Ha-dong Annihilation #2
How come every yokai or bandit we run into comes pre-loaded with mockery and filthy talk as standard issue? That question popped into my head, but thinking about it, it was obvious. Bandits are cursed criminals from birth, so them spewing crap at women is par for the course. And yokai, those yin creatures, pulling evil shit? Equally natural. Just primitive fuckers doing primitive things.
"Disgusting filth! You repulsive, ugly yokai bastards!"
"You dog shits!"
Serin and Ha-young spat out their killing intent as they yelled. I stepped in front of them and bellowed too. A man's pride wouldn't let me hide in the back!
"You filthy yokai scum! I'll kill every last one of you!"
"Kik kik! We don't need the male!"
They only want the women? Hold on. Didn't they just say something about a "new woman"? That means they've got women already captured, right?
"Kishisit! Hand over Gu Ja-ok!"
In that instant.
—Zzzzzwoooong!
One Ha-dong stretched its arm out long.
"What the—?!"
But that arm rocketed straight at me! Like Luffy's rubber arm from One Piece, it extended straight at me!
"You crazy fuck, shooting your arm?!"
Was this bastard a rubber man?! I whipped out my sword in shock.
—Slash!
My blade sliced through the flying Ha-dong's palm and split its forearm clean in two.
"What?"
It got severed in one hit?
"Kyaaahhhhaaaak!"
The extended arm retracted halfway, spewing purple blood. The Ha-dong clutched its stump, rolling on the ground in agony with that gut-wrenching wail only someone in real pain makes.
"Is this for real?"
Were these guys total pushovers? Realizing that, a twisted thrill surged up, and I felt an urge to massacre them all right then.
I couldn't hold back my laughter and roared.
"Kuhahaha! You trash yokai shits! You dared to strut against me with that pathetic skill?!"
I charged forward, unleashing the Great Flow Sword Art.
This cave we were in wasn't narrow, but it wasn't huge either. And the Great Flow Sword Art relied on big, sweeping motions.
—Shwick shwick!
Lethal strikes exploded out, dominating the entire cave space. The Ha-dong panicked and bolted.
"Keeek! Strong! Too strong!"
"Run!"
"But I wanna mate with those women!"
Such blatant, transparent bastards!
"Haa. Yokai are all the same, huh."
—Fwoosh!
Talismans flew right after. They ignited into fireballs mid-air, smashing into the Ha-dong's heads and faces.
—Boom!
Glorious explosions.
"Kiheeeek!"
"Kyaek!"
The fireball-struck Ha-dong tumbled and flailed.
"Geun-hyeop! Spare one—finish the rest! Something's bothering me!"
"That 'new something' they mentioned?"
"Yes! There might be a woman kidnapped by these Ha-dong!"
"Right! If there is, we save her!"
I leaped at the flailing Ha-dong.
"Kihik! No! Hate it!"
"Spare meee! Keeek!"
Some shoved their shell-covered backs forward to defend, but it didn't fully cover their bodies.
"Then die, you fuck!"
I stabbed through their necks, ending them.
"Kek!"
All but one.
"Kyaek! Kieeek! Spare me! Pleeease!"
"I'll spare you."
"Kie...?"
"But you'll spill everything you know."
I kicked its face hard.
—Thwack!
"Kek!"
I beat the shit out of it until it was a bloody pulp. Soon, the Ha-dong lay sprawled like a rag.
"Whew. Well done, Geun-hyeop. I let my guard down and allowed it to approach. Shameful."
Only then did I notice Serin's martial robes had changed. Not the ones she'd worn when we arrived. The top was a white jacket-style, but the bottom? Thigh-baring, no pants—lightweight combat gear.
Had she packed multiples? Probably swapped when changing earlier. This one looked great too.
"We were all resting, so it happens. No big deal."
"It is a big deal. I'm still lacking. I've gained enlightenment from this."
"Ooh, that's master-level shit!"
Gaining insight from something so minor? Truly respectable. Peak expert through and through. Even Song-ssi would've gotten something similar here. I could see it. Time to refine myself. That's how you become a master.
I steeled my resolve.
"Anyway, Serin. What's with the outfit? It's gorgeous too."
"This one?"
Serin smiled and spun around.
