The Grandson of the Heavenly Demon

Chapter 16

Chapter 16:6. Battle in the Forest (2)Someone approached Jeong-min, who stood still gathering his hands.

And quietly placed a hand on Jeong-min's shoulder.

"!"

Jeong-min, having failed to sense the presence, reacted belatedly and turned around.

Had his energy sense grown dull from the chaos of the battlefield?

But that was understandable. Because the one standing behind him was none other than—

"Jeong-min."

—The Heavenly Demon, Hyeok Je-un himself.

Jeong-min looked at Hyeok Je-un with a face that completely relaxed.

"Grandfather."

"Well done."

No more sharp words about the act of killing.

And rightly so. The current battle against the Forest Bandits was no child's game.

It was a fight to protect.

"I only did what needed to be done."

"A wondrous power. Have you already reached the 2nd Stage of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?"

He said this upon witnessing the new technique art Jeong-min had just displayed—the Demon Bullet.

Jeong-min nodded.

"I was wondering if I could use it a little differently."

"What curious creativity. It is your own method, one that does not follow the Secret Manual—so I shall always cheer for you from behind."

Of course you should.

For ten thousand years, until you die of old age naturally, I intend to receive a great deal of help from you.

Just as Jeong-min smiled contentedly, yet another person stepped in front of the two.

Parting the scene like a sea, the one who stood before Jeong-min and Hyeok Je-un was the Great Forest King Heo Do-yun, gripping a thin, long-bladed sword in his hand.

"Heo Do-yun."

"Sung-man……"

Heo Do-yun did not respond to Hyeok Je-un's call, and instead strode purposefully toward Yang Sung-man's body, which still lay face-down on the ground.

And upon seeing that Yang Sung-man's nape had been pierced through as if struck by a stone, he twisted the corners of his mouth.

"I was happy to be with you for these many years. May you rest in peace."

With that, Heo Do-yun briefly closed his eyes in silent tribute.

Hyeok Je-un, too, could not interject even in the consoling of the dead, and remained quietly still.

At last, Heo Do-yun opened his eyes and rose.

"Was it you who killed Sung-man?"

He was looking at Jeong-min standing behind Hyeok Je-un.

Hyeok Je-un had fully shielded Jeong-min behind his back.

"I will handle this."

"Grandfather."

"He is not yet someone you can face."

Heo Do-yun was strong. Undeniably strong. There was a reason he was called the Great Forest King.

But if it was Hyeok Je-un, he would be able to defeat Heo Do-yun.

Yet—

I cannot simply leave it to him.

The Heavenly Demon had been worn down by one hardship after another in his past life, and by the time he had grown old, his strength had greatly diminished.

For the sake of the great clash against the Martial Alliance that would come in the future, Hyeok Je-un needed to conserve his strength.

"Grandfather."

"Little brother!"

Just then, Hyeok Jang-ho and Hyeok Mun-ha appeared.

The two of them, just like Hyeok Je-un, shielded Jeong-min behind their backs.

"We'll protect you!"

"You wretched bandit, how dare you covet our little brother! Get lost!"

Heo Do-yun surveyed the faces of the Hyeok family with detached eyes. What a laughable little family game.

"You killed my brother. Wouldn't it only make sense for me to kill yours in return?"

Heo Do-yun's cold tone froze the air, yet the family did not back down.

Jeong-min looked at their backs and let out a quiet chuckle.

Family.

This is what I never had in my past life……

Is this what family love feels like?

"Brothers."

Jeong-min placed a hand on each of Hyeok Jang-ho and Hyeok Mun-ha's shoulders.

These 2 would not last even a single exchange against Heo Do-yun. Their hearts were appreciated, but they would only get in the way.

"There is something I need you both to do."

"U-us?"

Jeong-min whispered something to the 2 of them.

And without delay, Hyeok Jang-ho and Hyeok Mun-ha left the scene.

The Heavenly Demon Hyeok Je-un turned to Jeong-min, puzzled.

"What did you say to them?"

"I will tell you later. And Grandfather, please step back as well."

Jeong-min grabbed the hem of Hyeok Je-un's robe and stepped forward.

So that he could face Heo Do-yun.

