“You’re exactly as you were!”
Geom Mugeuk, who had been standing behind the Heavenly Demon Soul, walked forward and looked at it.
The great Heavenly Demon Soul had shrunk in size, but its appearance was unchanged.
It still possessed a face and gaze terrifying to meet, and at its heart, that hellfire in the shape of the Heavenly Demon Soul’s face remained as it had been.
Now that it was as small as a person, it somehow felt even more frightening; and yet, with its reduced size, there was something more refined and impressive about it.
With his heart swelling, Geom Mugeuk greeted him.
“It’s been a long time, my friend.”
Geom Mugeuk called him a friend.
When he had first met the Heavenly Demon Soul, he had said to it: I am your master, and your friend.
Of course, Geom Mugeuk was someone who wanted to be a friend more than a master.
The Heavenly Demon Soul’s eyes seemed to flick briefly toward Geom Mugeuk, but soon fixed on the Heavenly Demon Soul lodged in Hwa Mugi’s body, standing before it.
“Thank you for saving me.”
But if he had simply said that and moved on, would he be Geom Mugeuk?
“Everyone expects you to be good at speaking since you’re my Heavenly Demon Soul. Say something.”
Was it just his imagination? He felt that the Heavenly Demon Soul was slightly troubled.
The joy of a talkative master continued. It was hard to believe this was a man who had been driven to the brink of death only moments ago.
“I once told Father that I had two wishes regarding you. The first was to talk with you.”
But the Heavenly Demon Soul did not say a single word.
“The second was to make you small and travel with you like a friend. One of my two wishes has already come true.”
All those who had thrown themselves forward to help Geom Mugeuk were staring at the Heavenly Demon Soul in astonishment.
Near Geom Mugeuk were Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang. This was the first time they had learned that the Heavenly Demon Soul could descend in such a small form.
Looking at them, Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,
“Where in the world would you find a Martial Alliance Leader and an Unorthodox Alliance Leader throwing themselves forward for the young cult leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”
Jin Paecheon was truly relieved that Geom Mugeuk was unharmed.
“Right now, you are not the young cult leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. You are Ha-gun’s friend.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled and bowed respectfully.
“Thank you.”
Because there was such a bond between them, Jin Paecheon’s regret ran deep.
“You have saved us several times, yet I have not managed to save you even once.”
“Even without the Heavenly Demon Soul, Alliance Leader, you would have saved me.”
Would he truly have been able to? When he had thrown himself forward earlier to protect Geom Mugeuk, it had been perilously close.
If the Heavenly Demon Soul had not descended, he would have tried to stop it even by sending out sword energy, but there was no guarantee that Geom Mugeuk would have been safe.
He had certainly regretted being one step too late.
Regardless of the Demonic Cult Leader’s will, he should have thrown himself forward first.
“I will brag about this for the rest of my life.”
Jin Paecheon could only feel grateful that Geom Mugeuk said that.
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned to Baek Jagang.
“You came with him?”
Baek Jagang answered impassively.
“We have a habit of instinctively moving together whenever the orthodox faction moves.”
Geom Mugeuk laughed at the joke. Because he did not put on the slightest air of taking credit, Geom Mugeuk felt all the more grateful.
Geom Mugeuk bowed his head respectfully to him as well.
“I will not forget the grace of you throwing your precious body forward for me today.”
It was a promise from Geom Mugeuk that did not ring hollow.
Beside them was the Fist Demon.
“As expected! Master is the best, far better than my heartless father!”
The Fist Demon could confirm that the Cult Leader had seen correctly.
To risk his life in order to make his own Heavenly Demon Soul descend.
Truly, it was something no one but Geom Mugeuk could ever attempt.
On the other hand, he also thought that Geom Mugeuk had made a wise judgment.
If neither Geom Mugeuk’s nor the Cult Leader’s Heavenly Demon Soul descended, the fight against that Heavenly Demon Soul would never have been easy.
Geom Mugeuk had found a breakthrough in an unfavorable fight.
Naturally, the Sword King was beside them as well. It truly was a historic scene, with all these extraordinary masters throwing themselves forward at the same time.
“To be honest, I wasn’t that worried.”
“Why not?”
“I thought, since you must have something in mind, you were holding out like that.”
Though for someone saying that, the Sword King had thrown himself forward far too urgently.
Cult Leader Pungcheon burst out scolding Geom Mugeuk.
“Are you trying to shock people like this? What were you planning to do if the Heavenly Demon Soul didn’t appear?”
“I had prepared in my own way.”
When Geom Mugeuk pulled open his robes, the finest Heavenly Silkworm Thread was wrapped tightly around his chest.
“On top of this, I was using the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art, the Heavenly Steel Body, and even the Vajra Asura. Even if it was the Heavenly Demon Soul’s sword, it would not have pierced through easily. And the moment I was stabbed, if I felt this wasn’t right, I would have used the technique I learned from you, Cult Leader.”
