Sword Demon vs. Number One of the Heretic Path.
Finally, a one-on-one.
Only after killing off the Heretic’s underlings did it co to pass. The rest of us pulled back to form a periter.
Frankly, interfering in the Sword Demon’s fight was inappropriate, both in terms of martial honor and due to his unusual techniques.
But a periter—yes, that we could do.
Surprisingly, it was an even match, so we stood with arms crossed, watching for a mont. Because the Number One of the Heretic Path hadn’t revealed his full strength yet, I found the fight disorienting. It was missing that usual intensity—almost sluggish.
‘What the hell are they doing?’
I glanced at the Lecher and the Drunk. Both gave puzzled looks and shrugged.
At that mont, the Number One of the Heretic Path got struck by the Sword Demon’s Radiant Blade and let out a scream, rolling across the ground.
“Aaaagh!”
Even the scream sounded like a pathetic old man from the neighborhood. Groaning on the ground, he started mumbling complaints.
I looked at the Sword Demon, who stood still without following up.
“...”
With a scowl, the Sword Demon stared at the groaning Heretic and then said to us,
“Back off even more.”
“Hm.”
We followed our big brother’s lead and stepped further back. The Sword Demon looked down at the disheveled Heretic.
“Heretic... enough of this.”
“Enough of what? What are you telling to stop?”
The Heretic raised his head and stared at the Sword Demon as he stood up. He had clearly taken a hit from the Radiant Blade, but showed no injuries at all.
The Sword Demon asked with a hard face,
“Do I look like a joke to you?”
The Heretic nodded.
“Kind of. But among the four of you, you seed the most competent. That’s why I chose a one-on-one. Co at .”
Despite the taunt, the Sword Demon didn’t move.
Now I narrowed my eyes at the Heretic.
So far, despite fighting the Sword Demon, the guy’s only damage was a few tears in his grey robes. No real injuries.
If this guy was truly soone powerful enough to fear the Three Calamities, then...
Well, maybe this situation made sense.
But why did he keep acting like such a dumbass?
Suddenly, the Heretic looked right at .
“...You, little brat of Haomun. I like you. If you agree to beco my disciple, I’ll let you live—limbs intact.”
I replied with a dry tone.
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. This isn’t just about skill. You’ve got talent. You’ve got the potential to face the Three Calamities soday. Right now, you’re still lacking—but I’ll teach you everything I know about the Heretical Path. What do you say?”
I nodded.
“But for so reason, I don’t wanna learn. Doesn’t matter how powerful or great you are, I just can’t see myself ever becoming your disciple. What do you make of that?”
The Heretic laughed.
“You’ll understand in ti.”
The Sword Demon planted the Radiant Blade in the ground and muttered in a low voice.
“Demonic Sword Soul Battleground.”
The battlefield that ford was on a different level than when we’d faced the Demonic Cult elders.
The Heretic’s face turned confused as he saw the black waves spread across the ground.
“Oh-ho?”
In that instant, I saw the Heretic’s eyes change to a deep gray. I watched carefully as he stared at the black spirit waves undulating across the ground, murmuring to himself in an incomprehensible tongue.
My eyes stayed wide open as the Heretic’s form seed to split into several illusions.
In a flash, the surging waves of the Demonic Sword Soul Battleground enclosed in a perfect circle, rose into the air, and ford a huge sphere that swallowed both the Sword Demon and the Heretic.
For a brief mont... silence.
Then the Heretic reappeared above the black sphere like a wavering mirage before solidifying fully.
“...!”
Even I was montarily speechless.
The Heretic looked down at us.
“See? The Sword Demon is sharp. Knowing he can’t beat as a re swordsman, he’s resorted to sword-demon techniques. I was waiting for that. You should never underestimate a Sword Demon. But I’ve known about the Demonic Sword Soul Battleground for a long ti. Curious how?”
I replied imdiately.
“Yeah. I’m curious. I hate not knowing shit.”
The Lecher asked with a serious face.
“How did you escape?”
The Heretic smirked.
“If it doesn’t touch you, it doesn’t trap you. Even demonic techniques can’t escape simple logic. And hey, I’ve been fighting your master all this ti—watch your damn mouth.”
He waved a hand. The Lecher crossed his arms to block the incoming beam of light.
BAAANG!
The Lecher flew off low across the ground, tumbling before fainting. First ti I’d ever seen him get taken out like that.
I turned to the Drunk.
