AR Chapter 48

The surroundings began to ripple as if alive. The writing desk, display cabinet, and the swords and fans mounted on the wall all seemed to melt and flow. It was as if they were liquefying in intense heat.

Even the floor undulated like waves. In this place where walking was a challenge, it seemed impossible to employ any martial arts footwork.

The walls and ceiling also rippled, and checkerboard-like lines appeared, disorienting my vision.

Soul-Seizing Demon’s voice resonated deeply, like an echo in a cave.

“The world you lived in was just an illusion. This place you’re seeing now is the real world.”

The Heavenly Demonic Defense Art activated naturally. If I hadn’t mastered it, I would have already started losing my mind to him.

However, it wasn’t a situation where I could recklessly attack to escape the crisis.

After all, the Soul-Seizing Demon standing before me was likely an illusion.

I could still control the situation because he hadn’t yet unleashed his most powerful dark arts. I calmly spoke while subduing the demonic energy:

“It’s a world where you can save on alcohol costs. Even without drinking, I’m this dizzy, as if drunk.”

Seeing me calmly joke when I should have already collapsed, the Soul-Seizing Demon looked surprised.

The next moment, I heard his whisper in my ear. It was a layered voice, like multiple people spreading rumors in hushed tones.

“So the rumors were true. They said the Second Young Master is becoming a dragon ascending to the heavens.”

Suddenly, he was beside me.

I couldn’t tell if the one standing next to me was an illusion or real.

It seemed I’d only know if I tried to cut him, but I doubted whether I could even strike him. Having such thoughts before even drawing my sword, I knew a fight with him would be extremely difficult.

I could clearly understand why Father had come to warn me.

Even with the Heavenly Demonic Defense Art activated, I was this disoriented. If he were to attack now, how could I possibly defeat the Soul-Seizing Demon?

I turned my head towards the Soul-Seizing Demon standing beside me. His face, so ordinary it seemed extraordinary.

“I have no intention of ascending to heaven. I want to enjoy this world for a long time, thinly and long. That’s why I want to become stronger.”

To be precise, this was the life Soul-Seizing Demon pursued. After all, he had survived thinly and long until the very end. He left several words before his death, and this was one he often said:

—The reason I’ve strived all my life to become stronger is to avoid dying at anyone’s hands.

He was someone who truly cherished his own life. The Heart and Soul Grand Technique was also an extension of this self-love.

The Soul-Seizing Demon grinned at me.

“What a splendid idea.”

Simultaneously, the rippling around us stopped. The surroundings darkened and then brightened again, and suddenly the environment had changed.

The mind-bending space disappeared, and this time a vast plain stretched out before us. It was a sight that lifted one’s spirits just by looking at it.

The Soul-Seizing Demon was standing far away in the middle of the field.

I shouted towards him.

“It’s truly impressive martial arts!”

Normally, I would have said “dark arts” or “illusion” instead of “martial arts” to rile him up, but I refrained from doing so now. In his world, it was wise to concede a point.

“It’s martial arts that only I in this world can perform.”

He said proudly. But that wasn’t true.

The Cult Leader of Heavenly Wind could also perform exactly the same martial arts. I had learned this fact during the process of getting Sound Thunder Bell in the past. The roots of the martial arts they had learned were in the Blood Cult’s demonic techniques.

“How about it? Don’t you want to live in a world like this?”

He was standing far away, but his voice sounded right next to me.

“If you teach me, I would gratefully learn.”

Then the Soul-Seizing Demon suddenly appeared in front of me again.

“You’re more cunning than I thought. Trying to get divine skills for free.”

“Thanks to that, you could gain me, couldn’t you?”

He looked into my eyes. His pitch-black pupils shrank to dots.

“I can see right through what you’re thinking. You might fool an idiot like Blood Heavens Saber Demon, but you can’t deceive me.”

“What am I thinking?”

“You want to grab my hair and slap me. You want to strike my cheek while saying, ‘You bastard, who do you think you are to disobey me?'”

“Close, but not quite. It’s more like, ‘You bastard, who do you think you are to kill people? Let’s start by ripping out your heartless heart!’ How’s that? A bit different, right?”

The Soul-Seizing Demon didn’t get angry. Confident in his ability to kill me, he displayed the composure of a superior.

“As the Cult Leader’s son, it must be hard to die, right? Is that why you want to die by my hands?”

“Not at all. Isn’t a living third-rate better than a dead number one under heaven?”

This was also a phrase Soul-Seizing Demon often used.

The Soul-Seizing Demon’s expression changed subtly.

His black sclera, which had shrunk to dots, returned to normal, and he withdrew all his demonic energy.

The surroundings returned to their original state. We were once again facing each other in the Soul-Seizing Demon’s room.

“What I just showed you was merely a taste. If I wanted to, I could open up a hellish place where you’d never escape for the rest of your life. Are you still not afraid of me?”

“I am afraid. I’m terrified. That’s why I said I’d persuade Father, didn’t I?”

The Soul-Seizing Demon, who had been staring at me blankly for a moment, burst into laughter.

“Hahahahaha.”

Even his laughter was extraordinary. It was an eerie laugh that shook one’s heart. My insides trembled and my stomach churned.

“I have to admit, you’re something. No wonder Saber Demon was so eager to recommend you.”

As expected, he was keeping an eye on my relationship with Saber Demon. Well, not just this Soul-Seizing Demon, but probably the other Demon Supremes as well.

“Well then, Second Young Master. You may leave now.”

“Please restrain yourself for a while, at least for Father’s sake! I’ll take my leave now.”

This threat involving Father should work for two or three months.

“If you see me again, you might never return to this world.”

I walked out without replying. The verbal exchange with him was over now.

