Chapter 6: The Return of the Demonic Instructor
The atmosphere in the room was heavy and tense.
The instructors sat around the table in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
They were particularly close to Cheon Sae-myung, one of the first-year instructors.
Yeon Woo-jin clenched his fists, his voice trembling with frustration as he spoke.
“How could… someone like him… become a full instructor? If he starts attending all the meetings, he might disrupt our entire system, don’t you think?”
The so-called “system” was little more than a web of corruption.
“Do you think he might have used some trickery?”
It was Deung Bu-hyung, another martial arts instructor, who cautiously suggested this. Several others nodded in agreement.
“That’s possible.”
“Wasn’t he just a weakling a few days ago? No one becomes that strong overnight.”
“Even during the sparring match, he didn’t use any techniques. He just beat his opponent senseless.”
“Exactly. It wasn’t that Instructor Sa was particularly skilled; it was more that Maeng Son-deok was just terrible.”
Eon Byeok, the archery instructor, quickly realized his mistake and glanced at Cheon Sae-myung. After all, Maeng Son-deok had been recommended by Cheon himself.
Clearing his throat, Eon Byeok tried to recover.
“Well, the opponent did catch him off guard, so it’s understandable that Maeng was flustered.”
“Yes, thinking back on it…”
The other instructors quickly nodded in agreement, watching Cheon Sae-myung’s reaction.
Despite their attempts to placate him, Cheon Sae-myung’s expression remained grim. He was the head of the first-year instructors and, aside from Sang Pil-ji, the strongest among them. His influence was significant, and the others couldn’t help but be wary of his mood.
After a long silence, Cheon Sae-myung finally spoke in a low voice.
“Could there be someone behind him?”
It was a musing, almost to himself, but Yeon Woo-jin, ever attentive, nodded quickly.
“Absolutely. How else could he have taken down Gui Yache? And whether that head really belongs to Gui Yache’s leader…”
“Oh, the advisory committee confirmed it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, hard to believe, but they say it’s indeed Gui Yache’s leader’s head.”
Deung Bu-hyung’s confirmation made Yeon Woo-jin’s expression harden.
“In that case, there might be a hidden force behind him. He could be in league with some demonic sect.”
“But… Instructor Sa was always so principled. I can’t imagine him aligning with a demonic sect…”
Eon Byeok’s words were cut off by Yeon Woo-jin’s outburst.
“Whose side are you on, Instructor Eon?”
Eon Byeok quickly fell silent. It wasn’t about taking sides, but with Cheon Sae-myung’s stern demeanor, there was little choice but to acquiesce.
Cheon Sae-myung slowly nodded.
“Perhaps this is a good opportunity. If Sa Bi-gang has indeed allied with a demonic sect, we can finally get rid of him.”
“Exactly. It’s hard to believe that someone who was a laughingstock just days ago could suddenly become a top martial artist.”
“Indeed, something’s definitely up.”
Deung Bu-hyung supported Yeon Woo-jin’s assertion, and the instructors all nodded in agreement.
Cheon Sae-myung allowed a faint smile to cross his lips.
“In that case, it might be wise to keep a shadow on him.”
“An excellent idea. If we secretly monitor him, we’ll uncover the truth soon enough.”
“Do you have someone in mind for the job?”
At Cheon Sae-myung’s question, Deung Bu-hyung quickly volunteered.
“I know just the person for this kind of work. Leave it to me.”
“Thank you. I’ll trust you with this, Instructor Deung.”
“You can count on good results.”
A sly smile spread across Deung Bu-hyung’s face.
Eon Byeok, observing the mood, cautiously spoke up.
“But if he becomes a full instructor, he’ll need to take charge of a class. Aren’t all the classes already assigned?”
“Oh, that’s not an issue.”
This time, Yeon Woo-jin stepped in to answer. He was in charge of managing the first-year students.
All eyes turned to Yeon Woo-jin as he grinned and pulled out a piece of paper.
“This is what I’ll report to the personnel committee. These students will be assigned to Instructor Sa’s class.”
