Episode 12

Swords continuously clashed as Min Yong-sun fought off another Rogue.

Yong-sun, along with rest of the dispatched Elites from the Second and Third got to the Grand Circle just in time after a third flare exploded on the grounds of the capitol. Even if the dust of red took its time to disperse, all the Elites didn’t hesitate to charge into battle. Each warrior was quick to engage to fight to defend the people of Supremus Imperium.

At one of the alleyways connecting to the town’s circle, Yong-sun kept on resorting to defense despite his large broadsword's given advantage for its length that was almost as long as his height. He can’t seem to find the right moment to attack. Hence, his continuous fluid movements to block off the onslaught of attacks from the three Rogues he was fighting all at once.

Yong-sun held the handle of his sword with both hands and blocked a katana that was aimed at his arm. He hauled his weapon to the side and sent the Rogues back; his broadsword almost slipping from his grip from the great force he exerted in that defensive approach.

Once again, the Demon warrior attempted to conjure flame to his hands for his blade, but failed miserably when it only flickered and disappeared into a faint smoke. His innate power to conjure fire was drained from earlier events at the training grounds of the Military Institute. Thus, he relied on his dwindling speed and strength, and channeled it to his broadsword instead.

Yong-sun managed to further push away one of the three and swung his broadsword at the other Rogue who wielded twin katana swords. The Rogue who held the twin blades underestimated the power exerted to the larger blade. So, both his katanas were split into pieces. Before the disarmed Rogue could fathom the graveness of his situation, the Demon already stabbed him to death with one swift lunge.

Then the Elite ran up to a Rogue Demon who also charged at him with enflamed hands. Yong-sun suddenly embedded the tip of his broadsword onto the ground with his strength. Yong-sun shifted his grip on the handle and used his stabilized sword to enable him to send a high roundhouse kick at the Rogue’s head; sending the Rogue in a painful daze.

Once he landed back to the ground, Yong-sun pulled his sword off the ground. Doubling his speed, he swung his sword with both hands at first before he let his left hand take all the weight in the of the final swipe, essentially killing the Rogue Demon.

Yong-sun was about to shift to the last of the three Rogues when all of a sudden, he found his left arm pinned to the nearest wall.

The unbelievable force that came with the dagger sent Yong-sun back and harshly hit the wall; also causing the warrior to let go of his only weapon. Pain reverberated at the back of his head and the back of his shoulders too as he slid down to the ground. But the pain was prominent in the slashed skin of his upper left arm that was outstretched to his side.

Yong-sun found his broadsword out of his reach at the side by some alley opening. He then looked up and saw that the last Rogue smirking at his work when the sleeve of the Elite was soaking up in crimson red; obviously feeling so smug of how the tables have turned in favor of the enemy.

“What the—Oh, come on!” Yong-sun cursed at himself when saw what had his left arm immobile.

Yong-sun spat profanities when he reached up and tried to pull on the dagger. To no avail, half of the blade was securely imbedded into wall. It didn’t help when he tried to move his left arm in hopes of ripping off the fabric of his sleeve. It was a futile attempt since the fabric was a bit thick and part of it was pinned into the wall too.

The warrior looked up see the Rogue unsheathing his wakizashi out of its scabbard all the while walking towards him. This made Yong-sun inwardly wince and panic at his state. He gripped the hilt of the dagger and frantically pulled on it once again but the pain was becoming unbearable whenever he moved.

By the corner of his eyes, Yong-sun saw the Rogue charged at him with inhumane speed; wakizashi raised, ready to smite him.

Suddenly, a shadow swiftly loomed over Yong-sun as the sound of blades clashing ringed loudly.

To say that Yong-sun was shocked at who just prevented his life from ending in a rather pathetic situation, was an understatement.

It was Park Ji Hoon.

Standing in front of the Demon Elite was Jihoon, using Yong-sun’s large and heavy broadsword to block off the Rogue’s wakizashi sword. Surprisingly, the Human held his ground despite the heavy weapon, and was on a correct defense stance; perfectly angling the broadsword to have its sharp facing upwards to deflect the enemy’s downward swing.

Jihoon’s heart was beating erratically since it was his first time holding a real sword, a large broadsword nonetheless, and it was definitely his first battle that he got himself into. He knew to himself that he has zero experience, zero training, and zero idea on what to do next after he made an impulsive yet heroic act of picking up the sword to save the warrior’s life.

With the adrenaline rush that boosted his limited Human strength, Jihoon pushed the heavy blade up and forced the Rogue back. Knowing that he must not waste the precious advantage of being on the offense, Jihoon wielded Yong-sun’s blade with all his might; applying all appropriate forms, effective stances, and advantageous strategies that he saw and remembered from all the times he sneaked into the training grounds, rather quickly.

As Jihoon managed to make the Rogue step back and away from the warrior, Yong-sun let out a breath he unknowingly held from earlier’s inevitable fear as he watched in shock and awe of a Human—a stable boy who has no training of some sort—was actually keeping up with a Rogue.

“Shit—Damn it,” the Demon got ahold of himself and forced himself to look away from Jihoon.

Yong-sun finally got the knife after he took a quick glance back at Jihoon. The fear and hesitation that flickered in the blonde’s green eyes when he was suddenly on the defense, sparked worry in the pit of Yong-sun’s stomach. As a warrior, an Elite, he has an oath to uphold which is to protect, even if Jihoon is a Human.

Yong-sun growled at the pesky blade that got him into this mess and got Jihoon fighting a Rogue in his place. He stood up in a rush and held the dagger in a tight grip.

With the Demon’s superspeed, Yong-sun got in between Jihoon and the Rogue right after the Human seemed to dodge a lunge aimed at his side. Taking advantage of this, Yong-sun quickly gripped the Rogue’s arm; pushed his knee whilst he pushed the arm down, breaking it mercilessly.

The Rogue screamed and let go of his sword. With a swift twist and change in footing that enabled Yong-sun to have his back in front of the Rogue, Yong-sun used his other hand that was holding the dagger and moved the blade pass his side in a second.

Yong-sun twisted the blade in the skin before he moved his arm outwards, cutting through the skin and letting the Rogue bleed profusely to his death.

The Demon pushed the Rogue off without so much care after the body went limp and fell on his back. He turned around to make sure that the Rogue was good as dead. He couldn’t help but scoff at the enemy.

Breathing heavily as the adrenaline was starting to subside from the lack of enemy’s presence in the premise, Yong-sun let out a loud tired groan. All he wanted to get a good night’s rest after all these—after all the rigorous training that was borderline indirect punishment he went through.

“Yah. Are you alright? Park Ji—What the hell?”

Yong-sun did a double take and looked around for the Human. But he found that the boy was nowhere in sight.

“Aish. Did that Human seriously just leave?” Yong-sun huffed.

The warrior went to his broadsword on the ground. Letting out a tired and annoyed breath, he picked it up to place it on his back.

Yong-sun was lazily yet still effortlessly wielded the sword with one hand and that was when he felt an odd texture on the hilt of his weapon. He proceeded to put it back on the scabbard on his back then looked down at his hand.

On his fingers and palm was blood. There’s no need to think about the logic behind this. He knew that Jihoon got hurt. Yong-sun inwardly flinched at the twisting sensation on his stomach. He refused to perceive that feeling as worry and concern for a Human.

“Pathetic."

The Demon didn’t even know who he was berating at that point:

Jihoon or himself.