Myst, Might, Mayhem Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links   4i421m

The most important thing to understand right off the bat is that this story is edgy. That being said, it's pretty entertaining.

The protagonist is a total psycho who is gifted with 100% OP talent/powers from the start. "But OP characters are so boring!" you say. I disagree. The problem with your generic OP character is that they are generic, not that they are OP. Fortunately, the protagonist here is actually unique, and the story is told within an engaging setting with solid world-building so far. The character of the protagonist keeps things interesting because their goals and strategies are going to be different from ... what you'd normally find in a cookie-cutter power fantasy story.

"But I hate edgy characters!"

The protagonist isn't just some normal dude who got isekai'd and suddenly started enacting a 12 year old's idea of a revenge fantasy. No. The protagonist here is actually pretty psycho, and the brutality + intelligence of his tactics and manipulations feels "real" rather than merely being artificially hyped by the story. Granted, the writer does still throw in some of those stereotypical "t-that's impossible!" moments, as if the protag hasn't consistently proven how great he was 10x already, but it doesn't really bring down the story much.

The aesthetic of this story is also really nicely done. When I say "aesthetic" I don't just mean the art in of the quality of the visuals. What I'm talking about here is the actual style - the character designs, the scenery, the outfits, the way magic is actually shown, etc. I'm not someone who tends to care a whole lot about art quality so long as the story is good and the art is good enough, so for me to have thought "I need to note the aesthetic in my review" means this stuff must be well-above average.

As for the side characters - they're fine. Ironically, despite the story being 53 chapters in, it feels like it's still quite "young" because the protagonist has been so entirely dominant and the world has been built out so much that there's a lot of potential yet to be explored. I'm withholding primary judgement here, but none of the side characters are annoying or anything like that, and I'd say they're interesting enough to care a bit about, there's just not THAT much care yet.

"So you hyped it up, why did you only rate it a 7?"

I rated it a 7/10 because that's my default "solid" rating for a story that I enjoy. A 7 actually isn't bad at all - and I'd definitely recommend this story to anyone who is interested in the premise.

There's clearly a large vision behind this work, but we are still early. Could this eventually turn into an 8, 9, maybe even a 10? Sure, but it's way too early for me to make that judgement. I can see some good potential though, and it's been an entertaining ride so far.

The art is beautiful, the events are fluid and the characters are interesting, the protagonist grows quickly, somehow you root for him, even though he's practically a sociopath, is graphic, there's a lot of blood and I believe that all the plot twists leave you intrigued, even if you hope that nothing goes in a light direction, it still surprises you; this makes you hope for a different tone in the story. For those who don't care how dark a protagonist proves to be, it's a work that keeps obscurity above a protagonist with strong moral values.

The dark and slightly comical tone brings a dissociation ... with Nano machine, however, it is a good thing, as is a work that maintains its originality even as a prequel.

Summary
Set 300 years after "Absolute Sword Sense" and 800 years before "Nano Machine" (around 1449 AD), this manhwa follows Jeong, a closet psychopath who loses his only moral anchor when his grandfather is murdered by a serial killer. Unleashed, Jeong embarks on a killing spree that earns him the name "Slaughtering Scythe Demon" (鎌殺鬼). After his capture and imprisonment, a stroke of luck introduces him to a noble from the Mok Sword Family (然木劍莊) who looks identical to him. Offered freedom as the noble's body double, Jeong(正) immediately kills the young lord and coerces the bodyguard into compliance, beginning his journey to becoming the founder ... of the first Heavenly Demon Cult.

Review
This manhwa isn't for the faint of heart or those with strong moral sensibilities. What sets it apart from others in the genre is the absence of sci-fi elements or regression plots—there's no nano-technology or time-travel abilities, just raw talent and psychological cunning explained thoroughly in the early chapters.

The narrative tension comes not from wondering if Jeong(正) will survive—readers familiar with the timeline already know he becomes the legendary founder of the Heavenly Demon Cult—but from witnessing his dark, calculated transformation into that infamous figure.
If you appreciate morally complex protagonists and don't mind extreme edge in your storytelling, this manhwa offers a fascinating psychological study of villainy and the birth of a legendary cult. However, those seeking heroic protagonists or traditional moral arcs should probably look elsewhere