DEB 79

“I have a hunch that one of the Seven Lords of the Demon Realm has awakened… and it’s the Lord of Pride?”

Jiwook murmured in disbelief. 

“Is this information certain?”

“Yes. I felt his aura when I was dragged into the demon realm lower layer.”

Zenith’s voice was filled with conviction as she responded to Nameless’ question. 

Zenith, having inherited the power to heal, had the best life-detection abilities among Yasha’s disciples. 

Therefore, her assertion could not be taken lightly.

With a serious expression, Ash roughly shook his hair and shouted into the air.

“Of all the ones that could revive, why did it have to be that bastard…! Damn it….”

His extreme reaction indicated that a troublesome opponent had been resurrected.

That’s probably why they were completely annihilated.

Huiyun recalled the conversation he had as Yasha with the three disciples on the first day they returned from the demon realm. 

It was clear that Yasha had annihilated the Lords of Pride and Sloth among the Seven Lords of the Demon Realm.

Not death, but annihilation.

Even though both were forms of demise, their depths differed. 

Simple death did not harm the soul, but annihilation literally shattered part of the soul. 

Souls damaged in this way could not reincarnate or took an exceptionally long time to do so. 

If someone annihilated another, the one who executed it also faced a fall, thus maintaining the balance.

For Yasha to annihilate someone, accepting such a cost implied that the opponent was immensely strong. 

It was clear they were a formidable adversary.

Having roughly grasped the situation, Huiyun clicked his tongue. 

Without memories of fighting the Lords, it was difficult to join the conversation.

Noticing Huiyun’s awkward expression, Ash widened his eyes.

“What’s this, Yasha? You don’t remember, do you?” 

Fwip.

Ash’s shocked question made all the disciples turn their heads. 

Suddenly facing multiple pairs of eyes, Huiyun took a step back, slightly embarrassed.

“…As I said, my memories aren’t complete. Unfortunately, my memories of fighting the demons are vague, and I have no recollection of fighting the Lords.”

“No way, how can you not remember him?”

“Oh, this is worse than I thought.”

“What? Yasha, you don’t remember that crazy bastard?”

“If you don’t remember him, then this is a serious problem.”

Vita, despite his discomfort, was skeptical about Yasha being able to forget such a person. 

Wondering what the Lord of Pride had done to provoke such reactions from the disciples, Huiyun looked around for someone to answer. 

Vina, catching his gaze, responded.

“The Lord of Pride… was out of his mind.” 

“I wasn’t asking because I didn’t know that.”

From Vita’s earlier remark, Huiyun already knew the lord was mad. 

Seeking more detailed information, he noticed Vina turning away, as if unwilling to talk further about the Lord of Pride. His reaction was more intense than expected.

Feeling a sense of loss from losing his informant, Huiyun was comforted by Juan.

“You really don’t remember? That guy used to follow you around like crazy.”

“…What?”

“Oh dear, our master. Your memories are really all gone.”

Shocked by the unexpected answer, Huiyun was left speechless as Ash clicked his tongue and put his arm around Huiyun’s shoulder.

“There’s one thing I remember clearly. It’s something that the Lord of Pride said, so listen well, Yasha. I’ll tell it to you exactly as he said it.”

Clearing his throat, Juan pulled Huiyun close and lowered his voice.

“Yasha. You are the only one who can resonate with me. So, if you won’t stay by my side, just die. Or kill me.”

“…”

The words were so chilling that Huiyun felt a shiver run down his spine and his hair stand on end. 

Feeling the urge to wash out his ears, Huiyun looked at Juan with a stiff face. 

Juan grinned mischievously, showing his fangs. 

When Huiyun’s eyes asked if he was serious, Juan nodded.

“That was the beginning of his insane obsession as I remember it. So, Yasha, don’t recoil from me thinking I’m crazy. The real crazies are way beyond that.”

Ash, pressing his temples with his fingertips, shivered as if feeling the chills. 

Though his gestures were exaggerated, they didn’t seem out of place given the shocking nature of the words he had just recounted.

The horror stories related to the Lord of Pride didn’t end there.

“That lunatic even worshiped Yasha like a religion. Do you understand what I mean? He treated Yasha like a god! He created a weird cult, gathered followers, became a cult leader, and even performed human sacrifices in Yasha’s name. When I think of the disgrace we accumulated because of that bastard… Argh, damn it!”

