitting.
"Alright then."
Kang Geomma wiped the blood off his sashimi knife.
"Now let us begin the real negotiations."
* * *
In the late afternoon, as the twilight glow lingered along the horizon, the Sword Emperor stared vacantly at the setting sun. Director Seong limped over to him, still not fully accustomed to his prosthetic leg.
"Lord Sword Emperor. We have finished binding all the Dark Elves."
"Good work."
"Not at all. Handling the aftermath is the duty of our Hero Association. The real hard work was done by you and Lord Heavenly Sword."
After exchanging polite pleasantries, the topic shifted.
Director Seong reported their findings.
"After gathering and sorting all of the Dark Elves' weapons, we discovered they are made of rare materials unobtainable in the Human Realm. Liquidating them should yield quite a substantial sum."
"Hmm."
The Sword Emperor didn't linger long in thought. He spoke immediately.
"How about the Association keeps half, and the other half is sold off to be deposited into the Heavenly Sword's account?"
"Ah, oh! Yes. Under Association regulations, spoils obtained from subjugating magical beasts or demons belong to the hero responsible. There will be no issue."
"Then handle the liquidation through the Association and send it to the Heavenly Sword's account. Being part of the Seven Stars quietly drains quite a bit of money. He deserves to earn a little pocket money like this. Do you know roughly how much it will be?"
Director Seong thought to himself that calling it 'a little pocket money' was a massive understatement given the staggering amount.
"I'll calculate it right now."
Director Seong pulled out his smartphone and tapped on the calculator app. A long string of numbers filled his screen.
"...The amount to be deposited to the Heavenly Sword is approximately thirty-one point six billion Korean won."
"It's a small amount compared to the Heavenly Sword saving our lives, after all."
The Sword Emperor chuckled warmly and looked up at the early evening sky. The faint crimson glow bathed the old man's face.
Kang Geomma appearing at such an unbelievable moment, along with a dragon wearing human skin... The Sword Emperor had questions piled up to his throat regarding all of it.
He had intended to ask Kang Geomma for an explanation once things settled down. Yet, in the end, he didn't. There were simply too many questions—from dragons to reanimating corpses and petrification. So he decided to set his curiosity aside and simply accept the outcome.
When the time comes, he will tell me in his own way.
Suddenly, the image of Kang Geomma conducting the negotiation flashed through his mind. He had extracted every last bit of information from the elves.
When Permush would make an appearance, whether there were any special places around the Gehenna Gate, and what was happening in the Demon Realm.
And yet, all he offered in return was serving them soy meat in prison—claiming that elves ought to eat only vegetables and fruits anyway...
The Dark Elves couldn't utter a single squeak of complaint and just nodded submissively. It was called a negotiation, but they had no choice whatsoever.
Recalling the scene, the Sword Emperor sighed softly.
"A negotiation by crushing the opponent with sheer terror, hm...?"
He added under his breath that even at his advanced age, he had gained an enlightenment from a young boy.
The Sword Emperor chuckled softly to himself and started walking toward the temporary outpost where Kang Geomma was resting.
"The place the Heavenly Sword insisted on visiting tomorrow."
He had something to discuss concerning that location.