Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Time to Go Home
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Gui-seon Shin-gap. The Aura Shield of the Deoksuiga Family, renowned for its perfect unity of offense and defense.
Lee Soo-young had instantly converted her Aura Shield into an offensive form using near-divine internal energy manipulation to counter the attack.
"Gurk..."
"Grrr..."
The demon cultists, pierced through the stomach, chest, and throat by thorns forged from qi, fell away pathetically in death.
His initial arrogance and leisure gone without a trace, the Third Apostle bellowed and flailed his fists.
"Grab them! Take her disciples hostage if you have to!"
At that moment, as if responding to the Third Apostle's furious shout, a group of warriors burst in, smashing through the walls, windows, and ceiling of the training hall.
"Stand down, you vile scum!"
"How dare you lay your filthy hands on the nation's future pillars!"
They were Han Mu-young Academy teachers who had rushed over after receiving Lee Soo-young's call.
None matched Lee Soo-young's Fusion Realm prowess, but every one was a peak or supreme expert who had honed solid fundamentals and martial theory to the limit.
Unlike the rampaging demon cultists, the teachers issued commands to each other and the students, blending telepathic transmissions with voiced orders in a disciplined system.
"Students, maintain your formations and fall back! No intervening in combat except to aid the wounded!"
[Teacher Kim! This one's using a yin-type Bare Hand Demonic Art from the line! We need you over here!]
"Understood! Anyone without Sunlit Yang Qi Technique training, fall back now!"
[Teacher Park! You're good here—handle that one-armed guy first!]
"Teachers below peak level, form a defensive line around Teacher Dang! Numbers are low, so keep formations to Six Harmonies or below!"
The demon cultists, drained from fighting students and thinned by Lee Soo-young, had their acupoints sealed and meridians severed by the teachers in an instant, subdued without mercy.
Lee Soo-young joined Son Ha-rin after entrusting the students' rescue to the others, and the Third Apostle couldn't hold out long.
Mount Tai Overhead Press
Mount Tai Overhead Press
Mount Tai Overhead Press
"Urgh...!"
Son Ha-rin's three swords pinned down the Third Apostle's body with the Three Talents Sword Art forms.
The moment he raised both hands to resist the sword pressure, a Sword Telekinesis blade slithered across the floor like a venomous serpent and pierced his ankle tendon.
Seizing the opening as his balance crumbled, Lee Soo-young charged with pure white qi cloaking her hand.
A few more desperate exchanges followed, and the fight ended completely.
The Third Apostle's state was gruesome.
Moonlight Sword Art slashes had severed his Achilles tendons, and both arms were ripped out bone and all by Lee Soo-young's Golden Claw Hand. She judged that standard acupoint strikes wouldn't fully subdue an expert of such bizarre demonic arts.
After sending Son Ha-rin, who had been glancing worriedly from afar, to Veronica Lionheart, Lee Soo-young hoisted the limbless Third Apostle by the throat.
"Gack! Kk!"
Choking and gasping, the Third Apostle muttered hoarsely.
"Phoenix of Fist... A fallen phoenix, they say. Just empty rumors, then."
"Save your breath, Demonic Cult rabble. I know your kind all too well."
"Haha... Then you must also know... no matter what you ask... you'll get no answers from me."
It was true.
Neo-Nazis, Taliban, ISIS, Communist Blood Cult... In her service with the Murim Alliance Peacekeeping Force, she had faced countless villainous factions, but this 'Heavenly Demon Divine Cult' was a group that could rightfully claim to be the pinnacle of the demonic path among all those evil outliers.
In both raw power and cruelty.
Body Snatching, Mind Control, mental restraints, brainwashing, command words—they were masters of manipulating the human mind and soul beyond any other force.
In the arts of mental manipulation, the Demonic Cult surpassed even the CIA.
Speak of the cult's goals and die... That kind of restraint would be on the Third Apostle too.
Even diminished from their heyday of bringing bloodbaths to the martial world and toppling nations, it was why the Demonic Cult survived uneradicated as one of the Murim Alliance's thorniest foes.
Throat gripped by Lee Soo-young, the Third Apostle laughed mockingly.
"Hahaha, who knows. Treat me well now, and I might spill something before I go...!"
"Soldiers don't negotiate with demonic scum."
Crack! As she tightened her grip, a sickening rupture echoed, and the Third Apostle's body twitched.
The last breath in his lungs escaped his gaping mouth like a departing soul.
"A teacher makes no difference."
Lee Soo-young dropped the demon cultist's broken-necked corpse.
