The Reincarnation of the Poison Demon
"One Somyeon (素麵) with Jukyeobcheong (竹葉靑)."
I sat in a corner of the inn and placed my order with the waiter.
"Yes, I'll bring it right away."
"And... Buy me one Tanggwa (糖菓)."
"Tanggwa?"
The young waiter, who hadn't even reached Jihak (15 years old) yet, asked with wide eyes.
Of course. A middle-aged man well past Bulhok (40 years old), ordering Tanggwa, which only children eat, in a hoarse voice.
I pressed my Jeongnip(traditional hat) deep over my head and handed over plenty of coins.
"Go buy it. Keep the change."
"Yes, sir!"
The waiter ran off to the market with a bright smile and shortly after presented me with the Tanggwa.
Asak.
The moment I bit into the Tanggwa.
The heavy pain that had been pressing down on my entire body melted away and scattered gently with the sweet taste.
I devoured the Tanggwa and poured the Jukyeobcheong.
Jjoreureuk.
The fragrance of Jukyeobcheong rising as it filled the cup was pleasant.
The fact that there weren't many customers was also satisfactory.
Despite the not-so-small size of the inn, there was only one old man besides me inside.
As I kept my gaze on the old man for a moment, he grabbed the waiter and spoke.
"That man. He was the first in Gangho to conquer the world."
...Is he talking about me? The waiter answered.
"You mean the Poison Demon, sir? Everyone knows. There's no one who doesn't."
Huhu. I'm quite famous.
Yeollama Emperor (閻羅魔帝), Asura Nachhal (阿修羅羅刹), Hell Poison God (地獄毒神)...
There were many titles referring to me, but my favorite was...
...Poison Demon (毒魔).
"The Poison Demon raised the fallen Sacheondang Family into an absolute clan, defeated the heads of the Five Great Households, and even made the sect leaders of the Nine Sects and One Alliance kneel. He's the strongest master in Gangho."
...It's true.
But the old man scolded the waiter with a displeased expression.
"'Poison Demon' what! Countless innocent people died with every step that man took!"
"Gangho is originally a place where blood flows. I heard it was revenge for a fallen clan—"
The old man cut off the waiter's words.
"The Poison Demon is the culprit of countless blood catastrophes! Whether Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic Cult, he's a murderer who killed indiscriminately—what kind of hero is that!"
"I didn't say he was a hero. Just that he's a master—"
Kwang—
The waiter flinched with a frightened face as the old man struck the table.
"Wine!"
The old man glared at the waiter and held out his cup. The boy hurriedly poured wine and retreated as if fleeing.
It seemed that this inn, which had decent food, had no customers because of that old man's rowdy behavior.
Well then.
The old man gulped down the wine, roughly wiped the wine from his beard, and fumed.
"That Poison Demon bastard isn't even the world's greatest master yet! He still has battles remaining with the Murim Alliance Leader, the Evil Path Alliance Leader, and the Heavenly Demon."
...That's correct.
But it's not that I postponed it, they're the ones avoiding me.
The old man narrowed his eyes and spoke to the waiter.
"That confrontation is not far off."
The inn owner, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, asked in surprise.
"The, the Poison Demon?"
The old man looked at the inn owner and asked.
"Hey. Owner. Who do you think will win?"
The leader of the Murim Alliance, the absolute ruler of the Evil Path, the strongest of the Demonic Cult, the Heavenly Demon.
And me.
A question about who would be strongest.
I pricked up my ears.
I'm an absolute master.
At barely mid-forties, my martial arts, which has surpassed Johwagyeong (造化境) and is looking toward Hyeongyeong (玄境), is already at the level of an immortal, I pride myself.
Rather, I have to be more careful of being forcibly ascended to Uhwadeungseon (羽化登仙).
So.
How could the Alliance Leader or Heavenly Demon possibly beat me?
The inn owner's answer is obvious without even hearing it.
Of course, it's me.
