C143
It felt as if he were clinging to the body of a dying person.
For a moment, the Heavenly Demon almost let go of Cale without realizing it. However, amidst the blood he was vomiting, he saw Cale's unwavering eyes. Carefully, he supported Cale's body.
"Heavenly Demon-nim!"
He could hear Brain Demon's voice and see the others approaching.
The Heavenly Demon stomped.
Thump!
The ground trembled.
The Heavenly Demon's pupils turned towards Brain Demon.
"Don't let your emotions get the best of you."
Brain Demon and the Guardians' steps halted.
By the power of this earth-shaking force, they realized that the Heavenly Demon had broken free from the Living Jiangshi's brainwashing and had not lost his strength.
At the same time, they got a clearer idea of what Young Master Kim looked like and knew what to do next.
"Everyone, step back."
Brain Demon said to the gathered group.
"I will properly deliver the results later, so it would be best for you not to talk about what you've seen today and wait patiently."
Although his words were harsh, there was no other choice.
But Brain Demon didn't stop Young Master Kim's group from going to the Heavenly Demon. He knew they were going to Young Master Kim, not the Heavenly Demon.
Furthermore, Brain Demon finally got to see Young Master Kim's appearance, whom he had not had the chance to see before due to his concern for the Heavenly Demon's safety.
And he saw...
The Heavenly Demon, whose skin color had improved, and Young Master Kim, with an indescribably cruel appearance.
"How could it be like this?"
Brain Demon was speechless.
"Human, human!"
Hearing the voice of the young Divine Beast behind him, Brain Demon closed his eyes tightly. After the joy of knowing that the Heavenly Demon, whom he considered his son, had survived, a surge of emotion upon seeing Young Master Kim made his hands tremble.
And there was another person here whose hands were trembling.
It was Cale.
"Damn it!"
He knew it would be like this, thought Cale.
-Ahem, ahem.
Cheapskate coughed insensitively and said nothing.
-It looks like you need to vomit more blood. You'll feel better after vomiting more! It should lighten you up!
With an energetic and enthusiastic tone, the old Vitality of the Heart, who had regained his vitality by awakening the brothers and sisters, spoke cheerfully. He seemed stronger than when he was alone.
"I'm going crazy!"
Cale was annoyed. His body didn't hurt. As the Vitality of the Heart said, as he vomited more blood, his body was regaining vitality. He could feel his heart beating more intensely than ever.
But then, what else?
"I'd rather faint."
He didn't faint.
His mind was perfectly clear.
-Maybe, due to suddenly vomiting a lot of blood, your body might weaken.
He ignored the cheerful and nonsensical voice of Crybaby, who suddenly started making meaningless noises.
But he couldn't help it.
Because he really didn't have enough strength.
So, with tears of blood clouding his vision, Cale could see everyone around him, looking at him and approaching.
Their expressions were hard to discern through the tears of blood.
But he could imagine what they were like.
"Human, you can't do this! Don't faint! Regain consciousness!"
I won't faint.
My mind is fine.
I'm just losing strength and bleeding a bit.
"Young Master."
Ron's stern voice resonated.
It was a little terrifying.
And he was starting to get angry.
Why did it always have to be like this?
No, it's okay to vomit blood, but couldn't he do it in a more elegant way?
-Hey, Cale, how can vomiting blood be elegant?
When he suddenly heard Cheapskate's insensitive voice, which had been silent until now, Cale exploded in anger that he didn't even understand.
"Oh my god... argh!"
But the blood kept flowing, making it difficult for his words to be coherent.
"...Did you know it would be like this?"
Then, the Heavenly Demon holding him spoke, as if he had already understood everything.
And he understood in a completely different way from what Cale had intended.
"...Are you saying you conducted this experiment knowing you would end up vomiting blood like this? If so, why didn't you tell me in advance?"
Seeing him still vomiting blood with a cold body, the Heavenly Demon felt frustrated and found it difficult to maintain emotional calm.
Anger and remorse flashed across his blunt face.
"If you had told me, we would have looked for other options! Why are you putting your life in danger so easily?"
No, no.
I'm not saying I knew it would be like this!
When I first heard about this, I thought it would be worth a try.
But then, as we continued, I realized this could go very wrong, it was a feeling I had, and it came true!
Cale had many things he wanted to say, but he swallowed them.
And he simply closed his eyes out of frustration.
Now, even speaking in this situation was tedious to him.
"Human, this is not right! Regain consciousness! Or I will destroy everything!"
I'm not unconscious!
Cale's eyes opened again the moment he felt Raon's chubby front paw touch his cheek.
Of course, his eyes were barely open. His vision only cleared slightly, as he also had tears of blood in his eyes.
