Episode 312: Return of the Demon Instructor
The Red Dragon narrowed its eyes, observing the demon that had emerged from Ong Gi-seung’s body.
“What is this? A mere spawn of evil?”
“Well, you could say it’s a parasite living off that guy’s body,” Sabikang replied, pointing at Ong Gi-seung with his sword, Veritas.
Ong Gi-seung remained motionless, eyes closed, as if unconscious. Meanwhile, the mysterious entity that had risen from his body was in disbelief.
It had been fortunate enough to possess a human, only to find itself facing a dragon! And to be humiliated alongside that unsightly creature!
“A parasite, you say? How dare a mere human speak such insolence!”
With a powerful flap of its wings, the Red Dragon soared, filling the underground chamber with a scorching wind. The mysterious entity, overwhelmed by the force, glared at the dragon with its six eyes.
The Red Dragon, still with a languid expression, asked, “And what are you?”
The mysterious entity, despite the dragon’s intimidating presence, refused to be cowed. It gathered its strength and responded boldly, “I am the Black Demon God, ruler of the skies with darkness, the seas with blood, humanity with disgrace, and all creation with ferocity!”
In an instant, the Red Dragon lunged, snapping up the Black Demon God’s heads with its massive jaws. The three heads, which had been swaying like smoke, vanished from sight.
Returning to Sabikang’s side, the Red Dragon licked its lips and muttered indifferently, “Such a talkative creature.”
“So, it calls itself the Black Demon God. Have you heard of it?” Sabikang inquired.
The Red Dragon shook its head. “No. Such insignificant seeds of evil are beneath notice.”
Meanwhile, the Black Demon God, having lost its heads, began to reform, its necks billowing until three heads reappeared. It roared in fury, “You wretch! What do you think you’re doing?”
The roar was so powerful it nearly knocked out the onlookers, but Sabikang, under the dragon’s protection, found it merely loud.
The Red Dragon narrowed its eyes, unleashing a deadly gale. The Black Demon God, who had been shouting, flinched and stammered, “W-what are you planning?”
“What could I possibly do to a fallen demon who failed to become a god? Your provocations are laughable.”
“Hmph! Aren’t you just a dragon who failed to become a god yourself?”
“Ridiculous. Dragons are complete beings. Even gods do not dare to belittle us. If you continue to mock my kind, I will not hold back.”
With those words, another fierce wind swept through the chamber. The Black Demon God ground its teeth, while Sabikang calmly walked behind Ong Gi-seung.
“What are you doing?” the Black Demon God demanded as it tried to move, but found itself immobilized as if bound by chains.
One of its heads turned to see the Red Dragon’s aura binding it like chains, a fierce intent to erase its existence emanating from the dragon’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Sabikang placed his hands on Ong Gi-seung’s back, transferring his energy.
“What are you doing?” the Black Demon God tried to ask, but couldn’t finish.
Ong Gi-seung coughed up blood, his eyes rolling back as the dark energy of the Black Demon God was rapidly absorbed back into him.
With a final whoosh, the Black Demon God vanished, and the Red Dragon, hovering in the air, began to dissolve into Sabikang’s body.
The onlookers could only watch in awe as Sabikang and Ong Gi-seung stood side by side, unmoving.
**
Ong Gi-seung floated in water, curled up comfortably. It was a peaceful dream, reminiscent of floating in his mother’s womb. Though he couldn’t remember, he felt certain it was no different from now.
A faint voice reached his ears. “Seung-ah.”
He ignored it, savoring the tranquility of the moment. But the voice persisted.
“Seung-ah, wake up!”
The urgency in the voice shattered his peace, and a sudden sense of foreboding jolted him awake.
“Seung-ah! Are you conscious?”
“Mother?”
“Yes, quickly, escape through this window!”
“Mother, what’s happening?”
“They’ve come for you. Remember, you must never let them take you.”
“Mother!”
“Go now! Live…!”
With a crash, the door burst open, and masked warriors flooded in. They glanced between his mother and young Gi-seung, eyes gleaming as they charged.
A scream pierced the air as his mother fell, her blood splattering across Gi-seung’s stunned face.
And then…
“I can’t remember.”
When Gi-seung came to, his hands were stained with blood, surrounded by bodies.
