Episode 461: Return of the Demon Sect

“Now’s the time…”

Ilshinma narrowed his eyes, gazing intently at the mechanical devices scattered across the plaza. They were definitely creaking under the strain.

There were more casualties than he had anticipated. Yet, Ilshinma was unfazed. Weren’t they just expendable resources anyway? Their sacrifices had revealed the workings of all the devices, so their deaths weren’t in vain.

Thanks to the relentless assault, the arrows that had been raining down from the walls had finally ceased. It seemed they had run out of ammunition. To Ilshinma, it was merely an exchange of expendable resources.

With a swift leap from the pavilion, Ilshinma began to gather his dark energy.

A deep, resonant hum filled the air as a powerful aura erupted from his body, causing the nearby demon warriors to flinch and step back.

“Move aside!” he commanded, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

Without further warning, Ilshinma channeled all his energy into his sword and swung it fiercely.

The air crackled as the blade unleashed a whirlwind of dark energy, indiscriminately cutting through everything in its path. The force was so immense that even his own allies weren’t spared, and those who couldn’t dodge in time fell, their bodies cleaved in two.

Simultaneously, the mechanical devices scattered across the plaza exploded with deafening booms, unable to withstand the onslaught. Already strained, they crumbled under the force of Ilshinma’s attack.

Following Ilshinma’s lead, Samshinma charged forward, his massive frame moving with surprising agility. He leaped into the air like a hawk, then plummeted down, slamming his fist into the ground.

The earth shook violently, debris flying in all directions as the devices hidden beneath the surface shattered.

The surrounding demon warriors and martial artists from the Extermination Hall were caught in the chaos, injured or killed by the flying debris. Samshinma’s raw power was truly terrifying.

Despite the deaths of his subordinates, Samshinma remained indifferent. His Meteoric Fist was one of his signature techniques.

Thanks to the efforts of Ilshinma and Samshinma, over eighty percent of the devices in the southern plaza were destroyed. The few that remained were no longer a significant threat.

“Attack!” Samshinma bellowed, and the demon warriors charged towards the southern gate with a unified roar.

“Stop them! Don’t let them breach the gate!” The martial artists from the Extermination Hall shouted back, clashing with the advancing demons.

The air was filled with the clashing of metal and the cries of battle.

From atop the southern gate, Dan Lijeong shouted, “Archers!”

The archers on the inner wall drew their bows taut, ready to unleash a deadly volley.

“Watch the rear!” someone shouted, prompting the martial artists at the back to raise their shields, forming a defensive wall.

As the Extermination Hall warriors retreated behind the shield wall, Dan Lijeong gave the command, “Fire!”

Arrows whistled through the air, each one aimed at a specific target. One arrow targeted Ilshinma, another Isinma, and the last Samshinma.

Ilshinma deflected the arrow with his sword, the impact causing him to stagger but leaving him uninjured. Isinma twisted his body to dodge, the arrow slicing through his eyepatch and grazing his cheek.

Blood trickled down his face, but he wiped it away with his sleeve, revealing a hollow, scarred eye socket.

Samshinma wasn’t as fortunate. An arrow struck his shoulder, embedding itself deep into his flesh.

“Dammit!” he cursed, snapping the arrow in frustration. The arrowhead, made from the bone of a dark creature, burned with a searing pain.

As the sky darkened with a rain of arrows, the demon warriors who couldn’t dodge or block them fell, writhing in agony. But the Extermination Hall warriors, safely behind their shield wall, remained unharmed.

After the deadly shower, the battle resumed with renewed ferocity.

“Die, you vile demons!” the Extermination Hall warriors shouted, charging back into the fray.

The plaza was a cacophony of rage, despair, and the fear of death. In the midst of the chaos, the three disciples of the cult leader stood out, their martial prowess unmatched.

Their dark energy was so intense and fierce that it was painful to approach them. Among them, Isinma was particularly brutal, his specialty in throwing knives evident as he targeted his enemies’ eyes with precision.

Every time he threw a knife, a warrior from the Extermination Hall would fall, clutching their eyes in agony.

