Chapter 322 : Madman, Mad Monster (2)
Chapter 322: Madman, Mad Monster (2)
The Demonic Spirit Realm.
The world of monsters and their homeland.
Among all the realms of the Middle Realm, it was the most chaotic and unstable.
Since it was a world belonging to monsters, Jang Woo-hyun had intended not to concern himself too much with whatever he witnessed here.
Judging monsters by human standards was foolish.
However, the moment he heard the words "human oil," he moved before he even realized it.
'These bastards.'
The ceramic bottle he had just taken disappeared from his hand.
Human oil.
He had experienced it before while fighting the cultivators of the Ascension Cult.
It was something utterly horrifying.
An oil produced by painfully crushing tens of thousands of humans, condensing within it every negative emotion they had experienced before death—fear, sorrow, agony, despair...
"Y-You bastard! You must be confident in your strength! But don't think you've forgotten where you are! No matter who you are, you can't run wild here. Right now, I—"
The moment Jang Woo-hyun's gaze landed on him, the descendant of Xing Tian who had been speaking was torn into pieces.
The other descendants of Xing Tian immediately leaped backward again.
"You'll regret this."
Though they had been trembling with fear just moments ago, their expressions suddenly brightened.
Since their faces were their torsos, every expression was plainly visible.
Even before their expressions changed, however, Jang Woo-hyun had already sensed someone approaching.
【Who is it?! Who dares cause trouble here?!】
Along with the voice, a black line was drawn across empty space.
A pitch-black serpent appeared in the marketplace.
Its body measured three jang in length.
Upon its head was a single dark green horn two feet long, constantly emitting murky black smoke.
It was a serpent monster known as the One-Horned Dragon, one of the monsters responsible for maintaining order in the settlement.
The One-Horned Dragon glanced around once before stopping in front of Jang Woo-hyun.
Raising its head proudly, it glared at him with sharp eyes.
【Have you forgotten whose territory this is?】
The moment the One-Horned Dragon released its killing intent, poisonous clouds spread in every direction.
The terrifying poison forced the surrounding monsters to hurriedly retreat.
Unlike the monsters scrambling backward, Jang Woo-hyun remained perfectly calm within the poisonous cloud.
"Come out. I have something to discuss with those bastards."
【......】
The One-Horned Dragon found Jang Woo-hyun's behavior utterly ridiculous.
What kind of lunatic was this?
【Your recklessness ends here. Wearing the skin of a human... Hm?】
While looking down at Jang Woo-hyun, the One-Horned Dragon slowly lowered its head.
It brought its face as close as possible and carefully examined him.
【You're not a monster. You've been hiding yourself. What exactly are you? I've never seen a being like you before.】
Tap.
While the One-Horned Dragon continued speaking, Jang Woo-hyun reached out and grabbed the horn emitting black smoke.
【You dare grab my horn? Foolish. Your body will melt from my poison before you can endure even a moment.】
As it declared what sounded like a curse, the One-Horned Dragon looked at Jang Woo-hyun.
But strangely...
Jang Woo-hyun was completely unharmed.
He simply tightened his grip.
Crack!
【Crack...? Huh? Wait a second... what was that sound breaking—】
Hearing a sound that absolutely should not have existed, the One-Horned Dragon panicked.
Ignoring it, Jang Woo-hyun drove the broken horn directly into its head.
【Kraaaaagh!】
'You're annoying.'
The moment he had seen those monsters possessing human oil...
Something inside Jang Woo-hyun had changed.
He had never intended to cause a disturbance.
But perhaps because his consciousness had ascended to such an extraordinary level earlier, everything suddenly seemed insignificant.
Even the monster standing in his way irritated him.
I can crush it instantly.
Why should I waste time talking to it?
Why is this thing standing in front of me making all this noise?
Is there even any reason to listen?
With eyes emptier than before, Jang Woo-hyun slowly raised one hand.
"I said come out."
He casually threw a light punch toward the struggling One-Horned Dragon.
The fist never even touched its body.
He merely struck empty air.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion erupted.
The One-Horned Dragon was blasted backward.
It crashed into one of the towering peaks, causing the entire basin to shake violently.
While Jang Woo-hyun dealt with the One-Horned Dragon, the descendants of Xing Tian had apparently done something.
Their bodies grew by more than one jang, releasing overwhelming pressure.
The panic and fear vanished from their crimson-glowing eyes.
"Die!"
More than ten headless humanoids charged toward him.
Jang Woo-hyun stepped forward to meet them.
By the time the Wind-Passing Great Sage returned after finishing his business with White Elephant, the battle had grown even larger.
Not only the One-Horned Dragon, but also a Thousand-Year Fox Monster with ten tails and the Four-Headed Great Ape, a monkey monster with a serpent's head, had joined the battle against Jang Woo-hyun.
"Huh? H-Huh? Don't tell me... that's a human?"
Following the Wind-Passing Great Sage into the basin, White Elephant recognized Jang Woo-hyun as a human at first glance.
"Hahahahahaha! I knew this would happen!"
