Episode 387: Return to the Demonic Academy
The man stood atop a swaying tree branch, gazing intently into the distance.
“Is it complete annihilation?”
He yawned lazily, arms crossed, as if the outcome was of little surprise.
From the start, he hadn’t expected anyone to emerge alive. The ritual they had performed was a feat unparalleled in the history of the martial world.
Moreover, this particular summoning site was notoriously impregnable.
Yet, the leader was a cautious man, demanding certainty in all things. He would be satisfied only after ten days of observation and a detailed report.
“This is going to be a tedious wait.”
He sighed softly, though his heart was at ease. After all, the past days had been a relentless rush. A brief respite wouldn’t be unwelcome.
[Keep your eyes peeled and maintain surveillance.]
[Understood.]
His telepathic command was met with swift responses from his scattered subordinates. Though he doubted anything would happen, he had brought along twenty of the elite Gray Demon Squad, just in case. They wouldn’t miss the slightest movement, allowing him to rest easy.
“Time for a little nap.”
He closed his eyes, arms still crossed. The gentle breeze rocked the branch like a cradle, lulling him into a light doze.
Just as he was about to drift off…
”…!”
Something stirred him awake, eyes snapping open.
[What was that just now?]
[No unusual activity detected.]
His inquiry was met with prompt replies, yet he felt something amiss. Raising his telescope, he scanned the distant cave entrance. As his subordinates reported, nothing seemed out of place.
“Was it just my imagination?”
He lowered the telescope, ready to close his eyes again, when—
”…!”
This time, the sensation was clearer, more distinct. Before he could ask, his subordinates’ voices echoed in his mind.
[There’s some activity!]
[It seems there’s a tremor deep within the cave.]
He listened, raising the telescope once more.
Thud…!
A distinct sound reached his ears, accompanied by a faint ripple of energy. For it to be audible from such a distance, it must be a significant disturbance.
Finally, a visible tremor shook the area near the cave, intense enough to be seen through the telescope.
“Something’s happening!”
He focused intently, eyes straining through the lens. The vibrations and noise continued, growing steadily.
Then, suddenly—
“What?”
Something burst forth from the cave, as if expelled. It was unmistakably the students of the Demonic Academy.
“How… how are they…?”
His mouth hung open in disbelief as his subordinates’ voices clamored in his mind.
[Something’s emerged!]
[It looks like people!]
“Quiet! I can see it too!”
He snapped irritably, biting his lip. “How could they possibly survive…?”
At that moment, the cave collapsed with a resounding crash, a cloud of dust rising thickly. Amidst the chaos, something else emerged.
He quickly trained his telescope on the shadow.
“My god…! It’s… Sabikang…!”
There was no doubt. Though he had never seen Sabikang in person, he had heard countless descriptions. The figure standing amidst a crimson aura was unmistakably Sabikang.
The other students watched him with fear-stricken eyes, their tension palpable even from afar.
He swallowed hard, muttering to himself.
“Damn it. What’s going on? Could the chamber have collapsed?”
He scanned the scene with his telescope, spotting a silver-masked figure among the students.
“The Silver Mask… failed!”
He ground his teeth in frustration, turning his attention back to Sabikang. The man stood with his head bowed, shoulders heaving, surrounded by a mist of crimson energy emanating from his sword.
The unfamiliar weapon pulsed with a blood-red hue, shifting to a deep purple and back again. The mist seemed to be absorbed into the blade, which thrummed with power.
When the crimson energy was fully absorbed, Sabikang raised his head and let out a roar.
“Raaaargh!”
The sound was so powerful it reached the man, even from a great distance.
In the next instant,
“Gah!”
He involuntarily gasped, startled. Sabikang, after his roar, lowered his head slightly, locking eyes with him.
A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly lowered the telescope, exhaling shakily.
“Damn, there’s no way he can see me from there.”
The distance was too great. Only with enhanced vision and a telescope could one discern a face from here. How could Sabikang possibly know where he was?
Calming his racing heart, he raised the telescope again to check on Sabikang.
And then…
“Gah…!”
His body trembled.
Was he… watching?
Sabikang’s blood-red eyes were unmistakably fixed on him.
“No… it can’t be… can it?”
But the accuracy of Sabikang’s gaze was undeniable.
Then, suddenly,
Whoosh!
“What! He’s gone!”
Sabikang’s face vanished from the telescope’s view. He frantically scanned the area, but Sabikang was nowhere to be seen. The other students, too, looked bewildered by his sudden disappearance.
At that moment,
”…!”
A chilling presence behind him made him turn, face rigid with fear.
