Chapter 292: The Might of the Blood Demon (1)

"Waaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!"

"The cult leader has returned!"

Thunderous cheers erupted from all directions.

The elders and blood warriors reacted no differently.

They were looking at me with eyes full of emotion.

"You rascal!"

So did my master, Haeakcheon, who stood just to my front right.

He couldn't hide his excitement upon seeing me.

Whew.

That was really close.

I had just arrived at the main cult base on Mount Yeongsan less than half an hour ago.

But to my surprise, the main base was completely deserted.

When I asked the few remaining cult members, they told me that a surprise attack was being prepared to ambush the advance unit of the Martial Alliance.

The problem was, this seemed to be confidential—none of those left behind knew the exact location of the ambush.

So I wandered the area until I finally found them in the mountain range between Hoenghyeon and Yeongsan.

— At last, freedom again.

The Blood Demon Sword could hardly contain its excitement.

Perhaps it was thrilled to finally emerge from its pouch after such a long time.

'That man is Jeongcheon, the current leader of the Martial Alliance.'

The blade of the Blood Demon Sword trembled.

Among all the opponents I had ever faced, he was undoubtedly the most formidable.

I could clearly sense that he had surpassed the realm of ordinary masters and entered the domain of the superhuman.

"...So you really are the Blood Demon."

Even Jeongcheon of the Martial Alliance looked at me with eyes full of caution.

Though we had only exchanged a few moves, a warrior of his caliber would be able to gauge my level to some extent.

Just as all my focus was about to shift toward him—

"Where the hell were you until now?!"

A voice rang out from behind me. It was Baek Hyehyang.

I slowly turned my head.

'…Ah.'

I saw tears brimming in her reddened eyes.

Among all the expressions I'd seen on her face, this one was the most unusual.

She seemed to be trying hard to contain her emotions, but her lips were trembling uncontrollably.

I think this was the second time I'd seen her like this.

She, who always appeared strong and arrogant, now wore the expression of a vulnerable woman.

"Baek Hyehyang."

When I called her name, she snorted and said,

"If you're here, then worry about the enemy in front of you."

She said that, but her whole body was trembling violently.

Her energy, as sensed through my aura perception, was scattering rapidly.

Was she injured?

Her face was deathly pale.

It was clear she needed to be withdrawn from the battlefield.

Just as I was about to call someone—

"Ugh."

She staggered and almost collapsed.

I quickly caught her as she fell backward.

She's burning up.

As I supported her, I felt something both hot and wet on her back.

She was bleeding heavily.

Was this wound inflicted during her fight with Jeongcheon?

But something about the energy around the injury felt... strange and foreign.

—Grab!

At that moment, Baek Hyehyang grabbed my collar and said with difficulty,

"What are you doing? The enemy is right in front of you."

"Your pulse is weakening. If you stay here, it's dangerous. You should fall back…"

"Don't waste your concern. Just fight. If you lose, everyone here dies anyway."

"This isn't the time to be stubborn."

"Shut up. If I die, I'll die here."

She gritted her teeth and said it firmly.

That kind of resolve… I couldn't help but respect it.

No matter how much I denied it, I found myself drawn to her.

Not because she was beautiful, but because she was… admirable.

...I genuinely wanted her.

Then my master, Haeakcheon, spoke to me.

"Vice Cult Leader. The Cult Leader is right. Or perhaps, take her and fall back a little—"

But he didn't get to finish.

Baek Hyehyang suddenly pulled me close by the collar, lifted her demon mask slightly, and kissed me.

Her tongue slid into my mouth, and I tasted the iron tang of blood.

"...Hmph."

My master was speechless, clearly stunned by her sudden action.

I was just as shocked.

Who would've imagined a kiss in the middle of this battlefield?

As she pulled her blood-moistened lips away, Baek Hyehyang said,

"What, never had one?"

I didn't even know how to respond.

This woman—kissing me in front of everyone right in the middle of a war between the righteous and demonic sects.

It was just so… Baek Hyehyang.

"It tastes like damn blood."

What, was I expecting something sweet?

At my remark, she licked her lips and said in her usual tone,

"This could be our last moment. Isn't this much allowed?"

I couldn't help but chuckle softly.

No matter how much I tried to resist, I couldn't avoid falling for her.

—Looks like you're just as crazy as this vixen.

I agreed with Sodam Sword's words.

Yeah.

I must be crazy too.

For her to kiss me here, in front of everyone, it meant she was prepared to die today.

I gently helped her stand on her own and said,

"That won't happen."

"What?"

"This battle will end in our victory."

Her pupils trembled slightly at my words.

I turned around and walked toward Jeongcheon, who had patiently waited for me.

"Thanks for waiting."

Jeongcheon calmly replied,

"No need to thank me. I wasn't waiting for the real Blood Demon anyway."

Even before his sentence finished—

Papapapapak! Rumble!

"Waaaaah!"

"Alliance Leader!"

"We're here!"

Countless martial artists from the Martial Alliance appeared atop the cliff.

They had scaled the cliff while Baek Hyehyang, my master, and Jeongcheon were clashing.

Apparently, after our brief clash, he decided it was better to wait for reinforcements than to face everyone alone.

—Clang! Clang!

—Waaaaaah!

From the sounds coming from afar, it seemed that a battle had already broken out on the opposite mountain range.

Only on this side had the main forces yet to clash, with the top masters of both factions holding off for now.

As the thousands-strong forces of the Blood Cult and the Martial Alliance crowded the ridge, the atmosphere was thick with tension.

"That one must be the infamous Blood Demon."

"Lord Patriarch, allow us to fight alongside you."

Five top experts from different Martial Alliance branches stepped up behind Mu-sangdo Jeongcheon.

