Chapter 441: Regret (7)

The hunt for the old monster.

That was the name of the order the Captain gave. What a poor sense of naming he had.

The Demon Emperor bastard gave the order and disappeared off to somewhere just like yesterday.

I had no idea why he was pretending to be so busy.

I glared at the exit he left from, and I turned my gaze away.

Once the Demonic Qi that filled the room went away, the Demonic Humans started to breathe out.

“…It’s no joke today too. It actually feels stronger than usual.”

One of the bastards started to speak out as if he were complaining. Wait, were they perhaps talking behind my back?

I found myself intrigued by their conversation.

It’s obvious they’ll talk shit about me.

Even I would’ve choked the bastard’s neck if I could’ve, so I’m sure these bastards felt the same way.

I opened my ears and continued to listen to them along with that thought.

“He is somehow getting stronger. As expected from our Captain.”

“I know, right? A washed old man like the Heavenly Venerable… is nothing for our Captain.”

…Huh?

…Wha?

I was hearing completely unexpected things from their mouths as I continued to listen.

What are these crazy bastards talking about right now…?

“Our Captain deserves to be better known in the Central Plains.”

“Even if that’s not what he wants, he’ll become more famous as time goes on. There is no way that the bastards from the Orthodox Faction don’t know how great our Captain is.”

What’s going on?

I felt like I was going to lose my mind listening to this conversation.

Were these bastards okay?

…Why?

I couldn’t understand them no matter how much I listened. The conversation even got worse.

“The monster who burnt the lands of Mount Hua alone.”

I did not do that alone.

The Heavenly Demon dealt with strong martial artists like the Celestial Plum Blossom beforehand, and I only took care of the rest.

“It’s not just Mount Hua, he probably annihilated the Tang Clan of Sichuan alone, too.”

That also wasn’t the case.

Once the Sword Demon and Green King’s armies ambushed them, the Black Flame Army joined after, and I only took care of the Poison Queen, who was already exhausted.

What was wrong with these bastards?

I couldn’t understand them at all.

I frowned as these unheard and unseen praises continued because my ears became red and I noticed myself getting sick.

Then, someone noticed my expression and spoke to me.

“Do you not know what we are talking about, newcomer?”

“What…? He doesn’t know our Captain’s greatness as a Demonic Human?”

It seemed like they noticed how disgusted I was as the Demonic Humans all focused on me.

It felt cold and sharp. These bastards were seriously angry.

I’m going to go insane.

This wasn’t something I expected. I obviously believed that they talked behind my back, yet I was so wrong, judging by their glares.

“…You all seem to love our bas- …Captain, huh?”

“Our Captain is our hope, yet you don’t seem to know that.”

“It seems like it hasn’t been long ever since you became a Demonic Human, judging by how young you look. How old are you?”

Um… what should I tell them? I thought for a moment.

“I’m… twenty-two.”

I believed that was an understandable answer.

“Twenty-two, huh. Have you overcome your wall?”

“Yes… I suppose.”

“Peak realm at that age huh… you are a monster.”

“…”

I had to cough out a few times awkwardly after hearing them. I was hiding my level on purpose, so they shouldn’t easily find out about my real level.

As I continued to cough, another Demonic Human came over and asked.

“Why did a prodigy like you choose to become a Demonic Human?”

“…Hmm.”

Why I became a Demonic Human?

Why did a twenty-two-year-old Pal Jeolyub become a Demonic Human…

“…My household was destroyed by the Orthodox Faction.”

“So for revenge.”

“Yes.”

The Demonic Humans didn’t find my half-assed answer suspicious. In some ways, the answer I gave just now was the most common, which made it comfortable for me.

It was the most efficient to talk badly about the Orthodox Faction if I wanted to get on their good side.

“…Those filthy bastards from the Orthodox Faction…”

“They pretend to act all clean and stuff, but that’s the reality of this world.”

“Don’t worry, youngest brother, our great Captain will avenge you.”

No, no it’s not like that you dumbasses.

Your Captain won’t do anything like that. He only cares about his own life.

I couldn’t understand where their trust for me came from.

Moreover, they are now calling me the youngest brother.

Their trust mostly came from the Heavenly Demon’s Demonic Qi.

Because it was impossible for anyone to betray each other, it strangely helped in everyone trusting each other.

