Volume One: The Nature of the Devil Never Changes
Arc: The Great Guerrilla War
Scarlet King's gaze was lifeless… like that of a walking corpse.
Yet sunlight illuminated his face.
The wind stirred his coat behind him.
The scent of damp soil filled the air.
And distant birds chirped softly across the horizon.
He pushed himself up from the rooftop of the headquarters with one hand and stood.
Then he spoke to the System Engineer.
"Come… it's time for the fight. Let's go."
But the System Engineer suddenly stopped him.
It grabbed Scarlet King's hand tightly—so tightly that its fingers left marks on his skin—and said urgently:
"Darkness— I mean, my great master!
You still haven't explained the scale of the world to me!"
Scarlet King raised his arm without emotion.
In the next instant—
The air exploded.
The System Engineer vanished like an arrow shot from a bow.
The sky cracked around him as he blasted forward toward the Blood Arena.
Scarlet King shouted after him:
"I'll explain later… but—
Don't touch me again.
Next time…
you won't survive."
The System Engineer's terrified scream echoed across the sky as he rocketed through the air at horrifying speed.
"Maaasteeer!!
Whaaaaat did I dooooo?!"
Scarlet King watched the distant streak and thought calmly:
(Well… thanks to the Evolution Crystal, Titan King's injuries have healed.)
(The jetpack damage has been repaired as well.)
(I can finally use it again.)
The mechanical arms of the jetpack unfolded from his back.
Thrusters opened.
Blue flames poured out like a flowing river.
Scarlet King slowly rose into the air—
Then shot toward the Blood Arena.
A few minutes later
When Scarlet King descended into the arena—
The stands erupted in cheers.
Thousands of eyes turned toward him.
"Oh… it's Gu Yue, Lin Yuan's son."
Another voice mocked loudly:
"Why did he even come here?
He's just a child."
Scarlet King ignored them.
(It seems the arena structure was modified to ensure the disciples' safety.)
He murmured quietly:
"It doesn't matter…
The only thing that matters is that I will win."
The crowd's noise was deafening.
More than a thousand disciples filled the stands.
Their cheers thundered through the arena.
Scarlet King muttered with irritation:
"I hate loud noises…
They are almost my only physical weakness—
one that cannot be cured even if I strengthen my body."
He glanced across the massive crowd.
(It seems those who attended yesterday's meeting brought others with them.)
(Good.)
(If we win… many will join us.)
(If we lose… everyone will leave.)
(But Ikalath is two levels stronger than Meng Ling…)
(The outcome is obvious.)
The Blood Arena was a gigantic circle of black stone.
Its surface was scarred with countless sword marks and dried blood stains.
The arena was enormous—
Almost the size of half a small city.
Suddenly Lin Yuan appeared.
He moved quickly toward Scarlet King.
He leaned close and whispered while placing a hand on Scarlet King's shoulder.
"Ikalath is late."
Scarlet King placed a hand on his chest and whispered calmly:
"Don't worry.
He simply went to retrieve the twin daggers we obtained in the sealed world."
Lin Yuan glanced at Scarlet King's hand.
"You mean the Ming Hao daggers?"
Scarlet King opened a small portal in the air.
Two dagger hilts slowly emerged.
He grasped them and pulled them out.
"Of course not.
I mean the other daggers."
Then he continued:
"The daggers designed for synchronization between you and Ikalath."
"Shared consciousness.
Shared sight.
Shared smell.
Shared hearing.
Shared movement."
"This will make both of you stronger…
Because he will see the enemy's movements through your perspective."
Suddenly—
A spiral portal appeared.
Black on the outside…
Red within.
Ikalath stepped out.
Behind him stood the First Elder of Heaven's Grip Sect — Zhao Tian Yi.
Ikalath held two white daggers with black edges and dark handles.
He looked at Lin Yuan.
"Catch."
He tossed the first dagger.
The moment Lin Yuan caught it—
A perfect synchronization occurred.
The daggers split into four.
Each of them now held two blades.
Instantly—
Their senses merged.
They could see through each other's eyes.
Hear through each other's ears.
Smell through each other's senses.
Feel through each other's bodies.
Ikalath looked at Lin Yuan and grinned.
Lin Yuan nodded nervously in return.
Then—
Meng Ling appeared in the distance.
His body was large and muscular.
His skin dark.
He approached slowly and spoke coldly to Ikalath.
"The fight begins in one hour.
I'll break your bones in front of everyone.
No mercy."
He cracked his fingers.
Then twisted his neck.
The snapping sound echoed across the arena.
The crowd roared even louder after hearing his threat.
But Scarlet King ignored the entire scene.
He stepped aside beside Zhao Tian Yi.
Scarlet King spoke first.
"Why did you come, Elder?
Did you bring what we agreed upon?"
Zhao Tian Yi nodded calmly.
"Yes.
I brought qi juice and qi food.
And a large number of primal stones."
"About one thousand purple primal stones."
Scarlet King clapped softly.
The sound echoed faintly through the arena.
"I must thank you.
With this support, we can complete the grand plan."
Zhao Tian Yi smiled.
"Excellent.
Whenever you require support… inform me."
The elder glanced toward the arena before sitting in a chair beneath the stands.
Scarlet King asked calmly:
"Will the elder stay?"
Zhao Tian Yi nodded.
He pulled out a bottle of wine and a cup.
He poured himself a drink and began sipping.
"Yes.
I will stay.
I want to watch Ikalath."
"He's ranked… I don't remember exactly.
But somewhere below rank seventy."
Then he looked at Scarlet King.
"And you, Gu Yue?
What rank do you hold on the sect's power board?"
Scarlet King sat beside him.
"I hold rank one hundred."
Zhao Tian Yi extended his hand.
He offered Scarlet King a cup of wine.
"Very good.
Drink with me.
A toast to you."
Scarlet King looked at the cup.
Then said calmly:
"Sorry, Elder…
but I do not drink such things."
"The mind must remain clear for planning.
A drunk person becomes the easiest to deceive after two cups of wine."
The elder shrugged and took the cup back.
"As you wish."
He drank it in a single gulp.
His cheeks turned slightly pink.
He sighed deeply.
"Ah…
How I love wine."
"It is the only thing that eases the pain of losing my wife to the Devil of Rebirth."
Scarlet King thought silently:
(Hah…)
(It seems that while escaping the Demon Extermination Decree,)
(I killed some of the hunters who pursued me in the First Dimension.)
(And it seems one of them…)
(was his wife.)
(But she was foolish.)
(Who would chase the Devil of Rebirth…)
(when even existence itself struggles to deal with him?)
Suddenly—
The referee struck a massive bell with his white staff.
The sound thundered across the arena.
Then he shouted loudly:
"THE FIGHT BEGINS!!"