The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 92

Chapter 92
“What kind of dreams does a guy with a perfect memory have?”

It was the night of the Day of Gyemi in the Month of Musin when Jwa Dae-gi brought this up, right after we had managed to evade the Demonic Practitioners and were taking a brief moment to recover.

“What do you mean?”

He was a fellow who boasted about mastering the techniques of the Nanjing Six Families Manor, a highly respected martial clan, giving himself the title of the Six-Form Wolf.

The reality was that he was merely a runaway servant from the Six Families Manor. He had been caught illicitly spying on the heir’s training, received a near-fatal beating, and managed to escape.

Since his language was always incredibly crude, everyone referred to him as Six-Damn Jwa Dae-gi whenever we spoke to him.

“You get it. With a memory like yours, you probably recollect every single dream vividly, right? Dreaming about beautiful women and remembering every intimate detail of what you did with them…”

Another guy chimed in right away.

“Hey, does that mean you can manipulate your dreams as well? Like switching from seeing Aeng-aeng to hanging out with Yeon-du?”

Whenever the grueling daylight hours spent on the brink of mortality came to an end, the looming dread of the next day would settle over us alongside overwhelming exhaustion.

“Damn it! So that bastard is the only one enjoying himself every single night?”

In order to suppress the sheer terror of the demise that awaited us the very next morning, we frequently engaged in these meaningless conversations every evening.

To be honest, for an idea coming from Six-Damn Jwa Dae-gi, it wasn’t far from the truth.

My dreams were incredibly detailed and lifelike.

During my youth, there truly were pleasant instances, just as Six-Damn had suggested, and times when I actually anticipated the arrival of night.

But from the moment I departed from the Sojeong Squad, I spent the remainder of my days trying to avoid sleeping altogether.

“Pant… pant… pant… pant…”

“Shit, shit.”

“Curse it, someone help me!”

The companions from the Sojeong Squad were sprinting right next to me.

I recognized that the figures before my eyes were nothing but constructs of my subconscious.

In reality, I had long since abandoned the Sojeong Squad to conceal myself within remote mountain ranges and isolated valleys.

Because of this awareness, their lifelike appearances and the heart-wrenching depictions of their agony failed to truly destabilize me.

“Why are you all fleeing like this?”

“Damn it! The zealots of the Demonic Cult are hot on our heels!”

I conversed with them, drawing comfort from the knowledge that this vision was a mere product of past recollections.

“This is just a dream. You can halt now.”

“……!”

“……!!”

The frantic escapees halted and glared at me with pure animosity.

“““It might be just a dream to you!”””

“Huff… haah. Haah.”

I drew a sharp, labored breath.

A vision that hadn’t troubled me for a while following my regression had returned to plague me.

“Are… are you okay?”

Jolted awake, I shifted my gaze and noticed Kang Seo-pyo watching me with deep concern etched on his face.

It was only upon registering his presence that I understood I had returned to reality.

“Was it a bad dream?”

“……Ah. A bad dream…….”

Could it truly be labeled a nightmare…?

Or was it a manifestation born from my own longing for them…?

I remained silent, unable to determine the true answer myself.

“…….”

Choosing not to press for details, he placed down a portion of rations meant for me and remarked,

“……We are making excellent progress on the water, thankfully. You should consider getting more rest.”

“Have we lost our trackers?”

“They require sleep just like anyone else.”

Glancing out the window, I noticed that the landscape had plunged into darkness without my noticing.

It appeared that unleashing the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm after such a long interval, combined with the exhaustion built up over the prior days, had caused me to slip into a profound slumber.

“That comes as a relief.”

“……I appreciate it.”

“?”

I looked up, caught off guard by Kang Seo-pyo’s unexpected expression of gratitude.

“The gratitude belongs to me. It is because of your efforts that the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers made it through unharmed.”

Ever since our groups merged, the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers had found significant peace of mind. The martial artists representing the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect treated the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers not like outsiders from a foreign order, but with the affection reserved for blood relatives.

This harmonious atmosphere was entirely a result of the attentiveness displayed by Captain Kang Seo-pyo and Cho Mu-bin.

