Episode 117: Return of the Demon Instructor
“Sabi Kang?”
Seorae Hyang furrowed her brow, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Yoshin nodded solemnly. “Yes, it’s definitely him.”
“Sabi Kang? Who is that?”
“Don’t you remember? He was the one who destroyed the secret faction and escaped. Even the leader of the Sahwan Party died back then.”
“Oh…!”
Seorae Hyang’s mouth fell open as she glanced back at the wanted poster in her hand. She thrust it towards Yoshin’s face.
“Are you sure? Look closely. Is it really him?”
“Well… if this poster is accurate…”
“The poster is accurate. I verified it myself.”
“Then it’s definitely him. But why is his wanted poster…?”
“This is unbelievable!”
Seorae Hyang crumpled the poster in frustration, biting her lip.
Who would have thought it would be this easy to find him?
“The answer was right under our noses…”
They had been searching far and wide, never considering he might be so close.
Indeed.
No one would have imagined that someone within the Blood Alliance knew the true identity of ‘Gadeuk Sam.’
“So, this man is the instructor at Yongcheon Hall?”
“Yes, he’s the instructor there. But even within the hall, his strange behavior wasn’t well-received.”
“Any recent information on him?”
“That’s all I know. He was under surveillance for a while, but then the Great War broke out. I heard he was put on probation at Yongcheon Hall and disappeared for a time. Without his activities, the Blood Alliance stopped pursuing him.”
“That’s not right…”
“Pardon?”
Yoshin tilted his head in confusion, but Seorae Hyang seemed lost in thought, biting her nail.
‘It’s not that he wasn’t active. He was more active than anyone and dealt a critical blow to the Blood Alliance. Even to me!’
Seorae Hyang frowned deeply, pondering.
Who could be behind him?
A mere instructor couldn’t possibly cause such chaos in the martial world.
The fact that Yongcheon Hall didn’t favor him suggests there’s someone else pulling the strings.
The Justice League?
If so, which faction within the league?
Should I inform Mantonggak about this?
If Mantonggak’s leader, Ryu Yeo-jung, gets involved, he would surely gather information on Sabi Kang quickly and eliminate him.
But…
‘That would only diminish my standing.’
It would be like handing over a precious jewel to Ryu Yeo-jung on a silver platter.
Yoshin asked cautiously, “Were you looking for this man? Why?”
“You know about the incident a few months ago when the Hotu Hall was destroyed, right?”
“Of course. Are you saying that young man, Gadeuk Sam…?”
“Yes, that’s the man known as ‘Sabi Kang.’”
“What…!”
Yoshin looked at the crumpled poster in shock.
“Shouldn’t we inform Mantonggak immediately?”
“Is that really the best course of action?”
“What do you mean…?”
“Both you and I… we’re being pushed out of the center of power.”
“That’s…”
It was a truth hard to deny.
Seorae Hyang looked at him intently. “Don’t you think the heavens have given us an opportunity?”
”…”
“He killed the Sahwan Party leader, the Red Demon, and the Black Tiger, and destroyed the Black Sky Society that ran the Hotu Hall. He’s already a key figure in the Great War. If we handle him ourselves…”
“We’ll gain the Black Dragon’s trust entirely.”
Yoshin’s eyes gleamed with understanding beneath his black hood.
Seorae Hyang nodded slowly. “Exactly.”
“I understand your deep intentions now, Lady Hongmyo.”
Yoshin bowed his head with a meaningful smile.
Seorae Hyang’s gaze deepened as she looked at Sabi Kang’s wanted poster.
**
In the backyard of Yongcheon Hall’s Special Training Wing.
“Haaap!”
Jo Muntak let out a spirited shout, channeling all his strength.
A low hum emanated from his belt, vibrating slightly.
But that was all.
Jo Muntak, his face flushed with effort, finally relaxed, panting heavily.
“Ugh, this is exhausting.”
