Night Assassins.

It’s a place notorious in the Central Plains for being the most dangerous and brutal assassination squad among countless others that exist.

Moreover, it’s also famous for being a location that doesn’t belong to any faction at all in the politics of the realm.

The assassination squads of the Central Plains are like a tacit approval.

What does this mean, you ask?

It’s obvious that they are groups that take lives for payment, yet the Martial Alliance seems to turn a blind eye to their existence.

Even more so.

In the prestigious clans known as the Great Houses, it’s common knowledge that they raise assassins themselves and form such groups internally.

This is even seen among the pillars of the so-called Four Great Clans.

Taking the Sichuan Tang Gate, referred to as the rulers and champions of Sichuan, as an example.

The Tang Clan, which primarily dealt with poison and metal, was not considered a righteous faction centuries ago.

At the end of the Blood Calamity, when the Blood Demon had disappeared, those who recalled the accomplishments of the Tang Clan’s leader, Tang Je-mun, decided to bring the clan into the righteous faction fold.

With the encouragement of Yeon Ilcheon, who had established the Martial Alliance and taken the position of its leader, and also due to Tang Je-mun’s own willingness to do so, the Tang Clan began to operate as a righteous faction under the Martial Alliance, becoming a prestigious house referred to as one of the Four Great Clans.

However, it hasn’t been long since they abandoned their original characteristics.

Their martial arts specialized in torture and assassination, along with physical attributes honed over a long period, still leaves the Tang Clan with many sinister corners that make them far from being a truly righteous faction.

Even if they claim to have entirely turned to weapon production now, it’s widely rumored that their inner workings are still quite different than their outward appearance.

Could it be just rumors?

I know the truth.

I know exactly what the inner workings of the Tang Clan are like.

Anyway, it’s not just the Tang Clan that has such practices.

Nangong is one thing, and perhaps the Moyong Clan is too, but at least the Peng Family is definitely utilizing them as well.

The Huangbo Clan, which is a tier lower, surely does the same.

As for the Gu Clan, I have no knowledge of that.

I believe they aren’t involved, but I have to know something about that family’s affairs.

Even the Martial Alliance, the center of the righteous faction, applies assassination techniques.

The figure known as the King of Demons from the Night Assassins is treated like a divine being by them.

The king of killers.

A flawless existence that no one would dare to defy, even if called the ruler of the night.

That is the King of Demons (暗王).

‘Why is such a person here?’

It’s said that no one across the entire Central Plains knows the true identity of the King of Demons.

How old they are.

Whether they are male or female.

How tall they are, what they look like, and the sound of their voice.

Even the martial arts they use remain shrouded in mystery.

‘And yet, I know.’

It was unbelievable.

No, saying I know feels like an understatement.

I could hide everything—their gender, appearance, voice—if I wanted to.

As for what little is known about the King of Demons.

If we consider their activity period, it’s been dozens of years, so they must be no spring chicken.

That’s all I can deduce.

And now, the King of Demons isn’t just here.

The fact that they reached out to me through the Sword Demon was utterly unexpected.

Moreover….

‘That means that even the King of Demons was drawn into that moment.’

The martial artist known as the Black Dragon Sword, who underwent an incomprehensible transformation into a monster, was also the one who appeared and saved me that instant.

Did they come here for a specific purpose?

The moment I became aware of the King of Demons’ true identity, they spoke to me.

– I’ve seen your face; that’s enough. You can leave now.

Satisfied that I had recognized their identity, the King of Demons said this to me.

To which I responded.

– …You say I can go just because I’ve seen your face? Then why did you call me here?

Ah, what a crazy mouth I have.

My old nature took over, and my tongue acted recklessly.

I should have thought first before speaking, but why can’t I do that?

Only after I blurted it out did I realize my blunder.

How embarrassing. At the very least, I should prepare my words with caution knowing who I’m dealing with.

– …

The King of Demons looked at me with slightly widened eyes.

What should I say?

Just as I considered starting with an apology …

– Ha.

The King of Demons burst into laughter.

