My Alter Ego's Path to Greatness

A sword, heavy with an unprecedented force, sliced through space. Dark red scales met the attack.

Screech! Slash—!

A gruesome tearing sound and a spray of blood. Scales, tough as armor, were ripped apart, his arm mangled, several fingers severed.

"Kahahaha! This is getting exciting!"

It was a grievous injury, enough to send an ordinary person into shock, but Harley charged deeper, laughing maniacally, unfazed by his own blood, like a beast driven by madness, refusing to yield. But each of his movements was more refined and efficient than before.

KABOOM!

His claws, enveloped in a crimson aura, clashed head-on with the demonic sword, which seemed to contain the darkness of the entire world. The air screamed, and the surroundings shattered from the impact.

The two figures, their faces contorted in savage grins, stared into each other's eyes.

"Gah! This should be enough to put you down. You're one tough bastard!"

"You should be the one saying that, you monster… Even for a yokai, this is excessive. Just what are you? The Dragon God's offspring?"

"Kahaha! Who knows? Maybe I just eat a lot of nutritious food?"

"A yokai of your level wouldn't be acting alone. Should I consider this the will of the entire Golden Island? You should have stayed hidden, you monsters. You're just hastening your demise."

The Heavenly Demon, parrying Harley's claws with his demonic sword, growled. A subtle twitch in Harley's lips betrayed his interest in the information contained within the confident words.

'Golden Island?'

His eyes gleamed. His opponent seemed certain he was part of that faction…

'So that's it. There really was an organization of yokai.'

And it seemed to be a large faction, encompassing most of the yokai. It was information he hadn't encountered during his time in Ganghwange, despite the extensive research conducted with the help of the Zhuge Clan, a prestigious family, in addition to his data collection on Earth.

'No, perhaps the Zhuge Clan knew. Judging by his words, the Golden Island hasn't been active for a long time.'

The information he had requested from the Zhuge Clan was focused on the currently dominant factions in each region. It was impossible to investigate every single group in this vast land.

'Good, more things to investigate. Golden Island…'

Regardless of how he would utilize this information later, his current response was already decided.

"Kahahaha! Did you think we would just sit back and watch?! We will not tolerate your schemes!"

"You're dreaming. It's too late for your futile struggles. Our plan is already in motion."

He had simply improvised, playing along, but he gained another piece of information. Whether it was confidence from the supposed irreversibility of their plan, or an assumption that he already knew…

'…So, the Demonic Cult's scheme isn't just this attack?'

It seemed the Society Master's plans for Ganghwange didn't end with stealing the Dragon Heart and disrupting the Qi veins.

A sense of unease began to creep up on him. He couldn't afford to be complacent.

'…I need to invest more resources here.'

Just as he decided to adjust his plans and take a more proactive approach…

"Amitabha— Patron Heavenly Demon, don't forget about this old monk."

…Master Wujin of the Shaolin Temple, who had briefly retreated to recover, rejoined the battle, intensifying the fight.

Rumble—

A pure and heavy Buddhist energy emanated from the old monk, his robes billowing, his remaining arm secured, clashing with the Heavenly Demon's demonic Qi.

While his strength had waned and he had lost an arm, Harley's relentless attacks, even at the cost of his own body, allowed Master Wujin to focus on his attacks.

"So annoying…"

The Heavenly Demon's frown deepened. This wasn't how he had planned things. Everything had gone wrong since that yokai appeared. He slashed at Harley, who was clinging to him, and glanced at the overall battlefield. Things weren't going smoothly there either.

"Graaah—! Come at me, you Demonic Cult bastards! I am the Mad… Demon… Ugh, aaaargh! You bastards! Die! Die!"

"Block him!"

Crack— KABOOM—!

A madman, seemingly venting his frustration, was rampaging through the Demonic Cult's ranks. It was a reckless act, inviting death, but the problem was that the madman was a peak Transcendent Realm expert. No one here, except for the Heavenly Demon and the One-Eyed Demon Sword, could match him. While the Demonic Cult also had Transcendent Realm experts and techniques to disrupt internal energy, it wouldn't last…

"Now's our chance! Push forward!"

The orthodox martial artists seized the opportunity. They were seasoned fighters, not sheltered flowers, honed in countless battles.

'This is bad.'

The Heavenly Demon calmly assessed the situation. This was the Shaolin Temple, the heart of the Buddhist sects. Naturally, it was filled with Buddhist formations and spells. While he had gained an advantage through his surprise attack and meticulous preparations, it was disadvantageous for him, a demon, to stay in this place for too long.

["Cult Leader, we have secured the Dragon Child."]

And just as he was leaning towards retreat, a message from his subordinate arrived.

["The transport unit has evaded the Golden Buddha and left the battlefield."]

They had achieved their main objective. The Heavenly Demon nodded slowly and looked around. Master Wujin, blocking his way and attacking relentlessly, and the mysterious yokai who had appeared out of nowhere and disrupted his plans. His gaze shifted past them, towards the chaotic battlefield, and landed on a single figure.

A young man, fighting against multiple demons, disrupting his plans.

An otherworlder.

