Episode 381: Return to the Demon Sect
A mournful melody echoed from within the massive door, continuing its haunting refrain.
Sabi Kang surveyed the cavern, lost in thought.
“Bringing the cadets any further seems pointless…”
If there was indeed an altar beyond the door, a formidable foe would likely await them. Leading the cadets into such a situation might do more harm than good.
In most dungeons, the exit only opens after defeating the boss. It would be wiser for the cadets to wait here.
Having made up his mind, Sabi Kang turned to the cadets.
“You’ll wait here. I’ll go in alone.”
The sudden announcement left the cadets wide-eyed with surprise.
Meanwhile, the tense atmosphere was broken by Deung Bu-hyung, who spoke up eagerly.
“Oh, that’s a splendid idea…”
“No, it’s not.”
Nung So-so interjected abruptly.
Both Sabi Kang and Deung Bu-hyung turned their attention to her.
Nung So-so bit her lip before speaking.
“We might be able to help, even if just a little.”
“You might also get in the way.”
Sabi Kang’s words were met with a vigorous nod from Deung Bu-hyung.
“Exactly! We could definitely be a hindrance. It’s best if we just stay here and…”
But Nung So-so shot him a sharp look and continued.
“If it seems like we’re in the way, we’ll step aside and watch. Observing your fight would be a great learning experience for us.”
Several cadets nodded in agreement, though Deung Bu-hyung felt a surge of irritation.
‘Why does she keep digging her own grave? What if she gets herself killed in there?’
Nung So-so pressed on with determination.
“Please, let us go with you.”
“Wait! Just a moment!”
Deung Bu-hyung raised his hand, shouting.
Nung So-so glared at him.
“What now? Aren’t you ashamed as an instructor? You were a trainer at Yongcheon Hall, after all…”
“It’s not that! Listen. It’s gone quiet.”
The cadets fell silent, straining to hear.
Silence.
Jin Kyung-san spoke in a hushed tone.
“You’re right. It’s eerily quiet.”
“No more sounds from beyond the door,” murmured Yeo So-jung, glancing up at the massive entrance.
Pung Geom-jin furrowed his brow.
“This silence is unsettling…”
“Shh.”
Ja Un-ryong raised a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet.
He frowned slightly.
“Something’s coming.”
“What do you mean, something’s coming…”
Deung Bu-hyung began to ask, but his words trailed off.
A low hum filled the air, growing into a powerful vibration that resonated throughout the cavern.
“What the…?”
Deung Bu-hyung drew his sword, gripping it tightly.
The air trembled so intensely it was almost deafening.
The cadets, weapons drawn, turned their backs to the door, facing the tunnel.
Finally,
A small object, no bigger than a thumb, flew from the passage they had come through.
“A bee…?”
Deung Bu-hyung squinted, but before he could react,
A swarm of black bees filled the tunnel, pouring into the cavern.
Deung Bu-hyung’s eyes widened in shock.
“A swarm of bees!”
These were no ordinary bees. Their bodies were a vivid red, a species none of them had ever seen before. They could be carrying deadly venom.
Sabi Kang pushed through the panicked cadets, stepping forward.
“Stand back.”
He quickly extended his left hand, casting a spell.
“Inferno!”
In an instant,
A line of fire shot forward from Sabi Kang.
“So-so!”
Understanding his intent, Nung So-so stepped forward, extending her staff.
“Sillaphe!”
A powerful gust of wind spread the line of fire into a fan shape.
The bees caught in the fiery wind fell, burning, from the sky.
A rain of fire seemed to fall from the air.
Sabi Kang then cast a Fire Wall, creating a barrier of flames that blocked the tunnel.
The bees that tried to fly through the flames fell, burning, to the ground.
Yet, like moths to a flame, the swarm continued its relentless assault.
“This is endless.”
The resonance from the tunnel showed no sign of stopping.
“Fire magic is effective against the swarm, but…”
Using high-level magic posed a risk to the cadets.
Moreover, the repeated casting of fire spells had depleted the air in the cavern.
A normal person might have already fainted from lack of oxygen.
As the Fire Wall dissipated, the bees surged forward again.
Nung So-so used Sillaphe to fend them off, but couldn’t catch them all.
Summoning Celestine was too risky with the cadets present.
Some cadets used their own techniques to fend off the bees, but the effort was draining.
“Damn it! I’d rather fight people!”
“Where are these bees coming from?”
“This is never-ending!”
The cadets panted, gritting their teeth.
Sabi Kang shouted again.
