I swung my sword. The Viper huffed. I swung my sword again. “Ah, fuck! I mean, isn’t it cheating to use Sword Telekinesis ? What is it? You grew up, so you won’t even listen to your senior now? Huh?” Salvation danced fiercely in the air. Although I didn’t directly control my demonic swords, they had accompanied me throughout my life and witnessed everything I had. They were like part of me, so they used the Demonic Heaven Arts like I did. “Huh? Huh?! The sword flew out of your hand, but it’s now using the demonic arts on its own? Hey, Death King! Kim Gong-Ja! You do realize this is cheating, right? You have no manners!” Despite the abundant cursing, the Viper steadily blocked my demonic sword, which wildly unleashed feints and attacks in various trajectories. Nevertheless, he calmly countered all strikes. The Viper kicked away Salvation. “I tried fasting for sixty days, alright. Hahaha!Huff, huff... Huff... Though It was just a fucking pointless wild goose chase!” As the Viper's sword clashed with my demonic sword, that sharp metallic sound echoed once again. He coarsely wiped the blood flowing down his abdomen using his martial arts uniform and laughed. “Haa. Huffffff, ha... Hehehe...” It was evident that he was at a disadvantage. It was nearly impossible for him to match me as I had already reached the level of Sword Telekinesis. Actually, if I attacked with all five swords at the same time, each containing a piece of the Demon Heaven, the Viper wouldn’t have lasted for more than three seconds. Still, I wouldn’t be able to defeat the Viper. Later, once he recovered, he would ask for a duel again as if nothing happened, saying, “Come on! Let's go for another round!” I have to defeat him mentally, not physically. That was why this fight was a challenge. He’s constantly at a disadvantage in this fight, but he can't stop smiling. Initially, I suspected that he was suffering from aura deviation, but no matter how much I observed him, that assumption seemed far-fetched. His eyes were clear, devoid of madness. His laughter also radiated happiness, although it felt fleeting, like it would vanish within moments if I didn’t pay attention. Once we finished testing each other's power levels, the Viper began to brandish his sword with genuine joy. Could this be the result of his longtime seclusion training? Before that, the Viper had swung his sword painfully as he tried to win. It had seemed excruciatingly painful. He had actually ended up suffering from aura deviation in our last battle. Can a person change this much? I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, already having a firm answer to my question. That was why I was anxiously looking forward to finding out the reason the Viper had changed so much. The urge to ask was almost overwhelming. The jealousy he feels toward me, the obsession with the Inquisitor, the self-hatred for not being able to be a protagonist, and guilt for failing to bring joy to the Murim Alliance leader... Rao Fan, you bear all those emotions, so how can you still smile as you hold onto your sword? I swung my sword. Salvation, one of my demonic swords, trembled. His blood spurted out. “Wow! Whoaaaaaaaaaa!” the Viper screamed. The demonic sword flew through the air and rushed at him like an eagle swooping down from the sky. It tried to stab the Viper from all directions without stopping. Despite some floundering, he managed to block everything. “I’m gonna die! Dude, I’m gonna die! Death King! I’m actually gonna die! Sh-shit! Haaaah! Urgh! The fuuuuuck! AAAAAH! Shit! It just grazed my arm! Did you see that? It really did. If it had cut a little deeper, I would have become one-eyed AND one-armed!” A sharp metal sound reverberated as the Viper successfully deflected Salvation’s aggressive Thirst Death strikes. Although the grazed wound on his arm was quite deep, his blood dripping out, he was also covered in minor injuries, leaving his uniform in tatters. The Viper wiped the sweat from his chin with a grin. “Huuuuuf... Damn. I feel like I’m going to die. This is freaking hell, man. If you rush at me using all your Demonic Heaven Arts, I’ll really be going down the highway to hell. Huh? Why aren't you coming at me anymore? Oh, right. You can't talk because you’re planning to take me down without saying a word, right? Phew, you’re goddamn serious, kid. That’s a shame. You can’t even have fun talking.” After catching his breath for a moment, the Viper turned his head toward the Hunters who had gathered to watch our duel. Cradling a snail shell in his arms, the Inquisitor tilted his head. “Hmm? Yes, Sect Master?” “It’s actually been decades since I last saw you.” “Oh, yes! I heard that you chose to stay in this world to cultivate! Hahaha. