On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 43: I’m the Sword God, Yu Il-Shin!

Honestly, even though his target was the A-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor, Sword Demon didn’t take that commission seriously. For a while now, he had prepared a strategy to deal with her, one that involved suppressing her main ability. Any high-ranking Hunter would be reduced into a sitting duck once that happened.

This was probably never made public, but Sword Demon had killed S-rank Hunters before. In addition to his demonic swordsmanship, he always came up with a surefire way to deal with his targets. Hence, despite being an A-rank Hunter, Sword Demon was considered world-class in the assassination circle.

Until one day, out of nowhere, a man appeared and blocked his attacks with a mere kitchen knife.

“Keke, I want to kill...”

Shiver!

Yu Il-Shin’s maniacal laughter made Sword Demon retreat instantly, as if he was catching fire. His fingertips trembled slightly.

Did I just feel fear?

Yu Il-Shin might be holding a kitchen knife, but the aura emanating from it was just something else, and it made his entire body tingle.

Is he a master?! Who is this man?!

“Mister, run away!”

Recognizing the lunatic as Yu Il-Shin, Thunder Emperor screamed tearfully. Although she was overjoyed to see him come to her aid, Yu Il-Shin was only equipped with a kitchen knife! How could he possibly hope to win against the terrifying Sword Demon?! He was just courting death at this point!

He’s her mentor? Sword Demon’s eyebrows twitched. Then, he finally understood the situation.

“So, you’re her mentor?”

If the lunatic before him was indeed Thunder Emperor’s mentor, then he must’ve been an S-rank Hunter. But then, how did Sword Demon never catch wind of his existence in South Korea? Still, he had a hunch. Rumor had it that there was a secret group called Unknown, consisting of unofficial S-rank Hunters, known only to the government or the Hunter Association.

Did I get caught?

After all, the man arrived at the scene too quickly. Did others set him up? As a lone wolf and a freelancer, Sword Demon was the target of many organizations. And yet, Sword Demon felt elated.

“This is for the best.”

Rather than going against Hunters with special abilities like Thunder Emperor, he preferred Reinforce-type Hunters. He enjoyed fighting against those whose bodies went through the extremes. They were the best opponents to hone his sword skills.

Yu Il-Shin’s entire body was covered in reddish muscles, a testament to the fact that it had been honed to its ultimate state.

“Khehe! I can’t ask for a better opponent!” Sword Demon bared his wolfish white teeth. He had just gotten the perfect opportunity to raise his cultivation level that day!

“I’ll show you what I got, Thunder Emperor’s Mentor!”

Slam!

Sword Demon crouched, then stomped the ground hard, charging toward Yu Il-Shin.

“Boulder-Splitter Slash!”

As its name suggested, that sword skill could slice boulders like tofu. Using that skill, he performed a diagonal slash at Yu Il-Shin!

Claaang!

Sword Demon widened his eyes in shock.

“How?”

Even though he had used a skill, Yu Il-Shin effortlessly blocked it with his kitchen knife.

“Impossible!”

Bewildered and terrified, Sword Demon swung his sword wildly like a typhoon!

Clank! Baaam!

Even though his speed was imperceptible to the average person, he couldn’t even land a single strike on Yu Il-Shin! Moreover, his A-grade sword couldn’t even chip Yu Il-Shin’s kitchen knife! Realizing that, Sword Demon trembled in fear.

Then, the eyes of the two men collided. Yu Il-Shin stared at him in contempt, akin to cats playing with their prey. His eyes seemed to say: Is that all? There has to be more, right? Humor me, cretin.

Instantly, Sword Demon’s fear vanished, swallowed by his rage.

“Don’t look down on me!”

So what if he was Thunder Emperor’s mentor? So what if he was an unofficial S-rank Hunter? Sword Demon wouldn’t allow anyone to look at him that way! Retreating, Sword Demon took out a bottle of potion. Unlike ordinary potions, the liquid was as black as sewage water.

Wriggle wriggle!

The viscous liquid began to move, pressing against the walls of the bottle, as if it were a living thing.

Crack!

Glug glug!

Without caring in the slightest, Sword Demon cracked the lid with his teeth and downed it in one go!

In truth, that potion was also the reason why he had accepted this commission. It was none other than the God's Elixir, which was only available in the black market.

Tsss!

Black aura ferociously rose from his body like evaporating steam, and a dark skull tattoo appeared on his cheek.

Yu Il-Shin appraised Sword Demon once again.

-----

[Sword Demon]

A male human. Around for 29 years.

Special note: The combat power he had borrowed from ??? God of Destroyer has doubled.]

-----

Sword Demon clutched his beloved sword with both hands. Using potion might be cheating, but he was certain he could defeat an S-rank in this state!

“Bwahaha!”

Rumbleee!

The ground shook fiercely, as if an earthquake had struck the area. But it was nothing compared to the aura leaking from his sword.

Tzzz! Tzzz!

It was a supreme skill exclusive to Qigong-type Combat Hunters, capable of slicing through steel with ease. His beloved sword radiated Grade A sword qi, expanding from at least 2 meters to a whopping 5 meters.

Sword Demon glared at Yu Il-Shin with bloodshot eyes, possibly a side effect from the potion he drank earlier.

“Hahaha! How’s that, Thunder Emperor’s Mentor! I bet you’ve never seen this before! Even the strongest Hunter in China, Lin ShaoMing, wouldn’t be able to produce sword qi of this magnitude!”

Yet, Yu Il-Shin didn’t answer. He simply stood there with his kitchen knife, hunched over. Sword Demon’s sword qi only earned him a glance. Yu Il-Shin’s silence and nonchalance made Sword Demon feel looked down upon, and he gritted his teeth.