“So-so! Push the swarm out of the tunnel!”
“Yes, sir!”
Nung So-so responded, unleashing Sillaphe.
A powerful whirlwind swept the bees away from the cadets.
Once Nung So-so had pushed the swarm back into the tunnel,
“Stone Wall!”
Sabi Kang extended his hand, shouting.
A wall of stone rose, sealing off the tunnel completely.
The immediate threat was contained, but not all the bees had been expelled. The cadets continued to fend off the remaining insects.
Then,
“Watch out, miss!”
Jin Kyung-san lunged, pushing Yeo So-jung aside.
A bee that had been heading for her stung Jin Kyung-san’s hand before flying off.
“Ugh!”
Jin Kyung-san clutched his stung hand, groaning, as Yeo So-jung rushed over, concern etched on her face.
“Are you alright? I’m so sorry…”
“I’m fine. It’s just a sting on my hand.”
Jin Kyung-san tried to brush it off, but someone grabbed his wrist.
Startled, he turned to see Jin Baek examining his hand with a grave expression.
“What’s wrong?”
Without a word, Jin Baek checked his pulse, then suddenly drew a dagger.
“What?”
Jin Kyung-san’s eyes widened in shock as Jin Baek swiftly brought the dagger down.
“You crazy…!”
Panicked, Jin Kyung-san struck Jin Baek’s chest, sending him stumbling back a few steps.
Fortunately, he hadn’t used much force, so Jin Baek was unharmed.
Jin Kyung-san shouted angrily.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“You fool! If you don’t act, you’ll die! Your energy is draining away!”
“What are you talking about…?”
Jin Kyung-san glanced at his left hand and gasped.
“My hand…!”
To his horror, his hand was shriveling like a dried branch, crumbling to dust.
The disintegration was rapid, spreading from his fingers to his hand.
“Aaagh!”
Jin Kyung-san screamed in agony and terror.
In a flash,
A blade sliced through the air, severing his left arm completely.
Jin Kyung-san’s face twisted in shock and pain.
“Aaaargh!”
Sabi Kang, who had cut off the arm, quickly pressed Jin Kyung-san’s pressure points to stop the bleeding and stabilize him.
As the cadets finished off the remaining bees, they looked down at Jin Kyung-san with pale faces.
“To lose an arm in an instant…”
“At least he survived.”
Sabi Kang, overhearing the cadets’ murmurs, looked up.
“The creatures that attacked us are called ‘Bibles.’ They look like ordinary wasps, but their sting causes rapid disintegration. If anyone is stung, don’t hesitate to amputate the affected area.”
He turned to Ja Un-ryong.
“Take care of him, Instructor.”
“Understood.”
Ja Un-ryong replied solemnly, hoisting Jin Kyung-san over his shoulder.
The crisis had been averted, but the tension lingered in the air.
The sound of the barrier blocking the passage began to crack and crumble.
Neung Soso glanced back at Sabigang and asked, “Master Kwanju, that barrier will eventually fall apart, won’t it? When it does, even more swarms will come rushing in… We can’t hold them off by ourselves.”
Jinbaek nodded in agreement. “Soso’s right. We can’t just wait around here. We have no choice but to move inside.”
Sabigang couldn’t ignore their concerns. He looked around at the cadets and spoke firmly, “From now on, forget the word ‘training.’ This is the real thing. Remember, no one will protect your life but yourself. Survive on your own.”
“Understood!” The cadets responded with determined expressions.
Sabigang turned to face the massive door, gazing up at it. “Let’s go in.”
As he extended his hand and applied force, the heavy door began to open slowly with a deep, resonant sound.
Creeeeak… Thud!
Once Sabigang and all the cadets had stepped inside, the door closed behind them with a weighty thud.
Thud… Boom!
The cadets swallowed nervously, taking in the vast space before them. A long red carpet stretched down the center, flanked by pools of liquid on either side.
At the end of the carpet stood a platform resembling an altar, upon which sat an ornately decorated chair. Beside the chair, a cradle swayed gently, as if it might hold a newborn.
“This place gives me the creeps,” muttered Pung Geomjin as he walked toward the water’s edge. He peered into the liquid and furrowed his brow deeply.
“This… it’s blood.”
“What? You’re right. It’s not water, it’s blood.”
The cadets turned pale as they stared at the pools of blood.
Just then, a woman’s lullaby drifted through the air from somewhere unseen.
“Rock-a-bye, my baby. Sleep so soundly, my baby. Rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye…”