Absolute Regression

Chapter 599: Might as Well Just Ask to Borrow the Gauntlet

Even while wearing the War God Gauntlet, the Fist Demon King did not let down his guard.

His opponent was strong. Despite putting in all his effort, he still hadn’t managed to kill the man. He had even been forced to wear the gauntlet himself.

What’s more, Kang Hu had drawn out every last bit of his killing intent.

Let your guard down, and you die.

That applied to both of them equally.

The two surged toward each other.

Because of the blades shooting out from Kang Hu’s fists, his reach ended up longer than the Fist Demon King’s.

Swaaaak.

The blade, sharp enough to cut through iron like paper, grazed the Fist Demon King’s face as it passed. It was still unclear whether the War God Gauntlet could fully block such a deadly blade, so the Fist Demon King avoided the attacks as much as he could, responding with utmost caution.

But one couldn’t dodge forever.

In that instant, a blade of killing intent flew in from an inescapable angle.

Paaak!

Tearing through the air, the blade halted against the Fist Demon King’s palm.

‘Damn it! He blocked it.’

Kang Hu saw it. The gauntlet had not sustained the slightest damage. This was the true majesty of the Greatest Gauntlet Under Heaven.

Swaaaak.

As the Fist Demon King counterattacked, Kang Hu twisted his body and quickly leapt back.

“Hiding behind a gauntlet must feel nice. Why not grab a shield while you’re at it?”

It was a desperate attempt to provoke the Fist Demon King into removing the War God Gauntlet.

Pang, pang!

The Fist Demon King struck his palm with his fist and replied.

“This is enough.”

It wasn’t the reaction Kang Hu wanted. His taunts and mockery had no effect.

What Kang Hu didn’t know was this: the Fist Demon King had wandered the Central Plains alongside the Cult Leader since his youth, and possessed more real battle experience than most of the Demon Supremes.

He had endured every kind of provocation from all manner of foes.

Swaaak.

Kang Hu’s fist shot forward, targeting one of the Fist Demon King’s pressure points. One proper hit would be the end.

If the blade pierced the body, the punch would then smash the wounded area.

Dodging the incoming blade, the Fist Demon King threw a punch of his own.

Whoooong.

It was as if a massive hunk of metal had passed by. Kang Hu’s cheek burned as if it had been scorched by the passing punch.

Shiiik!

Kang Hu’s blade, having missed, now aimed for the Fist Demon King’s abdomen. With a body that massive, it seemed like no matter how carelessly you stabbed, you’d hit something.

The strikes grazed, and grazed again.

It was difficult to leave even a scratch on the Fist Demon King’s body.

Of course, Kang Hu wasn’t about to let the Fist Demon King land a clean punch either. This was a matter of survival.

One hit meant death.

That sense of danger kept both their bodies in a state of extreme excitement.

Given their level, one might assume they were calmly analyzing the situation and fighting accordingly—but that wasn’t the case. Right now, both men were in a state of intense arousal.

Even if bones broke and flesh tore open, they wouldn’t feel pain; even if a wrist were severed, they looked like they would still throw a punch with the severed end. Such was the extremity of their heightened state.

That was why they could block each other. The speed and power of the attacks they exchanged were impossible to withstand without being in that heightened state. Without that excitement, their minds would have crumbled.

Sometimes their fists were suddenly imbued with qi, and sometimes their forms vanished in an instant.

The air surrounding them burst over and over again, as if to rupture eardrums.

Pung! Pueong! Pueoeong!

Anything that had been in that place would have been destroyed. If there had been a rock, it would’ve turned to dust; if it had been a block of iron, it would have been crushed like rice cake.

Both had long since surpassed the stage of being confined by formal techniques. Their battle now was the very embodiment of the pinnacle of martial arts.

One-Slash Sword Supreme, watching their fight, sensed that the end was near.

They had fought without rest, pouring in immense internal energy. There couldn’t be much left. Both of them would try to settle it soon.

In her heart, she rooted for the Fist Demon King.

If, by even the smallest chance, the Fist Demon King were to die, it would not be his death alone. Lee Ahn, Geom Mugeuk, and even she herself, who was witnessing the scene—the aftermath would reach all of them.

