‘Huh?’

The last wish of the Heaven-Shattering Demon? This was the first I’d heard of it. It was a completely different plot point from the original story I knew.

“What is it?”

“To kill.”

“Pardon?”

Just as I was about to be flustered by the incomprehensible answer, an additional explanation followed.

“Before the Heaven-Shattering Demon disappeared, he foresaw a great threat. He said he established this academy to nurture talent to kill that existence.”

“There are many masters throughout the central plains, aren’t there? There’s also Alliance Leader Seo Won-dal.”

“That might not be enough.”

“What do you mean, not enough?”

Seo Won-dal was a monster who had reached the Profound realm, and he was the only master of the orthodox faction who could fight on equal footing with the Blood Demon.

But even he wasn’t enough?

In this vast central plains, that was an impossible thing.

No, there was one. A single faction that even a Profound level master would fear.

“Is it because of the Demonic Cult?”

“We are strongly convinced that it is.”

I understood Cheon Mu-jin’s concern.

The leader of the Demonic Cult, the Heavenly Demon, was that fearsome of an existence.

He wasn’t currently showing his prominence, but I knew. I knew just how absurd a man the current Heavenly Demon was.

Because he was a human who challenged the realm of the gods, a true existence beyond the heavens.

‘Still, the Demonic Cult’s full-scale mobilization is 10 years from now. If we just prepare steadily…’

As I was thinking that, Cheon Mu-jin’s explanation continued.

“Through this righteous war, movement from the Demonic Cult’s side has been detected.”

“Pardon? It’s probably just the usual information gathering.”

When I spoke with the conviction of knowing the original story’s content, Cheon Mu-jin shook his head.

“They say the Black Dragon Unit has moved.”

‘The Black Dragon Unit is the Heavenly Demon’s direct organization that only appears three years from now?!’

The original story’s development had changed. And the reason was probably the result of the variable called ‘me’ interfering directly or indirectly.

“It seems the Demonic Cult, having watched the Blood Demon be defeated so easily, has put forth a radical measure. Because the next turn will be the Demonic Cult’s.”

The Demonic Cult was already appearing. I was entering the middle part of the original story faster than scheduled.

I put aside my confusion for a moment and continued my question.

“Then does that mean I have to kill the Heavenly Demon?”

“Yes, I hope you will become so in the future.”

I never thought I would be acknowledged in this way. But it was not something I could back out of.

‘I guess I have no choice.’

Since I had already committed to such a grand scale, the butterfly effect was an undeniable flow. Now was the time to judge.

“I understand. So, what is my task?”

“According to intelligence, the place the Black Dragon Unit is heading to is Hebei Province.”

“That place is…”

It was the province where the Jinju Eon family’s main house was located.

“And they are heading to the deep mountains where the Jinju Eon family is expected to be hiding. It seems the Black Dragon Unit is trying to win over the divided Jinju Eon family after the Blood Cult’s defeat. The existence of the Blood Fiend and the Blood Corpses was that threatening, after all. To the point that the orthodox faction, which rarely does so, united quickly.”

“But why me? You said you would nurture me, but you’re suddenly sending me to a battlefield like this?”

He could just let me rest. He revealed an answer I hadn’t expected.

“Because they stole one of the Heaven-Shattering Demon’s secret manuals.”

“A secret manual?”

It was the first time I had heard of it.

“There are many rumors, but there is definitely his own secret manual that he left behind properly. In a story he secretly left in the past, he said that around the age of thirty, he lost his secret manual while fighting the Blood Demon of that era and fleeing, so it must be true. We have been tracking his secret manual all this time.”

Cheon Mu-jin continued the story with a serious face.

“The Blood Cult side must have tried to decipher it in their own way. The change in the current Blood Demon’s fighting style is probably because of this.”

I recalled the Blood Demon’s fighting style. The outrageous scene of him spreading a curtain of blood around him with blood arts and simultaneously attacking and defending.

“They probably sent this secret manual as proof of friendship when they were trying to entice the Jinju Eon family. Although it is an extremely valuable item, it is not an item that the Blood Cult cannot hand over.”

“I see. What is the reason for entrusting such an important item to me?”

If it was just for retrieval, there were many other masters.

It didn’t seem like he was just trying to test my abilities, so I was curious about his intention.

Although the probability was low, it could be a trap.

Cheon Mu-jin looked at me and then quietly continued.

“The Blood Demon’s power resembles the sorcery you use.”

