The activation condition for the ‘Demon-Slaying Judge’s’ [Hour of Judgement] was simple.

「Obtain the support of the constellations in the same channel.」

The important point here was that not all the ‘constellations in the same channel’ needed to agree.

Unlike the ‘Evil-Slaying Judge’s’ [Hour of Judgement], which would not activate if even a single constellation of the ‘absolute good’ type opposed it, the ‘Demon-Slaying Judge’s’ [Hour of Judgement] could activate as long as even a single constellation agreed.

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation (Acting)’ has agreed to the activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’.]

In other words, even if there was only one constellation in the channel who agreed, [Hour of Judgement] could still be activated.

[Constellation, ‘Rat Who Brings Plague’ opposes the activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’!]
[Constellation, ‘Snake Who Cuts Off Its Tail’ opposes the activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’!]
[Constellation, ‘Dog Who Threw Its Body into the Flames’ opposes the activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’!]

As expected, there was opposition from the small fry. But opposition was useless.

What were they going to do when I had agreed.

[‘Hour of Judgement’ is activating!]
[Constellation, ‘Rat Who Brings Plague’ glares with bulging eyes!]
[Constellation, ‘Snake Who Cuts Off Its Tail’ cannot hide their bewilderment.]

Seeing the constellations’ horrified reactions felt good, but in truth, the situation wasn’t all that favorable for us.

「The three great Judge traits all share the common point of borrowing Plausibility from ‘constellations’.」

The Judge carried out judgement on behalf of the constellations’ will, and the constellations paid Plausibility befitting that.

The problem lay in that very Plausibility.

[Currently, only one constellation in this channel has agreed to ‘Hour of Judgement’.]
[Plausibility is insufficient.]
[The activation level of ‘Hour of Judgement’ is low.]

Because it was easy to activate [Hour of Judgement] for the ‘Demon-Slaying Judge’, the effect of the skill varied greatly depending on the tier and number of constellations who agreed.

In short, right now Jung Heewon could only borrow Plausibility equivalent to that of the ‘Demon King of Salvation (Acting)’.

Tzutz, tzutzuzut.

Surely it wasn’t going to end before we even had a proper fight?

The higher-grade demonfolk holding ‘Moon Halberd’—‘Master of the Spear’—grabbed my incarnation body by the collar and muttered.

[How interesting. To think there would be an incarnation with the ‘Judge’ trait.]

Toward that bastard, I spoke through Jung Heewon’s mouth.

“The Gourmet Association’s standards have really fallen. I can’t believe they’re accepting small-fry Great Personage-grade types like you into the ‘Gourmet Association’.”

[Small fry?]

Judging by his expression, I’d hit his reverse scale dead-on.

Naturally. In reality, these guys weren’t so much the mainline ‘Gourmet Association’ as the ones who took all their subcontract work.

In other words, these were the bastards who secured things like the 「Heart of a 10th-Circle Archmage」 or 「Right Arm of Some Pitiful Swordmaster」 for the ‘Gourmet Association’ to feast on.

[A brat without even a backer constellation dares―]

“Are you looking down on the Demon King of Salvation?”

Without hesitation, I put strength into my back foot. As expected of a body born a natural swordsman, the movement of the muscles was extraordinary.

The distance closed in an instant, and ‘Master of the Spear’ gave an order as if it were a hassle.

[Block it.]

The two higher-grade demonfolk who had been loitering in the back stepped forward as if they’d been waiting for the command.

[Master of the Spear. Did you just give me an order?]
[I was already planning to eat that one myself!]

One of them, judging from the pouch of throwing weapons, was the classic assassin type.

The other, judging from the battle gauntlets they wore, was a martial artist type.

The one who moved first was the assassin. Puffing out his cheeks like a frog, he spewed a greenish poisonous mist, turning the surroundings into a marshland.

[Higher-grade demonfolk, ‘Filth Addict’ activates ‘Pollution Zone Lv.10’!]

Filth Addict.

So this guy was here too.

This constellation was originally one of those who’d stalked Yu Joonghyuk in the middle rounds of ‘Annihilation Method’.

His combat logic was to lay down a pollution zone to restrict his opponent’s movement, then fire hypertoxic needles to subdue them.

[You look like you’ll be fun to squeeze!]

He liked to hunt prey with the least possible wounds; he had the twisted hobby of wringing out freshly captured prey and consuming the contents.

Fortunately, there was a scene in ‘Annihilation Method’ where Yu Joonghyuk subdued this bastard.

Explained in Yu Joonghyuk’s way, the method went like this.

「One, use protruding tree trunks as footholds and don’t step on the ‘Pollution Zone’.」

Yu Joonghyuk’s ‘battle textbook’ was too much for Cheon Inho to follow.

But what about for ‘Jung Heewon’?

[You’re a quick one!]