"Less defense than my usual, but better mobility. How is it? Pretty?"
"Stunning... Like a heavenly fairy!"
"Hehe, thank you."
A real celestial beauty.
"By the way, you handled the Ha-dong ambush perfectly. No panic, and you severed that extending arm flawlessly. Worthy of praise. Here."
Serin stroked my head, praising me.
"Heh heh, heh! Real combat's leveling me up! I was startled, but my reflexes kicked in!"
"You've shed the third-rate vibe."
"So I'm second-rate now?!"
"Yes. Looks like it."
"Whoa!"
Me, a second-rate expert! Makes sense—I'd been grinding hard. Back when I took down the Little Blue Ghosts and that old monk, I was third-rate trash. But I'd sliced through killers, clashed with demon nachals. That experience fast-tracked my growth.
"Me, a second-rate master!"
"Master my ass. Don't get cocky. Ha-dong are weak-ass yokai."
Ha-young poked my side with her staff as I beamed. She was in her usual revealing outfit.
"Still, that arm stretched."
"So what?"
Rubber powers are top-tier in any world.
"Whatever. They're weak."
"Kuh... Yeah, they went down easy."
They really did. My sword force stronger now?
"Still, they're tricky in water, so watch it. Don't get complacent."
"Water yokai buff in water, huh?"
"Obviously."
Thanks for the tip.
"But Ha-young, didn't you say we had farther to go? How'd they get here?"
"Yeah, I heard the nest was deeper."
Ha-young crossed her arms at our question.
"Mm, probably caught our scent—women's smell—and tracked us."
Women's smell?
"Good noses?"
"In water. And they hunt females by instinct."
Creepy bastards.
"But they crawled out on land. Dug their own graves. Land Ha-dong top out at old-monk level with arm stretch."
"Gotcha."
"Interrogate it. Ha-dong kidnap women to breed. Bound to be captives—find out."
"W-what?! For real?!"
Kidnap women to breed?!
"Can humans and yokai even...?"
"Tch... Disgusting."
Serin shuddered and shook her head. Even I felt sick.
"Technically not, but basically, they use human women as egg sacs. Female Ha-dong inject unfertilized eggs via ovipositor, males inseminate..."
"Stop! What the hell are you saying?! I don't wanna know!"
Too horrific—my skin crawled!
"Ha-young, enough nightmare fuel. But damn, you're a real Taoist—yokai encyclopedia."
"Psh. Mosan Sect Taoists study yokai. No one's more expert than me."
She puffed her chest proudly. Loves showing off. Cute.
Yokai expert? She'd rival Jae Mi-son—no, Song-ssi.
"Anyway, start the interrogation."
"Sure."
Time to squeeze this one.
"Kkehk, kkeuuk..."
The beaten Ha-dong writhed among its dead buddies, groaning.
Four dead by our hands. Five came, five wiped.
"Hey, Ha-dong."
"Kek!"
I stomped its stump.
"Where's your nest?"
"Kegak..."
"Where's the nest?! Speak before I kill you!"
"Gieeeek! I talk! That way!"
It flailed wildly—unintelligible. Guide duty it is. Didn't expect vocabulary from yokai trash.
"Good. How many of you?"
"Many! Lots!"
"How many exactly?!"
"Don't know! Lots! Aaak!"
I punched it in rage, but no numbers. Dumb yokai can't count.
"Fine, lots. Leaders?"
Ha-young asked about bosses.
"Two! Boss and sub-boss! Kek!"
Can count to two.
"Bosses, huh?"
"Yeah, yokai packs have leaders. Like the 108 Yokai Army? That level."
"Hm... Decent strength?"
"Just bigger. Stronger, maybe. Might drop yodan."
Yodan—our goal. Motivation spiked.
"My turn."
Serin stepped up.
"Where are the women you kidnapped?"
"Women! In cave! Not here! Other cave!"
Violence works. See? Even this idiot's explaining hard to avoid pain.
"Where? That way! One woman! With boss!"
With the boss, then.
"Settled. Kill the leaders, check for yodan, rescue the woman. Done."
"Yes. Good."
"Saving people is Taoist duty too. Let's go."
Time to march.
"Guide us home, fucker!"
"Keeek!"
I yanked the Ha-dong by its head and hauled it up.