Chapter 452
“Ugh... bleh...”
“Grgh...”
The distinct, pungent stench of blood filled the air.
On the floor, eight massive demons bled profusely from holes that pierced through their entire bodies. The sheer volume of blood coming from them flooded the area into a sea of red.
“What the hell was that just now?”
“Like hell I’d know. Those things... those red thorns just shot out from their bodies...”
The fight had already ended before anyone even processed what had happened. And while the onlooking demons were still staring in confusion, Meirin swept her disheveled hair back before looking down at the wounded.
“Crying over a few holes in your guts.... Tsk tsk. Aren’t you guys demons? You all should be able to regenerate wounds like these with ease.”
“Please... please, sto—kuh...!”
“Quit writhing and start healing unless you really want to die,” Meirin coldly cut off, stomping directly on their wounds and squeezing the blood out of them.
Everyone watching flinched. They all knew Meirin was sparing them on purpose since none of the demons had died from that initial blow—but the reason she did so was the opposite of what they expected.
Just to make them suffer to the end... she’s insane.
I don’t think I can get her to spare my life if I get caught up in this...
Realizing Meirin wasn’t someone to be taken lightly, the spectators scattered in all directions. Anyone displaying their strength here so openly was most likely someone above even the Black Arms, perhaps even one of the Ten Evils themselves or someone close to them.
“P-please... spare me...”
“I’m begging you...”
The eight demons flailed in desperation, receiving no help from anyone, slowly dying on the blood-soaked ground.
I didn’t think I’d run into her this soon... Se-Hoon made a complicated expression.
Although the Black Arms stronghold served as a substitute for the Pleasure District and a major logistics hub, it was never a place one could stay in without worrying about being attacked. At most, Se-Hoon had been expecting to come across some record of Meirin’s purchases or perhaps one of her errand-running doppelgangers—never imagining running into the woman herself.
Encountering her isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but... the timing is too perfect.
He’d come here after hearing news of his arch-nemesis, and now the very person he was planning to look for next just happened to be waiting in the same place? It was far too suspicious to be a coincidence.
And more than anything else, Meirin’s behavior was just off.
Even if Master has a foul temper, she’s never been the type to put on this kind of show...
The Meirin he knew would have struck all of the demons’ vital points in the first blow and then walked away. But she was torturing demons and broadcasting her presence to the surroundings? Her?
Thinking about Meirin, Se-Hoon could only come up with one reason for her to do that.
She’s telling me to come find her.
If her goal was to meet him rather than hide, then it made perfect sense she’d linger around the Black Arms, where Immortal currently stayed.
But... Se-Hoon frowned.
What does she even want me for?
Knowing her personality, she wasn’t the type to have a calm chat.
Trying to deduce Meirin’s intentions, Se-Hoon fell into thought. Meanwhile, the demons on the ground had bled out and died.
“Hmph... I guess that’s the last of them,” Meirin mumbled indifferently as she pulled out a cigarette before turning around and leaving.
And once she had, the demons lingering nearby immediately rushed in like hyenas to scavenge the “goods” lying on the floor.
Tsk
Disgusted by the brutal scene that embodied the savage culture of the Demon Force, Se-Hoon silently followed Meirin.
Looks like she’s been here a while.
Judging by the reactions, many demons seemed to be already familiar with Meirin, from how some fled the moment they saw her, their faces pale. They were proof Meirin must have killed every demon who gave her an excuse until now, spreading her reputation like wildfire.
He observed the leisurely smoking Meirin from behind. No matter who looked at her from the side or who was following, she didn’t care: Meirin always walked forward, her eyes fixed ahead.
Her demeanor hadn’t changed at all, making Se-Hoon feel a mix of relief and unease.
Always thinking only of herself... seriously.
Muttering under his breath, he continued following Meirin, who had turned into a narrow and dimly lit alleyway, leaving the main road behind.
