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chapter 59
Just before the clash, Lee Hyun used Hwa An Geum Jeong to examine the Demon Lord Honse.
He needed to determine how much of the demon lord’s words were sincere.
However,
[True]
[But false]
“What is this? Overall it’s true, yet it’s also a lie?”
The results were strange.
“Something is being hidden.”
Lee Hyun hesitated for a brief moment.
Should he go all out to take down Honse, or should he wait and observe the situation a little longer?
At that moment, he recalled the dice he had rolled before entering the dungeon.
5 and 6.
Total: 11.
Commence. The hidden truth will be revealed.
Among the 14 dungeons, there was nothing related to this.
What if this was connected to the current dungeon?
Kwah-ang!
The moment the two axes collided with the great sword, Lee Hyun’s thoughts stopped.
Drip—
Despite his size, Honse possessed immense strength, enough to push Lee Hyun back.
At the same time,
Paah!
[Battle Sense (A) detects the presence of hidden monsters.]
The monkey soldiers hiding on the roof began to move.
“Your Majesty!”
“Are you alright!!”
The waiting guards outside also smashed through the walls to enter.
Lee Hyun had to make a decision right there.
Would he unleash Doo-uk-shini’s Rampage and finish Honse once and for all, or…
Lee Hyun quickly made up his mind.
Pajijik!
Just as the cyan-white lightning sparked across his axes, an unexpected event occurred before Lee Hyun could make a decision.
[Battle Sense (A) urgently warns of danger!]
“…!”
A chilling sensation ran down his spine.
Instinctively, Lee Hyun recoiled instead of dashing at Honse.
A bolt of fire narrowly struck where he had been standing.
Kwa-kwang!
“…!!”
“Too bad. I could have caught you.”
The force was so intense that the entire palace trembled.
The flames spread rapidly, surrounding Lee Hyun in a prison of fire.
At the same time,
Chur-chuk!
The monkey soldiers’ spear tips aimed at him, and dozens of crossbows on the outskirts targeted him.
It was clearly a situation of being completely surrounded.
“You said you’d fight all you want, but was that just talk?”
Lee Hyun raised both hands, letting out a hollow laugh.
He no longer spoke with formality—this was plain speech.
Honse shrugged nonchalantly.
“I wanted to see a proper fight, but it seems your loyal subjects won’t allow it.”
“Your Majesty, please step back. We’ll handle this insolent human ourselves.”
“I see. What shall I do?”
A faint smile appeared on Honse’s face, then his expression turned serious.
“Everyone, stand down.”
“No, Your Majesty!”
“I am a warrior before I am a king. Are you trying to trample on the pride of the king you serve?”
“….”
It was a striking contrast to the boredom he had shown just moments ago.
The soldiers took a few steps back, but the encirclement remained.
Just as Honse was about to speak, Lee Hyun’s Hwa An Geum Jeong glowed brightly, then went dark.
“Pride? I see. You really want to become the protagonist of a new story, huh?”
“Hmm? Ah! So that’s what you mean… a new story. Well, technically, you’re not wrong.”
Honse laughed lightly.
“Don’t you wonder? How can someone who escapes being a ‘fake’ and wants to become the ‘real’ stand out? Or,”
His canine teeth sparkled through parted lips.
“What if the ‘fake’ consumes even the shell left behind by the ‘real’? Could it replace that position? Or would it still remain a ‘fake’?”
“Planning to kill me and aim for greatness afterward?”
“….”
Son Oh-gong remained silent.
“Of course that won’t work. Even if it’s just a short story, the King of Mihu is still the King of Mihu. Someone like me can’t possibly win.”
Honse twisted his lips, but his gaze on Son Oh-gong was intense.
“However, attempting it is what matters. If you can prove you took a path different from the original, even a being named Saseun will have proven themselves.”
Honse smiled widely, showing his fangs.
Lee Hyun laughed along.
“You throw yourself to prove yourself, huh?”
“Well, isn’t that life in a nutshell?”
Even though Honse had only awakened for less than ten years, his self-awareness was already so sharp.
Lee Hyun clicked his tongue, realizing his opponent was not someone to underestimate.
This was different from any boss monster he had faced before.
But…
“So I want to fight him even more fiercely.”
He, too, was someone who would throw his life into proving himself.
Cheo-chuk!
The monkey soldiers’ spears pressed even closer to Lee Hyun’s jaw.
A clear message: surrender immediately.
Lee Hyun dropped his axes once more.
“Surrender,”
His second surrender.
“Is that what you thought?”
Pajijijik!!
[Doo-uk-shini’s Rampage surges!]
As the axes hit the ground, cyan-white lightning exploded like a storm.
Kwa-rreul-rreung!
An enormous heatwave and flash erupted.
“Damn…!”
“Curses!”
“Everyone, capture him!”
“Protect the King!!”
The ground cracked like a tortoise shell, sinking deeply below.
At the same time, Lee Hyun fell.
The building caught on a tree, preventing further descent.
The prison of fire failed to capture him, while the lightning spread along the walls and floor in a chain explosion.
The monkey soldiers hurried to protect Honse, completely ignoring Lee Hyun.
Too late for that.
During his fall, Lee Hyun clenched his fists.
[Doo-uk-shini’s Phantoms run rampant!]
Kwa-kwak-kwak!
Kwa-rreung-
The palace was utterly destroyed, and cyan-white pillars of lightning shot high into the sky.
Thunderclouds charged with lightning spread in all directions.
Tak!
Lee Hyun landed on the ground and recalled his axes magnetically, preparing himself.
[Battle Sense (A) detects approaching soldiers!]
