The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns Chapter 149 : The Selection Begins (1)

A secluded forest.

There, Cheon Myeong stood alone, holding a sword.

A red sword ki flickered from the sword Cheon Myeong was holding, as if it were burning.

Compared to when he could first form a sword ki like this, it was a sight that could be called a remarkable improvent.

As if the sword ki had absorbed all the blood of the enemies he had cut down until now, the red, flickering sword ki was so eerie that just looking at it gave one the chills.

"..."

Cheon Myeong was holding a middle stance while maintaining his sword ki.

And a huge cliff was blocking Cheon Myeong's path.

The cliff, whose end could not be seen even when he raised his head, felt majestic just by looking at it.

At that mont, Cheon Myeong's sword ki began to fluctuate.

Although its montum was already great, it began to writhe as if it were alive, and in an instant, the sword ki's size and length beca much larger.

Cheon Myeong maintained the sword ki in that state and swung his sword towards the front.

As Cheon Myeong swung his sword, a powerful energy poured out from it.

The energy that was stretching towards the cliff split into several branches along the way, and its form finally disappeared only after colliding with the cliff with a loud roar.

"..."

Cheon Myeong silently looked at the direction he had swung his sword.

As if a giant beast had clawed at it, a clear scratch mark had appeared on the cliff.

No, the expression 'carved' would be more correct than 'scratched'.

A mark that seed as if it could easily cut a person's body in two had appeared there. And three of them at that.

"...Still a long way to go."

Cheon Myeong muttered and withdrew his sword ki.

The reason he had co all the way to this secluded mountain and swung his sword today was to train the Mad Dragon's Claw Mark Slash.

As you can see, if he tried to display it properly, he had no choice but to leave such a loud mark, so he couldn't easily show it in a place like a training ground.

So he hadn't been able to train properly usually, and he had set a day today and had co here to test it... but Cheon Myeong was not very pleased with the result.

'Cheon Jin, that guy's sword ki stretched out in five branches.'

In the past, Cheon Myeong had seen Cheon Jin's Mad Dragon's Claw Mark Slash with his own eyes.

He had unintentionally witnessed it when he had tried to act crazy and lie in front of Cheon Jin.

At that ti, a sword ki divided into five branches had stretched out from the sword strike Cheon Jin had swung.

Swish-

In contrast, only a mark divided into three branches could be seen from the sword strike Cheon Myeong had swung.

Moreover, compared to the mark Cheon Jin had left on the floor at that ti, it could be said to be quite shabby.

Although the size and depth seed similar at a glance, the stone material that made up the floor of the leader's inner hall could be said to be much harder compared to the cliff in front of him.

"..."

In the end, it ant that his current self was inferior to Cheon Jin in both the achievent and power of his swordsmanship.

Of course, although Cheon Myeong had co here thinking that it would be natural for now, as the difference was clearly visible, Cheon Myeong couldn't hide his bitter feelings.

'Cheon Jin, he is also a wall that I must overco soday.'

In order to achieve his goal, he should not be satisfied with this state.

Of course, although it could be said to be a sufficiently fast growth even now, it was still slow by Cheon Myeong's standards.

Had he been a little negligent in his own growth because he had been concentrating on expanding his own power recently?

'The most important thing is, by all ans, for to beco stronger.'

A house is strong only when the pillar that is its foundation is strong.

No matter how much he expanded his power, if he, who was the foundation, did not beco stronger than anyone else, the power he had painstakingly built up would collapse in an instant with a small shock.

Cheon Myeong once again recognized that fact in his mind and put his sword into its scabbard.

Swish-

At that mont, Cheon Myeong turned around with a sharpened gaze.

A human presence felt from between the bushes Cheon Myeong was looking at.

Cheon Myeong instinctively grabbed his sword and was wary of that side.

"Young Master!"

The person who appeared from the bushes, shouting, was Heo Cham.

Discovering Heo Cham, Cheon Myeong's gaze returned to normal.

The right hand that had been preparing to draw the sword at any ti also returned to its original position, and Cheon Myeong said.

"Why are you here?"

Cheon Myeong couldn't understand.

Wasn't today the day to pick the mbers of the Chunguidae?

Cheon Myeong couldn't understand why Heo Cham, who should be selecting the mbers even at this mont, was in a place like this.

"W-well... I think I need your help, Young Master."

"My help?"

"Yes."

"I decided to leave everything to you."

"Well... it seems I can't handle it alone..."

What on earth had happened that Heo Cham was talking like that?

He had told him to co find him if anything happened.

So he had told Heo Cham in advance that he would be in this vicinity this morning, but he hadn't paid much attention, thinking that Heo Cham would be able to do well on his own.

"What on earth happened?"

"I don't know what to say... a lot of people ca."

Then isn't that a good thing?

The more people gathered, the higher the possibility that there would be a talent among them, and in the first place, Cheon Myeong had raised the reputation of the Chunguidae for that purpose.

As if that wasn't enough, he had spread the rumor throughout the main headquarters for the past few days that the Chunguidae was recruiting mbers this morning.

Cheon Myeong said to Heo Cham as if he couldn't understand.

"Of course a lot of people should co. That way, we can pick out the useful guys from among them."

Guys with both skill and trustworthiness.

Since this was also a part he had discussed with Heo Cham in advance, Cheon Myeong had said so, but Heo Cham just said one thing with the sa expression as before.

"Co and see."

"...?"

"Then you'll know what the problem is."

If there were few, he would have naturally thought it was a problem, but for there to be a problem because there were many.

Until then, Cheon Myeong couldn't understand what the problem was.

***

It was a problem.

