Chapter 34
It’s going to explode.
The meticulously accumulated demonic energy began to violently surge.
Unlike earlier, when he was struck before he could properly unleash his strength, this time he had driven in a fully sufficient amount of energy.
The thin strands of demonic energy became both a line and a passage.
Dense, substantial demonic energy moved along that channel.
It was a deadly phenomenon.
When internal energy reached a certain density, it would no longer compress further—it would maintain its volume and travel through the monster’s body.
There was no way its meridians, through which qi flowed, nor its blood vessels, could withstand that.
They tore and burst.
The monster doubled over, unable to even scream from the mind-numbing agony.
Its knees hit the ground, its back bent, and its hands braced against the earth.
Hack! Hack!
As it coughed up blood, Cheon Mujin steadied his ragged breathing and widened the distance between them.
Still far from enough.
How troublesome that it took this much effort just to handle a dragon-class monster.
Suppressing the throbbing pain in his body, Mujin clenched his fists again.
He had inflicted a mortal wound—that much was certain.
Even a dragon-class monster would normally be barely able to move after this much damage.
However—
The tainted qi is fluctuating.
Those who harbored a mixed essence were different.
It was a power so unnaturally strong that you could never let your guard down.
“Lord! Can you still move?”
“Of course!”
“Then get ready—we should start running…”
Just as Mujin was about to execute his best escape plan, he turned his head at a strange sensation.
The monster had stopped coughing blood and was staring right at him.
In its eyes, death’s shadow flickered faintly.
It was at that moment Mujin found himself wondering:
Why?
From just this much damage?
The reason a high-level expert needed to fight dragon-class and above monsters was simple:
You needed that much power to pierce their durability and regenerative ability.
The attack Mujin had just unleashed was indeed deadly, but a dragon-class monster should be able to recover from it.
Unless… it was one with abnormally poor regeneration.
Ha.
A thought crossed his mind, and Mujin let out a dry laugh.
That’s right. Something had felt off.
It was strange that there was a dragon-class monster in this demonic land that he didn’t know about.
He’d brushed it off thinking, Well, it’s the past—maybe it existed then.
“You never planned to keep this one alive for long, huh?”
Insane bastards.
Treating a dragon-class monster as nothing more than a disposable tool.
Even if this one was on the weaker end, it still possessed the power to be classified as dragon-class.
No—
They must have sacrificed its life force for power, thinking it wouldn’t live long anyway.
If the monster had traded its life force for strength, then that looming shadow of death made perfect sense.
Moreover—
“This changes things.”
If the enemy had such a critical flaw, there was no need to run.
In fact, running would be a mistake.
This was the perfect chance to eliminate a dragon-class threat for good.
“Mujin! What are you doing?!”
Lord Mupung frowned at the sight of Mujin not moving when it was time to retreat.
“Let’s finish it here.”
“What are you babbling about, you lunatic?!”
Mujin burst into laughter at Mupung’s harsh reply.
Some things never changed.
“This thing isn’t regenerating. We can kill it.”
“With that body?”
“More than enough.”
“Enough my ass, you insane fool.”
Several ribs broken, internal energy nearly depleted, his breathing uneven, and his stance slightly off—
From these alone, Mupung could tell Mujin’s condition.
“Stop talking nonsense and get out now. No matter how much of a monster you are, some things just aren’t possible.”
“Nonsense? That’s a bit hurtful.”
Mujin chuckled, rolling his shoulders to loosen up.
“Alright then—if I kill this thing, what will you give me?”
“Hah? Fine. You can have the Mupung Squad.”
“Now that’s an enticing offer.”
Mujin smirked and settled into his stance.
“You madman!”
Mupung’s face twisted with anger as he realized Mujin was set on a decisive battle with the dragon-class monster.
Just as Mupung took a step to drag him out—
Hwaak!
A cold shiver swept through his entire body, halting his movement.
This wasn’t killing intent—no, it was something more.
It was like—
When I stepped into the Heavenly Demon’s battlefield…
The closest memory in Mupung’s mind was the sight of the Heavenly Demon’s back.
And then—
Kurooooorrr!
The monster let out a menacing roar. Mujin, standing before it, swung his fist.
The monster urgently dodged—it had never avoided so blatantly before.
“You’re scared, huh?”
Kyurororor!
As if understanding the provocation, the monster charged at Mujin in fury.
Its massive frame rushing toward him was fearsome, but Mujin’s grin only deepened.
“Having trouble? You’ve gotten a lot slower.”
He sidestepped the claws and exhaled sharply.
The demonic energy flowing through his body was stimulating his muscles.
Even a body at the pinnacle of first-rate martial skill couldn’t fully handle the intense stimulation.
But this over-activation brought Mujin something new—
Pak!
Power and speed.
His fist slammed into the monster’s solar plexus.
Cough! Cough!
Crying sounds came from behind, but Mujin ignored them.
He had no room to worry about others now.
Kyuro!
He avoided the next strike, though—
Shwaaak!
—he couldn’t avoid the spray of blood.
He dodged only the fatal spots.
Splitting skin and flesh was fine.
Pak!
His fists were breaking its bones.
Snapping the monster’s ribs, Mujin swung again.
There was no time to catch his breath.
He pressed harder—
A drawn-out fight would be fatal for him.
He would end it now.
