The Demonic Cult was a group that worshipped power above all else.
The reason why the cult mbers worshipped the leader was, after all, because the leader possessed overwhelming power.
That's why the leader had to be the strongest in the Demonic Cult.
This was sothing that had not changed since the Demonic Cult was founded.
'Ranking...'
A group that worshipped power. Accordingly, a ranking naturally ca to be established within the Demonic Cult.
Because power could be said to be a clearer standard than any other factor in dividing the ranking.
Of course, Hong Yeorin was an exception, but if it were the Demonic Cult of the distant past, Hong Yeorin's ranking would have been lower than that of the gatekeepers who were guarding the gate outside.
'In the past, the Finance Hall did not have as much power as it does now.'
In particular, at that ti, the ideology of worshipping power was more deeply rooted than now.
However, as the Demonic Cult's power gradually grew, that ideology naturally weakened.
Because this world is not all about power, right?
Although it could be said that power occupied a considerable part, if one were to live purely by that alone, there would be no difference from a beast.
In particular, as the power grew, other parts beca more important than power in the Demonic Cult, and among them, they ca to realize that money was especially needed to run a group.
So in modern tis, the power that the Finance Hall had had beco quite large, but since the root of the Demonic Cult was, after all, in the ideology of worshipping power, the culture of dividing the ranking also remained until now.
"..."
But Cheon Jin was now saying that he would divide the ranking.
As far as he knew, there was no particular ranking among the disciples.
If there was a ranking, it could be said that he and Cheon Seong, who inherited Cheon Jin's blood, were a little superior to those five.
So Cheon Myeong was not very pleased with Cheon Jin's words that he would re-establish the ranking.
'On what basis is he going to decide?'
That was also not certain yet.
He's not going to tell them to fight each other in this place, is he?
And in a simple way like the one who survives there becos the first in rank...
"..."
Although it was an absurd thod, he thought that if it were Cheon Jin, he might really order them to do so.
As he had said before, the minimum condition to beco the leader was to beco the strongest in the Demonic Cult.
So in this place, the thod of deciding the first in rank who would beco the future young leader could be said to be a general flow of confirming each other's power.
'If it really becos such a flow...'
He and Cheon Seong would surely be targeted by those five first.
If so, no matter how much it was him, he would not be able to handle all of them.
If he did not want another's child to beco the young leader, Cheon Jin would not make such a foolish choice.
Of course, looking at his behavior until now, he and Cheon Seong had been treated as abandoned children, more than other's children... but still, he wouldn't really do that, would he?
Cheon Myeong held his breath and waited for Cheon Jin's words.
"Leader."
At that mont, a person who was cautiously calling Cheon Jin.
It was Jin Jaseong, whom Cheon Myeong had t at the Najin branch on his way to the main headquarters.
"May I ask you one question?"
"Speak."
"Thank you."
Jin Jaseong raised his bowed head and said to Cheon Jin again.
"Will the person who becos the first in rank in this place beco the young leader of this cult?"
Although his tone was polite, the content of his question was quite sharp.
The content of the question that Jin Jaseong had just asked Cheon Jin was a part that could be said to be sensitive to everyone in this place.
Since their goal was, after all, to beco the young leader of this cult, that part could be said to be the most important.
"That is not it."
"..."
"Even if the ranking is decided in this place, it can be changed later."
"By that, you an... the rules of the Demonic Position Battle will also be applied to us?"
Cheon Myeong also knew about the Demonic Position Battle that Jin Jaseong had just ntioned.
Because that tradition still existed in the Demonic Cult even after a hundred years.
"That's right."
"..."
There were two ways to raise one's ranking in the Demonic Cult.
One was for a person with a higher ranking than oneself to die, and for one's ranking to naturally rise.
Since this was a case where one's ranking rose due to an external factor, it was a thod that was not recomnded for those who wanted to raise their ranking even a little faster.
And the thod recomnded for such people was the second thod, the Demonic Position Battle.
'The Demonic Position Battle... I had roughly expected it.'
The Demonic Position Battle was, simply put, a duel over each other's ranking.
If the one with the lower ranking were to win against the one with the higher ranking, the ranking of the two would be imdiately reversed.
The ranking was a part that could be said to be power and at the sa ti pride for a cult mber.
Since the Demonic Position Battle was a fight where that was reversed in an instant, even if one were to take the opponent's life in the process, one could not be held responsible for the cri.
Of course, if people with low rankings were to fight, there were almost no casualties, but as the ranking got higher, the stakes beca higher, so the probability of casualties beca higher.
'This will also be the case.'
If the seven people here were to have a Demonic Position Battle, the probability of casualties would naturally be high.
Because what was at stake in that fight could be said to be not just the ranking, but the position of the young leader.
Since it would lead to becoming the second-in-command, and further, the first-in-command of the Demonic Cult, anyone would fight with their life on the line.
And that was the sa for Cheon Myeong.
"However, the rules will be a little different from the existing Demonic Position Battle."
"...?"
"The Demonic Position Battle can be held at any ti. However, if a day is designated by mutual agreent, you must fight in front of ."
Basically, the Demonic Position Battle could only be challenged once a year, on a day designated by the leader.
Although it felt like an annual event in a way, if such a rule were not set, wouldn't it be possible for a bloody battle to take place all day long in the Demonic Cult?
Cheon Myeong knew that this was sothing that had actually happened in the past, so such a rule had been made.