Only now could she take a breath and survey her surroundings.
The indoor training hall was wrecked everywhere, with cracks spiderwebbing the walls in places. Major repairs loomed.
"...Can't avoid the inquiry, I suppose."
She couldn't have preempted the invasion no matter her efforts, but as with all things, someone had to take the blame.
Lee Soo-young sighed and placed a hand on her waist.
Demon cultist corpses strewn about, the battlefield soaked in blood. Hardly a pretty sight, even politely.
Yet the noon sunlight filtering through the hole in the ceiling carried its usual gentle warmth.
The students chatting overhead, oblivious to the single ray shining down on them—their youth was much the same.
Feeling quiet satisfaction at having protected that sight, Lee Soo-young smiled faintly.
"Ugh, I'm dying."
I flopped onto the ground and kneaded my shoulders.
Not a single part of me didn't ache to the bone.
Today alone, how many brushes with death had I survived? My mind and body were utterly exhausted.
As I stared blankly at the hole-riddled ceiling of the indoor training hall, wondering if I could just collapse and sleep here...
"Hey, you...!"
Veronica Lionheart, hair drenched in sweat, stormed over, greatsword tossed aside carelessly.
Her uniform torn in places, exposing scraped skin, but she didn't seem to care.
Embarrassed watching her, I started to offer my jacket, but she slapped my hand away and roughly grabbed my face. It hurt a bit. Her grip strength was no joke...
"You bastard, what's with your forehead? Head cracked open?"
"It's nothing."
"Like hell it is, shit! Let me see."
I peeled off Veronica Lionheart as she freaked over the blood trickling from my forehead and tried to grab my hair. Rubbing my stinging cheek, I spoke.
"You look worse off than me? Covered head to toe in blood."
"Hah. This ain't mine, idiot. You think I'd get nicked by that trash?"
Veronica Lionheart snorted like I'd said something hilarious.
But she couldn't hide her puffed-up shoulders.
Fair enough—it was impressive. She had the highest kill count among the students.
I casually broached the subject.
"Bet you took down like ten solo today? Or fifteen?"
"Hmph. Nothing special. Son Ha-rin, she..."
"Even with that bald guy holding her back... your kill count's on another level!"
"Heh. Hmph!"
Her smug snort, inviting more praise, was pretty funny.
She had every right to be proud.
After wiping her face first, anyway.
Grinning with a face like she'd washed it in blood would draw weird looks.
Rummaging in my uniform's inner pocket, I found a crumpled handkerchief.
Not the best solution by my standards, but no other choice.
"Hey. What're y—mmph."
Scrub scrub scrub— I roughly wiped Veronica Lionheart's face with the unfolded cloth. Half-dried blood flaked off like powder.
"Face is decent now... Showers were in this building originally, but it's too trashed. Let's head out. Main building for washing up, and swing by the infirmary too."
Veronica Lionheart scowled until I finished, then spat.
"Gross. Move."
Whoosh! Soft pinkish flames, not too hot-looking, enveloped her body. As they faded, her face emerged clean.
Clothes still bloodied, but no traces on her skin. Precise qi control had burned only the gore without scorching fabric.
I nodded in admiration. No wonder pricey tracking perfume from my past life never stuck.
"Handy trick."
"Idiot... You reek of total F-Rank vibes."
Veronica Lionheart swaggered, waving away lingering sparks. Shoulders squared, temples practically bulging with pride.
"Consistent as ever. Good."
I grinned back.
Why the end-of-term terror—supposed to hit in a couple months—struck now, I didn't know yet. Would figure it out later...
For now, major crisis averted. Relief washed over me.
But one last thing to do.
Not figuratively—I had zero strength left, even for a finger. Squeezing out the dregs of energy from nursing days (never happened), I pointed somewhere.
Veronica Lionheart's gaze followed naturally.
"Sure you don't wanna check?"
"..."
Son Ha-rin was there, being supported by infirmary teacher Dang So-so as they walked over.
Veronica Lionheart glanced between her and me. Her blue pupils quivered faintly.
Like asking if it was really okay to go.
As if that Veronica Lionheart would seek anyone's permission. Pure delusion on my part.
Delusion or not, I was happy to say it.
"What're you waiting for? Go."
I waved her off.
Veronica Lionheart nipped her lower lip with sharp canines, then spun around.
"...Stay put. Don't go anywhere..."
"Haha, couldn't move if I wanted."
Flipping her the bird behind her back, I watched her dash to Son Ha-rin, then surrendered to the crashing wave of sleep.