A faint thunderclap echoed through the clear sky.
Cheon Sohui was the one staring with wide eyes at the punch she had just thrown.
“Did you hear it?”
When the Gwonma standing before her nodded, Cheon Sohui shouted, overcome with emotion.
“Master! Your disciple has done it!”
At last, the sound of thunder had erupted from her own fist.
Following Geom Mugeuk, she had become the Gwonma’s second disciple and had been designated as the next Gwonma.
From that day, she had trained tirelessly in the Thunderbolt Asura Fist she learned from the Gwonma, and today was the first time she had produced the sound of thunder.
Knowing better than anyone how hard Cheon Sohui had worked, the Gwonma smiled. It was a precious smile rarely seen from him.
“This is only the beginning.”
“Yes, Master.”
She was so overjoyed she felt as though she could fly.
She knew there was gossip and whispering behind her back. The envy and jealousy were unavoidable.
She also knew there were words of concern about a woman having been internally designated as the next Gwonma.
After all, the current generation’s Gwonma was symbolized by that fearsome face, massive frame, and above all, those huge fists.
So she understood. But she would show them clearly. She would show them with her skill what this small fist of the next Gwonma could shatter.
Then someone spoke from behind.
“Congratulations, Junior Sister.”
She turned in surprise to see Geom Mugeuk entering the training grounds.
“Senior Brother! You’ve returned!”
Having been completely immersed in her training of late, she hadn’t even known that Geom Mugeuk had returned.
Geom Mugeuk answered her with a smile and greeted the Gwonma respectfully.
“Your disciple has returned from completing the Bukhae journey.”
“Welcome back.”
The Gwonma welcomed him with the same bearing as always. His fearsome face was unchanged, and his muscular body shone even more brilliantly.
“There were scoundrels on the Binggung side plotting something as well. They all collapsed dead drunk in the end, though.”
“I heard. Chwima-nim said you had a difficult time.”
He must have spoken with Father about the situation in Bukhae.
*Master, do you know what Father is thinking?*
Long ago, when Father was young, he had spoken of his dreams to Hyeolcheon Doma with an impassioned face. By now, wouldn’t he have spoken of such things to the Gwonma as well?
After exchanging greetings with the Gwonma, he turned his attention to Cheon Sohui.
“To already produce the sound of thunder. Truly remarkable.”
“It is all thanks to Master’s guidance.”
“I’ll treat you to celebratory drinks soon.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
Cheon Sohui was deeply respectful to Geom Mugeuk. Not only because he was her senior brother, but because he was the precious one destined to become the next Cheonma.
But there was a greater reason than that.
It was thanks to Geom Mugeuk that she had become the next Gwonma. Her fate had changed at the late-night training gathering she attended with him.
Geom Mugeuk, who had been walking some distance away, turned back to her.
“Junior Sister, you will become a truly magnificent Gwonma.”
In that moment, in Cheon Sohui’s heart, she did not call him Senior Brother. Nor did she call him Young Cult Leader.
*Cult Leader, I shall serve you with all my loyalty.*
* * *
The place I arrived at with the Gwonma was the cliff within the Donggwonmun.
To destroy this cliff in a single blow was the Gwonma’s dream. Just how much had that dream grown?
I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Gwonma and looked up at the cliff. It was still overwhelming. And the cliff resembled the Gwonma who gazed up at it.
Could this cliff truly be toppled?
Could this Gwonma truly be persuaded?
After looking up for a long while, I began with a story to gently loosen his heart.
“Ian has left to carry out his mission.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“He sent me a letter.”
It seemed that boy was certainly looking after his father.
“Then you must have heard the news that he found his family in Bukhae.”
The Gwonma silently nodded. Instead of asking if he was surprised, I said this.
“The Binggungju was greatly astonished by Ian’s identity. The niece he found had become Master’s adopted daughter.”
The one who should be surprised was not us, but them. I said this to elevate the Gwonma even above the Binggungju.
“Did you write a reply as well?”
Surprisingly, the Gwonma nodded. As if to say, *of course*.
I tried to imagine the Gwonma holding a brush—so minuscule in that massive hand—to write a reply. He wasn’t the type to write letters, so wouldn’t he have agonized over what to say?
But for that moment alone, he must have been a father who worried for and missed his daughter.
“I heard that if you had not gone to Bukhae this time, An would have been in danger.”
“I would like to say she would have handled it well even without me, but it likely would have been dangerous.”
The Gwonma’s gaze softened slightly. For now, he was not merely a disciple and the Young Cult Leader, but a disciple and Young Cult Leader who had also saved his daughter from crisis.
