Chapter 825
Chapter 7: The Clash at the Star Dragon’s Lodging
Bam! Boom!
The Star Dragon’s Lodging set within the branch, with a training ground inside it.
There, rough sounds echoed loudly.
Swoosh! At the noise, I tilted my head. The sword tip grazed my cheek.
Taking a step forward, I bent my upper body. Another sword passed right where I had just been.
I extended my fist and struck the air. As if waiting, a Strong Energy flew in and shattered against my fist.
In this brief moment, countless attacks surged in. My body kept moving without pause.
Rolling my eyes, I lightly heightened my Qi Perception. Suddenly, I felt the rush of energy from all directions.
Twisting my waist slightly, I wrapped my arms in Qi.
‘Let’s take down one.’
I shifted my gaze, targeting not the nearest opponent but the farthest one.
I applied a bit of power to my legs, increasing my speed.
“…!”
In an instant, I reached my target’s front, and they looked momentarily stunned.
“Ugh!”
Quickly, they adjusted their grip on the sword and changed their stance. It seemed they were planning to switch from an offensive to a defensive posture.
Seeing that, a smirk appeared on my lips.
A good strategy.
They were avoiding unnecessary strength contests, trying to minimize damage.
But…
‘Their defensive method seems lacking in skill.’
It looked like they had focused their training solely on offense. Their stance was sloppy. No, it wasn’t even at the level of being sloppy.
‘At least, that’s how it appeared to me.’
That’s how it looked when I considered them an ‘enemy.’
Boom!
“Cough!?”
My extended fist dove right into their solar plexus.
Hitting was easy. As I said, their posture was insufficient for the realm, full of gaps.
The energy I radiated shattered through their energy barrier, landing a direct hit.
“Cough…!”
The one I struck, wielding the Heated Strikes Sword, fell to the ground, retching.
Their pale face worried me, but this wasn’t the time to care, so I turned my back.
An attack had already arrived from behind.
This time, it was a fist. An enormous one, at that.
The power wrapped around it was significantly compressed. Blocking it recklessly would surely hurt a bit.
Should I evade? Or should I counter? The thought was fleeting.
Bam!
My relatively tiny fist collided with the large one.
When our energies clashed, a tremendous shockwave spread.
However, the one who took the damage was only the opponent.
The man who charged in with his fist grasped his arm, pulling back. In contrast, I remained unscathed.
Noting that, I said, “You really focused on just one spot. You should’ve predicted my counter.”
Sure, their energy amount was much higher, but that was precisely why things turned out this way.
The massive amount concentrated on their fist’s surface.
With that, just adjusting slightly could injure their wrist.
An attack that didn’t consider durability.
“Ugh!”
The man took the counter and briefly panicked but readied himself for a leap to regain distance.
That was also a decent plan.
The issue was…
Swoosh!
“…!”
I had already predicted that and had stepped on their foot.
With their lower body trapped, their movements were hindered. I sensed the confusion in them.
It seemed they were trying to force their foot free while raising their energy, but I was already swinging my other leg while keeping my foot firmly pressed down.
My speeding calf struck their side. Simultaneously, I released their foot.
Then…
“Ugh—!”
Boom—!!
Before their scream finished, they crashed against the wall.
“Two down.”
As I murmured that, energy surged from both sides.
Two flashes of energy pierced toward me.
They took advantage of my focus on combat and exploited my blind spots. A clever tactic.
Their positioning was excellent.
There was no way to evade either up or down. It was proof they coordinated well.
At the start, everything was chaotic, but after a few exchanges, it seemed to be aligning.
So…
‘How should I deal with this?’
Should I let them hit me a bit? Or respond differently? Letting them hit me didn’t seem too bad.
At this level, it could be a passing mark. Acknowledging their efforts felt appropriate.
Flame Burst!
“Whoa!”
“This is—!!”
That didn’t fit my temperament.
Flames erupted across my body in an instant. The charging opponents flinched and adapted their movements.
Since they were already rushing in, they couldn’t pull back now; they had to brace for impact.
Thus, I immediately harnessed my energy to strengthen my protective barrier.
They didn’t seem to plan on stopping their attack. It looked like they intended to press deeper despite the flames.
Brave, indeed.
I decided to give them some extra points for that.
Fwoosh—!!
Flames shot by. Those who steadied themselves met the fire head-on.
Then…
“What?”
“What is… this?”
Everyone’s eyes widened at the strange sensation. They’d clearly fortified their resolve.
Despite bracing against the flames, they fought back. That must have been their choice.
But it unfolded differently than they expected.
The flames shot out, strangely enough, not a bit hot.
Naturally, it made sense. It was merely a ruse to obscure their vision.
If I wanted, I could have unleashed them ferociously, but I didn’t.
What I had aimed for was to create confusion through a distraction.
The plan was a success.
Shudder.
A tiny gap appeared.
I didn’t miss that.
Bam!
“Guck!?”
I took down the nearest one first. My intention was to strike their wrist and disarm them, but…
‘Oh.’
