Please Be My Backer

Chapter 12: Please Be My Backer

The Great Tournament was an event that gathered the younger generation of the righteous and demonic factions in one place, where they competed through various trials to build camaraderie.

'But everyone in the world knows that's just a pretext.'

The Great Tournament was essentially a proxy war. It was the result of a secret pact between the Murim Alliance Leader and the Black Heaven Castle Lord to prevent a full-scale righteous-demonic war.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's name was nowhere to be found on the current participant list for the Great Tournament.

Jang Hosam zeroed in on that very point.

"Grandfather, the Nine Great Clans and the Ten Great Black Factions participate in the Great Tournament every seven years, fight bloody battles, and return with fame that shakes the world. Namgung Cheon, now called the Dragon-Slaying Sword and one of the Ten Great Swords of the world, was the winner two tournaments ago. And Jin Hongryeo, the delicate woman who became the Thousand-Man Commander of Black Heaven Castle, was the previous winner."

"Fame, you say."

"But where is our name? Why doesn't the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's younger generation, poised to descend upon the Central Plains, participate in the Great Tournament?"

"Hmm……."

Long ago, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had formed an alliance with Black Heaven Castle and participated in the Great Tournament as part of the demonic faction. But when the alliance broke, the cult withdrew its influence from the Central Plains and retreated deeper into the remote mountains. Naturally, they stopped joining the Great Tournament as well.

"What is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's great undertaking? To achieve demonic supremacy over the world. The cultists' dreams and longings are not much different."

"……."

"The righteous martial world openly hostile to our cult! The demonic martial world that once sailed the same ship but now turns its back! I want to etch the name of the demonic path deep into their bones! But there's no opportunity at all. Do you want our cult to be forgotten forever, Grandfather?"

A question that might sound impertinent. Boldly, Jang Hosam made it his lifeline.

"The Great Tournament is coming up soon. Let me go out there and claim the glory of the winner. Then I'll ascend back to the Young Cult Leader position. That way, not only will I establish prestige among the cultists, but I can also make the demonic path's presence felt throughout the world of heroes."

The boy's monologue ended there.

"Grandfather, please be my backer once more."

Please be my backer again.

Yong Mugeuk mulled over those words for a long while, a faint smile creeping onto his lips. The old man gazed steadily at his grandson and spoke.

"How much time is left until the Great Tournament?"

"About half a year. I plan to head to the Central Plains early to gather information and prepare."

"……."

After a moment of silence, Yong Mugeuk nodded.

"Very well. I permit your participation in the Great Tournament."

"Thank you!"

At the words he'd been waiting for, Jang Hosam bowed his head deeply again, hiding his expression. He was over the moon now that things had gone his way.

But there was a twist in Yong Mugeuk's words.

"However, you must prove your qualification as a participant. You're no longer the Young Cult Leader—did you think you could just represent the cult on a whim?"

"……!"

"I'll discuss with the other clan heads and send five challengers against you. Defeat them and prove your worth. Then you may leave the mountains."

In other words, he had to beat five challengers to escape the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Jang Hosam clamped his mouth shut.

'This is insane.'

There was no room for rebuttal. To his speechless grandson, the Crimson Heavenly Demon issued another strict order.

"And you're forbidden from using the White Dragon Soaring Sword."

"Pardon?"

"That sword art is no benefit to you right now. Seal it away for the time being. This is an order from your grandfather."

Seal the White Dragon Soaring Sword.

He'd only used a single form, yet the Heavenly Demon had recognized it.

"Grandfather……."

"No arguments. If you break it even once, you'll face fitting punishment. Heed your grandfather's words!"

* * *

Yong Mugeuk returned to the Cult Leader's Palace. The once-noisy grand hall had fallen silent. As the Blood Flame Witch removed the curtain covering the throne, the Heavenly Demon's seat revealed itself.

Sitting in his place, Yong Mugeuk muttered quietly.

"The Great Tournament, eh? What a reckless brat."