As Heo Cham had said, seeing it with his own eyes, Cheon Myeong could imdiately know what the problem was.

'What is this...'

Cheon Myeong couldn't close his mouth as he discovered the endless procession.

People sitting or standing on the ground along the procession.

Although it was a sight that could be mistaken for refugees from a distance, these were all people who were waiting to enlist in the Chunguidae today.

"..."

There is no end in sight.

The place where he was standing now was not even the starting point of the procession... The procession was so long that he couldn't see the end even when he stood on his tiptoes.

'Did I spread the rumor too diligently...'

Looking at the procession, Cheon Myeong suddenly had that thought.

If he had known they would gather like a pack of dogs, he would have just stayed still.

Looking at the endless procession, Cheon Myeong was regretting it belatedly.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to spread it so that even the ants in the main headquarters will hear the news."

Cheon Myeong suddenly rembered what Hong Yeorin had said a few days ago.

At that ti, he had just let it go, but thinking about it now, it seed he shouldn't have.

'It's a problem even if you do your job too well...'

He should have just told her to spread the rumor moderately.

If he had, not so many people would have gathered.

From now on, when he entrusted a job to Hong Yeorin, it seed that he needed to be clear about that part.

"Heo Cham."

"...Yes, Young Master."

"These guys. How many are there?"

"Well... I could count up to five hundred. After that, I also lost count."

Does that an there are at least five hundred people here?

As Cheon Myeong was thinking that in his mind, Heo Cham continued to speak as if he had reached a state of enlightennt.

"By the way, Young Master. Do you know what's scary?"

"...?"

"The number of people is still increasing even at this mont."

It's really scary.

Cheon Myeong sincerely thought that when he had heard those words just now, it felt scarier than when he had first t Cheon Jin.

"From what I hear, there are even people who have been lining up with their mats laid out since a few days ago..."

"...Really?"

"When I first heard that, I just thought it was a baseless rumor. But seeing this sight, I think it might have been true."

"..."

No, why go that far?

No matter how much the reputation of the Chunguidae had risen recently, did they want to enlist so desperately?

'Does that an my current evaluation has risen that much?'

If he thought of it that way, he felt a sense of pride... he had thought he could, but seeing the breathtaking sight unfolding in front of him, it seed he didn't even have the leisure for that.

'For now, I have to handle this situation.'

If he left it as it was, he didn't know where these refugees would go.

If he didn't handle it properly, there would surely be talk later.

Since the responsibility for this situation was, by all ans, his, he couldn't just pretend not to know.

"Heo Cham."

"Yes, Young Master."

"From now on, we will begin the selection as planned."

"...Will that be possible against this number of people?"

As an unexpected answer ca from Cheon Myeong's mouth, Heo Cham asked with puzzlent.

'Can the two of us, and the Young Master, select all these people?'

It seed impossible to finish it in one day.

So Heo Cham thought it would be wise to disperse those people today and set another day later to make a new plan.

"It's possible."

"..."

"Although it will be a little different from the original plan, it can't be helped."

As Cheon Myeong said that, Heo Cham did not make any rebuttal.

Until now, Cheon Myeong was a person who always had a plan that he had not thought of.

Heo Cham was sure that this ti too, as always, Cheon Myeong would show a surprising wit.

"I understand. Then what should I do from now on?"

"..."

As Heo Cham asked, Cheon Myeong maintained his silence for a mont. And he opened his mouth as if he had finished thinking.

"The Changcheon Training Ground will not be able to accommodate all these people now."

The Changcheon Training Ground was a training ground that Cheon Myeong had been assigned by Cheon Jin at the sa ti as he had established the Chunguidae.

In other words, since it was a training ground that could be used exclusively for the Chunguidae, the selection was also planned to be held there, but seeing the crowd that had gathered, it seed that it would be difficult to accommodate all of them.

"Heo Cham. Roughly speaking, how many people can the Changcheon Training Ground accommodate?"

"Roughly about a hundred. If we push it, two hundred is also possible, but..."

"Then we'll have to go with a hundred."

"...?"

Cheon Myeong said that and walked in front of the people.

Without giving Heo Cham a chance to stop him, Cheon Myeong released his concealnt and showed himself proudly in front of the people.

Naturally, as Cheon Myeong appeared, the surroundings instantly beca noisy.

"It's Young Master Cheon Myeong!"

"I've been waiting! I've been honing my skills for this day!"

"I ca with the resolve to sacrifice my life for you, Young Master!"

Along with the noise, the line was about to break.

However, at that mont.

Roar!

As Cheon Myeong shouted with his internal energy, the surroundings instantly beca quiet.

As Cheon Myeong's lion's roar reached even the people at the end of the line, the people stopped in their spots and continued to maintain their silence.

And as that state continued, Cheon Myeong spoke to the people again.

"The Chunguidae is a small elite unit. Therefore, in order to enter the Chunguidae, you must pass several selection processes!"

"...?"

A small elite force?

Since they had heard that for the first ti, the sa question arose on everyone's faces.

"In other words, I have no intention of accepting everyone here!"

"...!"

"If anyone is dissatisfied with that, they can go back right now!"

Although Cheon Myeong had said that sincerely, there was not a single person who was about to go back.

That was, in a way, natural.

Among the people in the line, there were also people who had been lining up since a few days ago.

So wouldn't it be unfair to just give up and go back?

In the first place, since most of the people here did not think that all the personnel could enlist in the Chunguidae, no one had any complaints about Cheon Myeong's words.

"...Is everyone okay with that?"

"..."

No answer was heard.

Silence was affirmation.

Watching them, Cheon Myeong smiled aningfully.

"Then, from now on, the selection will begin!"

(End of Chapter)