Published at 5th of February 2026 2:36 pm

Chapter 387

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Sssssss.

An overwhelming killing intent brushed past my neck. Just witnessing it made my spirit tremble.

『Heavenly Demon.......』

With a trembling voice, I spoke while meeting his crimson ghostly eyes. Upon hearing my words, the corners of the Heavenly Demon's mouth curled up.

『You dare address this one so casually.』

『......!』

My body froze, becoming rigid. He was severe.

A calamity god, or an evil god.

The aura of a deity formed from the gathering of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of evil spirits. I had felt this before, but the Heavenly Demon carried with him that sense of vastness.

If Yu Chun-gil is something that surpasses a war god...

'...... The Heavenly Demon surpasses a calamity god.'

He wasn't merely a simple being overflowing with evil ki.

Those called godly beings possessed not only such brute, mindless power, but also something more.

Awe.

Supremacy.

Greatness.

A spirit imbued with a value humans dare not comprehend or judge.

That's what was called a god.

'Is the Heavenly Demon a god?'

The Heavenly Demon before me harbored that kind of presence in his bosom.

『...... What business do you have with me?』

Why was something that should be inside the Divine Sword manifesting here? Tense, I asked.

『Is it so strange that this one is here?』

He nodded carelessly and spoke to me.

『There is nowhere this one cannot go. Be it anywhere.』

『...... Ah, yes.』

His manner was full of arrogance. The supreme ruler of the Demonic Cult, said to rival the strongest throughout history.

For someone like that, speaking with such arrogance was not really surprising.

『Do you have some business with me?』

I was certain there must be a reason for the Heavenly Demon's appearance now.

There had to be a reason. To that question...

『Business, you say......』

The Heavenly Demon gripped his chin lightly and said,

『I suppose I do.』

『What—』

『And I can only do it at this moment, you see.』

『Excuse me?』

『Let me ask you something. Do you recall what I said last time?』

『Which thing are you talking about?』

Did the Heavenly Demon say something before? Of course I remembered, but which part did he mean?

As I was feeling perplexed...

『I meant when I told you not to trust Yu Chun-gil.』

『.......』

Ah, that thing. He did say that once. I nodded in acknowledgment.

『I do remember.』

『Do you mean that you only remember it in passing?』

『No. I never completely trusted him to begin with.』

It was clear we both had things we were hiding from each other. Complete trust? That could never exist between us.

Hearing my answer, the Heavenly Demon snorted.

『Amusing. Yet for someone like that, you seem to obey him quite well.』

『I simply use what is useful and discard what needs discarding.』

『How narrow-minded. You so casually admit you lack true conviction.』

I had nothing to say. It was true that despite not trusting him, I was still taking his words at face value.

Especially right now.

He said he'd allow me to undergo the fortuitous encounter of transformation, so I trusted him and not only consumed the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb, but also entrusted my body to him.

『Hmm.』

My gaze dropped downward. There, I saw Yu Chun-gil circulating his energy through my body.

Eyelashes trembling as if in concentration with his eyes closed.

Watching my body occasionally thumping, I wondered what was happening inside.

It was hard even just a moment ago, yet Yu Chun-gil was apparently controlling that state.

If that was how I achieved transformation...

'It's like blowing your nose without using your hands.'

In other words, achieving transformation remotely.

And what's funny about all this...

'He doesn't seem to think he might fail.'

Yu Chun-gil was using my body for transformation, but not once did he seem to consider the possibility of failure.

'That's a bad sign.'

It wasn't good. It meant that even though I said I'd only trust him so far, I was actually giving him more trust than I should.

I knew this was not a good situation.

Which is why I couldn't quite refute the Heavenly Demon's words.

『So, do you really have business with me?』

Trying to change the subject, I replied, and the Heavenly Demon's eyes narrowed.

The crimson light grew deeper. My spirit trembled again beneath that gaze, but I forced myself to ignore it.

『Enough. There's no more value in this conversation. After all, beings like us never follow others' words anyway.』

『...... Us?』

That word bothered me. The way he grouped me and the Heavenly Demon together was strange.

