Episode 48: Return of the Demon Instructor
Jwa Goe swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Sabi Kang.
Sabi Kang turned his gaze away with an indifferent expression and began walking towards him.
‘What… what kind of monster is this?’
A master of the highest order? No, perhaps even beyond that.
An opponent whose strength was unfathomable.
With just a flick of his finger, U Goe’s head had shattered, killing him instantly.
‘This can’t be real…’
Jwa Goe drew his black sword, retreating cautiously.
It felt as if a massive mountain was advancing towards him.
Given the situation, it was clear that all his subordinates had been dealt with, as no one dared to enter.
Finally, when Sabi Kang was right in front of him.
“Please, spare me! Great hero!”
Jwa Goe dropped to his knees, trembling uncontrollably.
Sabi Kang looked down at him, his eyes cold and unyielding.
“You lot seem beyond redemption. How many people have you killed?”
Jwa Goe trembled, trying to recall.
But he had no idea. He’d never bothered to count such things.
He squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
“I-I don’t know. But I promise to live a good life from now on!”
“Can I trust that?”
“Of course! I swear on my life!”
“Hmm. Very well, I’ll spare you.”
“What…?”
Just like that?
Jwa Goe looked up, bewildered.
Sabi Kang turned away, as if he had no further business with him.
Nearby, the sight of U Goe’s shattered body caught his eye.
‘Fool! How naive can you be, turning your back on me!’
In an instant, Jwa Goe lunged like lightning.
“Die!”
He reached Sabi Kang’s back in a flash, swinging his black sword down.
Shuaaa!
‘Huh?’
He was sure he had struck his target…
Thud!
The blade sliced through empty air, striking the ground.
‘Where did he…!’
Then.
“Over here.”
A voice from behind.
Jwa Goe turned stiffly.
Wham!
Sabi Kang’s hand clamped down on his head.
“Gah!”
“Don’t turn around. I might get annoyed seeing your disgusting face.”
“Spare… spare me…”
“Heh. You talk a lot. I knew you’d try something like this.”
“I-I won’t do it again…”
“I know. You won’t do it again. Because…”
Suddenly, Jwa Goe screamed.
“Gah, ugh, aaaaah!”
In a flash.
Thud!
With a dull sound, his head burst like a watermelon.
Sabi Kang muttered coldly, his eyes icy.
“…because a dead man can’t do anything again.”
Only then did Sabi Kang’s gaze shift to Mok Dan-hwa, who stood against a wall, arms wrapped around herself, trembling slightly.
Sabi Kang picked up a piece of clothing from the floor and tossed it to her.
“Put it on. It’s still chilly.”
**
The next day.
News of the Black Sword Twins’ demise spread quickly throughout the village.
Somehow, people knew that Sabi Kang, who had dealt with the Black Sword Twins, was the savior who had rescued An-gang from danger.
The innkeeper, where Sabi Kang had been staying, discussed with the villagers and decided not to charge him for his stay.
They couldn’t take money from the benefactor who had rid the village of its menace.
Moreover, he extended generous hospitality to Sabi Kang and the students from Yongcheon Academy.
“Hahaha! I don’t know if we deserve such fine treatment!”
Sabi Kang laughed heartily, and the innkeeper replied with a broad smile.
“Oh, what are you saying? If it weren’t for you, who would have dealt with those vile creatures? You are the hero of our village!”
Sabi Kang barely listened, too engrossed in his meal.
Munch, munch. Slurp.
“This boiled chicken is delicious! The broth is exquisite.”
“Thank you. If there’s anything lacking, please let us know. It’s a small token of appreciation from the villagers and myself.”
“Thank you.”
Empty plates piled up in front of Sabi Kang.
The students watched him in awe.
“At this rate, his stomach might burst.”
“Anyone would think he hadn’t eaten in days.”
In truth, Sabi Kang hadn’t eaten for over a month after consuming the Dragon Heart, but the students outside the barrier had no way of knowing that.
The same went for Maeseol-ran.
Having been trapped in the barrier’s cave for months, surviving on grilled fish, the sight of a lavish meal made her mouth water.
She, too, forgot about decorum and devoured the food.
The innkeeper brought out more dishes and asked,
“But how did you manage to kill those scoundrels overnight?”
“Well… they messed with our students, so I had no choice.”
“Wow! Those fools dared to touch your students!”
“Yes. They stripped the child and put a dog collar on her. Told her to crawl on all fours. Even offered to make her a tail.”
“Ah, you didn’t need to go into such detail…”
“Of course, the child refused, but those scoundrels slapped her. And then…”
Sabi Kang continued to eat and talk.
The innkeeper, now privy to the previous night’s events, glanced nervously at Mok Dan-hwa, who sat in a corner.
Meanwhile, Mok Dan-hwa gritted her teeth, glaring at Sabi Kang.
‘Sabi Kang…!’
Min Yu-hyang, sitting beside her, asked cautiously.
“Dan-hwa, are you okay?”
“That man didn’t come to save us.”
“Huh? But… in the end, the instructor did come…”
“Are you saying we should thank him?”
Mok Dan-hwa turned to Min Yu-hyang with a cold expression.
Min Yu-hyang quickly waved her hands.
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“Just wait. I’ll expose that instructor’s true face.”
