Chapter 728: Sword Demon.
The leader of the Gwichal Sword Corps, the killing force of the Cheonma Sect.
His realm is known to be above the Hwagyeong level, and if we were to assess his strength, it would rank at the “bottom tier of teenage masters.”
That’s approximately where he stands.
Though he didn’t possess overwhelming strength at the moment, the place where the true nature of the Sword Demon could be observed was on the battlefield.
The reason I gained notoriety wasn’t solely due to being a traitor to the righteous faction, but also because I specialized in mass murder.
Flames spread and constant bets surged forth.
As a force specialized in war, my infamy escalated in an instant the moment I appeared.
The same goes for the Sword Demon.
A swordsman without hesitation when it came to killing. He embodied the will to kill, turning everything around him into chaos. He was precisely the type of person suited for war.
Yes, the embodiment of killing intent.
That’s the very reason the Sword Demon earned such a moniker.
It was also evidence supporting the existence of the Thousand-Slayer status.
Though he himself had never named it, people in the Central Plains referred to it as Salgang.
Killing intent isn’t directly emitted through the danjeon.
It’s, quite literally, the emotion of wanting to kill the opponent.
That emotion, mixed with the aura of the unarmed, is what gets emitted.
Here, the intensity of killing intent depends on how strong that murderous desire is.
Of course, there may be variations based on one’s martial level.
But those are just supplementary aspects. That’s the essence of killing intent.
The Salgang used by the Sword Demon relates to this, possessing absurd characteristics.
“The Sword Demon enjoys killing and has a strong murderous intent, so his Salgang is likewise powerful.”
As the desire to kill never ceased, the Salgang remained unrelenting, and because he paid no heed to friends or foes, it made him an even harder opponent to contend with.
Then, a question arose here.
What if…
“Is a Sword Demon without this Salgang strong?”
After all, he was a martial artist at the Hwagyeong level.
He couldn’t possibly be weak, but was the reason he could reign as a strong man regardless of the realm simply because he possessed the Thousand-Slayer aura?
I thought that as well.
“First off, the very essence of the person is a bundle of talent.”
The Sword Demon of my previous life.
Upon encountering the reality of this life, I had to adjust my way of thinking a bit.
He was strong.
Not merely stronger than his peers, but he stood on a level that wasn’t overshadowed even by the geniuses known as the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.
But…
“Just about that much.”
If one were in pursuit of ultimate strength, it felt a tad disappointing.
He wasn’t vastly superior to others.
Just at the genius level.
“Calling him just a genius sounds funny.”
It was a bit dizzying that “genius” isn’t even a name for a dog and we just use it as an example.
It meant he wasn’t a monstrous talent like Namgung Bi-ah or Wi Seol-ah.
That translates to…
“If Seongyul wants to rise to a level comparable to the Sword Demon, he must use that Thousand-Slayer essence.”
Honestly, even if not that, it might be possible if he took a herbal elixir and trained for a few years.
“I don’t have time for that.”
There was a lack of manpower, and not enough time to train.
And why on earth would I feed that precious elixir to that guy?
Even if I did, it wouldn’t be him.
Then what should I do?
If I want to utilize Seongyul without extinguishing him, he needs to grow strong.
To make him stronger, I would have to awaken and utilize the Thousand-Slayer essence.
“That Thousand-Slayer essence…”
The Thousand-Slayer essence is a bizarre phenomenon said to occur once every century.
A being born to kill, who, until their own death, kills humans and ultimately ends up killing themselves.
How should I make use of this guy, who is considered a demon disguised as a human?
Can it even be used in the first place?
“Of course you can use it.”
Didn’t Cheonma do it? And not just anyone else?
The Sword Demon became one of the Demonic Beings, functioning as it is.
Though he dashed around like a madman, in the end, he followed Cheonma’s commands.
Much less, having trampled him down, he somewhat adhered to my words as well.
The sword master beneath him like the Demon Sword Lord or the Green King wouldn’t even amount to a piece of grass…
Looking at this, it seems to be evidence that you can control him if you make him one of the Demonic Beings.
“That’s precisely why I attempted to corrupt him.”
The moment I found him, I’d corrupt him and train him to grow.
That was the intended encounter.
“An unexpected twist has occurred.”
I hadn’t corrupted him yet.
Petty sympathy.
An unexpected sense of anticipation.
A damnable sense of empathy.
It was an event spawned from emotions of self-loathing.
Should I call it fortunate or not, the actual outcome wasn’t poor.
“Because he listened well.”
