Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Awakening the Inner Demon
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Tang! Tang! Tang!
The end of a pitch-black cave shrouded in darkness.
There lay an abyss of darkness that swallowed all light, blocked by rickety iron bars.
And standing before those bars was Cheon-il, facing a massive presence hidden in the unseen shadows.
Tang! Tang! Tang!
The colossal being bared its teeth and gnawed at the iron bars.
Its chewing force was so immense that the flimsy bars rattled violently.
Yet, despite their worn appearance, the sturdy bars held firm, shaking but unyielding against the monster's fangs.
"How many times is this now..."
A monster several times larger and more terrifying than any gate beast.
Standing before it, Cheon-il was uncannily calm.
It was hard to believe this was the same Cheon-il who once trembled in fear before monsters—now, right in front of those teeth, he seemed even more composed than usual.
The house of the Ghost Soul Assassins.
Upon arriving, Yong-un gazed down at the soundly sleeping Cheon-il, observing the faint flow of demonic energy emanating from his body.
It started from his back and spread outward ever so slightly.
Using telekinetic manipulation to avoid waking him, Yong-un quietly flipped Cheon-il over and tore open the back of his clothes.
There appeared Cheon-il's smooth, pale back.
Not a single pattern or mark marred its pristine surface, like a sheet of blank white drawing paper.
Yong-un nodded in approval.
"I had my suspicions, but it really is as I thought."
"Mm?"
At that moment, Cheon-il stirred and sat up.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he spotted Yong-un and broke into a bright smile.
"You're back, hyung!"
He didn't even care about his torn clothes as he rushed over and hugged Yong-un.
"You're awake."
Yong-un gently stroked Cheon-il's head.
Cheon-il nodded with a smile.
"Yeah!"
"Then starting today, we'll begin training you to wield the demon's power yourself."
"D-Demon power?"
The word "demon" wiped the smile from Cheon-il's face.
But only for a moment.
"Yeah!"
Recalling how Yong-un remained unscathed despite the demon lurking within him, Cheon-il nodded vigorously without a hint of worry.
"Hyung? Where are we..."
After changing his clothes, they arrived at the front yard of the Ghost Soul Assassins' house.
"No gates here. Once you can fully harness the demon's power, we'll tackle gates again."
"But..."
Yong-un knew exactly what worried Cheon-il.
This was a gated community of luxury homes.
A neighborhood of affluent houses where plenty of people lived besides just Cheon-il and Yong-un.
If a demon awakened here, Yong-un might be fine, but the others would be in danger.
"Don't worry."
Knowing full well Cheon-il's concerns, Yong-un smiled and approached him.
"Got it. I trust you, hyung."
He stared at the approaching Yong-un for a moment.
Then, glancing around and sensing no threats, Cheon-il looked up at him quizzically.
"But demons only come out when there's danger, right? Nothing like that here..."
Danger to survival triggered the demon's emergence.
Yet this was the peaceful heart of a quiet neighborhood.
Cheon-il tilted his head.
"Threats aren't the only way to draw out a demon."
"Huh?"
Yong-un extended his hand and placed it on Cheon-il's back.
Cheon-il's eyes widened briefly before he swatted the hand away.
"Wha...?"
The motion was so swift it stirred the air.
Not even Cheon-il himself, let alone most quick hunters, could match that speed. Yong-un smiled faintly.
"Not by your conscious choice, then."
"It just... moved on its own all of a sudden."
"Again."
Snap!
This time too, Cheon-il twisted to slap away the hand on his back.
But.
Thwack!
Yong-un's hand didn't budge, so Cheon-il's fists slammed into his abdomen.
Infused with the rough demonic energy only demons could wield, no less.
"Hyung!"
A fierce gust whipped Yong-un's hair.
Cheon-il stared in shock.
The impact had been strong enough to kick up such wind.
He could hardly believe he'd unleashed such a brutal clash of mana.
Yet Yong-un, struck dead-on, brushed it off with a smile and patted his clothes.
"I told you not to worry."
"Hyung..."
"Again."
"Okay..."
Yong-un reached for Cheon-il's back once more.
This time, before it even touched, Cheon-il's expression shifted, and he attacked.
A barrage of uncontrolled demonic energy.
Thud! Thud-thud-thud!
Even the supposedly frail Cheon-il's strikes exploded with demonic power.
But every assault halted before Yong-un.
As if that first hit had been allowed just to test something.
Thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!
"Tch."
Cheon-il's lips twisted, his pupils slowly turning black.
"Going berserk, are we?"
The attacks ceased, and like in the gate, Cheon-il's body began transforming into a demon's.
Strange patterns emerged on his pale skin, graying in sections around them.
And just as wings—the hallmark of demons—began sprouting from his back.
Thwack!
"Guh!"
Yong-un's hand uppercut Cheon-il's jaw.
The patterns faded right before wings could form.
"Hyung?"
His blackened eyes and gray skin gradually reverted.
But before fully returning, Cheon-il snapped to awareness.
"Wh-what is this..."
Staring at his fading patterns and whitening skin, he looked stunned.
"That's the demon's power. Can you feel it?"
"The power's slowly fading..."
"You felt it, then. Again."
"H-Hyung?"
Yong-un placed his hand on the reverting Cheon-il's back once more.
The same patterns reappeared across his body, eyes blackening again.
"Master the demon... at will..."
Inside the Ghost Soul Assassins' house.
From the second floor, Myung-su watched as ordered, clenching his fist.
Repeating the process over and over to draw out the demon within Cheon-il.
Endlessly undertaking such dangerous, tedious work just to forge a subordinate.
Myung-su swallowed dryly, unable to tear his eyes from Yong-un.