His father burst through the door, rushing to his wife’s side. “My wife! Seung-ah!”
He cradled her, then embraced Gi-seung, asking frantically, “Are you hurt?”
“No… I’m fine,” Gi-seung replied numbly, just a five-year-old child.
His father surveyed the carnage, eyes landing on Gi-seung’s bloodied hands.
“Yes… it was then. My father forbade me from learning any martial arts.”
Though reliving the past, his adult consciousness remained. This must have been the first appearance of the Demon Soul.
No one would believe a five-year-old could defeat the remnants of the Demon Sect barehanded.
“Demon Soul… what are you?”
As he pondered, a voice interrupted.
“If you’re curious, meet it yourself.”
Looking up, he saw his father, but his face twisted into another’s.
“Master…?”
It was Sabikang, staring back at him. Gi-seung found himself back in his adult form.
“Suppressing your consciousness with meditation and avoiding the demon was a wise choice. But you can’t run forever. It’s time to confront and overcome it. Otherwise, the Demon Soul will haunt you.”
Gi-seung, bewildered, asked, “The Demon Soul was feared even by the great Lian Zhu. How can I face it?”
“Of course you can.”
The simplicity of the answer left Gi-seung speechless.
After a pause, he asked, “Why?”
“Because I’m here.”
“What?”
“As long as I’m teaching you, you’re invincible.”
Such a bold claim, yet it brought him comfort.
Gi-seung steeled himself and asked, “How do I face it? This Demon Soul?”
“That’s enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“If your heart is set on confronting it, it will appear.”
“In what form?”
“This is your abyss. The perfect place for a demon to dwell. It will likely take the form of the one you resent most.”
“Then it must be… Lian…”
Before he could finish, the door shattered, and a shadow appeared.
“Ong Gi-seung!”
It was Lian Zhu, eyes gleaming.
“As expected!”
Gi-seung gripped his sword, staring down the void.
Lian Zhu sneered coldly. “Do you think you can face me, boy?”
“I won’t run from you anymore!”
With a flash, Gi-seung moved with lightning speed, surprising even himself.
“Am I really this fast?”
No, he realized. It wasn’t entirely his power.
Sabikang was aiding him, infusing him with energy to fight more effectively in this abyss.
With such support, he feared nothing, not even Lian Zhu.
The battle was on.
Homu-geuk narrowly twisted his body, just managing to dodge the sword.
Blood burst from his side, but it wasn’t a fatal wound.
The momentum, however, was not in his favor.
Ong Gi-seung pressed his advantage, swinging his sword toward Homu-geuk’s neck.
“Gah!”
Startled, Homu-geuk bent backward in a desperate attempt to evade.
In that instant, Ong Gi-seung reversed his grip on the sword and drove it down vertically.
The speed and precision of the move were almost unbelievable.
Thud!
With a chilling sound, the blade pierced straight through Homu-geuk’s heart.
“Agh!”
Homu-geuk’s mouth gaped open as a scream tore from his lips.
Dark crimson blood seeped from his chest, slowly spreading.
‘So easily…!’
Even Ong Gi-seung was taken aback by his own success.
Homu-geuk collapsed to the ground, looking up at Ong Gi-seung with difficulty.
“Impressive… truly. But… you’re still deceiving yourself.”
“What do you mean?”
“The one you resent the most… was it really me? Ha… ha… ha!”
Homu-geuk suddenly burst into a fit of laughter that echoed around them.
In the next moment, his body, impaled by the sword, disintegrated like ashes scattered by the wind.
And then,
Whoosh!
A fierce wind swept from behind Ong Gi-seung.
Sensing danger, he spun around, but it was too late. His opponent’s sword had already pierced his abdomen.
Thud!
“Ugh! M-Mother?”
A harsh, almost unrecognizable laugh erupted from his mother’s lips.
It was the voice of the Demon Spirit.
Ong Gi-seung’s eyes trembled violently.
‘The one I resented the most… was it really? Have I been deceiving myself all along?’
His mother’s face split into three, revealing the face of the Black Demon overlapped with hers.
She reached out to him.
“Now, be a good meal for me.”
A voice, impossible to distinguish by gender, reverberated through the abyssal space.