Eat It All, Don't Leave Any Behind

Chapter 13: Eat It All, Don't Leave Any

New Vice Cult Leader Yong Hyeonseok. He was the third son of the Crimson Heavenly Demon Yong Mugeuk, and to Yong Jinseok, who had been stripped of his Vice Cult Leader position, he was a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠younger brother five years his junior.

Bongmareung offered this assessment.

It was because of his swarthy complexion and sturdy build. In fact, he had earned the nickname Iron-Breaking Demon by wielding a hammer to forge various weapons from iron. Not that they were of exceptional quality, mind you.

"Uncle, congratulations on your ascension to Vice Cult Leader."

"Thank you. I'm still so dazed I can barely think straight. I hear you orchestrated this whole ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠situation?"

Yong Hyeonseok's gaze lingered on my right hand, still wrapped in bandages.

'A situation I created.'

If you wanted to get technical, sure. If I hadn't subdued Gu Manbong and Yong Changheon, Yong Hyeonseok never would have become Vice Cult Leader. Not that I'd planned for this outcome.

"What's so important about that? It's just the result of my elder uncle's greed for power leading to his downfall."

"Downfall..."

Yong Hyeonseok scratched his cheek with a bitter expression. At heart, he was a good man—'a pushover, to put it bluntly.'Yong Jinseok had seized the Vice Cult Leader seat so easily because Yong Hyeonseok had stepped aside, unwilling to fight his older brother.

He wasn't quite on the level of the late Yong Daeseok, but Yong Hyeonseok was still a man of considerable martial talent.

"In any case, I wanted to thank you. I wasn't thrilled with what my brother was doing, but as family, I couldn't step forward. Thanks to you, I've taken this great position. I'm truly grateful."

"No need."

I smiled quietly and bowed my head. Then, casually probing,

"Do you happen to know who the five challengers will be?"

I wanted to gather intel ahead of time and prepare. Maybe that's why the Vice Cult Leader had come.

But Yong Hyeonseok shook his head.

"Who knows. You've beaten Yong Changheon, so there's no one left in our Yong Demon Clan... Probably some of the younger generation from the Eight Subordinate Clans."

'Figures.'

Then why was he here? A newly appointed Vice Cult Leader, swamped with inauguration duties, wouldn't visit just to say hello.

At that moment, the girl who'd been watching from the side timidly spoke up.

"Hey, Yong Baekheon."

"Seryeong! Call me brother!"

"No way! Just 'cause you were born a fortnight earlier, do I have to play little sister?"

The new temporary Young Cult Leader Yong Seryeong. Among the third generation of the Yong Demon Clan, she ranked second by age, right after Yong Baekheon.

Yong Seryeong was a girl with ambitions as vast as if she'd stolen them from her father at birth.

"And! I'm the Young Cult Leader now! Hahaha!"

"But! Remember, you're only the temporary Young Cult Leader! Grandpa explained it fully, didn't he? When Baekheon returns victorious from the Great Tournament, you have to step down!"

Yong Mugeuk had clearly explained the situation thoroughly. But Yong Seryeong wasn't listening.

"Father, once something's in my hands, I never let it go. You know my possessiveness well, right? So the Young Cult Leader seat is mine forever! Hahahaha!"

"......"

Her eyes held a hint of madness. Yong Hyeonseok glanced at me and sighed deeply.

"As you can see, she's a bit immature. Forgive her, brother."

"What? I'm gonna become Grand Cult Leader and pick the handsomest guy in the Hundred Thousand Mountains!"

"Pick my ass! Master Ten Thousand Changes Red Dragon Ascension Step and the Righteous Dragon Seventeen Stances first! You haven't even begun the Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes!"

"Th-that's 'cause he's a monster."

"Call Baekheon brother!"

"......"

Yong Seryeong went as quiet as if she'd swallowed honey. Meanwhile, something in their exchange made me click my tongue inwardly, marveling anew at Yong Baekheon's talent.

'The Young Cult Leader really was a monster. Even Yong Seryeong, always immersed in training, gets scolded and rated below him.'

Unrivaled genius. A sudden wave of dread hit me.

'I got the White Dragon Soaring Sword thanks to the Sword Heaven Demon, but Yong Baekheon's sword arts...?'

Could I master them all? A back-alley pickpocket chasing a sword genius—could I even keep up?

Bongmareung chuckled.

True enough. I couldn't chicken out already.

'Right. Only way to find out is to try. No—I have to succeed.'

My only path to survival was crushing the challengers and escaping the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

After some bickering, the father-daughter pair got to the point.

"Fine! I'll call you brother!"

"Should've done that from the start."

"Listen up, brother? You'll be leaving the Young Cult Leader's Palace for another annex in a few days. Then I'll back you up. Specifically..."

Yong Seryeong's explanation poured out. I was glad I'd agreed to meet them.

First, as temporary Young Cult Leader, she pledged support for my participation in the Great Tournament.

"The mandatory support will come from the Azure Green Unit. You know Bok Sorin? She's the new leader of their sub-unit. For close protection, Dongbang Jayun from Yo-am Valley..."

Yong Seryeong was tight with the pampered daughters of the Eight Subordinate Clans. Growing up with them—the treasures of their clan heads—she was like blood sisters to many.

'The Yong Demon Clan competes with the vassals for the top demonic house spot, but the girls are all close.'

