Episode 449: Return to the Demonic Sect
Crash!
With a deafening noise, the massive door shattered and flew off its hinges.
Through the opening, a flood of demonic cultists surged in like a breaking dam.
“Hold them back!”
“Charge!”
Gojoksan shouted as he rushed toward the invading cultists.
The ones who had broken through the northern gate of the Myolma Hall were none other than the Blood Demon Squad, clad in their distinctive red uniforms. These were the subordinates of the Second New Demon, a disciple of the cult leader.
“You scoundrels! Do you know where you are?”
“Die!”
Shouts and curses mingled with screams as chaos erupted.
Clang! Clang!
The metallic clashing of weapons filled the air as a chaotic battle ensued.
The Blood Demon Squad, having stormed into the hall, suddenly retreated toward the door, forming a semicircle.
‘What are they planning?’
Gojoksan furrowed his brow in suspicion.
“Fireball!”
The cultists extended their hands in unison, shouting.
In an instant,
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Blazing fireballs formed in their palms and were launched forward.
“Watch out!”
“Dodge!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Aaargh!”
Unfamiliar with this style of combat, some of Gojoksan’s men screamed and fell.
Fortunately, they weren’t entirely unprepared for the demonic arts. Having seen Sabigang’s magic from a distance, they had some idea of what to expect.
Gojoksan, too, remained composed, slicing through the incoming fireballs with his sword.
Slash! Whoosh!
The split fireballs narrowly missed him, crashing into the walls with explosive force.
After the fiery assault, the area was left covered in soot and smoke.
“You wretches! Your tricks end here…!”
But before he could finish, a chilling energy began to gather in the cultists’ palms.
Just as they were about to chant,
“Ice…!”
A sharp sound pierced the sky!
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Arrows suddenly rained down, piercing the cultists’ chests and pinning them to the walls.
“Shield!”
The leader of the Blood Demon Squad shouted, and the others echoed in unison.
“Shield!”
A barrage of arrows was deflected by the translucent barrier they conjured.
Ratatatatat!
The sound was like beans being fried on a metal plate.
As the arrow storm ceased, the Blood Demon Squad leader leaped into the air, using a light-footed technique.
Whoosh!
He soared to the top of the hall, launching an attack at Danrijung, who had fired the arrows.
“Take this!”
Danrijung quickly dodged, twisting his shoulder.
Crash!
The force narrowly missed him, shattering the window behind him.
Crash!
The Blood Demon Squad leader swung his sword horizontally, sending a powerful wave toward Danrijung and the archers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As expected of the squad leader, his martial prowess was devastating.
Cracks spread across the walls, and all the windows shattered simultaneously.
“Retreat!”
At Danrijung’s command, the archers swiftly withdrew.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The Blood Demon Squad leader unleashed another wave of energy at the retreating figures.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thud!
“Aaagh!”
A couple of warriors failed to block or dodge the attack, sustaining severe injuries as they fell.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the relentless assault continued as the arrow storm subsided.
“Fireball!”
“Flame Wave!”
“Wind Fist!”
The cultists mixed their demonic arts and swordsmanship, turning the hall into a chaotic battlefield.
As time passed, Gojoksan realized the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
Though they were holding their ground with relative efficiency, the endless stream of enemies scaling the walls seemed unstoppable.
‘Damn it! They’re really going all out!’
Just then, Danrijung landed beside him.
“The situation is tough, but we must hold on!”
“How are things elsewhere?”
Gojoksan asked, noticing Danrijung’s grim expression.
“They’ve breached everywhere. There are just too many of them. But we’re still holding on.”
It meant the attackers from other directions were formidable as well.
Gojoksan gritted his teeth.
“Damn it! Did they abandon their strongholds to come here?”
Danrijung didn’t answer.
He didn’t know either.
Perhaps the strongholds were decoys, or the real ones had been wiped out.
Or maybe the demonic sect was far larger than they had imagined.
Regardless, the priority now was to protect the Myolma Hall.
Unfortunately, due to the busy schedule of the martial arts master, the protective formations around the hall hadn’t been set up.
Gojoksan, aware of this, refrained from further questioning and instead asked,
“How long do we need to hold out?”
“The martial arts master is setting up the formations inside. We need to hold for half a shichen.”
“Hmm… Half a shichen…”
Even as he spoke, Gojoksan cleaved an enemy’s head in two.
Blood splattered, staining his face.
“Ugh! Alright, I’ll hold as long as I can!”
“When the time comes, retreat slowly and ensure no one is left behind!”
“Leave it to me!”
“Then!”
Danrijung replied and quickly withdrew.
Staying close in such close quarters was of no use.
He needed to regroup the archers and prepare for the next phase.
Gojoksan, having led the Iron Blood Squad alongside Sabigang for a long time, was someone he could trust.
‘The others must hold on too…!’
The remaining members of the Heavenly Destruction Squad and the Newborn Division, not part of the expedition, were holding off the cultists from all sides.
‘Everyone, I’m counting on you!’
As Danrijung sprinted toward the inner hall, he meticulously checked for any stragglers.
**
Clang! Clang!
The metallic clashing was relentless.
Mokdanhwa was barely able to keep her wits about her.
Whenever she deflected a blade aimed at her neck, another would come crashing down from above.
“Ugh!”
She twisted her body to narrowly dodge,
“Flame Spear!”
A thunderous shout accompanied a fiery spear hurtling toward her.
Whoosh!
She quickly stepped back, extending her hand.
“Shield!”
Whoosh!
A translucent barrier formed, causing the flame spear to vanish as if it were a mirage.
