Episode 538: Return of the Demon Instructor
Haunt and Duran scanned their surroundings, their senses on high alert.
The other demons were also on guard, their eyes darting around.
Yet, the voice that seemed to come from nowhere continued to taunt them.
[Just as I was thinking of paying you a visit, you’ve saved me the trouble.]
Haunt shouted, his temper flaring.
“Where are you? Show yourself this instant!”
[If you insist.]
In the next moment, a gust of wind swept through,
and one by one, the demons standing watch began to collapse.
Haunt’s eyes blazed with fury as he ground his teeth.
“You insolent human…!”
In a flash,
“What are you so afraid of? I’m just a mere human, less than a bug.”
”…!”
Haunt’s eyes widened.
Somehow, Sabi Kang had appeared right in front of him.
“You scoundrel!”
Haunt roared, swinging his sword with all his might.
But Sabi Kang was a step ahead.
Swoosh!
A powerful force surged from his blade.
Clang!
The clash of swords sent Haunt skidding backward.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
‘How can a mere human…!’
But he failed to realize one thing.
Humans are creatures that adapt to their environment.
A human who knows nothing of the demon realm is different from one who breathes and lives in it.
Especially someone like Sabi Kang, who had mastered all the martial arts of the Central Plains.
With Sabi Kang’s sudden appearance, even Helmut, who was on the brink of giving up, found a last reserve of strength and joined the fray.
“Kill them all!”
“Don’t let your guard down!”
Haunt and Duran charged at Helmut and Sabi Kang.
But Sabi Kang was far stronger than they anticipated.
Swoosh!
His swordsmanship was like a force of nature, cutting through the forest and the demons alike, leaving them helpless.
Haunt and Duran couldn’t believe their eyes.
Were people from the Central Plains always this powerful?
No, they weren’t.
But the Sabi Kang standing before them was stronger than any human they had ever encountered.
After gaining the Demon King’s favor and enjoying various privileges, what had happened to him?
Helmut was equally astonished.
He fought with every ounce of strength he had left.
But his injuries were severe, and his vision blurred from blood loss.
Even in such a state, Sabi Kang’s prowess was awe-inspiring.
‘Is he… really human?’
Frustration welled up again.
Sabi Kang, who had reached such heights as a human.
And himself, who had betrayed countless humans to reach his current state.
What was different, and what was the same?
His mind was a whirl of confusion.
And just as he felt his limbs grow heavy,
Thud!
Someone struck him on the back of the head with a hammer.
Feeling the warm trickle of blood, Helmut lost consciousness and collapsed.
As he lay on the cold ground, another body fell beside him.
It seemed to be the demon who had attacked him.
Even amidst the chaos, Sabi Kang moved with grace, his sword dancing among the enemies.
**
When Helmut opened his eyes again, Sabi Kang was sitting nearby, eating meat.
“Ugh…!”
Groaning, he managed to sit up, surrounded by corpses.
Sabi Kang tossed something his way.
Thud!
It was a piece of yakun meat.
Unlike yesterday, it was thoroughly cooked.
“It’s the cooked meat you like. Eat up.”
Helmut glanced at the bodies strewn around and muttered.
“Did you do all this?”
Sabi Kang nodded silently.
Then he gestured to one side.
“I left one for you.”
Helmut turned to see Haunt kneeling, glaring at them.
Whatever Sabi Kang had done, Haunt couldn’t move, only stare daggers at them.
It seemed he had been struck by a pressure point technique from the Central Plains.
But how could that work on demons?
As if to answer Helmut’s unspoken question, Sabi Kang began to explain.
“Demons have a slightly different flow of energy than humans. Probably because they use mana. But after spending so much time in the demon realm, I’ve come to understand their meridians.”
Helmut looked at Sabi Kang with a pale expression.
‘When did this guy become such a monster?’
He turned his gaze to see Duran lying with a fatal wound to his chest.
Judging by the depth of the wound and the amount of blood, he was surely dead.
Helmut staggered to his feet and approached Haunt.
Haunt looked up at him with fierce eyes, as if he had something to say.
“Can you make him talk?”
Sabi Kang nodded and snapped his fingers, sending a few gusts of wind.
Thud, thud, thud!
Haunt flinched a few times before shouting, as if spitting out his breath.
“Do you think this will change your fate? Do you think you lowly beings can ever find peace in the demon realm? Even if you survive now, you’ll always be hunted by demons.”
