The Shaolin Temple after the demon cult members retreated.
“All injured individuals, come this way!”
“Amitabha… May you attain rebirth in paradise…”
Naturally, the biggest blow from this incident fell on the Shaolin Temple.
The damage to the warriors guarding the premises was significant, and many acolytes were also harmed in the process.
Moreover, wasn’t the royal heir Zhu Gang-in taken hostage by the demon cult members?
As a result, the leadership of the Shaolin Temple was in a frenzy, holding meetings repeatedly.
“Of course, the Murim Alliance meeting will be quietly canceled. Most likely, after tending to the injured, everyone will return to their respective places.”
Amidst the chaos as everyone was busy cleaning up, someone approached Hugo, who was lost in thought.
“Ah, young master Ha, you were here.”
The woman, Namgoong So-ran of the Namgoong family, brushed off blood and dust and tidied her appearance as neatly as possible.
She cautiously approached him, took a deep breath, and then bowed deeply.
“I apologize for my late introduction. Thank you for your mercy. If it weren’t for you, young master, I would have already ceased to exist.”
Her tone was much calmer than the bright demeanor she had before.
Considering that countless people around her had perished during this incident, it must have been quite a shock for someone who had grown up like a flower in a greenhouse.
“Think nothing of it. It was the least I could do.”
To her gratitude, Hugo responded humbly.
And as they chatted for a moment, people began to gather around them.
They all had one thing in common.
They were all individuals who had received Hugo’s assistance, big or small.
“Thank you once again, for your grace.”
“Wow~ You were incredible back there! At that moment, I thought a heavenly sage had descended upon us!”
“I owe my life to you. If you ever require my assistance in the future, please feel free to reach out.”
Unlike others, Hugo was unaffected by the demon cult’s strange techniques, allowing him to consistently perform well, which significantly helped the rated fighters around him.
In fact, later on, he reached an unparalleled level, roaming the battlefield with remarkable prowess.
Given such circumstances, it wasn’t long before those with ulterior motives began to approach Hugo.
“By the way, are you planning to return to the Zhuge family?”
“I’d like to invite you to our family to repay your kindness…”
This could be seen as a development that was somewhat anticipated.
Hugo… or Ha Seung-hoon, had achieved an exceptional level of skill at just over twenty.
In an era where martial prowess was paramount, it was only natural for those wanting to build connections with such talent to flock around him.
Moreover, he was only staying as a guest at the Zhuge family due to a minor connection, and he wasn’t officially affiliated with any force.
Thus, if they could somehow draw him into their faction…
The eyes of those seeking to approach him sparked with anticipation.
If they could bring him on board, it would greatly help them solidify their position within the faction.
This eagerness was especially pronounced among certain women.
‘If I can just catch that man…’
‘It might aid in the competition for my brother’s succession. Then I could…’
His capabilities were unparalleled, and his character greatly shined through in extreme situations, not to mention his excellent looks.
Plus, with no strong ties anywhere, he was the perfect candidate for a son-in-law.
As such peculiar thoughts brewed among the women, Namgoong So-ran subtly moved closer to Hugo.
It was as if she was attempting to block the gazes of the other women.
Amidst the silent competition between some individuals, various conversations began to circulate among the gathered fighters.
“By the way, I’m worried. The demon cult’s rising power… This can’t possibly be the end, can it?”
“Certainly not! Rather, this is just the beginning. I sincerely hope there won’t be any major losses.”
“They attacked even the assembly held at the Shaolin Temple. I fear just how much they have prepared…”
Naturally, much of the ensuing conversation centered around the demon cult, the perpetrators of this attack.
Everyone expressed concerns about the impending turmoil.
Of course, such a reaction was entirely reasonable…
‘Ah, but that’s already been resolved.’
Hugo, who alone knew the truth, awkwardly smiled.
He kept his mouth shut while everyone else earnestly discussed countermeasures.
How could he reveal this situation now?
The first strike of the demon cult’s leader had just begun to take action, only to be cut down shortly after.
‘Well, for now, no one will be alarmed, so they’ll be cautious for a while… But after some time, things will settle down again, so it doesn’t really matter.’
Ultimately, as a crisis emerged, unbeknownst to everyone, the root cause had been eliminated, bringing peace to the world.
Of course, the leadership of each faction would be puzzled over what schemes the demon cult was harboring, but that was much better than the real catastrophe erupting.
