So? Did Someone Force You to Become the Heavenly Demon?

Chapter 24 - Short Fuse (3)



Chapter 24: Short Fuse (3)

From the moment Eldest Brother’s energy locked onto me, I felt my life was in danger. Was that why my body’s survival instinct reached its peak, making the world seem to flow in slow motion?

I could faintly see Third Brother’s sword trajectory, which I normally wouldn’t have been able to follow with my eyes. Even as the world slowed down, Eldest Brother’s figure filled my vision, approaching at a terrifying speed.

Third Brother’s sword managed to wound Eldest Brother’s arm, but he charged at me as if such an injury meant nothing. In an instant, the madman’s greatsword flew at me, threatening to cleave my body in two. And surrounding that greatsword was an even more massive red energy―a terrifying yang energy that dwarfed my meager inner force.

But I couldn’t die here. Though the world moved slowly, the problem was that my body also moved like a slug.

‘Move!! Move!!!’

Perhaps it was that desperate thought that reached my hand. The hand that had been gripping the sword since Eldest Brother charged began to draw it, deploying the Soul-Departing Sword I had been practicing.

The form I unleashed perfectly intersected the path of Eldest Brother’s greatsword. The moment my sword, carrying energy incomparably weaker than Elder Brother’s, clashed with his greatsword, it showed a strange movement and veered to the side. It was an attempt to deflect the force of the greatsword using the seventh form of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword – the Soul-Guiding Sword.

Clang!!!

But was the difference in power too great? My sword shattered, barely altering the greatsword’s trajectory. However, that split second created by the Soul-Guiding Sword was enough. As I deployed it, I was already pulling my body back.

Of course, I was still sent flying backward by the force that the Soul-Guiding Sword couldn’t fully dissipate, but I avoided instant death. I survived thanks to successfully combining the Soul-Departing Sword, the Soul-Guiding Sword, and footwork techniques in one go. Even I didn’t know how I managed to pull it off. It felt like my body moved on its own in that moment of extreme crisis.

As I flew back, I saw Third Brother instantly closing in on Eldest Brother, swinging his sword at his back. But Eldest Brother, as if he had eyes on his back, twisted his body to narrowly avoid Third Brother’s sneak attack that supposedly didn’t even leave a shadow.

At that moment, Jin Hayeon dove in from the side, thrusting her twin palms towards Eldest Brother’s flank. Her hands, now sheathed in bone-white frost, radiated a lethal chill—far colder than anything she’d shown during our sparring.

But no matter how chilling her White Hand Demonic Art was…

Whoosh!

It was no match for Eldest Brother’s Raging Demon Sword technique, which bordered on reaching Transcendence. The yang energy surrounding Elder Brother’s greatsword instantly melted her cold energy.

Bang!!!

Unable to withstand that tremendous force, Jin Hayeon was sent flying far away.

Thud!

“Ugh…”

My airborne trajectory ended abruptly as I crashed a wall, knocking my breath out of me. If I hadn’t mixed in the Soul-Guiding Sword at the last moment to reduce the force even slightly, my spine might have been completely shattered.

However, this was no time to lose myself to the pain.

“Big Brother!!”

Was it rage at seeing me attacked?

Seon-ah eyes, blazing with fury, was redder than usual as she glared and charged at Eldest Brother.

It was madness. Even Jin Hayeon, far stronger than her, had been sent flying in one exchange. But thankfully, the tragedy of Seon-ah being sliced in two didn’t occur.

“Young Miss!”

A Hyeokryeon Family guard who had just entered Windrock Palace swiftly approached the crazed Seon-ah, pressing her acupoint to knock her unconscious.

Whoosh!

As a consequence, Eldest Brother’s greatsword, which had been flying towards Seon-ah, redirected towards the guard.

“Urk…”

The guard, unable to withstand even one exchange, was sent flying backwards. He had fulfilled his duty as a bodyguard by protecting Seon-ah in his arms, but the situation was spiraling towards the worst.

With just three swings, myself, Jin Hayeon, the guard, and Seon-ah had fallen. Only Third Brother remained standing.

“Run away!” Third Brother shouted, his usual shadowy demeanor replaced by grim resolve. But it didn’t look like he could hold out for long.

In the first place, Third Brother’s martial arts were specialized in ambush and sneak attacks rather than direct confrontation, and there was also a gap in skill. He was barely holding on, like a candle in the wind.

Of course, if I fled alone to save myself, I might survive, but…

‘Everyone else would die.’

The deranged Eldest Brother might take out his anger on those here in my place.

But how could I stop that crazed monster…

“!!!”

An idea flickered. A way for all to survive. I bolted toward the hall’s main gate as if escaping. Just before exiting the Windrock Palace, I roared with all my might at the madman who was toying Third Brother:

“Hey, you brainless meathead!!! Is your head just for decoration?!”

Fuck it, we ball. With that, I bolted out of the courtyard with everything I had.

“I’ll kill you!!!”

Bang!!!

A thunderous roar erupted as Eldest Brother launched himself into the air, hurtling himself towards me.

“Son of a bitch!!!”

Feeling the immense energy from behind rapidly closing in, I cursed at the top of my lungs and ran for my life.

Whoosh!

A chill shot up my spine. Sensing incoming force, I flung myself sideways.

KABOOM!!!

A blast of red energy—likely shot by Eldest Brother—exploded as it hit the spot where I had just been.

