Chapter 760: Where I Am—That is Your Hell

An endless field stretched out before them.

Iron King widened his eyes. He was genuinely shocked and confused. He and the Twelve Zodiac Kings were standing in an entirely different space in the blink of an eye.

There had been no sign, no indication, not even the faintest sensation of moving or entering somewhere else.

‘What is this?’

The scent of grass carried by the wind was real.

There had never been any information suggesting that the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could use such an illusion.

But the ones surprised were not just them.

Blood Heaven Blade Demon, One-Slash Sword Supreme, and the Sword King were also there.

“I thought the three of you should know that I’m capable of opening such a space, so I brought you along.”

One-Slash Sword Supreme looked down at the ground. The grass and stones were real. The soil beneath their feet was real, too.

‘This isn’t just an illusion—it’s real.’

The Young Cult Leader’s surprises on this journey had yet to end.

At that moment, Iron King asked with a curious look in his eyes.

“Is this the hell you spoke of?”

Geom Mugeuk looked up at the vast, clear sky. He had told Ji Han earlier that he wanted to see the sky again. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

“Yes, this is hell.”

“Isn’t it too beautiful to call it hell?”

“Then… is this the kind of hell you expected?”

Snap!

When Geom Mugeuk snapped his fingers, the scene changed once more.

The blue expanse turned crimson. Now, it truly looked like hell itself.

Rivers of blood flowed endlessly, and flames erupted everywhere like volcanic bursts.

The screams of tormented souls echoed, mingling with the wails of vengeful spirits. The wind that blew carried the anguish of burned souls, so heavy that merely hearing it made one’s breath catch.

Then, a Hellhound breathing fire rushed toward Geom Mugeuk.

It lunged as if to attack—but when it reached him, it wagged its tail. When Geom Mugeuk gently patted its head, it spewed fire from its mouth softly.

Fwoosh.

The Sword King and the two Demon Supremes watched in astonishment. The hell before them—and even the Hellhound guarding it—felt so vividly real.

“This kind of hell is still hell.”

Snap.

Once again, the place shifted back to the grassy plain they had first stood upon.

“This place, too, is hell.”

The location didn’t matter at all.

“Where I am—that is your hell.”

Ssshhh—

The cold demonic energy carrying unmistakable killing intent surged once again from Geom Mugeuk and engulfed them.

Iron King’s expression hardened. Being brought here meant he had lost his most powerful advantage—the hostages.

Geom Mugeuk turned to Blood Heaven Blade Demon, his expression soft and calm now, a stark contrast to the murderous aura moments ago.

“They say looking at this kind of blue is good for your eyes.”

“Are you calling me old again?”

“No, it’s because you read so many books.”

There were two reasons Geom Mugeuk had brought them here through the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

The first reason was to neutralize Iron King’s mechanism.

Though Iron King could freely control the device, he still had to be in the same space for it to function.

Even the device embedded in his chest—set to activate upon his death—had to exist within the same space.

This place, while created from the same location, was an entirely separate world.

Now, his mechanism was completely disabled.

The second reason was that to use the Nine Calamities Demon Art freely, he needed to come here.

If he had used it back in the cave, the entire place might have collapsed and buried them all alive.

Then, music began to flow through the air.

Just as the souls of the Twelve Zodiac Kings resided within their bodies, the soul of the Sound King dwelt within that ceaseless melody.

Geom Mugeuk turned toward the direction the music came from and said,

“It seems you wish to become an immortal musician.”

At those words, the music shifted, becoming sharp and irritable in tone—as though it were answering back.

Blood Heaven Blade Demon stepped forward.

“Well done bringing us here. Now we can fight to our heart’s content.”

At his eager expression, Geom Mugeuk’s face softened with an apologetic look.

“No, you cannot.”

“What?”

“I’ll be the one to fight. Alone.”

“Then why bring us here?”

“So you can watch. A fight’s no fun without an audience. What joy is there in fighting alone?”

Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at him in disbelief.

