Chapter 32 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon and the Tavern (1)
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From the Heavenly Demon's perspective, Awakeners were like wandering ronin swordsmen drifting through the martial world.
They threw themselves into the battlefields called dungeons of their own accord, sometimes for their livelihood, sometimes for the missions they had taken on.
"You must have felt it this time too. That a life-or-death struggle sharpens a warrior's body and mind."
These were words the Heavenly Demon had spoken a few days ago to Kim Jihwan, an 8th Grade Awakener who had been living as a freelance porter.
But in reality, when they entered the dungeon, it was Nameless who had to brace for death, not the Heavenly Demon.
[Hea, Heavenly Demon, sir. Could you maybe give me a ride on your shoulder?]
Nameless, who had been leading the way in search of the exit, turned its head and spoke in an anxious voice.
[This dungeon is unpredictable. I don't know when or where a monster might pop out.]
"Walking without letting your guard down is basic discipline for any warrior. Complacency is forbidden."
[I'm just a nanobot, though...]
Ignoring Nameless's protest, the Heavenly Demon strolled along leisurely.
"How far is the exit?"
[Yes. Yes.]
Its battery was running low, and the exit was still nowhere in sight.
After madly groping through the darkness, a white light finally appeared before Nameless. The exit.
[I found it. Now that we've located the exit, there shouldn't be any major dangers ahead, Heavenly Demon, sir.]
Nameless's voice was faint and thin when it emerged from the rundown thatched-roof house-shaped dungeon, unlike before.
"Why does your voice sound so weak?"
[The calculations to find the exit this time were as taxing as analyzing new monster combat data and movements.]
The large sensor eye on the Heavenly Demon's shoulder, surrounded by Nameless's white light, gradually dimmed.
[Battery below 5%. May I switch to battery-saving mode? In saving mode, I can only provide alerts for emergencies.]
The Heavenly Demon looked at Nameless and nodded indifferently.
"Permission granted."
[Thank you.]
With that, a whirring sound followed, and the light in Nameless's eye vanished.
The Heavenly Demon opened the hip pouch with a click and carefully placed Nameless inside.
"You've worked hard."
Indeed, Nameless had suffered greatly this time.
To gather materials needed for the upcoming Divine Request—"Round Balloon Clover"—the Heavenly Demon had sought out a dungeon called the "House" in the southeast of the Safe Dungeon area.
This dungeon consisted of crumbling thatched-roof houses and was a labyrinth of countless vast rooms arranged like ordinary homes.
After untold hardships, they obtained the Round Balloon Clover at the dungeon's core, but the return path to the exit suddenly changed.
Thanks to that, Nameless had begun calculations to find the way out, barely succeeding after nearly a full day—but at the cost of depleting its battery.
"What happened?"
When the Heavenly Demon returned to the Complex Interior Design shop, Jang Chaewon stood there with a worried expression.
"You were out of contact all day. Were you in a dungeon the whole time?"
"That's right. The path changed suddenly as we tried to exit. So..."
After explaining the situation in detail, Jang Chaewon glanced at the hip pouch.
"I see. You must have had it rough."
"It was nothing."
"It's late, so head home. Put Nameless on the charging station as soon as you get there."
"Got it."
As the Heavenly Demon left the shop and walked toward the subway station, it suddenly stopped.
Nameless was asleep. With no one to scold him, he decided to skip the roundabout subway or bus and simply use lightness skill to return.
"Hmm."
Entering a sparsely populated alley between shops, the Heavenly Demon gathered his internal energy.
A faint wind seemed to stir at his toes, then whoosh—his body soared up onto the shop roofs.
Whoosh. Thud.
Repeating leaps and glides, the Heavenly Demon suddenly halted on a building's railing.
He had used lightness skill countless times before, but never against the backdrop of a night view from another world.
Countless lights below, people in unfamiliar attire, massive metal hulks moving ceaselessly.
It was a scene that made him wonder if he was dreaming.
"I see. It was I who was the anomaly."
This sense of alienation was something he had never felt before.
The Heavenly Demon finally realized he was an outsider who didn't belong in this world.
"Hmm."
As he gazed down, a nostalgic memory suddenly surfaced.
It was the memory of sneaking out of the Ten Thousand Demons Palace late at night to quietly sip a drink.
"Alcohol, huh."
The Heavenly Demon wasn't one to indulge in drink.
But when sentimental thoughts arose, the alcohol bugs in his gut would clamor—like right now.
Tap.
Descending from the building, the Heavenly Demon walked down an alley a bit removed from the bustling streets.
Drunkards stumbling out in droves indicated a decent tavern nearby. Clear evidence of a good spot.
"This must be it."
A wooden tavern came into the Heavenly Demon's view.
Nestled at the crooked end of the alley, this isolated tavern seemed to repel customers rather than invite them.