– You talk just like my grandfather.

– …Excuse me?

I reacted briefly upon hearing that.

Grandfather? There are only a few people they can be referring to with such words.

– …Do you know Elder Lee?

Elder Lee, most people who are linked with that old man usually utter such phrases.

So, does that mean the King of Demons is related to Elder Lee?

What in the world was he doing during his prime in the Central Plains for the old man to have such close ties with people like this…?

– Elder Lee? Who are you talking about?

– Huh? Isn’t it referring to Grandfather Gu Ryoon…?

– Gu Ryoon is not your grandfather.

– No, isn’t that how people usually refer to him…?

Wait…?

If the person the King of Demons thought I resembled isn’t Elder Lee…

– …If it’s not Elder Lee, then who are you saying I resemble?

In response to my question, the King of Demons appeared utterly bewildered.

– Naturally, I mean your grandfather; what were you thinking?

They referred to the former leader of the Gu Clan, who had died before I was even born.

‘That means…. the King of Demons has a knowing connection with my grandfather.’

Seeing how casually they mentioned it means they were contemporaries.

It’s true that Elder Lee is also from that time.

However, I’ve barely heard anything about my grandfather, so it was a fresh aspect.

My expression, which slightly changed, seemed amusing to the King of Demons.

With a slight smile, they spoke to me.

– I will visit you soon.

The statement that the King of Demons would come to see me sounded quite peculiar.

The king of assassins is going to come visit me, and I’m supposed to just wait for that?

The mere thought of it made my heart race…

Given the chaos that had already erupted, what else could possibly happen here?

Crack!

On this quiet night.

In the middle of the training grounds, which had cracked and settled here and there, I stretched my body alone.

Whoa!

Feeling a surge of will, my energy swiftly soared to the upper house.

The speed at which it rose was significant.

I felt vitality blooming in my exhausted body.

Technically speaking, I was forcing the fatigue away and artificially boosting my energy.

‘Definitely improved.’

The efficiency was remarkable.

What had developed upon reaching the Transformation Realm wasn’t just my senses.

With the upper house now open and usable, the efficiency of my martial arts utilization had maximized.

It was a realm I had reached in my previous life and a place where I had lingered the longest.

Of course, the amount of energy had increased.

And with less energy, I could achieve better efficiency.

Moreover, I was now capable of doing much more thanks to reaching the Transformation Realm.

When it came to Sword Mastery, I could levitate the sword detached from my hand in the air.

This is what they call Sword Control, but excluding the sect leader of Wudang, it was rare for anyone to use it.

Regardless of having reached the Transformation Realm, the efficiency is considerably atrocious, leading to that outcome.

The Transformation Realm is where that which was once impossible becomes achievable.

After reincarnating for several years, I had now reached a level that I needed demonic power to attain in my previous life.

‘Still incomplete.’

Though I had touched upon Transformation Realm ahead in the Demonic Gate, upon returning to this life, all I had accomplished was lost.

Hence, I fell short from what I had achieved back then.

The disparity between the attained realm and the current state was an issue.

But that wouldn’t pose too much of a problem.

‘This disparity was already present from the beginning.’

The immense void I felt after losing everything I had gained in my previous life was something I had already experienced.

So I didn’t view this as a problem.

What truly mattered was.

‘What should I do moving forward?’

Having reached the Transformation Realm.

It was a shocking matter to others, but.

‘Still insufficient.’

From my perspective, I remained far from adequate.

Recalling the Heavenly Demon only makes that feeling grow stronger.

The Heavenly Demon is a being of overwhelming power. My previous life’s memories already told me that, but experiencing it this time cemented that certainty further.

Right now, I cannot overcome the Heavenly Demon.

If the Heavenly Demon so wishes, I wouldn’t be able to last even a moment.

‘So what should I do?’

Everything feels elusive.

I don’t know much about the realms after Transformation.

Though it’s written in records, it’s uncertain how many have reached that level.

‘Did the Three Eminent Beings… ever reach it?’

