A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 387

387. King of the Demon Beasts

The beast that emerged from the forest was a massive black tiger. However, its abnormally large size, torn maw, and red glowing eyes made it clear that this creature was a demon.

*Crunch.*

Sheikh, caught in the demon’s jaws, was crushed like a dry twig. Blood splattered and flesh tore like paper, but no one could turn away from the gruesome sight. No, they couldn’t.

*Krrr.*

The demon, having crushed Sheikh in an instant, rose to its feet. The massive form of the demon was fully revealed under the moonlight. Even Bahadur was taken aback by its appearance.

*Kruk.*

Was it the reaction that was the problem? The large demon’s eyes turned towards Bahadur.

‘Huk.’

Bahadur, still on horseback, leaned back involuntarily.

The demon’s red, flickering eyes were enough to paralyze him. Moreover, the undisguised hostility was almost too much for Bahadur, a veteran of countless battlefields, to bear.

*Kuh-ung.*

The demon’s actions were almost playful. It was toying with its prey, displaying a threatening posture towards Bahadur, a habit typical of feline beasts.

However, that alone was enough to turn Bahadur’s face white. And the horse he was riding immediately began to convulse.

*Hiiiiing.*

“Ugh!”

The horse neighed loudly and raised its front hooves high. The sudden action caused even the experienced Bahadur to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

*Thud.*

As Bahadur fell, the horse bolted out of the forest. The other horses followed suit.

Bahadur, too, feared the demon’s attack more than the shock of the fall or the fleeing horses.

*Thwack.*

Immediately getting to his feet, Bahadur drew his dagger. And at that moment, Bahadur could see the demon’s red eyes staring at him, still standing there, looking at Bahadur with undisguised contempt.

“Kuk.”

Bahadur bit his lip. But the situation was getting worse.

“Brother!”

“Bin!”

Seorin’s urgent voice and No Gun’s somber tone echoed. And Bahadur saw it.

*Kruk, krrr.*

From the dark forest, two more beasts, no, massive demon beasts, revealed themselves.

*Thump.*

One had the form of a white tiger with snow-white fur, and the other the form of a tiger as red as blood. However, their grotesquely torn maws and gleaming blood-red eyes told that they, too, were demons.

*Thump, thump.*

The two demon beasts slowly entered the clearing. The sharp hostility and energy of the demon beasts instantly covered the clearing.

*Gulp.*

Bahadur felt his lips burning. Glancing at the two newly appeared demon beasts with a desperate heart, Bahadur couldn’t move a finger.

*Swish.*

The black demon beast, which had been staring at Bahadur, turned its head. The fact that it seemed to have no interest in Bahadur was somewhat humiliating, but Bahadur felt more relieved to be out of the demon’s sight.

*Krrr.*

The massive demon beasts’ eyes all turned towards Son Bin and his group.

*Kruk.*

“This situation doesn’t look too good, does it?”

No Gun said, feigning nonchalance as he looked at the demon beast glaring at him. However, his sword, So Young, shone without the slightest tremor.

“It’s not just ‘not good,’ it’s really bad,” Seorin said with a tearful face. It wasn’t because she was scared, but because she felt unpleasant. Seorin especially hated the energy of demons, recoiling from it.

But even in the midst of all this, Seorin did not avoid the demon beast’s gaze towards her. The Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, Hongjinmanri, were also ready to unleash their power at any moment.

“I-It’ll be alright, right? Right?”

Hwang Bang-ju avoided the demon beast’s gaze and asked, tearful. His handsome face had become quite comical.

*Kuaaaang.*

At that moment, the black demon beast, which had been growling lowly, barked loudly. Hwang Bang-ju flinched and turned pale, but No Gun and Seorin didn’t even blink an eye.

Son Bin, who was holding Baekro [his sword], was the same. With a firm expression, Son Bin raised Baekro towards the demon beast.

*Swish.*

The tip of Baekro’s blade, which shone proudly under the moonlight, was aimed at the demon beast. In fact, it was just a sign of warning, meaningless in the current situation.

However, the result was surprising.

*Kruk.*

The demon beast in the form of a black tiger closed its mouth. And an even more surprising thing happened.

The demon beast subtly lowered its body.

“What, what is it? These guys.”

No Gun frowned. Seorin also looked at the other demon beasts with a puzzled expression.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t just the black demon beast that lowered its body. Although they were still flashing their eyes, the demon beast in the form of a white tiger and the demon beast as red as blood also closed their mouths and lowered their bodies.

It was by no means a posture of preparation for attack. It was unbelievable, but the demon beasts’ energy had subsided.

“What, what is going on?”

Hwang Bang-ju also looked at the demon beasts with a surprised face. But when he met the demon beast’s gaze, he quickly turned his eyes away.

Because he clearly saw the hostility still flickering in those red eyes.

“I don’t know. The hostility seems to be still there, but why…”

No Gun muttered as he glared at the demon beasts.

There was no way he wouldn’t know what Hwang Bang-ju felt. The demon beasts’ hostility was still there. The murderous intent flickering in those red eyes hadn’t changed.

