Chapter 759: Why Are My Wings Spreading There?

The Nine Twelve Zodiac Kings and the twin of the Illusion King, Hwan Yeo.

Thus, ten of the Twelve Zodiac Kings were revived. The dolls were so lifelike that it almost seemed as if they had truly returned from the dead.

However, their minds had not been completely restored. What returned first were their memories and instincts from the moment before death, leaving them bewildered by the current situation.

Then, when they spotted Geom Mugeuk standing before them, their hatred erupted. Yet at the same time, they felt a conflicting emotion.

Fear.

The memory of their final moments of death surfaced, and terror washed over them. Even if some of them hadn’t been slain directly by Geom Mugeuk, he had been involved in every one of their deaths.

That fear spread among them like a contagious plague, infecting one after another—until the music that had been echoing around them quieted, its tone lowering.

Dong! Dong! Dong-dong!

The rhythm of drums blended into the melody. The music shifted, as though a living person were reacting to the scene before their eyes. And this music held power.

It became the drums of a battlefield, driving away the fear that had taken root within the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

Then, their true aura began to flow out once more.

The red energy radiating from the Blood King’s eyes was the same as it had been in life. The Dark King was no different—the ominous black aura surrounding his carriage was suffocating, and the Illusion King’s aura was eerie beyond words.

Their auras were even stronger than they had been in the past.

Dong-dong-dong!

The lively rhythm fueled their growing momentum.

And through that thundering beat, a shout tore forth.

It was the Battle King.

“Geom Mugeuk!”

The reason the Battle King’s hostility burned fiercer than the others was simple.

He had died twice.

The first time, he had escaped death after a desperate battle with the Unorthodox Alliance Leader Baek Jagang, but had nearly perished from the Poison King’s poison.

He had later purged the poison through countless great techniques and returned alongside the Dark King.

Only to die once more at the hands of Geom Mugeuk and the Evil Smiling Demon.

“If you die again this time, it’ll be the third!”

Provoked by Geom Mugeuk’s words, the Battle King couldn’t restrain himself and lunged forward.

Slaaash—!

He shot forth, his fist thrusting ahead. His martial arts were perfectly reproduced, as if he had truly come back to life. Even his internal energy was genuine.

But Geom Mugeuk now stood at an entirely different level than he had before. Faster. Stronger.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Hwoong!

He dodged the Battle King’s flying fists, and his own fist struck the man square in the chest.

Thud!

The Battle King was knocked backward, sliding across the ground. Though the strike had landed cleanly, he stood unharmed.

“What’s with this hardness?”

He looked human, but his bones were made of metal—and not just ordinary steel.

“That doll was made by you, wasn’t it?”

The Iron King spoke, frowning.

“Doll? To your eyes, does that look like a mere doll?”

Yes, he had every right to feel proud.

“It’s my masterpiece.”

The Soul-Return Melody that summoned the spirits had been impressive, but what was even greater was that he had crafted a vessel capable of containing those souls without any side effects or distortions.

The Twelve Zodiac Kings all stepped forward at once.

Their aura overflowed with a terrifying killing intent—tenfold.

Swaaahhhhh!

The pressure was so immense that Tae Soo staggered backward and fell on his rear. Ji Han tried to endure it till the end, but he couldn’t hold out any longer and retreated to the wall behind him. Even with the two Demon Supremes using their inner energy to shield them, that was the best they could manage.

Amid that storm of dreadful energy, Pung Do of the Unorthodox Alliance had a single thought.

If he survived this and returned to the Unorthodox Alliance, would the Alliance Leader even believe his report?

A report that said masters who had died were revived.

Judging from the situation, those revived were of the same level as the twin blade master who had died earlier. And now, ten such masters had returned to life.

But the danger didn’t end with them.

Clang, clang, clang, clang—

The walls and ceiling around them opened. Inside were hundreds of small holes—mechanisms designed to launch powerful hidden weapons. The holes were so densely packed that if they all fired at once, there would be nowhere to dodge.

Since these mechanisms had been built by the Iron King, their power would be beyond description.

The Iron King unbuttoned his chest. Attached to his heart was a lump of metal whose purpose was unknown.

“The moment my heart stops, every mechanism here will activate. When that happens, no one in this space will survive.”

He wasn’t underestimating Geom Mugeuk’s strength.

“Yes, perhaps you, the Young Cult Leader who learnt the Nine Calamities Demon Art, might survive. But everyone else will die.”

His words sounded like a warning not to use the Nine Calamities Demon Art recklessly.

Geom Mugeuk slowly walked toward one of the holes in the wall and peered inside. Without a trace of fear, he looked into the darkness, where something could spring out at any moment.

