My Alter Ego's Path to Greatness

The attack on the Murim Alliance gathering by the Demonic Cult, and the presence of their leader, the Heavenly Demon, were completely unexpected. So was the fact that the Heavenly Demon could wield the Society Master's divine power, suggesting a close relationship between them.

'Even though it was all unexpected… it's not a bad development.'

He had another objective besides gathering Karma in this world: to dismantle the Society Master's schemes. And he had just encountered a key figure.

'I can't let him go. Even if it means changing my plans.'

Plans changed with the situation. While Hans hadn't intended to act so drastically, he wouldn't miss this opportunity. And the result was this:

Rumble—!

The Heavenly Demon, trapped within a dark, abyss-like barrier, rampaged, unleashing a torrent of demonic Qi. He frowned at the Awakened undead, the Abyss Revenants, swarming him from all directions.

"What are these jiangshi? Even Heavenly Jiangshi aren't this strong! Damn it!"

The carefully crafted undead were not only powerful but also unaffected by dimensional boundaries, thanks to being created from Awakened from Earth. And as evident from Hans's past actions, most of them were the Heavenly Wealth Society members he had encountered on Earth…

"Heavenly Demon! Why are you here…? You should have returned to Earth…!"

…and among them was a familiar face. He hadn't recognized him immediately, as his features were darkened, but his martial arts and other characteristics were unmistakable.

The Heavenly Demon himself had recruited and trained the Heavenly Demon, supporting him in the early stages of his arrival in Ganghwange. They were practically master and disciple. And now, his former disciple, whom he had sent back to Earth with regret, was standing before him as a jiangshi…

"…You're not just ordinary yokai. You came from Earth, wielding the power of another world? How is that possible?"

The Heavenly Demon finally accepted the reality and gritted his teeth. This wasn't a trivial matter. Even the Earthlings he had encountered during the Shaolin Temple raid were insignificant compared to this.

His gaze, sharp and dangerous, fixated on the middle-aged man, Hans, who was observing the scene from a distance with an intrigued expression. He hadn't been certain before, but now he knew. Despite his human appearance, he wasn't human, just like that mad barbarian yokai.

No, he wasn't even alive.

'I almost fell for it. An ordinary being couldn't wield such dense death energy so easily.'

It wasn't just demonic Qi; it was a power closer to the essence of death itself. Even he, who had accumulated high-purity demonic Qi through the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, had never seen such pure energy. He felt a sense of awe, despite facing an enemy.

'But how did they cross the dimensional barrier? They're not like that brat from the Shaolin Temple, with mere potential. They've already reached their peak in another world. For two such beings to invade this world…!'

He couldn't be certain that these two were the only ones. There could be three, four, or even more, lurking somewhere in this world.

And that wasn't good.

'At a time like this! Just as I began my plan and started gathering the Dragon Children!'

A variable appearing right after he launched his plan, after overcoming the Golden Island's interference. It felt like a cruel twist of fate, and he cursed the heavens. It was hypocritical, considering he was the one who betrayed the world first, but he couldn't afford to be objective.

"Kahahaha! Let's have some fun, buddy!"

A monster, no longer human, charged towards him. A grotesque creature, four meters tall, covered in dark red scales, armed with claws and teeth as sharp as divine weapons, its mismatched red and green eyes gleaming.

"You've grown bold, haven't you, you impudent monster? Very well, I'll show you what I'm capable of. I'll tear you limb from limb and rip out your guts."

A demonic Qi, mixed with sunset-colored divine power, erupted from the Heavenly Demon. Such unholy power shouldn't be compatible with divine power, but it blended seamlessly, amplifying his aura, far more powerful than when he used it against Harley and Master Wujin at the Shaolin Temple. He no longer cared about the aftereffects. This wasn't the time to hold back.

"Ruler of all demons, you say? How arrogant."

The Heavenly Demon spoke amidst the surging energy storm, suppressing the unease creeping into his heart.

"I am the fourteenth Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Heavenly Demon. The undisputed strongest in the current Murim, standing alone at the pinnacle of this world. Do you think I, who ascended to the heavens and became a demon, would kneel before a mongrel from another world?!"

His words, unusually heavy, were filled with a forced conviction, as if he was trying to convince himself.

KABOOM—!

Harley's expression twisted as he clashed with the dark sword Qi erupting from the Heavenly Demon's sword. Even in his transformed state, his usually tough body couldn't completely withstand the power of the demonic Qi mixed with divine power. And his opponent was no longer holding back.

"Ascended to the heavens and became a demon…"

Hans, observing the battle through his 「Eyes of the Abyss」, muttered, a subtle smile appearing on his lips.

