Toxin Chapter 5

The Black Immortal King’s eyes shifted from the white horns on my head to settle in my pupils. In an instant, the leisure and laziness from a moment ago vanished, replaced by a chilling darkness that could freeze the veins. Unconsciously, I held my breath. He was undoubtedly not Ime, yet his eyes, much deeper and blood-red than Ime’s, seemed to traverse various boundaries like a night sky without the limits of land and sky. Perhaps I had completely misunderstood… He might not be a carefree wanderer soaked in alcohol but a fierce beast awakened from a nap. The Black Immortal King looked at me critically and tugged at the corner of his lips. It seemed more mechanical than a smile.

“The chief’s artistic skills are something to look forward to.”

The Black Immortal King turned away directly, and my heart, which had fallen into the abyss, started beating again. The chief also showed noticeable excitement when unexpected permission was granted. The woman who was with the Black Immortal King raised her eyes with an incredulous expression.

“Your Majesty, are you really planning to have this old man paint your generosity? Even when countless painters have offered to depict your generosity, you never paid attention…”

“Even such a promise with such insignificant creatures…! Indeed, our Majesty is the true king among kings!”

One of the Bone Fragments’ followers in the back exclaimed. The Black Immortal King’s gaze persisted on us, or at least that’s how it felt. Even though I was currently bowing my head, my senses, heightened by tension, vividly felt every subtle movement. The Black Immortal King looked at our party and murmured.

“I wanted to test it out, regardless.”

The voice, filled with a sinister tone, made my fist tremble. It was a feeling unfamiliar yet strangely recognizable. The Black Immortal King embraced his concubine and, unlike when he arrived, swiftly left with quick steps.

“Really? Your Majesty. This time, are you genuinely making a promise?”

A bewitching laughter echoed. When they disappeared, the hall erupted into turmoil. A man with a disheveled appearance side-eyed me.

“But Chief, can we really succeed? Coming here without any plan…”

“Well, Chief, honestly, I didn’t find it reassuring from the start. What can such a worthless guy do with what skill to draw out the screams of demons? Moreover, trusting that half-baked guy…”

“I can’t stand it! I’d rather stay behind. Chief!”

When a man earnestly spoke, it seemed the other tribe members agreed. I sneered at them.

“Are you afraid I’ll hold a grudge and betray you? It’s because of what you’ve done to me.”

“What, what?! This bastard…! Speak clearly! It’s not fear but this wretched brat!”

The face of the tribe member who was stabbed with a sharp remark shot up, looking flustered. In response, the chief expressed his anger.

“Whether it’s a half-breed or pureblood, what’s the use of such distinctions in this courtyard?! Just because we are Ime tribe, do we deserve treatment worse than livestock?”

“W-Well, being stuck in a place like this, the child might get anxious… How could Chief endure such humiliation?!”

“Don’t rush to conclusions. He’s not just a random child. Not trusting him is like not trusting me. The country has ears even underground, so let’s all watch our words.”

“I will keep that in mind, Chief…”

The tribe member scratched his head and returned to his place. The chief sighed, glancing at me.

“By the way, why on earth did you make such an absurd promise? In my entire life, I’ve never…”

“I had to catch him somehow. If it’s not acceptable, I will teach him.”

The chief swept his beard away with a hand full of embarrassment. Not only the remaining tribe members but also the leaders of the allied countries who joined hands with us knew only that I would steal the “screams of demons” and assassinate the Black Immortal King. Only the chief and I knew the full extent of the concrete assassination plan. At that moment, one of the officials approached us.

“Follow me.”

The official led us somewhere like herding pigs. The destination was the garden outside the castle. It was more like a forest than a garden, given its vast size. The castle walls extended in all directions, appearing open but actually presenting a powerful defensive structure. On one side, women strolled through the courtyard, chatting or enjoying various amusements. On the other side, armed soldiers stood in a solid guard formation. It was a strange space that felt both relaxed and tense.

“Why did you bring us here all of a sudden? What about His Majesty…?”

The chief asked the official with a puzzled expression. At that moment, the Black Immortal King, who was standing in the middle of the courtyard, came into view. The first reaction was the blood coursing through my body. The Black Immortal King talked with some unknown old man, holding an unidentified object. Three people were close to him: Baron Chevill, the woman clinging to him, and the man who had clashed with Bae Soojin from behind. The female appeared to be his concubine, while the three men were undoubtedly his bodyguards. The bodyguards wore expressionless and cold faces, each donning a white official robe with a sword at their waist.