‘You must win. For all of us.’

One-Slash Sword Supreme looked at Lee Ahn, who was standing beside her.

She sent a sound transmission to Lee Ahn.

—Don’t watch this as your father’s fight. Watch it as the Fist Demon King’s fight.

How could someone as sharp as Lee Ahn not understand what that meant?

—Yes, Sword Supreme.

It meant to set aside personal emotions and commit to memory every move, without missing a single detail.

When would one ever get the chance to see a fight like this with their own eyes?

Papapapang!

As the two exchanged blows with extreme concentration, Kang Hu lost his balance.

Seizing the moment, the Fist Demon King’s shoulder slammed into Kang Hu’s chest.

Kwaaang!

As the blow landed, Kang Hu swung a blade of killing intent, but it was stopped by the Fist Demon King’s hand.

Swaaaak.

Bang!

Kang Hu took a direct punch to the face from the Fist Demon King and staggered backward.

Blood trickled down from his nose.

A nosebleed, in a battle between masters of this level?

It was something that should have been impossible—but precisely because it was a clash between such masters, it had happened.

Pressing on the pressure point on the bridge of his nose to stop the bleeding, Kang Hu asked,

“It was your chance. Why didn’t you follow through?”

Even though he tilted his head back to look at the sky, the Fist Demon King hadn’t launched another attack.

The Fist Demon King kneaded his wrist and fist as he replied.

“You like setting traps, don’t you?”

He was referring to how Kang Hu had used the blade of killing intent when backed into a corner earlier.

It was a remark that struck right at the core. Had the Fist Demon King followed up, Kang Hu had indeed been planning to spring a surprise attack.

Kang Hu felt a heavy pressure in his chest. In all his life, he had never faced an opponent as difficult as this one.

Naturally, his gaze drifted toward Lee Ahn.

‘If only I could take the Fist Demon King’s daughter hostage…’

The only reason he hadn’t acted yet was because One-Slash Sword Supreme was standing in front of Lee Ahn. If he made the wrong move and she became involved in this fight—then the gates of hell would truly open.

‘I didn’t want to resort to this…’

Kang Hu revealed the move he had been saving.

It was a technique that required even using Innate Qi, and could only be activated by sacrificing the life of his personal disciple, Jin Dan.

But there was no other way to defeat that unexpectedly powerful, massive fist.

“Fine then, let’s settle this.”

Kang Hu’s gaze turned toward Jin Dan, who had been watching the battle silently all this time.

Sensing his master’s look, Jin Dan finally realized that his moment had come.

‘I will give my life to assist you.’

The characters engraved on Jin Dan’s fists began to emit a red glow. As if waiting for this, a blue radiance—like Ghost Flame—burst forth from Kang Hu’s hand as well.

Saaaaaaa—

The blue and red lights began to advance toward each other.

Originally, Kang Hu was supposed to absorb both energies into his fists.

However, the two energies were fundamentally opposed. If housed in a single body, their conflict would cause severe internal damage. Lacking the cultivation to withstand it, he had sealed one of the energies in his disciple’s fist instead.

Now he had to merge those energies as fast as possible to eliminate the Fist Demon King. Once the two energies began to clash, he himself wouldn’t remain unharmed either.

Jin Dan knew that he had to pass on the energy—but he didn’t know the crucial truth.

Not only the energy in his hand, but also his own life force and Innate Qi would be drawn out completely, ending in his death. He didn’t know how wicked this dark sorcery truly was—or how heartless his master really was.

Fweeeeeee—

The blue and red energies met midair and began to intermingle.

And it was at that very moment.

Swik!

A light, short sound of wind.

In the next instant, the red energy that had filled the air flowed back into Jin Dan’s body.

Click.

The sound of a sword being sheathed.

Before anyone noticed, One-Slash Sword Supreme was standing behind Jin Dan.

Zzzik—came the sound as the split began.

Srrrrrrk.

Jin Dan’s body was sliced diagonally, spraying blood. He lost his life without ever understanding how—or why—he had died.

Kang Hu had never expected One-Slash Sword Supreme to interfere in the fight, and he shouted with a furious expression,

“You crazy bitch!”

