Chapter 133: People Don't Think Like I Do

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's arrival instantly changed the atmosphere.

Seo Daeryong, Jang Ho, and Yeo Bin rose from their seats. They respectfully performed a clasped hands greeting.

"We greet the Demon Supreme."

I poured the Blood Heaven Blade Demon a drink.

"How'd you know to come here?"

"I was just passing by."

How could that be possible? He must have been watching my movements. He came here after hearing I was drinking with the Drunken Demon.

He came for me. He was worried I would be swayed by the Drunken Demon. His recent diligent martial arts training was likely an extension of that same concern.

After drinking the alcohol I gave him, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke to Seo Daeryong, Jang Ho, and Yeo Bin.

"You three, leave for a moment."

Who would dare refuse his command? The three of them bowed politely and went outside.

Now, only I, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the Drunken Demon remained.

The Drunken Demon offered a greeting first.

"It's been a while, Senior."

He greeted him with a friendly smile, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared back with a displeased look.

"I'll get straight to the point. Back off."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm telling you to stay away from the Second Young Lord."

"I was only drinking with the Second Young Lord."

"Don't do that."

"You're telling the Drunken Demon not to drink?"

"Drink with someone else."

The Drunken Demon drank his alcohol with a smile. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon continued to glare at him with a cold gaze.

He was not close to any of the other Demon Supremes, so it was unlikely he would look favorably upon the Drunken Demon, whom he considered insidious.

"Now, calm down and have a drink from me."

The Drunken Demon filled the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's cup. He was not the least bit intimidated, even in front of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"I respect you, Senior, but don't you think this is a bit much?"

"I didn't think someone who's always drunk like you knew anything about principles (道)."

"I have the Way of Alcohol (酒道). Senior, please don't hate me so much."

He smiled with a good-natured face, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had come here with a clear purpose.

"Stay away from the Second Young Lord. Then I'll have no reason to meddle in your life."

At that, the Drunken Demon picked up his cup, stood, and sat in the seat farthest from me.

"Is this far enough?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's expression hardened instantly.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No. You were speaking so seriously that I decided to joke a little. I apologize."

As he spoke, the Drunken Demon looked at me. His gaze seemed to ask if I had anything to say, but I remained silent.

The Drunken Demon's gaze returned to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Senior, you weren't like this before, were you? Were you always someone who got this invested in another person?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon snorted with ridicule.

"Aren't you the one who doesn't care about others?"

"Me?"

"Weren't you someone who only cared about his own drunken feelings?"

"That's right. I am that kind of selfish bastard."

The Drunken Demon drank his alcohol and set his cup down. The sound it made was louder than before.

The air around them grew cold. Their naturally released auras reflected their moods.

"Stop drinking and answer with that mouth of yours. Say you won't meet the Second Young Lord anymore."

However, the Drunken Demon drank again. His expression, seen over the rim of his cup, was stiff. His serious face felt unfamiliar after I had only seen him laughing and joking.

"I refuse."

At the Drunken Demon's refusal, demonic qi erupted from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's body. Simultaneously, demonic qi erupted from the Drunken Demon as well. As their demonic qi mixed, an energy I had never felt before enveloped us.

"Are you acting like this because you believe in the unwritten rule that Demon Supremes must never fight each other?"

"Are you saying you'll break that unwritten rule?"

"Is there any reason I can't?"

"Fine by me. I've always been one who enjoys breaking things. Surely you don't think I'm afraid of the unwritten rule being broken?"

"I wonder if you'll be so relaxed when your liquor bottle is broken."

The demonic qi from the two men grew thicker. Although it gradually intensified, I did not stop them. I simply protected my body with the Heavenly Demon Defense Art and watched quietly.

"Alright. Then let me ask the reason. Why are you trying to stop me?"

"Because you will be an obstacle on the path the Second Young Lord walks."

"And not because I'll be an obstacle to you, Senior?"

The corners of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's mouth curled up coldly. His presence was no less than the relatively younger Drunken Demon's, but the problem was that the Drunken Demon knew his weakness well.

"A few days ago, I had a drink with the Sword Supreme Senior."

At the mention of the Flower Sword Supreme, irritation flared on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's face.

