A Disaster-Level Assassin Has Been Freed

Chapter 191: Sword Demon (5)

“……!”

Upon hearing the Beggar Old Man’s words, Harang quickly assumed a defensive stance.

He had suspected it was highly likely related to the village.

But to think it was a former Godok! A sense of crisis surged through his spine, and cold sweat began to form on his hands.

However, those feelings started to fade the more he reflected on the old man’s actions up to now.

‘If he wanted to kill me or force me into something, he had plenty of chances.’

From their first meeting in Commercial City Marzen until now, how many opportunities had the old man had to target him?

Probably too many to count on one hand.

Even if he attacked right now, Harang wasn’t confident he could fend him off. After all, the monster standing before him was the one who had forced the formidable Head of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall to retreat in a single clash.

‘Besides, the term “graduated” is strange.’

Who was a Godok?

A Godok was an existence created for the village’s needs. Just as a sword doesn’t retire, a Godok, raised as a tool, could only die or break, never “graduate”—that was Harang’s belief.

Sure enough, the Beggar Old Man pointed this out directly.

“You seem to have a lot of questions. Well, it’s only natural. The term ‘graduated’ is odd, and the fact that I’ve hidden my identity until now must be strange too….”

“Honestly, yes. I need a more detailed explanation.”

“…….”

“Is that not possible?”

“It’s time I told you. That’s partly why I came here. I hesitated before… but now I’ve made up my mind. I’ve decided to help you all. To take on the village.”

Hearing this, Harang let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

The fact that he wasn’t aligned with the village—

No, beyond that, the fact that he would act as an ally to the escaped Godoks was like rain in a drought. The joining of the Sword Demon, one of the two great calamities of the south, was news that would undoubtedly delight Hagio and Gael.

Of course, apart from that, Harang had many questions about the old man.

How had he escaped the village’s grasp?

What kind of organization was the village?

What connection did Black Hydra and Red Magician have with the village?

What was the organization opposing the village?

Was the village’s inaction due to that opposing group?

If not, why was the village doing nothing at all?

‘It’s so frustrating, I could burst.’

Fortunately, the Sword Demon didn’t drag things out.

Finding a suitable rock and plopping down on it, he glanced at the sky before fixing his gaze on Harang.

Soon, the story of the former Godok flowed from his lips.

“As I said before, I was a Godok. Like you all, I fought in a survival competition among hundreds of children, and as the last one standing, I survived.”

It was truly a horrific time.

Some died for disobedience.

Others for lacking talent.

Some died by mistake, others by betrayal or ambush.

The Sword Demon believed his survival was partly due to talent but mostly luck.

“But I was fortunate. Whether by luck or skill, the fact that I was the last one standing didn’t change. I became the sharp sword the village desired, and after being subjected to mental Restriction through Black Magic, I was deployed on various missions. Looking back, that was probably the most peaceful time. I didn’t even know my actions were wrong back then….”

“…….”

“I escaped the village because of a mission to assassinate a Sword Master in the western continent.”

It wasn’t that he refused the mission and fled. As he mentioned, the Sword Demon, under mental Restriction, had no choice but to follow orders.

Besides, he didn’t think it was entirely impossible. At the time, he was a skilled fighter on the verge of becoming a Master, and he believed that with the village’s assassination techniques honed to perfection, he had a decent chance.

But the ambush failed.

The Sword Demon fled from the Master’s numerous pursuers, only to fall off a cliff and sustain severe injuries.

And then…

“That changed my life completely.”

The massive shock broke the Black Magician’s Restriction.

When he first realized this, the Sword Demon felt joy as if he had gained the entire world.

How could he not?

From the age of 5 to 30—25 years of living in hell—he experienced “freedom” for the first time in his life.

He could eat what he wanted.

He could sleep as much as he desired.

He didn’t have to do things he didn’t want to do.

What was utterly ordinary to others was like a dream to the Sword Demon, and his happiness was indescribable.

But that feeling was fleeting.

The thought that the village’s elites might come for him plunged him back into fear.

Despite his formidable skills, capable of targeting a top-tier Sword Master, he knew the village had many even stronger than him.

“Perhaps life after that was even more painful than when I was with the village.”

The Sword Demon muttered with a bitter smile.

It was true.

To avoid the village’s eyes and surveillance, he went to great lengths.

He forcibly altered his appearance with the help of an unknown magician.

Fearing someone might recognize his habits or mannerisms, he lived each day as if he were dead. No, beyond that, he wandered the darkest corners of the slums’ back alleys.

Some might call it excessive, but for the Sword Demon, who knew the village’s terror, it was the only way to evade them. And so, that life piled up—1 year, 5 years, 10 years.

He began to reveal his presence little by little about 10 years ago, when he was 55 years old.

“I thought living like that was meaningless. My body had escaped the village, but my mind was still trapped in fear of it. That realization hit me suddenly.”

“…….”

