Episode 504: Return of the Demon General
The wind howled as it swept across the plains, carrying with it the metallic scent of blood. The landscape was littered with bodies, both human and monstrous, stretching from the foothills to the distant fields. Yet, the battle raged on.
Count Jakart stood silently on a tree branch, arms crossed, observing the chaos below. His skin was ghostly pale, his frame gaunt, with limbs that seemed unusually long. A long silver spear was slung diagonally across his chest.
“We’re pushing them back,” reported a demon knight who appeared beside him.
Jakart nodded silently, his eyes narrowing as he focused on a particular spot.
“What is that?” he asked, his voice grating like rusted metal.
Following his gaze, the knight saw a man in black armor fighting fiercely among the monsters.
“He appeared out of nowhere, seems to be helping those retreating. Part of the Iron Blood Brigade, perhaps.”
Jakart squinted, studying the man closely. ‘Those gauntlets… could they be the Guardian’s Relics of the Cartel?’ His suspicion was correct. The man was Churyang, who was rescuing the wounded amidst the chaos.
Jakart chuckled, not in mockery, but in genuine amusement. “Isn’t it absurd?”
“You mean his foolish actions?” the knight replied, understanding immediately.
Jakart nodded. “Indeed. Risking his life for the injured… such inefficiency. Humans are truly incomprehensible.”
“That’s what makes them human, I suppose.”
“Indeed.”
Jakart uncrossed his arms, gripping his spear. “I suppose I should intervene.”
With that, he vanished in an instant.
**
“Haah!”
With a swift slash, Churyang’s mana-infused sword cleaved a werewolf in two. “Die, you filthy beasts!” he shouted, driving his blade deep into a cyclops’s belly.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed behind him. An ogre’s massive axe came crashing down, but Churyang narrowly avoided it, his mana shield absorbing the blow.
“Haah!” he cried, unleashing a burst of energy that sent shards of mana tearing through the cyclops and into the ogre.
The ogre let out a guttural scream as it fell with a heavy thud.
Churyang panted, surveying the battlefield. It was a scene from hell. Monsters surged forward relentlessly, and the warriors who hadn’t managed to retreat were being overwhelmed.
Even the renowned elders of the Cheongseong Sect and the skilled nuns of the Amipa were helpless. The demon knights, with their dark aura, were cutting them down mercilessly.
‘Save as many as I can! That’s why I’m here!’ Churyang resolved, recalling how Guhyun had led reinforcements to save him during the Battle of Gangrimji.
With renewed determination, he dashed forward, leaping into the air to drive his sword into an orc’s back.
The orc screeched, twisting in pain, as goblins and ogres closed in.
“Hyah!” Churyang shouted, unleashing another wave of mana shards that tore through the monsters.
But he failed to notice a lizardman sneaking up behind him.
“Die, human!” it hissed, raising its sword.
Just then, a fierce roar echoed as Banmyo, Churyang’s companion, lunged and bit into the lizardman’s waist.
Churyang patted Banmyo’s snout. “Good job, Banmyo. Get this wounded man out of here.”
The injured warrior recoiled in fear at the sight of the beast.
“Don’t worry,” Churyang reassured him. “It won’t harm you.”
“Who are you?” the warrior asked, bewildered.
“I’m Churyang, disciple of Master Sabigang. I just emerged from a grueling training.”
“Master Sabigang… the Demon Slayer?”
“Yes, and Banmyo here will get you to safety.”
With that, Churyang spotted another wounded man and rushed to his aid. A wartiger lunged at him, but Churyang’s sword extended, striking the beast down.
“Banmyo, over here!” he called, helping the injured onto Banmyo’s back.
With two wounded in tow, Banmyo roared and sprinted away.
“I need to get out of here too,” Churyang realized. He had ventured too deep into enemy lines.
As he turned to leave, someone appeared before him—a demon with a gaunt frame and ghostly skin. Count Jakart.
“Blink…?” Churyang muttered, recognizing the teleportation technique.
Jakart’s eyes gleamed with interest. “You know of Blink? Impressive for a warrior of the Central Plains. But then, you are wearing the Cartel’s relics.”
Churyang swallowed hard, stepping back. The demon’s presence was overwhelming, unlike anything he’d faced before.
Jakart extended a hand. “Hand it over. It’s too valuable for the likes of you.”
“Shut up,” Churyang retorted.
“Then I’ll just have to take it.”
A black wind surged forward, and Churyang braced himself, knowing he couldn’t react in time.
But then—
A barrage of small, dark projectiles forced Jakart back, his spear whirling to deflect them.
‘Jo Sohyup!’ Churyang thought, relieved, as Jo Muntak appeared, glaring at Jakart.
Jakart remained calm, assessing the two warriors. “So, you’ve taken all our relics.”
Jo Muntak smirked. “There’s a saying in the martial world.”
Churyang joined in, shouting, “Finders keepers!”
“Foolish,” Jakart sneered.
Count Jakart deftly twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the mana sword.
In the next instant, he swung his silver spear, aiming straight for Churyang’s back.
But Churyang sidestepped just in time, narrowly dodging the spear’s deadly edge.
Jakart’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“He dodged…?”
He couldn’t quite comprehend it. He had never seen anyone wield a sword with such skill while wearing the Cartel’s protective gear.
It made sense, though, because the advanced mana sword technique Churyang had just used was something taught to him by Sabigang.
Moreover…
“I’ve been training in seclusion!”
With a sharp whoosh and a resounding clang, the mana sword and the silver spear clashed, sending a loud metallic echo through the air.
Jakart slid backward, leaving a long trail of footprints on the ground.
In the next moment,
“Hah!”
“Hiyaah!”
With a synchronized shout, Churyang and Jomuntak unleashed a barrage of mana shards and black hive spikes, all aimed at Count Jakart.
In truth, Churyang had poured all his strength into that final strike, and Jomuntak was nearly drained from the internal energy he had expended running here and using the black hive attack.
Yet, they managed to deliver this last blow thanks to the buff effect from Banmyo, who had returned after escorting the injured.
Banmyo appeared with a fierce roar.
However, the mana shards and black spikes failed to wound Count Jakart.
With a sound like beans being fried on a metal plate, the mana shards shattered into glimmering fragments, and the black spikes burst into flames and ricocheted away.
It was a jaw-dropping spectacle.
But the two knew this combined attack was merely a stalling tactic.
They had already realized that Count Jakart was beyond their ability to defeat.
“Banmyo, go!”
As Churyang and Jomuntak quickly mounted Banmyo’s back, the creature let out another roar and dashed forward like a bolt of lightning.
“Who said you could leave?!”
A monstrous voice bellowed, and suddenly,
Flash!
Count Jakart appeared, blocking Banmyo’s path.
“Damn it… Is it impossible?”
Churyang gritted his teeth in frustration.
Just then, a single arrow, imbued with powerful energy, sliced through the air, targeting Count Jakart’s back.
It was an arrow shot by Danrijung.
In an instant, Count Jakart turned, spear at the ready.
Clang!
With a swift leap, Banmyo, carrying the two on its back, soared over the sliding Count Jakart and sped away like a shooting star.