Episode 451: Return of the Demon Sect Officer
Sssssss!
A silver serpent slithered gracefully through the enemy ranks, weaving a deadly dance.
With each pass, screams erupted and blood sprayed as the demonic warriors fell, writhing in agony.
Maeseollan fought with unmatched elegance.
Amidst the chaos of blood and torn flesh, she stood out like a lone, blooming flower in a battlefield of despair.
Her martial arts were nothing short of exquisite.
“Don’t be burdened by the grandeur; revel in it,” Sabigang had once advised her.
Since then, her skills had improved by leaps and bounds.
“You wretched woman! I’ll tear you apart!”
A demon monk, one of the trusted aides of the fearsome Demon God, charged at her, grinding his teeth in fury.
Just as his club was about to crush Maeseollan’s head,
Sssssss!
“Ugh!”
A silver snake, its scales glinting, slithered up his lower body, flicking its tongue as it struck his side.
Thud!
“Argh!”
The blow landed on a vital point, sending waves of excruciating pain through the monk’s body, forcing him to retreat.
But the silver serpent wasn’t done with him yet.
As he stood immobilized, another snake coiled around his neck, its tongue flicking menacingly.
“Ugh!”
The monk desperately swung his club to fend off the snake, summoning all his inner strength to protect himself.
Sssss!
The snake, unable to pierce his defenses, retreated with a hiss.
In a flash,
Sssssss!
“What the…!”
The snake that had wrapped around his legs now coiled up his body, reaching his chest and neck.
The sword couldn’t possibly be this long.
The energy moved with a life of its own, precise and agile.
‘They said the head of the Demon Extermination Hall was just a figurehead. What nonsense!’
The monk cursed himself for underestimating his opponent, but it was too late.
Thud!
“Argh!”
Thud! Thud!
The snake reached his collarbone, biting into his neck, while another snake tore into his core and chest.
“Ugh…!”
As he bled out, the monk’s last sight was the snake coiling around his neck.
‘Damn, this is the end.’
He knew his fate was sealed.
Sss!
The silver serpent transformed into a flash of light, severing the monk’s head from his body, sending it flying into the air.
Thud, roll…!
With the fall of their leader, the demonic warriors hesitated, their fierce assault faltering.
Maeseollan seized the moment, her voice ringing out sharply.
“The enemy leader is dead! Wipe them out!”
“Yes!”
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Hall responded in unison, charging at the enemy with renewed vigor.
Their morale was at its peak, leaving no room for fear.
Slash! Splat! Clang!
“Aaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams echoed from all directions.
Maeseollan continued her relentless assault, weaving through the enemy ranks with deadly precision.
The number of serpents she commanded grew from two to four, then to dozens, each strike eliciting sharper cries from her foes.
How long had they fought in this frenzy?
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Hall lowered their arms, gasping for breath.
They had faced the relentless onslaught of the demonic cult without pause.
Finally, it seemed the end was in sight.
Though the groans of the wounded filled the air, the clash of weapons had become sporadic.
Sssss, thud!
“Ugh…!”
At last, a demon fell, its throat pierced by Maeseollan’s sword, leaving a vivid burn mark.
She flicked the blood from her blade, sheathing it as she surveyed the battlefield.
The ground was littered with bodies, but fortunately, most were those of the enemy.
Just then, Gojoksan rushed to her side with a report.
“We’ve delayed them for a while. We should be able to move into the inner sanctum now.”
“What about Master Murang’s barrier?”
“He’s setting it up around the inner walls. It should be completed soon.”
Jomuntak, who had arrived unnoticed, answered as he landed beside her.
Maeseollan nodded, issuing orders as she scanned the area.
“First, move the wounded to the inner sanctum. Report any stragglers.”
Someone shouted in response.
“At the east gate, Instructors Mokdanhwa and Seolseorin are stranded. Instructor Seolsumin is on her way there!”
“Instructor Seolsumin won’t be able to save them alone!”
Gojoksan interjected, prompting Maeseollan to step forward.
“I’ll go myself.”
“No, you must stay here and lead us.”
“But I can’t abandon them!”
“I’ll go.”
The unexpected volunteer was none other than Wigumjong.
If anyone could be trusted with their fate, it was him.
Maeseollan nodded, her voice firm.
“Bring them back safely.”
“Leave it to me.”
With that, Wigumjong launched himself into the air, speeding away.
Maeseollan called out again.
“Anywhere else? Any more stragglers?”
“At the main gate, Gugangryong is left behind, but Onggiseung is already on his way.”
“Onggiseung…”
Maeseollan murmured the name, lost in thought.
Sabigang’s words came to mind.
‘Onggiseung might just be able to save Gugangryong.’
Maeseollan nodded, asking once more.
“And?”
“Nothing else has been reported.”
“Good. Then fall back slowly to the inner walls and hold out until all stragglers return!”
