전생검신 93권 20화

Demon Mask!

So the legendary talent of the Sword Demon—that’s the talent that Yeodong-bin was born with! As far as I know, only Yeodong-bin and Miyamoto Musashi were blessed with this Demon Mask talent, and both went on to be great swordsmen etched in history. Their natural prowess was so remarkable that calling them simply “geniuses” didn’t even cut it.

And here I was, concluding that the Heart Demon, who claimed to be all about talent, was simply known as the Demon Mask, which was actually the talent of Yeodong-bin.

The Demon Mask retorted in a rather whimsical tone.

[Call me whatever you want; it doesn’t matter. Now that I’ve become a vessel of the mind, what remains is how you will wield this vessel.]

“…What are you talking about?”

[I am neither a predetermined being nor am I bound by a set mind… Instead, I can change according to the life and abilities of the one who wields me… Originally, I had no sense of self, but as Yeodong-bin grew, I acquired a will as well…]

“…”

Then suddenly, the Demon Mask spoke in a chilling voice.

[If you can’t handle it properly… it will become toxic!]

“…!”

What does that mean? I couldn’t fully fathom the Demon Mask’s words, but the intent behind them struck a chord. There had to be a cost to handling a talent as immense as that. I smiled confidently and said to the Demon Mask,

“Don’t worry! With my recovery, taking down a great dragon like that is no problem at all!”

[… Be cautious.]

The voice of the Demon Mask began to grow faint.

[My instincts warn me… that a calamity is ahead…]

Calamity, huh…?

‘So does that mean the dragon is tougher than I thought?’

One way or another, I couldn’t avoid fighting, nor could I run away.

‘Still, I’ll fight!’

I’ve learned too much from experiences where it made no sense to panic; it’s better to stand firm and confront the challenge. I glanced at the Ethereal Sword in my hand, summoned through my intent.

The sword of intent held aloft by the arm of will.

It could be said that it was composed entirely of intangible phantoms, but its powerful and solid weaving made such thoughts feel absurd. Strangely enough, although I sensed a dissonance in this combination, I also felt that this very dissonance would allow me to flexibly unfold my swordplay.

‘…No. This isn’t the intuition of a reborn person.’

This felt fundamentally different from my usual instincts as a reborn. A reborn’s gut feelings lacked reasoning, pure intuition that said, ‘this should work,’ and somehow, they often hit the mark. In contrast, the sensation I felt now was more about my sense as a martial artist.

While I couldn’t explain it in terms of math or logic, I understood well why it activated in the realm of martial arts. Yet, that ‘knowledge’ moved in a fleeting instant within the realm of the unconscious, leaving me unable to clarify the causality or explain it to others.

Smash

I decided to test things out by casting the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique. The blade’s path left behind a Thunder Shadow, and I felt an explosion of countless variations arising in my mind in an instant. Each possibility blended seamlessly within me, presenting the weaknesses of the technique and its potential developments without a hitch.

“…!”

There it was again.

Once more, I felt that maddening clarity wash over me.

This was a fundamentally different perspective than simply mastering the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique thousands of times; it was a paradigm shift! Compared to the dim sense of stumbling through a dark cave relying on weak light, it was a world apart. If I could walk this [path], what could possibly stand in my way?

Indeed, I had known this from hundreds of years of practice, but if I possessed this “vision,” I could immediately figure out the weaknesses in the Fahe Technique at just a glance and execute advanced sword techniques flawlessly.

Feeling this sensation anew, I confidently reassured myself.

‘This is…’

For some reason, I felt a surge of indignation and clenched my fist.

‘This is…! The world that true geniuses see?!’

There’s no way I could win.

It was only natural that I couldn’t win.

The stuff those who are attuned to such perceptions build up in the realm of martial arts is beyond anything I could imagine. Looking at the extreme talent of the Demon Mask made me painfully aware of just how trivial my own abilities were. My talent was utterly insignificant in comparison to what I had perceived.

For genuine geniuses, the so-called stages of inferior, top-tier, peak, peak-expert, and absolute realm meant nothing from the start. While others stumble around unaware of the nearby level, struggling through trial and error, those who reached the Demon Mask’s level had known from the very moment they touched martial arts what the peak was and how and why they should strive for it.

Even so, they needed the gradual progress of training, but it wasn’t about realizing the unknown. It was merely a matter of choosing how to reach that final stage.

And in that moment, I was hit with a dreadful thought.

‘…Then, are we the same?’

The Divine Realm I reached and the Divine Realm those with supreme martial artist talent attained… were they truly the same?

As I pondered this question for the first time, I felt an unknown darkness swirling in my heart. Despite my mind logically concluding that since the principles of the Divine Realm were the same, the difference in talent wouldn’t affect the outcome, a feeling of unease began to taint my heart.

Gulp

“…Ugh.”

As I became unsettled, I suddenly felt the internal injuries from before flaring up like molten lava, rising to my throat. I struggled to keep from spewing blood, avoiding a Way of the Walking Fire entering Demon moment, but the demonic energy surged through me, making it much easier for changes in my body to incite turmoil in my mind.