"Haa…"

He sighed softly. This was the first major operation since the Heavenly Demon Cult's resurgence. He had planned to secure the Dragon Child and eliminate the leaders of the orthodox factions in one fell swoop…

'Things don't always go as planned. This is disappointing, but it can't be helped.'

While his plans had been disrupted, this was just a side objective. Eliminating that yokai with his abnormal regenerative abilities would take too long, and his sect would suffer heavy losses in the process. It wasn't a good option, considering the upcoming plan.

"Very well. I'll end this here."

His voice, filled with an overwhelming pressure, echoed through the battlefield.

And then…

…the Demonic Cult members, who had been attacking relentlessly, stopped and retreated in an orderly formation.

"Don't pursue them! Maintain formation!"

"Stay alert and tend to the wounded!"

The orthodox martial artists, wary of a trap, raised their weapons, but the retreating Demonic Cult members ignored them. A tense silence filled the battlefield.

"Consider this a greeting. You were better than I expected. Worthy of the Murim Alliance's name, even in your weakened state."

The Heavenly Demon's voice boomed, cutting off another of Harley's arms.

"Of course, you would have been finished if it weren't for the interference… But consider it luck. I wonder how long it will last."

He glanced at Harley, who was reattaching his severed arm. A grotesque sight.

"Heh— Be grateful you're still alive. We'll see how long that lasts. Heh—"

With those cryptic parting words, he glanced at Hugo one last time and ascended into the sky.

And the Demonic Cult forces retreated like a receding tide.

"…Haa."

"Haa… haa…"

But the survivors couldn't pursue them. They had been caught up in the heat of battle, but now, they could see the devastation around them.

"Ugh—"

"H… Help…"

"…"

The wounded, the exhausted, and…

…the dead.

They had survived, but no one felt victorious.

"Hurry!"

"Where are the healers?!"

They quickly began tending to the casualties and assessing the damage. No one was unscathed. Most were injured, many seriously. …Though it was better than being dead.

But among the casualties, there was one who wasn't injured, dead, or even wounded.

A commotion arose among the Shaolin elders, and several monks began moving.

Zhu Gangin, the imperial descendant, who had been staying at the Shaolin Temple.

He was the only one missing.

And while not technically missing, another person had vanished shortly after the battle…

"Where did that bastard go?!"

The former Mad Demon, Mok Ingwang, shouted, feeling awkward and abandoned.

On a mountain peak, far from the Shaolin Temple…

"Tsk."

…the Heavenly Demon spat out bloody saliva. He hadn't suffered any significant injuries during the battle, but using divine power, a foreign substance in this world, had taken its toll. Of course, it was a small price to pay for its effects.

"So, you followed me here. You want to finish this, then."

He massaged the back of his neck and turned around. The yokai, who had been a thorn in his side, stood there, arms crossed.

"Pahaha! That's right! I don't like leaving things unfinished!"

"Do you think I retreated because I was losing?"

The Heavenly Demon chuckled at his brazen response. He wouldn't have retreated if the battle wasn't within the Shaolin Temple, or if he didn't care about his subordinates' losses. He would have also taken the head of that annoyingly resilient monk.

"You've come to your own grave. Fine, if that's what you want. I'll eliminate you here and now."

He drew his demonic sword. He had intentionally led his opponent here, knowing he was being followed. He couldn't let the yokai's pursuit render his subordinates' sacrifices meaningless.

"Kahaha! Hold on, buddy! I'm not stupid enough to attack you alone after being beaten like that!"

The Heavenly Demon paused, about to attack. Even his seemingly mindless opponent wouldn't be foolish enough to challenge him alone. But no matter who he brought, no one in this world could defeat him…

Chill—

Suddenly…

…something triggered his instincts. A familiar yet strange energy.

'…Demonic Qi?'

His face hardened, and he slowly turned his head. And then he saw him.

A cold-looking middle-aged man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a short, dark beard, a twisted smile on his face.

"Heh— You're the Heavenly Demon."

"…Who are you?"

The man's mere presence seemed to freeze the surrounding space. The Heavenly Demon's lips twitched. The demonic Qi he radiated was familiar…

'No, wait. It's different. That's…'

…but his instincts screamed, his hair standing on end. He hadn't felt this sensation since inheriting the title of Heavenly Demon… no, there was one other time…

'…Fear? Fear? Me?'

He gritted his teeth and glared at the man, immediately rejecting the thought. He was just tense, facing an unexpected opponent. It was natural to be wary of someone so powerful.

"Who am I… Hmm, I suppose an introduction is in order. Heh heh."

The man chuckled, seemingly oblivious to his reaction. A chilling laughter echoed through the tense silence. He spoke again just as the Heavenly Demon's patience was wearing thin.

"I am the ruler of all demons—"

The Heavenly Demon's grip on his sword tightened.

"—the despair that spreads fear upon the land—"

His gaze was fixated on his opponent.

"—the harbinger of the world's end—"

The man's eyes narrowed, his lips twisting into a smile, a strange disconnect in his expression. Time seemed to freeze.

"—I am the Demon King."

And so, before the self-proclaimed Demon of the Heavens…

…the King of Demons descended.