Yet, the one most disappointed among them was, without doubt, the Sword King.

“This battle is mine!”

But Geom Mugeuk replied,

“This battle is mine.”

The changes that came from his regression had led to this very confrontation.

It was entirely because of him that they were here, facing these opponents.

“This fight holds no value for you three. Save your precious blades and swords for enemies whose veins still run hot with blood. These foes—please, leave them to me.”

“My sword isn’t such a precious thing.”

At the Sword King’s words, Geom Mugeuk recalled the past.

“It’s not the swordsman himself who decides what kind of sword he wields—but others. Brother Ak’s sword is a precious one. It became so the moment you showed the people staying underground and digging, the stars, and sent them safely away.”

Hearing that, the Sword King could no longer insist.

“I’ve been meddling in everything all day without getting anything done.”

With a sheepish grin, the Sword King began taking off his shoes.

“Don’t take them off. If they wear out, I’ll buy you a better pair.”

But the Sword King stubbornly removed them anyway and hung them at his waist.

“No. I like these shoes. Now then, shall I see just how much my friend’s skill has grown?”

As the Sword King stepped back, Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One-Slash Sword Supreme did the same.

After all, it was the Sword King who had stepped forward first, and the two had only followed to support him.

Even without fighting themselves, simply watching Geom Mugeuk battle would surely help them reach a deeper realm of martial enlightenment.

That must have been the reason he brought them along.

Srrrng—

Geom Mugeuk slowly drew the Black Demon Sword and stepped forward.

Iron King still stood aside.

A fight of one against nine.

Under normal circumstances, such a matchup would be absurd.

Though the Twelve Zodiac Kings had not fully regained their human consciousness, their martial prowess had grown stronger—sharpened by vengeance and fury.

These nine, the resurrected Twelve Zodiac Kings, possessed strength enough to march out and conquer the entire martial world.

And now, Geom Mugeuk intended to face them all alone.

Even for him, this was the kind of battle that might occur only once in a lifetime.

Iron King shouted to the Twelve Zodiac Kings,

“Now—your time for vengeance has come!”

But the one most excited by those words was none other than Geom Mugeuk himself. He raised his voice toward the open air.

“Play something lively! Louder!”

Before the echo of his words faded, Geom Mugeuk charged first toward the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

To see one man dash at nine masters, each at the pinnacle of martial arts, was truly a sight to behold.

The Twelve Zodiac Kings spread out to the left and right around Battle King, closing in on Geom Mugeuk.

Whoosh!

Battle King’s fist came flying in with power enough to shatter steel.

Geom Mugeuk slipped past the blow—and the scarlet saber of Blade King sliced the air just beside his face.

Ten red streaks shot toward him from the fingertips of Blood King.

As Geom Mugeuk evaded the blood threads, they struck the charging Fist King instead, yet he only grimaced briefly before lunging again.

Amid the exchange of blades and fists, the daggers of Killing King sliced through the blindpoints.

Geom Mugeuk didn’t counterattack; he only dodged—moving as if determined to evade the combined assault of all nine.

The air around them erupted with chaos. Sword gleams, internal energy, and killing intent of every nature clashed and roared together. The swirling currents of force rose like dragons to the heavens, and sword qi formed nets that sought to entrap him.

But the dragons caught no pearls, and the nets snared no prey.

Illusion King and Hwan Yeo unfolded their illusion arts, opening spectral doors from which evil spirits poured forth.

Battle King charged in front; Blood King scattered blood toward Geom Mugeuk; Fist King’s punch came flying; and Killing King’s hidden weapon followed in a flash.

At that instant, One-Slash Sword Supreme felt it—their movements eerily mirrored the puppet assault formation that had attacked Geom Mugeuk earlier, as though fate itself were foreshadowing this moment.

And then, Geom Mugeuk showed them the outcome of that fate.

Unleashing the Wind God’s Four Steps at their utmost limit, he slipped through the encirclement in an instant.

KWA-KWA-KWA-KWANG!

Their attacks slammed into empty air.

