Chapter 50
“Y–You lunatic!”
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a positive response.
Still, isn’t it a bit much to start with an insult?
So, I kicked his other knee too.
Crack!
“Arghhh!”
Oh, he’s loving this, huh.
Doosan Baek’s scream echoed within the cave, unable to escape outside.
That scream of pain made my ears ache, yet brought a strange satisfaction.
Maybe this is why people become obsessed with revenge.
Doosan Baek, both knees shattered, could no longer stand.
He collapsed weakly to the ground, looking up at me with eyes filled with resentment, fear, and faint resignation.
Meanwhile, my thoughts were elsewhere.
He’s supposed to be a peak master? He’s too weak.
Something was off.
A true master at his level should radiate an overwhelming presence — something untouchable.
But Doosan Baek lacked that entirely.
He was all show — an empty bamboo tube with nothing inside.
After thinking for a while, the answer came easily.
Peace. It’s been too long.
The Great War between the righteous and demonic sects — the War of Heaven and Hell — had already taken place a hundred years ago.
Since then, the martial world had been at peace.
That must have been the problem.
Peace isn’t bad, but…
A blade grows dull if not used.
Martial artists are no different.
No matter how great a master one is, if they haven’t lived through life-and-death battles, their blade inevitably dulls — just like the man before me.
“Honestly, the Flame King’s bandit chief was stronger than you.”
At that, Doosan Baek’s body trembled.
He must’ve taken it as mockery — but it was the truth.
Those who live by the sword, risking their lives daily like bandits, experience far more true combat.
That experience is what allows them to build secret escape tunnels like this one.
Anyway—
“It’s time to decide.”
It was time for answers.
Would he die painfully or die easily after talking?
Doosan Baek’s face twisted further, a mixture of fury, fear, and resignation.
After a long silence, his voice came out calmer than expected.
“…Is there really no other option? What if I offered treasures instead? I’ve just acquired quite a valuable haul.”
I chuckled.
I hadn’t planned to mention this, but—
“Did it never occur to you that those treasures were the trap to begin with?”
“What… what did you say? N–No way!”
Doosan Baek groaned deeply, finally realizing the situation.
For a moment, anger flared up in his eyes, but it faded quickly.
There was no longer any will to live left in him — only resignation.
“If such a trap was laid, it means they intended to eliminate me.”
“I told you from the start I wasn’t going to let you live. Did you think I was joking?”
He gave a bitter chuckle.
“I was hoping, perhaps.”
“Sorry to disappoint. I’m not the lying type.”
“I can see that.”
“So, your choice?”
He hesitated, then chose the easier death.
“…If I must go, I’d rather go peacefully.”
“A wise choice.”
And I meant that.
I never enjoyed making people die painfully.
That was why I gave him the option.
Information?
Honestly, I didn’t need it from his mouth.
Because I have Sahun.
Unless one’s soul was extraordinary, no one could resist a reaper.
If I wanted information from the dead, I could simply ask Sahun to get it.
Anyway—
“In the Ninefold Society, there’s internal conflict over the position of leader. The current head and the deputy are building their own factions, clashing constantly. In that process, the Golden Flower Trading Guild—”
The story that followed wasn’t much different from what I’d already heard from the Hao Clan.
Still, there were a few new details, so I let him finish.
“…That’s all I know.”
As soon as his story ended, I kept my promise.
Slash.
Thud.
A clean cut — so quick he couldn’t even feel pain.
I thought he’d accepted his fate peacefully, but Doosan Baek’s eyes were wide open in resentment even in death.
Seeing that expression, I softly called his name.
“Doosan Baek.”
He probably thought everything was over now that he was dead.
And it certainly looked that way.
How did I know?
Even without my Heaven’s Eye, I could see with my Spirit Eye.
His soul was already standing beside his decapitated body, staring blankly at it.
“Doosan Baek.”
I called again.
This time, he seemed to regain awareness and lifted his head — but not to look at me.
His gaze turned the other way — to the spirit of the Flame King’s bandit chief, who had died earlier.
