Episode 469: Return to the Demon Sect

A single drop of water clung to the edge of a leather canteen before finally falling to the ground.

The warrior, his tongue hanging out in desperation, cursed and tossed the empty canteen aside.

“Damn it, feels like my throat’s on fire.”

Across from him, another warrior leaned against a tree trunk, glaring as the canteen struck his shoulder.

“Hey, watch it with the throwing. Didn’t anyone teach you to handle things with care? Tsk…”

The warrior who had thrown the canteen raised an eyebrow in irritation. He was Mak Bul-chu, the leader of the Blood Wave Squad, dispatched from the Blood Demon Sect. His scowl deepened, accentuating the cross-shaped scar on his cheek.

“What did you just say, kid?”

Mak Bul-chu’s voice was rough, and the man sitting opposite him wrinkled his nose in disdain.

“Kid? Who do you think you’re talking to, you rogue from the unorthodox sect?”

The man, once possessing the refined features of a noble, now looked disheveled, his clothes torn and hair matted with blood and sweat. Scars from battles marred his skin.

He drew his sword with a smooth motion. Once a masterpiece of intricate design, the blade was now stained with dried blood and monster ichor.

This was Yal Yul-cheon, the eldest son and heir of the Yal Yul family, affiliated with the Justice Alliance. Already on edge from losing many subordinates in the recent battle, his temper flared at the slightest provocation.

Mak Bul-chu was in a similar state. His squad, once two hundred strong, was now reduced to fifteen. With less than a tenth of his men surviving, his mood was equally sour.

The mention of the unorthodox sect was enough to ignite his anger, and he was more than ready to vent it.

Mak Bul-chu drew his sword, exuding a menacing aura.

“Think you can take on an elder, kid?”

“How dare you! Who do you think you’re speaking to so disrespectfully?”

This time, a warrior from the Justice Alliance, though not of the Yal Yul family, sided with Yal Yul-cheon, standing up for his fellow righteous path warrior.

Mak Bul-chu’s subordinates weren’t about to stand by either.

“Hah! I’d sooner bow to a passing dog than show respect to fools like you.”

“What did you say?”

The tension escalated rapidly. In no time, a dozen warriors from both sides were glaring at each other, hostility palpable in the air. To an outsider, it would seem unbelievable that such animosity could arise over a mere canteen.

Mak Bul-chu and Yal Yul-cheon were on the verge of clashing, their weapons drawn.

Mak Bul-chu sneered openly.

“Well? If you’ve drawn your sword, you should at least cut something. Or are you too scared to move? A pup that doesn’t know the fear of a tiger is bound to get itself killed.”

“You insolent fool!”

Yal Yul-cheon shouted, thrusting his sword forward.

Swoosh!

“I’ve been waiting for this, you reckless brat!”

Mak Bul-chu roared, swinging his blade.

Just as their weapons were about to collide in mid-air,

Whoosh!

A dark shadow suddenly intervened between them.

Slice!

Their blades cut cleanly through the unexpected intruder.

Both Mak Bul-chu and Yal Yul-cheon recoiled in shock.

To their surprise, they had sliced through a nearly dead goblin. Yal Yul-cheon’s sword had pierced its heart, while Mak Bul-chu’s blade had nearly severed its neck.

The sudden appearance of the goblin sent everyone into a panic.

“What the hell! How did these bastards get here?”

“Damn it! They’re already on us!”

“Everyone, get ready!”

The warriors scrambled to assess their surroundings.

It turned out that the one who had thrown the goblin was none other than Sabi-gang. He walked through the crowd with a cold expression, exuding an aura that silenced the previously snarling warriors.

Sabi-gang’s icy gaze swept over the group, finally settling on Mak Bul-chu and Yal Yul-cheon.

“The true enemy is always within.”

He drew his sword, Veritas, and plunged it into the goblin’s head.

“Afraid of these monsters? They’re nothing. Just cut them down with your swords, and they won’t move again. But the enemy within…”

Sabi-gang’s cold eyes flicked between Mak Bul-chu and Yal Yul-cheon once more, sending a chill down their spines.

No matter how reckless they were, none dared to meet Sabi-gang’s gaze. His prowess in the recent battle was nothing short of divine.

Sabi-gang continued, “The enemy within plays with the human heart, sowing discord and distrust. I despise such enemies. Instead of uniting to fight, you draw lines and raise swords against each other? It’s madness. And I cut down madness without mercy.”

With that, Sabi-gang withdrew Veritas, the blade absorbing the blood in an instant.

Mak Bul-chu and Yal Yul-cheon swallowed hard, then bowed deeply in apology.

“We’re sorry, Commander!”

“We acted without thinking, Commander!”

What could have been a chaotic clash was resolved more easily than expected.

Sabi-gang watched the warriors disperse in different directions, letting out a light sigh.

Just then, Churyang approached, looking weary.

“It’s no wonder. It’s been seven days already. With the pursuit force on our heels, we have to fight and flee, slowing us down. Even when we sleep, we can’t rest properly, waking at the slightest noise. And the horrors we faced at the descent site… they’re too terrible to recall.”

Churyang trailed off, unable to continue.

Sabi-gang understood and refrained from further reprimand.

