Chapter 136

The Heavenly Demon heaved rough breaths. Although they were those who had neglected their training after growing old, each one of them possessed talents bestowed by the heavens. They probably each had the skill level of a lower executive of the Black Round Table.

Of course, they had all met their end at the hands of the Heavenly Demon, Ocheonyoung. Leaving behind the gruesome, meat-like corpses, the Heavenly Demon repeatedly clenched and unclenched his right arm, which had turned purple.

“It seems they didn’t miss their chance to strike even in their dying moments… That fighting spirit alone is worthy of praise.”

Curious about the poison’s effect, the Heavenly Demon gathered energy in his right hand. Immediately, a sharp pain spread from his arm, and as he watched the purple color gradually spread, he quickly realized the type of poison it was.

“Though it’s not the ‘Invincible Poison,’ it’s a poison that affects even my body, which can consume most poisons like a tonic. Moreover, the more energy (magic) I use, the faster it spreads and the stronger its effect becomes… There’s only one answer.”

In the past, he had heard of only one such poison from his master, the Black Wing Sword Saint—a legendary, deadly poison made from ingredients found only in the western continent. Because of this, the Heavenly Demon had never trained to become immune to it.

The Black Blood of the Goddess.

If a warrior is afflicted by this poison, the more they use their muscles, the faster it spreads. If a clergy member is afflicted, the more they pray, the faster it spreads. And if a mage or martial artist is afflicted, the more they draw on their magic, the faster it spreads.

And since energy is closely related to magic, the more the Heavenly Demon uses his energy, the faster the poison will spread. However, the Heavenly Demon wasn’t panicked. His master had once said that even if one is afflicted by the Black Blood of the Goddess, there is a way to detoxify it. The method was extremely simple: consume as much sugar and honey as possible, then rest.

“I guess I’ll have to eat parfaits for a while. Still, to fall for such a trick… I must be getting old…”

Before the Heavenly Demon could finish his sentence, he sensed a presence behind him and immediately took a combat stance. No matter what enemy it was, he was confident he could kill them in one strike. Of course, attacking would cause the poison to spread further, but it wasn’t at a dangerous level yet.

However, the moment he saw the face, even the Heavenly Demon couldn’t help but freeze.

“You… you are… Master…”

For a brief moment, he let his guard down at the sight of his master, whom he thought was dead.

The Black Wing Sword Saint didn’t miss that opening and slashed off the Heavenly Demon’s left arm with a single strike. The Heavenly Demon’s blood splattered across the ground, and he gritted his teeth as he glared at his master’s face. As the darkness lifted, his master’s face, which hadn’t aged a day in hundreds of years, was revealed.

“Didn’t I tell you… that emotions are like poison…? No matter how strong one is, if they are bound by emotions, they will inevitably show an opening and eventually lose their life.”

“Master… how could you be with the Black Round Table…?”

“What a ridiculous thing to say.”

He took a step closer.

“The Black Wing Sword Saint who taught martial arts to the Heavenly Demon.”

He took another step closer.

“The first leader of the Green Forest Thieves, Darkwing, who taught Thief Squar Alten.”

Thief Darkwing took another step closer.

“The Sage of the Black Wings who taught magic and spells to the Vampire Queen.”

The Sage of the Black Wings took another step closer.

“The wandering knight Garas who taught spear, shield, and horsemanship to the strongest knight, Ricardo Carven.”

The wandering knight Garas took another step closer.

“The warrior Borona who taught axe skills to the former Grand Duke and former War Chief, Melchior Winterheart.”

The warrior Borona took another step closer.

“The shepherd Corbus who taught doctrine to the Saintess Media Ress.”

The High Priest Corbus took another step closer.

“The wandering mercenary Crow Tenebris who taught swordsmanship to the Hero of the Holy Sword, Zick.”

The wandering mercenary Crow took another step closer.

“The father and swordsmanship master of the renowned swordsman Camelian Peony, Raven Peony.”

Raven Peony took another step closer.

“And Lancelot of the Black Round Table.”

Lancelot stopped in front of the Heavenly Demon. With his usual expressionless face, he revealed a shocking truth.

“All of those names… refer to me.”

The Heavenly Demon was too stunned to speak.

“Didn’t you feel something was off when you all shared your pasts?”

“Of course, there were some strange things… but why did you do this?”

