Chapter: 444
The heat rising in the Great Hall makes me breathless.
No matter how much I tried to hide my presence by sealing it away, the intensity of the heat was suffocating, even for someone trained in Flame Arts.
I found myself wearing an absurd expression as the flames gradually encroached upon me.
Seriously, you really devoured a lot.
The sheer amount of energy contained in this heat is outrageous.
Experiencing this first-hand made me realize once again just how insane I was at that time.
It’s like forcing my way through a realm that would normally be unreachable due to insufficient enlightenment, all thanks to my overwhelming energy.
You probably can’t fathom just how bizarre and ridiculous this really is.
The proper way is to build a strong foundation from below and then ascend the tower step by step.
Energy behaves like a river that spreads out wildly around the tower.
But in this case, I—
‘I hoovered up all the energy to gain height.’
I basically raised the river to force myself upward.
Instead of constructing a tower to reach a destination, I simply elevated the water below.
How much energy would one need to channel for this?
It’s a staggering figure that’s hard to conceive now.
Even with the amount of energy I have currently, it’s still notably high. However, compared to my previous life, it’s a world apart.
‘No wonder it took so long for me to reincarnate and for my body to adapt.’
Struggling to use the martial arts I had been casually throwing around with relentless energy—doing so with just a pea-sized remnant felt like quite the hardship at first.
Of course, thanks to that struggle, I learned compression from Shin Noya, and after further training and some realizations, I daresay I handle non-action better now.
But in my previous life, I had enough energy to obliterate everything.
Regardless of what non-action was or how deep my realizations went.
An overwhelming force capable of shattering all barriers. That was the nature of the power I wielded by employing the Demonic Absorption technique to the extreme.
The energy that goes untamed spills out externally and manifests as a prominent presence.
With a broken spirit back then bolstering my aura, the visualized intent to kill practically radiated from me; it was no different from the return of an evil deity.
Looking at such a sight right before me, all I could do was curse.
‘Consuming energy you can’t even grasp! And you’re not even trying!’
Even with that much energy, he doesn’t even consider how to control it.
That means he’s neither thinking of it nor making any effort to manage it.
Thud, thud, thud.
As the Demon Emperor moved his hand, the sword demon, previously lodged in the wall, was forcibly pulled out.
Boom-!
With a casual swing, the Demon Emperor tossed the sword demon to the ground. The sword demon rolled a few times before finally stopping, gasping heavily.
At a glance, it was clear that the sword demon’s condition was anything but normal.
“Ugh… gasp…”
One look was enough to see that his energy was all tangled up.
The area that the Sword Demon had emanated had already been torn apart by the Demon Emperor’s presence.
It seemed he was taken by surprise while trying to strike.
‘What an incredibly foolish method.’
The speed difference was so substantial that it made sense he wouldn’t notice.
Yet, I knew how he overpowered the sword demon.
To others, it might have appeared to be a substantial martial effort.
But it wasn’t particularly complicated.
He simply ripped through the energy decisively and held him down with brute strength.
Barely any finesse.
That was how I handled issues back then.
Crack.
The Demon Emperor stepped closer to the sword demon.
“Sword.”
Flinch.
The sword demon flinched, his back quivering as if he had heard the voice.
It appeared he hadn’t completely lost consciousness.
“What are you doing right now?”
Grit.
“Ugh…!”
The Demon Emperor approached the sword demon and stepped down on his neck.
As he pressed down with force, the sword demon exhaled sharply.
“L-Lord….”
“How many times have I warned you? To not act recklessly in my presence.”
With chilling words accompanied by a surge of black flames that violently spread around him, the atmosphere shifted.
Whoosh, whoosh—!
“Guaaaak!?”
The rapidly advancing black flames seized the demonic humans observing from a distance.
Caught off-guard, they couldn’t react in time and began screaming as they burned to death.
Even amid such chaos, that kid’s focus remained solely on Geomma.
“Speak. Clearly, so I can understand.”
“… I-I did… wrong…”
“Is that all you have to say for your explanation?”
Thud—!
“Gah…!”
With the sword demon’s words, the presence of the Demon Emperor grew even stronger. The air thickened from the energy he exerted, causing blood to spurt from the sword demon’s mouth.
“It’s only out of mercy that I haven’t ripped out your worthless tongue. I didn’t rip off your arm because your swordsmanship was somewhat commendable. But…”
The Demon Emperor’s hand moved to grasp the sword demon’s left shoulder.
The sword demon held onto it, as if accepting his fate.
Crack—!
“Ghaaaaaah!”
With one brutal yank, the arm was extracted whole.
“…!”
The other demonic beings watching held their breath.
As the sword demon screamed in pain, the Demon Emperor ignited flames, incinerating the arm he had just torn off.
Ensuring it could never be reattached.
“I can’t begin to comprehend how you dare to engage in such foolishness with that blade. Is that right, Sword Demon?”
The Demon Emperor’s eyes, upon witnessing the trembling sword demon clutching at the place where his arm used to be, held a cold detachment identical to the initial moment.
Just like always, he looked down, utterly indifferent.
While everyone else was paralyzed in fear and gulping down dry salivas.
‘This is unbearable.’
I was the only one getting increasingly irritated by this situation.
My gaze was fixed not on the Demon Emperor, but on the sword demon.
‘He lost an arm.’
