<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 81>
Angel.
When you hear this word, you immediately think of snow-white wings.
Wings as pure and white as snow, proving the bearer’s purity.
It is the most sacred sight.
That’s why angels are generally considered the absolute embodiment of ‘good.’
I believe I too had thought that way when I was little, knowing angels as celestial beings residing in heaven.
But then an event occurred that completely overturned my belief.
It was during the days of the old empire, when I, as a Demon Lord, was at the peak of my power.
Back then, my desire to become stronger was insatiable.
How powerful could a human become?
I wanted to see the limits of strength.
Even while being revered as a Demon Lord, I embarked on a solitary training journey.
During that time, I heard a rumor.
“Have you heard? An angel has descended in ‘Temarin’…”
“Yeah, when the angel raised a hand, paralytics stood up, and the blind opened their eyes…”
“Haven’t you seen yet? The angels in Temarin. There’s not just one or two, there’s quite a number.”
There are angels in Temarin.
The angels in Temarin perform miracles.
The angels in Temarin gather in numbers.
Even this was already enough to spark interest, but the decisive reason I headed to Temarin was something else.
“Shh, quiet. I’ll share this only with you, but in Temarin, for a fee, you can become an ‘angel.’ It’s true, by the way. There was an offer even to me, and I made a booking already.”
Can a human become an angel?
Had this been in a back-alley pub, and the person speaking had a fully filled beer glass in front of him, I might have dismissed it as another drunkard’s nonsense.
But no, it wasn’t.
I heard this rumor not in a pub, but in a salon. The one who told this wasn’t some day-laborer or mercenary but a high-ranking noble.
In a salon filled with literature, refined tastes, and intellectual boasting, spreading false or baseless stories is enough to lose one’s standing in society.
In other words, this story had at least passed through some form of verification.
Unable to resist my curiosity, I headed straight for Temarin.
And there, I witnessed how cruel humans could become, encountering true ‘madness.’
“The gods we’ve believed in were wrong. This one is the true divine incarnation. Believe! Don’t doubt.”
“Renounce everything. Discard all to welcome true peace.”
“Me first! Please, take my son. Receive him!”
“Execute the heretics. Cut down those who do not believe. Let their bl**d nourish us and lead us to salvation.”
There were people renouncing body parts in the name of conversion. Parents offering their children, children offering their parents, to become ‘angels’.
Any dissenters were tied up and offered as sacrifices, falling one by one.
Heretics, apostates, fanatics… all the captains of irrationality were gathered in a grand chaos party sweeping through the entire city.
Everyone was both the aggressor and the victim in this city of madness.
And sitting at the pinnacle of this madness was what we imagine when we think of an ‘angel.’
I still remember.
The final words spat out by the last angel before the city fell and died at my hands.
“I have merely brought justice to this land. Humanity needed to be purified.”
Perhaps they might not have been angels. There’s a possibility they were merely imitating angels in appearance.
Nevertheless, from that time forward, I ceased to trust angels.
Perhaps it’s natural. We can’t even trust our own kind—how can we trust another?
For me, angels are merely monsters with white wings.
So when I heard angels eating humans, it was not at all shocking.
*
…But that one must be different.
“An angel eating humans alive… ugh!! It’s as shocking as finding out there’s no Santa.”
“Get over it. It was a day ago.”
“A day ago?! That’s still fresh!!”
It was a day ago. Alongside my older brother, we traveled to the city of Pohang.
There, Jin Yu-ri and I attempted to uncover the full details of a strange event by interfacing with the ‘World.’
What we saw was ‘an angel’.
The constant gentle smile on their face seemed infinitely compassionate, and the spotless, pure-white wings appeared divine—truly the ‘angel’ we all know.
This angel was being attacked by four hooded figures.
Anyone would think that angels represent good and the hooded figures evil. If an onlooker had been nearby, they would have undoubtedly rushed to the angel’s aid.
Then an unexpected situation occurred.
One of the hooded figures got hit by a ‘white arrow’ shot by the angel. Judging by its appearance, it was akin to a Magic Missile and effectively rendered the figure immobile.
And the angel…
Crack!
Loud crunching sounds followed. The fallen hooded figure was covered and devoured while still alive, even in the middle of battle.
The hooded figure’s companions quickly threw the angel off, and the angel stood there with a mouth smearing bl**d and flesh fragments, still smiling gently.
That’s right.
What we witnessed through the ‘World’ was…
A monster disguised as an angel.
Jin Yu-ri’s body shivered.
“I didn’t get any sleep. I keep remembering the face of that angel chewing someone’s arm. Ugh, I’m getting chills. Is that even really an angel? I’m not even sure if it qualifies as one anymore.”
“Think of it as a monster.”
“Too… too sacred to call it a monster, isn’t it?”
“Didn’t it look divine?”
“Yeah… it was beautiful.”
Outer appearance really matters.
Even despite what it did, it still looked beautiful and divine, correct?
“So, what’s the uncle planning to do?”
“d*e? Who said I’m your uncle?”
“Could you overlook the small details? Insistent men are the worst.”
“Hmm…”
In any case, we decided to disengage from this matter. It was Park Ki-hyuk’s judgment based on Academy life, but also because he had a hunch that this smelled fishy.
“Hyung said he’d talk to mom and investigate further. For now, we’ve decided as a family to keep this quiet, so don’t go talking about it.”
