Episode 189: Return of the Demon Instructor
“Then I’ll make sure you die without a scratch!”
With those words, Sabigang launched the first attack.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Sabigang vanished from sight, reappearing above the old man’s head.
But the old man, already aware of Sabigang’s position through his keen senses, swung his twin blades upward with a sharp cry.
“Hmph! Tricks like that won’t work!”
Clang!
The clash of blades echoed as Sabigang landed behind the old man.
As the old man turned, Sabigang thrust his sword, Veritas, forward.
Swoosh!
Clang!
Even though the blade struck true, it met with a metallic resistance.
The old man slid back, unscathed, a smug grin on his face.
“I told you it was useless.”
Sabigang’s expression hardened. A body so tough that even Veritas couldn’t cut through it? He hadn’t anticipated this.
‘What kind of technique has he mastered? Or is it some magical artifact?’
Yet, he sensed no mana from the old man. Even as he rifled through his memorized knowledge, nothing about the old man came to mind.
Taking a deep breath, Sabigang adjusted his grip on Veritas. The old man must have mastered a technique unknown to him. Unlike conventional martial arts, the variety of techniques was vast, making it impossible to know them all.
‘I thought I had a handle on most of them…’
But there was no need to despair. No martial art in the world was without flaw. There had to be a weakness somewhere. The old man had imposed a restriction on himself for a reason. He couldn’t maintain that state indefinitely, which meant that if Sabigang could hold out, the old man would eventually falter.
The only problem was not knowing how long that would take. An hour? A day? A month? Waiting it out wasn’t an option; Sabigang would tire first.
“Haha! I can hear the gears turning in your head from here!”
Boom!
The ground caved in as the old man appeared before Sabigang in the blink of an eye, raising his twin blades high before bringing them down.
Crash!
“Ugh!”
Sabigang grunted, sliding back until his back hit the wall, finally coming to a stop.
“Haha! Where’s that confidence gone now?”
The massive old man loomed before him again. Sabigang rolled to the side, dodging the incoming blade.
Smash!
The blade cleaved through the spot where Sabigang had been, piercing the wall.
Quickly rising, Sabigang summoned his energy.
Whoosh!
A fierce, blue aura erupted from his sword, but the old man’s eyes only showed amusement.
“Haha. I told you it’s useless!”
Ignoring him, Sabigang charged forward, thrusting Veritas once more.
Swoosh!
“Hyaah!”
The old man let out a battle cry, raising his defensive aura to its peak.
Blocking a sword with sheer aura was something most would deem insane. Yet, the old man was doing just that.
Clang!
Astonishingly, Veritas was deflected. At the same time, the old man swung his blade, charged with energy, at Veritas.
Crash!
The force was so great that Sabigang lost his grip on Veritas.
Smash!
The old man’s blade and Veritas crashed through a wall, landing in the courtyard beyond.
Sabigang caught his breath. The old man was formidable, more so than the last formidable foe he had faced. Though not as flashy, the old man wielded his dense, concentrated energy with precision.
Any ordinary master would feel despair against such an opponent. But not Sabigang. He had faced greater despair in the demon realm countless times. Even when he was weaker, he had survived encounters with stronger beings.
Now was the time to remain calm and deliberate.
Sabigang’s gaze fell on Seoraehyang, who was watching the intense battle with awe and admiration.
He casually asked, “Are you alright?”
“Yes, for now.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Though, it’ll be quite a task to repair all this damage.”
“Haha. As long as we’re alive, that’s what matters, right?”
Sabigang joked, then paused, a thought flashing through his mind as he glanced around.
The old man cracked his neck, licking his blade.
“This fight is getting tiresome. Let’s end it. It’s been a decent warm-up.”
“Good for you. At least you got to stretch before you die.”
“Haha! You insolent brat!”
Boom!
The old man charged again, but Sabigang rolled aside, grabbing a large needle embedded in the ground.
Whoosh!
Using blink magic, Sabigang appeared behind the old man. The old man, sensing him, spun around.
Simultaneously, Sabigang drove the needle down.
Clang!
The needle struck the old man’s chest, only to bounce off with a metallic ring.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The old man extended a palm strike. Sabigang quickly raised a shield and defensive aura.
Boom!
The explosion of energy sent him flying back.
