Chapter 114

<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 114>

Meanwhile, at a wharf near Incheon Port.

“Team Leader, Team Leader! Look over there, over there!”

“What is it… Huh?”

Something black was taking shape out at sea. It was unclear whether the form was made of darkness, fog, or shadow.

The darkness was gradually taking a human-like shape.

The giant humanoid figure of darkness held a greatsword made of darkness.

And then…

The darkness split the sky.

KWAHAAAAAAAAANG-!!

“Everybody, get on the boats! Quickly!”

The boats waiting nearby set off all at once.

A line of ships splitting the sea. Among them, the woman standing at the forefront in the wind was Yeon Su-ji.

That’s right.

The people currently here were Yeon Su-ji and those who belonged to her “Miracle” Agency.

“Calling out of the blue like this…”

‘And to show us something so absurd like this…’

Then why were they here?

The answer was due to a phone call that came a few hours ago from Park Ki-hyuk.

– Hello? Is this Yeon Su-ji? This is Park Ki-hyuk.

– I don’t have time, so I’ll get straight to the point. Are you interested in making a deal?

He abruptly asked about her interest in a deal without any prior notice.

Without revealing what the deal was even about.

From Yeon Su-ji’s perspective, it could hardly seem less appealing. Although she might have some fondness for him, this was unacceptable behavior. She thought he was just some petty thief and was about to hang up immediately.

Had she not heard another word that followed.

– Oh, by the way, it’s related to the Triad.

…You should speak clearly, shouldn’t you?

The Triad were a villain group holding one of the three major villain slots, below the top three.

Whatever it was, it had to be a pretty big deal.

– I’ll consider your consent as a given, and I’ll speak quickly. There’s a Triad smuggling ship near Incheon Port right now. I’m currently inside this smuggling ship.

– Starting now, I will thoroughly eliminate all the Triad members inside the ship.

– I’ll let you and your agency handle the aftermath. In exchange, you can take all the credit.

“To take all the credit…”

Not just some petty thief but the Triad.

Even though they are considered one step below the three great villains by reputation, the Triad is still a notorious villain group worldwide.

And he was giving away all the credit for handling them.

As the practical head of Miracle Agency, which was still newly established, Yeon Su-ji couldn’t possibly refuse such a deal.

“What do I have to give in return?”

A deal implies mutual exchange.

If she receives credit, then her side must give something in return.

Park Ki-hyuk had placed the capture of the Triad on the scales. What could Yeon Su-ji put up against it?

Her head felt dizzy from the pressure.

And yet, it wasn’t something she could reject.

At this moment, Yeon Su-ji began to see Park Ki-hyuk in a different light.

“I thought he only knew how to head straight forward…”

The more she thought about it, the more brilliant this deal was.

As it was, the recent rise of Optimum Agency had reached heights that were becoming a concern to those around them. With a proverb that says pointed stones hit the head, there were a few people who viewed their ascension unfavorably.

Especially among high-ranking government officials.

Of course, from Optimum’s perspective, such trivial matters can be ignored since they are, after all, one of the world’s top five agencies.

Yet, Optimum aligns its steps with national institutions including the Executive Department, all due to the nature of its current leader, Kim Yeon-hee.

Despite the nickname “Witch of Optimum,” Kim Yeon-hee is, in fact, someone who pursues “coexistence.”

Therefore, although Optimum possesses the power to disrupt balance, it’s one of the agencies best integrated into society.

“Could it be that even this was designed by Kim Yeon-hee…?”

At that moment, a voice interrupted Yeon Su-ji’s thoughts.

“Leader! We’ve arrived!”

“I’m coming right away.”

Yeon Su-ji stopped her thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to think but to act. She refocused on the present reality.

“Repair team, please secure this vessel however possible! We need to restore as much of the scene as we can before the Executive Department arrives. The management team will assist as well. Combat team, come with me onto the ship. Let’s go.”

Thus, Yeon Su-ji and her team climbed aboard the ship.

“……!!”

“Hu…!”

They stilled their breathing.

Incapable of continuing their words.

Corpses filled their sight.

Hardly any intact bodies could be found. All had been torn apart, and pools of bl**d collected like lakes on the deck.

And within this world of d*ath, the only thing moving was something approaching them.

– Are you the humans my master spoke of?

“You…?!”

– Ah… It’s a familiar human.

A goat’s head, bizarrely towering horns, eyes dark to the point of being unsettling.

Once upon a time, this entity was an ornament in Yeon Su-ji’s home.

The Great Demon Baphomet.

– I have retrieved the souls. Now it’s your turn to take action.

Corpses piled like mountains, bl**d flowing like rivers.

Nothing alive remained here.

Only d*ath filled the space.

Even the Great Demon greeted them warmly.

Could this be Hell itself?

As Yeon Su-ji and her team investigated the incident, the sun behind the horizon dipped to close the day.

“I’ll be back. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Just go home. I’ll be discharged tomorrow.”

“I know. I’ll be quick.”

“What do I know? Go home.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, just wait for me.”

“Go home already!”

“Hmph, Ki-hyuk kiddo. Stop whining. No matter how adorable you are, it’s still not allowed.”

“… You do as you please.”

“Then I will. Bomi will bring you home later.”

