Episode 228: Return to the Demonic Academy
Crash!
The door flew open as Churyang burst into the room.
Sabigang, who was just getting up from his bed, frowned and turned to look at him.
“What’s all this commotion so early in the morning?”
“Pant, pant… Master! You need to come outside!”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s… Yusongryeong is right outside…!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just come quickly, please.”
Churyang quickly turned and dashed out, with Sabigang grumbling as he followed.
When they reached the training grounds, Sabigang stopped abruptly, his expression hardening.
“When did you find her?”
“I just discovered her now,” Churyang replied, still catching his breath.
Before them sat Yusongryeong, bloodied and leaning against a pillar. Her once beautiful face was now swollen and bruised.
“Instructor…”
Yusongryeong managed to lift her head to look at Sabigang.
Sabigang knelt down on one knee across from her, his brow furrowed.
“Was it the Seol siblings?”
Yusongryeong nodded weakly, blood-tinged saliva dripping from her swollen lips. Churyang, unable to watch any longer, took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth.
Her breathing was labored and unsteady. Sabigang carefully poured a healing potion into her mouth, bit by bit. Slowly, some color returned to her pale face, but the potion wasn’t enough to work miracles.
Overdosing on potions could be as harmful as overeating, he knew. Yusongryeong was too weak to handle more than a little at a time. Too much, and the cure could become a poison.
“Were the others attacked too?”
Again, Yusongryeong nodded with difficulty.
“Did they attack all at once?”
She nodded once more, and Sabigang’s expression darkened.
This was unexpected. He had thought the other students could at least hold their own, even if they couldn’t capture the siblings. But they had all been defeated. The Seol siblings were far stronger than he had anticipated.
Churyang gritted his teeth. “Those Seol siblings, how could they do this to their own teammates?”
At that moment, Yusongryeong lost consciousness and slumped forward. Churyang moved to support her, eyes wide with shock.
“Master…! Look at this…!”
Sabigang’s gaze followed Churyang’s to Yusongryeong’s back. Her clothes were torn, revealing skin marked with bloody letters.
Instructor. A gift for you.
Churyang clenched his teeth in anger. “This must be the work of the Seol siblings! How could they do something so cruel?”
Sabigang silently removed his cloak and draped it over Yusongryeong. He then lifted her into his arms.
As he was about to leave, Jeokmurin approached, glancing at Yusongryeong.
“What happened here?”
“She made it here on her own. Churyang found her this morning.”
Jeokmurin lifted the cloak to take a look, his usually stoic face showing a rare flicker of emotion.
“This is…!”
“The Seol siblings have a twisted sense of humor,” Sabigang said, striding forward with determination.
Jeokmurin’s gaze followed him. “What do you plan to do?”
“I’ll have to teach them a lesson.”
“Those two are different. It might be best to just let it go…”
Sabigang paused and turned back, meeting Jeokmurin’s deepening gaze.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why go to such lengths?”
“Why, indeed…”
Sabigang looked out into the distance, still holding Yusongryeong.
Jeokmurin continued, “I’ll say it again, those two are dangerous. Why bring them here?”
“Because I chose them.”
”…?”
“There’s no grand reason. I decided to train them, and that’s that.”
Jeokmurin stood there, speechless, as Churyang hurried to catch up with Sabigang.
[Master…]
[Did I look cool?]
[Absolutely!]
Jeokmurin watched them walk away, exchanging silent words.
**
The new recruits lay in a line, bloodied and defeated.
Seol Seorin walked lightly among them, from one end to the other, before turning back.
She stopped in front of Seok Tangang, who was barely conscious, leaning against a rock.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Seok Tangang, covered in blood, could only stare at her with half-open eyes. He wanted to curse and threaten her, but he was too weak to even muster the energy.
Seol Seorin tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand.
“How curious. They’ve healed so cleanly. Even the one with the broken arm… and the one with the broken leg… internal injuries, too.”
“It might be some strange sorcery,” a soft voice said from behind her.
Seol Sumin had approached quietly.
“But he’s supposed to be an instructor from the Justice Alliance, right?”
“Even a righteous warrior might know some dark arts.”
“Then he’s a bad guy, isn’t he?”
“Heh. You know, in this world…”
“…there are no truly good people.”
“Exactly.”
Seol Sumin nodded.
Suddenly, Seol Seorin seemed to remember something and turned around. She examined the fallen recruits closely, her eyes narrowing.
“Brother, isn’t it fascinating? Broken bones healed perfectly, and torn wounds vanished without a trace.”
“It is indeed.”
“Do you think… they could reattach a severed limb?”
Seol Seorin lifted Ong Giseung’s arm, asking eagerly.
Seol Sumin squinted and replied, “I doubt it.”
“Brother, let’s experiment!”
“Experiment?”
“Yes. Let’s see if a severed arm can be reattached!”
“Hahaha! That sounds fun.”
“Doesn’t it?”
Seol Seorin’s excitement was palpable, while the conscious recruits turned pale with fear.
‘Those maniacs wouldn’t really…!’
But the unthinkable was happening.
