Chapter 92
Vwoooom!
Doksu-gwang strained every muscle to keep hold of his vibrating spear shaft.
His grip felt like it was about to tear apart from the pain.
But more than the agony in his hand, what overwhelmed him was the shock of the creature before him.
A ma-in.
Not even a Miao, but a Han ma-in—a martial arts-using ma-in at that.
It was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
And now, that ma-in was charging straight at him, aiming to strike with twin blades.
The spear’s blade, pointed directly at his body, was pushed aside as if it were nothing.
Doksu-gwang, still struggling to control his spear, had no way to block the attack.
His face drained of color as he anticipated the inevitable outcome.
“Ugh?!”
But it seemed his life was not over yet.
At just the right moment, the O squad members who had rushed in swung their swords down at the creature.
“Captain!”
“You bastard!”
Their blades struck precisely at the ma-in’s neck and arm.
But with a metallic clang, the swords bounced off.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
“What?!”
Though their attacks failed to pierce, they succeeded in disrupting the creature’s movements.
Thanks to that, Doksu-gwang barely twisted his body to dodge the twin blades and shouted urgently,
“Fall back!”
Even without his command, the O squad members, familiar with ma-ins, immediately tried to retreat as their swords bounced off.
But the creature was faster.
With a fierce roar, it lunged like a wild beast, overwhelming them.
Its speed rivaled that of a top-tier master.
The O squad members screamed as the twin blades struck close.
“Ugh!”
“S-So fast…!”
In the next instant, the creature’s powerful strike slammed into their chests.
Bang!
“Gah!”
“Ugh!”
It happened in a flash.
Two squad members, their chests caved in, couldn’t even scream.
The others cried out in shock.
“Young-woo!”
“Ji-gyun!”
But Doksu-gwang shouted not at the fallen, but at the survivors.
“Scatter! It’s coming!”
His warning was precise.
The creature, having just killed two, immediately changed direction and charged at the remaining squad members.
Smash!
“Arrgh!”
Gritting his teeth, Doksu-gwang threw himself at the beast.
No ordinary squad could face a ma-in who used martial arts, especially one with durability beyond mid-level Gan-gwi, possibly even Ju-gwi.
He had to hold it off himself.
Bang!
“Scatter!”
The creature unleashed its powerful strike again, but this time the squad scattered in all directions, narrowly avoiding it.
Seeing this, Doksu-gwang felt a flicker of hope and swung his spear shaft at the creature’s leg.
“You bastard!”
Whoosh!
If he couldn’t pierce its skin with his own strength, he planned to trip and throw it down.
He needed to buy time for reinforcements to arrive and use their energy techniques.
But the next moment, Doksu-gwang was horrified.
“What?!”
The creature actually lifted its body slightly like a martial artist, dodging the spear shaft.
Then, spinning midair, it pounced on Doksu-gwang.
Its movements were truly beast-like.
Gritting his teeth, Doksu-gwang lunged desperately.
“A ma-in?!”
Bang!
He barely dodged the twin blades.
But the attack wasn’t over.
Whoosh!
A kick flew toward his abdomen.
Doksu-gwang twisted his body to the side, but the creature’s strike connected.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
He barely managed to block the blow with his spear shaft, flying backward like a cannonball and crashing to the ground.
Thump!
The pain was so intense his head spun.
If he hadn’t blocked it, his bones might have shattered.
But there was no time to sit still.
Enduring the pain, Doksu-gwang lifted his head.
There, charging like a wild beast, was the creature.
It was too close to dodge.
“Ugh!”
His eyes widened.
The twin blades were coming straight for him.
It was the end.
Then—
“Hahap!”
“Die!”
“You bastard!”
Three O squad members threw themselves desperately at the creature, swinging their weapons.
A reckless, all-out charge.
Thud! Thud!
Ignoring their own safety, their assault threw the creature’s balance off slightly.
At the same time, a powerful energy wave whooshed past Doksu-gwang’s ear.
Phew!
He swallowed hard.
