〈 Episode 440 〉 Regret (6)
Crunch.
Screeeee—!
At the hour when the sun had set and the moon revealed itself. From within pitch-black darkness without a single light, a rough scream echoed.
Snap—!
It was the sound of a leg breaking.
One demonkin collapsed, rolling across the ground.
The bastard clutched his leg and let out a scream. A situation that was clearly abnormal at a glance.
There was a figure watching this process with his back to the moonlight.
“...”
Above the tall building, Mukgwon had taken position and was observing the unfolding situation.
Below, the demonkin were fighting fiercely.
It wasn’t particularly surprising. Those with low realms or who hadn’t been demonkin for long couldn’t control their madness, so fights often broke out.
Even if not, those who became demonkin were mostly of the demonic path or didn’t have particularly clean pasts to begin with.
Unable to endure their inherent rage, they would fight like that.
And there were many cases where they died doing so, but.
Since the Lord didn’t care anyway, it wasn’t a big problem.
However.
“Kuaaaah…!! Stop it, stoooop!”
“Stop what, you bastard.”
The current situation was a bit strange.
Mukgwon surveyed the situation with silent eyes.
‘Hmm.’
He confirmed the demonkin screaming and collapsed on the ground.
‘They’re from the Ghost Sword Squad.’
He’d heard that guys from the Sword Demon’s side had been pulled out to handle perimeter security and miscellaneous tasks.
He’d heard rumors that the demonkin on that side were especially low-quality, but to be doing this from the first day.
Had they been demonkin belonging to the Black Flame Squad, they wouldn’t have done such troublesome things.
‘Even if only out of fear for the Lord.’
Unless they wanted to slowly burn to death starting from their toes, they wouldn’t have done such unnecessary acts.
Mukgwon furrowed his brows as he watched.
Normally, he would have stepped in appropriately and stopped the situation, but.
‘...That is.’
What should he call that.
Watching the unfolded spectacle, Mukgwon momentarily lost his words.
They might have been low-level, but they were realms that had surpassed the Peak.
They must have been brought into the Black Flame Squad because they were experts at the Perfected Peak worth keeping an eye on.
For those guys to be....
‘Handled like toys.’
The new recruit who came today was effortlessly beating up three of them.
“You son of a bitch! Do you know who I am?!”
“Kuaaaack!”
“...”
It looked like a petty fight mixed with several emotions, but the movements visible here and there were nothing short of astounding.
‘He’s controlling demonic energy perfectly.’
The new recruit that the Vice Lord had brought possessed strength far surpassing Mukgwon’s expectations.
‘...I think I understand why the Lord told me to watch.’
He vaguely understood why his Lord had given the order to watch that new recruit.
He must have seen through that appearance.
If it were the Lord, he would have surely done so.
If there was a slight doubt amidst it all.
“Running? You’re running now? You’re not coming here? If I catch you, you’re dead, for real.”
“Hiiiek!”
“You made eye contact with me. Come here.”
“P... please spare me!”
“...”
It was somehow familiar, the feeling coming from that new recruit.
“Grrrr....”
One bastard who couldn’t endure the pain foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness.
Feeling that he might really die at this rate, Mukgwon resolved to enter shortly.
‘The prediction was the opposite, but. It should be fine now.’
The moment Mukgwon tried to enter to stop that violence.
“...What are you doing...?”
A voice calling Mukgwon from behind was heard.
Immediately, Mukgwon knelt on one knee.
There was only one person in this place who could produce such a voice with a presence he couldn’t sense.
Without sending his gaze, Mukgwon spoke to the owner of the voice.
“...I greet the Vice Lord.”
Step.
With his head deeply bowed in respect, a light footstep was heard beside Mukgwon.
At the spot where the moon shone.
The approaching Mageomhu stood there and looked down.
Two were crawling on the ground, and one was being thrashed by the young man, caught like a mouse.
“...”
Mageomhu quietly watched that sight.
Only that one young man.
“...Mukgwon....”
“Yes, Vice Lord.”
Mukgwon answered Mageomhu’s call.
His head was still not raised.
Mukgwon knew. That she disliked making eye contact with others except for the Lord.
“...You....”
“Yes.”
“...”
Mukgwon quietly waited for the following words Mageomhu would spit out, but the ensuing question did not come.