"This isn't the time to be laughing! At this rate, everything's going to be destroy—"
"Kyaahahahaha!"
The Wind-Passing Great Sage laughed excitedly before opening his mouth wide.
He spat out a crimson cloth and draped it over himself.
Before anyone realized it, the white monkey had vanished.
Standing in its place was a bird monster with two heads.
"...What exactly are you doing?"
White Elephant asked uneasily.
The transformed bird monster merely grinned once before charging into the battlefield.
The Wind-Passing Great Sage had deliberately changed his appearance to conceal his identity.
If the other monsters recognized him, they would never fight him seriously.
It was simply another one of his tricks.
The battle in the sky had originally been three against one.
With the arrival of the two-headed bird monster, it became three against two.
Naturally, the momentum shifted dramatically toward the two.
"Hahahahaha!"
The mysterious human and the Wind-Passing Great Sage fought together with perfect coordination.
Without even using their full strength, they mercilessly beat the three monsters.
"T-That lunatic..."
Just from watching them fight, it was obvious they had not coordinated together only once or twice before.
Anyone could tell that the human was one of the Wind-Passing Great Sage's companions.
Boom!
With an explosive crash, the gigantic Thousand-Year Fox Monster was blasted into the ground near White Elephant.
A massive crater formed.
The entire mountain shook from the impact.
Then suddenly...
The entire ground beneath them sank.
The colossal turtle carrying Mount Tai had collapsed under the tremendous force of the impact.
"Ah..."
White Elephant stared blankly at the shattered Thousand-Year Fox Monster before slowly raising his head.
In the sky, the One-Horned Dragon and the serpent-headed monkey monster were being beaten senseless.
'Does this even make sense?'
A human had entered the Demonic Spirit Realm...
...and was beating monsters.
Beside him fought the battle-crazed monster whose infamy echoed throughout the Demonic Spirit Realm.
Before those two...
Even monsters bearing the title of Demon King were nothing more than wooden training dummies.
Watching the human and the monster, one thought surfaced in White Elephant's mind.
'They're insane.'
A mad monster had summoned a madman.
And that wasn't even the end of it.
'He even contacted that one.'
Perhaps...
Since the birth of the Demonic Spirit Realm...
The greatest calamity in its history was about to descend.
【Kieeeek!】
The battered One-Horned Dragon fell from the sky.
Watching the scene, White Elephant's body trembled.
Long ago...
White Elephant had slaughtered countless humans and committed every evil imaginable.
Alongside his sworn brothers, he had once been known as one of the Three Demon Kings of Satadong.
Yet even someone like him felt fear at the spectacle unfolding before his eyes.
It had nothing to do with strength.
Those two...
They were genuinely enjoying the fight.
'Those lunatics... they're smiling.'
How many beings could enjoy fighting that much?
An ominous chill pierced his entire body.
White Elephant shuddered once more.
"Hahahahaha! It feels refreshing to move around again after so long."
Standing before the Wind-Passing Great Sage were the One-Horned Dragon, the serpent-headed monkey monster Four-Headed Great Ape, and the ten-tailed Thousand-Year Fox Monster.
True to monsters, their vitality was extraordinary.
None of them had died.
But all three had bodies riddled with broken bones and severe injuries.
"If only you had told us beforehand, none of this would've been necessary..."
"Why would I tell you beforehand? That wouldn't be any fun."
The Four-Headed Great Ape groaned miserably at the Wind-Passing Great Sage's reply.
The Thousand-Year Fox Monster sighed softly.
The One-Horned Dragon merely shook its head.
The monkey monster before them was not someone who could be reasoned with.
He had simply wanted a fight.
That was why he had joined them.
The three monsters stared at him with exhausted expressions before quietly shifting their gaze.
Jang Woo-hyun stood alone nearby.
'Monster.'
All three reached the same conclusion simultaneously.
He was human.
Yet he wasn't human.
The only appropriate description was...
A monster.
Where in the world had such a monster suddenly come from?
'There's another monster besides him?'
The Thousand-Year Fox Monster looked at Jang Woo-hyun before raising its head.
It wasn't there.
Among the monsters of the Demonic Spirit Realm, an ominous tale had long been passed down.
—When the Black Moon rises, a human will emerge from within it and destroy everything. If you ever see the Black Moon, run as far away as you can.
But today...
No Black Moon had appeared.
That meant the person before them was not the human spoken of in the legend.
From the monsters' perspective...
There was now one more human they needed to fear.
'We're supposed to be the monsters...'
How had things come to this?
Ferocious monsters now had to be wary of humans.
While the Thousand-Year Fox Monster lamented its miserable fate...
Jang Woo-hyun quietly fell into thought beneath the monsters' gazes.
'I did something foolish.'
He had neither gone berserk nor succumbed to inner demons.
But he had failed to control himself.
By allowing the part of his consciousness that sought to transcend humanity and ascend ever higher to remain unchecked...
He had become unable to tolerate weaker beings challenging him.
Of course, the descendants of Xing Tian possessing human oil had been the trigger.
Even so...
He had caused trouble far too easily.
