Chapter 456 : Karma (1)

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍little over fifteen minutes earlier.

Beneath ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the palace where the Emperor resided.

Within ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a secret space built by the Supreme Eunuch ever since the previous Emperor passed away and the current Emperor ascended.

Inside ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this reinforced room, which could only be accessed by triggering a complex series of Formations, five people were gathered.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Commander and Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Central Military Commander, the Supreme Eunuch, and a middle-aged man dressed in a golden dragon robe.

Strangely ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enough, the middle-age man’s eyes were dull and vacant, nothing like what you'd expect from someone wearing the dragon robe.

This was none other than the current Emperor whose reason and intellect had been thoroughly suppressed by the power of drugs and sorcery.

The Central Military Commander anxiously looked at the Emperor and at the Imperial Seal in his hand. "Can we win the war using this method?"

Hearing that, the Commander and the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard frowned. "Are you saying you don't trust the trap His Excellency has laid for them?"

"This trap was made to take down the previous Heavenly Demon. Whoever steps into it won't be walking out alive."

The Central Army Commander had only come to know of the Supreme Eunuch’s true power and sworn loyalty to him after climbing the ranks of the military.

In contrast, the Commander and Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had caught Supreme Eunuch's eye since childhood and grown up steadily under his wing.

Because of this, a strange rift existed between them.

"Ahem. It's not that I doubt the power of the trap. I'm worried about what happens after the trap goes off. We lost our entire army just to set this trap up."

They had intentionally lost battle after battle and steadily retreated for weeks to lure the enemy deep into the Forbidden City. Worse still, the moment they detonated the Inner Palace, the last of the imperial army stationed above them would be instantly wiped out alongside the enemy.

Hearing a practical concern born from the mind of a military general, Supreme Eunuch scowled. "Why are you asking such idiotic questions? His Majesty and the Imperial Seal are right here with us. All the people of the Central Plains belong to the Son of Heaven. As long as we use this trap to wipe out the Demonic Cult's top experts in a single stroke, we can simply conscript a brand-new army from the peasantry and launch our counterattack."

In the Supreme Eunuch’s eyes, the people of the Central Plains were nothing more than disposable tools meant to obey his commands. Even with revolts breaking out all over the Central Plains now, his mindset remained entirely unchanged.

In fact, it was precisely because he'd lived his whole life holding that mindset that he couldn't understand the people who dared to rebel and he fully planned to massacre every last one of them.

To be fair, the Central Army Commander shared a similar worldview.

After all, the only reason he'd been able to secure a position in the military since he was young was that he came from a powerful family.

But even so, his trained mind as a military general was screaming at him.

‘The entire country is actively rebelling against us. Does he seriously think we can just draft a new army out of thin air?’

But the Central Military Commander couldn't bring himself to say that doubt out loud.

It wasn't only because he feared dying at the Supreme Eunuch's hand.

‘I have already come too far.’

He had already crossed the point of no return.

With the Central Military Commander shutting his mouth, a brief silence fell over the room.

"We definitely confirmed they had breached the outer walls..."

So why was it so quiet up there?

The Supreme Eunuch mulled over the question.

If a battle had broken out in earnest within the Inner Palace, the noise should have reached all the way down here. The plan was that once the noise got close enough, they'd trigger the trap mechanism prepared in this room and blow up the entire Inner Palace apart.

Just as the silence stretched on and an inexplicable sense of foreboding began to rise in Supreme Eunuch's mind—

BOOM!!

A fierce explosion shattered the silence along with a massive shockwave that rocked the underground room where they were hiding.

Supreme Eunuch stared at his own hand in shock.

'I haven't triggered it yet?!'

No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than more explosions rang out one after another.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The others in the room stared at Supreme Eunuch in shock.

"Did you set off the trap early, Your Excellency!?"

The Supreme Eunuch shook his head.

All around them, a symphony of detonations kept ringing out from every direction, and violent tremors shook the room they were hiding in without pause.

For a while, they just stared at each other in confusion.

It was unknown how long it lasted. Once the explosions and tremors finally stopped, the Supreme Eunuch pressed at various spots around the room to activate the exit mechanisms.

