I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Martial Arts World’s Mastermind
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Murim’s Hidden Mastermind
Episode 21
I could see the Zhuge Clan wavering at the appearance of a young child. They began to whisper among themselves.
「If, by some chance, it really is the Demonic Cult…」
「No, even if it is the Cult, there’s a child like that with them. We have to fight now, Noona!」
「I-I know! But if it’s the real Demonic Cult, we must be cautious, Sobaek-ah. We’ll be no match for them on our own!」
It seemed they hadn’t yet fully discarded their suspicions that these were just Black Way thugs impersonating the Demonic Cult.
Well, it was understandable, given how hard the other side was leaning into their concept.
If I hadn’t known the truth beforehand, I probably would have been prostrating myself and trembling in fear at the thought of the Demonic Cult appearing.
Right on cue, Danhwi issued a stern warning in a grave voice.
「Young Lady, do not worry. These rascals are nothing more than Black Way scum who exploit the lifeblood of ordinary people. This warrior can handle them all.」
「…!」
The fake Demonic Cultists momentarily looked flustered and exchanged glances. A brief silence followed.
「…Ahem.」
「What? How dare you insult the name of our Great Cult!」
Deciding to brazen it out, they drew their swords and pointed them at Danhwi.
「I shall execute you and take your offerings!」
「Hmm.」
The corner of Danhwi’s mouth curled into a crooked smirk.
Meanwhile, the man from the Zhuge Clan, who had been inching closer to our side, cautiously asked Danhwi.
「Are they… not the real Demonic Cult?」
「Indeed. I shall show you the proof.」
Danhwi replied smoothly.
And from behind him, I quietly murmured.
「How pitiful…」
The woman who had approached my side asked softly.
「What is?」
「Well, those fake Demonic Cultists.」
I gave the woman a cute smile.
「They’re about to die at the hands of our Young Hero Hwi-nim.」
「We give you our thanks in the name of the Zhuge!」
「How can a young hero be so…! You look to be about our age, yet you’ve reached such a high realm. We are truly grateful.」
It took less than fifteen minutes for the situation to be settled.
Zhuge Arang and Zhuge Sobaek, formally introducing themselves as scions of the Zhuge Clan, performed a fist-and-palm salute and bowed deeply to Danhwi.
The light in the eyes of Zhuge Sobaek, the younger brother, was particularly intense.
And I, too, was filled with admiration.
It was my first time seeing Danhwi fight in person. Even though he didn’t use any spectacular stances or high-level martial arts, he suppressed all his opponents using only concise movements and basic swordsmanship.
He didn’t forget to point out the characteristics of the Demonic Cult during the fight.
‘None of these men are using Demonic Arts.’
‘None of them have blackened fingertips.’
‘Their footwork is the mountain-trekking style used by bandits.’
The brilliant minds of the Zhuge Clan wouldn’t forget these lessons.
And perhaps, they might even be curious about our identities.
「Excuse me, but…」
As expected, Zhuge Arang asked a sharp question without lifting her deeply bowed head.
「Your swordsmanship was truly exceptional, Young Hero. To which sect do you belong?」
「I learned my sword while wandering long ago, so it is difficult to name a specific sect.」
Danhwi bowed in return, simply shutting down the line of questioning.
A clean bit of social maneuvering. Since he had just saved their lives, they wouldn’t be able to pry further.
Watching the situation from the landing of the stairs—the safest possible position—I clicked my tongue inwardly.
They were just bandits impersonating the Demonic Cult, not even the real thing. If the Zhuge Clan is struggling against the likes of them, what is to become of them…?
Just then, something came rolling out from among the bound fake cultists.
「What is this…? Huh?」
Zhuge Sobaek, who picked it up, gasped in surprise.
「Th-this is… a Phantom Sound Pill…!」
Ah, so that’s why he brought it along. To feed it to the weak Zhuge Clan and help them grow stronger.
Perhaps feeling a pang of conscience, Zhuge Sobaek stammered while glancing at Danhwi.
「Why is such a precious elixir here…?」
Danhwi, who had undoubtedly dropped the elixir there in secret, replied calmly.
「It seems to be something they plundered. Well, it’s not something a merchant guild can lay claim to. Would it be alright to hand it over to the Zhuge Clan, Young Lady?」
Oh, me?
「Yes. Thank you for joining forces to protect us.」
I nodded, my cheeks flushing a soft pink.
「You have a truly kind heart…」
Suddenly finding themselves with bandit prisoners and a rare elixir, Zhuge Sobaek and Arang began to well up with emotion.