And the Heavenly Demon liked its stark, lonely atmosphere.
"'Old Soldier.'"
Looking up at the sign, he pushed open the door.
Creak.
With a squeak, the wooden interior came into view.
The place looked fairly spacious. A wooden bar counter stretched along the back, with about seven or eight cozy tables nestled between wooden pillars.
"..."
Perhaps because it was too early, the tavern was wrapped in silence.
Scanning the room, the Heavenly Demon sat at the inner bar counter.
"Just moved in nearby?"
An elderly man who seemed to be the owner stood at the bar.
With his white hair stylishly swept back, he looked at the Heavenly Demon and spoke first.
"Haven't seen your face before."
Instead of greeting a customer, he eyed him suspiciously, like a thief casing the place.
Undeterred by the old man's cold reception, the Heavenly Demon sat on the stool impassively.
"First time here."
"I figured."
Chucking softly to himself, the old man eyed the Heavenly Demon's fierce features and continued.
"Looks like you've had a rough day."
"No time to rest."
Nameless hadn't found an easy escape route, so they'd smashed through doors for half the way out.
"That's work for you."
Nodding as if understanding, the old man said,
"What'll you have?"
"What's available?"
"Anything. Got stuff strong enough to keep you down all day, or lighter fare."
The old man's words piqued the Heavenly Demon's interest.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he nodded.
"Then the strong stuff."
"Knew it."
The old man's smile creased his face with wrinkles.
Leaning down, he reached under the counter and began placing large bottles of strange liquids on top.
"First-timer, so I'll mix you something special."
The Heavenly Demon frowned at the bottles on the counter.
Odd liquids not found in ordinary shops. Then, spotting chunks in a transparent glass bottle, he raised an eyebrow.
"Giant Sweet Potato?"
The pieces in the bottle were Giant Sweet Potato.
Why was a dungeon ingredient, not sold commercially, in a place like this?
"Can't use a small glass for a big guy like you."
Eyeing the Heavenly Demon's massive build, the old man placed a large beer mug on the counter.
He mixed in the ingredients from the bottles, then opened a nozzle under the counter.
Gurgle.
Clear liquid filled the mug with a crisp sound.
The smell suggested something close to pure spirits—fiercely strong.
Thud.
Setting down the mug of clear liquor, the old man grinned.
"Give it a try. House special, Three Blessings Brew."
"Three Blessings Brew?"
"Means you get three blessings from it. Three advantages, you could say."
The old man spoke confidently.
"It's on another level from anything you've had."
The aroma from the clear glass already tickled the nose.
The Heavenly Demon lifted the mug and downed it in one go.
"Gah."
Even the strongest liquor wouldn't faze him, but a rich, hearty flavor poured from his mouth.
It burned down his throat like fire, igniting his gut.
"Three Blessings Brew, indeed."
Having drained the 1000cc mug, the Heavenly Demon set it down with a satisfied expression.
"I get the appeal."
"Already?"
"One sip feels like downing twenty shots at once—that explosive taste. No need for multiple glasses. First advantage."
The old man smiled in satisfaction at the Heavenly Demon's words.
"Want to guess the second?"
"Fine. Another round."
Thud. Silently regarding him, the old man mixed another Three Blessings Brew and set it down.
Gulp gulp. Downing it in one, the Heavenly Demon nodded.
"Good."
"Well? Second advantage?"
Thud. Setting down the glass, he nodded.
"One mug gets you buzzed just right... No need for drinking buddies. Second advantage."
The old man looked surprised.
Not just for nailing the second point, but for the glint in his eyes—a hue only lifelong solitude could forge.
"Right. One mug gets you nicely drunk—no buddies needed."
"But the third eludes me."
"Heh. If you'd guessed all three, I'd be mortified."
Muttering cryptically, the old man turned and went into the kitchen.
He returned with a steaming plate. Charcoal-grilled chicken skin skewers.
"Three Blessings Brew turns cheap snacks into heavenly delights. Third advantage."
Grinning, he pointed at the skewers.
"Go on."
The Heavenly Demon took one without hesitation.
"Fhew."
White steam rose as it hit his mouth. Too delicious for "cheap."
Just fresh chicken skin salted and grilled—how could it taste like this?
"The grilling skill is top-notch too."
Now he saw: the old man wasn't just a mixologist; his cooking was exceptional.
Swallowing the chicken skin, the Heavenly Demon said flatly,
"Nice place I found."
The old man's smiling eyes nearly vanished into slits.
He knew it was the highest praise the Heavenly Demon could give.
"Ah, there's a tavern here too."
Then the wooden door opened, and three young men entered.
"Order here!"
Unlike the dim, gloomy vibe, the youths were full of high spirits.
"Hong-ah."
The old man called toward the kitchen, and a woman with her hair tightly bound in a headscarf emerged.