“Watch out—”
But before I could finish, the Heretic launched the sa move and blasted him too. Still, the Drunk didn’t let go of his sword. He crashed to the ground and staggered, sitting down hard with a pale face.
The Heretic turned to .
“When given a chance to live, you should take it.”
“...”
“Right, Haomun Lord?”
I looked at the now-serious Heretic and replied,
“True enough. But how do you know about the Demonic Sword Soul Battleground? I’m really curious, could you share?”
The Heretic smiled.
“The battleground only ends when one of the two inside dies.”
“Hm.”
“There was once a master in the Heretic League who survived the battleground.”
“Ohhh.”
“So who do you think the Sword Demon is fighting right now? The illusion I created? The spirits trapped inside?”
“No clue.”
“The more cautious a person, the longer they wander in the dark. After dispelling the illusion, he’ll face the imprisoned spirits. They’re all the oppressed... and slaves always dream of rebellion.”
I offered a half-hearted martial salute.
“Learned sothing today. Makes sense the Demonic Cult wiped your lot out first.”
The Heretic leapt lightly off the sphere and approached .
“I heard that explosion of yours on the boat—BOOM!—loud as hell.”
“Hmph.”
He smiled coldly.
“What’d my face look like when I popped out of the boat? Was I panicked? Or just annoyed from being woken up mid-nap?”
I laughed.
“Oh, right. You didn’t look surprised at all.”
“Exactly. From that mont on, you should’ve been careful. Did playing along make seem like an equal to you?”
Now, the laughter had vanished from his face.
His voice and tone shifted completely—from a creepy snake to a solemn lunatic.
I gave a respectful nod to this rare breed of “dignified dumbass.”
“...You’re right. I’m sorry, senior.”
“Are you being sincere?”
“Yes. You seed so sloppy, I didn’t recognize your greatness. Though we’re enemies, respect between warriors is a code of Jianghu. I’ll be soone’s senior soday too.”
“That’s only if you survive.”
“Oh, I plan to live long enough to sar shit on a wall and call it a mural, just like you.”
“Watch your damn mouth.”
With his hands behind his back, he nodded toward the unconscious Lecher and the seated Drunk.
“If I spare those two, will you command them? As subordinates.”
“Of course.”
“Strange. I didn’t take you for soone so spineless. Then again, for every lie you tell, I’ll break one of their limbs. How about that?”
“Just being realistic. I didn’t expect you to hide your power this well. Truly, the King of Dongho, Supre Heretic, Commander of Clownish Bandits.”
The Heretic gave a withering look.
“You’re easy to read. Then again, a man needs so cowardice to grow. Like . You remind of my younger self.”
“...Shit.”
“What?”
“Ah, nothing. I’m just shallow by nature. Grew up as a brothel runner. Vulgar. Maybe that’s why I’m not popular.”
“That rumor was true, then?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Glad you think so.”
“I was a courier. You were a brothel boy. I’m not speaking lightly here. I want to know if you’re willing to learn the Heretical Path and face the Three Calamities.”
“If I learn it, will I be able to?”
“Absolutely. Heretical arts are additive. They’ll only make you stronger.”
“Such as...?”
The Heretic grinned.
“For starters, we’ll make your body invulnerable to blades. Think about it—your current skills plus that? Unstoppable.”
I had a vivid imagination, so naturally, I imagined this ending with him taking over my body.
“...Like that scaled armor the Flying Dagger wore?”
“Smart. How’d you kill him?”
“I slit his—”
I gestured across my neck.
The Heretic nodded.
“Well, he wasn’t a finished product. Honestly, I haven’t figured out all of Sword Demon’s weaknesses either. He’s partially rged with the demonic blade, reaching so level of invulnerability. A fair fight with him would drag on forever. That’s why I waited for the battleground. Got any bright ideas ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ on how to kill him? If we wait too long, the demon within will break free.”
He asked how to kill the Sword Demon.
After so thought, I said,
“Even if he’s invulnerable... he still has to breathe, right?”
“Correct.”
“Then we block every airway. There’s deep water near the shore—we shove him in.”
Honestly, not easy. Just blurting thoughts.
The Heretic pointed a finger at .
“You’re quite the strategist. Impressive.”
Suddenly, light shot from his finger toward my forehead. The sa beam that took out the Lecher and the Drunk.
I barely dodged it with a tilt of my head. My cheek burned. If it had hit directly, my skull would’ve been pulp.
