Episode 285: Return to the Demonic Cult
As Maeseolan reached the end of the passageway, a vast cavern unfolded beneath her, its expanse visible at a glance.
The cavern was about three stories high.
Lowering her body, Maeseolan peered into the cavern’s depths.
Torches lined the circular walls, casting a bright glow, and in the center of the cavern was a space that at first glance resembled a pond.
But upon closer inspection, it was not a pond but a massive basin-like structure.
Astonishingly, the structure was filled to the brim with blood.
The metallic scent of blood permeated the entire cavern.
“Are those… followers?”
People surrounded the large basin.
They wore white cloaks draped over their heads, muttering incomprehensible words incessantly.
The eerie atmosphere sent a chill down Maeseolan’s spine.
On the ground, strange symbols radiated outward from the basin like ripples.
“What kind of ritual is this? Is that blood from human sacrifices?”
If so, all the blood in that massive basin must be human.
To gather such a large quantity, they must have killed dozens.
“Those bastards!”
Her instincts screamed to leap down and cut down those madmen in one swift stroke.
Judging by their aura, they didn’t seem particularly skilled in martial arts.
Yet, the energy emanating from the gathered individuals was enough to make her skin crawl.
It was far from pure, unlike anything she’d felt from typical martial artists.
“I need to get out of here.”
They didn’t seem to be doing anything immediate, so retreating to a safe place was the priority.
Just as she was about to turn away, two followers in white cloaks approached a large iron door and began unlocking it.
Creak… Boom!
As the heavy door swung open with a deep rumble, unexpected figures emerged.
“Children…!”
Maeseolan’s eyes widened.
The people walking out of the opened passage were all children.
They marched out with blank expressions, as if entranced.
There seemed to be about forty of them.
“Why are those children here…? What on earth are they planning?”
Maeseolan’s heart pounded wildly.
A dreadful premonition loomed, as if something unimaginably horrific was about to unfold.
As the children appeared, the murmuring of the people around the basin grew louder.
Their voices resonated, causing the cavern to hum.
Even the air seemed to tremble.
Then, suddenly,
Bubbling…!
“Just now…!”
Maeseolan’s eyes widened.
Something had briefly surfaced from the blood-filled basin before sinking back down.
Now, the followers raised their arms, swaying them wildly as they began to shout in a frenzy.
The sight of their madness sent shivers down her spine.
Yet the children stood there, unmoving, with vacant expressions, seemingly oblivious to the monstrous spectacle before them.
Finally, the ritual concluded.
The eerie resonance that had echoed through the cavern fell silent.
The followers retreated, slipping back through the iron door from which the children had emerged.
The heavy door closed with a resounding thud.
Now, only the children, still entranced, remained in the cavern.
Moments later,
Rumble! Gurgle…!
”…!”
Maeseolan sprang to her feet instinctively.
Something was rising from the blood in the massive basin.
“My God…! What is that?”
A grotesque creature, writhing like a mollusk!
It swelled larger, its body undulating like a snail’s.
“Ugh…!”
Maeseolan gagged, covering her mouth.
The stench was overpowering, suffocating.
The creature resembled a giant brain, with dozens of tendrils extending like legs, and a gaping maw lined with razor-sharp teeth.
The monstrosity was as large as a house.
She had never seen anything so hideous in her life.
Maeseolan questioned if she was dreaming, but the oppressive sensation enveloping her was all too real.
“The children…!”
Her gaze darted back to the children.
They stood there, staring blankly at the grotesque creature, showing no reaction.
They should have been crying and screaming, yet they simply watched the bizarre monster.
“Could it be… those children are…?”
A horrifying thought crossed her mind.
And as if to confirm her fears, the monstrous creature slithered out of the blood, moving toward the children.
“They’re the sacrifices!”
How such a thing was possible, she couldn’t fathom, but the followers had summoned this creature by sacrificing women, and now they intended to feed the children to it.
She couldn’t just stand by any longer.
She had no idea how to fight such a creature, but she couldn’t let the children become its prey.
Just as Maeseolan was about to leap over the railing,
“A presence…!”
She spun around, deflecting a hand that flew toward her.
Smack!
“You…!”
Maeseolan glared at her opponent.
It was the old man with the blue face she had encountered just before losing consciousness.
The blue-faced man, who had tried to subdue her quietly, clicked his tongue and brought a finger to his lips.
[Quiet.]
Maeseolan furrowed her brow, about to shout,
[If you make a noise here, neither of us will survive.]
”…!”
[Bravery born of ignorance. You actually thought of fighting that creature.]
[What is that creature?]
Maeseolan demanded, her voice sharp. The blue-faced man shrugged.
[Who knows? I don’t know the details. Only the Master would know.]
[The Master…? Who is that?]
[Let’s move first. I warn you, causing a commotion here won’t do either of us any good.]
The blue-faced man’s expression was sincere.
He seemed extremely cautious, worried the creature might notice them.
Meanwhile, the creature continued to approach the children.