Sharp-eyed and fierce for kitchen staff.
"Orders?"
Approaching their table, she asked. The youths snickered.
"Ooh, cute. You the part-timer?"
"My order's your number."
As their voices grew louder, the Heavenly Demon, about to bite into a skewer, turned his head.
Meeting his gaze, the old man smiled faintly.
"Youthful vigor's like that. Don't be too harsh."
It was a misunderstanding.
The Heavenly Demon rarely cared about others. He'd just turned at the noise.
"Hmm."
The woman at the table cleared her throat and said to the youths,
"Quit the racket and eat somewhere else."
The Heavenly Demon turned back with renewed interest.
She was attractive, sure, but those brash youths wouldn't listen.
'Feels like the martial world again.'
In the martial world, where fists flew before words, taverns and inns shattered constantly.
Tables splintered at a glance, so signs like "Martial artists politely declined" popped up everywhere.
"Yes, sorry."
But astonishingly, the youths bowed like obedient kids and left.
Watching intrigued, the Heavenly Demon's eyes gleamed.
He'd pierced the bizarre energy flowing from her massively dilated pupils.
'Hmm.'
Soon reverting to indifference, he drained the last of his Three Blessings Brew.
"Bill."
"Leaving already?"
"Early morning work."
As the Heavenly Demon stood and adjusted his hip pouch, the old man shook his head.
"No charge."
Frowning, the Heavenly Demon got a bright smile in return.
"Don't charge first-timers."
Eyeing the empty skewer plate, the old man added,
"Come back again instead."
"You're serious?"
His eyes narrowed appraisingly, but the old man folded his into crescents.
"Gotta have perks to keep regulars in a back-alley spot like this."
Most would demur and pay anyway.
But the Heavenly Demon snapped his pouch shut and nodded.
"Should've ordered more, then."
Far from refusing, he smacked his lips regretfully.
"Say that before the bill."
Grinning shamelessly at the old man, the Heavenly Demon turned and exited.
"Heh, where'd a guy like that pop from?"
Watching him leave with the same stride as arrival, the old man sighed.
"Not registered as an Awakener with that level of skill."
The headscarfed woman eyed him.
"Just a musclehead strength Awakener, no?"
"Tsk. Didn't you sense it?"
Clicking his tongue, the old man stared at the door.
"Strongest Awakener I've seen. Drank three mugs of Three Blessings Brew and still blocked my mental intrusion effortlessly."
He pointed at the three beer mugs on the table.
"Ordinary Awakeners lose mental defenses after one shot glass. He took three large mugs."
The woman felt a chill, like ice in her mouth.
The old man's mental manipulation was top-tier in the country.
Yet some nameless, hulking brute matched it?
"Maybe a mental ability user like you, sir?"
"Doubt it."
Sighing deeply, the old man shook his head gravely.
"If so, he's a master surpassing me."
"No way."
Lost in thought, the woman fell silent.
Then her eyes sparkled as she inhaled deeply.
"Or maybe not an Awakener at all."
"What do you mean?"
"Could be another race."
"A yo—yokai, you mean."
"Yes."
Few knew of their existence due to restrictions, but humans had coexisted with yokai since ancient times.
The Awakener Association had learned of these other beings mingling with humans—innately powerful ones they viewed with extreme caution.
"Heh heh."
Turning his gaze to empty air, the old man smiled hollowly.
"With monsters from other worlds popping up, no reason yokai couldn't."
"Should we add him to the watchlist?"
"Why?"
"Association sees variable dungeon escapees as no different—threatening unknowns."
"Could be. The unknown always breeds fear."
Recalling the association's sinister smiles in the shadows, the old man shook his head.
"I'm too old to meddle, but don't touch him."
"Pardon?"
"Yokai or human, leave him be."
Sighing as he gripped a rag, the old man added,
"If you want the Association intact."
* * *
Whoosh.
Using lightness skill, the Heavenly Demon returned to his rooftop room in a flash and smacked his lips.
Three Blessings Brew—even Awakeners couldn't handle it.
Among all liquors he'd tasted, it was the strongest, most alluring, most dangerous.
Still on his mind even now.
"Using dungeon ingredients in a tavern. No ordinary old man."
He recalled the old man's pristine white hair swept neatly back.
"His mixing rivals Shang Liang, the Wine God. Using dungeon stuff means he's a master illicit brewer."
In truth, the old man was one of the inaugural Awakeners who shook the nation, but the Heavenly Demon saw him merely as a bootlegger siphoning dungeon materials for booze.
"Come to think of it, that old-timer..."
Suddenly, he remembered the old man staring intently while mixing, eyes straining.
That piercing gaze wasn't pleasant.
"Severe presbyopia, I suppose."
Clicking his tongue, the Heavenly Demon shook his head—his cheeks flushed from the buzz.
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