Sword Demon (劍魔).
The commander of the Ghost Judgment Sword Corps, the killing unit of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
His realm was known to be at least the Transformation Realm, and in terms of strength.
'Lower tier of the Ten Great Experts.'
Roughly around that level.
He didn't possess overwhelming strength immediately, yet the heart of the battlefield was where one could see the true nature of the Sword Demon.
The reason I rose to infamy was partly because I was a traitor of the righteous faction, but even without that, I was an existence specialized in massacre.
Spreading flames and endless killing intent.
Because it was a power specialized for war, my infamy swelled the instant I appeared.
The Sword Demon was the same.
A sword path that killed people without hesitation. Manifesting killing intent to turn his surroundings into a wasteland of corpses. He was a character perfectly suited for war.
Yes, the manifestation of killing intent.
That was the reason he could be called the Sword Demon (劍魔).
And it was also the evidence proving the Thousand-Killing Star.
He hadn't given it a name himself, but in the Central Plains, they called it "Killing Steel" (煞鋼) upon seeing it.
Killing intent is not emitted directly through the dantian.
It is, quite literally, the emotion of wanting to kill one's opponent.
It is emitted when mixed with a martial artist's energy.
Here, the intensity of the killing intent is determined by how strong that murderous heart is.
Of course, there may be differences depending on the martial artist's realm.
But that only serves as a supplementary factor. The source of killing intent is something like that.
The Killing Steel that the Sword Demon wielded was related to this and possessed a cheat-like characteristic.
'The Sword Demon enjoyed slaughter and had strong killing intent. That's why his Killing Steel was strong too.'
Because the emotion of wanting to kill never ceased, the Killing Steel knew no stopping, and since he didn't distinguish between enemy and ally, it was a power all the harder to deal with.
At that, a question arose.
Indeed.
'Is a Sword Demon without Killing Steel strong?'
He was a martial artist of the Transformation Realm, after all.
He absolutely couldn't be weak, but leaving aside his realm, could it be that the reason the Sword Demon could reign as a strong expert was simply because he was the Thousand-Killing Star?
I had thought so, but.
'No, his true self is simply a lump of talent.'
The Sword Demon of my previous life.
After facing Seongyul of this life, I had to change that thinking somewhat.
He was strong.
Not only was he far stronger than his age would suggest, but compared to the so-called geniuses, the Six Dragons and Three Peaks, he was at a level that wouldn't fall short.
However.
'Just about that much.'
If he pursued extreme strength, it was rather lacking.
It wasn't something extremely high compared to others.
Just genius level.
'It sounds funny to say "just genius," though.'
Genius isn't some dog's name from a random household, and it's a bit dizzying for the example to simply be "genius," but.
It meant he wasn't a monster-level existence like Namgung Bia. Or Wi Seora.
Which meant.
'For Seongyul to rise to the level of the Sword Demon, he needs to make use of the Thousand-Killing Star.'
To be honest, even if it weren't for that, if he took some elixirs and trained a few years, it might be possible.
'But I don't have that kind of time.'
There was a lack of manpower and no time to raise him.
And why would I feed precious elixirs to that guy?
Even if I were to give them, it wouldn't be to him.
So what to do?
To make use of Seongyul without killing him, I had to make him strong.
To make him strong, I had to awaken and use the Thousand-Killing Star.
'That Thousand-Killing Star...'
The Thousand-Killing Star is a bizarre being said to be born once every century.
An existence born for slaughter who kills humans until the moment of its death, ultimately killing even itself in the end.
How could one make use of a creature called a human-faced evil spirit?
Could it even be used?
'It can be used.'
Was it not the Heavenly Demon himself who had done so?
The Sword Demon had acted as a demonic human.
Even though he rampaged like a madman, in the end, he followed the Heavenly Demon's orders.
Moreover, since I kept him under my heel, he more or less followed my words as well.
Those positioned beneath him, such as the Demon Sword Empress or the Green King, flat out refused to heed words from those of similar standing... but seeing this, it was proof that making him a demonic human would allow me to control him.
'That's why I tried to corrupt him.'
The moment I found him, I would corrupt him and make him crawl.
It was a meeting intended for that purpose.
'An unexpected variable occurred.'
I hadn't yet been able to corrupt him.
Petty sympathy.
A faint glimmer of hope.
Damnable sense of kinship.
It was something done while weighed down by emotions I myself found disgusting.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the result wasn't practically bad.