With a wink, Jin Yu-ri exited the room.

Could someone who was crying so much just a moment ago suddenly transform like this? They say a woman’s transformation is innocent, could this be what they mean?

Although he’s fine, she insisted on personally delivering Bomi to kindergarten herself. The emphasis she placed on the word “personally” still echoed in her ears.

“He’s stubborn.”

Still, it was fortunate, wasn’t it?

Had it continued any longer, it would have shown.

As soon as the tightly held tension loosened, her hand shook uncontrollably, as if convulsing.

Sword master, Demon Lord, and even the power of a giant had been fully tapped in this ordeal. This is the aftermath of overusing power.

“I’ll have to use them cautiously depending on the situation.”

I usually restrain myself because I foretold this would happen.

The attack was harder than expected.

Still, purging it all out felt refreshing now.

Lately, I felt like I was falling into a rut, but now I have a sense of needing more growth.

Things are going smoothly.

It was critical to utilize Yeon Su-ji, as mother said.

– There are two paths, Ki-hyuk. The first is for you to accept credit for everything you’ve done so far. In a way, it’s the simplest. You’ll have your efforts recognized.

– You’ll become a star, even more famous than your brother or sister. In return, you’ll be extremely busy.

– The second path is to conceal what you’ve done. Think of it as transferring the merit. You sacrifice fame for tangible benefits.

– Whatever you choose, Mom will respect your decision.

Two choices.

Naturally, I chose the latter.

– Phew, thank goodness. I was worried you’d want to be famous, though you’re young.

– If you choose the latter, you’ll need someone who can take your credit. Preferably the highest bidder. Jinryong won’t work; they’re as closely watched as we are right now. Hmm, if you don’t know, Mom can recommend a place?

– Miracle Agency. There’s a girl named Yeon Su-ji. She went to the field training with you. That’s right. It’s her. Use her.

Miracle, the new agency.

It’s the agency the Seven Star Group staked its survival on to create.

Newly formed entities have to prove their worth.

That’s no different for agencies.

How do they prove their value? By results. Showing how much they have accomplished is the indicator and proof, the results.

But if they could claim the achievement of capturing the Triad?

Especially considering how new they are. Such an achievement would raise their brand value when they enter the industry.

It was an offer their side could not refuse.

Naturally, the deal was made with just one call.

Thanks to this, I avoided the annoying aftermath and could rest comfortably in this hospital.

“What, there’s still work to do, though.”

Even if I can avoid cleaning up after, this is work I’ve undertaken once. It requires my best effort.

With that in mind, let’s wrap up the remaining tasks.

I took something out of a pocket dimension.

An orb.

It was the same kind of communication orb I’d seen before.

Of course, this one’s different. It’s performance is much superior. I can tell just by looking that it could easily reach to another side of the continent.

“Audio only, no video.”

That’s unfortunate. I would have liked to see their faces.

“Still, I can issue a warning, at least.”

Snap.

I flicked my finger, and the room’s door was encased in mana and shimmered.

The entrance blocked, I called out.

“Left arm.”

Rips formed in space.

An Asura came into view, and behind it, souls screaming and reaching out with their hands.

They were all souls of the Triad members who died this time.

I pointed one out from among them.

“Wang Chai. Bring him out.”

When the soul was extracted, I forcibly embedded it into the orb.

After a while, the orb flashed.

PIIIING—click.

It powered on.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

*

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

A man in the shadows watched the orb silently.

Thinking, ‘Korean language.’

The man retrieved a translator from the drawer and put it on.

“I recognize you can hear me. Let’s be polite. High-ranking member of the Triad.”

They know we’re from the Triad?

Surely, this orb was given to Wang Chai, who was acquiring artifacts in Korea. But someone completely unrelated is contacting us now.

This is getting complicated… the man’s thoughts grew chaotic.

Moreover, this orb isn’t just any communication orb. It’s a legitimate artifact inscribed into the soul. Something like fingerprints or retinas, but instead marked on the soul,

which means it’s something only the subject themselves can use.

Yet, no matter how much I listen, this Korean is not Wang Chai.

How?

“How curious must you be. How I activated this?”

“…”

“You used soul locks. I specialize in that field.”

“…”

“You noticed when I used soul extraction. You guys are dark sorcerers, right?”

“…”

“Thought about it. Funny thing. China doesn’t train sorcerers, they say. Yet you guys use black magic. Black magic is magic, isn’t it? Not pulling some kind of shamans’ trick, are you?”

“…”

How did he know?

In reality, the Triad referred to black magic as black shamanism or spiritual magic.

“Anyway, you can call it what you want. So, moving on. Let me tell you what my concern is. Open your ears and listen carefully.”

At that moment, the voice turned eerie.

“I’m issuing a warning. Leave it alone.”

Through the orb, Park Ki-hyuk was saying,

Leave it alone.

Don’t even look at it.

I won’t tolerate any nonsense in my territory.

“I’m giving you my last warning. If you ignore it…”

Instantly, the orb exploded.

PENG!!

Fragments of the orb scattered around.

In the air, the mist shaped itself like a mouth and said,

“Then, I will come for you.”

After issuing the final warning, the mist dissipated.

“……Impressive.”

In the darkness, bl**d trickled from the face of the man who had been cut by the fragments.