Episode 357: The Return of the Demon Instructor
The eyes of the martial artists gathered in the hall turned towards the source of the laughter. It was Muk Yang-je, chuckling with a hint of mockery.
He waved his hand, acknowledging the attention. “Ah, my apologies. Haha! But it’s just too funny. To think you’d say something like that to cover up the use of such dark arts… Haha!”
His laughter was infectious, and soon the other leaders began to chuckle, albeit cautiously.
After a moment, Muk Yang-je managed to stifle his laughter and looked up. “Sa Dae-hyup, I must say, your creativity is impressive.”
“Creativity, you say. You saw it yourself—the Baold and the demon soldiers.”
“Of course, I saw them. But such things could be explained by the dark arts of the Demon Sect…”
“And what kind of dark arts could create such monsters?”
“Well, that’s…”
Muk Yang-je hesitated, twisting his lips as he continued, “Fine, let’s say I believe your story for now. But what exactly is this ‘Demon Realm’ you speak of?”
“It’s a world of demons, as the name suggests.”
“Then it’s worse than the Demon Sect, I presume.”
“Naturally.”
Muk Yang-je pointed a finger, raising his voice. “And that’s the problem!”
”…?”
“The former leader of the Sa Clan used those very dark arts, worse than the Demon Sect’s, in this battle! Am I wrong?”
“I can’t deny it.”
“There you have it! You claim it’s for the sake of the alliance, but the means are utterly vile! We are righteous warriors. How can we resort to using demonic arts worse than those of the Demon Sect, no matter the crisis? How did you, Sa Bi-gang, come to use such arts?”
“I was kidnapped by them by chance and survived to return here. That’s when I learned.”
Sa Bi-gang offered a vague explanation. He knew that if he mentioned being struck by the Demon King’s sword and returning from death, they would believe him even less.
Muk Yang-je sneered. “Even so, for a righteous person to learn and use the dark arts of the Demon Realm! This cannot be overlooked!”
The hall buzzed with murmurs. It was absurd to quibble over such things in this situation, but to them, the Demon Realm and its inhabitants were distant, almost mythical concepts. In contrast, they had witnessed Sa Bi-gang’s use of dark arts with their own eyes, so their agitation was understandable.
Sa Bi-gang stared intently at Muk Yang-je. “Then tell me, was there a way to save the alliance without using those dark arts?”
“There’s always a way, even if the sky falls! There must have been something!”
“That’s easy for those who stand by and watch to say. Tell that to someone facing death right in front of them, and you’ll get slapped.”
“Hmph! Stop making excuses! Dying for justice is the duty of righteous warriors!”
“Justice, my foot.”
“What, what did you say?”
Muk Yang-je and the other leaders were taken aback by the sudden change in tone.
Sa Bi-gang continued, staring at Muk Yang-je. “Once you’re dead, that’s it. What glory do you think awaits you after death? Unless you come back to life, it means nothing.”
“How dare you insult such a noble spirit!”
“Fine. Then show me that noble spirit of yours.”
“What are you talking about…?”
Sa Bi-gang glanced at the ceiling and sent out a mental command. [Bring it in.]
The people looked around in confusion when suddenly,
“Rooooar!”
A deafening roar echoed through the hall, shaking the very walls.
The leaders instinctively drew upon their inner strength, startled by the sound.
They turned to see a massive creature trying to force its way into the main hall.
“What the… What is that?”
“That’s… a demon soldier! A demon soldier!”
“But have we ever seen one like that?”
In an instant, the leaders rushed towards the platform, each summoning their protective energy.
The tension in the room was palpable as dozens of masters simultaneously drew upon their inner strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Rooooar!”
The demon soldier, once a guardian of the Green-Faced Man, was now one of the captured Black Demon Soldiers.
The Heavenly Destruction Squad had captured it under Sa Bi-gang’s orders, anticipating the need to demonstrate to the leaders who were prone to endless debates.
The Black Demon Soldier, seemingly enraged, repeatedly rammed its head against the entrance, causing the hall to tremble as dust fell from the ceiling.
“What on earth is happening?”
“Why is that thing here all of a sudden?”
The leaders shouted in panic, but Sa Bi-gang remained calm.
“Don’t worry. Our men have it securely restrained. For now.”
As he said, the Black Demon Soldier was bound with chains of reinforced steel, held by the Heavenly Destruction Squad.
Even though it was a demon soldier born from the Demon Realm, its core was still that of a martial artist, retaining some inner strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Crash!
“Damn it! Stop it immediately! The hall will collapse at this rate!”
“This is too dangerous!”
The leaders shouted again, but Sa Bi-gang didn’t budge.
Even Seop Cheong, who had been supportive of Sa Bi-gang, was alarmed. “Leader! It’s dangerous! Quickly…!”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence.
The leader, like Sa Bi-gang, maintained a stern expression.
Gu Yoon was the same.
‘Ah, I see! The leader and the chief strategist have already discussed this with Sa Bi-gang!’