He glared at the belt around his waist with frustration.
The Black Hive.
A new weapon he had received from Sabi Kang.
Seeing Sabi Kang wield the Black Hive at Jeokha Fortress had filled him with awe.
When Sabi Kang sent him a message, Jo Muntak had guessed that the magnificent weapon would become his.
Yet, even after two weeks, the Black Hive remained just a foreign belt to him.
“The Black Hive, unlike the Dark Ring, requires you to freely manipulate mana. The circle doesn’t matter. You just need to feel the flow of mana. That’s its greatest advantage.”
That’s what Sabi Kang had said when he handed over the Black Hive.
But no matter how hard he tried, the Black Hive wouldn’t respond as he wished.
‘Damn it, why isn’t it working? I want to control the swarm like the instructor does.’
Jo Muntak sighed deeply, furrowing his brow.
He recalled the sight of Sabi Kang using the Black Hive at Jeokha Fortress.
The thrill of seeing the black swarm sweep through enemies was unforgettable.
The Black Hive was the perfect weapon for someone like him, who specialized in stealth and hidden weapons.
But…
“At this rate, it’s just a pearl on a pig’s neck.”
Jo Muntak took a deep breath, steeling himself.
He couldn’t give up now.
It was a gift that made his peers envious.
There was no guarantee the weapon would remain his forever.
He had to master it somehow.
Jo Muntak resumed his stance, taking a deep breath.
And then.
“Haaaap!”
He channeled his energy, using the Yin-Yang Flow Mana Technique.
His internal energy gathered in his dantian, slowly moving towards his heart.
As it neared his middle dantian, the energy naturally transformed into mana under the technique’s influence.
‘Good! This is the crucial part!’
Jo Muntak focused on the mana gathering in his heart, infusing it with his will.
Wooooong.
The belt vibrated more intensely than before.
‘Just a little more!’
He clenched his fists, tensing his arms, shoulders, and legs.
“Huuuuup!”
Wooooong!
The belt’s protrusions trembled, lifting slightly.
About an inch off the belt’s surface.
Barely a finger’s width.
‘More of my will!’
“Haaaaaap!”
A shout erupted from him like never before.
At that moment.
“You’ll end up soiling yourself. Stop it.”
A sudden voice interrupted.
The protrusions, which had lifted an inch, snapped back onto the belt.
Jo Muntak, his concentration broken, gasped for breath, glaring at Sabi Kang with a mix of frustration and admiration.
“Ah, Instructor! I was so close…”
“You would’ve soiled yourself.”
“No, that’s not it!”
“Then did you wet yourself?”
“Instructor!”
“You’re going about it all wrong. You don’t understand.”
Sabi Kang’s serious critique made Jo Muntak’s expression turn earnest.
“Controlling mana is like swimming in water. In some ways, it’s easier to handle than internal energy.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. But there’s one condition.”
“What is it?”
“There must be mana in the air. But here in the Central Plains, ‘mana’ doesn’t exist in the air.”
“Then…?”
“There’s something similar called ‘essence.’”
“Essence…”
“Yes, it’s slightly different, but if you can sense it and perceive it like mana, that’s enough.”
‘Tch, easier said than done…’
Jo Muntak grumbled inwardly, but Sabi Kang frowned slightly and turned away.
“Follow me.”
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
Jo Muntak asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
‘Did he read my thoughts? Mind reading?’
Somehow, it wouldn’t surprise him if Sabi Kang could do such a thing.
But Sabi Kang led Jo Muntak to a stream.
The same place where they had caught icefish shortly after they first met.
“Instructor, why are we here…? Whoa!”
Before Jo Muntak could finish his question, Sabi Kang gave him a gentle push.
Splash!
“Whoa! Blub blub!”
Jo Muntak surfaced, looking miserable.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Remember when you caught icefish there?”
“Well… yes, I remember.”
