Chapter 759: Why Are My Wings Spreading Over There?

TL: FoodieMonster007

Nine of the Twelve Zodiac Kings, along with the Illusion King's twin Hwan Yeo, were revived. Ten dolls, crafted with such vivid detail that it made it seem as if they truly returned from the dead.

However, their minds weren't perfectly restored. Memories and instincts from their final battles returned first, leaving them bewildered. Then they saw Geom Mugeuk, and their hatred exploded… but another, conflicting emotion surfaced.

Fear.

Memories of their final moments washed over them like a wave of terror. Even if Geom Mugeuk hadn't killed them directly, he'd been present at every one of their deaths.

As fear spread among them like a plague, the echoing music softened to a low hum.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM BOOM!

A drumbeat joined the performance. The music shifted, as if a living person watched the spectacle, and it held power. Like battlefield drums, it drove away the fear the Twelve Zodiac Kings felt.

Their inherent auras began to flow. Red energy poured from the Blood King's eyes, the same energy he had possessed in life. The Queen of Darkness was no different. A sinister black aura surrounded her carriage, and the Illusion King's aura was bizarre. Their auras were even more powerful than before.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

The lively music boosted their morale.

The Brawling King shouted through the drumming, "Geom Mugeuk!"

The reason for his animosity was simple. He had died twice because of Geom Mugeuk.

The first time, he escaped a crisis fighting the Evil Alliance Chairman Baek Jagang, only to be brought to the brink of death by the Poison King's venom. He treated the venom with difficulty and returned with the Queen of Darkness, only for Geom Mugeuk and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon to kill him again.

"If I die this time, it'll be the third!"

The Brawling King couldn't hold back his rage and shot forward.

WHOOSH!

He flew in and threw a punch. He displayed the same martial arts as when he was alive, his strike properly infused with inner arts.

Unfortunately, Geom Mugeuk had ascended to another level since their last fight. He was faster and more powerful.

SWISH! SWISH! THUD!

He dodged the Brawling King's rapid fists and landed a punch squarely in the doll's chest.

"……" The Brawling King slid backward but was unharmed despite the direct hit.

Geom Mugeuk scowled. Though it looked human, the doll's bones were made of metal, and it wasn't simple iron. He glanced at the Iron King. "Why are these dolls so tough? You were the one who made them, right?"

"Dolls? Do those look like mere dolls to you? They're my masterpieces."

The Iron King had a right to be proud. The Soul-Returning Song was incredible, but he had created vessels that could contain the spirits perfectly, with no side effects or disharmony.

The ten Zodiac Kings walked forward in unison, their auras filled with terrifying killing intent.

SWAAAAAAAA!

The pressure was immense. Tae Su stumbled backward and fell. Ji Han tried to endure but retreated to the back wall. The pressure was intense even with the two Demon Supremes raising their qi to block it.

Amidst the dreadful, swirling aura, an Evil Alliance martial artist named Pung had a thought. Later, if I survive and return to the Evil Alliance, will the Evil Alliance Chairman really believe my report? A report that dead masters have come back to life. Judging by the situation, they seem to be on the same level as the master who used a scythe and died earlier. Ten such masters have been revived.

And they weren't the only danger.

KLANG, KLANG, KLANG, KLANG!

The walls and ceiling opened, revealing hundreds of holes. These were mechanisms for powerful hidden weapons, packed so densely that there'd be no escape if they all launched at once. Since the Iron King created them, their power would be beyond description.

The Iron King opened his chest, revealing a metal lump attached to his heart. "The moment my heart stops, all the mechanisms will activate. Then no one will be able to survive in this space. Perhaps you, Young Cult Leader, who has learned the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, might survive, but the rest will all die."

He didn't underestimate Geom Mugeuk's skill. His words were a clear warning against using the Nine Calamities Demonic Art recklessly.

Geom Mugeuk walked over and peered into one of the holes. He fearlessly stared into the opening, from which something seemed ready to burst out. "It's too dark, I can't see anything."

The Iron King matched Geom Mugeuk's composure, acting nonchalantly. He fearlessly approached Geom Mugeuk, as if daring him to attack and prove his threat wasn't empty. "They're filled with things that enhanced qi can't block. Care to test them out?"

