A straight road opened up—clean and level—all the way to the returning rift.“Punching through again felt like a chore.”At Yeon Woo Jin’s words, the three stood there dumbfounded, nodding as they stared at the path he’d just parted.Honestly, none of them wanted to hack back through that forest either.All the same, the fact that Woo Jin solved it with a casual flick of the hand hit them again: he was something else.Beyond the trees lay a river.Following the river with their eyes, they found a vast lake.A lake in the Demon Realm.Yeon Woo Jin unfolded the Demon Realm map.Only a portion of the forest was drawn on it.They hadn’t even gotten through the woods last time.Woo Jin took out a brush and began filling the map.In moments, a precise chart took shape.This might be useful later, so it ought to be detailed.The party moved down to the lakeshore.Could Demon Realm water be drinkable?That, too, he wanted to know.The four reached the edge of the lake.“Even the lake feels bleak here.”The black-sheened water gave off the feeling that a monster might burst out at any moment.Woo Jin stepped to the water and scooped some up.Despite the black surface, the water itself was clear and transparent.SNIFF—.He smelled it.LAP—.He touched his tongue to it.It tasted like… water.“Seems safe for humans to drink.”“Water’s the same wherever you go.”Woo Jin nodded.In that instant—Something burst from the water at Woo Jin.SHRAANG—.Cheon Ho Seong’s sword moved first, a split-second before the thing could bite Woo Jin.SHRAKK—.The thing was hewn in half and died on the spot.Up close, the bisected creature was grotesque enough to curdle the blood.Woo Jin rose slowly and swept his gaze around—identical monsters swarmed everywhere along the shore.“We can’t let our guard down even for a moment here.”“One thing’s certain—humans can’t live in a place like this.”“Agreed.”“What do you command?”At Cheon Ho Seong’s question, Woo Jin quietly fixed his eyes on the creatures.The moment the monsters met those eyes—gone black—they shuddered, then fled en masse back into the water.Fright was written on them plain as day.“You cleared them out with a look? As expected of my lord.”As Cheon Ho Seong marveled, Woo Jin said,“We don’t have time to play with them. We’ve got company.”He turned his head toward a point in the distance.“Company?”“Demonkin who live here, most likely.”At that, the party’s faces hardened.“Ready yourselves. We may have to cross blades.”“Understood.” ****Ultan was sprinting hard toward where Yeon Woo Jin’s group waited.His heart thumped.How long had it been since his last real fight?There had been nothing worth fighting on this island.Truth be told, the only reason a fortress existed here at all was the rift.A forward base to cross into the Human Realm—that’s why this island had a castle and a lord.Only a small number of the Demonic Race lived here now.It was barely an estate, if one could even call it that.Even so, the reason this holding persisted was the rift.Support flowed because of it, and they lived off that subsidy.But he was tired of it.This place was too dull.Every day was the same.The only small amusement had been the occasional appearance of humans, but even that had grown stale.He’d been itching to face them himself, and today the chance had finally come.They had to be erased without a trace anyway.Ultan grinned.He was excited.They’d wiped out the monsters in the Forest of Despair and were strong enough to bring down a Gold-Armored Boar?It wouldn’t be a battle for life and death, perhaps, but it would at least be fun.He only prayed they’d last a while.He wouldn’t go all-out at the start.It wouldn’t do to kill them by mistake.He’d warned his subordinates over and over:No killing. Absolutely not.And he’d ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) made another thing very clear: the strongest human was his to play with.“Move!”Eager to meet them, Ultan kicked up his speed. ****Ultan reached the shore of the Lake of Chaos.Yeon Woo Jin’s party stood waiting before him.“You’ve got guts. Do you even know where you are, humans, to set foot here?”Woo Jin snorted and answered with a half-smile,“You come play where humans live too. Where’s the law that says we can’t do the same?”Ultan bared his teeth in a grin.“You’re amusing. Judging by the look of it, you’re the boss?”Woo Jin nodded.“Yeah? Are you strong?”At Ultan’s question, Woo Jin smiled the same way.“Strong.”“Don’t disappoint me. I came here with high hopes.”At that, Woo Jin glanced at the Demonkin behind him.“Oh—and they’ll play with your men. That cool with you?”“Perfect. I like having playmates.”“Keh keh keh. Confidence to spare. You must be somebodies in your Human Realm.”Cheon Ho Seong answered with an incredulous look,“Somebodies? Among humans, the strongest being alive is our young lord.”Strongest among humans?What a boast.Ultan chuckled.Even now, humans trying to act tough to save face—he found it cute.“Cute. I’ll spoil you rotten.”Ultan tilted his chin. His subordinates stepped forward.Woo Jin slid aside and said,“Don’t kill them. I’ve got things to ask.”“Understood.”The three strode out with easy grins.Hearing Woo Jin’s words, Ultan and his men made faces of disbelief.“Humans really are unrivaled in bluffing. Boys—play to your hearts’ content.”