But soon enough, they exited it on the other side into a totally new atmosphere.
This place is...
Unlike the brightly lit, noisy main street, the new area exuded luxury and serenity. Reminded of a residential district on the outskirts of the city, Se-Hoon instantly deduced where they were.
A VIP-only area.
Though not on the level of the Ten Evils, many infamous demons housed in this location. It was one of the most notorious places, making it also one of the first that would need to be wiped out once the fighting began.
Recalling some of the demons, Se-Hoon’s eyes turned icy as he scanned the area.
“Tsk. Why did they build it so far inside...” Meirin complained, stopping in front of one of the homes. She then stepped inside, with Se-Hoon hurriedly following her in.
Security systems... there’s nothing. Se-Hoon observed. From what he could tell, the only thing installed was a privacy shield that blocked external observation. But while that could simply be for protecting her personal privacy, the way Meirin had just acted made it clear: she got it to make it easy for him to sneak in and approach.
She’s thorough in the weirdest ways...
Making a wry smile, Se-Hoon took in the area while Meirin walked through the dark living room and collapsed onto the sofa.
“Phew...”
Her body going limp, Meirin stared blankly at the ceiling while smoking. For a while, the small flame at the tip of her cigarette steadily burned as the rising smoke drifted through the shafts of light filtering in through the window.
But eventually, the cigarette burned down, and she pulled out a new one to light when...
Flick!
A flame extended toward her.
“...”
Meirin glanced at the flame without saying a word, then turned her head slightly and leaned in to light her cigarette. She took a light drag, then looked at Se-Hoon, who had appeared at some point.
“When did you get here?” she asked calmly.
“Just now.”
“Oh really? That’s quite perfect timing, then.”
Relieved she didn’t have to take another walk, she exhaled a long plume of smoke—then frowned.
“...Before we get to the point, let me ask one thing.”
“What would that be?”
“At the academic conference last year. Dawn’s right arm... was you, wasn’t it?”
Had the flame he lit for her given her the hint? Musing over it on the other sofa, Se-Hoon coolly answered, “Who knows?”
“‘Who knows,’ my ass...”
Belatedly finding out that the man she had met at the academic conference—Dawn’s right-hand man, who traded her flames to light her cigarette for a Demonic Blood Crystal—was none other than Se-Hoon, Meirin let out a hollow laugh.
No wonder the Ten Evils and Watchers got taken out so easily.
Just him managing to infiltrate Dawn was shocking enough, but for him to go as far as becoming a high-ranking officer and even attending the academic conference? Her curiosity made her wonder what kind of trick he pulled, but she didn’t ask. It was all in the past, and more importantly... she no longer had the right to ask.
“...”
“...”
The two of them fell silent, the weight of their pasts keeping them from speaking.
“...You probably have a lot of questions for me,” Meirin began, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Why did she betray them by joining hands with the Demon Force? Where was the other half of the vessel? What did she intend to create with it? Just as Meirin said, Se-Hoon had a lot of questions. However, at the same time, he also had the urge to just subdue her before she could cause any trouble.
“I don’t know what you might be thinking, but it’s not some grand or noble reason. You might even think, ‘Seriously? That’s all it took?’ and find me pathetic.”
“...”
“Even so, it was something I had
to do. Even if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t undo that choice.”A choice that hadn’t been made on impulse or through coercion from someone else—having somewhat expected that answer, Se-Hoon leaned back against the sofa and let out a deep sigh.
“Hmm...”
Considering the situation, labeling Meirin’s actions as a “betrayal” wasn’t particularly accurate. In the first place, the blood pact they’d made had simply been an agreement to respect each other’s positions and cooperate as much as possible.
In other words, their pact tacitly allowed choices like the one Meirin made. A natural falling-out was even within Se-Hoon’s expectations.
...It still kind of stings.
Perhaps it was because he kept confusing his master with the Meirin in front of him. Or... it was simply guilt—that, thanks to the butterfly effect he caused, she ended up siding with the Demon Force the second time around.