The moment I leaped into the air to avoid the pollution zone, the bastard spit something out from his mouth again.

「Two, avoid the ‘Hypertoxic Needles’ flying at you in midair.」

Just one hit and your combat ability would be cut in half for ten minutes. It was the core technique that allowed the low-combat Filth Addict to hold his position as a constellation.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Wind’s Path’!]

Naturally, it didn’t work on me.

The moment the shocked Filth Addict’s eyes bulged, I twisted in midair, accelerated, and swung my sword at ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) him.

[Pathetic fool. Fall back!]

The one who blocked the sword was the martial artist-type higher-grade demonfolk, stepping in at the very last instant.

[Higher-grade demonfolk, ‘Fist-and-Kick Daoist’ is releasing his tier!]

Fist-and-Kick Daoist.

Like ‘Master of the Spear’, he was a constellation from <First Murim>.

「Once one of the twenty top experts of <First Murim>, he sold his sect and martial arts to the constellations and secured his position as a ‘constellation’.」

Seeing that he was still working as a subcontractor for the Gourmet Association, it seemed that even after becoming a constellation, the habits from his human days hadn’t changed.

[Brat, take this! This is the true ‘Hundred-Step Divine Fist’!]

Of course, that wasn’t [Hundred-Step Divine Fist]. The real Hundred-Step Divine Fist wasn’t that sloppy.

[Even the Heaven-Shattering Sword Star once knelt before this martial art!]

If the Heaven-Shattering Sword Star were here, that line would have gotten his head blown off on the spot.

But the Heaven-Shattering Sword Star wasn’t here, and the only ones who had to deal with this bastard were Jung Heewon and me.

Under the torrent of fist strikes that filled the space in an instant, I staggered backward, barely defending.

He was fast.

Even if the opponent was bound by scenario restrictions, a constellation was still a constellation. And he had once been one of the ‘twenty strongest’ of <First Murim>.

Still, it was doable.

With ‘Cheon Inho’s’ eyes, I hadn’t been able to track those trajectories at all, but now I could see them.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Swordsmanship Lv.10’!]

If you could see them, that meant that as long as your physical stats could keep up, there was a chance to counterattack.

Gooooo!

Jung Heewon’s [Swordsmanship], already brushing against the realm of transcendence, brimmed with sword energy. A talent that, had she been in <First Murim>, would undoubtedly have contended for the title of the world’s strongest, having grasped sword energy on her own.

The moment the careless Fist-and-Kick Daoist sucked in a breath, Jung Heewon and I were already right in front of his nose.

[What—]

The sharply flaring sword aura avoided his fists and painted brilliant trajectories.

[Kraaaaaah―!]

What I could do while [Hour of Judgement] lasted was to draw out every bit of Jung Heewon’s potential.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Demon Slayer Lv.10’!]

Red demonfire flickered at the corners of my vision, an explosive strength surging forth.

Gripping ‘Mikazuki Munechika’ in both hands, I swung and swung again.

From top to bottom. Then again from left to right.

[You little―!]

The complacent Fist-and-Kick Daoist’s wrist flew through the air.

Not missing the opening, I drove in close to his chest.

[Some constellations are aghast at incarnation ‘Jung Heewon’s’ combat power!]

The sound of flesh being torn.

Panicking, the Fist-and-Kick Daoist grabbed the blade of Mikazuki Munechika with one hand and poured out fist strikes with the other.

[How dare you!]

As long as I didn’t let go of the sword, there was nowhere to dodge. Just one hit and my body would explode on the spot.

Even so, I didn’t let go of the sword. I believed in Jung Heewon’s history.

[Activating exclusive trait, ‘Mad Butcher’!]

The indomitable trait that had put her among the ‘Top 100 of Annihilation Method’ activated.

Kududududud!

Even under the pouring barrage of fist strikes, Jung Heewon’s body did not break. The aura enveloping her body burned ever more fiercely.

The moment the Fist-and-Kick Daoist let out a monstrous scream, Jung Heewon’s sword moved once more. [Swordsmanship] and [Demon Slayer]. On top of that, a sword strike wrapped in the utility of [Hour of Judgement].

「“I have to get stronger.”」

Layered atop it was all the time Jung Heewon had built up until now.

「“I have to swing faster, stronger.”」

I could tell who Jung Heewon had in mind as she trained her sword.

It was the most beautiful single sword strike she had ever witnessed.

「“So I can protect you, Inho.”」

To catch up to that one sword strike, Jung Heewon had swung her sword again and again.

[H-how can a mere scenario human―]

Each and every sword strike she had swung gathered, and at last, at Jung Heewon’s fingertips, they came together into a single whole.

A realm a normal human could never reach. A wall that even Murim masters couldn’t overcome after training for hundreds of years.

That wall was crumbling before overwhelming talent.