"She's doing well. Still beautiful, still graceful. We talked about the last Eight Demon Assembly and various other things. Ah, she didn't say a single word about you, Senior."

Flames erupted in the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's eyes. The situation was precarious, as if he might swing the Heaven Destroying Dao at any moment.

The Drunken Demon's unique weapon was the gourd-shaped liquor bottle at his waist. That bottle, known to be uncuttable even by a treasured sword, was named Hyeollu (血淚), or Blood Tears. I did not know the reason for its name, but one thing was certain. When its cork was opened, blood tears would flow from someone's eyes.

Even before my regression, I had never seen the Heaven Destroying Dao and Hyeollu used.

What would happen if those two were to clash?

Even in this touch-and-go situation, the Drunken Demon continued to provoke the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Did you tell me to back off? Aren't you the one who should back off, Senior? As long as you are with the Second Young Lord, the Sword Supreme will not help him. However, if it were me, the Sword Supreme would gladly help the Second Young Lord. What do you think? Do you think you are better than the two of us combined?"

When he brought the Sword Supreme into it, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon could not refute him. The Flower Sword Supreme was his weakness.

Besides, the Demon Supremes were all of similar capabilities, so it was not easy to boast that he could fulfill the roles of two people.

At that moment, I answered.

"He is."

The Drunken Demon and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at me.

"Elder Blood Heaven Blade Demon is better than the two of you combined."

My eyes met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's. Gratitude and deep emotion flickered in his small, sharp eyes.

The Drunken Demon smiled and drank the alcohol before him.

"Could you say that with the Sword Supreme in front of you?"

"I could."

"Could you say that with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon here too?"

The Drunken Demon knew I had a deep emotional connection with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. As expected, his information was fast, and he understood the situation better than anyone.

"I could."

"You're just bluffing because they aren't here."

The Drunken Demon snorted, stood up, and went to the window. He shouted to Yeo Bin, who was waiting across the street.

"Go and bring the Flower Sword Supreme and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

"……"

Yeo Bin leaped into the air and vanished in an instant.

The Drunken Demon returned to his seat.

"Do I really have to go this far? I even offered to become sworn brothers with you. Isn't this too much?"

"I'm grateful that you think highly of me, but I don't become sworn brothers with someone I've only had drinks with twice. If you want to, get in line. It's not the Drunken Demon's turn yet."

Perhaps I might become much closer to the Drunken Demon than I am now. He might even be of great help in the grand cause ahead.

Still, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon is my priority.

I knocked diligently on the door to his heart, and he willingly opened it for me.

The Drunken Demon's dazzling words couldn't compare to my gratitude. I was grateful that he had laboriously opened the massive, rusted door to his heart, which had been closed for so long.

Just then, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon sent me a telepathic message.

[When the Sword Supreme arrives, tell her that she is more important.]

[I refuse.]

[Even if you say that, I will still take your side.]

That stubborn old man who used to poke me in the ribs and talk of misfortune had come this far. A man who would be a corpse without his pride was trying to cast it aside for my sake.

[I know you will.]

[But why do you refuse?]

[I don't want the Elder to be disrespected in front of others.]

[I understand. I know how you feel now, so do as I say. The greater cause is more important than personal feelings. You know that, right?]

How could I prioritize someone else in a situation like this?

[That's why I can't.]

[Why?]

[Because the Flower Sword Supreme will notice that I'm lying. You know, don't you? She's very perceptive. For the sake of the greater cause, it's better to be honest.]

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon could not say anything to that.

This had become a very uncomfortable situation for him, with the Drunken Demon mentioning the Flower Sword Supreme.

He must have wanted to storm out several times, but he remained seated for my sake. He must have thought he needed to resolve this issue one way or another.

The Flower Sword Supreme was the first to arrive.

She must have already asked Yeo Bin who was here, as she showed no emotion upon seeing the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Welcome, Senior."

"Second Young Lord, why are you drinking with such useless people?"

At her joke, the Drunken Demon laughed.

"Friend, what a hurtful thing to say."

By calling her 'friend', the Drunken Demon was showing off his closeness with her. The Flower Sword Supreme had described him as merely easygoing, but the Drunken Demon was calling her his friend.

It was a moment that made me realize anew that the Demon Supremes did not tell me everything when they described each other.

"Stop drinking so much."

