Episode 613: Return of the Demon Master
Boom!
With a deafening crash, Sabigang hit the ground, creating yet another crater.
“Cough!”
He staggered to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth. Wiping it away with the back of his hand, he glared at Tarrant.
The situation was dire.
Tarrant stood before him, an insurmountable wall, a sheer mountain. Sabigang had unleashed every martial art he knew, but none had even fazed Tarrant. Instead, he was met with nothing but scornful laughter, deepening his despair.
Still, he couldn’t give up. If he fell, the million warriors here would be doomed—Maesalan, Cheonmyeoldae, and the Newborn Order included.
Sabigang slowly assumed a stance, determination etched on his face.
Tarrant smirked. “Still not giving up?”
“Didn’t you know? Humans are more stubborn than you think.”
“More stubborn? No, you’re exactly as stubborn as I thought.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
Sabigang returned the smirk, readying himself. This was his last chance. If this didn’t work, all hope was lost. He had spent countless hours imagining this fight, creating new techniques in his mind, blending different martial arts. But there were limits to what he could achieve in such a short time.
His final move was a fusion of existing techniques into something new. Unlike before, where he had mixed sequences, this time he had created a single, unified technique.
Step by step, Sabigang shifted his weight back, preparing to unleash a new move—a fusion of the Meteor Strike Sword and the Volcanic Wave’s ultimate sword technique, the Meteor Chasing Moon Sword.
Tarrant, amused, asked, “Another new trick?”
“I told you, humans are stubborn.”
“Then show me, Shubitz.”
“I won’t refuse!”
With that, Sabigang charged forward, drawing his sword with a thunderous roar.
The blade sang as it was unsheathed, and a brilliant arc of energy shot forth, faster than a falling star, exploding with a fierce intensity.
Sabigang didn’t pause to see if it hit. In a trance-like state, he launched into his next move—a fusion of the Stone-Crushing Dragon and the Thousand Blossoms Rain.
Petals seemed to fall from the sky, each one a shard of deadly energy, capable of wounding or poisoning on contact. Sabigang, now immune to poison, wielded this technique with ease.
The shards exploded, filling the air with a crimson mist, as the Stone-Crushing Dragon descended, shaking the ground with a thunderous crash.
Breathing heavily, Sabigang watched the smoke, hoping against hope. He hadn’t felt anything when he struck, but maybe, just maybe, the Thousand Blossoms Rain had found its mark.
As the smoke began to clear, a hand shot out from the mist.
“Gah!”
Sabigang swung his sword, but it was stopped mid-air with a metallic clang. Tarrant’s magical blade had blocked it, and his other hand struck Sabigang’s chest.
Boom!
Sabigang was sent flying, crashing into the ground.
“Damn it!”
He cursed under his breath. Despite all his preparation, he was still being overwhelmed. Anger boiled within him, but there was nothing he could do.
Footsteps approached.
Tarrant’s blow had left Sabigang temporarily paralyzed, unable to move even a finger.
“Pathetic, Shubitz. I expected more from you. Still, you’re the strongest human I’ve absorbed. No, stronger than any demon I’ve faced. And…”
Tarrant grabbed Sabigang’s hair, lifting him like a ragdoll, forcing him to look at the battlefield beyond the translucent barrier.
“Your sacrifices are impressive. Let that be your consolation.”
“It’s not… over yet… Tarrant…!”
Sabigang forced the words out, driven by pride. He didn’t know where this hope came from, only that he couldn’t let it end here.
Was it faith in himself? Baseless confidence? He didn’t know. But seeing the battlefield, seeing the warriors fighting, gave him a strange sense of hope.
Tarrant chuckled. “Stubborn indeed. Look at your fate. Do you see the dying?”
“Shut up…”
“You couldn’t escape the fate I crafted for you.”
True, it was shocking to learn he had been allowed to return to the past. But…
“I told you, humans are more stubborn than you think!”
With a surge of energy, Sabigang swung his sword, reigniting the dying embers of his spirit.
**
Hiss…
As the thick metal casing of the ancient furnace opened, a cloud of steam billowed out. The blacksmiths of Shinsu Pavilion watched with bated breath.
This was the moment—the creation of a vessel to hold humanity’s hope.
Josinryang stood motionless, eyes wide, as the white smoke cleared, revealing the transparent device within.
Carefully, he lifted it with metal tongs. It was a long, cylindrical object with a needle-like protrusion.
“Finally, the Qi Injection Device…”
His voice trembled. It was complete.
The Qi Injection Device was an unfamiliar sight to the people of the Central Plains. When he first saw the plans, Josinryang had doubts. But he trusted Jinbaek, who called it a “syringe,” though Josinryang preferred “Qi Injection Device.”
As the device, crafted from refined magic stones, emerged intact, the blacksmiths erupted in cheers.
“It’s done! It’s finally done!”
“Now we can help the Lord!”
“Wow! To think we could refine magic stones into this! Now we really…!”
“Quiet!”
Josinryang barked, striding forward without looking back.
“Bring me Bashuk’s Hammer!”
“Yes, Master!”
Someone rushed off, returning with the hammer Sabigang had painstakingly acquired.
Josinryang dipped the Qi Injection Device in cold water, then placed it on a metal plate, clenching his jaw.
Every move he made was heavy with significance, and the disciples watched, holding their breath.
Finally, Josinryang raised Bashuk’s Hammer high.
With a shout, he brought it down.
Clang!
The metallic sound was deafening, and Josinryang’s eyes widened.
Then, the words everyone had been waiting for spilled from his lips.
“It’s done…!”
Cheers erupted as the blacksmiths embraced each other.
“Pray for us. I’m going there now.”
Josinryang pulled out the last teleportation scroll from his robe. Once used, there would be no more in the Central Plains.
The coordinates had been precisely set by Murang’s magic.
As Josinryang raised the scroll, the blacksmiths saluted him with a gesture of respect, shouting in unison.
“Understood, my lord! Safe travels!”
Around them, the furnace roared with relentless flames.
“The spark of hope… is fading. Regrettably, it seems there’s no chance left,” Gu Yoon murmured, lowering his telescope with a heavy heart.
“Enough! If it’s come to this, we must act ourselves!”
“Indeed! We can’t just stand by any longer!”
“Our comrades are dying out there. How can we just watch from here?”
Neither Gu Yoon nor Eun Gi-ryung could stop them now.
At this rate, Sabi River might perish.
And there was no telling if they would succeed or fail in creating the Qi Compression Device.
Mu Rang, too, watched the situation unfold with a troubled heart.
Finally, Yeon Gang-baek spoke up.
“Commander Gu, not everything goes as planned. Please, don’t stand in our way.”
“Exactly. We wanted to follow your strategy, but circumstances force us to consider alternatives. We can’t just watch our comrades fall any longer.”
“Even if we can’t save the fate of the martial world, at least allow us the dignity of a final stand.”
Gu Yoon gazed silently at the battlefield.
Indeed, having the skilled warriors of the martial world merely observe was a waste of manpower.
But there was no guarantee they could turn the tide if they joined the fray.
No, they would likely die.
Yet, they couldn’t bear to just stand by.
They would rather die fighting than live in cowardice.
With a grim expression, Gu Yoon finally spoke.
“Very well. If that is truly your wish…”
Just then.
Crackle! Sizzle!
Suddenly, a ripple of energy surged through the air, and as if by magic, someone appeared out of nowhere.
All eyes turned to the spot where a man stood, looking somewhat bewildered.
“Ah, what a fascinating device,” he murmured in awe.
The man was none other than Jo Shin-ryang, holding the Qi Compression Device, which shimmered with a radiant glow.