'I shouldn't have talked so confidently to that monkey.'
Ordinarily, this would never have happened.
If the Wind-Passing Great Sage had started a fight, Jang Woo-hyun would have been the one stopping him.
Instead...
Today, he had been the first to throw himself into battle.
Fortunately, after venting his anger through that fight, he had regained his composure.
Since he had not used excessive force, no monsters besides the descendants of Xing Tian had died.
"That was fun. But we should get going now. My brothers will be here soon."
The Wind-Passing Great Sage approached Jang Woo-hyun, who was still silently blaming himself.
"How long until they arrive?"
"Not immediately, but it won't take long either. That younger brother of mine may not be much of a puncher, but he's exceptional at tracking people down."
As long as the King of Dark Clouds was over there, they could never completely shake him off.
He possessed many strange abilities, including powerful mystical arts, and his knowledge was extensive.
There was a reason the Wind-Passing Great Sage always sought him out whenever he had questions.
"And you three... you've already sent word, haven't you?"
Among the three monsters, the Four-Headed Great Ape and the One-Horned Dragon both flinched.
The One-Horned Dragon reported directly to the Gyoma King.
The Four-Headed Great Ape was connected to the King of Dark Clouds.
The instant they recognized the Wind-Passing Great Sage, they had undoubtedly informed them.
Even while fighting, they possessed more than enough methods to contact the distant Gyoma King and the King of Dark Clouds.
"W-Well..."
"We had no choice. It was our duty."
"Who said anything? That's your job. Gong Ryo, preparations?"
【Everything is ready!】
Gong Ryo answered loudly from the side.
After witnessing Jang Woo-hyun's strength, every muscle in his body was tense.
"Then let's go immediately."
【Yes!】
After causing complete chaos in the monsters' settlement...
Jang Woo-hyun and the Wind-Passing Great Sage departed.
Only after the two disappeared did the remaining monsters finally breathe sighs of relief.
"What in the world was that human?"
The Four-Headed Great Ape rose from one knee and asked.
But none of the monsters present had an answer.
Like a sudden typhoon...
Jang Woo-hyun had appeared...
...and then vanished just as suddenly.
New Characters / Terms:
독각룡 = One-Horned Dragon (Male)
형천의 후예 = Descendants of Xing Tian (Group)
사두대원 = Four-Headed Great Ape (Male)
천년요호 = Thousand-Year Fox Monster (Female)
인간 기름 = Human Oil
사타동 = Satadong (Place)
From now on translate from Korean to English while following all translation instructions and names in the Names List in the knowledge with upmost accuracy. All names, techniques, terms, and concepts will be rendered fully in English only, No Korean romanization. Chapter format should be: Chapter number: Title
Translate a chapter including all symbols like ㄴ, –, -, 一, [, ▶, ], 『, 』, 《, 》.
322화 광인광요(狂人狂妖) (2)
요마계(妖魔界).
괴이들의 세상이자 그들의 고향.
중경계 중 가장 뒤죽박죽인 세상이었으며 가장 불안정한 곳이었다.
요괴들의 세상인지라 장우현은 이곳에서 뭘 보든 크게 신경을 쓰지 않으려 했다. 인간의 기준으로 요괴를 판단하는 건 어리석은 행동이었으니까.
하지만 ‘인간 기름’이라는 단어를 들은 순간 자신도 모르게 움직였다.
‘이 새끼들이.’
장우현의 손에서 조금 전 뺏은 자기병이 소멸했다.
승천교 수도자와 싸울 때 경험을 했던 인간 기름은 아주 끔찍한 것이었다.
수만 명의 인간을 고통스럽게 압착시켜서 만들어 내는 기름으로, 그 안에는 죽기 직전까지 느꼈던 공포, 슬픔, 고통, 절망 등 모든 부정적인 감정이 응축돼 있었다.
“이, 이놈! 가진 힘에 자신이 있는 놈이렷다! 하지만 여기가 어딘지 잊은 건 아니겠지? 아무리 너라 해도 이곳에서는 함부로 날뛸 순 없다. 지금 부-”
장우현의 시선이 닿자 입을 열던 형천의 후예가 몸이 조각나 무너져 내렸다. 주변에 있던 다른 형천의 후예는 다시 뒤로 몸을 훌쩍 날렸다.
“후회하게 될 것이다.”
겁을 잔뜩 집어먹고 눈치를 보던 그들의 얼굴이 갑자기 밝아졌다. 얼굴이 몸통이었기에 표정이 아주 잘 보였다.
그리고 장우현은 그들의 표정이 변하기 전부터 다가오는 존재를 눈치채고 있었다.
【누구냐! 누가 이곳에서 소란을 일으키는 것이냐!】
목소리와 동시에 허공에 검은 선이 하나 그어졌고, 묵빛 뱀이 장내에 나타났다.
몸길이는 삼 장. 머리에는 칙칙한 검은 연기를 내뿜는 이 척 크기의 진녹색 뿔이 하나 달려 있었다.
독각룡이라 불리는 뱀 요괴로 마을을 관리하는 요괴 중 하나였다.