Watching from afar, Sword King took a single step forward.

He had known Geom Mugeuk had grown stronger, but—

‘He’s truly become powerful!’

He had grown incomparably stronger than the last time they had parted.

The higher one’s level, the slower the growth—but Geom Mugeuk’s progress was astonishing enough to make even masters tremble. Sword King wanted to draw his sword right then and there and leap into the fray. Even just watching Geom Mugeuk evade made his heart pound wildly.

This battle—at the pinnacle of martial skill—was a clash of points and lines.

A hit upon a point meant death; to be caught by a line meant death all the same.

Each point became a line, and each line scattered again into points.

Countless attacks struck that should have killed him many times over, yet Geom Mugeuk did not fall.

His movements were breathtakingly graceful—like a sword dance performed perfectly in rhythm with the music. Because of that, he was not only fighting the Twelve Zodiac Kings but also contending with the soul of the Sound King dwelling within the melody.

Watching this, Sword King, Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and One-Slash Sword Supreme all found themselves deeply inspired. A single shared thought bloomed within each of their hearts—

What if it were me?

How would I dodge? How would I strike back?

That comparison-born realization was as profound as any lesson learned through battle itself—especially when the one demonstrating it was Geom Mugeuk.

One thing was certain—they could never fight like this.

Shhhhk! Shhhhaaa!

Crimson lines spread around Geom Mugeuk, weaving into a web that surrounded him.

It was Blood King’s secret technique—Fragmented Blood Net.

PAPAPAPAK!

Geom Mugeuk’s Black Demon Sword shredded through the blood web in an instant. Seeing him break free with such ease—far beyond the level he had shown before—stoked Blood King’s blood energy even fiercer.

The music swelled louder, amplifying the power of the Twelve Zodiac Kings—

SHWEEEAAAACK!

A massive surge of internal energy fired from Battle King, hurtling toward Geom Mugeuk.

It was the Chain Wind and Cloud Fist, empowered even further by the Dark King’s energy—striking just as Geom Mugeuk tore through the blood web.

KWA-KWA-KWA-KWANG!

The ground and grass where Geom Mugeuk had stood were obliterated, leaving a long, straight trench gouged into the earth.

Its power was immense—devastating.

When the dust settled, Geom Mugeuk stood at the edge of the crater, arms crossed.

Amazingly, he had not been pushed back even a single step.

He had blocked the combined attack using three martial arts—the Heavenly Star Body he gained from the Golden Dragon Martial Hall, the Diamond Asura of Thunderous Asura Fist, and the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.

It was as if he had deliberately taken the blow head-on just to test his defense art.

As he strode toward Battle King, Geom Mugeuk spoke casually,

“Your fighting spirit’s not what it used to be. Did you two have a falling-out?”

Battle King’s face twisted into a feral snarl at the provocation. The attack he’d unleashed, bolstered by the Dark King, had been far stronger than the last time’s—and yet Geom Mugeuk had taken it bare-bodied.

Fwoooosh!

In the next instant, something swept around Geom Mugeuk like a cloth wrapping tight.

It was the furious Dark King’s technique—the Dark Curtain.

Puuuuk.

But this time the Black Demon Sword had flashed out far faster than when he had suffered that attack last time, tearing through the Dark Curtain.

“Back then, you said this technique could never win while one remained in the dark. Let’s see if that still holds.”

Whoosh!

The surroundings darkened in an instant, and a single line was drawn through the air.

Nine Calamities Demon Art — Fourth Form: Dark Flash.

Dark King spoke with calm assurance.

“Young Cult Leader, didn’t I tell you clearly? Dark-type demonic arts simply don’t work on me…”

Srrrreeek.

Thud.

Her neck was cut, and her head rolled to the ground.

The Dark Flash, perfected to maturity, had severed Dark King’s neck.

Yet even after her head was cut off, her soul did not dissipate. Her severed head, wearing a look of disbelief and loathing, spat curses at Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk understood.

‘A mere beheading won’t annihilate them.’

