Episode 347: Return to the Demon Sect
The horizon of the Seohwa Plains stretched endlessly, a hellscape of chaos and destruction.
Screams and shouts, the scent of blood and the aura of death, anger and hatred, despair and wailing—all mingled in a dizzying cacophony.
In this vast and horrific expanse, those wielding swords unleashed their fury, while the wounded lay dying, weeping in despair.
The Seohwa Plains had become a place where the living felt most alive, yet it was also transforming into a swamp of death.
The battle between the Sima Alliance and the Justice League was more intense than ever, a life-and-death struggle.
The obsession with survival and the madness of slaughter created a scene of utter chaos.
Initially, the Justice League had the upper hand.
The Sima Alliance, having defeated the warriors led by Eunhui, was riding high on morale.
But the Justice League’s fury surpassed even that.
Driven by a singular desire to uphold justice, they charged forward with reckless abandon, their resolve lifting the spirits of the entire league.
Righteous anger swept through like a fierce wind.
The Sima Alliance’s morale, which had soared, was no match for the thousands of Justice League warriors’ sense of justice.
Casualties began to mount within the Sima Alliance, and it seemed the tide was turning in favor of the Justice League.
One reason for this shift was that Baekho Party Leader Chu Hee-ryong had not actively participated.
He had no intention of risking everything in this battle, as he hoped for the downfall of the Void Sect.
In fact, he was risking everything in a different sense.
But after two hours, the tide began to change.
Dokgo Jin, who had been held in reserve by the Blood Demon Sect, led the Soul Slayer Squad to the front lines.
The Soul Slayer Squad was a specially trained unit, prepared by the Blood Demon Sect for a day like this.
Comprising a thousand elite fighters from various factions, including the Heavenly Palace, they were a force to be reckoned with.
As they surged forward, the morale of the Blood Demon Sect’s warriors soared.
Meanwhile, the Justice League had divided its warriors into five groups in preparation for this war, with the Justice Squad and the Righteous Squad at the forefront.
When the Blood Demon Sect unleashed their terrifying assault, the Justice and Righteous Squads were the first to falter.
The Soul Slayer Squad, clad in black from head to toe, looked like grim reapers.
As the atmosphere began to shift, the Demon Sect also deployed new troops.
These were known as the Flash Demon Soldiers, distinct from the usual demon soldiers.
True to their name, they were incredibly fast, moving so swiftly that they left afterimages.
As the situation worsened, Justice League Leader Neung Un-pa charged into the midst of the Flash Demon Soldiers.
He narrowed his eyes as he assessed them.
“Hmph! Tricks!”
With a roar, he swung his sword.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
It seemed a simple action, almost as if he was swinging the sword haphazardly.
But in that moment, the world before Neung Un-pa split along the path of his blade.
Mountains and sky were cleaved, earth and wind severed.
It was as if the very fabric of space was being torn apart.
The Flash Demon Soldiers charging at him were sliced apart, blood spraying as they fell.
Neung Un-pa shouted, “Don’t be fooled by their tricks! They’re not truly fast, they just appear that way!”
He was right.
The Flash Demon Soldiers weren’t actually fast.
Their unique footwork left afterimages, making them seem faster than they were.
Emboldened by their leader’s confidence, the Justice League warriors began to rally.
But the Demon Sect wasn’t finished.
The Green-Faced Man, observing the situation with a sly smile, gave an order to his subordinate.
“Deploy the Explosive Demon Soldiers.”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinate responded and hurried off.
The Green-Faced Man watched the battle with amusement.
“How long can they hold out?”
He murmured to himself.
**
Boom! Crash! Bang!
Explosions erupted everywhere.
“Aaaargh!”
“Run! Aaaah!”
Screams echoed through the air.
The tide was now fully in favor of the Sima Alliance.
The Seohwa Plains had become a sea of blood and corpses.
Swish! Slash! Swish! Thud!
Neung Un-pa fought like a war god.
Wherever his sword passed, screams and death followed.
His once pristine robe was now drenched in blood.
Yet his swordsmanship remained precise and clean.
Those fighting alongside him were so mesmerized by his sword dance that they often found themselves in danger.
His swordplay was neither excessive nor lacking.
In a battlefield filled with excitement and rage, everything tended to be overdone, but his sword was a model of restraint.
Even his killing intent was controlled.
His eyes burned with anger, but his aura was not overwhelming.
His sword was more about ‘judgment’ than anything else.
But he was well aware that the situation was dire.
The Justice and Righteous Squads were nearly wiped out.
The Heaven, Earth, and Human Squads supporting them had also suffered over fifty percent casualties.
Without a change, the Justice League was headed for a crushing defeat.
‘This is troublesome.’
Neung Un-pa frowned as he looked at the dying Justice League warriors.
The Explosive Demon Soldiers deployed by the Demon Sect were a problem.
They were essentially suicide bombers.
They charged into the enemy ranks and detonated themselves without hesitation.
The issue was the complex formation the Demon Sect employed at that moment.
Rumor had it that it was called the ‘Butterfly Demon Formation.’
True to its name, the Demon Sect warriors spread out like ladybug patterns, then swarmed like butterflies, confusing and pressuring the Justice League warriors.