The Heretic chuckled.
“Quick reflexes.”
“Almost died. Maybe just talk next ti, senior?”
“I was testing if you had the potential to be my disciple.”
“Keep testing, and you’ll lose your best candidate.”
The Heretic sighed.
“Exactly. Where would I find another young test subject like you... tch.”
With hands behind his back, he turned to inspect the battleground sphere.
“Sword Demon, when are you coming out? You should be done suppressing the rebellion by now. Co on out. I’m ready to punish you.”
Since his back was exposed, I instinctively raised my hands to prepare Sun and Moon Convergence.
Without turning, the Heretic said,
“One hand preparing extre yang, the other extre yin—are you hoping for a coback?”
“Think it’ll work?”
His neck twisted like a snake, eyes locking onto .
“Who knows? Try it.”
I ran my hands through my hair instead and stared at him.
“h... feels risky. Might get blasted mid-prep. Not really sothing you can toss out instantly—it needs to simr a bit.”
“That’s the weakness.”
He chuckled and moved to the sphere, striking it hard like so kind of beggar doing palm strikes.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!
“Hey! Sword Demon! Quit screwing around in there. Hahaha.”
He looked like a drunk pounding on a toilet door—but I knew he was deliberately torturing the Sword Demon trapped inside.
He continued.
“...Do I need to kill the other three idiots before you co out? Should I do that?”
I yawned and covered my mouth. All the fighting, the night watches... exhaustion was catching up.
The Heretic turned.
“You’re yawning right now?”
“I counted stars all night. A poetic soul, you wouldn’t understand. Asking you was dumb.”
He suddenly looked out toward the waves of Dongho.
“You’re waiting for Im Sobaek. Why isn’t he here yet? Trouble finding a boat? He better get a raft at least. I’m curious how much he can block from a raft.”
“Wow, even the Alliance Leader’s beneath you? Truly, you’re the Supre Heretic.”
He rubbed thumb and finger together and smiled.
“Want to know how to really break soone like him? Don’t give him so huge disaster. Just endless petty tornts. Kill a subordinate. Stir up bandits. Let pirates swarm. Burn villages. Take hostages. Run Black Fragrance. Even a hero like Im Sobaek will start losing sleep and go mad. That’s how you break him. Got it?”
“...”
I stared at him, then spoke to the Lecher.
“Wake up. He noticed.”
The Lecher slowly sat up.
“When did he notice?”
“Probably didn’t even care.”
“Old man’s a pain in the ass.”
Pretending to be unconscious, the Lecher stood up, clearly having been prepping an ambush. With a troubled look, he said,
“Not your average crazy bastard. That man was probably behind Noryang Green Forest League too.”
The Drunk also stood up expressionless from his cross-legged position.
The Lecher gazed seriously at the battleground.
“...Looks like the spirits aren’t recovering easily. Always warned about that.”
The Heretic looked down, then up.
“You three still want to die? Bit of a waste, honestly. I’d like to at least see you on your knees, begging.”
I replied dryly.
“Try dreaming about it.”
The Heretic looked at .
“Zaha... you think you can win? I don’t mind a one-ard disciple. Or one-eyed. I promise—you’ll lose sothing.”
Ti was running out, like a high-stakes match in Go.
I’d used too much polite speech. My patience was wearing thin.
Still unsure of my next move, I looked at him.
“...People need sleep. I’m too tired to think.”
“Then you’re out of options.”
With hands behind my back, I said to the Lecher and the Drunk,
“You two, fall back. Just like the old man said, I’ll fight him one-on-one. Don’t interfere. You’ll just get in the way.”
Knowing they weren’t the type to back down easily, I added firmly,
“I’m serious. Fall back.”
The Drunk nodded first.
“Understood.”
The two slowly retreated, still eyeing the Heretic.
The Heretic chuckled.
“This is an island—where are you gonna run?”
The Lecher smirked.
“You think we’re running? Shut your mouth and fight. Once he’s done, I’m next. This doesn’t end till we’re all dead.”
The Heretic took a step—and instantly took my place.
I retreated a step with Heavenly Step Technique and locked eyes with him.
“...”
We both confird we had similar speed. I was tired. My eyes felt heavy and dry. Bloodshot, maybe.
I said to the Heretic,
“Thanks for the lecture about Im Sobaek.”
“...”
“Why do you keep driving people insane? Why do you do it?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)