『What do you mean 'us'?』

『You already know, don't you?』

『...... I don't think I do.』

We had nothing in common—unless you count having a nose, eyes, and mouth.

What could be similar between the source of all evil and myself?

Finding it ridiculous, I spoke, and the Heavenly Demon raised a hand to cover his eyes.

『Being able to see. Being able to feel. And—』

His fingertip pointed at my chest. Right at my heart.

『Being able to contain.』

『.......』

『A body and destiny capable of containing a god. Even after hearing this, can you really say you don't know?』

『...... Hah.』

My face twisted at his words. Because I understood precisely what he was talking about.

『You mean this cursed body. Is that what you're referring to?』

Being able to see and sense ghosts.

Even able to hold something even greater.

Thinking he must be talking about that, I replied.

『Curse?』

The Heavenly Demon looked at me as if he couldn't understand.

『It is a blessing. Why do you taint your karma by calling it something so foul?』

『...... A blessing?』

This time, I twisted my face at his words.

『Do you really see this as a blessing?』

『If not a blessing, what is it?』

『It's a curse. A filthy, wretched curse.』

Seeing what should not be seen, feeling what should not be felt.

Because of it, I got involved with things I should never have been entangled with, and my life was ruined.

What greater curse could there be? Especially since—

'It even affects my next life.'

Unlike my wish to live a normal life, it was having a negative effect in this one, as well.

But a blessing? What utter nonsense.

What I really wanted to know was why the Heavenly Demon considered this wretched thing a blessing.

『Why do you say that?』

So I asked.

『It's a simple principle.』

He replied simply.

『Being able to contain even a god means, in other words, you could become a god.』

『.......』

I hesitated at that.

Because I remembered something I'd heard before.

'Don't you want to become a great being?'

There was someone who once told me to become a god.

A body and conditions that could become a god. That remark stabbed deep into my heart.

『Did you want to become a god?』

Was that his wish? Is that why he possessed such a peculiar aura, and why he left his spirit inside the Divine Sword, unwilling to let go?

When I asked that...

『You're wrong.』

This time, the Heavenly Demon denied it.

『...... That's not it?』

『Becoming a god was always within reach. If I wanted it, I could have had it at any time. But that was never what I truly wished for.』

『Then what did you want.......』

『Not to become a god, but to kill a god.』

『...... What?』

He wanted to kill a god?

I couldn't understand what he was saying.

『How do you mean?』

『There's no special method. You just kill.』

『...... No, I mean—』

『To be born with that potential, how could there be a greater blessing?』

『.......』

I understood. At last, I comprehended what the Heavenly Demon was saying.

That look in his eyes. The madness. Feeling that, I swallowed dryly.

'He's not sane.'

This Heavenly Demon was by no means normal.

Sure, none of the masters who reached that level were ever "normal"...

'But that's outright insane.'

The Demonic Cult's lord, who wanted to kill a god.

His attitude, as if that alone was his purpose in life, left me speechless.

The only thing I could ask was,

『So...... did you kill a god?』

Did the Heavenly Demon succeed?

I cautiously asked.

『Regrettably, I could not.』

He shook his head.

『I was just a hair's breadth away. But I failed to achieve it.』

『...... A hair's breadth.』

『That's why it's regretful.』

『So that's why you remained here, because of that regret?』

Because he failed to kill a god.

Was it that regret that made him linger here?

『You're wrong again.』

Once more, the Heavenly Demon shook his head.

『...... Then why?』

Not even that? Then what was his lingering attachment?

『I don't have regrets. If anything, it's stubbornness.』

With his hands behind his back, he looked at me.

『Not being able to kill a god was due to my own inadequacy. I don't have lingering attachments about that, but the stubbornness built for that purpose bothers me.』

『What.......』

『So, there's something you need to do for me in my stead.』

『What?』

I scowled at his words.

Is it this again?

『...... You want me to clean up after you people again?』

And this time, from the Heavenly Demon himself? It was laughable.