Skidding to a halt, Sabigang took a deep breath.
“Damn it!”
His attempt had failed, but it was enough. He had glimpsed a possibility.
The old man, despite blocking the attack, didn’t look pleased.
“Quite the clever idea you had.”
“Haha. I do have a strong survival instinct.”
“You cheeky brat.”
The old man’s expression twisted.
Sabigang was certain now.
‘He’s sensitive to it.’
The solution he had thought of was surprisingly simple: restoration. If the old man’s strength came from breaking a restriction, then reapplying it should weaken him. Complete restoration would be difficult, but it wasn’t necessary.
He had picked up the needle and tried to drive it back into its original place. The failure of his earlier attack was due to missing the exact spot.
“Haha. Clever, but not easy.”
“That’s what makes me who I am.”
Sabigang grinned, spreading his hands wide.
The old man frowned at the seemingly defenseless stance.
“What are you up to?”
“If I drive in dozens at once, a few are bound to hit, right?”
“Hmph! Do you have dozens of hands?”
“Haha. Ever heard of telekinesis?”
“What?”
The old man scowled, glaring at Sabigang.
In the next moment, he sensed a chilling presence from all directions and slowly turned his head.
What he saw was astonishing.
Dozens of needles, scattered across the walls, ceiling, and floor, were floating as if alive.
“Not as simple as controlling objects, nor as powerful as sword control. But much more precise. Young man.”
“What trickery is this!”
Sensing danger, the old man charged.
In a flash,
Whoosh!
Sabigang crossed his hands.
Simultaneously,
Swoosh!
The floating needles swarmed toward the old man like a swarm of bees.
“Argh!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The needles struck the old man’s body, the sound of metal clashing echoing once more.
Moments later,
“Ugh!”
The old man’s back arched, then his arm twisted into an unnatural shape.
‘Got him!’
Sabigang saw three needles embedded in the old man’s body: one in the neck, one in the side, and one in the thigh.
Sabigang spread his hands again.
Whoosh!
The needles that had fallen to the ground rose into the air once more.
“You brat!”
In the next instant,
Swoosh!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Once again, the needles rained down on the old man.
“Argh!”
This time, even more needles found their mark. The old man’s slowed movements made it easier to aim.
With the previous ones, a total of eight needles were now embedded in the old man’s body!
Sabigang leaped into the air.
This fleeting moment, as the old man’s body contorted, was his only chance.
If he missed it, the old man would regain control and expel the needles himself.
In a flash, Sabigang landed on the old man’s shoulder, wrapping his legs around him, and pulled out the needle from his neck.
“Get off me, you leech!”
“Shut up!”
Sabigang drove the needle into the old man’s crown.
Crunch!
“Argh!”
The needle struck precisely where it had been before, driving five inches deeper than it should have. The pain was indescribable.
The old man screamed, thrashing about.
But Sabigang didn’t stop there.
He pulled out two more needles from the old man’s back and drove them into his temples.
Crunch!
Crunch!
“Argh! Argh!”
The old man, his body twisted in an unnatural contortion, cried out in agony.
“Get away! Get away! Get away, you damned beast!”
He flailed wildly, his voice a desperate shriek.
Sabi Kang’s eyes turned cold and steely.
“If that’s what you wish.”
With those words, he extended his hand, and the sword, Berthas, embedded in the distance, flew into his grasp.
In the same motion, Sabi Kang leaped off the old man’s shoulder and swung Berthas.
Swish!
The sound of something solid being severed echoed, and the old man’s convulsions ceased as if by magic.
Thud, roll…
The old man’s head hit the floor and rolled away, his eyes wide open, as if refusing to accept his own death.
A gush of blood spurted from the severed neck like a fountain.
Thud, crash!
Finally, the massive body, which seemed it would never fall, toppled over like an ancient tree.
“Phew!”
Sabi Kang exhaled deeply, wiping the blood from his cheek with a swift motion.
When he looked up, he saw Seorae Hyang standing in the corner of the room, her mouth agape in shock.
Sabi Kang spoke.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. An unexpected guest, you see.”
“N-no need to apologize,” Seorae Hyang replied, still dazed.
Sabi Kang allowed himself a small smile.
“Now, shall we continue our conversation?”