Chapter 41 – In This World, I’m the Best at That
It took exactly three days to reach the Main Hall. We rode on horses, while the children from the Cradle rode wolves.
You’d expect a panic if wolves were brought into populated areas, but in the Main Hall, even the maids doing chores were at least Second-rate martial artists.
The children of the Main Hall were often trained in martial arts before they could even walk and typically moved around with escorts.
Unless it was a tiger, a wolf wasn’t much of a threat.
“Besides, Cho-ryang’s control over them is insane—even though he doesn’t know any proper martial arts.”
The alpha wolf treated Cho-ryang like a parent. Because of that, his influence and control over the entire pack was astonishing.
Just a frown from him and the wolves would whimper and back away. They weren’t wolves anymore—they were puppies.
Even the giant wolf he paid special attention to was no exception.
“Maybe he’s one of those gifted types too...”
In Return of the Murim, the One-Eyed Beast Master, Cho-ryang’s arc wasn’t particularly spotlighted.
It was mostly mentioned in passing, as something that had already happened.
And by the time the protagonist got involved, Cho-ryang had already died—technically, he'd self-destructed.
“Information only I know... comforting, in a way.”
Still, I couldn’t shake the tension. The Main Hall wasn’t like anywhere else. It was a place where monsters wore human skin.
A space ruled by the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The Main Hall was located partway up the colossal Ten Thousand Peaks, accessed by climbing a long stairway called the Ascension Steps.
The stairs were five meters wide, with clear streams running through the artificial canals on both sides.
Halfway up the impossibly tall mountain sat the buildings of the Main Hall. Unlike the charming buildings we had seen so far, these ones were imposing and grand at a glance.
There was no uniformity to the architecture—Some were modern-looking high-rise buildings you’d never expect in this world, while others were low, single-story structures.
Some compounds weren’t even walled with stone or brick, but metal.
Well, that made sense.
These were the residences of the Six Demon Families, each with wildly different characteristics.
“If Sado’s house is considered normal, maybe we’re the sane ones…”
At least we didn’t have guys who ran around getting struck by lightning or drinking oil instead of water.
We were just your average “orthodox demon cultists,” if that was even a thing.
Looking further up the Ascension Steps, there was a building at the summit that looked like a cross between a palace and a temple.
Its design blended Eastern and Western styles in perfect harmony—it was almost mystical.
The Heavenly Demon Palace.
The residence of the Heavenly Demon, the supreme leader of all cultists. It was also a place I would eventually need to reach.
To become the Heavenly Demon?
Of course not.
The current Heavenly Demon was the most powerful being in the Return of the Murim universe.
Even if he had his flaws now, at full strength, not even the Sword Saint could stand against him.
If I went against him now, I’d be dead in under a second—maybe before I even realized it.
No, I planned to go to the Heavenly Demon Palace for a different reason: to survive.
Within its innermost chamber was the Heavenly Demon Vault—
A treasure repository containing the most valuable artifacts of the cult.
Even the Poison Blood Demon Sword, once stolen by the Tang Clan, was temporarily stored there.
To survive in this monster-filled cult as someone who couldn’t even use martial arts, I needed gear.
Just some examples I remembered: Boots that let you hover in the air, or a rope that ties up a target just by pointing at them.
I may wear the skin of Sado Hwan, but my soul is a modern Korean.
And if a Korean character has bad stats? We find a workaround. That’s our grit.
Anyway, the one good thing is that my relationship with the Heavenly Demon—well, with Sado Hwan’s—isn’t bad.
“We’re almost there, Captain.”
Tak Horak spoke from beside me.
“Are you not happy to be home after so long?”
He was beaming. For cultists, the Main Hall was more than just home—it was sacred.
I didn’t respond. I just kept walking. Of course, I didn’t use lightfoot techniques.
Ascending the Ascension Steps was traditionally done without martial arts—out of respect for the Heavenly Demon at the top.
Unless it was a battle, using internal energy here was frowned upon.
Not that anyone followed the rule. Using martial arts would take five minutes, but walking up took over an hour.
Still, thanks to my cultivated image of noblesse oblige, no one questioned me walking.
After quite a climb, I finally stepped onto the soil of the Main Hall.
And that’s when I noticed—Some people were waiting for me. They stood with the sun behind them.
Thump.
My heart skipped a beat.
Their shadows stretched toward me ominously, like they were trying to swallow me whole.
I waited until my eyes adjusted to the light. Then I looked up. There was one man who stood out among them.
He didn’t radiate overwhelming power. In fact, he looked the opposite. Thin, almost fragile arms, rough skin, dark circles under his eyes—a weak appearance.
He was even leaning against a wheelchair.