Only then did a smile form on Cult Leader Pungcheon’s lips.
“As expected! You had thought it all through. Yes, you must have had a plan from the moment you took my sacred relic.”
Seeing the terrifyingly persistent talk of his sacred relic resurface, it seemed Cult Leader Pungcheon had finally been able to relax.
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned toward his father, who still stood in place.
“Come on, even the Poison King over there came a few steps forward.”
At those words, the Poison King quietly stepped back.
“That is too much, Father!”
His father merely looked at his son in silence. How could that brat know? How hard it had been just now to hold himself back and watch until the end without stepping forward.
Recently—no, perhaps in his entire life—it might have been the hardest moment he had ever endured.
And how could Geom Mugeuk not know that? The relief he sensed now was an expression of relief he had never once seen on his father’s face in his entire life.
Geom Mugeuk dropped to the ground and performed a full bow on the spot. A mere greeting could not possibly convey the overwhelming gratitude in his heart.
“Thank you, Father.”
His father had believed in him until the end. Because his father had believed in him, the Heavenly Demon Soul had been able to descend.
After exchanging greetings with those who had tried to protect him, Geom Mugeuk walked back to the Heavenly Demon Soul’s side.
Even while those conversations were taking place, the two Heavenly Demon Souls had been staring at each other.
“You’ll have to get used to it from now on. Your friend is a person who talks this much.”
Unable to hold back, Cult Leader Pungcheon said a word.
“It’s your Heavenly Demon Soul, so it may talk even more than you. Right now, it might simply be hiding its thoughts deviously, just like its master.”
Geom Mugeuk found himself hoping that Cult Leader Pungcheon’s joke was true.
Someday, I want to talk with you about all sorts of things. I want to share with you the words I cannot say to anyone else.
So before this fight ends, even if it is just one word, please say something to me.
That was Geom Mugeuk’s wish.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Demon Soul lodged in Hwa Mugi’s body still seemed unable to believe this fact.
“It truly descended?”
Earlier, it had boasted that as long as it existed, their Heavenly Demon Souls would never appear. And yet, shattering that boast, Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul had descended.
And there was one more thing that astonished Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul.
“How did it manifest in a small body?”
Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul gave no answer and merely gazed silently at its opponent.
Looking at his own Heavenly Demon Soul, Geom Mugeuk said,
“I do not know much about you. From Father, I heard only that Heavenly Demon Souls extremely avoid clashing with one another. So I am sorry for giving you this kind of command as my first order.”
In a stern voice, Geom Mugeuk gave the Heavenly Demon Soul his command.
“Destroy him.”
The Heavenly Demon Soul that had received the command walked forward without the slightest hesitation.
At that moment, Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul sneered at Geom Mugeuk.
“Do you know what you have just done?”
For some reason, it did not sound like simple irritation, so Geom Mugeuk called his Heavenly Demon Soul to a halt.
“Wait.”
When his Heavenly Demon Soul stopped, Geom Mugeuk asked the creature,
“What do you mean?”
Instead of an answer, a question came flying back.
“Do you know why Heavenly Demon Souls do not wish to fight one another?”
That was a question Geom Mugeuk had also wondered about.
And today, that astonishing secret was revealed.
“Because if a Heavenly Demon Soul fights another and loses, it is extinguished forever.”
“!”
Geom Mugeuk was shocked. He was so shocked that he wondered whether he had been this shocked in recent memory. This was something neither he nor his father had known.
“That is why, if there is a Heavenly Demon Soul it believes to be stronger than itself, it will never manifest. That is the innate nature of a Heavenly Demon Soul.”
It was a secret that could only be heard from a Heavenly Demon Soul.
“The victor absorbs the opponent’s power and becomes even stronger. The defeated one’s existence vanishes, and all the power it possessed is absorbed.”
Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul revealed an emotion it had not shown until now. That emotion was greed.
“Your Heavenly Demon Soul is special.”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned to his own Heavenly Demon Soul. Yes, it was special. It was the Heavenly Demon Soul that had saved him from the very first time it had appeared.
“It manifested in such a small body.”
This was precisely the part of its descent that had shocked Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul.
“It descended even knowing it was weaker.”
Geom Mugeuk silently looked at his Heavenly Demon Soul. At the sight of it simply staring at its opponent with that blunt expression.
‘Did you descend for me, even though you might lose the fight and be extinguished?’
Because of that, the creature’s ambition did not reach Geom Mugeuk’s ears.
“I will absorb your power and become the strongest Heavenly Demon Soul in history.”
Geom Mugeuk asked in a calm tone,
“Is that true?”
The Heavenly Demon Soul gave no answer. It had expressed itself before by moving its eyes ever so slightly, but now it only stared straight ahead.
“I asked if it was true. I know you do not speak, but answer this.”
There was still no reaction, and because of that, he knew. The words about being extinguished forever were true.
“Go back in.”