독각룡이 주변을 한번 훑어보더니 장우현의 앞에 섰다. 당당하게 머리를 들고는 날카로운 시선으로 노려봤다.
【이곳이 누구의 관리하에 있는지 잊은 게냐?】
독각룡이 살기를 드러내자, 독 구름이 사방으로 퍼져 나갔다. 강력한 독기에 주변에 있던 요괴들이 서둘러 몸을 피했다.
우르르 뒤로 물러난 요괴들과는 다르게 장우현은 독 구름 안에서도 태연했다.
“나와, 저놈들이랑 할 말 있으니까.”
【…….】
독각룡은 장우현의 행동이 어이가 없었다. 이건 또 무슨 미친놈이란 말인가.
【경거망동하는 것도 여기까지다. 인간의 거죽을 뒤집어쓴…… 음?】
장우현을 내려다보던 독각룡의 머리가 아래로 내려왔다. 얼굴을 최대한 가까이 대고 장우현은 살폈다.
【너, 요괴가 아니로구나. 자신을 숨기고 있었어, 넌 뭐지? 너 같은 존재는 본 적이 없는데.】
턱.
독각룡이 말을 이어 가는 와중, 장우현이 검은 연기가 피어오르는 뿔을 잡아 버렸다.
【내 뿔을 잡다니, 어리석구나. 독기로 인해 잠시도 버티지 못하고 그 몸이 녹아내릴 것이다.】
저주와도 같은 사실을 말해 주며 독각룡이 장우현을 바라봤다.
한데 이상하게 멀쩡했다. 장우현이 그대로 손에 힘을 줬다.
빠각!
【빠각? 어? 잠깐만, 이거 뭐가 부러지는 소리-】
들려서는 안 되는 소리에 독각룡이 당황했다. 장우현은 그 말을 듣지 않고 부러진 뿔을 그의 머리에 박아 버렸다.
【크아아아아아!】
‘귀찮게 구네.’
인간 기름을 가지고 있는 놈들을 본 순간부터 장우현의 마음이 변했다.
소란을 피울 생각이 없었는데, 조금 전 아득히 올라간 정신 탓인지 갑자기 모든 게 하찮아 보였다. 자신의 앞을 막고 있는 요괴가 꼴 보기 싫었다.
단숨에 눌러 죽일 수 있는데 왜 이놈과 이야기를 해야 하지?
넌 왜 내 앞에서 이렇게 떠들고 있는 거냐?
이야기를 들을 필요가 있나?
조금 전과는 다른 공허한 눈빛을 한 장우현이 손을 들었다.
“나오라니까.”
발버둥 치는 독각룡 쪽으로 주먹을 장난처럼 살짝 내질렀다.
몸에 직접 닿지도 않고 허공을 때렸을 뿐이지만.
꾸웅! 하는 소리와 함께 거대한 폭발이 일어나 독각룡이 뒤로 날아갔다.
솟아오른 봉우리 하나에 독각룡이 처박히며 분지 전체가 흔들렸다.
장우현이 독각룡을 상대하는 동안 형천의 후예들은 뭔가를 했는지 그 몸이 일 장 이상 커지고 압도적인 기세를 내뿜었다.
붉은 빛을 뿜어 대는 그들의 눈에서 당황과 두려움이 사라졌다.
“죽어라!”
십여 명의 머리 없는 인간이 달려들었고, 장우현이 그들에게 맞섰다.
* * *
통풍대성이 백상과 일을 끝내고 왔을 때는 싸움판이 더 크게 벌어졌다.
독각룡뿐만 아니라, 꼬리가 열 개 달린 천년요호와 뱀의 머리가 달린 원숭이 요괴 사두대원까지 끼어들어 장우현과 싸우고 있었다.
“어? 어어? 설마 저거…… 인간?”
통풍대성을 따라 분지로 내려온 백상은 보자마자 장우현이 인간이라는 것을 눈치챘다.
“으하하하하하! 내가 이럴 줄 알았다니까.”
“지금 웃을 때가 아니지 않소. 이러다가 다 부서지게-”
“캬하하하하!”
통풍대성이 신나게 웃더니 입을 쩍 벌렸다. 붉은 천을 토해 내고는 그걸 뒤집어썼다.
어느새 하얀 원숭이가 있던 자리에는 머리가 두 개 달린 새 요괴가 서 있었다.
“……지금 뭐 하는 게요?”
백상이 불안함을 내비치며 묻자, 새 요괴로 변한 통풍대성을 한 번 씩 웃어 주고는 전장으로 뛰어들었다.
통풍대성은 정체를 숨기기 위해 일부러 모습을 바꿨다. 다른 요괴가 자신을 알아본다면 제대로 싸우지 않을 것을 알기에 수작을 부린 거였다.
삼 대 일로 싸우고 있던 하늘 위 전장.
머리가 두 개인 새 요괴가 끼어들자, 이제 삼 대 이가 됐다. 전세는 당연히 두 명 쪽으로 급격히 기울었다.
“으하하하하!”
