novelraw Chapter 44 : Chapter 44
Chapter 44 : Chapter 44
Chapter 44 - Prison (1)
“Move.”
“Entry to the prison is only for those authorized…….”
“I said move!!”
The energy emitted by Ice Rakshasa froze the surroundings coldly.
The prison guard, trembling, raised his spear.
“Even if you are an envoy of the Sado Alliance, entry to the prison is only possible for those authorized.”
Ice Rakshasa’s gaze toward the guard, who was looking at her while swallowing hard, was cold.
“I came for a visitation. I will take all responsibility, so step aside.”
The guard contemplated for a moment and then shut his mouth tightly.
Raising his trembling arm, the guard extended his spear toward Ice Rakshasa.
“You cannot enter without an entry pass.”
At the moment when cold air was about to spread in all directions from Ice Rakshasa’s body upon hearing the guard’s words.
“Miss Pan.”
Gwang-gae’s voice was heard from behind Ice Rakshasa.
“Stop it. Let’s go in together.”
Gwang-gae, trudging forward, took out a prison entry pass from his bosom and held it out to the guard.
“I just received approval from the strategist. Miss Pan’s visitation will be freely conducted from now on, so know that.”
The guard, who read through the entry pass, nodded slightly and slowly stepped back.
Ice Rakshasa, who glared once at the retreating guard, hurriedly ran down the stairs of the prison.
And upon confirming the front of the prison cell, she stopped in her tracks instantly.
In front of the cell where Jaun was locked up, Moyong Eun-wol was sitting down and sobbing.
Ice Rakshasa, who was grimacing while watching that sight for a moment, slowly walked toward the cell.
Ice Rakshasa’s head turned toward the inside of the cell.
Inside the bars, Jaun was sleeping soundly.
Ice Rakshasa, who looked at Jaun for a moment with pitiful eyes, turned her head toward Moyong Eun-wol.
“When did you come in? If you came in, you should wake up Young Hero Jaun; what are you doing sitting here?”
“Un-a is sleeping so soundly…….”
“Phew. I shouldn't even talk.”
Ice Rakshasa shook her head from side to side and grabbed the iron bars of the cell.
“Young Hero Jaun!”
Ice Rakshasa’s voice filled the prison.
Jaun, who was drunk with sleep, rubbed his eyes at Ice Rakshasa’s voice and raised his head.
“Young Hero Jaun. Is your body okay?”
“Huh?”
Jaun, who struggled to open his eyes and looked around, slowly raised his body and sat up.
“Haam. It’s been a while, everyone.”
Jaun scratched his head, looked around, and smiled.
“Thank you for coming. I’m fine, so don't worry. The food comes out well too. It’s a bit cold inside, but……. It’s clean and nice.”
“What do you mean nice!”
Eun-wol, who was sitting holding the bars, suddenly screamed at Jaun.
“If you were going to hide your martial arts, you should have hidden them until the end; why like a fool…….”
Unable to finish her sentence, Eun-wol teared up.
Watching that, Ice Rakshasa tapped Eun-wol’s back once.
“You. Are you acting like this even knowing that Young Hero Jaun is the disciple of the Heavenly Demon?”
Eun-wol raised her head sharply and looked up at Ice Rakshasa.
“So what? I am a merchant, not a martial artist. Which faction Un-a belongs to or what martial arts he learned, none of that matters to me at all!”
At Eun-wol’s shout, Ice Rakshasa smacked her lips with a 'tsk'.
“Ay. I thought everyone would fall away.”
Ice Rakshasa clicked her tongue.
Gwang-gae, who was standing in the back, stepped forward with a stiff expression and opened his mouth.
“Young Hero Jaun. I heard the news, but……. Is it true that you really learned Demonic Arts?”
Unlike the two who showed no particular rejection even after knowing Jaun’s identity, Gwang-gae’s expression was stiff.
“Yes.”
At Jaun’s answer, responding calmly as if he had laid everything down, Gwang-gae let out a heavy groan.
“Mmhmm…….”
“Young Hero Jaun. Is that something to brag about, going around telling the whole neighborhood? Do you know how much effort I put into hiding that!”
At Ice Rakshasa’s sudden interruption, Jaun smiled broadly.
“I heard all about how much effort you put in. Thank you for keeping it a secret all this time.”
“Tsk. If I knew it would turn out like this, I should have just revealed everything and taken you to the Sado Alliance.”
Jaun smiled awkwardly.
“Does the Sado Alliance have thoughts of accepting me even if I learned Demonic Arts?”
“Of course. Although the Alliance Leader might be a bit picky……. If I persuade him well and my Master vouches for you, there’s nothing we can’t do.”
Ice Rakshasa nodded and answered confidently.
“Although the Sado Alliance fights and struggles for power with the Demonic Cult every day, we don't hold grudges like the Murim Alliance.”
At Ice Rakshasa’s words, Jaun bowed his head slightly and muttered.
“That’s a relief. Still, it’s not like I have nowhere to go. If I can get out of here first.”
With a bright expression, Ice Rakshasa nodded vigorously.
“Of course. Once you get out of here, let’s move straight to the Sado Alliance. I’ll make sure you sit in a good position.”
“Kneung! The Murim Alliance is better than the Sado Alliance. If your ill-fated connection with the Demonic Cult runs deep, that is.”
Gwang-gae slyly intervened in the conversation between the two.
“Ha. It was the Murim Alliance that put Young Hero Jaun in prison; does a Great. Hero. belonging to such a Murim Alliance have the right to say such things?”
When Ice Rakshasa turned her head and looked at Gwang-gae with cold eyes, Gwang-gae turned his head slightly and scratched his head once.
“Isn’t it a situation where an investigation is being conducted? The Murim Alliance isn't some neighborhood gang. Once the investigation is over, the facts will be clearly revealed.”
“It’s a fact that Young Hero Jaun learned Demonic Arts. What more investigation are they doing?”
Gwang-gae bit his lip slightly, contemplated for a moment, and then opened his mouth.
“Simply learning Demonic Arts. And having a close relationship with the Demonic Cult. The two situations are completely different stories.”
At Gwang-gae’s words, the corners of Ice Rakshasa’s eyes shot up.
“Are you saying Young Hero Jaun is colluding with the Demonic Cult right now?”
“Well, I’m saying such a possibility could exist. Since the Strategist Office will make a reasonable judgment once the investigation is over, don't get ahead of yourself.”
“How shameless.”
At Gwang-gae’s words, Ice Rakshasa turned her head with a hmph.
Gwang-gae touched his chin and looked at Jaun.
Then, after contemplating for a long time, Gwang-gae lowered his voice and asked Jaun cautiously.
“……By the way, Young Hero Jaun. Is it true that you can achieve rapid martial arts progress if you learn Demonic Arts?”
“What are you talking about right now?”
Ice Rakshasa looked back at Gwang-gae as if he were absurd.
“What does a beggar bastard have? If there’s something good, I might pick it up and eat it too.”
Gwang-gae grinned and patted his belly, and Ice Rakshasa’s sigh filled the prison once again.
***
“Descendant of the Heavenly Demon…….”
Jegal Mu-ui folded the fan in his hand and tapped his head.
“I had an uneasy feeling, but I didn't expect it to come back as a variable this big.”
Towards Jegal Mu-ui who was staring quietly into the air, the middle-aged man standing next to him bowed his waist.
“It is our negligence for not obtaining information in advance. Please forgive…….”
“No. I know well that the personnel of the Rain Forest Pavilion are not enough to scour even the remote corners of the Black Dragon River.”
Jegal Mu-ui bit his lip.
“And who would have thought such an absurd thing would happen. This is practically a natural disaster.”
Jegal Mu-ui tapped his head with the fan.
“Anyway, I never thought I would hold such a card in my hand. How should I accept this…….”
Jegal Mu-ui, who was contemplating, stopped thinking and opened his mouth.
“How many people know that Jaun, that child, is the descendant of the Heavenly Demon?”
“A few Anti-Demon Squad Leaders who were at the scene, Elder Tak, the support unit from Shaolin. And a few of his acquaintances are all.”
“What about the Demonic Cult side?”
“I checked again, but all the Demons who saw that boy use Demonic Arts died on the spot.”
Jegal Mu-ui, who was pacing around thinking of something, stopped in his tracks.
“……Has the investigation into that child’s past activities been completed?”
“Training at Mount Daeheuk with the previous Heavenly Demon Wi Jeong-cheon. No matter how much we search, there are no revealed activities before that.”
“Not even a slight clue?”
“……Yes. As I said, he only stayed where Wi Jeong-cheon’s grave is.”
“Hmm. Unless intended from the beginning, it can't be that clean. It seems the Demonic Cult tried to erase the existence of the previous Heavenly Demon itself.”
“Yes, Strategist. My thoughts are the same.”
Jegal Mu-ui’s eyes began to shine little by little.
“If that is true…… it means even if we use that child, there will be no trouble later. Did you double-check that child’s martial arts level?”
“I talked in detail with Zen Master Manhae, and he says it is certain that he has surpassed the Peak Realm at the very least.”
“Hah. Surpassed the Peak Realm at that age. No matter how young, he is indeed the direct disciple of the Heavenly Demon.”
Jegal Mu-ui fell into thought again. Silence flowed in the room for a while.
“What are the reactions of those who know that child is the Heavenly Demon’s disciple?”
“They are divided in half. Those who acted together with that child even a little, including Elder Tak, are saying we should give him another chance, and conversely, several Squad Leaders led by Shaolin are arguing that we should cut off the sprout whose future is unknown.”
“For now, secretly bring Elder Tak and the Squad Leaders who share his views to my room. I need to have a talk.”
“……Are you going to use that child?”
“It’s a lull right now, but we don't know when the war situation will change. To deal with the Demonic Cult, we are short of swords, no matter how many we have.”
Jegal Mu-ui turned his body toward the map.
“The power of the Demonic Cult bastards is expanding faster than I expected. Here. And here.
These are places that shouldn't have fallen to the Demonic Cult if things went according to the original plan.”
News of defeat came consecutively even from places where they thought their power was far superior.
Jegal Mu-ui tried to find the cause, but there was a limit to collecting information on regions already taken over by the Demonic Cult.
“The situation is flowing too differently from my expectations. My thought is that if things continue like this, in three years, no, two years, even if the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance unite, we might not be able to stop the Demonic Cult.”
At Jegal Mu-ui’s words, the adjutant swallowed his saliva.
“So I need to meet that child. I need to meet him in person and hear whether his sword is aimed at us or the Demonic Cult.”
“I understand. I will prepare so you can go down anytime.”
The adjutant bowed deeply and left the Strategist Office.
Watching that figure, Jegal Mu-ui turned his body toward the map.
“If things go well, a hidden sword, and a very sharp one at that, might be created.”
Jegal Mu-ui’s fan poked near the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s main headquarters was located.
***
There was nothing Jaun could do inside the prison.
With long chains on his hands and feet, the only thing he could do was mental image training.
Jaun, having rested enough and recovered his body to some extent, immediately entered cultivation.
Past battles began to flow through Jaun’s mind repeatedly, dozens and hundreds of times.
There was plenty of time.
Without distinction between night and day, Jaun immersed himself in martial arts.
Since he stopped counting the dates at some point, there was no way to know how much time had passed.
He forgot the flow of time and forgot his situation.
Then one day.
Jaun, who had been dismantling and reassembling all the martial arts he knew while immersed only in martial arts as he had always done, raised his head instantly.
‘Ah!’
Something flashed through his mind like lightning.
At that moment, Jaun realized that he had crossed another wall.
It was an achievement faster than he thought.
Many fragments of martial arts he had pondered alone in the mountains were combined into one and fully embodied through experiencing actual combat.
Enlightenment was added in a situation where not only his internal energy increased through the spiritual elixir, but also his ability to utilize techniques and Demonic Energy had all risen dramatically.
Since the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a martial art that tied five kinds of Divine Arts and supreme techniques together, all martial arts had to surpass a certain level to advance to the next realm.
And Jaun felt that the last remaining wall had crumbled down with the enlightenment just now.
‘Phew.’
Jaun, sighing deeply, straightened his posture and focused his mind.
‘Since I am ready, let’s cross over.’
Demonic Energy began to flow rapidly along Jaun’s Qi meridians.
The Demonic Energy, flowing at a speed imperceptible to the senses, filled Jaun’s body like air evenly spread in all directions at some point.
The energy was not satisfied with just filling Jaun’s body and grew its momentum more and more.
Demonic Energy began to overflow little by little from Jaun’s body.
Not long after, the dark red energy flowing out of Jaun’s body filled the prison thickly like fog.
Then, the emitted energy began to freely enter and exit Jaun’s seven orifices.
The energy, entering and exiting Jaun’s body like its own home, began to drag sticky turbid energy out of Jaun’s body at some moment.
─ Drip drip
Something emitting a foul smell began to drop to the floor.
─ Clank
Amidst the Demonic Energy filling the prison, Jaun’s body, tied in chains, slowly floated into the air.
The energy filling the surroundings began to gather in one place and soon created a large black sphere.
The black sphere, which had been slowly circling around Jaun for a long time increasing its size, shrank to the size of a single pill in an instant when it became large enough to fill the prison.
The black sphere, reduced to the size of a pill like that, shot into Jaun’s mouth like a ray of light.
─ Kwaaaang!
Jaun felt something exploding strongly inside his body.
A while later.
Darkness that trapped all light filled the prison, and massive energy spread in all directions from Jaun’s body.