Escape (2) - The Seven Great Demonic Arts
Among the demonic arts—even in the Demonic Cult brimming with lunatics—the Seven Great Monstrous Arts stood out as particularly bizarre. Mastering one like the Transformation Demonic Art meant that bastard was a bigger piece of shit than most pieces of shit. Of course, finding someone in the Demonic Cult who wasn't a piece of shit would be the real challenge.
Anyway, that freakish appearance combined with the cannibalistic tendencies let me figure out who he was. Sagun Naengokhwan.
Of course, identifying him wasn't good news. It was creepy enough that I'd crossed paths with him in the Cheondong Cave before. And now this psycho had come specifically to wipe us out? No way to spin that as anything but bad.
But...
I'd sucked up Jegeomhak's rampaging innate qi, filling my dantian and body to the bursting point with power. Nothing scared me now. Or more precisely, I didn't have time to be scared. If I didn't unleash this energy soon, I'd explode.
Boom!
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Pushing the Sacred Fire Demon-Exterminating Hand to its limit made my hands glow so brightly their shape vanished. I poured everything into him.
Roar!
His inhumanly long fur reeked and caught fire effortlessly. Fur had no nerves, but burning fur quickly transferred the heat to his skin.
"Graaaah!"
Serves you right for growing fur like some damn beast.
Seizing the gap as he writhed in agony, I channeled my qi into the Red Light Sword. The White Moon Heaven-Subduing Three Forms, First Form: Extreme Swiftness slashed mercilessly.
Slash!
A whistling sound followed, carving a long diagonal gash across his body.
Crack!
"Guhhh!"
As he toppled backward, spewing dark red blood, I swung again to finish him. But a long red cloth shot out, swiftly wrapping around Naengokhwan. His pained screams from the flames grew quieter. Now he looked like some grotesque woman in red robes, fully shrouded in the fabric.
"Grr... Damn you. Just a moment's lapse..."
Rumble.
I prepared the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm while he spoke. And then—
"Huh?"
Before he finished, I unleashed it.
Kaboom!
The massive force shook the earth.
"Graaah! W-Wai...!"
I still had plenty of qi left, so I fired another one.
Kaboom!
After two blasts swept through, the red cloth vanished without a trace. Chunks of flesh had been torn from his body, blood pouring everywhere, bones visible in places.
But.
"This is insane..."
Even Nam Hwaseong had to groan. The wounds slicing his body were already healing.
Shhh.
"What the hell is that...!"
The gashes from tanking the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm head-on were regenerating too.
"Jin Danju..."
"Captain..."
Those facing off against Naengokhwan couldn't hide their dismay. Facing something that wouldn't die no matter what... it felt like dealing with that damn eternal earthworm again. Even slicing that thing had been a chore.
But whatever.
I replied flatly. "So what? You wanna cry about it?"
I'd already handled the earthworm. If the head doesn't break, keep smashing till it does. Plus, I'd fully recovered my qi—hell, expanded my dantian—thanks to that "beneficial" guy earlier. My wounds were all healed too.
"Let's see how tough you really are, you fucker!"
I charged with the Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps. He poised for a counterattack.
And in the midst of that, an attack? These psychos.
The Transformation Demonic Art wasn't just about freakish looks, monstrous regeneration, and tenacious vitality.
Though that's ridiculous enough.
Its scariest part was compensating for the Demonic Cult's offense-heavy martial arts weaknesses while amplifying their strengths.
Crack.
His Demonic Spirit Divine Fist should have been sharper, more defined—but this version blurred its presence instead.
Bam!
Pow-pow-pow!
I dodged the bursting strikes by a hair and pressed forward. Then the beast unleashed the Nine Section Thunderclap Demonic Fist. Despite being different arts, they flowed seamlessly like a chain punch. Faint electric traces followed as black lightning poured along the fist's path.
Kaboom.
I blocked with my armor, but the current burrowed in, trying to fry my optic nerves. I overwhelmed it with superior qi, countering simultaneously.
Rumble.
Did he predict it? Admiration burst from his mouth.
"You crazy son of a...!"
I unleashed the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm without hesitation.
Kaboom!
As he barely dodged, I followed with the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion.
"Shit!!!"
His relieved face twisted again as dozens of sword qi rained down from above.
Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow!
Any normal person would've been turned to mincemeat, but he escaped the blast radius like it was nothing.
Thud!
He kicked off so hard the surrounding dirt exploded outward.
"..."
I fired the Flying Dragon Claw at him, yanking him back.
"Grahhh!"
As he reeled in wildly, I went to smash him with the Sacred Fire Demon-Exterminating Hand.
Shhh.
But red qi slithered in like a snake. At the same time, the academy students fighting Binghwa-sa screamed.
"Captain! Watch out...!"
Before they finished, the red qi hit Naengokhwan and exploded.
Can't even aim right?
Splat.
But I'd underestimated these lunatics. The blast between us hit me dead-on too.
Whoa, psychos... Attacking their own ally to get me.
'They figure the Transformation Demonic Art will heal him anyway? Still...'
Unfathomable creepiness, even on second thought. Checking what they'd flung—
"Ugh..."
Burning pain seared my skin.
'Blood Poison.'
One of Binghwa-sa's arts, Deadly Blood Poison would melt your organs if it spread. I hastily gathered the poisoned qi in my hands and unleashed the Sacred Fire Demon-Exterminating Hand.
Roar.
Acrid black smoke rose as it burned. Only after full-power exertion did I purge it.
Binghwa-sa, now close, spoke in her shrill voice. "Hoh... Overcoming Deadly Blood Poison? You from Sichuan or something?"
The students fighting her looked pale, already suffering. Cheol Sunjik and Dang Seohui rushed over, but they looked rough too.
