Published at 20th of January 2024 9:52 am

Chapter 278: Orthodox Faction (3)

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Translator/Editor: Ryuu

Clang!

He swung his sword.

"Huff, ha. Hehe."

He swung his sword.

"Ouch! Damn it, resorting to cheap tricks like Astral Swords! That's cheating, you know! He doesn't even listen to his vastly more experienced senior's advice! Ha! Huh!"

He swung his sword.

Demonic Heavenly God Art.

The First Form.

Sword of Starving Death.

The Salvation Sword fiercely leaped in mid-air. Even if I don't manually control them, my Ego Swords have walked a lifetime with me and observed the entirety of my life. Being limbs of the same body with me, they unfolded the Demonic Heavenly God Art just like me.

"Huff! Ack!? This, now the freaky sword that ran away is casting Demonic Arts on its own!? Hey, King of Death! You, Kim Gong-Ja! You know this is really, really a cheaty no-manners play, right!?"

Viper, while generously spewing curses, accurately, tactfully steps to block the Ego Swords. The Ego Swords' feints and real strikes, their flashy sword plays, calmly countered by Viper,

"That's enough!"

Clang!

"I've starved for 60 days too, you know! Ughaha! Ugh, hoo... Woah. Woah. Mmm, eugh.... Mmm. Kehm, ha. Ha...... Ha. Ah. Damn, it was nothing but a pointless effort!"

Viper kicked away the Salvation Sword. When Viper's sword and my Ego Sword clashed, clearly, Clang! The sharp sound of metal echoed again.

Viper, casually wiping the blood flowing down his stomach with his robe, chuckled.

"Ha. Hoo... Ah.... Hehe."

In every way, he's at a disadvantage.

It's nearly impossible for Viper to stand against me, who has already reached the realm of controlling Ego Swords. No, right now, if I simultaneously attack with all five swords, each imbued with a different aspect of the Demonic Heavens, Viper wouldn't last even three seconds before collapsing.

"......"

However.

That still wouldn't count as defeating Viper.

If he recovers, he'll undoubtedly come back with an unaffected face and challenge me again, saying 'Hey! Let's fight again!'.

'It's not about breaking the body, but breaking the spirit.'

That's why it's difficult.

'While fighting, despite being at a constant disadvantage, he doesn't stop smiling.'

At first, I suspected he might be under a delusion. But no matter how much I observed, it wasn't a delusion. His eyes weren't tainted with madness, and his laughter contained happiness. A very small happiness, one that seems to disappear if not listened to carefully......

'He looks happy.'

After the initial probing phase ended.

Viper began to swing his sword joyfully.

'How can he be happy?'

Maybe it's the result of his long seclusion?

Before he entered seclusion, Viper swung his sword painfully.

He swung it, trying to win, but every part of it felt torturously painful.

In fact, didn't he go berserk fighting me during that time?

'Can a person change this much?'

I tightly gripped the hilt of my sword.

I had already firmly grasped the answer to the question I asked myself.

'Of course, people can change.'

That's why I'm looking forward to it.

While it makes me nervous, I'm so eager to find out how you, Viper, have changed, that I almost want to ask right now, making it hard to hold back.

'Jealousy towards me, obsession with the Heretic Inquisitor, self-loathing for not becoming the main character, guilt for not making the Head of the Martial Alliance happy, all those emotions, those emotional knots you've been carrying, Liǎofàn.'

I swung my sword.

'How can you smile while holding a sword!'

One of my Ego Swords, the Sacrifice Sword, vibrated wooingly.

Demonic Heavenly God Art.

The Second Form.

Sword of Parched Death.

Blood spurted out.

"Woah! Wooooah!?"

The Ego Sword dashed around Viper, striking from above, left, and right, relentlessly stabbing him. Viper clumsily defended against the stabs.

"I'm dying! Hey, this is deadly! King of Death! Seriously, I'm dying! Shit, ugh!? Oh no! Damn, aaack! Damn it! It just grazed my forearm! Did you see it graze my forearm? It really did. A little deeper and I would've become a one-armed man from a cyclops!"

Clang!

The sound of metal rang out.

Viper successfully repelled the Sword of Parched Death, which had been fiercely swirling around, although the wound which grazed his forearm was quite deep, blood was streaming out. Besides that, his robe was already torn to shreds from the numerous near-misses.

"Keuheuheu... Damn. This is tough."

Viper, wiping the sweat dripping down his chin, grinned.

"Damn hard work, yeah."

"......"