"Why did you accept such nonsense? I thought you would refuse, Grand Cult Leader."

"Refuse? As if I could."

The old man sighed like a sick patient.

"It wasn't easy even looking into that child's eyes. Let alone reject him with my own hands? I could never. He may not remember it himself, but he's a child who was abandoned once already, isn't he?"

"Grand Cult Leader……."

"Heh, from the start, it was a proposal I couldn't refuse as a grandfather. He struck right at my sore spot."

Yong Mugeuk fell silent. Deep regret lingered in the wrinkles around the old man's eyes.

The Blood Flame Witch quickly changed the subject.

"With the sudden swap of the Vice Cult Leader and Young Cult Leader, the cultists will be buzzing. The Eight Subordinate Clans might even propose a selection tournament for the new Young Cult Leader. What shall we do?"

The Eight Subordinate Clans followed the Yong Demon Clan but were also rival groups eyeing the top demonic seat. It was obvious they'd try to exploit this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠opportunity.

But Yong Mugeuk just chuckled.

"The cultists' gossip? The real uproar will be over the Young Cult Leader participating in the Great Tournament—what's there to worry about? And once the clans select their challengers, it'll quiet down."

"How will you select the challengers?"

"Let them have it their way. Just balance the allocation."

"Understood."

With the matter settled simply, the Grand Cult Leader turned to the next concern.

After his grandson ventured into the Central Plains.

"We need to plant someone in the Central Plains ahead of time. Someone sharp-eyed and tight-lipped, of course intimately familiar with Central Plains affairs."

"I'll look into it."

"And……."

For a moment, the old man's eyes flashed quietly.

The Blood Flame Witch could sense what her lord was thinking.

"Shall we track Young Master Baekheon's movements?"

Tracking not the impostor, but the 'real' Yong Baekheon.

Yong Mugeuk shook his head after a moment's thought.

"No, no need to seek him out. He'll appear when the time comes. If he's truly dead…… well, that would be fate as well."

"Understood, Grand Cult Leader."

Yong Mugeuk decided not to search for 'Yong Baekheon.'

Since he'd agreed to be his backer anyway, he intended to give the boy a fair chance.

Just like he had with his twin brother.

But it wouldn't be easy.

"Leave me now. I want to be alone."

The Blood Flame Witch bowed deeply and withdrew.

In the Cult Leader's Palace shrouded in eerie darkness, the old man left alone atop the highest seat murmured softly.

"Daeseok, it seems I can't keep your dying wish. Your second son will end up a demon after all. What can be done? If this is heaven's will……."

* * *

Back in the Young Cult Leader's Palace, I sank into thought.

Declaring my ambition to participate in the Great Tournament to Yong Mugeuk and getting his permission was all well and good.

But now I was saddled with challengers out of nowhere.

'Five challengers…….'

I had the Blood Spirit Demonic Binding Art and the White Dragon Soaring Sword.

I didn't know who they'd send yet, but my odds were good—like when I'd beaten Yong Changheon.

What really bothered me was the ban on the White Dragon Soaring Sword.

Yong Mugeuk had strictly forbidden the great art of a legendary past Heavenly Demon.

Why?

'Is that it?'

It felt oddly off, but no other hypothesis came to mind.

Anyway, I couldn't just obey the order not to use the White Dragon Soaring Sword.

'I'll use it on the sly.'

In conclusion, I'd achieved half a victory.

The evidence was the Grand Cult Leader's edict posted throughout the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

A historic incident swapping both the Vice Cult Leader and Young Cult Leader at once.

Vice Cult Leaders assisting the Heavenly Demon were replaced as needed, but the Young Cult Leader—verified as the Heavenly Demon's successor—was almost never changed.

This was bound to cause a massive stir.

But the real buzz was over the last line.

The Great Tournament hadn't included the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult on its participant list for ages.

With that name suddenly appearing, the demons of the Hundred Thousand Mountains began twisting the edict's meaning.