I scrambled to my feet and ran..

“Aim better, you moron!!!”

“You insect!! I’ll tear you limb by limb!!!”

The shouts of the completely enraged madman grew closer, and more bursts of red energy flew at me in succession.

How long had I been running while provoking this ticking bomb bastard?

Though it felt like an eternity in this life-or-death situation, barely ten seconds had passed before the mad demon finally caught up to me.

“Die!”

As the living bomb swung his greatsword at me again—

Clang!!

A spear, a sword, and a saber flew in from somewhere, blocking the madman’s greatsword.

These strangers, whose faces I didn’t even recognize, were martial artists stationed nearby by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

It was only natural. This was a massive estate located at the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Martial artists of the cult were stationed throughout the area.

It was a natural arrangement considering this place was a place where people falling into the Qi Deviation is practically a norm. When someone went insane, those stationed nearby would subdue the maddened individuals.

This was precisely why I had deliberately provoked Eldest Brother and lured him out here.

Waiting for reinforcements to arrive at Windrock Palace would’ve gotten someone killed, so I reversed the situation by leading Elder Brother to where martial artists were likely to be.

While the three martial artists blocked Eldest Brother’s greatsword—

“We just need to buy time until Master arrives!”

Third Brother, who had somehow caught up to Elder Brother, shouted as he joined the three.

With three allies, the situation seemed a bit more manageable compared to facing Eldest Brother alone.

Bang!!

“Urgh…”

Or so it seemed, until another person failed to withstand the attack and was sent flying, crashing into and crumbling a wall.

More Demonic Cultivators were converging on the scene, but the situation suggested that those here might die at this rate.

“Why pick on weaklings, you blockhead!”

I provoked Eldest Brother again.

“You bastard!!!”

As expected, because he was completely consumed by rage or simply lacked the capacity for thought, Elder Brother ignored the three surrounding him and charged straight at me.

Bang!!

Thanks to his predictable and simple movement, the three were able to block Eldest Brother’s attack more easily.

Clang!!

And stopped his sword right before my face.

“Eek.”

I stumbled back, watching the scene of them subduing the raging fiery boar.

“Not just dumb, but blind too?”

Whenever they seemed to be pushed back, I provoked Eldest Brother again.

“Kill! Kill!! I’ll kill you!!!”

After several rounds of baiting his rage, the deranged boar found himself surrounded by dozens of cultists.

I watched him flail his sword, spewing fire like a one-man fireworks show, when—

“Everyone, stand back.”

A familiar voice pierced my ears.

The Lord of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the teacher of both myself and that raging fiery boar over there, had finally arrived.

As if his words were imbued with power, those surrounding Eldest Brother immediately retreated far back at our Master’s command.

Eldest Brother, already consumed by rage, swung his greatsword at me as soon as those blocking him disappeared.

Bang!!

Our Master effortlessly blocked that strike with a sword drawn so swiftly I couldn’t track it.

Woong!!!

A deep, ink-black energy seeped from his body where their clashed with Elder Brother’s.

Unlike the wild and violent energy that Eldest Brother emitted, this aura radiated a crushing weight, like how majestic mountains pressing down the world.

Eldest Brother buckled under that mountainous pressure and within a moment, his knees slamming into the ground. And so, the rampage of the rage-filled maniac came to an end with Master’s intervention.

***

Elder Brother’s rampage resulted in a total of nine injuries.

Miraculously, there were no fatalities. Just six with severe injuries and three with minor injuries.

Considering Eldest Brother’s level, they say this level of damage is practically nothing.

And I, classified as one of the severely injured, was resting in the infirmary.

My entire body was bruised and my muscles shocked from blocking Eldest Brother’s attack and hitting the wall. I had also suffered internal injuries.

I had received treatment, but with Windrock Palace half-destroyed, I was to remain in the infirmary until it was repaired.

And by my side…

“Young Master, it’s time to begin your studies.”

Jin Hayeon, with bandages on both arms and splints applied, was there with an expressionless face.

Apparently, the force of Eldest Brother’s attack had fractured the bones in her arms.

Fortunately, her bones weren’t shattered or broken, so she’d recover quickly? She clearly wasn’t in her right mind. She was fortunate they hadn’t shattered completely, ensuring a swift recovery. And apparently, she’s not thinking straight right now.

“We’re both injured and you still talk about study?”

I asked incredulously, but as expected, she answered bluntly.

“Since your injuries prevent you from practicing internal energy circulation and forbid you from practicing external martial art, why not use this time to make progress on our cult’s laws? Once you recovered, I will ramp up your training to catch up the martial arts training you missed.”

“…”

Yep, definitely not right in the head.

But I couldn’t reprimand this woman who had rushed at that raging boar to save me, and fracturing her arms in the process.

No, there was a more urgent problem.

‘My life in this den of madmen is screwed. Hah.’

In the midst of that life-threatening and urgent situation, I had blurted out whatever came to mind, turning the great disciple of the Heavenly Demon, an incredibly powerful expert, into my enemy.

Regardless of the situation, I had continuously insulted his intelligence, which he hates more than anything and the main trigger to his outburst.

“Very well, let us begin. Since my arms are like this, please open the book, Young Master.”

As I was lost in thought, half-dazed by Jin Hayeon’s insane ramblings and worries about the thorny path ahead in my life in this damned cult.

I heard a commotion from beyond the infirmary.

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