CREAK...

The door that had been protecting them ground open with a screech, but dirt and rubble from the explosions had blocked the way.

"Tsk."

The Supreme Eunuch clicked his tongue lightly and swung his flexible sword with a burst of Force Qi to sweep away the obstruction.

Slash!

The Supreme Eunuch immediately scooped up the Emperor and leapt into the air.

The others exchanged worried looks before following after him using their own lightness skill.

As soon as the Supreme Eunuch shot up out of the underground chamber and into the sky, the view of the surroundings came into his sight. The entire trap had indeed gone off, and the Inner Palace was now nothing but ruins.

The Supreme Eunuch's face crumpled upon looking at the horizon.

Beyond the ruined Inner Palace, he could see the Demonic Cult forces and the thugs he despised most forming a massive encircling formation.

The very people he had spent his entire life plotting to annihilate—

"The Heavenly Demon Descends!!"

"Ten Thousand Demons Obeys!!!"

—Had finally come to take his head.

***

Held back by Wi Jin-hak's insistence and reassurance, Il-mok decided to stay at the rear and observe the group that had shot up into the sky.

'Is that the Emperor?'

The golden dragon robe made him easy to spot.

Just then, the old eunuch floating in midair twisted his face into the visage of a demon and swung his flexible sword through the air. As the blade whipped and bent with each swing, Force Qi spread out like waves and scattered in every direction.

"Hah!"

Wi Jin-hak wrapped his Heavenly Demon Sword in black flame in respond and cancelled out the wave of Force Qi without much trouble, but the problem was everyone else who'd charged in alongside him.

"Ugh..."

Some barely managed to summon their Force Qi in time, only to vomit blood as they were blasted backward. The weaker ones weren't so lucky, as some couldn't block it at all and collapsed in two.

"!!"

Startled, Il-mok took a step toward the battlefield, but someone grabbed his shoulder.

"It's the Cult Leader's order. Left Guardian, please rest here."

It was Zhuge Mun.

He held Il-mok back, then immediately shouted his order. "Order the men to secure the encirclement so that not a single one of them can escape!! Hunting those bastards down will be left to the Cult Leader and our heavy hitters!"

His orders quickly echoed in all directions.

Those who were too weak to withstand even a single strike from the Supreme Eunuch stopped their charge and formed the encirclement halted their charge and formed an encirclement, while only those with outstanding martial prowess stepped forward.

In the meantime, Jin Hayeon noticed Il-mok chewing his lip in anxiety and spoke, "We may not hold a candle to your valor, Left Guardian, but if you are truly that worried, we will join the battle in your place. Please wait here in safety, Left Guardian."

Beside her, his other three maids were also looking at Il-mok with determined eyes.

Seeing that, Il-mok forced down a sigh and relented. "I'll leave it to you, then."

The women bowed their heads to Il-mok once before leaping off toward the place where the battle was now breaking out in earnest.

Seeing Il-mok continue to stare at the battlefield with an anxious expression, Zhuge Mun spoke to him. "While fighting on the frontlines is certainly important, setting the stage is just as crucial. In that sense, it is safe to say that you, Left Guardian, have designed more than half of this very grand stage. So why not sit back now and watch how the stage you set plays out from a strategist's point of view, Left Guardian?"

Zhuge Mun wasn't just offering empty flattery.

In fact, it was because he was the Chief Strategist that he understood just how much Il-mok had accomplished in this war.

He wasn’t talking about Il-mok’s merit at the frontline.

Uncovering Supreme Eunuch's design on the martial world, the diplomatic skill to mediate the famously obstinate Orthodox Faction and the equally hard-headed Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and finally, the feat of killing the Divine Monk that had thrown the tide of the war into chaos.

It was genuinely mind-bending to think of how just one individual could drastically influence this massive war where hundreds of thousands of troops clashed.

Hearing Zhuge Mun's advice, Il-mok thought it over for a moment before asking a question of his own.

"You must have watched over the battlefield like this all the time, Head of the Zhuge Family, so let me ask. Weren't you ever anxious?"

