Chapter 177

Dong Bongsu walked into the primary courtyard of the fortress.

A five-tier crimson tile tower loomed ahead, guarded by an iron monolith resembling a village totem that reached well over one zhang into the air.

Step, step.

He began his climb up the tower’s stairwell, scanning vigilantly for any active Formations or hidden spiritual traps.

Yet, no guards appeared, and no defenses materialized to block his path.

The entire place felt utterly deserted.

This compound, renowned as the ultimate stronghold of the Iron God Gang, was left completely exposed.

“A face I do not recognize.”

Reaching the fifth tier, he pushed open the entrance to the Gang Leader’s private quarters, and a deep, mature voice drifted from the shadows of the rear chamber.

Cheol Hon.

The supreme authority of the Iron God Gang.

“Since you have penetrated this far, no guardians remain to obstruct you. Provided my daughter fails to return in time, that is.”

He possessed a commanding presence, maintaining a proud and imposing posture even while seated cross-legged, his lengthy facial hair reminiscent of Guan Yu’s legendary beard.

“With that said, perhaps you will enlighten me as to why you have launched this assault?”

Dong Bongsu offered no reply to Cheol Hon’s inquiry.

He merely kept moving forward at a deliberate pace.

Thud.

Closing the gap until exactly one zhang remained between them, Dong Bongsu halted.

Even then, Cheol Hon made no move to stand, simply looking up at his intruder from his seat.

“Are you a blade hired by the One-Eyed Sect?”

“No.”

“Have you come from a Demonic Sect, tempted by a pact with the Black Wind Hall?”

“No.”

“You have undoubtedly been asked this throughout your infiltration. I shall ask once more.”

“Are you an independent mercenary dispatched by the Seven Star Immortal Society?”

“Because the Iron God Gang deserves to be wiped out.”

The [Spiritual Eye] remained completely dormant when gazing upon Cheol Hon.

For that reason, total erasure was all the more justified.

Shiiing-.

A lengthy, pitch-black blade manifested in Dong Bongsu’s right grip, appearing as though it had materialized directly from condensed inner energy.

It was the [Nine Demon Annihilation Wheel Sword], brought forth from the Inventory for the first time in quite a while.

“……?!”

Witnessing this, a sharp, intense light flickered within Cheol Hon’s previously unbothered eyes.

A Soul Ring, or perhaps a Grotto-Heaven Pouch.

A mystical relic capable of storing physical goods within an imperceptible pocket dimension.

He was aware such legends existed, but this marked his very first time observing one with his own eyes.

To a warrior who had yet to breach the threshold of the Golden Core grade, such an item was a premier Magic Treasure, an artifact far beyond his station to even contemplate owning.

Though it was rumored that Magic Treasures had grown more prevalent in recent times, they remained extraordinarily scarce.

Ordinary martial artists could never hope to possess them, and even if by some miracle they obtained one, they lacked the strength to retain it.

Such was the harsh reality of the current era.

“You are a person of high standing. I cannot fathom why you have deigned to target a minor collective such as ours.”

The unique composition of that dark blade which had just emerged from the stranger’s palm was equally astounding.

As the master of the Iron God Gang, Cheol Hon had dedicated his entire existence to the study of metal.

His martial arts were built upon the very essence of iron, and he had encountered weapons forged from every known ore across the land.

Yet, this specific metal was entirely foreign to him.

‘It can only be Heavenly Star Profound Iron or perhaps Great Void Divine Iron.’

Cheol Hon felt entirely certain.

Regarding the intruder’s true background.

“This modest servant has committed no grievance that warrants the slaughter of his entire lineage.”

Tap, tap.

Dong Bongsu fell silent, narrowing the remaining distance between them step by step.

Cheol Hon found himself unable to utter another syllable.

An overwhelming aura and sheer mass, completely unbelievable for a mortal man to project, bore down heavily upon him.

Clang!

The resonant ring of a heavy blade cut through the dim room.

Fighting through the oppressive force, Cheol Hon managed to unsheath his weapon.

Cheol Hon stood up from his chair, gripping his weapon tightly, and offered a formal Fist-and-Palm Salute.

Acknowledging the caliber of his foe, he maintained absolute decorum even on the brink of disaster.

Naturally, Dong Bongsu paid no heed to such formalities.

Shiiiiiiing-.

The only response was the cold, unyielding vibration singing from the [Nine Demon Annihilation Wheel Sword].

A blade is ultimately a blade.

An instrument forged strictly for efficient slaughter and precise cleaving.

Without a single heartbeat of delay, Dong Bongsu lunged directly at Cheol Hon.

Pat-pat-pat!

Cheol So-ah was racing back toward the Iron God Gang compound as swiftly as a bird in flight.

She was utilizing the exclusive movement technique of her sect, the Iron Shadow Steps.

It was a method designed to harden the physical form like solid metal, allowing the practitioner to slice straight through the air’s resistance.

Leaping from one roof ridge to another, she scanned the expanses of the Western Road below.

The corpses of her fellow Iron God Gang disciples littered the thoroughfares.

Debt collectors lay slumped outside storefronts.

