Chapter 142

The hideout of the Ilwol God Sect.

There, Unmu Yong waited for the other elders while conversing with Unknown.

Unexpectedly, Unknown was outside the Central Plains.

“Most Central Plains people think of the Western Regions as the Middle East and Eastern Rome, but… there are various countries even further west than that.”

He had a lot of interest in Western Catholicism.

“And the Crusades you’re interested in. Catholicism is the religion of Western Europe.”

“Eastern Rome… the empire called that, do they not believe in Catholicism?”

“Uh… it’s a bit different. They have something similar called the Orthodox Church, but it’s different. Let’s move on.”

Unmu Yong pondered how to explain.

“In Catholicism, there’s a guy called the Pope. Think of him as the leader of the Martial Alliance in Europe.”

He made a simple analogy.

“Just like the Nine Great Clans are part of the Martial Alliance, under the Pope, there are religious military groups like the Teutonic Knights, Templars, and Hospitallers.”

“The elders of the Martial Alliance… high-ranking clergy, cardinals, elect the Pope through voting and religious debates to lead the Catholic believers.”

Unknown smiled faintly, finding Unmu Yong’s story interesting.

“…It seems different but also similar.”

“Even if the culture is different, people are people. Wherever people live, it’s all the same.”

Unmu Yong also smiled slightly and shrugged.

“Did you face discrimination?”

“A lot. Like I said, wherever people live. But thanks to high-ranking Catholic believers, it was okay. Foreign intellectuals showing interest in their religion.”

Unmu Yong gave a bitter smile, recalling those times.

“They treated me quite well to try and convert me. But that ‘treating well’ was based on religious superiority, which was a bit problematic.”

As he spoke, he remembered something.

“Ah, Catholic believers call internal energy ‘divine power.’ It’s the power given by God.”

He drew on the ground with a twig to explain.

“The funny thing is, knights from fiefdoms and swordsmanship guilds, not affiliated with the church, call the same power ‘magic.'”

“Unlike martial artists in the Central Plains who accumulate internal energy through meditation, Catholic martial artists accumulate it through prayer.”

“Knights build up magic by moving their bodies through external activities. Looking at this, maybe the most important thing in accumulating internal energy isn’t posture but breathing techniques.”

Unknown rubbed his chin and nodded.

If Catholic believers pursue martial arts closer to the Righteous Faction, then are knights closer to the Evil Faction with their efficient killing techniques?

“Then, like in the Martial Arts World, does Catholicism have an opposing Demon Sect?”

“There’s Islam and ancient Norse beliefs, but… they feel more like different religions rather than a Demon Sect. What you’re thinking of as a Demon Sect would be closer to the Arians.”

“Arians?”

“It’s almost the same religion but denies the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity. It’s complicated logic, so I don’t fully understand it, but that’s what I was taught.”

Unmu Yong drew a triangle (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) on the ground to explain.

“It’s the doctrine that equates God the Father and Jesus the Son as the same being.”

“Uh… I know Jesus. Isn’t he the Son of God? A good person.”

Unknown recalled what a Catholic believer who had helped him before had said.

“But how can the Father and the Son be the same being?”

“They had to elevate the Pope and the church’s authority. At that time, the Pope was also called the Vicar of Christ. Leading the lambs, the Catholic believers, in place of Jesus.”

But if Jesus is considered the same being as God through the Trinity, then the Pope becomes more than just the Vicar of Christ.

He becomes the Vicar of God.

“It’s a political fight. Anyway, the Arians denied the Catholic Trinity at that time.”

The Father and the Son cannot be the same.

Compared to the complicated Trinity, the simple logic presented by the Arians resonated well in clan societies that valued patriarchal authority.

‘Hmm~ The Father and the Son can’t be the same.’

The Italian regions supporting the Pope’s Trinity and the northern Germanic tribes supporting the Arians became divided.

“Then, the Frankish king, Charlemagne, the Western world’s number one, appeared.”

Unmu Yong scratched out the Arian scribbles on the ground with a twig.

“He killed off all the tribes that believed in the Arians.”

“Uh… why did he do that?”

“Dunno, maybe the Pope had more to offer.”

Unknown’s gaze deepened as he stared at the campfire, shadows casting over his dark circles, making him look even darker.

“Personally, I like the Arian logic more.”

Unknown muttered while staring blankly at the burning warmth.

“The Father and the Son can’t be the same. …They shouldn’t be.”

It was a very small mutter, but that’s why.

Unmu Yong could tell it was a sincere thought from deep within Unknown’s heart.

“Why do you live-.”

Just before Unmu Yong’s question was completed, someone approached with exaggerated clapping.

A black-haired woman with a fox-like smile.

“Wow~ I heard a good story. Oppression is the start of the Demon Sect.”

It was Hyeonho, the Ninth Elder of the Ilwol God Sect.

With a beaming smile, she bowed to Unknown.

