A Different Class
The tracking talisman from the Celestial Realm had its limits.
At too great a distance, the direction it pointed grew hazy.
He'd ridden the Myriad Mile Flying Sword tirelessly northwest, only to arrive at...
"Whew."
The ruins of Barun's wheat farm.
The very spot where he'd first encountered the bastard.
'Still, its performance is reliable.'
Cheon Kyung-ho had definitely been here, no doubt about it.
Taeju focused his mind once more.
Cheon Kyung-ho's face, his movements, the Heavenly Demon Overlord Step he'd unleashed to escape this place.
He pulled another tracking talisman from the infinite space.
Whoosh!
The ashes took flight again.
The more he used it, the better the effect seemed to get.
'West.'
Taeju kept flying on the Myriad Mile Flying Sword.
Screeech!
And then.
'...Is this it?'
SUVs and corpses were visible below.
The talisman had led him here.
Taeju descended.
'Hmm.'
Bodies strewn everywhere.
Most had holes punched through their heads.
Already decayed beyond recognition.
'Marauders.'
That seemed to be the case.
Central Asia had cities, but they were spaced far apart.
With railroads destroyed by monsters, travel was by car or on foot.
He'd heard marauders hid nearby, ambushing travelers and merchants for their money.
'They crossed Cheon Kyung-ho.'
One corpse was an awakener.
Shriveled like a mummy—definitely drained of mana.
A dangerous bastard, for sure.
At least the dead were marauders; small mercy.
Another tracking talisman.
Whoosh!
West, then west again.
Finally, he arrived above a major train station at the edge of the European Empire.
'Europe? He went far. Must've switched to trains from here.'
Was he about to cross the continent?
These talismans weren't cheap.
Three already used.
No choice but to keep going.
The talisman's direction sharpened.
Not far now.
West, always west.
The final destination: Free Barcelona.
'At least he didn't cross the Atlantic.'
Taeju entered the bustling heart of Free Barcelona as night fell.
The talisman was crystal clear now.
The bastard was close.
Finally.
'Found you.'
A rundown hotel smack in the city center.
Cheon Kyung-ho on the terrace, chugging what looked like a drink.
'So that's where you were hiding.'
Three hundred years ago, as the world teetered on the brink of annihilation, Europe was a hellscape of devastation.
People dying from mana exposure.
Mountains of corpses.
Half of Europe's population gone in an instant. Then half of that half.
Déjà vu.
Sounded familiar, didn't it?
Like the Black Death that ravaged medieval Europe.
But plagues could be contained, vaccines developed. Mana permeated the air—untouchable.
About a century later, humanity began adapting to mana.
Plants and animals too.
Monsters appeared.
Awakeners followed.
National borders crumbled. Survivors clustered around populous cities, forming new nations.
That was when a legendary hero emerged.
Emperor Alex Caesar.
The early awakener hero, blending Alexander and Caesar, conquered Europe from the city-state of Mega Roma.
Thus, the European Empire was born.
Cheon Kyung-ho was in Free Barcelona, on the western fringe of the European Empire.
The original Barcelona had sunk into the sea due to global warming.
This new city lay northeast of the old site.
Falling far short of mega-cities like Neo Berlin or the capital Mega Roma.
The Pyrenees Mountains—a mega-monster hotspot—loomed directly north.
With such high transient traffic, security was poor.
Villain organizations lurked everywhere.
But for Cheon Kyung-ho, no city was better.
Take over a mid-tier villain group, squeeze them for cash. Absorb mana now and then to grow stronger.
That's exactly what he'd done.
He'd arrived in Free Barcelona penniless.
A few days ago, he'd tailed a cocky expert-rank awakener, drained his mana in secret, and pocketed his cash.
With that, he'd booked a hotel room and bought these fatigue-recovery drinks.
Man, this drink was impressive. The more he drank, the more he marveled.
Not just physical fatigue—mental exhaustion melted away too.
Not a European product.
Imported from across the sea, naturally superior.
'The longer I stay, the more I like this place.'
Original plan: Cross the Atlantic to the America Republic, build a base there.
But this worked too.
Free Barcelona.
Outdated infrastructure, but teeming with people.