But a moment ago, they had clearly retreated, as if submitting to something greater than themselves.

“Could it be that these guys… Um!”

No Gun’s expression changed as he muttered. He immediately raised his head. And Seorin and Son Bin also realized what he felt.

*Thump.*

Hwang Bang-ju, who had been bewildered, raised his head. And only then did he see it.

Through the darkness of the forest, something large in the shape of a person was approaching, almost twice the size of Hwang Bang-ju, literally a giant.

*Thump, thump.*

*Kruk.*

As the giant approached, the three demon beasts raised their heads. And immediately, they kicked off the ground and flew towards the giant.

*Tap.*

The demon beasts flew through the air with a lightness that belied their large size. Then, they twisted their bodies gracefully and landed lightly without a sound.

*Thump.*

In the meantime, the giant revealed himself among the demon beasts. Golden hair and beard rising like a lion’s mane, and thick eyebrows and large eyes.

The giant, with an intense impression that seemed to embody the word violence itself, was completely shirtless and wore only pants. Except for the armor around his waist, there was nothing like defensive ability, just baggy pants.

However, no one could underestimate the giant.

Because his gray, gleaming body was covered with crack-like dark red lines running here and there, as if his skin itself was an absolute armor.

*Thud.*

The end of the giant axe shaft shook the ground. It was only that the giant had set the long axe he was holding on the ground, but the aftermath seemed to shake the entire forest.

*Krrng.*

The three terrifying demon beasts bowed their heads before the giant and growled. It was a ridiculous sight like big cats, but no one laughed. No, they couldn’t even pay attention.

Because the overwhelming force emanating from the giant’s white eyes was pressing down on everything around him.

“Oh, my.”

A heavy voice echoed around. He looked down at Son Bin and his group with eyes that were all white.

“My cute little ones have committed rudeness.”

He was smiling, but that didn’t ease the atmosphere, but rather created an even tighter tension.

“But it can’t be helped. When they see something like that…”

*Swish.*

The giant’s slightly frowned eyes turned towards the shattered remains of Sheikh. With a light sneer, he continued.

“They just want to bite it.”

*Sreuk.*

The demon beast in the form of a large black tiger brought its head under the giant’s hand. The giant lightly stroked the black demon beast’s head with his large hand.

*Garrr.*

The black demon beast rumbled in its throat. No one could open their mouths at the bizarre sight. Hwang Bang-ju couldn’t even think of translating. But No Gun was an exception.

“Who are you?”

No Gun said. The giant, who was stroking the demon beast, frowned slightly and turned to No Gun. But the silence didn’t last long.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I didn’t expect to run into you like this either.”

It was fluent Central Plains language [the common language of the setting]. Moreover, the answer wasn’t directed at No Gun. The giant’s white eyes without pupils were directed straight at Son Bin.

“The ruler of the Devil’s Heaven, the king of all Desire Realms, the Sixth Heaven Devil King who rules the six heavens.”

It was the very expression that the demons of Seojang used to refer to the Heavenly Devil. Looking straight at Son Bin, the giant said.

“One of his six great demon gods and the king of all demon beasts, the Beast Demon God, is me.”

‘Demon God.’

Son Bin had already heard that word from Hwang Bang-ju. That demon god was now appearing before his eyes.

“Heh, introducing yourself… Aren’t you ashamed?”

No Gun’s voice popped out. The Beast Demon God shifted his gaze at No Gun’s words. No Gun said, blatantly sneering.

“Even when I wasn’t in my right mind, I didn’t do such childish self-introductions. Who decided you were a king…”

*Gritting.*

No Gun gritted his teeth.

“Who decided you were a god? You half-baked bastard.”

Hwang Bang-ju’s face, who was listening, turned pale to the point of being blue. This was an undeniable provocation.

But the Beast Demon God laughed.

“A half-baked bastard… Well, if you’ve seen that guy from Seojang, you might say that.”

With a relaxed expression, he lightly touched his chin and slowly continued.

“That guy dared to try to control the Great Devil’s Essence without even having the ability.”

No Gun’s expression wasn’t good. The giant in front of him, who was clearly a demon, was so different from the demon he had seen in Seojang.

That wasn’t good news for Son Bin and his group. It meant that an already dangerous opponent had become more dangerous.

“But that doesn’t mean…”

*Hoo-ook.*

An overwhelming force poured out from the Beast Demon God in an instant. There was no sign, no warning.

“That you can be rude without restraint.”

*Kwakwakwak.*

His eyes, which were only white, shone white, and the cracks running all over his body glowed red.

Not only that, the trees, the grass—no, the forest—was trembling before the Beast Demon God’s energy. The hostility that the three demon beasts were sharply raising was nothing compared to that energy.

It was then.

*Woong.*

With a small reverberation, Son Bin’s Baekro shone. It wasn’t blindingly bright, nor did it make a sound loud enough to deafen.

But nothing could cover up that clear sound. Like a starlight that happened to appear in a storm, Baekro was shining more beautifully and nobly than ever.

