Chapter 375: A Sword (6)

The Heavenly Demon and Hwa In, the leader of the Justice Alliance, were facing each other on the battle stage.

Cale, who was watching from the stands, looked around.

Everyone was here.
The Queen, Sword Master Charun, most of the leaders of the Kingdom of Lan, and those who had gained fame in this competition were all present.

No, wait.
She wasn’t.

Sohyi.
The woman believed to be a Wanderer was nowhere to be seen.

Huh?
What’s going on?

Cale felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Even if Sohyi wasn’t here...

Why do I feel a chill down my spine?

This feeling rarely failed him.
It was at that moment...

“Sohyi isn’t here.”
“It’s true. She’s not.”

The instant Cale realized that Choi Han and Alberu, seated beside him, had noticed the same thing, his mouth opened.

“Something’s going on.”

Choi Han and Alberu silently nodded in agreement.
Yet around them, the atmosphere was boiling with excitement—lively, loud, and completely unaware of the storm quietly brewing.

“They say the Single Slash Sword is finally using a sword!”
“Wow, looks like Kim Hae-il is getting serious now that he’s reached the quarterfinals!”

He was called the Single Slash Sword. Yet, he had never held a sword.
Kim Hae-il, who had defeated every opponent with a single move—barehanded—was now holding a sword.

“Is that… just a regular iron sword?”
“Yeah, looks like he picked it up from any random blacksmith shop.”

“For a master, the quality of the weapon doesn’t matter!”
“No, actually—masters do seek better weapons. The more skilled someone is, the more they value the tools they use.”

Naturally, the sword the Heavenly Demon now held was an ordinary iron blade, purchased from a blacksmith that very morning.

“…”

The Heavenly Demon, having discarded the scabbard somewhere, stood silently with only the blade in hand.

Snick.

Hwa In smiled with a deep grin as she looked at him. She didn’t open her mouth.

–You know who I am, right?

But she conveyed the message to the Heavenly Demon.

And the Heavenly Demon—

- Should I?
He responded with a single, indifferent word.

“Hmm.”

The competition official, acting as the referee, noticed the silent exchange between the two—whether it was telepathy or some form of subtle communication.

He hesitated for a moment… then raised and lowered the flag.

Dong!

The sound of the drum echoed, signaling the start of the match.
But neither the Heavenly Demon nor Hwa In moved. They simply stared at each other.

“…You really don’t know who I am?”

Hwa In was the first to speak.

“Ha.”
She couldn’t hide her disbelief.

“How dare you—”

A flicker of discomfort passed across her face.
How is it possible that such an insignificant thing—something that didn’t even exist until now—dares to ignore me?

Truly, utterly—

“You’re arrogant.”

Swoosh.

She drew her sword from its scabbard and let the empty sheath fall behind her.

Swoosh—

A controlled flow of inner energy extended from the sword, gently touching the ground as if marking her presence.

“!”
“Hmm!”

The masters watching from the stands shuddered.
They had felt the depth of Hwa In’s inner energy.

But the Heavenly Demon didn’t even glance at her.
He simply closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the sky.

“…”

Hwa In couldn’t suppress a laugh at the sight.
So arrogant it’s almost comical.

‘Sohyi… You better take care of those Transparent Blood Family bastards.’

At the same time, she remembered her companion, who had been advising, or rather, threatening her.

‘The Transparent Blood Family guys keep asking you to catch the AI. Sohyi, is it that hard?’

Hwa In—no, Sohyi—had seen the anger veiled beneath her companion’s gentle words and responded coldly.

‘Why should I do that kind of senseless thing? I’m a Wanderer! Why should someone like me fulfill the demands of those Transparent Blood Family guys?’

At that moment, Hwa In felt a chill as she remembered that situation.

‘Sohyi, stop bothering me, okay?’

The gaze of her companion, who was looking down at her.

No, the gaze of the Wanderer of the Five–Colored Family was truly obvious.

It didn’t contain anything.

Devoid of emotion.

They’re terrible guys.

From Sohyi’s perspective, the youngest of them, all the Wanderers were nothing but trouble.
Each of them had simply banded together to pursue their own selfish goals.

No, wait.

Unlike some of the first generation—those who had lived as Wanderers for a long time and built their own sense of camaraderie—she had none of that.
She was a recent addition. That kind of bond had never been hers.

Anyway, I just have to eliminate that AI and take over the Kingdom of Lan.

The New World… In that place, only her position and power mattered.

Thump.

Hwa In stepped toward the Heavenly Demon.

“It’s truly like a dance,” Charun murmured.

A master’s movement was like a dance.
In that single step, one could glimpse the path of Wu she had walked—her upright posture, her unwavering balance, the weight of her will.

She opened her mouth.

“Truly, I don’t care who you are.”

Hwa In hadn’t ruled out the possibility that Kim Hae-il might not be an AI.

In the first place… he’s not a user.

She could say with certainty—Kim Hae-il wasn’t a user of the game.

He hadn’t logged out for several days.
He couldn’t be assigned a mission.

That meant he was something like an NPC.

