Absolute Regression

Chapter 548: Our Demon Supreme is Being Sentimental

The surrounding scenery lost its light.

When the moon fully covered the sun, a thin ring of light briefly gleamed before it, too, disappeared.

And so, the world was completely engulfed in darkness.

Snap!

Geom Mugeuk flicked his fingers once more.

The space they were in shifted to a different location.

Whoooosh.

A sandstorm blew through the place—a desert of Wilderness where even shadows could not take form. The sun should have been shining brighter than anywhere else.

Yet it remained dark. Even in this space, the solar eclipse continued.

“It’s useless, Young Cult Leader. Now that the eclipse has begun, you cannot erase my darkness.”

Even as time passed, the eclipse would not end—unless the Dark King ended it herself.

Geom Mugeuk silently looked up at the completely veiled sun. It was as if the moon had become lodged in the sun. As expected, the Dark King’s dark sorcery was astoundingly powerful.

“You dragged me here—so you should’ve been prepared for this much.”

As the darkness settled in, the white rim of the Battle King’s eyes thickened once more. The Dark Heaven Night God Art had begun to manifest again. Control had returned to the Battle King and the Dark King.

At that moment, the Evil Smiling Demon opened his mouth for the first time.

“You’re the ones who should have been prepared.”

It meant: when you provoked the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, did you truly understand what that entailed?

The eyes of the Battle King and the Dark King turned toward the Evil Smiling Demon. The Dark King's mystical voice echoed in the darkness.

“Indeed, you have the right to say such a thing.”

They hadn’t expected him to eliminate the dog merchant(T/N: Dog Man called himself) so quickly.

And because of that, the Dark King had to suppress the Evil Smiling Demon’s momentum.

“You will be the first Demon Supreme to die because of the Young Cult Leader.”

The Evil Smiling Demon’s eyes smiled. To die for the Young Cult Leader?

“As far as reasons for death go, that’s the best.”

At the Evil Smiling Demon’s words, a smile crept onto Geom Mugeuk’s lips.

‘He already died once because of me—I won’t let him die again.’

And at that moment, Geom Mugeuk grasped one truth.

“With that Dark Path Return Technique of yours, it seems you can’t escape this place. If you could, there would’ve been no need to cover the sun in the first place.”

The Dark King said nothing. It was a silent affirmation. While she could generate darkness here, that was the extent of it. The Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique couldn’t be used for entry or exit without permission.

Clang! Clang!

Then, the Battle King brought his fists together with a loud metallic sound. Killing intent radiated strongly from his eyes.

“Even if I could leave, I wouldn’t.”

It was the look of someone determined to see this through to the end.

Geom Mugeuk shattered his momentum in an instant.

“Is that your will? Or is it the will of the woman controlling you?”

The Battle King's face twitched.

“Of course it’s my will!”

The Battle King charged forward with a punch. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Geom Mugeuk, throwing his fist.

Fwoooosh!

The fist that aimed straight for Geom Mugeuk's face barely grazed past it.

As he dodged, the sword he had swung in retaliation shifted direction.

Clang!

The Battle King's second punch came too quickly, forcing him to abandon the attack and block with his sword instead.

A series of attacks from the Battle King tore through the air.

When he unleashed a powerful punch by dropping his full stance, the sand around them erupted violently.

At the very moment everyone’s sight was obscured—

Whoosh!

The Evil Smiling Demon released his first Blood Disaster Finger.

Thud!

When the dust settled, the Battle King’s expression was contorted.

Drip.

Blood was running down from his shoulder.

Just now, the Blood Disaster Finger had grazed Geom Mugeuk’s shoulder and hit the Battle King's instead.

An unexpected attack at an unexpected moment from an unexpected direction.

The Evil Smiling Demon, who was supposed to protect the Young Cult Leader, launching such a dangerous attack while visibility was lost? It was truly a blow that struck at their blind spot.

At that moment, black smoke formed over the wound on his shoulder. And the flowing blood stopped.

The voice of the Dark King was heard.

“It seems our Demon Supreme isn’t concerned about the Young Cult Leader’s safety.”