*Shwik.*

Baekro’s blade drew a trajectory in the air, and the Beast Demon God’s energy disappeared in an instant as if washed away.

*Kruk.*

The three demon beasts growled lowly, but they couldn’t dare to show their teeth. The demon beasts were closing their mouths and lowering their bodies towards Son Bin as they had done a moment ago, still flashing their red eyes, flickering with hostility.

“Oh, my.”

The Beast Demon God’s heavy voice echoed around. The Beast Demon God looked at Son Bin and said.

“I seem to have been a little excited. Forgive my rudeness.”

No Gun didn’t miss that his white eyes were shining more subtly than before, and that an unknown smile was lingering on the Beast Demon God’s lips.

“But you.”

*Swish.*

The Beast Demon God’s eyes turned to No Gun again. No Gun snorted and glared at the Beast Demon God.

“It’s better to watch your words. If this wasn’t such a place, and if I wasn’t in such a good mood, you wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.”

No Gun, who was about to retort immediately, couldn’t say a word because the Beast Demon God turned his head to another place.

*Kwajik.*

“Kuh-uk!”

A chilling sound and a groan leaked out. General Bahadur was already caught in the mouth of the demon beast with red fur.

The Beast Demon God lightly gestured to the demon beast with red fur. Then, the demon beast, with Bahadur in its mouth, kicked off the ground and flew to the Beast Demon God.

*Sarak.*

The demon beast with red fur landed silently and showed the Beast Demon God Bahadur, whom it had brought in its mouth. The Beast Demon God lightly stroked the demon beast’s head, then lightly swept Bahadur’s chest with his large hand.

*Hududuk.*

Bahadur’s clothes tore, and what he had been hiding fell to the ground.

“The Empire’s general isn’t something you can get easily. And these guys…”

Among the things scattered on the ground, the Beast Demon God picked up something like a small cylinder. The cylinder held in his large hand looked very small, but in fact, it was about the size of an adult’s forearm.

“They always have something like this.”

‘That’s?’

*Kwajik.*

While Son Bin was wondering, the cylinder broke in the Beast Demon God’s hand, and Seorin frowned and muttered.

“Ugh, the smell of gunpowder.”

It was probably a kind of fire tube [an early explosive device], something for signaling, or something with destructive power.

“It’s nothing much, but it would be troublesome if it exploded here. The Empire’s army camp is nearby, and I’m planning to smash that place tonight.”

The Beast Demon God smiled as he looked down at Bahadur, who was caught in the demon beast’s mouth.

“If I hang the Empire’s general on the tip of a spear, wouldn’t it be a great declaration of war?”

It was the language of Cheonchuk [another kingdom]. But Bahadur couldn’t say anything and trembled. It was unknown whether it was because of fear or because of bleeding.

“We’ll retreat now.”

The Beast Demon God said, stroking the demon beast’s head. His white eyes looked straight at Son Bin.

“And I politely advise you not to get close to the Empire’s army camp tonight.”

*Swish.*

The Beast Demon God took a step back. And another step, the Beast Demon God’s body was submerged into the darkness of the forest.

Along with him, the three large demon beasts also growled lowly and retreated.

“Wait.”

It was Son Bin’s voice. At Son Bin’s words, who hadn’t said a word until now, the Beast Demon God’s white eyes sparkled.

“The Heavenly Devil.”

Looking straight at the Beast Demon God, Son Bin asked.

“Where is he?”

A moment of silence flowed. But No Gun could clearly know that the Beast Demon God’s eyes in the darkness were gleaming with an unknown heat.

“…It’s a pity. If only…”

The Beast Demon God closed his eyes and opened them again. In the darkness of the forest, his white eyes gleamed and looked at Son Bin.

“…If you kill me, you’ll know then.”

Son Bin frowned.

The Beast Demon God was telling him to kill him now, and even now, his fighting spirit was being conveyed blatantly. But the Beast Demon God didn’t move, as if he couldn’t move on his own.

*Thump.*

The Beast Demon God took another step back. And as the Beast Demon God and the demon beasts were completely disappearing into the forest, the Beast Demon God’s low voice flowed out from the darkness.

“I look forward to seeing you again, ‘Raja’ [king].”

That low voice soon scattered and disappeared into the air, and the energy of the Beast Demon God and the demon beasts was no longer felt.

*Swish.*

The wind blew. The only people left in the forest clearing lit by the moonlight were No Gun with a distorted expression, Seorin who was sighing in relief, and Hwang Bang-ju who was still frightened.

The remains that were once the subordinates of Sheikh and Bahadur, along with the foul stench of blood, were telling that the events of a moment ago were not a dream.

*Sreuk.*

Son Bin slowly sheathed Baekro, and Son Bin gritted his teeth as he looked at the darkness where the Beast Demon God had disappeared.

(Author’s words)

Dang Wora: Did you ask (why you didn’t keep your promise)?

Son Bin: Ah, that’s… It wasn’t me, but a demon beast asked…

Dang Wora: ???