But… he’s not under the system.
Because he lived however he wanted.

In that sense—

He’s an AI.

Of course, that conclusion didn’t make much logical sense.

“You’re an arrogant one,” she muttered softly, her gaze locking onto the Heavenly Demon.

Hmph~

Was there any NPC who would dare to stare at the leader of the Justice Alliance like that?

The probability of him being designed that way was extremely low.

We didn’t find anything in the Transparent Blood Family either.

She had asked them for Kim Hae-il’s data. But those guys—the so-called administrators—didn’t have a clue.
No records. No logs. Nothing.

The answer was simple.

AI.

And also…

They couldn’t even identify the subordinates who accompany Kim Hae-il.
Those subordinates must have been created by Kim Hae-il himself—an AI.

“…”
“…”

The surroundings grew increasingly quiet.

Thump, thump.

Hwa In walked toward the Heavenly Demon without hesitation.
Step by step, she advanced—and with each step, her intent deepened.

Then, as naturally as one might breathe, she raised her sword.

Her arm lifted.
Her hand moved.
The blade extended.

There was no waste in her motion.
It was as natural as walking.

And finally, the tip of her sword pointed directly at Kim Hae-il.

It didn’t look like an attack.
There was nothing threatening in the movement.
Everything appeared mundane.

But she was holding a sword.

“!”

Choi Han’s shoulder flinched.

“The Wanderer... yeah,” he murmured.
“It seems she really is the Wanderer.”

The moment that voice reached Cale’s ears. The Heavenly Demon saw it—the tip of the sword aimed at him. Just like when he had sliced through the sword of Sorak, heir of the Heavenly Sword Sect, not long ago.

From top to bottom—
The sword’s tip traced a line, as if it would split the Heavenly Demon in two.
And behind that line stood Hwa In.

“It seems like she’s going to split Mount Tai in half.”

The Sword Master, Charun, couldn’t hide his astonishment. He didn’t know that Hwa In’s skill was so high.

This wasn’t martial arts.
It was everyday life.

The sword was her way of living.
The life a person chooses to walk, day after day.
Her blade carried that same life.

–Cale.
The voice of the Super Rock echoed in Cale’s mind.

–That sword...
–It’s strange.

The Ancient Powers, which had remained silent until now, stirred the moment Hwa In drew that line with her sword.

–There is power… immense power… within it.

There was no visible aura around Hwa In’s sword.

“What is she doing?”
“I don’t know... is it a warning?”

The ordinary citizens saw nothing unusual. But the masters—
They felt it.

“!”

The Ghost Swordsman shuddered.
Passote’s eyes widened.

“…The Single Slash Sword—be careful!”

Passote realized it.

Hwa In was trying to split Kim Hae-il—the Single Slash Sword—with a single strike.

Humans cannot overcome nature.
But that sword… that sword could split Mount Tai.

There was no mountain that blade could not cut.

How could any human resist that force?

Even if he himself were a mountain—
He would crumble.

“Choi Han,”
Cale asked with an indifferent expression,
“Do you think he’s going to lose?”

The reply came without a moment’s hesitation.

“No.”

The instant Choi Han spoke, Cale saw it—
The Heavenly Demon’s sword moved.

New World.
A new world.

Since arriving in this place, it was the first time the Heavenly Demon had used a sword.

“!”

Hwa In’s eyes flew wide open.

“How? How can you have that kind of strength—”

But the moment she was surprised… it was already too late.

“What is this?!”

Queen Tamahi jumped up from her seat.
Without realizing it, she gripped the handrail in front of the separate stands.

“What is that…?”
Her voice trembled.

Kim Hae-il.
The Heavenly Demon.

The blood-red aura gathering on his sword—
It wasn’t inner energy.
It wasn’t aura.
It wasn’t magic.

It was something entirely different.
An aura she had never seen before.

And yet—

“T-Terrible…”

It was terrifying.

Snick.

The corners of Cale’s lips curled upward.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Choi Han smiled faintly as he watched the Heavenly Demon.
In that moment, the Heavenly Demon’s mouth opened.

“I—”

A sword that could split Mount Tai—
And a human standing before that sword—

The Heavenly Demon.

Who is he?

He is human… but not.

I am the Demon—

“I am the Heaven.”

The Heaven of Demons.
The Heaven and the god of many demons.

That existence… is me.

The Heavenly Demon.
That is who I am.

Even a sword capable of splitting Mount Tai—
It cannot cut the Heaven.

As long as that faith exists…
The Heavenly Demon’s aura will never fade.

If Choi Han’s sword is one of conviction,
Then the Heavenly Demon’s sword is one of calm—
Of unwavering, almost frenzied faith.

And Hwa In’s sword, falling from top to bottom—

From Heaven to Earth.

The moment it seemed like Hwa In’s sword would split the Heavenly Demon in half—
The Heavenly Demon’s sword didn’t move to block it.

It simply advanced.

Why should he fear a sword that can only split Mount Tai?

There was only one target.
Only one enemy before him.

Hwa In.

The one who dared to call him arrogant.
It wasn’t just an insult to a man.