At the sight of Dark King’s severed head, the Twelve Zodiac Kings all unleashed their energy at once.

BANG! BANG! KWA-ANG! KWANG!

Sword King’s chest lurched as he watched. The concentrated assault was so powerful he wondered if he should have gone to help.

When the dust settled, Geom Mugeuk came into view.

A white wall of energy stood before him.

Nine Calamities Demon Art — Third Form: Great Demon Wall.

With the Nine Calamities Demon Art at its completion, the Great Demon Wall could now be sized down to protect only himself.

Even though that attack was repelled, the melody swelled as if to tear eardrums. The tune cried out in agony: despite all this encouragement, why could they not prevail?

A fiercer aura poured from the eyes of the Twelve Zodiac Kings. It seemed they were about to exceed their limits and unleash an attack beyond anything before.

Yet Geom Mugeuk’s gaze remained composed.

“I want to keep fighting, but I cannot waste any more internal energy. I’ve confirmed well enough how strong I’ve become.”

Had his internal energy already drained? The two Demon Supremes, who understood the depths of Geom Mugeuk’s inner strength, exchanged glances. Had the Great Demon Wall demanded that much inner power?

That was not the reason.

Geom Mugeuk bid the Twelve Zodiac Kings farewell.

“At least for today, you are not to blame. You were only dragged to a place you should not have come. Now return to where you came from. You will never be made to come back again.”

Then he said something to the three standing behind him.

“Stand right behind me. I cannot yet manipulate it as finely as Father could, but at least I can emit forward. I have a feeling I can do it here without destroying this place.”

Turning his head, Geom Mugeuk added,

“If I fail to control the power, please take care of what comes after.”

Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s eyes widened in shock.

“What are you planning to do?”

Geom Mugeuk glanced at him with a faint grin, then thrust the Black Demon Sword forward.

Flash!

Nine Calamities Demon Art — Sixth Form: Heavenly Demon World Annihilation.

Light erupted from the Black Demon Sword.

The entire world turned white. The sun itself seemed to explode—yet the explosion came without sound.

Within that blinding light, their final images were revealed.

The Fist King’s arms, crossed in front of him to block the oncoming radiance, disintegrated first. His body followed, swallowed by the brilliance.

The Black Blade that Blade King swung carried the mark of a sun upon it—yet it vanished the moment it met the true sun’s radiance.

Killing King leaped to conceal himself, but there was nowhere to hide.

Dark King’s severed head and body, and even the shadows that lingered around her, melted away into the light.

Illusion King and Hwan Yeo vanished like lies unraveling within illusion itself. Battle King’s vengeance melted, and Blood King’s blood burned away. The device affixed to Iron King’s chest, which had threatened all their lives, also dissolved without a trace.

Even their souls—all of them—were extinguished.

Nothing remained there now.

Not a single blade of grass, not a fragment of stone. Not even an iron scrap of the bodies that had once been the Twelve Zodiac Kings. The music that had endlessly resounded came to a complete stop. The soul of the Sound King, too, was wholly annihilated.

The Nine Calamities Demon Art had reached Ten Star Greatness—its final form:

Heavenly Demon World Annihilation.

When the Heavenly Demon destroys the world, there can exist no being capable of survival.

In that instant, all the Twelve Zodiac Kings—save for Sword King and Flower King, Cha Iran, who had stood with Geom Mugeuk—were obliterated.

Confronted by this overwhelming display of martial power, the three who stood behind him could not utter a single word. Even the two Demon Supremes forgot to offer their respect toward the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

Geom Mugeuk gazed at the empty expanse with a deep, awestruck emotion.

‘I did it!’

He had succeeded in performing the completed Heavenly Demon World Annihilation without destroying the space formed by the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

The three standing behind him looked upon his back with eyes full of admiration and reverence—respect for the Nine Calamities Demon Art, and for Geom Mugeuk himself as a martial artist.

“They have returned to their own world.”

And so Geom Mugeuk drew upon the last trace of his internal energy—

“Let us return to ours.”

Snap.