“It’s too dark. I can’t see anything.”

Even in the face of Geom Mugeuk’s composure, the Iron King showed none of his own fear.

He too approached without hesitation, as if daring Geom Mugeuk to kill him—to prove that his threat was no mere bluff.

“What’s in there can’t be blocked by a human’s Protective Energy. Care to test it?”

Even though he stood close enough for Geom Mugeuk’s sword to slice his throat, he showed no sign of fear.

The Iron King looked toward Ji Han and Tae Soo.

“You said you’d protect those two, didn’t you?”

“Of course, I’ll protect them.”

The Iron King laughed. He was certain that even if it was Geom Mugeuk, he could never handle this situation while protecting them at the same time.

“To think you won’t abandon such weaklings… this is a hell of your own making.”

At the Iron King’s words, Geom Mugeuk replied calmly.

“The hell you imagine and the hell I imagine are different.”

When Geom Mugeuk turned his head, his eyes met Ji Han’s, who stood behind him.

“I’m sorry. It’s because of us.”

Ji Han was furious at his own weakness. Even if he couldn’t fight alongside Geom Mugeuk in a moment like this, he should at least avoid being a burden. The thought that he was holding him back wounded his pride and filled him with guilt. He realized that he was one of the pillars of this hell.

Then Geom Mugeuk, with his back leaning casually against one of those dreadful mechanisms, spoke unexpected words.

“If I turn around and you’re not standing there, then this truly will be hell for me.”

When Ji Han looked at him with a puzzled expression, Geom Mugeuk lifted his gaze toward the ceiling above.

Even there, countless holes for hidden mechanisms were embedded densely.

“Right now, the sky outside must be clear and bright.”

He looked upward as if gazing beyond the ceiling to that sky above—his eyes deep and reflective.

“Here I am, in this underground chamber beneath the lake, forced to kill again those I already killed once before. If you weren’t here, this would indeed be my hell.”

Was it the gentle melody still flowing that prevented the attack?

Even as Geom Mugeuk stood with his back turned, conversing with Ji Han, the Twelve Zodiac Kings did not move. The music was unmistakably resonating with them.

Geom Mugeuk continued speaking to Ji Han.

“To fight only for oneself, to always fight alone… if you keep walking that path, one day you might become a Killing Sword—devoured by loneliness.”

Those words struck deepest in the Sword King’s heart, for he had spent most of his life fighting in solitude.

“There’s no need to be moved because I said I’ll protect you. This is my choice—for myself. Fighting for my own sake is exhausting, but when I fight for you, it’s somehow less painful. It’s the same when I train. So don’t be touched by my selfishness, and don’t feel sorry, either.”

In that moment, Ji Han felt that he would never forget this sight for the rest of his life—the sight of Geom Mugeuk leaning against a mechanism that could not be blocked even by Protective Energy, speaking such words to him with those ten terrifying beings ready to attack at any time.

“I still don’t understand why you’re so kind to me.”

“Aren’t you also a sword that’s been fighting alone for a long time?”

“!”

From the very moment he had been left to his master with the words, to make use of his sense of smell, he had lived a solitary life—fighting only for himself, a sword with no one beside him.

What more words were needed when the path ahead had already been shown? Ji Han bowed his head respectfully.

“You smell too good, Young Cult Leader.”

“Of course. It’s only proper to say that the leader always carries a good scent.”

Just as Geom Mugeuk was about to turn away, someone else spoke up with an apology.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the Sword King. His gaze was calm but cold, and Geom Mugeuk could feel it clearly—the man was truly angry.

“This whole thing happened because of me.”

He had been utterly used.

The Dark Palace Master had known exactly how he would react. The thought of being manipulated infuriated the Sword King beyond control.

“I should be thanking you instead.”

“For what?”

“Because of this, I finally saw how much Brother Ak truly cares for me, didn’t I?”

Geom Mugeuk bowed his head politely.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“I didn’t save you.”

“You already did.”

It was the truth. The moment he killed the Sound King, the Sword King had already sacrificed his own life.

“When I meet the woman you like, I’ll make sure to tell her about today. That the man she loves is truly such a magnificent person.”

He knew Geom Mugeuk said that just to comfort him—but even knowing that, it still felt good to hear.

“You’re a real busy man, huh? Comforting your subordinates, and now me too,” he said.

Turning toward the Twelve Zodiac Kings, Geom Mugeuk spoke again.

“There’s one more person—or rather, one more soul—to comfort.”

His gaze fell upon the Wood King.

“It may feel like only a short parting for you, but it’s been a long time since we last met.”

