Episode 290: Return to the Demon Realm
Churyang stood with his arms crossed, staring intently at the egg of the Platan. His mind was replaying the events of that day, the image of a monstrous brain-like creature floating and writhing through the air.
Its size was beyond imagination.
According to Sabigang, despite its massive size, the creature wasn’t particularly powerful. But if that was considered weak, just how formidable were the truly powerful demons?
Even that creature, with a single sweep of its tentacles, could demolish entire buildings and tear people apart like paper.
And to think it came from the demon realm…
The thought sent shivers down his spine.
Until now, hearing Sabigang’s tales of the demon realm felt like a distant fantasy. But witnessing a demon firsthand had instilled a fear far beyond mere caution.
“Could more of those things invade in the future?”
A sigh escaped him.
He couldn’t muster the courage to face such creatures.
Sabigang had once told him, “When the demon realm invaded, you were the best at tracking them down. Your skills were invaluable.”
But right now…
“I don’t want to track them. I never want to see those demon creatures again!”
Churyang shouted, ruffling his hair in frustration. A headache seemed to be brewing.
“Ugh.”
He sighed deeply, as if carrying the weight of the world, and looked at the egg before him.
“This is probably another demon creature…”
A sudden fear gripped him.
What if he was stirring up trouble for no reason?
What if, after awakening this giant, something as grotesque as what he saw at the Heavenly Sect emerged?
The unease he’d managed to forget began to gnaw at him again.
“But… I have to hatch it, right?”
After a long hesitation, Churyang took a deep breath and focused on the Platan’s egg.
“Alright, let’s do this. Whatever comes out, I’ll deal with it then.”
Muttering to himself, he extended his hands.
As the energy flowed from his core through his veins, transforming into mana, he felt a strange resistance. But soon, it smoothed out, flowing like a gentle river to his fingertips.
A blue aura emanated from his palms, enveloping the Platan’s egg in a soft glow.
A faint vibration resonated from the egg.
“I can definitely feel the mana increasing.”
He couldn’t predict what would emerge from the egg, but as it resonated, Churyang felt his entire mana pool expanding.
It wasn’t just a one-way flow; it was reciprocal.
And with each exchange, his overall mana capacity grew.
The egg’s resonance intensified.
“At least this part feels amazing.”
Churyang closed his eyes, savoring the indescribable tranquility that came with the egg’s resonance.
How long had he been exchanging mana like this?
…Crack.
”……!”
Churyang’s eyes snapped open.
“Did I just…?”
He quickly examined the Platan’s egg.
He’d definitely heard something.
A sound like something splitting.
“What?”
The color had changed.
The once pitch-black egg was now a dark gray, with a crack running along one side.
He tapped it with his finger.
Still as hard as stone.
Despite the crack, it didn’t seem like it would break easily.
“But it means something’s happening.”
He swallowed dryly, his heart pounding.
Anticipation and worry.
But hadn’t he already decided to see this through to the end?
Whatever emerged, he would face it.
Steeling himself, Churyang resumed channeling mana into the egg.
**
The warriors of the Eunshi Clan, bound in ropes, were led into the dungeon in a somber procession.
The Heavenly Destruction Squad watched over them with cold, vigilant eyes, torches blazing in their hands.
Meanwhile, Maesellan wore a dazed expression.
The memory of the demon she had seen that day refused to leave her mind.
Especially since she had witnessed the summoning ritual firsthand.
And the children who had been sacrificed…
“What are you thinking about?”
Sabigang’s sudden question broke her reverie.
Maesellan turned to him and shook her head.
“Just… confused.”
“Understandable.”
Sabigang nodded, acknowledging her turmoil.
They stood in silence for a while before Maesellan spoke again.
“The creatures from the demon realm… do they all have such clear weaknesses?”
Sabigang glanced at her and chuckled.
Maesellan’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I’m just relieved.”
“About what?”
“It means you have the will to fight.”
”……?”
“You must have been shocked, seeing a demon for the first time. I was worried you might lose the will to fight.”
“It was shocking, yes. But hearing that it was one of the weaker ones was even more so. Just one swing of its tentacle could destroy an entire building. If such a terrifying demon appeared before me now…”
Maesellan trailed off.
She was about to admit she couldn’t muster the courage to fight, but saying it out loud felt like it would weaken her resolve even more.