정체를 알 수 없는 인간과 통풍대성은 손발이 척척 맞아 전력을 사용하지 않고도 세 마리 요괴를 두들겨 패고 있었다.
“저, 저 미친놈이…….”
싸우는 모습을 보니 한두 번 손발을 맞춰 본 게 아니었다. 누가 봐도 저 인간은 통풍대성의 일행이었다.
콰아앙!
굉음과 함께 몸을 거대하게 만들었던 천년요호가 백상 근처로 날아와 처박혔다.
거대한 구덩이가 만들어지고 그 충격에 산 전체가 흔들리더니 갑자기 바닥 전체가 밑으로 훅 꺼졌다.
천년요호가 처박힌 힘에 태산을 짊어지고 있던 초대형 거북이가 주저앉고 말았다.
“어…….”
박살이 난 천년요호를 바라봤다가 백상이 다시 고개를 들었다.
하늘에서는 독각룡과 뱀 머리 원숭이 요괴가 미친 듯이 맞고 있었다.
‘이게 말이 되나?’
인간이 요마계까지 와서 요괴를 팬다. 그리고 그 옆에는 싸움에 미친 요괴, 요마계에서 악명이 자자한 통풍대성이 함께하고 있다.
저 둘 앞에서는 요왕이라는 이름을 가진 요괴도 그냥 수련용 목각인형에 불과했다.
인간과 요괴를 보며 백상은 한 가지 생각이 떠올랐다.
‘미친놈들이다.’
미친 요괴(狂妖)가 미친 인간(狂人)을 불러들였다. 게다가 이게 끝이 아니다.
‘그놈까지 불러들였으니.’
어쩌면 요마계란 세상이 생겨난 뒤로, 가장 끔찍한 재앙을 맞이할지도 몰랐다.
【끼에에엑-】
하늘에서 몸이 짓이겨진 독각룡이 떨어져 내렸다. 그 모습을 보고 있던 백상은 몸을 떨었다.
오래전.
백상은 수많은 인간을 학살하고 악행을 일삼았다.
형제들과 사타동의 세 마왕이라 불릴 정도로 위세가 높았던 그였으나 지금 눈앞에서 벌어지는 일은 그런 백상에게도 두려움을 느끼게 했다.
힘의 유무를 떠나서 저 두 놈은 싸움 자체를 즐기고 있는 게 눈에 보였다.
‘저 미친놈들, 웃고 있어.’
저렇게 신나서 싸우는 존재들이 얼마나 될까.
온몸을 관통하는 불길한 기운에 백상은 다시 한번 몸을 부르르 떨었다.
* * *
“으하하하하! 오랜만에 움직이니까 시원하구나.”
통풍대성의 앞에는 독각룡과 뱀 머리 원숭이 요괴 사두대원 그리고 꼬리가 열 개인 천년요호가 고개를 숙이고 있었다.
요괴답게 생명력이 뛰어나 죽지는 않았지만 셋 다 몸이 여기저기 부서진 상태였다.
“미리 말씀해 주셨으면 이럴 필요가 없었을 텐데…….”
“왜 미리 말해? 그러면 재미없는데.”
통풍대성의 말에 사두대원이 끙 하며 앓는 소리를 냈다.
옆에 있던 천년요호는 작게 한숨을 내쉬었고, 독각룡은 고개를 저었다.
눈앞의 원숭이 요괴는 말이 통하는 존재가 아니었다. 그냥 단순히 싸우고 싶어서 자신들과 어울린 것이다.
세 요괴가 질린 얼굴로 통풍대성을 보다가 살짝 고개를 돌렸다. 그들의 시선에 한쪽에 서 있는 장우현이 보였다.
‘괴물.’
셋이 동시에 생각했다.
인간인데 인간이 아니다. 그냥 괴물이라 보는 게 옳았다.
어디서 저런 괴물 같은 게 갑자기 나타난 걸까.
‘그놈 말고 저런 괴물이 또 있는 거야?’
천년 요호는 장우현을 보다가 고개를 들었다. 찾는 게 보이지 않았다.
요마계 요괴들에게 전해지는 불길한 이야기.
-검은 달이 뜨면 그 안에서 인간이 하나 나타나 모든 것을 부순다. 그러니 검은 달을 보면 무조건 멀리 도망가라.
한데 오늘은 검은 달이 뜨지 않았다. 그러면 저자는 소문으로 전해지는 그 인간은 아니었다. 요괴들 입장에서는 주의해야 할 인간이 한 명 더 늘어났다.
‘우리가 요괴인데.’
어떻게 된 게 사나운 요괴들이 인간을 조심해야 하는 지경까지 오게 된 것일까.
천년요호가 자신의 신세를 한탄하고 있을 때.
장우현은 요괴들의 시선을 받으며 홀로 생각에 빠져 있었다.
‘멍청한 짓을 했네.’
미쳐 날뛰거나 심마에 빠진 건 아니었지만 스스로를 통제하지 못했다.
인간을 벗어나려는, 저 위로 올라가려는 의식을 제어하지 않았더니 자신보다 못한 존재들이 덤비는 걸 두고 보지 못했다.