It felt like a gust of wind blowing through the gates of hell.
“Arrgh!”
Doksu-gwang summoned all his strength and lunged forward.
If he missed this chance, he would surely die.
Smash!
Rolling his body, he shouted,
“Everyone, fall back immediately!”
But as he frantically moved, his eyes caught a horrifying sight.
The creature’s powerful strike swept away the squad members who hadn’t managed to retreat.
Gasp!
“Ahhh!”
“Captain!”
Crack!
“Ugh!”
With a single swipe, the creature tore through two chests and smashed another’s head with a powerful strike.
It all happened in an instant.
Doksu-gwang screamed,
“No!”
The remaining squad members stared in stunned silence.
But they couldn’t afford to freeze.
The creature, moving like a machine, immediately charged at the rest.
Snapping back to reality, Doksu-gwang shouted in horror,
“Scatter!”
The squad snapped out of their shock and scattered with all their might.
But the creature was faster.
It had already closed in behind the deputy captain, Jang Yeo-yeo.
Doksu-gwang lunged late, shouting,
“Jang Yeo-yeo! Behind you!”
Startled, Jang Yeo-yeo looked back just as the creature pounced on her.
Her eyes filled with terror.
“Ahhh…”
Then—
“Hahap!”
Someone attacked the creature like a shield.
A brilliant blue sword aura.
Seeing it, Doksu-gwang’s eyes lit up with relief.
“Han Gyo-seong!”
Han Gyo-seong, the genius swordsman of the Cheongseong faction, officially recognized as the strongest among the thirteen captains.
As his blue sword aura sliced at the creature, everyone who survived cheered.
“Cheongpung Sword Dragon!”
“First Captain!”
“It’s over!”
Han Gyo-seong’s sword was wrapped in a blue, solid aura that looked like pure light.
With such a vivid sword aura, even the toughest ma-in, the Ju-gwi, wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
But their expressions hardened again the next moment.
Clang!
Han Gyo-seong’s sword aura bounced off the creature’s body without cutting through.
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“How is this possible?”
It was unbelievable that Han Gyo-seong’s brilliant sword aura couldn’t pierce the creature’s skin—just like Doksu-gwang’s spear couldn’t.
Such defense was impossible even for the toughest Ju-gwi.
But Han Gyo-seong couldn’t afford to hesitate.
The creature, momentarily staggered by the sword aura, charged at him, releasing its energy wave.
Bang!
“Damn!”
Caught off guard by the swift attack, Han Gyo-seong barely managed to parry the energy with his sword aura.
Thwack!
“Grrrr!”
The creature kept coming.
Its ferocity was like a wild beast’s, but unlike other ma-ins, it attacked using martial arts techniques.
Its rapid combo strikes rivaled those of a top master.
Patter-patter-pat!
Han Gyo-seong moved like he was dancing, deflecting the energy waves with smooth, natural motions.
Though fast, the attacks were predictable, allowing him to respond.
Clang-clang-clang!
‘The power of the energy waves is manageable—at best, high first-class. But the speed is top-tier. Is it because it’s a ma-in?’
Backing away gracefully while deflecting the assault, Han Gyo-seong gauged the creature’s level and shifted to offense.
“Hahap!”
His sword aura twisted like a blue gale.
The Cheongpung Sword Style.
Like a furious storm, his relentless combo strikes battered the creature.
Clatter-clatter-clatter!
“Grrrrr!”
The creature tried to defend, wildly swinging its arms to block the sword.
But it was useless.
No matter how it flailed, the blue sword aura rained down like an unstoppable storm.
Boom-boom-boom!
The O squad cheered at the thrilling sight.
“As expected of Captain Han Gyo-seong!”
“Break it, First Captain!”
But while everyone cheered, Doksu-gwang’s expression remained grim.
The creature’s skin showed no sign of damage despite dozens of sword aura strikes.
And Han Gyo-seong, pressing the attack, was in the same predicament.
‘The sword aura isn’t penetrating at all. How is this possible? Could it be…?’
