The Mad Demon Sword spewed out sword energy.
But I didn't swing my sword.
As the magic power that burst from the mana circle swept through my entire body, my vision cleared, as if the hazy fog that had been surrounding my brain had dissipated.
Only then did I withdraw my energy and sheathe my sword.
'…I almost took his head off.'
It was excessive. And unlike me. Not only that, but my behavior with the investigation team leader and my words in the barracks were quite different from my usual self. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had become rougher.
'I was also strangely coercive when dealing with Jo Yeon-hee…'
Of course, the result was good, though.
Anyway, at this point, I couldn't deny that I had been influenced by demonic energy.
But that didn't mean I was consumed by demonic nature. They say that if you're consumed by demonic nature, you lose your reason, but I never felt any inconvenience in using magic while coming to Prosperity Village.
'Losing your reason means there's a problem with brain activity, and there's no way you can use magic as usual in that state.'
But clearly, the dating app displayed a message that I had resisted demonic energy. This didn't make sense.
'There's no possibility that the app lied to me. The only possibility is… that it's the nature of the demonic energy.'
I remembered what Cheon Yeohwa told me while coming to Prosperity Village.
-Being captured by demonic nature and being influenced by demonic energy are different stories. Demonic nature turns humans into demons who have lost their reason, but demonic energy only changes a person's personality.
According to Cheon Yeohwa, those with strong mental strength are not easily captured by demonic nature even if they learn demonic arts, and even skillfully handle demonic energy.
She added that this tendency is especially common when those who have learned orthodox martial arts learn demonic arts.
'The inner strength of orthodox martial arts is, in the end, the pure energy of nature. The magic power I possess also contains the purest natural mana as it is. That's why I was able to resist demonic energy.'
Only then could I understand the message that I had resisted demonic energy.
If the magic power of an ordinary magician is 5th grade water, then the magic power flowing in my body is no different from 1st grade water. Thanks to this, I was not captured by the demonic nature of the Mad Demon Sword and turned into a demon, but instead, as much as I handled demonic energy, I couldn't escape the influence of demonic energy, so this incident happened.
'This sword energy is probably due to demonic energy too.'
There was no way I could handle sword energy without even learning decent martial arts. This was just a fake sword energy created by the demonic energy that resonated with my intensified emotions.
"Hoo…"
I took a deep breath in and out. I stirred up my magic power and drove the demonic energy into my dantian.
If you're not conscious of it, you can't drive out demonic energy even if you stir up your magic power. That's because demonic energy is also part of my energy. The fact that I was still being influenced by demonic energy even though I had been using magic power like crazy while coming to Prosperity Village was proof of that.
To be honest, it was a bit shocking. I couldn't imagine being swayed by such a tiny amount of demonic energy. It was fortunate that I realized it now, or I almost killed someone.
"Miss, if you don't mind, would you like to have a meal with me?"
…But that's that, and this is this.
After sheathing the Mad Demon Sword, I immediately ran towards the man who was flirting with Cheon Yeohwa and kicked him.
Crack!
"Cough?!"
With a strike imbued with magic power, the men rolled several times on the ground and flew away.
It was clearly an excessive measure to suddenly draw a sword against a righteous martial artist who wasn't from a heretical sect or demonic cult, but I wasn't generous enough to forgive the dickhead who flirted with my woman.
No, if I put up with this, I'd be a pushover.
"Hyunwoo, it seems like you succeeded."
"In what?"
"Demonic energy, I mean."
Cheon Yeohwa whispered in my ear.
"…You knew?"
"I was going to forcibly extract the demonic energy if it seemed dangerous… I never imagined you'd be able to break free from the erosion of demonic energy on your own. It took me almost three years."
"…It was nothing."
"Hehe, as expected of my beloved."
Actually, I still don't know how I got rid of the demonic energy. But I wasn't so clueless as to bring that up now.
