Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon's Rewards
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Whoosh—
The thick cloud of dust settled.
In the spot where the marble had been pulverized into fine powder, a pure white cloud drifted down.
There stood Shin-hyeok, barely holding himself up with his demonic spear—now cracked all over his body—as a staff.
Shin-hyeok's condition couldn't even be called decent as a polite exaggeration.
Of course, the fact that he was in casual clothes, having stripped off all his original gear, played a big part, but the battle itself had been far more grueling than he'd imagined.
In stark contrast, on the opposite side where the dust had cleared.
The Heavenly Demon, who had faced Shin-hyek's Body Spear solely with two fingers, showed not a single sign of disarray.
The dust cloud that had filled the surroundings hadn't touched the pitch-black Heavenly Demon robe even slightly.
His long, flowing black hair—like a lion's mane—settled naturally in place.
The Heavenly Demon spoke.
"Splendid. Your Body Spear couldn't touch my Divine Spear, but that's only natural. I await the moment your spear reaches me."
"......Huuuuh."
At the Heavenly Demon's acknowledgment.
Shin-hyeok finally released his tension, exhaling the breath he'd been holding as he dropped his head.
'......I'm gonna die. I'm exhausted.'
It had been tough.
Manifesting his entire being into a single spear was undoubtedly a burdensome feat.
'Same with Cheok Nosah, same with the old man. I never get a day off from Overlord. Well, makes sense. To earn recognition from two Constellations, Overlord's gotta be the baseline.'
Behind it all was Overlord.
As the crowning technique of the Choi Shin-hyeok Style that Shin-hyeok had perfected, Overlord was high in difficulty and left severe aftereffects.
Before regression, he'd had a sturdy body and mana circuits to minimize those aftereffects and shake them off quickly, but his current flesh was far frailer.
Ptui!
"You've taken internal injuries."
"......I was prepared for this much."
The black clot of blood he'd spat out was due to that.
Of course, Shin-hyeok could have swallowed it, but he chose to spit it out.
The reason was simple.
"Sit before me. Show me your back. I'll heal your internal injuries. And along with that, the reward I'll give you."
"Yes."
'He's generous again this time.'
The Heavenly Demon.
To Shin-hyeok, his master was unexpectedly lavish with his spending.
Perhaps it was only natural.
An absolute being who skimped on giving would just be called stingy.
Mindful of that, the Heavenly Demon was accustomed to bestowing gifts and did so with an open hand.
By deliberately vomiting blood to coax even more from the Heavenly Demon, Shin-hyeok cautiously turned his back to him and sat cross-legged in front of him.
"Your posture is good. Maintain the lotus position. The pain from mending your damaged meridians won't be light. Even so, keep the lotus position and regulate your breathing. Fail, and you'll suffer worse internal injuries—not to mention severe meridian damage."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Then, let us begin."
The Heavenly Demon's pure demonic energy started from the meridians on his back and spread throughout Shin-hyeok's body.
The energy seeping into his torn and damaged meridians not only healed them but made them stronger and more resilient.
But the truly vital part was the demonic energy of the Heavenly Demon itself.
'......As expected of such pure and concentrated demonic energy.'
His demonic energy, freed from stat limits upon reaching Gold Tier, shot up by 50 in one go.
A delectable result, but this was just the beginning.
"Now, I shall impart the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula."
"You're serious?"
"Of course. It's merely part of the price I promised you. I'll begin the transmission now—focus."
"......Yes."
Heavenly Demon Divine Formula.
If the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was the hardware, the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula was the software.
Naturally so.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Formula was a cultivation method that allowed one to accumulate highly pure demonic energy.
'I never got it in my past life. If I'd had a bit more time, maybe... but that's not important now.'
At the thought of obtaining the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula—something his past self never had—Shin-hyeok barely calmed his pounding heart and regulated his breathing.
At the same time, the Heavenly Demon's demonic energy raced through Shin-hyeok's body once more.
By the time it completed a full circuit.
Shin-hyeok had not only registered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art as a skill but also acquired the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula that his past self never obtained.
"To master the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula in one go. Pentastar aptitude isn't bad."
"Thank you. But is this the end of the rewards?"
"......Greedy, aren't you? I have more, so pipe down."
Truly, the tree that gives without stint.
No—the Heavenly Demon who gives without stint.
No sooner had he spoken than the Heavenly Demon infused a third wave of demonic energy into Shin-hyeok's body.
"I shall remodel your body. You could call it shedding the mortal coil."
"......!"
"I can't make it transcendent. Well, I could, but it would be too much for what you've earned. The Heavenly Demon Body of this lord. The scrappy fool's Heavenly Martial Body. But who knows? Pile up karma, and one day you might claim even those."
"......"
As the demonic energy chilled through his internal meridians, Shin-hyeok swallowed dryly at the Heavenly Demon's voice.
Heavenly Demon Body and Heavenly Martial Body.
Bodies bestowed by heaven that even Shin-hyeok, a Challenger Tier player, had never dreamed of obtaining.
Unless innate, acquiring one required astronomical wealth and luck.