Suddenly, Han Gyo-seong recalled what Sunwoo-jin had said before leaving a month ago.
‘The sword aura won’t work, and it uses martial arts. Plus, it’s not Miao but Han. Could this be the Cheolgwi that Sunwoo-jin warned about?’
Unlike Doksu-gwang, who had dismissed Sunwoo-jin’s words, Han Gyo-seong had always carried Hwago-san, the firebone mountain herb given by Dang Yeo-eun, during patrols as a precaution.
The problem was, this wasn’t a patrol.
He had rushed out without the herb, carrying only his sword.
Han Gyoseong pressed the attack relentlessly, shouting toward Doksugwang.
“Doksugwang! This guy must be the Cheolgwi that Seon Woojin mentioned! Hwagolsan! Where’s the Hwagolsan that Dang Yeoeun gave you?!”
Doksugwang flinched slightly but replied, “I—I didn’t bring it!”
“What?!” Han Gyoseong snapped.
“How could I trust that guy’s word and carry something so dangerous around?!”
“You idiot!”
And that’s when it started.
The monster gave up trying to block Han Gyoseong’s attacks.
Instead of defending, the creature began to absorb the blows with its body and counterattack Han Gyoseong head-on.
It seemed to have abandoned the warrior’s instinct to defend against attacks, having learned that taking hits didn’t matter.
“Grrrrrr!”
As Han Gyoseong’s sword energy came crashing down, the monster unleashed its own force in return.
Pff-pff-pff-pang!
Though the monster’s energy was far weaker than Han Gyoseong’s sword energy, Han Gyoseong couldn’t afford to take it head-on like the monster could.
It was obvious who held the advantage.
Han Gyoseong was forced to retreat frantically, dodging the monster’s strikes.
He couldn’t keep attacking.
Unlike other demons who might open their mouths and give away a weak spot, this one barely opened its mouth at all.
“Damn it!”
Fortunately, none of the monster’s attacks landed on Han Gyoseong. Its movements were on par with a master, but Han Gyoseong was a true master himself.
Still, it was a razor-thin margin.
Compared to the precise techniques he’d used earlier, the monster’s wild, beast-like onslaught felt even more threatening.
Sweat beaded on Han Gyoseong’s brow as he narrowly dodged the monster’s strikes.
He shouted out, “Doksugwang! Send the signal again! Tell them to bring the Hwagolsan!”
Doksugwang frowned. “How am I supposed to send a signal now?!”
“Then send someone! Are you trying to get us all killed?! If sword energy doesn’t work, even the Grand Master won’t help!”
At that moment, the monster suddenly stopped its assault on Han Gyoseong.
“?!”
Han Gyoseong, who had been retreating desperately, seized the brief pause to put some distance between them.
Then he noticed the monster’s gaze shifting toward the others.
No way?!
Han Gyoseong shouted urgently, “Everyone, get out of the way!”
But at the same time, the monster lunged forward.
It was heading straight for the members of the Oh squad who had been watching from a distance, and the weaker ones who were now dangerously close.
Han Gyoseong felt as if he’d been struck in the head.
The distance between the Oh squad and the monster had closed while he was fighting.
‘Could it be that this was the plan all along?’
It was unthinkable.
How could a demon with intelligence lower than most beasts have such a strategy?
“Ugh?!”
“Get out of the way!”
The Oh squad panicked and tried to leap away.
They had been watching the fight with their guard down since Han Gyoseong arrived.
They believed the old notion that demons never change their targets.
And that belief would seal their fate.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
This time, the monster didn’t unleash energy.
Instead, it pierced the chests of two members with its claws and dragged their bodies closer.
This completely different behavior shocked both Han Gyoseong and Doksugwang.
Thud! Squelch! Gulp gulp!
“What, what?!”
“That bastard, no way?!”
The monster held one corpse in its left hand, then bit into the neck of the Oh squad member in its right hand, drinking their blood.
Just like a Zhugwi, absorbing human blood and inner energy to grow stronger.