Cheon Yeohwa smiled happily and hugged me. By the way, erosion of demonic energy, is that a different concept from being captured by demonic nature?
"You have a face that looks like you have a lot of questions, but it seems like you have to deal with that man first."
The man who had fallen on the ground stood up, holding his sword like a cane.
"You!!"
The strangely greasy-looking man shouted at me. His voice contained internal energy.
'He already got up? I kicked him with all my heart.'
The aura emanating from the man was stronger than I thought. He was comparable to Elder Suyanggeon.
As far as I knew, Elder Suyanggeon was a master who had reached the peak of excellence. He was also a relatively experienced martial artist in his 40s.
On the other hand, that man was at most in his late 20s. But still, he was at a similar level to Elder Suyanggeon.
'Is he the type commonly referred to as a genius?'
Then he should go and practice martial arts, why is he trying to hit on my woman?
I was going to just let it go if he had just taken a hit and passed out. But his appearance of trying to pressure me by stirring up his internal energy completely blew away the last of my patience.
"How dare you launch a cowardly sneak attack…! You must be a treacherous heretical scoundrel!"
"What are you talking about, you lustful bastard."
"Wh, what?! L, lustful?!"
The man's face turned red and blue. He seemed to be properly scratched.
"…Miss, please wait a moment. I will teach that treacherous heretical scoundrel how scary the world is."
I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh. The plum blossom pattern drawn on his uniform, he was clearly a warrior of the Mount Hua Sect. Does he know that Cheon Yeohwa is a concubine of the Demonic Cult and is acting like that?
'He must be acting like that because he doesn't know.'
Magic power races through my magic circuit and activates my entire body. Of course, I don't use demonic energy. If I use demonic energy and get caught, things will only get bigger.
A strange atmosphere flowed between the man and me. The number of onlookers watching us increased. Prosperity Village is a rural village, and a martial arts competition between martial artists is a rare sight for rural people, so it wasn't a strange thing.
The strange thing was that other martial artists, including those from the Mount Hua Sect, were not visible. It meant there was no one to stop us.
"I'll tell you in advance. You don't have to worry about being crippled, so feel free to take a hit."
"You quack, you talk too much. Are you going to fight with your mouth?"
"…I'll kill you!!"
The man, who seemed to be scratched again by the word quack, rushed towards me. He wasn't holding a sword. It seems like he threw away his sword after seeing that I was empty-handed, but he'll soon realize how foolish that choice was.
'By the way, how did he understand the word quack? Did he roughly guess it through nuance?'
Anyway, that wasn't important now.
Papapat! The man quickly approached me with a strange gait. I instinctively realized that it was a footwork technique.
I'm trying hard to follow him with my eyes, but it wasn't easy to grasp his exact position and sense of distance. It seemed to be the effect of the footwork technique.
"From now on, it will be difficult for you to even breathe!!"
The man, who had come within striking distance in an instant, punched me.
Subduing Tiger Fist – Subduing Tiger Strike
Bang! Amidst the intense momentum, I reinforced my body with magic power and blocked it with my arms crossed.
Unexpectedly, a considerable tingling pain came up.
The man's attack didn't end there. Again, stepping on a strange footwork technique, the man instantly moved to my side and aimed for my ribs.
Subduing Tiger Fist – Heavy Tiger Leg
I immediately turned my body and stepped back at the knee kick flying in with the momentum to break my ribs. I was convinced that I shouldn't block this one.
As soon as I stepped back, the man continued to chase me, stepping on the footwork technique.
Amidst the continuous fierce attacks, I repeatedly used 'Acceleration of Thought' to avoid them.
Wheek! A fist that cut through the air passed right next to my face.
'…That was a little dangerous just now?'
Of course, if it seemed like I was really going to get hit, I was going to use a barrier, so it wasn't a big threat.
"You're slipping away like a loach!"
Perhaps he was convinced of his victory because of my appearance of not being able to counterattack properly and running away here and there, a smile bloomed on the man's lips.
