Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 92

[From now on, I will protect you. No matter what happens, I will make sure this never happens again. You’ve suffered so much.]

The two held hands, appearing like naive young lovers, oblivious to the urgency of their situation. They were a well-matched pair, steadfast and resolute. Despite the circumstances, Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak couldn’t hide the tears welling up in her eyes. A surge of emotion swept through her.

‘I love you. I will live the rest of my life for you.’

Though Ja-un’s inner words weren’t spoken aloud, Mad Demon Lord fully sensed her feelings through their clasped hands.

[We don’t have time for this. Let’s get out of here quickly.]

Mad Demon Lord’s strong arms lifted her into his embrace. She buried her face deep into his sturdy chest, wishing she could fall asleep like this. However, she was just as anxious as he was.

It was only because she was with her beloved that she felt a little more at ease than Mad Demon Lord.

Mad Demon Lord changed direction, choosing a path that was almost a direct route across the inner grounds of the Great Punishment Palace. In truth, even if he used the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique [a technique to hide one’s presence] while carrying her, it wouldn’t be very effective. He figured it was better to move as quickly as possible.

He pushed off the ground and soared upwards, landing lightly on top of a building. He quickly surveyed the surroundings. Their current location was deep within the inner grounds of the Great Punishment Palace, and to get out, they had to pass through the largest building, which was the heart of the inner grounds.

[Ja-un. Whose residence is that large building?]

He used telepathy as a habit. She still had her face buried in Mad Demon Lord’s chest and quietly murmured.

“It’s called the Bongsin Hall, and it’s the residence and office of the head of this place, Heavenly Martial Grand Duke. It’s the most heavily guarded area.”

[Is there no way to leave without going through there?]

“The structure here is designed as a kind of formation, and there are various mechanisms installed in the rear. If we want to leave without causing a commotion, it’s better to go straight through the front.”

[But wouldn’t it be the same if there are many guards? Moreover, if we’re seen like this, an alarm will be raised immediately…]

Either way, it was a difficult situation. Both of them knew this, so they kept their mouths shut. Of course, they wanted to break through the gate with dignity, but it wasn’t something that could be solved with mere bravado.

[Alright. Let’s choose the front and try to get out carefully. Surely, we won’t die?]

Mad Demon Lord’s words were a lighthearted joke to reassure Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak, but it felt inappropriate for the current situation. Why did the word ‘death’ feel so familiar? It felt like something was lurking nearby, waiting to snatch them away, and that trap was just around the corner, with its jaws wide open. Ominous thoughts kept plaguing their minds. Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak had once wished she could die if she could see Mad Demon Lord again. But now that she had met him, she truly wanted to live. She had no desire to end her life here. Mad Demon Lord immediately tried to blend into the darkness.

With each leap across the interconnected rooftops, their hearts pounded in unison. He tried to gauge the time. The time for the warrior who had come for Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak to return had already passed. In that sense, whoever sent him must have given another order, and by now, they might be entering the residence where Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak had been. This thought made him even more anxious, and he increased his speed. Whenever he saw figures moving in the darkness, he had to stop and find a gap in the buildings. If he were alone, he could use the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique to hide, but with Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak in his arms, it was useless. Mad Demon Lord, sensing another figure, pressed himself flat against the roof of a building and grumbled inwardly.

‘Damn bastards, don’t you ever sleep? What kind of intruder are you looking for at this hour, with your eyes wide open?’

‘If I get out of here today, I’ll definitely come back. I’ll cut off the heads of those who don’t sleep at night.’

His hand quickly reached forward.

Swish

Thud

A figure fell to the ground. What he had thrown was a needle he had brought, anticipating this situation. A needle used to save lives had become a weapon in his hand.

‘It can’t be helped now. Even if the body isn’t discovered, it’s possible that they already know Ja-un is gone. There’s no benefit to wasting time.’

Mad Demon Lord’s senses were focused on the movements around him as he dashed across the rooftops. His movements left no trace, and he made no sound. But since he was clearly visible, he kept his body as low as possible. With each leap across a building, he held Ja-un tighter in his arms. The large building he was aiming for, the one called Bongsin Hall, was unusually bright compared to other places. Just by estimating, he could sense the presence of hundreds of people. There seemed to be more than twenty men lying on the roof alone.

‘Damn… how do I get past those guys? I have no choice. I’ll have to kill them all without a trace…’

[Ja-un. From now on, don’t even breathe too loudly. Just stay here for a moment, and I’ll take care of those guys and come back.]

