The Heavenly Demon Left No Martial Arts Behind

Chapter 4: It Wasn’t What I Expected

Yu Gyeongseong's eyes snapped open.

What caught his vision was... the ceiling.

Ah, had he fallen asleep?

"......"

At least he remembered what happened last night.

His abrupt awakening. And then the unexpected encounter with the Six Demons.

Their attitude so far had been incredibly friendly. Far more so than he had expected.

They had told him there would be plenty of time to talk later and that he should rest first, and had brought him to this place.

He'd agreed with that. His body wasn't the problem... his soul felt exhausted.

So he lay down... and fell straight to sleep.

'...Why did I wake up?'

He was definitely still tired. It feels like his soul is begging for more rest, and a heavy drowsiness is trying to pull him back under.

And yet sleep had fled.

'....'

He felt like he'd been dreaming. He felt that something had been agonizing.

But he couldn't remember it.

Rustle.

Yu Gyeongseong sat up. He sat there in a daze for a while... Then something rang out inside his head.

An inner voice, one that sounded as if his soul itself were speaking.

"...I need to find it?"

Find what?

What a desperate feeling.

He knew it instinctively.

That there was something important to him. Something he absolutely had to find.

Hmm...

'A woman?'

Did I have a woman?

That's when Yu Gyeongseong turned his gaze.

He'd caught the presence of someone stealthily approaching.

'Is that what woke me up?'

The door opened slowly without a sound.

And a figure entered the room. A woman.

Her eyes scanned the interior, then met directly with Yu Gyeongseong's, who sat there silently watching without a hint of presence.

“Oh, you were awake!”

She seemed startled for a moment, but then the woman approached in a single stride. Her whole attitude radiated goodwill.

'Was I close with her?'

As he stared at her intently, she spoke.

“You’ve lost your memories... so you don’t recognize me, do you?”

"Mm..."

Her eyes started to well up with tears as she looked at him.

The anguish was easy to feel.

"Didn't you say that even if you forgot everything else, you'd remember me?"

Tears welled up in her big eyes, making them sparkle. They looked like they were about to spill over.

"I'm your woman."

She looked at him with so much affection. So much so that he found himself looking right back into her eyes.

Her pupils got deeper, like they were trying to suck out his soul.

"Look at me."

Her skin was like jade, and her beautiful eyes glittered like pearls. She had a sharp nose, and her lips were enchanting, moving sweetly as if whispering honeyed words.

A fair-skinned, blue-eyed foreign beauty.

A feeling of nostalgia welled inside him.

Yu Gyeongseong opened his mouth.

“So... you were my woman.”

The beauty smiled brightly as if overjoyed.

But her hidden thoughts underneath were different.

‘Heh. It worked perfectly.’

This was the power of the Illusion Demon Clan's supreme technique, the Spirit Illusion Formula. Although her level couldn't compare to her Clan Lord’s level, this level was more than enough to pull off something like this.

Those assholes from the Crushing, Rock, and Flying Demon clans are always mocking us for lacking martial prowess. Those idiots are nothing but muscles for brains. They only run their mouths like that because we don't use our illusions on our own people, so they have no idea how scary we are. Back when the enemies’ forces swarmed to the Tianshan Mountain Ranges, it was the Illusion Demon Clan that dealt them the greatest blow.

Isn't it crystal clear right now! How superior we are. I can attack someone without them even knowing it's happening. And of course, that means they can't attack me back. How perfect is this!

Her smile deepened to match her inner thoughts.

Her lips whispered words of love.

Those eyes filled with nothing but tenderness.

“Did you miss me this much? Have you been searching all this time for me?”

"Right. I did."

The beauty's lips hovered right in front of Yu Gyeongseong's mouth. Her heated passion felt like it was playing with his breath, wrapping around him.

"It's dangerous here."

"It's dangerous here."

“Everyone else is going to try and trick you.”

Everyone else is going to try and trick me."