Ironically, even getting hurt fueled my fighting spirit.

‘So it begins now.’

Wounds of the heart and anguish.

While these could result in internal injuries and entering the Walking Fire state, I felt they would spur an insatiable desire to advance to a higher level, laying the groundwork for me to ascend further into the Divine Realm. My previous laid-back assumption that the Thunder God Sword Name alone would suffice vanished, and instead, a sense of urgency bubbled up that something beyond the Thunder God Sword Name would be needed.

Kaboom!

Just then, as I was tending to my injuries, it seemed I finally reached the dragon, having flown using the Sword Flying Technique. The Four Great Spirit Deities engaged the dragon in a fierce battle, relentlessly attacking it while thunderous sounds reverberated.

[Growl!]

“Watch out!”

Kwah!

Seemingly furious after being hit by the Four Great Spirit Deities, the dragon let out an explosive roar, unleashing immense fire crystals that began to fall. Each crystal seemed to be over ten li in size, radiating a power greater than future nuclear weapons, and as hundreds fell, even the holders of the Four Great Spirit Deities found it challenging to evade.

‘Varuna’s barrier already spent its energy! I’ll block it before we all get wiped out!’

The moment my mind reached the Ethereal Sword—my Middle Dantian reacted at breakneck speed, and the Ultra Fast Sword Technique unfurled.

Heavenly Ruin Destruction of Ancestors!

Nine Heavens One Qi Shadow Martial Emperor Sword!

Nine razor lines pierced through the void, infused with the aura of Sword Thunder, cutting through the body of the Dragon of the Apocalypse like graceful calligraphy. The speed of the sword was so incredible that the dragon didn’t even realize it had been injured, continuing to soar through the sky. The slashing tore through its scales, sending a rain of blood swirling in the air.

Kwah!

As the dragon suffered a significant hit, the previously powerful fire crystals suddenly lost their strength and disintegrated. It seemed the powerful technique required the dragon’s focus for its strength to manifest.

Having cut the dragon, I momentarily overcame a crisis, but I was left bewildered.

‘Huh?!’

What exactly was that sword stroke?

I’d never learned this fighting technique in my past life!

‘But I know this swordplay exceptionally well… Aah!’

At that moment, a flood of related memories crashed into my mind.

The legendary gambler and Sword Emperor, who had never lost a match in his lifetime and hailed from Dunhuang, was none other than the demonic martial master, Beolri-so!

At a staggering age of one hundred seventy, he possessed five times the internal power of Yeodong-bin, who had merely just emerged from the world of martial arts and trained in demonic arts for years. I saw memories of his confrontation with Beolri-so, who led countless murderous sword demons to invade the Central Plains.

Back then, when Yeodong-bin was only twenty and still at an inferior level, he had no chance of winning against such a formidable opponent. However, he managed to take advantage of a gap created by his companions to have a one-on-one opportunity and, after a fierce battle, succeeded in striking Beolri-so down by the narrowest of margins.

Cling—

The exhilaration and profound tension Yeodong-bin felt in that life-and-death struggle with Beolri-so surged through the Ethereal Sword! Even though I had not been the one fighting Beolri-so, my entire body was electrified with the intensity of being there on the scene.

‘Whoa! This is!’

Why do I feel as if I’ve become part of that duel?!

This was a sensation I had never experienced when merely inheriting memories through obsidian!

In the midst of my astonishment, a voice echoed in my mind from the Ethereal Sword.

[Yeodong-bin never dared to imitate the techniques of Beolri-so, whom he regarded as evil wickedness, but because I embody pure talent, I unconsciously retained and stored Beolri-so’s skill within me… ]

“Could it be…?”

Anger began to seep into the voice.

[All this time… I wished for the world to be drenched in blood through the memories of the wicked path that Yeodong-bin rejected, yet that fool chose to become a Sword Saint and denied me the chance…!]

“…”

[If only you had chosen me… if you had embraced your talent… you would have ascended far quicker and easily wiped out creatures like this little dragon!]

In the next instant, an immense killing intent surged from the Ethereal Sword towards me.

Shoooom!

A vivid crimson hue and the scent of blood began to fill my mental realm. Like a blood tide, echoes of screams could be heard, suggesting the intentions of the Demon Mask, desperate to obliterate all things in sight. It suddenly hit me why Yeodong-bin had sought to suppress the Demon Mask’s talent at all costs.

‘If things went awry, Yeodong-bin could have turned into a Sword Demon even greater than Miyamoto Musashi and caused a killing catastrophe.’

The moment I experienced that killing intent and memory, I finally realized why the Demon Mask was cooperating with me.

I then spoke softly.

“Are you… hoping I’d get intoxicated by your talent and walk the path of the Sword Demon?”

That had to be it.

That sinister entity, the Demon Mask, had a strong desire to dye the world in blood and was hoping I’d join him in that wish.