They are the ones most likely to have reached their peak, but recalling that even they were ultimately killed by the Heavenly Demon makes me think:

At the very least, I must reach the level of the Divine Sword from my previous life.

It’s a real headache.

That isn’t something that can be accomplished easily.

Kuuuu.

While I pondered, I suddenly gathered the demonic power in my body.

I immediately felt my heart pounding rapidly as a hot energy surged within me.

As soon as I felt the demonic power wrap around my heart, I opened my eyes.

“…I still seem to be able to manage this.”

I couldn’t check my appearance, but certainly, my eyes must have been tinted purple.

Currently, I was in a state of Demonization.

I could feel that I’d grown much stronger without even needing to employ martial arts.

Confirming my body’s condition one by one was essential since I hadn’t properly assessed it after the battle ended.

Not just my physical state, but how it’s being applied within and my mental state needed examination.

‘My body seems strengthened, the energy is surprisingly calm, and my mind is clear.’

Moreover, perhaps the greatest gain from transforming into a demon was the fact that I could return to being human.

That certainly was a major concern, given all the regrets I had while bearing this form.

‘If there’s anything I’m anxious about…’

I promptly rolled up my arms.

There was the strange phenomenon I was experiencing there.

The rosy bandage wrapped around my left arm had turned black.

And on my otherwise empty right arm, inexplicable marks had formed.

‘What in the world is this?’

It wasn’t large; it measured only about two finger joints in size.

The issue is, its appearance was bizarre.

It looked almost like….

‘…Reptilian skin.’

The type one might expect from a lizard or python—something quite unsettling.

This was definitely a change that hadn’t been present in my previous life.

‘Why has this appeared?’

It seemed to have arisen from becoming a demon in this life.

But why did such a thing occur?

‘Do you know anything about this?’

I asked internally, of course directing it towards the beast.

I wondered if it might know something.

[Growl….]

Yet, it simply responded with an exhausted voice, indicating it didn’t know.

One more thing I learned from this was that whenever I entered demonization, for some unknown reason, the beast began to display signs of exhaustion.

[Groooowl….]

‘Alright. Just a little more examination.’

I found it odd that it was so desperate to be released.

Though I was worried about its whining, I still needed to see more.

Looking at the bandage on my left arm, I called out another name.

“Noya.”

[…]

Despite making an effort to call out, Noya remained utterly silent.

I had to ask about what this bandage was doing wrapped around my arm… yet Shin Noya didn’t seem to have any intention of waking up.

“Tsk…”

Unhappy, I clicked my tongue and released the demonization.

The heat that had boiled in my body subsided, leaving me somewhat heavier.

Moreover, I was feeling unexplainable pain around my lower Dantian and heart.

It wasn’t overwhelmingly intense but…. this implies.

‘It means I can’t keep using it.’

I figured I would need to spend more time observing how it’s being applied.

‘What remains….’

There was still much to observe.

But the most critical thought that surfaced first was,

“…Still not awake, huh?”

I recalled Wi Seol-Ah, who had gone unconscious.

Just thinking about her made saliva pool in my mouth without me realizing it.

It was due to the tension.

I had made a fuss even in front of the King of Demons, yet thinking of her made me involuntarily anxious.

‘What happened…?’

How did she end up here?

Had she also experienced reincarnation like me?

When? From the start?

That seemed improbable. If it were the case, she would have likely slit my throat before asking if I wanted to eat potatoes.

When was it?

I couldn’t decipher that, and I desperately wanted to know.

For now, all I have to do is wait for her to wake up, and that is the most irritating thing.

I looked up at the sky.

The pitch-black sky remained unchanged.

Of course, it’s dark because it’s night, but that sky seems troubling.

‘Why is it not disappearing?’

The Black Dragon Sword was currently subdued and imprisoned.

Most of their group had been captured.

Of course, there weren’t many survivors left.

More than half of them I had killed myself.

Apparently, the barriers mean no reinforcements are coming from the alliance…

“Do you understand how harsh this is?”

“…!”

I jumped at the sound that came from behind me while I was gazing at the sky.