But his eyes—His eyes burned with intensity. So sharp that you couldn’t treat him lightly. That alone created a suffocating atmosphere.
He was Sado Hwan’s older brother.
The real brain behind the Sado Family. A man with a face eerily similar to what Sado Hwan might look like ten years from now.
The most troublesome villain of the early-mid arc of Return of the Murim: Sado-gwang.
“Hmm…?”
“What the...?”
“Shh.”
I stayed calm, but the children from the Cradle flinched in surprise. If Cho-ryang hadn’t warned them, someone might’ve blurted out what they were thinking.
Cripple.
Sado-gwang had damaged his dantian while training, making him unable to even stand properly.
In the cult, cripples were typically abandoned in the Sixth Demon Territory. Useless people had no place here.
Everything here was decided by strength. Even if you were of the noblest bloodline, without martial power, you were nothing.
But Sado-gwang?
Despite his crippled body, he had carved out a place in the Main Hall—No, he ran the Sado family from the shadows.
He stared at me in silence. As I felt my throat tighten—
[B-brother!]
Skybreaker trembled.
Though he was trapped in a sword and had no body, I could still sense his emotions through his voice.
Up to now, he’d been full of excitement—hopeful to return home, eager to see the brother he admired.
But I felt it. The fear in his voice when he called out “brother.”
I knew what had happened. I knew the entire lore of Return of the Murim.
Skybreaker had been gaslit by Sado-gwang for decades.
“You’re worthless. You’re nothing without me.”
“A weapon is only valuable when sheathed. Never draw attention.”
“Remember, you only have worth when you remain unseen.”
That’s why Skybreaker, for all his flashy talk, was still just a child inside. He never had the space to grow. He only followed orders, walked the path laid out for him.
A sudden rage surged in me.
That feeling—When someone else scolds your subordinate and it pisses you off, even if you do it yourself.
No matter how full of himself Skybreaker was, he was my comrade. The only one in this world who knew my secret.
And in that anger, I realized something—
When did I start being so afraid?
Since arriving in this world, it had never not been a crisis. Every day was a gamble with my life.I’d even defeated a golem immune to internal energy—Sure, it was a trick, but still.
The important part? I’m still alive.
This guy? Just one of many threats I’ll have to face. And there’ll be even bigger ones down the line.
Thinking that…yeah, it was kind of depressing.
But I shook it off.
The point is—I don’t have to be scared right now.
And with that clarity, I looked up. I started seeing things I hadn’t noticed in my fear.
Sado-gwang was standing with the sun at his back—on slightly higher ground. It made it hard to look at him directly.
A familiar tactic. Creating pressure by manipulating perspective. Like how I posed like a master to fake presence.
“So he’s performing. Putting on a show right in front of me.”
No surprise there. This was the man who created the fake rank of Black Shadow Corps Vice-Captain, ranked 23rd.
He’d studied how to look like a master. But now? That overwhelming presence deflated like a balloon in my mind.
Of course it did.
Showmanship? Acting? That’s my specialty. In this world, I’m the best at it.
At least in this world.
Sado-gwang may be a genius, but acting theory doesn’t even exist here.
I’m a real actor. A professional. And not just trained—I learned from countless works, actors, and directors in my world.
He’s just one genius. I’ve studied many. He’s trying to show off in front of a moth at the fire. It’s almost cute.
And with that thought—my heart calmed.
Still, I had to play along.He was probably nearing the limit of his patience.
[Hurry up! Greet him! Say something already!]
Right on cue, Skybreaker urged me.
“Brother, sorry for the late greeting. I’ve returned.”
Sado-gwang stared at me. Waiting for me to sweat.
“I-I’m sorry. I was overwhelmed by the emotion of being home again…”
Hearing that, he smiled faintly.
“I see. You’ve returned. Was it your first time out in the world? Was it hard?”
“No, it was fine!”
“Good. Come closer. Let me take a better look.”
He gestured. I stepped forward. I had a strong body, but no internal energy. He, sitting in a wheelchair, had to look up at me. His mouth twitched ever so slightly.
[What are you doing? Bow already!]
I obeyed, bowing. He reached out and touched my cheek. His hand was rough—more like sandpaper than skin.
“You look worn. Let’s talk more after we return.”
Tap.
He lightly tapped my cheek. To others, it might look like affection between family.
And most of the others smiled warmly—except Saweol.
[See? Brother’s kind...]
No, he’s not.
That was a warning.
Don’t test him.
[See? He’s amazing. You get it now, don’t you? He’s not what you thought he was.]
Poor Skybreaker…He was still completely gaslit. But I had no such illusions.
I was going to eliminate Sado-gwang.