"Me drinking is the same as you practicing your swordsmanship."

"Then you should drink alone too. Since you train alone."

"It's just too much fun drinking with the Second Young Lord."

"I'll admit that, but why did you call for me, who can't even drink well and isn't any fun?"

At that, the Drunken Demon looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Because the Blade Demon Senior was trying to discipline his junior, and you're the one who has the Blade Demon Senior wrapped around your finger, aren't you?"

Normally, he would have pushed me to make a choice in front of the Sword Supreme, but the Drunken Demon did not.

He was smart and knew me well. He knew that doing so would only hurt my feelings and bring him no benefit.

He also knew that just this much was enough to make the Blood Heaven Blade Demon step forward, especially since he reacted even more rigidly when it came to the Flower Sword Supreme.

"I told the Drunken Demon to stay away from the Second Young Lord."

The Flower Sword Supreme responded coldly to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's words.

"By what authority?"

"I have no such authority. It's just my intuition that he won't be of any help to the Second Young Lord."

"I've already confirmed how terrible your intuition is."

"You don't know a thing about me."

"I don't want to know."

Their sharp antagonism had lessened a bit when they were seeing each other often, but perhaps because the Drunken Demon was here, they were reacting irritably to each other again.

The Drunken Demon poked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's weakness again.

"Alright. Let's assume the Second Young Lord chooses you, Senior, and the Sword Supreme and I back off. Are you close with the remaining Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon could not answer. He was not close to anyone.

I did not step in. I knew well that clumsily taking his side at a time like this would only fuel the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's anger.

The Drunken Demon was striking the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's weakness perfectly. I could not entirely blame him. After all, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was the one who had barged in today.

The Drunken Demon spoke to me with eyes full of intoxication.

"You must hate me now, for cornering the Blade Demon Senior you like so much. Please understand. I was only showing you reality."

"I won't hate you."

"Really? Why?"

"Because I have no intention of letting the Drunken Demon or the Sword Supreme Senior go. I will make them all my people."

For a moment, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon glared at me. However, with his complicated feelings, he could not stop me. He was in a position where he had to do the work of three people by himself.

"You can look at me like that, but it can't be helped. I'm taking all of them with me."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.

"You harbor the illusion that if people just try, they can all get along and live in harmony. Perhaps you can. You certainly have an inclusiveness that doesn't match your age. However, you will eventually find out. People don't think like you do."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked from the Drunken Demon and the Sword Supreme, then turned his head to the window. Floating in the open window, having arrived at some unknown point, was the white-masked Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, his arms crossed as he watched the events unfold inside.

"For your sake, they might pretend to be in harmony on the surface, but behind your back, they'll fight, hate each other, and cause a ruckus. In the midst of that chaos, someone will get hurt and nurture their hatred, and they will betray you at a critical moment. They'll use the wounds they received then as their reason."

The other Demon Supremes also looked at me with eyes that seemed to agree with his words.

"That might be true."

"But why?"

"If you're asking why we must go together, I'll give you an answer."

I looked at the four Demon Supremes and released my qi. I had never properly shown them its true nature before.

But now, I revealed it completely. My qi pushed theirs aside and dominated the room.

I was not showing off strength. I imbued my qi with the greatest dignity I could muster.

I looked at them and said in a low voice.

"Because from now on, your Heavenly Demon will be me."

Everyone flinched in surprise at my words. They probably never imagined I would say something like this.

"This is the decision of the person who will be your future Heavenly Demon. Accept whomever I bring. As long as you don't kill each other, you can fight, hate, or betray as you please. However, there is just one condition!"

I looked at the four Demon Supremes and declared.

"Do it within my boundaries."

A moment of silence passed.

They were looking at me. The drunken eyes looked at me, the gentle eyes looked at me. The small, sharp eyes looked at me, and the eyes behind the mask looked at me.

I hope they will follow my will. I expect someone to step forward first with a positive response.

Just then, the Demon Supremes spoke simultaneously.

"I don't want to."

"I refuse."

"I refuse."

"No."

In that moment, they were of one mind.

I could not hold it in and let out a chuckle. Ugh, these cute yet exasperating Demon Supremes of mine!

I stuck my head out the window and shouted loudly to Jo Cheonbae on the first floor.

"Bring us a new table of drinks up here!"