The World's Greatest is Dead

The space Freak Demon had prepared was nothing impressive.

Partly because it had been thrown together in a hurry, and partly because we had people chasing us, so there had not been much time.

It was just a hut of uncertain age.

That was about all there was to its appearance.

Sssss—

As I stepped inside, a strange sign brushed against me.

A formation?

It seemed Freak Demon had done something in that short span.

He really was capable.

Creeeak.

I opened the hut and went inside. Surprisingly, there was a table and chairs.

They were old, but they looked sturdy enough to sit on.

I took a seat there, and not long afterward, Mi Yeonhwa followed me in. As expected, she had come.

“Sit.”

“......”

Mi Yeonhwa glared at me, but she obeyed. I had already released my control over the demonic qi.

“......What are you trying to say?”

“You don’t want to sit?”

“Answer me.”

“Then don’t sit.”

I had no intention of pressing her that hard. I stared straight at her and said,

“What I have to say is the same as before. Why do you follow the Little Heavenly Demon? I asked whether you have a reason for following that fake.”

“How dare you......! The Young Cult Leader is no fake. Watch your tongue.”

“That’s funny. Aren’t you following me because you aren’t certain of that yourself?”

“Bullshit. I only came to see what sort of cheap trick you’re trying to pull.”

Her words sounded polished enough.

Her eyes, unlike her words, were trembling.

“A cheap trick.”

In other words, the crack had already been opened.

Then breaking it would not be difficult.

Sssrk.

I pushed up my hair. The hair that had turned black came faintly into view.

What about my eyes? Were the red eyes that marked the Heaven-Slaying Star showing?

They probably were. That had to be why Mi Yeonhwa was reacting like that.

Strange. To think manifesting demonic qi could produce this sort of effect.

No. It probably doesn’t end at simply manifesting demonic qi.

Where this demonic qi came from was what mattered, and mine came from the Heavenly Demon.

The former Heavenly Demon.

In other words, it was his demonic qi.

“What part of this is a cheap trick? Does even my appearance, even the qualification I possess, look like a cheap trick to you?”

“......You.”

“We’ve already met once. That night. Didn’t you meet me then?”

“That night......?”

Mi Yeonhwa’s eyes widened as she frowned. It seemed she understood what I was talking about.

“Don’t tell me—”

“The Little Heavenly Demon’s reaction was quite amusing. He must know too.”

There was no way he did not.

“That he himself is a fake.”

“......More bullshit......!”

Mi Yeonhwa’s face twisted. The broken expression on her face was impressive. But there was one thing different from before.

At the very least, her aggressive attitude had loosened a little.

“Do you intend to keep spouting nonsense at me?”

“Does it sound like nonsense?”

“It is nonsense. Do not insult Sky in front of me. I’ll tear your mouth open right—”

“......Child.”

Mi Yeonhwa’s movement stiffened at the voice that cut in.

Freak Demon’s index and middle fingers were touching the edge of her throat.

“Do not wag your tongue so carelessly. Would you quiet down if I tore out your windpipe?”

“......Freak Demon......”

Mi Yeonhwa seemed to know Freak Demon’s identity too, judging by how tense she became. Oh. Lord Freak Demon was strong.

As expected.

Was this what it meant for one of the Eight Demons who had served under the former Heavenly Demon to be different from the moment he appeared? Freak Demon had been bowing to me so much that it was easy to forget, but that being was an absolute master from the start.

He was a master not even a Lesser Moon Unit leader could afford to treat lightly.

I continued speaking as I looked at Mi Yeonhwa.

Without bothering to stop Freak Demon.

“It’s strange. An orthodox-faction figure became a Demonic Cultist, and on top of that, continued to operate without being discovered. I wonder what sort of circumstances there were.”

“......”

Mi Yeonhwa did not answer. It did not matter. I had not said it because I expected an answer anyway.

“Ah, you don’t have to answer. I’m not especially curious. That isn’t what I’m curious about right now.”

“......What......”

“Are you going to keep following the Little Heavenly Demon?”

“What......?”

“I’m asking why you would keep following that fake.”

“Ha.”

Mi Yeonhwa let out a hollow laugh at my words.

“I was wondering what nonsense you were getting at....... Are you telling me to betray Sky?”

“You understand quickly. You’re smarter than I thought.”

“You insane—!”

BANG!

Mi Yeonhwa’s words cut off as her head slammed into the table. Freak Demon had grabbed her and driven her down into it.

“......Whoa.”

That was violent. I was startled despite myself.

The veins were standing out all over Freak Demon’s hand.

“O Sky.”

“Yes.”

“May I tear open this vile creature’s mouth?”

“......No. Calm down. The conversation isn’t finished yet.”

“......Understood.”

“Ghk......”

Mi Yeonhwa trembled. She tried to rise with force, but it seemed impossible while she was suppressed.

“......Freak Demon....... I knew you had slipped out from beneath Sky’s eye, but to think you would go so far as betrayal. Do you not even have pride as a Demonic Cultist?”

“Pride? What an amusing word.”

A smile surfaced on Freak Demon’s face. It was an ominous smile, enough to make the skin crawl.

“Child. The pride of Demonic Cultists disappeared when the former Sky passed away. Only now has it risen again. Do you truly think there is anything more ignorant and stupid than someone without qualification ascending that seat?”

