Episode 269: Return to the Demonic Sect
Whoooosh!
A warm gust of energy swept through the air.
Yoo Song-ryeong bit her lip and slowly sidestepped.
‘This is completely different from before!’
It was hard to believe this was the same person. Not only had his aura changed, but his demeanor seemed different too. Just moments ago, he had seemed so calm, not at all like an assassin. But now, there was a sharpness to him, like a blade.
Ssshh.
As Yoo Song-ryeong planted her foot firmly on the ground, readying herself,
Thwack!
The figure of Manseong Geomsal lunged forward, a beat faster than her.
Swoosh!
Seeing the sword flash towards her like a streak of light, Yoo Song-ryeong let out a battle cry and met the attack head-on.
“Haaah!”
Clang!
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed with a piercing metallic sound.
Manseong Geomsal spun, attempting a follow-up strike. Yoo Song-ryeong, wielding the heavier Geoshindo, twisted her body, using the momentum to block the second attack.
Clang!
More sparks erupted.
Manseong Geomsal didn’t relent. He pressed on, giving Yoo Song-ryeong no time to breathe.
Clang! Clang!
His swordsmanship was like a whirlwind, but Yoo Song-ryeong was no pushover.
Their fighting styles were starkly different. Manseong Geomsal was sharp and precise, almost rigid. In contrast, Yoo Song-ryeong was fluid and flexible. It seemed their weapons should dictate the opposite, yet Yoo Song-ryeong moved with a surprising grace.
She felt it herself.
‘I’ve definitely changed! Every movement feels like a single, fluid motion! Who knew engraving a phrase on the hilt would make such a difference!’
She couldn’t deny it, even if she wanted to.
When was the last time she found joy in wielding the Geoshindo? Since her father’s passing, swinging the sword had always been an outlet for her anger. Her stance had grown rough, her movements clumsy.
But now, it was different. Before, she was like a turbulent stream; now, she flowed like a majestic river. Even when her opponent attacked fiercely, her movements absorbed the blows like water.
And when she saw an opening,
“Haaah!”
With a fierce battle cry, she unleashed a powerful wave of attacks.
Crash!
With a loud noise, Manseong Geomsal slid back several feet.
He steadied himself, frowning slightly.
“You’re better than I thought.”
“Seems so.”
Yoo Song-ryeong’s words were genuine, but Manseong Geomsal took them as mockery.
“Amusing. The test is over. Now, I’ll kill you.”
“A test…?”
“To see if you’re worth killing. Congratulations. You’ve proven yourself.”
“Well, that’s… delightful.”
As Yoo Song-ryeong forced a smile,
Thwack!
Manseong Geomsal launched himself at her with blinding speed.
Swoosh!
“Ugh!”
Clang!
The metallic clash sent Yoo Song-ryeong skidding backward. She narrowly avoided a fatal blow to her forehead.
A voice echoed in her mind, urging her to focus.
‘Tch!’
Just as she prepared to counterattack,
“You’re slow.”
Manseong Geomsal appeared beside her, his sword poised to strike.
Then,
Clang!
The sound of chains filled the air, and a black sickle wrapped around Manseong Geomsal’s sword.
Startled, he turned to see Seok Tan-gang pulling the chain taut, his expression cold.
“Did you forget about me?”
“You insolent wretches…!”
Manseong Geomsal gritted his teeth and yanked his sword free.
Clang!
The chain unraveled, and he stepped back.
In that moment, Yoo Song-ryeong let out another battle cry and swung her Geoshindo.
Her attack was like a crashing wave.
Manseong Geomsal retreated, and the Geoshindo sliced through the air.
Then,
Clang!
The chain sickle flew towards Manseong Geomsal’s neck, riding the wave of the attack.
“Tch!”
Manseong Geomsal clicked his tongue and spun his body.
Swish!
The sickle narrowly missed his shoulder, crashing into a nearby wall.
Crash!
“Ryeong!”
Seok Tan-gang called out, pulling the chain taut. Yoo Song-ryeong, as if on cue, ran along the chain.
Thud, thud, thud!
Simultaneously, Seok Tan-gang used the chain’s recoil to propel himself forward.
The two of them closed in on Manseong Geomsal in an instant.
‘Damn it! These two…!’
Manseong Geomsal charged at Yoo Song-ryeong, then suddenly bent backward.
Swoosh!
The Geoshindo grazed his chest.
Then,
Clang!
The chain sickle swung diagonally.
Swish!
Manseong Geomsal spun and leaped into the air.
Crash!
But Seok Tan-gang’s attack wasn’t over.
He wielded two chain sickles from the start.
Clang!
The second sickle flew towards Manseong Geomsal, who was airborne.
“You’re annoying!”
Manseong Geomsal deflected the sickle with a burst of energy.
Clang!
The sickle fell to the ground, embedding itself.
At that moment, Yoo Song-ryeong grabbed Seok Tan-gang’s shoulder.