He showed no fear, even standing close enough for Geom Mugeuk to slice his neck with a single swing.

He glanced at Ji Han and Tae Su. "You said you'd protect them, didn't you?"

"Of course, I have to protect them," Geom Mugeuk declared confidently.

The Iron King smiled, certain that even Geom Mugeuk couldn't handle this situation while protecting the bystanders. "To not abandon such weaklings. This is a hell of your own making."

Geom Mugeuk replied calmly, "The hell you're thinking of and the hell I'm thinking of are different."

He turned his head, his eyes meeting Ji Han and Tae Su's.

"We're sorry," Ji Han said. "You're in a dilemma because of us."

He was furious at his own weakness. He couldn't help Geom Mugeuk fight, but he shouldn't be a liability. The thought of being a burden hurt his pride and made him feel apologetic. They were part of this hell.

Geom Mugeuk leaned his back against the terrifying mechanisms and said something unexpected. "If I were to look back and you weren't there, then this place would truly be hell."

Ji Han looked at him, confused.

Geom Mugeuk gazed up at the sealed ceiling, also filled with countless holes, with deep eyes, as if seeing the sky beyond. "The sky outside must be clear and bright right now, but here, underground, I have to kill those I've already killed once. If you weren't here, this would be my hell."

Perhaps the gently flowing melody prevented an attack. The Twelve Zodiac Kings didn't charge, even with Geom Mugeuk's back turned. The music was clearly communicating with them.

Geom Mugeuk continued speaking to Ji Han. "Fighting only for yourself, fighting alone. If a person keeps walking down that path, they'll eventually become a sword of slaughter, devoured by loneliness."

"……" Those words struck a chord with the Sword King, who had spent most of his life fighting alone.

"Don't be moved because I'm protecting you. I'm going this for my own sake. It's hard to fight for myself, and easier to fight for you. It's the same when I train. So don't be moved by this selfishness, and don't feel sorry."

Ji Han knew he'd never forget Geom Mugeuk's appearance at this moment, as he leaned against mechanisms that enhanced qi couldn't block, with the terrifying Twelve Zodiac Kings behind him. "I still don't understand why you're being so good to me," he muttered.

"Aren't you also a sword who's fought alone for a long time?"

"!" Ji Han remembered being entrusted to his master only because of his keen sense of smell. Geom Mugeuk was right. He had always been alone, swinging his sword only for himself.

What more needs to be said? I have been shown the path I must take from now on.

Ji Han bowed respectfully. "You smell great right now, Young Cult Leader."

"Of course. How could you ever say that your liege is stinky?"

Geom Mugeuk turned away.

"I'm sorry," the Sword King apologized, his eyes cold and sunken. "This whole affair happened because of me."

Geom Mugeuk could feel his anger, and rightfully so. The Sword King had been thoroughly used. The Darkness Palace Lord knew exactly how he would act, and the thought of being played made him unable to contain his anger.

"Don't apologize. You should be grateful that this happened instead," he remarked.

"Why?"

"Thanks to your predictable actions, I confirmed just how much Ak-hyung cares for me." Geom Mugeuk bowed formally. "Thank you for saving me from the Sound King."

"But I didn't save you, did I?"

"What are you talking about? You already did."

Geom Mugeuk. What Ak Gunhak had done was as good as saving his life. The moment the Sword King killed the Sound King, he had basically shown that he was willing to sacrifice his own life for his friend.

"When I meet that woman who likes Ak-hyung, I'll be sure to tell her today's story. I'll tell her how cool the man she fell in love with is."

The Sword King knew the words were meant to comfort him, but they still felt good to hear.

"Aren't you one busy man? Even now, you're consoling your subordinate and me," he said.

Geom Mugeuk turned toward the Twelve Zodiac Kings. "Well, there's one more person to console. No, one more spirit." His gaze fell on the Wood King. "To you, our farewell was just a moment ago, but for me, it's been a long time."

