Chapter 552: There's a Dark Hole in My Heart, Too

TL: FoodieMonster007

Under the blazing sunlight, the Queen of Darkness wavered precariously, as if she could vanish at any moment.

However, Geom Mugeuk knew. She was not an opponent who would disappear so futilely.

"It cost an immense amount of money to save that man. What a shame."

Indeed, she maintained her composure even in this situation.

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and said, "I should have just blown off half his head and sent him back alive. Let them go bankrupt trying to save him."

As he joked, Geom Mugeuk's hand naturally touched the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's back.

"……"

Qi secretly began to flow into the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. He was sharing a portion of his remaining qi with him.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not refuse and accepted the inner arts. The Queen of Darkness might target him now that his own inner arts were depleted. If that happened, Geom Mugeuk would try to protect him.

It was better for that inner arts to be transferred to him rather than be consumed in such a way. As always, he trusted the Young Cult Leader's choice.

"We wouldn't have saved him a second time. There was a conflict of opinion even that one time."

"Which side were you on? Ah, you must have been on the side that wanted to save him, of course."

The wavering shadow shook her head. It seemed that although she had come with the Brawling King, she had hoped not to save him.

"Weren't you the one who rescued him?"

"I was merely following orders."

It was likely not a lie. To her, who lived in the world of night, all those who lived in the day were likely meaningless.

Was the one who gave the order Hwa Mugi? Or was it someone else?

Geom Mugeuk wanted to ask directly about Hwa Mugi. What was he doing now? Was he still their leader at this time? What was he thinking?

However, he was determined not to mention Hwa Mugi at all. Though many things had already changed in this life, he would not touch that, no matter what.

He hoped that Hwa Mugi, at least, would appear at that future time, just as his original destiny dictated. The ones to face him should be the us of the future, not the us of now.

Instead of asking about him, he asked about the Queen of Darkness.

"If you disappear from this place, what happens to your real body? Do you die in the palanquin?"

Geom Mugeuk thought her original body was inside the palanquin.

"Why do you assume I'll lose to the Young Cult Leader?"

"Because we have no intention of losing."

"The Demon Supreme's inner arts must be depleted, and I doubt the Young Cult Leader has much inner arts left to maintain this Spacetime Manipulation Technique, right?"

Indeed, the sunlight that had been shining so hotly was gradually losing its light. Unable to maintain the bright sun, he was now letting time flow in this space.

"Honestly, just this much is truly amazing. Even for the successor of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, how on earth did you accumulate such inner arts at your age?"

Geom Mugeuk was truly displaying an endlessly profound level of power.

"I am the incarnation of greed. I used to think this much was enough, but now I plan to gather much more. I decided after meeting you. When it comes to inner arts and martial arts, I realized I must become not just an incarnation of greed, but greed itself. Only then can I face all of you."

In the meantime, all the inner arts had been transferred to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. While conversing, Geom Mugeuk had displayed the divine skill of transferring inner arts without his opponent noticing.

Geom Mugeuk drew the Black Demon Sword. An even sharper edge flowed along the blade, as if it had been tempered by the Brawling King's fist.

"Now, let's see this to the end. I have plans for a banquet with my friends."

Geom Mugeuk did not lose his composure.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon also stared at the Queen of Darkness with calm eyes, his arms hanging loosely at his sides.

The Queen of Darkness's gaze shifted from the two men to the sun behind them. It had set quite a bit more in that short time.

The moment her gaze intensified, black smoke swirled around her and rose into the air.

Where the smoke vanished, a woman stood. Surprisingly, the Queen of Darkness was not in the palanquin but right here.

"This won't be a banquet. It will be the day of everyone's memorial service."

A woman was dressed in a black martial arts uniform.

She had an appearance that completely contradicted her voice. Her features were protruding, torn, and unbalanced. The time she was a wavering form felt far more beautiful.

Her voice was different too. It was a grating, screeching voice that was harsh on the ears.

"You damn Young Cult Leader bastard!"

As if this was her original personality, her eyes were filled with nothing but deep hatred.

"I think I know why you descended into that person's body to fight."

Killing intent flickered in the Queen of Darkness's eyes. She had expected a taunt about her appearance, but Geom Mugeuk was looking at something else.

"You're someone with a strong desire to live."

She did not deny it. When she descended into someone, she herself would not die even if the host did. But it was different now that she had revealed her physical body. She could truly die.

"Even if I die, I won't die in this filthy world of yours!"

The Queen of Darkness launched a surprise attack, striking with both palms.

SWOOOSH.

Geom Mugeuk would dodge it, but she thought the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon would be unable to, lacking inner arts.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon dodged her attack and even counterattacked.

"……"

She barely dodged the incoming Blood Calamity Finger.

She was the one who launched the surprise attack, yet she was the one who was more surprised. The Queen of Darkness shouted irritably.

"You monstrous bastards! Where in the world is all this inner arts coming from!"

SHWAAAK!

The ground overturned from her palm technique. The cliff they were on shook as if it would collapse at any moment.