“Aren’t you facing a far more grueling trial on our account?”

Kang Seo-pyo shook his head in disagreement.

“In truth, the obligation of gratitude lies with us…….”

A subtle grin appeared on Kang Seo-pyo’s face. This was a demeanor I never would have anticipated from him back when our paths initially crossed on the Demon Spirit Plateau.

“Ever since you accompanied us, Young Master, we haven’t lost a single person along the way.”

“…….”

Feeling an unfamiliar wave of awkwardness, I reached up to scratch the back of my neck. Throughout my entire past existence, no one had ever expressed appreciation toward me.

Those rascals from the Sojeong Squad would have hurled insults at me rather than showing appreciation. Gratitude simply wasn’t in their vocabulary.

“Let me express my thanks one more time.”

“Ah, certainly.”

“Do try to catch more sleep. Should any situation arise, you will be notified at once.”

“Even so…….”

“Are you not our guiding figure at this moment, Young Master? Should your energy fail, the number of injuries among us will inevitably multiply.”

Given the weight of Kang Seo-pyo’s reasoning, I gave a nod of agreement.

Though a disturbing dream had broken my slumber, I felt a strange reassurance that my rest would remain untroubled if I closed my eyes once more.

“How is he doing?”

Kang Seo-pyo smiled faintly upon hearing the voice that greeted him the moment the door clicked shut.

“If your concern runs that deep, I already suggested that you deliver the meal in person.”

“……Ah, y-yet, entering a chamber where a gentleman is entirely by himself…….”

Namgung Seon-hwa possessed a gentle disposition, but she had never behaved with such extreme bashfulness around the opposite sex before.

It was commonplace for female practitioners within the martial community to pay little heed to rigid social boundaries separating genders. Given that Namgung Seon-hwa had spent her life immersed in such an environment, her current level of mortification indicated only one thing—

‘Ah, youth truly is a beautiful stage…….’

Kang Seo-pyo found it impossible to suppress his grin. The young mistress had blossomed into adulthood without him fully realizing it, and she had clearly developed feelings for someone.

“Actually, there is something that concerns me slightly.”

“Pardon?! Wh-What could it be?”

Her features twisted into an anxious look that she hadn’t even displayed when instructed to undergo the Regular Exam alongside a mere twenty participants.

“He appeared to be plagued by a bad dream. I caught myself wondering if his rest would continue to be disturbed……_”

“Is…… is that so?”

“I merely mean that there is no cause for true alarm.”

“……_”

At that moment, Namgung Seon-hwa discerned that Kang Seo-pyo was merely poking fun at her, causing her to nervously toy with her hands.

“Pardon me, but I anticipate being rather fatigued when morning comes, so I must ask you to deliver Young Master Jin his breakfast.”

“……You believe you will be fatigued?”

“Indeed……. Furthermore, if I happen to stumble into a gentleman’s quarters unexpectedly while he is dressing, it leaves me feeling out of sorts for the entire day…….”

“…….”

Namgung Seon-hwa’s complexion rapidly deepened into a shade resembling a fully matured persimmon.

Could she truly be experiencing such joy?

“P-Please desist!”

Observing Namgung Seon-hwa’s flustered response as the realization of his jest fully dawned on her, Kang Seo-pyo couldn’t help but chuckle aloud.

Mortified by Kang Seo-pyo’s amusement, Namgung Seon-hwa swiftly shifted the focus of their conversation.

“On another note, what business do the Firmament Unit practitioners have with the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers?”

Following their embarkation, the martial artists who had previously slumped over in exhaustion were now trickling onto the vessel’s deck.

They were unsheathing their blades to practice forms, giving demonstrations, and engaging in deep discussions.

The primary instructors in this scenario were the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers, while their audience consisted of the members of the Firmament Unit and the martial artists from the Iron Sword Sect.

“Word is that they are acquiring knowledge of a certain Sword Formation from the disciples of the Taeul Sect.”

“A Sword Formation……?”

Namgung Seon-hwa inclined her head inquisitively.

Was the Taeul Sect known for possessing a renowned Sword Formation?

Furthermore, what purpose would compel the representatives of the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect to study an unfamiliar tactical array?