“Understood!”
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Hall responded in unison, moving swiftly to carry out her orders.
Maeseollan knew.
The demonic forces that had surged like a tidal wave wouldn’t stop here.
This was merely a brief respite.
As the warriors organized the situation,
“We have a straggler! Baekgongbo at the west gate! Stranded, stranded! Waaah!”
The shout was so loud it seemed to shake the heavens.
All the warriors turned to see a man sprinting down the path.
It was none other than Deungjagyeong.
Fearing his presence would go unnoticed, he had mustered all his strength to shout.
He stumbled and fell as he reached Maeseollan, crawling the last few steps to her feet, sobbing.
“Baekgongbo…! Because of me… he’s stranded…!”
Maeseollan frowned, questioning him.
“What do you mean? Where is Baekgongbo stranded?”
“The… the west gate! He’s in danger…!”
Deungjagyeong struggled to speak through his tears.
Just then, Gokbo-ok approached, grabbing Deungjagyeong’s shoulders and shouting.
“Hey! Where at the west gate? I’ll go save that pig! Tell me!”
“By… by Cheonseongdang…! Baekgongbo saved me…! Waaah!”
“Damn it!”
Gokbo-ok gritted his teeth, standing abruptly.
“Commander! Let me go! Please!”
But Maeseollan shook her head unexpectedly.
“No. It’s too late now.”
Gokbo-ok’s eyes widened.
“We don’t know that yet! Commander! Let me go!”
“I can’t lose you too!”
“Commander…! He came to save me with his comrades! Even though I always looked down on him for being from the dark sect, he still came! I can’t abandon him!”
“Gokbo-ok!”
“I’m sorry!”
“Stop!”
Maeseollan’s sharp command rang out, but Gokbo-ok had already dashed away.
Before he could get far,
Swoosh, thud!
A shadow blocked his path.
”…!”
“Calm down.”
It was none other than Danrijung.
Gokbo-ok tried to speak, but Danrijung was quicker.
“Don’t go.”
“Damn it, why are you stopping me too?”
“I’ve seen it. It’s too late. He’s already…”
Danrijung’s gaze shifted to Deungjagyeong.
“…gone without regrets.”
Gokbo-ok’s expression turned hollow.
He couldn’t believe Danrijung’s words, his voice trembling.
“Gone…? You mean he’s dead? You’re lying! You’re just trying to stop me from going!”
Smack!
Gokbo-ok’s head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.
It was so hard his whole body swayed.
Danrijung shouted sharply.
“Stop acting like a child! We’re at war! Obey your superior’s orders! I saw Baekgongbo’s death with my own eyes.”
“Damn it… You’re lying. He can’t be dead… He was as strong as me. He can’t be dead! It doesn’t make sense!”
Clang!
Crash!
As Gok Bo-ok slammed his fist into the ground in a fit of rage, cracks spread out in all directions, splitting the earth with a resounding crack.
No one present dared to intervene or try to calm him down.
Bending at the waist, Gok Bo-ok let out a roar that echoed like a beast’s cry.
“Zenzaaaang!”
**
Panting heavily, Seol Seorin and Mok Danhwa stood back-to-back, struggling to catch their breath.
They had lost count of how many enemies they had cut down and pierced through.
Meanwhile, the demon known as Gwisal Saekma, who faced the two women, couldn’t help but be impressed.
“These women are relentless. How many have they killed already?”
He surveyed the bodies of the fallen demons scattered across the ground.
He hadn’t anticipated that the order to spare their lives would result in such devastating losses.
Initially, he had intended to capture the women, but it had turned into a battle of wills.
But this couldn’t go on any longer.
If the damage continued to escalate, it would anger not only his master, the Samsinma, but the cult leader as well.
Finally, with a resigned sigh, he gave the order.
“Forget about sparing their lives. Tear those two apart.”
“Yes, sir!”
The demons responded eagerly.
Even in the midst of chaos, Gwisal Saekma hoped the women would remain unharmed.
Not only were they strikingly beautiful, but their martial prowess suggested that the energy he could absorb from them would be extraordinary.
However, the demons, already pushed to their limits, had no intention of holding back.
“Die!”
“Hyah!”
With a unified battle cry, the demons charged at the two women.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The tails of Sasimja and Makan began their deadly dance once more.
But it was becoming increasingly difficult to fend off the relentless waves of demons with the same level of intensity.
Especially for Mok Danhwa, whose energy was depleting rapidly compared to Seol Seorin, who wielded a weapon ideal for facing multiple foes.
Moreover, with an injury to her side, her stamina was waning as time passed.
The only saving grace was her ability to use magic.
Yet even that advantage was diminishing as the demons adapted to her tactics.
Just then, Gwisal Saekma leaped over his subordinates, using their heads as stepping stones, and landed in front of Mok Danhwa, slashing his sword at her.
“You’re first!”
Swoosh!