The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

Chapter 337 : Dark Heaven

An allied force was formed to crush the Dark Heaven Society.

The knights and soldiers of the Maia Kingdom, the holy knights and priests of the Holy Hilka Empire, and the one-man-army berserkers of the Kingdom of Sorrow who would jump out of bed at the mention of war.

The allied forces of the three kingdoms divided the area and surrounded the Dark Heaven Society's base in a wide circle.

They were made to set up camp with a large gap between them on purpose.

So that they could face the pouring magical beasts not alone, but in groups.

And I...

[You have too many stray thoughts, my disciple.]

Thwack!

"Ugh."

Tumble, tumble.

I was still being rolled around by the Heavenly Demon, going up and down the mountain in my mindscape.

The task given to me was to scoop water from a spring deep in the mountains and carry it safely down to the bottom of the mountain.

I carefully scooped the blood-red spring water in the deep mountains with both hands and went down the mountain.

Of course, it would be quick if I used lightness techniques.

But the condition was not to use any martial arts, including lightness techniques, and not to use any internal energy at all, so I carried the spring water with all my heart, running on my own two feet.

Even if I couldn't use lightness techniques, the principles of the Pyohengbi and the enlightenment I had gained from it were not going anywhere, so I didn't have to worry about spilling the water even while going up and down the rough mountain path with the spring water in my hands, but.

[Hmm. Your feet look empty.]

Thwack!

"Gah!"

Crash!

Due to the Heavenly Demon's continuous interference, I tumbled and rolled without rest.

The Heavenly Demon interfered with me with all his heart.

He would hide behind a tree with his presence erased and suddenly pop out to kick my hands.

He would trip me with his foot.

He would chase me like a ghost and threaten me.

He would throw stones at me from behind.

"Ack! Ack! It hurts, Master!"

[You haven't been hit enough yet.]

Then he threw a rock the size of a house, so I ran for my life and ended up tumbling and rolling.

"Waaah!"

How many times did I go up and down the mountain like that?

A thousand times? Ten thousand times?

I don't remember.

How many times did I go back and forth with the spring water in my hands, breaking through the countless interferences of the Heavenly Demon?

Starting from the point where I succeeded in carrying even a very small amount of the rippling spring water in my hands down to the bottom of the mountain, the success rate gradually increased.

As the success rate increased, the amount of spring water left in my hands when I descended the mountain also gradually increased.

Now, I could carry it a hundred out of a hundred times without spilling a single drop.

Around that time, the Heavenly Demon stroked his chin and gave me a new task.

[Hmm... I think this is enough. Now, try it with your eyes closed.]

"...With my eyes closed?"

[Yes. Of course, without using any internal energy, just like before.]

"Yes."

I climbed the mountain with my eyes closed.

I had gone up and down so many times that I had reached a state where I could comfortably go up and down the rough mountain path with my eyes closed, literally.

'Go this way, cross the big rock, climb the cliff here, jump over the valley...'

After reaching the spring in the mountains like that, I descended with my hands full of spring water.

In fact, coming down the mountain was much more difficult than climbing it.

Not only were my hands tied because I was carrying the rippling spring water with both hands, but I also had to be careful not to spill it.

On top of that, it was the point where the Heavenly Demon's interference began in earnest.

Tatadat!

However, I came down the rough mountain as if running, without hesitation.

Not only had I memorized the entire terrain, but all of the Heavenly Demon's sabotage attempts were also in my head.

'Here in the bushes, Master suddenly tripped me. He suddenly popped out from behind this tree and kicked my hands. He threw stones here, and kicked the back of my knees there...'

Swoosh—

I came down the mountain safely, protecting the spring water without spilling a single drop.

With my eyes closed.

[Have you arrived?]

"Yes, Master."

[Open your eyes.]

I opened my eyes.

The Heavenly Demon was looking at the mountain I had been climbing up and down, with his hands behind his back.

[Do you know what that mountain is?]

"It's a manifestation of my body."

The Heavenly Demon nodded his head.