He placed Heavenly Fragrance on the roof of a building overlooking Bongsin Hall. Fortunately, the roof had different heights, so there was a place where she could hide. Mad Demon Lord didn’t need to hear her answer and immediately used the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique to disappear. Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak watched her beloved disappear, as if trying to imprint him in her eyes.

‘You guys! Sorry, but it’s time for you to rest.’

From his hand, dozens of silver needles shone even in the darkness. He silently found the men hiding on the roof of the building, and without fail, the needles in his hand pierced their vital points. There were no groans, so there was no risk of being discovered. Most of them had been in fixed positions for a long time, so their bodies didn’t change much even as their lives ended. He went under the eaves of the building. He could see a few more men lurking there.

‘I can’t kill these guys. Damn it…’

He quickly returned to where Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak was. He picked her up and moved again. Finally, he had reached the very center of the inner grounds.

‘If I can just get out of here, even if I’m discovered, I can escape if I get at least a hundred yards away.’

He was confident. There was no one here who could surpass his lightness skill [a martial art technique that allows one to move with great speed and agility], and even if one or two followed him, he could lure them away and easily deal with them. But it was right then. He saw men running towards the building from the direction he had come from. They seemed so urgent that they immediately disappeared into the building. Seeing them, Mad Demon Lord had a hunch and became even more anxious.

‘There’s no other way now.’

He crouched down and kicked off the roof of the building. He had started to pick up speed. He ran, exposing himself, as if it was a do-or-die situation. The speed at which he moved was incredible, but it wasn’t so fast that it couldn’t be seen with the naked eye, and shouts rang out from all directions.

“There’s an intruder!”

Pip

Whirr

All sorts of whistles sounded simultaneously, filling the quiet sky with noise. The Great Punishment Palace, which had been sleeping in the darkness, suddenly became chaotic, and torches were lit everywhere, and more shouts filled the sky.

‘I’ve been discovered.’

Mad Demon Lord instinctively held Ja-un tighter in his arms and powerfully kicked off the ground, soaring into the sky. Now, all the experts of the Great Punishment Palace could see him.

“There!”

“There he is. Stop him!”

He heard the sounds coming from below and flipped his body in mid-air, leaping again. However, he couldn’t move forward. It was partly because of the arrows being shot at him from all directions and partly because of the group of experts approaching him from the opposite side, almost flying. He spread one hand and deflected the incoming arrows. He returned to where he had come from as quickly as they had been shot. Some of the archers who had been holding bows were groaning, their bodies pierced by their own arrows. Mad Demon Lord landed on the ground. Then, he flew like a whirlwind, breaking through a corner of the encircling group.

“Die, mayflies!”

From his hand, a powerful energy called White Jade Demonic Qi, unlike its pale appearance, struck the group with force.

Bang

“Ugh!”

“Keuk!”

They were thrown out of the battle zone, screaming all sorts of strange cries. Whether they were hit directly or grazed, they were crushed into a bloody mess, and fragments scattered into the night sky. No one would find it beautiful. But for a moment, Mad Demon Lord found the scene strangely beautiful. Even as they watched their comrades die in an instant, they didn’t hesitate and charged at the enemy with their swords, following their trained instincts. They were like a pack of angry dogs.

Just by looking at this, it was clear that their instincts had been cultivated. Mad Demon Lord, seeing their appearance, swung one hand like a windmill, shooting out energy. No one could enter within a three-jang [a traditional Korean unit of length, approximately 3 meters] radius of him, but he was also unable to advance any further. The broken corner was instantly filled with other men. He had no choice but to draw the sword that was hanging at his waist. He had no intention of showing off with a fancy stance, so he immediately unleashed sword energy at the enemies. He slashed down from above and spun it from the middle, scattering it left and right.

Wham!

“Kyak!”

The men who had been approaching him directly and those around them were blown away in droves by the downward slash, and even those who had been gathering behind them were knocked down and thrown back. The ground was clearly gouged out by the power of the sword energy, at least half a foot deep, and a tall tree, seven jang away, was split in half and fell to either side. The group, discovering that the traces that had started in front of Mad Demon Lord extended all the way there, finally began to waver, but they were soon encouraged by shouts and scattered again.

“He’s just one man. Don’t be afraid, kill him!”

Mad Demon Lord was annoyed by the man who was shouting. He wanted to kill him first, but the man was only shouting from behind a wall of people, so he had no choice but to crush him in his mind. The number of people gathering was gradually increasing. The men who had been guarding other places and even those who were of high rank and had been sleeping comfortably in their own quarters had all rushed out due to the sudden commotion.

‘At this rate, I’m going to get caught here. I have no choice. I’ll have to take a risk.’