It was a remark meant to stop the Evil Smiling Demon’s bold attack, but Geom Mugeuk used her words instead.

“Looks like you’re the one unconcerned about the well-being of your companion.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just the act of descending into someone's body would cause serious harm. And to even heal them with the energy of darkness? Don’t tell me you see that person as nothing more than a disposable tool?”

Truthfully, he wasn’t certain. He didn’t know exactly what effect the Dark King’s descent had on the host. Nor what consequences such healing would bring.

But the thought occurred—how could such unnatural behavior be good for a person? So he took a guess and voiced it.

Now that darkness had fallen and the control of battle had shifted to the other side, he had to shake them somehow.

“I paid too steep a price reviving him to treat him like a tool.”

The Dark King answered calmly, but her opponent was Geom Mugeuk.

“If you win this costly battle, then I suppose it’ll be worth the price. But right now, he seems fit only for dying in my place for hindering you all until now.”

After a brief pause, the Dark King replied.

“As expected. The Young Cult Leader cannot be dealt with through words.”

“That’s true. But at the very least, this situation right now—isn’t it not a loss in a war of words, but a loss in the battle for truth?”

Geom Mugeuk shifted his gaze from the Dark King to meet the Battle King’s eyes beyond the shadows.

“Though it seems like you don’t care much either way.”

The Battle King glared at Geom Mugeuk with a fearsome look. How could he not know this was an attempt to sow discord, to shake his resolve?

That’s the nature of sowing discord—you know it’s manipulation, but it still gets to you. Just hearing it plants discomfort somewhere deep in your heart.

“If killing you is all it takes, then I don’t care!”

The Battle King hurled his body forward again. A punch more powerful than before, now fueled by his rage, came flying at him.

Clang clang clang clang clang!

His fist clashed with the sword and chains, bursting into sparks. Within the darkness, the sparks formed a dazzling spectacle.

Yet Geom Mugeuk’s expression was grim. The Battle King with the Dark King descended into him was truly powerful. Each time their blows collided, he genuinely feared his Black Demon Sword might break.

Unable to endure any longer, Geom Mugeuk escaped the clash using Dark Shadow Step.

The Battle King, too, followed like a shadow.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

At the right moment, a Blood Disaster Finger struck his shoulder.

Thud! With a dull sound, the shaken Battle King kicked off the sand and launched himself toward the Evil Smiling Demon.

“I’ll kill you first!”

Slash! Slash! Slash!

The Blood Disaster Fingers ripped through the air.

The Battle King twisted his body to dodge them. One of the three Blood Disaster Fingers grazed him, but it didn’t pierce through. The Dark King’s dark energy had formed a Protective Energy that shielded him.

Just as the Battle King's punch was about to strike the Evil Smiling Demon’s chest—

Clang!

Sparks flew in front of the Evil Smiling Demon.

Flying in on Lightning Flash Step, Geom Mugeuk slashed down, aiming to sever the Battle King's arm.

The Battle King stopped the attack and let the sword strike his fist. Had he followed through with the attack on the Evil Smiling Demon, his arm would have been cut clean off.

Shhhk!

Geom Mugeuk’s sword struck his arm in rapid succession.

Clang! Chaang! Clang!

The Battle King pulled his arm back and blocked with his fists.

One would have expected the final strike to aim for the shoulder or neck—

Slice! Crack!

But Geom Mugeuk’s sword flew in from an unexpected angle and slashed the Battle King’s waist.

Splat!

Blood sprayed from the Battle King's waist. It had clearly landed a solid hit.

But the Battle King responded with a swift counterattack.

Whooosh!

He dodged the first punch.

A series of Blood Disaster Fingers blocked the second punch launched in succession.

Retreating, the Battle King cursed at the Evil Smiling Demon.

“Cowardly bastard!”

There was no way Geom Mugeuk would let that insult pass.

“Say that to your waist, you cowardly waist bastard!”

Black energy began to rise thickly from the wound in his waist. Once again, the dark energy sealed his wound.

“You’re going to pay dearly for this. Even if you win this fight, what will you do about the aftereffects? What are you planning to leave behind as your final words? I killed the Young Cult Leader and the Evil Smiling Demon with the Dark King’s help?”