Realizing the situation, Seop Cheong fell silent.
Finally,
“Rooooar!”
Crash!
With a final roar, the Black Demon Soldier forced its way into the hall.
Its presence exuded a suffocating aura of malice.
“Such a… monster…!”
“Ugh…!”
It was the first time the leaders had seen a Black Demon Soldier up close.
Larger than the average demon soldier, its arms were like long blades, and black smoke billowed from its body, resembling a specter.
Then, Sa Bi-gang uttered words that left everyone in shock.
“Release it.”
“Wait, what? What did you say?”
“You’re going to let it loose here?”
The leaders cried out in horror, but Sa Bi-gang merely gestured to the Heavenly Destruction Squad.
Finally, they manipulated the chains, releasing the reinforced steel restraints.
Clang, clang! Clang!
As the heavy chains fell to the floor, the leaders cursed and heightened their protective energy.
“Gah!”
“Damn it!”
Freed from its restraints, the Black Demon Soldier roared fiercely, bending its back.
“Rooooar!”
“Ugh!”
The roar, imbued with power, made the leaders wince and step back.
Sa Bi-gang spoke in a calm voice. “It’s not even at the peak level. It’s the weakest among the Black Demon Soldiers. Now, let’s see that noble spirit of yours in action.”
As Sa Bi-gang extended his hand, Muk Yang-je was suddenly pushed forward, as if by an invisible force.
Caught off guard, Muk Yang-je found himself face-to-face with the Black Demon Soldier.
“What?”
“Rooooar!”
The creature roared again, swinging its arm—or rather, its blade—towards him.
“Ugh!”
Swish!
A long gash appeared where Muk Yang-je had been standing.
Startled by the sudden attack, Muk Yang-je quickly gathered his energy and slipped to the side of the Black Demon Soldier.
“Who would… to such a monster…!”
But then,
Whirl!
The Black Demon Soldier spun like a whirlwind, launching itself at Muk Yang-je.
Its attack was unpredictable, forcing Muk Yang-je to retreat in confusion.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The metallic sounds rang out as sparks flew.
“Sa Bi-gang! Bringing a monster here—what are you doing?”
Muk Yang-je shouted as he struggled to fend off the creature’s attacks, while Sa Bi-gang, arms crossed, replied, “What am I doing? Admiring your noble spirit.”
The leaders watched, mouths agape.
They all shared the same thought at that moment.
‘He’s definitely not normal. He’s an eccentric beyond imagination!’
But none dared to voice it.
They now understood clearly.
He had the leader’s favor.
And with the chief strategist, who stood above all, backing Sa Bi-gang, who would dare challenge him?
From the start, Muk Yang-je had chosen the wrong opponent.
“Enough of this charade!”
Muk Yang-je, cornered, kicked off a pillar and shot forward like an arrow.
Swish!
His sword aimed straight for the back of the Black Demon Soldier’s neck.
Thud.
”…!”
For a moment, Muk Yang-je’s eyes widened.
The black-armored soldier’s back suddenly bulged, and then, as if by some dark magic, sharp white bones shot out like blades.
Sssshhh!
“Gah!”
Mu Yangje quickly twisted his body, bringing his sword up just in time.
Clang!
The harsh sound of friction filled the air as the white bone scraped against his blade, slicing into his shoulder.
Thud!
“Aaargh!”
Mu Yangje cried out, stumbling backward. Blood dripped steadily from his limp left shoulder.
‘What kind of monster is this…?!’
His face contorted with pain and disbelief. Meanwhile, the black-armored soldier seemed to grow calmer with each passing moment. The swirling black smoke that had surrounded him was now being absorbed back into his body.
Step… step…
The soldier advanced slowly.
“Damn it…!”
The sheer pressure of his presence made Mu Yangje instinctively retreat. This wasn’t a matter of skill or mastery. It was about the nature of the fight itself. Who could have predicted that blades would suddenly sprout from a man’s back? Even a top-tier master could lose their life in a few exchanges if caught off guard.
‘Damn…!’
His pride was in tatters. All thoughts of noble resolve had vanished. All that remained was the fear of whether he could actually stop this creature.
The onlookers, high-ranking officials, watched the battle with tense expressions. No one stepped forward to help, though. There was a reason for that. They believed Mu Yangje had volunteered for this fight. They were unaware that Sabikang had used wind magic to push him into it.
Given the circumstances, no one was willing to risk their own safety. Besides, intervening might tarnish Mu Yangje’s honor, which he had so loudly proclaimed.
In a flash,
Whoosh!
The black-armored soldier launched himself at Mu Yangje with blinding speed.
Sssshhh!
“Gah!”
Mu Yangje swallowed hard, summoning every ounce of his protective energy.
Whoosh!
Crack!
The long blade pierced through his defenses, cutting through the barrier with ease.
“Damn it…!”
Mu Yangje gritted his teeth, feeling his strength waning.
Just then, Sabikang’s voice whispered in his ear.
[Need a hand?]