Chapter 548: Our Demon Supreme Has a Sentimental Side

TL: FoodieMonster007

Light faded from the surrounding scenery. A thin, glowing ring appeared as the moon fully eclipsed the sun, but then it too vanished. Just like that, the world was plunged into total darkness.

TAK!

Geom Mugeuk snapped his fingers once more. Their location instantly shifted.

HWIIIIING.

A sandstorm raged across the deserts of the Outer Regions, a place where no shadows could be cast. Here, the sun should have been blazing hotter and brighter than anywhere else. Yet, it remained dark. The solar eclipse was still in effect within this space.

"It's useless, Young Cult Leader. Now that the solar eclipse has started, you can't dispel my darkness."

The eclipse would persist indefinitely. It would not end unless the Queen of Darkness herself willed it.

Geom Mugeuk silently gazed up at the blotted-out sun, which looked as if the moon had been set directly into it. As he expected, the evil arts of the Queen of Darkness were astonishingly powerful.

"You should've been prepared for this much when you brought me here."

With the fall of darkness, the white rings in the Brawling King's eyes thickened once more. The Dark Night Divine Art was manifesting again, shifting the initiative back to the Brawling King and the Queen of Darkness.

It was then that the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon spoke for the first time.

"You're the ones who should've been prepared."

He was implying that they should have been ready for the consequences of messing with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Young Cult Leader.

The Brawling King and the Queen of Darkness both turned their gazes to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. The Queen of Darkness's mystical voice then echoed through the gloom.

"You certainly have the right to say that."

She had not anticipated him finishing off the dog butcher so quickly. Because of this, the Queen of Darkness felt it was necessary to crush the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's momentum.

"You'll be the first Demon Supreme to die because of the Young Cult Leader."

The eyes of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon smiled. To die for the Young Cult Leader?

"That's the best reason I could have for my death."

A smile touched Geom Mugeuk's lips at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's statement.

He had already died once because of Geom Mugeuk. He would not let him die again.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk realized something.

"It seems you can't escape this place using your Dark Path Returning Art. If you could, you would've just left instead of needing to block out the sun."

The Queen of Darkness remained silent, which was an affirmation in itself. While she could generate darkness here, that was the extent of her power. The Spacetime Manipulation Technique prevented anyone from entering or leaving without permission.

TEONG! TEONG!

Just then, the Brawling King smashed his fists together, producing a metallic clang. A heavy killing intent emanated from his eyes.

"Even if I could leave, I have no intention of it."

His gaze declared his resolve to see this fight to its conclusion.

Geom Mugeuk immediately sought to crush his momentum.

"Is that your will, or the will of the woman controlling you?"

The Brawling King's face twitched.

"Of course, it's my will!"

He then charged forward, throwing a punch. He appeared in front of Geom Mugeuk in a flash, his fist flying toward him.

HWAAAANG!

The punch aimed at Geom Mugeuk's face missed by a narrow margin. The sword he had swung in a counterattack while dodging was forced to change its trajectory.

CHAEENG!

The Brawling King's second punch came so quickly that Geom Mugeuk had to abandon his own attack to block it with his sword. The Brawling King's continuous assault tore through the air. He stomped his foot and threw a powerful punch, kicking up a cloud of sand.

In that instant when vision was obscured, SHUUUK! The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon unleashed his Blood Calamity Finger.

PWAK!

When the dust settled, the Brawling King's expression was a grimace.

DRIP.

Blood flowed from his shoulder. A moment before, the Blood Calamity Finger had grazed Geom Mugeuk's shoulder before striking his own. The attack had come from an unexpected place at an unexpected time.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was supposed to be protecting the Young Cult Leader, so why would he attack so dangerously with no visibility? It was a truly blindsiding move.

Just then, black smoke materialized over the wound on his shoulder, and the bleeding stopped. The voice of the Queen of Darkness followed.

"It seems our Demon Supreme isn't concerned for the Young Cult Leader's well-being."

Her words were intended to halt the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's bold attacks, but Geom Mugeuk turned them to his own advantage.