“Ugh….”

Vita shuddered with rage, and Jiwook groaned as if recalling a painful memory. 

Nameless, suddenly pulling out a doll from his robe, began chanting some incantation.

That looks like a curse.

Reasonably suspecting it was a curse, Huiyun wetted his dry lips with his tongue. 

Seeing the disciples’ reactions, it was clear that the Lord of Pride was a genuinely insane villain.

It really is ‘of all things.’

Huiyun found himself agreeing with Ash’s earlier outburst. 

Why did it have to be that guy among the Seven Lords who revived? 

As he cursed the world, Vita, who had nearly collapsed from anger, regained his composure and looked at Zenith.

“Anything else? Like when the Lord will invade the surface again?”

“I didn’t hear anything about that. But with the Lord of Pride awakened and signs of other lords also showing signs of revival, the demon realm’s atmosphere is tense. That’s probably why they let me go. The demon realm is too on edge to deal with external interference right now.”

“In other words, they’re organizing their forces.” 

“Exactly.”

“Damn, if I’d known this, I wouldn’t have made that weird treaty.”

Ash regretted not crushing them when only one lord was awake. 

Vina frowned at him.

“Get a grip, Ash. Didn’t you notice anything when you met that Baron in the demon realm?”

“What?”

“Their power far exceeds our expectations. If that’s the effect of the lords’ revival, it will be difficult for us to kill a lord with our current strength.”

“What’s the problem? We found Yasha. Once Yasha regains his power, it will be easy for us to restore our strength to its peak. Isn’t that why Yasha revealed himself?”

“I don’t think so.”

The response didn’t come from Huiyun. 

Nameless, who had been mumbling incomprehensible words to his doll, raised his head and looked at Juan.

“Yasha’s power is still unstable. If Yasha had his old strength, my madness would have naturally subsided, but it doesn’t unless I drink blood. Despite revealing himself, Yasha is in a weakened state and suppressing his power. Isn’t that right?”

It was a sharp observation. Huiyun nodded reluctantly, feeling like he was disappointing Ash.

“Sadly, he’s right.” 

“What? Why-.”

Whoosh!

A giant skeletal hand rose from the ground and clamped Ash’s mouth shut before he could finish his outburst.

“Shh, Ash. Be quiet. I’m talking with Yasha.” 

“Mmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!”

Ash, furious, shouted something incomprehensible, but his words were muffled by the hand. 

Nameless, looking satisfied, turned back to Huiyun, slightly narrowing his eyes.

“Is the reason for not unleashing your power related to why you haven’t awakened as a hunter?”

“…Yes.”

“Then the reason for avoiding awakening is also tied to Yasha’s death, and the complicated situation Yasha can’t talk about now.”

Nameless nodded as if he had pieced it together on his own, without further explanation.

“I see. One last question, Yasha. Do you intend to awaken?”

It was a similar question to why he wasn’t unleashing his power but slightly different. 

Previously, it was about the reason; now, it was about intention.

“I can roughly guess now. It wasn’t just because of that body that you were suppressing your power, was it? It seems like suppressing your power is causing penalties for that body.”

As expected, Nameless, who dealt with pain and death, had keen insights in this area. 

Huiyun awkwardly smiled among the disciples whose eyes changed upon hearing about the penalties.

I didn’t want to tell them I died for their sake.

Seeing how blindly devoted and willing to die for him they already were, Huiyun could only imagine how they would react if they knew everything. 

He didn’t want to burden them further.

“I’ll awaken when the time comes. But until then, I plan to hold out without fully unleashing my power. I’ll explain more once we find Verita and recover my memories of him.”

“So, the conclusion is to find Verita.”

Nameless, who summarized the situation, surprisingly accepted Huiyun’s stance easily. 

Huiyun had expected more persistent questioning, but Nameless’s acceptance caught him off guard. 

He blinked as Nameless approached and handed him a newly made curse doll.

“Since that lunatic has awakened, I’ll behave myself. Here, Yasha. This will protect you from ominous things.”

No, this doll looks more ominous.

Huiyun, half-forced to hug the doll, swallowed his unease.

How insane must the Lord of Pride have been to scare these already crazy disciples?

A deep sigh welled up within him.

He had hoped to live peacefully until the next war, but even that now seemed impossible.