Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 19

The Three Kings’ Disciple (20)

019

Taat!

The elders, bursting out as the Blood Demon Hall’s doors opened, surrounded Lee Rowoon, forming a tight circle around him.

‘This is…!’

Kang Han-cheol couldn’t hide his astonishment.

Kang Eun-ha had warned him, so he expected something like this, but he hadn’t anticipated such a blatant move right from the start.

‘Still…’

The rest was as Kang Eun-ha had described.

The Blood Demon hadn’t emerged from the Blood Demon Hall yet, and the First Elder was nowhere to be seen.

‘Second Elder, Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, Sixth Elder.’

A total of four elders were encircling Lee Rowoon.

‘If only the First Elder wasn’t here…’

It wouldn’t be too critical.

Kang Han-cheol and Han Do-baek exchanged glances.

If they joined Lee Rowoon, it would be four against three.

‘Where do you think you’re going? Left Guardian.’

However, a sharp-looking middle-aged man blocked Kang Han-cheol’s path.

‘Right Guardian…’

‘For the Left Guardian, who should be protecting the Blood Demon, to dare betray him. The Blood Demon entrusted you with everything outside the sect.’

‘How can that be called an important task?’

Kang Han-cheol laughed, finding it absurd.

‘I know you sent me outside to keep me in check.’

‘Outside,’ that’s what the Blood Cult called Earth.

The Right Guardian spoke as if being in charge of that place was a great responsibility, but in reality, it was a demotion and the most arduous task.

The only way to maintain the Blood King’s Castle, which constantly consumed resources, was to be the first to be eliminated if they were caught.

The Right Guardian had sent Kang Han-cheol, the Priestess’s grandfather, outside to keep him in check.

‘Also, I…’

Flames erupted from Kang Han-cheol’s hands.

It was his prized Flame Fist technique.

He glanced at Han Do-baek and saw that his path to Lee Rowoon was also blocked.

Chueok.

Blood Sword Captain Jeong Chi-soo, and ten Blood Sword members.

‘The rest of the Blood Sword Unit must have gone to deal with the Black Sword Unit and the Dark Blood Unit outside the Blood Demon Palace.’

Jeong Chi-soo was also a master who had reached the early stages of Extreme Demonic Arts [a high-level martial art].

The Blood Sword members were also top-tier experts.

It was difficult for Han Do-baek to reach Lee Rowoon’s side, and even victory was not guaranteed.

That left only Kang Eun-ha.

However, as she was still at her peak, she couldn’t be of much help.

‘I’ve only found the true Blood Demon-!’

Kang Han-cheol shouted loudly.

‘You’ve gone senile.’

The Fourth Elder retorted.

‘There is only one true Blood Demon.’

‘That’s what you want to believe. There’s nothing more fatal to the Blood Cult’s current situation than internal division.’

‘Knowing that!’

The other elders also spoke with anger.

However, Kang Han-cheol had a smile on his face.

‘He’s the Blood Demon chosen by the Priestess. In the countless long history of the Blood Cult, has there ever been a Blood Demon chosen by the Priestess?’

‘……!’

‘According to the Blood Cult’s laws, the Blood Demon must be recognized by the Priestess, but none of the past Blood Demons who inherited the Blood Demon Palace were chosen by the Priestess.’

No one could easily answer.

Because Kang Han-cheol’s words were true.

‘Therefore, I will serve him as the true Blood Demon.’

Just as Kang Han-cheol was about to move.

‘Yes.’

A heavy, fierce, and gloomy voice echoed out.

‘He is the Blood Demon chosen by the Priestess.’

‘Blood… Demon.’

Blood Soo-baek, his red robe fluttering, stood in front of the Blood Demon Hall, smiling.

‘This is good.’

He licked his lips and said, looking at the motionless Lee Rowoon.

‘Then, all I have to do is absorb him and become the true Blood Demon, isn’t it?’

‘Do you think that’s possible?’

‘It’s possible. It’s definitely possible.’

It was the worst situation.

Kang Eun-ha thought the Blood Demon would appear after the elders had dealt with Lee Rowoon to some extent, but he came out from the start.

Five against one.

Even if Lee Rowoon had reached the peak of Extreme Demonic Arts, the Blood Demon was on a different level.

‘Somehow… his achievement has increased. He must have accomplished something in seclusion.’

Moreover, the Blood Demon seemed stronger than before.

‘I will absorb you and complete the Blood Demon God.’

The Blood Demon also stood behind the elders and said, looking at Lee Rowoon.