[Yes, it is a manifestation of your twelve main meridians and eight extraordinary meridians as a mountain in your mindscape. Then what is the path you have been climbing up and down?]

"It is the blood path."

[That's right. Can you see it now?]

I followed the Heavenly Demon and looked at the mountain where I had been training.

Now that I looked, thanks to my diligent climbing, a faint mountain path had been formed.

That path was as clear as if it were drawn in my eyes.

[Drink it.]

I looked down at my hands.

In the red spring water I had scooped with both hands, a red moon was floating.

To be precise, the moon in the night sky was still pale, but it was reflected in the red spring water and dyed red.

"Yes."

I drank the spring water with the red moon floating in it.

Without leaving a single drop.

It went down my esophagus and finally flowed into my dantian.

I tried to move the internal energy that filled my dantian like a vast ocean.

I circulated the internal energy, which ascended like a dragon, along the blood path.

Starting from the anus, it went up my back to the top of my head.

Then it went down my face, past my chest and stomach, and arrived at my anus again.

Fwoosh!

A thrill like a lightning strike ran through me, and then a sense of peace came.

It was as quiet and pervasive as the sea.

I savored the strange tranquility and opened my eyes.

The world was filled with a red light.

It was different from before.

It wasn't that my vision was dyed red, but a feeling as if the entire world except for me had turned red.

When I looked up at the sky, a red-dyed moon was floating.

"Haha..."

A laugh naturally escaped my lips.

It was also a red laugh.

The Heavenly Demon looked up at the red moon with his hands behind his back and said.

[What will you name it?]

I followed the Heavenly Demon and looked up at the blood-colored moon and said.

"Bloody Round."

[Blood Moon.]

"That's not bad either."

***

"Lord. The preparations are complete."

At that, the man wearing a black robe slowly rose from his seat.

A gloomy voice flowed out.

"...Thank you for your hard work. How much black mana has been gathered?"

At the Dark Heaven Lord's question, the man, who was also wearing a black robe, bowed his head as if in apology.

"It is barely enough to begin the ritual."

The man's expression contorted as he muttered in a resentful voice.

"If it weren't for those Sherwood bastards...!"

The influence of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps on the Dark Heaven Society was great.

They had interfered in every single matter.

Whenever the society tried to carry out a major event to gather black mana for the Great Plan, they would suddenly appear and interfere.

The biggest blow among them was the monster wave in the north.

It was the plan that the Dark Heaven Society had poured the most effort and resources into.

As they had prepared for it with great care for a long time, they were confident of success, but.

Because of those damn Sherwood bastards, just because of them!

The grand plan ended in failure.

If the northern wall of Tundra had fallen, they would have been able to manipulate the chaotic Maia Kingdom as they pleased.

The timing of the Great Plan would have been moved up long ago, and there would have been no shortage of black mana like now.

Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

Was that all?

Even after that, they created cells in various places to supply black mana in order to carry out the Great Plan somehow.

But even that, the Sherwood bastards somehow found out and destroyed them all.

The man relaxed his trembling fist and let out a small sigh.

"...Honestly, I'm worried if we can bring the great one."

The Dark Heaven Lord slowly shook his head.

"The Great Plan will succeed."

"Don't tell me, was there a revelation?"

The Dark Heaven Lord slowly nodded his head.

"That's right. I heard the voice of the 'one who cannot be called' in my dream."

The man asked in a tense voice.

"What... did he say?"

The Dark Heaven Lord turned around.

He spread his arms and said in a sinister voice.

"「You have done well, my faithful servant. We shall meet soon.」"

"Ooooh...!"

The Dark Heaven Lord took a step, passed him, and said.

"Do not worry, brother. Everything will proceed according to his will."

"...I believe!"

The Dark Heaven Lord walked out of the dark underground.

The man followed him cautiously.

Thump, thump.

The Dark Heaven Lord walked towards the high altar.

The servants of darkness bowed their heads whenever he passed.

He passed by those who were wearing black robes just like them.

He passed by the dark knights who had perfectly stored the power of black mana.

He passed by the huge magical beasts that were close to monsters.