물론 형천의 후예들이 가지고 있던 ‘인간 기름’이 시발점이 된 거긴 하지만, 그럼에도 불구하고 너무 쉽게 사고를 치고 말았다.
‘원숭이한테 괜히 큰소리쳤네.’
평소라면 벌어지지 않을 일이었다. 통풍대성이 싸움을 하면 자신이 말렸어야 했는데 그러지 못했다.
오늘은 장우현이 먼저 나서서 싸움을 하고 말았다.
그래도 다행히 한바탕 날뛰고 나니 정신을 다잡을 수 있었다. 힘을 과하게 쓰지 않아 형천의 후예라 불린 놈들 말고는 죽은 요괴도 없었고.
“재밌었다. 근데 이제 가야 돼. 형제들이 금방 찾아올 거다.”
혼자 자책하고 있는 장우현 쪽으로 통풍대성이 다가왔다.
“오는 데 얼마나 걸릴까?”
“지금 당장은 오지 않겠지만 오래 걸리지도 않을 거야. 동생 놈이 주먹질은 좀 부족해도 잡기에는 뛰어나거든.”
우융왕이 저쪽에 있는 이상 완전히 따돌릴 수는 없다.
그는 요술을 비롯한 특이한 능력을 가지고 있었고, 아는 것도 많았다. 괜히 통풍대성이 물어볼 게 있으면 우융왕을 찾아가는 게 아니었다.
“그리고 니들, 벌써 연락했지?”
세 마리 요괴 중 사두대원과 독각룡이 몸을 움찔거렸다.
독각룡은 교마왕과 사두대원은 우융왕과 줄이 닿아 있는 요괴.
통풍대성의 정체를 안 순간 바로 연락을 넣었을 것이다. 싸우면서도 멀리 떨어진 교마왕과 우융왕에게 연락을 넣을 방법은 충분히 가지고 있었기에.
“그, 그게…….”
“저희도 어쩔 수 없었습니다. 꼭 해야 하는 일인지라.”
“누가 뭐라고 했냐. 그게 니들 할 일인데. 공료, 준비는?”
【이미 다 끝났습니다!】
한쪽에 서 있던 공료가 크게 답했다. 조금 전 장우현의 힘을 본 그는 온몸에 힘이 빡 들어가 있었다.
“그럼 바로 가자.”
【예!】
요괴의 마을에서 소란을 피운 장우현과 통풍대성은 그렇게 사라졌다.
둘이 사라지고 나서야 나머지 요괴들이 안도의 한숨을 내쉬었다.
“도대체 저 인간은 뭐냐?”
무릎 꿇고 있던 사두대원이 몸을 일으키며 물었지만 이곳에 있는 그 어떤 요괴도 답을 내놓을 수 없었다.
갑자기 다가온 태풍처럼.
장우현은 그렇게 왔다가 사라졌다.
Chapter 322: Madman, Mad Monster (2)
The Demonic Spirit Realm.
The world of monsters, and their homeland.
Among the realms of the Middle Realm, it was the most chaotic and unstable.
Since this was the world of monsters, Jang Woo-hyun had no intention of paying much attention to whatever he saw here. Judging monsters by human standards was a foolish thing to do.
However, the moment he heard the words "human oil," he moved without realizing it.
'These bastards.'
The ceramic bottle he had snatched moments ago vanished from Jang Woo-hyun's hand.
Human oil—the substance he had encountered while fighting the cultivators of the Ascension Cult—was something utterly horrifying.
It was an oil produced by painfully compressing tens of thousands of humans to death, containing every negative emotion they had experienced before dying: fear, sorrow, pain, despair...
"Y-You bastard! You must have confidence in your strength! But surely you haven't forgotten where you are! No matter who you are, you can't run wild here. Right now, I—"
The moment Jang Woo-hyun's gaze fell upon him, the descendant of Xing Tian who had been speaking shattered into pieces.
The other descendants of Xing Tian immediately leaped backward once again.
"You'll regret this."
Their faces, which had been filled with terror only moments ago, suddenly brightened.
Since their faces were on their torsos, every change in expression was obvious.
However, even before their expressions changed, Jang Woo-hyun had already sensed something approaching.
【Who goes there?! Who dares cause a disturbance here?!】
As the voice rang out, a black line was drawn across empty space.
A jet-black serpent appeared in the middle of the marketplace.
Its body measured three jang in length. Upon its head grew a single dark green horn, about two feet long, constantly emitting murky black smoke.
It was a serpent monster known as the One-Horned Dragon, one of the monsters responsible for managing the village.
The One-Horned Dragon swept its gaze across the surroundings before stopping in front of Jang Woo-hyun.
Lifting its head proudly, it glared at him with sharp eyes.
【Have you forgotten whose domain this is?】
As the One-Horned Dragon released its killing intent, poisonous clouds spread in every direction.
The terrifying poison forced the surrounding monsters to hastily retreat.
Unlike the monsters scrambling backward, Jang Woo-hyun remained perfectly calm within the poisonous cloud.