Finally, Lee Rowoon opened his mouth.

‘You guys are playing around.’

* * *

It was so absurd that he was about to die.

This farce was beyond belief.

The appearances of Kang Eun-ha and Kang Han-cheol that he had seen on Earth were closer to what Lee Rowoon had imagined the Blood Cult to be.

‘Is this really it?’

‘……?’

‘How dare you!’

Lee Rowoon was genuinely dumbfounded.

‘So this is the Blood Cult.’

One of the places that people called the Demonic Cult.

The worst terrorists that Eun was so eager to chase down and erase, and one of the pillars of the secret groups operating in the shadows of Asia.

But what Lee Rowoon saw now was.

‘It’s barely on par with a large guild.’

That was it.

About ten or so Ranker-level experts, and two High Ranker-level experts.

That’s why he considered it a large guild.

But looking at its true nature, it didn’t seem to compare to other large guilds.

‘So you guys called yourselves the Blood Demon?’

Blood Soo-baek smiled and approached Lee Rowoon.

‘You’re running wild without knowing the difference in power.’

‘Bullshit.’

At Lee Rowoon’s words, Blood Soo-baek’s expression frowned for the first time.

‘That’s why the Blood Cult failed.’

‘What…’

‘You’re stuck in the Blood King’s Castle and don’t see the outside world, that’s why.’

Lee Rowoon barely opened his sleepy eyes and smiled.

‘There are countless forces like you outside. Useless martial artists who don’t develop. Do you even know what the martial artists outside are like?’

Then, Lee Rowoon looked at Kang Han-cheol.

‘Kuh.’

Kang Han-cheol knew.

He knew what the martial artists outside were like, and what Lee Rowoon was saying.

The martial artists of Earth dominate Asia.

How?

Because they are strong.

Because they can overwhelm the growing players [individuals who have gained supernatural abilities].

Because they can be on par with the forces of Einheart [a powerful organization or faction].

‘It’s so absurd, I’m speechless.’

The martial artists outside produce top-tier martial artists as if they were stamped out of a mold.

Even those who put in a little effort can create Hwagyung [a level of martial arts mastery], called Rankers.

Is that all?

‘Items.’

They had finally managed to use items as well.

They were already powerful with martial arts, and now they were heavily armed with items, growing to be on par with Einheart.

And that’s not all.

The martial artists were like a terror to the players.

But what about these guys here?

They were strong, enough to be dangerous to Lee Rowoon.

‘As a force, they are terrible.’

That was the reality.

‘I can see how it happened.’

Lee Rowoon looked at the sharp-looking middle-aged man in front of Kang Han-cheol.

Was he called the Right Guardian?

His face was distorted.

‘No matter how much the Left Guardian or the Priestess told you about the outside world, you wouldn’t have accepted it.’

Why?

The Right Guardian must have blocked it, because he didn’t want the Left Guardian to gain merit.

The elders wouldn’t have believed it either.

Even if they had believed it, nothing would have changed.

They had been stagnant and rotten for a long time.

‘Dead Blood.’

Dead blood.

He could guess the reason.

‘Laws.’

The nature of religion, the history of persecution, the moment they fell behind, all of that must have created this situation.

‘Is that all you have to say? You fake.’

Blood Soo-baek said, looking at Lee Rowoon.

He still had plenty of composure.

‘It will change now anyway. I will absorb you, complete the Blood Demon God, and go out into the world.’

At Blood Soo-baek’s words, the elders’ expressions returned.

‘Bullshit. And…’

Sseuk.

Lee Rowoon smiled deeply, looking at Blood Soo-baek.

‘Isn’t the fake you? Inside you…’

‘You bastard.’

Blood Soo-baek’s face, which had been relaxed, twisted like a demon.

Chwaaa-!

At that moment, black powder was scattered on Lee Rowoon, blocking his vision.

‘It’s Ghost Blood Poison!’

It was a move by the Fourth Elder, Im Baek-dok.

A master of poison arts, and someone who had no equal in poison within the Blood Cult.

The Ghost Blood Poison was Im Baek-dok’s proudest move.

‘Blood Demon! There’s no need to be swayed by that fake’s nonsense! What are the elders doing! Immediately…’

Im Baek-dok’s eyes shook as he shouted.

The Ghost Blood Poison was a poison that clung to its target as if it had a will, melting the skin and scattering the inner energy.

But, despite that.

‘Ha. Master.’

Lee Rowoon was walking out of it as if he had not been harmed at all.