“......Qualification? Then do you truly believe that thing, whatever it is, is suited to be the Heavenly Demon?”

“Then what more is needed? Look clearly.”

Crrrk. Freak Demon grabbed Mi Yeonhwa by the hair and forced her head up.

He made her meet my eyes.

“If the one before you lacks qualification, then what qualification does that fool you made your Sky possess?”

“......”

Mi Yeonhwa’s eyes turned toward me. Looking at me, they trembled even more.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword was probably the biggest problem.

I’m grateful he’s talking me up, but.

I had no idea whether it would help right now.

“Freak Demon. Let her go.”

“But—”

“That is an order.”

“......Understood.”

Fssshk. Freak Demon released Mi Yeonhwa from his grip. Only then did Mi Yeonhwa cough raggedly.

Her glare at me remained unchanged.

But she did not refute me or counterattack.

“Mi Yeonhwa.”

“......What?”

“If you want to keep clinging to that man and propping him up, then do it. You don’t have to go out of your way to betray him.”

“What......?”

“I don’t particularly intend to kill you either. You aren’t that important.”

That was a lie. Now that she had been discovered, I needed to kill her. But I had to give her an escape route. Only then could I block off her breathing room.

“Demonic Cultists can’t betray because of demonic qi. It’s the disgusting thing your Little Heavenly Demon did.”

“You know that, and yet you’re urging me to betray him?”

“I’m saying it because there is a way to resolve that. Can’t you tell from Freak Demon’s state?”

“......!”

Mi Yeonhwa’s eyes widened at my words. It seemed she had only just noticed. Just how absurd Freak Demon’s betrayal was.

And besides.

She was not someone who moved purely out of loyalty. Her loyalty toward the Little Heavenly Demon was not that deep. If I had to put it another way—

She follows some value or conviction. She isn’t the type of person who follows a man.

That was why she was shaken by the claim that I had qualification.

“So I’ll give you time to judge.”

“......Time to judge?”

“My Demonic Cult or his Demonic Cult. Decide which of the two draws you more.”

“Ha. Are you saying I may report you to Sky in the meantime?”

“Do that. Do you think anything will change if you do?”

It would change. It would change a fucking lot. If things went wrong, it would be dangerous, but I had to throw this out as a gamble.

“The time has already passed.”

It had not passed.

“The choice is yours, Mi Yeonhwa. Among the other Eight Demons, I came to find you first. Remember what meaning that has.”

“......”

“Freak Demon.”

“Yes.”

“Send her out. Too much time has passed.”

“......Understood.”

“Khak!”

Whooosh! Mi Yeonhwa let out a shocked breath as she was flung away. It was a light gesture from Freak Demon’s hand.

Can there really be this much of a difference?

The sight of her flying away, unable to withstand it, was almost funny. Watching that, I rose as well. Outside, Mi Yeonhwa was lifting herself up with her face ruined.

I looked at her and passed by as if nothing had happened.

“When you make up your mind, send word however you like.”

“......”

I left her behind and moved on. Even then, Mi Yeonhwa showed me no reaction at all.

This is terrifying.

I acted calm, but I could not hide how tense I was. Concealing the cold sweat running down me, I moved my feet as well.

*****

Only after I arrived at my residence did I finally let out the breath I had been holding. The unit leader guarding me only found me when I was about to enter the main Alliance headquarters.

“Where have you been......?”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to take a walk in the middle of the night.”

“And you hid yourself to do that?”

“I needed some time alone.”

The unit leader looked as though he could not understand me at all. More than the fact that I had hidden, he seemed curious about how I had hidden.

Well, I had shaken off the energy sense of a unit leader who was also an absolute master, so I supposed it was only natural that he found it strange.

Looks like his pride won’t let him ask.

It seemed losing track of someone barely past twenty had gotten under his skin a little.

Thanks to that, he did not ask me anything more.

Of course he did not.

“What in the world have you been doing?”

Because his superior was Thousand-Mile Divine Eye. As soon as he heard about it, he summoned me in the morning.

“......A night walk?”

“A night walk, you say?”

“I had a lot to think about.”

Thousand-Mile Divine Eye did not seem to believe me. Of course he did not. I would not have believed me either.

But there was no evidence, so he could not press me.

“......Keep quiet. Many eyes are on you.”

“Yes. I only took a quiet walk.”

“......Haa.”

There was a great deal revealed in the face he made as he sighed. I ignored that too.

“Enough. Since you caused it, I assume you have already handled it properly. We will leave that aside. I’ll tell you what has been prepared. You know the Assembly Hall is opening, yes?”

“I know.”

“You have two choices.”

“I’m listening.”

Fortunately, there really were choices.

“One is to participate in the Assembly Hall schedule and then go to Xinjiang.”

“......”

“The second is to go to Xinjiang without participating. Which would you prefer?”

“What about the option of not going to Xinjiang?”

“That exists as well. The problem is that we would need to find your substitute quickly.”

“Can you find one?”

“There are candidates.”

“Oh.”

That was the happiest news I had heard so far. When my ears perked up at his words—

“One is Black Greatblade. Another is Silver Moon Sword. Another would be Sword Peak......”

“I’ll go.”

“......Hm?”

“......I think I should go.”

Every single human being named as a candidate was a troublemaker.

There was no telling what would happen if those people went.

It looked like I had to go after all.

Damn it.

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