"I think the Alliance Leader will win."
...Huh?
"After all, the good side..."
"Keulkeulkeul. So the Poison Demon is a heinous villain, is that it?"
The inn owner nodded.
...This bastard. Is he insane?
Ppadeudek.
Dokgi (毒氣) automatically gathered.
"How many sects has the Poison Demon annihilated? He kills everyone who raises a sword before him, kills everyone who speaks carelessly! He's a complete evil spirit, an evil spirit!"
...That's all a misunderstanding. False rumors spread by my enemies.
Peususeu.
Dokgi began to rise in wisps above the black gloves I was wearing.
With just a flick of a finger, the thick Dokgi would melt everything around into blood.
Then.
The waiter answered.
"I choose the Poison Demon-nim."
...Hm?
The old man clenched his fist and frowned.
"This, this... Foolish. What would a brat like you know?"
"Everyone says the Poison Demon-nim is a bad person, but I think differently. At least the Poison Demon-nim never harassed ordinary citizens like us."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
"It's true! Everyone else took seat fees and whatnot, but the Poison Demon-nim never took anything."
...That's also true.
My anger subsided a bit at those words.
Seureuk. I withdrew the Dokgi.
I smiled inwardly and stood up from my seat, approaching the inn's owner.
"The Somyeon and wine cost 20 nyang."
Before paying, I asked the owner.
"How long has that old man been here?"
At my question, the owner glanced at the old man and lowered his voice to answer.
"That old man eats on credit every day. He's completely drunk. The overdue wine debt is over three hundred nyang."
"I suppose you haven't been able to collect."
"That old man may look like that, but his martial arts are tremendous. I tried to kick him out back when I had some skills myself, but the spot where I got hit still aches."
The owner rubbed his neck with a gloomy expression.
He gestured toward the old man with his eyes.
"According to him, he's the sect leader of Haomun (下午門)... Heoheok, if he's the Haomun Sect Leader, isn't he a supreme master? But why is he stuck here guzzling wine? I can't believe it, but I'm too scared to do anything."
I smiled.
Teok.
I placed down one gold nyang. The owner's eyes widened.
"S-sir! This is too much!"
"It's not for the wine."
"Then?"
"I'm buying this establishment from you."
"What?"
"I'm planning to smash everything up from now on."
Tadak.
I placed down two more gold nyang.
"Relocate the establishment elsewhere. The wine tastes good, so business will do well."
"S-sir...!"
Teok.
One more gold nyang.
"Send that waiter to an academy. He's a smart and gutsy kid, so he'll achieve great things if taught well."
"......"
"That child saved you."
"......"
"Of course, if you pocket this money, you'll die too."
The inn owner stood there dumbfounded, unable to understand the situation at all.
I smiled gently.
"What he said is correct."
"...Yes?"
"That old man is the Haomun Sect Leader. And..."
Seuwik.
"He's the one I've been chasing."
Seureureung.
I drew my sword.
***
Shortly after.
"Heoeok, heoeok..."
The old man. No, the Haomun Sect Leader lay collapsed with his entire body torn to shreds.
I looked down at him without a single drop of blood on me.
"Kill me... Poison Demon."
"Before that, answer my question first."
The Sect Leader looked at me and smiled mockingly.
"Are you going to ask where the Alliance Leader, Evil Path Alliance Leader, and Heavenly Demon are?"
"Answer and I might spare you. Though of course, I'll destroy your Danjeon. Today at least... I want to avoid killing."
"Keuhahahat! Do you think I'd believe that!"
"...No."
I didn't even expect it.
"Keuhahahat! You really are a madman! You came chasing information you won't even be able to extract."
The Haomun Sect Leader burst out laughing.
"Yes! Die wondering for the rest of your life. Those three will unite and finish you off!"
"Unite?"
His eyes were filled with madness, and I frowned.
"Poison Demon! You must be afraid, too, honestly. If those three unite, there's no one in this world who can withstand them!"