“I greet the modern world’s number one, who will succeed the previous Demon Lord, Heavenly Demon.”

She paid her respects to the infamous martial arts outlaw, Unknown.

“Someone who turned the world into an enemy and still survived! Scary as an enemy, but as an ally, there’s nothing more reassuring.”

Amidst the flattery, Unknown gave an awkward smile.

Unmu Yong stood up and bowed to the elders who followed.

“You’ve worked hard. The Martial Alliance…”

“Were peace-rotted trash.”

Gongsonpa cut off Unmu Yong and stepped forward.

“Except for Jaro, the Martial Alliance leader, and a few who remember the fight with the Heavenly Demon, they’re not worth dealing with.”

The Martial Alliance is ultimately a military organization.

Eighteen years since the Heavenly Demon disappeared… ironically, the most threatening enemy was when the Heavenly Demon existed, the Martial Alliance’s golden age.

“Well, two of them were defeated by martial artists of a peaceful era.”

Bangbang, with a bandaged left arm, laughed cheerfully, and Unmu Yong asked Hyeonho, who was in charge of the elders’ retrieval with shadow magic.

“…By the way, where is Third Elder Tang Wu?”

“He narrowly missed his heart but is in critical condition. He’s being treated.”

Hyeonho’s shadow swayed like a fox’s tail.

“If we had been even a little late in retrieving him, he would have been confirmed killed by the Sima Family martial artist.”

He didn’t die. That’s enough.

A big fight is coming soon. Until then, we must preserve our strength.

And the core of the fight is-.

Unmu Yong, representing the Ilwol God Sect, spoke.

Once a teacher, a parent-like figure…

“The death of the Martial Alliance leader.”

What supports the current Martial Alliance is the overwhelming martial power of its leader, Jaro.

If that giant pillar, Jaro, falls.

The Nine Great Clans and the Five Great Families will scatter for their own interests.

The elders’ gazes turned to Unknown.

Other top martial artists might think differently…

But who cares.

What’s important is people’s perception.

The pinnacle of the Righteous Faction, the one closest to being called the world’s number one.

The Thousand-Armed Martial God, Jaro.

Someone who turned the imperial court, martial arts world, and the world into enemies and still has his head.

The outlaw, Unknown.

Regardless of victory or defeat, the fight between these two will change the history of the current martial arts world.

Since the Heavenly Demon disappeared, leaving a void.

The position of the world’s number one will be decided.

****

A table filled with various dishes.

There, Guhae and Yeonghwa.

A blue-eyed girl and a red-eyed girl faced off over Mantian.

“Here~ Mantian~ Ah~ open.”

“Here~ Oppa~ Ah~ open.”

From both sides, they brought food to Mantian’s mouth with their chopsticks.

Both smiling prettily, but.

An intense, unyielding aura flickered between them.

“Ah…”

He opened his mouth and swallowed the side dishes offered by both at the same time.

Guhae and Yeonghwa.

Choosing only one side was impossible.

“Hey? Haven’t you been only picking meat since earlier? You’ll get sick of it.”

Yeonghwa sharply remarked, but Guhae smiled and picked up more meat.

“Yeah, no. Mantian likes meat.”

Otherwise, this could have been Sima Mantian’s last supper.

He opened his mouth and swallowed the side dishes offered by both again.

Originally, I chose this harem.

I must take responsibility for my choices.

Above all.

After eating the chives stir-fried by Yeonghwa.

“Mantian…”

Pausing to think, Guhae’s eyes trembled slightly.

The chopsticks holding the meat trembled.

“…Can’t you eat it?”

“No, I’ll eat it.”

He didn’t want to make Guhae sad. He ate the meat in one go.

Both are precious lovers. He didn’t want to make either sad.

“Phew…”

Exhaling, he unleashed the sealed power.

Sima Yi’s grandfather, Sima Jun.

A name that sounds like someone who loves insects and plays percussion, but.

Regardless.

Just how well he ate.

He’s famous for being a large man, 2 meters tall with a 115 cm waist.

A 115 cm waist might not be easy to visualize.

But in clothing sizes, 4XL is 102–113 cm.

Thanks to his genes, the Sima family is all big.

Starting with Sima Yi, who was a strong man.

Even Dong Zhuo, who lit up Chang’an in the Three Kingdoms, acknowledged Sima Yi’s older brother, Sima Lang, who was twelve at the time, as a big man.

And I’m also from the Sima family.

Meaning, even though times have changed, I have it too.

Mantian’s eyes shone.

The talent of the world’s number one food fighter!

Moreover, I am recognized by Jesus, Buddha, and Aristotle.

As the guardian of the martial arts world.

I couldn’t let Guhae and Yeonghwa fight over something as trivial as food.

“Chomp chomp~ Munch munch~!!”

Mantian’s chubby cheeks moved as he devoured the side dishes with the momentum to eat the world.

…Well, diet control is confirmed for the time being.

As long as Guhae and Yeonghwa don’t fight, it’s fine.