I’m not sure what thoughts led him to follow me, but he was certainly more useful than the others.
If I told him to grab a sword, he’d grab a sword.
If I told him to strike, he’d strike.
Though there was a hint of hesitation regarding killing,
He was still somewhat human at that time.
That made me hesitate.
So I asked myself.
“Well then.”
Would I just leave him be?
I questioned myself.
A decision was already called for.
This was a pivotal point I should have decided upon at any moment.
Perhaps it was a choice I should have made a bit sooner.
“Huh… Huh!”
The energy swells on the stage.
When I confirm with my inner eye, it appears much clearer.
Changes in space began to emerge, centered around Seongyul.
This occurrence resulted from the overly concentrated killing intent.
“Whoa.”
I can’t help but admire it.
I’ve seen this spectacle in my previous life, but this time feels different from then.
The emitted killing intent resembles potent spirit rather than mere killing intent.
“Huh… Huh!”
His eyes sparkled.
Vitality seeped into his yellow eyes.
A chilling feeling enveloped that scene.
Murder.
An earnest resolve to kill the opponent by any means.
Can such intent be so straightforward and distinct?
This change wasn’t only felt by me; reactions also emerged from the crowd.
“What, what’s happening? I’m feeling chills.”
“Suddenly feeling suffocated… .”
The ordinary people were reacting to the slight change in their physical state, as if swaying.
It’s still early for chills.
Yet, the sensation of killing intent was starting to creep in.
If the unremarkable members felt this way, how would the martial artists react?
Naturally, their responses were even more intense.
“…Shouldn’t we prevent that?”
“Such killing intent in a martial arts match…! What the heck is the referee doing?”
The killing intent was strong enough to freeze one’s body in place.
At least it wasn’t the type of killing intent one would expect from a righteous martial artist.
Especially, not in the context of a match.
I frowned as I observed Seongyul.
“A little push, and it turns out like this?”
Once the Thousand-Slayer essence was unleashed, its true value appeared instantly.
It was about to manifest.
I now realized how much he had been repressed.
He resembled a beast.
With his instincts entirely dominating, only primal drives remained.
“I’m going to kill you–.”
Crash—!
Alright.
Seongyul charged towards Peng Woo-jin, exuding murderous intent.
Bang—!
Sparks flew as blades collided.
“It’s gotten faster.”
The speed significantly surged.
Whether it was due to the absence of hesitation or a characteristic intrinsic to the Thousand-Slayer essence, I couldn’t tell.
“My muscles have changed too.”
Becoming tougher and stronger. Gradually adapting to handle the increased speed.
The killing intent permeated through his skin.
Boom—! Ka-boom—!
With every friction, waves erupted.
“My strength has also increased.”
Alongside the speed, strength soared as well.
If I pondered, I couldn’t determine whether that ascent stemmed from the Thousand-Slayer essence or from the original power being liberated.
The critical aspect is…
“Either way, I have broken free.”
Simply nudging him had caused this ease of transformation.
It marked the first time, in this lifetime, witnessing such a moment properly.
In cases of danger, I would typically knock them out to handle it, hence actually seeing Seongyul entrust his body to killing intent was a novelty.
To summarize my thoughts,
“Strong.”
Seongyul, having become the Thousand-Slayer, was undeniably potent.
At the top tier of his prowess.
Though he may not have breached the wall leading to Hwagyeong, he had liberated every potential within his physical form.
The dynamics of speed and the consequent enhancement of strength.
Everything was beyond imagination.
The killing intent swirling from all directions was unstoppably powerful.
Yet…
Crash—!!
It was just that the opponent was disadvantageous.
“That lunatic.”
With his black iron swinging, Peng Woo-jin shattered the killing intent effortlessly.
I broke into laughter, looking at him.
“What even is that?”
Seongyul was drawing out maximum power.
Pang Woo-jin faced such intensity without any concern.
“The limits have been surpassed long ago.”
The last time I glimpsed him on stage, Peng Woo-jin was already at his peak.
As time passed, he ascended to a higher realm.
He’s strong.
“I couldn’t quite reach his level. Even so…”
He could very well be stronger than Xinyun or Wi Seol-ah. The caliber exhibited by Peng Woo-jin was that formidable.
“…No, wait. To that extent…”
He might have even surpassed his father, King Tao.
Without properly showcasing his strength, of course.
Adding to that,
“That lunatic doesn’t seem to budge.”
His only thought was to kill the opponent.
Entrusting himself to that mentality, Seongyul continued moving forward, enduring minor injuries.