But the Battle King showed no concern at Geom Mugeuk’s words.

“Death doesn’t scare me.”

“I know. I know the kind of person you are. But dying as a fool is a different matter. Why your life, specifically? If that woman descended into your body, then she should offer up her life equally. Why is it only your life being drained as you fight?”

Then the Dark King's composed voice came forth.

“Don’t fall for his attempts to sow discord.”

Geom Mugeuk spoke again.

“You’re out here gasping for breath, nearly losing an arm while fighting, and yet she speaks in that calm tone—isn’t that just a little too selfish?”

Eventually, the Battle King could no longer hold back and raised his voice.

“Shut up!”

It may have sounded like concern, but ultimately it was mockery: *you’re being used right now.* He had hoped the Dark King would show emotion, but once again the Battle King reacted first.

In that moment of his anger—

Geom Mugeuk’s sword split through the air like a lightning bolt. He had provoked them precisely to land this strike.

Fwoosh.

Darkness descended upon the darkness.

A single white line of sword light cut through that abyss.

Fourth Form of Nine Calamities Demon Art—Dark Flash.

Kaaaang!

With an ear-splitting metallic screech, the Battle King’s figure appeared.

His hand, thrust in front of his neck, trembled faintly.

Crrrack.

Cracks formed in the chains wrapped around his fists. But they did not shatter. From between the cracks, black energy rose like smoke.

Astonishingly, he had blocked the Dark Flash. At the level of Seven Stars, Geom Mugeuk still couldn’t cut down the fused power of the Battle King and the Dark King.

“To use a darkness-based technique against me?”

The moment Dark Flash was activated, the area became pitch-black.

“Who knows? Maybe you’d get careless and—*slice*—lose your head.”

He had to try it at least once to know. And the result reaffirmed that the darkness was on their side.

Compared to the calm Dark King, the Battle King’s killing intent grew ever more intense. Though he had blocked the technique, he couldn’t help but think—if the Dark King hadn’t descended into him, that blow might have taken his head.

“You won’t get another chance to use Nine Calamities Demon Art!”

The Battle King fiercely pressed Geom Mugeuk.

Fist winds stormed from his fists. Sand whipped into a whirlwind around them.

Without pause, the Battle King unleashed a barrage of attacks. He didn’t hold back his inner energy. Blow after blow infused with extreme internal power left Geom Mugeuk unable to fight back—he was too busy dodging to retaliate.

In this battle, Geom Mugeuk was feeling the limits of his strength. These weren’t just wild strikes—it was the Battle King, empowered by the Dark King, striking with near-limitless energy.

It was like fighting beneath the frozen surface of a lake, where he felt like suffocating—only to catch his breath every time a hole cracked through the ice.

Shhk!

When a Blood Disaster Finger struck and made the Battle King flinch, it was the moment Geom Mugeuk finally escaped danger.

A Blood Disaster Finger flew past Geom Mugeuk and nearly grazed him, but the Battle King twisted his body and dodged it. This time, he had no choice but to evade—it had flown straight for his eye. If Geom Mugeuk had tilted his head even slightly, it would have pierced the back of his skull.

The Battle King cursed him as a madman, but this attack was one born purely of trust.

The Evil Smiling Demon trusted in his own skill, and he trusted in Geom Mugeuk. Without that trust, launching such a narrowly calculated Blood Disaster Finger would have been insanity.

There was no other way. Unless they attacked boldly like this, they couldn’t handle the Battle King and the Dark King.

That was why the Evil Smiling Demon never wasted his strikes. He conserved his internal energy, launching attacks only in the precise moments that demanded them.

Had this been before his skills had risen, he would’ve used more attacks than now. At that time, he wouldn’t have been able to unleash such refined Blood Disaster Fingers.

Each time, the Battle King tried to target the Evil Smiling Demon, but Geom Mugeuk never allowed it.

Then, charging forward together, as Geom Mugeuk thrust his sword—

Thud!

The Black Demon Sword pierced into his body. With the level of skill the Battle King had shown earlier, he shouldn’t have been struck by such an attack.

Fwoooosh!

