Episode 465: Return of the Demon Instructor
With a soft thud, the Three Gods Demon collapsed, bound tightly by Makan’s tail, like a heap of scrap metal.
Having just used his Iron Skin Demon Art, his body remained as hard as steel.
As his skin gradually returned to its original color, the power of the Iron Skin Demon Art began to wane.
Makan’s tail writhed like a serpent, pulverizing the Three Gods Demon’s body into fragments.
As pieces of his flesh scattered in all directions, the onlooking demons recoiled in shock.
To them, witnessing the Three Gods Demon, a master of the Iron Skin Demon Art, being torn apart was utterly staggering.
Earlier, Seol Seorin had harbored a burning desire for revenge against the Three Gods Demon while escaping with the Earth Dragon Blade.
Through Jaunryong, she learned of the Three Gods Demon’s weakness.
“The Three Gods Demon’s weakness is the Iron Skin Demon Art itself.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t the Iron Skin Demon Art his greatest strength?”
“Indeed. But when he uses it to cover his entire body, its strength is significantly reduced compared to when he focuses it on a single area.”
“So you’re saying…”
“If you can force him to protect his whole body with the Iron Skin Demon Art, then strike a vital point with all your might…”
“Even the Iron Skin Demon Art can be pierced.”
“Exactly. But you’ll need to put all your inner power into that strike. However…”
“However?”
“He rarely uses the Iron Skin Demon Art to protect his entire body. He knows its limitations. He won’t use it unless he’s facing a barrage of arrows or surrounded by dozens of swords. In a way, it’s like he has no weakness.”
“No. I’ll create that weakness. But…”
Seol Seorin stopped in her tracks and looked at Jaunryong.
“I have a request. That all-out strike… I ask you, Instructor. You know the demons better than anyone.”
Jaunryong quietly observed Seol Seorin.
It was a side of her he hadn’t seen before.
She was always enveloped in a strange madness…
But now, she was just a sorrowful woman who had lost her brother.
Jaunryong nodded.
“Understood. If the opportunity arises, I’ll do it.”
“I’ll make sure the opportunity comes.”
Seol Seorin spoke with eyes burning with determination.
And now, with the same fiery gaze, she whispered to the scattered remains of the Three Gods Demon.
“Go to hell and listen to my brother’s reprimands.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
**
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted as two powerful energies collided.
CRASH!
The pavilion in front of the main hall shattered, sending roof tiles flying.
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
Ong Giseung panted heavily, glaring at the cult leader.
The cult leader, too, was breathing heavily, his shoulders heaving.
He was genuinely surprised.
When he first ascended the hill, only one person awaited him.
Ong Giseung, not a chief or an instructor, but a mere assistant.
It was so absurd that he almost laughed.
But then…
“So it was you. The one born with the Innate Demon Spirit.”
Upon realizing this, he found it quite intriguing.
As the fierce battle continued, the Demon Spirit actually manifested behind Ong Giseung.
The pressure it exuded…
The aura of that unknown entity was beyond what any human could withstand.
Yet, the Demon Cult Leader felt a mix of fear and fascination towards the Demon Spirit.
He prided himself on his martial prowess.
Even if the righteous alliance leader stood before him, he was confident he could win.
However, he was uncertain about Sabigang.
He had never met him, but the stories he heard were all astonishing.
Even Jonya was wary of him.
But now…
“To think a mere brat would hold me back…”
The cult leader twisted his lips in amusement.
“Beautiful.”
He murmured, gazing at the Demon Spirit standing behind Ong Giseung.
Ong Giseung spoke coldly to the cult leader.
“That admiration will soon turn into screams.”
“Hahaha. Such spirit. But you cannot defeat me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I never have baseless confidence.”
With that, the cult leader’s form vanished in a flash.
In the next moment, he appeared behind Ong Giseung.
“Is this… Blink?”
Ong Giseung turned in shock.
CLANG!
“Ugh!”
Ong Giseung blocked the vertically descending sword, but was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through the main hall’s wall.
CRASH!
Staggering, Ong Giseung got back on his feet.
He had seen Sabigang use Blink a few times.
But he had never seen anyone else use it.
He had heard from Sabigang that it required profound inner power.
Before Ong Giseung could regain his stance,
SWOOSH! CLANG!
The cult leader flew in like a beam of light, slashing his sword once more.
As Ong Giseung blocked with his sword, cracks spread across the blade.
His eyes widened.
“Is it this strong…?”
Meanwhile, the cult leader maintained a relaxed smile.
“Surprised? A master hides thirty percent of their power. But I reveal only thirty percent. Shall I start unveiling the remaining seventy percent?”
In an instant, the cult leader’s long hair stood on end,
SWISH!
A crimson aura formed, and his sword sliced horizontally.
“Ugh…!”
Gritting his teeth, Ong Giseung twisted his sword to block.
CLANG!
SWOOSH, CRASH!
