The capital of Henan Province is Zhengzhou.
The city, not far from Mount Song, maintained relative stability even amidst the world’s escalating chaos.
The efforts of Shaolin Temple, living up to its reputation as the North Star of the Martial Arts world, had a significant impact on neighboring sects that had no choice but to heed them, despite their struggles.
Of course, the effect diminished rapidly the further one got from Shaolin, and outside of Henan province, there were countless who committed atrocities under the name of Shaolin’s secular sects…
However, Zhengzhou, being close to Mount Song and the capital, was particularly monitored by Shaolin, so in that regard, there was no need for concern.
And near the boundary leading into Zhengzhou, in a position where the faint shape of the city could be seen from a distance—
“Cough! Well, I’ve made it this far.”
A scruffy man with wild hair scratched his unruly beard and frowned.
“I feel like I’ve been played by someone. Looking back now, I think I might have been too hasty.”
Stopping for a moment, he crossed his arms in thought, then shook his head and quickened his pace.
After coming this far, it was ridiculous to turn back now, wasn’t it?
Besides, he knew himself well.
Given that he had come here to verify the truth, he would make the same choice even if he could turn back time.
‘Yeah, it seems I’ve come across someone rather skillful.’
His eyes, obscured by hair, sparkled with intense fury.
What resided within him was unmistakable rage.
He showed no intention of hiding his feelings and growled like a beast whose territory had been invaded.
“How dare someone impersonate me? …No, judging by their actions, it seems they’re not just after a simple impersonation.”
Crack—
A stone crushed underfoot as he stepped forward.
The energy naturally emanating from his body caused the surrounding bushes to flatten against the ground.
“Indeed, this must be a challenge. To provoke me into coming here means they believe themselves capable enough, huh?”
A wild grin spread across his face.
He was the kind of person who would spring into action at the mere thought of a fight.
“Heh, let’s see if we can meet face to face.”
His name was Mok Ing-gwang.
A man known in the world as the ‘Mad Demon’.
*
Mad Demon— This title sharply illustrated Mok Ing-gwang’s rebellious nature.
If something didn’t sit well with him, he wouldn’t hesitate to rush in like a rabid dog, biting and tearing at everything in his path.
Naturally, he wouldn’t care about the means or methods, even risking his own life multiple times just to get back at someone.
His personality, which didn’t discriminate between right and wrong or the size of forces involved, meant that danger and death always lurked around him.
Perhaps if his skills had been a little lacking, he would have been just another forgotten fool in the world…
‘But I’m still here, in one piece.’
He proudly overcame every crisis, turning them into the foundation for his growth, and ultimately stood as one of the top masters in the martial arts world.
Starting with a bland title like ‘Rabid Dog’, he eventually became known as the Mad Demon.
In this chaotic world, living exactly as he wished without being swayed by his surroundings was an exceptional feat!
Moreover, the mere fact that he had survived in such a manner represented his worth, didn’t it?
‘But…’
That’s why Mok Ing-gwang felt a heavy weight to his title.
It represented the trajectory of his life and was a badge proving the fierce struggles he had endured; ultimately, it was proof of the man he had become.
“Dare to touch that?”
It took him two days to arrive at the location of the criminal in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
Swish—
His body quickly sliced through the air as he charged forward.
Naturally, the information he had just obtained wasn’t something he’d garnered all by himself.
Where there are crowds, there are usually those who engage in secretive business, among whom are those specialized in information.
All he did was find them and kindly and warmly ask for their cooperation.
‘Who would have thought they’d be this competent?’
It hadn’t been long since he hired that information organization, yet they provided detailed reports on the target’s past activities and their estimated current location.
Even if the target was a person of interest recently, he hadn’t expected such rapid results.
‘Lucky me.’
Mok Ing-gwang raised the corners of his mouth in a smirk.
More than twenty years had passed since the imperial palace bloodbath.
Finding capable individuals among dozens of information organizations that sprang up after the collapse of the beggars’ alliance required quite a bit of luck.