“Yes!”The Demonkin charged Cheon Ho Seong, Ma Ryang, and Jeok Seong. ****THUD—.The last Demonkin rolled his eyes white and crashed to the ground.Ultan stared, unable to believe it.“W-what is…?”Cheon Ho Seong watched him and said,“He doesn’t look all that strong either. Shall I handle him?”Woo Jin shook his head.“I’ve been wanting to loosen up too.”Cheon Ho Seong smacked his forehead and stepped back.“Ah! This fool forgot his young lord’s mood. Please—enjoy yourself.”The situation felt reversed.That wasn’t right.That line was supposed to be his.Woo Jin began to walk toward Ultan at an unhurried pace.“Our turn now, yeah?”Ultan’s face hardened.The human was looking down on him.“You dare look down on me because you beat my subordinates?”“Yup.”“Yup? Did you just say yup to me?”“Yup.”“You filthy human bastard!”An immense surge of magi exploded off Ultan’s body.GUOOOO—.Billowing black force unfurled from his back like wings.“Insolent human! I’ll keep you alive and make you taste every pain that exists!”Ultan roared.“How long do I have to wait?”“What?”“I’ve found a flaw in your Demonic Race.”“What flaw?”FWIP—.Woo Jin closed the distance in an instant.KRAK—.“Ghk!”Woo Jin’s elbow drove deep into Ultan’s solar plexus.As Ultan doubled over in agony, Woo Jin’s voice slipped into his ear.“You talk too much before you fight.”It was true.The Demonkin who fought Cheon Ho Seong, Ma Ryang, and Jeok Seong had all shown gaping openings before the first exchange.Strong, yes—but chatty, full of gaps, their focus leaking everywhere.They were powerful, but targets were everywhere.Was it just these ones?Would others be different?He couldn’t judge the entire race from this sample, but those they’d met here were scattered and sloppy.Ultan was the same.To Woo Jin’s sense, the demon was strong.But his openings were everywhere.Above all, he underestimated his foe and let his guard drop.Ultan, meanwhile, writhed from Woo Jin’s blow.Since when did a human elbow hurt like this?He couldn’t breathe.“Y-you c-coward, to s-strike while I’m talking—”“We’re enemies. This isn’t ‘Ready—Go!’”Hard to argue with that.“Fine. If you’re that aggrieved, I’ll give you a chance.”Woo Jin stepped back.“Tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll call it. ‘Ready—Go.’ Sound good?”Ultan’s pride shattered at those words.He’d have to pulp that damned face to get any of it back.Funneling every nerve into recovery, Ultan reset his breath in short order.He glared at Woo Jin with killing intent.“Human, I apologize for underestimating you.”“Apology accepted.”“But from here on, you get no chances.”“Still talking? How much time do you need to monologue?”“Yeech! You cursed human!”“You done? Then shall we start? I hit you once, so you take the first swing.”“You think I won’t?”Ultan sprang at Woo Jin.Like he’d been hit—a moment ago—he aimed an elbow straight at Woo Jin’s solar plexus.FWIP—.KRAK—.At his maximum speed, he drove his elbow in.“Keh keh keh. How is it, human? …Hey—don’t die in one shot.”Ultan grinned, savoring the moment.He wanted to hear Woo Jin’s voice contorted in pain.But—“That’s it? That was your best?”…Huh?Why wasn’t he groaning?Why so calm?Ultan’s eyes crept up to Woo Jin’s face.Too calm.He turned to look at his own elbow.He’d landed clean.He’d thrown everything into it.So why was the man unscathed?A chill skittered over his skin.FWIP—.Startled, Ultan jerked backward.In that instant—DUGAGAGAK—.A palm print punched deep into the ground where he’d just stood.“Your movement speed is decent, at least.”Woo Jin’s praise.It brought no joy.He’d dodged on pure instinct.If that had landed clean—He wouldn’t have walked away.A thrill ran over his whole body.The human in front of him was no ordinary human.He was truly strong.Ultan clenched his fists until they creaked.VMMMM—.A dense mass of magi condensed into his knuckles.He hurled that condensed force straight at Woo Jin.TUTUTUTUT—.Black, orb-shaped bolts lanced at Woo Jin.“Dark Magi Orb! No human can endure that power!”The black spheres clung to Woo Jin’s body.“Ku-hahaha! Didn’t dodge, did you? Go on, endure! That force will contaminate the energy in your body and keep you from using it!”Humans were said to be weak to magi.Expecting Woo Jin’s imminent suffering, Ultan watched.But Woo Jin stood there as if nothing were happening.Ultan barked in frustration,“Don’t just stand there—suffer already.”“Not even a twinge.”“That’s impossible! Humans are weak to magi.”“Humans are. I’m not.”The magi clinging to Woo Jin began to be absorbed instead.Then an even vaster tide of magi welled from Woo Jin—thicker and stronger than Ultan’s own.“W-what? W-what is that?”Feeling the magi pouring off Woo Jin, Ultan faltered.Was he not human?How could he be radiating that kind of magi?Denser, stronger than his?Eyes trembling, Ultan stared at Woo Jin.“Y-you’re not human. W-what are you?”“I am human.”“A h-human with magi greater than mine? You expect me to believe that?”“Believe it or don’t. Your choice. Now—I’ve got a lot I want to hear from you.”Ultan backpedaled.THUNK—.Something touched his back.At some point, a sheer rock face had risen behind him.No way out.Ultan swallowed.“You’ll get nothing from me.”“Just one thing. Where’s the new rift?”“I—I don’t know.”Woo Jin’s pupils darkened.As magi surged, his irises went black. Seeing those eyes shift, Ultan yelped in a shaking voice,“H-Heavenly Demon Eye?”

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