Heavenly Demon Cultivation Simulation
Chapter 418: Resolving The Quick Mission (1)

[The best reward is still left. Before that, the AI option is given first.] ▶ Become AI. ▷ Do not become AI.

Seol-Hwi’s answer was already decided—Not to become AI.

[You have selected 'Do not become AI.'] [Congratulations. From now on, you are granted the authority to decide the death of every NPC within the system. You may remove NPCs at any time, and the system's story will be restructured according to your choices.]

‘Oh, this is quite intriguing.’

Deciding the death of every NPC.

Isn’t this almost akin to being a god?

Recalling past memories, the restructuring of the story seemed to imply that if a necessary character disappeared, the missions would also change.

Or the mission itself might disappear.

‘Huh?’

When he glanced at the sword, there was a symbol of ‘▼’ that hadn’t been there in the past. And next to it was a label that said ‘Remove’.

It seemed that Songhwa, who had turned into a sword, was also marked for removal.

“How do I go back to the way things were before….”

This time, it wasn’t a telepathic message but the sword head that spoke, raising its head. Its tiny head and protruding beak wore an unmistakably uncomfortable expression.

“Hey, how do I change him?”

Seol-Hwi asked Shin Yaja.

- I don’t know that either.

“What are you talking about? You explained everything to me.”

- I only taught you about the divination arts, not how to make it into such an object shape. I’ve never seen such a technique before.

“You’ve never seen it before? Then how was it made like that?”

- If you ask directly, it will be accurate, but in my opinion, such an object seems to be an application of the technique mixed with the mysterious arts of geomancy, which the child you mentioned, Songhwa, has developed personally. It is beyond the scope of my knowledge.

“Wow, is that so? Songhwa, you really are a genius then.”

Seol-Hwi looked at Songhwa with a surprised expression, but he remained indifferent.

“Elder… Genius or whatever, please just tell me how to return to my original state quickly. At this rate, I feel like I’ll truly become one with the sword.”

“Ah, wait a moment. First, hold on.”

Seol-Hwi hurriedly opened a tool box and took something out.

A pitch-black round pill was held in Seol-Hwi’s hand. He slowly extended it in front of Songhwa’s face.

“Elder. What is this?”

“It’s a spiritual pill. It greatly enhances your qi and innate power, you know? It’s perfect for sorcerers.”

“Why am I the one who should take this…?”

“If you eat this and your innate power greatly increases, couldn’t you possibly turn back into a human? The instructions say it makes your body very, very strong.”

Songhwa, with a chick-like face, looked uneasy.

Seol-Hwi promptly thrust the spiritual pill in his face. A tool could have been used, but honestly, he was curious about how Songhwa would consume it.

Peep! Peep-peep!

At first, Songhwa hesitated, shaking his head a few times to reject the spiritual pill.

But soon, realizing there was no other option, he began pecking at it with his mouth.

Seol-Hwi found it amusing and watched him eat while squatting on the floor.

- What on earth are you…

Shin Yaja had a complicated expression.

It was already absurd that he subdued the Big Dipper Star with Taoist martial arts, but being with such a lacking fellow was just as strange to him.

The opponents he would face in the future were beings whom such trivial skills could offer no assistance against.

Chirp. Chirp.

Meanwhile, Songhwa, who was almost done savoring the taste, suddenly began to shiver as if sensing something.

“Chirp! Oh! Something’s changed!”

“Really?”

“Yes, elder. Strength is surging through my whole body, and my vision has become a lot clearer. It’s a strength I’ve never experienced before.”

Songhwa chirped happily, and Seol-Hwi focused on his transformation, anticipating his return to his original form.

But then.

Woo-oo-oo—

Suddenly, the sword began to tremble.

Feeling something extraordinary, Seol-Hwi quickly reached out his hand.

“Wow!”

He witnessed an astonishing sight firsthand.

The moment he touched the sword’s surface, he sensed something unusual.

“Do you feel the change?”

Songhwa looked with trembling chick-like eyes. And Shin Yaja also focused his gaze, seemingly intrigued with the entire thing.

“Oh, it’s become incredibly solid.”

Seol-Hwi exclaimed in admiration.

“Hey. Doesn’t this feel stronger than ten-thousand-year-old iron? Oh, as your skill level increases, the medium becomes stronger?”

“…….”

- …….

However, Seol-Hwi’s reaction of amazement differed from the others’.

“At this level, it wouldn’t be lacking even if one called it a divine weapon. Let’s try swinging it… Oh?”

It was at that moment.

When an artificial qi was sensed near the Mid Head Blood Point at the crown of his head, Seol-Hwi looked at Shin Yaja.

- There’s no need to push it away. You know, right? Sometimes, by choosing, you can see others’ movements from a third person’s perspective.

“Aha.”

Only then did Seol-Hwi stop blocking the qi entering his upper dantian and let it flow.

When transitioning to the past ‘main story,’ there were instances of foreseeing Earth Demon’s situation or perceiving the surrounding circumstances.

This is likely something similar.

Ssss—

In an instant, fleeting images passed before his eyes.

After the third choice, it was another eye that was formed amidst the uncontrollable flow of time.

“Oh, talking with Iljeja?”

- Yes. It’s likely a conversation about the option you chose—Shadowless Ghost trainee, subunit of the Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardians.

As he said, they were discussing the Shadowless Ghost trainee he had selected.

The difference now was that he was conscious of himself while activating the third eye.

“So, what do we do?”

Seol-Hwi asked, and Shin Yaja laughed faintly.

- We need to move. We originally fall into the Shadowless Ghost Troops location.

