Episode 489: Return to the Demon Sect
“Yawn! A day like today would be perfect for a little fun at the pleasure house.”
Nak Hwae-do, the gatekeeper of Yongcheon Hall, stretched and let out a long yawn.
His subordinate, Ahn Cheol-joo, chuckled beside him. “You’d be in big trouble if you got caught. Especially since Instructor Cheon Sae-myung is due back any day now.”
“Why did he suddenly decide to wander the martial world anyway?”
“Who knows? Maybe he just felt a sudden urge.”
“Do you ever get those urges? Like wanting to run away or quit being a gatekeeper?”
“Not a chance. I just became a father the other day. I’ve got to work hard to support my family.”
“Look at you, all grown up now that you’re a dad.”
“Not really grown up. Just pretending to be because I have to.”
“At least you have a wife and child waiting for you at home.”
“My wife, sure, but what does a newborn know? Still, it’s amazing and adorable just watching them.”
“I can see it in your eyes. When will it be my turn to get married? Life’s so unfair.”
Ahn Cheol-joo tried to console Nak Hwae-do with a warm smile. “You’ll find a good wife someday, brother. But for now, we need to stay alert. The atmosphere’s tense with the demons showing up lately.”
“Come on, why would demons come all the way here? It’s a long way from their territory…”
Nak Hwae-do trailed off, frowning as he looked at Ahn Cheol-joo.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s something…”
Ahn Cheol-joo squinted into the darkness, his brow furrowed.
Following his gaze, Nak Hwae-do saw a shadow moving in the distance.
He rubbed his eyes and spoke up. “Hmm? What’s that?”
“Not sure. An animal, maybe? But it seems to be coming this way…”
“Better be prepared, just in case.”
“Got it…”
Whoosh, thud!
“Gah…!”
“Cheol-joo!”
Nak Hwae-do shouted in alarm.
Ahn Cheol-joo clutched the arrow that had pierced his throat with his right hand and collapsed.
Blood gushed from his mouth as he struggled to speak. “Brother… brother… ugh…!”
“Cheol-joo! Damn it, stay with me! Who the hell…!”
Nak Hwae-do’s outburst was cut short as a fiery projectile flew towards his face, eyes widening in shock.
In the next instant,
Boom, crash!
The fireball exploded on Nak Hwae-do’s face, engulfing his head in flames and sending it flying.
His headless body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling around it.
Moments later, dark shadows surged like a tidal wave towards the main gate of Yongcheon Hall.
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong…!
The emergency bell clanged loudly, signaling an enemy attack.
**
Clang! Clang! Boom! Clang!
The clash of weapons echoed everywhere, and buildings were engulfed in flames.
“Stay alert! The demons have invaded!”
“Damn it, why are the demons here?”
“You beasts! Don’t underestimate humans!”
Angry shouts erupted from all directions.
Dean Joo Yoo-chun dashed across rooftops, quickly surveying the chaos.
‘Why are so many demons attacking the main hall?’
He couldn’t comprehend it.
For such a large number of demons to reach here, they would have had to pass through several towns and villages.
Even if they traveled through mountains and fields, someone should have seen them.
Yet, there had been no warning signs.
‘How could they appear so suddenly?’
The first thought that came to mind was teleportation.
The story of the Justice Alliance teleporting to Mount Gireon to subdue the demons was well-known.
But during the actual battle, the demons hadn’t used teleportation.
So he considered the possibility of a summoning site.
Just days ago, they had received a warning from the Justice League.
If a summoning site opened, demons could spill out, endangering nearby residents.
They were urged to monitor and be vigilant for any signs of such sites.
However, there were no known summoning sites near Yongcheon Hall.
The closest one was over a hundred li away.
‘If there’s an undiscovered summoning site nearby…’
That would explain the sudden appearance of these demons.
At that moment,
“Aaah!”
A scream of agony pierced the air from below.
Looking down, he saw five werewolves surrounding and attacking a female student.
She had a long gash on her side and seemed barely able to stand.
One of the werewolves lunged at her with a growl.
“Die!”
“Haah!”
The student let out a final battle cry and swung her sword.
Clang!
The metallic clash sent her staggering back.
A werewolf, claws bared, lunged for her heart.
In that split second,
Flash!
A bolt of lightning seemed to strike from the sky.
As the werewolf recoiled in surprise, its claws severed,
Slash!
A streak of light arced through the air, slicing its neck.
Splat!
“Gah…!”
The creature clutched its throat, eyes wide.
Blood oozed, then gushed like a fountain.
Splat!
“Arrogant human!”
“Kill him! That old man!”
