—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Ta-aat!
The elders, bursting forth as the Blood Demon Palace’s doors swung open, quickly surrounded Lee Rowoon.
“This…!”
Kang Hangcheol couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Kang Eun-ha had warned him, so he’d anticipated this, but he hadn’t expected such blatant action from the start.
‘Still….’
The rest was as Kang Eun-ha had described.
The Blood Demon hadn’t emerged from the Blood Demon Palace yet, and the First Elder was nowhere in sight.
‘Second Elder, Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, Sixth Elder.’
A total of four elders had encircled Lee Rowoon.
‘If only the First Elder isn’t here….’
Then it wouldn’t be so critical.
Kang Hangcheol and Han Do-baek exchanged glances.
If they joined Lee Rowoon, it would be four against three.
“Where do you think you’re going, Left Guardian?”
But a middle-aged man with sharp features stood before Kang Hangcheol.
“Right Guardian….”
“The Left Guardian, who should be closest to the Blood Demon, dares to betray him? The Blood Demon even entrusted you with all matters outside the Cult.”
“How is that an important task?”
Kang Hangcheol laughed as if dumbfounded.
“I know you sent me outside to keep me in check.”
“Outside the Cult” – that’s what the Blood Cult called Earth.
The Right Guardian spoke as if being in charge there was some great responsibility, but in reality, it was a demotion and the most arduous task.
The only way to maintain the Blood Demon art, which constantly devoured resources, was from the outside, the front lines that would be eliminated first if their tail was stepped on.
The Right Guardian had maneuvered to keep Kang Hangcheol, the Divine Maiden’s grandfather, in check by sending him away.
“Moreover, I….”
Flames bloomed in Kang Hangcheol’s hands.
It was his famed Flame Fist.
He glanced at Han Do-baek and saw that his path to Lee Rowoon was also blocked.
Step
Jeong Chi-soo, the Blood Sword Captain, and ten Blood Sword warriors.
‘The rest of the Blood Sword Unit must have gone to deal with the Black Sword Unit and the Dark Blood Unit stationed outside the Blood Demon Palace.’
Jeong Chi-soo was also a master who had entered the threshold of Extreme Demon realm.
The Blood Sword warriors were also formidable superlative experts.
It would be difficult for Han Do-baek to reach Les Rowoon’s side, and victory wasn’t guaranteed either.
Only Kang Eun-ha remained.
But she, still in the Transcendent realm, couldn’t be of much help.
“I have simply found the true Blood Demon-!”
Kang Hangcheol shouted loudly.
“You’ve gone senile.”
The Fourth Elder said.
“There is only one true Blood Demon.”
“That’s what you want to believe. Because nothing would be more fatal than internal strife in the current state of the Blood Cult.”
“Knowing that!”
The other elders also spoke angrily.
But Kang Hangcheol wore a smile.
“He is the Blood Demon chosen by the Divine Maiden. Has there ever been a Blood Demon chosen by the Divine Maiden in the long history of the Blood Cult?”
“……!”
“The Blood Cult’s law states that the Blood Demon must be recognized by the Divine Maiden, but none of the previous Blood Demons who inherited the Blood Demon Art have ever been chosen by the Divine Maiden.”
No one could readily answer.
Because Kang Hangcheol’s words were true.
“Therefore, I will serve him as the true Blood Demon.”
Just as Kang Hangcheol was about to move.
“Indeed.”
A heavy, ferocious, and gloomy voice echoed.
“The Blood Demon chosen by the Divine Maiden.”
“Blood… Demon.”
Hyeol Soo-baek stood before the Blood Demon Palace, his red robe fluttering, and laughed.
“Excellent.”
He licked his lips and looked at Led Rowoon, who remained motionless.
“Then, wouldn’t it be a simple matter for me to absorb him and become the true Blood Demon?”
“Do you believe such a thing is possible?”
“It is. It certainly is.”
It was the worst-case scenario.
Kang Eun-ha had thought the Blood Demon would appear after the elders had dealt with Lee Rowoon to some extent, but he had emerged from the beginning.
Five against one.
Even if Lee Rowoon had reached the peak of the Extreme Demon realm, the Blood Demon was in the Transcended Demon realm.
‘His power… has grown. He must have achieved something during his seclusion.’
Moreover, the Blood Demon seemed even stronger than before.
“I will absorb you and complete the Blood Demon God.”