"Kim Gong-Ja, if you come at me with Demonic Heavenly God Art all at once, I'll really be gone, you know? Huh? Why aren't you coming? Ah, right. You can't speak. Planning to defeat me without uttering a word. Geez, kid. You're so serious. How do you live without the fun of talking, huh? We'll eventually talk anyway."

Hoo.

After a light sigh, Viper turned his head.

There were hunters gathered, watching our duel.

"Hey, Heretic Inquisitor!"

"Hmm?"

The Heretic Inquisitor, cradling a snail shell, cocked his head.

"Yes, Celestial Martial Guild Master."

"It's actually been decades since I've seen your face, you know?"

"Ah, yes! I heard you decided to stay in the world for more training! Ahaha. It's a coincidence, but it's the same for me!"

"Aren't you going to say it's good to see me after so long?"

"Yes, it's good to see you!"

"Actually, whether we reunited yesterday or after 100 years, it doesn't really matter, right?"

"Yes! Both are equally good to see!"

"Right."

Hoo.

Viper once again composed his breath.

"You're that kind of guy......"

"Ahaha."

Viper gripped his sword.

And with a smile on his face, he asked.

"Heretic Inquisitor."

"Yes!"

"Are you happy right now?"

"Yes! I am!"

The Heretic Inquisitor answered without hesitation. Beside him, the Black Dragon Witch made a face as if saying 'what nonsense are these guys talking about', but both men paid no mind to the local broadcast.

"You must have suffered in the past."

"Hm."

The Heretic Inquisitor pondered.

"If you're talking about physical pain and psychological trauma, yes. I think I must have suffered quite a bit in the past."

"You must be suffering now too."

"Considering the intensity of my work and the amount of tasks, it's normal to feel suffering!"

"But you're still having fun?"

The Heretic Inquisitor grinned widely.

"Yes!"

"......"

"Though it's very hard, there are still enjoyable aspects to this job! Celestial Martial Guild Master! Offering you an espresso is quite a fun task!"

Silence lingered for a moment.

Viper slowly opened his lips.

"Can you be happy despite suffering?"

"Of course!"

"Yes, of course. Of course, you can be. You're a strange monster, but... you're no different from a human. Right. Pain is pain. Suffering is suffering. Laughter is laughter."

Viper turned his head to look at me again.

His rough breathing had long since calmed.

"Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult, Kim Gong-Ja."

"......"

"It's not just the strong ones you need to defeat in this world, nor just the weak ones you need to help."

Viper called me not just the King of Death, not just Kim Gong-Ja, but specifically "Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult, Kim Gong-Ja."

He made it clear that he was addressing not just the hunter at the top of the tower or my personal might, but the weight and breadth of the Demonic Cult and Demonic Heavens that I bore.

"Your Demonic Cult took the cries of the common people as its doctrine. Their cries became vengeance, and that vengeance turned into bloodshed, staining the world red. Bloodthirsty avengers! Even as the heavens and earth have turned red, you still act as if you're the weak ones."

"......"

I paused.

That was the declaration of war given during the 990th battle, much like what the Head of the Martial Alliance, Namgung Woon, had said to my master, the leader of the Demonic Cult.

"You cry endlessly, clinging to the hem of the Heavenly Demon's robe. Begging to dance the death away on your behalf. As long as you cling and whine, you are the weak commoners, the sorrowful people."

Viper's one eye scanned the audience.

Not just the Heretic Inquisitor and the Black Dragon Witch, but also Ester, the Four Demon Lords, and followers who appeared to protect me in case of an emergency were hiding behind the forest leaves, watching us.

Viper nodded.

"Thirst."

Even though his body was beaten and battered, Viper's one eye shone brightly.

"Why rely on the malicious ghosts of the past forever when you rightfully have legs and hands? The Avatamsaka Sutra* says, 'Even a single tree must shed its flowers to bear fruit.' What about you? Are you just florists in a garden, trading on your own pain?"

*If anyone wants to read more about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhāvataṃsaka_Sūtra

So, is that so?

Really, is it?

'This is...'

I couldn't keep silent.

I had to break my vow of silence, my oath, my stubbornness to defeat my opponent without words.

Because that madman, the Celestial Martial Guild Master, elevated this place from a mere duel between the King of Death and Viper into a battle between the Demonic Cult and the Orthodox Faction.

Kim Gong-Ja might be able to remain silent, but the Vice-Lord of the Demonic Cult cannot be.

At any time.

"Ha."

I let out a laugh.

"I wonder if the Celestial Martial Guild Master has the right to say such things."

Seeing my lips finally loosen, Viper smirked.

"Why? You've got a mouth, so you should check it's functioning properly now and then."