Based on this experience, the Zhuge Clan would study the characteristics of the Demonic Cult more thoroughly, which would be of great help in the future Orthodox-Demonic Great War.
If these two had been killed today, it would have been a great loss for the Righteous Faction.
I felt like I had caught a glimpse of how the Murim’s hidden mastermind maintains the balance of the Great War.
‘Thank you! We will never forget this debt. It feels as if we’ve encountered a true fated opportunity.’
‘We shall not forget the Cheonun Merchant Guild!’
Once the situation was settled, the Zhuge scions left behind silver to cover the costs of repairing the damaged inn. Then, after thanking us several more times, they departed.
Danhwi and I returned to the premium room on the second floor and let out a sigh. Well, I was the only one sighing.
「Phew… I was so nervous.」
Danhwi puffed out his chest, making his already high nose bridge look even loftier.
「What did I tell you? Safe, wasn’t it?」
「Yes! Danhwi-sahyeong, you were the best!」
He really was cool. The situation had been so ridiculous that I hadn’t even been scared.
I gave him a big thumbs-up and, caught up in the moment, ran over and gave him a tight squeeze. A deep, middle-aged-sounding chuckle—ho-ho-hot—vibrated from above my head.
…That was a bit much.
Feeling a bit awkward, I let go of Danhwi and took half a step back.
Danhwi smacked his lips and fumbled through his robes.
「Ah, did I drink it all earlier…」
He seemed to be looking for alcohol.
「I’m going to go grab some from downstairs. Stay here for a bit and recite your cultivation mantras while you wait. Understood?」
「Yes!」
「Is he brewing the wine himself…?」
It had already been over an hour since Danhwi left. It was pitch black outside now.
Whether Danhwi was brewing the wine or chugging it down wasn’t really my concern. The problem was…
‘I can’t get this human skin mask off!’
Danhwi had put it on me, but it was difficult to remove with my own hands.
No matter how comfortable it was, sleeping in this thing was another matter entirely.
There were records of people who wore human skin masks for too long until they fused to their faces permanently…
In those cases, the skin underneath would fester and cause serious problems. Just thinking about it gave me the creeps.
I really wanted to take it off…
「Sigh.」
Having no choice, I followed the waiter’s guidance and trotted out of the inn.
「Young Hero Hwi~?」
Where did he go?
Even after walking to the edge of Hwangun County’s bustling streets, there wasn’t a trace of Danhwi to be found.
It was then that I felt a strange inkling.
The atmosphere of the street I had turned into was cold, sinking with a clammy heaviness.
「…?」
Through a crack in a broken wall I was passing, I saw a strange sight on the street on the other side.
I froze in my tracks and pressed my eye to the gap in the wall. What is that…?
「Ugh, uuuuh. I’m sorry. Never again, never again…」
「Be joyful. That a maggot like you can be of use to our Great Cult.」
A somewhat familiar man was crouched on the ground, weeping and begging for mercy with everything he had.
Looking closely, it was one of the rascals from earlier who had escaped before the fake cultists were rounded up.
And then I saw a hand resting on the man’s head, as if bestowing a rank.
The fingertips were black.
In his other hand, he held a whip, though he seemed to feel no need to use it.
And soon, the man’s head, within that hand…
Thwack.
「…!!」
A vivid, blood-splattered scene unfolded before my eyes.
I covered my mouth with both hands and held my breath. I staggered backward.
That… that’s…
The real Demonic Cult.
To execute the vermin impersonating them, the real Heavenly Demon Cult had appeared.
「Dan…!」
Just as I turned around to call for Danhwi, I collided with someone.
「Ugh!」
My mouth was immediately clamped shut.
My trembling pupils quickly focused on the person.
But the more I took in the stranger’s appearance, the more ragged my breathing became.
「…!」
「…Shh. Do you want to die?」
Hair as black as ink, and strange Golden Fire Eyes that flickered like blood swirling in amber.
The protagonist of the game, the future Heavenly Demon, was holding his hand over my mouth.
It was then.
「There is a maggot here.」
Snap!
Through the gap in the wall I had been peeking through, a whip imbued with demonic qi lashed out.
「…!」
The hook at the end of the whip was split into several branches like a trident.
Furthermore, it was cruelly curved in a spiral.
It was a diabolical shape clearly designed to gouge out insides and inflict severe internal injuries the moment it pierced its target.
It was undoubtedly the weapon of a Centurion of the Demonic Cult.
Just before that tip could burrow into my body.
「Hey.」
The end of the whip grazed past my nose and sliced through the air.
「…Gasp!」
It was thanks to the boy who had pulled my body back.
The protagonist of the game, the future Heavenly Demon.