'Because he followed my words well.'
I didn't know what he was thinking in following me, but he was more useful than the others.
If I told him to hold a sword, he held it.
If I told him to cut, he cut.
Yet hesitation was visible in his killing.
Even while feeling greed for killing himself, he tried hard to endure it.
At that time, he was still human.
That made me hesitate.
So I asked myself.
'So.'
Would I leave him as he was?
I asked myself.
The answer had already been decided.
This was a crossroads at which I should choose at any time.
Perhaps it was a choice I should have made even sooner.
"Huu... hu!"
Energy surged over the sparring platform.
Checking with the Mind's Eye (心眼), it was far clearer.
Anomalies were occurring in the space centered on Seongyul.
It was happening because the density of killing intent was too thick.
'Wow.'
Admiration spilled out.
It was a sight I had seen in my previous life as well, but the feeling then and now was different.
The erupting killing intent truly resembled astral energy more than mere killing intent.
"Huu... huu!"
His pupils gleamed.
Vitality seeped into his golden eyes.
That vitality was brimming with a spine-chilling emotion.
Massacre.
The resolve to kill his opponent by any means.
Could anything be so honest and clear?
Perhaps it wasn't only I who felt this change, as reactions could be felt from the spectator seats as well.
"Wh-what is it. I feel a chill."
"Suddenly my chest feels tight..."
Ordinary people seemed to be reacting physically to the minute changes, rubbing their arms.
A season still far from cold.
Even though it was clearly so, a chill began to settle from the killing intent.
If ordinary people felt this much, what about martial artists?
Naturally, their reactions were more intense.
"...Shouldn't someone stop that?"
"Such killing intent in a sparring match...! What is the referee even doing!"
Killing intent enough to make one's body stiffen.
It wasn't killing intent that a righteous faction martial artist should unleash.
And in a mere sparring match at that.
I frowned while looking at Seongyul.
'I nudged him a bit and he immediately became like that?'
Unleashing the Thousand-Killing Star, its true value immediately appeared.
To the point it came out right away.
I could tell how much he had suppressed it all this time.
Like a beast.
As if his wild nature had blossomed, only instinct remained in his posture.
"I'll kill—."
Kwa-gagagak-!
It worked.
Seongyul burst out killing intent and rushed at Paeng Ujin.
Kwang-!
The clash of blades sent sparks flying.
'He's gotten faster.'
His speed had increased drastically.
Whether because hesitation had disappeared or because it was a trait of the Thousand-Killing Star itself, I didn't know.
'His muscles changed too.'
They were becoming tougher and stronger. Gradually changing to endure the speed.
Killing intent was gradually seeping into his skin as well.
Kwang-! Kwaang-!
Every time friction occurred, shockwaves burst forth.
'His strength increased too.'
Along with speed, his power had risen as well.
The question was whether that increase was due to the Thousand-Killing Star, or if it was originally possessed strength being liberated.
What mattered was.
'Either way, it has been liberated.'
He changed that easily with just a slight nudge.
This was my first time seeing it properly in this life.
Since I had knocked him out when it seemed dangerous before, it was my first time seeing Seongyul surrender his body to killing intent.
If I were to give my thoughts on this.
'Strong.'
Seongyul as the Thousand-Killing Star was certainly strong.
A perfected peak.
The very edge of it.
Though he hadn't broken through the wall to the Transformation Realm, he had liberated every possibility his fleshly body could achieve.
The movements driven by speed, and the power that rose because of it.
Everything was beyond imagination.
The Killing Steel swirling from all directions was incomparably powerful.
Only.
Kwa-gagak-!!!
His opponent was none too favorable.
'Crazy bastard.'
Paeng Ujin swung his black blade and shattered all the Killing Steel.
Looking at him, I burst into a hollow laugh.
'What is that?'
Seongyul was drawing out his maximum power.
Yet Paeng Ujin treated such a Seongyul nonchalantly.
'He's already passed the Transformation Realm.'
When I saw him on the sparring stage before, Paeng Ujin was already a perfected peak.
Now, after time had passed, he had ascended to the Transformation Realm.
Strong.
'Though he hasn't reached the divine, even so.'
He might be stronger than Sinyong or Wi Seora. That was the level Paeng Ujin was displaying.
'...No. At that level...'
He might have already surpassed his father, Dowang.
Since he wasn't even showing his strength properly.
Even.
'Crazy bastard. He isn't being pushed back.'
With the sole thought of killing his opponent.