Sabigang nodded in understanding.
“That’s only natural. But you’re still better off than I was.”
“In what way?”
“When I first saw a demon, I wet myself.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“It’s true.”
“You don’t have to make things up to comfort me.”
“I wish I were.”
“Are you seriously saying you wet yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me about it?”
“Sure.”
Sabigang gently wrapped an arm around Maesellan’s waist and leapt into the air.
Though the sudden contact surprised her, Maesellan didn’t resist.
Instead, she relaxed into Sabigang’s embrace.
With one arm holding her, Sabigang used his martial arts to ascend to the roof of the tallest building in the Eunshi Clan’s compound.
“This is better. The view’s not bad either.”
“You say it’s for the view, but you’re really just embarrassed someone might overhear, aren’t you?”
“More like… I wanted to do this.”
“What…?”
Before she could finish, Sabigang kissed her.
Caught off guard, Maesellan tried to pull away, but Sabigang held her firmly.
‘Oh… he’s so infuriating. Always taking advantage of my weak moments…!’
In the end, Maesellan relaxed, letting herself melt into Sabigang’s embrace.
Under the starlit sky, atop the highest roof, they slowly shed their clothes.
Maesellan’s delicate fingers traced down Sabigang’s firm chest, sliding lower.
“It’s been so hard.”
“Did the martial artists of the Sapa give you trouble?”
“No. Not being able to see you was the hardest part.”
“Pfft.”
Maesellan pouted slightly, but her expression betrayed her true feelings.
Sabigang laid her back on the roof, deepening the kiss.
Their bodies grew warmer, inch by inch.
**
The starlight poured down from the night sky.
Wrapped in their discarded clothes, Maesellan felt a peace so profound she wished this moment could last forever.
It was almost amusing.
Just days ago, she had faced hell.
She had encountered a terrifying demon and witnessed it mercilessly slaughter children.
Recalling it still sent chills down her spine.
Yet, with Sabigang by her side, her fears seemed to vanish as if by magic.
Being in his arms… wasn’t unpleasant.
No, it was comforting.
Had he always been such a significant presence?
Feeling suddenly shy, she started to sit up, but a voice interrupted her thoughts.
“I first saw them at Yongcheon Hall.”
”……?”
“The demons.”
“Oh…”
“I watched as they brutally slaughtered the instructors and cadets I knew.”
Maesellan regretted asking, but Sabigang continued.
On the day Jinbaek, who had cared for him like a son, was killed, Sabigang had fled the burning hall and run into the forest.
There, he witnessed the demons slaughtering the instructors and cadets.
“Instructors and cadets I despised. Yet, those instructors died protecting the cadets, and the cadets fought bravely to the end.”
But he had hidden in the forest, unable to move until the demons left.
It was only long after they had gone that he could finally move, finding his pants soaked.
“Compared to that, you’re doing remarkably well.”
Sabigang glanced at Maesellan with a smile.
Maesellan looked at him quietly.
‘To think this man has such a past.’
It was hard to imagine, given his current demeanor.
Then again, wasn’t he always a man of many facets, impossible to pin down?
“How did someone so weak become as strong as you are now?”
“After being abducted to the demon realm, I went through all sorts of hardships. It was hell. I started to feel like there was no difference between living and dying. And with that realization, a strange courage began to well up inside me. If life and death were indistinguishable, why not face it all head-on?”
In hindsight, perhaps it wasn’t courage at all.
Humans tend to become desensitized when pain persists.
The same goes for fear and terror.
Instinctively, we develop a resistance.
Eventually, extreme fear turns into anger, and that anger morphs into an obsession with something.
Yes.
Perhaps he had gone mad back then.
“Because it was a life you couldn’t survive without losing your mind.”
Maeseollan gazed blankly at Sabigang.
She couldn’t even begin to imagine the trials and tribulations he had endured.
In that moment, she thought that perhaps Sabigang was the loneliest person in the world.
“For some reason… you seem different today.”
The words came from the heart.
Sabigang gave a sly smile and stood up.
“In that case, how about one more time?”
“What are you talking abou—mmph! Stop… not again… mmph!”
Oh, whatever.
Maeseollan gave up and closed her eyes.
Another sweet kiss followed.
Yes, today, she wanted to stay in this man’s arms a little longer.