That’s what the Heavenly Demon’s Demonic Qi was capable of doing.

No matter how bad of a personality anyone had, there was no way that they would betray the Demonic Cult.

That’s why people were able to trust each other.

It was ironic. Demonic Humans trusting each other?

I wondered if the Heavenly Demon planned this to happen, but I wasn’t sure.

There was a more important matter.

Why do these bastards like me so much?

I just couldn’t understand. I only did things that would bring me hate, yet they were so loyal and they trusted me.

“…Uh,”

Right as I was about to ask a question in this regard, someone opened the door and entered. It was the Silent Fist again.

“Pal Jeolyub.”

“When… did you guys start praising our Cap- “

“Pal Jeolyub. Do you not hear me?”

“Oh.”

Right as I was about to ask a question, I realized that the Silent Fist was calling me.

Right, I forgot that I introduced myself as Chil Jeolyub or Pal Jeolyub, something like that.

“…Did… you call me?”

“Follow me.”

Everyone stood up in a fixed posture when the Silent Fist arrived as if they were always in those positions.

The hierarchy was out of control over here.

…

After looking at them with a disgusted expression, I followed after the Silent Fist.

Even when we started to walk, I couldn’t fix my expression due to the incomprehensible situation I was just in.

I was brought outside the headquarters.

I wasn’t completely away from the main base, but I was barely at the edge of the territory.

The Silent Fist wouldn’t have brought me here so that we could watch the perimeter together.

What a hassle.

I clicked my tongue a few times.

It was obvious that he brought me here so that he could gather some information.

A Demonic Human like the Silent Fist guarding the perimeter?

An elite like him would never do such a task.

“Pal Jeolyub.”

“Yes.”

“You said you are twenty-two?”

“That’s right.”

“How young.”

He’d lose his mind if I told him I’m actually five years younger.

I had a similar thought I had back then when I looked at the Silent Fist.

It’s been a while.

His intent right now pissed me off a little, but it wasn’t bad to see the Silent Fist like this.

He was the most normal, at least relative to the other Demonic Humans.

The bastard wouldn’t have become a Demonic Human if it wasn’t for what happened in the Hwangbo Clan, and even in his death, he looked more like a martial artist than a Demonic Human.

That was why I was fond of him.

Of course, the Silent Fist was still wary of me, unlike how I felt about him.

“You seem to have reached the Fusion Realm. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

The Silent Fist’s eyes became thinner when he heard my response. He seemed very shocked.

To be fair, a kid my age reaching Peak Realm was already shocking enough, so it was understandable he showed such a reaction.

That may have been my level, but I’m half as strong without my flames.

I was already in an unstable state of Fusion Realm, but not being able to use Destructive Flame Art made me basically weaker.

“…Fusion Realm as a twenty-two-year-old.”

The Silent Fist seemed rather shocked. It made sense, though. Even I would’ve been shocked.

That was why the Silent Fist was so wary of me.

But this also meant a different problem.

“Why isn’t a martial artist like you known in the world? I wonder.”

I was more than enough to be called the greatest Young Prodigy, yet I appeared in the Demonic Cult out of nowhere.

It was enough to make me look suspicious not only to the Silent Fist, but to the others as well.

I was worried about this part as well.

“I gathered some information about you over the past day.”

The Demonic Cult was pretty accurate and fast when it came to gathering information.

“Pal Jeolyub… Let alone which clan you came from, there isn’t even information on where you lived…”

Cold Combat Qi started to rise from the Silent Fist’s body and eyes.

Rumble-

The pressure I felt on my shoulders was extremely strong.

“You, what is your identity?”

“…”

Killing intent started to leak from his body. What should I do?

“Your name definitely sounds fake, and perhaps you are wearing a mask of a different person?”

The Silent Fist reached his hand out. Before his fingers could make contact with my face…

Kwak.

“…!”

I grabbed the Silent Fist’s wrist.

“Why are you doing this?”

Before the Silent Fist showed any reaction, I made a light smile when I looked at the bastard.

The Silent Fist paused after seeing my smile.

“Isn’t it normal for everyone to have a secret or two?”

“Hah, do you think it’s possible to have secrets under the Heavenly Demon? How dare you when you don’t even realize who is above you.”

“At the very least, it’s not you or the Captain.”

Rumble-!