The Blood Demon also stood behind the elders, looking at Lee Rowoon as he spoke.
Finally, Lee Rowoon opened his mouth.
“You’re all playing games.”
It was so absurd it was almost comical.
There was no farce quite like this.
The images of Kang Eun-ha and Kang Hancheol that he had seen on Earth were closer to Lee Rowoon’s idea of the Blood Cult.
“Is this really it?”
“……?”
“Impudent.”
Led Rowoon was genuinely dumbfounded.
“The Blood Cult, they say.”
One of the places people called a demonic cult.
The worst terrorists that Eun desperately wanted to erase, one of the secret organizations lurking in the shadows of Asia.
But what Lee Rowoon saw now was.
“Barely the level of a large guild.”
That was it.
Around ten ranker-level fighters, and two high-ranker level.
That’s why they were considered a large guild.
But looking at their true nature, they seemed incomparable to other large guilds.
“And you call yourself the Blood Demon?”
Hyeol Soo-baek smiled and approached Lee Rowoon.
“You rampage, unaware of the gap between us.”
“Bullshit.”
For the first time, Hyeol Soo-baek’s face frowned at Lee Rowoon’s words.
“This is why the Blood Cult is ruined.”
“What….”
“It’s because you’re stuck in the Blood King Castle and don’t look outside.”
Lee Rowoon was smiling, barely keeping his sleepy eyes open.
“There are tons of forces like yours out there. Uncultivated martial artists. Do you know what the martial artists outside are like?”
Then Lee Rowoon looked at Kang Hangcheol.
“Kh.”
Kang Hangcheol knew.
What the martial artists outside were like, what Lee Rowoon was talking about.
Earth’s martial artists dominated Asia.
How?
Because they were strong.
Because they could overwhelm the growing players.
Because they could match Einheart’s forces.
“I’m so speechless.”
The martial artists outside mass-produced Superlative martial artists.
With just a little effort, they also produced Transcendent martial artists, called Rankers.
Was that all?
‘Items.’
They had finally managed to use items as well.
Already powerful with their martial arts, they became heavily armed with items and grew to match Einheart.
And what’s more?
Martial artists were nothing short of terrifying to players.
But these people here?
Strong, dangerously so for Lee Rowoon.
‘As a force, they are pathetic.’
That was the reality.
“I can see how this happened.”
Lee Rowoon looked at the sharp-featured middle-aged man in front of Kang Hangcheol.
The Right Guardian, was it?
His face was contorted.
“The Left Guardian and the Divine Maiden must have told you about the outside, but you wouldn’t accept it.”
Why?
Because the Right Guardian would have blocked it, because he didn’t want the Left Guardian to gain any credit.
The elders wouldn’t have believed it either.
Even if they had, nothing would have changed.
They had stagnated and rotted for too long.
‘Dead Blood.’
He could guess the reason.
‘The Law.’
The nature of religion, their history of persecution, the moment they fell behind, all of this must have created the current situation.
“Is that all you have to say? Fake.”
Hyeol Soo-baek spoke, looking at Lee Rowoon.
Still full of composure.
“It’s going to change now anyway. I will absorb you, complete the Blood Demon God, and go out to the outside world.”
At Hyeol Soo-baek’s words, the elders’ faces brightened.
“Bullshit. And….”
Grin
Lee Rowoon gave Hyeol Soo-baek a deep smile.
“Aren’t you the fake one? Inside you….”
“You bastard.”
Hyeol Soo-baek’s relaxed face twisted like a demon.
*Fwoosh-! *
At that moment, black powder sprayed towards Lee Rowoon, obscuring his vision.
“It’s the Blood Ear Poison!”
It was a move by the Fourth Elder, Im Baek-dok.
A master of poison arts, unparalleled in the Blood Cult when it came to poison.
The Blood Ear Poison was Im Baek-dok’s ultimate technique.
“Blood Demon! There’s no need to be fooled by that fake’s nonsense! Elders, what are you doing! Quickly….”
Im Baek-dok’s shouting eyes wavered.
The Blood Ear Poison was a poison among poisons, clinging to its target as if sentient, melting flesh and scattering internal energy.
But, if that were the case.
“Ha. Master.”
Lee Rowoon was walking out from within the poison, seemingly unharmed.
“You gave me this as a force?”
It was so ridiculous he couldn’t even laugh.
But that didn’t mean he could ignore them.