The force radiating from Mujin’s body took form—
A massive, muscle-bound figure laughing.
Pak!
At last, the monster’s arm snapped.
Unable to withstand the force of Mujin’s punch, one arm broke.
It roared and swung the other.
Wounds accumulated quickly on Mujin’s body, but he didn’t stop.
If even a small opening appeared, he drove his fist into it.
The strikes weren’t numerous, but each one steadily dismantled the monster’s body.
How much time had passed?
Or rather—
…Ha.
Mupung let out a dry laugh as he came to his senses.
The shock from Mujin’s unbelievable assault had lasted only a moment.
Not even half a gak (about 8 minutes) had passed.
Kyuroror…
“Huff… huff… huff…”
“…Unbelievable.”
The dragon-class monster’s head was gripped firmly in Mujin’s hand.
“Mujiiiin!!”
A desperate voice pulled Mupung’s gaze away.
Those guys?
Mujin’s Thirteenth Squadron—
They had collapsed from exhaustion and injury after holding back other monsters, so why were they here?
The thought barely formed when—
“You think we’d let you die alo—huh?”
Baek-woo, who had been running over full of rage and passion, slowed as he registered the scene, frowning.
“Uh… what?”
“…Didn’t you say it was dragon-class?”
Yoo Hyun-hwa and Do Woo-jin’s confused voices followed.
“Perfect timing.”
Mujin’s amused voice came from ahead.
Without turning his head, he slowly raised his right hand.
“I’ll leave the rear to you.”
In that instant, cold sweat ran down the spines of everyone watching.
Fear.
The primal instinct screaming Do not approach.
Before their minds could even register the source of that fear, Mujin’s fist moved.
Unlike before, this one made an almost muted, low thud—
—and obliterated the monster’s head completely.
Thoroughly.
Erasing any trace of its shape.
“…Call a medic.”
Then Mujin collapsed forward.
“You’re insane. Completely insane.”
“Haha, thanks for the compliment.”
“It’s not a compliment. How can a person abuse their body like this?”
The elder physician shook his head, speechless.
At the same time, he lowered his sleeves to hide the goosebumps on his arms.
Mujin’s joints and muscles were in utter ruin—
as if they had been wrung dry by an overwhelming force.
Conversely, this also meant that the process of returning those wrung-out muscles to normal had itself generated intense power.
How was that even possible? Could a human do this while sane?
Most people would clutch their leg and writhe just from a muscle cramp.
Even in the lifelong experience of a martial physician, this was incomprehensible.
Giving up on understanding, the doctor did everything possible to treat Mujin, then left.
“I’ve never seen that old man so appalled.”
Mupung, who had entered just before the doctor left, chuckled and sat beside Mujin.
“You’ve been out for three days, yet your eyes look perfectly clear.”
“I’m not the type to moan over a bit of pain. Anyway—how’s the rear?”
“The Mupung Squad has been recalled, and the monster’s carcass was dismantled and sent to the main base.”
“Good. Then I can just rest easy now.”
“Hmm… not exactly.”
“…What?”
“There’s an investigation into the slaying of a dragon-class monster. Orders are for the one who did it to return to the main base.”
“Ah.”
Mujin’s face was full of annoyance, making Mupung laugh.
“Unfortunately, looks like I can’t keep my promise.”
“Cheon Mujin.”
“Yes, Father.”
In the Heavenly Demon’s audience hall—
Barely able to stand, Mujin still held himself proudly before the Heavenly Demon.
Even Mupung, kneeling and bowing beside him, was startled by his confidence.
Despite his injuries, Mujin met the Heavenly Demon’s presence head-on without flinching.
“Take this.”
Instead of scolding him, the Heavenly Demon tossed him something—
a round, bead-like object.
“It’s the inner core of the dragon-class you killed.”
“Thank you.”
Mujin bowed briefly in gratitude.
It was exactly the kind of item he needed right now, and he had been hoping for it—he hadn’t expected to receive it so soon.
“Judging by your attitude, I assume you really did kill it.”
“Yes. Why would I lie about something like that?”
“Hmm.”
After a brief look, the Heavenly Demon turned and sat on the Taishi chair.
“You’ve earned merit, so you deserve a reward. If you wish, I’ll release you from frontline duty.”
“You mean discharge me?”
“That’s right.”
Mupung, still bowing, nodded slightly—
It was a reasonable reward.
Given Mujin’s circumstances, being stuck on the front lines was hardly ideal.
The only benefit there was live combat experience, which Mujin clearly didn’t lack.
It made far more sense for him to return to the main base for political activity.
The prestige of slaying a dragon-class monster, coupled with his leap in strength, would win over many hearts.
Even if his younger brother was a prodigy, the advantage of being the eldest son, combined with such an astonishing transformation, would sway many demonic sect members.
If he aimed for the next Heavenly Demon seat, this path was far more—
“No need for discharge. Give me something else.”
“Reason?”
“I made a bet with Lord Mupung here. If I killed a dragon-class, he’d give me the Mupung Squad.”
Mujin smiled and glanced at Mupung.
“Gotta keep your word, right?”
“That’s…”
“Of course, the Mupung Squad still has about twenty years of frontline service left.”
Mujin smiled leisurely and looked back at the Heavenly Demon.
“When I earn the merit to discharge the Mupung Squad, I’ll leave with them. So for this reward—give me something else.”
