CHAPTER 526: EPILOGUE EARTH DEMON (23)

“Do you know anything else?”

Il-su answered slowly, staring into the distance as if tracing a memory.

His unseen eyes seemed fixed on some point in the past.

“That meeting was the last time I saw him. Since then I’ve neither heard rumors nor accidentally crossed paths with him.”

“Understood.”

I nodded and made a slight gesture. A secret warrior, who had been hiding like a shadow, silently revealed himself and bowed politely.

“Follow the target. Move with him.”

“…Shall we handle him directly?”

A faint tension laced the secret warrior’s voice.

“For now, yes. If trouble arises, I will intervene.”

At those words, Il-su immediately and neatly assumed a combat stance without hesitation.

There was trust in him toward me, but his expression revealed more than that.

‘Was he always like this?’

A strange excitement at facing a strong opponent, and a burning pride within.

I saw it.

Also the desire to test his martial art after having advanced a step.

‘He’s a more interesting person than I thought.’

I had watched and experienced countless warriors over time.

Among them, Il-su was one who drew my attention.

A warrior’s growth and uncovering the true nature of a hidden strong one were always fascinating matters.

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Ma-gon.

From various inquiries, he was not one to travel with a personal force.

Nor did he hold any formal position.

He had a peculiar personality; his obsession with martial learning was said to verge on madness.

Perhaps because of that, he enjoyed reinterpreting existing demonic arts in his own way and creating original lone-school martial arts techniques.

Once he vied with the current sect leader for dominance of the Demon Cult, but having entered under the First Disciple’s command, he seemed to have no lingering desire for the sect leadership now. 𝘳аNŏBЁᶊ

“Have you come?”

A remote path leading to the Seventh Hall.

Entering through the back door of the old cottage, the Supreme Pavilion Lord, who had already arrived, greeted me politely.

Il-su had already arrived inside as well.

He, too, showed his respect upon spotting me.

“Have you heard the plan?”

I asked the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

“Yes. We were informed that Ma-gon will arrive around two hours from now near here.”

“Have you secured the surrounding area?”

This time I asked the secret warrior standing to the side.

“It’s a sparsely populated area, so even if a commotion arises few will know. We’ll stop anyone attempting to approach this vicinity.”

I nodded and looked between the two of them.

“How is it? Have you spoken to each other at all?”

The opponent is a Supreme Demon warrior. According to Il-su’s testimony, he had reached a mastery beyond mere entry-level.

He was said to be on a level comparable to the First Disciple.

So I was quite curious how the two would fight such an enemy.

“…”

“…”

A strange silence with no reply.

They probably hadn’t exchanged many words here.

Then, at that moment.

“I’ll do it alone.”

Il-su spoke first.

His unseen eyes stared into some patch of empty air.

“Black Swan Commander, it’s dangerous. The opponent is a Supreme Demon Warrior.”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord immediately objected, but he answered calmly.

“That’s precisely why. The Supreme Pavilion Lord would likely only get in the way in this fight.”

“W-what did you say?”

“My ability sees the flow of air currents. If you awkwardly intervene, the two currents will mix and cloud what I perceive.”

“…!”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord flushed. Yet despite his displeased expression, he gave no further retort.

He seemed to have heard something earlier.

That Ma-gon was not a mere ultimate demonic master.

‘Is it because of that special psychokinetic ability? He seems to have grown since before, but it’s hard to tell at a glance.’

I found Il-su’s changes intriguing.

Except that the qi coalescing at his upper dantian was clearer than before, it was hard to guess his martial arts strength.

If even I was unsure, of course the Supreme Pavilion Lord couldn’t recognize it.

I gathered my thoughts and spoke.

“Then let Il-su go first.”

Neither replied.

They had silently agreed.

I said again.

“The Supreme Pavilion Lord, wait to strike when Il-su is in danger or when the opponent lets his guard down.”

“I will follow your orders.”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord accepted obediently.

As expected, it was the action of someone who prized caution above all.

‘I’m curious what kind of man he truly is.’

I turned my head toward the window.

He should arrive soon; it wouldn’t be long before he appeared.

After spending some time there.

‘He’s coming.’

I felt movement from that direction.

I stepped outside the cottage and strengthened my presence-sensing qi.

And I spotted him at a considerable distance.

“So that’s him.”

A thin figure draped in a shabby brown cloth over a worn black robe.

But a flexible, steel-like strength emanated from that body.

He wore his long black hair loosely half-tied, with streaks of silver through it.

‘Has he been transformed?’

Generally, such silver hair appeared when one had transcended the years.

Though middle-aged in appearance, his gaze and aura carried a depth beyond time.

I gave a subtle signal and nodded to Il-su and the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

At that moment, as if waiting, the two slowly walked out of the cottage.

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“This place is normally used as the Seventh Hall’s training ground.”

The old man cautiously explained beside Ma-gon.

“A clearing this large on a mountainside is hard to find even within the main cult.”

Ma-gon slowly surveyed the surroundings.

Lookouts built in the trees, piles of firewood for lighting fires, and a well dug into one side.

“It’s usable.”

A brief judgment, but it carried satisfaction.

He needed a space to train away from others’ eyes, and he had finally found a suitable spot.

“Tell the Master of the Seventh Hall I thank him. When the grand scheme is complete, I will not forget today’s favor.”

“I will surely convey it.”

The old man bowed deeply, then hesitated as if something had occurred to him.

“Pardon my impertinence, but…”

“What is it?”

“I forgot that I was urgently summoned by the main office. May I step away briefly?”

Ma-gon glanced over the old man: an aged, frail figure—one who could be here or not without much consequence.