The shock only caused the sword tip to drop slightly. They didn’t drop it. Their reaction was impressive, even though I hadn’t held back.
I liked it.
‘What was their name again?’
Wasn’t it Seong Hyeok-jin? They had decent performance in the sparring stage and were around during the White Grade Demon Beast incident.
“Guh!”
Returning my thoughts, I kneed their chin. They staggered and fell, possibly hitting their jaw right on.
‘Three down.’
While counting, I flicked my fingertips.
Tick! My index and middle finger rubbed together, sparking a flame.
The small spark quickly grew.
Thicker. Harder.
Yet, it wouldn’t be overwhelmingly strong.
If I were to compare strength…
Right.
‘Just enough to block a sword once.’
Creak—!
“Ugh!”
The one who had been cutting through the flames scrunched their face. Though successfully cut, the speed felt oddly sluggish.
It seemed like they needed to strengthen their strikes to cut through.
“What kind of flame is this…?”
What should have been just a flame felt so heavy.
They bit their lip in panic.
Yet they failed to realize.
“Too late.”
“…Hup!!”
I grabbed their collar.
I could’ve struck their chin or solar plexus, but I needed that collar. I tossed them backward.
“Gah!?”
Despite the sudden throw, they quickly prepared to roll.
One, but their intent was thwarted.
Boom!
“Gah!?”
“Ugh!”
The thrown individual collided with the fallen Heated Strikes Sword and toppled.
Witnessing the situation, the remaining ones attempted to rush in to manage things.
And thus…
“Guh… Ugh.”
“Cough… cough.”
The sparring came to an end.
Those who had been fighting were now panting on the ground, and I stood at the center, looking down at them.
“Hmm.”
I nodded at their painful groans, assessing them.
‘Pass.’
Not bad. No, it was good. It matched far better than I had anticipated.
At this rate, I felt we could make more of this.
The problem was…
“Ughhh…”
“Damn it… I can’t believe there’s this much difference.”
The fallen ones’ expressions weren’t good. I thought I’d held back adequately, but had I been too overwhelming?
Even after trying to control it, their pride was utterly shattered by this extent. I felt a twinge of regret.
‘Hmm.’
Should I offer some compliments? But in their current state, it felt like it wouldn’t help much.
Should I instead curse them? Like asking how they ended up like this after so little effort.
‘Yeah, that’s better.’
Compliments? Not a chance. If I were to speak, it’d be more cutthroat. Just as I pondered spitting those words,
“Prince—! That was amazing!”
“…!”
A melodious voice caused all the fallen to turn their heads immediately.
Over there at the entrance of the training grounds stood the enchanting beauty, Yeonhong, cheering me on.
“…”
As I confirmed that, my expression swiftly soured.
“S-so, Young Lady…”
“You were being watched by the Young Lady…!”
“It was so cool! Great job, everyone—!”
“…Ugh…”
In a consoling manner, she smiled, and the faces of the men lit up with vitality.
Just from that?
‘…Hell no.’
I had no words left. Especially being aware of Yeonhong’s true nature, it was indeed disheartening.
‘How can she act like that?’
That stoic and undisturbed figure was none other than the King of Demons.
Yet, can a person change so much just by dressing up?
The sight was baffling. Particularly her voice, not to mention that seductive tone and mannerisms were utterly disorienting.
“Thank you for your hard work…!”
“N-no. It was just part of the training.”
“Indeed. As martial artists, we must put effort into training. We cannot lose our spirit even in defeat.”
“Great Lord… you truly worked hard. Now, let’s head to the next training session. Surely, you’re not tired?”
“Of course! Tired? Never!”
“…”
With an eagerness to show off more to Yeonhong, they left, while I had to stare on with a face full of disdain.
‘What a load of nonsense.’
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.
What a ridiculous sight this was. But in the end, it was beneficial, so I had nothing to say.
‘Was that what it meant to manage them easily? Was that the intention?’
The King of Demons’ words resurfaced in my mind. If that truly was the intent, did he foresee even this kind of situation?
If that were so, it would genuinely be a fearsome individual.
Moreover…
‘Transforming into someone so different, I never realized their identity all this time.’
I began to understand why the King of Demons’ true identity remained concealed until now.
In a world where even changing gender for disguise achieved such perfection, who would dare suspect?
From Yeonhong now, there wasn’t even a hint of the sense of a man, nor a shadow of the King of Demons.
At that moment, Yeonhong and I locked eyes. As soon as our gazes met, she flashed a smile so radiant it made my heart skip a beat.
I hurriedly averted my eyes and addressed those who, just like the earlier ones, were staring at Yeonhong with keen interest.
“Alright, next.”
As I called out, a few flinched.
After hesitating and not stepping forward, I shot them a glare.
“Not stepping up? We’re running out of time, so hurry….”
Just as I was about to hasten them, a voice echoed in my ear.
—Great Lord. A guest has arrived.
It was Tang Soyeol’s telepathic message.