Geom Mugeuk ordered the Heavenly Demon Soul to disappear again. But the Heavenly Demon Soul did not vanish.
“It is an order. Go back in at once.”
Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul did not disappear.
At that moment, Geom Ujin said quietly,
“The Heavenly Demon Soul is an existence that must protect its master. Right now, the Heavenly Demon Soul has judged that your life is in danger.”
It meant that, above its master’s command, its sense of duty to absolutely protect its master took precedence.
Of course it would have made such a judgment. After all, he had summoned it while barely holding on.
‘You truly descended to protect me, even going against your own nature.’
Geom Mugeuk could not simply be moved. He had to break the Heavenly Demon Soul’s stubbornness quickly.
“Listen, my friend. We may not have spent a very long time together, but at least enough time has passed for you to have a rough idea of what kind of person I am, right? You know that I will definitely find a way, don’t you?
So go back in. Besides, I am not alone. Father is here, and so are the others. So do not worry about me and go back in.”
Even when he coaxed it gently, the Heavenly Demon Soul did not go in.
In that gaze, Geom Mugeuk read not only the will to protect him, but another emotion as well.
The pride of a Heavenly Demon Soul that would not lose to anyone.
That gaze seemed to ask him this:
If it were you, would you retreat in this situation?
Of course you would not abandon someone you had to protect.
The Heavenly Demon Soul was exactly like him.
And so Geom Mugeuk could feel that he could not stop it.
When Geom Mugeuk nodded, the two Heavenly Demon Souls walked toward each other.
They strode forward and swung their swords at one another.
Swaaaaaaaak.
Enormous demonic energy surged as their swords collided in midair.
Boom!
From the impact, demonic energy burst outward as if exploding. Only their size had shrunk; the battle between the two was still emitting the same demonic energy that would pour from a clash between two gigantic Heavenly Demon Souls.
Whoooooooong!
Everyone watching retreated. Only by raising their inner force to the limit could they block the demonic energy.
Because it was a fight between Heavenly Demon Souls, the nature of the battle was different.
It was not a fight using swift techniques and footwork like humans.
A battle of demonic energy against demonic energy.
A battle of presence against presence.
A battle of pride against pride.
Two demonic energies of different natures stood tautly opposed.
Beyond their crossed swords, Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul spoke arrogantly.
“Do you think a Heavenly Demon Soul that has not even been born for long can defeat me, who has survived for three hundred years?”
It would be overwhelmingly superior in combat experience.
In that instant, Geom Mugeuk’s heart sank.
There was one thing he had forgotten.
He had not yet learned the ninth form of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art. From the seventh to the ninth forms of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art were martial arts used by the Heavenly Demon Soul, and he had only learned up to the eighth form.
Earlier, he had been so focused on the thought that he had to summon the Heavenly Demon Soul that he had forgotten that point.
Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul would certainly have mastered it up to the final form.
And if it was none other than the final ninth form?
‘At this rate, we lose.’
And if he lost the Heavenly Demon Soul forever because of that?
This was an entirely different matter from his martial arts growing weaker.
This was losing a friend—
What should I do? Think, Geom Mugeuk! Hurry!
At that moment, a thought flashed through Geom Mugeuk’s mind.
“Maybe?”
It was a mad idea, but there was no other way.
Geom Mugeuk sent a voice transmission to his father.
—Father, transmit the ninth form of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art to me now.
Geom Ujin understood why his son was making such a request. That was why, if anyone other than his son had said those words, he would have dismissed it as absurd madness.
Geom Ujin did not deliberate for long. If he was going to choose anyway, then it was a battle against time.
—I will transmit the ninth form of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art from now on.
The ninth form of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art: Demon Soul Supreme.
To think he would transmit this final technique here, in this place.
And for this absurd transmission to succeed,
—You must comprehend the mnemonic formula all at once!
He was attempting it because it was his son. Because the son he had watched until now might, perhaps, be able to do it.
—I will definitely understand it.
This attempt was not to make his Heavenly Demon Soul defeat the opponent. It was an attempt to make it endure at least enough to avoid being extinguished.
‘Please!’
Geom Mugeuk sent voice transmissions to the two alliance leaders and the others.
—Please protect Father and me from the aftermath of that battle for a moment.
Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang understood. The father and son were trying to make some kind of move.
The two of them blocked the space in front of Geom Mugeuk, and the rest blocked the space in front of Geom Ujin.
Geom Mugeuk himself had never dreamed that he would end up learning the final technique of the Nine-Flame Demonic Art here, where this final battle was taking place.
Geom Mugeuk focused all his mind.
He thought that all the martial arts he had learned and all the effort he had made until now had been for this moment. May his rebirth prove useful! May the martial attainments he had gained in his earlier fight with Hwa Mugi prove useful!
‘I will definitely comprehend it before the moment comes when you must unleash the ninth form.’
Listening to the formula his father transmitted by voice, Geom Mugeuk closed his eyes.
‘Until then, hold on.’