Absolute Regression

Chapter 519: The One Who Occupied Father’s Heart

It was Geom Woojin’s Great Annihilation Form.

In an instant, the evil spirits of his father completed their division.

At the sight of it, Geom Mugeuk realized.

‘It’s changed.’

There was a time in the past when his father had shown the Great Annihilation Form. That day, his father’s Great Annihilation Form had clashed with his own.

Forty-four against four.

That day, his evil spirits had been annihilated by his father’s evil spirits. He had resisted to the very end, even drawing out his Protective Energy.

Now, his evil spirits had grown much stronger than they were back then, but so had his father’s. His father’s evil spirits were larger in size and looked significantly more powerful. Just from the demonic energy they emitted, he could tell they had grown stronger than before.

‘Father’s Nine Calamities Demon Art has surpassed Ten Star Greatness and is advancing into a new realm!’

Geom Mugeuk spoke to his evil spirits.

‘You must eat more and grow larger.’

So then, imagine the pressure that the remaining experts, including Mixed Demon, must have felt.

Uuuuuuuuuuu.

With a low hum, the demonic energy released by the line of evil spirits made their entire bodies break out in goosebumps.

Mixed Demon realized that the martial technique unfolding before him was something they could never block.

“It’s the Nine Calamities Demon Art! Toward the Young Cult Leader!”

Mixed Demon hurled himself forward desperately. The remaining four experts moved with him.

There was no escaping by breaking through the wall or ceiling.

Once the Great Annihilation Form was deployed, the powerful demonic energy emitted by the summoned evil spirits dominated the space. It was as if they were trapped within an invisible wall—they could not escape the zone where the evil spirits were arrayed.

Since Mixed Demon and the four experts had changed positions, Geom Mugeuk expected his father to stop the Great Annihilation Form and redeploy it in a different direction.

But then, an unexpected sight unfolded.

Sseueueueuk.

The arrayed evil spirits shifted direction. At the sight, Geom Mugeuk was shocked. His own Great Annihilation Form only allowed the spirits to divide and then push forward directly. ŔΆΝΟᛒÊṡ

But his father’s Great Annihilation Form had the evil spirits changing direction.

Geom Mugeuk realized then: the reason his father had not immediately crushed them before they could dodge was to show him this.

Even this level of change was astonishing—he couldn’t imagine what the Nine Calamities Demon Art would look like if it truly reached Twelve Star Greatness.

Of course, even in this moment, a tremendous amount of internal energy must have been consumed.

As he stared at the swords of the evil spirits pointing at him, Mixed Demon felt his entire body freeze. His gaze turned toward Gyo Cheon, who stood far in the distance.

—Are you just going to stand there and watch? Use what you’ve prepared.

Even at the transmitted sound, Gyo Cheon remained silent, only observing the situation.

From that reaction, Mixed Demon understood. Gyo Cheon had intended from the beginning to use them all as expendable pawns. To make them expend as much internal energy as possible, so he could finish the job himself.

Gyo Cheon had come looking for him when he had already retired and was living alone. He had believed the man to be dead, but the first words Gyo Cheon spoke upon seeing him were:

—Let us take this murim together.

At that moment, he should have rejected the idea outright, dismissing it as madness. Out of consideration for their past relationship, he should have simply told him to leave and not reported him to the cult.

—Why is it that we can’t dream of such things? Why must grand dreams belong only to them?

Those words stirred his heart. He had this thought: if he could properly use this man’s thirst for revenge, perhaps he could end his life in a spectacular fashion.

Life was to be lived only once, after all.

And he had already lived enough of it.

He could not resist the powerful temptation. At the time of his retirement, his life had been unbearably dull and monotonous.

Desire, which should have flowed away like water at his age, burned through his body like fire.

And now, as Mixed Demon looked at the evil spirits lined up toward him, he awoke from the dream.

‘I thought I was using him, but in the end, I was the one being used.’

For Gyo Cheon, revenge was everything. Even if everyone else had to be sacrificed, his goal was to force the Cult Leader to exhaust his internal energy, then step forward himself to exact vengeance.

Would he really go this far just to end it with revenge? After all the effort it took to gather these people?

But that seemed to be the case. He was nothing more than a personification of vengeance who had gathered the withered desires of old men.

It was only at this very moment that Mixed Demon realized it.

Now, there was only one thing he believed in.

“Cult Leader, stay your wrath. Your son is here—surely you don’t intend to unleash the Nine Calamities Demon Art?”

Geom Woojin looked at Mixed Demon with an unreadable expression.

Then, from behind, Geom Mugeuk spoke.

“That statement shows you don’t understand just how ruthless my father is.”