"It seems you're the one who isn't concerned for your companion's well-being."

"What do you mean?"

"Descending into someone's body must have a huge negative impact on them. And you're even healing him with dark energy? Aren't you just treating him like a disposable tool?"

In truth, Geom Mugeuk did not know the specifics. He was unaware of the negative effects the Queen of Darkness's descent had on a host, nor the consequences of such healing.

But a thought occurred to him. How could such an abnormal state possibly be good for someone? So he made an educated guess. With darkness having fallen and the battle turning in their favor, he needed to rattle them somehow.

"I paid too high a price to save him, just for him to be used as a mere tool."

The Queen of Darkness responded calmly, but her opponent was Geom Mugeuk.

"If you win this costly battle, he'll be worth the price. I think the role of killing me, the one who has interfered with you all this time, would be enough."

After a short pause, the Queen of Darkness spoke.

"I see. There's no winning a war of words with the Young Cult Leader."

"That's true. But in this situation, didn't you lose a battle of truth, not a battle of words?"

Geom Mugeuk shifted his gaze from the Queen of Darkness to the Brawling King's eyes, which were visible past the shadows.

"Of course, it seems you don't really care."

The Brawling King glared at Geom Mugeuk with a terrifying expression. How could he not realize this was an attempt to sow discord and rattle him?

But sowing discord is something one can fall for even when aware of the tactic. Once the words are heard, a seed of doubt begins to sprout in a corner of the heart.

"As long as I can kill you, I don't care!"

The Brawling King launched himself forward once more. His punch, now fueled by rage, was even more powerful than before.

CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG!

The sword and the iron chain clashed, sending sparks flying. The sparks created a beautiful spectacle in the darkness.

Geom Mugeuk's expression, however, was stiff. The Brawling King, with the Queen of Darkness possessing him, was incredibly strong. Each time his sword met the Brawling King's fist, he worried the Black Demon Sword might actually shatter.

Unable to hold out any longer, Geom Mugeuk used the Shadow Step to evade the attack.

The Brawling King stuck to him like a shadow.

SHWIK! SHWIK! SHWIK!

A timely Blood Calamity Finger struck the Brawling King's shoulder.

PWAK!

The staggering Brawling King kicked off the sand and shot toward the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"I'll kill you first!"

SHWIK! SHWIK! SHWIK!

The Blood Calamity Finger sliced through empty air.

The Brawling King twisted his body to dodge the technique. One of the three fingers struck his body but failed to pierce it. The dark energy of the Queen of Darkness had formed an enhanced qi, protecting the Brawling King.

Just as the Brawling King's fist was about to hit the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's chest, KAAANG! Sparks erupted in front of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

Geom Mugeuk had flown through the air using the Vanishing Step and swung down to sever his arm.

It was fortunate that the Brawling King stopped his attack, allowing the sword to strike his fist instead. If he had continued his attack on the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, his arm would have been cut off.

SHWIIIIK!

Geom Mugeuk's sword struck his arm repeatedly.

CHAENG! CHAEENG! CHAENG!

The Brawling King pulled his arm back, blocking the blows with his fist. He anticipated the final strike would aim for his shoulder or neck.

SEOGEOK! PAAK!

Geom Mugeuk's sword flew in an unexpected trajectory and slashed the Brawling King's waist.

PAAAAK!

Blood spurted from the wound. It was undeniably a clean hit.

In response, the Brawling King quickly counterattacked with a punch.

HWUUUUNG!

Geom Mugeuk dodged the first blow. The second was blocked by a continuous barrage from the Blood Calamity Finger.

The Brawling King, now retreating, cursed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"You cowardly bastard!"

Geom Mugeuk would not stand by while someone insulted the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Save that talk for your waist. You cowardly waist bastard!"

Dark energy was already billowing from the gash on the Brawling King's waist, sealing the wound once more.

"You're going to be in big trouble if you keep this up. Even if you win, what will you do about the side effects? Are you planning to make 'I killed the Young Cult Leader and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon' your last words?"