Seol Seorin stepped back, pointing at each recruit in turn, chanting a rhythm.
“Let’s ask the heavens which one it should be!”
Her finger landed on Bang Gak.
Bang Gak’s eyes widened in terror as he shouted, “Please, spare me! Not me!”
Seol Seorin approached with a sweet smile.
“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. Just want to see if a severed arm can be reattached.”
“Please! I beg you! Don’t do this to me!”
“Hoho, brother. This is so much fun.”
“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Seol Sumin’s smile was chilling.
Seol Seorin took the sword from Bang Gak’s trembling hands.
“I’ll use your own sword to do it.”
Just as she was about to press the blade to his shoulder,
“It can’t be reattached.”
A voice interrupted.
Seol Seorin flinched and turned her head.
Seol Sumin’s brow furrowed as he looked at the unexpected newcomer.
“Instructor!”
Bang Gak called out to Sabigang, tears of relief in his eyes.
Seol Seorin grinned widely. “Ah, so you’re the new instructor!”
“Yes, I’m Sabigang, the one who’s going to guide you.”
“Hmm. But what do you mean it can’t be reattached?”
Sabigang casually cleaned his ear as he replied, “Sorry to spoil your fun, but once it’s cut off, it can’t be reattached.”
“Really? Have you tried it?”
“I have.”
“Ahaha. What a strange instructor. Trying all sorts of things.”
“I’ve done even stranger things.”
“Hmm. You’re an interesting instructor. Right, brother?”
“Indeed.”
Unlike Seol Seorin, Seol Sumin’s smile had vanished.
He could tell at a glance that Sabigang was no ordinary opponent.
‘He’s not someone to be taken lightly.’
“Seorin, step back.”
“Yes, brother. Be careful.”
“Don’t worry.”
As Seol Sumin stepped forward, Sabigang chuckled.
“What a touching sibling bond.”
“And such a strong bond between master and disciple.”
“Indeed. Without this bond, would I have come all this way to guide you?”
“Guidance… Unfortunately, you’ve wasted your time.”
“We’ll see about that. I can already hear your cries of repentance.”
Click.
Sabigang drew his sword, still sheathed.
Seol Sumin’s eyes narrowed.
‘He’s not drawing his blade?’
As if reading his thoughts, Sabigang smirked.
“I’m just going to beat you up.”
Seol Sumin let out a dry laugh, slowly taking his stance.
“Listening to your nonsense, it seems you’re not in your right mind!”
Before the words were even finished,
Flash!
Sul Su-min vanished in an instant.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he sliced through the air, landing right in front of Sa Bi-gang with a powerful kick.
Bang!
Sa Bi-gang quickly raised his sword sheath to block the attack.
Thud, thud, thud!
He was pushed back, struggling to regain his balance, but Sul Su-min was relentless, appearing again before he could steady himself.
Whoosh! Thud!
Sa Bi-gang managed to block Sul Su-min’s knee with his elbow, sliding back several feet before coming to a stop.
Sul Su-min flashed a sly smile. “Impressive.”
A low hum filled the air as two meteor blades spun in circles at his fingertips, so thin they were nearly invisible, like daggers floating on their own.
“You didn’t think I only had one meteor blade, did you?” Sul Su-min chuckled.
In the next moment,
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
A sharp sound pierced the air as three meteor blades narrowly missed Sa Bi-gang’s collar.
“Three blades!” Sa Bi-gang charged at Sul Su-min without hesitation.
Tap, tap, tap!
“Surprised by just three?” Sul Su-min taunted, sending more blades flying from his fingertips.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz…!
Some flew straight, others curved back, all connected by nearly invisible threads.
“I have ten meteor blades,” he declared, as the silver streaks threatened to tear Sa Bi-gang apart.
But then,
Whoosh!
Sa Bi-gang vanished from sight.
“Hmm?” Sul Su-min, skilled in tracking even the slightest movements, found himself unable to follow Sa Bi-gang this time.
As he furrowed his brow in confusion,
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
The meteor blades that had been aimed at Sa Bi-gang embedded themselves into the ground.
And then,
“So what?” came a chilling voice from behind.
Crash!
Sa Bi-gang struck Sul Su-min’s head with the sheath of his sword, Veritas.
Ryu Yeo-jung turned around. “Sa Bi-gang went to confront the Seol siblings?”
“Yes. It seems they’ve caused trouble again,” Dok Go-jin replied with a smirk.
He chuckled, “No matter how skilled he is, handling Sul Su-min won’t be easy.”
“Well… I’m not so sure about that,” Ryu Yeo-jung mused, his eyes deep in thought.
Dok Go-jin tilted his head, puzzled. “You don’t think the Seol siblings will fall to Sa Bi-gang, do you?”
Ryu Yeo-jung sipped his tea with a faint smile. People often overlooked Seol Se-rin, the one Sul Su-min always protected. The real threat wasn’t Sul Su-min, but Seol Se-rin.
“The problem isn’t Sul Su-min,” Ryu Yeo-jung said, his smile full of hidden meaning.