Absolute Regression

I couldn’t say anything for a moment.

It was a silence of surprise, and a silence of joy. Those words meant that he had lost the bet.

“Watch out! You’re about to step on ants!”

I flinched and almost stepped on an ant.

I couldn’t tell why he was letting me win. Maybe it was because of the relationship we had built up over time, or because of Jindok Geosa from the Unorthodox Alliance, whom he disapproved of. Perhaps it was because of that boy who had lost his family. Or maybe it was because of the poison ants marching in a line right now.

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

“Poison King!”

I rushed forward and hugged the Poison King. I hugged him with all my strength. 1

“Thank you, truly, thank you.”

The Poison King suddenly shook one of his cute(?) poison pouches that hung from his waist in front of my face.

“Want to die? Get off me!” 2

“Yes!”

I quickly let go.

The Poison King stood up and spoke.

“Let’s go. Go bark, and then let’s go to the Cult Leader.”

He intended to act on it immediately.

“Poison King, I’ll bark in your place.”

“You?”

“You’ve granted me this so readily; I should repay you. I’ve only learned from you up until now, haven’t I?”

“You’d really bark in my place?”

“Yes.”

The Poison King smiled at my sincere reply.

“Aren’t you smiling a bit too brightly?”

“I’ve turned from a dog to a human; shouldn’t I be happy?”

“Let’s go.”

We had to move quickly before I changed my mind.

We went straight to the Grand Martial Arena.

“Please wait here from a distance. I’ll go and bark boldly.”

As I was about to head to the arena, the Poison King grabbed me.

“Stay here. I’ll bark. I’m not someone who breaks promises.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Are you then? You could become the Heavenly Demon.”

“You said you wouldn’t ever support me, even if you died?”

“I won’t.”

Our gazes intertwined in the empty air. His face still looked young, but his eyes were deep. He wouldn’t support me, yet he worried about me becoming the Heavenly Demon. This was the true nature of the Poison King. 3

“I’ll bark. You stay.”

The Poison King, who hated even stepping outside the main gate of the Thousand Poisons Forest, began to walk toward the arena.

As I watched him, I added a new principle to my life.

Never judge anyone’s world rashly.

Look people straight in the eye, say what needs to be said without delay, and never judge anyone recklessly. I was adding new principles to my life, one by one. 4

As the Poison King appeared, every gaze in the vicinity immediately focused on him. He hadn’t made any grand gestures, yet he naturally commanded attention. The presence of the Demon Supreme was beginning to assert itself.

The demonic cultivators were taken aback. The Poison King, whose face was rarely seen, had appeared in the center of the Grand Martial Arena.

People stopped in their tracks, and even those at the windows leaned out to get a better look. Gradually, a crowd began to form around him. Among them were some who were seeing the Poison King for the first time.

At first, many approached with disbelief, wondering, ‘Who’s that kid? He looks so young?’ Then, belatedly realizing who he was, they quickly covered their noses and mouths and retreated far back.

The Poison King waited for as many people as possible to gather. He could have barked quickly when there were only a few around and claimed that he had kept his promise, but he didn’t. He was a man among men—just a man who preferred not to step outside. 5

News of his presence spread, and more people flocked to the scene.

Among them was Jangho, the Commander of the Demonic Army. Jangho, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, looked as reliable as ever. I greeted him with a nod, and from afar, he respectfully bowed his head.

Seo Daeryong, with the investigators from the Underworld Pavilion, and even the Enforcement Martial Artists came rushing out upon hearing the news. Seo Daeryong, with a surprised expression, sent me a telepathic message.

—Leader, what’s going on?

—We’re off to reveal the mastermind.

—What? What do you mean?

—Remember what you said at the brothel where the incident happened? That you wanted to uncover why this happened.”

—I did.

—We’re on our way to uncover it.

—At the Martial Arena?

—Yes, this is where it begins.

Seo Daeryong looked puzzled, but I offered no further explanation.

The Grand Martial Arena became bustling with people. All eyes were on the Poison King. Whether it was the Poison King who spoke to snakes with a youthful face, the Poison King who would get lost in thought while gazing at venomous insects, or the Poison King who would draw cute pictures on his poison pouches, he stood there unflinchingly, unfazed by the countless gazes of demonic cultivators.

Everyone knew. If the Poison King, standing here now, decided to kill everyone present, and if the twelve poison pouches hanging from his waist were to be opened, no one would survive. Every trace of their existence would be annihilated.

When the Poison King felt that enough people had gathered, he raised his hand. Instantly, the murmurs quieted.

In that moment, with so many people holding their breath—

The Poison King let out a loud barking sound. 6

Everyone was stunned. They had never imagined that the Poison King would gather people just to bark like a dog. Some were so shocked that they ran away, thinking the Poison King had lost his mind and was about to release his poisons.