The fight wasn’t over.
The monkeys of Hwagas Mountain—trained by Son Oh-gong and hardened by Honse—remained.
“He’s human!”
“He tried to assassinate the King!”
“Kill him!!”
Pyu-pyu-pyu-pyu-pyut!
The monkey soldiers fired crossbows from the trees, unleashing hundreds of poisoned bolts.
A slight misstep would be fatal, yet Lee Hyun simply laughed as if enjoying himself.
[Doo-uk-shini’s Rampage wraps around his collar.]
[Fury Strike (A) activated: Bull Rush!]
Lee Hyun wove cyan-white lightning around his body like threads and dashed toward the hail of arrows.
He looked like a surfer challenging a violent wave.
Kwah-ang!
Pajijijik!!
Yet not a single poisoned bolt pierced his clothes; all bounced off.
Even the rain of arrows that had startled Team Z could not damage the Demon King’s cloak.
Paah!
Lee Hyun arrived in front of the captain of the royal guards.
The very monkey soldier who fired the crossbow and dragged him to Honse.
Kwa-rreul-rreung!
[Fury Strike (A) activated!]
The captain drew his sword to block, but
“…!!”
He was pushed back, feeling as though his arm would be torn off.
By the time he looked up in shock,
“Too late. Already.”
Lee Hyun had dashed again, swinging his axes in rapid succession.
Kwa-kwak-kwak!!
Urur-
[Fury Strike (A) unleashed in rapid succession.]
[Stacks accumulated.]
[Lightning strikes from above!]
Lightning fell from the sky, sending the captain flying.
“Ugh…!”
Kwah-ang-
Kurururur!
“…!”
“…!”
“…!!”
The monkey soldiers watched, stunned.
Excluding Honse, even Hwagas Mountain’s strongest warriors had been defeated so easily.
“Ha-ha-ha! As expected, our Apostle is massive in scale! Destroying the palace, knocking out the royal guards!”
As Saojeong laughed, Lee Hyun attempted another dash to capture the captain.
“Up to there.”
Kwa-ang!
A fire bolt fell between Lee Hyun and the captain from the destroyed palace.
He angled his axes to deflect the flames, forcing his momentum to stop.
Vrrr…!
The axes shook violently.
Strength-wise, he might be similar… or slightly stronger. His explosive power amplifies already formidable force.
Lee Hyun’s control of Doo-uk-shini’s Rampage was similar, but slightly different.
He released lightning emotionally, while Honse’s flames simmered like a slow-burning stove, gradually gaining intensity.
The longer it lasted, the stronger the pyrokinetic skill became.
“Lightning bolt, huh! Our Honse wouldn’t have such a skill… Could it be a newly awakened ability?”
Saojeong raised his head from Lee Hyun’s left shoulder.
It seems he awakened a new identity and mastered it. Learning a unique skill is the most certain way to do that.
Saseun.
Discarding remnants, acquiring uniqueness.
This pyrotechnic skill represented that distinction.
The issue was:
There must be an origin. What is it?
Skills like this don’t appear overnight.
Someone must have stimulated him.
—I tend to ramble. Maybe it’s because I met someone from the outside after so long.
Lee Hyun recalled their first conversation.
If someone had given Honse uniqueness and taught him pyrokinetic skills…
Aroma Buff.
A pleasant scent engulfed all of Hwagas Mountain.
It certainly wasn’t Honse’s skill, nor was it local to Hwagas Mountain, according to Saojeong.
Then, like a flash in his mind,
Only one qualifies to pass through Suryum Cave to the Monkey Village: either inheriting Son Oh-gong’s legacy or…
A thought flickered through Lee Hyun’s mind.
Related.
Saojeong fit that profile.
…Then.
Pyrokinetic skill.
Aroma Buff.
Only one person possessed both.
Ding!
[‘Holy Relic: Hwa An Geum Jeong’ reveals the secrets of the dungeon. You successfully read ■■■■’s myth.]
[1. Fragrance that relieves fatigue.]
[In legend…]
…
[2. Pursuit of peace and happiness]
…
[You gained a large amount of ■■■■’s karma.]
[Rank increased.]
…
[Familiarity with the Ruyi Staff increased. You can now partially use ■■■■’s divine power.]
Clack! Clack!
With the rank increase, Lee Hyun’s body began to change.
Divine power, previously aiding only stamina, now mixed with his mana.
A small amount, but…
[‘Holy Relic: Hwa An Geum Jeong’’s effectiveness deepens!]
Lee Hyun’s eyes widened.
But now was no time to enjoy it.
“So, this is related to the Seven Great Saints?”
Saojeong nodded gravely, drawing the same conclusion.
Seven Great Saints.
The seven great demon lords who once swore brotherhood with King Mihu, Son Oh-gong.
Their legendary names commanded eight million demons under the Celestial Guardian.
“So even some demon lords managed to escape to the lower realm? Rumor has it even they couldn’t avoid crisis,”
Saojeong’s lips twisted with bitterness.
“It seems they couldn’t withstand the gods’ interference.”
“….”
“Senior Brother.”
Saojeong sighed lightly, glancing at Son Oh-gong.
He remained silent, watching Honse intently.
“Did you know, Senior Brother? From the moment we entered this dungeon?”
“….”
“You must have guessed. I thought you were unsettled seeing your ruined hometown, but…”
Saojeong’s eyes grew cold.
“Could it be… the trace of an old lover causing this?”
Lee Hyun turned to Saojeong and Son Oh-gong, surprised by the unexpected words.
Yet Saojeong’s gaze remained icy.
And…
“….”
Son Oh-gong still said nothing.