"Is this like a horror movie?"
In an instant, a sardonic laugh escaped Cale as he thought about how horrifying his appearance must seem compared to ghosts and monsters.
But the expressions of the people around him distorted immediately. Especially the Heavenly Demon, whose calm broke and whose emotions were clearly reflected on his face.
"Do you really feel like laughing now?"
"Yeah, I guess."
A calm response reached his ears. The Heavenly Demon looked up. A man named Ron, who was among Young Master Kim's group, smiled coldly.
"We will take care of the master."
With a signal from Ron, Choi Han and Beacrox took Cale from the Heavenly Demon and held him.
Sui Khan sighed and pressed his fingers against his temples, and Choi Jung Soo covered his face with a handkerchief but couldn't hide his agitation.
"Human."
Raon, with his dark blue eyes even clearer thanks to his invisibility magic, clung to Beacrox's back as he watched Cale.
"What should we do with the council members (의원들) who were waiting?"
The Heavenly Demon calmly asked Ron as he left.
"We would appreciate it if you sent them to our quarters."
Ron replied coldly and bowed.
"Then, we will leave first."
Young Master Kim's group quickly departed.
As if they were familiar with such situations, their actions were quick but steady.
Especially Choi Han's movements in moving Cale seemed very comfortable.
But the speed with which they moved demonstrated the urgency they felt.
In fact, even apart from that, just by looking at their expressions and eyes, one could sense the emotion they were experiencing.
"Phew."
A sigh escaped from Brain Demon's lips.
Kim Haeil. He remained conscious until the end without fainting, holding onto his mind.
What incredible willpower.
He put his hand on his chest.
His heart was beating.
The faint reddish-golden energy remaining gradually seeped into his heart and dissolved.
As it did, the heart grew stronger.
Young Master Kim knew what would happen to him, but he persevered in treating the Heavenly Demon.
Once the treatment was complete, Young Master Kim also left some extra energy to protect his heart.
"..."
The Heavenly Demon looked around.
The broken pillars and overturned ground everywhere showed how intense the battle had been here.
Finally, he lifted his head.
Although the Brain Demon had ordered them to withdraw, both members of the Justice Faction and the Evil Faction, as well as the Masters and Generals of the Demon Cult, hesitated to leave, lingering as they moved away.
"The experiment was a success."
A voice full of energy resonated in the ears of the people.
The expressions of the Demon Cult members brightened with the voice that carried deep and powerful energy. On the other hand, members of the Justice and Evil Factions hardened their expressions upon realizing the Heavenly Demon's accomplishment.
However, everyone's expression soured at the following words.
"At the same time, half of this experiment failed."
He didn't need to say what that failure was.
Some people looked in the direction Young Master Kim had gone.
Byuk Sun, who was among those present, could see the Heavenly Demon approaching him.
"Would it be possible to defer our conversation to tomorrow?" the Heavenly Demon asked with some courtesy, considering Byuk Sun's position as one of the Five Saints of the Justice Faction.
Seeing that he was stunned, Elder Ho coldly stepped forward and replied.
"It's possible."
"Very well. And the Evil Faction?"
Sima Dan also responded without hesitation.
"It's possible."
"Then we'll see you tomorrow."
The Heavenly Demon left without further ado, leaving them with a final word.
"Remember, you still cannot escape the Demon Cult."
The moment any living creature escapes from the Demon Cult, it dies. So do not dare to tell anyone what you have seen today.
Unless you want to die.
Everyone responded with a silent affirmation to the warning that carried such a grave meaning.
"Please return to your accommodations."
At the courteous request of the Right Guardian, members of the Justice Faction and Evil Faction said nothing and headed to their lodgings.
As they stayed in different rooms, their paths eventually diverged, and Elder Ho was left alone with Byuk Sun.
"Venerable Elder, are you okay?" Elder Ho asked cautiously, but Byuk Sun still seemed dazed and walked straight ahead. In response, Elder Ho scratched his head and spoke up.
"Young Master Kim, isn't he incredible? How can he have that kind of power?"
"It's true, it's amazing."
At that moment, Byuk Sun finally spoke. Elder Ho closed his mouth, and Byuk Sun muttered with an expression lost in deep thoughts.
"When was the last time I shed blood for someone else, for a just cause...?"
He looked nostalgically into the void as if searching his past with a melancholic gaze before speaking again.
"I was so full of myself that I lost sight of the path I should have followed."
He looked even older than yesterday.
However, his eyes gradually sharpened, regaining their focus.
"And now, I see the path again."
Observing this change, Elder Ho swallowed his saliva but stopped at the words Byuk Sun spat out.