Helmut narrowed his eyes at Haunt and spoke.
“You talk a lot for a traitor.”
As Helmut raised his sword, Haunt shouted again.
“Wait! Helmut, think again. It’s not too late.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Duran, who led the Red Wolves, is dead. If you let me go, I’ll have your back for life. You hold my weakness. What do you say?”
Haunt looked up at Helmut with desperate eyes.
At the same time, he subtly gestured towards Sabi Kang.
He was suggesting they deal with Sabi Kang together and return to the Black Star.
If they did, Helmut would gain great merit, and Haunt, having his weakness exposed, would do anything for him.
A lot was conveyed in that brief exchange of glances.
“Truly… disgusting.”
A look of contempt passed through Helmut’s eyes.
Humans or demons.
Why are they all the same?
Was this the true face of the demons he once admired?
“You’re not just cowardly, you’re vile. You might as well have been outright evil.”
“What do you mean…?”
As Haunt looked up in confusion, Helmut bit his lip and raised his sword.
“I don’t want to exchange words with you any longer. You reek, demon.”
“No, no! Waiiiit…!”
Slash!
Haunt’s voice was abruptly cut off.
As if Helmut’s sword had severed the sound of the world, silence enveloped the area.
Splat!
Haunt’s upper body fell with a thud, blood gushing like a fountain.
Helmut looked at Haunt’s corpse with an indifferent expression.
He kicked Haunt’s head, sending it rolling away.
Thud!
Haunt’s head tumbled and splashed into a nearby stream.
His blood spread into the water.
Did he know in life?
That he would meet such a miserable end.
Despite treating humans like insects and boasting endlessly, did he realize that in death, he was less than a mere creature?
Step, step…
Hearing footsteps, Helmut looked up to see Sabi Kang walking towards the stream.
He picked up Haunt’s head and wrapped it in a large cloth, muttering.
“I didn’t need to wash it.”
“What are you doing?”
Helmut asked, furrowing his brow, as Sabi Kang tore a cloak from a corpse and replied.
“We need to take them. The heads of these two. One is the leader of the rebel remnants. The other is a traitor who sided with them. We need proof for anyone to believe us.”
Watching Sabi Kang calmly respond, Helmut was taken aback.
Even in this situation, he could think like that.
“Aren’t you angry?”
“About what? That Haunt was a traitor? That he looked down on humans? Or that I’m stuck in the demon realm?”
“All of it.”
Sabi Kang shrugged and wrapped Duran’s head in the cloak.
“Not really. Dwelling on the past won’t help us move forward. Sometimes, you demons can be quite foolish.”
“What?”
“Your emotions are as dry as a barren field, yet you feel anger so easily.”
“That’s because… anger is the source of all power!”
Helmut clenched his fist as he spoke.
Sabi Kang stood, holding the bundle of heads.
“Is that so? The source of power… But humans are different.”
“How are they different?”
“Human strength doesn’t come from anger.”
”…?”
“Humans become strong by acknowledging their inherent weakness.”
“Admitting weakness makes you strong?”
“That’s right. For a weak human to survive, they must think more. Unlike the demons who are protected by magic from birth, or the beasts that can stand and walk as soon as they’re born. The only way for fragile humans to become strong is through thinking. Before you get angry, before you despair, before you give up—think one more time.”
“Thinking, you say…”
“Well, I suppose it’s a difficult concept for someone like you, who sold out the kingdom and its people without a second thought.”
Helmut flared up, shouting in anger.
“What do you know to speak so carelessly! Do you have any idea what it’s like to have your parents murdered by someone you trusted, to have your own life threatened? The rage and despair of that moment…!”
“And so?”
“What…?”
“And so, by surrendering to your rage and despair, how are you any different from a demon?”
”…!”
“When you staked everything on your swirling emotions, you were no longer human at that moment. Perhaps when humans fail to control their wild emotions, they become half-demons themselves.”
Helmut’s eyes widened as if he’d been struck by a hammer.
Come to think of it, when did he become a demon?
Was it the moment Tarrant accepted the offering?
Or was it truly when he shouted that he would give everything to Savikang, just as he said?
Savikang finished speaking and tossed a bundle to Helmut.
Caught off guard, Helmut caught it and looked at him questioningly.
“That’s your share. I dealt with Duran, and you…”
Savikang’s gaze shifted to the lifeless body of Hound on the ground.
“You’ll need to take this much to convince those above us.”