Considering Geomma was right-handed, it was a stroke of luck it was his left arm. Nevertheless, losing an arm would pose significant complications for his martial arts.
Given these developments….
‘… There’ll be issues when facing the Celestial King.’
Geomma was supposed to battle alongside the Demon Sword Master against the Celestial King.
Now, an anomaly had occurred.
‘And this is all because of me.’
The mere existence of my being has distorted the natural flow that was supposed to be there.
This situation shouldn’t have even existed in the first place. That’s just common sense.
‘What do I do?’
While I anticipated such turn of events, I never expected the reality to unfold this violently.
That brat actually went so far as to rip off an arm.
‘Is he insane?’
He must have figured it out.
Beyond reducing the Demon Cult’s combat power, having the Sword Demon was essential in this current circumstance.
Knowing that, he had intentionally kept that brat alive up until now.
‘So why the sudden change?’
Though I’m the ruler, I couldn’t grasp the reason that brat acted out in such a manner just now.
If I had found myself in this situation….
‘…Hmm.’
I subtly glanced over at the Demon Sword Master.
If I had witnessed Geomma genuinely drawing his sword in an attempt to slay the Demon Sword Master, and if this was indeed me at that moment.
‘I would have killed her.’
Given the circumstances, if I had the strength to do so, I wouldn’t have hesitated.
Yet, since this is the me of now, the scenario was completely different from who I was back then…
‘…’
I shot another look at the Demon Emperor, trying to make sense of the strange feelings swirling inside me.
That fellow bore no unique feelings towards the Demon Sword Master.
Just a tiresome madwoman. A goddamn bitch who can’t even decipher a single syntax correctly.
He likely thought of her as such.
‘Is that really the truth?’
I couldn’t be sure.
The moment when the Demon Sword Master died flickered back to my mind.
Was she genuinely nothing to me?
Then why was I—
‘So angry?’
It felt tremendously contradictory.
The unnamable ripples stemming from this difference churned my insides.
That was how the current situation appeared before me.
Having seized the sword demon by the arm, the Demon Emperor suddenly stood up and kicked him away.
“Cough!”
Kicked, the sword demon flew towards the surviving members of the Ghost Sword Corps.
“Get rid of him.”
With that short command, the minions hurriedly scrambled to gather the sword demon.
Upon seeing their actions, the Demon Emperor proceeded to stride over to the disheveled throne.
Whoosh-!
He invoked a burst of force from his body that scattered the debris around before sitting down upon the throne.
‘Why not just refrain from sitting down?’
Inwardly, I thought that without a second thought, but I decided to ignore it.
No, it’s not like I can simply stop thinking about it. But I should at least make an effort.
The throne area of the Great Hall had devolved into chaos. The Demon Emperor directed his gaze toward the Demon Sword Master.
His eyes, appearing somewhat weary, radiated intensity.
“Vice-captain… .”
Upon being addressed, the Demon Sword Master offered a slight nod.
“You behaved in a manner unbecoming of your title.”
“…”
“Have you truly lost your mind?”
“…I’m sorry….”
Hints of anger seeped into the Demon Emperor’s voice. He scrutinized the Demon Sword Master with irritation evident in his purple eyes as he continued speaking.
“Such misbehavior will not be overlooked from this point onward. If you stir up trouble again, you too will find your arm torn off just like the sword demon.”
“…”
At his warning, the Demon Sword Master nodded once more.
Watching the Demon Emperor in that light, I found myself uttering a quiet sigh of exhaustion.
‘He didn’t hint at killing her, did he?’
Could it be a result of changing perspectives?
In the past, I might have overlooked subtle movements and phrases that were now starkly apparent.
A guy who usually kills whoever gets in his way or is of no use at all without hesitation, was being oddly courteous by giving a warning.
Moreover, mentioning pulling out her arm currently hinted at leniency, implying that he might spare her life this time.
‘This is absurd.’
Hah.
I forced my expression to remain neutral, yet inside, a sense of hilarity bubbled up.
I couldn’t help but wonder why it took me this long to realize it.
‘It’s too late for that, anyway.’
It felt like a lament for my foolish self.
Even for me back then.
It seemed the existence of the Demon Sword Master had been far from insignificant. I just hadn’t recognized it at the time.
Even after my reincarnation, only now did it become clear.
‘What an idiot.’
That bastard in front of me would likely remain ignorant of this fact until his dying breath. He would end up lamenting his life, forever gazing at the life of one woman.
I’m not saying that life is wrong.
Because my own life this time wasn’t all that different.
One thing.
‘The approach won’t be the same as this.’
That would define my existence.
Thus, I needed to grasp what this world required of me. Additionally—
‘With the sword demon in such condition… What now?’
Things began to unravel from the previous life I was familiar with.
This incident might have caused a significant deviation in the narrative, so I needed to contemplate it even more carefully.
With that in mind, I attempted to keep a close watch on the situation.
“I report.”
I had no idea.
Damn, there’s something I wish I had known existed.
The distortions hadn’t stemmed from this event.
In fact, they had started the moment I dropped into this world.
Immediately following the not-so-resolved situation.
Muk-kwon appeared, knelt before the Demon Emperor, and stated:
“Reports indicate that the forces of the Murim Alliance are gathering in the border area leading to Sichuan.”
“The Murim Alliance?”
“Yes. And there…”
The narrative of this world revealed:
“It has been reported that the Small Sword Sect has also been detected.”
Things had already begun to twist.
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