“This is…!”
“Wow!”
The instructors gasped as they scanned the list.
Even Cheon Sae-myung’s eyes widened before he burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! I see you’ve thought this through, Instructor Yeon.”
“Hehe. I had this in mind just in case when he went off to deal with Gui Yache. I didn’t expect it to be so useful.”
“With this, Instructor Sa might just want to quit on the spot.”
The other instructors shook their heads in disbelief.
“Instructor Yeon’s planning is truly something. How can we even think of being instructors with this kind of scheming?”
“Indeed. Let’s just hope Instructor Sa doesn’t decide to end it all.”
“If it were me, I’d run far away rather than take on those students.”
“Hahaha.”
Laughter finally returned to the instructors’ faces.
After a while, Deung Bu-hyung spoke quietly.
“Well, that’s all assuming he survives the seven-week probation. If my shadow finds anything during that time… hehe.”
“Indeed, when we put our heads together, we come up with brilliant plans.”
“Exactly. The thought of that stubborn fool becoming a full instructor was unbearable…”
The instructors continued to grumble, their words spilling out.
Cheon Sae-myung cleared his throat a couple of times before speaking.
“Now, now, let’s calm down. We don’t want to seem like we hate him, do we? I’m just concerned about his qualifications. We can’t have someone unfit teaching our students.”
“Of course, we understand your intentions, Head Instructor. It’s our duty as instructors.”
The instructors continued their conversation, now with smiles on their faces.
The Ghost Shadow Guild
They’ll take on any job, as long as the pay is right.
Assassination, surveillance, kidnapping, theft, information gathering—you name it.
The guild is composed of individuals skilled in stealth and movement techniques, and among them, Hong Yeom is the most renowned, known as Il-yeong, the First Shadow.
When Hong Yeom first received the mission from the guild master, he thought it was quite the odd request.
To spy on an academy instructor?
And to focus on whether he was meeting with demonic sects?
The funniest part was that the request came from an instructor at Yongcheon Academy.
In other words, the one who hired them was already in cahoots with the demonic Ghost Shadow Guild.
And yet, they wanted to know if another instructor was doing the same.
‘Honestly, I can’t fathom what’s going on in the heads of these so-called righteous sect members.’
With a smirk, Hong Yeom trailed his target from a distance.
‘Sa Bi-gang, was it? Where on earth is he going?’
Hong Yeom became one with the trees, scattered like leaves, and moved like the wind.
He followed Sa Bi-gang silently, a shadow in the night.
The Valley of Death’s Shadow
Once, it was an unnamed gorge.
But during the Great War between the righteous and the demonic, countless warriors perished here.
Though time has erased much of the chaos, the eerie atmosphere remains undeniable.
After that tragic day, people began calling this desolate gorge the Valley of Death’s Shadow.
Sa Bi-gang trudged through the waist-high grass.
‘It should be around here somewhere…’
His eyes scanned the surroundings, heavy with purpose.
Three days had already passed in the seven-week probation period.
He needed to find it and return.
The items sent from the demonic realm were usually distributed in areas rich with yin energy.
The demonic realm itself was steeped in yin, which helped maintain the barrier.
But some items had simply fallen without any barrier.
What Sa Bi-gang was searching for was one of those.
Something anyone could pick up if they found it.
The first thing the Demon King sought upon arriving in the central plains.
The demonic sword, Vertas.
But finding it through conventional means was difficult.
The Valley of Death’s Shadow was where thousands had fought and died.
It was vast.
‘I guess I’ll have to scan the area.’
Sa Bi-gang narrowed his eyes, surveying the valley before extending his hand.
A faint vibration ran through his fingertips.
In the next moment, a white light emanated from his palm, spreading across the valley floor.
Soon, a faint glow appeared about thirty paces away.
‘There it is.’
Sa Bi-gang moved confidently toward the spot, pushing aside the underbrush and digging into the ground.
How long had he been digging?
Finally, his hand hit something solid.