I hadn’t felt anyone approaching at all.

“What? You didn’t come to see my face even once?”

I wondered how deep their thoughts must run; I hadn’t even noticed their approach.

“…Ah.”

Upon my short response, the beautiful woman who had come close furrowed her brows.

“Ah? You just said ‘Ah’?!”

“No, I was busy… I was about to come see you now.”

“That’s quite the excuse, isn’t it?”

The woman, seemingly furious, was Moyong Hi-ah.

Well, I hadn’t gone to see her.

‘I thought she’d manage just fine on her own.’

I had heard she was alive.

I heard she was uninjured, and when I heard she was rolling around with the physicians, I thought,

‘Her? What is that calculating girl doing there?’

Even though I found it impressive, the problem was that I hadn’t gone to check on her.

“…You really went too far.”

Seeing my response, Moyong Hi-ah put on a rueful expression, teary-eyed.

Oh no, she’s crying….

The cold and aloof Seolbong was now pouting in front of me.

It seems I did commit a crime after all.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“…I suppose not. You didn’t intentionally forget about me, did you? If you did, then you wouldn’t be human.”

“…”

“If you could, would you mind responding with something more meaningful?”

At her words, I almost blurted out.

“Sorry….”

“…”

Moyong Hi-ah, with her constant apologies, began to gnash her lips.

“…I was never like this.”

“Uh?”

“With my silly and trifling apologies almost melting away my feelings, I feel so trivial.”

“…”

“I came here intending to hurl curses at you…! And actually, I even came here because I wanted to see you first.”

“…Ah…”

“Don’t apologize. It’s annoying…”

“Right.”

It might be the first time since my reincarnation that I saw Moyong Hi-ah this angry.

I felt like I had seen her every moment in my prior life, but this felt refreshing in its own way.

“Are you smiling?”

“It’s dark; you must have misseen.”

“How could I possibly missee the face of the Gu Prince?”

“…”

“Ah, this is truly infuriating.”

She seemed displeased with what she had said and kept kicking the ground.

It looked like her reasoning and emotions were in conflict.

“…Ha, why am I even here for this.”

“Then you came to curse at me?”

“That’s part of it, but….”

Oh, right.

While Moyong Hi-ah was examining me from head to toe, she asked.

“…Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yeah.”

“…I see.”

Was that what she had been dying to ask?

“You?”

“Wow, you’re quick to ask about me. Can’t you tell by looking?”

“…”

Seemed like I answered incorrectly.

Seeing my stunned expression, Moyong Hi-ah sighed deeply.

“Why did I fall for such a foolish person…”

“Foolish…”

“You do understand, right? What’s going to happen moving forward?”

“…”

Moyong Hi-ah, by mentioning that, prompted my mouth to shut.

“I thought you would have anticipated it well before coming here.”

“…That thing?”

The thought that I might have made my reincarnation obvious made me flinch momentarily.

But that seemed to be a false alarm.

“That wasn’t mere anticipation; it’s a reality. Knowing the level of chaos that has unfolded means it’s a certainty.”

Only then did I understand vaguely what Moyong Hi-ah was alluding to.

“…If we manage to escape this intact, they will definitely plan something. This incident is that significant.”

“Hmm.”

“There will be a Righteous Faction Gathering. They will surely call for it.”

The Gu Sect and the Four Great Clans.

And the meeting of the influential clans of the Martial Alliance that affect them.

There’s been no such gathering for dozens of years, but the recent events might prompt one to convene.

“If that’s the case… my father will surely come too?”

“Certainly.”

Since the Moyong Clan is indeed one of the Four Great Clans, the head of the Moyong Clan, known as Baek Cheon-gyeomju, will also attend.

“Before that happens…”

Moyong Hi-ah gently grasped my sleeve and spoke.

What could she be trying to say with that sorrowful expression?

As such thoughts crossed my mind…

“Let’s run away.”

“Excuse me?”

The words Moyong Hi-ah blurted out left me momentarily dumbfounded.

“If we don’t, the prince will die…!”

What kind of nonsense was this?

 

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