Chapter 1: Receive Heavenly Punishment!
A sword tip pointed at me, tossed into the mud. From the shadow backed by the pale moonlight came a death sentence.
“Jang Hosam, the Young Cult Leader says your usefulness is at an end. Time to die. I know it's cruel, but accept it gracefully. What can you do? This is fate.”
The man was Blade King Cheoksan, one of the Three Great Protectors of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, flanked by the Third Protector Squad. They were loyal monsters who'd leap into hell at their master's command.
“……”
Not even third-rate, I was crushed by the experts' pressure, unable to twitch.
“Hand over the Young Cult Leader's cult tablet and kneel. For old times' sake, I'll make it quick.”
Chills ran down my spine at the razor-sharp threat. But luckily, my mouth still worked at my will.
“A guy who looks like a petty thief sure loves talking big. Let's be real—where's the 'old times' between us? You've been out for blood from the start, haven't you?”
“Then I'll send you off slowly and painfully, without mercy.”
“Damn it.”
I'd seen this coming. To the heartless demonic cultists, discarding after use was standard doctrine. And I wasn't even a hunting dog.
'More like a raccoon used as bait?'
A damn rare breed of raccoon, though. A boy who looked exactly like the crown prince of the Hundred Thousand Mountains—the Young Cult Leader. That was me.
“Hey, before I die, can I see the Young Cult Leader one last time? After standing in for him so long, I've grown attached.”
“Insolent fool. One more word, and I'll rip your mouth.”
'No dice.'
A mere back-alley pickpocket, I'd been dragged to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to impersonate Young Cult Leader Yong Baekheon. Whenever something annoying or dangerous came up, he'd shove me out front and milk me for all I was worth. That's why I had the Young Cult Leader's identity tablet—he needed it for my body double gigs.
But now, no more use, so kill and dispose. Damn demonic scum.
'Even so, I can't go down alone.'
Expecting to be discarded, I'd prepared a countermove. I wouldn't escape death, but I could land one solid stab on these inhuman bastards. Luckily, my upper body could still move—time to execute.
'Gotta lure that guy in first, though.'
Time for the provocation tactic. I licked my lips wet and bellowed with all my might.
“Yong Baekheon! You cowardly dog! Hiding behind others and snickering again? You'll croak living like that forever, you slimy, scheming bastard! Heavenly Demon my ass! Receive heavenly punishment!”
“The nerve!”
Blade light flashed. A trajectory too fast for my eyes to track. Fiery pain raked my mouth simultaneously.
“……!”
Blade King Cheoksan's slash tore my cheek, grazed my tongue, and exited. I couldn't even scream. Blood filled my mouth, choking me as it poured down my throat.
“Gurk, grrrk! Gah!”
Damn, he actually ripped my mouth! As I shuddered and spat blood, Blade King Cheoksan sighed deeply.
“Why court punishment? You've stood in for three years—you know our cult's ways. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Stab!
The middle-aged man gripped his sword mid-air and thrust into my lower belly. My eyes bulged, body freezing.
But it didn't end there. Blade King Cheoksan slowly dragged the blade downward. The icy steel splitting my gut felt like it cleaved my soul.
“Gaaahhh……”
“Must I dig through your corpse myself?”
Pure agony of being torn alive. Left like this, I'd die with my crotch up to my navel.
But I spat blood and opened my mouth again. Had to time it for when the Young Cult Leader drew near.
“Y-Yong Baekheon! I'll drag you to hell with me if it's the last thing I do! I'll piss right in your face down there!”
Did my desperate taunt work?
“Pfft!”
With a mocking laugh, a short boy emerged from the black-clad men.
“Step aside. No—don't pull the sword. He'll die instantly.”
“As the Young Cult Leader commands.”
Blade King Cheoksan, a demonic fiend infamous as a top martial criminal, retreated without protest. The entire Third Protector Squad knelt reverently—the boy was that exalted.
But he sauntered over like a street punk.
“Sheesh. What a mess. Wouldn't it have been better to go clean? Why make it hard on yourself?”
“Hah, haa……”
Squatting before me, his voice was leisurely, as if this were amusing sport. What a peerless madman.
I gazed up at him, a broken mess.
'Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Yong Baekheon.'
But his face showed no faint emotion. Unexpectedly, it was regret.
“Seeing you like this reminds me of our first meeting. I was shocked. How could there be a guy identical to me? You must've been too.”
Of course I was. And doubly shocked by the ghostly aura on that identical face. Just fifteen, yet Yong Baekheon seemed a completed demon.
“Honestly, I was grateful. You've done a lot for me these three years. That's why I wanted to let you go easy at the end. But why so stubborn? Wouldn't it be better for both if you went quietly?”
“W-We call that biting the hand that feeds you, you psycho. Cough!”
