Betrayed Comrades' Final Assault
***
In a corner of the correctional facility, a harsh explosion ripped violently through the night's silence. Clang, screeech, boom. Every clash between the black-haired girl and the woman with dog ears and a tail unleashed thunderous roars that swept the area like a battlefield.
Jinma thrust her right hand forward, unleashing her sorcery. Black flames erupted from her fingertips. Seolwol dodged the blaze by leaping sideways and hurled a throwing dagger straight at Jinma. The blade flew true toward her heart but halted just short, blocked by an invisible wall. A barrier of demonic energy.
"You're no ordinary yokai."
Staring at the woman floating midair, freely wielding her spells, Seolwol said, "I never imagined a yokai of your caliber hiding in a place like this. What exactly are you after?"
"This Jinma has only one purpose. To make Master Yaruo happy."
The dog-eared and tailed yokai woman replied in a voice laced with devotion, like a fanatic apostle worshiping a god.
"Where's that Yaruo guy right now? What’s he up to?"
"Don't call Master Yaruo 'guy' like that!"
Jinma charged in fury. Seolwol barely parried her onslaught. Each strike was a lethal blow. The power and precision far exceeded any parameter limits. If she were just brute strength, it might have been easier to handle. But this opponent was different. Every movement was disciplined. Seolwol thought it felt like facing her master. It seemed like wild flailing, yet there were no openings. Beneath the relentless fury lay astonishing calm. As if daring her to counter, Jinma thrust her arms again and again. If Seolwol acted rashly, she'd be pierced in an instant. Despite her cute appearance, this was the most seasoned foe Seolwol had ever faced. She could sense the depth of experience from hundreds—perhaps thousands—of battles.
"I admit it."
Seolwol repelled Jinma with a full-force strike, creating distance as she spoke. There might be more enemies. This fight might not end here; that Yaruo could appear anytime. She'd tried to avoid it, but her opponent wasn't weak enough. With that judgment, Seolwol clasped her hands and decided to unleash her stored power.
"You're a worthy adversary."
Seolwol formed the incantation seal.
Each playable character in Exorcist Seolwol has distinct strengths and weaknesses. Take Exorcist Yuzu: her ultimate is an overwhelming area-of-effect attack, making stage clears a breeze, but her weak basic attacks and low damage make boss fights tough. Exorcist Sera, on the other hand, has a single-target ultimate that deals half a boss's HP in one hit, unbeatable for bosses, but limited to once per stage, so mob control is tricky.
And Exorcist Seolwol? Her stats form a perfect hexagon—a large one at that. She's designed for smooth progression and easy clears, even for beginners. As the protagonist, she's strong by design. Simply put, she's just strong. That's Seolwol.
But what elevates her overpowered nature even further is her ultimate and main skill.
Liberation: Moonbeast
After murmuring the incantation and forming the seal, the dark clouds parted from the sky. A massive, brilliant full moon emerged majestically from the heavenly seat.
Jinma seemed to sense something. "That's no ordinary incantation. Yokai power...!"
"Half my blood is yokai. Harming humans is my destined fate. But Master taught me I could break free and forge my own path."
Shing. A long sword materialized in Seolwol's hand. A gently curved blade called a tachi, or guido. Bathed in moonlight, it gleamed with a cool, clear blue aura, radiating such intense demonic energy that it put Jinma on edge.
"I'll end this in one stroke."
Seolwol swung the sword through empty air. It looked like a meaningless slash. But the blow sliced through space itself, piercing where Jinma stood. Known as Space Slash. The true power of Demon Blade: Ghost Cutter, created by her ultimate Liberation: Moonbeast. As long as she could perceive the target's location, she could cleave it—no matter where it was. Even if it didn't exist in this world or reality, pinpointing its position made the attack connect. In short, it turned normal attacks into ranged strikes.
"Hm?"
Seolwol narrowed her eyes as Jinma retreated far away in response. Her Space Slash missed due to the swift, anticipatory movement. Unaware that Jinma knew its power from prior advice, Seolwol followed up in bewilderment. But all strikes missed.
Seolwol realized too late: Jinma knew her ultimate. No one could dodge like that without knowledge. Not counterattacking, just widening the gap—as if buying time. She must know the liberation's duration was short.
"I can read your mind. You're wondering how I know your sword's secret."
Jinma spoke first. Seolwol suspected a stall tactic but couldn't ignore it.
"Master Yaruo knows everything. About us, and you all. He told us your blade cuts through space."
"I see. Thanks for the tip. Now I know I can't let that guy roam free."
"Think you can? As long as this Jinma lives, you won't touch him."
"Of course. Starting with you."
Seolwol lunged at Jinma. Knowing the blade's nature changed little. Ignoring distance was powerful, but its true worth was unblockable. The attack was spatial severance itself. No material could stop it.
Shwick. The close-range swing sliced Jinma. Aimed at her body, but she reacted and retreated, losing only one arm.
"Kuh...!"
Jinma's face twisted. She melted into shadow, reappearing far away. Her right arm regenerated. Seolwol knew from battling countless yokai: regeneration consumed massive energy.
"It's just a spear that pierces anything versus a shield that blocks nothing."
"Don't underestimate this Jinma!"
Judging defense futile, Jinma swarmed as countless bats. More meant harder to cleave. Foolish.
Ember Blaze
Flames roared along the blade. Not incantation—sorcery. Half-human, half-yokai. But liberated, Seolwol tilted toward yokai, matching Jinma's demonic power.
