Chapter 80 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon, Recovers
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[Heavenly Demon.]
"No need to make a fuss. It's just that the full power isn't coming out because the body has changed."
Crouching low, the Heavenly Demon unleashed the Seven Demonic Fist Forms in rapid succession.
"Seven Demonic Fist Forms, Thunderclap Human Annihilation! Extreme Lightning Soul Chaos! Demonic Fist Pathlessness!"
Up until now, the Heavenly Demon had never used the same form twice against any monster.
"Urgh, Soaring Wind Dragon Fist!"
But right now, he was pouring out four forms in a row with all his might. Yet the power was clearly lacking.
-Heh heh.
The Masked Gentleman swiftly dodged the Heavenly Demon's onslaught while letting out a laugh.
The Heavenly Demon, drawing up his Heavenly Demon Supreme Power once more, charged at the Masked Gentleman's body again, but his attacks kept missing.
-Heh heh heh.
Having evaded every single strike, the Masked Gentleman laughed once more from midair. Looking up at him, the Heavenly Demon bared his fangs in a grin.
"Insolent fool. You think you've dodged all of my attacks?"
Crack.
In that instant, half of the Smile Mask the Masked Gentleman wore crumbled into powder and scattered in all directions.
The Masked Gentleman hurriedly covered the shattered mask with one hand, his body trembling.
-Ugh...!
Letting out a low growl of rage, he suddenly thrust one hand forward with all his strength.
Boom. At that moment, a massive vibration shook the dungeon interior like an earthquake.
[Heavenly Demon. That Masked Gentleman seems able to alter the labyrinth's structure.]
"What?"
No sooner had the Heavenly Demon spoken than the maze walls suddenly collapsed, crashing toward him.
Dodging the crumbling walls with lightning-fast movements, the Heavenly Demon burst through the thick dust toward the Masked Gentleman.
"Heavenly Demon Supreme Power!"
Bang!
To unleash the Heavenly Hand Shockwave—the most powerful form of the Seven Demonic Fist Forms—the Heavenly Demon drew up his Heavenly Demon Supreme Power once more.
"I'll finish you in one blow."
Spotting the Heavenly Demon hurtling toward him, wreathed in crimson light, the Masked Gentleman desperately raised one arm upward.
"Seven Demonic Fist Forms, Heavenly Hand..."
The Heavenly Demon, who had slipped through the Masked Gentleman's defenses with clever technique to unleash the Heavenly Hand Shockwave, suddenly let out a choking gasp and plummeted to the ground.
"Too much, after all."
He had endured fighting amid the rising poison all around, but in the end, his qi ran out, and even the power of the Heavenly Demon Supreme Power faded away.
[Heavenly Demon!]
As startled Nameless moved toward the fallen Heavenly Demon.
-Heh heh.
Seizing the opportunity, the Masked Gentleman laughed and raised his arm toward the ceiling once more.
Rumble.
Suddenly, cracks spiderwebbed through the labyrinth interior, and the walls began to collapse.
Boom.
The Heavenly Demon caught a massive slab of rock falling toward Nameless with both hands. But the walls crumbling from the ceiling started piling up atop the rock.
"Urgh."
He pushed with all his strength to shove away the debris, but the rock wouldn't budge an inch.
"You bastard...!"
Did this Masked Gentleman lack ranged attack methods? Or had he guessed that if the Heavenly Demon charged with death in his eyes, he wouldn't escape unscathed?
-Heh heh heh.
Floating in the air, the Masked Gentleman looked down at the Heavenly Demon before soaring up through the collapsing dungeon and vanishing somewhere. Glaring at the departed Masked Gentleman, the Heavenly Demon poured strength into his arms once more.
"Hah!"
[Heavenly Demon. Use the Heavenly Demon Supreme Power again.]
"I'm... already using it."
Nameless fell silent at the Heavenly Demon's gritted response. The massive boulder pinning him down looked to weigh over a hundred tons at a glance.
Even at full power, it wouldn't move. If things stayed like this just a little longer, the Heavenly Demon would be crushed to death beneath the pile of rocks.
"You... go."
The Heavenly Demon said, veins bulging across his entire body.