The sight of the Black Immortal King alone was enough to agitate my nerves, but what caught my attention was the object in his hand. At first glance, it looked like a long metal rod with a thin bamboo-like cylinder, reflecting light to make my eyes squint. I had seen that metal object on the night of the incident. Could that be the screams of demons…? It was described as a metal rod that, when hit by a rock, would shatter bones and rupture organs. However, it appeared non-threatening, just an oddly shaped metal rod. The old man next to the Black Immortal King shouted excitedly.

“I intended to align with Your Majesty’s schedule, but it did not proceed as planned, resulting in a significant delay! And finally, we have moved beyond the method of igniting one by one!”

The old man trembled, even his hands, as he inserted black powder into a small hole in the metallic object and meticulously sealed it with a thin wire.

“If you pull the firing pin here, the ignited lead at the tip will descend, causing a fire. Then, when the gunpowder in the cartridge ignites, the bullet is ejected instantly. The explosive power has been enhanced, and the effective range is no problem up to 2 li, Your Majesty.”

“Is that so?”

The Black Immortal King turned the object in his hand, examining the precisely crafted item. He had heard that he was shot on his twenty-seventh birthday not long ago. The well-crafted features gave a sharp impression, but no matter how you looked at it, he seemed like a wandering drunkard or an unremarkable figure. He observed the sound of the demon’s scream and spoke.

“What is the production capacity?”

“We have mobilized all the technicians, and excluding defects, we can produce two barrels a day.”

“Didn’t you say four barrels?”

“Y-Yes, Your Highness… However, I have firmly stated before that making more than two barrels a day would be difficult.”

“No, you said four barrels.”

“I, I clearly stated that it was impossible for me to…”

“You said it.”

“I, I apologize, Your, Your Highness…”

The old man’s complexion, dripping with sweat, turned ashen. A refined man among the guards shook his head left and right, discouraging the old man.

“He says that the gunpowder can make four barrels a day. Your Majesty.”

When the refined man asked, the old man reluctantly answered so. The Black Immortal King, seemingly satisfied, spun the metal object around, carefully examining it. Baron Chevill fanned herself with a bored expression.

“Garon Majesty, how long will you stay here? All I’ve been hearing are incomprehensible words exchanged with the spy since earlier…”

The Black Immortal King casually spoke while observing the metallic object.

“If it’s not interesting, go inside.”

“Really… Your Majesty, it seems all you know is war.”

Though Baron Chevill’s voice was sharply pointed, her eyes towards the Black Immortal King seemed to be infatuated. Earlier, my focus was solely on the Black Immortal King, and I hadn’t realized that Baron Chevill, the woman, was more beautiful than I remembered. Draped in expensive-looking clothes and flashy accessories, she did not appear vulgar at all.

But something was strange. The item in the Black Immortal King’s hand, the vast outdoor space, no matter how I tried to force a fit, there was simply no atmosphere suitable for drawing a picture. Since a while ago, I had a vague feeling, like a faint sweet smell, that something was not right. Then, the Black Immortal King noticed us in a corner. The manager turned contemplative and nudged us forward, leading us in front of the Black Immortal King.

“Stay right there.”

As we approached, the Black Immortal King suddenly gestured to stop. We also stood still in the undulating distance. The Black Immortal King placed the wooden board, slightly wider on one side, over his shoulder, pointing the opposite end of the metal towards us in a strange posture. Every time I looked at the Black Immortal King, he exhibited an eerie appearance, yet now he had once again turned into the appearance of a wandering drunkard. In this strange moment, the Chief and the tribe members exchanged puzzled glances.

It was a moment when a clinking sound was heard.

Boom!

“Uwaaah…!”

It was a deafening explosion, rivaled only by the sound of thunder and lightning. Simultaneously, the eyes of the tribe member next to me burst, and a much larger hole appeared in the back of his head, spewing brain matter. The smell of gunpowder rushed into my nostrils, causing dizziness. We all remained frozen in place. It was an utterly unbelievable sight. Even though nothing was visible, how…?! Was this the power of the rumored secret weapon…? Baron Chevill screamed, stepping back, and the guards dropped their spears and swords, trembling. The Black Immortal King spoke to the pale old man.

“The firing pin has become much smoother. I like the ignition method too.”

The old man handling the gunpowder writhed in agony, unsure of what to do with the wounded Ime.

“Y-Your Highness…”

“This time, shall we see the destructive power?”

It was at that moment when words were spoken.

Boom!

“Aaaargh…!”

A tribal member, whose horn had shattered into pieces, writhed on the ground, emitting a horrifying scream. After a short convulsion, he suddenly stopped breathing. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. We all stood there, trembling with shock. It seemed too easy to accept, as if he had intended to leave us in the castle from the beginning. The Black Immortal King, gazing at the shattered head of Ime and the brain matter flowing on the ground, spoke in a languid voice.