He mocked me.
It was already over. Ipansapan, as they say.
He didn't ask me to spare him.
The Haomun Sect Leader knows.
Once a name is on my kill list, there can be no mercy.
"Perfect."
"...?!"
"I can deal with them all at once then."
I drew Dokgi into my hands.
Ttuk— ttuk—
The poison dripping from my fingertips melted the ground with a chiiik! sound.
He shouted in a deliberately bold voice.
"Are you going to torture me? It's useless. I'm used to pain!"
"For you to say that..."
Ssiik.
I smiled with my twisted face beneath my mask.
"Your eyes are wavering too much."
My fame spread widely throughout Gangho.
As a torture technician, there's no one who can compare to me.
Fear began to seep into the Haomun Sect Leader's eyes.
"You don't know. True pain."
"...!"
"I'll show you. As a gift on your final journey."
Seuwik. Teob!
I grabbed his head in my hand. The Dokgi gathered on my fingertips dripped into his eyes.
Chiiiiiiik—!
"Keuaaaaak!"
This familiar scream and terror.
Teolsseok.
The Haomun Sect Leader collapsed and soon turned into a puddle of blood.
Of course, before that, he spat out all the information.
Without even lasting a moment.
"I'm tired..."
Sunlight poured through the destroyed inn.
Today at least.
I really wanted to avoid killing.
Jeobeok, jeobeok.
I left the inn. The sunlight outside was dazzling.
Only the sky congratulates me.
...On my birthday.
***
A few days later, at the edge of Cheonghaeseong.
I looked down for a moment from the Konlun Mountain Range, where the Konlun Sect, once filled with the smell of blood, was visible.
The feeling was quite different from back then, when the musty smell could be felt throughout the entire mountain range.
"They're hiding in quite a peculiar place."
I grumbled as I walked along the mountain path.
This was where the headquarters of the Sun and Moon Divine Cult used to be.
Ah, of course, I eliminated the Sun and Moon Divine Cult, too. Was it about 15 years ago?
Seuwik.
I lifted my Jeongnip to look at the sky.
The moon is particularly bright today.
"Is this it?"
I entered the cave he told me about.
A cave.
How absurd. Enclosed spaces are optimized for spreading poison.
To flee to such a place, they must have been quite desperate.
The cave was damp and deep.
"You've come, Poison Demon."
The Murim Alliance Leader, whose eyebrows were as long as his hair, greeted me.
Neat and clean attire.
Only one flaw.
He was missing one eye. Because I plucked it out three years ago.
"It's been a while, Alliance Leader."
Murim Alliance Leader.
False guardian of the Orthodox path.
A villain who committed all sorts of evil deeds behind the scenes.
The Heavenly Demon sitting in another corner called to me.
"Poison Demon."
Handsome appearance. Long hair. Splendid red Jangpo matching with the emperor's Hwanggwan.
A picturesque appearance.
...I was handsome too when I was young.
Damn it. This makes me even more annoyed.
The Heavenly Demon had the appearance of a youth, but I knew.
That bastard was a monster over three hundred years old.
A villain among villains who sucked the lives of children with Heupseongdaebeob.
"Heavenly Demon, how's your severed arm?"
"...Thanks to you."
"I'll cut off your remaining arm today, too."
"Hut."
The Heavenly Demon laughed. I asked him.
"Where's the Evil Path Alliance Leader?"
"Well, somewhere. Since you cut off one of the Alliance Leader's legs, he couldn't have gone far."
His nonchalant tone.
"You seem quite composed even though I'm here."
"How could we flee at this point? Is there anyone in the world who can escape your eyes?"
"Hut."
"...Rather, we were the ones waiting."
Welcome words.
I can cut down all three in one place.
"Perfect. I'll wait until the Alliance Leader comes."
Tuk.
I removed the Jeongnip I was wearing.