Even with the skill gap, getting pushed this hard meant their martial arts were freakishly abnormal.
No clear counter. No obvious way to turn the tide.
The crazy bitch smirked grotesquely before me. Truly perverts beyond imagination, fuck.
"Your buddy ate shit too, you psycho bitch."
My frustrated curse slipped out amid the chaos.
She blinked blankly at first, then cackled again.
"Fun. You're really fun."
But she stopped abruptly.
"Hmm."
She eyed me up and down appraisingly.
"Thought you had some unique art, but nah. Heh."
Her eyes flashed as she tapped her cheek.
"...!"
Staring straight into my eyes, she smirked.
"You're the one who ate the fire essence."
"What!?"
Naengokhwan, writhing from the poison, snapped his head up in shock.
"Kuh— What bullshit... A righteous dog like you couldn't absorb... Cough."
Before he finished, I charged with the Sacred Fire Demon-Exterminating Hand again. If he was poisoned, I had to take him down before it neutralized.
Even the Transformation Demonic Art would need time to detox Deadly Blood Poison.
Ting.
But Binghwa-sa didn't wait. She flicked, firing red qi.
I accelerated deliberately. No blocking that—better to dodge.
I maxed my sword qi and twisted the blade with flame principles toward it.
Shing.
The red qi veered off, grazing my ear. The rebound flung the Red Light Sword from my grip, but I didn't retrieve it. The hand technique was better now.
Boom.
The instant the explosion sounded behind me, I closed on Naengokhwan faster.
"You damn fucker...!"
Not fully healed, he punched wildly. Instead of blocking or deflecting, I focused on offense.
Time to test the Diamond Essence's effects, wanted or not.
Then—
Splat.
Rib-shattering impact hit. Breath caught; it felt like my body was pierced through.
But.
'It held?'
My ribs didn't break. It really endured.
Anyone hearing would cheer. Anyway.
"Hah..."
My hands were intact. I loosened my wrists.
"My turn, fucker!"
I repaid him double. My power dwarfed his.
Boom!
Whoosh-whoosh!
Explosions engulfed him in flames. Meanwhile, Dang Seohui and Cheol Sunjik intercepted Binghwa-sa.
'Hope they stay careful...'
I shook off the worry. We couldn't survive without taking these two down here.
"Grahhh!"
Naengokhwan, cornered by Binghwa-sa's blunder. Golden opportunity.
I unleashed the hand at full power.
Boom!
Whoosh-whoosh!
Burning fur, blasting flesh. I hurled the Flying Dragon Claw to reclaim the Red Light Sword. Sword qi flared as I gripped it, slashing long arcs.
Slash, slash.
"Hoh..."
By the fourth slash, the first was already healing. Impressive under poison.
"That so?"
Afterward, I followed slashes with the hand technique.
Boom!
"Graaaaaah!"
Flames hit gashes, spreading like poison through his demonic qi, tormenting him further.
"I'll kill you... Kill you!!!!"
Bearing wounds that would've killed anyone else, he fought at full strength. Side-glancing, I saw a gleaming bald head.
"Grab him!"
Ilgak glowed golden, seizing Naengokhwan from behind as he thrashed.
While he struggled, I shoved the hand into his maw.
"Greeeeh!"
His throat ignited. His beastly jaws tried to sever my arm, but—
Hummm.
I activated the Azure Dragon Ring.
"Grrrrraaahhh!"
He shuddered like struck by wind. Regeneration visibly slowed.
In that final moment, I plunged the Red Light Sword into his heart.
Stab.
Guh...
His jaws slackened. The massive body toppled.
Thud.
I reignited the hand into his torn heart and crowned his head in flames.
"Hah, hah, hah."
Panting, I watched the crackling blaze.
Got him. Even that damn Sagun bastard.
"...You."
Binghwa-sa showed her first stiff expression. Much better. Her ugly mug had grated on me.
I nodded at Naengokhwan's pyre. "He's dead because of you. You know that, right? Your retard poison killed him."
Her retort was gold.
"He was just weaker than I expected."
"...Yeah, that's you guys."
I advanced slowly on Binghwa-sa.
And—
Rumble.
Unleashed the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.
Kaboom!
But she was gone.
A chilling voice echoed. "The world's master is set. You only decide if you die in agony before it."
From Naengokhwan's spot. How?
Footwork that'd stun peak lightness experts. Beyond demonic arts, her martial depth was profound.
"He's already dead."
My sneer got a sinister smile. "You don't know what art he cultivated."
"What?"
"Heh."
Why grin? Their plans failed completely.
"No worries. Lady Soma will like this story better."
No grief for her ally, no rage at failure. Just business as usual. That nonchalance chilled deeper.
Red cloth extended from her hand, wrapping Naengokhwan's corpse.
We flung daggers and sword qi, but nothing connected. By my final blast, the ugly bitch had his body and reached the cliff edge.
"That was fun, Black Flame Dragon. See you next time."
Black Flame Dragon... Fuck.
With those eerie words, Binghwa-sa vanished into the cliff.
"Hah, fun my ass..."
As I muttered her parting shot, Ilgak asked, "Black Fl... I mean, Jin Danju... What now? Chase her?"
I glared at the cliff top. My lightness skill was top-tier. With Ilgak and a few others, we could pursue.
But I shook my head. "Nah. We retreat."
"Retreat?"
I gazed afar. "The ones who ambushed us earlier are coming."
Unpleasant demonic qi swelled from the distance. Her direction matched, so probably.
I turned to the students. "Grab your comrades! We move!"
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
As they bustled, tending wounded, I stared where Binghwa-sa fled, vowing silently.
One day, they wouldn't find toying with us amusing anymore.
I'll make sure of it.
I etched it deep into my unforgettable memory.