‘A bone fragment?’
It must have belonged to someone who died during the Great War.
Sa Bi-gang tossed the bone over his shoulder and continued digging.
And at last…
“Heh heh heh. Found it.”
A sly grin spread across Sa Bi-gang’s face.
A demonic sword with a black hilt adorned with golden patterns.
The end of the hilt was carved into the shape of a demon.
Unlike a typical sword, its blade curved gently, almost resembling a saber at first glance.
Yet, it was unmistakably a double-edged sword.
“Vertas!”
Sabi Kang’s pupils widened.
His heart pounded wildly.
Vertas was calling out to him.
“Grip me! Hold me and offer me blood!”
Suppressing the turmoil within, Sabi Kang slowly drew Vertas from its sheath.
Clatter.
Fragments of bone, entangled with Vertas, fell to the ground.
It must have belonged to someone who had mastered dark arts to the extreme.
The fact that Vertas was found with that corpse was proof enough.
Vertas had been waiting, having dimensionally shifted to find a corpse brimming with dark energy.
Sabi Kang slowly grasped the hilt of Vertas.
Thump!
In an instant, his eyes turned crimson.
“Gah!”
A ragged breath escaped his lips.
A maddening thirst for blood.
An overwhelming desire to see blood consumed his mind.
“This is it. This feeling!”
Sabi Kang clenched his teeth tightly.
There was a reason Vertas had no protective barrier.
Anyone who claimed Vertas would become a slave to its intense desire.
In that moment, they would lose their sanity, driven to such a frenzy for blood that they might even end their own life.
“Ugh!”
Sabi Kang groaned, furrowing his brow.
An immense power surged from the hilt into his body.
This power, primarily driven by mana, was difficult for a martial artist from the Central Plains to handle.
The flow of internal energy they practiced was entirely different from the mana used in the demon realm.
Sabi Kang closed his eyes tightly, focusing all his consciousness on sensing the flow of power.
Veins bulged on his hands, and blue veins stood out on his forehead and neck.
“Damn! It’s strong. As expected… Was one top-grade magic stone not enough?”
The power swirled within Sabi Kang’s body.
He channeled as much mana as he could to resist Vertas’s power.
A single misstep, and he could be overwhelmed.
If that happened, he would become a madman.
For a martial artist, their internal energy would become chaotic, leading to a state of inner demons.
“Blood…! Blood…! Blood…!”
Trembling, Sabi Kang reversed his grip on Vertas, aiming it at his own neck.
Prepared to end his life if necessary.
“Damn it! If you want blood so badly… I’ll give it to you!”
In a flash, Sabi Kang twisted his arm with all his might.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
He swiftly spun his body.
“But not my blood!”
**
“What…?”
Hongyeom stared dumbfoundedly at the blade piercing his abdomen.
He couldn’t comprehend the situation.
He had been transported suddenly.
He hadn’t even seen what technique was used.
He had merely blinked, and Sabi Kang was standing right in front of him.
And the sword he held was piercing through his abdomen.
Sabi Kang smirked.
“It’s called ‘Trice.’ You probably won’t understand, but anyway, sorry about this. I can’t die, you see?”
Sabi Kang was drenched in sweat.
“Tr-Trice? What is that? Did he know I was watching him? But how…? And what is this…?”
Hongyeom looked at the sword impaling him.
It had been a bright blue blade. Now, it had turned a deep crimson.
The blood that had flowed along the blade vanished in an instant.
As if the sword was greedily drinking it up.
Like a living creature.
“Enough of that.”
Sabi Kang coldly muttered, pulling the sword out with a swift motion.
The blood on the blade was absorbed instantly, leaving no trace.
Thud.
Hongyeom fell to his knees.
“Ah, you can’t collapse just yet.”
Sabi Kang quickly reached out, grabbing Hongyeom’s chin.
“Ugh.”
“Now, shall we have a little chat? Believe it or not, I’m an instructor.”
Sabi Kang flashed a grin, revealing his white teeth.