THBVD 09

Chapter 09

The Divine Physician Became the Demon King 

Reorganization of Hierarchy (5)

“W-What did you say?”

Surprisingly bold, much more than expected, was So-baek’s reaction. Twenty-Three was flustered and spoke.

“Why? Want me to knock you out again?”

So-baek was no longer the gentle physician of the past.

He had firmly resolved that he would resist any harassment or violence he could reasonably withstand, even if he had to fight back desperately.

“In my past life, I believed avoiding violence as much as possible was the best and most virtuous path. I also wanted to save as many lives as possible and share my medical knowledge. But what was my end?”

The Divine Physician, Gwak Jeong-won, met the most horrific ending imaginable.

And it was at the hands of a patient he himself had once saved.

He never expected anything in return for his good deeds in his previous life—but at the very least, he should not have regretted them.

Thus, in this life, he vowed not to endure violence or oppression, but instead survive—even if it meant crushing others with greater force.

“Get lost. Go back to your master like a dog.”

Twenty-Three, who had thought of So-baek as nothing more than a timid, fragile child, was utterly shaken by this transformation.

Leaving the frozen Twenty-Three behind, So-baek walked away first.

Tremble!

Watching So-baek’s retreating back as he casually passed by, Twenty-Three trembled in humiliation.

“Just yesterday, he couldn’t even look me in the eye properly—how dare he!”

Twenty-Three assumed So-baek’s attitude was due to being knocked unconscious earlier during the riding combat match.

“That was just a moment of carelessness!”

He convinced himself that if he hadn’t been careless, the outcome would have been different.

Eventually, as So-baek had predicted, Twenty-Three ran to Twenty-Four—the former Number One—and vented his rage.

“Hey, Number One! That damn bastard—”

“Shut your mouth.”

Twenty-Four, already burning with frustration himself, stopped him sharply.

“When night comes, we’ll show him what’s what.”

Only then did Twenty-Three grin.

And they waited eagerly for nightfall.

As expected, after some time the children finished their rations, and as darkness fell, the lower instructors returned to their quarters.

“Tomorrow is the final trial. Don’t do anything unnecessary.”

“Go to sleep quietly.”

With those words, they left.

The Twenty-Four faction, who had been waiting for this moment, smirked.

Unaware of their intentions, So-baek’s group was—

“Hahahaha!”

“Is that what happened?”

Laughing and chatting warmly as if on a trip, they turned the gloomy evening of the southern jungle into a cheerful atmosphere.

“These idiots. Tomorrow is life or death, yet they’re laughing. Just wait. During training tomorrow, I’ll kill them all myself.”

Twenty-Four gritted his teeth at the carefree atmosphere.

What made him even angrier was that So-baek’s group had been given warm sleeping bags and pillows.

Just as Twenty-Four and Twenty-Three were planning to take them away—

“Hey.”

Right after the instructors left and things settled down, unexpectedly, Number One—So-baek—walked toward Twenty-Four’s group.

“W-What?”

Even bold Twenty-Four flinched in shock.

“Why so surprised? Weren’t you planning to attack tonight anyway?”

“Th-That is…”

So-baek’s calm exposure of their plan made them even more flustered.

“Instead of a cowardly ambush… how about settling this properly?”

So-baek suggested.

“You and I, one-on-one. How about it?”

“What? What did you say?”

Not only Twenty-Four but also Twenty-Three doubted their ears.

“Is that kid serious?”

Twenty-Four thought he must have misheard.

They had been waiting precisely because of So-baek’s guards—Number Two and Three—trying to figure out how to separate them.

And yet So-baek himself was proposing a duel.

“Why? Are you scared?”

“Scared? Don’t be ridiculous! You little brat dare challenge me one-on-one?”

Still stunned, Twenty-Four was confused.

Twenty-Three was equally shocked.

‘He showed surprising ability in the riding match, but Number One is different.’

Twenty-Three knew more about Number One’s past.

Unlike the other children—orphans, beggars, or victims of trickery—Number One had a different background.

“He was a fugitive from the authorities.”

When he was Number One, he once proudly boasted that he was a wanted criminal.

Unlike others who were kidnapped or tricked into joining, he had joined willingly because he was on the run after committing murder in his hometown.

He had been a notorious delinquent who killed someone, then fled the authorities.

Even changing his age and sneaking in through deceitful means.

‘That guy has the mentality to kill like an adult even at this age.’

Thus, Twenty-Three believed without doubt that Twenty-Four would win easily—and that So-baek would die.

Yet So-baek had proposed a one-on-one fight himself.

“Good courage, hiding behind others didn’t suit you anyway.”

Twenty-Four stepped forward confidently.

“Fine. I’ll fight you. Afraid? I can use one hand. Or weapons if you want.”

“Whatever.”

“So the winner becomes Number One and gets all privileges. You’ll report it yourself to the instructor.”

He assumed victory was guaranteed.

“If you somehow win.”

“Puhahaha!”

He kept laughing.

“All the kids here are witnesses. Shall we begin?”

Step.

He took a fighting stance and beckoned.

The size difference was enormous—like an adult versus a child.

‘Number One… be careful.’

Number Two and Three worried deeply.

The gentle one even closed his eyes, unable to watch.

Number Two knew Twenty-Four’s strength well.

‘He doesn’t know restraint.’

Unlike normal fighters, Twenty-Four would not stop until his rage was released.

“Finally challenging me one-on-one, yet just circling around? Coward!”

Twenty-Four laughed.

“Die!”

He swung a heavy, axe-like fist toward So-baek’s head.

A fatal blow aimed at instant death.

BOOOOM!

It wasn’t a duel—it was an attempt to kill.

‘Dangerous!’

But in that moment—

So-baek did not dodge.

Nor was he struck.

PAK!

Instead, he met the fist head-on.

Their fists collided.

So-baek had used his Six Harmony Fist upward.

“Aaaagh!”

The one in pain was not So-baek—but Twenty-Four.

‘What the hell is this?!’

His fist felt like it was shattering.

This was possible because of So-baek’s breathing technique and the internal energy gained from the century-old medicinal herb he had consumed.

‘It works. It works even against him!’

So-baek’s confidence surged.

But Twenty-Four was still not done.

“YOU BASTARD!”

He tried to overwhelm So-baek with his body weight.

But then—

So-baek’s true specialty appeared.

Acupuncture.

A pine needle-like leaf, imbued with internal energy, shone brightly in his hand.

SWOOSH!

It pierced toward a vital point—life and death decided in an instant.

Like a silver needle, it drove into a critical acupoint.