Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: The Sword Demon Returns
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A leaden-gray orb floated in the sky, connected by leaden-gray threads.
"Having fun, are we?"
Dozens of leaden-gray threads tangled chaotically around Yong-un.
Like a spider's web, Marquis Gristarin plucked at one of the threads with evident delight amid the twisted strands.
And what they connected to was none other than Yong-un's subordinate, Jeongwon.
"Behave like the bug you are."
Marquis Gristarin grabbed Jeongwon's chin.
Yet Jeongwon could only grimace, unable to take any action.
"Ugh... Kill you..."
Thwack!
Marquis Gristarin's fist smashed mercilessly into Jeongwon's cheek.
Jeongwon flew sideways, trembling with rage, but couldn't get up.
"Get up, bug."
At those words from Marquis Gristarin, Jeongwon's body jerked upright.
Snap. Crackle.
In that moment, the purple sword aura forged from Yong-un's extreme intent sliced through the dozens of threads linking his subordinates.
The severed leaden-gray threads fell away.
But even faster, threads lying in wait beforehand reconnected to the subordinates.
"Looks like you want a rough conversation."
Marquis Gristarin flashed a beaming smile.
The greetings were already over.
Standing tall with a straight back, Marquis Gristarin towered over two meters high.
With skin as dark gray as befitted a demon, he looked down at Yong-un, covering his mouth as he tittered.
Then, spinning around, he exclaimed with delight.
"Having fun, aren't we? It's been twenty years since I claimed this place. And do you know what that beloved one gifted me?"
Marquis Gristarin's finger pointed skyward.
The massive leaden-gray orb emitted a glow.
"A gift from that one. Meaning it's theirs. It took a full seven years to master it—and not just anyone, but me, a demon among demons."
Spilling his heroic tale like some legendary hero, Gristarin grew exuberant.
"Why so thrilled, you ask? Well, for seven years of effort, there wasn't much progress. But then, just as I uncovered something and was studying it, bugs came swarming in droves."
That was how the Demonus weakening operation had begun.
This demon called Marquis Gristarin had gained insights into that object, boosting his mana enough to trigger the current strategy.
"Still, nothing much came of it. I figured they'd rampage and vanish like before, so I just did my thing. But then! You showed up."
Ecstasy bloomed on Marquis Gristarin's face.
Cupping his cheeks like a lovestruck maiden, his face flushed pink.
"You shattered my barrier without a care. I was terrified at first. Thought some legion commander had come, not some pesky bug. But that's when it hit me. The power you used to break it gave me enlightenment. Enlightenment on how to control that one's possession!"
That must have been the start.
When the drums sounded and screams echoed.
"I worked hard for two days straight. Told the monsters and demons not to touch anything while I made that enlightenment mine. Oh! Those weren't bound by that one's possession, mind you. They're puppets from my skill. Well, not anymore."
The meaningless repetition and peace that lasted two days.
The reason was now revealed.
Seeing Yong-un's characteristically emotionless face, Marquis Gristarin smiled brightly.
"Impressive, right?"
Yong-un's gaze shifted from Marquis Gristarin to his struggling subordinates.
He frowned at the sight of them thrashing against the leaden-gray threads.
Especially upon seeing Yukgwi-hon Seongmin, his expression twisted further.
"So this is what you meant by 'it's here'."
"Pardon?"
Curious, Marquis Gristarin leaned in at Yong-un's words.
The entity Man speaking through Yukgwi-hon Seongmin's body.
He hadn't expected the meaning of "it's here" to unfold so quickly.
"What did you say?"
She seemed oblivious to the mood.
Truly curious, Marquis Gristarin pressed his ear close to Yong-un.
Yong-un shifted his gaze from the leaden-gray threads to Marquis Gristarin.
"You're the boss?"
"Yes, I'm the boss."
"I see."
Crimson heavenly demonic energy surged from Yong-un's entire body.
Purple flickers of extreme intent amid it.
Yong-un's eyes locked onto Marquis Gristarin's neck.
Flash.
Neither Yong-un nor Marquis Gristarin moved.
Just in the blink of an eye.
A purple gleam flashed and vanished.
Slide.
"Wha...?"
Disbelief colored Marquis Gristarin's eyes.
Then slowly, his head tilted from his neck, sliding down like a playground slide.
Foolish.
No matter how much the advantage was hers, to bare her neck so openly before the enemy general.
Had she assumed he'd be too fixated on cutting the threads to save his subordinates?
'Is this what Man meant by "give up something precious"?'
The forces he'd built, his subordinates.
They had become precious to Yong-un now.
Man's words about sacrificing one precious thing.
It seemed to refer to this.
He shifted his gaze from the threads to Marquis Gristarin.
And the answer appeared.
'Killing that one clears Demonus, doesn't it?'
Thud.
Marquis Gristarin's head hit the ground.
Her eyes wide in shock, frozen in death.
Yong-un let out a deep sigh.
'Worried for nothing.'
Simpler than thought.
Even without Man's words, Yong-un would have made the same call here.
It wasn't even worth agonizing over.
Thump.
The headless body of Marquis Gristarin toppled backward powerlessly.
A clean strike from Yong-un himself.
Even she wouldn't realize her death until too late—the speed was like light.
"It's over."
Yong-un smiled in relief.
Soon, the leaden-gray orb in the sky would vanish along with the threads.
Or so he believed.
"......"
But.
"...Not quite."
The surroundings remained unchanged, silence lingering.
A crack formed at the edge of Yong-un's smile.
His eyes immediately dropped to the ground.
He stared piercingly at the wide-eyed, dead head of Marquis Gristarin.
"Peekaboo."
Then, the head smiled up at Yong-un.