Caught in this formation, the damage from the Explosive Demon Soldiers was even more severe.
Boom! Crash!
“Aaaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Another Explosive Demon Soldier detonated nearby, sending screams into the air.
Of course, it was the Justice League warriors who crossed the river of death.
Neung Un-pa bit his lip and looked toward the distant hill.
“Is it not time yet, strategist…?”
On that hill, General Gu Yoon was surely observing the battle.
If he had deciphered the Butterfly Demon Formation and found a countermeasure, there would have been a signal by now.
But there was no word.
Even the genius Gu Yoon couldn’t break this formation.
What kind of person did the Demon Sect have?
Lost in thought, another Explosive Demon Soldier charged with a wild scream.
“Raaaargh!”
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Neung Un-pa shouted, swinging his sword horizontally.
Swoosh!
This time, his swordplay was different.
Against the Flash Demon Soldiers, he had used a technique that cut through everything.
Now, he unleashed a whirlwind that swept everything away.
“Ugh!”
The soldier flew back with a scream, landing in the enemy ranks and exploding.
Boom!
“Aaaargh!”
“Ugh!”
The Demon Sect warriors screamed.
Then,
Fweeeet!
A signal flare shot up from the hill.
‘Finally, a solution…!’
Neung Un-pa’s hopeful expression darkened.
It wasn’t a signal for a solution.
It was a retreat signal.
‘Could it be a monster…?’
Neung Un-pa frowned and turned his gaze westward.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“My God. What is that…?”
A massive creature, resembling a human brain, floated in the air, writhing.
No, it wasn’t floating; it appeared to be suspended by dozens of tentacles.
This was the Baold, summoned by the Demon Sect when they operated under the alias ‘Heavenly God Sect,’ but it was Neung Un-pa’s first time seeing it.
‘So that’s the monster the former leader of the Sabi River mentioned…!’
It was a grotesque and hideous creature, terrifying just to look at.
The problem was, there wasn’t just one.
Even at a glance, there were more than twenty.
“What the hell is that?”
“Ugh! Tentacles!”
The Justice League warriors, already demoralized, recoiled in horror at the sight of the Baold.
But many of the Justice and Righteous Squad warriors on the front lines couldn’t fend off the tentacles and fell quickly.
Some were wrapped up and swallowed by the Baold, while others were impaled by sharp tentacles and lost their lives.
It was a scene too horrifying to be real.
The Justice League warriors felt not anger or despair, but sheer terror.
Neung Un-pa clenched his fists tightly.
The strategist’s signal flare was not an absolute command.
All orders came from him, the leader of the Justice League.
Gu Yoon merely offered suggestions.
A monster had appeared, advising against pushing too hard.
“The odds are slim. We should retreat before we suffer greater losses.”
“Is there really no other way?”
It was a reasonable suggestion, but retreating now would crush the morale of the Jeongdo Alliance. Yet, facing the terrifying Baold and the relentless enemy attacks was becoming unbearable. Their forces had already suffered significant losses.
Moreover, Baold was so formidable and ruthless that even the seasoned warriors of Neungunpa were intimidated.
“Aaargh!”
“Please, spare me!”
The warriors of the Jeongdo Alliance, who once cried out for justice, were now desperately clinging to life.
Just then, the bodyguards of Neungunpa landed nearby, shouting urgently.
“Leader! You must retreat!”
“We have no chance of winning! If we continue, we’ll be annihilated!”
“Leader!”
Neungunpa’s face twitched with frustration and anger. It was infuriating to face such absolute evil and be unable to fight back. But the bodyguards were right. Continuing the fight was meaningless. It would only lead to more sacrifices.
Besides, hadn’t Sabigang warned them? If they encountered a creature they had never seen before, they were to order an immediate retreat. At the time, it hadn’t seemed real. But now, faced with these monstrosities…
“Sabigang, who are you really?”
The leader, gazing up at the distant hill, finally spoke.
“Retreat.”
His voice was soft, almost out of place on the battlefield. Yet, it carried power, reaching the ears of the Jeongdo Alliance warriors clearly. Soon, the commanders and captains began shouting at the top of their lungs.
“Retreat!”
“Fall back! Withdraw!”
The warriors of the Jeongdo Alliance hurriedly began to pull back. In truth, it was the order they had been waiting for. At last, they had found a path to survival.
But then…
Thud, thud, thud…!
The retreating warriors halted, glancing around in confusion. The ground shook, and suddenly, something burst forth from the path ahead.
“What the…!”
“Those are… demon soldiers!”
To their shock, what emerged from the ground were demon soldiers. The ones with blades on their fingers were the burrowing demon soldiers, known for their ability to tunnel through the earth. Following them were the explosive demon soldiers and the newly appeared giant demon soldiers.
The giant demon soldiers were as large as houses, towering at three times the height of an average adult. The burrowing, explosive, and giant demon soldiers surged from the ground, mercilessly attacking the Jeongdo Alliance warriors.
It was a true dilemma, caught between a rock and a hard place. Just when they thought they had found a way out, the warriors of the Jeongdo Alliance were being cut down mercilessly.