Episode 353: Return of the Demon Instructor
Boom!
Like a comet crashing down, Sabigang plummeted to the ground, smashing through a massive tree.
Rustle…!
He staggered to his feet, shaking off the splinters and debris that clung to his body.
“Huff, huff…”
With each labored breath, white puffs of air escaped his lips.
Whoosh, thud!
A gust of wind announced the arrival of the Yellow-Faced One, landing a dozen paces ahead.
Her physique had grown as robust and muscular as any strong man, and she cracked her neck with a smirk.
“Already giving up? That’s no fun.”
Sabigang curled his lips into a sardonic smile.
“You’ve truly become a monster. Your son in the afterlife would be proud.”
“Heh. Provocation won’t work anymore.”
The Yellow-Faced One’s dark eyes glinted as she grinned, her white hair billowing like a demon’s aura.
Since merging with the twelve Yellow-Faced Ones, she had become far stronger, leaving Sabigang struggling to find an opening.
‘Is this my third attempt?’
Sabigang slowly raised his sword, Veritas, and began channeling mana into his left hand.
His second attempt had almost succeeded.
Perhaps it was worth trying again.
The key was to separate his inner energy and mana, channeling them simultaneously!
Vroooom!
As power surged into his right hand, Veritas vibrated with a heavy resonance.
Meanwhile, mana concentrated in his left hand, forming a solid mass.
‘It’s working…!’
Where his second attempt had only brushed the surface, now he could feel the energy flowing clearly.
In the heat of battle, his survival instincts had honed this skill.
“It wasn’t a taunt, but genuine admiration.”
With those words, Sabigang launched himself forward.
Whoosh!
In an instant, he shot forward like a beam of light.
In a blink,
Flash!
He vanished from the Yellow-Faced One’s sight, reappearing behind her, not to strike with his sword, but—
Slash!
The blade’s fierce energy targeted her back.
“Futile! You can’t kill me!”
The Yellow-Faced One flickered and disappeared, reappearing at Sabigang’s side, swinging her sword.
Whoosh!
But Sabigang was a step ahead.
He sneered.
“Who said anything about killing?”
“What?”
In a heartbeat,
Boom!
The mana concentrated in Sabigang’s left hand unleashed a sonic burst, striking the Yellow-Faced One directly.
Crash!
Her body was torn apart by the sonic buster spell, scattering her flesh in all directions.
Of course, this wasn’t the end.
The Yellow-Faced One, with her demonic resilience, would regenerate.
But Sabigang had a different plan.
He pulled out Ragel’s pouch and extended his hand, shouting,
“Telekinesis!”
Instantly, the scattered flesh fragments flew toward Ragel’s pouch.
Swish, swish, swish.
The pouch’s opening was limited in size.
No matter how skilled, it was impossible to fit the entire Yellow-Faced One inside.
But in pieces? That was another story.
Moreover, Ragel’s pouch was a dimensional pocket, an interspace.
Escaping from there by one’s own will was impossible.
And retrieving items from the pouch required the “will to summon.”
Unless Sabigang consciously decided to release her, she would remain trapped forever.
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
Sabigang panted, scanning the area meticulously.
He needed to ensure no flesh fragments remained, as even a tiny piece could allow her to regenerate.
‘Looks like it’s all clear.’
It had been a long and grueling battle.
Finally convinced that the Yellow-Faced One was dealt with, Sabigang collapsed to the ground.
He pulled out healing and mana potions from Ragel’s pouch and drank them down.
“Hah, I feel alive again.”
After catching his breath, Sabigang sat cross-legged and began to meditate.
‘Mana in the left hand, inner energy in the right!’
A cool energy rose from his dantian, circulating through his meridians.
Soon, a blue aura shimmered on the right side of his body.
Then, a warm, dense energy rose from his chest, settling on the left side.
A red aura flickered around his left arm.
This meditation was to internalize the new technique he had learned during the battle.
‘Got it.’
When Sabigang opened his eyes, one glowed blue, the other red.
From now on, he would apply this method regularly, allowing for diverse strategies in combat.
Separating inner energy and mana opened up new possibilities for growth.
‘Once this war is over, I should research this further.’
Having completed a full cycle of inner energy and mana within his body, Sabigang stood up.
‘Time to find Lianju?’
He looked around and saw Natas sweeping through the Baold forces, now facing the demonic cultists.
But with his mana nearly depleted, Natas’s strength was waning.
Even if Natas vanished, he wouldn’t be gone for good.
He would return to the Cranion’s barrier and respond to the next summoning, so there was no need to worry.
Just as Sabigang was about to leap into the air,
“Master!”