Yet, the fact that everything was going smoothly felt great.
‘If the beggars’ alliance were still intact, it would have made things easier.’
But that was beyond his control.
Even begging required people with a bit of leverage.
In a world where everyone struggled to survive, a group made up mostly of ordinary beggars without much skill couldn’t operate effectively.
Ultimately, lower factions either sought their own paths or broke away under the leadership of skilled members, and the name of the beggars’ alliance had long since become meaningless.
‘But none of those petty details matter. If this place doesn’t pan out, I’ll just go back and pressure them more… a little persuasion should work fine.’
After rushing here, he arrived at the foot of a certain mountain leading into Zhengzhou.
His eyes lit up.
He finally reached the place where that bastard who impersonated him supposedly was.
And just as he climbed the mountain to a certain point,
From the perspective of the members of the information organization, they were incredibly fortunate that they wouldn’t have to fear the Mad Demon’s return.
“Huh? Who are you?”
At the entrance of the mountain stronghold he just arrived at,
In stark contrast to the wrecked surroundings that looked as if they had been turned upside down, stood a lone presence, relaxed and unworried.
‘…That must be him.’
He recognized him immediately.
This was the guy who had made him come here personally.
“Hmm? Judging by your looks, you’re also a bandit? Wow, I see the level of bandits these days is quite high! This isn’t going to be good for the lesser ones! Kahahaha!”
Even confronted by an unexpected guest, there was no hint of surprise or tension; rather, he moved leisurely like a well-fed predator.
No, it wasn’t just the attitude that felt out of place.
‘Is he from the frontier?’
To Mok Ing-gwang, who was raised solely in the central plains, the attire of this man seemed bizarre—akin to some primitive tribesmen from the outskirts—making him frown without realizing it.
But that was momentary, as he recalled the purpose of his visit and slowly moved forward.
“Right, that’s not what’s important now.”
“Right, you’re here for revenge on those underlings?”
“I could care less about the rubbish here. I came all this way because I want to have a word with you.”
“Huh?”
With a look that suggested he knew nothing, he tilted his head, infuriating Mok Ing-gwang as he raised his voice.
“Mad Demon.”
“Uh, why are you calling…”
“That’s my title.”
“…Oh?”
“Since you’re using someone else’s title casually, aren’t you due for a payment?”
“……..”
Silence.
Following that short exchange, a moment of tension enveloped the area.
“So…”
But that silence didn’t last, and Mok Ing-gwang resumed speaking, growling.
“Let’s see if you have the right to use it in the first place.”
“Hehe!”
At Mok Ing-gwang’s last words, the man, Harley, who had maintained a calm demeanor the entire time, grinned broadly, his mouth stretching from ear to ear.
Then, sharp teeth began to reveal themselves, jagged like a saw, as if he wasn’t human at all.
“Ah— ahhh—! I get it. Hehe— I must have been rude? I was just thinking of visiting you at some point. Thanks for saving me the trouble!”
An involuntary chuckle escaped as he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
Along with that, the atmosphere surrounding him began to change rapidly.
“I was planning to visit you someday, but never did I expect you to come here personally. You’ve saved me the trouble.”
A faint mist began to rise around him.
Boom—
With the air trembling, the surrounding atmosphere began to heat up slowly.
Although he appeared to be the same person he was before, the mysterious energy that was starting to spread around him made him look like a completely different being.
From a well-fed predator basking in the afterglow of a recent hunt,
To an incomprehensible monster already showing interest in a new toy.
Chill—
The transformation was starkly felt by Mok Ing-gwang, standing right in front of him.
As the violence hidden within Harley came to life, a sense of crisis surged to the top of Mok Ing-gwang’s head, sharpening his senses extraordinarily.
‘Huh.’
At that point, it became impossible to ignore the clarity of the danger he faced.
The intense and heavy essence of true madness that was harbored within his opponent.
‘This is absurd. Can a human even contain that? No, moreover, how can he maintain a coherent conversation to this extent?’
Was that even possible?
It was so ridiculous it almost made him laugh out loud.