“They mentioned that the particular Sword Formation utilized by the Taeul Sect disciples shares characteristics with the White Tiger Sword Formation.”

She was well-acquainted with the White Tiger Sword Formation.

It was a tactical array associated with the White Tiger Sword Art, which served as the standardized discipline of the Murim Alliance.

Though it bore a grand title, it was fundamentally a basic amalgamation created by weaving the Three Powers Formation together with the Eight Trigrams Formation, intended for straightforward acquisition by alliance members.

“What reason is there to expend effort acquiring the White Tiger Formation……?”

“It does not copy it perfectly. According to the accounts, Young Master Jin personally passed it down to them after altering its structure for their study.”

At the mention of Jin So-un, Namgung Seon-hwa exhibited a brief, entertaining change in expression. Kang Seo-pyo cast his gaze toward the assembly on the deck before continuing.

“The main advantages are its straightforward nature and its immense practical value.”

This explanation only served to deepen Namgung Seon-hwa’s confusion.

Logically, a technique that was uncomplicated and basic would suffer from diminished lethality.

Why would these fighters sacrifice their precious recovery periods just to memorize it?

“Well…… they described it as a protective maneuver adapted from the White Tiger Sword Formation.”

“……A maneuver for what?”

“The specific Sword Formation the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers deploy to safeguard their meals.”

“……_”

Namgung Seon-hwa shifted her focus toward the deck.

Right in the middle of the gathering, encircled by the other fighters, the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers were executing the steps of the White Tiger Sword Formation.

She now recognized why it seemed so familiar; it was the exact array they utilized whenever an unexpected assault interrupted their dining.

While the remaining martial artists had become so weary of surprise attacks that they abandoned preparing hot meals altogether, the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers persistently boiled their grain regardless of the danger.

“Virtually everyone was eager to acquire this skill…… and the trio willingly agreed to demonstrate it……”

“……_”

Now, it was Kang Seo-pyo whose face grew somewhat red. Though he completely empathized with the mindset of the men, explaining such mundane motivations to the young lady felt rather awkward.

“The men expressed that they could no longer stomach a diet consisting solely of dried meat……. While our family techniques possess incredible force, they lack this sort of everyday convenience, do they not……. Furthermore, this modified White Tiger Sword Formation requires a mere trio to operate, meaning……”

“……Would it be possible for me to acquire this technique as well?”

“Pardon?”

“In fact, I believe I must master it. I intend to prepare warm porridge alongside Sister Mo-ran.”

“Ah…… then let us proceed over there.”

Well before our vessel could arrive at Sihong Port, we brought it to a halt mid-river and waded through the flow.

It was to prepare for those who would already be waiting at Sihong Port ahead of us.

“The silence is quite peculiar.”

Seong Mo-ran made this observation while circulating her Internal Qi to remove moisture from her sodden attire.

True to her remark, the profound stillness pervading the area was unnerving, casting a shadow of doubt over the hardships we had endured up to this point.

“We should advance immediately.”

The venues for the third assessment spanned four distinct regions across the Jianghu.

Nanyue within Henan.

Tongchuan situated in Shaanxi.

Chengdu located in Sichuan.

Mount Akbuk found in Hunan.

Each examination site was positioned roughly two provinces away from Wuhan—the headquarters of the Murim Alliance—effectively distributing them across the cardinal directions to accommodate applicants travelling from all corners of the Jianghu.

Consequently, the trajectories available to the participants were largely predictable, prompting rival candidates to lie in wait along these pathways to eliminate less capable adversaries.

This strategic landscape explained why we had faced continuous obstruction not just from the Diancang faction and the Huayang Escort Agency, but from various other participants as well.

Following an all-night trek, we neared our initial destination of Sihong Port just as dawn was breaking.

Peering toward Sihong Port from afar, we could discern groups of applicants waiting around for vessels.

Namgung Seon-hwa observed in a hushed tone,

“The numbers…… are far lower than anticipated. Can we consider this a favorable development?”

“Positioning oneself at Sihong Port is a poor strategy. An intelligent hunter would set an ambush along the path leading to Feng County.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Bypassing Sihong Port entirely, we altered our course toward Suqian.