"Heh heh— Let's see who's truly arrogant."

His laughter held a hint of something sinister. A condescending gaze, as if looking down at a struggling insect.

"Well, the outcome is already decided. Kehhaha!"

Goooo—

A chilling laughter, followed by a resonating hum as the dark magic power within the barrier fluctuated wildly. Like a ghostly wail from a graveyard, a funeral march for someone's demise.

Woong— Whoosh— Crackle!

A massive magic circle, originating from Hans, began to engulf the space. Infernal flames and a chilling cold, close to absolute zero, materialized in the air, multiplying rapidly. Lightning crackled, gravity fluctuated, black, hand-like shadows flickered on the ground, and a sharp wind howled.

A spectacle of otherworldly mysteries. But it wasn't a pleasant sight for the one on the receiving end.

"…This is bullshit."

And naturally…

…even the Heavenly Demon, the strongest in Ganghwange, couldn't overcome the combined assault of the Immortal King, who had once brought an entire continent to the brink of destruction, and the War King, a legend of the southern tribes. They were enemies in Auterica, members of opposing factions, but in Ganghwange, they were perfect allies.

Cough!

Dark, discolored blood flowed from his mouth, forming a small puddle.

The Heavenly Demon wiped his hand and calmly looked around. The shattered remains of countless jiangshi, destroyed by his attacks, were being absorbed by the abyss-like space. Some of them would probably regenerate and attack him again.

'…It's over. How did this happen?'

But those insignificant pawns weren't his concern.

"Heh~ This gets the blood pumping! It's been a while since I had such a good fight! Hahaha!"

The barbarian berserker, Harley, his body as battered as his own, laughed heartily.

"This is quite interesting. The correlation between divine power and demonic Qi. And…"

And Hans, the black mage, surrounded by undead and magic, muttered to himself. While he appeared vulnerable, the Heavenly Demon knew. The moment he tried anything, they would resume their attack without hesitation.

'…I had a bad feeling.'

He looked at Hans. He now understood why his instincts had screamed when Hans appeared. Like Harley, he was a terrible matchup, even worse than the barbarian.

'Nothing works. He's my natural enemy.'

The greatest strength of demonic Qi was its lethality, especially against living beings. It was enough to instill fear in even the strongest martial artists… but it had no effect on Hans. He was an undead, already filled with dark magic and death energy.

And the divine power he had used at great cost was also ineffective. He didn't know the reason, but it was because Hans had absorbed the divine power, mixed with the Society Master's essence and karma, during their previous battle. He had gained resistance to the Society Master's power. He didn't know how effective it would be against the Society Master himself, but it was enough to neutralize the indirect influence of his power.

'This is ridiculous.'

The Heavenly Demon sighed. He was reaching his limit, his battered body unable to handle the strain of using divine power. He could feel death approaching. This brief respite would be his last.

He felt a strange sense of melancholy.

'It's been a long time.'

Seventy years had passed since he arrived in Ganghwange. With the Society Master's support, he had risen to the position of Heavenly Demon, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. He was about to become the absolute ruler of this world…

'And yet, everything fell apart right before the final stage.'

He recalled the Society Master's sudden visit over twenty years ago. A divine being, with wings of light, descending from the heavens. The one who had caused this world's downfall, and his benefactor.

He hadn't felt any resentment while following the Society Master's plan, according to their initial contract. It was clear that he would become the ruler of this world, and he hadn't imagined the seemingly perfect plan of that awe-inspiring superhuman would go awry.

'I didn't expect there would be others like him.'

He felt his strength fading and looked up. A monstrous being, its massive body a grotesque collection of inhuman parts, and a middle-aged man, approaching him, surrounded by undead and a sticky, black aura. They were nothing like the Society Master, who had appeared as a divine angel.

"Hmm, giving up already? Sooner than expected. It seems your divine power was more focused on enhancement than recovery. Good data."

"Haa— You came prepared. I wonder if I could have escaped if I had prioritized it from the start."

"Heh heh, perhaps? We're not planning to let you go either. This isn't all we have."

"…Tsk, I'm screwed."

The Heavenly Demon closed his eyes as countless hands and black chains erupted from the ground, binding him. He suddenly felt a longing for his homeland. He thought he had abandoned Earth, a place that had only brought him pain, but now, facing his end, it was all he could think about.

Grab—

A hand, clad in a leather glove, grabbed his head.

And—

"…The Dragon Child and the Golden Island. I should contact them."

—the ambitious man who dreamed of ruling Ganghwange as the Society Master's pawn fell into the abyss.