My hideous face was revealed beneath the pressed-down Jeongnip.
A face rotting and melting away in places.
My clan fell to ruin because of these people before me.
Years of clinging only to revenge, enduring by swallowing poison.
Eventually, choosing the path of Dogin, the hellish days of repeatedly chewing forbidden, poisonous herbs and conducting experiments that gnawed at skin and bone.
The result is my current appearance.
"...Hideous. No matter how many times I see it."
"You guys contributed to this. Should I thank you?"
"Why didn't you at least get some treatment?"
...I wanted to. Do you think I wanted to live with this face?
Becoming a Dogin (毒人) made me stronger, which was good.
But there's a fatal flaw.
Namely, medicine doesn't work on me at all.
Taking medicine actually damaged my body.
Conversely, I became a crazy body that had to eat poison to become stronger.
...Sseubbeol.
"You've had a hard time. With that appearance..."
Suddenly, words of comfort?
Certainly, these guys' behavior is suspicious today.
The Heavenly Demon stood up and spoke to me.
"I know, Poison Demon. That you don't have much life left."
"......"
"That's why you're overexerting yourself to find us, isn't it? Since you'll die soon anyway, even if you can't guarantee victory, you'll stake everything on a life-or-death battle while you're still alive."
"Stop your useless talk."
I shouted at the Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon nodded.
"We understand. Your pain."
"...!"
"You, who had nothing left, tried to face three absolute masters after decades, so it must have been nothing but pain."
"Shut up!"
"You must have shaved away your lifespan to become a legendary Dogin. Just breathing must be agony as your lungs melt away."
It's true.
Though I rose to an absolute master, my Dokgi, which went mad to my bone marrow, continued to torment me endlessly even after Hwangoltaltae.
I would die before long.
That's why I kept chasing them to settle things before that.
Now that they've united, my chances of winning are fifty-fifty.
Not insufficient. I'm already prepared to die anyway.
Rather than dying like this, I'll fight and then die.
But...
Why are they all so talkative today?
These guys who were busy hiding after being defeated by me.
To make matters worse.
"We truly respect you."
The Heavenly Demon... Respects me?
He's gone mad. This is suspicious. There's definitely something going on.
I changed my plan.
"It seems... Waiting for the Alliance Leader would be a waste of time."
Seureureung.
I threw away the scabbard and held a sword and blade, one in each hand.
In my left hand, the Alliance Leader's Jeonguigeom (情意劍); in my right hand, the Evil Path Alliance Leader's Sahyeoldo (死血刀).
What I'm wearing on my hands is the Heavenly Demon's Cheonmagwigap (天魔鬼甲).
All the weapons I had taken from them.
The Alliance Leader asked.
"It's been a while. My Jeonguigeom... But let me ask. Why would you, a master of Dokgong, deliberately try to kill us with our own weapons?"
The answer is simple.
"Because... It'll be more agonizing that way."
The Alliance Leader shook his head.
"Revenge demon... You're such a tenacious revenge demon."
"Your tongue is long."
I assumed the starting stance with the blade and sword in both hands.
I drew up my internal energy. Dense Dokgi spread in all directions.
The Alliance Leader crossed his arms and said.
"Poison Demon... We've made a decision for someone like you."
"Just draw your sword!"
"Please don't resent us."
"You're the ones who shouldn't resent. I'll clean up everything on my way and ascend to Uhwadeungseon!"
"Do you think such a blessing exists for a revenge demon like you?"
Without answering the Alliance Leader's words, I took one step forward.
The Alliance Leader suddenly raised his head to look at the sky.
"Today... Isn't the moon particularly bright?"
The moon? These bastards keep beating around the bush!
I ignored it and kept walking. Eight steps. Soon it'll be time to cut off his neck!
"Today is the day of Geukmanwol (極滿月), which comes once in a thousand years."
"What bullshit are you talking about?"
"Farewell."
"What are you saying!"