Feeling a lingering mix of emotions—disappointment, regret, and a sense of responsibility—rooted in his pre-regression memories, Se-Hoon stared up at the ceiling for a while, slowly collecting his thoughts.
“May I also ask something before we get to the points?” he asked, lowering his gaze after a while.
“Go ahead.”
“Have you ever killed an innocent person since joining hands with Doppelganger?” His voice and expression were devoid of any complicated feelings, full of seriousness.
Noticing, Meirin smiled faintly and began in a languid tone. “I don’t say this often, but I have two rules that I must follow. First: never forget that I’m a craftsman. And second...”
“It’s a hundred times better to kill the demon offering the bounty than the person that they offered the bounty for.”
Meirin blinked in surprise, not expecting Se-Hoon to finish her sentence for her.
“How did you...?”
Of course, it was because he’d heard her say that countless times before regressing, but he couldn’t exactly say that now.
“A close friend of mine has a knack for doing background checks.”
“Ah, must be that kid from the Singh family. If it’s him, then sure.” Just like that, Meirin accepted it without much suspicion.
Seeing that, Se-Hoon crossed his arms and moved on. “Well, since you’re saying you haven’t killed the innocent, I’ll postpone judgment on that matter. However... I still need to arrest you on suspicion of colluding with the Demon Force.”
“That’s going to be a bit of a problem.”
“Even if it is, what must be done, must be done.”
Se-Hoon was clearly ready to act at any moment, making Meirin furrow her brow.
Tsk... of all people, getting caught by this guy is the worst possible draw...
If Doppelganger had been nearby, she could’ve made a run for it, but of course, it had to be now of all times. With a sigh, she snuffed out her cigarette and stood to face Se-Hoon.
“I’d like to make a final appeal then.”
“Go ahead.”
“First of all, let me clarify one thing: I didn’t join hands with the Demon Force. I allied only with Doppelganger.”
“...?”
Thinking it sounded like a wordplay cop-out, Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes and began rising from the sofa.
And at that sight, Meirin hurried to add, “Doppelganger no longer sides with the Demon Force.”
“...What did you say?”
“It severed ties with them after that last incident and is playing solo now, acting only for its own purposes. That’s the reason I made a deal with it.”
Se-Hoon doubted his ears, not understanding. Doppelganger—one of the pillars of the Demon Force, the one who became the Destroyer of Perception before he regressed—was going independent? It sounded too ridiculous to believe.
“Are you being serious right now?”
“I swear on my own heart.”
From Meirin, that wasn’t just a figure of speech. It was a blood oath that risked her very life to make it a binding guarantee.
Because of that, Se-Hoon’s expression soured.
Why would Doppelganger...?
Was it because the balance of power in the Demon Force had shifted? Did his regression’s butterfly effect trigger an unexpected event? Facing the unforeseen variable, Se-Hoon suddenly recalled what Baek-Yeon had once told him.
“If you end up fighting Doppelganger alone, it’ll just do whatever it needs to as one of the Ten Evils. But if Kwang-Soo steps in—”
If he took action alone, Doppelganger would return to the Demon Force—and just like before the regression, wreak havoc as the Destroyer of Perception? Was Kwang-Soo really the reason it had gone independent instead, currently moving down a completely different path?
If you’re going to give advice, make it clear, damn it.
Se-Hoon frowned, unable to draw any solid conclusions.
“So... I have a suggestion,” Meirin cautiously said, seeing his expression.
“...What is it?”
“You probably need some time to think, anyway. Then... why don’t we start by taking care of a more urgent matter together?”
“Urgent matter?”
Meirin stuck a new cigarette between her lips and smirked.
“Even if you’re busy, you’ve got to exact your revenge first, don’t you think?”