Seongyul, who had surrendered himself to that place, endured minor injuries and advanced.
Actions led purely by instinct were enough to overwhelm his opponent.
A spar at best.
It wasn't a fight to the death, yet Seongyul advanced desperately.
This was a spectacle frightening enough to behold.
But.
'He's the same.'
Paeng Ujin acted the same as Seongyul, as if refusing to be outdone.
He smiled.
That crazy bastard was smiling. Such obsession rivaling the Thousand-Killing Star—what the hell was that?
'He can smile at a time like this?'
What was so enjoyable?
Paeng Ujin's expression was filled with rapture, as if deeply moved.
Pik-!
Blood splattered.
As killing intent and fighting spirit mixed, it was suffocating just to watch.
It was already at a point where it could hardly be seen as a spar.
The referee couldn't even step in amid the cruel energy.
'Well, well.'
Seeing them fight so fiercely, the thought that Seongyul might win crossed my mind.
I didn't entertain such a thought in the slightest.
'He can't win.'
He can't win.
The gap in level is only so much. It's impossible.
That's why I had asked Paeng Ujin, rather.
Since I had something to check with Seongyul, I asked him to endure just ten exchanges.
I asked him not to knock Seongyul down in a single blow.
And so I asked.
Paeng Ujin agreed to my request in exchange for a few conditions.
Those conditions were rather shitty, but it was fine.
Anyway, he accepted.
At that moment.
Kwak-!
"Hiek!"
"H-his neck!?"
As murmurs rang out, I narrowed my eyes.
I had missed it while lost in thought.
Checking hastily, it seemed something had occurred.
"Ha."
Taking stock of the situation, I let out a hollow sigh.
There was a wound on Paeng Ujin's neck.
Looking at the mark, it was in the shape of a bite, and flesh was spat from the mouth of Seongyul, who had fallen far back.
'He bit his neck?'
Is he a dog, biting a neck?
Could there be another spar as messy as this?
'And why is he like that?'
Even with his neck bitten, Paeng Ujin's joy seemed doubled as his face brimmed with laughter.
Now it was getting scary.
The spar gradually heated up.
Watching them fight as if to kill each other, those around could only swallow dryly.
'...Is it time?'
I judged as I watched.
I didn't think there was any more to see.
It was dangerous to leave him as is.
Huuuuuuk-!
The moment I thought that, a tremendous aura began to sweep across the sparring platform.
It was the energy felt from Paeng Ujin, but I knew at a glance.
'He intends to end this.'
That guy intended to end this spar.
Moreover, Seongyul was the same.
With blazing eyes, he gritted his teeth and began to gather the killing intent he had been emitting into one point.
Seeing that, I tilted my head.
I would watch only until here; indeed, it was time for the final confirmation.
Seongyul gradually being buried in aura.
Looking at him, I whispered.
[Stop.]
Sending a telepathic message imbued with the power of the Dragon Word.
Jolt—!
The Thousand-Killing Star. No, Seongyul's body could be seen stiffening.
It worked.
'It works.'
Checking his state, I smiled brightly.
The Dragon Word works.
Even if he was influenced by the Thousand-Killing Star, the Dragon Word was working.
It meant he could be controlled.
In that case.
'How far can it go?'
Now was the time to check that. This fight was a stage prepared solely for that purpose.
Thump—!
I put strength into my heart.
The energy fluctuated and maintained a constant flow.
Swoosh.
Slowly mixing energy into the incoming breath.
Looking at the guy trying to rampage immediately, I spoke.
[Now.]
[Get lost.]
"...Ghk...!?"
The instant the words were conveyed, Seongyul's body trembled violently once.
Hwa-ah-ahk--!!
Afterward, the killing intent enveloping him vanished in an instant.
As the energy maintaining his body subsided, immediately Seongyul staggered and.
Thud—!
Soon collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
In the sudden situation, only Paeng Ujin widened his eyes.
"What? What was that?"
"What on earth suddenly happened?"
"He was fighting well, so why...?"
The spectators were also voicing questions as if unable to understand the situation, but the result didn't change.
"Victory to Paeng Ujin of the Hebei Paeng clan!"
The hastily approaching referee judged victory or defeat upon seeing Seongyul's state.
Paeng Ujin had won.
Waaaaah!
Cheers burst forth.
Though it was a rough and fierce match, the reactions were as if they had enjoyed even that.
Though the actual victor, Paeng Ujin, wore a strange expression.
