A man in a black robe, rising into the air wrapped in the wind, looked down below.
He appeared to be in his thirties, but the Heavenly Demon was already an active figure thriving thirty years ago.
‘That monster is coming out personally.’
Everyone’s bodies hardened like rocks.
Shin Seung, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, was a top power recognized as a master of the Current Realm and the Correct Faction of martial arts.
However, the fact that he had been bested by the Heavenly Demon…
“···Hehehe. I suppose age has caught up with me. I don’t have enough vitality.”
Whoosh—
Fortunately, an old monk covered in dust and debris slowly emerged from the wreckage of the collapsed temple.
While he appeared far worse than a seemingly unharmed opponent, his demeanor remained calm.
He adjusted his tattered monk’s robe with one hand while glancing at his severed right arm, pressing his palms together in a prayer position with his left hand and responding casually.
“Rather, it seems the Heavenly Demon has become even stronger. I suppose you’ve had something good to eat?”
“Hmm— Yes, I had a very good meal. It makes me feel like I could fly. I could share it with you if you wanted?”
“Amitabha, I appreciate your kind offer, but I must decline. I follow the Buddha’s path and can’t stray from the proper methods.”
“How unfortunate. You would have enough qualifications, you know. If you change your mind, feel free to let me know anytime.”
Though their tones were quite friendly, none of those present took it at face value.
Each word exchanged felt like stepping on a knife’s edge, with a creeping tension in the air.
The Heavenly Demon seemed to relish the rigid atmosphere, leisurely surveying his surroundings with a smirk.
This was the official debut of the cult they had been forced to hold back against until now.
With the event unfolding so successfully, he couldn’t help but feel satisfied.
‘This flow cannot be resisted. There’s no one left in this world who could stand against us… Hm?’
However, his smile quickly faded as he savored the tension and fear reflected in the eyes of the Correct Faction’s underlings.
The haughty expression he wore so confidently became stiff in an instant.
“…What are you?”
A cold voice slipped from his lips, as if it could freeze everything around him.
Though the tense ones around him raised their weapons in response, the Heavenly Demon’s gaze remained fixed on a single spot.
‘Ah, I saw this coming. Despite being more careful this time, it ends up like this.’
Anxiously sweating, he averted his eyes toward Hugo.
Naturally, the other party showed no interest in his efforts at all.
“Why—why are you still alive in this world?”
A single statement laced with unknown emotions.
The problem was that it didn’t end with a simple expression of feelings.
‘Gah, this…!’
He felt eyes upon him.
That alone made the surrounding air press down on him like a heavy iron weight, sending his senses into chaos.
His sense of distance collapsed, his sense of balance twisted, and his brain’s activity stuttered.
Of course, his cognitive abilities were not limited to just Hugo, so he didn’t completely lose consciousness, but he couldn’t maintain control over his body.
‘…I never expected the Heavenly Demon to be this strong. At this level…’
There was a reason why Mujin, the Abbot, had been forced to retreat against such a creature.
With this, Hugo, who hadn’t even reached the peak of a martial artist yet, couldn’t dare to put up any resistance.
His only option was to pray for the other’s mercy.
Ultimately, just when he was contemplating whether to perform a Summoning Release…
“Huff—!”
Suddenly, fresh air rushed into his lungs, and he realized his senses, which had crumbled, were restoring themselves.
He had also discovered that he had been holding his breath until now.
‘…Terrifying. To think one could bring a person to this state not by using inner energy but just by will alone. Even without reaching the peak, that’s not a low level.’
As he struggled to catch his breath and lifted his head, he spotted the fluttering hem of a monk’s robe in front of him, realizing how he had come to his senses.
The Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, who had been a little distance away just moments ago, was now standing directly in front of him.
“Hohoho, Heavenly Demon. You’re teasing the young junior too much.”
“Step aside.”
“Amitabha, are you really thinking of carrying this through to the end? It wouldn’t be good for either of us to keep clashing like this.”
“Words alone won’t suffice.”
The Heavenly Demon’s cold, stiff expression shifted slightly.
It seemed Hugo’s existence held greater significance for him than he had realized, and his response was unusually sensitive compared to their first encounter.
“Demon Master.”
“Heavenly Demon Reincarnate, grant us blessings! Black Rider Jang Cheoli, at your service!”
Clank!
At his command, a massive figure, wrapped in black chains, stepped forward and loudly bowed to the floor.
He was among the Demon Cultists who had arrived at this location.
“Ensure that not a single one escapes from here. Especially that one over there must not be let go. I want ears and a mouth left, nothing else.”
“Obey! We shall follow your command!”
Thus, the Heavenly Demon, still hiding behind the Abbot, grinned while looking at Hugo.
To Hugo, receiving such heavy and sinister jeers felt utterly incomprehensible.
‘Ah, this is bad.’
Hugo, now the center of attention not only among the Demon Cultists but also the Correct Faction martial artists around him, managed an awkward smile.
No matter how much he loved attention, he had no interest in such one-sided obsession…
‘It can’t be helped.’
Taking a deep breath, he firmly gripped the sword in his hand, sighing slightly.
It seemed like he needed to hurry a bit more.
*
Near the Shaolin Temple.
Clink!
Sword Saint Namgoong Woo grimaced as he glared at the one-eyed old man locking blades with him.
In front of his powerful sword was an unyielding black blade, adorned with an image of a ghost, wielded by Yeom Cheol, the Ghost Sword Demon Master, one of the absolute masters who had attained the Current Realm and served as a guardian of the Heavenly Demon Church during the same era.
“Hehehe. You’ve aged, Namgoong Woo. Is this all you’ve got?”