"Has the Head of the Martial Alliance, Namgung Woon, acknowledged you as his successor? Have the Orthodox warriors chosen you as the representative of the righteous path?"

"Ahh, recognition. It'd be nice. But, you know, Namgung Woon's gotten pretty old, right? He got thoroughly defeated by the Heavenly Demon. What authority does a defeated person have? And the other Orthodox warriors are comfortably sleeping under the snow. Let them rest in peace, as etiquette dictates."

"So you claim to be righteous yourself?"

"Sure."

My heart raced.

"Do you have the skills to back it up?"

"I blocked your Demonic Heavenly God Art, executed with those flying swords, twice in a row. Isn't that enough? What more skill do I need? Damn, it's really tough to pretend to be a righteous person."

"I am not the Heavenly Demon."

"Yep. You're not the Heavenly Demon, and others don't call you that, but I choose to call you that."

"......"

"Demonic Cult followers swear loyalty to you and even spread your doctrine to some bizarre continent. The whole tribe turned into Demonic Cultists, and I should call you Vice-lord instead of Heavenly Demon? Isn't that too humble? Everyone else becomes warm and sentimental when they see humility, but I'm a scientific and objective person. I'll just live my way. Kim Gong-Ja, the 2nd Heavenly Demon."

"Ha."

Haha.

"Hmm."

Hahaha.

Ah.

"This is interesting."

Lightly.

I smiled.

"......"

Seeing my smile, Viper's face lost some of its cheerfulness.

Well.

I didn't mind and gripped [The Idol Sword].

"I thought if you were filled with jealousy like last time, I could easily cut you down... but no, is the jealousy still there? The Celestial Martial Guild Master's feelings towards me don't seem to have changed much. I can feel it in your gaze."

"......"

"But, I see."

I gestured slightly.

One of my Demonic Heavenly God Art swords hovering around me, wooing, reacted.

Demonic Heavenly God Art.

The Third Form.

Sword of Submerged Death.

A surprise attack.

"......!!"

Viper immediately rolled on the ground. Thump! [The Prayer Sword] landed where Viper had been standing. The Prayer Sword immediately raised its head, scattering dirt, circling around Viper, and lunging in whenever there was an opening.

"Shit!"

Viper quickly stepped to dodge the attacks. But, whoosh! He couldn't avoid one slash that caught his ankle. Blood spurted from his ankle. Although not a fatal injury, it was still quite damaging.

"Really,"

Clang!

"You really are a damn Demonic Cultist, not holding back at all!"

Viper raised his aura to repel the sword. The sword flew away as if soaring through the air, then returned to circle around me, guarding me.

"Damn it! My foot hurts!"

"......"

Another sound of metal rang out.

While it wasn't a unique sound, and could be easily imitated with aura, I sensed some connection between Viper's joyful laughter and the metallic sound.

The reason he escalated our duel into a battle between the Demonic Cult and the Orthodox Faction.

'Is he confident he can win?'

No.

Perhaps.

'He's confident he can break me.'

Me, too. The Vice-lord title, and Heavenly Demon.

Just as I came here to shatter Viper, the Celestial Martial Guild Master, Liǎofàn, all three personas he embodied, he also came to break everything about me.

'Good.'

My heart won't stop racing.

'Good.'

What would my master say in such situations?

I recalled the face my master made, the smile, the sigh, the single word uttered after hearing the Head of the Martial Alliance's declaration of war.

So I said,

"Alright."

I lifted the corners of my mouth.

"I accept the challenge."

I briefly sheathed the [The Idol Sword], brought my fists together, and assumed a martial salute. Viper flinched but soon composed himself and assumed the same salute.

I couldn't explain why, but the smile never left my lips.

I was happy.

"May this 991st battle not shame the virtuous."

The Great Orthodox-Demonic War.

Even though a world of snowy fields perished, there are those who carry on the legacy of the Demonic Cult and the righteous path, ensuring that the 991st fight happens here, even after the world has been destroyed by snow.

I chose to view it as happiness.

"It’s just..."

"Guild Master. I admire strong people, support the weak, want to make those in hell happy, and reach out to those still enduring here in this not-yet-hell."

"Sure."

"But I dislike those who speak without taking responsibility."

I grinned broadly.

"The stronger the person, the more I dislike them."

"......"

"I'll cut down anything petty, Liǎofàn."

"......"

Viper gulped.

Then, slowly, he smiled.

"Okay, Kim Gong-Ja."

In an instant.

I scattered four flying swords and wielded one Holy Sword, taking a step forward.

In the quiet forest.

Clang!

Suddenly, the sound of metal rang out.

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