***

Seo Daeryong, who had been waiting outside, asked me:

“Did you resolve what you came for?”

“If it went well, it went well, and if it didn’t, it didn’t.”

“I think it’s commendable that you, Pavilion Master, came to seek a solution from the fearsome Soul-Seizing Demon like this. Whatever it was… it’s something no one else has done. I think there’s meaning in that.”

Comfort from this gloomy and crooked fellow.

“You’re very angry, aren’t you?”

“Do I look it?”

“Yes.”

“I was very angry when I first saw the corpses, but I’m fine now. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Seo Daeryong, who had been looking at me for a moment, started walking again.

“Don’t you want to hear what decision I made?”

“I’ve already heard it. It’s the same look you’ve always shown us. The look you had before accomplishing the impossible.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“This is why you need a right-hand man.”

“You keep calling me your right-hand man, but isn’t Warrior Lee your right hand?”

“Lee Ahn? Lee Ahn isn’t my right hand.”

“So am I outranking Warrior Lee as your right hand?”

He seemed slightly hopeful.

“You’re the right hand, but you can’t surpass Lee Ahn.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lee Ahn is my heart, my heart.”

“Now I feel slighted even being the right hand.”

I laughed loudly, and Seo Daeryong laughed along.

“I’ll buy you a drink today.”

“Really? Are we finally going to a top-class brothel?”

“It’s a tavern for refined entertainment.”

I pouted, and Seo Daeryong shouted about his poor salary.

“Alright, since our stingy Inspector Seo is buying drinks for once, let’s invite the left arm, the heart, and even the left wing to drink together.”

“The left arm must be Demonic Army Commander, the heart is Warrior Lee, then who’s the left wing?”

“There is one. Come on, let’s go.”

I walked briskly ahead. When I was quite far ahead, I turned back to look at Seo Daeryong.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Still in his original spot, Seo Daeryong said with an apologetic face:

“I’m sorry. This is all I can do for you. If I had my way…”

“If you had your way?”

He looked towards the Soul-Seizing Demon’s residence. His eyes showed a desire to go in and drag Soul-Seizing Demon out by the hair. I could feel the fervor that, if he were strong enough, he would have done so.

Our gazes met in mid-air.

Lately, I’ve been relying quite a lot on this small, gloomy man.

“I’ll accept the thought.”

“You should!”

After leaving Western Illusion Array, we headed together to the tavern.

“Looks like it might rain.”

Indeed, the sky was so overcast with dark clouds that it seemed rain would pour down at any moment.

“You picked a good day. With the rain coming, today’s drink bill is going to be no joke.”

“It’ll be fine at the tavern. There are no women, so there’s nowhere to spend money.”

“Ah… that’s too sad a story. This won’t do. I should be the one buying the drinks.”

“You don’t have a woman either, Second Young Master.”

“I have Lee Ahn, don’t I?”

Not expecting Lee Ahn to be mentioned, Seo Daeryong blinked in surprise.

“She’s your bodyguard, isn’t she? If you put it that way, I also…”

“What about that junior you mentioned before?”

Seo Daeryong’s face turned slightly red.

“It’s not like that with that junior!”

We secured the largest table on the second floor of the tavern.

“Welcome, Pavilion Master.”

These days, I was the best customer for the owner, Jo Chun-bae. Thanks to the Underworld Pavilion branch, his sales had doubled. Not only that, but he said life had become more enjoyable as the tyranny of martial artists had significantly decreased.

“Don’t worry today. There won’t be any broken tables.”

“Haha, what if they break again? As long as no one gets hurt, it’s fine.”

“Look forward to it. This friend here, it’s the day his hidden money comes out.”

“I’ll prepare delicious food for you.”

Jo Chun-bae brought the alcohol first before bringing out the main dishes.

We drank quietly for a while without any conversation, each lost in our own thoughts. Seo Daeryong in his way, and I in mine.

Soul-Seizing Demon came to mind.

Thinking of him, along with the desire to kill, a fierce fighting spirit surges up.

If it were the old me, on a day like today, I wouldn’t be just sitting here drinking. I would have rushed to the training ground and swung my sword relentlessly.

In my younger days, when faced with setbacks, I exhausted all my heart and mind in efforts to overcome those obstacles. Back then, I didn’t know that when a person is desperate, they can also escape through effort.

But I don’t do that anymore.

The more anger wells up, the more I try to stay calm. I now know that drinking with my people is as much a part of making me stronger as training.

Then Seo Daeryong spoke.

“But I feel strange today. My heart keeps pounding.”

“Did you see a pretty woman? Where?”

As I looked around jokingly, Seo Daeryong laughed.

“You don’t even like women, do you?”

“Who says that? That I don’t like women.”

“Isn’t that the case? I thought you weren’t interested in women, Pavilion Master.”

Women, huh. In my past life, I lived alone my whole life, so I was lonely, and also not lonely because of it.

“Are you lonely these days?”

“What’s lonely about living alone? It’s just boring. Isn’t loneliness an emotion you feel when you’re with someone?”

“Oh! I should use that line later.”

“Use it on that junior you like.”

“I told you I don’t like her. And we won’t meet anyway.”

“Should I put you in the same team and make you work together?”

“No thanks. Relationships should develop naturally.”

“See, you do like her.”

“That’s not… never mind. Ugh, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

He drank his alcohol.

“Is your heart still pounding?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe something fateful is about to happen today.”

“No way.”

Meanwhile, Jo Chun-bae brought out the food.

Even at this moment, Seo Daeryong didn’t know. He didn’t know how his decision to buy drinks today would bring about changes in his life.

“Let’s drink heavily today!”

He said, despite not being able to drink well.