Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon and Our Clothes (3)
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“A bet?”
“No matter how I look at it, it seems like the clothes will rip if I just move once.”
“Uhahahaha!”
Hogwang laughed so hard the shop seemed ready to collapse.
“What a funny joke. Clothes made from divine fabric ripping...?”
“If the clothes don’t rip, I’ll gift you my Light Demon Blood Battle Clothes. What do you say?”
“Your clothes?”
“That’s right. Shall we bet?”
Hogwang smiled faintly.
The Light Demon Blood Battle Clothes, made from materials nonexistent in this world and boasting unique, superior functions, were enough to capture Hogwang’s heart.
“Very well. If you move and they rip, I’ll gift you anything in this shop.”
The Heavenly Demon nodded readily at Hogwang’s bold declaration.
“Agreed.”
Crouching low, the Heavenly Demon drew up his qi. A faint Reverse Extreme True Energy began to rise from his body.
“Heh heh heh. No matter how hard you try, it’s useless. When I measured you earlier, I checked your body condition...”
“Heavenly Demon Supreme Ability!”
Boom!
As he unleashed the Heavenly Demon Supreme Ability of the Twelve Meridians, a volcanic glow surged through the Heavenly Demon’s entire body.
The powerful shockwave pushed the massive Hogwang back five or six steps.
“W-Wait. What is that power...?”
“Fist Demon Seven Forms, Soaring Wind Dragon Fist!”
Crouching low, the Heavenly Demon leaped upward with his fist aimed skyward. Thanks to the shop’s spacious interior, he didn’t smash the walls, but...
Riiip.
With a crisp sound, the hanbok he wore tore from the armpit.
At the same time, red fur popped out cheekily from between the ripped fabric.
“Th-That...”
Hogwang gaped at the Heavenly Demon hovering midair, his torn clothes flapping.
Thud.
Landing on the ground, the Heavenly Demon looked at Hogwang and grinned.
“How’s that?”
“I... I lost.”
Hogwang shrugged his massive shoulders. Who would have thought that body had a technique to amplify its power even further?
“No helping it. Pick something you like.”
“Very well.”
The Heavenly Demon’s eyes, pouring forth blazing Blood Flame Radiance from the Heavenly Demon Supreme Ability, fixed on Hogwang’s neck.
“What are you looking at?”
Hogwang swallowed hard.
For some reason, locking eyes with the Heavenly Demon made him feel like a demon with eerie, greedy glints was licking his neck.
“W-Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I like it.”
Unknowingly, Hogwang stepped back and clutched his collar.
“W-What nonsense is that?”
Hogwang had boasted he’d give anything in the shop as a gift.
But that ‘anything’—did it mean Hogwang himself?
“Just now, didn’t you promise to give me anything as a gift? Are you going back on your word?”
As the Heavenly Demon licked his red lips and smirked, Hogwang felt dizzy.
“N-No way. Are you using the bet to take me down?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I-I don’t have those kinds of tastes. I absolutely refuse.”
The Heavenly Demon snorted as Hogwang’s massive shoulders trembled.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
“Misunderstanding?”
The Heavenly Demon pointed at the clothes Hogwang was wearing.
“What I want is the clothes you’re wearing.”
“What!”
Hogwang was shocked for an entirely different reason.
“You want my clothes?”
His vision darkened as if struck on the back of the head with an iron club.
The Our Clothes Hogwang wore—if asked what kind of garment it was, it was made from the highest-grade divine fabric so rare even high gods struggled to obtain it.
A priceless treasure.
The ‘Our Clothes’ Hogwang wore was a invaluable gem beyond measure.
“Ahem.”
Barely regaining his composure, Hogwang forced a smile.
“There are plenty of other clothes. Do you really need to wear my old one? Come, come this way. Let me show you some even finer new garments.”
Hogwang, who had lived 300 years without ever being friendly to a human, was now dragging the Heavenly Demon by the hand like a eager shop clerk, laughing heartily.
“Here, how about this one? I poured my soul into making it over a full year.”
Hogwang unfolded a robe intricately embroidered with ornate patterns, his face beaming with pride.
“A few days ago, the Earth God begged me to sell it to him, but I refused. What do you think?”
But the Heavenly Demon’s expression as he eyed the robe was like staring at spoiled squid at a dried fish market.
“The patterns are too busy.”
You damned brat!
Swallowing the curses rising from his gut, Hogwang pointed to a blue robe displayed on the opposite side.
“Th-Then how about this? It’s actually commissioned by the Moon God, but I’ll specially gift it to you.”
His heart mixed regret and pride as he pointed to the robe emanating a mystical glow.
‘You punk. Have you ever even seen a garment radiating such auspicious energy? In money terms, it’s worth over 100 million!’
“Oh ho.”
An exclamation escaped the Heavenly Demon as he touched the blue robe.
“First time seeing clothes that glow on their own.”
“Right? Because it’s made from the finest divine fabric, spiritual energy flows naturally from it.”
Hogwang’s smiling face froze like plaster at the Heavenly Demon’s next words.
“But the glow is a fatal flaw.”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’ll give me away at night when I use Hidden Shadow Stealth Technique.”
What kind of nonsense is that! Hogwang bit back the urge to shout.
“Wouldn’t it be good if it shows up at night? Wearing dark clothes might get you hit by a car...”
“I don’t get hurt by things like cars.”
You thick-headed bastard...
Trembling with rage, Hogwang made a grand decision. There was no retreating further.
“Fine. Very well. I’ll show you my masterpiece.”
Hogwang led the Heavenly Demon deeper into the exhibition hall. Following a long corridor inward, they entered a gallery displaying artworks under dazzling lights.
“What’s this place?”
Hogwang smiled with immense pride at the Heavenly Demon’s question.
“This is an exhibition space only the most esteemed guests among high gods can enter. In 300 years, no human has ever set foot here.”
Passing the artworks, they went further in to see splendid robes displayed in transparent glass cases.
“Well? These are the finest ‘Our Clothes,’ wearable only by select gods among high gods. Worth over a billion in value.”
“A billion.”
Even Jang Chaewon, who had been watching quietly, was stunned. Gifting ‘Our Clothes’ worth a billion?
The Heavenly Demon, arms crossed, shook his head at the robes behind the glass. He knew well what a billion meant in this place.
“Do I need to burn a billion on one bet?”
“Heh heh heh. It’s fine. Am I not the Mountain God? A bet is a bet, a promise is a promise...”
“It’s too much.”
Stepping forward, the Heavenly Demon placed a hand on Hogwang’s massive shoulder and smiled brightly.
“I’ll just take your old clothes.”
Vrooom.
Jang Chaewon’s white van glided away.
Driving calmly at first, she burst into triumphant laughter as soon as they left the Our Clothes shop.
“Kahahaha!”
Cackling wildly, Jang Chaewon glanced at the Heavenly Demon in the passenger seat and roared with laughter again.
“Hee hee hee hee!”
“Stop laughing, store owner. You’re spitting on the clothes.”
The Heavenly Demon brushed off his sleeves in the passenger seat. He was wearing none other than Hogwang’s top-grade Our Clothes.
Made from one hundred percent divine fabric, wearable only by high gods.
“I should’ve filmed that look on his face! That mountain bastard getting fleeced in a bet! Kahahat!”
There had been some past grudge between Jang Chaewon and Hogwang, lingering bad blood.
But thanks to the Heavenly Demon’s satisfying revenge, her decade-old heartburn vanished in an instant.
“Did something bad happen with that old clothier?”
At the Heavenly Demon’s question, Jang Chaewon’s smile slowly faded.
Why was the Heavenly Demon, who hadn’t pried until now, suddenly asking this?
“Why? Did something seem off?”
Forcing an awkward smile, Jang Chaewon asked back. The Heavenly Demon sighed deeply.
“No, it’s just that for someone who makes clothes for gods, he seemed awfully narrow-minded.”
“Huh?”
“I’m just taking one worn outfit, yet he glared at me like I was his mortal enemy.”
“Pfft! Stop making me laugh!”
Jang Chaewon clutched her stomach and burst into laughter again.
The Heavenly Demon seemed unaware of the true value of the Our Clothes he wore.
“Why pick Hogwang God’s clothes, anyway? Why take someone else’s worn ones?”
“The old man’s looked the most fitting. So I chose it.”
Now it seemed the Heavenly Demon knew the value of Our Clothes all too well.
“You’ve got a surprisingly good eye.”
“Anyway, I’m worried. He seemed on good terms with various gods since he makes their clothes...”
“What’s that all of a sudden?”
“No, it reminded me of how the righteous Murim folks slandered me through government connections.”
Gazing at the sunset sky, the Heavenly Demon shook his head.
“Your relationship with him looked pretty bad. What if he harbors a grudge from this and spreads rumors to lower the store’s reputation?”
Jang Chaewon looked baffled.
So the Heavenly Demon wasn’t worried about her, but about not gaining trust and thus missing out on inner power.
“He’s a Mountain God, after all. He wouldn’t spread slanderous rumors, would he?”
“You never know. His build’s like mine, but his heart seems awfully small. Given that petty face, I can’t feel secure.”
“Puahahat!”
Jang Chaewon, glaring at the Heavenly Demon, burst into laughter once more.
“In your eyes, gods or whatever, they’re all the same!”
“Stop laughing. You’re too rowdy.”
“Heavenly Demon, what do you want to eat today? I’ll buy it all!”
“Hmm. Then how about three-delicacy black bean noodles? With sweet and sour pork, of course.”
Recalling Hogwang dazedly offering the clothes with unfocused eyes, Jang Chaewon burst into laughter again.
“Yeah, yeah, eat whatever you want. I’ll buy it all, hee hee hee.”
Jang Chaewon’s clear laughter echoed along the roadside beyond the window.