The enemy who had launched the spear stared at Mokdanhwa in disbelief.
As if to say, ‘How can someone like you use demonic arts?’
Mokdanhwa smirked coldly.
“That was originally our master’s technique, you fakes!”
With a swift kick off the ground, she launched herself at terrifying speed.
The first form of the Flashing Thunder Sword, Chaos Thunder, unfolded.
The sword seemed to split into dozens of blades.
She was on the verge of mastering the Flashing Thunder Sword.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
A chilling sound of flesh being torn filled the air as six or seven cultists charging at her fell with screams.
“Aaaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Still unsatisfied, Mokdanhwa looked around and shouted.
“Come back with our master’s permission, you fakes!”
If Sabigang had heard, he would have been baffled by her nonsense, but Mokdanhwa’s voice was filled with genuine conviction.
After all, even if someone told her the origin of magic was ‘dragons,’ it wouldn’t matter to her now.
‘You worthless scum!’
Mokdanhwa bit her lip hard.
Too many of the Myolma Hall warriors had fallen.
For some reason, every corpse she saw seemed to belong to one of their own.
Rage welled up inside her.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind the cultists, followed by an old man’s voice.
“What is that crazy woman babbling about? I can’t tell if it’s nonsense or hallucinations anymore. Tsk.”
The man walking through the cultists, picking his ear, was none other than the Ghost Slayer Demon.
He was a follower of the Third New Demon, one of the cult’s top disciples, and was over ninety years old.
Yet his face bore only a few deep wrinkles.
He was a vile man who absorbed yin energy from women to cultivate his inner power.
The Ghost Slayer Demon, stepping forward, rubbed his shiny bald head with his palm and clicked his tongue.
“Why wear such thick clothes when you’re sweating so much? You should wear something light and airy!”
“Who is this crazy old man?”
Mokdanhwa scowled and asked, to which the Ghost Slayer Demon replied with a bemused expression.
“What do you mean, who? I’m your future husband! Hehehe!”
“Crazy bastard.”
“You’ve got quite the sharp tongue, girl! I bet you taste just as good!”
“Cut the crap and fight me, you filthy old lecher!”
With a swift movement, Mok Dan-hwa launched herself forward, unable to listen any longer.
Swoosh!
Clang!
The demon swordsman quickly drew his blade, deflecting Mok Dan-hwa’s attack.
“Feisty, aren’t you?”
“Shut up!”
“What are you all standing around for? Get that fiery wench! But don’t kill her. I want to have some fun first.”
“Yes, sir!”
In unison, the henchmen charged at Mok Dan-hwa.
“Ugh! Cowards, ganging up on me like this…!”
“Heh. In a fight, there’s no such thing as cowardice, girl.”
The demon swordsman stepped back, crossing his arms, watching the scene unfold with amusement.
Clang! Clang!
The relentless clash of metal echoed around them.
‘Damn it! There’s no end to this!’
Mok Dan-hwa felt her strength waning as time dragged on. The bodies of her fallen comrades scattered around only added to her despair. Among them were young trainees and instructors she had shared conversations and worries with.
‘Damn it! How did it come to this…!’
In that moment of distraction,
Thud!
“Argh!”
Before she knew it, the demon swordsman’s blade had pierced her side deeply.
Gritting her teeth, Mok Dan-hwa lashed out with a palm strike.
Boom!
“Not a chance!”
The demon swordsman countered with his own strike, dissipating her force and leaping back.
“Cough!”
Blood spewed from her mouth as she fell to one knee, wiping the blood from her lips with her sleeve. The internal injury was worse than she thought. She wouldn’t last even half a moment if she tried to wield her sword now.
The demon swordsman licked the blood off his blade with a wicked grin.
“Warm and sweet. I think I’ll keep you alive for a bit of fun.”
“Shut up!”
Mok Dan-hwa bit her lip and shouted, prompting the demon swordsman to order his men.
“What are you waiting for? Just keep her breathing and finish her off!”
“Yes, sir!”
The henchmen rushed at Mok Dan-hwa again.
Just then,
Swish!
Out of nowhere, dozens of insect-like creatures emerged, striking and slicing through the henchmen’s vital points.
“Aaargh!”
“Ugh!”
The henchmen fell, writhing in pain.
The demon swordsman turned his gaze to a silver-haired woman who had suddenly appeared.
“And who might you be?”
“‘Who’ and ‘what’ are not the right words to use when addressing a person,” she said, her voice calm and steady. “That’s what my husband would say.”
Seol Seo-rin surveyed the scene with a serene gaze.
The demon swordsman’s eyebrow twitched.
“I didn’t plan on getting involved, but… I couldn’t just stand by and watch this poor concubine suffer.”
“What did you say?”
The one who shouted back at her was none other than Mok Dan-hwa.
“Who are you calling a concubine? You’re the concubine! The master would never acknowledge you… Ugh…!”
Seol Seo-rin gently pressed her foot on Mok Dan-hwa’s head, silencing her.
“As his rightful wife, it’s only fair I protect this poor concubine, don’t you think?”
The demon swordsman’s eyes narrowed.
“What… what kind of crazy women… Not just one, but two of them… What are you waiting for? Take down these lunatics! Keep them alive, though. They’re both quite the lookers.”
“Yes, sir!”
The henchmen unleashed their dark energy and charged.
At the same time, the whip in Seol Seo-rin’s hand danced through the air, splitting into dozens of strands.
“Hohoho! Feel the power of love, a gift from my husband! This is what true love feels like!”
Swish!
The whip’s insect-like extensions lashed out in all directions, striking with precision and force.