Like Gurye in the Samhan Empire.
A city stunted by constant monster waves from Jirisan's monster density, yet thriving on hunt bounties—transient crowds keeping money flowing.
That's where Kim Taeju had risen.
Made antidotes, turned a profit. Took over an orphanage, built a force. Became a Samhan power player.
'No reason I can't do the same.'
Free Barcelona mirrored Gurye.
Monster hotspot, crowds, overflowing cash.
'Staying here's not bad.'
Better than crossing to America.
'Time to take over an organization.'
Or better yet.
Why not unite all the villain groups?
Big Boss of Free Barcelona.
Heavenly Demon Cheon Kyung-ho.
Build a demonic cult while at it?
Like Kim Taeju soared from Gurye, he'd build power here.
'Should've come straight here.'
A grin spread across his face.
Reborn as the Heavenly Demon, founding a demonic cult on Earth was practically duty.
Cheon Kyung-ho stepped onto his hotel terrace, fatigue-recovery drink in hand.
The street below blazed with lights despite the night.
Throngs of people: adapters, compatibles, awakeners.
'Absorb them as demonic cultists...'
Different race, different language.
He'd barely communicated via smartphone translator.
Still, some here must speak Samhan tongue.
Find them, subjugate as servants.
Like with the council—infuse mana, dominate their minds.
This time, more aggressively.
Speak of the devil—one over there.
Samhan national vibe.
Black hair, black eyes, white coat... staring right at him.
"...Huh?"
Cheon Kyung-ho blinked rapidly.
'What?'
Trauma clouding judgment?
'K-Kim Taeju?'
Nothing like the known face.
Disguise technique, obviously.
He was using one too.
But that unmistakable aura leaking out.
It was him.
The guy from Barun's wheat farm.
And smirking right at him.
His hand trembled around the bottle.
"N-No way."
Terror-stricken, Cheon Kyung-ho stumbled back.
Taeju couldn't help but smile; he was thrilled.
Cheon Kyung-ho scrambling inside.
Where do you think you're going?
Tssip! Tssipipipipip!
Hidden blades firing like machine-gun fire from his hand.
"Gasp!"
Cheon Kyung-ho arched back, rolling into the room.
Blades grazing his hair.
'H-How...?'
Cheon Kyung-ho bolted for the door.
Suddenly!
Splat! Thud! Rrrrrumble...
A hidden blade embedded in the door, quivering violently.
Kim Taeju was here.
Right behind him.
"Cheon Kyung-ho?"
Turning slowly at the call.
"...Who? I don't know that name."
Taeju chuckled.
"Cut the crap and drop the disguise. Half-baked Heavenly Demon spawn."
"W-What?"
Spotting the disguise was one thing... Heavenly Demon?
He'd heard it clear.
How did he know that?
"The Heavenly Demon pup from the martial world rots in Avici Hell. Earth's Heavenly Demon pup just runs away."
Cheon Kyung-ho panicked.
Everything exposed.
Bald and naked.
"You know who I am too."
"..."
"Saw me unleash Storm Rain Needle back in Barun."
"...Absolute Poison Demon."
"Yeah, that's me."
Soul-linked souls had met.
Both fully aware of each other's identities.
Storm Rain Needle?
"...Storm Rain Needle? Wasn't it Myriad Heavenly Rain?"
"You think I'd master something that hard? Just faked it."
Cheon Kyung-ho's mind reeled.
Not Myriad Heavenly Rain?
He'd been terrified over mere Storm Rain Needle?
No wonder.
Confidence surged.
If not Myriad Heavenly Rain...
"Heh heh heh, half-assed Absolute Poison Demon, huh."
"And you? Mastered Heavenly Demon Divine Art?"
"..."
Cheon Kyung-ho had no retort.
Kim Taeju was right.
Neither had fully mastered.
Worth a shot.
He straightened, eyeing Taeju.
Long coat.
Hidden blades everywhere, no doubt.
'Just dodge the projectiles.'
But the vicious killing intent from Kim Taeju.
Gooseflesh prickling his arms.
Seemed even stronger than at Barun.
"One question. How'd you know I'm the Heavenly Demon? And track me here."
