Chapter 545: If You Live With Me, You'll Be Swinging At Nothing Too

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Mugeuk lived by a single, unwavering belief: If you've worked as hard as I have, then fine, take this victory!

Because he always gave his absolute best, he was also prepared to accept any outcome. This mindset didn't mean he was okay with being defeated and dying, but it had a positive effect on Geom Mugeuk in many ways. It allowed him to face even the most difficult battles with a clear mind and overflowing confidence.

As he clashed with the Brawling King again, the Brawling King could see that Geom Mugeuk's eyes were even clearer and more vibrant.

What kind of madman is this! These tenacious Demonic Cult bastards! Amidst all his thoughts, this was his final conclusion.

I must kill him today!

He was already this strong, but what if he met this Geom Mugeuk again next year? Or the year after that? What would happen when he reached his thirties, forties, or fifties? He would become a being beyond imagination.

It seemed the Queen of Darkness in the carriage felt the same way.

SSSSSSS.

A black energy flowed from the carriage. It formed a film around the Brawling King's body before being absorbed into him. It was clear the Queen of Darkness had infused him with some kind of power.

"Young Cult Leader, show me your great technique."

Indeed, the Brawling King had regained his vitality. He felt as fresh as if he were fighting for the first time. He rode this momentum and unleashed his unique martial arts. It was the Revolving Wind Cloud Fist, the same technique he had shown when fighting the Evil Alliance Chairman.

The Revolving Wind Cloud Fist, Third Technique, the Chaos Lightning Dance.

SHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUK!

Dozens of fists, as fast as light, flew toward Geom Mugeuk.

SASASASASA.

As the Shadow Step, the Hell Step, and the Vanishing Step were used in succession, an escape route opened up in a space that had seemed impossible to break out of. The missed fists overturned the ground, scattering debris in all directions.

At the end of that final escape route stood the Brawling King.

"I've been waiting!"

It was a move he had predicted, believing that Geom Mugeuk would surely dodge. Geom Mugeuk had escaped to the exact spot he had anticipated, and there, he unleashed his hidden trump card.

The Revolving Wind Cloud Fist, Fourth Technique, the Forbidden Scarlet Lock.

A chain-shaped red enhanced qi shot out from the Brawling King's palm.

CHWARRRRRRK!

Perhaps because he was already wrapped in chains, the Forbidden Scarlet Lock coiled around Geom Mugeuk with even more power.

Just as the Brawling King was about to unhesitatingly unleash the Revolving Wind Cloud Fist the Fifth Technique the Cloud Wind Door!

Geom Mugeuk suddenly asked.

"Are you ready?"

This angle, with only the Brawling King and the carriage in front, was the perfect position to blow them away without a single one of his own people getting hurt. This was the moment Geom Mugeuk had been waiting for amidst the chaotic battle. It was a move unleashed even before he was bound by the Forbidden Scarlet Lock.

SSSSSSSSSSS.

The demon that had appeared before Geom Mugeuk began to rapidly multiply. The demons finally revealed themselves. He didn't know what preparations they had made, but now was the time to use the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

He couldn't use the Great Annihilation Stance inside the venue earlier because there were too many of his people. However, with Jin Hagun and the Demon Slaying Brigade gone, an opportunity had arisen. From his current position, neither Bi Sayin nor the Faceless Warriors were in the line of fire. The sound of dogs barking was coming from far away on the opposite side.

I'll blow away not just the Brawling King, but the carriage too!

What kind of countermeasures have you prepared?

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!

The Great Annihilation Stance rushed toward them, sweeping everything away.

At that very moment, something incredible happened.

SHWOOOK!

Black holes simultaneously appeared beneath the Brawling King and the carriage. They vanished as if sucked down into them.

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!

The Great Annihilation Stance passed right over where they had been. It continued on until it erased the far wall behind them without a trace.

A black circle formed where everything had been swept away, and the carriage rose from it. Thankfully, the Forbidden Scarlet Lock had been released, but Geom Mugeuk stared at the carriage with a look of astonishment.

SREUREUK.

The carriage door opened, and a hand wrapped in chains appeared through the beaded curtain. The Brawling King walked out from inside the carriage.

Geom Mugeuk realized one thing.

"So you were the one who saved this man before."

Then, the Queen of Darkness's reply came from the carriage.

"That's right. The Dark Path Returning Art is my unique secret technique."

Earlier, when the Brawling King had first stepped out of the carriage, she had mentioned the Dark Path Returning Art. At the time, he hadn't considered that it might be her martial arts.

When the Great Annihilation Stance is unleashed, the target is crushed by demonic qi and cannot escape. However, the seven-star Nine Calamities Demonic Art was not enough to stop the Dark Path Returning Art from rescuing its target.

Previously, he had vanished leaving everything he wore behind, but today's Brawling King still had the chains on his fists and body, and even his clothes were intact. The Queen of Darkness using the Dark Path Returning Art from up close was different from before. It meant it was working more powerfully.