[You beast! Are you really going to offer those children to the creature?]
[It’s a necessary choice. If we don’t, the creature will go berserk as soon as it’s summoned.]
[Summoned…?]
[Enough talk. Let’s get out of here.]
At that moment,
One of the creature’s tendrils snaked out, wrapping around a child and lifting them into the air.
The creature opened its maw wide and swallowed the child whole.
Meanwhile, other tendrils began to ensnare the children, lifting them like offerings on a platter.
Seeing this, Maeseolan cried out in horror.
“No! Stop!”
“Damn it, you fool…!”
The blue-faced man’s expression hardened.
Maeseolan had done the one thing she should never do in front of the creature.
There had been strict instructions not to provoke it while it was feeding!
Sure enough, the creature twitched and turned toward them.
Then,
Whoosh!
A tendril shot out toward Maeseolan with alarming speed.
Both the blue-faced man and Maeseolan instinctively leaped back.
Crash!
The tendril struck the end of the passageway with a thunderous noise.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The blue-faced man and Maeseolan staggered, groaning in pain.
“How is it so fast?”
Maeseolan stared at the creature in shock as it pounded the ground with its tendrils, seemingly enraged.
Then,
Swoosh!
Thud!
“Gasp!”
Maeseolan’s mouth fell open as she gasped.
The creature’s tendrils whipped through the air, tearing the children apart, their bodies flung in all directions, blood splattering the walls.
The horrific scene filled Maeseolan with terror more than anger.
“What… what is that?”
“Damn it! You idiot…!”
The blue-faced man cursed, then kicked off the ground, sprinting down the passageway.
Maeseolan, snapping back to her senses, scrambled to her feet.
Whoosh!
Once again, a tendril lashed out toward her.
“Gah!”
Maeseolan rolled away instinctively.
Boom!
The tendril struck the end of the passageway again, causing the ceiling to collapse.
The creature seemed to have lost interest in its meal, now focused solely on punishing the humans who had disturbed it.
Whoosh!
Another tendril flew toward her.
Maeseolan quickly summoned her protective energy, extending her arms to meet it.
Boom!
“Aaah!”
The impact sent her tumbling down the passageway.
Despite her protective energy, the pain was excruciating, as if her body was being torn apart.
“How is it so strong?”
She struggled to her feet, grateful that the collapsed ceiling had blocked the passageway’s end.
“I need to get out of here!”
The guilt of not being able to save the children weighed heavily on her, like a bleeding heart. But now, she had only one goal: to ensure that the monster never escaped into the world.
She began to sprint down the corridor.
Boom…! Crash!
From deep within the cave, the sound of something repeatedly slamming against the walls echoed ominously.
**
Bang!
One of the warriors was flung through the air, crashing into the wall and losing consciousness instantly.
Gok Bo-ok, who had just delivered a powerful strike, dusted off his hands with a smirk.
“Piece of cake. I can’t believe the martial artists got hurt dealing with these guys.”
Meanwhile, Baek Gong-bo, who was fighting back-to-back with him, grabbed a cultist by the arms and tore him apart with a swift motion.
Rip!
“Aaargh!”
Baek Gong-bo tossed the torn cultist aside and scoffed, dusting off his hands.
“Like shooting fish in a barrel. I can’t fathom why the righteous sects ran from these clowns and even got their leader kidnapped.”
“Ugh…!”
Gok Bo-ok gritted his teeth and surveyed the cultists surrounding them.
They had infiltrated from the north, following Sabigang’s plan. The infiltration itself wasn’t too difficult; the guards were weaker and fewer in number compared to those who had previously fought the Heavenly Destruction Squad.
But once inside, they were met with more cultists than expected, rushing to counter them.
Outnumbered, Gok Bo-ok was more irked by Baek Gong-bo’s earlier comment than the situation itself. So, he muttered loudly, hoping to provoke him.
“By the way, isn’t your group called the Newborns? Is your martial arts at a newborn’s level too?”
“Ugh…!”
“What? Is it true? Hahaha!”
Baek Gong-bo, stung by the remark, gritted his teeth and retorted.
“What’s your group’s name, then?”
“We are…”
Gok Bo-ok started to speak but then clammed up. They casually referred to themselves as the “Heavenly Destruction Squad,” but the official name was too embarrassing to say out loud.
Just then, a cultist lunged at Gok Bo-ok.
In a flash,
Slash!
A streak of light cut through, and the cultist fell to the ground, his side slashed open.
Gok Bo-ok turned to see Sabigang standing there, sword drawn.
Sabigang looked at Gok Bo-ok and said, “Why can’t you say we’re the ‘Heavenly Supreme Bloodstorm Annihilation Squad’? Why can’t you shout it out?”
“Ah…”
Gok Bo-ok turned away, his face flushed with embarrassment.
‘Please, don’t say such a ridiculous name with such a serious face! Why am I the one who has to feel embarrassed?’
Meanwhile, Baek Gong-bo, hearing the full name for the first time, bit his lip to stifle his laughter.