"With you clinging so close, how can I exert my strength?"
But Nameless didn't budge, as if he hadn't heard a word.
"Did you not hear me?"
[Nanobots do not leave the dungeon before the user.]
"What?"
[Is there no other way to push away those debris?]
At Nameless's question, the Heavenly Demon clenched his teeth and glanced up at his gaunt arms.
"Because the Diamond Body is shattered... I can't properly contain the Heavenly Demon Supreme Power in this body."
[I see. Understood.]
As if resigned, Nameless climbed onto the Heavenly Demon's shoulder.
"What are you doing right now?"
[Just in case, I brought it along.]
Nameless opened the cloth bundle he'd been carrying all this time.
Inside was the Ghost Face Mask the Heavenly Demon had hung on one wall of the room. It was the mask he'd bought long ago at an antique shop with Jang Chaewon.
[I've felt like your power grows stronger whenever you wear this mask.]
Nameless perched on the Heavenly Demon's shoulder, supporting the debris, and placed the Ghost Face Mask over his face.
[If this fails too, this will be our grave.]
"Hmph, don't talk nonsense."
With the Ghost Face Mask on, the Heavenly Demon drew up his Heavenly Demon Supreme Power once more.
Roar.
In an instant, flames like the sun engulfed his entire body, and a scorching energy raced fiercely through his conception and governor vessels.
Crack crack crack.
As an unknown impurity clogging his fine meridians began to burn away, the Heavenly Demon's muscles gradually swelled.
"This seat..."
Blood Flame Radiance surged from the eyes of the Heavenly Demon, with the blazing form of the Demon God rising behind his back.
"Is the Heavenly---Demon---!"
Rumble rumble rumble.
Dust billowed everywhere, and at the same moment, the ceiling the Heavenly Demon held collapsed.
* * *
On the 10th floor of the Korean Awakener Association Hospital, inside a special room.
Seo Yu-ri, who had been sleeping soundly, slowly opened her eyes. Surveying the neatly arranged hospital room, she bolted upright.
"Gasp."
Rising from the bed, her mind flashed to Kim Chanwon, who had rushed to her side.
"Uncle..."
And the Heavenly Demon, fist clenched as he faced the Masked Gentleman.
"Mr. Heavenly Demon!"
Seo Yu-ri hurriedly leaped from the bed and dashed to the table where the screen phone sat.
A few days later, at a coffee shop in the city.
Sitting in a narrow box seat in the corner, Seo Yu-ri's eyes twitched. Taking a deep breath and biting her lip, she forced a smile and spoke.
"I'm glad. Really."
Across from Seo Yu-ri, Kim Chanwon wore a troubled expression.
"Looks like Mr. Cheon's an unregistered awakener too, you see."
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Kim Chanwon continued.
"I don't know the details, but... it'd be trouble if word got out he came here. In the end, while you were laid up, he went back to his country."
I know it's a lie, Uncle.
Seo Yu-ri gave a wistful smile.
As a big data analyst, she wasn't just sharp-minded—she was quick on the uptake too. She'd scoured every country's resident registrations and awakener databases, but no one named Heavenly Demon existed.
"I see."
"So yeah. He left in a real hurry, what else? Couldn't even say goodbye... I'm sorry about that."
Kim Chanwon's lies didn't matter.
To Seo Yu-ri, the only important thing was that the Heavenly Demon was alive.
"So that's Mr. Heavenly Demon's answer, then."
"Huh? Answer?"
"Nothing."
Seo Yu-ri gave a feeble laugh and rose from her seat.
"I guess it makes sense. No one would fall for an awakener working such dangerous jobs at the Association."
"No, that ain't it."
Flustered, Kim Chanwon stood too, waving his hands.
"Mr. Cheon really had no choice but to go back to his country, you see?"
"I know."
If she wanted, Seo Yu-ri could track down the Heavenly Demon's location in half a day.
But she didn't. He'd already given his refusal to her confession, in a way.
"Thank you, Uncle."
She hugged his skinny frame tight and said.
"For saving my life."
"What's that? If my niece is in danger, of course her uncle steps up."