Four werewolves charged simultaneously.
“You beasts!”
Joo Yoo-chun roared, spinning and leaping into the air.
Crackle!
Sparks flew in all directions.
In the next moment, a werewolf twisted its body and howled.
The eerie howl echoed, and Joo Yoo-chun felt his body freeze.
‘Damn it! Is this some kind of sound attack?’
As one werewolf’s howl ended, another began.
Veins bulged on Joo Yoo-chun’s forehead.
He tried to muster his inner strength, but his body wouldn’t respond.
He should have prepared before hearing the howl.
Swoosh, swoosh!
Taking advantage of the moment, two werewolves lunged at him.
They seemed intent on finishing him off before their comrades’ howling ceased.
‘Danger…!’
With his inner strength unresponsive and his body frozen, Joo Yoo-chun could only watch as sharp claws flew towards his neck and chest.
In that critical moment,
Slash!
Something appeared, severing the werewolves’ wrists.
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
The two werewolves howled in pain, flailing.
A shadow swiftly moved, unleashing a flash of light at them.
Slash! Slice!
A blue aura sliced through one werewolf’s waist, while the other’s head flew off.
“Gah…! What is this…?”
The werewolf with the severed waist couldn’t finish its sentence before collapsing in a pool of blood.
“How dare you cause such chaos here?”
A voice, rich with power, resonated through the air.
“Master…!”
Joo Yoo-chun exclaimed with relief.
The figure who turned was none other than Eun Gi-ryung, the master of Yongcheon Hall.
He stroked his white beard and spoke. “You’ve done well. What about the student?”
The female student, unconscious from blood loss, leaned against Joo Yoo-chun.
“She’s lost a lot of blood. I’ve stopped the bleeding for now.”
“Evacuate the students to the main hall and activate the mechanisms to seal all entrances.”
“Understood. Ah! Master!”
Joo Yoo-chun’s eyes widened in alarm.
Two shadows loomed behind Eun Gi-ryung.
The remaining werewolves had leapt at him while his attention was diverted.
But just before they reached him,
Slash! Slash!
Two flashes of light cut them down.
Splat!
The werewolves fell with a thud, blood spraying.
The one who had dispatched them was Yeoyoung, Eun Gi-ryung’s bodyguard.
Eun Gi-ryung, as if expecting her intervention, continued speaking calmly.
“Let’s disperse. Dean Joo, evacuate the student and save as many others as you can.”
“I will!”
With that, they scattered in different directions.
**
“Feeling full?”
Cheon Sae-myung asked with a friendly smile, but the Black Ghost just rolled his eyes and kept walking.
“Haha, eating past midnight. I’ve never seen anyone eat as much as you.”
“Ugh…”
“Oh, I’m not complaining. By the way, you seem to have mastered some impressive martial arts. Probably a master. I can sense the eerie energy from you. But in the current state of the martial world, what good is it? Your condition must be related to the demons’ descent. Now more than ever, we martial artists need to stick together, don’t you think?”
A low growl rumbled through the air.
“To be honest, I didn’t always think this way. I used to be consumed with my own safety, filled with prejudice against the warriors of the martial world. There were times I hated them for no reason at all. But someone showed me how wrong I was. This person, long ago, said that what truly matters isn’t the conflict between right and wrong, but the human heart. I didn’t understand it back then, but now I think I finally do. The one who taught me this was a man named ‘Sabigang.’”
A slight flinch.
Just for a moment.
The Black Ghost’s body trembled.
But he soon let out a beast-like growl, the sound of chains clinking with every step he took.
Cheon Saemyung chuckled heartily.
“Seems like you’ve heard of Sabigang too. Well, he’s become quite famous in the martial world now. Honestly, three years ago, I never would have imagined he’d come this far. Back then, he was just an insignificant assistant instructor at Yongcheon Hall. But looking back, maybe he was a hidden gem all along.”
The Black Ghost listened silently to Cheon Saemyung’s story.
“We’re almost there. Once we get over that hill, you’ll see Yongcheon Hall. I think you’ll find some peace there, especially in these chaotic times. It’s a good place to calm your mind. But something feels off.”
Cheon Saemyung glanced up at the hill with a sense of foreboding.
A red glow flickered beyond the hill.
“I’ll go ahead and check it out.”
With that, he used his light-footed martial arts to swiftly ascend the hill.
In the next moment, he froze, eyes wide with shock.
“No, it can’t be…!”
Below the hill, Yongcheon Hall was engulfed in flames.
The sharp clash of weapons and the cries of the wounded pierced the air.
“What on earth is happening?”