The Silent Fist tried charging his Qi after hearing my arrogance, but he couldn’t when he heard what I said after.

“Only our Leader is our heaven in the Demonic Cult.”

Pause.

The Silent Fist paused again when I mentioned the Heavenly Demon.

“The Leader knows about my secrets. Even despite that, I was sent here.”

It wasn’t hard to deal with situations like this.

Just like I did with the Demonic Sword, all I had to do was use the Heavenly Demon’s name.

After all, these bastards couldn’t defy their heaven.

In their eyes, I was one of them.

“…Can you swear by those words?”

The Heavenly Demon knew it all and still sent me to the Black Flame Army.

Can I swear by those words?

“Yes. I swear to our Leader that what I said is the truth.”

I responded with a smile.

Swear? Why the hell would I do that?

“I didn’t make up a single lie. I am a loyal minion of our Leader after all.”

The Silent Fist’s Combat Qi calmed down when I responded in a firm tone.

It wasn’t possible for a Demonic Human to lie when using the Heavenly Demon’s name.

This was a saving grace. Because I was able to use the Heavenly Demon’s name as much as I wanted, I was able to use it as an escape route for situations like this.

“I may have secrets, but at the very least I won’t do anything that would harm our army. I once again swear to the Heavenly Demon’s- “

Pow-! Craaack-!

Right as I was about to speak, the Silent Fist struck his fist, which barely missed my face.

Shortly after, I heard an explosive sound from behind me, which echoed into a wide range.

I didn’t even see his fist start to move. These crazy bastards, they are way too powerful.

I looked at the Silent Fist, wondering why he suddenly attacked me.

“I understand what you mean, but don’t you speak our Leader’s name out loud. There isn’t anyone in the Demonic Cult who could dare to say our Leader’s name so easily.”

“…Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

He showed extreme loyalty.

I put on a bitter smile at the sight.

Well, your Captain doesn’t even care about you.

Moreover…

It was the same for this hunt for the old monster.

Even while already knowing the Heavenly Venerable’s goal and the eventual appearance of the Dishonored Venerable, the bastard planned to go on with the plan. He’ll even meet the Dishonored Venerable because of it.

This battle wasn’t possible to win in the first place…

Yet I still planned to go. Was that because of my loyalty towards the Heavenly Demon?

Of course not.

There was no way I was loyal to the Demonic Cult. Despite that, I did this pointless thing for one reason.

At the time, my goal was to decrease the Demonic Cult’s forces.

Craaack-!

Despite it being midnight, the training ground was still as loud as ever.

Golden Sword Qi continued to swing in the air endlessly as if it resembled the sun, and underneath that light, a lady with her hair tied continued to move around as she sweated.

Swish-!

Unlike her smooth sword movements, the Qi unleashed from her sword was sharp.

Sword waves continued to unleash from her sword, cutting the air.

Swish-!

Swish, Swish-!

Her sword followed along with her movements.

It looked like a technique of a sword user where they levitated their sword midair, but it was a bit different.

Drip.

A drop of sweat fell from the lady’s chin, and her sword fell from the air and stabbed into the ground.

Clang-!

The ground cracked when her sword made contact.

Then…

Pow-!

The sword shone in a golden light, and it exploded shortly after.

Because of that, the smooth ground was turned into a mess.

In the air, there was still a trace of her Qi left.

After seeing the sight, the lady started to breathe out heavily.

“…Hah…”

A she was about to wipe her sweat on her clothes, someone walked up to the lady and gave her a towel.

“Good work, Celestial Sword.”

After hearing their voice, the lady turned her head around and looked at the man who came up to her.

“…How come you are here when you must be so busy?”

It would’ve been understandable for the lady to frown at the man’s ugly sight, yet her expression remained the same.

The lady said his name.

“Beggar King.”

The Beggar King smiled bitterly after hearing the lady.

Bitterness was contained in his eyes.

“…Something happened and you are needed for it, Young Lady.”

The Beggar King spoke in a guilty tone.

He tried his best to remain calm, but he couldn’t.

The Beggar King still couldn’t bring himself to make this young girl sacrifice herself.

“Let us go.”

After giving a short response, the lady walked past the Beggar King.

Her golden hair waved along with the wind.

The weather was becoming colder, and the lady’s eyes seemed as cold as ever.