Chapter 142
At the news that people from the Murim Alliance had arrived, I immediately dressed properly and left my room.
“Great Hero.”
“Oh, Haomun Leader.”
Outside the door, the Haomun Leader, who had already heard I had woken up, was waiting.
“You are going to meet the people from the Murim Alliance, right? I’ve shown them to the Guest Room. Let’s go. I will guide you.”
“Competent as always.”
It might not suit a big shot like the Haomun Leader, but she was truly adept at secretarial work.
I listened to her brief report as we walked to where they were staying.
“The Murim Alliance arrived unexpectedly early, and their numbers are quite small.”
“Small numbers, you say… About how many?”
“Ten people.”
Only ten people…
Even if they came to talk, it was still a very small number for entering Enemy Territory.
“Who came as the Representative? Is it someone I know?”
Feeling curious, I asked about the Representative’s identity…
“Well…”
“…?”
The Haomun Leader hesitated and did not answer.
“…I think it would be better for you to meet him in person.”
“Really? Well, then…”
At her words, I nodded and opened the door to the room where the Murim Alliance Representative was.
Upon entering…
“Welcome, General Stronghold Master. I have been waiting.”
“Hmm?”
…There was a middle-aged man with a somewhat Familiar face.
“I heard I could speak with the Stronghold Master today, so I was preparing in advance.”
“Is that so? Good preparation. But you see…”
I casually accepted his Cupped Fist Salute and asked him.
“…Have we met somewhere before? Why does your face look so Familiar? What’s your name?”
“…”
The man flinched for a moment at my question, cleared his throat, and began to introduce himself.
“Ah, ahem. Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself. I am the Unyo Pavilion Lord of the Murim Alliance…”
And the middle-aged man’s next words followed…
“…Dokgo Jun.”
“…Eh? Dokgo?”
…I froze for a moment.
“Dokgo…”
Quickly coming to my senses, I sat down before he could speak and muttered to myself before asking.
My face held a friendly smile that meant, “I won’t hurt you.'
“I happen to know someone from the Dokgo Noble Family, you see? He’s probably burning in Boiling Hell right about now… What is your relationship with Dokgoyeong, by any chance?”
“…”
In this World, the only people who use the surname Dokgo are from the Dokgo Noble Family.
Whether collateral or direct line, it meant the Dokgo Jun in front of me was also from the Dokgo Noble Family.
Dokgo Jun hesitated before finally opening his mouth.
“Dokgoyeong… I am that child’s Paternal Uncle…”
“Ah, I see!”
You should have said so earlier!
As soon as I heard that, I immediately stood up from my seat, opened the door, and shouted loudly outside.
“Hey, Jeokyeom-!”
“Yes! Leader, I’m right here!”
Fortunately, Jeokyeom must have been nearby, as he came running in a hurry the moment he heard my shout.
Seeing him running over empty-handed, I gave an order.
“Ah, don’t just come like that. Bring your axe.”
“My axe? Ah, yes, understood.”
Sreung-.
Jeokyeom tilted his head but grabbed his giant axe and entered the room.
Seeing that terrifying sight, Dokgo Jun freaked out and shouted.
“Ge-General Stronghold Master-!! I-I am someone who came from the Murim Alliance to negotiate with you for the future-!”
“Then you should have managed your Nephew better. We’re sick and tired of anyone with the surname Dokgo. Hey, Jeokyeom. This Mister says he’s Dokgoyeong’s uncle.”
“…Is that so?”
At the mention of the Dokgo Noble Family, Jeokyeom lifted his axe without another word and asked me.
“…Shall I cut him down?”
“No, not yet.”
I casually stopped Jeokyeom’s actions with a hand Gesture and sat back down.
Then I grinned at Dokgo Jun and said.
“Now then, start babbling.”
“…Ge-General Stronghold Master.”
“I’ll decide whether to let you live or not after seeing the Murim Alliance’s sincerity.”
There had to be a reason why the Murim Alliance specifically sent someone from the Dokgo Noble Family, with whom we had bad blood, here.
They probably wanted to test my true intentions.
So I decided to just act however the fuck I wanted.
* * *
Qinghai Outskirts.
Hwiii-.
The Demonic Cult party was taking its final rest at the entrance of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, which exuded a dreary atmosphere, before returning to the Main Headquarters.
“…”
Those organized for the Heavenly Demon Sword Seizure, no matter how few in number, were the elite of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
None of them, not even anyone at the Main Headquarters, thought they would fail their mission.
Unlike the Bastards of the Central Plains who were weak and blinded by peace, the Cult members of the Heavenly Demon Cult had constantly honed the Demonic Force since the First Heavenly Demon passed away.
Forged and forged again until they were like thorns, they had not only failed their mission but also suffered a Loss of Combat Power that could not be easily recovered.
[Perhaps… we were too arrogant.]
It was when the Grand Elder was muttering bitterly while looking at his empty right arm.
“Grand… Elder…”
“…Oh, Little Heaven!”
Deputy Cult Leader Cheon Ye-Seo, who had been barely clinging to life in his arms, finally opened her eyes.
“Where is this…”
“It is Qinghai. We will arrive at the Main Headquarters soon. Please preserve your body until then.”
“…”
At the word Qinghai, Cheon Ye-Seo closed her barely open eyes again.
In that moment, what had happened back in Anhui flashed through her mind in an instant.
“Right… We failed in the end.”
“…”
As she said that, Cheon Ye-Seo’s eyes were directed at the Grand Elder’s empty right arm.