Thwack!
But his opponent was Yong-un.
As if a purple burst erupted, just widening his eyes shattered the head into fragments.
Demonic blue blood and brain matter splattered everywhere.
Demons die when their heads explode.
Common knowledge, yet Yong-un didn't relax despite the scattered gore.
No mana stone—the one demons must have.
It was missing.
Whoosh.
Yong-un's body flashed, instantly reaching the fallen body of Marquis Gristarin.
Stab.
Boldly, Yong-un's hand pierced her heart.
He frowned.
'No mana stone?'
Whoosh.
Then it happened.
Leaden-gray threads suddenly swarmed around the hand piercing her body, encircling Yong-un.
Bang!
Extreme intent sword energy drew a circle around Yong-un.
The surrounding threads were sliced and fell.
The attacking threads struck only empty air where Yong-un had been.
Unfazed by losing their target, the threads enveloped Marquis Gristarin's body and forcibly raised it.
Bound tight like a mummy.
Whoosh.
The leaden-gray threads unraveled completely.
Then, the unbelievable occurred.
"Whew, you're no ordinary bug."
The head he'd burst, the heart he'd pierced.
Yet Marquis Gristarin's body reappeared pristine, without a scratch.
"Amazing, right? But I'm amazed too. You scanned my whole body in that instant?"
With a shocked expression, Marquis Gristarin caressed his severed neck.
His gaze fell on the purple extreme intent flickering on Yong-un's hand.
"Feels awful. Like I'm stripped bare."
Marquis Gristarin shuddered.
Yong-un dispersed the extreme intent in his hand and spoke.
"No mana stone. Can't move without one."
"Spot on. Oh, I'm not some rigid demon. I'll tell you where mine is."
Marquis Gristarin's smile returned.
His torn lips stretched to his ears, finger pointing skyward.
And with delight, he said,
"See it? That thing. It's inside there. Only way to control that one's possession."
Sticking out his tongue in laughter, he clapped gleefully.
"Ah, but you can't destroy it... Oh! Sorry."
Multiple personalities, perhaps three.
Clapping and laughing, then suddenly apologetic.
Open mockery.
Yet Yong-un could do nothing.
Just stare at the leaden-gray orb in the sky.
"Honestly, never dreamed you'd sever that one's threads. Even I can't. Scared me. But seeing you cut just a few, I realized."
Smirk.
"Your fate is sealed. Why not enjoy it with me?"
Slash. Crackle.
A sword-shaped aura of extreme intent shot from Yong-un's hand toward the orb.
But as the marquis said, the purple blade merely severed a few threads before shattering into fragments.
"Told you. Fate's set. My victory."
Marquis Gristarin stepped toward Yong-un.
But Yong-un ignored him.
Just unleashing extreme intent at the orb.
Crackle.
Threads fell, but the orb didn't budge.
"Told you. Try harder. At five or six a pop like now, maybe a century to cut them all. Didn't know? It's a massive bundle. Thousands, tens of thousands of layers."
Undeterred by the marquis's words, Yong-un kept slashing the thread mass resembling the orb.
"But see, I lack the patience for a century. Boring. Ready to play with me now?"
Losing interest in Yong-un's fruitless efforts.
Marquis Gristarin's slow steps quickened into large strides.
Less than five paces away.
Soon, he stood before Yong-un.
Snap.
Once more, Marquis Gristarin's head fell.
But only briefly.
Crackle.
Leaden-gray threads retrieved the head and jammed it back onto the stump.
Under three seconds.
"Told you. Useless."
Marquis Gristarin licked his lips.
Gazing down at Yong-un like savory prey.
Drool dripped from his mouth.
"Shall we play?"
The marquis spread his arms wide to engulf Yong-un.
In response, Yong-un withdrew his extreme intent and lowered his head.
"Good. Give up. That's more fun."
He looked like he'd surrendered to the hopeless reality.
But unlike his limp shoulders, Yong-un's voice was odd.
"No choice."
"Pardon?"
Strangely meaningful words for the moment.
As Marquis Gristarin opened his mouth to question,
No time to ponder—the marquis's head snapped around.
"What? What's breaking my barrier?"
Something hurtled toward him at breakneck speed, shattering the barrier.
Immense speed and power.
Marquis Gristarin's brow twitched.
But briefly.
"Man. Now I get what you meant by 'give it up'."
Yong-un's left arm slowly rose.
"What are you—"
Arm and shoulder at ninety degrees.
Strength entered his previously drooping wrist.
Swoosh.
His hand bloomed open like a flower bud.
His lowered head snapped up.
"What a twisted hobby."
"...Whatever you do won't—"
Whoosh.
Killing intent surged from Yong-un's body.
As his open left hand began closing like a wilting flower,
A massive shockwave exploded from his grip.
Boom!!!!!
"Urk."
A fierce gust blew.
Air rippled, space shuddered.
Dust cleared.
"Wh-what is that?"
Something formed in Yong-un's hand, same pose as before.
A pitch-black blade and pitch-black crimson heavenly demonic energy.
"Ch-chilling. Huh? Why am I trembling?"
Dark crimson light burst from Yong-un's eyes fixed on Marquis Gristarin.
Simultaneously, the same light flared from the characters on the black blade in his hand.
Demon-Slaying Sword.
The three hanja for Demon-Slaying Sword.
Smirk.
The dignified, unapproachable presence that was Yong-un...
Now wore a mad smile never seen before.
"Heh heh heh."
"Wh-what..."
"The Sword Demon... has returned!"
The martial outlaw, the slaughter ghost Sword Demon, who massacred thousands upon tens of thousands of warriors wielding the Demon-Slaying Sword.
He had opened his eyes in reality.