"As this is something I started, I will be the one to end it."

"……Understood. Do as you intend. I trust you."

With that, Hyeok Je-un leapt away and vanished to another part of the battlefield.

The scene had become one where only Jeong-min and Heo Do-yun remained.

Clang! Claaang!

Clang—

The Forest Bandits and Cult Members clashing nearby with blades and spears had, without realizing it, stopped their fighting and turned to look this way.

The circle they formed became an arena, a stage set for the one-on-one duel between Heo Do-yun and Jeong-min.

"Bold spirit. I was the same in my youth."

Looking now, Heo Do-yun was quite a handsome man. Unlike his 2 ugly younger brothers.

Jeong-min tilted his head and tested the strength in his fingers.

The very edge of the 2nd Stage……

Heavenly Demon Divine Art, 1st Stage—Demon Accumulation.

This art, which accumulates demonic internal energy within the body, could be used even in everyday life.

Even amid battle, Jeong-min had been steadily building up his demonic arts, and on top of that, by destroying Yang Sung-man's energy center, he had absorbed his internal energy through the Great Absorption Method.

Thus Jeong-min was now nearly at the 3rd Stage of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Just a little short.

If he killed Heo Do-yun and destroyed his energy center—or perhaps even during the fight itself—

He would be able to reach the 3rd Stage.

"Let us determine who is superior."

"Very well."

It was the moment the Great Forest King Heo Do-yun raised his thin, long sword high.

"This Snake Sword—"

Jeong-min had expected Heo Do-yun to charge in noisily right away, but he stopped in place and spoke to Jeong-min instead.

"Hm?"

"Do you know why it curves and winds like this?"

Hearing his words and looking again, the blade was indeed sinuously curved.

"I don't know."

Wait—Snake Sword?

Just as Jeong-min was beginning to guess, Heo Do-yun swung the blade.

"Sword Snake."

And then, like the movements of an actual snake, he contorted his figure and shot toward Jeong-min like a wedge.

Then clamped down on the nape of Jeong-min's neck with his teeth.

Crack!

That is what would have happened, had Jeong-min not reacted swiftly enough.

Jeong-min caught the Snake Sword with his blade, loaded with Demonic Energy Hardening. The Snake Sword gnawed at Jeong-min's blade as if chewing it, and because of that—

Creak!

"—!"

The blade was on the verge of shattering.

Jeong-min hastily pulled his sword back and kicked Heo Do-yun away. While Heo Do-yun flew back, Jeong-min checked the blade.

Cracked.

Won't be able to use it much longer.

Just as that thought passed through his mind, Heo Do-yun had already closed in right before him once again.

He was just sent flying a moment ago?

"—You were thinking that, weren't you?"

Snap!

The Snake Sword bit into Jeong-min's right arm.

This is—?

Rather than pull his arm back, Jeong-min twisted his body to the right, letting the blade slip off under the force of centrifugal momentum.

Whirl!

Spurt!

As a result, a bit of blood burst from his right arm, but he managed to stop it from being bitten clean off.

"Ho. Remarkable situational awareness. Unbecoming of a child."

"Mm."

It feels less like a blade and more like the fangs of a beast.

With blood steadily flowing from his right arm, Jeong-min found it increasingly difficult to keep hold of the sword. It seemed a tendon had been severed.

It hurts.

Was it too much, after all, to face the Great Forest King with only the 2nd Stage?

Jeong-min shifted the sword to his left hand and shaped a Demon Bullet in his right.

Whoosh!

Bang!

And without hesitation, he fired it toward Heo Do-yun.

But Heo Do-yun once again slithered along the ground like a snake to dodge the Demon Bullet with ease. And then flew at Jeong-min from an eerie angle.

Block with the sword. Or block with an arm.

Block with the sword, and it would shatter.

Block with an arm, and he would lose both.

The answer Jeong-min arrived at was—

Crack!

To block with an arm.

Lose both hands? That was not the case.

"With the right arm?!"

"Yeah."

Jeong-min had offered the right arm that had already been bitten.

And this time, he did not twist his body as before. Instead, he pulled it inward, drawing Heo Do-yun even closer.