Each of them exuded a formidable presence.

Among the ten or so gathered, seven had reached the peak of mastery, and the remaining three were supreme-level martial masters.

Behind me, my master Haeakcheon and the high-ranking elders of the cult stood united.

Perhaps it was because their Cult Leader had returned—relief was finally showing on their faces.

"Heh heh heh! Now the pieces are in place."

-Thump! Thump!

Master Haeakcheon clashed his fists together, burning with battle spirit.

Though reinforcements were expected, this battle—with the Martial Alliance leader himself present—would determine the tide of war.

Mu-sangdo Jeongcheon pointed his saber at me and shouted,

"Today, all traces of the Blood Cult that survived twenty years ago shall be wiped from existence!"

"WAAAAAAAH!"

The warriors of the Martial Alliance roared in high spirits.

-Clench!

His grip on his saber tightened, and murderous energy surged from him toward me.

Their breathing synchronized, and the tension rose.

It was clear that as soon as Jeongcheon made the first move, a full-scale charge would erupt.

[Say something too, heh.]

My master sent me a telepathic message—he likely wanted me to raise our side's morale.

Instead, I simply walked forward and said,

"None of you interfere."

'!?'

Everyone—my master, the elders, and even the righteous warriors—looked puzzled.

My master hurriedly sent me another telepathic message.

[What are you doing, you fool? You can't possibly handle—]

-Step... Step...

Before he could finish, Mu-sangdo Jeongcheon also began walking forward.

He seemed to understand my intent and spoke up.

"As expected, this should begin with a duel between the Blood Demon and me, the Martial Patriarch."

"I don't have time."

"What?"

I glanced sideways at Baek Hyeyang.

Her pale face barely clung to consciousness, driven by sheer will to see this through. She could collapse at any moment.

I turned back and said,

"I need to end this quickly—so all of you come at once."

Jeongcheon looked at me in disbelief.

Behind him, the Martial Alliance's top experts and other righteous warriors stared at me, dumbfounded.

Then, I stomped the ground with great force.

-BOOOOOM!

The ground cracked outward from the impact, and a thunderous sound shook the area.

And then—something incredible happened.

-Thud! Thud!

Hundreds of righteous warriors collapsed on the spot, their eyes rolled back.

'!!!'

Even the top experts of the Alliance were visibly shaken.

The Blood Cultists were equally stunned to see more than half of the enemy fall in an instant.

Master Haeakcheon and the other elders couldn't hide their shock either.

Who could've predicted this from a single stomp?

"You... what the hell..."

Master Haeakcheon was speechless.

His eyes asked what I'd been through in the time we were apart.

I simply smiled and addressed the astonished Jeongcheon and his remaining top warriors.

"I'll offer this once—surrender now, and I'll spare your lives."

My arrogant proposition made Jeongcheon grit his teeth and shout,

"BLOOD DEMONNNNNN!"

-SWOOSH!

He charged at me with terrifying speed.

The ten top masters followed close behind.

It was a wise choice. If they believed I was the most dangerous, taking me down would tip the scales of war.

But I had already warned them.

Just then, I heard the Blood Demon Sword whisper in my mind:

—Show them. The fully perfected Heaven-Crushing Blood Demonic Art, exclusive to the Blood Demon.

I was already planning on it.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the sword in reverse grip and stabbed it into the ground.

-Thrust!

'Blood-Soaked Blade Stance'

The seventh stance of the Heaven-Crushing Blood Demonic Sword: Blood-Soaked Blade Stance (혈정검세).

As the blade pierced the earth, red fissures spread from the impact.

-GROOOOAAAH!

A massive eruption of crimson energy exploded from the shattered ground.

-BOOOOOOOM!

A tidal wave of red energy surged like a cataclysm, sweeping across the battlefield.

"Dammit!"

The explosion engulfed Jeongcheon and the ten charging masters.

They were completely swallowed.

This was the true destructive force of the fully mastered Heaven-Crushing Blood Demonic Art.

"Dear heavens!"

"Oh Blood Demon...!"

Gasps and awe erupted from the Blood Cult warriors behind me.

I didn't need to look—this scene shocked everyone, without exception.

But it wasn't over yet.

The explosive red energy towered over ten meters high, obscuring all visibility.

'Perfect!'

-SWOOSH!

I darted into the storm of crimson light.

Amidst the dust and debris, I spotted Jeongcheon's silhouette.

-Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

As expected of a master who transcended human limits.

While the other ten were shredded by the blast, Jeongcheon had created a wall of blades to shield himself.

'Impressive.'

He noticed me charging through the blast and rushed forward, not even hesitating.

His blade, infused with his very soul, shimmered in white light.

It came straight at me—a strike meant to sever everything in its path.

-SLASH!

But then—

-CLANG!

His saber split cleanly in half.

Jeongcheon was visibly stunned.

"You... what are you?"

Understandably shaken.

He must've thought we were evenly matched—at least when he blocked the Blood-Soaked Blade Stance.

But I had used that technique only to obscure vision.

"I'm sorry. This is my true power."

-CRACKLE!

My form was cloaked in red lightning—merged with the Blood Demon transformation and lightning ki.

Jeongcheon's pupils trembled as though in an earthquake.

"Are you even human, Blood Demon?"

"Right now? Maybe not."

The moment I finished speaking, he lunged to stab between my eyes with his broken blade.

Worthy of his reputation, even in defeat.

But it was no use.

-SLASH!

"Gah!"

I struck his neck like a lightning bolt.

Not only did I cleave through his throat, but my sword strike was so powerful it split the cliff behind him in two.

-BOOOOOOOM!

"Tch."

I thought I held back enough—but I guess not.