Monster Heavenly King - Chapter 17



Only Noblemtl

17. Disciple (1)

In a dark room.

There were several people sitting in the room, not knowing whether it was inside or outside the labyrinth.

The man standing in front opened his mouth in a pleasant voice as if making a presentation.

“This is the footage we obtained from the arena prison.”

A video played in a darkened room as if a movie was being screened.

There, the events that took place inside the arena prison were depicted as they were.

Before the video even ended, a man stood up with a jerk, throwing his chair back.

“That, that is…!”

His eyes are fixed on the screen and don’t leave.

The man let out a pleasant low-pitched sound only after the video ended.

“Is this why you called me?”

Given his position, he had no reason to attend this event.

But this time, I was asked to attend, and I never thought there would be a reason like this.

The man stared blankly at the skeleton appearing in the video.

“That’s right. I think this is very related to the Black Wolf Lord, so I specifically requested your attendance. Can you share your thoughts?”

“… That is definitely our school’s Black Wolf Sword Technique.”

There was a commotion at the man’s answer.

It was hard to believe that a monster, not even an Awakened One, would use martial arts.

If there had been no video, I might have just dismissed it as nonsense.

“However, it is different from the Black Wolf Sword Technique that we are learning now.”

“If it’s different, how is it different?”

The Black Wolf Overwind (黑狼過風) used by the skeleton in the video was a style that focused more on martial arts than swordsmanship.

However, the skeleton’s sword technique was slightly different from the Black Wolf Sword technique learned by the Black Wolf.

‘I’m not sure, but that method is-‘

I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could unlock the part that had been stuck for so long.

Black Wolf King, lost in thought without saying a word.

The meeting went on regardless of his concerns.

“It is similar, but there are some parts that are different from what I learned.”

“Shouldn’t we arrest him anyway? At least to find out where our school’s martial arts skills have leaked out.”

“He’s the guy who messed with the teacher. If we ignore him, it’ll be a big loss for our school.”

“But is there any need to move for the sake of those who were beaten by a mere skeleton?”

“The leaked martial arts are at best the Black Wolf Sword Technique. And it’s not even perfect.”

“… … .”

Black Wolf did not even bother to react to the blatant remarks of disdain.

As the room became noisy with the meeting, a deep male voice echoed through the room.

“stop.”

In short, a way to become as quiet as a mouse.

That alone was enough to show that his position here was the highest.

The man opened his mouth while looking at the black tiger.

“Black Wolf Lord.”

“yes.”

“Track secretly. And investigate where the martial arts of our school have leaked out.”

“Understood, Elder.”

After the black wolf left, the man who had been giving the presentation cautiously opened his mouth.

“I reported to Cheonma…”

“The Heavenly Demon is in the middle of closed-door training. It is too early to report anything since nothing is certain yet.”

It’s not too late to report after the outlines are more clear.

The man who was presenting nodded as if he understood and continued speaking.

“The next topic is the Little Leader in the Labyrinth…”

* * *

Hyunseong entered the second floor, took off his robe, looked around carefully, and exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh, that’s amazing.”

The first thing that caught my eye was the dense forest blocking my view.

Lush vegetation spread out before my eyes, reminiscent of a jungle.

‘Outside…?’

I lifted my skull and looked up to see a starry night sky.

But soon I realized that it wasn’t the night sky.

It wasn’t the night sky, but something was stuck to the high ceiling, emitting a faint light.

‘The structure is completely different from the first floor.’

The first floor was mostly made up of passageways, like an ant hole, with only cavities here and there.

However, the entire second floor seemed to be made up of a huge cavity.

It is so large that you wonder if there is a basement this big.

“The first floor was spacious, so how spacious will the second floor be?”

Red Cap followed him into the portal.

Red Cap opens his eyes wide at the sight of the second floor for the first time and begins to look around.

As I was looking at the scenery on the second floor for a while, I heard a cracking sound coming from behind me.

When I turned my gaze towards the direction of the sound, I saw that the portal that had been distorting the air was cracking.

The portal that transported them to the second floor shattered like glass and disappeared into thin air as if it had fulfilled its purpose.

‘So this is what it means that the portals are random from the second floor onwards.’

A new portal has probably been created somewhere on the second floor by now.

If we’re lucky, we might be able to find the door to the next floor this quickly.

‘Even if I find it, I have no intention of going there yet.’

It would be safer to level up here and then go.

There’s also a saying that the more urgent it is, the more you should go back.

Hyunseong first thought about what he had to do.

The first thing to do when you get to the second floor is….

‘That guy.’

The goblin that followed him, Red Cap.

I spoke to Red Cap, who was still blankly staring at the scenery from the second floor.

“So, you want to be my disciple?”

“Keruk!”

Redcap nodded without hesitation.

Hyunseong’s crimson eyes stared quietly into his determined eyes.

And I was able to realize.

‘It would be impossible to make them give up.’

In those eyes, there was a determination not to give up even if it meant death.

If we leave it like this, wouldn’t it be faster to follow along and die than to give up?

Hyunseong scratches his head and is lost in thought.

‘I said something too… .’

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to give it a chance once in a while.