One-Slash Sword Supreme looked at Kang Hu and replied calmly,

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a one-on-one fight? Or was it a fight where two could gang up on one?”

If he admitted that, it would mean acknowledging it was fair for her to step in.

Another stream of vulgar curses spewed from Kang Hu’s mouth.

“You dog-faced whore! You despicable bastards from the demonic cult are lower than worms!”

Hearing Kang Hu insult One-Slash Sword Supreme enraged Lee Ahn.

But the woman herself didn’t seem to care at all.

The only person she cared about right now was the Fist Demon King.

One-Slash Sword Supreme looked toward the Fist Demon King and slightly dipped her head.

She couldn’t predict what would have happened if that disciple’s energy had successfully merged. Of course, it was still a battle she shouldn't have interfered in recklessly.

But she had faith in the Fist Demon King’s change.

The softening of his heart. The life he had chosen to live anew.

She hoped that today’s battle would not be one for honor, but one for victory.

Fortunately, the Fist Demon King showed no sign of displeasure.

Rather, he offered his gratitude to her.

“Thank you.”

Kang Hu sneered at the Fist Demon King.

“Hiding behind the War God Gauntlet and now even accepting a woman’s help?”

He made every effort to provoke him to the very end, but it still didn’t work.

“If the woman happens to be a Sword Supreme, then I’d say her help is worth accepting, don’t you think?”

At the Fist Demon King’s words, a faint smile formed on One-Slash Sword Supreme’s lips. That he would say such a thing about her… Yes, she had been right.

Now, Lee Ahn could feel it clearly. This was a real fight between Demon Supremes. A fight between adults who wouldn’t be swayed by cheap provocations, who didn’t lose sight of what truly mattered. She was once again seeing the path she had to walk.

In contrast, Kang Hu’s expression had completely stiffened. If the bastard who submitted the report on the Eight Demon Supremes had been standing in front of him right now, he would have crushed his skull on the spot. That report on the Demon Supremes had been utter nonsense.

He didn’t know the real reason why the Fist Demon King was trying to win this battle.

The Fist Demon King had no interest in winning for honor. He simply wanted to end this fight quickly—so he could wait for a certain someone here.

When Geom Mugeuk appeared, he wanted to be the first person that man laid eyes on—not Kang Hu, spewing his filthy curses.

He wanted to see the Young Cult Leader laugh brightly and joke around. It didn’t matter if those jokes weren’t directed at him. No, it would be better if they weren’t.

If they were said to Lee Ahn, or to One-Slash Sword Supreme.

Just watching that scene would be enough for him.

‘Now that I think about it, I had a similar feeling in my younger days, traveling alongside the Cult Leader.’

He had simply wanted to ensure that no one dared treat the Cult Leader with disrespect. Even if he himself wasn’t the protagonist, he wanted to protect the stage so the Cult Leader could be.

With that very feeling, the Fist Demon King clenched his fist.

Kwaaaak.

Kang Hu's fist also tightened, infused with immense internal energy and deep emotion.

Kwaak.

They both understood instinctively—this would be the final clash.

Sseuseuseuseuk—

The blade of killing intent extending from Kang Hu’s fist grew even longer.

The Fist Demon King said to him,

“Don’t bother with that—just go to my daughter and ask if you can borrow a sword.”

The Fist Demon King, too, could taunt. He could even enjoy a fight. He was only holding back because Lee Ahn was watching.

Of course, Kang Hu wasn’t one to be taken lightly either.

“Why borrow it? I’ll just rip her to pieces and take it.”

The two hurled themselves at each other.

Swaaaaaaaak!

Kang Hu’s Ghost-Soul Execution Fist—

The final Seventh Technique: Soul-Slaughtering Strike.

The Fist Demon King’s Thunderous Asura Fist—

The final Sixth Technique: Yama’s Thunder Asura.

What the Fist Demon King infused into his fist was patience and longing.

What Kang Hu infused into his was hatred and resentment.

Just before their fists collided, what the Fist Demon King saw in Kang Hu’s eyes wasn’t hell—but a cliff.

That cliff he had long stared up at.

The Fist Demon King felt that the strength coursing through his arm and fist was different from usual. It was a feeling hard to describe. As if his fist could even shatter that cliff.