"Have you no pride, running away after fighting so cowardly?" Geom Mugeuk provoked the Brawling King.

The Brawling King, however, did not let his pride get in the way on this matter.

"Your Nine Calamities Demonic Art is the cowardly thing here."

He had just faced the Great Annihilation Stance head-on. The momentum of those demons rushing toward him was still vivid. Could he really have blocked it with his bare body?

"It's only at the seventh-star level. Isn't it worth trying to endure it once?"

"I'll pass," the Brawling King refused. He was mad for battle, mad for victory, and mad for revenge, but he would pass on the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk launched a surprise attack with the Human Destroying Stance.

SAAAAAK.

Instantly, demons appeared on all sides of the Brawling King, swinging their swords. The swords of the four demons from the north, south, east, and west struck down at him.

SHWIIIIK! SHWIIK! SHWIIIIK! SHWIIK!

However, the opponent was faster. A black hole appeared on the floor again and sucked him in. Because of that, the four demons' swords sliced through empty air.

Geom Mugeuk watched the demons' expressions harden as they disappeared. He felt his pride had been wounded. Instead of feeling sorry for the disappearing demons, he conveyed a different sentiment with his gaze.

If you live with me, you'll be swinging at nothing a lot. It happens. Don't be ashamed. Your master doesn't stake his pride on things like this.

The Brawling King walked out of the carriage again, his brow furrowed.

"I told you, I'll pass."

"I'm going to keep doing it," Geom Mugeuk insisted. "If you keep getting out of that carriage, your pride will be so hurt that you'll have to face me. You're a fighter who never backs down from a challenge, aren't you? It's only the seventh star!"

The Queen of Darkness stepped in to block his goading.

"Go ahead and try. Let's see whose inner arts runs out first. Oh, but your friends will all be dead before that."

At her words, Geom Mugeuk folded his bravado.

"Don't trigger my anxiety by talking about my friends."

A low laugh drifted from the carriage. She was right. He couldn't just drag this out indefinitely. He had to eliminate them as quickly as possible and save everyone.

He clashed with the Brawling King again. Having absorbed the black energy, he was faster and stronger. The fight had already been on a knife's edge, and now he was even stronger.

CHAENGCHAENGCHAENGCHAENGCHAENG!

In the battle where sparks flew as sword and fist met, Geom Mugeuk eventually failed to block a punch.

"……"

Struck squarely in the chest, Geom Mugeuk flew far into the distance and collapsed on the ground.

The gazes of the Faceless Warriors watching from the walls and trees all snapped toward Geom Mugeuk. They looked at each other, exchanging glances. The Faceless Warriors leaped down in unison and formed a protective circle around Geom Mugeuk. They were men who would never move without an order from the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, but today was an exception.

The Brawling King glared at them with contemptuous eyes, radiating killing intent.

"I'll kill every last one of you!"

But the Faceless Warriors did not move a single step.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk's face appeared between the white masks.

"I'm fine, so go back up to your positions. The Smiling Demon will be here soon."

Then, the soft and alluring voice of the Queen of Darkness came from within the carriage.

"The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon will never make it in time."

As the Faceless Warriors watched, Geom Mugeuk showed absolute faith.

"Wanna bet? Whether he comes or not?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was, quite literally, in a dogfight.

SWAAAAEK!

Two hellhounds were swept away and vanished by the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm. However, the hellhounds behind them scattered and dodged. They were not just dogs. The creatures moved like high-level masters of murim. The foul demonic energy they emitted as they growled induced an unsettling fear.

But the eyes of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon as he watched them were merely indifferent and cold.

SHUK SHUK SHUK!

The Blood Calamity Finger was fired repeatedly at a hellhound aiming for the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's neck.

SHUK SHUK SHUK!

PUK PUK PUK!

It only turned into black smoke after three holes were punched in its head. Through the smoke, another demon dog charged.

PWAK!

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon leaped up, striking the beast's jaw with his fist. The demon dogs that had been aiming for his legs and back flew forward, cutting through empty air. More demon dogs rushed in from all sides.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon grabbed the neck of the one that had leaped into the air and fell to the ground with it.

"……"

When he slammed it onto the ground, infusing the blow with inner arts, it dissolved into smoke. More demon dogs rushed toward that spot.

HWIIK, HWIIK.

He twisted his body to avoid a charging demon dog. When he twisted back the other way to dodge again, another demon dog brushed past the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. With dozens of demon dogs charging from all directions, an ordinary master's hands and feet would have grown clumsy from the visual terror alone, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's movements were so calm they were graceful.

HWIK.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's form shot forward, targeting a lone dog on the left.

SHUK! PWAK!

If it wasn't a direct hit to the center of the forehead, it wouldn't die in one shot. Only when a continuous stream of the Blood Calamity Finger pierced its head did it disappear into black smoke. This wasn't the one either.

The beasts knew no fear. As they slowly closed in, their eyes dripped with crimson killing intent, and their bodies shimmered with the black energy unique to dark evil arts. While taking them out one by one, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was focused only on finding the dog handler. The faster he killed the handler, the less inner arts he would consume.