“I’ll kill you, Thunder Emperor’s Mentor! Shadow Stomp!”

Ssss—

Sword Demon disappeared, as if he was erased. Clad in the ultimate state of stealth, Sword Demon crept to Yu Il-Shin’s blindspot. Then, he unleashed his amplified sword qi at the defenseless Yu Il-Shin!

Slaaash! Crunch!

Just then, Yu Il-Shin twisted his neck at an impossible angle! It was reminiscent of how the female lead of the horror film Exorcist spun her head around 180 degrees!

“Argh!”

“Huh?!”

Their eyes met. Waves of chills shot down Sword Demon’s body. Yu Il-Shin’s eyes were akin to the bottomless abyss. Madness lingered within them—one that no sinner dared to fathom.

Yu Il-Shin then smirked. “Kekeke, I did it.”

“W-what...?” Sword Demon couldn’t understand what he meant.

Then, instead of lopping off Yu Il-Shin’s head, his sword qi only cut through the air.

“N-no way.”

Sword Demon looked at his hand. His sword, known to cut through all things, was reduced to just its hilt.

Cackle! Riiip!

Meanwhile, the wall behind Sword Demon was stained with black marks, as if locked by a beast.

“Gasp!”

Sword Demon looked at the wall in disbelief. How?! When he was struggling to even score a hit on his opponent, Yu Il-Shin managed to leave those marks.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if Yu Il-Shin had shredded him into pieces instead? He couldn’t grasp the man in front of him, who had an extremely high level of mastery.

“J-just who are you?”

Clatter!

Like shooting stars, fragments of his sword fell around Yu Il-Shin, who remained in his knife-wielding stance. The scene, which seemed to transcend all of humanity, left Sword Demon in awe.

Yu Il-Shin flicked his sword and said, “Keke, I'm the Sword God.”

At that moment, Sword Demon felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his head.

Sword God? The god of sword? Some kind of fanatic?

However, that man did have the right to claim that.

Sword Demon’s gaze was brimming with fear and awe. Standing before him was a legend. And he knew that even if he’d trained his whole life, he’d never catch up to that man.

Thud!

Collapsing to his knees, Sword Demon banged his head on the ground at Yu Il-Shin’s feet.

“I... I've lost, Sword God.”

***

Ding!

[Yu Il-Shin has devoured Sword Demon's Beloved Sword (A) using All-Cutting Heavenly Sword’s power Sword Devotion and his favorite sword, Sword God.]

[Yu Il-Shin’s favorite sword, Sword God, can now be evolved.]

A burp-like sound came from my kitchen knife, and a languid voice echoed in my mind.

-I'm full... Going to sleep...

“Huh?!”

As soon as the madness and desire to cut everything dissipated, I reverted to my ordinary citizen Yu Il-Shin self.

Sss—

At the same time, the Skill Sharing duration of Il-Ho’s Strong Body had ended. Thus, my body returned to its normal, feeble state.

Feeling high alert, I tapped the slumbering knife in my hand. “Hey, hey! Wake up! How can you sleep now?!”

Yet, it didn’t react, as if it were an ordinary kitchen knife.

Although Sword Demon was still prostrating himself at my feet, there was no saying he wouldn’t have a change of heart and attack us again.

“You shitty knife! Wake up!” I yelled.

Sword Demon visibly trembled and murmured, “You even have conversations with your sword. That’s true mastery of cultivation right there.”

Huh? What was he blabbering about?

“Ah, as expected of you, Mister. The best...”

Plop!

Sung Mi-Ri had witnessed the entire fight between me and Sword Demon. Overcome with relief, she fell to the ground.

“Ms. Sung Mi-Ri!”

I hurried over, supporting her. She leaned against me, her face pale. Blood was still gushing out from her back injury like a broken faucet.

“Haa, haa!”

Damn it, we got to stop the bleeding first!

“Please excuse me, Sword God.” Sword Demon appeared beside me, speaking in a depressed tone.

Gasp, you scared me!

Just as I was worried that he might attack us right then, Sword Demon fished something out of his pocket. A glass bottle filled with golden liquid. He proceeded to pour it over Sung Mi-Ri’s wound.

My eyes appraised the bottle of liquid.

Ding!

-----

[High Potion]

The highest-grade potion that Sword Demon carries with him as an extra life.

Special note: Can save anyone as long as they aren't dead.

-----

Then, something amazing happened. As if sewn together, Sung Mi-Ri’s wound closed up without leaving a single scar. After that, he poured the remaining liquid into her mouth.

Soon, color returned to Sung Mi-Ri’s face. Wow, I had heard that High Potions were extremely OP, but I didn’t expect them to be at this level.

Then, Sword Demon met my astonished gaze. He immediately smashed his head against the ground once more.

“I apologize for crossing the line! To lay a hand on your disciple, I deserve death! But, if you show me mercy, I’ll follow you for the rest of my life! I’ll be your loyal dog!”

Follow me for the rest of his life? What nonsense is he talking about?

“Please! Please allow me one more chance to witness that glorious and majestic sword qi that you used on me earlier! I’m willing to offer my life to you!”

Just then, God-Maker rang.

Ding!

[Congratulations. You have succeeded in nurturing fanatical faith by showcasing the overwhelming majesty and terror of gods.]

[Sword Demon has become the second follower of the Earth branch.]

-----

[Sword Demon]

Classification: Fanatic

Special note: Try asking him to die as a test. He might happily oblige.

-----

...Eh? He's a fanatic?