She swung the flame-wreathed sword, cleaving and incinerating bats. A few survivors reformed into a singed Jinma.
"Kuh...!"
Her body restored instantly, but Seolwol sensed her energy plummet.
"Speak, and I might spare you. Who is this Yaruo? Where is he?"
Jinma grinned. "Think this Jinma values her life? Just kill me."
The yokai spoke like a knight embracing death, reverently. Seolwol hesitated but steeled herself, raising her sword.
"If you won't talk, no choice."
As she swung down—whoosh. Something pierced the night, slicing wind toward Seolwol. She turned, blocking with her blade.
Clang! The impact hurled her back; she landed steadily midair. Her hands tingled. Like a multi-ton hammer full-force. A normal sword would have shattered, damaging her body.
"Pathetic, collapsing like that. But good work. Leave the rest to us."
A chocolate-skinned blonde twintail girl kicked Seolwol aside, landing before Jinma with cocky confidence.
"...You're late. Thought I was done for."
"Brainwashing victim...?"
Seolwol paused at the new foe. If brainwashed, she couldn't recklessly use her blade—killing a controlled human.
"Who you calling brainwashed?!"
The girl charged at startling speed. Her movements outclassed even Jinma's. And this aura—not a normal student.
But.
"Predictable."
Seolwol sidestepped, evading the trajectory, then raised her sword high. Simple, brute attack—easy to predict direction. Easier than Jinma; just keep distance. And liberated, distance meant nothing to her.
Seolwol slashed down. The space-cleaving strike hit the exposed girl—clang clang clang. Sparks flew midair.
"Zuri. I've told you countless times to fight cautiously."
Innumerable threads blocked the Space Slash, stretching far away. A familiar voice followed.
"...Sera?"
Seolwol narrowed her eyes. Her best friend and comrade appeared, but with a wholly alien aura. Especially the thick demonic energy from her, and the threads from her fingertips—unseen before.
"Do I still look like your ally, exorcist? Too bad. This exorcist's body now belongs to the thread master, Kishi."
"You... possessed Sera's body?!"
Seolwol recoiled in shock. Kishi smiled leisurely. "Possessed? Such harsh words. Your dear friend Sera permitted me to use this body freely. Even to betray her old comrades and turn against exorcists."
"Liar!"
Seolwol knew Sera too well—from grueling training, desperate missions, shared hardships. She couldn't believe it.
"If you doubt, hear it from her."
"What...?"
Sera shuddered violently, head drooping. When she lifted it, she was the familiar Sera.
"That Kishi jerk... only calls me out when it's convenient..."
Sera grumbled unhappily.
"Sera... is that really you...?"
"Yeah. Sorry, Seolwol. What that yokai said is true. I permitted Kishi to use my body. Even to betray the exorcists... or attack you. But not to seriously hurt or kill you."
"Why...?"
"Well... I have a boyfriend now."
Sera's face flushed crimson, shyly confessing—a expression Seolwol rarely saw despite years together.
"What...?"
"His name's Yaruo. Leader of these yokai. I like him so much, Seolwol. Enough to throw everything away. I'd give my life, beliefs—anything for him. So I quit the exorcists to join his side."
Sera trembled with excitement, her pathetic, servile form utterly unlike the reliable comrade Seolwol trusted implicitly. Yet, from Sera's own mouth—not yokai trickery—Seolwol couldn't doubt. She knew Sera inside out: strengths, weaknesses, admirable traits, flaws.
"Where's this Yaruo now?"
"Hiding. Obviously? You'd kill him if he showed."
"You like a coward like that?"
"Yeah. A lot."
Seolwol dropped her head at her fallen friend's depths. Her lips quivered, then set firm.
"...Sorry, Sera."
Apologizing, Seolwol swung at Sera with resolve. The Space Slash flew—but threads blocked it again. As yokai sorcery, the brainwashing chamber could defend.
"So heartless. Even a traitor, killing your closest friend and comrade."
Sera—now Kishi—said. "Sera's deeply disappointed in you too."
"Shut up!"
Seolwol charged in rage. The mental blow was huge; she'd forgotten the blade's distance-ignoring advantage. Always calm—even facing death—Seolwol's ironclad mentality cracked at her puppet-turned friend.
Formation: Shadow Arts
A black phantom wedged between them. Familiar yet alien silhouette.
"No way..."
Behind was a silver-haired woman forming seals. Heart-shaped pink seals on nipples and crotch, garter belt, stockings, cuffs, bowtie—lewd and vulgar.
"Attacking a fellow exorcist without due process is a grave crime, Seolwol. I'm disappointed."
"Eunil..."
"I'm Euna now. That pathetic loser exorcist is gone."
"You too..."
Another voice intruded. "Can't leave me out."
A girl in similar slutty attire appeared: Yuzu.
"I decided to serve Master Yaruo before Euna. Last among exorcists, but first in his personal guard."
Yuzu boasted proudly, hand on chest. Her once-flat chest now ballooned to navel-covering proportions, dominating her tiny frame.
"Yuzu..."
"Yup! Yuzuling here★"
Unlike Seolwol's anguished murmur, Yuzu beamed cutely, winking with a V-sign peace pose.
"Get it now, exorcist? Minus you, the other three are in Master Yaruo's grasp. You're last. Try running."
Kishi taunted leisurely. But Seolwol took a resolute stance, sword tip raised.
"I've never feared death."
Thus, the last exorcist began her final stand.