And at that moment, another shout echoed through the place.

“A tiger father has a dog son!”

Of course, the one who shouted that was me. As I walked toward the Poison King, I also barked loudly like a dog.

The Poison King gave me a look that clearly asked, ‘What are you doing?’

How could I let him bark alone?

“Let’s bark together.”

“No! You shouldn’t—”

“It’s alright.”

I gave him a confident smile. It was a smile of self-assurance, knowing that something like this would never undermine the dignity of the future Heavenly Demon.

But this wasn’t about dignity. It was about my friendship with the Poison King and showing my gratitude. I wouldn’t let him bark alone.

For the second time, I barked first.

The Poison King looked at me with an expression that said he couldn’t understand me at all. But he couldn’t hide the smile forming on his lips.

I would get closer to the Poison King. So that when I eventually revealed, “I am the One Immune to All Poisons!” his face would show nothing but joy. That was my goal. It wasn’t an easy goal since the Poison King and the One Immune to All Poisons were natural enemies.

We barked together.

And if we were going to bark, we did it like wolves—long, very long, and grandly. We weren’t just any dogs; we weren’t some village mutts but loyal hounds of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult! We were hellhounds that tore into evil.

The onlookers murmured. Everyone wondered what was going on, but no one dared to laugh at us.

Then, right at that moment, someone among the crowd began to bark along with us.

It was Seo Daeryong. As Seo Daeryong barked, the investigators from the Underworld Pavilion followed suit, and then the Enforcement Martial Artists joined in. The Poison Fangs started barking, and Jangho barked as well. When the Commander of the Demonic Army barked, everyone was surprised, and the loyal demonic soldiers started barking too after looking at him bewilderedly.

Other demonic cultivators followed suit. In an instant, the Grand Martial Arena turned into a complete circus.

Together, we barked five times in unison amidst the chaos.

Barking alongside everyone like this was far more exhilarating than simply watching the Poison King lose the bet. 7

* * *

After turning the place into utter chaos, the Poison King and I entered the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. 8

Before stepping through the doors, the Poison King took out and swallowed several pills.

“What are you taking?”

I received an unexpected answer.

“They’re to calm my nerves.”

I asked him, bewildered.

“You didn’t take them when you were barking in front of all those people?”

“This is ten times more nerve-wracking than standing in the arena. I’m not going to meet the Cult Leader; I’m going to defy him.”

Father was certain that the Poison King would never fall for me. Yet, since he had fallen so completely, it was fair to say we were beyond defiance and well into outright confrontation.

“Besides, the Cult Leader hates me.”

“It’s because my father is a martial artist to his very core; he tends to dismiss anything that isn’t traditional. But he hates poison techniques, not the Poison King himself. My father often gets misunderstood for things like this.” 9

“I’m not looking for sympathy.”

“It’s not sympathy. Think about it. If Father truly disliked you, would he have agreed to this bet? Would the Poison King ever engage in such an important wager with someone he genuinely despises?”

The Poison King didn’t counter that; it seemed to make some sense to him.

“And what if Father dislikes you a bit? We all live with some resentment now and then.”

“That’s when they’ll take you away without a trace.”

“Don’t worry. Even if the other Demon Supremes are thrown into a pot and boiled, the Poison King won’t be.”

“Because they can’t eat me due to the poison?” 10

“No. Without the Poison King, the Murim Alliance would immediately invade.”

“You don’t have to flatter me to get on my good side. I’ll keep my promise regardless.”

“I refuse. I’ll keep flattering you. The gratitude I feel today will last forever.”

“You’re saying this knowing I might not survive today, aren’t you?”

We entered the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

We walked side by side down the Path of Blood toward my father.

It seemed Father had already heard about our barking at the Grand Martial Arena. The atmosphere was solemn and cold.

After greeting him respectfully, the Poison King looked my father in the eye and spoke courteously.

“Cult Leader, please grant the Young Master Mugeuk’s request.”

My father glared fiercely at the Poison King as he spoke.

“You were the one I trusted the most.”

The Poison King looked troubled.

“I apologize.”

“What exactly swayed you?”

Father asked with an expression of genuine curiosity.

The Poison King seemed to ponder his response for a moment before speaking.

“It was Young Master’s mourning that moved me.”

Both Father and I were taken aback by his unexpected words.

“Many died in this incident. I was moved by his sorrow for those unknown individuals.”

I had no idea the Poison King felt this way. I thought it wasn’t the case, but he had listened to everything and had thought deeply about it.

“I believe that from how someone mourns for others, you can see who they truly are.” 11

The Poison King, who had been trembling outside the door, now spoke confidently before my father.

Father’s gaze turned to me.

“Are you happy?”

“I feel like I could fly. For the first time, the Demon Supremes supported me, and I actually accomplished something. This will be a day I’ll never forget.”

