Chapter 103
Outside the family head's chamber, elite assassins from each family stood on standby.
The rest of their forces were already fully prepared as well.
The candlelight trembled in the wind, making the shadows inside the room grow even darker.
"Everyone gathered here suffered at Heuk Mujin's hands."
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord clenched his fist, his voice boiling with rage.
"Most had their arms broken..."
"Some will never use them again."
His expression twisted.
"More importantly, the honor of our Five Great Families has been dragged through the mud."
"All because of that one bastard...!!"
What had happened today had already spread throughout the entire Demonic Cult.
Even beggars wandering the streets had heard about it.
Rumors always grew as they spread.
And often, they grew into something completely different from the truth.
The basic facts were simple.
The delinquent eldest young master had defeated the heirs of four great families.
And he had become the Young Cult Leader's husband.
But those two truths were already gathering countless embellishments.
"The honor of all four of our families has already fallen beneath the dirt."
"Because of a single man."
"That is precisely why we've gathered here."
The head of the Night Soul Family crossed his arms and nodded.
"To eliminate him..."
"No."
"To eliminate the Black Heaven Family and the Second Elder."
The other family heads nodded as well.
"The Third Elder is right."
"None of this would've happened without the First Elder and the Young Cult Leader turning a blind eye."
"They were clearly trying to keep us in check."
Everyone was already in agreement.
And this wasn't the first time they'd held a meeting like this.
These gatherings had continued for years.
All to restrain the Cult Leader and the forces supporting him as they became more difficult to control.
"The situation isn't bad."
"We've been sending troops toward the border continuously ahead of the negotiations, and it seems to be getting a reaction."
"I heard the Martial Alliance has dispatched troops as well."
"Hah!"
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord sneered.
"They went on and on about peace negotiations, yet they sent troops in the end."
"Excellent."
"The longer tensions continue, the more beneficial it becomes for us."
The Cult Leader and the Martial Alliance Leader were currently leading the negotiations.
There was one reason both men wanted them so badly.
To finally end the cycle of hatred that had continued for hundreds of years.
But peace would inevitably cost both the Demonic Cult and the Martial Alliance something.
That was precisely why hardliners and moderates existed on both sides.
Then someone raised a hand.
It was the head of the Bloodlight Family, who was struggling to remain calm.
"...The problem is justification."
"If anyone discovers that we engineered this situation, the Cult Leader won't let us live."
"That's true."
"We originally planned to create an incident during the negotiations and use it to drive the First Elder from power."
"But the timing isn't favorable."
"This would become an uprising."
Everyone here knew exactly how brutal the Cult Leader could be.
He might be advocating peace now...
But every Elder remembered what he had been like as Young Cult Leader.
They remembered how he'd swept through the Great Orthodox-Demonic War with a single gesture.
"Justification..."
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord smiled coldly.
"We already have more than enough."
The dark atmosphere instantly shifted.
"Y-You truly do?"
"What justification could we possibly use...?"
"The eldest young master of the Black Heaven Family learned a forbidden demonic art prohibited by the Cult."
"He used it to harm the successors of the other families."
He continued without hesitation.
"And furthermore..."
"He approached the Young Cult Leader and placed her safety at risk."
There were more than enough excuses.
It made no sense for a terminally ill young master born with the Nine Yang Severed Meridians to suddenly become this powerful overnight.
The truth didn't matter.
Only appearances did.
"What will we do about the Young Cult Leader?"
"She seems quite fond of Heuk Mujin."
"So what?"
"While we're at it, we can tie her into this as well."
"Then we'll have leverage against her."
Now that everyone had made their decision, only action remained.
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord rose from his seat.
The other Elders followed.
"If we have justification, then this isn't rebellion."
He looked around at them.
"It's revolution."
"We are acting for the sake of the Cult."
"I'll need the support of every Elder here."
Then...
BOOOOM!
"Keugh!"
"What the hell?!"
"Why did the ceiling suddenly...?!"
The ceiling collapsed.
Dust filled the entire room.
After a moment, the haze slowly cleared.
A black human-shaped silhouette stood atop the table.
"Quite the dangerous plan you've all been making."
"You...!"
The figure was none other than Heuk Mujin.
No.
Suhyeok.
"H-How did you get in here...?"
"There should be assassins and troops stationed everywhere outside...."
Before the Bloodlight Family Head even finished speaking, all of them sensed it.
Everyone outside had already fallen.
Then chaos erupted nearby.
Fwoosh!
The sound of fire.
The smell of burning.
Weapons clashing.
Screams echoed from outside.
"...Don't tell me."
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord's expression changed.
"Were we already trapped inside a formation?"
Suhyeok grinned.
"Correct."
"Thanks for gathering in one place."
"It made setting up the formation much easier."
After Suhyeok's meeting with the Highest-Level Administrator, Leon had been promoted to Mid-Level Administrator.
Thanks to that, formation manuals had become available in the Hidden Shop.
They had cost four hundred thousand Coins.
Expensive.
But worth every single Coin.
The entire area was already surrounded.
Whatever remaining troops they had were useless.
Most had either been subdued or killed.
The Flame Heaven Demon Lord ground his teeth and rose.
"YOU BASTARD!!"
His eyes had lost all reason.
A giant fist wrapped in flames shot toward Suhyeok and Cheon Soyeon.
[Skill ‘Intimidation (A)’ activates.]
[Stats of surrounding targets decrease by 40%.]
[Title ‘Realm of Harmony’ is continuously active.]
Tap.
Suhyeok casually redirected the fist with his sheath.
Then kicked the Flame Heaven Demon Lord beneath the chin.
He didn't stop there.
He struck pressure points across his joints and body.
Thud.
"Keugh... y-you bastard...."
After even his throat was sealed, his voice gradually faded.
The others couldn't even resist.
They were completely overwhelmed by Suhyeok's presence.
RUMBLE.
In that instant, not one of them could move so much as a fingertip.
The crushing pressure dragged their shoulders toward the floor.
Their knees buckled.
Then the air flashed.
Leon appeared on Suhyeok's shoulder.
He looked at the still-defiant family heads with obvious displeasure.
[ Hmph. ]
[ They look scary, but they're weaker than I thought, nya. ]
[ Look at them glaring when they can't even do anything, nya. ]
[ Keep acting tough, why don't you! ]
"Give up."
Suhyeok's voice was cold.
"If I see anything suspicious, I'll cut off your arms immediately."
"And after your arms..."