"Today, I had the honor of meeting a Master of Life." (Note: "삶의 스승" in Korean translates to "Teacher/Master of Life". This term is used to refer to people or experiences that teach valuable lessons about life)
A bright and radiant smile appeared on the face of the elderly man who had found enlightenment. Elder Ho nodded at that.
"Well, I'm not sure if Young Master Kim will accept you as a disciple. But it would be great if you consider him as your Spiritual Master and observe him closely."
"Hoho."
Byuk Sun let out a shallow laugh, but his expression soon hardened.
"...I'm worried about his health."
"I understand."
Elder Ho's expression also turned somber.
Meanwhile, Sima Dan and Sima Gong were heading to their accommodations with serious faces, listening to the conversation between Toonka, Sima Jung, and Ha Mun.
"Hahaha! Don't worry! Young Master Kim will recover!"
Toonka, Young Master Kim's companion, even lived in the Evil Faction's accommodations.
"Well, I'm still worried."
While Toonka laughed heartily, Sima Jung and Ha Mun couldn't hide their concern. Especially Sima Jung, who was visibly restless, worried about the boss.
"I saw a great master dealing with a cursed poison! That person didn't even vomit that much blood! I've never seen anyone in my life, someone still alive, dealing with something like that."
The younger Sima Gong, with an unusually serious look, spoke up.
"Young Master Kim's reddish-golden lightning is a power that has never been seen anywhere, but his aftermath appearance is also something that can't be easily seen."
"That might be true."
Toonka nodded.
"I'm worried about Young Master Kim too!"
He sincerely expressed his feelings.
"But Young Master Kim has overcome more intense battles and fights than this. On each occasion, he has vomited a lot of blood and lost consciousness. He sacrificed his own well-being to save many."
As the members of the Evil Faction listened to a story about Young Master Kim that they didn't know, they focused intently on his words.
Unbeknownst to them, Toonka looked into the empty space.
He would like to be by Cale's side, but he would probably be more of a hindrance amidst people who are busy. Plus, even without him, Cale Henituse had traversed numerous battlefields, surviving the crossroads between life and death.
"Young Master Kim said that when you have something to protect, you become so strong that even the Gods fear you."
Toonka's rare and serious look drew the attention of Sima Dan and Sima Gong, who looked at him with seriousness. Ha Mun and Sima Jung already had dreamy expressions, as if they were already imagining something.
At that moment...
"So it's fun to be by his side."
Toonka chuckled.
"If you stay close to him, there will be many opportunities for very exciting battles! Kahahaha!"
The expressions of Sima Dan and Sima Gong became nervous as they looked at Toonka, whose seriousness quickly disappeared in favor of a loud laugh.
"He's the best!"
"Exactly!"
Sima Jung and Ha Mun added even more excitement.
Toonka watched the scene and thought about yesterday.
Toonka was so disappointed that he couldn't witness the duel between Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo that his dinner almost didn't taste as good, so he secretly called Cale.
'Toonka, have you been getting closer to the Evil Faction lately?'
"Yes! I fight with them every day!"
'Alright. Then make friends with the Evil Faction. Just don't get hurt. Ah, what am I saying?'
"Hahaha!"
'Ah, well. Anyway, find out what those guys are up to.'
Although Cale considered Toonka ignorant, he didn't underestimate him.
A warrior of humble origins, he ascended to become the Great General of the Kingdom of Wheeper.
He hadn't reached those heights by simply fighting recklessly.
While Toonka might seem simple in his thinking and actions...
"Can I go see the boss later?"
"Of course! Kahahaha, I'm a close friend of Young Master Kim, let's go together!"
Toonka walked shoulder to shoulder with Sima Dan, listening attentively to the conversation between Sima Dan and Sima Gong.
He thought to himself.
'Cale Henituse should be fine.'
He wasn't the type to die leaving behind that young dragon.
Cale Henituse was inherently unable to turn a blind eye to anything weaker than him, something that needed protection.
----------
Cale suddenly had a strange thought about his own body.
'How is it possible that I've lost so much blood and I'm still alive?'
As he lay in bed, lost in thought, the Heavenly Demon arrived at his room in the middle of the night with a peculiar expression and opened his mouth.
"Your appearance is much better than I thought."
"Oh, of course. I'm perfectly fine."
Cale grinned mischievously.
Besides, he felt quite good, having eaten Beacrox's Central Plains-style steak and the Crown Prince's cookies that Raon had secretly brought.
"You're in better condition now than before the treatment."
That was true.
"Haha."
The Heavenly Demon let out a bitter laugh and spoke calmly.
"Kim Haeil, it seems your mind is still not completely clear."
Shaking his head as if he had no patience, the Heavenly Demon looked at Cale.
Cale's face wrinkled.
-