Sentry guards were tossed into alleyways with snapped necks.

Higher-ranking martial experts rested with gaping cavities torn through their torsos.

Every single trail of gore converged directly upon the Iron God Gang headquarters.

‘The slaughter has already commenced.’

The Iron Shadow Steps were no longer sufficient for the urgency.

Swish-.

She initiated the esoteric movement method from ‘that place,’ the secret technique her father had explicitly ordered her to keep concealed until the direst moment.

Flowing Shadow Under the Moon.

She glided through the terrain as if she were a mere silhouette drifting across the ground.

While the Iron Shadow Steps relied on brute strength to shatter air resistance, Flowing Shadow Under the Moon was a refined art that perceived the paths of least resistance, allowing the user to slip through them like a phantom.

Shweeeesh-.

She accelerated her movement technique to its absolute maximum capacity.

Merely skimming the edge of a roof tile with her toes propelled her forward by several zhang.

Her dark traveling attire whipped violently in the rushing wind, nearly tearing open to reveal a hidden mark etched onto her upper thigh—seven distinct rings tracing the phases of the lunar cycle—but she paid the exposure no mind.

‘I beg of you, do not let me arrive too late.’

And yet.

“Ah…….”

A low cry of utter hopelessness slipped past her lips the moment she crossed into the Iron God Gang’s main estate.

The central Training Ground had become a literal lake of gore.

The remains of the fallen were stacked high like small ridges.

Severed parts were scattered carelessly, and shattered iron fragments protruded from the earth like grave markers.

She faltered for a brief instant but forced her wits back about her, bounding directly toward the central tower.

Though her legs shook violently from terror, she cleared entire flights of stairs in single bounds.

Ascending the winding stairwell in the blink of an eye, she quickly arrived at the fifth tier.

“Please………… I beg of you.”

The entrance to the Gang Leader’s chamber stood completely unbarred.

She rushed inside with a panicked heart, but her strength instantly evaporated, causing her legs to give way.

Cheol Hon was devoid of life.

A massive cavity had been torn cleanly through his chest.

A wide pool of what could only be his lifeblood had collected across the floorboards.

Furthermore.

A stranger was casually resting atop the fallen leader’s body.

Dark attire, dark locks, and most striking of all, completely vacant eyes.

A total void.

It was distinct from a mere lack of expression.

He was a young man who radiated a highly volatile aura, looking as though the very concept of human feeling was entirely absent from his being.

A detached creature, resembling a predator lounging contentedly after devouring an entire colony of insects.

“For what possible reason?”

Cheol So-ah’s words trembled uncontrollably.

“Because I am a Wandering Hero.”

Came his abrupt reply.

“A Wandering Hero?”

Wandering Hero.

A champion who fights for righteousness.

A brief spark of fury ignited within her frozen eyes.

“A Wandering Hero… A Wandering Hero? You absolute monster! You dare call yourself a champion of justice after executing such a barbaric, monstrous slaughter without a shred of remorse?!”

“Because it is my obligation to be a Wandering Hero.”

Moisture spilled freely down her cheeks.

They were droplets born from a mixture of raw fury and profound grief.

“What manner of righteous champion goes about systematically slaughtering an entire man’s family?”

“And what of your actions?”

“What?”

“Have you not crushed, exploited, and ruined countless families yourself?”

Grrrind~

The sound of friction from her clenched teeth echoed from Cheol So-ah’s locked jaw.

“For a reason………… for a petty reason like that, you slaughtered every single one of my kin?”

Without offering another word, Dong Bongsu rose to his feet.

An intriguing adversary.

An individual who had remorselessly slaughtered, exploited, and bartered away the lives of others was now uttering such hypocritical nonsense.

Then again, hypocrisy was a core trait of the human condition.

And in the end.

None of it mattered.

No matter what justification was presented, the reality of her impending demise remained absolute.

Even the [Spiritual Eye] offered no prompt.

She was a target that required no real effort to overcome.

Given that this clan was said to command influence within the River Capital that rivaled the Seven Star Immortal Society, he had anticipated encountering a warrior on par with Bukgung Ri.

There was no such person here.

Phat-.

Dong Bongsu closed the distance between them in a flash.

“I will rip you to…..!?”

She attempted to voice a final defiance, but Dong Bongsu’s fist moved without a drop of mercy.

Fwhoooosh—

His fist, having initiated its characteristic Super Rotation, drove violently into her midsection.

KABOOOM~!

Accpanied by a colossal detonation resembling the strike of a monumental drum, her slender form warped like a drawn bow string and was launched backward.

She crashed straight through the outer wall of the Gang Leader’s quarters, hurtling through the open air before violently impacting the stone of the training ground below.

The force of her landing sent up a massive cloud of debris, turning the entire courtyard a cloudy white.

However.

Disband the Iron God Gang.

Progress: 91.1%

Reward: Hero History +5

The objective had not yet concluded.

The tracker remained fixed at 91.1%, having risen from 72.6% immediately following Cheol Hon’s demise.

‘She survived that?’

He had undeniably infused that strike with the entirety of his inner reservoir.

Yet she breathed still.

Right at that moment.

Kwak!