To ignore the Heavenly Demon—
The Heaven of the Demon Cult—
Was to ignore the demons themselves.

And Heaven…
Could not allow those under its rule to be disregarded.

Wooong— Wooong—

The blood-red aura slowly flowed from the Heavenly Demon’s body,
Passed through his sword,
And surged forward.

“…”
“…”

The audience held their breath.

That blood-red aura—
Now massive, now undeniable—
Had become visible to the naked eye.

They felt like they couldn’t breathe.
At the same time, a chill ran down their spines—an inexplicable, terrible feeling.

And yet… they couldn’t look away.

A horrifying force.
Terrifying. Suffocating.
But irresistibly mesmerizing.

“It’s dangerous—”

The moment someone whispered that—

BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOOM–––––!

A thunderous explosion tore through the air.

The Single Slash Sword.
And the Single Slash Sword.

The roar, born from a single clash, shook the entire arena to its core.

A massive cloud of dust rose into the air.
People held their breath, waiting for it to settle.

But there was no need.

Whoooosh—

The wind blew.
And that wind… was blood-red.

The blood-red aura surged forward, blooming like fire, sweeping the dust away.

“!”

As the spectators opened their eyes, understanding dawning—

Whoooosh––––!

Someone was sent flying back.

It was Hwa In, the leader of the Justice Alliance.

The sword that had fallen from above…
And the sword that had thrust forward—
They had collided perfectly.

Crack—

One sword snapped and fell to the ground.

It was Hwa In’s sword.
The one who had been forced back.

The sword—renowned throughout the Kingdom of Lan as a legendary blade—had been broken by nothing more than a common iron sword.

As if pierced cleanly by an awl.
It split.
And shattered.

“What?!”
“What?!”

Yet no one had even seen that sword.
Not clearly.

Drip.
Blood ran down the corner of Hwa In’s lips.
She had suffered an internal injury.

The blood-red aura—
She had tried to block it with her inner energy the moment it appeared.

She was the leader of the Justice Alliance.
The supreme technique that had elevated her to that rank—
The inner energy she had cultivated with that technique—
It was pure. Refined. Immaculate.

Because she believed that purity could overcome even that dreadful, suffocating power.

She was wrong.

Because she had believed—
An AI couldn’t possess that kind of strength.

That kind of strength was meant only for the chosen.
A grand force that should no longer exist.
A power beyond reason.

“…Truly—”

But she couldn’t block it.

Drip.
The blood flowing down her lips was the answer.
The distance she had been pushed back was the answer.

She didn’t even wipe the blood away.

Hwa In, still bleeding, spoke:

“Do you truly… have a Unique Power?”

As the dust fully settled, the view became clear.

The Heavenly Demon stood tall—
The blood-red aura still flowing from him,
Coiling and twisting like hundreds of writhing snakes.

Even within that sinister storm of crimson,
His figure was unmistakably clear.

Just as Choi Han had said—
The Heavenly Demon had grown.

Because he had learned much…
Through his encounters with the Dragons,
And his experiments in Aipotu.

“How… How can you have that kind of strength? The power the Celestials sealed away… You, a mere—”

Hwa In stood there, stunned.
Her expression frozen in disbelief.

And the Heavenly Demon—

He smiled. The corners of his lips curled upward.

“It’s fun.”

The moment he said that—
The stands trembled.

“That’s not Hwa In!”
“Why is it Hwa In? Why her—?!”

The Heavenly Demon’s sword...
No—
To block his blood-red aura, Hwa In had drawn upon another power.

That strength—
Was not her own.

It was the Unique Power of Sohyi,
The Wanderer.

A power once sealed by the Celestials…
A power now known simply as an Ancient Power.

That power—
A force with unlimited potential.

The aura the Heavenly Demon wielded…
It had the potential to become that very force.
No—
It was already becoming that force.
That Unique Power.

“You—”

Sohyi.

A new master who had risen alongside Kim Hae-il.
Yet one who hadn’t drawn much attention—until now.

She removed the mask of Hwa In.
And for the first time,
She faced the Heavenly Demon with her true self.

“Who are you?”

A strange frenzy began to swirl in her eyes.
Her gaze sharpened—undeniably hostile.

“Finally… a look I like.”
The Heavenly Demon laughed.

Wooong— Wooong—

The blood-red aura began to spread—
As if it would swallow the entire sky above the battle arena.
It surged and expanded, As if declaring to the world,

He is the Heaven.

Watching that overwhelming display, Cale spoke calmly.

“It seems our Young Master is very angry.”

He reached out and placed a hand on Choi Han’s shoulder, who sat beside him.

“Calm down. It’s not your turn yet.”

Sohyi.

From the moment he saw her face,
Choi Han’s expression had hardened.

And now—
Cale and Alberu began to observe her closely.

Cale was recording.
Alberu was analyzing.
Choi Han was watching.

Each with their own thoughts,
They observed the Wanderer—
And the Heavenly Demon.

 -----

T/L: She brought a blade that could split mountains—he brought a power that could swallow the sky.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]