"Come out. I have something to discuss with those bastards."
【......】
The One-Horned Dragon found Jang Woo-hyun's behavior utterly absurd.
Just what kind of lunatic was this?
【Your reckless behavior ends here. Wearing the skin of a human... Hmm?】
The One-Horned Dragon lowered its head as it looked down at Jang Woo-hyun.
Bringing its face as close as possible, it examined him carefully.
【You're not a monster. You've been concealing yourself. What are you? I've never seen a being like you before.】
Clack.
While the One-Horned Dragon continued speaking, Jang Woo-hyun reached out and grabbed the horn that emitted black smoke.
【You dare grab my horn? Foolish. Your body will melt away from my poison before you can endure even a moment.】
The One-Horned Dragon spoke as though pronouncing a curse while staring at Jang Woo-hyun.
Yet strangely...
Jang Woo-hyun remained perfectly unharmed.
He simply tightened his grip.
Crack!
【Crack...? Huh? Wait a second... What was that breaking sou—】
Hearing a sound that should never have existed, the One-Horned Dragon panicked.
Ignoring its words, Jang Woo-hyun drove the broken horn straight into its head.
【Kraaaaaagh!】
'How annoying.'
The moment he saw those monsters carrying human oil, something inside Jang Woo-hyun changed.
He had never intended to cause a disturbance.
But perhaps because his consciousness had ascended to an unimaginable level just moments earlier...
Everything suddenly seemed insignificant.
The monster standing in his way was simply unpleasant to look at.
I can crush it in an instant.
Why should I waste time talking to it?
Why is this thing standing in front of me making so much noise?
Is there any reason to listen?
With eyes emptier than before, Jang Woo-hyun slowly raised his hand.
"I said come out."
He casually threw a light punch toward the struggling One-Horned Dragon.
His fist never even touched its body.
He merely punched empty space.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted.
The One-Horned Dragon was blasted backward.
It crashed into one of the towering peaks, causing the entire basin to tremble.
While Jang Woo-hyun dealt with the One-Horned Dragon, the descendants of Xing Tian had apparently done something.
Their bodies expanded by over one jang, releasing overwhelming pressure.
The panic and fear disappeared from their crimson eyes.
"Die!"
More than ten headless humanoids charged toward him.
Jang Woo-hyun met them head-on.
By the time the Wind-Passing Great Sage finished his business with White Elephant and returned, the battle had grown even larger.
Not only the One-Horned Dragon, but also a Thousand-Year Fox Monster with ten tails and the Four-Headed Great Ape, a monkey monster with a serpent's head, had joined forces against Jang Woo-hyun.
"Huh? H-Huh? Could that possibly be... a human?"
The moment White Elephant followed the Wind-Passing Great Sage into the basin, he immediately realized Jang Woo-hyun was human.
"Hahahahahaha! I knew this would happen!"
"This isn't the time to be laughing! At this rate everything will be destroyed—"
"Kyaahahahaha!"
The Wind-Passing Great Sage burst into excited laughter before opening his mouth wide.
He spat out a crimson cloth and draped it over himself.
Before anyone noticed, the white monkey had vanished.
Standing in his place was a two-headed bird monster.
"...What exactly are you doing?"
White Elephant asked uneasily.
The transformed bird monster merely grinned before charging into the battlefield.
The Wind-Passing Great Sage had deliberately changed his appearance to conceal his identity.
He knew that if the other monsters recognized him, they would never fight him seriously.
Originally, it had been a three-against-one battle in the sky.
With the arrival of the two-headed bird monster, it became three against two.
Naturally, the tide of battle immediately shifted in favor of the two.
"Hahahahaha!"
The mysterious human and the Wind-Passing Great Sage fought in perfect harmony.
Without even using their full strength, they mercilessly beat the three monsters.
"T-That lunatic..."
Judging from the way they fought, this was far from their first time fighting side by side.
Anyone could tell that the human was one of the Wind-Passing Great Sage's companions.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the enlarged Thousand-Year Fox Monster was hurled toward White Elephant and slammed into the ground nearby.
A massive crater formed.
The mountain shook violently from the impact.
Then, suddenly...
The entire ground sank.
The colossal turtle carrying Mount Tai had collapsed under the tremendous force of the impact.
"Ah..."
After staring blankly at the shattered Thousand-Year Fox Monster, White Elephant slowly raised his head.
High above, the One-Horned Dragon and the serpent-headed monkey monster were being beaten senseless.
'Does this even make sense?'
A human had entered the Demonic Spirit Realm...
...and was beating monsters.
Beside him fought the battle-crazed monster whose notoriety echoed throughout the Demonic Spirit Realm—the Wind-Passing Great Sage.
Before those two...
Even monsters bearing the title of Demon King were nothing more than wooden training dummies.
Watching the human and the monster, one thought surfaced in White Elephant's mind.
'They're complete lunatics.'
A mad monster (狂妖) had summoned a madman (狂人).
And that wasn't even the end of it.
'He even called that one.'
Perhaps...
Since the birth of the Demonic Spirit Realm...