I expressed my joy honestly.

In truth, all of this was thanks to my father. His sharp rebuke.

‘How open is your world?’

With that single line, I realized that the Poison King’s world wasn’t as closed as I had thought. In reality, it wasn’t closed at all. If he had truly lived in a closed world, he wouldn’t have barked at the arena, nor would he be standing here now. I was the one who had viewed him through a narrow lens.

It’s all thanks to my father.

But I didn’t say that here and now. This was the moment to let Father have his chance to be angry.

I believed this: at least half of my father’s heart wanted me to succeed. I chose to believe that. I’m sure of it.

As always, Father kept his promise.

“Alright. I grant your request.”

I immediately bowed deeply on the spot.

“Thank you, Father.”

I knew it wasn’t an easy decision for him. And that meant I had to handle this matter well.

“You made this request because you’re confident you can handle it without leaving evidence that we were involved, right?”

“Yes, I will do my utmost.”

“Effort alone won’t be enough. You must handle it so that there’s no trace that we did it.”

We had to deal with Yaryuhan, the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Alliance, and his four key subordinates without letting it be traced back to us.

It was a nearly impossible task, but I responded with determination.

“Yes! I’ll make sure of it.”

The Demon Supremes had all stepped up to secure this permission, the Evil Smiling Demon had risked his life, and the Poison King had barked at the arena.

I had to pull it off—perfectly.

Father had already returned to his usual self. He wasn’t the type to look back once he made a decision. He didn’t dwell on things.

“Who will you take with you?”

“I’ll go with the Evil Smiling Demon.”

“Two might not be enough. Three would be safer.”

At that moment, the Poison King looked as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Father’s gaze turned to the Poison King.

“You’re to go with them and assist.”

“No, Cult Leader! I can’t!” The Poison King jumped in protest, looking horrified.

“You can’t?” Father asked quietly.

“No, I can! I can!” The Poison King quickly corrected himself.

Father had a look on his face as if to say, ‘So you’re just going to cave in that easily? Enjoy the consequences, then.’ I stand corrected—Father is someone who holds grudges.

Father rose from his seat.

“Poison King, listen.”

As Father revealed the aura of the Heavenly Demon, the Poison King bowed respectfully.

“Yes, Cult Leader.”

“From this moment, you are permitted to use the Twelve Deadly Poisons.”

“I humbly accept your command.”

The Poison King’s signature poisons, the Twelve Deadly Poisons, required Father’s explicit permission to be used. This was a testament to how fearsome the Poison King’s poisons were.

After respectfully bowing to Father, the Poison King and I left the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

“You said you were nervous, but you spoke even better than I did.”

“It’s all thanks to the drugs.”

The Poison King sighed deeply, as if the ground beneath him would give way. He hated even leaving the Thousand Poisons Forest, yet now he was headed out into the Central Plains.

“The outside of the Thousand Poisons Forest is too dangerous!”

“In reality, Poison King, you’re the most dangerous one out there.”

The Poison King glared at me, his eyes practically saying this was all my fault.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”

“I’m not going. I refuse.”

“Yes. I’ll go with Soma. Please hide well in the Thousand Poisons Forest.”

“If I do that, I’ll really get taken away.”

The Poison King grumbled irritably about the whole situation.

“If I go out, I’ll kill everyone. I’ll stop by every village and wipe them out. Don’t think I can’t do it.”

He truly seemed like he didn’t want to go out at all.

“Given who we’re up against, it seems you’re worried about me. Seeing that the cult is deploying its greatest secret weapon.”

“That’s not nearly enough comfort—no, it’s not!”

With slumped shoulders, the Poison King trudged toward the Thousand Poisons Forest.

I called out to him.

“We’ll be setting off as soon as possible, so please be ready. Thank you for everything today!”

In response, the Poison King walked off, barking as he went. He was like an angry dog, clearly furious.

Watching his retreating figure with a smile, I turned my steps toward the Valley of Wicked.

---

1 : *New trope added : The Glomp*

2 : What a Tsundere ^ ^

3 : The same neutrality as So Yeonrang.

4 : Living means constantly learning and revising your opinions.

5 : A fellow NEET !!! So nice ^ ^

6 : Wan Wan !! (Japanese dog barking SFX)

7 : The power of cooperative madness ^ ^ But yeah, the more experiences he shares with the low members of the cult, no matter how crazy they are, the more popularity he’ll gain. Better to have a leader who play jokes besides you, than a ruthless one who extinguishes his bloodline.

8 : More like swaggered their way in XDXDXD

9 : He’s a shounen protagonist, the type who run head on in every fights without ever learning XDXDXD

10 : “Yes, it makes you too sour and spicy.”

11 : True, someone who just wants the inheritance against someone who genuinely regrets the departure of a loved one ; their mourning is very different.

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