While everyone was watching, the Dark Heaven Lord slowly ascended the altar.

His footsteps echoed in the wide cavern.

Soon, the Dark Heaven Lord, who had reached the highest point of the altar, looked around.

Then, he spread his arms and opened his mouth.

"The unholy Sabbath has finally come."

"The day is over and it is already dark, so the 'divinity who has lost the light' will come."

"I ask you. Son of man, what do you desire?"

At that, those surrounding the altar answered in one voice.

—We sing of destruction, O Chaos!

The Dark Heaven Lord raised a bowl and a dagger.

"I am an abandoned vessel, and with him, I will be filled with water."

Slash!

He cut his palm and let the blood flow into the bowl, saying.

"Thanks to the merciful god. For he endures all things."

—Thanks!

"Slaves of the second death, this is the entrance to the abyss."

"The gate to him opens in the deepest and darkest room that no one can find."

"The path to salvation is filled with red blood."

"May God have mercy on our souls."

—Mercy!

The bowl was soon filled with blood.

The Dark Heaven Lord stared at the surface of the bowl filled with his own blood and said.

"What is dead cannot be killed again."

"What is irreversible cannot be reversed."

"What is scattered cannot be gathered again."

"Another's sword cannot be taken."

From somewhere, the sound of a grotesquely broken organ was heard.

It created a sacred yet bizarre atmosphere.

The Dark Heaven Lord raised the bowl of blood above his head.

"O one darker than midnight. O one born in the deep abyss. O Holy Grail, abyss, and deer-like being. O Father, Son, and fallen, unclean spirit. O unholy trinity of these."

The Dark Heaven Lord felt the darkness casting a shadow on his body and placed the bowl full of blood on the highest point of the altar.

"Lord. Please take this cup away."

The sound of the broken organ stopped abruptly.

The altar was enveloped in a strange silence.

Gooooo....

Soon, the Dark Heaven Lord's blood placed on the altar began to boil.

Chwaaaak!

It shot up like a lightning strike that had struck upside down.

It seeped into the ceiling of the underground without a sound.

Crack—

A crack appeared in the underground ceiling.

Soon, it began to collapse from the inside, and materials poured down.

Thud! Crash! Craaaash!

At the same time as the altar was shattered, a huge hole was created in the underground ceiling.

Drip, drip....

Beyond the cavern, black blood could be seen soaring towards the blue sky.

It stretched out as it was, and pierced the blue sky like a harpoon.

The pierced blue sky began to lose its color and turn black.

The Dark Heaven Society members who saw it shouted in excitement.

"Ooooh...!"

"Finally, the Great Plan...!"

"O Dark Heaven...!"

The Dark Heaven Lord, who was looking up at the sky that was gradually turning black, took off the hood he was wearing.

The man with a pale and gloomy impression, Yuri, looked around at the excited Dark Heaven Society members and opened his mouth.

"Death awaits."

"Ooooh!"

"It may be a very long night."

"Oooooh!"

The Dark Heaven Lord, Yuri, smiled faintly and said.

"Brothers. We will be very good sacrifices."

Then he raised one hand and shouted.

"The blue sky is already dead!"

The members completed the slogan with a thunderous roar.

—The Dark Heaven shall arrive!

***

I received a report that the sky was turning black.

That fact was clear.

That the time had finally come.

We were facing the final war for the fate of the world.

The Sherwood Mercenary Corps' hideout.

I was sitting at my desk in my room.

On the desk, there was a request form.

"I am a mercenary."

Even though there was no particular answer, I continued to speak in a calm tone.

"Mercenaries are those who make it a virtue to surely complete the requested work."

A request form that was only waiting for the client's signature.

I scanned the contents with my eyes.

[Client: The Nine Gods of the World]

[Performer: Ashuban Sherwood]

[Request Goal: To save the world by killing the fallen Evil God]

[Reward: One wish]

"If you have finished reading, please sign."

Something seemed to shimmer, and then nine colors drew a circle in the signature line and calmly settled down.

I saw the brilliant signature and smiled brightly.

"Request, accepted."

(End of Chapter)