“I don’t know the way, so you lead.”

- Sure.

The aloof figure of Shin Yaja began to walk away.

Seol-Hwi hurriedly grabbed his sword and followed him.

“Elder! Please, return me to my original state!”

Songhwa’s desperate voice followed after them.

Seol-Hwi entered the gloomy building.

It looked like an office of the First Disciple, but there were no windows on the walls.

Judging by the mold and rotten wood around, it seemed like a damp place, perhaps underground or a canyon.

As if recognizing this reaction, Shin Yaja kindly explained, “This is a place of the First Disciple not revealed to anyone.”

‘This person…’

Their conversation was already underway.

A man and an old person were talking, and the face was familiar.

It was Hyang-gae. He remembered him well from seeing him before.

“Really?”

“Yes. This time, someone whom Earth Demon particularly cherishes has requested to join us as a trainee under Shadowless Ghost.”

“Hmm…”

Their main conversation focused on the third option he had chosen.

It was about Shadowless Ghost, which was a subordinate branch of Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardians.

“Is there a position available?”

“Yes. Coincidentally, someone died during training in the 3rd unit, so there is an empty spot.”

“Then there’s no reason not to accept.”

“Pardon?”

At End Demon’s words, Hyang-gae offered a cautionary suggestion.

“If Earth Demon has another intention…”

“That’s precisely why we should keep them close. To understand the intention behind why he sent someone he cherishes.”

End Demon found this situation intriguing instead. This was purely about Earth Demon coming under him. It also showed that he still didn’t fully trust Earth Demon.

“Shall we not witness the skills of the one that the Earth Demon cherishes so dearly?”

“If he becomes one of the Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardians, our movements will be exposed…”

“That’s not a certainty.”

“…?”

“Disguising it as an accidental death is a fitting excuse, isn’t it?”

“Ah.”

Only then did Hyang-gae seem to understand the intention of the First Disciple.

Not allowing them to be monitored by keeping them alive.

“However, if Earth Demon cherishes him, his skills must be somewhat verified. He will easily pass as a trainee.”

“Then do you plan to resolve it in Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardian’s ‘Mission of Demon Valley’?”

“That’s the most certain method. But one thing, we must not recklessly kill the child. Otherwise, we cannot expect Earth Demon’s choice.”

“Ah, I understand! You expect Earth Demon’s role to be significant, right?”

“Yes.”

End Demon was planning it all.

To use him as a hostage or a shield, to utilize Earth Demon’s power until the very end.

A suitable mix of reward and stick is the basic tactic of persuasion.

“It seems like things will be interesting.”

With End Demon’s final words, Seol-Hwi’s third eye slowly disappeared.

“It seems like things will be interesting.”

When Seol-Hwi repeated End Demon’s last words, Shin Yaja hesitated and looked back.

Seol-Hwi explained the reason.

“What?”

- That’s a development I’ve never seen before.

“Really?”

- Yes, although it varies with circumstances, it usually ends with a slight mention here. The same goes for Earth Demon’s story.

“Hmm.”

Upon thinking, Seol-Hwi felt that Shin Yaja’s words had some validity.

Judging by the usual trajectory of his life, when he found the martial arts path, he didn’t expect this kind of reaction.

The disappearance of Earth Demon, no, more like Earth Demon coming under the First Disciple’s command.

It’s not the usual direction of things.

- What exactly are you up to?

To the disgruntled Shin Yaja’s words, Seol-Hwi scratched the back of his head.

To explain, he’d have to talk about sending Earth Demon on a retreat and filling that spot himself.

Explaining that was quite a hassle.

“Oh, I’ll explain later.”

Seol-Hwi tried to brush it off.

“Um, when can I get out of here?”

From the end of the sword handle tied loosely at his waist, Songhwa’s face peeked out.

“Uh, I’ll find a way quickly. Just wait a bit.”

“Yes, elder.”

Seol-Hwi made a vague excuse and pointed with one hand.

Just then, the building where the Shadowless Ghost trainees had gathered came into view.

Seol-Hwi quickly entered the building and looked around the room as he spoke.

“There’s no one here.”

- They must be training. They usually come in late at night.

“Aha.”

Seol-Hwi lay flat on the floor.

Perhaps due to the prolonged battle, his body ached all over.

“By the way, Shin Yaja, where would something like a sorcery book be?”

- If you’re looking for ancient books, they’ll be in the Demonic Cult’s Secret Library.

“Ah, there? I tried to find it once before… Do you know the location?”

- There’s no fixed location. It keeps changing with each player’s life.

“Really? Is there no quick way to find it?”

- There is a way.

“What is it?”

- Find the Simulation Lv3 I mentioned. It will tell you the location.

“Oh, I see.”

Seol-Hwi accepted those words but suddenly realized he hadn’t asked precisely about the location of Simulation Lv3.

To be precise, it stopped at ‘just follow this road and you’ll find it’.

“I forgot to ask, where is that Simulation Lv3?”

- It comes out in the final test to become the Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardians.

“What is the final test?”

- You have to persuade a master of Supreme Demon in the Silver Demon Hall.

“Persuade?”

Shin Yaja said something quite interesting this time.

Persuading them to gain their cooperation.

This wasn’t about subduing them with force.

“Then first, I need to become one of the Shadowless Ghost Twelve Guardians.”

- That process will be quite annoying too. The trainee education here is divided into five stages. It includes not just martial prowess, but memorization skills, judgment, situational learning, etc. It’s quite a tedious process.

“Don’t worry about that. It’s not difficult.”

Seol-Hwi grinned.

He just remembered that he had a good ability at the right time.