"Heard it from you."
"...Me? Oh! Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak? Soul link, huh."
"Yeah. Said he met the Heavenly Demon in Avici Hell. Wanted me to kill you too."
"Sh-Shit..."
Wait.
Dang Gunak met the Heavenly Demon?
"Kekeke, even that fearsome Absolute Poison Demon croaked and went to hell. Hilarious. Heavenly Demon and Poison Demon side by side in hell."
"Nah. Dang Gunak didn't die."
"What?"
"Ascended to immortality."
"Th-That's bullshit!"
Shing!
Taeju drew the Divine Spirit Secret Sword from infinite space.
Vrrrrm!
Auspicious energy pulsed as it floated in midair.
"Ah!"
Cheon Kyung-ho felt it in his bones.
The sword's energy could shatter mana like glass.
"This came from the Celestial Realm."
Just looking made his mind haze.
"Your soul-linked Heavenly Demon pup is Avici Hell's prisoner. Mine's an ascended immortal's soul..."
Taeju's voice chilled.
"We've been on different levels from the start."
Gulp.
Cheon Kyung-ho swallowed dryly.
No choice.
Go all out... and escape.
Soul-link-granted demonic cult arts.
Pour everything in, he could flee.
City center—plenty of hostages.
But.
"How's it feel?"
"What?"
"If you're soul-linked to the Heavenly Demon, you've heard the rumors."
"What...?"
"Don't eat, don't drink, don't even breathe around the Absolute Poison Demon—especially in enclosed spaces."
"Ah! Poison?"
Cheon Kyung-ho laughed derisively.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art granted immunity to all poisons by default.
Mana blocked toxins.
Even without mastery.
"Heh heh heh, you think some piddly poison works on me?"
"Yeah. It does."
"Bullshit. I'm immune to—Huh?"
Flinch!
Cheon Kyung-ho's face twisted.
Mana flow disrupted.
"Figured it out now?"
"N-No. Don't trick me! What'd you do?"
"Then move."
"Y-You dare! I'll kill—Urk!"
Poison Aura Emission
His poison core, imprinted with celestial energy, unleashed poison aura.
Celestial energy pierced the mana barrier first.
Then the poison infiltrated Cheon Kyung-ho's body.
Insidiously, viciously.
From their first exchange.
"Kuhuk!"
Heave.
Bright red blood spewed from his mouth.
Thud—Cheon Kyung-ho collapsed.
"P-Poisoned? ...Why? How?"
Couldn't move.
Agony crashed next.
Like his body was melting.
"Spare me."
He begged Taeju.
"I-I'll serve as your dog, urk! Till death. Use me as a hunting hound. Emperor, Geum Suhu—I'll kill them all, hand you the Samhan Empire. Heave, just antidote me..."
Tempting offer?
What a clown.
"Sociopaths really think different from normal folks."
"What...?"
"Think I'd let you live out of pity, you filthy child-killer?!"
Vrrrrm!
Taeju's poison core thrummed.
"Some things you can do, some you can't. Normal people get that. You don't—so die already!"
Imprinted Ten-Thousand-Year Venom decomposed and radiated.
Netherworld's ultimate poison.
"P-Please..."
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
Organs liquefied first.
Stomach, heart, liver, lungs...
Exterior intact, insides toxic sludge.
"...Guh."
Cheon Kyung-ho perished.
Taeju stored the corpse in infinite space.
One Heavenly Demon left.
Avici Hell's prisoner.
'Time to head back?'
Swoosh!
He retracted the emitted poison.
Cleaned the hotel floor spotless.
Suddenly!
A familiar scent wafted into Taeju's nose.
'Hm?'
He traced it.
A small bottle on the floor.
The drink Cheon Kyung-ho had been sipping on the terrace.
'No way...'
The scent matched.
Spilled everywhere.
'Anything left?'
Taeju checked the mini-fridge.
Ten more bottles, same kind.
Twisted one open, sipped.
'Definitely.'
Vitality Surge.
But labeled 'Vital Juice'.
'Where's it from?'
Made in R.O.A.
Republic of America.
'Knockoff?'
Taeju stored the rest in infinite space.
Investigate back home.