“Try using the Yin-Yang Flow Mana Technique and feel the mana like you did when catching those fish.”
“Oh…!”
Jo Muntak seemed to have an epiphany and quickly assumed a stance in the water.
He focused on his dantian, drawing up his internal energy, and circulated it according to the technique’s principles.
Feeling the mana gathering in his heart, he infused it with his will.
‘Ah…!’
It felt as if the mana was swimming through his body.
As if his body had become one with the water, and the mana flowing within him were like fish.
Moreover, being submerged in water, the fish naturally swam out of his body.
Wooooong!
The belt vibrated.
But this time, Jo Muntak didn’t even notice the vibration.
His consciousness had already merged with the flow of the water.
Swoosh.
The protrusions of the Black Hive spread out in the water, extending outward.
Feeling the flow, Jo Muntak gently guided the protrusions.
Whoosh!
Like a school of smelt, the black protrusions darted swiftly through the water, weaving in and out. Watching this, a subtle smile crept onto Sabi Kang’s lips.
“Heh, not bad.”
At some point, the school of smelt leaped out of the water, only to dive back in again.
Splash!
Swoosh!
After several repetitions of this leaping and diving, suddenly—
Whoosh!
The school transformed into a swarm of bees, soaring into the air. Jo Muntak no longer needed to remain underwater to sense the flow of mana within his energy. It felt as if his body was flying, a lightness in his heart.
How long did he stir the air like that?
Eventually, the swarm of bees plunged back into the water, returning to their original positions on his belt. He had exhausted all his mana from the excitement of controlling the swarm for too long. With both his internal energy and mana depleted, Jo Muntak’s lips turned a pale blue from being in the water for so long.
“Oh… I’m dizzy. Heh.”
Scratching the back of his head, Jo Muntak collapsed into the water, too drained to even hold himself up. The severe mana consumption was indeed the greatest drawback of the black hive.
As he closed his eyes, he saw Sabi Kang standing by the stream, arms crossed, clicking his tongue.
‘That guy… he’ll save me, right?’
With that thought, Jo Muntak let his eyes drift shut.
Yongcheon Academy.
Looking up at the large letters engraved on the main gate, Cheon Saemyung was filled with nostalgia. Due to Sabi Kang’s objections, Cheon Saemyung had been under disciplinary action. How long had it been since he last set foot on the academy grounds?
He realized once again that living among the students at the academy suited him perfectly. Every scene within the academy seemed endearing. Even the late autumn leaves rolling in the wind felt familiar.
Yet, there was one presence he could never grow fond of…
‘Sabi Kang… I will definitely…!’
Cheon Saemyung gritted his teeth.
Just then, Instructor Deung came out to greet him.
“Chief Cheon! How long has it been? Welcome back. Congratulations on your reinstatement!”
“It’s been a while, Instructor Deung. Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you, yes. However, with your absence, many matters have piled up that need addressing.”
“That’s my responsibility. Let’s get to it.”
As the two walked on, they turned a corner and came face-to-face with Sabi Kang.
A surge of animosity flared up momentarily. But Cheon Saemyung managed to control his emotions and greeted him.
“Long time no see, Instructor Sa.”
“Oh, who do we have here? Isn’t it Chief Cheon?”
“Heh. Thanks to you, I had some good time for self-reflection.”
“Ha ha. That’s good to hear, though it’s hard to believe.”
“What was that?”
A vein throbbed on Cheon Saemyung’s forehead.
‘This guy, really…!’
Sabi Kang quickly changed the subject.
“Actually, I was under disciplinary action for a few months myself, but my nature didn’t change much. That’s when I realized—people don’t change easily.”
Sabi Kang gave a meaningful smile. Indeed, that was the one thing he had learned about humans over his many years of life: people never change.
Cheon Saemyung responded with a smile.
“Heh. Isn’t that dependent on a person’s character?”
“Let’s hope so.”
Sabi Kang smiled back.