Ignoring Geom Mugeuk’s words, Mixed Demon addressed everyone.

“As long as the Young Cult Leader is here, he will never unleash it.”

Two of the four remaining experts stayed alert behind them, prepared for Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to attack them.

Thud.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon planted the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber in front of Geom Mugeuk.

“It won’t be enough to stop it, but it should help a little.”

Geom Mugeuk replied to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

“You truly do know my father too well, Elder.”

What he meant was that even with his son present, they believed the Cult Leader would still unleash it.

In reaction to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s words, Mixed Demon grew even more desperate.

“Cult Leader, withdraw the Nine Calamities Demon Art. If we attack together, the Young Cult Leader won’t survive. You must think of your son!”

But the one they faced was not someone to be swayed by threats.

The moment Geom Woojin’s lips curled faintly, the Great Annihilation Form was unleashed.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwak!

The evil spirits surged forward all at once.

Mixed Demon, along with the remaining experts, raised their Protective Energy and released their energy.

Swae-aek! Swaek! Swaee-aek!

Puh-eok! Kwaang! Quang! Kwang!

The unleashed energy collided with the evil spirits. Their strikes carried enough force to pulverize stone.

But the evil spirits merely staggered briefly—they did not vanish and instead pushed forward without pause.

“No!”

An evil spirit struck Mixed Demon. He had no means of stopping this massive surge of energy forged by the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

Puh-puh-puh-puhk!

Mixed Demon’s bones and flesh were shattered and scattered in all directions.

The other four experts met the same end, albeit with slight delays.

They swung their swords, only for them to snap. They endured with Protective Energy, only to be torn apart. They tried to flee, but were dragged back by the demonic energy and shattered into pieces.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwa!

The evil spirits who had wiped them all out now surged toward Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

Geom Mugeuk stood still, watching the evil spirits of the Great Annihilation Form charge toward him.

Terrifying evil spirits were crashing forward like a tidal wave. The demonic energy they emitted was so overwhelming that even someone trained in demonic arts could barely breathe.

‘So this is what it feels like to be struck by the Great Annihilation Form.’

Kwaaaaaaaa!

The rushing evil spirits smashed through the rear wall where the two of them had been standing.

One evil spirit stopped.

It halted in front of Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

It was larger than the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber placed in front. The Cult Leader had made only the evil spirit before his son and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon halt.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon faced the evil spirit, clasped his fists respectfully, and paid due respect to the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

Geom Mugeuk silently stared at the evil spirit standing before him.

The evil spirit stared ahead with terrifying, icy eyes. It looked as vivid as if it had just emerged from hell.

He had originally planned to raise a Great Demon Wall. But in the final moment, he changed his mind. Surely his father wouldn’t kill his own son? He had believed in his father.

Sseussss.

The evil spirit, which had stood with majestic stillness, slowly faded away. Just before disappearing, he thought he saw the evil spirit lower its gaze and glance at him.

As the evil spirit vanished, the scene inside the hall finally came into view.

In the silence left by death, blood still flowed, not yet cooled.

The twelve experts who had been here were all killed by Geom Woojin. It was now impossible to tell how many there had been in the beginning.

Now, only Gyo Cheon remained.

“Kuhahahahahaha!”

Gyo Cheon laughed. His figure, reflected in the pool of blood, looked like a madman. Like a man who had abandoned everything. Or perhaps like someone who had expected this all along.

Geom Woojin’s gaze turned to Gyo Cheon. Behind him, Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon also looked in his direction.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shouted loudly at Gyo Cheon.

“You truly didn’t know it would turn out like this?”

Gyo Cheon stopped laughing and looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon with a calm gaze. There was a look in his eyes that seemed to say he had something to say, but he said nothing.

At that moment, Geom Woojin looked back at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and spoke.

“Leave it to me until the end.”

Geom Mugeuk could tell. It wasn’t just about whatever final move Gyo Cheon might have prepared, or how dangerous it might be. His father was trying to prevent the Blood Heaven Blade Demon from having to experience the fate of killing his master once again.

Even though he didn’t show it on the surface, it was clear that his father cared for the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

Geom Woojin let his sword hang loosely and slowly walked toward Gyo Cheon.

He had thought of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon even to the end. He intended to leave a whole corpse behind when he killed him.

“Have you nothing to say to your disciple?”

Gyo Cheon glanced at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and let out a scoffing laugh.

Then he asked back with a meaningful look in his eyes.

“And what about you? Have you nothing to say to your son?”

The moment he finished speaking—

Puk!

Gyo Cheon’s body turned into smoke and vanished.