Just as Mukgwon wondered what was happening and was about to slightly raise his head.
“...No. Nothing....”
Mageomhu spat out such words and disappeared again.
Though Mukgwon was somewhat bewildered by the strange situation.
He didn’t show it.
“Uh? Hey. Wake up and look. Breathe, breathe! Breathe dammit... Ah, screwed.”
At the voice coming from below, Mukgwon raised his body. Aha, it seemed something had happened in the brief moment he had hesitated.
Mukgwon hurriedly went down.
And Mageomhu stood there, quietly recalling last night’s events.
Around the time she had been wandering lost on the path.
Mageomhu had her spiritual sense fully spread.
She didn’t trust others to begin with.
No matter how much she spoke while mentioning the Cult Leader, Mageomhu didn’t trust humans.
Especially if it was a young man of that age.
Mageomhu’s spiritual sense could feel the entire vast forest if she wished.
It meant she wouldn’t miss even the smallest sound.
Therefore.
—You still like the moon.
The voice of the young man speaking to her as she blinked at the full moon was also something she couldn’t help but hear.
‘...’
Remembering that voice of that time, Mageomhu slowly moved her steps.
The sadness, longing, and unknown pity contained in the voice were a bit concerning, but.
For now, rather than such things.
‘I must go to see him.’
For Mageomhu, going to see the Lord was more important.
******************
A day passed and it became day.
Perhaps thanks to the fight filled with romance and friendship(?) last night, the lodgings were quiet so I could sleep comfortably.
Was it because I’d nearly killed one guy midway? The gazes the demonkin cast at me were unusual.
‘If Mukgwon hadn’t intervened, it might have been a bit dangerous.’
Because the annoyance built up over several days had exploded, I lost control.
I beat him putting a bit more strength into it, and he lost his mind.
Even if he wakes up, he won’t be able to walk around for a while.
‘Well, what can you do.’
Honestly, that was the extent of my sentiment.
My temper had subsided a lot too.
Normally, I would have had to rip something out right there to feel satisfied.
‘I probably could have killed them....’
I probably could have.
It was something I realized while beating those guys yesterday.
They didn’t seem to belong to the Black Flame Squad.
Going by the feel, they seemed to be subordinates of that Sword Demon bastard. You can tell when you beat them.
These bastards were clearly sword users, but their fingertips were brimming with killing intent.
‘Those bastards were always like that.’
Whether it’s because that bastard called the Lord is mad for slaughter and insanity, most of the subordinates had that feeling too.
There’s a reason I beat those Sword Demon bastards like catching mice whenever I see them.
‘Honestly, I beat them simply because I didn’t like them....’
This is just a passing memory from the past, so I’ll let it go....
Rolling my eyes, I surveyed my surroundings.
Though everyone was gathered in the great hall from last night, the demonkin standing in a straight line didn’t show a single movement.
Because they harbored extreme tension.
‘Why are they so scared?’
I merely took a puzzled look at that.
Then, suddenly looking at the clothes I was wearing, I let out a deep sigh.
‘...To think I’d wear this again.’
The black martial uniform called the Demon Cult’s disciple robe.
It was the martial uniform with the symbol of the Black Flame Squad embedded on it. Who’d have thought the day would come when I’d wear this damned thing again.
‘I really can’t help but sigh.’
Every time I wake from sleep, I hope I might have returned to the original time.
If this is the third day of this situation, I had to give up soon.
Even when I regressed back then, it was like this.
It took about three days to accept reality.
Damn it.
‘...To return, ultimately, I have to do something.’
Then what I must do first is realize that ‘something.’
There was nothing that came to mind in a big way yet.
‘I should take the chance to gather information.’
My situation of having to get by here too was pathetic, but it couldn’t be helped.
Since I’m already in this state, accepting it and finding another method is the faster procedure.
Squeak.
I straightened my body at the sound of the door opening.
Groooan.
As the door opened, a heavy presence instantly filled the interior of the great hall.
It felt like I’d collapse right there if I relaxed.
‘Ah... so that’s why?’
Feeling that, I understood why the guys inside were showing such reactions.
Because if they didn’t maintain tension like this, they’d lose consciousness; that was why they were so tense.