Instinct-driven actions, pure in nature, were more than enough to intimidate the opponent.
At most, this was just a spar.
Even though they weren’t engaged in a life-or-death struggle, Seongyul pressed on fiercely.
This was a sight that could instill terrifying thoughts.
But…
“That rascal is the same.”
Pang Woo-jin also displayed an unwavering commitment to match Seongyul’s fervor.
He laughed.
That insane kid was actually laughing. An obsession akin to the Thousand-Slayer essence. What on earth is that?
“Are you laughing amidst all this?”
What was so humorous?
Peng Woo-jin’s expression was full of joy, as if he was deeply moved.
Snap—!
Blood splattered.
The mix of murderous intent and fighting spirit made it hard to breathe just by looking.
It was already far past the point of mere sparring.
The referee was unable to intervene amidst the brutal atmosphere.
“This is something.”
Seeing them fight with such encouragement, perhaps Seongyul could win.
I hadn’t even entertained that thought.
“Impossible.”
This was an unwinnable duel.
The gap in their levels was substantial. It was impossible.
As a result, I turned to Pang Woo-jin instead.
I needed to verify something with Seongyul, so I asked him to endure for just ten techniques.
Please spare me a single devastating blow.
That was my request.
Pang Woo-jin accepted my request, albeit with a couple of conditions.
The terms were a bit annoying, but I was fine with it.
After all, he had accepted my request.
At that moment,
Thud—!
“Eek!”
“What about your neck!?”
I narrowed my gaze, startled by the commotion.
I had completely missed the moment because I was lost in thought.
Upon quickly checking, it seemed some disturbance had occurred.
“Ah.”
Observing the situation, I took a deep breath.
There was a wound on Pang Woo-jin’s neck.
The mark resembled a bite, and from afar, flesh was spat out by Seongyul.
“Did he bite his neck?”
Not even a dog, and he’s going for a bite?
Could there ever be anything more chaotic than this?
“What on earth was he doing to end up like that?”
Despite being bitten on the neck, Pang Woo-jin appeared to be enjoying it even more, grinning widely.
It had become rather terrifying now.
The tension was bubbling up.
Watching both of them fighting tooth and nail, the audience could only swallow dry gulps.
“…It’s time.”
I discerned it from their actions.
I thought I had seen enough.
Allowing things to go on like this could be dangerous.
Hooosh—!
Just as I considered it, the overwhelming energy began swirling on the battlefield.
It was an aura noticeably emanating from Pang Woo-jin, and I could instantly tell.
“He intends to end this.”
That guy planned on bringing this fight to a close.
Moreover, Seongyul seemed to have the same idea.
With burning eyes, he began concentrating the murderous aura he had been unleashing into one focused point.
I nodded in agreement.
Having observed up to this point, it was indeed time for a final verification.
Seongyul was gradually enveloped by energy.
I whispered to him.
[Stop.]
Sending a command through the power of words, I felt a shudder.
The essence of the Thousand-Slayer, or rather Seongyul’s body, visibly tensed up.
Okay.
“It’s working.”
Checking the state, I couldn’t help but smile.
The command was effective, despite the influence of the Thousand-Slayer essence.
Meaning, it could be controlled.
“Now, how far can it be taken?”
Now was the time to find that out. This fight was precisely the stage set for it.
Thump—!
I focused my heart.
The energy fluctuated, maintaining a steady flow.
Hissss…
As I slowly mixed my energy with the incoming breath, I looked at Seongyul, who was on the verge of going wild.
[Now.]
[Back off.]
“…What…!?”
The moment the words reached him, Seongyul’s body jerked violently.
Whooooosh—!!
In an instant, the killing aura cloaking him vanished.
As the energy supporting his form dissipated, Seongyul stumbled.
Thud—!
He collapsed to the ground powerless.
It was only Pang Woo-jin’s eyes that widened in shock at the unexpected turn of events.
“What? What happened?”
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“Why after fighting so well…?”
The audience seemed equally confused, erupting into questions, yet the result didn’t change.
“Habuk Pangga’s Pang Woo-jin wins!”
The referee, who hastily arrived, assessed Seongyul’s state and declared the victor.
Pang Woo-jin emerged victorious.
Wowww!
Then came the cheers.
It had been a rough and fierce match, yet it appeared everyone had enjoyed it.
Curiously, the actual victor, Pang Woo-jin, wore a strange expression.
“Wow.”
His eyes devoid of laughter.
His impassive black gaze held an unmistakable look of disdain.
He inserted the sword he held back into its sheath, casting a glance in my direction.