Now was my chance.
“Master. May I ask one question that is difficult to answer?”
He must never have imagined he would hear such a question from me.
“Do you like Father, or do you like me?”
The Gwonma looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“Too difficult?”
“No. I was surprised because it is far too easy.”
The Gwonma looked back up at the cliff, and I looked at the Gwonma.
Could I truly learn Father’s intentions from him, a man whose loyalty was higher and harder than this cliff?
If I had the Geukak Soma, then Father had the Gwonma.
If only I could make the Gwonma my ally, stopping Father’s ambition of unifying the martial world would be far easier.
But toppling this cliff before my eyes felt harder than toppling that great cliff.
“Father has become strange.”
“The Cult Leader?”
“He met separately with the Geukak Soma, and schemed with the Chwima.”
Whether he was feigning ignorance or truly thought nothing of it, the Gwonma asked bluntly.
“What is strange about the Cult Leader meeting a Majon?”
“If it were something he did all the time, it would not be strange.”
The Gwonma’s gaze shifted from the cliff to me.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I want to know Father’s plans.”
“If you are curious, ask the Cult Leader yourself.”
That was a poor move. Father had openly decided on a scheme with the Chwima while I was present. He must know that word of his separate meeting with the Geukak Soma would reach my ears.
Even when I first regressed and stood upon the dueling stage, Father knew I had been struck by sangongdok. Yet he did not intervene; he only watched. Watching to see how I would find my way out.
It is the same now. Father is watching me. It is like a game of Go. I have made this move. What move will you make now?
I intended to show him. That more than half the Majon oppose the war.
Even if Father’s recent overtures to the Geukak Soma and the Chwima were not for that reason, it did not matter.
Since Father harbors the ambition of unifying the martial world, this was a confrontation that would come someday.
“If he were someone who would tell me simply because I asked, I would not have agonized. You know what kind of person Father is.”
On that point, at least, the Gwonma did not deny it.
“To be honest, I was on high alert the moment I returned. Why is he suddenly managing the Majon when he never did before? Has he begun to move in earnest for the unification of the martial world?”
Though the words “unification of the martial world” were spoken, the Gwonma did not waver in the slightest.
“Did you know? Even you, Master, are acting strangely. You are too calm. As if you already know everything. Please tell me what it is you know.”
The Gwonma’s lips were heavy. To open those heavy lips, I honestly laid bare my situation.
“Should my suspicions prove correct, I am currently trying to win the Majon to my side. Of the three I have met so far, one is with me, one is with Father, and one remains undecided.”
What drew the Gwonma’s attention was the single undecided vote.
“Which Majon is undecided?”
“The venerable Doma.”
The Gwonma’s face showed a flicker of surprise before he nodded as if he understood.
“Doma truly cherishes you. For him to be unable to decide with that temperament of his.”
It was true. It should be one or the other. For Hyeolcheon Doma, being neither was intolerable.
But Hyeolcheon Doma was conflicted. Enduring the gaze that called him spineless, solely for my sake.
“Master is obviously on my side, is he not? After all, whose side would you take if not your disciple’s?”
“There are two disciples, and one Cult Leader.”
“I am your disciple, and also the Young Cult Leader.”
“Sohee will side with you later, no doubt.”
I knew his heart could not be turned with a few words.
So I asked him directly. The Gwonma was not one to speak in circles.
“If Father starts a war, will you accept that command?”
The Gwonma’s eyes flashed with intensity.
“If it is the Cult Leader’s command, of course I must accept it.”
I met that fearsome face and spoke.
“That is precisely why you, of all people, must oppose it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because Father cannot ignore your words above all others.”
I knew these were burdensome words for the Gwonma. To him, who lived as a Majon, I was forcing my will upon him.
But like the Geukak Soma had said, I was shouting to the Majon. To walk my demonic path with me. Yes, I believe. My attack will come divided into eight.
“War is the one thing that cannot happen, Master.”
The Gwonma silently stared at me, then began removing his upper garment.
“It has been a while since we trained.”
“That war—are you declaring it on me?”
Even at my jest, the Gwonma did not stop undressing.
The Gwonma’s upper body was revealed.
His physique was perfect no matter when one saw it. The large, thick muscles forged through grueling training showed no sign of sluggishness. His body shone like adamantine.
A single sword scar divided the Gwonma’s chest. I had heard long ago how he received that wound. It was from the days when he fought in an underground arena before entering the main cult.
It was a wound received after refusing the threats of the underworld criminals who rigged matches—wounds left by men he could now defeat with a single finger. He was ashamed of that scar, but I had told him it was magnificent.