However, the handler did not reveal himself easily. The dog handler was definitely among these demon dogs. At a glance, they seemed to move randomly, but the demon dogs had their own kind of order. The dog handler was surely giving commands from within their ranks.

SHWIIIK.

This time, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon rushed toward the one farthest away, the one he judged to be in the safest position in this fight. In response, demon dogs charged from all sides. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon broke through the demon dogs with his protective enhanced qi and lunged at his target.

"……"

The beast disappeared into smoke from the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm, but the remaining demon dogs were unaffected. That wasn't the dog handler.

Just then.

KWAK!

A demon dog that charged from behind bit the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's arm. But its fangs did not pierce his skin. He had intentionally offered the spot wrapped in Top-Quality Heavenly Silk.

SHUK! PWEOONG!

As the Blood Calamity Finger struck the center of its forehead precisely, the demon dog biting his arm vanished into smoke.

Dodging the demon dogs charging from all sides again, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon launched himself into the Thousand Flower Palace. Once inside, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon entered a room on the second floor. Fighting in a wide-open space was disadvantageous, so he intended to lure them inside.

However, the demon dogs did not follow him in. As if to say time was on their side, they gathered in front of the Thousand Flower Palace and looked up at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

Standing by the window, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon looked down at the demon dogs with sunken eyes. Then, one of the demon dogs howled long, like a wolf. In response, all the other demon dogs howled along with it. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon knew. They were trying to lure him out using the first one that howled.

Watching the demon dogs howl, he was suddenly reminded of Geom Mugeuk, who had once barked like a dog with the Poison King at the training grounds. He had to go help Geom Mugeuk soon.

Just then, a thought struck the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon leaped down. The demon dogs, surrounding him in a semicircle, growled as if they would charge at any moment.

SWAAAAAAAAAH.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon began to emit his evil smile qi again.

The evil smile qi was a demonic qi that awakened a being's fundamental violence. Exposure to evil smile qi made one's heart beat faster and filled them with the urge to kill. When he first started the fight, he had emitted the evil smile qi more to reveal his unique demonic qi before battle than for any special purpose. The evil smile qi had also agitated the demon dogs, which had made the fight slightly more advantageous for him.

But now, there was a clear reason for emitting the evil smile qi.

Gradually, the demon dogs exposed to the evil smile qi began to grow agitated. The closest demon dog couldn't hold back and charged at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

SWAAAAEK!

KWAAAANG!

After blowing it up in mid-air with the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm, he emitted the evil smile qi even more strongly. The demon dogs went berserk from the extreme evil smile qi. They charged more madly and became more ferocious. They even began to bite and fight the demon dogs next to them.

"……"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon threw the one that charged at him into another that was charging right behind it. All the while, he continued to raise his evil smile qi, his eyes fixed on the demon dogs.

SWAAAAAAAAAH.

The reason the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was doing this, even while consuming his inner arts, was to find the dog handler. Thinking of Geom Mugeuk and the Poison King, a thought had suddenly occurred to him. Like those two that day, wasn't the dog handler ultimately just a person imitating a dog, even if his form was that of a dog?

What did that mean? In the face of extreme evil smile qi, the handler would surely react differently. A dog and a human could not be the same.

When the evil smile qi reached its peak, one of them caught the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eye.

That's the one!

He felt its reaction was different. It was an instinctive choice.

SWAAAAEK.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon rushed toward it. The demon dogs desperately blocked his path, charging at him. Demon dogs swarmed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon from all sides. They piled on and on, desperately blocking him. So many demon dogs charged that the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's figure was completely obscured.

The eyes of the demon dog the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had targeted were not the eyes of a dog. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's premonition had been correct. This demon dog was the dog handler.

He's probably holding on with his protective enhanced qi, but he won't be able to handle that many.

Just as a satisfied look appeared in the dog handler's eyes, he flinched in surprise. An arm was sticking out from between the pile of demon dogs. And its finger was pointing right at him.

SHUUUUUK!

The Blood Calamity Finger shot toward the dog handler like a beam of light. A few demon dogs guarding him nearby threw themselves in its path. They were demon dogs prepared for just such a contingency.

Not a chance!

Just as a triumphant look flashed in the dog handler's eyes.

CHWAAAAAAAK!

The Blood Calamity Finger split into five streams. The split Blood Calamity Finger swerved widely around the blocking demon dogs.

PWAK! PWAK! PWAK! PWAK! PWAK!

All five streams struck the dog handler in the face.

A moment of silence flowed.

"……"

The demon dog next to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's outstretched arm disappeared into black smoke.

PEONG! PEONG! PEONG! PEONG!

Starting with that one, the demon dogs began to explode and disappear one after another. Where the black smoke rose, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's white mask was smiling. When the smoke completely settled, the dog handler had returned to his original human form.

Beyond the corpse of the dog handler, whose face was riddled with holes, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was already flying toward the place where Geom Mugeuk was fighting.

Young Cult Leader, I'm coming!