In their previous fight, Geom Mugeuk had tried to avoid killing the Wood King. The man had dreamed of revenge, mistakenly believing the Murim Alliance Chairman had annihilated his clan. Although he had many sins, Geom Mugeuk wanted to convey one thing.

"I confirmed that the Murim Alliance Chairman didn't commit that act."

Geom Mugeuk had learned during his fight with Hwa Yulcheong that the ones behind them were involved in the Wood Heaven Clan's destruction.

The Wood King's eyes wavered. He remembered how Geom Mugeuk had desperately tried to save him just before his death. He could feel that the young man wasn't lying, then or now.

"The one who orchestrated it will die by my hand, so please, let go of your resentment and misunderstanding," Geom Mugeuk reassured.

"……" The Wood King said nothing, but Geom Mugeuk felt his gaze become peaceful.

Slowly, he closed his eyes. His spirit was trying to leave this place of its own will.

Just then, the music grew louder. The notes tore and rose like a ghostly wail, trying to stop the spirit from leaving.

"Stop!" Geom Mugeuk warned in a low voice.

His words, laced with demonic qi, echoed, and the music paused for a moment before growing even louder.

"I SAID, STOP!"

Geom Mugeuk's demonic qi surged toward the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

WHOOOOSH!

A violent gale of demonic qi made their bodies flutter fiercely. When the energy subsided, the Wood King's spirit was gone, as if it had ridden the wind far away. His doll no longer moved, his eyes closed and a smile on his face.

"In your next life, I hope you live a life of neither killing nor being killed."

The listening Blood Heaven Blade Demon could tell Geom Mugeuk spoke with sincerity. He thought that was perhaps the life this Young Cult Leader himself wished for. A life of laughing, talking, and joking.

How ironic. The strongest person here the one who hates fighting the most.

Geom Mugeuk stepped forward and glared at the Iron King with a cold, stern gaze. "You've all concocted schemes and conspiracies, but you never should've brought back the dead. If you couldn't win, you should've given up and stayed in your graves. Living in despair, living as a nightmare."

The music sounded bizarre, as if listening to Geom Mugeuk's response.

The Sword King walked up from behind. "These guys won't understand even if you spend a hundred days trying to persuade them. I know that well."

He tore a strip from his clothes and tied back his disheveled hair, then took the shoes from his waist and put them on. After that, he stepped forward alone, facing the figures lined up before him.

Before meeting Geom Mugeuk, he had been one of them. He had even occupied the highest rank among them, or so the Darkness Palace Lord had treated him.

"You've had a lot of complaints about me, haven't you?" he chuckled.

The Blade King's eyes, in particular, held a cold killing intent.

Another cold voice rang out from behind.

"You. I said I'd kill you again if we met, didn't I?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon walked out and stood beside the Sword Kings. He hadn't stepped forward because of the Blade King. Though initially displeased with the Sword King, he was now grateful for his willingness to sacrifice himself for Geom Mugeuk. He couldn't let him fight alone.

"As expected of a swordsman, you've got spirit." The Flower Sword Supreme also stepped forward, though she did so out of respect for the Sword King as a fellow swordsman. She glanced at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. "Orabeoni, if you keep doing that, you'll make a mistake in front of the Cult Leader someday."

"Don't even joke about that."

The Sword King looked at the two people beside him and bowed his head slightly. He hadn't expected them to step up for him. The three of them drew their swords and blades at the same time.

Behind them, Geom Mugeuk complained, "Hey, why are my wings spreading over there?"

Exasperated expressions flickered across the three's faces. Geom Mugeuk was trying to make them laugh even now.

"Why are you three acting all tragic and cool by yourselves? Why are you acting all close without me? I'm going to fight too! Ak-hyung, move aside. That's my spot."

Of course, no one looked back or replied.

The Iron King watched, insulted by Geom Mugeuk's composure. "Young Cult Leader, your arrogance will lead everyone to their deaths."

Geom Mugeuk stared back at the Iron King, all playfulness gone from his face. "We had a disagreement about hell, didn't we? Well, I think I've seen enough of your hell… so now, I'll show you mine."

His eyes were so cold it was hard to believe he had just made a joke.

TAK!