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but you’re just like me!” “It’s been such a long time since we last saw each other. How about a proper greeting?” The Inquisitor beamed. “Yes, it’s nice to meet you!” “It doesn’t matter to you if we meet again after just a day or a century, doesn’t it?” “Yes, I’m equally delighted to see you regardless!” The Viper took another deep breath. “Yeah, that sounds like something you would say.” Still smiling, the Viper gripped his sword and said, “Inquisitor.” “Absolutely!” the Inquisitor replied without hesitation. Standing beside him, the Black Witch looked baffled by the conversation. However, neither the Viper nor the Inquisitor cared. “You’ve been through a lot.” “Hmmm.” The Inquisitor stroked his chin. “If you’re referring to physical pain and psychological trauma, then yes, I believe I have been through quite a lot.” “You’re enduring right now, too.” “Considering how intense my work is and the amount of workload I face, I believe distress is normal!” “Are you still happy?” The Inquisitor chuckled heartily. “Yes! The work is incredibly difficult, but there is an enjoyable side to it! Offering you an espresso is part of it, Sect Master!” A moment of silence passed. The Viper asked, “Is it possible to be happy even when you’re in pain?” “Yes, of course. Absolutely. While you may be a peculiar monster, you are still human. Yes, it hurts when you’re sick or in pain, yet that doesn’t make your smile any less genuine.” The Viper turned his head to gaze at me again. His ragged breathing had calmed down long ago. “Kim Gong-Ja, Young Heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the world isn’t filled with powerful foes to defeat or with weak people for you to help.” Instead of “Death King” or Kim Gong-Ja, the Viper had deliberately called me the Young Heaven during the fight when he succumbed to aura deviation. He was announcing that he wasn’t just fighting against a Hunter, nor was this fight just about competing in martial prowess. He declared that this fight included my burden of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the essence of the Demonic Heaven. “Your Heavenly Demon Cult made the screams of the common people your doctrine. The screams have become revenge, and that revenge became massacres that stained the world red. The entire world bleeds, but you bloodthirsty, vengeful ghosts still act like the weak.” I paused. This was what Namgung Woon, the leader of the Murim Alliance, had told Teacher, the Heavenly Demon, at the beginning of their nine hundred ninetieth sparring. The Viper surveyed the area with his eye. “You all just cry and cry, clinging to the Heavenly Demon’s sleeves. You beg her to take revenge in your place. It’s like you’re trying to stay weak as you tragically holding onto her sleeves!” The Inquisitor, the Black Witch, Estelle, the Four Demon Kings, and the cultists were lurking in the bushes, all of them prepared to defend me in the event of an emergency. The Viper nodded. Despite his body being riddled with wounds, his eye remained bright. “No! You all have functional limbs. How much longer are you going to dwell on the ghosts of your past? Hwaeom[1] said that even a tree has to let go of its flowers in order to bear fruit. What about you? You are all just pawning off your flower gardens!” Is that so? I see. So that’s how it is. I couldn’t remain silent. I had vowed to hold my tongue, but I had to forsake my commitment and stubbornness. The nuthead OJP Sect Master just transformed this from a mere duel between the Death King and the Viper into a war between the Heavenly Demon Cult and Righteous Faction. Even if I, Kim Gong-Ja, could stay silent, the Demonic Heaven couldn’t. I chuckled. “I wonder if you have the authority to say such things, Sect Master.” The Viper smirked, pleased that I finally broke my silence. “Why wouldn’t I? Since I have a perfectly functional tongue, I ought to use it.” “Has Murim Alliance Leader Namgung Woon recognized you as his successor? Have the Righteous Path’s followers chosen you as their representative?” “Ah, recognition. It would be nice to have it, but Gramps Namgung Woon is getting old. Besides, he also undeniably lost to the Heavenly Demon last time, you know. What qualifications does a loser have? How can he gain recognition? As for