I was silent for a moment. I remembered the time when Gu Ja-beom had suspected me of being on the Blood Demon’s side. In the past, I had also felt a fragment of magic from the book left by the Heaven-Shattering Demon.

‘Don’t tell me… then what’s in that secret manual is?’

It might be related to the next magic I would learn.

“The legacy of the Heaven-Shattering Demon will surely make you stronger.”

He then added the real reason.

“If you participate and retrieve the Heaven-Shattering Demon’s book, I will acknowledge your contribution, transcribe the original, and then give it to you. It is not something to be handed over carelessly, so there will be a lot of noise from the surroundings, but I will somehow manage it with my authority.”

Since there were various checks and balances within the Martial Academy, this must have been a huge concession.

It meant he would hand over the secret manual of the Heaven-Shattering Demon, which was only considered a legend, to a young student.

“So, what will you do?”

Cheon Mu-jin, who had finished all his explanations, finally asked.

‘A clue to the next magic. I can’t miss it.’

I nodded my head.

“I will do it. The subjugation of the Jinju Eon family.”

***

The members for the secret manual mission were me, Gu Ja-beom, and Baek Hasin and Cheon Ga-seong, four of us.

Cho Min-ha couldn’t participate due to his injury.

Although there were more instructors who had practically joined, the small elite group dispatched solely for the purpose of retrieving the secret manual was just the four of us.

It was like being assigned a hidden special mission within a large mission.

And so, we headed for Hebei Province by carriage.

‘Finding the main base is also a task.’

Arriving at the suspected area where the Jinju Eon family was hiding, we immediately began our search. Since it was such a vast mountainous region, several more days passed.

‘The wind is cold.’

The weather was getting chilly as late autumn was passing and early winter was approaching. Although there was information, the Jinju Eon family was also a family with some knowledge of formations.

Finding their base in this vast terrain was very tricky.

‘But it must be the same for the Black Dragon Unit’s side.’

As I was thinking that and continuing the search, I felt something.

‘Hmm, this place is strange.’

I thought, looking down at the bottom of the cliff.

Below, there were only piles of rocks and a forest, so it was a terrain that could be easily passed by, but there was a point that bothered me.

‘The energy of the five elements is too calm.’

For a slope and forest spread out with a high mountain at its back, it was too quiet. The wind should be blowing stronger, or the energy should be full, but it wasn’t.

I created wind magic and scattered it throughout the area. And I scanned the terrain of the area by sensing the flow of mana.

I didn’t feel any problems.

It was a place where no traces of a formation could be felt.

‘A place like this is more suitable for hiding.’

I activated a domain magic while descending along the cliff. The Freezing Domain was activated, and frost settled on the area.

But among them, there was an area where snowflakes did not settle.

‘This is it.’

The simplest way to break a concealment formation is to try activating another formation on top of it as if overlapping.

No matter how secretly a formation flows and hides its energy, it cannot be free from the interference of the same kind of formation.

– Everyone, assemble.

I called everyone via telepathy. Fortunately, it seemed my reputation had worked to some extent, as everyone gathered without a word.

After a brief explanation, we formed a formation. Just before we entered.

Cha-cha-cha-chaeng-!

Suddenly, daggers and spear blades flew from the air.

Of course, since everyone was at least a peak-level master, they were not defeated by this much. As if the other side knew that, what appeared next were pale dolls holding swords.

“It’s a Blood Corpse!”

A battle broke out with someone’s shout. I could see the instructors struggling to deal with them, as they had gathered only Blood Corpses of at least the peak level.

However, the four of us, including me, immediately rushed inside.

Since their hiding place had been discovered, the leaders of the Jinju Eon family would flee with the secret manual.

I drew the First Blade and cut down the necks of several Blood Corpses I encountered while running, and as I moved forward, a huge presence suddenly intervened in front of us.

An alien and creepy energy, as if it wasn’t human.

“…A Blood Fiend.”

Go Mi-ju, with a spiderweb-shaped scar on her face, stood before us.

There was not even enough time to hesitate. I immediately shouted.

“Professor Gu Ja-beom! Please chase them! We’ll take care of things here!”

I could see the leaders starting to flee beyond the formation in the distance.

Gu Ja-beom would be faster and more certain to retrieve the secret manual than us.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Gu Ja-beom immediately shouldered his greatsword and kicked off the ground. Go Mi-ju blocked him as he rushed at an incredible speed.

It seemed she had been ordered to eliminate everyone who approached.

But before that, the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear was already flying.

Kaaaaang!

The Flame Lightning First Blade Spear, which flew in a more graceful trajectory than before, blocked Go Mi-ju’s blow.

