Chapter 331: Heavenly Demon (2) |
Clatter—!
A black chain, its metallic links clanging loudly, shot towards him.
It had started as a single strand, but now, three chains, their trajectories intersecting, were closing in.
“Haa!”
But Hugo’s response remained unchanged.
His senses, amplified by 「Hypersensitivity」, guided his movements, his body enhanced by 「Super Strength」 and other physical enhancement skills.
Clang!
He twisted his body, dodging the first chain, and deflected the second with a fluid, yielding motion.
The third chain, moving like a serpent, tried to entangle him—.
…But he moved into its path, offering his vital point as bait, and then, as the chain hesitated, he slipped out of its reach.
“Tsk, you little brat! You’re quite cunning!”
The black-skinned man, a member of the Demonic Cult’s Black Monk Corps, clicked his tongue in frustration.
He should have captured him by now, but his opponent was using his own life as a shield, making it difficult to attack without risking serious injury.
He couldn't disobey the Cult Leader's orders and accidentally kill him.
Of course, such tricks wouldn't have worked in a one-on-one fight… but they weren’t alone.
Swish! Clang!
The black chain, having missed its target, quickly retreated and then, transforming into a swirling mass of metal, barely managed to block an incoming sword strike.
“You dare underestimate me?”
“The Flowing Cloud Sword…”
Elder Yunhyeon of the Wudang Sect, a formidable opponent even for a member of the Black Monk Corps.
He had no choice but to prioritize his current opponent, abandoning his attempt to quickly capture Hugo.
“Whew, this is chaotic.”
Hugo, having gained a moment’s respite, wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around.
Indeed, the situation was pandemonium.
Kaboom—!
“Kill them!”
“You cursed demons!”
Explosions, screams, war cries, and curses filled the air.
Who would have thought that this was the Shaolin Temple, a place of peace and serenity, just moments ago?
And considering that everyone here was a talented and skilled individual, each drop of blood spilled represented a significant loss for the righteous Murim.
The Demonic Cult must have planned this attack to exploit their gathering.
‘…This is a tragedy. But…’
Every crisis was also an opportunity.
Some individuals thrived in chaos, their talents blossoming amidst adversity.
And he was one of them.
“Haa—”
Hugo took a deep breath, his pupils dilating.
His senses, already enhanced by 「Hypersensitivity」 and 「Insight」, sharpened further as he activated 「Limit Break」, absorbing the information flooding his surroundings.
‘This was also one of my objectives. …Though I didn’t anticipate this level of chaos.’
In this life-or-death struggle, the martial artists were unleashing their full power, their most powerful techniques.
There was no room for holding back.
“Damn it! Damn it! I knew I shouldn’t have come!”
Dang Hagi, the troublemaker from the Sichuan Tang Clan, launched a hidden weapon, its trajectory strange and unpredictable, and the flawed principles behind its movement were instantly imprinted in Hugo’s mind.
It was a powerful technique, a secret of the Tang Clan, but its user’s skill was lacking, making it easy to analyze.
“So-ran! Come here!”
“Brother!”
Namgung Hwang, the Young Lord of the Southern Palace Clan, and his sister, Namgung So-ran, were also valuable sources of information.
The Southern Palace Clan was one of the most renowned sword clans in the world.
Their sword techniques, prioritizing strength and precision, flashed through the air, and Hugo’s hand twitched involuntarily as he observed them.
‘So this is why they’re called great clans.’
He wasn’t just absorbing their techniques.
The elegant and swift movements of the Mount Hua Sect’s Plum Blossom Sword Technique, the lightning-fast strikes of the Point Spear Sect, Buddhist and Taoist martial arts…
And the Demonic Cult’s sinister and destructive techniques…
He was in the midst of a chaotic battlefield, a crucible where the lives and deaths of talented individuals from all over the continent intertwined, their karma and intentions clashing.
And Hugo, at the center of it all, absorbed everything like a black hole, his understanding of martial arts expanding endlessly.
His body was already honed to perfection, his mind elevated to a higher plane.
And he had the countless elixirs provided by Harris, amplified by his 「Heavenly Ki Body」, so he had more than enough internal energy.
All he needed was enlightenment, a deeper understanding of the mysteries of martial arts.
And as he achieved it,
《The individual meets the conditions and gains enlightenment. You have acquired the special skill “Convergence of Ten Thousand Techniques”.》
…his growth accelerated, a surge of Ki swirling around him, so intense that even those fighting nearby couldn't help but notice.
“Enlightenment? In this situation?”
“He’s already a master-level expert at that age? This is unbelievable…”
“…Capture him! We need him!”
“You demons! Don’t you dare!”
His sudden breakthrough caused a brief commotion, but it didn’t last long.
After all, there was a reason why Hugo could focus on his training in the midst of this chaos.
He had a powerful backer.
And that backer had just arrived.
____________________
The first to notice were the two who had been fighting most fiercely.
The Heavenly Demon, who had been relentlessly pressing his attack, and Master Wu Jin, battered and bruised but still holding his ground.
“You’re persistent, Wu Jin.”
“Hahaha, persistence is one of my few virtues… Hmm?”
“…What’s this?”
Their verbal sparring stopped as their gazes shifted towards a single point.
A nearby rooftop, overlooking the battlefield.
‘That’ was there.
“…What is that?”
“…Huh.”
Even the two Mysterious Realm experts were momentarily speechless.
It had a human form, but… was it truly human?
And the sudden shift in their attention, the two most powerful figures in the battlefield pausing their fight, couldn’t go unnoticed by the other martial artists, whose senses were attuned to the flow of Ki.
One by one, they stopped fighting and looked around, their gazes following the two masters’ line of sight, towards the rooftop.
“Who is that?”
“…A lion mask?”
And then they saw it.
A figure, crouched on the rooftop like a predator about to pounce, wearing a monstrous mask, its gaze fixed on the scene below.
“Who are you?”
As everyone’s attention was focused on the newcomer,
The Heavenly Demon, his brow furrowed slightly, spoke, his voice echoing through the air.
He could sense it.
That this creature was different from anything he had ever encountered.
Well, there was one similar being that came to mind…
‘No, that’s impossible. It’s too far-fetched. Perhaps the Golden Island Sect…’
And then, as the masked figure stood up, its rippling muscles, clearly visible beneath its bare chest, moved with an unnatural fluidity.
An otherworldly physique, the epitome of strength and violence, a martial artist’s dream.
“What incredible external skills.”
“Is that even a human body?”
Several martial artists gasped in admiration, their envy and jealousy momentarily forgotten.
It was a perfect physique, a legendary transformation, an unattainable ideal.
The masked figure, now standing tall, spoke, its voice echoing through the silent battlefield.
“Ah— This is good. Very good.”
Harley, the monstrous figure, nodded with satisfaction, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
“Allow me to introduce myself! I am Mad Demon! Ah, I’ve already reached an agreement with the previous owner of this title, so there’s no need for any misunderstandings!”
He continued his self-promotion, as if he had deliberately drawn their attention for this very purpose.
He was the true Mad Demon now, and the former Mad Demon was now his subordinate and friend.
“And the reason I’m here…”
But his playful demeanor didn’t last long.
He turned his gaze towards the Heavenly Demon, his lips curling into a savage grin.
“Is to hunt.”
A sinister smile, filled with a world-destroying madness, a stark contrast to his previous jovial expression.
The air grew heavy, and everyone’s faces hardened.
“I heard there’s some… excellent prey here.”
It was a smile that clearly explained why he called himself Mad Demon.
“Now that the introductions are over,”
But he didn't care about their reactions.
His eyes, gleaming with madness, were fixated on his target.
“Let’s… play! Khahaha!”
Kaboom!
The Mad Demon, having finished his self-introduction, charged towards his prey, the Heavenly Demon.
His single leap was enough to shatter the rooftop he had been standing on.
____________________
The Mad Demon Harley’s entry into the fray changed the tide of the battle.
The most significant factor was that the fight between the Heavenly Demon and Master Wu Jin, which had been a one-sided affair, was now evenly matched.
Harley, replacing the exhausted Master Wu Jin, who was nearing his limit, was holding his own against the powerful opponent.
Swish—!
Strictly speaking, even Harley was slightly outmatched…
“Ha! This monster…”
…But the Heavenly Demon gritted his teeth in frustration as he was forced to dodge and weave, a deep gash appearing on his body from his opponent’s attack.
A wound that extended from his left shoulder to his right waist, deep enough to reach his internal organs.
And considering that it was a Ki strike infused with demonic energy, it was practically a death sentence.
“Ouch! That hurt!”
But his opponent’s reaction was… underwhelming.
The Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes, watching as the bleeding stopped and the wound began to close.
‘…He’s adapting to my attacks.’
The regeneration speed was significantly faster than before.
It was absurd. Ki wounds, especially those infused with demonic energy, didn't heal that quickly.
Even a true immortal would be bedridden after such an attack… but this monster was ignoring it, regenerating as if he had mastered some legendary immortal technique.
‘No, that’s impossible.’
The Heavenly Demon shook his head firmly.
He had seen the original Immortal Art in the Cult Leader’s secret library.
It was mostly exaggeration, and this phenomenon was completely unrelated…
Crackle!
…And then, as he was lost in thought, Harley’s sharp claws tore through his clothes, grazing his skin.
“Kuh, you’re pretty good, old man! I haven’t met anyone who could do this!”
The Heavenly Demon’s expression hardened at his casual words.
He couldn't comprehend how Harley was replenishing his energy by constantly burning the massive amount of madness supplied by the 「Seed of Madness」, but he knew he couldn't let this continue.
“…It can’t be helped.”
He couldn’t retreat.
He decided to unleash his hidden power.
Wooong—
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the ultimate martial art, granted only to the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
A black, demonic Ki, like a raging inferno, erupted from his sword, taking the shape of a massive blade.
“I didn’t want to use this…”
And then…
‘…What’s that?!’
…he sensed a familiar energy within his opponent’s aura.
A sunset-colored light, flickering within the darkness.
‘Holy power…!’
It was the remnant of his nemesis,
…a power he hadn’t expected to encounter in this world.