"If you ever get in touch, please tell Mr. Heavenly Demon too. I'll never forget what he did."
"Y-Yeah."
Wiping sweat from his brow, Kim Chanwon forced a smile.
"But why you talkin' like you won't see him again?"
"I quit the Association."
"What?"
Watching Kim Chanwon gape wordlessly, Seo Yu-ri said.
"I'm heading down to the countryside soon."
"So you decided on that after all?"
"Yeah. No more dangerous work. Especially not with the Association doing whatever they please..."
Her expression darkening for a moment, Seo Yu-ri smiled brightly.
"Anyway, being here would just make me think of him more."
"Mmm."
"I'll call again soon. See you, Uncle."
"Yeah. Call for sure."
Sighing as he watched Seo Yu-ri turn and walk out, Kim Chanwon shook his head.
Seo Yu-ri genuinely liked the Heavenly Demon. Surprisingly, the Heavenly Demon had taken an interest in her too. Yet they hadn't ended up together. That regret gnawed at Kim Chanwon.
"This... good enough?"
Muttering softly, Kim Chanwon turned. He approached the massive man seated by the back window.
"This work for you?"
"Indeed."
The Heavenly Demon, who had survived the collapsed Bull's Eye Dungeon.
Whether due to the Ghost Face Mask's power or the mushroom's effects finally wearing off, he had instantly restored his Diamond Body and returned to his original form.
"Mr. Cheon's looks now... I don't even know which one's the real you anymore."
The handsome Heavenly Demon who stirred hearts like a calm river's ripples.
And the Heavenly Demon with domineering power and features that seemed to rend the heavens.
The two forms had no common ground to call the same person.
"My original form."
Looking at Kim Chanwon with an impassive expression, the Heavenly Demon said.
"There is no such thing. This seat is simply the 'Heavenly Demon.'"
He'd heard it before, but today the word "Heavenly Demon" struck Kim Chanwon as particularly harsh.
"You know that?"
Sighing deeply with a woeful face, Kim Chanwon said.
"Yuri knew everything. She saw right through my lies."
"No matter."
"No matter? Didn't you see her face? Hurting like that, and she liked you so much."
"Hmph, so that's all she amounted to in the end."
At the Heavenly Demon's cold scoff, Kim Chanwon shot to his feet.
"What's that supposed to mean? Yuri was sincere!"
"Sincere."
Gazing out the window, the Heavenly Demon said flatly.
"Before entering here, her eyes met this seat's as I looked outside. Yet she didn't recognize me at all."
"W-Well... no, that's too much. Who could recognize you between your current face and the old one?"
"She could have. Even if the appearance changes."
Recalling a distant past faintly, the Heavenly Demon gave a bitter smile.
"Appearance is merely a shell."
"I can't accept that."
Shaking his head in refusal, Kim Chanwon said.
"What if Yuri had recognized your face? Would you have met her?"
"Of course."
"You're too harsh. Cutting ties just because she didn't recognize your changed looks... does that even make sense?"
"Hmm."
When the Heavenly Demon was handsome, his inner thoughts showed on his face. But now, restored to his original form, no emotion surfaced on his features.
"Sorry about that."
Kim Chanwon shook his head with a gloomy look.
"To you and Yuri both... I did something unnecessary."
"Not at all. Thanks to you, this seat's perspective has shifted somewhat."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Kim Chanwon recalled what he'd said to the Heavenly Demon.
-I'm talkin' about a way for you to see the world and people from a different angle.
He hadn't set up the blind date to get them together. He just wanted the Heavenly Demon to view people from a new perspective.
"Thanks to you, this seat discovered facets of humanity I hadn't known. My thanks."
The Heavenly Demon meant it sincerely. Kim Chanwon smiled—refreshed, yet somehow regretful.
"Sorry. I said it but forgot to think it through myself. Heh heh heh. My bad."
"No need for that. It was certainly a new experience for this seat too."
Kim Chanwon smiled faintly.
Truth be told, this was the exact reaction he'd hoped for from the start.
"That so?"
As Kim Chanwon grinned broadly, the Heavenly Demon wore a faint smile too.
"Indeed."
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