Even then, no signs of pursuit materialized behind us.

Piiiyuuk—

As I chewed on some dried meat to serve as my morning meal, the screech of a Messenger Hawk signaled its arrival as it glided toward me.

-Hyeoncheong of the Wudang Sect alongside two companions and their retinue.

-Yeon U-mun from the Mount Hua Sect accompanied by three associates and their fighters.

※Presently stationed along the route to Feng County.

This dispatch provided by the Hao Gate explicitly identified the representatives from the Wudang Sect and the Mount Hua Sect who were reportedly hunting us down.

Curiously, the identities of these individuals from the Wudang Sect and the Mount Hua Sect resonated within my recollections.

‘Where do I know them from?’

They certainly weren’t part of the current admissions group for the Murim Academy. Despite that, having their names preserved within my memories struck me as highly unusual.

As I began exploring the vast mental archives within my head, Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa walked over to join me.

“What has captured your thoughts?”

“The identities listed here strike a chord in my memory.”

I handed over the incoming dispatch for the two women to examine.

Upon reviewing the text, Seong Mo-ran gave a nod of recognition.

“Regarding Hyeoncheong, he is widely recognized as the Junior Brother of Yong So-ah.”

“He is known specifically for being Yong So-ah’s Junior Brother?”

“Indeed. He was the close companion whom Yong So-ah constantly kept nearby throughout his time on Wudang Mountain. Furthermore, Hyeoncheong possesses remarkable innate ability, leading the Wudang leadership to place massive hopes on his progression.”

“And what can you tell me about Yeon U-mun?”

“He holds the status of the firstborn heir of the Yeon Clan. My understanding is that he affiliated himself with the Mount Hua Sect as a Lay Disciple, and he appears to be participating in this Murim Academy Exam cycle.”

The Yeon Clan was universally renowned for their mastery of hand-to-hand combat.

Their signature unarmed combat styles and kicking techniques were celebrated among the ten premier martial arts in the land.

For the primary heir tasked with leading such a lineage to choose instead to join the Mount Hua Sect to master swordsmanship implied that his natural affinity for the blade was easily equal to that of Hyeoncheong.

“Is there nothing else noted?”

Sensing that a piece of the puzzle was missing, I pressed further, though Seong Mo-ran merely offered a negative gesture.

“Their reputation alone makes them incredibly dangerous. They are adversaries we must treat with the utmost seriousness.”

“Hm……”

Right as I prepared to delve into the documentation compiled by Sim Hyeon-gak within my mental repository, my attention shifted toward the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers.

“What exactly are you three up to?”

The trio was playfully interacting as they advanced, taking turns plucking at one another’s garments.

“Ah……. Well. We learned some Seizing Hand techniques from the Namgung Clan warriors.”

“Grappling maneuvers?”

“Yes. They mentioned that every serious martial artist ought to possess familiarity with basic close-quarters grappling.”

The specific methodology the three brothers were demonstrating corresponded to the Thirteen Seizing Hands, a system I recognized immediately.

While lacking the ubiquity of the Three Powers Sword Art, it remained a foundational style that nearly every practitioner encountered at some point during their education.

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers were independently supplementing their skill sets with practical techniques absent from the teachings of the Taeul Sect and the Taeul Sword Emperor’s True Inheritance on their own.

“……Was it wrong for us to study this?”

Geum-pyo tentatively monitored my reaction.

It was standard practice for traditional orders to restrict their pupils from adopting external techniques or styles originating from common circles.

I made a dismissive gesture.

“There is no harm in it. In fact, you should practice it with absolute dedication.”

“Really? But the warriors said that if we work too hard at it, it might affect our original martial arts……”

“I highly doubt you three possess the work ethic to overexert yourselves to that degree, do you?”

“……Senior Brother……”

“I am merely teasing you. Tell me, do you know which technique stands as the supreme discipline among the creations of the Taeul Sword Emperor?”

“……Hm, the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula.”

Geum-pyo answered with total certainty, while Eun-ho and Dong-ryong added their nods of agreement.

“That represents the pinnacle of destructive power, but it does not constitute the finest art.”