Mok Dan-hwa bit her lip.
She couldn’t forget the look in Sabi Kang’s eyes as he watched her beside U Goe.
The gaze of a bystander.
If she hadn’t confessed everything, Sabi Kang would never have intervened.
‘I’ll tell my father everything. Just wait.’
She ground her teeth silently.
**
Thud!
With a heavy sound, the tree shook, scattering pine needles.
In an instant.
Swish! Swish!
A sharp sound cut through the air, a flash of light slicing through the sky.
The scattered pine needles were soon reduced to dust, spreading around.
In the midst of it stood a man.
The head of the Sword Sect, Mok Cheol-woo.
As he sheathed his sword, a middle-aged man approached.
“As expected of you, Master. Your Flashing Thunder Sword has reached new heights.”
But Mok Cheol-woo shook his head, dissatisfied.
“Not yet. It’s still lacking.”
“You set the bar too high, Master.”
“Enough of that. You must have a reason for seeking me out here?”
“I have a message from the young lady on her martial journey.”
“Oh, really?”
Mok Cheol-woo’s stern expression softened.
His affection for his daughter, Mok Dan-hwa, was well-known.
People even called him a ‘daughter fool.’
“So, where is she now?”
“The letter was sent from a small village called ‘Jayang.’ She should be in ‘Pungyang’ by now.”
“Pungyang?”
“Yes, she’s planning to stop there before returning to the academy. She might pass by here, near Songbaek.”
“Oh, then I might see her soon.”
“But… it seems there were some incidents during her journey.”
“Incidents?”
Sensing something amiss, Mok Cheol-woo’s tone sharpened.
The man handed him a letter.
“Perhaps it’s best if you read it yourself…”
“Hmm.”
Mok Cheol-woo snatched the letter and began reading.
As he read, his expression grew increasingly grim, his hand trembling with anger.
Finally, he crumpled the letter and shouted.
“How could this happen! I must go to the academy and demand answers!”
“This isn’t something to act on impulsively. That Sabi Kang is considered a hero in Jayang.”
“A hero? For killing two lowlifes? Ha! My daughter suffered at their hands!”
“Regrettably, the young lady also bears some responsibility…”
“Even so, how could he just stand by and watch a student suffer?”
“Without witnesses, it could be seen as a one-sided claim.”
The man’s words were logical, leaving Mok Cheol-woo fuming but unable to argue.
Yet doing nothing felt unbearable.
Seo Jin-rip, the chief, sighed quietly.
He had expected this.
When it came to his daughter, the master lost all reason.
That’s why he had informed him about her passing through here first.
Seojin-rip spoke calmly, trying to diffuse the tension.
“Let’s stay calm for now. You’ll have a chance to meet him in person when he comes by here. How does that sound?”
“Hmm. Yes, that’s a good idea! I need to see that rascal’s face and have a word with him myself!”
“You’ve made the right decision. Once the instructor meets you, he’ll surely admit his mistake.”
This was indeed the best approach.
If they stormed into the academy demanding answers, it could escalate the situation unnecessarily. Given that the young lady was clearly at fault, it was better to handle this quietly and assertively.
‘Not that the instructor would be foolish enough to challenge the master in person,’ Seojin-rip thought to himself.
Of course, at this point, Seojin-rip had no idea how gravely he was underestimating Sabigang.
“How did my daughter end up in a special class full of troublemakers in the first place? I will get to the bottom of this!” Mok Cheol-woo fumed, his body trembling with anger.
Pungyang was a poor village, located on the outskirts and so remote that even finding a simple inn was a challenge.
“Instructor, we’ve arrived in Pungyang. Where should we head next?” Yeom Jaryang called out as he approached the carriage.
Sabigang opened the window and peered outside, his brows furrowed as if he had just woken from a nap.
‘Honestly, the cadets have been marching for days without proper rest…’
During their training journey, Sabigang’s daily routine consisted solely of teaching the cadets some peculiar breathing techniques morning and evening.
“Hmm. Tell Dan Lijeong to keep following the road.”
“What? But that would take us out of the village.”
“Exactly. We’re not staying here.”
“But didn’t you say we would stop by Pungyang before returning to Songbaek?”
“That’s just because the village I’m actually heading to isn’t officially recognized.”
“A village that’s not officially recognized… Where exactly are we going?”
“Do you see that over there?” Sabigang pointed to a distant mountain.
The mountain loomed like a screen, making Pungyang feel like it was at the world’s edge.
“That’s a mountain pass.”
“Yes, we’re heading into that pass.”
“What? What’s there?”
“Something that’ll surprise you. Why are you asking so many questions? Just go!”
Sabigang snapped, slamming the window shut. Yeom Jaryang sighed lightly and relayed Sabigang’s instructions to Dan Lijeong, who was leading the horses.
As they passed by, Yeom Jaryang stopped an elderly man to ask, “Excuse me, sir, do you know what’s in that mountain pass?”
The old man’s face turned pale instantly. With a stern expression, he shouted, “Why do you want to know?”
“Well, we’re heading there now…”
“Are you mad? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?” the old man barked before turning away, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.
Yeom Jaryang watched the old man walk away, bewildered.
‘Divine retribution? What on earth…’
Scratching his head, he looked towards the mist-shrouded mountain pass, which now seemed even more ominous than before.