The Descent of the Heavenly Horse (Part 1) – 3

“No doubt about it, that blank face.”

As if meeting someone truly welcome, the woman smiles brightly at me.

She has a white robe-like garment draped over her shoulders, and underneath, she wears a black outfit with elaborate embroidery.

“If you’re seeing your teacher after so long, shouldn’t you show some respect?”

Even while feigning to reprimand my impoliteness, her face is beaming.

Clearly, the one she’s happy to see is me, yet not me.

Everyone except me is struggling.

Namgoong Soyeon’s companions, who had been suspecting me, were already sprawled on the ground, writhing, and Namgoong Soyeon was barely standing, legs trembling, as if struggling against a massive force pressing down on her.

“C… Heavenly Demon!”

At Namgoong Soyeon’s strained words, I realized that the woman in front of me was ‘the Heavenly Demon’.

Whether Namgoong Soyeon growled or not, she paid no heed and stood before me.

A very close distance where we could feel each other’s breath.

My reflection in her ruby-colored eyes looked quite exhausted.

She suddenly grabbed my left hand and placed it against her cheek.

As if feeling warmth in the dead of winter, she closed her eyes, savoring the temperature of my hand.

“Yes… this hand. I’ve waited twelve years to feel this touch.”

She murmured as if in a dream.

“I won’t let go now. I will never let go. I will protect you even if it means burning the world. Ah… my lovely disciple.”

Could this woman, who looks to be in her late twenties, really be the Heavenly Demon who has struck fear into everyone?

“Umm, excuse me.”

When I spoke to her, who was now purring and inhaling the scent of my palm, she gently opened her closed eyes.

And a finger blocking my lips.

“Be quiet. You just need to stay still like that.”

“Kuh…”

Behind her, as she fully savored the touch of my hand, the people who had fallen were slowly starting to get up.

Namgoong Soyeon, too, seemed to have the force pressing down on her weakened, as she regained her stance and turned her body towards us.

“You fiend, Heavenly Demon!”

A man with bulging, bronze-colored muscles shouted loudly and threw a fist at her.

Without realizing it, I tried to hug her and dodge.

I didn’t even know myself whether it was to protect her or simply to avoid the blow.

But there was no need.

“You’re trying to save this teacher again this time.”

A satisfied voice was heard from just below my chin, and her body vanished in an instant.

“Kaaaaaaaah!!!”

The Heavenly Demon, now standing next to the man, had his bronze-colored arm dangling in her right hand.

Spraying blood, the man screamed, and that sight didn’t seem to please the Heavenly Demon.

“Noisy.”

Her arm slashed from left to right.

“Noooooooo!”

Namgoong Soyeon swung her sword, trying to separate the Heavenly Demon, but the man’s head had already fallen to the ground.

-Splurt

“Ugh!”

The gushing blood made me nauseous, and I collapsed to the ground, retching.

Perhaps having seen my reaction? The Heavenly Demon spoke with a tone of pity.

“Oh dear… I showed you something unpleasant. Just wait a moment.”

Then, black flames filled my vision.

The black flames engulfed the man’s body, and before long, only blackened traces remained on the ground.

“Heavenly Demoooooon!!”

Screaming wildly, Namgoong Soyeon swung her sword, but it only cut through the air.

“Oof, are you feeling a bit better now?”

She was now sitting next to me, stroking my back.

Looking down at me as if a mother were worried about her child, she brought her lips close to my ear and murmured.

“Just wait a little longer, I’ll burn all the interlopers to ashes. We can continue our reunion after that.”

Leaving me behind, I could see a lava-like energy boiling from her body in front of me.

Martial arts or not… how could I not know when heat haze was rising from her body?

And the aura she was emitting, the presence, even to me, who knew nothing of martial arts, felt dangerous.

If I stood by idly… Namgoong Soyeon and everyone else would die.

It was Namgoong Soyeon who had helped me get this far. I couldn’t let her die like this.

I took the courage to take a step forward.

“Hmm?”

When I grabbed the hem of her clothes and pulled her back slightly, the Heavenly Demon turned around, looking puzzled.

“P, please let them go.”

I pleaded with her, trembling.

“Hehe… daring to shield other women instead of me? You impudent fellow.”

“Th, they are the people who helped me survive until now. Just take me and leave them alone.”

Staggering, I stood up and met her gaze directly.

The start of an unexpected staring contest.

The Heavenly Demon, scoffing as if she was dumbfounded, raised her hand and stroked my head.

“Alright, alright. I understand. I give up.”

She gave in so easily that I was even more surprised.

“Pitying the weak, disliking unnecessary killing… you were always like that.”

Only after messing up my hair completely with a bit of force did she take her hand off my head.

“Now then, let’s go. Well, our reunion is more important, what do those vermin matter?”

Laughing heartily, she grabbed my hand and tried to set off.

“Let him go!! Heavenly Demon!!”

Just as Namgoong Soyeon’s sword, scattering golden energy, flew towards the exact spot between me and the Heavenly Demon, I saw the Heavenly Demon click her tongue.

-Bang!

Namgoong Soyeon, sent flying far away by a single kick from the Heavenly Demon, couldn’t get up from her fallen state, and the Heavenly Demon snorted dismissively before picking me up in her arms.

The so-called princess carry.

“Youngma, follow behind.”

The Heavenly Demon muttered to someone in the air and then kicked off the ground, soaring into the sky.

And so, I, who had escaped from the Demonic Cult, was captured and brought back in two weeks.

By the hand of their leader, the Heavenly Demon, no less.