Yet, amidst all this, his instincts screamed out.
This was real danger.
Charging in now would only lead to death.
Fleeing now would have the highest chance of survival.
But—
“Huh…”
He paid no heed to the warning of his instincts.
He merely faced his opponent and flashed a similar grin.
There was no way he would withdraw now.
‘When did I ever care about such things?’
A chuckle escaped him involuntarily.
It had always been this way.
He had never backed down from any threat and had always rushed forward with the determination to overcome.
‘And I’ve survived up till now.’
This was just another challenge among many.
He would prove himself and conquer it once again.
And if he were to fail for real this time…
Well, then that would be the end of him, wouldn’t it?
Swish—
At that moment when the tension was building to a peak,
Both of them vanished from the spot in unison.
Boom—!
In an instant, a massive backlash tore through the now-destroyed remnants of the mountain stronghold, scattering fragments and tree roots everywhere.
In the epicenter, fists extended, Harley and Mok Ing-gwang met each other’s gaze.
Harley grinned widely and casually remarked,
“Hey, I really like that title of yours. Mind if I borrow it a bit?”
“Hah, some nonsense expressed with such sincerity. Truly a bandit! Are those bandits lying around your subordinates?”
“Kahaha! Unfortunately, these guys don’t meet the standard! But you seem just right. How about joining me, huh?”
“Let’s settle your debt first before we talk about that!”
Boom—!
Once more, their energies clashed, creating a thunderous explosion, causing the air to recoil.
And as the full-scale bout commenced, the atmosphere around Mok Ing-gwang began to shift from the rather mundane ‘Mad Demon’ vibe to something far more intense.
‘Oh? What is that?’
The flow of energy within him began to reveal an extraordinary change, catching Harley’s attention.
His smile broadened, and his eyes gleamed as the tension escalated, with every vein in his body standing out alarmingly, and the energy coiling around his claw-like hands amplified his combat effectiveness.
Mirroring Harley’s monstrous form, his presence shredded through the air, shaking the spaces around them.
Boom—!
The martial arts techniques Mok Ing-gwang employed were bizarre, to say the least.
They were quick, powerful, and deceptively unpredictable.
While Harley was stronger, faster, tougher, and more dexterous,
His attacks created unexpected gaps, seamlessly weaving their way into Mok Ing-gwang’s defenses.
‘So this is transformation and illusion, huh? It’s almost like facing someone who uses them correctly for the first time…’
At this point, he gradually caught onto the clues of his opponent’s strategy.
A facade.
On the surface, it appeared he favored aggression and thrill; even the attacks seemed based on that, but every layer was a ploy to deceive Harley.
While appearing reckless, they were actually cunning attacks lying in wait.
‘Of course, it’s all worthless unless it lands a strike.’
No need to resort to dragon scales; even in his current state, his body was as resilient as diamond.
There was no way he could inflict real damage through sheer brute force alone.
So, rather than rush, it would be wiser to read his opponent’s moves thoroughly before decisively overpowering him…
Swish—
Just then, a sudden thrust from Mok Ing-gwang pierced through the air, colliding with Harley’s palm, and simultaneously, Harley’s other hand slashed past his arm, leaving strange red energy in its wake.
Clang—!
The sound of metal grinding against metal echoed.
A distinct change appeared in Harley’s expression, which had been relaxed until now, his eyes widening slightly.
Long scratches marred the otherwise solid arm of Harley, a testament to the attack’s power.
Though healed almost instantly due to his regenerative capabilities, the slower recovery rate owing to the energy’s reactive corrosion effect was unavoidable.
This was sufficient proof that the opponent’s attacks exceeded his initial assumptions and showcased an uncanny efficiency.
‘This guy’s quite capable. It’s a shame…’
With a more serious demeanor, Harley gazed at the unrelenting Mok Ing-gwang, who was coming at him with fierce attacks.
In that moment of distraction, a flurry of claw-like energy surged toward him, forming a distinct divide between the two adversaries fighting for the same title.