However, her martial arts, unleashed in a place that was not darkness, was nothing more and nothing less than "impressive." And "impressive" was not enough to capture Geom Mugeuk and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

She compensated for her lack of skill with her inner arts, continuing the tense fight.

And then came the moment she had been waiting for since the start of this battle.

As he approached her, Geom Mugeuk suddenly looked down at his own hand. A reddish hue was seeping into it. It was the sunset beginning in the distance, the twilight hour when day and night intersect.

And this moment was the hour of the wolf.

For a fleeting instant, it seemed as if a white border reappeared in her pupils.

Her body changed back into a shadow of darkness.

SLITHER.

In that moment, she vanished from sight.

Geom Mugeuk was startled. He had never seen such swift movement before.

"It seems she used the Dark Path Returning Art!"

I didn't think she could use it here!

Turning toward the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, Geom Mugeuk flinched in shock.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned icy cold. It was not the Dark Path Returning Art she had used.

The face of the Queen of Darkness was shimmering over the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's mask.

The Queen of Darkness had descended into the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's body.

From the moment the fight began, she had been aiming for this single moment. The moment the light faded, allowing her to use the Darkness Descending Art.

It would have been better if she could have descended into Geom Mugeuk's body, but she could not descend into a body that had mastered the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and the Heavenly Demon Defense Art.

Geom Mugeuk stared at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon in shock. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes were also filled with surprise. It meant that although she had dominated his body, she had not dominated his mind. After all, the two had been separate in the Brawling King's case as well.

"One cannot use the Darkness Descending Art twice in one day."

Her voice once again became alluring and beautiful.

"If one does, a curse is cast. What kind of curse, you ask?"

She continued with a shocking statement.

"It's a curse that prevents me from ever leaving the body I've descended into. I'll be with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon forever."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Geom Mugeuk did not believe it. There was no way she would have used the descent technique if such a curse existed.

Her shrill, clear laughter echoed. She was truly laughing like a madwoman.

"That's right, it's nonsense. I just can't leave this body for the next three days. Until then, we live and die together as one. That's more than enough time to kill all of you."

Beneath her wavering eyes, Geom Mugeuk was looking into the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes. The eyes of the man himself were, contrary to the situation, calm.

However, his body was under the control of the Queen of Darkness.

"……"

The Blood Calamity Finger shot out from the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's fingers. His hand and the Queen of Darkness's shimmering shadow moved as one. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon could not control his own body. The descended Queen of Darkness had more inner arts.

Geom Mugeuk threw himself aside to dodge the Blood Calamity Finger. He truly never imagined a situation would come where he had to dodge the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's Blood Calamity Finger.

SWISH! SWISH!

Geom Mugeuk dodged again. The Blood Calamity Finger grazed his side.

"No!"

Despite the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's cry, the Blood Calamity Finger split and aimed for Geom Mugeuk.

PSHK!

Blood spurted from Geom Mugeuk's shoulder. With the Queen of Darkness descended into the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, the power of the Blood Calamity Finger became faster and stronger. For Geom Mugeuk, whose inner arts were depleted, it was a true calamity to dodge.

"Don't worry, the Smiling Demon! I'll find a way!"

While dodging the Blood Calamity Finger, Geom Mugeuk reassured the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. But no solution came to mind.

He could not release the Spacetime Manipulation Technique either.

He had no way of knowing the situation outside, and even if Jin Hagun and Bi Sayin were waiting for him, he could not attack the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

What worried him more than anything was the possibility of her disappearing with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon using the Dark Path Returning Art.

What if the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was dragged away by them like this?

They would kill the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon in a gruesome manner. And if they kept him alive, his fate would be more miserable than death.

THWACK!

The Blood Calamity Finger bent and split, drawing blood from Geom Mugeuk's body again.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon shouted.

"Release the Spacetime Manipulation Technique, Young Cult Leader!"

He meant for him to join forces with their comrades outside.

At this rate, the Young Cult Leader will die.

But Geom Mugeuk did not release it.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon thought there was only one way to resolve this situation.

"Young Cult Leader, you must kill me."

The Queen of Darkness smiled and said, "I know how much the Young Cult Leader cherishes you. The Young Cult Leader can never kill you."

Geom Mugeuk nodded in acknowledgment.

"I would rather die myself than do that. Wait, I will find a way!"

Of course, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon trusted Geom Mugeuk.

But right now, there was no time and no inner arts.

At this rate, he would die here. The killing intent of the Queen of Darkness inhabiting his body was resolute, and Geom Mugeuk would never attack him.

Having made a decision, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's gaze deepened.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

THWACK! THWACK!

Since he was using his remaining inner arts to maintain the Spacetime Manipulation Technique, Geom Mugeuk continued to be wounded. He was avoiding fatal injuries, but his entire body was soaked in blood.

"……"

Black smoke rose from beneath Geom Mugeuk's feet like vines and bound his body. Injured and exhausted, Geom Mugeuk could not shake off the energy. Even in this situation, Geom Mugeuk did not release the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.

"Now, I'll finish you with the same technique that blew that man's head off."

The moment she raised her hand to unleash the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm.

The Queen of Darkness's eyes widened in shock.

"!"

Only her own shimmering arm had shot forward.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's arm remained where it was. His body had rejected her.