Her outgoing personality kept them wrapped around her finger. Perfect for requesting aid everywhere.

'Fundamentally, the Great Tournament is a festival for the younger generation, so it's fitting for the Young Cult Leader to handle.'

I flashed her a grin.

"Support straight from the Young Cult Leader herself? That's reassuring."

"Huh? Young Cult Leader? Oh, right—I am now. Hehe. Heeheehee."

A little flattery, and her nostrils flared with a smug giggle. Easy girl to handle.

"Oh, right. We can't use the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's name now, so we'll enter as a ghost sect under Black Heaven Castle. You'll need a pseudonym too—think one up ahead of time."

She already took it for granted I'd beat the challengers and enter the tournament. Yong Baekheon had been that overwhelmingly strong.

"Anyway, that's my piece. Your turn, Vice Cult Leader."

"Alright."

The new Vice Cult Leader seemed to have come to offer something too. He pulled something from his bosom, and a rich, nose-tingling aroma wafted out.

"Baekheon, I know you hate medicine. But that's what makes it good for you. Don't leave any—eat it all."

"...!"

I clamped my mouth shut in surprise. What Yong Hyeonseok offered was a small wooden box. A deep, potent fragrance leaked from beneath the lid—proof of the supreme elixir inside.

Great Revival Pill! A spirit pill bestowed on the Vice Cult Leader to celebrate joining the Cult Leader's Palace. A rare treasure given only once in a lifetime.

And Yong Hyeonseok was handing it to me.

"Uncle, how could I possibly take this?"

"How? Chew it thoroughly. I added some honey, so it'll go down easier. Manage the medicinal surge carefully after."

At his odd remark, I stared wordlessly, and he grinned sheepishly.

"Even if I took it, I couldn't fully refine it in ten days. Getting Vice Cult Leader at my age is weird anyway. Hahaha!"

"But...!"

"It's the Grand Cult Leader's will too. Why else mix in honey?"

True. And Yong Seryeong's backing must be Crimson Heavenly Demon's influence. True to his good nature, Yong Hyeonseok smiled warmly.

"Besides, compared to what your father gave me as a kid, this is nothing. Take it. Go on!"

He pressed the box into my hand. Bongmareung launched into a noisy lecture on elixir types and ingestion methods.

But my mind was elsewhere.

'Taking such care of the wastrel Young Cult Leader. Family is family.'

But I wasn't that wastrel. So instead of gratitude, bitterness welled up.

That damned bastard had gotten everyone like family to me slaughtered.

"......"

"Hm? Why the long face? That averse to medicine?"

My expression must have slipped. I quickly smiled and shook my head.

"Of course not. Your and Grandpa's kindness just hit me so suddenly. How can I ever repay such love?"

"Hahaha! You've got quite the silver tongue now!"

"Father, stop laughing—give him that too!"

As Yong Hyeonseok guffawed, Yong Seryeong spoke ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up. The final gift was a small letter.

"What's this?"

"An invitation from the Dokgo head. He insists you visit the Dokgo Clan Manor soon."

"...!"

Dokgo Clan Manor. A sword house right behind the Yong Demon Clan among the demonic families leading the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. The reason their head wanted to see me was obvious.

"Probably wants to forge ties. Under cult laws, he couldn't approach the Young Cult Leader privately, but now... Time to build rapport. By the way..."

Yong Hyeonseok smiled, pointing to his sword.

"The Dokgo head loves gifting swords he forges himself. I dabble in swordsmithing as a hobby, but I can't touch his skill. He'll probably give you a famed blade—definitely go."

I pondered briefly, weighing what had just entered my hands.

'Yong Seryeong's backing, Yong Hyeonseok's Great Revival Pill, Dokgo Clan invitation...'

Hold on. Thinking it over, there was a problem. Swallow blindly, and I'd get indigestion—a trap hidden in the feast.

"Uncle, sorry, but I can't accept the Dokgo Clan invite. Tell their head politely I'm busy prepping for the Great Tournament and handing over Young Cult Leader duties."

"Eh?"

Yong Hyeonseok blinked wide-eyed, tilting his head. My gaze shifted to Yong Seryeong.

"Need your understanding too."

"Huh? Understanding for what?"

"Withdraw all the backing requests you made. Guards, escorts, supplies, funds... Just take my thanks."

"What the hell outta nowhere?"

"I'll handle it myself."

She stomped in fury.

"Hey! Don't talk nonsense! You think you can go without 'cause you've never lived in the Central Plains? Beggars starve in the streets there! They stab each other for a coin! Close your eyes, and they slice off your nose—that's the Central Plains!"

'Yeah.'

But not as well as me. The Central Plains was my hometown, and I'd been a slum rat born in the gutters. I knew exactly what would poison me.

'Yong Seryeong's backing and the Dokgo Clan invite—things I can't digest.'

They looked appetizing, but laced with venom. Had to reject them outright.

'That I'll digest properly.'

Can't pass up an elixir. I tuned out Bongmareung's lecture on the seven ways to handle the surge.

Yong Hyeonseok's calm eyes and Yong Seryeong's blazing glare fixed on me.

"Baekheon, why?"

"Fine. I'll withdraw the requests. But convince me. That's an order as Young Cult Leader!"

Not hard. I explained simply, and in the end, Yong Hyeonseok and Yong Seryeong had no choice but to nod.