Suddenly, I felt annoyed by that confident appearance.
[Weakness Detection]
I saw a gap in the man that I hadn't been able to grasp.
I punched him with a fist full of magic power towards that spot.
Bang!
"Cough?!!"
Taking advantage of the man's surprise at the unexpected attack, I continued to attack.
[Strength Enhancement]
[Haste]
[Balance]
[Berserk]
"Wh, what?!"
Thwack! Pow!
As I used auxiliary magic layered on top of Weakness Detection, the man continued to allow direct hits without being able to react to my suddenly increased speed.
The confident expression from before had disappeared without a trace.
The strange footwork technique was useless in front of overwhelming speed and power.
Pow!!
The last fist I threw hit the man's face head-on. The man, who had rolled several times on the ground like before, passed out in that state.
Cheers erupted from the onlookers.
I confidently raised my right arm and gave fan service.
"…Hyunwoo, didn't I tell you not to use magic as much as possible? You won't be able to train that way."
Cheon Yeohwa poked my side, seemingly dissatisfied with something.
"I wouldn't have used magic if I thought this was training too. But this is a battle of pride between men."
In the first place, if I was really going to use magic, it wouldn't have ended with just auxiliary magic.
"By the way, what's up with that guy?"
As far as I know, Taoists can't get married. And if he's in his late 20s, it seems like he's way past the age of flirting with women without thinking.
"…The face veil was blown off by a gust of wind at just the right moment."
"Ah."
I could tell what happened from that one word. Even a Taoist wouldn't be able to resist Cheon Yeohwa's bare face.
"Then there's nothing I can do. Only a gay person wouldn't fall for your face."
"Gay…?"
"There's such a thing."
It's a hideous word that our Yeohwa shouldn't know.
Anyway, after roughly wrapping up the situation, I turned around to go back to the tent and rest comfortably with Cheon Yeohwa.
"It's not over yet…!"
A voice filled with resentment echoed from behind.
"I, Cheonghwa, the Sword Dragon and the second disciple of the Great Mount Hua Sect, will not succumb to the tricks of a treacherous heretical scoundrel!!"
The man with one cheek swollen red suddenly started introducing himself. By the way, Sword Dragon, that was a covetable title.
I felt a faint killing intent from his appearance of glaring at me as if he was going to kill me.
'That's a Taoist?'
The man suddenly raised his sword. However, he still had the last of his reason left, so he didn't draw the sword from its scabbard.
A thick, light red haze was rising above the scabbard. It was sword energy.
'Well, if he's from the Mount Hua Sect, it would be unfair if he couldn't even swing his sword once and was knocked out.'
After sending Cheon Yeohwa behind me, I grabbed the Mad Demon Sword with the scabbard. I can't use sword energy as I'm not using demonic energy, but the difference in output can be made up for with auxiliary magic and magic power.
I won't use any other magic. It was a good opportunity to see how skilled a professional swordsman was.
The man, who had taken a stance and was glaring at me fiercely, approached me, stepping on a different footwork technique than before.
I smelled a faint plum blossom scent at the distance where we became close in an instant.
From top to bottom, the sword that was swung in the blink of an eye rushed towards my head. I could feel the man's will to beat me with the scabbard since he couldn't cut me.
It wasn't that difficult to avoid as I had Acceleration of Thought.
However.
"Stop it."
A white-bearded old man who suddenly appeared blocked the man's attack with a single finger.
"M, Master?"
The man who introduced himself as Sword Dragon had a look of embarrassment on his face.
He trembled like a herbalist who had met a tiger while picking herbs, and soon dropped his sword from his hand and started to slowly back away.
"Hoo… I repeatedly told you not to act rashly…"
I could feel anger in the white-bearded old man's voice.
Immediately after that, the white-bearded old man disappeared.
Bang!!
With a clear sound echoing in the clearing, the Sword Dragon foamed at the mouth and collapsed on the street.
It was a complete mess.