Chapter 37
Chapter 37
『 Translator – Divinity 』
He might have thought that if he pushed him like that, he could be held responsible for what had happened here.
“Shouldn't you be the one to reveal yourself first, you bastard?”
“I am Cheon Ha-seong, a Head Instructor of the Martial Arts Academy. Though you may be a stranger, I am not a man to be called 'this bastard' or 'that bastard.' A man who was training in the Honor Guard to take on the duty of protecting the Young Supreme One has been captured and brought to this place. I wonder if you intend to say you know nothing of it.”
At that, the men standing beside him glared at Cheon Ha-seong as if boiling with rage.
Cheon Ha-seong thought that this method might work well. It seemed this man did not want to say who he was, but it also seemed he was by no means an opponent that he could speak to in this manner. That was why the men beside him were getting indignant upon hearing this tone.
Cheon Ha-seong decided to go one step further.
“Seeing as you can't even say who you are, perhaps there is no need for me to speak formally to you. Isn't that so? How am I to know that face of yours isn't a human-skin mask?”
At that, another member of the leadership flared up and was about to shout. However, the middle-aged man burst out laughing and spoke first.
“The young bastard has no fear. To come up with such a scheme in a situation like this. It's amusing, too. Good. I am So Yu-yang. What will you do now?”
Hearing those words, Cheon Ha-seong felt all his questions being answered at once.
So Yu-yang.
That name was the one most importantly emphasized in the summarized genealogies of each Demonic Clan that Seo Hyo-eun had made for him.
Seo Hyo-eun had mentioned that the relationship between So Yu-yang and the Second Demonic Marquis seemed unusual, and had shared her thought that So Yu-yang might have been the Second Demonic Marquis's lover.
She had said that she had seen the two of them acting very intimately in a place where others were not present.
‘It seems Head Instructor Seo was right.’
He recalled the first impression he had when he saw So Yu-yang.
‘He looks like So Jeon. To resemble him that much would be difficult unless they shared blood.’
As Cheon Ha-seong smiled faintly and nodded as if amused, So Yu-yang's expression became frighteningly rigid. Seeing him glare at Cheon Ha-seong like that, it seemed he too had guessed what thoughts were going through Cheon Ha-seong's mind.
“It seems you wish for me to leave quietly, but I cannot go empty-handed. Shouldn't you at least show the sincerity of making an excuse? Especially if you dared to kidnap and torture a man who is to become a member of the Young Supreme One's honor guard.”
“I do not know what you are talking about. Do not slander our family with such nonsense.”
“In that case, I have no choice but to continue the punishment. It would be a different story if you had realized it on your own, but from what you're saying, it seems you've realized nothing. If you don't realize your mistake, you will continue to do the same thing in the future, and I can't just leave out of fear, can I?”
Saying that, he again infused his sword with internal energy.
So Yu-yang looked greatly flustered, as if he had never imagined Cheon Ha-seong would say such a thing. Yet it didn't seem his mind was working nimbly enough to figure out how to change his words now.
Just then, a person blocked Cheon Ha-seong's path.
It seemed that, thinking he couldn't just stand by and be beaten, he was trying to block Cheon Ha-seong with his own body. His will was commendable, but the man had done nothing more than offer his body as a meat shield.
“Cut me down first! The So Demonic Clan will never fall like this!”
Just as Cheon Ha-seong was about to cut him down, another person appeared in front of him.
“Cut me down, Cheon Ha-seong! You bastard may be running rampant, trusting in your skills, but we'll see how long you can act so high and mighty!”
Even when that man appeared, Cheon Ha-seong thought he could just cut them all down at once. But just then, a child who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen jumped out and told him to cut him down first. His fighting spirit was second to none.
It was then that Cheon Ha-seong was truly confused. If he hadn't known that Seo Hyo-eun was pregnant, he wouldn't have been like this. But perhaps because that had happened, he could not easily make a decision.
“Come to your senses! Are you saying you will help even a man who tried to have the Cult Leader killed, just because he is a member of your clan? Are you saying it was a good thing to kidnap and torture a member of the Young Supreme One's honor guard!”
Cheon Ha-seong roared, but the men around him shook their heads.
“That is a lie. There is no way we would have done such a thing! Our So Demonic Clan has helped the Cult Leader and governed the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult well for generations. I'm telling you not to tarnish our family's honor with such nonsense!”
Saying that, someone launched their body forward to cut down Cheon Ha-seong. The movement posed no threat to him. He could have easily taken his life with just a single swing of his hand.
Cheon Ha-seong's gaze turned to So Yu-yang.
“Are you going to let this happen, So Yu-yang! If this continues, these men will only die a dog's death!”
However, So Yu-yang smiled cruelly as if to ask what it mattered.
“Cheon Ha-seong, it seems your heart grows weak at times like these. If you want to die, then do so. There is nothing wrong with what those children are saying.”
Just then, Gi Mun-yong, who had been on the roof with Cheok Gyo-woon, could no longer bear it after seeing the scene.
Seeing them pretend it wasn't true even though they were the ones who had captured him, it felt as if his insides were turning over.
Cheok Gyo-woon only realized it after Gi Mun-yong had jumped down to the ground. If he had noticed even the slightest hint before then, he would have surely grabbed or stopped him.