He stood there, mouth agape, unable to utter a word. He couldn’t even breathe.
“My god… how…?”
Sabikang, exuding a crimson aura, stood right behind him. How he had moved so swiftly was beyond comprehension.
“Rrrr.”
Sabikang’s breath was like that of a predator. The man stood frozen, like prey caught in a predator’s gaze, unable to move.
Sabikang’s blood-red eyes glowed ominously.
Suddenly, Sabikang’s hand shot out, gripping his throat.
“Gah! Gah!”
Helpless, he struggled in vain.
But only for a moment,
Whoosh! Crash!
Sabikang flung him to the ground like a ragdoll.
He plummeted, creating a crater upon impact, dust billowing around him.
Thud!
Sabikang landed right in front of the fallen man.
“Cough! Ugh!”
He spat blood, internal injuries evident, staring at Sabikang in disbelief.
“This… this is a monster…!”
He scrambled back, trembling.
Sabikang took a step forward.
The man, still on the ground, scuttled back a few more steps.
Death seemed to loom ever closer.
Sabikang took another step.
Then,
“Stop!”
A sharp command rang out as twenty elite subordinates surrounded Sabikang, weapons drawn.
Two were supreme masters, the rest were top-tier fighters. Their combined killing intent was suffocating.
“Rrrr.”
Sabikang glanced sideways, crimson energy swirling around him.
In a flash,
“Kill him!”
At the shout, the twenty elites leaped into action.
Simultaneously,
Swoosh!
A crimson gust swept through them in a fan shape.
It seemed as if Sabikang’s sword moved of its own accord, with him merely following its lead.
The man watched, mouth agape, unable to comprehend.
“Th-th-this…!”
His mind went blank.
The twenty elite fighters, charging at Sabikang, were cleaved in two, their bodies strewn across the ground.
Much of their spilled blood was absorbed by Sabikang’s sword, as if by magic.
Vrrrrr!
The sword vibrated with delight, crimson energy swirling more fiercely.
Sabikang turned back to the man.
Now, the man was too weak to even think of retreating.
He could only watch as death approached, step by step.
**
The students stared blankly at the spot where Sabikang had vanished.
“Why…?”
Where had Sabikang gone?
When he had emerged, they had all thought they were doomed.
But then, Sabikang had disappeared without a trace.
They hadn’t even seen him use any movement technique.
Perhaps he had used magic to teleport.
But where could he have gone?
Just then, a faint tremor reached them from afar.
Nungso quickly summoned Silestine.
“Find the overseer!”
Upon hearing her request, Celestine darted through the forest with remarkable speed.
A short while later, Neng Soso, having listened to Celestine’s account, instinctively glanced in the direction of the Sabi River.
“Master, with the Demon Sect…?”
Noticing Neng Soso’s reaction, Ja Unryong and Wi Geomjong exchanged a quick look before sprinting off without a word.
Thud!
As they ran side by side, Ja Unryong cast a sidelong glance at Wi Geomjong and asked, “Your killing intent is intense. Why are you so determined to pursue the Master?”
“If there’s a threat, it must be eliminated. But why are you heading towards the Master?”
Ja Unryong widened his eyes in surprise and replied, “Isn’t it obvious? We need to bring him back.”
Wi Geomjong narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze forward again.
Ja Unryong continued, his voice trailing off as he maintained his pace. “If you try to stop me from bringing the Master back, we’ll have no choice but to fight.”
“The Master is like a ticking time bomb right now. Is it really necessary to bring him back to the sect?”
“Do you have another solution?”
“No, I don’t. That’s why I’m suggesting we eliminate the threat cleanly. It would be easier if we worked together.”
“You give up on people too quickly.”
“I’m not like you indecisive orthodox types,” Wi Geomjong retorted with a cold sneer, while Ja Unryong scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
After running for quite some time, they finally arrived at the spot where the Sabi River had been.
But all they found were the bodies of the fallen, their faces frozen in shock, and demons cleanly severed in half.
“This is…!”
Ja Unryong’s face twisted in dismay, and Wi Geomjong, standing beside him, let out a low sigh.
“It seems the matter has already been settled.”
“Where could he have gone?”
Instead of answering, Wi Geomjong examined the corpses.
“This was over long before we got here. By now, he’s far beyond our reach.”
“This is serious. The Master has vanished without a trace,” Ja Unryong murmured, his expression troubled.
Suddenly, Wi Geomjong leaped into action, using his agility to spring onto a nearby tree and climb to the top.
Swaying slightly, he scanned the surroundings from the unsteady branches.
But there was no sign of the Sabi River anywhere.