“Instead of living a cowardly, anxious life, I decided to live as I wanted, even if just for one day. That was exactly 10 years ago.”

Of course, he didn’t do anything grand.

Already accustomed to eating little, sleeping little, and spending little, he continued his beggar lifestyle.

However, when helping those living harsh lives against their will, he occasionally wielded his true strength, earning the title of Sword Demon during that time.

“I made a few enemies along the way, including the Head of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall… Anyway, that’s how it was.”

“I have a question. You said that, unlike before, you’ve recently lived without fear of the village, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me this from the start, when you knew I was a Godok?”

“Because that wasn’t entirely true.”

“What?”

“I boasted that I was no longer afraid of the village, that I wouldn’t live under their shadow anymore… but truthfully, I was still scared. Scared that the village would drag my life back into the abyss.”

“…….”

“When I met you and a few other Godoks, I considered turning my back on the world and hiding again.”

But he couldn’t.

He simply couldn’t.

To carve out his own fate.

To protect the bonds he had formed.

Watching Harang strive his best despite his lacking skills and limited time for two years, the Sword Demon finally let go of his hesitation and chose to stand by him.

“Truthfully, I still don’t know much about them. How powerful the village’s organization is, why it was founded, why they train Godoks, or why they manipulate the world from the shadows. All I know is that it was created by those who follow the Ancient Assassin… Nothing else. That’s why it’s even scarier. But… I’ve made my decision now.”

The former Godok, the Sword Demon, stared at Harang with fierce eyes and said:

“I’ll help you. I won’t stand by while the village sacrifices young lives to fatten itself.”

“Elder…”

“I hope, despite my shortcomings… I can be of help to you, Harang.”

The Sword Demon’s smiling expression felt more relieved to Harang than ever before.

***

Even after the Sword Demon finished revealing his identity, the conversation continued.

There were still too many unanswered questions.

The village’s ultimate purpose remained unknown, but the Sword Demon clearly knew more than Harang.

“Black Hydra is a subordinate organization of the village. The upper ranks know they’re part of the village, but the lower ranks likely don’t. They’re disposable pawns.”

“Red Magician is probably in something like an alliance with them. They work together or part ways based on mutual benefit… I heard they had dealings a few times when I was with the village.”

“The Village’s General Manager—does he have brown eyes and a scar on his left cheek? I see… He was the General Manager even when I was competing for survival. He’s probably well over 100 years old now. But he’s not the village’s master. There’s someone else. Though, things might have changed by now.”

“The sun tattoo on the neck symbolizes the village’s headquarters. As I said, Hydra represents a subordinate organization… I heard there are two more organizations besides Hydra, but it wouldn’t be surprising if there are others I don’t know about.”

“I don’t know of any group opposing the village. An organization as powerful as the village yet unknown… I’m curious too. What’s certain is that the village isn’t leaving escaped Godoks alone because of them.”

“It’s not exact, but… I heard something about the reason for training Godoks not being just to create useful tools but being tied to the very reason the village was formed… It’s too long ago, so I don’t remember clearly.”

Hearing this, Harang nodded and said:

“I see. Thank you… You said you don’t know why the village was formed or what their intentions are?”

“As I said, I don’t know much. I was just a tool to them… To them, I was nothing more or less than a sharp blade. Though things are a bit different now.”

A hint of pride was evident in the Sword Demon’s expression as he spoke. Though he still feared the village, he was confident he wouldn’t go down as helplessly as he did during his Godok days.

‘And rightfully so. He’s among the top-tier Sword Masters.’

Harang nodded.

He felt good.

Not only had he gained tremendous information thanks to the Sword Demon, but his strength would undoubtedly be a great asset in the battles ahead.

Of course, he couldn’t rely solely on that.

‘The most important thing is that I need to get stronger.’

It was true even now.

What would have happened if the Sword Demon hadn’t appeared?

He might have been forced to join the Seton Swordsmanship Hall or suffered a humiliating defeat. That would have been a future as bad as being re-enslaved by the village.

‘Though it wouldn’t have been 100% certain.’

Harang clenched his fist tightly.

A fiery surge of Aura stirred within him.

The energy born from his inner rage.

He was certain. The moment it awakened, he could break through the wall and reach the realm of a Master.

With this thought, Harang looked at the Sword Demon with intense eyes and said:

“Elder.”

“Speak.”

“I request a spar.”

“…….”

“If possible, with the intensity of a life-or-death duel.”

Yes.

That was the answer.

A fight so precarious that his life was at stake could ignite his inner rage and break the wall. No, it wasn’t just a possibility—he was certain it would. With a fierce smile, Harang asked the Sword Demon again:

“Please, Elder.”

“Hm… I refuse.”

“…?”

But the Sword Demon’s response defied Harang’s expectations.

Looking directly at the black-haired youth, the old man spoke again:

“The rage within your heart… Using it as fuel to surpass the wall—I don’t recommend it.”