“Ha— I remember you running away when I took out one of your eyes just yesterday. You sure are talkative, Yeom Cheol. Look at you boasting with the power you’ve gained unethically.”
“Heheh, that’s funny. You’re the one who ate more elixirs than meals since childhood. Are you really going to lecture me?”
“Don’t compare the innocent energy of others to elixirs!”
“What’s the difference? Isn’t that also power gained through external assistance?”
Clink—
Having been contemporaries with the same primary weapon and similar talents and levels, they had clashed several times in the past.
The outcomes of those battles had culminated in Namgoong Woo’s victory, taking one of Yeom Cheol’s eyes…
But now, twenty years later, the situation was different.
‘You’ve truly come prepared this time.’
The heavy resistance felt in his hands made the Sword Saint’s expression stiffen.
While Shin Seung had managed to hold the Heavenly Demon at bay for now, he already suspected that wouldn’t last long.
He’d felt the monstrous might firsthand.
That said, he couldn’t just let the Ghost Sword Demon Master be free; his plan was to swiftly eliminate him and then join Shin Seung while holding off for as long as possible…
“Other thoughts, I see. You still have room, I guess.”
“Gah!”
The opponent’s power exceeded expectations.
With the current situation, it was impossible to settle the fight quickly.
If he recklessly pushed, they would be the ones to fall first.
The Sword Saint gritted his teeth.
Others were certainly worried as well, but most importantly, he couldn’t help but be concerned about his grandchildren still trapped over there.
Those kids had come all this way trusting him, only for him to be brought to such a disgrace!
“Hehehe— You’ve lost your focus, Namgoong Woo. Shall I take one of your eyes first?”
In that tense atmosphere, the offensive maneuvers began to falter, causing subtle cracks in the Sword Saint’s technique.
When something like this happened, it was nearly impossible to fight properly with a mind half elsewhere.
As anxiety crept into his movements, the plight of his situation worsened.
“Oi, excuse me, just a sec—!”
An uninvited guest dashed unexpectedly into the fray.
“······!”
“What?!”
Even while they had been focused on one another, they were supposed to be at the Current Realm level.
The moment an unfamiliar being invaded their domain, they reacted in accordance with their instincts.
The Sword Saint took a step back to solidify his defense while assessing the situation, and the Ghost Sword Demon Master immediately unleashed a sharp energy toward the intruder.
Whoever they may be, they’d sever their jugular in an instant.
“…Oh my! Swinging such danger around at random?!”
The malicious intent inadvertently triggered the sensibilities of someone just trying to pass peacefully.
As a self-proclaimed great warrior, he couldn’t just stand by and watch such reckless violence!
Boom—
However, with little time to spare, he had taken no special measures.
He merely tightened his fist with all his strength and slammed it into the incoming attack.
Of course, it was effective.
BOOM—!
“Gah?!”
In an instant, the Ghost Sword Demon Master’s expression twisted.
At the moment of impact, overwhelming pressure flooded through the hand gripping the sword’s hilt.
The sudden shock exceeded expectations, leaving him with a minor injury as well.
That was no good news for him.
‘Such brute physical strength. Even when I’ve let out as much shock as possible, it still feels this heavy?’
Using the backlash from the collision, he widened the gap and regripped his sword firmly.
That was part of his strategy to guard against the opponent’s follow-up attacks, but the intruder had merely glanced at him, showing no more concern.
Having landed an annoying hit moments ago, he was far from being the priority here.
This matter could be resolved later.
“Aw, seems I’ve inadvertently interrupted this fine fight! My apologies! I’ll just pass on through, so don’t mind me, just continue as you were!”
“Is that old man the Sword Saint? Then who is he facing… The one-eyed man with the black ghost sword. The Ghost Sword Demon Master? Then that means inside…”
“Hey, how long are you going to stay there like that, friend? Hurry up!”
He dragged along a man, mumbling to himself at the back, waved dismissively to the two elders who were eyeing him with caution, and then turned away without a second thought.
He was just passing by and had simply intervened briefly.
“…What is this?”
“······”
But both the Sword Saint and the Ghost Sword Demon Master, even after the brief encounter, couldn’t move recklessly.
The buffoon, despite his ludicrous appearance, possessed incredible skill, and facing him would inevitably expose countless openings.
And the rival present would never let those openings slip by.
‘Who is he? I’ve never heard of a freak like him before.’
The Sword Saint, still unaware of the rumors about the new Demon, raised an eyebrow.
From the Ghost Sword Demon Master’s reaction, he could gather that this stranger wasn’t part of the Demon Cult, but their sudden appearance was far too out of place given their extraordinary level.
For the Ghost Sword Demon Master, however, his mind was entirely elsewhere.
‘…The Demon and the imposter. How did they even get here? What on earth was the military doing if they said they’d handle this themselves?!’
He forced himself to recall what he had heard passing through earlier, feeling a bit late.
Of course, as the big event approached, there were many things to think about, but now that the very parties had shown up, it was only natural to feel frustrated.
‘What could be their reason for coming this far? They shouldn’t have any relation to the Correct Faction’s martial world!’
The existing Demon was a figure free from any faction affiliations, and in terms of behavior, he seemed much closer to the rogue side.
The imposter seemed to fall under a similar category…
But that strange atmosphere would only linger for a moment.
Quickly regaining their composure, they wiped the previous nuisance from their minds and gazed at each other once more.
And—.
Clink—! Clang! BOOM—!
Their brief break now over, the fierce clash resumed.
For them, the most important mission at hand was to take down the opponent right before their eyes.
End