“Family? So, does that mean I’m part of the family? Haa~ This resonance, it’s driving me insane… it feels like my heart might explode. Want to feel it?”
“…Haa.”
It’s too much effort even to respond.
Instead, I landed a slap.
Snap!
“Aiyack!”
“I’m serious. Don’t tell Aunt or Uncle either until the investigation is over. I’ll let you know after it finishes.”
Though Hyung never verbalized it, I felt the same way. Something about this case feels seriously unsettling. Especially that angelic-monster.
“Through cannibalism, it steals the abilities of its victims.”
As far as I can tell, this is a form of ‘Cannibalism,’ practiced by heretics, especially the most vile sect that worships demons.
d*mn. From human sacrifices in the empire to cannibalism here?
Frankly, at this point, seeing this angel as the source of calamity doesn’t seem far-fetched. I consider this reasoning suspiciously valid.
“Oh, right. One more thing. About what I showed you in the ‘World,’ please try not to talk about it elsewhere. It’ll only bring trouble.”
“Of course. It’s our little secret, right?”
In the midst of the conversation, we arrived at the club room.
I held the doorknob and gave a last caution.
“If the kids ask what you did yesterday, say…”
“Wind! Tight!”
Winking with one eye while emphasizing the secrecy.
“…Not trustworthy at all.”
I shook my head and opened the club room door.
BOOM!
The Korea Academy.
A sign with a ‘tree logo’ representing Yggdrasil stands before William.
“I will definitely win today.”
Days have passed since William’s sparring matches with Park Ki-hyuk began.
The result so far has been nothing but defeat — standing here itself is proof that he hasn’t won a single time.
It’s humiliating.
I am the first disciple of the Elemental Master, the top prospect representing the United States ranked number one. How can I, the number one of the great America, be defeated by some little supernaturally capable guy from such a small country?
William almost used the habitual slur ‘Chinky’ in his irritation at this dog-like situation.
“…”
But what wasn’t mentioned was the ‘obvious’ moment he spat out that slur one day.
“Ah, Chinky. I heard from Mary. It’s considered racial discrimination.”
“Bad deeds deserve punishment. Racial discrimination is bad. So…”
“It’s time for your punishment, Yankee boy.”
Chinky, Chicki, Chicken. I’ll pound you like chicken.
That day, William truly thought he became like a boneless all-white chicken.
He tightly closed his eyes and shook his head.
No. Bad memories should be erased. If this becomes a trauma, my body might hesitate at a critical moment.
Erase it. Forget it. He conducted self-hypnosis.
“I am not the same as yesterday’s me. There’s a hidden weapon in my possession.”
He felt the secret weapon that arrived last night via his family’s private jet in his pocket, and his heart felt more at ease.
Confidence surged.
“I can do this. I can.”
Taking a deep breath, William confidently entered the academy. His striking appearance, sleek legs, and textbook charm caught everyone’s attention.
“Look. This is me.”
This attention! This focus!
It’s normal.
The world revolves around me, William.
There are only two kinds of people in the world.
Those who admire William and those who don’t know him.
In terms of ability, wealth, charm—there’s nothing lacking in this perfect man.
William believed with unwavering conviction that he was this person.
However, even William’s confidence withers as he descends these stairs, the ‘stairway to the hell with no exit.’
Step by step.
“How should I fight today? Rushing with numbers is meaningless. I’ll end up losing again.”
“No! Have confidence, William. You can do it. Chain magic, that’s the key!”
“No… like last time, the chain magic will be unfinished, destroyed, and then I’ll get beaten with a stick.”
“No! William, don’t be timid…”
“No… William, you can’t do it…”
Negating oneself, again and again, negating those negations, and yet, negating it all further.
William found himself, once again, standing in front of the entrance to the ‘stairway to the hell with no exit,’ unable to break from the Möbius strip of endless negation.
Gulp.
His prominent Adam’s apple quivered heavily.
Shiver.
His eyes quivered.
His mouth is dry, his armpits are damp with sweat.
An unavoidable tension enveloped William.
Behind this door is him.
Park Ki-hyuk.
William, who’s only experienced the path of success so far…
Had he ever faced a trial like this?
Park Ki-hyuk was his first-ever encounter with an obstacle, a wall, and his greatest rival in life.
“I can do this, William. I am Christopher William.”
I will clear the final boss of today and become the true Winner!
With self-infused confidence, he opened the door, which was oppressively heavy.
“Oh, William’s here? Let’s go.”
As usual, he headed directly towards the sparring gate without a greeting.
At this point, William even entertains the thought:
The sparring room over there in the club. Wouldn’t it be good to fight there? At least, I wouldn’t pass out there, right?
Of course, saying this would make no difference.
The Park Ki-hyuk William observed over the past few days was utterly serious about combat.
“Let’s start.”
A magic circle appeared behind Park Ki-hyuk.
d*mn Hexagram.
William now understands.
That Apocalypse isn’t just a type of magic but an entire colossal magical system.
Unfortunately, he’s been learning this through sheer punishment.
But William brushed away those bad memories and shouted.
“It’s different today!”
It has to be different. Please, it has to be.
In response to his desperate plea, the spirits he summoned materialized behind him.
And in answer to that.
Go-oo-oo!
Black Skeletons and dark chains tore through space and appeared.
The chilling ghostly energy spread around, causing every living being to shiver.
Even so, William squeezed out his last confidence.
“I can do this! (I CANN!!)”