“Yeah?”
Yong Baekheon chuckled, tilting his head.
“So what should I have done to avoid that? Let you go free?”
“Y-You know damn well.”
“Puhahaha!”
A sudden guffaw erupted.
“Foolish talk. As if! Truth is, you've…… hmm, learned too much. Unavoidable for a body double, but reason enough not to let you loose. And there's an even bigger one.”
Bigger reason?
His eyes flashed deep blue—the glow of his Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes, his signature.
“Jang Hosam, you weren't just a double—you could be a 'replacement.' And let you walk? Puhuhu!”
“……What?”
“Think I used a double out of boredom? That the cult trash call me a wastrel, so I act like one? I thought you'd understand me.”
The boy's aura shifted. Dangerous intent poured from his blue eyes; his killing intent choked me.
“The cult crawls with scum trying to topple our Yong Demon Clan. Even kin eye my seat. What if you fell into their hands?”
“……”
“Right. They'd puppet you and swallow the cult bit by bit. Dominion would shift in time. That'd doom the entire Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
His blue eyes bored into me. He grinned sinisterly.
“You don't get it, do you? You're too dangerous to release.”
No, I knew. The fierce civil war between the demonic top house, Yong Demon Clan, and the eight vassal houses coveting it. As his double, how could I not?
'Even to stabilize the cult, they can't let me live……'
A hollow laugh escaped. Absurd to die mangled over demonic power games unrelated to me.
“You're sharp—no need for long explanations. Story's over. Hand over my tablet.”
Satisfied with his rationale, Yong Baekheon stood.
“I could remake it, but hate explaining to Grandpa.”
I wanted to hawk a loogie at that smug face. But my vision blurred. Spitting blood, I babbled.
“Tablet's…… under your balls. Take it…… or leave it.”
“What?”
Exchanging glances with Blade King Cheoksan, Yong Baekheon clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Guess I'll burn you whole here.”
“I'll fetch the oil.”
Click.
That instant, I triggered the device in my robes. A bomb to blast these inhuman scum.
“No need…… for oil. It's gonna…… explode anyway, you…… disease-ridden…… bastards.”
“Huh?”
Yong Baekheon's eyes flashed blue again as he caught on. He smirked at me.
“Thunderclap bomb? Cute. That's why you baited me? Pointless. Go on, blow it. I'll enjoy the show.”
'Figures he'd spot it instantly.'
Too drained to retort, I sighed lying down. Yong Baekheon's Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes pierced phenomena with the slightest clue—a profound eye art beyond this martial illiterate.
As the fuse hissed, he stepped back two paces, blue eyes mocking.
“Not much powder, is there? Won't kill even one cult rat.”
'Yeah, keep yapping.'
“Blow it, and you'll just…… wait.”
He shut up. His arrogant eyes shook for the first time.
Yong Baekheon's Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes hadn't reached mastery. He spotted one, missed the second till late.
Dumbass.
“What? The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon? You dare touch our cult's sacred relic……!”
Sacred text where past Heavenly Demons left insights for successors. A mysterious tome said to drive ordinary warriors mad if peeked at.
'Now this is the real bomb.'
Using Yong Baekheon's tablet, I'd swiped The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon from the martial library. Tucked it in my robes, rigged with thunderclap bombs. Soaked in oil too—prime kindling.
The end was set from the start.
'You'll watch it shatter to pieces.'
Tearing their precious treasure before their eyes. My stab at these ruthless bastards.
Yong Baekheon lunged desperately, but too late.
“N-No! Not The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon! Nooooo!”
“Yes!”
“Young Cult Leader! Danger! Get back……!”
KABOOOOOM————!
Indescribable roar. The blast swallowed me instantly. The charging Young Cult Leader and Blade King Cheoksan vanished into crimson-white flash.
'Beautiful.'
Crimson paper scraps fluttered like burning petals. Flames soared into the black night, devouring all.
Overly grand explosion.
'But like Yong Baekheon said, not that much powder……?'
A fleeting doubt, but no time to think. My allotted time ended.
Everything faded.
'All done.'
I accepted death calmly. But reflecting on my life brought regrets.
Born in alleys, died as another's double. What a shitty, cursed life.
'If only I got one more chance. I'd do anything.'
Was that why? At the hazy edge of vertigo, I opened my eyes again.
“Young Cult Leader? Are you awake?”
“Ugh.”
“H-He opened his eyes! The Young Cult Leader's conscious!”
“……Huh?”
I lay alone on a bed. Skull-splitting pain throbbed. And a man's voice echoed in my head.
Perfect timing. Time to hunt. The demonic qi from those fools three days ago is spent. Had to repair your shredded body—no choice.
“What……?”
Who the hell is this uncle?