'Wow.'
The laughter completely faded from his eyes.
Expressionless black eyes. An uncomfortable sign was evident.
He sheathed the blade he held and looked this way.
He seemed to have realized that I had done something.
Sure enough.
-What is the meaning of this?
Paeng Ujin sent a telepathic message.
-What do you mean?
I played dumb.
-No matter how you are the Ninth Young Master, this leaves quite an unpleasant feeling.
Naturally, it didn't work.
For the first time, I heard a voice from Paeng Ujin.
The guy who always pulled strange pranks sent a heavy tone just this once.
It was proof that he was offended to that extent.
-I did nothing. As promised, since you endured. I shall remember what you said.
-...
There was no evidence.
Since I hadn't left anything behind, there was no fear of being caught.
Because he knew that, Paeng Ujin could only glare at me.
Did not finishing properly bother him that much?
After meeting Paeng Ujin's gaze for a few seconds.
-Very well.
Paeng Ujin erased his expressionless face and smiled again.
-I have regrets, but since it is you, I shall let it pass. However.
Though he was smiling, it wasn't a smile.
It was perhaps something even more uncomfortable.
-If by chance we meet here again. I hope you will provide me with greater joy than the young master I defeated did.
-...
Joy.
I didn't know what that meant.
However.
-Yes. I shall endeavor.
I dared to predict. It didn't seem like it would be very difficult.
******************
The matches continued after that as well.
The spar between Paeng Ujin and Seongyul steeped in killing intent previously.
It became a problem, so there was a brief waiting period, but it wasn't a big issue.
At best, only two people withdrew.
"I'm back."
Dang Soyeol, who had just finished her match.
Seeing her, I waved.
"Good work."
The match result was Dang Soyeol's victory.
Since the opponent's realm had barely crossed the perfected peak, there was no chance of Dang Soyeol losing.
"Hehe."
Perhaps thanks to consecutive victories, Dang Soyeol laughed happily.
"At this rate, what if I win?"
"Then I must congratulate you."
I smirked and replied.
"Congratulate me? No gifts?"
"What gift?"
"Um... that is... that..."
Dang Soyeol, who had been speaking, momentarily closed her mouth.
Then she glanced to the side with uneasy eyes. That was where Bong Suni was.
What was it? Why was she looking at Bong Suni?
"What? You want to give one to her too?"
"...Young Master. B... no, Lady Pi is not an object."
"It's about the same."
"Uing? Why me?"
As if knowing they were talking about her, Bong Suni tilted her head.
Irritated, I slapped her on the head.
"Kkyak! What, why hit me...?"
"Just because I'm annoyed."
"Then since you're doing it anyway, a little more..."
"Shut up."
"Yes."
Bong Suni naturally closed her mouth, and Dang Soyeol, who watched that, let out a shallow sigh.
Seeing that, I chuckled and said.
"Anyway, I'll think about the gift."
"You weren't planning to give one anyway."
"Who knows. If you really win, you never know."
Who could know? One never knows what will happen in this world.
"So. You win too."
"Ung?"
I said while looking at Bong Suni.
Seongyul was still collapsed, unable to come to his senses.
It didn't matter.
I had checked what I needed to check, and there was no need for Seongyul to climb any higher.
But Bong Suni was different.
"I'd like you to go as high as possible."
The higher Bong Suni's rank, the better it would be for me later.
It was also necessary for the plan.
"Oh... you like me winning?"
"I do."
"Gyaha. Leader. I knew you wanted to pair—"
"Come to think of it, you really don't need a tongue."
"I'll shut up!"
She clamped her own mouth shut with her fingers.
I was tempted to really pluck it out but barely held back.
"Stop saying useless things and prepare."
"Yes!"
A match is a match, but if you intend to kill, you can kill.
That meant their realms were similar, and if Bong Suni did well, she could win.
-Yeongpung of Mount Hua and Piyeonnyeon of the Seoan Pi clan, please prepare for the next match!
Not long after, the awaited voice was heard.
"Off I go!"
Bong Suni seemed to realize it was her turn and stood up holding her staff.
Seeing that, I said tiredly.
"Win and come back."
"Uhng! Got it!"
Having heard my words, Bong Suni stepped forward energetically.
And not long after.
"Oh! Leader!"
Bong Suni appeared with bruises all over her body and said to me.
"I lost! She was really strong!"
"..."
At the bright words she spat out, I had to cover my face.