A bizarre, high-frequency sound—resembling the violent compression of multiple atmospheres—rippled through the vicinity.

It was a sensation felt rather than heard.

When an entity travels beyond the velocity of sound, the impact precedes the noise.

The instant the sensation registered, Dong Bongsu crossed his forearms rapidly in front of his face, mimicking the shape of the symbol for two (二).

Bang! Babang!

Only then, accompanied by the delayed thunder of a sonic boom, was his body driven backward as though struck by a ballista bolt.

Simultaneously, a synthesized alert echoed sharply inside his consciousness.

[…………An adversary with a discrepancy of 10 levels or more… kzzzt……has breached the 20-meter perimeter…. chk..………… 8.]

A variance of ten stages or higher.

The proximity notification, which now served as his primary indicator of an actual challenge, was blaring.

“Fascinating.”

He had considered the theoretical possibility, but this marked his very first encounter with someone capable of entirely blinding the [Spiritual Eye].

Pat, pat.

Brushing away the dirt and gore resulting from her violent descent onto the courtyard, Cheol So-ah stood exactly eight meters away.

The midsection of her upper garment was entirely shredded, exposing her torso and lower ribs.

Her trousers were similarly split along the length of her leg, revealing her bare limb, yet she paid the state of her clothing no attention.

Instead, she seized the remaining fabric of her sleeves and tore them away completely.

Her upper limbs and shoulders were left entirely bare.

She did the same to her lower garments.

She ripped away the fabric until she was clad in little more than her foundational layers.

“I have no use for encumbrances.”

Her pale skin was entirely patterned with intricate markings.

The esoteric/martial brands of ‘that place,’ denoting the lunar phases, the equilibrium of yin and yang, and the flow of the five elemental forces.

Markings that were normally obscured from view by her robes.

The brands began to emit a dim radiance.

It was an eerie, violet glow.

Kkii-rik, kkii-rik.

Having completed her adjustments, Cheol So-ah stepped forward, adjusting the [Iron Hand Gauntlets] over her hands.

[7, 6, 5]

“I care not what brand of righteous warrior you claim to be, or what manner of wretched beast sired you, but your life ends by my hand this day.”

The pressure emanating from the furious Cheol So-ah intensified exponentially with every passing second.

“I shall dissect your flesh into such microscopic fragments that every starving parasite in this River Capital can feast upon you.”

At this stage, even without the assistance of the [Spiritual Eye], her immense, toxic bloodlust was palpable against his skin.

At that precise moment.

Kkii-rik, kkii-ri-rik-.

Disband the Iron God Gang.

Tik-.

Progress: 91.1%

Reward: Hero History +5

Progress: 91.0%

90.9, 90.8, 90.7…….

The completion metric for the Disband the Iron God Gang objective suddenly reversed, plunging downward at an alarming velocity.

Tik-.

Progress: 6.9%

Ultimately settling into the single digits.

‘Did her true nature blind not only the Spiritual Eye but the What is Hero System itself?’

The implications of the regression were straightforward.

The baseline importance of Cheol So-ah within the structure of the Iron God Gang, as initially evaluated by the system’s parameters, had expanded exponentially.

Shifting from a mere 8.9% to a staggering 93.1%.

This unpredictability was precisely what made reality engaging.

The fact that any individual could conceal a definitive trump card, holding it back until the absolute final moment.

If that was the case………….

Dong Bongsu’s mouth flattened into a grim line.

Chak.

The [Nine Demon Annihilation Wheel Sword] remanifested within his grip.

Chak.

The array of armor and garments Dong Bongsu wore shifted simultaneously.

An outfit of a black so absolute that it would seamlessly blend into the void of a night devoid of starlight.

Nonetheless.

Enemy.

A solitary, striking crimson glyph, penned in a flamboyant, chaotic calligraphy style on the reverse of his tunic, gleamed menacingly despite the surrounding gloom.

Sreung-.

It seemed he would need to unveil a portion of his true capability as well.

Adopting the persona of the [Public Enemy of the Murim], Dong Bongsu directed the tip of the [Nine Demon Annihilation Wheel Sword] squarely toward Cheol So-ah.

[Nine Demon Annihilation Wheel Sword]

A blade embedded with the foundational principles of the [Nine Heavenly Demon Scripture].

Element: None

Class Constraint: Restricted to Public Enemy of the Murim (Tester)

Level Constraint: 40

Base Physical Strike Power: 100

Peak Physical Strike Power: 200

Accuracy Optimization Variable: ?

Base Martial Strike Power: 150

Peak Martial Strike Power: 300

Esoteric/Martial Accuracy Optimization Variable: ?

Unique Trait: Upon the successful fulfillment of each individual Nine Heavenly Demon Quest, a corresponding volume of the [Nine Heavenly Demon Chronicles] unlocks, subsequently triggering the following Nine Heavenly Demon Quest.

Initial Nine Heavenly Demon Quest: Achieve the designated Public Enemy of the Murim class path. (Fulfilled)

Secondary Nine Heavenly Demon Quest: Elevate all techniques belonging to the Illusionist’s martial repertoire to Lv.3. (Unfulfilled)