the other followers, they’re all peacefully asleep under the snow, so I might as well politely tell them to stay asleep.” “So you’re just claiming to be the Righteous Faction?” My heart racing, I asked, “Do you have the skill to do that?” “The Heavenly Demon used his Sword Telekinesis to unleash the Demonic Heaven Arts attacks, and I blocked his attacks twice in a row. Isn’t that enough? What more skills could one need? Ugh, fuck, it’s really tough to be the Righteous Faction.” “I’m not Heavenly Demon.” “That’s true. People around you don’t call you that, but I will. All the Heavenly Demon Cult followers pledge their loyalty to you. You even traveled to a random continent to spread the cult doctrine to the Terras. You preached it so well to them that the entire species turned into demons, but you still want me to call you Young Heaven? Fuck. Aren’t you being too fucking humble? People’s hearts seem to warm up when they see humility from others. However, I tend to remain objective at all times, so I’ll just continue living my life , Second Heavenly Demon Kim Gong-Ja.” I chuckled. “Interesting.” For some reason, my smile made the Viper’s disappear. Well, I didn't pay much heed to that and grabbed Idol. “I thought I could slay you easily if you were just as jealous of me as back then... No, maybe your jealousy is still the same. Your heart doesn’t seem to have changed much. I can tell that from the look in your eye, but... I see.” I made a subtle motion with my hand. One of the demonic swords that had been swirling around me responded swiftly. At my surprise attack, the Viper rolled on the ground right away. Prayer stabbed the ground where he had just been. After scattering dirt around, the sword circled the snake, striking whenever a chance emerged. The Viper took a step backward to evade the attacks. “Ah, the fuck!” But he failed to dodge the sword’s attack route once, so his ankle got cut. Blood spurted out from the wound. It caused significant damage, though the injury wasn’t fatal. “Do you have to show that you’re a demon with every given opportunity? Nothing stops you, huh?” The Viper unleashed his aura all around and parried away the demonic sword, sending her flying through the air. She then returned to my side, circling me to protect me. “Fuck, my foot hurts!” Another metallic clang echoed. It wasn't anything extraordinary as it could easily be replicated with one’s aura. Still, I sensed a link between his joyous laughter and the clangs. This was also why our match had escalated into a war between the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Faction. Is he confident that he’ll win? No, he probably believes he can defeat me mentally. I came here to defeat everything that my opponent stood for. He was the Viper, the OJP Sect Master, and Rao Fan. Likewise, my adversary also held up his sword to defeat everything I,Kim Gong-Ja, Young Heaven, and Demonic Heaven, stood for. My heart still raced. What had Teacher said and seen upon hearing the Murim Alliance leader’s challenge? Her smile, the breath she exhaled, her words—I could understand them all, so I smirked and said, “Good. I accept your challenge.” I sheathed Idol and gave the Viper a bao quan salute. He flinched but quickly regained his composure, saluting back. For some reason, the smile still didn’t fade from my mouth. This was fun. “I hope we can honor our ancestors with our nine hundred ninety-first match, not shame them.” The Great War of Good and Evil. A certain world’s once-vibrant snowfield was now doomed, but some people had taken up the mantles of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Faction. Despite the devastation wrought by snow, the nine hundred ninety-first match unfolded in this place. I chose to see it as happiness. It was just that... “Sect Master, I admire the strong, support the vulnerable, and aspire to bring joy to those trapped in hell. Though this isn’t hell, and I’m merely extending my hand to those who are holding on.” “I hate people who mention things they can’t take responsibility for,” I said with another chuckle. “The stronger that person is, the more I hate them. If all those words of yours are empty, I’ll cut you down, Rao Fan.” The Viper swallowed. Slowly, a smile crept up on his face. “Alright, Kim Gong-Ja.” In a heartbeat, I scattered the four demonic swords and unsheathed the holy sword. Then, I took a step forward in the tranquil jungle. 1. Writing this ref again since it’s been a while. He’s a monk from Shilla, an ancient Korean kingdom. ☜