Episode 18 (3)
‘A week must have passed by now….’
The white-haired old woman watched Yoon-seok with thoughtful eyes. He looked gaunt; he felt gaunt. The waiting room and the arena were different. Here, the challengers felt hunger, thirst, and fatigue. However, except for the occasional fainting, Yoon-seok continued to immerse himself in training without rest.
‘His tenacity is amazing.’
She wouldn’t have predicted that Yoon-seok would have the mental strength to continue fighting through his hunger and fatigue. Now, his dazzling talent had bloomed brilliantly. Even a celestial master could feel a sense of wonder at his steep growth.
‘Didn’t he say he has only picked up a sword in here?’
When she first heard it, the old woman thought the child was lying to gloat. Even for her, who knew countless geniuses, the fundamentals Yoon-seok had weren’t something that could be learned in a day or two. But watching Yoon-seok grow in real-time made her realize what he said must be true.
‘He has the qualities of a martial artist superior to any other student I’ve taught.’
It wasn’t just about talent and perseverance. It was his attitude toward martial arts, his aspirations, and his curious mind.
‘If I had met you elsewhere, I would have taken you as a disciple.’
Kagang-!
The Heavenly Devil raised her sword just in time, blocking Yoon-seok’s attack. She was startled out of her thoughts. Unlike before, when she could read his movements, she was genuinely surprised this time.
“Breaking your teacher’s thoughts, that’s another achievement!”
She expressed admiration openly, but Yoon-seok just remained silent. He continued moving his sword non-stop, seeming nothing more than a beast with a sword. The old woman met his attacks without pointing out the shortcomings or giving advice.
There was no reason for that anymore. Yoon-seok, the student, had now become a warrior. Long conversations were unnecessary between warriors.
If a part needed to be fixed, the old woman told him with her sword, and that was enough. By continuously exchanging blows, Yoon-seok’s swordsmanship continued to evolve. But the look in his eyes was the same. It was a gaze that was looking for more.
The old woman asked him.
“Isn’t that enough for you?”
A hard battle that continued without a break, through hunger and thirst. Yoon-seok desperately wanted a sip of water, a few hours of sleep perhaps. However, he hungered for something more than food or water.
“What makes you feel so lacking? What makes you that way?”
Yoon-seok answered the white-haired woman with a cracked voice.
“I don’t want to lose anymore….”
She was stunned.
“You don’t want to lose anymore?”
It was an unexpected driving force. If he said it was for wealth, fame, or survival, she would have easily understood him. However, all this kid wanted was victory itself.
‘What in the world could have made this child like this? Why is he so afraid of defeat and so obsessed with winning?’
She couldn’t figure it out, but it didn’t matter.
“Stop!”
The Heavenly Devil stretched her sword forward. Yoon-seok slashed at it sideways with his blade. When both blades came into contact, there was no distinctive sound. It was as if the swords were suddenly glued together.
Yoon-seok was tenacious, but the old woman easily changed the flow of energy in the sword and took the offensive. However, he did something unexpected. He immediately realized he could no longer hold onto it, and without hesitation, he loosened his sword and let the Heavenly Devil’s sword flow aside. She couldn’t believe it.
The Yoon-seok from a week ago and the Yoon-seok she was facing now seemed to be two entirely different challenges.
“If you only knew how to use the power that was spilled out from our swords….”
“The power that was spilled out can be used?”
Yoon-seok, who was about to charge in, stopped to ponder the old woman’s words. She took a step back as Yoon-seok closed his eyes and immersed himself in thought. During their battle, this had been a common occurrence. Yoon-seok was either achieving new heights or catching onto clues to reach there. This time, his new realization had come quicker.
When Yoon-seok opened his eyes, he found the old woman with her sword raised. The Heavenly Devil whispered.
“Now, time is up.”
Hunger, thirst, and fatigue accumulate in a person’s brain. While exploring this space, she had met another challenger she experimented with before. Her opponent went insane after a week, reaching the limits of the human mind. With Yoon-seok’s tenacity, they might be able to push on for a month, but what might happen next was uncertain.
“But…I can do more, I c-can….”
“You can’t even speak properly at this point.”
The word thirst couldn’t describe what Yoon-seok was feeling at this point. His dry throat had been so damaged that he could hardly make a sound. Every word he spoke felt like iron against his throat. Not to even mention rest or hunger. The human nerves became sensitive even after a day of starvation, but Yoon-seok had been at it for over a week now.
The lack of sleep must be giving him a throbbing headache. It would be difficult to keep his sanity against it.
“I’m…fine….”
The arena didn’t follow the rules of reality, so there was no limit to the pain. When a person reached the limit, it continued to accumulate like interest. Yet, Yoon-seok was saying he was fine. At this point, the old woman was wondering if his mental strength was even greater than his brilliant talent.
But she shook her head firmly.
“Your mental strength isn’t a problem, but your stamina has reached its end.”
When a challenger runs out of stamina, they die. Without stamina, his b Blood Pack} wouldn’t function. He could perhaps recover once or twice more, but that was it.
“So, our training ends here.”
At her firm words, Yoon-seok expressed his disappointment.
“Now, this Master will kill you.”
As the Heavenly Devil raised her sword, Yoon-seok felt a thrill.
“If you don’t want to die….”
This time, it wouldn’t be a battle to learn. It was a battle that risked his life.
“Kill this master!”
* * *
It was different from what they had done before. Now, they were facing each other from a distance, calculating their opponent’s next move. A lull in which only silence flowed.
With a hand against her back, the Heavenly Devil quietly headed toward Yoon-seok. He carefully adjusted his posture with her every step, gripping his sword with both hands, then with one hand, and twisting his body from side to side.
The reason was simple.
“You seem to have a lot of thoughts,” the old woman remarked. “How many exchanges did it take before you died?”
Yoon-seok was drawing several battles in his head with the old woman’s every step in the silence. And in those imaginary battles, Yoon-seok had already died several times. The opponent he faced was the mountain, the sea, and the sky. She was divine. There was no way a mortal could defeat her.
“I will ask again. How many times?”
Yoon-seok answered her honestly.
“Three times.”
The Heavenly Devil laughed bitterly.
“You’re saying you could take a master’s sword three times….”
It was too arrogant for a swordsman who had only just started to learn.
“Then, prove it.”
“…?”
“If you can take my sword three times, it’s your victory.”
“…”
Yoon-seok didn’t answer.
‘Can I take three blows?’
In the battle that occurred in his head, it was possible. However, it was highly likely that the reality would turn out different from what he imagined. But for Yoon-seok…
‘It’s not about whether I can do it or not.’
There were things in the world that must be done, regardless of the result. Yoon-seok had led a miserable life with his lack of courage, but now, as far as he knew, winning or losing didn’t matter. When the Heavenly Devil asked him before, he said he didn’t want to lose anymore.
He was okay with losing ten thousand times in a row. But he didn’t want to lose to himself. It was okay to lose if he could be proud of himself, without any shame.
“…”
Yoon-seok gave the old woman a quiet smile. Even without words, it was a sufficient answer to her challenge.
Comments