Episode 620: Return to the Demonic Cult
Thud!
With a chilling sound of flesh being pierced, a demon guard collapsed to the ground.
Swoosh!
Maeseolran flicked her sword to shake off the blood before sheathing it.
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
She wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve and surveyed her surroundings.
Countless demon guards lay sprawled along the spiral staircase.
Despite descending into the depths, the security was impenetrable.
Beside her, Churyang was panting heavily, almost leaning on Banmyo for support.
How many had they fought on their way down?
The staircase seemed endless.
They had descended so far that it felt as if they might never return to the surface.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they reached the bottom.
“Phew, if we had to go any further, I might have given up.”
The staircase was relatively wide, but not enough for a large group to attack at once.
This had allowed the two of them to fight their way down, one battle at a time.
The air was thick with the musty smell of the underground.
And the cold was biting.
Yet, from the constant fighting, both were drenched in sweat.
Maeseolran turned to Churyang and asked, “We’re almost there. Can you keep going?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t let something like this stop me…”
Churyang’s confident words were cut short as his legs gave way, and he stumbled.
If Banmyo hadn’t caught him in time, he would have fallen in an undignified heap.
Maeseolran chuckled softly. “Don’t push yourself too hard. This isn’t easy.”
“It’s not too much. I have a special mission from my master.”
“A special mission?”
“Yes! To protect the Chief at all costs!”
Maeseolran smiled gently. “I’ll make sure to tell him you did your best.”
Churyang steadied himself, pulled out his last mana potion, and drank it in one gulp, taking a deep breath.
With a bitter expression, he said, “Doing my best… I guess that’s all I can do. Some people are willing to risk everything, even their lives.”
He was referring to Heukgwi.
When he first heard that Heukgwi was giving up all his martial arts skills, he couldn’t believe his ears.
Even for the sake of the martial world, was it really necessary to go that far?
He thought it was foolish.
No one would recognize such a sacrifice.
But over time, he came to admire Heukgwi’s resolve.
Could he make such a decision himself?
They used to bicker over who was better, but now there was no reason to, and that left a bitter taste.
“Aren’t you coming?”
Maeseolran’s sudden call snapped Churyang back to reality, and he hurried to catch up.
“I’m coming!”
The two stopped at the entrance of a square passageway carved into the stone wall.
“Inside here, there must be…”
“Something’s definitely in there.”
Churyang finished her sentence, and Maeseolran nodded.
There was no other reason for so many guards to be stationed on the stairs.
They moved forward cautiously.
After a while, Banmyo leapt ahead, taking the lead.
As Banmyo rounded a corner…
A low growl echoed, and the two tensed as they turned the corner.
Banmyo stood at the entrance of a room, growling.
There was no door.
“What is this…?”
Maeseolran narrowed her eyes, peering into the depths of the basement.
The walls and ceiling of the spacious underground chamber pulsed like a beating heart.
The entire basement seemed like the innards of a living creature.
“Is this the place?”
“Who knows? We’ll have to go in and see.”
They exchanged glances, nodded, and proceeded slowly.
The large pillars scattered throughout the room limited their view.
They weaved through the maze-like basement, navigating around the pillars.
Finally, when the dense pillars gave way to an open space…
“Look! Over there…!”
Churyang pointed straight ahead, shouting.
There stood an unusually large and thick pillar, with a figure embedded deep within it.
It was as if the figure was carved into the pillar, with only half of its body protruding.
Tentacle-like appendages extended from its face, intricately connected to the massive pillar.
“Is that… Adler?”
It matched the description they had heard from Sabigang.
“Just as ugly as they said.”
Churyang grimaced.
Maeseolran swallowed dryly and moved forward cautiously, wary of any sudden attacks.
Churyang heightened his senses, readying his mana sword and shield.
Churyang sent a mental message to Maeseolran.
[It seems to be asleep. What’s it doing?]
[Hard to say. Maybe it’s transforming this area to make it more favorable for demons…]
[Then while it’s focused, let’s rush in and cut its throat!]
Though he spoke boldly, he wasn’t sure if cutting its throat would be enough to kill it.
The figure seemed fused with the pillar, as if they were one.
But they couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Maeseolran nodded slowly.
[I’ll attack. Cover me.]
[Leave it to me!]
Churyang gritted his teeth, ready to spring into action.
Just as Maeseolran was about to launch herself forward…
“We have guests.”
A raspy voice emerged from Adler’s mouth.
Maeseolran and Churyang flinched, turning to the pillar.
Adler, half-buried in the pillar, opened his eyes and gazed at them.
“Humans, here? Truly, the martial world is full of surprises.”
Maeseolran frowned.
“If you know you have guests, shouldn’t you entertain them?”
Adler smirked faintly.
“I would, but as you can see, I’m a bit occupied.”
“Then you’ll have to die.”
Whoosh!
In an instant, Maeseolran dashed forward.
Simultaneously…
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Hundreds of tentacles suddenly shot out from the floor, ceiling, walls, and pillars, all aiming for Maeseolran.
“Ah!”
Startled, Churyang rushed to Maeseolran’s side, swinging his mana sword and shield, while Banmyo roared.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Slash! Slash!