"And only the first in rank must accept the challenge if they are challenged."
"...!"
The rule that one must unconditionally accept the challenge... this was also different from the rules of the existing Demonic Position Battle.
The original rule was that if one were to be challenged by soone with a lower ranking than oneself, one could refuse.
Of course, since the challenge was made by calling out the na in a public place where many people were gathered, if one were to avoid the challenge, the stigma of having run away in fear of the opponent would remain, so there were not many cases where one would refuse, but still, there was no such thing as having to accept it forcibly like this.
'This must be right.'
This was, after all, a fight over the position of the young leader.
So if the first in rank were to keep refusing the challenge, wouldn't that guy eventually beco the young leader?
If it were Cheon Myeong, it seed that he would do so even if he were to beco the first in rank in this place now.
'Pride? To hell with it.'
If he could beco the young leader without having to fight unnecessarily, he would naturally choose that, so why would he choose a difficult path?
However, since Cheon Jin was adding a new rule, Cheon Myeong did not want to beco the first in rank in this place now.
Because from the mont he beca the first in rank, the guys below him would rush at him like a pack of wolves.
The wise thod was to wait for the right ti and then fight the first in rank and win when the other guys were tired.
And Cheon Myeong was naturally planning to choose that thod, and for that, he must not beco the first in rank in this place.
'Well, there's no way I'll beco the first in rank.'
Although he didn't know what thod Cheon Jin was planning to use to decide the ranking in this place now, wouldn't it be a matter of deliberately lowering his ranking?
Anyway, he just had to not beco the first.
If he were to set his mind to it and try to do that, it wouldn't be impossible.
"..."
As Cheon Jin stated the newly changed rules, the atmosphere changed.
He could hear it. The sound of people racking their brains now.
Perhaps a guy who could think a little would be thinking similarly to him, but a lacking guy like Jang Hyeon would now be thinking only of unconditionally becoming the first in rank.
Thanks to that, he would be able to comfortably not beco the first, so he wished there were more guys like that.
"Is there anything else to ask?"
At that mont, Cheon Jin asked Jin Jaseong.
"No. Thank you for answering."
Saying that, Jin Jaseong, who was stepping back.
Cheon Jin looked down at the people silently and then opened his mouth again.
"Then from now on, I will decide the ranking."
"..."
A quiet tension flowed.
'Now, how will he decide the ranking?'
A fight? Or sothing like a bug ticket or a lottery?
Whatever it was, Cheon Myeong was confident that he would not beco the first in rank.
However, Cheon Jin's following words completely missed Cheon Myeong's expectation.
"Then I will announce it."
"...?"
"Seventh in rank."
"W-wait a minute, please!"
Cheon Myeong shouted in a hurried voice.
To be rude to Cheon Jin not once, but twice.
Although people thought that a storm might rage from Cheon Jin again, Cheon Jin maintained an expressionless face and said.
"What is it?"
"To announce it... does that an that our ranking has already been decided?"
"That's right."
"...What is the standard, by any chance?"
"I decided it."
"..."
So... does that an that he decided it on his own whim?
This was unexpected.
To think that Cheon Jin would decide the ranking in a way that he could not do anything about.
'No, no matter how much he is the leader, can he decide such an important matter on his own whim...'
...It doesn't matter.
Rather, he felt like a fool for having thought that Cheon Jin would decide the ranking in a fair way.
"You look like you have a complaint."
Cheon Jin asked Cheon Myeong.
Of course, he had a complaint about that thod, but how could he say that he had a complaint?
Cheon Myeong had no choice but to hide his inner thoughts and lie.
"No. I was just curious."
"Has your question been answered?"
"...Thank you for answering."
Cheon Myeong said and stepped back.
'It's okay.'
No matter how much Cheon Jin had decided on his own whim, there would be no possibility of him becoming the first in rank.
Yes, there was no way that he, who had been treated as a lacking person, would beco the first in rank.
If one were to think about it logically, this was a problem that he did not have to worry about from the beginning.
"Then I will continue."
"..."
"Seventh in rank. Cheon Seong."
Cheon Seong... yes.
No matter how much Cheon Seong had improved, compared to the guys here, his skills were on the lower side.
Of course, he could perform the Mad Dragon Single Strike Slash to the extent that he would not be inferior, but that was all.
Since it could not be said that he could win a fight with just that, if one were to go by the order of skill, the seventh in rank would be appropriate.
'Next is , right?'
Although Cheon Jin had noticed his skills to so extent, he would not know all of it.
What he had shown Cheon Jin until now was appropriate for the sixth in rank in this place.
"Sixth in rank. Jang Hyeon."
Uh...?
Why is he calling that gangster's na instead of mine?
'It's still okay. I just have to not beco the first! Just not the first!'
With that thought, Cheon Myeong continued to wait for his na to be called.
However, for so reason, there was no sign of Cheon Myeong's na coming out of Cheon Jin's mouth, and in the end, until the third in rank was announced, Cheon Myeong could not hear his own na.
'This... is dangerous.'
The only people whose nas had not been called were him and Jin Jaseong.
That ant that one of the two would beco the first in rank.
'Yes... second! Second is also okay! As long as I don't beco the first in rank...'
"Second in rank. Jin Jaseong."
"..."
"First in rank. Cheon Myeong."
"..."
"That is all."
...Damn it.
This was the first ti he had felt so bad after becoming the first.
(End of Chapter)
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