‘Yes… I’ll bring it down!’

And so, the fists of the Fist Demon King and the Fist King collided head-on.

KWAANG!

Even layers upon layers of hatred and resentment couldn’t overcome the heart of the Fist Demon King—for Geom Mugeuk.

PAPAPAPAPAK!

The blade of killing intent shattered into a white burst of light.

The Fist Demon King’s fist, which had broken the blade, crushed Kang Hu’s fist as well.

KWADEUDEUDEUK!

“UAAAAAAAGH!”

A horrific scream burst from Kang Hu’s mouth—but it didn’t last long. He saw it—an immense black shadow enveloping his field of vision. As though the sky itself were crashing down upon him.

KWANG!

The massive fist of the Fist Demon King, which had crushed his opponent’s punch, slammed straight into Kang Hu’s face.

His Protective Energy shattered, and his face caved in completely.

The Fist King, Kang Hu, his face destroyed, slowly collapsed forward.

There was no thunder in the Yama’s Thunder Asura.

And the final thing Kang Hu saw was death, seated in the spectator’s seats, watching this fight.

THUMP.

Kang Hu fell to the ground, lifeless.

At last, the life-and-death battle between the Fist Demon King and the Fist King had come to an end.

“Father!”

Lee Ahn rushed to the Fist Demon King and embraced him tightly. She was overwhelmed with joy that her father was safe. Though she hadn’t shown it outwardly, no one could know how desperately anxious she had been while watching.

One-Slash Sword Supreme had told her to see it not as her father’s fight, but as the Fist Demon King’s. But how could she possibly have done that?

“I’m alright.”

Only after hearing the Fist Demon King’s reassuring reply did Lee Ahn finally relax.

Now, not as a daughter but as a martial artist, she shared her impression of the fight that had just taken place.

“You were truly amazing.”

The Fist Demon King grinned. It was a somewhat awkward smile, yet it fit his rough face perfectly.

One-Slash Sword Supreme, who had been silently watching, understood. The Fist Demon King had ascended to a new level through this battle. For those at their level, a life-and-death duel with an equal like this was more valuable than any elixir.

Yeon Baekin was staring blankly at the completely shattered martial stage. The corpses that had piled up were all from the side he had chosen. He had clearly sided with Kang Hu, and if the Fist Demon King decided to crush him in one blow, he would have no grounds to object.

Just then, something caught Yeon Baekin’s eye.

‘Huh?’

Everything around had been reduced to rubble—except for one thing.

It was the chairs containing the mechanical devices that led underground.

In this place where everything else had been destroyed, only those chairs remained untouched.

‘Could it be…?’

Was it coincidence? Or something else?

Yeon Baekin’s gaze shifted toward the Fist Demon King.

The Fist Demon King was slowly removing the War God Gauntlet he had been wearing.

His eyes, as he looked down at the gauntlets, were deep and solemn.

After folding them neatly, he picked up the clothes that had fallen to the floor and tucked the gauntlet into them.

He hadn’t noticed when he first took it out, but now it was clear that the leather pouch used to store the War God Gauntlet had been securely fastened. It had been sewn onto the clothes in a way that made it impossible to lose, unless someone forcibly stripped him.

Yeon Baekin was unsure—but Lee Ahn understood it clearly.

Her father had fought without damaging those chairs.

Of course, even if the passage was destroyed, they could still climb up somehow—but this was about showing respect to the Young Cult Leader.

It was the Fist Demon King’s way of saying: come up easily through the passage, don’t claw your way up through the dirt.

It hadn’t been luck that allowed her father to win. The fact that he left those chairs intact even amidst that intense battle meant—

‘Father was stronger.’

And Lee Ahn could feel her father's heart toward the Young Cult Leader.

The heart of a Demon Supreme who wanted to tidy this place before welcoming him.

She thought perhaps the feeling Geom Mugeuk had when trying not to damage the table at the Flowing Wind Tavern wasn’t so different from the feeling her father had when protecting those chairs.

As if to confirm her thought was correct, the Fist Demon King looked over the chaotic battlefield and said to Yeon Baekin,

“A precious guest will be coming. Clean this place up.”