「Transcendence Form, Stage 1.」

Swordsmanship created to break the Sword of the Overlord.

Her swordsmanship blossomed in splendid rays of light and cleaved the Fist-and-Kick Daoist’s incarnation body in half.

[Higher-grade demonfolk, ‘Fist-and-Kick Daoist’ has been killed!]
[Constellation, ‘Fist-and-Kick Daoist’ receives a terrible shock and withdraws from the scenario!]

It was something that shouldn’t have been possible.

Even if this was the Twentieth Scenario, for an incarnation without a backer constellation to achieve the feat of defeating an incarnation body possessed by a Great Personage-grade constellation.

[Constellations belonging to <Twelve Zodiac> are greatly shocked by incarnation ‘Jung Heewon’s’ martial strength!]
[Constellations belonging to the Gourmet Association are making interested expressions!]
[A constellation who has not yet revealed their modifiers is watching your battle.]
[You have received a sponsorship of 5,000 coins.]
[Incarnation ‘Jung Heewon’s’ battle is being leaked outside the ‘Recycling Center’ through the Administration Bureau!]

There was no time to be drunk on the joy of victory. Jung Heewon’s body was rapidly growing heavy.

[Plausibility is insufficient to maintain ‘Hour of Judgement’.]
[The backlash of ‘madness’ will begin shortly.]

Without resting, I swung my sword at the nearby Filth Addict.

There were two demonfolk left. While we could still move our body even a little, we had to eliminate the remaining bastards.

But sensing his comrade’s defeat, the Filth Addict was already running off into the distance.

[Damn it! No one told me there’d be that kind of monster here!]

Soon, only one remained.

[Pathetic. The title ‘Gourmet Association’ is wasted on you, Fist-and-Kick Daoist.]

Having watched my battle, ‘Master of the Spear’ stared at us with a chilly gaze, as if he hadn’t been particularly shaken.

And in the next moment, Master of the Spear’s figure vanished.

I reflexively swung my sword.

With a deep cracking sound, ‘Mikazuki Munechika’ broke.

The spear aura Master of the Spear had unleashed shattered Jung Heewon’s sword energy and met the blade of Mikazuki Munechika.

A follow-up of lightning-fast spear strikes came.

Frustrating as it was, ‘Master of the Spear’ was the real deal.

Unlike the Fist-and-Kick Daoist, who had sold his sect to the constellations and become a ‘constellation’, this bastard had truly built his achievements on his own skill.

Blood sprayed from my body, slashed all over in an instant.

[‘Hour of Judgement’ is ending.]

To make matters worse, [Hour of Judgement] ended as well.

Terrible pain radiated from every joint in my body. Now, just staying on my feet was all I could do.

Master of the Spear, as if he had already seized victory, was laughing.

[An astonishing talent. If you had trained another ten years, you might have been able to enjoy a fun match with this old man.]

“Give me one more minute and you’d be dead.”

This was enough.

We’d reduced the three higher-grade demonfolk to one. That was enough to call our objective achieved.

[For someone about to die, your mouth is all that’s alive.]

Master of the Spear’s eyes swept over Jung Heewon’s entire body, the one I was possessing.

[What an extremely desirable incarnation body. If you wish to live, I will grant you a chance. If you become my ‘incarnation body’….]

Master of the Spear’s expression froze in the middle of that sentence.

The reason was obvious.

The roar echoing from far away. Something was charging toward us, tearing up the forest path like a tank.

A pitch-black coat fluttering in the wind.

If Han Sooyoung were here, she would undoubtedly have said this.

「“■cking, definitely the protagonist.”」

Like a fox riding on the back of a tiger, I spoke in a triumphant voice toward the higher-grade demonfolk.

“One minute’s up, bastard.”

Panting for breath, Yu Joonghyuk’s eyes were looking this way.

It was obvious what he had seen and come running for.

He must have read the message on the ‘Standard Signal Flare’ I’d fired earlier.

「There’s a demon here who has your ‘spear’.」

‘Moon Halberd’ was the decisive weapon of 41st-round Yu Joonghyuk.

The fact that ‘Master of the Spear’ had obtained Moon Halberd was, from my perspective, a stroke of heaven-sent luck.

“Yu Joonghyuk! Over here!”

With all my strength, I shouted in Jung Heewon’s voice.

“Over here is the worst villain who stole your spear―”

Master of the Spear was a monster you normally must never face, but together with ‘41st-round’ Yu Joonghyuk, he was an opponent we could very much afford to fight.

If we calmly formed a formation and ground him down between the two of us―

“Yu Joonghyuk?”

But Yu Joonghyuk didn’t even spare me a glance; he was looking somewhere else.

If my backer constellation saw that expression, he would surely have said this.

「“That looks like the face you make when you go to buy dumplings and there aren’t any left.”」