"You can only trust me."

"I'll only trust you."

Her hand gently touches Yu Gyeongseong's chest.

"Rest now. I'll be back soon."

The woman stood up. She looked down at Yu Gyeongseong sitting there in a daze and smiled sweetly. Then she left as quietly as she'd entered.

Her steps were as light as her pleased heart. She'd come following the Illusion Demon's orders, after all.

[That fool lost his memory, so a soul-seduction spell should work easily. You must succeed.]

'The Clan Lord will be pleased!'

She had to fight the urge to run straight back to the Illusion Demon Hall to report her success.

***

Yu Gyeongseong sat perched on the bed just like before.

With cold, detached eyes.

And right in front of him, the smiling beauty was walking in a little circle. Over and over and over again.

***

"He wants to see us?"

Early morning. The Six Demons gathered at one building in the main hall in a rush.

They'd planned to meet him first thing in the morning anyway, as they had not been able to have a proper conversation after encountering him.

[There will be plenty of time to talk later. For now, you should rest.]

That wasn't just out of consideration for someone who'd just awakened after inheriting the Great Law. After all that chaos last night, they’d finally gotten a look at him. And honestly… after meeting him, none of them felt much like talking anymore.

The Six Demons were certain at the time that they were all of one mind about this.

The ritual to inherit the Great Law seemed to have succeeded, judging by how he'd been hiding himself from their notice.

But... his condition was different from what they'd expected.

"......"

The Cult Leader had said he would lose all his memories once the Great Law was inherited, and that certainly seemed to be the case.

But that wasn't all the Cult Leader had mentioned.

Didn't he say he'd be reborn? Like a baby.

[This ritual borrows the power of the sacred fire to forge a being anew. To create the purest soul in the world.]

"......"

And because of that, they believed they were the ones who had to guide him onto the proper path.

But...

The man who had revealed himself as soon as the Life Demon pinpointed his location.

That look in his eyes when he gazed at them.

He seemed to have the mind of a full-grown adult.

It was just his memories that were gone.

Why?

Why was that?

They needed time to process this.

***

Sitting in his seat, Flying Demon looked at the other Clan Lords who'd all gathered as if on cue and thought.

‘This might be a blessing in disguise…’

Look at us now. We’re all moving together like we're a single unit, with no one trying to pull a fast one.

What if he'd really awakened like a baby...?

Wouldn't he have been completely swayed by that guard? After that, it would have been a problem if he had fallen into the hands of the Mind Demon, and a problem even if he had not.

‘And I was so sure I would be the one to get my hands on him…’

He couldn't help but curse himself for being so overconfident.

***

With everyone lost in their own thoughts, the room with six people was quiet.

It was then that a voice was heard from outside the door.

"Squad Leader Yu has arrived."

Yu Gyeongseong was escorted into the room where the Six Demons were already waiting.

In contrast to their complex inner thoughts, the assembly greeted him with bright faces.

"Did you rest well?"

"Was the bed comfortable?"

“You should have slept in longer.”

Yu Gyeongseong looked at them and gave a small nod.

“I slept very well, thank you. I feel a lot better than I did yesterday.”

"Sit down quickly. It's a bit early, but let's have breakfast together."

Yu Gyeongseong sat down in silence and began to think.

Every single one had bright faces. Even Flying Demon with his sharp features and Rock Demon with his rugged appearance were the same. So what he easily felt from their attitude was goodwill.

‘Were we friends or something?’

He mentally shook his head.

That couldn't be.

They were the highest beings in this Heavenly Demon Divine Cult aside from the Cult Leader.

Guys like that, chummy with some random squad leader? Maybe he knew one or two of them somehow… but being close with all of them? That was just impossible.

Which meant there had to be a very good reason they were acting so nice.

***

Since Yu Gyeongseong just sat there quietly, things got a little awkward. Crushing Demon opened his mouth as if to lighten the atmosphere.