“Damn it!”
Han Gyoseong roared and charged at the monster.
Doksugwang did the same.
Both were desperate.
If this monster grew stronger by feeding like a Zhugwi, if it intended to use bloodsucking to power up because it found Han Gyoseong a worthy opponent, then this creature was a monster beyond comparison.
“Ughah!”
“Taah!”
Bang!
Zing!
Han Gyoseong’s sword energy and Doksugwang’s spear struck the monster’s back as it fed.
But the monster staggered without turning around, continuing to suck blood.
“Die!”
“Arrgh!”
Pff-pff-pff-pang!
Countless attacks hit the monster’s back.
Yet it hunched over, draining the blood of one victim after another.
Their attacks did no damage, and the monster never stopped.
Han Gyoseong, pounding the monster’s body, finally shouted, “Everyone, run! Go tell the Grand Master everything about this! And hurry—bring the Hwagolsan!”
The remaining Oh squad members, shocked, snapped out of their daze and replied, “Y-yes! Understood!”
Only three of the Oh squad remained now.
Including Doksugwang, there were just four left.
Watching the three run off, Han Gyoseong shouted to Doksugwang, “You too, run! You’re in danger!”
Doksugwang was hesitating, wondering if he should flee.
But Han Gyoseong’s words only stoked his pride.
“What nonsense are you spouting?!”
“You can’t handle this! Don’t you get it?!”
“Don’t be ridiculous! How dare you look down on me—!”
Then, the monster, which had been ignoring all attacks and feeding, suddenly stopped and lifted its head.
It was looking toward the fleeing Oh squad members.
Then its gaze slid back to Doksugwang.
Its eyes glowed with an even deeper crimson light.
The red glare froze Doksugwang in place.
The pressure was on a whole different level from before, stiffening his entire body.
“Grrrrrr!”
The monster growled and lunged at Doksugwang.
“Eek!”
Doksugwang thrust his spear with all his might at the charging monster.
Clang!
But it was useless.
The monster pushed through the spear as if it meant nothing, trying to grab Doksugwang.
“Doksugwang!”
Han Gyoseong desperately charged at the monster’s side, trying to save him.
But at that moment, Doksugwang thought he saw the monster’s mouth curl into a sick smile.
The next instant, the monster twisted its body and caught Han Gyoseong’s sword energy with its own body.
Thud!
Then it wrapped its arm around the sword, trapping it.
Clack!
“?!”
Han Gyoseong was stunned, staring at his trapped sword and the demon’s face twisted into a cruel grin.
The monster’s true target had always been Han Gyoseong.
It had feigned attacking Doksugwang just to lure him in.
Han Gyoseong should have dropped his sword and retreated immediately.
But he hesitated.
His habit as a proud disciple of a prestigious school, seeing dropping the sword as defeat, and his flawless record of never facing real danger before, all held him back.
Han Gyoseong’s eyes caught the monster’s huge palm looming larger and larger.
Unconsciously, he murmured, “Master…”
Then—
KRAAANG!
A sudden explosion erupted right in front of Han Gyoseong.
It sounded like a meteor crashing down.
“…What?”
Momentarily stunned, Han Gyoseong’s eyes filled with confusion at this unexpected salvation.
Something huge had just hurtled like a cannonball and struck the monster.
But it was too big to be a mere cannonball.
About the size of a person, and moving so fast that even a master like Han Gyoseong barely noticed it.
‘Could it really be a meteor?’
As Han Gyoseong looked toward where the monster had been sent flying, he gasped in shock.
In the forest clearing, the monster lay sprawled, and someone was struggling to get up, gasping for breath.
He smiled brightly and muttered, “Phew, just in time.”
Han Gyoseong couldn’t help but whisper, “Seon Woo… Jin? How?”
Seon Woojin, who had just slammed into the Cheolgwi with a body charge using his explosive technique, now watched the demon rise from the forest floor with a fierce grin.
“Long time no see, Cheolgwi.”