"Hahaha. I'd be a liar if I said I never broke a sweat. Even when I knew in 99% certainty that the odds are with us, reality has a funny habit of giving a middle finger to our plan.”

Having said that, Zhuge Mun grinned and added, "But every once in a while, when things go exactly the way I pictured them in my head and when everything unfolds perfectly according to the board I laid out, the euphoria I feel in those moments simply cannot be compared to anything else. Hahaha."

Zhuge Mun pointed his fan toward the battlefield. "Look. Look at the stage this one, and you have set it together. Doesn't it look like everything is falling perfectly into place? Even with you sitting out, our side is winning."

With his anxiety slightly alleviated, Il-mok calmly surveyed the battlefield.

The elite masters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were fighting the Central Military Commander, along with the Commander and Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Meanwhile, Wi Jin-hak, Beggar King, Hwangbo Ak, and Taoist Master Cheongmok were pressing a joint attack on the Supreme Eunuch.

The very man who'd schemed to annihilate the martial world was now the one receiving the combined justice from the hands of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the martial artists of the Central Plains.

Just then, the Supreme Eunuch swung his flexible sword at Wi Jin-hak.

The moment the impact forced Wi Jin-hak to step back, the passive Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord appeared out of nowhere.

He stepped out of the shadow not to help Wi Jin-hak. Rather, he stepped out to attack the Emperor standing nearby.

"You bastard!!!"

Startled, the Supreme Eunuch abandoned his follow-up attack on Wi Jin-hak and instead lunged to protect the Emperor.

As if he'd been waiting precisely for this moment, Seo Wan-pyeong cancelled his concealment and drove his sword straight through the Supreme Eunuch’s forearm.

Slash.

Il-mok found himself nodding without meaning to.

'The Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord really does think differently.'

To think he’d target the Emperor instead of the Supreme Eunuch. Maybe it was because he had spent decades serving and protecting the previous Heavenly Demon and the current Cult Leader, his perspective as a martial artist was fundamentally different from that of ordinary people.

Seeing first blood drawn on the monster who had effortlessly tanked their combined assault, the morale of the Orthodox Faction and Demonic Cult masters skyrocketed.

To make matters worse for the Supreme Eunuch, the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord and Seo Wan-pyeong went back into hiding and kept targeting the Emperor once in a while, causing the Supreme Eunuch’s rhythm to fall into disarray.

As he watched the scene unfold, Il-mok could feel the last traces of unease inside him slowly fading away.

A chuckle slipped out of him.

‘...Have I seriously been under pressure this whole time?’

Come to think of it, he'd never really been an ambitious and serious man to begin with.

He'd always preferred doing the bare minimum and enjoying his free time.

He had never wanted a life where he dragged himself to a battlefield half dead just to try and save even one more person.

But the endless battles raging on every front had completely rewired his brain. He had been suffocating under the crushing burden of knowing that someone else would die if he so much as took a breather.

'I see. I've worked more than enough by now, so it is finally okay for me to rest a little.’

Once the unease was completely gone, the tension weighing down his body eased, and his heart felt far more at peace.

Il-mok turned his head slightly and looked at Zhuge Mun.

'While I was busting my ass out on the front lines, this guy was over here enjoying something this good all by himself.'

A new goal formed in his mind.

Now that the war would be over soon, he decided he was going to spend the rest of his life as a lazy armchair strategist.

Just then, a fierce explosion rang out from the battlefield.

BOOM!!!

When he turned his head, Il-mok saw Supreme Eunuch looking like a mess. He was whipping his sword left and right like a madman while furiously shielding the Emperor.

Faced with the desperate frenzy of a man whose time was running out, those assaulting him together were forced to retreat for a brief moment.

In that fleeting opening, the madman's bloodshot eyes landed squarely on Il-mok.

"IL-MOK!! I WILL DRAG YOU TO HELL WITH ME!!!!"

It was the furious howl of a madman who had finally laid eyes on the sworn enemy that had ruined his grand design.

Fitting for a eunuch who'd reached such a lofty realm, his killing intent could be felt like a sharp sting even from quite a distance.

"Wow."

Il-mok let out a wry laugh and joked, “So scary~”