Five steps! Just as I reached close proximity to the Alliance Leader.
Kuguuuuuung—!!
Suddenly, the entire cave began to shake.
"Wh-what is this?"
Throughout the cave.
All sorts of mystical patterns and Jineon (眞言) began to emit light simultaneously!
Swiiiik—! Cheolkeok! Cheolkeok!
Chains made of Jineon grabbed both my arms and both my legs!
It was a tremendous formation! What is this?!
"Puhahahat! Surprised? Poison Demon!"
I quickly turned my head.
A mountain-sized frame. Shaggy hair, covered in tiger skin—a Yain (野人)!
"Evil Path Alliance Leader!"
The Evil Path Alliance Leader, who hadn't been visible, was roaring with laughter. He had been hiding, waiting for the chance to activate this formation!
The Evil Path Alliance Leader shouted.
"It's called Sigongyeokhaengjin (時空易行陣)! An ancient mystical formation that reverses time and space!"
"Crazy!"
"We feared you as much as you feared us!"
"...!"
"There's no way to definitely kill you or stop you..."
Cheok. The Evil Path Alliance Leader pointed at me.
"So the only way is to return to a world without you!"
These bastards!
U—uuuung!!
The formation emitted brilliant light. Not just the cave, but this entire mountain.
No.
Heaven and earth themselves were shaking.
I shouted at them.
"You crazy bastards! Do you think Gangho will be intact if you perform such a great technique?"
"Don't worry. As long as you're gone, we'll manage somehow. Keuhahahat!"
"Are you going to overturn all of Gangho just so you can live!"
"Gangho can only exist if we survive."
The formation gradually contracted and pressed down on me.
"Farewell. Poison Demon!"
"We will be in a world without you."
"You will be in a world without us."
"Let's never meet again."
Damn it!
I gathered my last strength and shouted at them.
"Hey, you mother—"
Those words didn't reach their end.
***
Kwang!
With an explosion that shook heaven and earth, the formation burst forth, and soon the cave became quiet again.
Only the thick dust remained as if proving the Poison Demon's existence...
The Alliance Leader let out a long sigh.
"It's over."
"Really... He was a tenacious bastard."
"Terrifying son of a bitch."
Chwaak—!
Space tore open, and a hand shot out from the gap, grabbing the Alliance Leader by the collar!
The hand's owner, the Poison Demon, immediately thrust his face close to him.
"Keuueuuk!!"
"Poison Demon!"
"Im-impossible!"
Everyone was shocked and collapsed with a teolsseok.
The Alliance Leader was greatly alarmed and struggled, forgetting his dignity.
The space-time that the Poison Demon tore through wouldn't allow his final moment.
Black shadows grabbed the Poison Demon and pulled with all their might.
Jjiiiik—! The Alliance Leader's lapel that was grasped tore, and the Poison Demon lost his grip on the collar.
As if poisoned in an instant, the Alliance Leader's neck turned purple.
However, the Poison Demon was sucked back into space again, and through the closing space gap, he forcefully shouted.
"You bastards! I will definitely find you!"
His hand pointed at each of them one by one.
"Keep your necks well! I'll cut them all off for you!"
The closing gap in space-time.
The Poison Demon's eyes, flashing red, glared at them to the very end.
Paat—!
Finally, the door closed.
***
Ttiring!
【You have spread too much suffering.】
【If you fill the world with happiness, we will grant you one wish.】
: Currently achieved Happiness Points 0/999,999,999
【The great technique of Yeokhaeng (易行) will be applied. Poison (毒) becomes medicine (藥), medicine becomes poison.】
【Abilities inherited after reincarnation】 :
① 100% memories from before reincarnation
② Mandokbulchim lv1
【Methods to unlock abilities】 :
① Training
② Completing missions
③ Collecting Happiness Points
④ Other
【You will be reincarnated into the Republic of Korea in 202X.】
From that moment on.
The beginning of the (forcibly) happy world I create.