“Go.”

“Thank you. I’ll be back soon.”

After the old man hurried away, Ma-gon sat down leisurely on the ground.

He took an old tobacco pipe from his pocket and lit it.

Puff, puff.

Smoke rose and veiled his face.

After a deep draw, he muttered as if to himself.

“Did I hear wrong?”

He raised his gaze again, glanced over, and then let out a wry smile.

“Ambushes happen anywhere, and it’s not strange, but an ambush inside the Old Hall… I find that hard to understand. Does he have collaborators?”

He tapped his pipe and rose.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. If someone dares to pick a fight with me…”

The corner of his mouth lifted.

“It means they have that much confidence, doesn’t it?”

Just then, two people walked out from the cottage.

Ma-gon’s gaze sharpened. The first was the Master of the Supreme Pavilion, head of the Five Pavilions and rumored to be cunning.

The second was…

“Il-su?”

A blind swordsman under the First Disciple, known as the Black Swan Commander.

Ma-gon threw away his pipe.

“How interesting. The Supreme Pavilion Lord and the Black Swan Commander… This pairing far exceeds my expectations.”

At his mocking words, the Supreme Pavilion Lord smirked and bowed slyly.

“At last I meet the man whose name I have heard only in words.”

“I’ve also heard of your reputation. They said someone remarkably sharp-witted, whom my lord praised endlessly. But…”

He raised the corner of his mouth.

“Now I see it’s true you became the fourth disciple’s dog.”

As the Supreme Pavilion Lord bowed formally, Ma-gon’s gaze turned to Il-su.

“Just assigning one task, and yet everyone lines up to become that man’s dog. They don’t even appreciate the grace of taking in someone without roots… Truly, it’ll be interesting to see how long you live.”

In response to Ma-gon’s taunt, Il-su spoke with an indifferent expression.

“Isn’t following the strong the oldest rule of our school? Didn’t the Cult leader say that himself?”

“Ha, that remark…”

Ma-gon reacted immediately.

“Are you saying a disciple is stronger than the First Disciple?”

When Il-su fell silent, Ma-gon snorted.

“Ha! Fine, you are a blind fool so that could be expected… But the Supreme Pavilion Lord, for someone of your rank to make such a foolish choice—who exactly persuaded you?”

A cold smile flickered across the Supreme Pavilion Lord’s face.

“Do I have any reason to give you an answer, senior?”

“These two are mad together… huh?”

Boom!

With a sudden crash, the ground split as if exploded.

A surge of dust quickly blanketed the surroundings like a fog, obscuring vision.

It was Il-su’s doing.

He deliberately struck the ground to raise dust, finely controlling its density and range.

Ma-gon, sensing the situation, sneered.

“Ah, now I remember. That peculiar martial art practiced by a blind fool.”

S-srrr.

A sharp metallic sound rang as a sword slid out of its scabbard.

When Ma-gon drew his sword, a killing intent burst forth, distinct even through the haze.

Ziiiiiing!

A force emitted from the blade extended outward by some three slashes.

It was sword qi condensed purely from internal qi.

But that was only the beginning.

Gwooooo—

Green qi enveloped Ma-gon’s entire body.

The overwhelming shockwave of his internal qi pushed both the Supreme Pavilion Lord and Il-su back several steps.

“Do you think your psychokinesis can affect me? Come on! I’ll split you in two at once!”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord looked at Il-su with anxious eyes, but the blind man’s expression gave away nothing.

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‘I wonder what he’ll look like.’

Meanwhile, watching from a safe distance, I alternately observed the two with keen interest.

A man born with the talent to manipulate nature’s qi, and on top of that, one who had attained martial enlightenment.

Could such an Il-su possibly stand against a Supreme Demonic warrior who had reached mastery?

‘If Il-su has mastered the intricacies of airflow, this fight won’t be one-sided.’

His confidence was partly understandable.

Il-su specialized in reading surrounding qi without using sight.

If my Full Body Demonic Arts technique combined with his internal qi, they could predict an opponent’s attacks.

If one can perceive and predict an unseen harmony.

Even if the opponent was a Supreme Demon warrior who had reached mastery, he would not be easily defeated.

‘He’s moving.’

The moment my gaze fixed on Il-su again.

Kuwaaang!

Ma-gon’s sword shot toward Il-su, leaving a green afterimage.

Before the blade fully extended, the sword-pressure that tore the space exploded first.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

This time Ma-gon swung his sword sideways, and a massive vortex formed at that spot.

It was a mere sweep, yet whirlwinds formed across a radius of dozens of chang.

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‘This… this can’t be…’

The Supreme Pavilion Lord’s legs trembled as he watched.

At the martial skill Ma-gon displayed before his eyes, he was certain he couldn’t hold out for even five seconds.

Even the sight of the green qi Ma-gon unleashed made his bones chill.

Bang! Bang!

Yet despite the successive blasts, Il-su appeared unaffected.

What was more surprising was that he hadn’t stepped away for a moment, but was circling Ma-gon’s side.

Right within the zone where a savage assault poured forth.

‘It’s not a simple spirit technique. That is something different.’

The seasoned eye of the Supreme Pavilion Lord, who had survived decades within the Demon Cult, flashed.

Il-su’s movement was on a completely different level from ordinary spirit techniques.

‘Could it be that he’s reading Ma-gon’s movements?’

Movements too fast to follow with the eye.

Such things could never be seen and reacted to in time.

Faced with the phenomenon of a Peak Demon warrior catching up to a Supreme Demon Warrior’s movements, the Supreme Pavilion Lord couldn’t take his eyes off for a moment.