This was a development I hadn't anticipated.

"Hosam."

"Yeah?"

The next day, in the middle of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠push-ups with my upper clothes off in the training ground.

Geumran, who'd come to see me, delivered the news.

"There's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a weird rumor going around among the demons. You heard?"

"What is it?"

"Everyone thinks you stepped down from Young Cult Leader to stake your life on the Great Tournament. Worried you'd tarnish the cult's name if you lost or died there."

"What does that mean?"

I stood up. It didn't make sense at first glance, so I needed confirmation.

"In other words, they think I'm loyally stepping down from Young Cult Leader out of devotion to the cult to prepare for the Great Tournament? That's the misunderstanding?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"Why would they misunderstand like that?"

"Dunno. Not sure exactly. Feels like someone might be subtly spreading the rumor."

Why such a rumor……?

Anyway, it wasn't bad for me.

"Towel?"

"Yeah, thanks."

I wiped my sweat with the towel from Geumran and started walking.

Maybe because I'd escaped a bit from Yong Baekheon's shadow? The breeze felt refreshing.

"Once I prove myself against the challengers, I'm heading straight to the Central Plains. You're coming too, right, Geumran?"

"Huh? Me too?"

"You wanna keep living in the Hundred Thousand Mountains forever?"

"……."

I stopped and stared at her pointedly, and Geumran's face grew complicated.

After hesitating, she spoke.

"As you know, I was originally a disciple of the Emei Sect. A Buddhist follower of the Buddha's teachings. But now I've accumulated demonic qi and become this horrific demon……."

"Scared to face the Emei Sect people?"

"……Yeah. I didn't do anything wrong, but if I run into my sect members, I don't know what to do. Feels like I'm a criminal."

Feels like a criminal?

At that, I scratched my cheek.

With no sect of my own, it was hard to relate.

But after some thought, one thing was clear.

"I actually think you should be mad at the Emei Sect, Geumran."

"Huh? Why would I be mad at my sect?"

"They failed to protect you, didn't they? If a young disciple gets kidnapped, shouldn't they stake the sect's name to get her back? Isn't that the pride of a famed righteous sect?"

"……!"

"I don't intend to badmouth your sect, but if the Emei Sect treats you like a criminal, then it's not worth considering them your sect. So you feeling like a criminal makes no sense."

That was my conclusion.

Geumran stood there blankly for a moment.

"Thanks."

"Huh? For what?"

"Just."

Then, in the distance, the Young Cult Leader's attendants appeared.

They'd been told to leave me alone as much as possible, but they were rushing over for some reason.

Geumran stepped forward this time.

"What's the matter? The Young Cult Leader commanded to be left alone for a while."

"Sorry, but a guest has arrived."

"A guest……?"

No way challengers already?

I spoke from a short distance away.

"Who is it?"

"Well, the new Vice Cult Leader and the new……."

The attendants trailed off.

I easily guessed the rest.

"The new Young Cult Leader has come, huh?"

"Yes."

Those who'd served Yong Baekheon couldn't quite say 'new Young Cult Leader.'

But I didn't care at all.

In fact, I was glad they'd come.

'They're not dangerous.'

Even among the fearsome demons, this father and daughter pair had a relatively ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠human scent.

Of course, I had to keep my guard up so my true identity wouldn't slip.

"Bring the guests inside. Serve tea."

"Y-yes!"

The attendants left, and I looked at Geumran.

We needed to finish our earlier talk.

"I'll give you time to think. Whether you go is your call."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Dunno? It's your freedom—I can't force you."

It was the most obvious answer to me.

But Geumran's expression stiffened slightly for some reason.

Then she nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. It is my freedom. I'll think about it alone."

Her voice sounded a bit prickly, oddly.

I couldn't figure out why.

Anyway, Geumran left, and the guests appeared.

A middle-aged man with a dark face and a girl with equally swarthy skin were walking toward me.