Oh no.
‘They arrived sooner than I expected.’
I had thought they’d show up after noon, but to come so early in the morning…
—Shall I tell them to wait as you are training?
—No, I’ll head there now. You wait in the room.
—Understood.
Ending the telepathic message, I clicked my tongue. I still had more to practice, but things had gotten complicated.
“Something’s come up, so continue with individual training.”
“…!”
As soon as they heard that, their expressions brightened. It seemed they thought they could stop now.
“But remember, we’ll pick right up where we leave off, so keep that in mind.”
“…”
When I stated it firmly, their once-bright faces crumbled instantly.
Seeing that, I chuckled softly as I moved.
‘I’ll remember those crushed faces.’
I planned to revisit that. Especially to give them a more intense workout later.
*
I moved to the VIP room in the branch.
Without hesitation, I looked for the door and opened it.
Creak.
As I entered roughly, a familiar face waiting there frowned.
Seeing him, I smiled brightly.
“Long time no see?”
“…”
“Can you show a bit more cheerfulness when I’m greeting you? You’re making it awkward.”
Ignoring his stony reaction, I pulled out a chair and sat down.
“You won’t need tea, right? I didn’t prepare anything, but if you need, at least have some water.”
“Hah…”
The old man responded as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You’ve truly lost your mind.”
“I was just being considerate, but if you say that, I feel hurt.”
“Your mind is certainly in question, let alone your actions. Have you truly gone mad?”
“What? Why?”
The old man grimaced.
The leader of the Gyecheon Sect, Gyecheon Munju, looked at me with a frown.
“The fact that you called me all the way here is proof of that.”
Considered a part of the Demonic Faction, Gyecheon Munju.
Especially in a situation like this, addressing him so casually was indeed absurd.
Yet, he brought it up.
“Haha. Ridiculous.”
I could only chuckle at his words.
“If calling makes me insane, then are you sane for coming just because I called?”
“Ugh….”
As I fanned my energy around, I created an energy barrier in the vicinity.
“Anyway, the branch leader must be your sidekick, so you shouldn’t be overly concerned honestly.”
“…!!”
As I mentioned Mokriseon, Gyecheon Munju’s eyes widened.
“How did you know that?”
There were no denials or excuses. This wasn’t a statement I made carelessly; it was filled with certainty.
His reaction brought me comfort.
“Like I said before, how I know isn’t essential? I have no intention of telling you that anyway.”
“You’re staying here knowingly, then.”
“Where else would a Martial Alliance member go? They provide shelter and food; is there anywhere more comfortable than here?”
“…”
“Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you’re curious, do your own digging. What matters is that you’ve come here. Isn’t that right?”
“Are you insane…?”
“How’s Il Cheonggeom doing?”
“…”
I asked immediately without hesitation.
“Is he obedient?”
“Haha.”
Gyecheon Munju responded with another dry laugh.
“Are you assuming I’d go to meet you if he didn’t listen?”
“Ah… let’s not go there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t unnecessarily provoke for no reason. Since you came, there must have been a response. So just answer my question. I’m not too fond of thinking.”
Gyecheon Munju narrowed his eyes.
His gaze held an inexplicable question.
“Are you truly righteous?”
“How do I appear?”
“…”
His silence conveyed his answer.
He looked at me as if I were anything but righteous. I hadn’t ever thought of myself that way, nor did I wish to be.
As I stared into those eyes, some time passed before Gyecheon Munju finally spoke tightly with a furrowed brow.
“…Il Cheonggeom was just as you said.”
He seemed to have decided to get to the heart of the matter.
“Really?”
“Your words matched his reaction.”
“Great!”
“It’s as if you two conspired together to deceive this old man.”
“Hahaha.”
“Hahahaha.”
We both burst into laughter. I nodded at his suspected words.
“Well, if you suspected it, you wouldn’t have come here.”
“I had something I wanted to verify as well.”
“Is that so? Then, has it been verified?”
“Not yet.”
“Then if verification doesn’t complete, what happens then?”
“Do you want to know?”
Clang! As our conversation flowed, items around us began to tremble slightly.
Seeing that, I asked Gyecheon Munju.
“Is it okay to be this bold when you came all the way to the main base? What if you end up dead?”
“You said earlier, didn’t you? The branch leader is on my side. Then, would I come here mindlessly?”
“Hmm…”
Him coming to the branch implied some kind of preparation was at hand.
I pondered for a moment.
Should I just kill him?
That sudden thought brushed through my mind. I found myself thinking something so extreme.
‘No, that can’t happen.’
I immediately suppressed that thought. There was still much to use and understand.
Killing him now would be a waste of an opportunity.
Before I could say anything…
“Oh, I see you’ve prepared something. I also have a few questions.”
“I’m not planning to let that go lightly—.”
“Ilcheongyo.”
Let’s ask about this.
“…”
Gyecheon Munju fell silent. Then.
“Old man. Do you know anything about this Ilcheongyo?”
Crash—!
From the roof, blades poured down.