Isinma moved with a manic energy, his laughter echoing through the battlefield as he plucked out eyes with his bare hands, savoring the thrill.

As he chewed on one of the eyes, a voice called out to him.

“Hey, if you enjoy it so much, why not pluck out your own remaining eye and eat it?”

Isinma turned slowly, his cheek twitching, to find a young man staring at him with cold, disdainful eyes.

The man, Jomuntak, tossed a knife in the air, catching it repeatedly as he glared at Isinma with contempt.

Isinma sneered. “Oh, do you want me to pluck out your useless eyes too?”

“Not at all. I use mine just fine,” Jomuntak replied coolly.

“Really? If you can’t even recognize your opponent, your eyes are worthless,” Isinma taunted, exuding a menacing aura that would have made an ordinary person faint.

“I’m curious what your eyes taste like!” Isinma lunged forward, a knife flashing in his hand.

“Shield!” Jomuntak called out, a translucent barrier forming in front of him, deflecting the knife harmlessly.

Jomuntak retaliated, throwing a knife of his own.

Isinma quickly cast a shield spell, “Barrier!”

The deflected knife struck a demon warrior fighting in the distance, dropping him instantly.

Isinma frowned slightly at the sight. “Unlucky.”

Then he paused, a thought crossing his mind. “Could it be… calculated?”

He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Jomuntak, who continued to juggle his knife with an indifferent expression.

“No way. It’s just a bluff,” Isinma reassured himself. There was no way Jomuntak had calculated the angle of deflection. If he had, he would be a master of throwing weapons, on par with the legendary Sa Cheondangmun.

Yet, despite his confidence, Isinma couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

One thing was certain, though. He was impressed.

“So, the Extermination Hall has people who use demonic arts,” Isinma remarked, twisting his lips into a smirk.

“You don’t know much, do you? That’s not demonic arts; it belongs to our master,” Jomuntak replied.

“This place is full of lunatics!” Isinma shouted, spreading his arms wide.

“Wind Blades!”

Invisible blades of wind sliced through the air, a deadly magic attack.

Jomuntak raised his shield again, deflecting the attack.

In the meantime, Isinma pulled out hundreds of knives, launching them in a relentless barrage.

“Let’s see how long you can hold out!” he taunted, as the knives whistled through the air.

The sound was like beans sizzling on a hot iron plate, echoing relentlessly.

As the rain-soaked daggers clashed against the shield, a dense mist of energy spread out, enveloping the surroundings.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!

Only when he was down to a single dagger in each hand did Ishinma finally halt his relentless assault.

Hissss…

The energy that had collided with the shield burst forth, slowly dissipating like a thick fog.

Ishinma allowed a slight smirk to play on his lips.

As the mist of energy rose, he could clearly see with his remaining eye.

The shield was shattering.

Dozens more daggers had flown since then, and by now, his enemy should resemble a pincushion.

“For failing to recognize your foe, I’ll take your eyes as my prize.”

Ishinma licked the blade of the dagger in his hand and took a step forward.

This was the moment he relished most.

Just before gouging out the eyes, when he could see the terror etched on his opponent’s face.

But then…

“What… how…?”

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Where the mist had cleared, Jomuntak stood unscathed.

Around him, small black orbs floated, slowly rotating as if to shield him.

Ishinma frowned at the bizarre sight.

“What on earth is that?”

Jomuntak sneered and muttered, “What do you think? It’s the weapon that’ll take your head! Haaaah!”

With a fierce shout, Jomuntak unleashed his power.

Whizzzzz!

Hundreds of orbs shot into the sky.

In an instant, the swarm of black projectiles hurtled toward Ishinma with terrifying speed.

Whoosh!

Slash-slash-slash-slash!

Ishinma stood frozen, daggers in both hands, unable to move.

The black orbs were too fast for him to react.

Swish!

Before he knew it, the orbs had returned to Jomuntak’s side, embedding themselves densely around his waist like a hive.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

Jomuntak’s ragged breathing reached Ishinma’s ears.

Moments later,

Splat!

Ishinma’s body was torn apart, blood gushing like a fountain, and he toppled over like a withered tree.

Thud!

Even in his final moments, he never understood what had struck him down.