‘That crazy bastard.’
I couldn’t help but curse the owner of that presence.
That damned bastard probably doesn’t even know he’s emanating this aura.
Idiot bastard, if you have so much demonic energy, at least make some effort to control it.
Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed inside the great hall.
At the same time, that bastard from my past appeared.
Fluttering an ink-black dao robe, he scanned the interior of the great hall with purple pupils.
Just looking at that gave me spine-chilling chills.
I felt like dying of embarrassment.
‘Rather than dying from a bowl breaking... I think dying of embarrassment would be faster.’
No matter how I looked at it, this was right. He had all the coolness imaginable. Why the hell is he like that.
Following behind were six people including Mageomhu and Mukgwon.
They were the Black Flame Squad’s elites.
As soon as he appeared, everyone knelt with a swoosh.
I didn’t miss the chance and knelt too.
“We greet the Lord!”
Voices that made the spacious and high room ring.
The Demon Emperor moved only his steps silently despite the great shouts.
In the midst of that.
‘Why is that bastard looking at me.’
I could see the Demon Emperor bastard’s gaze flash toward me for an instant.
There were only two cases when me at this age looked at someone like that.
Either someone who caught my interest.
Or someone I’d kill soon.
It was one of those two.... The way that bastard looked at me was....
‘Both.’
A guy who both caught my interest and needed to be killed. It was obvious without looking.
I forcefully ignored the gaze and buried my head in the ground.
Squeak.
The Demon Emperor, who took his gaze off me, climbed to the throne and sat heavily.
“...A report has come in.”
And what came out was straight to the point. His temper was impatient as always.
“Heavenly Venerable, that senile old man, is said to be wandering nearby.”
The Heavenly Venerable is around the Sichuan lands.
At the sudden words, the momentum of the demonkin stirred.
This meant that the confrontation that had been maintained precariously for a long time could once again escalate to war.
As I listened, my head spun rapidly.
‘The Heavenly Venerable has come to the Sichuan lands.’
This was something I had heard directly from Mageomhu before.
Around the time I heard the report from Mageomhu about this....
‘Uh... could this be.’
My eyes widened at the thought that came to mind.
I knew that the Heavenly Venerable was wandering around the Sichuan lands.
The reason he bothered to appear here.
It was to deliberately reveal his presence and draw the demonkin’s attention, ignoring the Heavenly Demon’s words forbidding the intervention of the Three Venerables.
‘It was this time.’
Piecing together the situation, I realized.
I finally think I know what point in time this is.
I sent my gaze to the Demon Emperor and thought.
The reason the Heavenly Venerable was drawing attention was none other.
‘...To send that old man.’
The Heavenly Venerable’s goal was to make everyone pour all their attention onto him.
And to send someone through that gap was the final objective.
And the identity of that old man here is.
‘Defeat Venerable.’
Exactly the Defeat Venerable.
It was an operation to send the Defeat Venerable to the Sichuan lands.
So for now, that meant it was right before the Defeat Venerable appeared in Sichuan and turned it into a mess.
To my memory, the Defeat Venerable launched a surprise attack seven days and nights after I received the report.
‘Of all times.’
I couldn’t help but hide my throbbing head and open my eyes wide.
Was the Defeat Venerable’s appearance the problem? No.
The reason I was thinking carefully was something else.
Biting my lip, I sent my gaze to the Demon Emperor.
‘You already knew, didn’t you.’
Even before Mageomhu reported to me, I knew the Heavenly Venerable was around here.
I also knew that the Defeat Venerable would appear.
Nevertheless, that stupid bastard is pretending not to know.
If my prediction is right, he’ll say this now.
“...Damn.”
‘...An order has come down from the main cult.’
“An order has come down from the main cult.”
Putting on an indifferent expression, he looked at the demonkin with purple pupils.
Pressed by that gaze, the demonkin trembled and swallowed their groans.
“From now on.”
Whether he knew or not, that damned bastard only spat out his own story.
“We begin the hunt for the old monster.”
“Yes-!”
The demonkin shouted as if responding to the Lord’s words.
And in that gap, I had to furrow my brows and bite my lips.
As expected.
No matter how much I thought, the conclusion was one.
Struggling in memories I cannot escape.
In that sense, this world truly was hell for me.