The night was deep and dark.
A chilly wind blew eerily. Whenever the flames flickered,
I revisited my long-standing thoughts in them. It's been quite a long time since I fell into this Martial World.
I survived.
In this place where countless others have died,
I struggled to survive. But. I had no intention of being satisfied with just surviving.
I have to leave. I have to escape the Demonic Cult.
I have to find a life where I can cook freely. What did I see and what did I learn in the Demonic Cult? In my previous life, I spent my whole life holding a knife.
But that knife was for 'cooking'. Not a knife to cut people,
but a knife to create taste. But in the Demonic Cult,
the knife has only one meaning. ──To kill. Here,
rather than making food.
Killing someone was a more important value. ──A Demonic Cultist, in the end, only the strongest survives. I've heard those words countless times.
But I, I couldn't accept it.
I saw people die.
I saw someone's blood spread like a blooming flower.
I saw people biting each other to survive.
I saw a teacher kill his student, a brother betray his brother.
And I saw people laughing and eating as if it were natural. That sight,
I couldn't stand it. I'm not just enduring here
to simply survive. I must leave.
I want to make people happy with the food I make. I want to see people eating the food I made deliciously. But here, that's impossible.
Except for one woman. Seol Arin. Her face came to mind.
Until now, she trusted me,
and considered me the closest person to her. If she finds out that I'm leaving. "......That kid will be disappointed." I muttered softly.
It might be more than disappointment. In the Demonic Cult, 'betrayal',
means a fate worse than death. In the Demonic Cult, traitors are not forgiven.
Traitors, die. The moment my escape plan is discovered.
I will face a terrible end. Nevertheless,
I had to leave. I know.
In the original work of The Heavenly Demon's Gourmet. A year after Seol Arin ascends as the Heavenly Demon,
the Righteous-Demonic War breaks out. An all-out war between the Righteous Sects and the Demonic Cult. The Demonic Cult is destroyed,
and Seol Arin self-destructs along with the Martial Alliance Leader. And can I survive?
No, even if I survive, would it have any meaning? If I stay here,
I will eventually meet my end as a Demonic Cultist. But I,
I do not accept that fate. I will survive.
I will leave.
Whether Seol Arin calls me a traitor,
whether she, as the Heavenly Demon, tries to behead me herself,
I will leave in search of freedom. '......I need to prepare to escape.' I quietly thought of the Heavenly Demon Vault of the Demonic Cult.
Tremendous treasures are hidden in the Heavenly Demon Vault.
Gold bars, silver coins, rare jewels.
If I take just a little from there,
I could escape this Martial World and start a new life. '......Should I rob the Heavenly Demon Vault without anyone knowing?' That thought came to me.
I swallowed. ‘If I'm caught, it's over.’ But if I don't leave this place,
I will surely die someday. So, I must escape. Then—. I heard the footsteps of someone approaching.
I immediately clenched my hand. Could my plan have been discovered? However,
those footsteps were familiar. Seol Arin. I slowly turned around.
She was looking straight at me. Even in the darkness,
her black eyes held a light. "......Why are you here?" I said, deliberately indifferent.
Then she,
looked straight at me and opened her mouth. "Joohyeok." "......Huh?" "I—" After hesitating for a moment, she,
quietly took a step closer,
and carefully asked. "Will I, be able to become the Heavenly Demon?" For a moment, I swallowed.
I didn't expect her to say such a thing.
Until now, she had always acted strong and had never doubted her destiny to become the Heavenly Demon. Her voice was mixed with anxiety and fear.
Seol Arin is destined to become the absolute ruler of the Demonic Cult.
But now she,
just looked like a girl who wanted to get confirmation from someone. I couldn't say anything for a while.
But, in the end, I spoke in a confident tone. "......Of course." Seol Arin's eyes wavered.
I approached in one step and continued slowly. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever seen." "......" "You can become the Heavenly Demon." Seol Arin looked at me.
Relief momentarily flashed across her eyes. "......Really?" I said with a smile. "Yes. Really." Then she smiled a little. "Yes... thank you..." At that moment, I felt like I couldn't leave Seol Arin's side anymore.