At the same time, everything around them began to disappear.

The walls, the tables, the chairs, even the corpses on the floor.

Puk! Puk! Puk! Puk!

Even Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Everything dissolved into smoke. As if everything up to now had been an illusion.

Geom Woojin murmured softly.

“Illusion Art!”

As everything vanished, they were deep within the mountains. Now that he looked closely—this place was none other than the Daecheon Mountains, where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult resided.

Geom Woojin realized it. It was the place he had been hunting on that day.

Not only the surroundings but even he himself had changed. The sword he carried was no longer the Heavenly Demon Sword. When he drew it and looked at his reflection on the blade, it was the face of his younger self. Back when he had not yet learned the Nine Calamities Demon Art.

It was right then.

“Woojin.”

Startled, Geom Woojin turned to see his older brother standing a short distance away.

His gaze trembled at the sight. His brother stood there exactly as he had on that day. Back then, he had hated him so much. But even after all those years, his brother had never disappeared from his life. In fact, the traces of his brother had only grown deeper.

His brother spoke the same words he had spoken that day.

“You already knew it would end up like this, didn’t you?”

A cold killing intent emanated from his brother. That day, even though he had known in advance, he had still been enraged when his brother came to kill him. But today, seeing his brother, his feelings were different.

“Back then, I thought I did.”

And for the first time, Geom Woojin let out a sigh. Like the version of himself from his younger days, who was more expressive with emotions, Geom Woojin revealed a trace of regret.

“There must have been a way, Brother.”

It would not have been an easy path, but there surely had been a way. His son had managed to walk that difficult road and prove it.

“There was no other path. You and I—neither of us would have ever yielded.”

Still, he should have found a way. But the younger version of himself back then had failed to. If it were now? After seeing everything his son had accomplished?

At that moment, someone appeared from behind.

“Young Master, I regret that it has come to this.”

It was Gyo Cheon, holding his great blade. Not the shriveled figure he had become, but the man ablaze with ambition in his days as the Blade Demon.

But unlike a complete reenactment of that day, Gyo Cheon spoke with a meaningful glint in his eye.

“On that day, I failed to kill you because of my disciple’s betrayal. But today will be different.”

Murderous intent swirled in Gyo Cheon’s eyes. He had tried to kill him just like this that day.

Because both of them remembered it clearly, this Illusion Art had recreated it so vividly.

Then a voice rang out from behind.

“Indeed, today is different.”

Another figure emerged into view.

“Because instead of your disciple, his son is here.”

Surprisingly, it was Geom Mugeuk who appeared.

“Perhaps due to the Nine Calamities Demon Art, I too was drawn into this illusion.”

Father and son stood facing one another, both in their youth.

The two stared at each other with blazing eyes.

“To see my father in his younger years—it truly moves me.”

Geom Woojin looked at his son silently, his gaze immeasurably deep.

Geom Mugeuk’s eyes shifted to Geom Woojin’s older brother.

“So that is what Uncle looked like.”

Facing him, Geom Mugeuk clasped his fists respectfully and bowed.

“It’s an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Mugeuk.”

His uncle glared at him with disapproval. His reactions were vivid, as if he were truly alive. Geom Mugeuk turned to ask his father,

“What kind of Illusion Art have we fallen into?”

Geom Woojin knew exactly what it was.

“It is an Illusion Heart-Demon Art. A type of Illusion Art that kills its victim by using the person who has taken the deepest place in their heart.”

In other words, it could be the person one hated most, or the one they loved most.

“The one who occupied the greatest space in my heart was my brother.”

While most Illusion Arts were of the demonic path, this Illusion Heart-Demon Art was a martial art handed down in the orthodox sects. In front of the supreme demonic art, the Nine Calamities Demon Art, all other demonic arts were powerless, and so a technique from the orthodox side had been used. He must have trained his whole life to finish his revenge with the Illusion Heart-Demon Art.

“But he didn’t anticipate the variable that is me.”

Geom Mugeuk drew his sword and stepped beside Geom Woojin.

“Father, as much as it may pain you, it’s time to leave the past behind.”

Geom Woojin nodded and walked forward.

Step, step.

He walked toward his brother. Within the illusion, only the sound of his footsteps echoed.

His brother, just like on that day, drew his sword and stepped forward as well.

Beside him, Gyo Cheon also walked forward.

As Geom Woojin prepared to face the two of them together—at that very moment, something unimaginable happened.

Geom Woojin swung his sword with lightning speed.

Ssshhhhh.

Puuuuk!

The one who was pierced through the chest and coughed up blood was Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Woojin had turned like lightning and stabbed the son standing behind him.

“…Father?”