Absolute Regression

Chapter 491: Hui’s Concealment Was Not Martial Arts

The moment he saw the evil spirits, the King of Killing understood.

‘It’s the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts!’

There could only be one martial art that summoned such terrifying evil spirits.

Seeing the legendary Heavenly Demon’s martial arts in person, the pressure was beyond overwhelming. Just witnessing it made his fighting spirit wither.

If even the King of Killing felt that way, what of the assassins running beside him?

Their bodies were moving, but their will to fight was already gone. Some slowed their steps, others stopped entirely in place.

Though they were seasoned assassins who had survived countless battles, their hearts froze the moment they first saw the evil spirits of the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwak!

The assassins resisted in their own ways.

Some thrust daggers, others hurled hidden weapons. Some summoned Protective Energy, others released sword energy.

But none of it worked.

Neither their attacks nor their defenses had any effect. The swords they struck out with couldn’t even scratch the evil spirits.

Even assassins who leapt to escape were dragged back down by invisible demonic energy. With their skills, there was no way to evade it.

Pukpukpukpukpukpukpukpuk!

Crushed, shattered, smashed apart. The evil spirits swept through, destroying everything in their path.

The only one left was the King of Killing, who had been charging toward Hui.

The King of Killing’s heart pounded as if it would burst. For the first time since the battle began, tension showed in his expression.

What if an evil spirit had emerged from Hui’s side and charged him instead? Would he have been able to stop it?

Chaaang!

After a fierce clash, Hui and the King of Killing both stepped back.

The two looked around.

The assassins had become nothing but blood, their forms unrecognizable.

Hui raised his sword toward the blood and offered a solemn bow. It was not a gesture of respect toward the dead.

It was a show of reverence toward the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

Hui was deeply moved. Whenever the Heavenly Demon practiced martial arts, he would always turn his back or leave the area, never once looking at Hui. Yet whenever the Nine Calamities Demon Art was displayed, he always paid his respects. ɽâNՕ𝐁ĘȘ

And now, Hui had charged forward together with the Nine Calamities Demon Art. It was that very art that had saved his life—an undeserved honor.

Could there be a moment more moving concerning martial arts? Hui could say with certainty—there was none.

In contrast, the King of Killing quietly surveyed his surroundings, his eyes now calm. He felt no regret over the deaths of his subordinates. A cold wind blew through his hollow heart.

Hui turned to look at Geom Mugeuk.

What words were needed in this situation? Geom Mugeuk gave a single nod in response to the gratitude in Hui’s gaze.

‘I’m the one who’s thankful, Uncle.’

It was Geom Mugeuk, who always felt more gratitude and respect than anyone for Hui, the one who constantly protected his father.

After greeting Hui, Geom Mugeuk once again provoked the King of Killing.

“I understand. Assassins are naturally cowardly, aren’t they?”

It was a mocking remark about him joining forces with other assassins. Though Geom Mugeuk tried to provoke his emotions, it didn’t work on the King of Killing.

At that moment, Myungshin spoke.

“He’s a man without emotions.”

At those words, the King of Killing looked at Myungshin. At least toward Myungshin, there was a faint trace of emotional residue in his gaze.

Geom Mugeuk stepped in between those gazes.

“A man should speak. If you don’t like it, say you don’t. If you hate it, say you hate it. How would anyone know your heart just by that look?”

Then the King of Killing finally spoke.

“What is there left to say between us?”

“I have a lot I’m curious about when it comes to you.”

The King of Killing waited for Geom Mugeuk’s words.

“What did you receive for his contract? Did they really promise you the position of ruler of the night?”

Geom Mugeuk had partly meant to mock him, but deep down he thought there might be another reason.

But the King of Killing did not answer.

“It is a rule not to speak about commissions.”

Geom Mugeuk could feel it. That all the King of Killing had in his heart was the determination to complete this assassination no matter what.

When the King of Killing gave the signal, the assassins revealed themselves all at once.

They walked out from alleys, appeared on rooftops. The number of assassins who had been hiding throughout the area reached dozens.

“All this, just to kill me?”

They were all skilled, high-level assassins. Especially, among them were some classified as top-tier—truly terrifying assassins. Though they did their best to hide their identities, this side had Myungshin.

—Of the two on the left rooftop, the one on the right. At the entrance of the right alley. The bearded one in the center...

He transmitted these details to Geom Mugeuk via voice transmission, identifying the top-tier assassins he recognized.

—Are you worried I might die?

—If you don’t survive, then my betrayal would be meaningless.

He didn’t really need to call it a betrayal, now that he knew the Underworld had annihilated his clan. But having spent so many years there, the word slipped out instinctively.

—Don’t think of it as betrayal. They’re just doing their job, and so are you.

—Job?

—You took on the commission yourself, didn’t you? Both you and they are simply doing your respective jobs.

A faint smile appeared on Myungshin’s lips.

Even in this situation, Geom Mugeuk was looking out for his feelings. Those words Geom Mugeuk had thrown out were indeed comforting.

Looking at the King of Killing and the assassins, Geom Mugeuk drew his sword.