The alliance warriors had fought desperately against the summoned monsters after experiencing the Seven Deadly Sins phase at the descent site. They weren’t prepared to face the Demon King, and continuous fighting was akin to suicide.

Fortunately, Natas’s army had engaged the monsters, allowing some survivors to escape.

But the monsters were relentless, pursuing them with a tenacity that suggested they intended to annihilate every last warrior.

This relentless pursuit slowed their progress and frayed their nerves.

“Still, we can’t let ourselves fall apart.”

Sabi-gang murmured softly.

The demons exploit human weaknesses. If they saw such division, they would undoubtedly exploit it.

Even with precautions, it would be difficult to prevent.

Moreover, the Seven Deadly Sins phase had left its mark. Every human who experienced it bore invisible scars, even if their bodies were unharmed.

Their nerves were frayed, and they were more sensitive than usual, overreacting to minor issues.

But at least…

“I won’t let them fall apart in front of me. Are they practicing their breathing exercises?”

“Yes, as you instructed, we’re focusing on calming the mind. Through the exercises, I’ve become more aware of my mental state. I feel inexplicably melancholic.”

“Given what you’ve been through, it’s understandable.”

Sabi-gang had instructed all alliance warriors to practice breathing exercises to calm their minds, hoping to mitigate the effects of the Seven Deadly Sins.

As the sun set, Sabi-gang stood on a hill, watching the distant glow of fires.

Churyang joined him, clicking his tongue in disbelief.

“Those creatures are almost human-like. It’s astonishing every time I see them. They light fires, wear clothes, and wield weapons. How long will they keep chasing us?”

“They’re stronger and simpler than humans. As long as they think they can win, they’ll keep coming.”

“So, they think they can defeat us?”

“They believe they can annihilate us.”

“That’s chilling.”

Though he spoke lightly, Churyang felt a genuine shiver.

The monsters, resembling lizards, pigs, and wolves, formed a grotesque army in pursuit.

They communicated like humans, a terrifying sight.

Churyang couldn’t shake the memory.

The goblins had attacked him, three at once, chattering amongst themselves. He couldn’t understand their language, of course, but the fact that these creatures, which he had assumed were driven purely by instinct, were conversing like humans was deeply unsettling. The sound of their whispers, with him caught in the middle, still echoed in his ears.

As the phantom echoes grew louder, both Sabigang and Churyang fell into a heavy silence.

Meanwhile, someone watched them from a distance.

“Sabigang is truly an enigma,” murmured Neung Unpa, the leader of the Justice Alliance, with a wry smile.

In the end, Sabigang had done it all. Neung Unpa had merely led the charge with loud proclamations, failing to rescue the kidnapped victims and losing more than eighty percent of their forces. When they returned to the main base, there would undoubtedly be a storm of criticism. The damage was extensive, and someone had to take responsibility. As the leader, Neung Unpa couldn’t escape that burden. In fact, he was the one who should bear it the most.

Perhaps some might even propose Sabigang as the new leader. And why not? They had all seen his strength firsthand. What stung was Neung Unpa’s own powerlessness. Once, he had ascended to leadership with dreams of guiding the martial world. Though he had been momentarily weakened by conspiracies, he believed he could finally fulfill his role as leader.

But now…

“Life isn’t easy,” he sighed. Life rarely goes as planned, but how could things go so awry? There was no one to blame but himself for living like a frog in a well.

Just then, Uk Cheongpung approached him.

“It seems those creatures will halt their pursuit tonight. We can catch our breath.”

“I hope so. But those creatures might strike when we least expect it. We must remain vigilant.”

“You’re right. Still, how did we end up at Mount Giryeon? We were supposed to be in a completely different area…”

“Didn’t Sabigang mention it? It’s like a teleportation spell.”

“Even after experiencing it, it’s hard to believe.”

“Do you still distrust Sabigang?” Neung Unpa asked, noticing Uk Cheongpung squinting at Sabigang in the distance.

Uk Cheongpung turned back to Neung Unpa. “I’m confused, to be honest. But my prejudices against him have crumbled significantly.”

“Really?”

When Neung Unpa asked, surprised, Uk Cheongpung nodded. “I had no choice. I witnessed the demons descending with my own eyes. And the level of those Seven Sins…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, as if swallowing his anger or calming his fear. In all his years, he had never experienced anything so terrifying. At this point, dismissing Sabigang as a madman was impossible.

“If it weren’t for him… we might not have survived.”

“Indeed…”

Neung Unpa agreed with a bitter expression, and Uk Cheongpung quickly waved his hands.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. The warriors of the main alliance drew great courage from you, Leader…”

“Haha, no need to say that. I’m well aware of my limitations.”

Neung Unpa’s gaze drifted to Sabigang standing on the hill. Just then, Churyang seemed to be asking Sabigang something.

His question was this:

“So… the Black Ghost is really protecting the General, right? They’re safe, aren’t they?”

**

Rustle…!

Amidst the pile of rocks in the canyon below.

Boom!

A sudden explosion sent rocks flying.

And from the debris, a hand shot up!

“Ughhh…!”

With a beastly growl, the figure clawed its way out of the rocks. It was none other than the Black Ghost.

Covered in blood, he staggered to his feet.

“Gasp, gasp, gasp…!”

Breathing heavily, he moved forward slowly, as if he might collapse at any moment.