[… I told you before, the choice is yours… ]

“…”

[I have already realized you have no talent in martial arts… You are the most talentless person I’ve ever seen… even a simple peasant would possess more ability than you.]

“What? You little brat, do you want to take a beating?!”

I snapped as fury flooded over me, and the Demon Mask flinched in surprise.

[It was just an example… If someone like you acquires the talent I offer… you could easily seize the world in your hands.]

“Hmm…”

In that moment, I found myself tempted by his words.

This unparalleled martial resource I currently felt! If I could gain this fearsome talent that was beyond my wildest dreams, I could easily remove the obstacles blocking me from the Divine Realm and ascend to even greater heights. Thinking that I could ascend to the level of the Sword God seemed plausible with this talent!

The Demon Mask’s voice became sultry as if further tempting me.

[We both get what we desire… After all, if you are truly a reborn, your hands will be stained with blood countless times in the future… So why not just slay only the wicked instead? And in return, you’ll gain one of the greatest talents in human history… ]

“…”

[So… what do you say…?]

In that moment, I saw a lance appear before me.

[Do you accept the offer of the Demon Mask?]

“…!”

The instant I laid eyes on it, I realized that Al Karda was presenting me with a serious challenge.

‘So this is it!’

Taking down the dragon shouldn’t be a big deal for me.

But whether or not to gain the vast talent of the Demon Mask was a colossal temptation—

This very challenge could be part of the trial being laid before me.

It felt as if Al Karda was giving me a test worthy of a [score].

‘Uhh… this is tough…’

Whether to accept or reject it—clear answers eluded me. After all, this wasn’t a proposition aimed at increasing unfounded powers like sorcery or divine power; it was a choice to enhance my inherent talent in martial arts.

‘Could it really be considered a “bad thing” to accept the Demon Mask’s offer for its talent?’

The fact that talent itself has no morality was clearly evidenced by Yeodong-bin and Miyamoto Musashi. They both possessed the same Demon Mask talent, yet Yeodong-bin became a Sword Saint while Musashi became a notorious evil figure—signifying that talent can be controlled by human will.

So if I could master the Sword Demon talent with my will, couldn’t I achieve my desires without trouble?

At that moment of contemplation…

[Chi-you! Help me…!]

The dragon roared, sounding almost perplexed as if it believed it was pinned down. Its greatest advantage lay in its massive size, and now that size was significantly reduced, it could no longer annihilate the ground. Moreover, with the Dharma Guardian and master present, as well as myself, the dragon had no choice but to struggle.

Then, I heard a voice like Chi-you’s echoing throughout the hall.

[What a pitiful sight… But it would be better not to execute this plan if it means abusing the Law of Cause and Effect any further… ]

[Ch-Chi-you!]

[Let this plan go… ]

Just as Chi-you was about to speak, there was a brief moment of silence before he added,

[… Oh? How amusing… ]

Rumble

In that moment, I felt an unknown gaze resting on me. It hit me that Chi-you was using divine power from another dimension to spy on me, which sent chills down my spine. Chi-you had been watching me, sporting a bright, white smile.

[For some reason… even Yeodong-bin doesn’t abide by regular causality… The Emperor’s inquiries revealed that the laws of the Heavenly Realm were also being violated, so… I will also dispatch my subordinates!]

Swish

Swish!

As those words ended, several magic circles emerged from the void, slowly summoning beings imbued with overwhelming magic. There were four in total, and though their forms were not fully revealed, I instinctively sensed they were all Demon King level threats.

“…!”

Oh no!

Count Lee Gun-ak exclaimed in shock.

“Wh-What are those beings? That magic circle holds incredible magical power…”

“… Fortunately, it looks like not all of them made it here.”

“Do you know who is being summoned?”

“Prepare yourselves.”

I tightened my grip on my sword and stated,

“It seems that four of the Demon Kings from Master Chi-you will be summoned.”

Saying this, I felt persistent irritation creeping up on me.

‘Al Karda! Why are you getting in my way like this—?!’

I realized this was Al Karda’s will mixed in with the events—it made perfect sense now that the Emperor interpreted my state as a violation of causality because my soul was currently in Yeodong-bin’s body, and Al Karda appeared to permit it and even seemed to have guided it. Therefore, due to this series of events, Chi-you was able to summon four Demon Kings, something he couldn’t do in the original history.

And in the midst of all this, the Demon Mask’s voice resonated in my mind.

[… Well, things are getting dire… Even if I lend you my talent… if you don’t fully integrate with me, it will be difficult to defeat such powerful foes… But if you accept me completely… your martial arts realm will likely reach an entirely different dimension… ]

“…”

[There’s nothing to lose… it’s a simple notion… Accept me… and you too could become a genius in martial arts!]

“…!”

At that moment, the Demon Mask’s voice drove me to the most intense temptation since I began this reincarnation scenario.

And I found myself unconsciously saying,

“Okay…”

But in that instant…

A thought dashed through my head, and I closed my mouth.

I then said softly,

“No. I reject it.”