“What would it be then?”

“The Taeul True Scripture.”

If forced to isolate the single most profound teaching within the entire legacy of the Taeul Sword Emperor, my choice would without hesitation land on the Taeul True Scripture.

“The core philosophy of the Taeul True Scripture revolves around achieving profound insight into the laws governing existence.”

“……Pardon?”

“Every other technique in our repertoire is simply a practical application derived by the Taeul Sword Emperor utilizing the insights of the Taeul True Scripture.”

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers maintained their blank expressions, clearly struggling to grasp the concept.

“To put it simply, provided that the Taeul True Scripture is preserved, the legacy of the Taeul Sect remains whole even if every other manual vanishes.”

“It’s still confusing.”

“The Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula, alongside the Minor Heaven Sword Art, the Great Heaven Sword Art, and the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist, are merely structured frameworks and superficial sequences.”

“But without those structured sequences, can it truly be considered combat?”

“Hmph. Do you think the preeminent masters of the Jianghu conquer their rivals by executing rigid frameworks?”

“……_”

“Sequences and frameworks function solely as scaffolding to guide a practitioner toward true comprehension. Once you ascend beyond that level, such rigid structures lose all relevance.”

With this explanation, a glimmer of comprehension finally began to dawn on the three brothers.

“Dedicate your core focus to internalizing the Taeul True Scripture. Concurrently, explore a wide array of combat styles. By doing so, you might eventually reach a stage where you conceive your own unique sequences.”

“Is that truly possible for us?”

Eun-ho, who consistently demonstrated the keenest curiosity regarding the theoretical depths of combat, inquired with visible excitement, prompting my affirmative nod.

“Indeed. That adaptability is precisely what elevates the Taeul True Scripture to such legendary status.”

Motivated by this revelation, the trio immediately intensified the pace of their Moving Circulation.

“Idiots! If your travel pace drops because you are distracted by internal cultivation, how do you expect to clear the assessment?”

Spurred by the reprimand, the three brothers promptly accelerated back to their full velocity.

“Still absolutely no activity here.”

Our anxiety had reached a peak as we traversed the territory of Xuzhou.

Owing to the presence of the local Azure Sky Merchant Guild outpost within Xuzhou, we had paused briefly to regroup, fully aware that this action would definitively expose our location to our hunters.

Yet, despite clearing Xuzhou and approaching the borders of Feng County, not a single rival crossed our path.

“Tranquility has never felt quite this ominous before.”

We went out of our way to leave visible markers of our route and openly ignited a campfire in a clearing during the night to cook.

Despite these provocations, no hostile forces emerged.

We even conducted thorough inspections of potential ambush spots flanking the highway to Feng County, finding absolutely no trace of life.

“What could explain this silence?”

Had this merely been a coordinated operation between Mount Hua and Wudang, their synchronized behavior would make sense.

Yet, they were hardly our sole adversaries.

Just as numerous applicants had sought to exploit the chaos when the Huayang Escort Agency tracked us, separate rival factions should have emerged to capitalize on the standoff involving Wudang and Mount Hua.

Piiiyuuk—

The sharp call of a bird drew my eyes upward.

I had been growing anxious because the daily intelligence dispatch, typically delivered at daybreak, had failed to arrive even as midday passed.

The Messenger Hawk descended onto my shoulder, checking its momentum before presenting its leg. I rewarded it with a shred of dried meat before unfurling the message.

-Wudang Sect’s Hyeoncheong and two others, along with his warriors.

-Mount Hua Sect’s Yeon U-mun and three others, along with his warriors.

※Location currently unknown; all traces lost.

“……_”

“……_”

“……_”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran, peering over my shoulder to scan the contents, fell completely silent alongside me. Our worst-case scenario had materialized.

“Their combined force must number no fewer than five hundred individuals.”

“How is it possible to vanish so entirely with an army of that scale?”

In any context, maintaining total concealment while traveling with an extensive group was an extraordinary challenge.

Given that typical covert operations or ambushes involve fewer than ten operatives to avoid detection, this scale of disappearance defied logic.