“You’re right. What need is there for words between us?”

Then Hui took a step forward toward the King of Killing.

His back was saying this:

Leave the King of Killing to me. This battle is mine.

‘I understand, Uncle. But please be careful!’

The King of Killing looked at Hui with clear, unwavering eyes.

Just as Hui could only see him, the King of Killing’s gaze was now solely fixed on Hui.

He understood.

The greatest obstacle in this commission wasn’t Geom Mugeuk, who had mastered the Nine Calamities Demon Art—it was this Hui.

For assassins, an opponent’s strong martial arts wasn’t a problem.

No matter how powerful the martial arts were, they would always find a weakness and kill their target. That was their way.

But that didn’t work on this guardian of the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

He was someone who made up for those weaknesses.

Without needing any signal, Hui and the King of Killing charged at each other and clashed.

With the sharp ring of metal, countless sword lines appeared in the air.

They weren’t ordinary lines. They were strokes carrying a lifetime of training, all slashing toward the opponent’s life again and again.

While the two had begun their fight, Geom Mugeuk also leapt into the crowd of assassins.

If ordinary and top-tier assassins were dogs and wolves, Geom Mugeuk was a massive tiger.

Some assassins even believed themselves to be grim reapers ruling over life and death.

But now, they were facing a true grim reaper.

As he jumped toward the enemy, Geom Mugeuk vanished in an instant using Dark Shadow Step.

An assassin, startled, turned his head left to locate Geom Mugeuk, but the view that entered his sight wasn’t the left—it was the sky. Flop. Geom Mugeuk’s sword had already sliced deep into his neck.

At that moment, a sword flew toward Geom Mugeuk.

It came from the fastest swordsman among the Underworld’s assassins.

‘Got him!’

His sword blade was already reaching Geom Mugeuk’s neck.

Puk!

But before that, Geom Mugeuk’s sword pierced through his heart.

‘Why?’

Even as he died, he couldn’t understand. His opponent had reacted far slower—so how?

But for the assassins, this was just one of many incomprehensible moments.

Geom Mugeuk stabbed through another assassin’s heart and neck in succession, using the bodies as shields to press forward.

An assassin behind him had his throat pierced by a sword that flew past the corpse.

Shwik! Shwik!

Swords flew in from both sides. They barely grazed past Geom Mugeuk’s body, just missing him.

Sighs echoed silently in their hearts.

‘So close.’

It was so close that one might think their skills weren’t all that different. But in truth, only a massive gap in skill could create such a scene.

Dodging by such narrow margins meant he was fighting in the most optimized way possible.

Shiiiiiiiiiik.

Slice! Slice!

With Divine Lightning Step, Geom Mugeuk slid through and slashed down both assassins standing to his left and right. In a literal flash, the assassins collapsed.

What was even more astonishing was that Geom Mugeuk, while fighting like that, was still paying attention to Hui’s battle.

With fleeting glimpses of Hui and the King of Killing’s movements, with the clashing sounds of swords and daggers, he grasped how the fight was unfolding.

On top of that, Geom Mugeuk was keeping track of Myungshin as well.

Myungshin was fighting well, using all the special techniques he had to fend off the assassins.

He also utilized the traps he had prepared. The hidden weapons he threw exploded, killing assassins in the vicinity. He understood the assassins’ psychology better than anyone.

Of course, the assassins didn’t go down quietly. They used every kind of hidden weapon imaginable. Blades sprang out of their shoes, and projectiles coated in deadly poison flew in all directions.

In the chaos, Myungshin sensed an attack flying at him from behind and despaired.

‘Too late!’

It was a top-tier assassin brought in from outside. Since he had no information on him, he hadn’t expected such a swift strike from behind.

‘Take it in the shoulder—’

Just as Myungshin twisted his body to avoid instant death—

Shiiiiiiing!

Something passed by his face with a roaring gust of wind.

Puuuk!

It was Geom Mugeuk’s Black Demon Sword that pierced the neck of the assassin charging from behind.

Myungshin didn’t even have time to express his gratitude. Assassins swarmed them like a hive of wasps.

Especially when they saw the sword disappear from Geom Mugeuk’s hand, they thought now was their chance.

But opportunity existed for Geom Mugeuk too. A chance to use a martial art in real combat.

Dodging the flying blades, Geom Mugeuk threw a punch.

Puhk!

The assassin’s ribs shattered as he was sent flying and rolled across the ground.

Kwaaaaarururung!

A thunderous roar echoed from his fist. It was the Thunderous Asura Fist of the Fist Demon King.

Puk! Puhk! Puk!

He lightly dodged the flying swords and countered with punches.

Assassins’ jaws were shattered, and their internal organs burst. A far more agonizing death awaited them than being killed by the sword.

Overwhelmed by his momentum, the assassins briefly halted their attacks.

Geom Mugeuk stretched out his hand toward one direction.

Whiiiik.

The Black Demon Sword embedded in a corpse floated into the air and flew toward him.

Some of the assassins watching that scene felt fear rising in their hearts.

They had always believed death belonged to others.