‘But right now— that’s not what’s important.’
Hugo’s previously relaxed expression turned serious.
In the process of sorting through the information he obtained through the heavenly demon, he had gleaned a vague understanding of their plans.
‘I need to determine how to move forward based on that. First, I want to make contact with Gonmudo.’
The demon cult had only now begun their activities, which had long been dormant, all due to them.
While they had operated in the shadows, undermining various regions and absorbing hidden factions like the Blood Cult, they had been active behind the scenes.
‘I also need more detailed information on the Dragon’s Child.’
The frail young man, royal heir Zhu Gang-in, who was entrusted to the Shaolin Temple due to a mysterious affliction.
The main objective of the demon cult’s raid here was primarily to secure him.
Attacking during the assembly was merely a side note to that plan.
‘The Dragon’s Child and Zhu Gang-in, plus…’
He also knew of another person who shared similar symptoms with that royal heir.
‘Je Gal Hye-mi.’
…It seemed he would have to return to the Zhuge family for now.
As quickly as possible.
*
Hans directly taking action and swiftly defeating the heavenly demon was a far bigger event than he anticipated.
If this were a game, it would be akin to using cheat codes to hunt down the final boss who only appeared briefly in the tutorial.
Of course, the heavenly demon must have found it quite unfair and frustrating, but from this side’s perspective, it was an incredible and efficient development.
However, despite capturing the enemy’s leader, he had not gained much information immediately.
‘There’s a limit to how much I can freely stir the memories of a master of the Current Realm.’
Because of that, even when he delved into the past of the Thousand Death Demon, he could only recover fragmentary memories at best.
And considering the heavenly demon was on an even higher tier, the difficulty hardly needed mention.
Of course, compared to then, Hans had grown significantly, especially after acquiring the “Jewel of the Mind” to assist his mental capabilities — perhaps now he had a chance.
‘Anyway, that Buncheon Society leader is absolutely no help.’
This time, the holy power embedded within the heavenly demon’s body prevented him from fully exerting his strength.
Even though Hans had gained some resistance to the holy power, there were still limits.
In the first place, that resistance only slightly reduced external damage, so it proved minimal assistance for such delicate tasks.
‘Still, I managed to gain some valuable information after all that trouble.’
After much hard work, he managed to obtain a few pieces of information.
One of them was that the heavenly demon was not merely a pawn of the Buncheon Society but had been a long-planned settler from Earth.
‘At least for several decades. Initially, they secured a position using a Unique Skill, and later focused on training martial arts to prepare for the time when the system’s aid would vanish.’
The process they undertook, even in fragmented information, was impressively systematic.
Now it made perfect sense why there were so many powerful beings in the Buncheon Society.
Hans shook his head in disbelief.
‘This is like… an organization finely selecting and nurturing scholars. I wonder how many more cases like this might exist across different worlds.’
From the very beginning, they must have pinpointed individuals with suitable talents to invest in, making that the perfect description.
Another thing he could ascertain was the significance of the “Dragon’s Child.”
Having suspected something extraordinary when he felt something strange about their afflictions, the rough comprehension he gained through the heavenly demon surpassed even his expectations.
After all, they were directly connected to the gods of this world.
‘…Well, even if the god of this place is more of a neglectful type, there’s no way they’d remain indifferent while the world falls apart.’
They were beings arranged by the main deity of this world, the Ganghwan Realm.
Born as seeds of hope for restoring this world, torn asunder from the source of mysteries, the Dragon Heart.
Although the limits of information he could glean from the heavenly demon were with its death only highlighting this point, Hans shrugged off those smaller details.
“_Hehe_ So, let’s just go right away, shall we?”
The latter parts of the information could wait until he shared them with others who knew better.
“First, I should probably start from their stronghold.”
This was a matter tied to the clues concerning the restoration of the Ganghwan Realm that had long been pondered upon.
The beings responsible for the state of the world wouldn’t have kidnapped for no reason, so it was essential to act swiftly before they caused any more chaos.
‘And while I’m at it, I’ll need to retrieve Gang-in as well.’
He had no intention of hunting down the kidnappers lurking in secrecy one by one.
He just needed to lie in wait at the final destination, and they’d crawl out one by one automatically, so why waste time on such trivial pursuits?
‘The coordinates weren’t precise, but… I roughly know where it might be. If I scour the nearby areas, they should naturally come out.’