Maeseolran’s twin swords and Churyang’s mana sword sliced through the tentacles, while the mana shield deflected others.
As the skirmish ended, Adler chuckled.
“Impressive. If you’re so eager for a fight, I’ll oblige, even if I’m busy.”
“You don’t plan to fight us yourself?”
Maeseolran said coldly, and Adler’s lips curled.
“This space is an extension of myself. I am one with it. So consider this my personal welcome.”
As he finished speaking and closed his eyes…
Squirm… Squirm…
The ground around them began to bubble, forming shapes.
Churyang and Maeseolran instinctively stood back-to-back.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course. Don’t worry about me, just fight.”
“Don’t worry about your back either. I’ll protect you.”
Churyang’s face flushed at Maeseolran’s words.
“Th-thank you!”
It was the first time someone had called him “Churyang the Guard.”
And to have the Chief call him that—it felt like true recognition!
‘I always felt like a burden before. I’ll protect you with my life!’
Meanwhile, the eight figures surrounding them all resembled Count Adler.
“Clones…?”
Maeseolran muttered, frowning, and Adler spoke.
“They’re not the clones you know. They’re as much me as I am.”
“Well, that makes things easier.”
“Let’s see how long you can keep that confidence.”
“Enough talk. Bring it on!”
At her words, the eight Adlers lunged at them simultaneously.
Hundreds of tentacles also surged towards them from all directions.
“Haaah!”
With a battle cry, Maeseolran swung her twin swords, charging forward.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Her swords danced, tracing elegant arcs in the air, mercilessly slicing through the oncoming tentacles.
The severed tentacles melted into the ground, disappearing.
Churyang also wielded his mana sword and shield, fending off Adler and the tentacles.
Anyone watching their battle would have been left speechless.
The two fought off hundreds of tentacles while battling eight Adlers.
Their movements were so fast, they were almost impossible to follow.
And Banmyo roared, leaping and tearing into the enemies.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Boom! Boom!
How long did they fight like that?
Boom!
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the air, shaking the ground and ceiling violently.
The tentacles that had been relentlessly attacking the two paused momentarily, and the eight Adler who had been coordinating their assault lost their balance for a brief moment.
Meanwhile, Adler, who was absorbed into the pillar, snapped his eyes open, revealing his pale pupils as he muttered to himself.
“His Majesty… to go this far…! Ugh…!”
Adler let out a pained groan.
It was inevitable, as the Demon King Tarant was in the midst of a transformation, absorbing the power of all twelve evil gods.
In this process, he had to draw in as much energy as Adler could muster.
As a result, Adler was suddenly drained of his strength.
Sensing this change in Adler, Maesellan quickly executed his sword technique.
“Haah!”
With a fierce shout, his twin swords slashed through the air.
Then—
Chukakakakakak!
The transformed serpent-like energy spread rapidly across the ground.
Eight serpents… no, they split into sixteen.
Then thirty-two, and finally sixty-four…
Eventually, a total of 128 energy blades snaked out in all directions.
The enhancement from Banmyo had taken full effect.
Chachachachachachaaak!
The tentacles and Adler’s clones, sliced by the energy blades, fell with unpleasant sounds.
Maesellan shouted, “Chu, now’s the time!”
“Understood!”
Churyang launched himself like an arrow, and Banmyo let out a mighty roar in response.
Maesellan followed closely behind, soaring into the air.
Finally, Churyang, leaping into the sky, swung his mana-infused sword.
“Dieee!”
Swoooosh!
The mana blade extended far longer than ever before.
But then—
“What!”
Swoosh!
Churyang saw a tentacle speeding toward his heart.
No, it was more like a sharp, metallic spike.
It sprouted from Adler’s forehead, longer and faster than Churyang’s mana.
‘I’m done for…!’
Sensing the danger, Churyang twisted his body desperately.
But—
Thud!
The spike grew so swiftly that Churyang couldn’t evade it in time.
“Aaaargh!”
As the metallic spike pierced through his chest, Maesellan, rushing in, screamed in horror.
“Chu!”
“Forget me… focus on him…!”
Even as he plummeted to the ground, Churyang didn’t think of his own safety.
Adler had to be killed.
The lives of countless warriors depended on it!
Gritting his teeth, Maesellan unleashed his swords.
Whirrrrrrr!
The twin energy blades flew straight at Adler.
But then…!
Hundreds of spikes suddenly erupted from Adler’s face.
Chuchuchuchuchuchu!
They transformed into countless thorns, shooting outwards.
Chukakakakakakakakak!
The magic-infused spikes shattered the energy blades and rained down on Maesellan’s falling body.
Thudthudthudthudthud!
“Aaaagh!”
“Commander!”
Churyang, collapsed on the ground, shouted with wide eyes.
The spikes from Adler’s face impaled Maesellan’s entire body, pinning him against a pillar.
Crash!
“Ugh!”
Blood gushed from Maesellan’s mouth as he was slammed into the pillar.
A faint smile crept onto Adler’s lips.
“Truly, nothing pleases me more than the despair of you humans.”