Now it felt like death itself was floating in midair, watching them. That death sliced through the air and landed back in Geom Mugeuk’s hand.

Of course, that didn’t mean the assassins backed down. They desperately tried to kill Geom Mugeuk and Myungshin.

Sword energy poured toward Geom Mugeuk. Iron nets unfolded, and poisoned hidden weapons flew through the air. They unleashed every technique, every assassination method they had ever learned.

But none of it worked.

Where in the world could there be a place to dodge? There was space to evade.

How could one possibly counterattack in such a situation? Geom Mugeuk did.

He found an angle from which no one would expect an attack to emerge, aligned the trajectory, and controlled the speed.

Puaaaak!

And with that, the last assassin collapsed, spraying blood.

Since Geom Mugeuk was already soaked in blood, he made no effort to avoid the splatter.

As always, Geom Mugeuk didn’t spare a single glance at the ones who had died.

Myungshin silently watched him.

This wasn’t the Geom Mugeuk he had known. Right now, he didn’t seem like the cheerful Young Cult Leader who always joked and talked too much. He felt like a lone War God who had survived a battlefield all by himself.

‘This is the true face of the Young Cult Leader.’

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk’s eyes met with Myungshin’s.

Those eyes, which matched the word ‘loneliness’ so well, now held a bright smile.

It was the moment when the cheerful Geom Mugeuk returned.

“You survived.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Myungshin nodded and replied.

“I have to finish the commission.”

Their gazes crossed in midair.

But now wasn’t the time to share their emotions.

They both turned their eyes to the battlefield where Hui and the King of Killing were fighting.

Their duel was reaching its final phase.

And the final moments were deathly silent.

Neither the King of Killing nor Hui could be seen. They were fighting while concealed.

The stealth of an assassin, and the stealth of an escort martial artist.

It was the final choice of two who took pride in their concealment.

Only the flashes of sword and dagger blades sparkled in empty air.

Chang! Chaeng!

Sparks burst from midair. The dagger and sword that appeared in an instant vanished once more.

Swik! Paat!

Each time the blades flashed, someone’s blood splattered.

They struck by sensing the presence of a being that didn’t even breathe.

A true duel of extreme concealment skills.

Everything they were was being poured into this battle.

Innate talent, perception, years of effort, state of mind, and even luck.

Surely, one side would have a greater total.

Seoguk! Paaak!

With another slicing sound, blood burst out of midair again. Judging by the amount of blood, the wound was deeper than before.

Paak!

At the same time, blood also spurted from the other.

Neither side allowed an attack to land freely. If one was cut, they made sure to cut the other in return.

Blood sprayed again and again.

Neither uttered a single scream, so Geom Mugeuk and Myungshin couldn’t tell who was suffering more serious wounds.

‘Uncle!’

Because the fight had turned into a battle of concealment, intervening was not easy.

If he interfered improperly, Hui might end up getting hurt instead.

In a moment of extreme focus, he was the greatest variable that could disturb Hui’s concentration.

Slashed and slashed again. Hiding, then revealing. Sensing, and sensing again. Offering flesh to strike at bone. Hiding once more.

The suffocating battle continued like that—

Shiiiiiing.

Swaeeeeeng.

Two blade winds sounded, different from any heard until now.

And the next sound was not the sound of flesh being cut—it was the sound of flesh and bone being pierced through.

Puuuuuk!

Silence fell over the area.

Jureureuk.

Blood flowed down through the air.

From that point, concealment unraveled and a figure began to appear.

A man slowly revealing himself.

Blood was pouring from his pierced heart.

And now, the figure of the one who had stabbed him slowly emerged.

Blood running down the blade, the hand gripping the hilt, the arm extended forward, and finally, the man who had fought with all his strength—Hui.

Geom Mugeuk let out a deep sigh of relief and looked up at the sky.

‘Thank you. Truly, thank you.’

He had lost count of how many times he regretted it while watching the fight. He should have come alone. Should’ve made up an excuse—anything—to come alone.

Because he had been that anxious, now Geom Mugeuk felt such joy he could have screamed aloud.

He thought—perhaps this duel was destined for this very moment.

It didn’t matter whose concealment technique was more advanced or more refined.

The outcome had been decided because Hui had lived in hiding longer than the King of Killing ever had.

Because Hui had silently protected his father while concealed his entire life.

Hui’s concealment wasn’t a martial art—it was his life itself.

In the end, wasn’t it Hui’s devotion that allowed him to kill the King of Killing?

The King of Killing coughed up a mouthful of blood.

When he had set this job into motion, he never imagined a death like this. If anything, he thought he would die by the Cult Leader or that Young Cult Leader’s hand.

For the first time, emotion showed on the King of Killing’s face—rage and irritation. He said nothing, but his expression seemed to scream:

—To think I’d die to a mere escort guardian.

Hui had shown him.

How well one could kill… when they were someone who truly knew how to protect.

Looking into the King of Killing’s transparent eyes, now fading of life, Hui spoke calmly. Perhaps his words spoke for the heart of every guardian in the world.

“We simply chose a life of protection. That’s all.”