Seok Tan-gang wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled the chain.
Thwack!
Using the recoil, they both shot forward like arrows.
Clang!
The Geoshindo and chain sickle simultaneously targeted Manseong Geomsal.
‘What are these people?’
Manseong Geomsal was genuinely surprised.
He had never seen such a well-coordinated attack.
Or was it even coordination?
It was peculiar.
Their attacks were chaotic, yet somehow effective.
‘How is this possible?’
He had faced many opponents in his career as an assassin.
The most coordinated group he’d encountered was the Imperial Guards.
Their movements were precise, leaving no openings.
He had barely survived that encounter.
The Imperial Guards were not individually the strongest, but together, they were formidable.
Their teamwork was suffocatingly precise.
But now?
Yes, there were openings everywhere.
Both Yoo Song-ryeong and Seok Tan-gang had plenty of gaps.
They weren’t a single organism but two separate entities.
Yet…
“Haaah!”
Clang!
Manseong Geomsal’s sword clashed with the Geoshindo, spinning him like a top.
Then,
Clang!
The chain sickle flew in again.
Thud!
The sickle bounced off, and the Geoshindo came slashing down once more.
Thud, thud!
Manseong Geomsal stepped on the Geoshindo, aiming a kick at Yoo Song-ryeong’s face.
But,
Clang!
A black serpent-like chain wrapped around his leg.
Another unexpected attack.
It was risky. A slight miscalculation, and the chain sickle could have decapitated Yoo Song-ryeong instead.
Such dangerous attacks meant one of two things.
Either they didn’t care if their partner died, or their understanding of each other was beyond comprehension.
“Tch!”
Manseong Geomsal spun in the opposite direction, freeing himself from the chain and retreating.
‘Annoying.’
There were definitely openings, but they covered them in such a bizarre and messy way.
It was infuriating.
They seemed insignificant, yet as the fight went on, they became formidable.
Unlike the well-oiled tactics of the Imperial Guards, their responses were recklessly bold.
And those two…
‘Are they smiling?’
They looked like they were enjoying this life-or-death battle.
How could they fight like this and still be in sync?
Were they siblings?
The thought crossed his mind.
But no, they didn’t resemble each other at all.
Meanwhile, Yoo Song-ryeong and Seok Tan-gang, caught up in the thrill of the fight, shared similar thoughts.
‘This is fun!’
‘I didn’t expect us to work this well together.’
It was a first for them.
They had fought together many times, but never had they felt so in tune.
Of course, Sa Bi-gang’s occasional telepathic advice helped.
But most of their movements were instinctive.
Their synergy was remarkable.
“I’ve been underestimating you.”
Manseong Geomsal’s eyes turned cold.
He adjusted his stance, and a powerful aura emanated from him.
Yoo Song-ryeong and Seok Tan-gang’s expressions hardened.
‘He’s different from before!’
His aura was much stronger now.
At first, he must have kept his true power hidden to some extent.
But now, as he unleashed it, the man standing before them seemed like a completely different person.
With an impassive expression, Manseng Geomsal murmured, “From now on, I’ll treat you with the respect you deserve.”
In other words, he wouldn’t underestimate them any longer.
He erased any thoughts of them being insignificant from his mind.
Seok Tangang and Yoo Songryeong exchanged glances and nodded.
There was no need to hold back.
They would seize this momentum and launch their attack!
With a swift motion, the two charged forward.
In an instant,
Boom!
Manseng Geomsal swung his sword vertically, striking the ground.
The next moment,
Rumble!
The ground split open as if an earthquake had struck, racing toward the two of them in a straight line.
[Get out of the way!]
Sabigang’s voice echoed in their minds.
Seok Tangang and Sabigang quickly leaped aside, using their weapons to shield themselves.
Crash!
Fortunately, they weren’t hit directly, so they only had to withstand the shockwave.
But Manseng Geomsal was already moving like a phantom toward Yoo Songryeong.
Seok Tangang hurled his chain sickle, but it couldn’t keep up with Manseng Geomsal’s speed and struck the ground instead.
“This is the end.”
He targeted Yoo Songryeong, the weaker of the two.
Just as he was about to strike without hesitation,
”……!”
Manseng Geomsal felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively turned, swinging his sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew as his blade clashed with Bertas.
Whoosh!
Repelled by the immense force, Manseng Geomsal scowled and growled, “You filthy scoundrels. Attacking from behind, how cowardly.”
Sabigang chuckled in response. “Isn’t it a bit rich to hear that from an assassin?”
“I knew you’d show yourself eventually.”
“And why’s that?”
“I saw you sending messages to these guys earlier. Are you their leader?”
“Leader, huh? You could say that.”
“Then there’s no one else left to step in.”
“That’s right.”
“Before I kill you, tell me your name.”
“My name is… Sabigang.”
”……!”
Manseng Geomsal’s eyes widened in surprise.