That spirit wasn’t alone; another presence was beside him — one with a familiar form.
A reaper.
Unlike Sahun, who was handsome and calm, this reaper’s face was horrifying — ghastly, almost monstrous.
Perhaps that’s why—
Gasp!
Doosan Baek, recognizing the reaper, stumbled back in terror.
“Doosan Baek.”
When I called his name for the third time — like the reaper summoning a soul — his eyes finally met mine.
Huh?
He tilted his head, confused at first.
But when I held his gaze, refusing to look away, his expression changed.
Y–You can’t really see me… can you?
Doosan Baek’s eyes widened in shock.
I smiled faintly.
“I can see you just fine. Very clearly, in fact.”
His jaw dropped as if he were alive again.
“So then,” I said calmly, “would you tell me why you made that face right before dying?”
He flinched.
That reaction was enough of an answer.
“As I thought — you lied to me.”
Otherwise, that expression made no sense.
I had suspected from the start.
This was the same man who had betrayed and stabbed the Flame King’s chief in the back — someone he had once called an ally.
Could such a man really tell me the truth before dying?
Ridiculous.
And that final look had confirmed my suspicions.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he muttered.
Even though the truth was obvious, he still tried to deny it.
But I ended that easily.
“You’re still lying even after death? I suppose Hell doesn’t scare you, then.”
That shut him up completely.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Don’t tell me you think staying silent now will keep you out of Hell?”
That was wishful thinking — and he knew it.
Doosan Baek grimaced, unable to retort.
Ugly in life, uglier in death — like a vengeful ghost.
And fittingly, he acted just like one.
Die!
He lunged at me, trying to attack even as a spirit.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
He reached for me, but—
Whoosh!
His hand passed right through my body.
Doosan Baek’s eyes went wide with disbelief.
But I wasn’t surprised.
I already knew — the dead can’t harm the living by normal means.
Especially a newly formed spirit like him — unless he became a true wraith, he couldn’t touch me.
That’s when it happened.
Grrrr…!
Doosan Baek let out a bestial growl.
His eyes blazed blue like ghost-fire, and black smoke began to writhe around his body.
Sahun burst forth from the shadows at that moment.
‘He’s trying to become a wraith.’
He had revealed himself to warn me — since wraiths can harm the living.
I nodded.
I’d already guessed as much — but I was also curious.
Could he still talk while turning into one?
So, I decided to test it — and said the one thing that had shaken him most before.
“If you become a wraith, not only is Hell guaranteed — you’ll also be cut off from reincarnation forever. You’ll never have another life. Still fine with that?”
Hell.
Such an amusing word.
Like being called an “idiot” — even if you know it’s true, hearing it from someone else still stings.
Especially for sinners facing death.
How do I know?
The proof was right before me.
‘I–I’m not afraid of Hell!’
He snapped in anger.
But contrary to his words, his eyes lost their blue glow, and the black smoke dissipated completely.
Even as he began to turn into a wraith, just hearing the word “Hell” had scared him back into submission.
“Another wise choice,” I praised.
He looked as if he’d swallowed something foul, but I didn’t care anymore.
“Sahun.”
‘Yes, my lord?’
“Find out exactly what lie he told me.”
‘Easily done. Please wait a moment.’
Sahun flew toward Doosan Baek.
‘S–Stay away!’
Doosan Baek tried to run, but it was pointless.
Running from a reaper is like running inside Buddha’s palm — impossible.
No one in existence could escape a reaper once they’d been marked.
As Sahun captured and interrogated the spirit, my gaze turned to the Flame King’s corpse.
His soul and his accompanying reaper still lingered nearby.
That face… terrifying.
No wonder Doosan Baek had hiccupped in fright earlier.
That reaper looked less like a spirit guide and more like a demon-slaying god of war.
At first, I thought he remained because of me — but no, his gaze was fixed on Doosan Baek.
That’s when he suddenly spoke.
‘Might you be… the Violet Divine Sword, sir?’
A reaper was speaking to me — and for a reason I didn’t expect.
‘If you are indeed the Violet Divine Sword, may I offer you a small gift?’