Cheon Ha-seong was just as surprised as Cheok Gyo-woon.
The other people were also quite surprised to see the sudden appearance of Gi Mun-yong.
Their reactions were divided.
Those who knew Gi Mun-yong had been captured had expressions that asked, 'Why is that man here?', while those who didn't know the fact had faces that asked, 'Who is that man?'
Watching their reactions, Cheon Ha-seong realized that many of those present had not known that Gi Mun-yong had been captured by the So Clan.
Just then, Gi Mun-yong stepped forward and shouted.
“My name is Gi Mun-yong! I am training under the Captain of the Honor Guard to become the Cult Leader's personal bodyguard!”
Gi Mun-yong was scheduled to be in charge of Seo Hyo-eun's protection in the future, but he was thinking about what way of telling the story would be most advantageous.
He had realized that saying they had captured the Cult Leader's personal bodyguard would be a bigger blow to them than saying they had captured the Young Supreme One's personal bodyguard.
Many wavered and looked at the leadership as if to ask if this was true. In the meantime, Gi Mun-yong's exposé continued.
“After finishing my training and trying to rest for a moment, you people captured me, locked me up, and brutally beat and bound me. I'm telling you that that was the doing of you clan bastards! Until now, the followers of the Divine Cult have acknowledged the So Demonic Clan as a prestigious Demonic Clan. The reason we did so was because we thought the people of the So Demonic Clan would pledge their loyalty to the Cult Leader and protect him. But you dared to conspire to harm the Cult Leader!”
Even Cheon Ha-seong was surprised, wondering where he got such spirit. Cheok Gyo-woon, who was watching the scene from the roof, was the same. He didn't know what to do and was just frantically darting his eyes about. He even had the thought that he should go down and help Cheon Ha-seong and Gi Mun-yong.
Just a moment ago, Cheon Ha-seong had been fighting well like a god of the battlefield, but then he had suddenly flinched, and since then, he had been acting strangely as if something were broken. He too had realized that this had started after the young bastards of the So Clan had appeared.
‘What if Head Instructor Cheon can't fight? Do I have to step in then? What can I do if I step in? It would just be adding another lump of meat to the pile.’
However, his conflict did not last long.
In fact, it felt as if his body had dropped before his conflict was even over.
The people, seeing even Cheok Gyo-woon come down to the ground after Gi Mun-yong, looked at him as if it were absurd. While people wouldn't know who Gi Mun-yong was unless he explained at length, Cheok Gyo-woon was different. Most of the people in that place knew who he was.
Cheok Gyo-woon placed his hand on his sword hilt and glared at the people. It was a stance that said he would not avoid a fight if he had to.
Just then, Cheon Ha-seong shouted in a voice imbued with inner power.
“Members of the So Demonic Clan's collateral branches and ordinary warriors, listen! If you have acted to threaten the Cult Leader because you were deceived by your direct line and leadership until now, I will give you a chance to redeem yourselves. This will be the only chance. Until a moment ago, the excuse that you didn't know might have worked, but not from now on. To continue holding your swords will be considered as raising them against the Cult Leader, and I will cut you all down!”
Gi Mun-yong and Cheok Gyo-woon felt a tremendous thrill. And at the same time, they were relieved. They had thought that as long as he regained his fighting spirit, there would be no need to worry about Cheon Ha-seong.
After Cheon Ha-seong had poured out his words and waited for a moment, several people from the So Demonic Clan looked at So Yu-yang.
“Is what he said true? Is it really so? Is our family truly daring to stand against the Cult Leader?”
At that, several members of the leadership shouted almost simultaneously.
“Don't spout such nonsense! It is a plot that those bastards conspired to create! Why would our family do such a thing! Our family has always, without change, devoted its loyalty to the Cult Leader until now! Kill that bastard Cheon Ha-seong at once! Our family's people have been massacred by that bastard, yet you're going to stand there listening to what he has to say!”
However, Cheon Ha-seong had already realized that those words no longer carried any weight.
The people of the So Demonic Clan looked at Cheon Ha-seong.
The fighting spirit and fervor had vanished from their eyes. They were faces that were shocked after seeing the very edge of the truth.
“The Divine Cult has passed down martial arts to each of you and looked after you to make you into masters, yet you repay that kindness with evil.”
Cheon Ha-seong realized what he had to do in this place.
Those who raised the flag of rebellion against the Cult Leader, injected lies into the followers, and led them down the wrong path were the enemies of the Divine Cult.
Cheon Ha-seong resolved to erase the leadership of the So Demonic Clan.
Then he swung his sword towards them.
The shift in his actions was so sudden that almost no one properly realized what he was trying to do.
Those who noticed his movement belatedly raised their swords. Their swords clashed with his, creating a massive explosion of sound. For a short time, a series of sword strikes continued with a kakakakakang sound.
“Uuugh!”
Each of the leaders of the So Clan felt a numbing pain travel up their arms and let out an involuntary groan.
Astonishment filled the eyes of the people. The ones who had become Cheon Ha-seong's opponents this time were those who had not stepped forward before. They were among the top martial artists in the So Demonic Clan, yet they were being pushed back in terms of inner power.
They were men whose profound internal energy would not easily fall behind others, yet they were groaning as they clashed with Cheon Ha-seong.