"So, anything coming back to you?"

"Nothing at all."

The other Clan Lords watched silently.

Then Yu Gyeongseong asked a question.

He'd already overheard it, but since it was a fundamental issue, he needed to confirm it again.

"I heard I inherited a Great Law. What kind of art is it?”

“It’s the Great Law that makes the strongest warrior in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

“And you’re supposed to lose your memory when you get it?”

"That's right."

He felt that a small lie was mixed in with the truth of their words. But their mouths didn't open any further.

“So I took the Great Law… even knowing that would happen?”

“We don’t know if you knew or not.”

Yu Gyeongseong's eyes gleamed inwardly.

He confirmed something with this question and answer session.

These people didn't know about the Grand Grotto Mystic Mantra engraved in his head.

Right now, the Six Demons didn't know about his ability to distinguish truth from lies.

Then who on earth secretly gave this to him?

The Cult Leader?

“…I was told that the Six Demon Clans have started a rebellion.”

Then Mind Demon responded. "That guard said that? A rebellion?"

It was a natural reaction, as if he were dumbfounded.

But Yu Gyeongseong's perspective on that was a bit different.

‘He’s dodging the question.’

For the Grand Grotto Mystic Mantra to work, it needs a straight answer, not another question.

Crushing Demon picked up the conversation.

"Why would we start a rebellion? We're essentially everything that is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."

The way he said it felt... natural. Not like he was bragging, but like he was stating a simple fact.

Just as he was about to ask what exactly happened to the guards and what happened to the Cult Leader, Illusion Demon smoothly changed the subject. But since the topic was one that he couldn’t ignore, he let him be.

“You know, performing the ritual wasn’t easy. All six of our clans had to give up our own sacred treasures for it.”

“Sacred treasures?”

"Right. Well, creating the strongest warrior isn't easy, is it?"

"......"

Yu Gyeongseong closed his mouth.

Somehow, he felt he knew what Illusion Demon was trying to say. He was saying they all had a piece of him now.

Then the Flying Demon cut in.

"That dead guard, that was your doing, was it not?”

"Correct."

“Why did you do it?”

He had sharp eyes.

Right, that's just how his eyes looked. But the point he focused on from the start matched that face perfectly.

It was a tough question. He couldn't say he'd discerned the guard was lying to him.

“...Something about his attitude seemed off.”

"Hmm... In what way?"

"He seemed to be hiding something. The things he said were also somewhat contradictory.”

"......"

As he did not speak in specifics, it seemed their doubts were not dispelled. Indeed, they were probably wondering if it was truly possible for someone in his state—having suddenly regained consciousness but lost all his memories—to make such a judgment.
And so, he added to his story.

"He said I had undergone a ritual to create the Cult's strongest warrior, but that our own cult members are trying to kill me. And then he says I have to trust only him and run away immediately… I mean... wouldn't it be weirder if I hadn't been suspicious?”

Of course, the guard hadn't mentioned what kind of ritual Yu Gyeongseong received. But the Six Demons didn't know that. So it was an excuse he could use.

As intended, they seemed to think it made sense.

And in this moment, the Six Demons thought.

This one… is not to be taken lightly. Wasn't the very first question he asked us what kind of Great Law he'd received? But listening to him now, seems he'd already heard it from the guard.

'....'

They understood now.

This man was doubting everyone right now. Including them, the Clan Lords.

***

Yu Gyeongseong continued questioning.

"What kind of organization is the Law Enforcement Hall?"

“Well, people are people. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has over ten thousand members. You need a group to figure out who's right and who's wrong, and to judge crimes when they happen. That's the Law Enforcement Hall. It's basically like a government office."

"Then what was I like?"

“Hmm... you were one of a kind. I’d say you were pretty different from everyone else on the Law Enforcement Hall personnel."

"In what way?"