He can withstand the command of the descent? How?

It was something the Queen of Darkness had never experienced before.

The Queen of Darkness tried to control him and move him again. But the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not budge. Red veins burst in his eyes behind the mask.

That was not all.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's arm slowly began to rise. It was not just resisting the Queen of Darkness, it was moving on its own.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's mind was filled with nothing but white. He was standing in his room. Standing there, he was staring at the long line drawn on the wall. The power of darkness could not invade the mind of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, who stood in the center of pure white.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's hand was not heading for Geom Mugeuk. It was rising toward his own head. Since she had said she could not leave this body for three days, he intended to die along with the Queen of Darkness.

"No! The Smiling Demon! Don't!"

Despite Geom Mugeuk's shout, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's arm continued to rise.

"The Smiling Demon! Smiling Demon, no!"

Despite Geom Mugeuk's cries, the arm kept rising.

The Queen of Darkness was also desperate. If the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon died, she would die too.

Black energy flowed out to stop him, but it could not overcome the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's will.

The strength the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was showing now was beyond human will.

"Release this! Now!"

The Queen of Darkness did not hesitate and released the energy binding Geom Mugeuk. She had to survive first.

The moment the palm was about to strike the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's white mask!

GRAB.

Geom Mugeuk grabbed his arm and turned the palm toward himself. The Extremely Savage Demonic Palm was narrowly prevented from being unleashed.

Geom Mugeuk's and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's gazes locked in mid-air. The two asked and answered with their eyes.

Are you really going to do this?

Yes, if it can save the Young Cult Leader, I will.

Right, he would do that. Just as I won't give up on him, he won't give up on me. That's why I have to find another way.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze fell on the Queen of Darkness's wavering shadow.

If only I can grab that!

Geom Mugeuk grabbed her arm.

But it slipped through his hand like catching smoke.

He grabbed and grabbed again, but the shadow could not be caught.

Please! Please!

When that desperation reached its peak, there was a response from within Geom Mugeuk's body.

VWOOOONG!

With a deep vibration, something that had been dormant inside his body until then awakened.

The energy that the Secret Box had absorbed began to move. Among that energy, the one moving now was the energy of the Black Orb.

As the Black Orb's energy rushed to Geom Mugeuk's hands, a black energy began to shimmer on his hands as well.

GRIP.

The next moment, the Queen of Darkness's wrist was caught in Geom Mugeuk's hand.

The Queen of Darkness was shocked, and Geom Mugeuk was shocked. The Queen of Darkness's horrified expression flickered over the white mask. Beneath it, from within the eyeholes, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon also showed a look of surprise.

"Got you!"

Geom Mugeuk gripped the Queen of Darkness's hand tightly. The Queen of Darkness tried to shake him off, but would Geom Mugeuk let go of that hand? He pulled with the determination not to let go even if his arm was severed.

SZZZZZZT.

Her body began to be pulled out from the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"The Smiling Demon! Back!"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon pushed with opposing force, trying to break free from her.

"…Impossible!"

The dark energy flowing from her horrified body clawed at Geom Mugeuk's arm.

PAK! PAK!

Blood spurted from his arm, but Geom Mugeuk did not let go. Fortunately, the Top-Quality Heavenly Silk wrapped around his arm prevented it from being cut.

Geom Mugeuk's only thought was that if he let go of this hand, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon would die.

"A little more! Just a little more! Ugh-aaaaaaah!"

TZZZZZZK.

Bit by bit, she was pulled out.

The moment the Queen of Darkness was completely separated from the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's body!

WHOOSH! RUSTLE!

The Black Orb's energy instantly devoured the dark energy as if swallowing it whole.

"Aaaargh!"

Simultaneously, her original form was revealed.

"You! What in the world are you!"

Geom Mugeuk was just as shocked as she was. Her dark energy had been absorbed by the Black Orb's energy and had fallen dormant inside his body as if nothing had happened.

"…No!"

Having completely lost her dark energy, her face instantly turned pitch black.

PFFFFFT.

She turned into black ash and scattered into the air.

Geom Mugeuk, who had been staring blankly at the sight, collapsed onto his back.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon also collapsed onto his back.

"Hah, hah."

Only the sound of their ragged breaths echoed in the space.

When this fight began, they had never imagined it would end like this.

As their breathing subsided, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon asked.

"What happened?"

"There's a dark hole in my heart, too. I suppose it must have devoured it."

It was a half-truth, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon took it as a joke.

"Are you alright?"

"No, it hurts like hell."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sat up first.

Blood was flowing from Geom Mugeuk's arm. He remembered the moment he had pulled with that arm to save him. If not for the Top-Quality Heavenly Silk, it would have been severed.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon silently pressed the acupoints on his arm to stop the bleeding. Geom Mugeuk whined that it hurt.

Now it was Geom Mugeuk's turn to ask.

"Are you alright, the Smiling Demon?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's gaze, looking at Geom Mugeuk, deepened. He felt that the moment had come to do what he had been resolved to do for quite a long time.

"Whether I'm alright… please see for yourself."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon slowly began to take off his mask.