“I recognized your talents. That’s why I passed on my skills to you. After all, if I plant the first seed in a land full of talent… I can control the trees, branches, and fruits that grow from that land.”

“Then what were the appearances you showed us…?”

The Heavenly Demon, Ocheonyoung, remembered.

His master, who had picked him up as an orphan, gave him a name, taught him martial arts, and despite being gruff, couldn’t refuse people’s requests—a deeply emotional man. A man so emotional that he took the blame to save his disciple and was dragged to the execution ground.

Because his master was taken from him, he founded the Heavenly Demon Cult to overturn the world and vowed never to give his emotions to anyone again.

“Not just me… you deceived all of us…?”

He remembered. When his comrades spoke of their masters, they would complain about their lack of warmth, their violence, or their gruffness… but they all wore faint smiles.

They all regarded their masters as benefactors, parents, close friends, and their only true confidants.

“I can’t understand it.”

“What exactly can’t you understand?”

“The psychology of you all clinging to relationships that have already ended. To obsess over such trivial bonds… it’s truly laughable to see you called heroes.”

Enraged by those words, the Heavenly Demon charged at him.

He unleashed a technique he had learned from his once-only confidant and parent-like master, recreating the technique he had imagined on his own.

The Black Wind Shattering Palm—originally a sword technique, but modified by the Heavenly Demon, Ocheonyoung, into a palm strike.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been a fatal blow capable of tearing Lancelot to shreds without a trace… but there were two things he had overlooked.

First, this technique was one he had practiced tirelessly with both arms intact, so without his left arm, the technique naturally became unstable.

And second…

“How foolish… Have you forgotten who taught you this technique…? Have you forgotten why I taught you all…?”

The root of his technique was the swordsmanship taught by the Black Wing Sword Saint. No matter how much he had modified it, it couldn’t reach someone who had mastered its foundation.

“Truly foolish and pathetic… I can’t bear to watch.”

Lancelot kicked the Heavenly Demon away with the Black Heaven Kick.

The poison was spreading from the recent attack, his techniques were ineffective against Lancelot, and with his left arm gone, his stance was unstable—putting the Heavenly Demon at a severe disadvantage.

Lancelot looked at the corpses of those the Heavenly Demon had defeated and said,

“Even bugs have their uses. I was a bit worried they’d just die like bugs after receiving tribute.”

“Did you… bring them in too, Master…?”

“Bring them in…? I simply gathered useful insects and put them in a jar.”

Even though they were enemies who had crossed the line, to the Heavenly Demon, they were once rivals he had fought alongside.

“Then, Master… did you give them youth? At the cost of countless lives…?”

The Heavenly Demon hoped Lancelot would deny that question. He didn’t want to believe that his master, who had never betrayed justice and righteousness, could do such a thing.

“You’re more bound by personal emotions than anyone else. The poison that will kill you isn’t the Black Blood of the Goddess… but those personal emotions.”

With that, the Heavenly Demon rose through the pain. He couldn’t forgive someone who toyed with his comrades. Now, it didn’t matter if this person was his master or not.

He was determined to kill the one who trampled on the memories of his precious comrades.

“Let’s settle this, Black Wing Sword Saint… Let’s see who dies between you and me…”

Lancelot sneered.

“I told you… the poison that will take your life is your personal emotions.”

“I no longer have any personal emotions for you. I will…”

The Heavenly Demon shed his disciple’s emotions for Lancelot. If he left this man alive, his other comrades would surely hesitate to kill him out of emotional attachment and die as a result.

“No, killing you is a personal emotion.”

“What nonsense are you spouting…?”

“Didn’t you feel something was off? Among you, there is a traitor… and except for that young Archmage, all of you were my disciples.”

At that moment, the traitor appeared before the Heavenly Demon with a smile and knelt before Lancelot.

“How could you join hands with those who turned that child into what they are! Of all people, you! Knowing how that child feels about you…!!!!”

The Heavenly Demon’s shout fell on deaf ears as the traitor charged at him.

He could have countered the attack before it reached him.

But the chains of personal emotion for his precious comrade bound his right arm, and the traitor’s hand pierced straight through his chest.

“Knowing how that child feels about you… and yet you do this… Are you truly a beast…? I firmly believed you would never be the traitor, but how…”

Though the Heavenly Demon was always harsh and aloof, he had trusted the traitor more than anyone.

But the traitor remained silent, offering no answer. He couldn’t refuse the reward that his betrayal and silence would bring.