“Most of our members are just regular people who don’t know any martial arts. Fights between warriors happen, but you also get a lot of trouble between warriors and civilians. And when that happens, it’s not easy for the regular person to get a fair judgment.”

Feeling like more explanation was needed, the quiet Flying Demon spoke up.

“There’s a saying: ‘The fist is closer than the law.’”

Yu Gyeongseong nodded as if understanding.

"They fear retaliation?"

“You got it. And there's a fundamental problem too. Think about it. Would it be easy for an ordinary Law Enforcement Hall personnel to properly punish the Cult's warriors? Oh, by the way, the Law Enforcement Hall doesn't have higher martial authority than the elite combat units."

Yu Gyeongseong is starting to get the picture.

What happens if they try to make an arrest, and the warrior who committed the crime just refuses to comply? And what if he returned without being detained and retaliated against the civilian who reported him? And what if this is the reality that the civilians have experienced time and again?

"That's not easy."

"Indeed. But you stood out in such a Law Enforcement Hall, so that's impressive."

"......"

Did they take his silence as wanting to hear more about himself?

The Clan Lords began speaking one after another.

"Truth is, the Law Enforcement Hall's work isn't easy. Just proving a crime happened is hard enough and the criminals obviously would to cover their tracks. You can be suspicious all you want, but finding hard evidence is tough.”

“But you were the youngest squad leader they ever had. You got incredible results even at that age.”

"You applied the same standard to both warriors and ordinary people. Or rather, should I say you applied even harsher standards to warriors? You'd sink your teeth into a case and wouldn't let go until the guy was behind bars.”

"Because of you, quite a few of our kids have visited the prison. There are quite a few who grit their teeth at the sight of you."

"So how could we not know you?"

Yu Gyeongseong listened quietly.

Of course, hearing it didn't revive any memories.

But...

Was this feeling a side effect of learning something about himself?

He'd thought his current self was changed by the ritual... But apparently, he wasn't too stupid before either. He must have been pretty sharp if he was going around solving crimes and catching. And they said he was really good at it, too.

"......"

He had no memories, but it felt like his previous self hadn't completely disappeared. And for some reason, that was a huge relief.

Then a sudden question arose.

Did his previous self do well at Law Enforcement Hall work simply because he had innate talent?

Or was it luck? Or because he worked hard?

[Truth is, the Law Enforcement Hall's work isn't easy. Just proving a crime happened is hard enough and the criminals obviously would try to cover their tracks. You can be suspicious all you want, but finding hard evidence is tough.]

His previous self do difficult work well from a young age?

"......"

The one thing that's burned into my mind right now.

The Grand Grotto Mystic Mantra.

How long has this thing been in my head?

***

After a moment of silence, they must have figured they were done talking.

"We skipped over the most important question."

The owner of that voice was Rock Demon, who'd been leaning back leisurely in his chair. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the table. And then he asked.

“Why do you think we performed the Grand Art in the first place?”

Yu Gyeongseong got what he was really asking right away.

Why exactly does Heavenly Demon Divine Cult even need an ultimate warrior?

And at the same time, he captured a piece of information from that sudden change.

The Rock Demon’s left hand, which he’d just put on the table.

'...Missing?'

His fingers weren’t there.

They’d been chopped off, clean from the middle knuckles.

In Yu Gyeongseong's mind, he saw Rock Demon's fist lifted up.

A large, thick hand spread wide. If you drew a line across the stubs of his fingers, it would be perfectly straight.

'Who on earth...'

What he felt from the Rock Demon was one of absolute invulnerability.

No weapon, no martial art should be able to leave a mark on him. So, who on earth could cut off the fingers of someone with such durability in one strike?

Under the Clan Lords' gaze, Yu Gyeongseong's mouth quietly opened.

"Who did that to your hand?"

Rock Demon's expression seemed to form something of a smile. Maybe he was impressed by Yu Gyeongseong’s perception.

His heavy voice echoed through the room.

“The Sword God has returned.”