Clearly, he was facing the force of four Rankers and one High Ranker.
“Do you know the Blood Demon God Art?”
He wasn’t confident.
“Do you know why the Blood Demon is worshipped as your god?”
The confidence to ask.
A flash.
Amidst the scattered black Blood Ear Poison, Lee Rowoon’s eyes glowed red.
“Attack!”
Led by the Fourth Elder, the elders tried to rush Lee Rowoon.
They had been hesitant to move, feeling something ominous.
But the Fourth Elder had unleashed the Blood Ear Poison.
‘Something’s wrong.’
It seemed the Blood Ear Poison hadn’t taken effect, but he couldn’t imagine it hadn’t caused any damage at all.
Even the Blood Demon avoided the Blood Ear Poison.
Woooong!
Weapons imbued with hyeolgi, the Blood Cult’s internal energy, lunged at Lee Rowoon in an instant.
Secret techniques unleashed with the intent to kill in a single strike.
“Huh!”
The elders who had unleashed the techniques froze.
They stopped just an inch away from Lee Rowoon, right before their intended vital points.
“……!”
They couldn’t understand what had happened.
They wanted to speak, but their mouths wouldn’t open.
“It’s a relief, at least.”
Lee Rowoon spoke calmly from within the midst of it all.
“It seems the Blood Art has been passed down well over the long years.”
Blood Art.
It was nothing more than a basic cultivation method that everyone in the Blood Cult learned.
A mandatory learning for anyone wishing to become a member of the Blood Cult, the most prioritized law above all other laws.
Simply learning it thickened the blood, granted immunity to diseases, and strengthened the body.
Therefore, everyone in the Blood Cult, regardless of age, gender, or social status, learned the Blood Art.
“Wha…t….”
“The reason the Blood Demon is worshipped as a god.”
One of Lee Rowoon’s eyes emitted an even deeper red light.
“It’s because he is absolute to the members of the Blood Cult.”
Thud!
The elders who had been targeting Lee Rowoon fell to their knees.
It was due to some kind of pressure, completely unrelated to their will.
That was what Lee Rowoon felt immediately upon arriving at the Blood King Castle.
It was also true that he hadn’t felt it at first when he saw Kang Eun-ha.
That was because she hadn’t reached True Blood.
‘If you are going to find the Blood Cult first, you must achieve True Blood.’
Only by reaching True Blood.
“Left Guardian, is there anyone who needs to be saved?”
Could one dominate the Blood Cult.
Upon reaching True Blood, Lee Rowoon realized that Kang Eun-ha, Kang Hangcheol, and others had learned the Blood Art.
He even confirmed it with Kang Eun-ha once more.
‘So I can’t lose.’
Everyone except Lee Rowoon was kneeling.
The elders, the Left Guardian, the Right Guardian who was confronting him, the Blood Sword Unit, and even Kang Eun-ha.
“Blo…Blood Sword Unit, Blood Sword Captain… Sixth Elder….”
Right after the Left Guardian, Kang Hangcheol’s voice trailed off.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sounds of firecrackers exploding erupted from all directions.
Thump, thump, thump.
Bodies, having lost something that should have been on top of them, collapsed.
If there was one thing to be thankful for.
“You’re still standing?”
It was that the Blood Demon, Hyeol Soo-baek, was standing with a demonic face.
“How can I not be standing?”
If one learned the Blood Art, they were bound to be controlled before the Blood Demon God Art.
That was the structure from the beginning.
Because the Blood Demon Energy of the Blood Demon God Art exerted absolute influence over the Blood Energy built up through the Blood Art.
And that was no different for the Blood Descendants, the Blood Demon’s family.
The Blood Demon’s clan also learned the Blood Art, but if there was someone among them who properly learned the Blood Demon God Art, they could transcend the Blood Art.
In other words, if the Blood Demon Hyeol Soo-baek in front of him hadn’t learned the true Blood Demon God Art, he should be powerless before Lee Rowoon’s Blood Demon God Art.
“You….”
Shwaaaaaaaaaa!
“Yoooooooouuuuuu-!”
Blood gushed from Hyeol Soo-baek’s right hand.
Hyeol Soo-baek, his face distorted like a demon, swung a blood sword formed from coagulated blood.
Shwaaa!
Another stream of blood extended from the blood sword, taking shape.
Soon, it transformed into a red dragon and lunged at Lee Rowoon.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
