Chapter 444: Twist.

The heat surging in the Throne Room made my breath catch.

Even though I had sealed it to hide my presence, the heat was so intense that even someone who had mastered fire arts would struggle to breathe.

I had to wear a dumbfounded expression at the encroaching flames that were spreading wider and wider.

‘You really stuffed yourself, didn’t you.’

The amount of internal energy contained within the heat is absurd.

Feeling this directly, I was reminded anew of what a lunatic I had been back then.

Forcing one’s way into a realm that should have been unreachable due to insufficient enlightenment, using overwhelming internal energy.

You probably wouldn’t know how bizarre and nonsensical this is.

Normally, the standard way to reach a realm is to build a tall tower by stacking solidly from the bottom.

The qi is like a river spreading widely around the tower.

However, in this process, before building the tower…

‘I consumed the qi to raise my height.’

It was like raising the river high and forcefully ascending.

To instead raise the river and go upwards to a place that should have required building a tower.

How much internal energy must have been poured into this?

It was a number beyond imagination now.

Although the internal energy I possess now is by no means low, compared to my past life, it would be the difference between heaven and earth.

‘That’s why it took such a long time for my body to adapt after regressing.’

Trying to use the martial arts I used to unleash extravagantly with inexhaustible internal energy, now with energy shrunk to the size of a bean, how much I struggled in the beginning.

Of course, thanks to that, I learned compression from Master Shin, and through subsequent training and a few realizations, I can confidently say my current martial prowess is better.

In my past life, I possessed enough internal energy to break through all of that.

Regardless of martial prowess. Regardless of the enlightenment concerning it.

Overwhelming energy that was more than enough to break through it all. That was the power born from consuming internal energy to the extreme using the Demonic Heaven Absorption Technique.

The energy that couldn’t be managed transformed into sheer presence.

Fueled by my shattered mental state at the time, the presence was overlaid with materialized killing intent, making it truly no different from the descent of an evil god.

Seeing something like that right before my eyes, all I could do was curse.

‘Consuming energy you can’t even manage. And not even trying.’

Even with that much energy contained, they don’t think about how to control it.

Meaning they aren’t putting in the effort or thought to do so.

Grind.

As Maje moved his hand, the Sword Demon, who was embedded in the wall, was pulled out.

Thump-!

He casually waved his hand, throwing the Sword Demon onto the floor. The Sword Demon rolled several times before stopping himself, gasping for breath raggedly.

Just looking at him, the Sword Demon’s condition clearly wasn’t normal.

“Kuhuk… huck….”

It was obvious his energy was in turmoil.

The domain the Sword Demon had been projecting had already been completely torn apart by Maje’s touch.

It seemed the backlash originated from within, likely because he was ambushed while trying to deliver a blow.

‘What a crude method.’

Given the difference in speed and levels, it was somewhat understandable that others couldn’t see it.

I knew how that bastard had subdued the Sword Demon.

To others, it might have looked like he resolved it with immense martial skill.

It wasn’t that special a method.

He simply tore through the energy crudely and subdued him with brute force.

Purely brute force.

That was how I solved things back then.

Crack.

Maje approaches the bastard.

“Sword Demon.”

Flinch.

Whether he heard the voice, the Sword Demon’s back twitched.

He didn’t seem to have lost consciousness.

“What the hell are you doing right now?”

Groan.

“Kkeueuk…!”

Maje approached the Sword Demon and stomped on his neck.

As he applied slight pressure and pressed down, the Sword Demon let out a muffled groan.

“Mas…ter….”

“I warned you multiple times, didn’t I? Don’t you dare act rashly right in front of me.”

Along with his chilling words, the black flames burning around spread violently.

Fwoosh-!

“Kuaaak!?”

The black flames that flew in quickly clung to the demonic soldiers of the Gwichal Sword Brigade who were watching nervously nearby.

Consequently, the demonic soldiers couldn’t properly react to the sudden situation and began to burn to death.

Even amidst that situation, the bastard’s gaze remained fixed solely on the Sword Demon.

“Speak. So that I can be convinced.”

“…I… I was… wrong….”

“Is that all the explanation you have?”

Thump-!

“Kkeureuk…!”

At the Sword Demon’s words, Maje’s presence grew even stronger. His internal energy pressed down heavily on the air, causing blood to spurt from the Sword Demon’s mouth.

“The only reason I haven’t ripped out your pathetic tongue is my mercy. And I didn’t rip off your arm because your swordsmanship was at least watchable. However.”

Maje’s hand moved towards the Sword Demon’s left shoulder.

He grabbed it firmly.

Snap-!

“Kuaaaaaah!”

He grabbed the arm and ripped it off entirely.

“…!”

The other demonic soldiers swallowed hard upon seeing that.

While the Sword Demon screamed in agony.

Maje ignited flames and burned the Sword Demon’s arm he was holding.

So it could never be reattached.

“Using that sword for such foolishness, I don’t know what I should think. Wouldn’t you agree, Sword Demon?”

Looking at the Sword Demon, who was trembling while clutching his missing shoulder, the bastard’s eyes were the same as ever.

As always, he merely looked down with a nonchalant gaze.

