Chapter 472: Ten Thousand (Ten Thousand)

Watching the sword caught by the Demon King, So Geomseong thought.

‘…To this extent….’

Is the difference really this much?

What on earth can one do against a being like this?

Chi-i-i-ik….

From the Demon King’s hand gripping So Geomseong’s blade, a sound of something searing was heard.

It was the sound of Pama’s energy purifying the demonic energy.

This was the power that could have been called the hope of the Central Plains, but.

The Demon King glanced at her own burning fingers, then.

Jjaeng-!

She simply put strength into the hand holding it and snapped the sword.

The blade, filled with So Geomseong’s energy, broke so easily.

“…”

Afterwards, the Demon King reached out her hand.

It was to grab So Geomseong’s neck.

Seeing that, So Geomseong closed her eyes without realizing it herself.

Is this the end?

Strangely enough, thinking that brought a sense of peace.

As the strength left her hands, just as So Geomseong was reaching peace.

“…Although it’s something I’ve experienced countless times. This time too, it doesn’t change even once.”

The Demon King’s cold voice reached her ears.

For some reason, a very subtle annoyance was mixed into the voice.

“No matter how many times it’s repeated, you still chose this worthless woman.”

Following the words, So Geomseong opened her closed eyes.

What she saw as soon as she opened her eyes was someone’s back.

“And it seems that’s the same, no matter what happened.”

Someone was standing in front of So Geomseong, blocking the Demon King.

As So Geomseong was about to be flustered by the unexpected situation, the owner of the back opened their mouth.

“I don’t know what kind of bullshit you’re talking about….”

A voice that still held a bit of childishness, not having fully grown yet.

The slightly fierce yet blunt tone somehow felt nostalgic.

“When someone’s talking, you shouldn’t just jump into a fight. We still have things to talk about, don’t we?”

In the young man’s voice… a faint tremor could clearly be felt.

---

Looking at the Demon King’s coldly settled eyes, I thought.

‘Shit.’

It was certain. This is really fucked.

‘…Why the hell did I….’

Why did I butt in like this?

No matter how much I think about it, this was a rather stupid move.

It’s not an opponent one can just block, yet I butt in so suddenly like this.

‘Did I decide to die?’

If that wasn’t the case, it was truly an impossible thing.

Blocking the Demon King’s path?

It was a feat impossible with ordinary guts.

Moreover, if there had been demonic energy, one couldn’t have performed such an action in the first place.

I can see the Demon King’s eyes.

It was similar to when I faced her earlier, but I felt it was much more coldly settled.

“Daeju.”

Her voice was filled with winter, as if frost had formed.

“I feel quite good today.”

However, the words that came out were truly contradictory.

“It means… it’s a fresh and pleasant day after a very, very long time.”

As the corners of her eyes curved, the Demon King smiled.

Seeing that sent goosebumps down my spine.

It was because the Demon King was smiling only with her eyes.

“…However. Since you’re acting like this, it’s quite inconvenient.”

Ttuk.

“…!”

Instantly, I felt something touch my forehead.

It was the Demon King’s hand.

Until she reached out her hand and brought it to my forehead, I hadn’t noticed it at all.

“Because I’m angry and need to take it out on someone, please understand.”

“What the….”

Kwa-ang-!

“Keok…!”

I had to immediately collapse from the huge impact felt on my forehead.

What the hell? What did I just get hit with?

I clutched my forehead.

My head rang dizzily, as if hit hard with a blunt object.

A flick?

Did I just get flicked? I couldn’t believe it, but the shape of the Demon King’s hand was exactly like that.

It’s absurd enough to be flicked suddenly, but the impact is on a level that doesn’t make sense for a flick.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve hit someone like Daeju. Do you perhaps remember being hit by me?”

“Haa… haa….”

Just from getting flicked once, my mind was completely shaken.

Although the Demon King asked something or other, I couldn’t give an answer.

“Seeing your expression, fortunately, it seems you have no experience.”

Heuk-heuk.

I heard the sound of laughter.

Barely regaining my composure, I managed to ask.

“What is this…?”

“Isn’t it truly affectionate? When ripping your head off would be insufficient, I only lightly stroked you.”

“…”

Saying that, the Demon King strokes my hair.

Beads of cold sweat formed from that touch.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll rip your head off right now. Do you want that?”

Though it looked like she was gently touching my hair, I felt it was full of thorns within that touch.