Once again, Ong Giseung was sent flying, crashing through another wall into the courtyard.
“Ugh…!”
Wiping the blood from his lips, Ong Giseung staggered to his feet.
“This is dangerous…!”
The cult leader was showing a completely different side.
Moments ago, Ong Giseung thought he might barely win.
But now…
If the cult leader unleashed all his power, was there any chance of victory?
“This is dangerous…!”
The cult leader seemed to read Ong Giseung’s expression and smirked.
“You’re afraid.”
Ignoring his words, Ong Giseung slowly assumed a stance.
Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the cult leader.
The cult leader continued speaking.
“I heard those with the Innate Demon Spirit mastered the Sleep God Technique… but it seems to be a rumor.”
“Enough with the chatter!”
Ong Giseung shouted, launching himself forward.
SWOOSH, BOOM!
As their energies clashed again, a shockwave spread in all directions.
CRASH!
The main hall crumbled, roof tiles shattering and flying everywhere.
The surrounding demons cast shield spells to block the debris.
RATATATATATAT!
They dared not interfere in the high-level battle.
Intervening recklessly could harm the cult leader.
However, they were ready to descend into the main hall’s underground to find the emergency exit once the fight ended.
CLANG! CRASH! BOOM! THUNDER!
Lightning roared, and thunder echoed.
In the vortex of energy, the demons felt their bodies tremble.
Even those trained in demonic arts struggled against the swirling demonic energy.
Moreover, the aura emanating from Ong Giseung was a mysterious blend of the Demon Spirit’s energy and his own dark energy.
“Impressive tricks… but is this your limit?”
The cult leader shot forward like an arrow, aiming his sword at Ong Giseung’s heart.
“Haah!”
Ong Giseung shouted, meeting the attack with his sword.
The Demon Spirit behind him seemed to guide his hand.
As their swords clashed fiercely,
CLANG!
BOOM!
A whirlwind of energy erupted, scattering debris like shrapnel.
RATATATATATAT!
The demons once again cast shields to block the debris.
The cult leader clicked his tongue.
“Tsk…!”
As if responding to his light tongue click, Ong Giseung’s sword shattered into countless pieces.
CRACK!
Ong Giseung’s sword broke into hundreds, thousands of fragments, scattering everywhere.
Then,
SWOOSH!
THUD!
“Ugh!”
The cult leader’s sword pierced deep into Ong Giseung’s left shoulder.
Ong Giseung flew back, coughing up blood, and crashed into a wall.
Footsteps approached.
The cult leader walked towards Ong Giseung.
Narrowing his eyes, he clicked his tongue again.
“Tsk… disappointing. Was this all?”
“Kill me while you can.”
Ong Giseung stared defiantly at the cult leader.
The cult leader frowned slightly.
“That’s not the look of fear.”
Ong Giseung smirked.
“Did I seem afraid of you?”
“If not?”
“The thought of the demon spirit within me going berserk terrified me. If I accidentally anger it, even I won’t be able to control what happens next. A catastrophe far worse than anything you could cause might engulf this world.”
“Oh, now you’ve piqued my curiosity even more.”
“Just kill me already.”
“Let me ask you one thing. Why choose death over unleashing that power? Is it because you believe the warriors of the Martial Arts Hall have all escaped safely?”
”…”
“If so, I hate to break it to you, but you’re mistaken. My disciples have likely already found the emergency exit.”
For a moment, Ong Gi-seung’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
The cult leader smiled coldly.
“The world is never easy. But I have no intention of killing you. I plan to subdue you and extract that demon spirit from your body.”
He slowly raised his hand.
In that instant, Ong Gi-seung felt something surge from the depths of his being.
Rage and despair towards his enemy, coupled with a primal instinct to survive, were awakening the monster within.
Until now, he had managed to fight alongside that monster in a sort of uneasy alliance.
But at this moment, the creature lurking in the abyss was speaking with a different voice.
It was telling him he couldn’t just stand by.
That he needed to reveal more of himself!
“Damn it… No…!”
Ong Gi-seung bit his lip until it bled.
If “that thing” awoke, a storm of bloodshed would sweep across the land.
No, it could plunge the entire martial world into chaos.
If the demon clan descended, and the demon spirit was allowed to run rampant, it could become the worst disaster in history.
“Anything but that…!”
Though these thoughts raced through his mind, it all happened in the blink of an eye as the cult leader’s hand descended.
Swoosh!
Just before the leader’s hand could touch the back of Ong Gi-seung’s neck,
“Graaaah!”
Ong Gi-seung let out a monstrous scream, his body arching like a bow.
And then,
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, a dark crimson aura erupted from Ong Gi-seung’s entire body, spreading outward.
The cult leader, unable to withstand the force, was flung far away.
“Rrrrgh…!”
Enveloped in the dark crimson energy, Ong Gi-seung now resembled a grim reaper, his breath ragged and fierce.
He was no longer Ong Gi-seung, but the demon spirit itself.