A faint voice called out.
Churyang, covered in wounds and drenched in blood, had finally arrived.
He must have fought countless enemies to reach this point.
“Huff, huff, huff! M-Master! Wait! Are you alright?”
“You look like you’re about to collapse.”
“Don’t even start! How could you come this far? I faced all sorts of foes on the way here!”
“Consider it good training.”
“Now’s not the time for that! Your only disciple nearly died!”
“Anyway, well done. Just in case, take this. You know how to use it, right?”
Sabigang tossed him a healing potion.
Churyang caught it and asked,
“Is it okay to use such a precious thing so freely?”
“Forgot? We got plenty from the Hao Clan.”
“True, but…”
“Do you think the demons only brought a couple of healing potions when they crossed over?”
“Oh…”
“They brought them in bulk. They’re not that stupid. The problem is, I took them all.”
“Then I’ll use it without worry.”
“Take this too.”
Sabigang handed him a mana potion.
As Churyang tucked them away, Sabigang turned to leave.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh? Where to…”
“To find the head.”
Flash!
In an instant, Sabigang vanished from sight.
Churyang saw his master’s figure already a distant speck.
“Argh! Master! Not again…! Damn it! Wait for me!”
Churyang shouted, chasing after him.
**
Tremble, tremble…
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
Dokgojin struggled to steady his trembling legs, barely managing to stand.
Blood trickled from his forehead, stinging his eyes, and he wiped it away with his sleeve.
“Tch…!”
He clicked his tongue, surveying his surroundings.
The new recruits encircled him, their eyes cold and filled with killing intent.
They looked a bit weary, but compared to him, they were far more composed.
‘How did it come to this…!’
He couldn’t believe it.
Wasn’t he a master of the highest order?
Sure, among the recruits, there were top-tier fighters like Gu Gangryong.
But not all top-tier fighters were equal.
Gu Gangryong was far beneath him.
Yet he had been defeated.
The recruits’ individual skills were impressive, but their teamwork and tactics were extraordinary.
Unbeknownst to them, their skills had evolved through countless assassination attempts on Sabigang.
As a result, Dokgojin now faced death.
His subordinates lay lifeless on the cold ground, bloodied and defeated.
Step, step.
Maeng Gasuk approached, wielding his staff.
Dokgojin gritted his teeth.
“You dare do this…!”
“Shh. No need to shout when you’re on the brink of death.”
“What?”
“Losers don’t get to talk. If you’re going to die, accept it and move on.”
“You… I’ll gut you…!”
Whoosh! Thud!
A gust of wind blew.
And then, someone grabbed Dokgo Jin by the throat.
His eyes flew open in shock.
“Gah…! Gah!”
He gasped, staring at the person who had appeared before him.
To his astonishment, the man clutching his neck was none other than Sabi Kang.
The sudden appearance left not only Dokgo Jin but also Maeng Ga-sook and the other new recruits shouting in surprise.
“Instructor!”
“You all did well.”
Sabi Kang spoke nonchalantly, fixing his gaze on Dokgo Jin.
Dokgo Jin’s eyes trembled violently.
In a calm voice, Sabi Kang asked, “Where is Ryeonju?”
”…?”
“Where is Ryeonju?”
“Ugh…!”
Dokgo Jin furrowed his brow deeply and spat.
“Ptui!”
But the spit fell weakly to the ground, far from reaching Sabi Kang.
Sabi Kang chuckled and released his grip.
“I like your spirit.”
“Hmph! Ryeonju will surely…!”
Whoosh! Thud!
It all happened in an instant.
A flash of light sliced through the air, and Berthas embedded itself in Dokgo Jin’s head, splitting it in half.
Thud!
Dokgo Jin collapsed, motionless.
Sabi Kang extended his hand, and Berthas, having absorbed the blood, flew back to him.
“Always making me ask twice. Tsk.”
Sabi Kang clicked his tongue and glanced around.
Then, he began to stride away.
The new recruits watched him in a daze, when suddenly, a faint shout echoed from behind.
The first to turn was Ong Gi-seung.
“Master!”
The person running toward them was Choo Ryang.
Panting heavily, Choo Ryang arrived, clutching his knees, and asked, “Huff, huff, huff, where did Master go?”
“He just went that way.”
Maeng Ga-sook pointed in the direction Sabi Kang had gone.
Amazingly, Sabi Kang had already disappeared into the distance.
Choo Ryang, frustrated, shouted, “Ugh, damn it! He’s doing this on purpose, I swear! Master! Damn it!”
With another shout, Choo Ryang took off running after Sabi Kang.