Moreover, the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Church was undoubtedly a massive hub of evil in the Ganghwan Realm, likely well-stocked with supplies for creating top-tier Jiangshi.
Naturally, there would be countless artisans with relevant knowledge.
“Hoo… That’s a two-for-one deal, isn’t it?”
With a twisted grin, Hans slowly rose from his seat.
Then he calculated the angle and distance toward where he needed to head.
Whoosh—!
With a sound like cutting through the air, his body shot forward, crossing the skies.
In that spatial dimension, it contained the body of what had recently been the world’s strongest.
*
Yung Jung Mountain, where the Zhuge family was located.
At the foot of the mountain, a large figure of a man emerged.
“Tsk, am I already too late?”
The man, the Mad Demon Harley, glanced around and clicked his tongue lightly.
Having used the “Hero’s Footprints” to rush here, the wreckage around him hinted that a storm had passed through this location.
Scattered trees and rocks, remnants of a charred forest, and remnants of weapons strewn about.
Numerous formations established from the foothills to the heart of the Zhuge family were all…
‘All destroyed.’
Harley’s eyes narrowed.
As he proceeded cautiously, the scent of something familiar mixed with the acrid smell wafted through the forest.
‘The smell of blood.’
And the stench of death, a mixture of despair, sorrow, and resentment.
Harley climbed to a peak and looked toward the direction where the Zhuge family’s base was situated.
‘So there are… quite a few survivors. They must have retaliated somehow.’
He sensed the energies of familiar individuals bustling within the building.
While it seemed they had suffered greatly, it appeared that, true to their defensive nature, they had somehow succeeded in repelling the intruders.
‘But I can’t sense Je Gal Hye-mi. Is she hidden in another formation? Or perhaps…’
···Or maybe the attackers achieved their goals and left obediently.
As he entertained such thoughts, Harley refrained from hastily approaching, employing a hunter’s keen eye to survey the surroundings.
The individuals within were in a heightened state of alert due to the sudden attack.
In the current situation, his distinctly unique appearance would only lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
‘Hm?’
Sniff sniff—
During this moment, Harley’s sharp sense of smell detected something subtly unusual.
Something hidden amidst the myriad scents of various emotions permeating the battlefield.
The instant he sensed it, his body moved like lightning.
Whoosh—
In an instant, his hand propelled several kilometers, burrowing into some underbrush.
Clank!
“Ugh?!”
With a sound of something breaking, an old man in a tattered robe was pulled out by the collar.
And Harley’s lips split into a broad grin, revealing his razor-sharp teeth.
“Who are you? Why were you hiding here? Are you related to those who attacked?”
“Wha… What are you?”
“Hmm, I think it might be easier to start our conversation after tearing off one of your arms.”
“Wait, wait, please hold on!”
Harley’s impatience murmured coldly as the pale-faced dasa flailed his arms desperately.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding! I belong to Mosan Faction… so I’m actually connected to Gonmudo! Yes! I’m no ally of the demon cult! In fact, I can be considered an enemy!”
“Huh? Gonmudo?”
“Uh… It seems you’re not affiliated with Gonmudo. But we’re still of the same kind, right? Just let me go and let’s calmly discuss this…”
The sudden outburst of unexpected words caused Harley to halt momentarily.
Thinking this was a positive reaction, the dasa let out a sigh of relief and continued speaking.
“Phew, I’m Cheong Gwan under the Blue Dragon. I was out on a mission, and having witnessed what happened at the Zhuge family, I was just about to report back…”
He emphasized “Blue Dragon” with particular strength; she must have been a reliable backing.
However, it hardly meant anything to the oblivious Harley.
With a strange look, he visually roamed over the dasa gripping his collar.
‘Of the same kind, huh… That’s quite the coincidence.’
Now that he thought about it, this Cheong Gwan carried a slightly different scent than others he met with Ganghwan Realm humans.
He was clearly a youkai who had concealed his identity and infiltrated the human world.
Although this was an unexpected encounter, it was…
‘Good, this will save some time.’
Harley’s eyes softened pleasantly as he unexpectedly picked up a youkai.
Then, content, he absentmindedly licked his lips.
“Ugh! I’m not tasty! I… I’m from fresh water, so there might be a strong fishy smell!”
After briefly spending some time to clear up the misunderstanding, it seemed the youkai friend was a lot more cowardly than expected.