The Brawling King paid no attention to Geom Mugeuk's words.

"I don't fear death."

"I know. I know you're that kind of person. But that's different from dying like a fool. Why is your life on the line? If that woman is attached to your body, she should be putting her own life on the line fairly. Why are you the only one fighting while your life is being cut short?"

Then, the calm voice of the Queen of Darkness flowed out.

"Don't fall for his attempts to sow discord."

Geom Mugeuk spoke again.

"You're fighting so hard you're panting for breath and nearly lost an arm, but isn't that calm voice of hers a bit selfish?"

Finally unable to stand it, the Brawling King's voice rose in a shout.

"Shut up!"

Geom Mugeuk spoke as if he were concerned, but it was all a mockery, telling the Brawling King he was being used. He had hoped the Queen of Darkness would show some emotion, but the Brawling King reacted faster this time as well.

The very moment the Brawling King became enraged, Geom Mugeuk's sword sliced through the air like lightning. He had provoked them precisely to create an opening for this one move.

HWUK.

Darkness descended upon darkness. A single white line from his sword cut through that gloom. It was the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, Fourth Technique, the Darkness Flash.

KAAANG!

With a deafening metallic clang, the Brawling King's figure became visible. His hand, held out in front of his neck, was trembling.

"……"

The iron chain wrapped around his fist cracked, but it did not break. Black energy rose from between the cracks.

Amazingly, he had managed to block the Darkness Flash. Even with his skill at the seventh star, Geom Mugeuk still could not cut through the combined power of the Brawling King and the Queen of Darkness.

"To think you'd use a technique that relies on darkness against me?"

The Queen of Darkness's voice was mocking. The surroundings had turned pitch black the moment Geom Mugeuk used the Darkness Flash.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll let your guard down and get your head lopped off?"

Geom Mugeuk had to use the technique once to test it. The result confirmed that the darkness was indeed on their side.

In contrast to the relaxed Queen of Darkness, the Brawling King's killing intent grew even stronger. He had blocked the attack, but he knew that if the Queen of Darkness hadn't been possessing him, his neck might have been severed by that single move.

"You won't get another chance to use the Nine Calamities Demonic Art!"

The Brawling King fiercely pushed toward Geom Mugeuk. A vortex of wind swirled from his punch, sending sand whirling around them.

The Brawling King attacked Geom Mugeuk relentlessly, not holding back his inner arts. As the attacks, imbued with extreme inner arts, continued, Geom Mugeuk could not fight back and could only dodge frantically.

In this fight, Geom Mugeuk was reaching his limits. These were not just carelessly thrown attacks. They were the strikes of the Brawling King possessed by the Queen of Darkness, backed by nearly limitless inner arts.

It felt like fighting beneath the surface of a solidly frozen lake. He constantly felt as if he were about to suffocate and die.

A breathing hole was suddenly pierced in the ice.

SUK!

The instant the Brawling King flinched from the Blood Calamity Finger was the moment Geom Mugeuk escaped the crisis.

The Brawling King twisted his body to dodge the Blood Calamity Finger that flew past Geom Mugeuk. He could not avoid it this time. The finger had been aimed precisely at his eye. If Geom Mugeuk had turned his head even slightly to the side, the back of his own head would have been pierced.

The Brawling King cursed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon for being a madman, but the attack was born purely from trust.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon trusted his own skills, and he trusted Geom Mugeuk. Without that trust, launching the Blood Calamity Finger with such a narrow margin would have been an act of pure madness.

He had no other choice. If he did not attack so boldly, he could not face the combined power of the Brawling King and the Queen of Darkness. For that reason, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not waste his attacks. He conserved his inner arts, striking only at the most necessary moments.

If his skills had not improved, he would have attacked more frequently than he was now. Back then, he would not have been capable of launching such a precise Blood Calamity Finger.

Each time, the Brawling King tried to target the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, but Geom Mugeuk would not allow it. They charged together and thrust their swords.

PUUK!