“In the world, they call this the scream of the devil. Its true name is Jincheon Ryei. It’s much more sophisticated than a woman, but it makes me fall for it just as much.”

“Your Majesty, you’re going too far, especially with the concubine right here! And you promised to give the horn to the concubine…”

Baron Chevill, looking at the shattered horn, kicked her foot in frustration. The Black Immortal King, once again draping Jincheon Ryei over his shoulder, furrowed his brow, seemingly dissatisfied with something.

“Why don’t you guys go a bit further? This way, we can’t properly test its performance. Try not to go beyond 2 li, alright?”

“Uwaaaargh…!”

The tribal members stumbled backward and then screamed, fleeing. I couldn’t take a single step. The Chief was in the same predicament. The Chief’s face, filled with extreme anger, trembled.

“Why…! Why are you doing this to us?! Just because our appearance is different?! Because we eat meat?! What damage did we cause to the delivery office to be persecuted like this?!”

“Chief, you have a great misconception. I don’t hate you guys. I actually like you.”

“Why…!”

Surprised by the unexpected answer, the Chief’s lips stiffened. The Black Immortal King aimed Jincheon Ryei at the Chief and said.

“Chief, you’re having a great misunderstanding. I don’t hate you. In fact, I like you.”

Boom!

“Kraaaargh…!”

Without hesitation, the Black Immortal King fired Jincheon Ryei, shattering the Chief’s horn. As the fatal vital point flew away, the Chief rolled on the ground, convulsing. Amidst the smoke emanating from the metal object, the expressionless face of the Black Immortal King looked mature.

“Now, do you understand my feelings? I truly like you all.”

The tone was chillingly dry and indifferent. The Chief writhed in agony on the corpse of the tribal member famous for his horns. The rest of the tribe had already hidden somewhere, long gone. I averted my gaze from the gruesome scene of carnage and directed my attention to the malicious murderer. The immorality sent shivers down my spine. How could someone ruthlessly cut off a life without a moment’s hesitation? Were their brains made of a completely different substance? What made them so arrogant and shameless? What brought them joy in such cruelty?!

Was that the expression on that day as well? Even when creating my mother like it was nothing… My suppressed life fiercely surged within me. The irregular sounds of breathing were the only thing emanating from my throat. The Black Immortal King still found me interesting, not having escaped yet. I clenched my fist so tightly that blood oozed from my palm.

“I have a request. If I survive, please allow your artist to draw Your Majesty.”

“No, I don’t want to.”

His tone was without inflection and resolute. I had to be extremely cautious about what expression I wore, if I inadvertently revealed signs of life.

“What you promised first was Your Majesty. Please, for such a trivial matter, don’t… tarnish Your Majesty’s reputation.”

A wicked smile appeared on the lips of the Black Immortal King.

“Honor isn’t particularly important to me. Besides, the idea of those red eyes observing me is nauseating.”

He slowly approached me, stopping a step away. The silver head of the devil glistened, aimed directly at my eyes.

“Especially the violet eyes.”

“Ugh…”

In an instant, the barrel of Jincheon Ryei plunged into my mouth, making my tongue writhe in the cold sensation.

“Since earlier, Jincheon Ryei has been staring at me like a lustful dog. Even if it’s slippery, it’s troublesome when facing a gun.”

“…”

Sweat trickled down my temples. Suddenly, the Black Immortal King’s pupils focused on the corner of my mouth where Jincheon Ryei had entered before returning to his eyes. I had heard from Oromun that my violet eyes had a peculiar charm. Fortunately or unfortunately, it seemed I had succeeded in stimulating the Black Immortal King’s playful instincts. His eyes shone with radiance as if he had discovered something amusing. The Jincheon Ryei that had been embedded in my mouth emerged. In the saliva that remained at the tip, he twisted his lips in disdain, revealing unfiltered contempt and disgust.

“If you wish, I can let you taste Jincheon Ryei specially. Whether it’s the upper hole or the lower hole. Of course, the fellow might like it against the corpse, but who knows.”

The Black Immortal King draped Jincheon Ryei over his shoulder, hooked his finger on the trigger, and slightly turned his head, revealing the bloodthirsty madness in his eyes as the setting sun melted into the horizon.

“Hurry up and run. Motionless prey is not fun.”

Damn it…! Spewing curses internally, I started running blindly.

Boom!

As the devil screamed from behind, I collapsed on the spot. Neither a drunk swordsman nor a beast newly awakened from sleep was anything.

He was just a lunatic.