It seemed he had caught on that I had done something.
As expected.
What in the world is this?
Pang Woo-jin sent a message my way.
What do you mean?
I feigned ignorance.
Even if I am a former Confucius, this greatly unsettles me.
Of course, my evasion didn’t work.
Pang Woo-jin’s voice bore a weight that I hadn’t heard before.
He was the one who usually played odd tricks. This time, he sounded seriously displeased.
That was surely proof of how ticked off he was.
I didn’t do anything at all. Simply put, since you kept your promise, I’ll remember what you said.
…
There was no evidence.
Having left nothing behind, there was no concern of being found out.
He knew that, and thus, all he could do was glare at me.
Was it discontent over not finishing cleanly?
After locking gazes with Pang Woo-jin for what felt like several seconds,
Alright then, understood.
Pang Woo-jin wiped away that emotionless facade and adorned his face with a smile once again.
While I still carry regrets, since you are here, I’ll let it slide. But…
He wore a grin, though it was far from genuine.
It felt even more uncomfortable.
If we meet again here, I hope you grant me more pleasure than what the real Confucius offered.
…
Pleasure.
I had no idea what that implied.
But…
Yeah. I’ll do my best.
I daresay it wouldn’t be that challenging.
The fighting continued thereafter.
A fierce showdown occurred between Pang Woo-jin and Seong-yul just before.
There had been a slight wait time due to that, but it wasn’t a major issue.
At most, two contestants had resigned.
“I’m back!”
Dang So-yeol just returned from a match.
Waving at her, I remarked, “Good job.”
The outcome of her battle was a win for Dang So-yeol.
Her opponent’s realm barely surpassed the peak level, so there was no way Dang So-yeol would lose.
“Haha.”
Perhaps due to consecutive victories, Dang So-yeol grinned happily.
“What if I end up winning like this?”
“Then we’d have to celebrate.”
I said with a smirk.
“Celebrate? What about gifts?”
“What gifts?”
“…Um… that’s… well…”
Dang So-yeol, who had been talking, suddenly clammed up.
Then she shot a worried glance toward the side, where Bong-soon was located.
What’s this? Why is Bong-soon looking over here?
“What? Are you giving it to me too?”
“…Your Highness, Bong… No, Lady Pi isn’t an object.”
“It’s kind of similar.”
“Huh? Why am I included?”
As if she had understood I was talking about her, Bong-soon tilted her head in confusion.
Frustrated, I gave her a light smack on the head.
“Ow! Why the hit…?”
“I’m just irritated.”
“Well, since you’re all worked up, how about just a tiny bit more…?”
“Shut it.”
“Okay.”
Bong-soon quickly zipped her lips, and Dang So-yeol, watching this unfold, let out a soft sigh.
Seeing that, I chuckled and said, “Anyway, I’ll think about the gift.”
“Ultimately, you wouldn’t give me anything anyway.”
“Well, if you genuinely win, then who knows? It might be different.”
Who knows? Anything can happen in this world.
“So go ahead and win too.”
“Huh?”
I said, glancing at Bong-soon.
Seongyul remained collapsed, still unconscious.
That didn’t matter.
We checked what we needed to check, and there was no reason for Seongyul to climb any higher.
As for Bong-soon, it was a different story.
“I’d appreciate it if you could rise as high as possible.”
In Bong-soon’s case, the higher she ranked, the better it would be for her later.
It was imperative according to our plans as well.
“Oh… If I win, you’ll be happy?”
“Definitely.”
“Master, so you really want to pair up with me?”
“Now that I think about it, I suspect you don’t even need a tongue.”
“I’ll be quiet!”
She clamped her mouth shut with her fingers.
I genuinely thought about pulling out my tongue but managed to hold back.
“Stop rambling nonsense and make your preparations.”
“Okay!”
Though the spar might feel ambiguous, if someone wanted to kill, they could accomplish it.
That implied that their skills were comparatively even, and if Bong-soon performed well, she could potentially win.
“The Young Wind of Mount Hwa and the Pi Yon-Yeon of Seoan Piga, please prepare for the next match!”
Before long, the awaited announcement rang out.
“I’m off!”
Bong-soon, realizing it was her turn, stood up with her baton in hand.
I sighed, clearly exhausted.
“Come back victorious.”
“Alright! Got it!”
After saying that, Bong-soon strode forward with gusto.
Not much later…
“Oh! Leader!”
Bong-soon showed up, bruised all over, reporting to me.
“I lost! That guy was really strong!”
“…”
I had to cover my face after hearing her innocent proclamation.
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