Chapter 41
"What... what is this..."
"Brother. Did I just see that correctly? Surely..."
"I-I saw it too."
The White Wolf Unit members watching the situation could hardly believe their eyes, blinking in disbelief.
When Yeo Un-hwi first stepped forward, they thought his courage was admirable but foolish.
What could someone like him possibly do against such an opponent? They were certain he had a death wish.
But the skill Yeo Un-hwi just displayed was utterly shocking to them.
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's Striking Kill Finger was an ultimate technique with such incredible speed and power that they couldn't even react to it.
Yet Yeo Un-hwi not only dodged it effortlessly, but perfectly replicated it after seeing it just a few times.
They knew full well how impossible that should be.
But Yeo Un-hwi had just casually accomplished this unbelievable feat.
It was enough to make the observers wonder if they were dreaming.
What on earth had Young Lady Seoyeon brought into the Peng Family?
One thing was clear - this man was no incompetent scholar.
They had all been gravely mistaken about Yeo Un-hwi until now.
Meanwhile, O Chae-mu felt deeply embarrassed recalling how he had treated and spoken to Yeo Un-hwi.
*What have I done to such a master...*
His face flushed red with embarrassment more than pain from his injuries. He wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
"Y-You..."
While O Chae-mu and the White Wolf Unit were stunned to discover Yeo Un-hwi's true identity, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's eyes had grown cold.
The casual demeanor he had shown until now was nowhere to be seen.
Yeo Un-hwi smirked as he looked at the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon.
"My, your eyes seem to have grown fiercer."
"Just who the hell are you?"
"Ah, did I not mention it yet?"
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon still didn't know where Yeo Un-hwi and the White Wolf Unit had come from.
Normally he wouldn't have cared, but this was different.
The young man standing before him was truly extraordinary.
So now he was curious.
"We're from the Peng Family."
"The Peng Family? You mean the Hebei Peng Family?"
"That's right."
"The Peng Family produced a monster like you? Don't make me laugh."
The Peng Family the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon remembered was a very straightforward group.
The idea that they had secretly nurtured such a master didn't fit, nor did it seem possible to him.
Of course, the Peng Family hadn't actually raised Yeo Un-hwi, but he saw no reason to explain that.
Instead,
"You seem to find the Peng Family quite amusing?"
"Not amusing so much as not frightening. I fear none of the Five Great Families."
"Well, you should start fearing them now. The Peng Family will become the World's Number One Family."
"What?"
It wasn't a simple statement, but a kind of declaration.
A declaration that didn't fit the situation at all.
But those words Yeo Un-hwi uttered left a deep impression on all the White Wolf Unit members.
The World's Number One Family?
Who in the world could casually make such an audacious claim?
It was an incredibly bold declaration that even the current Family Head Peng Mugang would never utter lightly.
Yet Yeo Un-hwi spoke as if it would happen any moment.
"Heh heh."
Hearing such an absurd claim to his face, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon let out a dry laugh.
*But perhaps it's possible.*
The young man's talent was that astonishing.
Even he felt fear for a moment. But!
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's eyes flashed sharply as he spoke:
"Hmph. I'll destroy the Peng Family before that happens. I'll cut off the heads of your wife, child, and all your family members and hang them in the streets. Hehehe."
"Ha."
*Kuuung.*
Suddenly, the space around them rippled violently.
And Yeo Un-hwi's aura - no, his very essence seemed to transform into something else entirely.
When the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon met Yeo Un-hwi's eyes as they reopened after briefly closing, his whole body bristled.
"Urgh."
Did he realize he had just uttered words he absolutely should not have?
That was Yeo Un-hwi's forbidden topic, the worst possible move the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon could have made.
*Where did such a monster come from...*
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's face twisted in shock at Yeo Un-hwi's suddenly changed aura.
Talk about bad luck.
He had been hiding from the Murim Alliance and Demonic Alliance all this time, only to run into such a monstrous opponent here.
It was infuriating.
He hated troublesome situations. It was the very reason he enjoyed slaughtering the weak - it was simple.
But then,
*No. No, that's not right.*
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon shook his head.
This might actually be a good thing.
There was no need to simply fear.
It was better to nip such threats in the bud.
This man seemed to belong to the Orthodox Faction.
That meant they were likely to become enemies in the future anyway.
And by then, he might grow too powerful to handle.
His talent was certainly frightening, but fortunately he was still just a fledgling.
No matter how incredible one's talent, he had seen countless cases of prodigies dying young due to overconfidence.
What he feared was this man's future, not his current self.
So he would kill him here and now without fail.
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon made up his mind.
His expression changed completely.
He began drawing out all of his power.
"You think the Striking Kill Finger is all I have?"
He smiled wickedly.
The air around him began to distort.
"The power of the tenth stage of the Corrupted Blood Demonic Art will be the first and last thing you see. Consider it an honor."
*Kuung. Kuung. Kuung.*
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's body transformed hideously.
His previously small frame became enormous and youthful.