"Again."
Thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!
"Grrr... Hyung!"
"Again."
Thud-thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!
Even as Cheon-il's attacks grew fiercer, Yong-un pressed on relentlessly. Myung-su felt his respect for him swelling unconsciously.
It was grueling training for a child, and Cheon-il fell into a deep sleep the moment it ended.
After tucking him into bed, Yong-un joined Myung-su on the second-floor balcony.
"Did you see?"
"Yes..."
"I mean, did you see that child's potential?"
"I did. He seems to be gaining control bit by bit."
Cheon-il was improving, but Myung-su looked increasingly pensive.
Yong-un patted his shoulder.
"As I said, that child will become a Ghost Soul Assassin like you."
"That's exactly what worries me."
"What worries you? As the One Ghost Soul of the Ghost Soul Assassins, are you afraid you can't control him? Or that he'll surpass you?"
Myung-su bowed his head.
"Both, honestly. If Cheon-il masters the demon completely, I'd naturally be outmatched. But if he can't control it, and I fail to contain him, it'll be a disaster."
When equipping this house, Yong-un had bestowed titles on Myung-su and the other ghost assassins alongside it.
The One Ghost Soul of the Ghost Soul Assassins.
It was the inaugural title of the previous One Ghost Soul, Shadow Demon, signifying the supreme assassin who commanded the Twelve Ghost Souls.
Thus, Yong-un appointed Myung-su as One Ghost Soul, granting him authority over the Ghost Soul Assassins.
But Cheon-il's unexpected demon contract had given even the One Ghost Soul cause for concern.
"Can I really do this?"
Worry clouded Myung-su's face.
Yet Yong-un smiled as if struck by a memory and slapped his back.
'I want to do well. But can I really manage it, Supreme One...'
The words and demeanor of the previous One Ghost Soul, Shadow Demon, overlapped with the modern one, Myung-su.
"Ouch!"
The pained expression and widened eyes matched perfectly.
"You're the only One Ghost Soul among my Ghost Soul Assassins. I have no interest in others."
"Supreme One..."
Yong-un smiled and stepped onto the balcony railing.
"The One Ghost Soul must always hold the power to command all Ghost Souls."
With that, he leaped off boldly and shouted up at Myung-su.
"What are you waiting for? If you don't want to fall behind, get stronger!"
Myung-su's eyes widened, his face filling with emotion.
Then he too stepped onto the railing and shouted back.
"Yes! I'll follow you, Supreme One!"
Grasping Yong-un's intent instantly, Myung-su jumped down.
Yong-un began special training, calling out to him.
"The night is long. Make it yours."
"Yes, Supreme One!"
Myung-su, the One Ghost Soul of the Ghost Soul Assassins.
Cheon-il, the Two Ghost Soul.
The night passed amid sweat's scent, as two of the Twelve Ghost Souls—who had wiped out all twelve branch assassins of the Hao Clan—fell fully under Yong-un's command.
Hanbit Guild's office in Mok-dong.
Including Guild Master Kang Tae-jong, twelve guild members dragged their exhausted bodies to the office sofas and collapsed.
"Haa... fuck."
Despite the late hour, unable to clock out, they vented curses and punched the sofas in frustration.
One couldn't take it anymore and bolted upright.
He glared at Kang Tae-jong and yelled.
"Hyung! Don't we need to drag that cursed bastard back? Without him, we're suffering like dogs!"
The others nodded in agreement.
"Right! That freak with the weird eyes was dangerous, but as a gate-clearing bomb, he was the best!"
"No, think about it—Unwoo Guild are the real assholes. They knew and snatched just that cursed guy."
"Whatever, we need him back. Why let someone steal our guy? Why should we suffer?"
"Yeah! Take him back!"
For licensed hunters in a formal guild, clearing assigned gates was basic common sense.
If they earned more than average and enjoyed privileges, it was their duty.
But having lived too easily thanks to Cheon-il, returning to normal life bred resentment.
That grudge now extended beyond Cheon-il to Unwoo Guild.
"Steal him back? Nice choice of words."
Kang Tae-jong twisted his lips into a smile.
His madness-filled eyes swept over them.
"Urk..."
"Ahem..."
Meeting his gaze, they fell silent and averted their eyes.
That look meant Kang Tae-jong turned into a rabid dog.
Then he pointed at one.
"Hey, you."
"M-Me...?"
It was the one who'd shouted "Yeah! Take him back!"
Kang Tae-jong stared him down.
"I order you: go steal him."
"Huh...?"
"You said steal him—go do it."
"B-But how..."
"Here."
Kang Tae-jong tossed him a sword stained with monster blood.
Clang. Clang-clang.
It hit the sofa armrest and clattered down, splattering blood.
The guild member flinched and looked at him.
"Wh-what's this for..."
"If you can't steal him, kill him."
"But if I try to kill him..."
"Even better. It'll spark a massacre at Unwoo Guild, and everyone will know he's cursed."
A maniacal grin spread across Kang Tae-jong's face.
"Then he'll be discarded again, and we pick him up."
"Then I'll die..."
Kang Tae-jong lunged and kicked the whining guild member.
Thud!
"Guhk."
"Making excuses?"
Thud! Thud!
The kicks didn't stop.
"U-Uwaaah!"
"Die! Die! I said do as you said! Why excuses! Why!!!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Gaaah..."
Only when the guild member drooled blood-mixed spit did Kang Tae-jong stop.
The chilled atmosphere lingered.
He slumped back on the sofa, sustaining it.
"This won't do. Everyone goes. Fuck, mess with me, Kang Tae-jong? Think I'll just take it? You're all dead."