‘Is this what you call a force?’

It was so absurd that he couldn’t even laugh.

But that didn’t mean he could ignore them.

There were clearly four Rankers and one High Ranker in front of him now.

‘Do you know the Blood Demon Divine Art?’

He wasn’t confident.

‘Do you know why the Blood Demon is revered as your god?’

He wasn’t confident in winning.

Flash.

In the midst of the black Ghost Blood Poison, Lee Rowoon’s eyes glowed red.

* * *

‘Charge!’

Led by the Fourth Elder, the elders were about to rush at Lee Rowoon.

They had been hesitant to move because of a strange feeling.

But the Fourth Elder had scattered the Ghost Blood Poison.

‘Something’s wrong.’

It seemed like the Ghost Blood Poison hadn’t worked, but they couldn’t imagine that the Ghost Blood Poison hadn’t done any damage at all.

Even the Blood Demon avoided the Ghost Blood Poison.

Woong!

Weapons filled with blood energy, the Blood Cult’s inner energy, rushed towards Lee Rowoon in an instant.

Techniques unleashed to end his life in one go.

‘Hup!’

The elders who had unleashed their techniques stopped.

They were stopped right in front of Lee Rowoon, just an inch away from the vital points they were aiming for.

‘……!’

They couldn’t understand what had happened.

They wanted to say something, but their mouths wouldn’t open.

‘It’s still fortunate.’

Lee Rowoon said in a calm voice from within.

‘It seems that the Blood Art has been well-transmitted over the long years.’

The Blood Art.

It was a basic mind technique that anyone in the Blood Cult learned.

It was a must-learn to become a member of the Blood Cult, and the highest priority law before all other laws.

Just learning it would thicken the blood, create immunity to diseases, and strengthen the body.

That’s why the Blood Art was something that everyone in the Blood Cult, regardless of gender or status, learned.

‘Wh… at…’

‘The reason why the Blood Demon is revered as a god.’

One of Lee Rowoon’s eyes glowed even more intensely red.

‘Because it is absolute to the Blood Cult members.’

Thud!

The elders who had been aiming at Lee Rowoon knelt down.

It was due to some pressure that had nothing to do with their will.

That was what Lee Rowoon had immediately felt upon arriving at the Blood King’s Castle.

He hadn’t felt it when he first saw Kang Eun-ha.

Because he hadn’t reached True Blood then.

‘If you’re going to find the Blood Cult first, be sure to achieve True Blood.’

Only by reaching True Blood.

‘Left Guardian, is there anyone you need to save?’

He could dominate the Blood Cult.

After reaching True Blood, he realized that Kang Eun-ha and Kang Han-cheol had learned the Blood Art.

He had confirmed it with Kang Eun-ha again.

‘So, there’s no way I can lose.’

Lee Rowoon, everyone except him was kneeling.

Not only the elders, but also the Left Guardian, the Right Guardian who was fighting him, the Blood Sword Unit, and even Kang Eun-ha.

‘Bl, Blood Sword Unit, Blood Sword Captain… Sixth Elder…’

Right after the Left Guardian, Kang Han-cheol’s voice ended.

Fubububububung!

There were sounds of fireworks exploding from all directions.

Thud, thud, thud.

The corpses that had lost something that should have been on their bodies collapsed.

But it was fortunate that.

‘You’re still standing?’

The Blood Demon, Blood Soo-baek, was standing with a face like a demon.

‘How can you be standing?’

If they had learned the Blood Art, they would have no choice but to be dominated by the Blood Demon Divine Art.

That was the structure from the beginning.

The Blood Demon energy of the Blood Demon Divine Art exerted absolute influence over the blood energy built up by the Blood Art.

And that was no different for the Blood Descendants, who were the Blood Demon’s family.

The Blood Demon’s clan also learned the Blood Art, but if there was someone among them who had properly learned the Blood Demon Divine Art, they could surpass the Blood Art.

In other words, if the Blood Demon Blood Soo-baek in front of him had not learned the real Blood Demon Divine Art, he should be powerless in front of Lee Rowoon’s Blood Demon Divine Art.

‘You bastard…’

Chwaaaaaaaa!

‘Youuuuuuuuu-!’

Blood was gushing out of Blood Soo-baek’s right hand.

Blood Soo-baek, with a face twisted like a demon, swung the blood sword made of hardened blood.

Chwaaa!

Another stream of blood extended from the blood sword and took shape.

Soon, it became the form of a red dragon and rushed at Lee Rowoon.