In the meantime, Gu Ja-beom passed Go Mi-ju and chased after the leaders of the Jinju Eon family.

Before we knew it, the approaching Baek Hasin and Cheon Ga-seong were pressuring Go Mi-ju from both sides.

Two super-peak level masters, and on top of that, with magic support from a distance, even a Transformation opponent had no choice but to flinch.

“Aaaargh!”

As soon as she completely missed Gu Ja-beom, Go Mi-ju began to rampage. Berserking.

At that sight, the two of them skillfully split to the sides and faced one arm each.

I also landed a blow of the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear in the middle to break the opponent’s balance.

“I won’t be fooled twice.”

Just because her strength and internal energy were at the Transformation level didn’t mean she had the profundity of a true Transformation master.

A simple attack without depth, no matter how powerful the internal energy and animalistic senses, is bound to be adapted to before long.

Moreover, with the addition of Cheon Ga-seong’s experience from having cut down a Blood Fiend before and Baek Hasin’s adaptability that grew explosively in front of a strong enemy, Go Mi-ju gradually began to be pushed back.

Watching that scene, I prepared the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear.

I could see Go Mi-ju’s eyes, which had lost their reason, as she struggled, covered in blood.

Somehow, they resembled the eyes of Go Won-tae, who had been sitting alone in the doctor’s office, looking at me.

In the slowed world, I aimed the Daoist Scholar’s Fan at the opponent.

I feel a sense of irony. Go Mi-ju was not originally a Blood Fiend. She was not among the original four Blood Fiends.

Because I had saved Yang Ha-eun, she had become the target instead.

If I hadn’t saved Yang Ha-eun at that time, would Go Mi-ju have been alive until now?

A question arises in my head. Was my choice truly right?

I don’t know. I just do my best in the given moment.

‘How sentimental.’

I shouldn’t be swayed by emotions. That person is just a Blood Fiend, a monster who has directly or indirectly taken the lives of numerous people as a Blood Cultist.

Kaaaaaaang!

At that moment, Baek Hasin’s Black Moon Sword and Cheon Ga-seong’s sword strike imbued with powerful qi deflected Go Mi-ju’s both arms upwards.

Her heart was left wide open.

Finally, a flash flickered, and at the end of the spiral trajectory where a roar tore through, a gaping hole in her chest was revealed.

Thud-

Go Mi-ju collapsed. I blocked Cheon Ga-seong, who was about to bring his sword down on her neck, and added.

“She’s already dead.”

Right after the flame lightning had burned her heart and other organs, and her huge momentum had already disappeared.

She was just a dead person now.

I said to Cheon Ga-seong, who had narrowed his brow as if he couldn’t understand.

“Can I retrieve the body? She was an acquaintance.”

“…Hide it on one side for now and come back later. We’re still in the middle of a battle.”

It was a perfectly natural thing to say. I moved her to one side of the forest and placed a blue bottle in her hand.

That was the last consideration I could give for Go Won-tae.

Soon, we returned to the battlefield and cut down the Blood Corpses, dealing with the remnants.

Although the Jinju Eon family was a large family, they couldn’t withstand the attack of dozens of elites, including super-peak masters.

As the last Blood Corpse was cut down, the formation finally broke, and the original surrounding scenery began to be revealed.

In the midst of that, Baek Hasin threw a question.

“By the way, when is Professor Gu Ja-beom coming?”

“Well, we’ll have to look for him on our side.”

Right now, the Jinju Eon family had no power to face a Transformation master.

No matter how scattered they had fled, if it were Gu Ja-beom, it was time for him to have dealt with them all and returned, but he was too late.

Just as we were about to move to look for Gu Ja-beom.

Something flew at high speed from the bushes.

“Professor?!”

What appeared was a blood-soaked Gu Ja-beom.

– The secret manual has been retrieved. The problem is that something else came along with it.

For a Transformation master to be injured like this. Although there were no fatal wounds, each of those sword wounds was not ordinary.

– Everyone, form a formation. It’s the enemy.

‘The enemy? Don’t tell me?!’

He glared at the forest with his greatsword in hand. And what appeared were a dozen or so men dressed in black martial arts uniforms.

“I’m going crazy.”

I spat out a curse, holding the Daoist Scholar’s Fan.

A dense demonic qi that could be felt even from this distance. Among the groups that could be encountered in the current situation, there was only one martial arts group of this caliber.

It was the Black Dragon Unit, the elite unit within the Demonic Cult.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep