Chapter 451
Surrounded by a hemispherical barrier with a ten-kilometer diameter, the Black Arms’ base should have been so dark that one couldn’t even see their hand ahead. But of course, measures had been put in place to address it.
Woong-
Like dim stars in the night sky, artificial lights embedded in the ceiling cast a dim glow over the area. And when combined with the illumination from buildings, streetlamps, and other countless various light sources, the base was lit up as though it were daytime.
A night market built as a tropical resort, huh.... Pretty clever facade.
Se-Hoon observed the City of Lights built deep beneath the ocean with a curious expression.
Given the location, he had expected it to feel gloomy and oppressive. Instead, the stark contrast between light and darkness made it look vibrant and luxurious. Additionally, the streets were crowded with people to make it all seem—at least on the surface—that business was still booming despite the recent relocation.
Well, it’s practically in ruins now, though.
In the past, the Black Arms had catered mainly to those who lived in the shadows. With the move of their base, however, their clientele had changed. Now, nine out of ten formal customers were demons, and the rest were vicious criminals who couldn’t show themselves in public.
In short, the gray zone that once stood between humanity and the Demon Force had firmly merged into the demons.
With no new customers and the existing ones dying off one by one, there’s no way they can hold out much longer.
As far as Se-Hoon could tell, they were holding on as a substitute for the Pleasure District. But once Karl began expanding the Pilgrim’s Path, that, too, wouldn’t let them survive.
Se-Hoon stood above it all, taking in the precarious Black Arms base that looked glamorous on the outside but could actually collapse at any moment, deep in thought.
“So, what’s the plan now?” Having also been scanning the area, Kwang-Soo indifferently asked about their plans. “Are we going down there and killing everyone?”
“No... I’m thinking of surveying the place first.”
Instantly, Kwang-Soo frowned with annoyance.
“Why bother?” In Kwang-Soo’s mind, the people down there were all the type who deserved death, anyway.
“We need to block off their escape routes first... but more importantly, I want to get a feel for the atmosphere of the Demon Force.”
While humanity was celebrating its hard-earned victory after a long war, what was the state of the Demon Force? It was clear they’d been driven into a corner—but that was all. They had yet to be defeated, making it necessary to keep watching them closely until the very end.
That’s exactly how humanity messed up in the end before my regression.
Even though they had the blessings of the Eternal Nocturne and the Sacred Craftsman now as a form of insurance, there was no telling how or when the Demon Force would strike back.
“...” Acknowledging Se-Hoon’s reasoning, Kwang-Soo took a moment to think before plopping down on the spot. “Then go on your own.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“Skulking around those kinds of people isn’t my style. Besides...”—Kwang-Soo trailed off, glancing down at himself—“I’m not sure if I can reliably hide my presence.” Displeasure could be heard in his voice.
Even in peak condition, stealth was not his primary strength. And in his current unstable state? Not even knowing himself what kind of trouble he might cause, Kwang-Soo decided that rather than pushing himself and potentially messing up, it was safer to stay here overlooking the base; he would only jump in only if something happened.
“Hm... Alright. You can stay here then.”
Actually, it wasn’t particularly hard for Se-Hoon to conceal Kwang-Soo’s presence along with his, but since the man had already sat down, there was no need to force him to come along.
He does give off a vibe like he’s going to cause some kind of trouble... though, honestly, that might not be such a bad thing.
At the moment, the primary concern about Kwang-Soo was the fatigue that compelled him to retreat into his bed. Because of that, anything that could motivate him to take action would, in fact, be a positive step. However, anything minor wasn’t worth it.
Deciding to shoulder those himself, Se-Hoon quickly cast a basic concealment barrier using Spirit Weaver.
Swoosh-
Wrapping around Kwang-Soo, the barrier blended seamlessly into the surrounding scenery. To others, it was a simple spell, but it was actually an advanced one that even utilized the power of Boundaries.
Unless one of the Ten Evils actively went looking out for it, the barrier would be almost impossible to detect.
“I cast a barrier, Professor. If you sense anyone approaching, feel free to avoid them entirely. It should last about an hour. I’ll be back before it breaks.”
“Yeah, yeah, now go already.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Before those words even faded, Se-Hoon’s body vanished without a trace, leaving Kwang-Soo staring at the now-empty spot with a frown.
He’s changed a lot.
The scrawny kid, who barely seemed capable of picking up his hammer to forge, had grown so much in just a year that even Kwang-Soo had lost track of his presence completely. He had watched it all with his own eyes from up close, but that only made it more surprising.
After all, Kwang-Soo knew better than anyone that Se-Hoon’s growth was entirely his own doing.
I wonder if he’s just an extreme case... or if I’m just that pathetic
Logically, he knew the answer was obviously the former... but he still couldn’t shake the latter from his mind. One year could be a short or long time, depending on how one looked at it. Regardless though, what had he done during that time?
As far as Kwang-Soo knew, the only memories that surfaced were of him being utterly defeated by Doppelganger.
“...”
Crack-
His knuckles nearly shattered; his heart began pounding violently. Kwang-Soo’s anxiety symptoms threatened to flare up again—
Fwoosh-
A five-colored flame suddenly flared up from his solar plexus: the Blessing of the Sacred Lantern that had activated in response to the signs of collapse that his synesthetic mindscape was giving.
Startled, Kwang-Soo swung a fist at his own torso.
Bam!
“Agh-!”
His pounding heart seized up instantly, and all the air in his lungs burst out at once, forcing him to crouch and tremble. Then, when his symptoms had calmed, he slowly lifted his head and took deep breaths.
“Huff... huff...”
Eventually, his ragged breathing began steadying. And once it had, he looked down at his solar plexus with bloodshot eyes. The Blessing of the Sacred Lantern had completely vanished by then—he had regained enough composure.
“Seriously... what a pathetic mess I am...” Kwang-Soo lamented with a sigh, slumping his shoulders.
If he lacked the skill, he should at least be trying to do something with the help of others. Yet here he was, insisting on a display of stubbornness. What was so bruising to his pride that he would do something so stupid?
As he berated himself, a memory surfaced.
“You just have to build up your own ‘self.’ That’s all there is to mastering the Celestial Infinity Blade.”
The memory of that woman, standing amidst a field of blooming flowers with a faint smile as she said those words, was vivid, even though decades had passed. It still felt like yesterday.
“Right... That was it,” Kwang-Soo muttered bitterly under his breath.
In the past, in the present, and likely until the day he died... he would always remain bound by that memory—just like that damned bastard who became a demon and smeared the name of their master.
“...Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue at the memory that had suddenly resurfaced, Kwang-Soo moved his gaze to distract himself with the brightly glowing streets below.
Would wielding his sword ferociously, as he did in the past, bring him any comfort? Contemplating his path, Kwang-Soo casually stared down at the faces of the demons and criminals he would later kill—
“...!”
His eyes landed on a certain woman with long, flowy hair moving through the crowd. She had a cool, delicate air that made her seem like she would snap at any moment.
Thump, thump, thump-!
Kwang-Soo sprang to his feet as if jolted by a spring. His chest, which had finally calmed, was pounding violently once again. His eyes never left the woman, trying to discern whether she was real or just a hallucination. And that was when he noticed that others in the crowd were also glancing at her.
Grind-
He was furious. He was sure his master was dead—having personally retrieved her corpse—so then who was that, pretending to be her?
“That piece of shit...”
Knowing the answer, Kwang-Soo clenched his fist. He could overlook the culprit betraying humanity and himself, but never, ever, could he forgive them for mocking their dead master.
Furious, Kwang-Soo watched as the woman—no, as Doppelganger—disappeared into an alleyway beyond the crowd.
BOOM!
Kwang-Soo’s figure vanished without a trace into the dark artificial mountain.
***
“Hmm...”
Cloaked in the stealth barrier, Se-Hoon slowly observed his surroundings. The streets were as flashy and bustling as they had looked from above. Hawkers were calling out from all directions and the area echoed with the loud voices of people steeped in luxury and indulgence.
The Black Arms was clearly thriving, but that just made Se-Hoon let out a small laugh.
They’re really trying to put on a show.
It was only at first glance that everyone appeared carefree.
“Did you hear about what happened in the Red Pleasure District?”
“Of course. Ten guys this time, right? Do you know how they got caught?”
“Pfft, what do you think? Probably tried to flee in the middle of the night and got sliced up just like those other idiots.”
“Morons. Like they have anywhere else to go... Tsk, tsk.”
Chatting with one another, the voices of the demons carried a sense of kinship. They were having an interesting conversation about the Red Pleasure District, making Se-Hoon head toward the source.
“Who was it that sliced them up this time?”
“I heard Owner did it himself as a warning.”
“Oh wow. Funny how he thinks that’ll make a big difference, though, heh.”
The disdain in the demons’ voices was far clearer near the plaza.
Having found the demons, Se-Hoon followed their line of sight and immediately narrowed his eyes.
Squeak- Squeak-
Ten mangled corpses were hung prominently in the center of the square, swinging back and forth. Each had been so thoroughly disfigured that it was impossible to even identify any of the original forms.
They really went all out.
Staring up at the corpses executed by Black Arms leader Owner, Se-Hoon tuned back into the murmurs around him once again. Most of the conversation, likely because the bodies were in plain view, was about the victims or the tyranny of Owner.
But here and there, more intriguing conversations emerged.
“Sigh... Should I just become a Puppet?”
“Are you nuts?”
“What’s the big deal? Whether I die like them or end up groveling under Puppeteer, it’s the same thing.”
“Still, becoming a Puppet is...”
“They’re basically immortal if their core stays intact, right? It’s not like we’re going to receive the Blessing of the Eternal. Better than nothing.”
Though the other demons were clearly disturbed as they listened, they were also intrigued. But what was even more unsettling was that similar conversations could be heard all over the place.
So the Demon Force’s decline and the spread of the Blessing of the Eternal have turned into a positive effect for Puppeteer.... That’s unexpected.
Se-Hoon made a strange expression. To become Puppeteer’s puppet, full-body modifications were required. Once one underwent them, there was no going back.
The demons had known that too, which was why they had avoided it. But it seemed due to being backed into a corner, with death feeling imminent, more and more demons were shedding their aversion in order to “survive.”
I’ve already heard a lot of demons saying they’ve signed up for the surgery. I guess many of them might have already even received it.
Demons, by nature, struggled to control their desires and emotions—which made them especially terrified of death. That’s why Se-Hoon wasn’t too surprised that many of the demons who specifically cared more about their own survival had already contacted the Puppeteer.
I’ll need to tell Lea to prepare properly.
Even though the new Blessing of Law Lantern had mitigated many of the Blessing of the Eternal’s weaknesses, it was still unclear how they would interact with Puppeteer’s modifications.
Mulling it over, Se-Hoon made a mental note to investigate Puppeteer as soon as he dealt with Doppelganger—
“Kraaagh!!”
At the roar that pierced abruptly through the noise, the surrounding demons just casually moved to the opposite side. They all assumed it was just another fight; after all, when demons fought against each other, they typically lost all reason and went on rampages. Naturally, weaker demons were often caught up in the fight and killed.
Savages, honestly...
Clicking his tongue, Se-Hoon ignored it and was about to move on as well when a familiar sound hit his ears.
Splurt!
The sharp, visceral sound of blood bursting inside a body—a distinct sound only heard when a Blood Art was used.
Se-Hoon froze on the spot.
“...”
Although he hadn’t thought he’d encountered her here, Se-Hoon reconsidered and realized it wasn’t an impossibility. So, after a moment of hesitation, he headed toward the sound.
“Is that all?”
And there, as expected, he found Meirin, who wore a drowsy expression as she casually kicked aside blood-soaked demons.