Nevertheless, they had slipped entirely past the radar of the Hao Gate, an entity boasting an information web comparable to the Beggars’ Sect.

“It is safe to conclude they have positioned themselves in ambush somewhere ahead, correct?”

“Captain Cho, Captain Kang, implement maximum security protocols immediately.”

“……_”

As Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran surveyed our surroundings, their vigilance reaching its peak—

I finally uncovered the records pertaining to those two names tucked away in the most obscure depths of my mental repository.

“!”

I checked the location of the sun.

The orb was hovering just above the western peaks, steadily plunging the world into twilight.

I spun around to face my two companions with urgency.

“From this very second, we advance at our maximum velocity.”

“Pardon?”

“How can we predict when or where the trap will spring?”

I directed my attention toward the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers as well.

“Cease your internal cultivation right now and focus entirely on sprinting.”

“……?”

“……_”

“……Yes.”

Sensing the desperate gravity in my tone, the martial artists belonging to the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect immediately braced themselves for conflict.

“We may be about to encounter an adversary far more terrifying than the combined might of Wudang and Mount Hua.”

“What?”

“What are you implying……”

It was highly probable that our realization had come too late.

The total absence of any civilian or martial presence along the road linking Xuzhou to Feng County was a damning indicator.

“Young Master Jin, you must elaborate!”

“Advance now, questions later.”

“……_”

As I bolted forward without offering further context, the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers assumed the vanguard positions, with the retainers from the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect trailing closely in our wake.

Reaching a populated settlement was our highest priority. Should my deductions prove accurate, the approaching nightfall would hand the absolute advantage to our hidden foes.

Thump—

Thump—

A powerful throbbing echoed through my chest.

This physiological reaction was completely divorced from my conscious will or emotional state.

Having retained the experiences of a previous lifespan and successfully mastered the insights of the Taeul True Scripture, I possessed a mental fortitude akin to a flawless mirror or unruffled waters, far exceeding ordinary human limits.

“……Young Master Jin, I implore you to shed some light on this. This mystery is deeply unsettling.”

Consequently, this sudden spike in my pulse was triggered strictly by an outside phenomenon.

“……_”

Even if I articulated the identity of our stalkers, how would I articulate it?

Furthermore, would they lend any credence to my words? The leadership of the Murim Alliance itself had met the initial reports of this threat with skepticism when they first surfaced.

“A hostile force is upon us.”

“A hostile force?”

“Indeed.”

Deep within the recesses of my internal archive.

Nestled within the segment containing the comprehensive reports collected by Sim Hyeon-gak lay a specific folder I had historically overlooked due to a lack of relevance.

It was precisely there that the records of those two specific practitioners were preserved.

[Unsolved Case Report]

-Wudang Sect’s Hyeoncheong

-Mount Hua Sect’s Yeon U-mun

※Annihilated together with their junior brothers.

Presumed to have been ambushed by professionally trained individuals.

※Characteristics: Some of the bones of the excavated corpses showed black discoloration.

The disparate clues had previously seemed entirely unrelated.

Furthermore, the notion that this entity would be active in this specific region during this era had never crossed my mind.

“We are dealing with a faction that excels exclusively in lethal strikes from concealment.”

Suddenly, a disturbance registered within the heightened sensory field I had projected outward.

“Get down!”

The instant the command left my lips, the alert fighters ducked low. Unfortunately, dark projectile blades found their targets in the torsos of the martial artists whose reactions lagged, unleashing torrents of crimson.

“What manner of attack is this……”

The approach of the killers had been wrapped in an aura so completely masked that even with my training in the Taeul True Scripture, I had detected it only at the absolute last microsecond.

To the rest of our party, this unseen strike was profoundly horrifying.

“I perceived absolutely nothing.”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran directed stunned, uncomprehending glares toward the dense treeline.

Moments later, as the woodland shadows lengthened along the terrain, roughly a score of pitch-black silhouettes emerged from the foliage sequentially.

“……_”

Confronted by this eerie, unprecedented spectacle, the entire group froze in stunned silence, completely paralyzed.

“Who…… what are these entities……?”

The Dark Soul-Severing Unit.

They represented the most lethal and dreaded executioners serving the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.