The greatest catastrophe in its history was about to descend.
【Kieeeek—】
The One-Horned Dragon, its body completely mangled, fell from the sky.
Watching the scene, White Elephant trembled.
Long ago...
White Elephant had slaughtered countless humans and committed every evil imaginable.
He had once been powerful enough to be known, alongside his brothers, as one of the Three Demon Kings of Satadong.
Yet even someone like him felt fear at the sight unfolding before his eyes.
It had nothing to do with strength.
Those two...
They were genuinely enjoying the fight.
'Those lunatics... they're smiling.'
How many beings could enjoy fighting that much?
An ominous feeling pierced his entire body.
White Elephant shuddered once more.
"Hahahahaha! It feels great to move around again after so long."
Standing before the Wind-Passing Great Sage were the One-Horned Dragon, the Four-Headed Great Ape, and the ten-tailed Thousand-Year Fox Monster.
True to monsters, their vitality was extraordinary.
None of them had died.
But every one of them had suffered broken bones throughout their bodies.
"If only you'd told us beforehand, none of this would've been necessary..."
"Why would I tell you? That wouldn't be any fun."
The Four-Headed Great Ape groaned in response.
The Thousand-Year Fox Monster let out a quiet sigh.
The One-Horned Dragon simply shook its head.
The monkey monster before them was not someone who could be reasoned with.
He had merely wanted a fight.
That was why he had dragged them into one.
The three monsters looked at the Wind-Passing Great Sage with exhausted expressions before slowly turning their heads.
Their gazes fell upon Jang Woo-hyun standing off to one side.
'Monster.'
All three reached the same conclusion simultaneously.
He was human...
Yet he wasn't human.
Calling him a monster was the only fitting description.
Where had such a monster suddenly come from?
'There's another monster besides him?'
The Thousand-Year Fox Monster looked at Jang Woo-hyun before lifting its head.
What it sought was nowhere to be seen.
Among the monsters of the Demonic Spirit Realm, an ominous tale had long been passed down.
—When the Black Moon rises, a human will emerge from within it and destroy everything. Therefore, if you ever see the Black Moon, flee as far away as possible.
Yet today...
No Black Moon had appeared.
That meant the person before them was not the human from the legend.
From the monsters' perspective...
There was now one more human they needed to beware of.
'We're supposed to be the monsters...'
How had things come to this?
Ferocious monsters now had to fear humans.
While the Thousand-Year Fox Monster lamented its fate...
Jang Woo-hyun quietly fell into thought under the monsters' gazes.
'I did something foolish.'
He had neither gone berserk nor succumbed to inner demons.
But he had failed to control himself.
By leaving unchecked the part of his consciousness that sought to transcend humanity and ascend to a higher existence...
He could no longer tolerate weaker beings challenging him.
Of course, the descendants of Xing Tian carrying human oil had been the trigger.
Even so...
He had caused trouble far too easily.
'I shouldn't have talked so confidently to that monkey.'
Normally, this never would have happened.
If the Wind-Passing Great Sage had started a fight, Jang Woo-hyun should have been the one stopping him.
Instead...
Today, Jang Woo-hyun himself had been the first to start fighting.
Fortunately, after venting his anger in battle, he had regained control.
Since he had not used excessive force, no monsters had died besides the descendants of Xing Tian.
"That was fun. But we should get going now. My brothers will be here soon."
The Wind-Passing Great Sage walked over to Jang Woo-hyun, who was silently blaming himself.
"How long will it take them to get here?"
"They won't arrive immediately, but it won't take long either. My younger brother isn't much of a fighter with his fists, but he's excellent at tracking people down."
As long as the King of Dark Clouds was over there, they could never completely shake him off.
He possessed many unusual abilities, including powerful mystical arts, and his knowledge was vast.
There was a reason the Wind-Passing Great Sage always sought him out whenever he had questions.
"And you three... you've already sent word, haven't you?"
The Four-Headed Great Ape and the One-Horned Dragon both flinched.
The One-Horned Dragon answered directly to the Gyoma King.
The Four-Headed Great Ape was connected to the King of Dark Clouds.
The moment they recognized the Wind-Passing Great Sage, they had undoubtedly sent word.
Even while fighting, they possessed more than enough methods to contact the distant Gyoma King and the King of Dark Clouds.
"W-Well..."
"We had no choice. It was our duty."
"Who said anything? That's your job. Gong Ryo, are the preparations finished?"
【Everything is ready!】
Gong Ryo answered loudly from the side.
After witnessing Jang Woo-hyun's strength, every muscle in his body was tightly tensed.
"Then let's go immediately."
【Yes!】
After causing chaos throughout the monsters' village...
Jang Woo-hyun and the Wind-Passing Great Sage disappeared.
Only after the two had left did the remaining monsters finally breathe sighs of relief.
"What in the world was that human?"
The Four-Headed Great Ape rose from one knee and asked.
But not a single monster present could answer.
Like a typhoon that had arrived without warning...
Jang Woo-hyun had appeared...
...and then vanished just as suddenly.