If you fail the test there, that’s it.

“Then… here, take this.”

I handed Red Cap a sword I had brought with me before coming here.

It was an unfamiliar expression, not the dagger he usually used.

“Are you ready to take the test?”

“Keruk.”

“The test is simple, but you might die. Does that matter?”

“I’ve already died once. I don’t care about life.”

Red Cap opens his mouth without showing any sign of fear.

At those words, Hyunseong takes out a sword from his waistband.

Bloodshot eyes glowed from inside the skull.

“Take my attack.”

Although willpower was an important factor in learning martial arts, it had its limits.

Naturally, it required talent to match.

They say it’s unreasonable to tell them to stop it without teaching them anything, saying that it’s not the weapon they normally use.

Red Cap quietly raises his sword and takes a stance without even uttering a single complaint.

Hyunseong clacked his teeth in satisfaction and began to move his sword.

Buck! Buck!

Sparks flew along with the sharp sound of swords clashing.

Red Cap blocking with an awkward posture.

Chae chae chae! Chae chae!

The sound, which was leisurely at first, gradually began to speed up.

Hyunseong was gradually increasing his speed and watching Red Cap’s reaction.

‘The response is okay.’

He was blocking it by looking straight at his sword until the very end.

A speed that has increased considerably compared to the beginning.

It seemed a little overwhelming, but I was defending everything.

‘Not only that… .’

Even showing that he is not fooled by simple fakes that are occasionally mixed in.

It was evidence that he was able to properly distinguish between truth and fiction with his own eyes.

If you plan to deceive, you’ll get caught.

‘Come to think of it…’

The red cap in front of you had evolved once just a few minutes ago.

If we look at the monster’s level, it would be on the same level as you, so its physical talent would be no different from yours.

‘Then finally-‘

The murderous intent rising from Hyunseong.

Red Cap, who had been successfully blocking attacks until now, took a step back without realizing it.

A murderous intent so strong that it made one think that death was right before one’s eyes.

A body trembling like an aspen tree.

My whole body felt like it was being pricked by needles.

But, there was no escape.

“Ke, keruk!”

Red Cap gritting his teeth with a shout.

At that sight, Hyunseong laughed, his jaw clacking.

I expected it from the look in his eyes, but it seemed like Red Cap’s determination was real.

‘Having a will is something that anyone can do.’

However, carrying out that will in the face of death was by no means easy.

That it’s not just words.

Now that we have confirmed the will, the last thing that remains is….

“Then, die.”

The sword moved.

Red Cap saw the sword coming towards him right before his eyes and thought he would die just as Hyunseong had said.

but,

‘I can’t die here.’

I had to find a way to survive somehow.

The survival instinct that was ringing loudest in my head was telling me that I should not stop this attack.

If so-

‘Attack from this side!’

In order to withstand this attack, we had no choice but to launch an attack.

The test that Hyunseong spoke of was to receive his own attack.

He never said a word about not attacking them.

As I concentrated my mind, I had the illusion that the sword coming towards me was slowing down.

‘Until that sword reaches… .’

I had to find a loophole.

And, the moment Hyunseong swings his sword.

Red Cap’s eyes sparkled.

“Keruk!”

A guy who swings a sword using skills.

What they are aiming for is Hyunseong’s hand bone.

If you keep swinging it like that, Hyunseong’s hand bones will fly off first.

Hyunseong had no choice but to change his route.

Bang!

Then, a sharp, incomparable sound echoed throughout the labyrinth.

Red Cap dropped the sword he had just struck and used his skill to run towards Hyunseong’s hand holding the sword.

“Is that really how it came out?”

Hyunseong lets out a sigh of admiration.

The moment Red Cap was about to strike Hyunseong’s hand away and blow away his bones.

He dodged his own hand, his arm bone snapping off.

“!?”

A grand attack by the Red Cap that cuts through the air.

He tried to attack urgently, but Hyunseong’s sword was already aimed at his own neck.

The moment you accidentally swallow saliva, it will dig into your own flesh and dry up.

Just when I thought I was going to die like this, Hyunseong put away his sword and spoke.

“You pass.”

“Keruk?”

Red Cap opened his eyes wide and looked surprised.

Did you really not think that you would pass?

“You took my attack well, didn’t you? And you even counterattacked.”

As Red Cap had thought, the only way the guy could survive the attack he had just received was to counterattack.

If he had only tried to block the attack, his head would have fallen on the floor by now.

The insight and understanding to notice that if you don’t fight back, you will die and to find openings in your opponent’s attacks.

And the judgment to rush to block the next attack with a flash of lightning.

‘furthermore….’

It was a good decision to throw away the sword.

There were often cases where people were obsessed with the sword even though they were given one.

What’s the use of sticking to a weapon when there’s a way out and you end up dying?

I thought that this kind of flexibility was also quite necessary, as being honest could easily break something.

If you list them one by one like this-

‘It’s more valuable than I thought?’

There is also the possibility of growth through evolution similar to oneself.

It would be hard to find such talent among humans.

Red Cap, who still had a surprised expression on his face, carefully opened his mouth.

“then….”

“Yes, from today onwards you are my disciple.”