The moment the sword was pulled free, something black and sticky poured out from the Battle King's abdomen, and like a shroud, it spread and covered Geom Mugeuk.

In an instant, Geom Mugeuk stood inside pitch-black darkness where nothing could be seen. It was like being trapped inside the belly of a whale.

Then came the voice of the Dark King.

“This is the Dark Curtain.”

Until that moment, the Dark King had only waited for an opening. Now, she had finally played her hidden trump card.

“You can’t escape unless I release you. By the time you come out, you’ll see the corpse of the Evil Smiling Demon.”

Her voice faded into the darkness.

The Evil Smiling Demon was frantically trying to tear through the curtain of darkness.

The black veil, blooming like a flower bud, could not be torn even by Blood Disaster Fingers or by the Frantic Demonic Palm.

The Battle King watched the scene with ease. His expression now clearly showed he believed victory was in his hands.

“You can’t tear it open unless I release it myself.”

The Dark King's voice carried a relaxed tone. If the Evil Smiling Demon died, Geom Mugeuk would naturally follow.

“You dare use the word ‘never’ in front of the Young Cult Leader?”

The Battle King threw a punch at the Evil Smiling Demon. The fierce energy in the blow drove him backward, until he collided with the Dark Curtain behind him and came to a halt.

The Evil Smiling Demon realized he couldn’t hold out much longer. Ever since facing the dog seller, his internal energy had been draining continuously—and now it was nearly depleted.

“Where does that internal energy of yours even come from?”

To that question, the Dark King replied with a meaningful tone.

“You’ll only learn that secret after you die.”

Striding forward with heavy steps, the Battle King spoke this time.

“I’ll tell you the secret myself!”

Leaning against the Dark Curtain, the Evil Smiling Demon replied.

“Come out now, Young Cult Leader!”

The Dark King chuckled sweetly and said,

“It seems our Demon Supreme has a surprisingly sentimental side.”

The Battle King launched his final blow, throwing his fist.

Shhhiiik!

It was right then.

Thud!

Before the punch could reach the Evil Smiling Demon, the Black Demon Sword pierced through the Dark Curtain from behind and went straight through the Battle King’s shoulder.

Slice!

It was such an unexpected strike that he couldn’t react at all.

In that instant, both the Dark King and the Battle King screamed and retreated at once. The Battle King's shoulder had been properly pierced, and the Dark King suffered internal damage from her own dark sorcery being broken.

Screeeeeech.

The Dark Curtain began to tear open in a long rip.

A wave of surprise crossed the Dark King's eyes.

“How did you tear the Dark Curtain?!”

For the first time, her voice, always calm, was trembling.

She hadn’t realized that Geom Mugeuk could see the bluish spheres, the unraveling method. It was the effect of combining the Blood Eye Essence and the New Eye Technique.

Originally, the Blood Eye Essence revealed the countermeasures to Blood Sect sorcery, and since her dark sorcery traced its roots back to Blood Sect martial arts, the two were deeply connected. That was also how she could create the solar eclipse in this space.

“I don’t like being stuck in tight spaces.”

Geom Mugeuk turned his gaze toward the Evil Smiling Demon. The two of them smiled as their eyes met. The Evil Smiling Demon had truly believed Geom Mugeuk would break free. Even taking a blow from the Battle King with his back exposed stemmed from that trust.

‘I should become an even greater strength for you.’

How could Geom Mugeuk not understand his heart?

“Did you know? I like you even more because you have a sentimental side, Soma.”

At those words, the Evil Smiling Demon’s eyes smiled beneath the mask.

In contrast, the Battle King’s irritation surged to its peak.

“You disgusting bastards! Still, nothing’s changed!”

He remained vigorous. Although the Dark King had sustained internal injuries, her internal energy was still supporting him. However, perhaps due to those injuries, the black energy couldn’t fully heal the wound in his shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

The Evil Smiling Demon turned toward the Battle King first. Even with his internal energy depleted, he showed no fear. If anything, his eyes shone more clearly and fiercely than ever.

Walking beside the Evil Smiling Demon toward the Battle King, Geom Mugeuk said,

“You’re right. When have we ever fought with overflowing energy?”