In their battle long ago, Geom Mugeuk had tried to resolve the matter without killing him. The Wood King had once sought revenge under the false belief that the Martial Alliance Leader had annihilated his clan. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Though the man had sinned greatly, Geom Mugeuk had words he had to say.

“I’ve confirmed that it wasn’t the Martial Alliance Leader who committed that atrocity.”

Back during his fight with Hwa Yulcheong, he had discovered that others had been behind the destruction of the Wooden Heaven Family.

At those words, the Wood King’s eyes wavered. He recalled the moment before his death, when Geom Mugeuk had tried desperately to save him. He could feel now, just as he had then, that Geom Mugeuk wasn’t lying.

“The ones who orchestrated that tragedy will die by my hand. So now, let go of your long resentment and misunderstanding.”

The Wood King said nothing, but Geom Mugeuk could sense the ease that settled in his gaze.

Srrrk—

The Wood King’s eyes slowly closed.

By his own will, his soul was about to depart from that place.

At that very moment—

The music around them swelled violently, the notes twisting and rising sharply, like a Banshee’s Wail. It was trying to stop his soul from leaving.

“Enough.”

Geom Mugeuk’s low, warning voice resonated through the chamber. His words, imbued with demonic energy, caused the music to falter—only for it to surge even louder afterward.

“I said enough!”

Geom Mugeuk’s demonic energy burst forth toward the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

Whooouuuuung—

Like a fierce storm tearing through the air, the bodies of the Twelve Zodiac Kings rippled violently with demonic energy.

And when the surging energy subsided, the soul of the Wood King was gone—vanished as though it had ridden the wind far, far away.

The Wood King’s closed eyes did not open again, but the faint smile that lingered on his face remained.

“In your next life, may you live neither as one who kills nor as one who is killed.”

Hearing those words, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon could sense that Geom Mugeuk truly meant them.

Perhaps those words reflected Geom Mugeuk’s own wish for life—to live laughing, joking, and in peace.

Yes, the one most uncomfortable in this place was the strongest of them all.

Geom Mugeuk stepped forward, his cold, stern gaze locking onto the Iron King.

“You’ve schemed and plotted endlessly until now. But bringing back the dead—there’s no excuse for that. If you couldn’t win in reality, then you should have given up like a true martial artist. Live as a blacksmith, or live as a musician.”

The eerie music around them twisted as if responding to his rebuke.

Then, from behind, the Sword King stepped forward.

“They’re not the type to understand, no matter how many times you explain. I know that better than anyone.”

Tchriiip—

He tore his sleeve open, tied back his loose hair tightly, and slipped his shoes back onto his feet.

Then, standing alone, he faced the enemies lined before him.

Before meeting Geom Mugeuk, he had been one of them—one of their elite. In fact, he had been among the very top. At least, the Dark Palace Master had treated him that way.

“You’ve held plenty of resentment toward me, haven’t you?”

Among them, the Blade King’s cold eyes burned with killing intent.

Then a chilling voice came from behind.

“I said if we met again, I’d kill me once more, didn’t I?.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon walked forward slowly and took his place beside the Sword King. It wasn’t just for the Blade King.

At first, he hadn’t thought much of the Sword King—but after witnessing his willingness to sacrifice himself for Geom Mugeuk, he felt genuine gratitude. He couldn’t let him fight alone.

“For a guy who swings a lousy sword, you’ve got some guts.”

One-Slash Sword Supreme also stepped forward. She had done so out of respect for the Sword King as a sword-wielding martial artist.

“Orabeoni, if you keep that up, you’ll make a mistake in front of the Cult Leader someday.”

“Don’t say things like that even as a joke.”

The Sword King glanced at the two people standing to his sides and bowed his head slightly. He had not expected those two to step forward for him.

All three drew their sword and blades at the same time.

Then an irritated voice came from behind.

“Hey, why are my wings spreading there?”

A look of exasperation passed over the three faces. Even in a moment like this, someone was trying to make people laugh.

“Why are the three of you pretending to be solemn and cool? Why are you three acting so close without me? I’ll fight too. Brother Ak, move aside. That’s my spot.”

Of course, no one turned to answer.

Watching, the Iron King took Geom Mugeuk’s composure as an insult.

“Young Cult Leader, your arrogance will drag everyone to their deaths.”

When Geom Mugeuk turned to face the Iron King, the playfulness had already left his face.

“We had our differences about hell, didn’t we? I suppose I’ve seen enough of your hell….”

His eyes had grown so cold that it was hard to imagine any joke had once been there.

“Now look at my hell.”

Snap.