Failure.
This failure did not merely encompass failing the Heavenly Demon Sword Seizure.
Countless assassins of the Heavenly Demon Cult had lost their lives helping them retreat, and the Grand Elder had lost his right arm, which could be considered the life of a Martial Artist.
And Cheon Ye-Seo…-Seo-Seo…-Seo-Seo…-Seo-Seo…
[My body…]
…Her body was already Frail, but from this incident, she had suffered an irrecoverable injury.
After moving her arm and wiggling her fingers several times, she realized that she had now lost her life as a Martial Artist.
“On our way, we confirmed that Imugi was with the Pacheonmun Sect Leader. It is presumed that the Blood Demon Corpse King, who was deployed for the retrieval mission, was also eliminated by him.”
“…”
Even the Blood Demon Corpse King had died, and the absolutely necessary Imugi had fallen into the hands of the Pacheonmun Sect Leader, who could be considered the Demonic Cult’s archenemy.
A sense of hopelessness filled everyone’s minds, and a suffocating silence fell.
“Blood Demon Corpse King… That old man was the weakest among our Elders…”
“…”
“…I apologize.”
To break this silence, the Dharma King threw out a joke he thought was clever, but shut his mouth after receiving a Glare from the Grand Elder.
The Blood Demon Corpse King was an absolutely necessary person for the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Not only was he among the top three of the Elders…
[We need him to wage war…]
…His specialty, Necromancy, was the solution to the Heavenly Demon Cult’s chronic problem of a lack of personnel.
Once the war started, the Heavenly Demon Cult planned to use its jiangshi as meat shields and push toward the Central Plains like a tidal wave.
But with his death, such plans had gone up in smoke.
It was truly the worst-case scenario from the Heavenly Demon Cult’s perspective. Perhaps… they would have to push back their grand plan.
Because of this current state, they could not guarantee victory, no matter how weak the Murim Alliance was.
At this, the Grand Elder let out a sigh and was about to speak.
“…Deputy Cult Leader. Once we return to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains…”
“We will give up on the Heavenly Demon Sword for the time being.”
“…!”
Before the Grand Elder could finish his words, Cheon Ye-Seo’s words came first.
A congenitally Frail body, and an irrecoverable severe injury.
It was no exaggeration to say she was at death’s door, yet the voice that flowed from her was weak but clear.
“And summon all the Elders and Cult members.”
“…Deputy Cult Leader.”
Summon all Elders and Cult members.
That meant only one thing.
War.
Realizing this, the Grand Elder began to persuade her intending to coax and soothe her, but…
“…With our current combat power, it is difficult to guarantee victory.”
“Since when did the Heavenly Demon Cult only fight winning battles?”
…Her will was firm.
The Grand Elder felt a terrifying amount of Demonic Qi from her fading eyes.
“The Demonic Force grows stronger the weaker we become. It seeks us out the more disadvantaged we are. We have waited hundreds of years, but as you all know…”
“…”
“…The time we have left is barely a few years.”
“…”
There was no time.
That was a problem commonly recognized by figures at the level of Heavenly Demon Cult Elder and above.
“I will consume 'that'.”
“…!”
“…!”
“I will consume 'that' and take the lead in the war.”
Even without Cheon Ye-Seo explicitly stating what 'that' was, the Elders present could immediately realize what 'that' was.
And as soon as he realized it, the Dharma King risked death and shouted.
“Oh, Little Heaven!! That is solely for The Honored One…!”
“Stop.”
However, Cheon Ye-Seo cut off the Dharma King’s words and muttered coldly.
“The Heavenly Demon is not here right now.”
“…Deputy Cult Leader.”
All Cult members of the Heavenly Demon Cult dared not utter that title.
But Cheon Ye-Seo spoke of the Heavenly Demon without hesitation.
No? Rather, she merely sighed as if calling out something bothersome.
“So I must play that role instead. To do that, I will have to consume 'that'.”
“But…”
“…”
At her decision, the Dharma King grew restless and Salwang frowned as if displeased, but the Grand Elder was different.
“…”
He looked up at Cheon Ye-Seo like a devout believer gazing at the light.
Among the Cult members currently remaining in the Heavenly Demon Cult, the oldest is the Grand Elder.
And that Grand Elder had wanted Cheon Ye-Seo to ascend to the position of Cult Leader in the past.
Because in his eyes, she was the one who would bring about a true Demonic World.
However, she had two fatal flaws…
Namely, her body was excessively weak, and she lacked motivation.
She could have become the Heaven of the Era, but she was not greedy. She merely watched.
But what about now?
Her eyes were filled with such fervor that it was hard to believe she was the same person from the past.
[Come to think of it, it was from that day.]
From the day she first faced him, the current Pacheonmun Sect Leader… had changed.
Who would think that the Cheon Ye-Seo of the past and the she of now were the same person?
“It will take about ten days to fully absorb 'that'. Summon all the Elders and Cult members by then. And once the preparations are complete…”
“…”
“…We will commence the war immediately.”
The only order the Current Heavenly Demon gave before disappearing was one thing.
Unconditionally obey the words of Deputy Cult Leader Cheon Ye-Seo.
At this, the Dharma King and Salwang also quickly accepted her words and bowed their heads.
“Divine Cult Undefeated, Demonic Heaven Under Heaven.”
And the next day.
An unprecedented mobilization order, the likes of which had not been seen since the First Cult Leader, fell upon the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
It was the drawing of the bowstring for the Righteous-Demonic War.