This put him within range for a sword strike.

"Nameless Sword Art, 2nd Form—Ogre Grip."

Crunch—

Thud!

Jeong-min drove his blade through Heo Do-yun's shoulder. The blade sank deep and jutted out through the back.

Without hesitation, Jeong-min—

Great Absorption Method.

—Activated the Great Absorption Method.

Heo Do-yun's internal energy flowing through the blade seeped into Jeong-min's body.

"Tch!"

Heo Do-yun noticed and kicked Jeong-min back.

A fighting distance was once again established between the 2.

"Gnawing at my internal energy. Not unlike a rat."

"Squeak squeak."

"You mad bastard."

Heo Do-yun looked at the wound he had just received. Deep and dark. Because of the demonic arts.

He looked back at Jeong-min.

"Typical of vermin who practice sorcery—not above resorting to underhanded tricks."

"Underhanded? What are you talking about."

Jeong-min gripped the sword again in his left hand.

His right hand could barely be lifted now, but he could still shape a Demon Bullet.

Whoosh—

Jeong-min's eyes turned sharp.

"What you touched was the Heavenly Demon Cult."

Boom!

Jeong-min fired a Demon Bullet, and Heo Do-yun dodged.

Jeong-min used that opening to go on the offensive himself this time.

Nameless Sword Art, 1st Form—Rake!

And the moment he raised the sword to slash horizontally—

"—?!"

It was too late to stop the blade, though he wished he could.

—Heo Do-yun had suddenly grabbed the collar of a Forest Bandit standing behind him and—

"Huh?"

Slash!

—Erected him as a shield.

The Forest Bandit died, pouring torrents of blood like a great river.

Looking down at him, who had in an instant become a cold corpse, Jeong-min's eyes went cold.

"You used your own comrade as a shield?"

"That is precisely what family is. Family is sacrifice. Every last one of these men exists for my sake. Is it not the duty of sons to offer even their own lives to save their father when he is in danger?"

"……"

Jeong-min, who had never had a sworn brother in his past life, was in no position to define what family meant.

But Heo Do-yun's words were wrong…… Jeong-min thought so.

Jeong-min recalled his grandfather and 2 older brothers who had stepped forward to protect him just moments ago.

Which of these was 'family'.

"Heo Do-yun. I will cut you down and kill you here, without fail."

"You? Do as you please and run wild."

Heo Do-yun stamped his foot—thud!—and the distance between the 2 closed in an instant.

"Sword Snake Style!"

Heo Do-yun's Snake Sword split into multiple directions. No blind spot.

Jeong-min extended his right arm once again, but this time, Heo Do-yun's Snake Sword came aimed solely at his left arm.

"Cheap trick!"

You'd sacrifice the right arm again? Not falling for the same move twice. Heo Do-yun had anticipated it and concentrated his attack on the left arm.

Swishswishswishswish!

The very moment Jeong-min's left arm was about to be bitten off—

"I was counting on that."

That was as far as Jeong-min's plan had gone.

Stab!

"?!"

What is this pain?

Heo Do-yun looked down at Jeong-min.

There was no sword in Jeong-min's left hand.

He had already shifted the sword to his right hand at some point.

And with his right arm raised as it was, he drove it vertically up through the underside of Heo Do-yun's jaw.

"You little—!"

Even with his neck pierced, it appeared not to be fatal. Jeong-min could see that the blade had exited through the back of the nape rather than through the skull.

He narrowly avoided a vital point.

Jeong-min once again activated the Great Absorption Method without fail.

Whoosh!

Gurgle gurgle—

Heo Do-yun leapt backward and pulled the blade out of his body.

In that moment, the internal energy of Heo Do-yun that had reached Jeong-min was—

"Hwuu."

—Absorbed in its entirety.

And at last—

"Ugh."

Crack!

—A pain as if his skull were splitting.

His heart pounds.

Every muscle in his body surges.

His fingertips go numb and his toes tingle.

Cold sweat runs down and his throat is as dry as a desert.

Crack crack!

Come on, then.

Whoosh!

Boom!

The air scattered. Only after that was Jeong-min able to endure all the pain.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art, 3rd Stage.