The Black Demon Sword lodged itself in the Brawling King's body. Considering the skill he had displayed earlier, the Brawling King was not someone who should have been stabbed by such an attack.

HWAAAAAK!

The moment Geom Mugeuk pulled the sword out, something black emerged with it from the Brawling King's stomach, covering Geom Mugeuk like a cloth.

For a moment, Geom Mugeuk stood in a pitch-black darkness, unable to see anything. He was trapped in a space like the belly of a whale.

Then, the voice of the Queen of Darkness was heard.

"It's the Dark Black Veil."

The Queen of Darkness, who had been waiting for just such an opportunity, had finally played her trump card.

"You can never escape until I release you. By the time you get out, you'll see the corpse of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

Her voice then faded into the darkness.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon struggled to tear the veil of darkness. The black veil, which had bloomed like a flower bud, would not tear from either the Blood Calamity Finger or the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm.

The Brawling King watched this with a relaxed expression, looking as if he had already secured a complete victory.

"He can never tear it before I release him."

A leisurely tone filled the Queen of Darkness's voice. If she killed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, she could then naturally kill Geom Mugeuk as well.

"You use the word 'never' too carelessly when it comes to the Young Cult Leader."

The Brawling King threw a punch at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. The powerful energy from the blow sent the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sliding backward until his back hit the Dark Black Veil.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sensed he could not hold on much longer. The inner arts he had continuously used while dealing with the dog butcher were now at rock bottom.

"Your inner arts, where on earth are they coming from?"

The Queen of Darkness answered the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's question meaningfully.

"That's a secret you can only learn in death."

Striding forward, the Brawling King spoke this time.

"I'll tell you the secret!"

Leaning against the Dark Black Veil, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon called out.

"Come out now, Young Cult Leader!"

The Queen of Darkness smiled sweetly.

"It seems our Demon Supreme has a more sentimental side than he lets on."

The Brawling King drew back his fist to deliver the final blow.

SHIIIIIIK!

It happened at that very moment.

PUUK!

The Black Demon Sword pierced through the Dark Black Veil from behind, penetrating the Brawling King's shoulder before his fist could reach the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

SEOGEOK!

The blow was so unexpected that he was hit helplessly.

In that instant, the Queen of Darkness and the Brawling King screamed in unison and retreated. The Brawling King's shoulder was properly stabbed, and the Queen of Darkness suffered internal injuries as the dark evil arts she had cast were shattered.

JIIIIIIIIK.

The Dark Black Veil began to tear lengthwise.

Surprise flashed in the eyes of the Queen of Darkness.

"How did you… the Dark Black Veil!"

For the first time, her voice, which had always been composed, trembled.

She was unaware that a bluish solution had appeared in Geom Mugeuk's eyes. The combined effect of the Bloodeye Holy Water and the Divine Eye Technique had activated.

The Bloodeye Holy Water was originally meant to see through the weaknesses of the Blood Cult's evil arts. Her dark evil arts, when traced to their source, also had deep connections to the Blood Cult's martial arts. That was why she could cause a solar eclipse here.

"I also hate feeling suffocated."

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. The two men looked at each other and smiled.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon truly believed that Geom Mugeuk would break free. His reason for taking the Brawling King's attack with his back turned was also because of that belief.

I should have been a greater source of strength for you.

How could Geom Mugeuk not read his thoughts?

"Did you know? I like you even more because you have a sentimental side, Sir Smiling Demon."

At those words, the Smiling Demon's eyes smiled from behind his mask.

In contrast, the Brawling King's irritation shot through the roof.

"You tenacious bastards! But nothing changes!"

He was still full of vigor. Although the Queen of Darkness had suffered internal injuries, it was clear her inner arts continued to support him. However, perhaps because of her injuries, the black energy was not completely healing the wound on his shoulder.

"Let's go."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon turned to face the Brawling King first. Even with his inner arts at rock bottom, he showed no fear. Instead, his eyes shone more clearly and intensely than before.

Geom Mugeuk walked beside the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon toward the Brawling King.

"That's right," he said. "When have we ever fought with plenty of inner arts?"