At the words that even he might obtain one, a smile tugged at Shin-hyeok's lips involuntarily.
Crunch!
"......!!!"
"Ah, forgot to mention—it'll hurt like hell. Even realigning bones makes you curse, but this improves and outright replaces your body. You can handle it, right?"
Shin-hyeok's eyes bulged at the dizzying agony, one of the worst even counting his entire past life.
But there was no backing out.
The water was spilled; the shedding process, once started, couldn't be stopped.
Thus, Shin-hyeok was engulfed in intense pain for a long while.
Of course, the payoff was sweet.
"You've obtained the Demonic Absorption Body. A body of peerless quality—not heaven-sent, but serviceable enough."
At the Heavenly Demon's words on the artificially forged body, Shin-hyeok immediately checked its description.
'Simple. But that's why it's good. Nothing beats straightforward effectiveness.'
Body: Demonic Absorption Body.
True to its Rare grade, it wasn't flashy.
Simply absorbing demonic energy naturally.
That was all.
The gains would probably be modest.
But that was enough.
'As they say, every little bit helps. Auto-hunting's value is in the automation, not the amount gathered.'
Much like auto-farming in mobile games.
In auto mode, it hunts, gathers EXP, and collects materials without your input.
Sure, less than manual play, but unearned gains are what they are.
That was the end of his thoughts on the Demonic Absorption Body.
"Your weapon broke because of me."
"A new one?"
Because the Heavenly Demon seemed about to offer another reward.
The Heavenly Demon's generosity wasn't over yet.
Shin-hyeok brightened at the mention of a weapon.
'Heavenly Demon Armory. Anything grabbed from there is at least Legendary.'
If the doors to the Heavenly Demon Armory—personally curated by him—opened, he could reap huge rewards.
Well—
"Have you lost your mind? That would pile on way more karma for me."
"Ah......"
No such luck.
Regrettable, but expected.
Constellations had to pay karma commensurate with their gifts.
Shin-hyeok had earned substantial 'karma' through the trial and recognition, but not enough for even the lowest item in the Heavenly Demon Armory.
As Shin-hyeok sulked, the Heavenly Demon smirked and spread his hand wide.
Kwaaaaa!
Vast demonic energy erupted above the Heavenly Demon's palm.
At least from Shin-hyeok's perspective.
To the Heavenly Demon, it was a mere drop from the ocean.
That energy soon underwent a transformation.
Squelch! Squelch! Skreeeech!
Immense pressure bore down on the demonic energy.
Not just once.
Repeatedly.
Energy was akin to smoke, fundamentally.
Even tangible like the Heavenly Demon's, compressing it wasn't easy.
Of course, that was for ordinary folk.
Not for the Heavenly Demon.
"Done."
Plop—
After performing what could be called a miracle, he casually tossed the now lump-shaped energy in front of Shin-hyeok.
As if it were nothing, lightly plopped—
That was it.
But to Shin-hyeok, it was everything.
"......This is Demonic Essence, isn't it?"
"Correct."
"You just casually compressed and shaped it?"
"That's right."
"......For me to use?"
"Yes. Finished products are karma-heavy, but materials? Not so much."
"Thank you. I'll put it to good use."
"You're the one inheriting my name. Wielding trash would tarnish my face."
"Yes, I'll use it to craft something incredible."
"That suffices."
Demonic Essence.
The quintessence of demons, a material.
Legendary grade, no less.
Officially, only a handful existed on the entire current Earth—Shin-hyeok's surprise was warranted.
'Quite the haul. Demonic Energy stat +50, Demonic Absorption Body, Heavenly Demon Divine Formula, Demonic Essence. Stuffed, totally stuffed.'
Each held immense value.
The +50 Demonic Energy would bolster his Gold Tier games ahead; the Demonic Absorption Body his growth; the Heavenly Demon Divine Formula would accelerate it; the Demonic Essence would rebirth his demonic spear for the future.
Plenty to feel full.
Honestly, this alone was hefty karma for the Heavenly Demon.
Might not even cover the trial's earnings.
No, definitely not.
The Heavenly Demon would have to foot some himself.
But the giving Heavenly Demon was different.
"Rise."
"Yes?"
"What are you dawdling for? If a Little Heavenly Demon candidate can't even enter the mid-stage of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, it'd be a joke. I'll teach you the first technique of its mid-stage."
"......!"
'Little Heavenly Demon candidate. A title I never got in my past life, snagged at Gold Tier. Plus a mid-stage Heavenly Demon Divine Art technique. Surpasses all prior rewards by miles.'
Little Heavenly Demon candidate.
And the first mid-stage technique of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to match.
These eclipsed everything before.
The early Heavenly Demon Divine Art nurtured promising sprouts with interest; mid-stage marked recognition as a racehorse toward Little Heavenly Demon—heir to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Thus, Shin-hyeok rose in a daze, and before him, the Heavenly Demon uttered just one phrase.
"Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Chapter 2, Section 1. Black Heaven Thunder Step. Watch closely. The lightning footwork to traverse the black heavens."
Rumble!
No sooner said than a streak of lightning from the pitch-black sky incarnated the Heavenly Demon.
That was it.