While everyone else swallowed nervously, crushed by fear.

‘This fucking sucks.’

Only I was practically oozing pus from this situation.

My gaze was directed not at Maje, but at the Sword Demon.

‘His arm got ripped off.’

The Sword Demon is right-handed, so it was fortunate that it was his left arm that was ripped off, but losing an arm would surely cause significant problems for his martial arts.

If it comes to this…

‘…It will cause problems when facing Cheonjun.’

The Sword Demon was scheduled to face Cheonjun along with Magyeomhu.

If this happens, an anomaly has occurred.

‘This is also because of me.’

With my existence appearing, a twist has occurred in the flow that should have been.

Originally, a situation like this shouldn’t have happened, so it’s only natural.

‘What should I do?’

I had anticipated something like this might happen, but the process was much more violent than expected.

That bastard, I didn’t think he’d actually rip off an arm.

‘Isn’t he a psycho?’

That bastard must know.

Aside from weakening the Demonic Cult, that the Sword Demon is necessary in the current situation.

Knowing that, he had kept that bastard alive until now.

‘Why is he doing this now?’

Even though it’s me, I couldn’t understand why that bastard acted like that.

If it were me in this situation…

‘…Hmm.’

I glanced towards Magyeomhu.

If I had seen the Sword Demon genuinely draw his sword to kill Magyeomhu, and if that were me now…

‘I would have killed him.’

Regardless of the situation or anything else, as long as I had the strength, I would have killed him.

However, that’s because it’s me now; but me back then…

‘…’

At the strangely unsettling situation, I looked at Maje again.

That bastard has no particular feelings for Magyeomhu.

Just an annoying psycho bitch. A damn bitch who can’t even understand what you’re saying.

He must be thinking that, right?

‘Is that really true?’

I can’t be sure.

Because the moment Magyeomhu died comes to mind.

Was she really nothing to me?

If so, why did I…

‘Get so furious?’

It was a contradiction.

The inexplicable ripple stemming from that difference made me feel sick to my stomach.

The bastard’s current actions were like that too.

Maje, who had burned the arm he held, soon stood up and kicked the Sword Demon away.

“Kuhuk!”

The Sword Demon, hit by the kick, flew towards the surviving members of the Gwichal Sword Brigade.

“Dispose of him.”

At the short command, the demonic soldiers hastily attended to the Sword Demon.

Maje, having confirmed that, walked over to the ruined throne.

Whoosh-!

Creating a gust of wind from his body, he cleared away the surrounding debris and sat on the throne.

‘Couldn’t he just not sit down?’

The thought carelessly crossed my mind, but I decided not to care anymore.

No, it’s not like I can’t not care, but I should at least try.

On the throne in the chaotic Throne Room, Maje’s gaze turned towards Magyeomhu.

Her somewhat tired eyes felt unusually deep.

“Unit Leader….”

At the call, Magyeomhu slightly nodded.

“You acted out of character.”

“…”

“Were you truly mad?”

“…Sorry….”

A subtle anger permeated Maje’s voice. He looked at Magyeomhu with violet eyes filled with irritation and continued speaking.

“From now on, there will be no more letting things slide. If you cause trouble again, your arm will be ripped off, just like the Sword Demon’s.”

“…”

Magyeomhu nodded again at the warning.

Seeing Maje like that, I had to utter a hollow thought inwardly.

‘He didn’t say he’d kill her.’

Perhaps it’s because I’m thinking differently.

Gestures and words I wouldn’t have noticed before now catch my eye.

Far from warning, this is a guy who would kill immediately if you were in the way or useless, yet he’s kindly even giving a warning.

Furthermore, the threat of ripping off an arm meant that he’d let it slide this time and would spare her life next time too.

‘This.’

Ha.

While forcing myself to maintain my expression, I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

Wondering why I only realized this now.

‘It’s way too late.’

It’s a lament directed at my foolish self.

Even to the me back then.

The existence of Magyeomhu must not have been insignificant at all.

I didn’t know that back then.

Even after regressing, I only realized it now.

‘Foolish bastard.’

That bastard before my eyes probably won’t know this fact until the day he dies.

Lamenting the life he lived.

He’ll probably end his life gazing only at the life of one woman.

I’m not saying that life is wrong.

My current life wasn’t much different.

But.

‘The method won’t be like this.’

It was a life lived for that purpose.

Therefore, I must figure out what this world wants from me.

And on top of that.

‘With the Sword Demon like this… what happens now?’

Things started changing from the past life I knew.

Because this incident might have significantly twisted the story, I need to think even more carefully.

With that mindset, I tried to observe the situation a little longer, but.

“Reporting.”

I didn’t know.

That something I couldn’t possibly know existed.

The twist didn’t start with this incident.

It had already begun right after I fell into this world.

Right after the situation was somewhat resolved.

Mukgwon, who appeared shortly after, knelt before Maje and said this.

“We’ve received intel that the Murim Alliance’s forces are gathering near the border heading towards Sichuan.”

“Murim Alliance?”

“Yes. And there….”

The story of this world.

“So Geomseong was also spotted there.”

Has already begun to twist.