In an instant, he had become a completely different person.
*Aah.*
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
When he opened his eyes after briefly closing them, they had turned blood red.
That crimson gaze briefly swept over the White Wolf Unit before fixing on Yeo Un-hwi.
"You'll regret making me take this form."
*Swoosh.*
With those words, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's figure vanished.
Everyone lost sight of him.
Then,
"Above! He's above!"
O Chae-mu shouted to Yeo Un-hwi.
Yeo Un-hwi looked up.
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon had suddenly appeared right above him, swinging his fist down.
Yeo Un-hwi barely managed to leap backwards.
*BOOM!*
With a massive explosion, the spot where Yeo Un-hwi had just been standing was deeply cratered.
A single punch had created an enormous hole in the ground.
It was truly terrifying power.
"My god..."
"How can this be..."
The White Wolf Unit members' faces turned pale at his overwhelming attack.
He was far too strong.
A single hit from an attack like that would surely reduce one's entire body to dust.
"There's no way he can win against something like that."
They had briefly held hope after witnessing Yeo Un-hwi's unexpected strength, but seeing the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's power plunged them back into despair.
No matter how exceptional Yeo Un-hwi was, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon was one of the Absolute Great Evils, a Great Demonic Master.
They had simply forgotten that fact for a moment.
Even being generous, it seemed impossible for Yeo Un-hwi to be a match for him.
Moreover, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon had clearly been holding back until now, as that last attack revealed.
But,
"Whew. Impressive."
For some reason, despite the situation taking such a dire turn, Yeo Un-hwi didn't look the least bit intimidated or troubled.
As if he had expected this level of power.
"It's useless to try and outsmart me. Your silver tongue and meager talents won't work on me anymore."
But the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon thought Yeo Un-hwi's calm demeanor was just an act to feign composure.
What could this brat possibly do against the overwhelming power he had just begun to unleash?
"I'll tear you to shreds as painfully as possible for daring to be so insolent before me! Hahaha!"
With those words, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's attacks continued.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Massive craters formed everywhere his fists struck.
*CRASH! CRASH!*
"Everyone fall back as far as you can! Hurry!"
The White Wolf Unit members frantically gathered their injured comrades and retreated with all their might.
One wrong move and they would lose their lives if caught up in this battle.
This was no mere human power. It was like a natural disaster.
A calamity beyond human ability to contend with.
It was power befitting the immense infamy of an Absolute Great Evil.
"Hahaha! You scurry around like a little rat!"
Perhaps it had been too long since he fully unleashed his power.
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon was becoming increasingly intoxicated with his own strength.
That's why he failed to notice something he normally would have realized immediately.
The fact that not a single one of his overwhelmingly destructive attacks had landed on Yeo Un-hwi. No, they hadn't even grazed him.
"Phew, this is something."
Yeo Un-hwi, who had been continuously evading attacks, sighed as he looked at the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon from a distance, his face flushed with excitement.
Then unexpectedly blunt words tumbled from his mouth.
"I'm not sure if I should call this absurd or just pathetic."
"What did you say?"
"I'm talking about you. This is your first time going all out and fighting with your life on the line, isn't it?"
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's head tilted at Yeo Un-hwi's words.
What nonsense was this madman spouting now?
He tried to ignore it, thinking Yeo Un-hwi was just running his mouth again, but he couldn't help being curious about what he meant.
"Why would you think that?"
"Because you're so clumsy."
"C-Clumsy? You dare say that after seeing my power...!"
"Yes. Your raw strength is incredible, but the way you use it and your fighting style are amateurish. You were actually better when using the Striking Kill Finger before unleashing your full power."
"Nonsense..."
"I'd wager you've never truly fought a worthy opponent. Even if you had the chance, you always ran away. Making all sorts of excuses. Then you went around killing weak, innocent people, convincing yourself you were strong. Am I right?"
"You insane bastard, you dare mock me to the end!"
Enraged, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon attacked Yeo Un-hwi with all his might.
As if intending to kill him in one blow.
*BOOM!*
But once again, his attack only struck air.
And then,
*WHAM!*
Yeo Un-hwi, after dodging the attack, spun his body in midair and struck the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's chin.
"Urgh!"
Caught off guard by the first hit he'd allowed, the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon staggered backwards.
Yeo Un-hwi smirked and shrugged.
"See? A few words from me and you lash out recklessly, leaving yourself wide open. Again."
"You think such a puny attack will work on me!"
"Tsk tsk."
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon tried to lunge at Yeo Un-hwi as if unaffected.
But then,
*Stagger.*
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon's body swayed heavily.
Then he collapsed to the ground.
He looked up at Yeo Un-hwi with disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"You're also terribly slow at assessing your own condition. Tsk tsk."
"You... You..."
"And here I thought I might actually get to warm up properly by taking down one big shot."
Yeo Un-hwi's cold gaze looked down at the fallen Extreme Evil Laughing Demon.
His eyes were filled with contempt.
"You're just a raving lunatic with more bark than bite."