I was scared.

Was it because I saw the fight just before?

‘She’s still a monster.’

I don’t know how strong Wi Seol-ah of this world is, but.

Judging by how the attack just now was barely visible, almost imperceptible, I knew she was definitely not weak.

The Demon King toyed with So Geomseong like handling a child.

‘Toying? Bullshit.’

It wasn’t even playing.

With an even more annoyed expression, she just casually waved her hand.

That was enough.

To neutralize So Geomseong.

It was truly an overwhelming sight.

‘Damn it.’

Just by watching, I felt my will to fight disappear.

Endless power made it possible to know the outcome even without fighting.

It made the wall I already knew even higher.

The Demon King (天魔).

I could feel her overwhelming power once again.

While So Geomseong poured out her strength and unleashed attacks.

The Demon King didn’t move even a single step from her initial position.

Moreover, she hadn’t let go of the sword she was holding.

It was no different from subduing So Geomseong with just one hand.

Seeing that, I recall.

‘Such a monster…. How on earth did you win?’

This is what I thought while looking at So Geomseong, who had collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath.

Despite being in such a completely mismatched situation, how on earth did the Divine Sword of the previous life win against the Demon King?

Even while my head was throbbing, such a question crossed my mind.

“Rest. We can have a conversation after the work is finished.”

“Work…?”

At my words, the Demon King casually spat out.

“I will kill that scum, and all the bugs around here.”

I couldn’t possibly not know that the ‘bugs’ the Demon King is talking about are the people from the Murim Alliance over there.

She often called the righteous sect guys bugs even in her previous life, so.

“If mercy was received with arrogance, shouldn’t they rightfully receive punishment?”

That’s the truth.

Since she had never uttered a lie even once, this statement must also be sincere.

That means.

‘She’s going to kill So Geomseong right now.’

It meant she would kill So Geomseong, who seemed to have lost the will to fight, immediately.

Soon, as the Demon King unfolded her hand.

Woo-oo-oong.

Black energy gathered above it, creating something.

Its size was at most not even half a span, but.

Deol-deol-deol-deol.

With just that energy, everything around began to tremble violently.

How vast must the energy gathered be for such a phenomenon to occur?

As the energy slowly gathered, the Demon King said, looking at So Geomseong.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Run away. Then I will show mercy and not capture you.”

At the words saying she would spare So Geomseong if she ran away now, So Geomseong’s gaze wavered.

“Mercy…?”

“Yes, because if I made a promise, I have to keep it.”

“…”

As soon as I heard the word ‘promise’, words flashed through my mind.

The promise the Demon King is uttering must surely be the promise made with me.

‘…Please go.’

Holding my throbbing forehead, I prayed.

That So Geomseong would just leave quietly.

But.

“I…”

On the contrary, I knew So Geomseong would not do so.

Hearing this, So Geomseong placed her trembling hands on the floor and gave her answer.

“I have no intention of running away, leaving you who caused the bloodbath….”

At those words, the Demon King frowned.

“Still an excuse. It would have been better if you had said, ‘I want to die, so kill me.'”

“…”

“Nothing is as base as a shell disguised as conviction. If you wish, I shall do so.”

The shape of the gathered black energy gradually changed.

It resembled a thin dagger.

I could tell just by looking.

An unbelievable amount of energy was there, but.

compressed so small.

It possessed the power to blow away the entire surrounding area the moment it flew towards someone.

The Demon King’s gaze left So Geomseong and turned towards me.

“This much further is not included in the promise. You know that, right?”

“…”

I gritted my teeth.

The Demon King’s firm words pierced my core, and So Geomseong was an eyesore.

What should I do?

How can I….

“…”

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

Accordingly, my lips quickly dried.

Because they were words I didn’t really want to utter.

But.

“…Someone told me.”

No other way to stop the Demon King came to mind.

At the words I uttered tremblingly, the Demon King’s face crumpled in a rare sight.

“If you intend to play tricks on me with your tongue again….”

“Sending my time back to the past.”

Meomchit.

The Demon King’s hand, about to shoot the energy, stopped right there.

Confirming that, I continued speaking.

“They said it was you…. Is that right?”

The Demon King’s gaze left So Geomseong and turned towards me.

Looking into her eyes, I had to be quite flustered inwardly.

It was the first time.

Since meeting the Demon King, it was the first time I could see a surprised expression on her face.