***
At the end of a bustling boulevard lined with lights and filled with people, a towering building stood. Its shining exterior reflected the glow of ceiling fixtures and streetlights, making it naturally draw the eyes of all who passed by and pull them into the heart of the Black Arms.
A place that resembled the epicenter of desire, a stark contrast to the excessive indulgence and luxury found on the main street. Known simply as Utopia, the building was practically the symbol of the Black Arms.
And from the top floor of that very building, a furious scream rang out. “All you had to do was keep the damn underlings in line! And you couldn’t even handle that, you useless bastards!!!”
Crash!!
Decorations flew through the chairman’s office at the Black Arms executives, lined up in a row. But they all just clenched their jaws and endured. Some had even been impaled by decorative weapons and were bleeding heavily, but not a single one dared to heal or stop the bleeding. Every demon there knew that those who showed the slightest hint of recovery would get their heads blown straight off.
“If this happens again, I’ll assume the entire team is responsible and kill every last one of you bastards. Got that?!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Now get out of my sight!!”
Dismissed by the massive man’s roar—Owner’s—the executives fled the room in a hurry.
With them gone, the secretaries waiting outside came in to clean up.
“Leave it for now. That bastard’s coming soon.”
“Understood.”
Left alone in the room once the secretaries exited, Owner grabbed a bottle of premium whiskey from a display case and downed it like water.
“Ugh... Might as well just drink industrial alcohol.”
No buzz, no flavor. Annoyed, Owner gritted his teeth and hurled the empty bottle at the floor, making his gaze land on the scattered documents he had tossed around earlier. Immediately, his face twisted in frustration.
The Black Arms is already done for.
Although they were still trying to gather stray forces from around the world, they were just nobodies without influence. VIPs and high-ranking demons had already defected to the sides of either Puppeteer, Tuner, or Succession and Transcendence of the Watchers.
Owner had no way to stop them either, which naturally led to word of the defections spreading. In turn, that led to members of even his own ship beginning to jump ship.
All I have left now is... one last thing.
Turning toward the window, Owner stared at his own reflection. Despite all the times he’d nearly died, he’d stubbornly clung to his human body. It had made sense in the past, since he’d profited from selling to humans, but was there a point now? When he’d already aligned with the Demon Force?
If what Tuner said is true, and I really have what it takes to become one of the Ten Evils...
Maybe, just maybe, it was finally time for him to become a demon and restructure the Black Arms entirely. Debating it, he was just about to make the decision he’d avoided for so long when the office door creaked open and a man walked in.
“You...”
It was him. The one he’d been waiting for: Immortal.
Seeing Owner grimace, Immortal let out a dry laugh.
“Looks like you’ve made your decision.”
“...”
“If you have, then get ready. Lee Se-Hoon could show up here at any moment.”
Once again, Owner’s face twisted. Seeing Immortal talk as though it was all someone else’s problem was infuriating, but there was nothing he could say. After all, the reason Immortal was there in the first place was that Tuner had orchestrated it all. From the beginning, it was all to turn him into a demon and use his Black Arms as bait.
Those damn bastards... I’ll get my revenge.
He promised he would make them all pay once he became a Ten Evil and gained power. Grinding his teeth, Owner seethed in front of Immortal, who silently clicked his tongue.
Pathetic idiot.
He had no idea why someone like him was even considered for the Ten Evils. But orders were orders. If the higher-ups said to bring him in, he’d do it.
Shoving those useless thoughts aside, Immortal focused on the power stirring within him.
The succession process is nearly complete. Once that’s done... I should consider moving to Tuner’s Transcendence.
Even though he’d reached S-rank, it still wasn’t enough. Immortal’s eyes gleamed with ambition—
Whoosh-
An invisible wave abruptly swept through him, skimming across his entire body and instantly triggering his instincts.
Simultaneously, he and the Owner both turned toward the source...
Infernal Purge
... and saw a crimson blade crash down in the middle of the boulevard, setting the streets of the sleepless city ablaze.