But, I have to leave.
I will betray Seol Arin. However. Just for this moment, I comforted her.
Seol Arin was the closest person to me in the Demonic Cult.
And, she was the customer who liked my cooking the most. "......Seol Arin, you can do it." I sincerely cheered for Seol Arin.
I know. That Seol Arin will eventually ascend to the Heavenly Demon. It's not just a 'path of the strong'.
It was a 'path of destruction'. I didn't want that. For her to meet that fate.
For her to meet such a cruel end. I actually hoped that Seol Arin wouldn't become the Heavenly Demon. That she wouldn't walk this path. However—. She chose this path.
She didn't waver.
She wanted to become the Heavenly Demon. If so.
I have to cheer her on. What I want wasn't important.
My feelings of wanting to protect her.
My desire to persuade her. All of that,
was just my greed. Seol Arin,
will walk the path she wants. Then—. I will gladly,
let go of my greed. I,
will pray for Seol Arin. I,
will cheer for her. Because she wants it.
Because she desires it.
Because she wants to become the Heavenly Demon— I, will gladly comfort and cheer her on. For her to become the Heavenly Demon.
For her to achieve what she wants.
For her to survive until the end. I sincerely wished. "Whether you become the Heavenly Demon, or something more... You forge your own destiny. I have always believed in you, and I will continue to do so. So survive until the end as the Heavenly Demon. As you wish." Knowing that this,
might be the last time. However—. I couldn't leave yet. At this moment,
I couldn't completely turn my back on her. "Joohyeok." Seol Arin looked at me quietly,
and approached me without any hesitation. And,
as if she always did, she hugged me tightly. Yes. Until Seol Arin ascends as the Heavenly Demon.
Until she completely takes control of the Demonic Cult. I will burn my last flame. So that Seol Arin is no longer threatened by anyone.
So that she can walk the path she wants,
without any hindrance.
The last role I can play.
The last thing I can do for her. Before I leave the Demonic Cult—. For the last time, I will protect Seol Arin's safety. In the darkness of the Demonic Cult.
Until the moment she ascends as the Heavenly Demon. I— will become her sword,
become her flame,
and burn all her enemies. And, when that day comes. The moment she ascends as the true Heavenly Demon.
The moment she achieves her dream. I too, as promised, will leave without regrets to achieve my dream. That, will be the last flame I leave for Seol Arin. .
. .
. Demonic Cult. The absolute strong have everything.
The weak are trampled and disappear.
That was the law here. Tomorrow, Seol Arin will undergo the test to become that absolute being. But I know. In the original work, Seol Arin almost died. Attacked by Joo Hongryeon, called the Bloodfire Witch, and her forces, suffering fatal injuries all over her body, and then facing off for the position of Heavenly Demon.
She barely won in the end, but the wounds she suffered at that time would follow her for the rest of her life. I know.
That this world is inside the original work called 'The Heavenly Demon's Gourmet'. And I was going to change the future of that original work. Shadows moving in the darkness.
Their breaths were low and quiet. Like beasts just before tearing into flesh.
In the deepest part of the Demonic Cult, where the light does not reach,
they were moving stealthily. Burning red hair.
Eyes the color of blood. The woman at the center. Joo Hongryeon of the Bloodfire Palace. And those who follow her. Baek Rin of the Infinite Star.
Heuk Ya of the Net Connection Group.
Mu Myeon of the Ghost Slayer Tower. Each of them was a renowned warrior in the Demonic Cult.
Traitors who do not accept Seol Arin becoming the Heavenly Demon. There is only one way to survive in the Demonic Cult.
The strong trample the weak and rise. It is true that Seol Arin is strong,
but if they attack and defeat her before she ascends as the Heavenly Demon,
the story changes. I knew that these guys were secretly preparing to ambush and kill Seol Arin the day before the Heavenly Demon Ceremony. Just like in the original work. But this time is different. From the moment these guys made their plans,
and started moving stealthily to kill Seol Arin. ──They were already as good as dead.

First Encounter: Meeting the Heavenly Demon (4)