Because it was a scar born from the precious courage of his youth, a dignity that did not falter even in the face of death.
At first, that was all I felt, but seeing it again today, the scar seemed like a symbol that spoke of the man called Gwonma. *I am one who does not fear death.*
I, too, removed my shirt and stepped forward.
“Ah! When will I ever have a body like Master’s?”
“Would you trade your body for mine if you could?”
“…….”
*Rumble.*
The Gwonma’s tightly clenched fist rumbled low.
“I will confess in advance. Lately, I have neglected fist training to focus on my Guhwamagong.”
Having been pushed down the priority list every time, I felt sorry toward the Gwonma. But he understood my situation well.
“There is no need to rush. Master the Guhwamagong first; the fist technique can come later.”
I had expected him to suggest a spar, but he gave the same instruction as always.
We stood shoulder-to-shoulder and began performing the Thunderbolt Asura Fist. Setting aside all debate of war, we immersed ourselves in training.
*Boom!*
The Gwonma’s fists began tearing through the air. I began executing the forms with movements identical to his.
When I performed the First Stance, Black Cloud Asura, the sounds of thunder erupted simultaneously from the Gwonma and from me.
The Second Stance, Thunderbolt Asura, sent fists so fast they were invisible tearing through the air; the Heavenly Thunder Asura descended with crushing weight. The Iron Horn Asura was magnificent, and the Adamantine Asura was unyielding.
Truly, we moved like a body and its shadow.
But the martial intent contained within the movements was entirely different. If the Gwonma was a deep ocean, I was still but a stream.
We finished the final round with the sixth stance, Flame Thunder Asura—the lightning strike of the Flame King.
Having concentrated so fiercely, sweat cascaded from my entire body like rain. Training bare-chested with the Gwonma was more exhilarating than any other training.
“The power in your fists has changed.”
Even though I used the same force as before, he had noticed that my internal energy had increased.
It was no longer easy to perceive the change in my realm now that I could manifest the perfect Banbakgwijin, but the power contained in these fists was something I could not hide from him no matter how I tried.
“As a reward for this matter, the Binggungju bestowed the Mangeuk Bingjeong.”
The Gwonma looked at me with a surprised face. He, too, knew what had to precede taking the Mangeuk Bingjeong.
“I was fortunate enough to also consume the Mannyeon Seolgwa.”
The Gwonma’s expression seemed to ask how one could consume the Mannyeon Seolgwa and obtain the Mangeuk Bingjeong by mere luck.
“Can you generate cold energy from your internal energy?”
The energy of the Mannyeon Seolgwa had melted into my blood vessels and organs.
“Yes, I can.”
“Then perform the Thunderbolt Asura Fist with the coldest energy you can.”
I performed the Thunderbolt Asura Fist alone again. As the Gwonma instructed, I executed it while filling my internal energy with cold.
The sensation was completely different from before. Even with the same internal energy, the power was far greater.
“The Thunderbolt Asura Fist was originally a fist art created to shine brightest when internal energy is pushed to the extreme. I believe the fact that you, my disciple, obtained the Mannyeon Seolgwa and the Mangeuk Bingjeong means you share a deep fate with the Thunderbolt Asura Fist. Therefore, do not neglect it, and make certain you attain great mastery.”
“I shall engrave it in my heart, Master.”
The Gwonma once again imparted his realizations of the Thunderbolt Asura Fist. It was a different lesson from the one taught on the snowy mountain in the past. The details omitted back then because they were unnecessary, and the new insights gained since then.
The Gwonma taught without the slightest reservation. A man who becomes a true teacher when he is a teacher, and a true father when he is a father—that is the kind of man the Gwonma is. This Gwonma is Father’s Majon.
When the Gwonma’s instruction ended, I prostrated myself before him.
“Master bestows such great teachings upon me, yet your disciple has been showing you disrespect.”
The Gwonma raised me up. In those blunt eyes of his, that day from long ago flashed past.
“You know how I met the Cult Leader, don’t you?”
When he had nearly died at the hands of the underworld thugs in the underground arena, Father saved him. The Gwonma followed Father to the main cult and entered the Donggwonmun. He said Father came to him again when he became a Heukgwon there. On that day, Father had said this:
*‘I will become the Cheonma, so you become my Gwonma.’*
That day, the Gwonma became Father’s man.
“I am a man who already died long ago. The life I live now is but an extra granted by the Cult Leader.”
The Gwonma’s gaze upon me deepened.
“I respect your demonic path.”
Those fierce eyes held sincerity.
But that respect could not change his heart toward Father.
“But I will follow the Cult Leader’s demonic path.”