『Why should I do that?』

『Because only you can—』

『Hah.』

I felt my annoyance flare up.

『Go find someone else. There must be others in the world who can see ghosts.』

『I know. There are plenty who can see them. But only you and I can contain them.』

『How can you be so sure?』

『Because this one was able to reach you.』

Such a glib answer. Does he believe in fate or something?

『I don't care about that. I'm not interested. Aren't you aware I'm busy working things out with Yu gramps?』

I had no interest in any of that Heavenly Demon or evil god nonsense before.

I only saw them as evil spirits trying to use me for their own ends.

『This isn't a request.』

『...... Then is it a notice or a threat?』

『As I said, I know you won't budge for those kinds of things. This is simply—』

The Heavenly Demon paused, grinning with amusement.

『A warning.』

『...... What?』

『You will become the sky of the Demonic Cult in my stead. And in the end—』

Sssssssss-!!!

A shadowy, black form like a mirage began to rise from his body.

Malice and killing intent.

And...

'...... Demonic energy?'

It was that same deadly energy he'd used on the Ghost Demon last time.

『You will perfect the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and put even the gods beneath your feet.』

『Bullshit.』

I frowned.

『You think I can even master a single martial art, let alone the Heavenly Demon Divine Art? Ridiculous.』

Was this guy talking about perfecting a martial art, too?

Utter nonsense.

『Stop saying such absurd things. The Demonic Cult's young cult leader is still active. And right now......』

His daughter was still alive and well.

I almost said it out loud, but held my tongue.

『...... Besides, there are so many others, and I don't even have the Heavenly Demon's mark.』

The crimson eyes—the mark of the Heavenly Demon—that was supposed to be his symbol.

I didn't have that mark that proved one carried the Heavenly Demon's bloodline.

『Have you forgotten? The Heavenly Demon's mark is but a worthless shell that carries no meaning. What matters is something else.』

Not the mark, but karma.

Whether you hold divine sight, or not. He called that the reason.

『No matter the reason you come up with, it's all the same. In the first place, I'm not even your blood descendant.』

You couldn't carry the Divine Sword unless you had the Heavenly Demon's blood.

The Divine Sword was the symbol of the Heavenly Demon. For me to carry it, the Heavenly Demon himself had to show mercy.

It meant the Heavenly Demon's spirit inside the sword had granted me permission.

At my words—

『What an amusing misconception.』

The Heavenly Demon smiled radiantly.

『This one never gave you such permission.』

『...... What?』

For a moment, I was stunned.

『You mean you didn't?』

He was saying he never allowed me to touch the Divine Sword?

What did that mean?

Then—

『How am I able to use it?』

How could I be using the Divine Sword?

As I struggled to understand, the Heavenly Demon stared at me.

『Ask your father that question. You'll get a most interesting answer.』

『What did you say?』

『Ah, the time is up. Remember.』

『Wait—』

『You will.』

The Heavenly Demon began to fade away. I tried urgently to grab him.

『Soon enough, you will take my place.』

With those quiet words—

Fwooooosh—!!!

He became smoke and was sucked back into the Divine Sword.

『...... No way......』

Stunned, I stared blankly.

It was hard to comprehend what I had just heard.

He said I'd understand if I asked my father?

Still caught up in that mystery—

Kuuuuung—!!!

『......!』

A sound came from near my body.

Chiiiiiiiiik---!!!

Along with a loud noise, alien smoke began pouring from my body.

What the hell is that? Smoke was billowing out of my mouth and ears.

Ssss!

『...... Urgh!?』

My spiritual body quaked and was instantly sucked back into my flesh.

It was a sensation that nearly made me retch.

And at the end of it, after I had fully merged back into my body—

"Haaah......!!!"

When I opened my eyes,

So many things had changed.

TL's Corner:

The old man and the Heavenly Demon are the driving force of this novel...

They are the ones giving Bang Sung-Yun the problems he needs to solve..

Ghosts really are troublesome..

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