Chapter 498 - Let Me Have It Just Once
A crushing pressure built in the air.
Feeling the very air warp, my eyes darted about.
'This is it.'
My hair stood on end at Gueseon’s fighting spirit.
Contrary to that chilling sensation, my mind was racing.
[You crazy bastard.]
Noya spoke to me as if dumbfounded.
[To think you’d actually try to do this. You’ve truly lost your mind.]
'You helped me plenty, and now you’re backing out?'
[What help do you claim I gave?]
You helped me a great deal.
After all, you told me about Nangong Myeong’s temperament.
Ah, to be precise.
'The thing presumed to be Nangong Myeong. Its personality, was it?'
Before arriving here with Uhyeok.
I had agonized greatly over how to obtain the Noea.
The reason was none other than that every method I’d come up with just before had to be scrapped.
The various plans I’d devised had all become impossible with the certainty that Wudang’s Gueseon was a person of the Nangong family and the suspicion that the Nangong clan was pretending not to know.
Because using my original plans would create problems.
Did that mean I had to give up on the Noea?
'No.'
That was impossible.
'I have to hand the Noea over to Nangong Bia.'
For the future.
Furthermore, the Noea was essential if Nangong Bia was to ascend to a higher realm with ease.
'Nangong Myeong’s temperament is a bit grating, though.'
As expected of a friend of Shin Noya; the old man’s temper is rotten beyond belief at a single glance.
[What was that, punk?]
I heard Noya flare up—he had an uncanny sense for when someone was badmouthing him.
It was true, though.
Or rather...
'The possibility that it might not be Nangong Myeong is something of a problem.'
If there was a problem, it was that Noya’s words on the way here nagged at me.
The moment I stepped out to meet Gueseon.
Noya had said something cryptic to me.
"Perhaps that fellow might not be Myeong."
I thought it was a random remark and asked what he meant, but.
Noya said he wasn’t certain yet and told me to simply keep it in mind.
'If not Nangong Myeong, then who?'
I didn’t know, but I simply believed it because Noya said it was so.
Not trusting Noya at this point would also be a problem.
Besides.
'Right now, whether that’s Nangong Myeong or not, it doesn’t matter.'
Even if the old man inside that Noea wasn’t Nangong Myeong.
It didn’t matter to me. What mattered was whether or not I obtained the Noea.
So I continued to worry over it.
How could I get my hands on the Noea?
After thinking it over, fortunately, there were methods available.
Quite a few, in fact. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t experienced such sordid affairs in my previous life.
Having done such work professionally before, it wasn’t particularly difficult for me.
The only problem was that none of them were proper methods.
[...That too is a talent of its own.]
'Thank you for the compliment.'
[You think that’s praise?]
'If I receive it as praise, then it’s praise.'
After that, I heard Noya grumbling that he’d die of apoplexy, but I ignored him.
He’s already dead; I don’t know why he’s acting like that.
Well, anyway.
Among the many underhanded methods and those I hated to use.
I chose the least objectionable one.
As for that method.
[Picking a fight to steal it....]
'Come on, why give the plan such a crude name?'
[Do you think this can be said any other way?]
Even so, such a vulgar name is a bit much.
Even if the meaning fits.
"So you’re going to discipline me."
"Our senile old master wishes for it. He’s an elder who hasn’t aged gracefully, so try to understand."
"I look like I’m about to be beaten to a bloody pulp by my friend’s master. How am I supposed to understand?"
"Haha."
Gueseon laughed at my sarcasm.
"For all that, your expression looks quite refreshed?"
"..."
I hurriedly schooled my expression at Gueseon’s words.
I must have let it relax slightly, thinking things were going my way.
'I’ve gone soft.'
I’d grown complacent in peacetime, making such trivial mistakes.
I had to remind myself. I had to keep reminding myself that this was not the time.
As I steadied my breathing and set my expression.
A sharp voice rang out from the other side.
[I cannot comprehend this.]
It was Nangong Myeong’s voice.
[Why aren’t you stopping him, Sin Cheol?]
At those words spoken as if he couldn’t understand, I thought to myself.
'Just as I thought.'
I’d tested it just in case, and it seemed this too was correct.
I could hear the conversation on that side.
But it seemed my conversation with Noya couldn’t be heard unless he allowed it.
'Is that so?'
Of course, I couldn’t be certain.
They too could likely hide their conversations if they wished.
However, if asked whether they would go out of their way to do so, I simply thought they wouldn’t.
While not abandoning my faint suspicions, I set the direction of my actions.
Rather than acting indecisively while harboring doubts.
This was the better choice.
At Nangong Myeong’s words, Shin Noya spoke, sighing.
[Do you think this fellow would listen if I tried to stop him?]
[Ha. You call yourself his senior, yet you can’t even control him to that extent?]
[That’s not something you should say, Myeong... and besides.]
Slowly, I unleashed my body’s energy into my flesh.
[I don’t believe this fellow said anything particularly wrong, either.]
[...What?]
At Shin Noya’s words, Nangong Myeong’s voice grew frigid.
[The boy spoke roughly, but do you think anything he said was wrong?]
[You....]
[Hmph. Times have indeed changed. To think you, Myeong, would grow so sharp-tongued.]
He nagged me so much about not provoking him.
Now I see this old man has quite the sharp tongue himself.
So he’s a swordsman who made history; his tongue is just as sharp.
[...I can hear you cursing, so be quiet. Didn’t you ask for help?]
'My apologies....'
Even a ghost has keen hearing.
As Nangong Myeong’s fury reached even here, Gueseon—who’d been holding his tongue—spoke up.
"Sigh... Elder. You’re making a bit of a scene, so please stay put."
[You too...!]
"I don’t know what you’re talking about, but don’t get worked up and stay put. And."
Gueseon’s gaze turned toward me.
"Though it wasn’t intentional, I apologize for my actions just now."
"..."
"However, I want you to know that your tongue has crossed the line."
I knew. That I had pushed it a bit too far.
This was also me giving Gueseon, or perhaps Nangong Myeong, a pretext.
So that it wouldn’t be a problem to fight me, and so that they could—
"—if they wanted something from me, all the more so."
'Damn.'
Gueseon had caught on as well.
"I’m curious. What is it that a child like you wants? I live as a pauper, so I haven’t any money...."
"I have no intention of extorting money from you."
I’m quite wealthy myself now, you see.
I don’t particularly need money.
Gueseon smiled slightly at my answer and asked.
"Then, what do you want, coming at me like this?"
If I came right out and asked for the Noea, would he understand?
Judging by Gueseon’s demeanor, perhaps he might.
But.
"Well, you see...."
But doing so felt like a waste. The reason being—
"I think I can tell you once the disciplining is all done."
Ridiculously enough, I’d developed a taste for it.
I wanted to fight Gueseon. My body was boiling with excitement.
[Huh.... To think the fellow who used to find fighting a bother and go out of his way to avoid it is doing this. The sun must be rising in the west.]
'Tell me about it.'
Was it because my body had changed? Or because recovering my realm had given me a pointless fighting spirit?
Or perhaps I simply wanted to test the stronger realm I had attained.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.
Crack.
I loosened up. Drawing up my energy.
Now was the time to focus on my opponent.
"Ssss...."
As I accumulated heat within my body.
"...First, there’s something I want to ask."
Gueseon’s voice reached me.
"What is it?"
"...It’s... something I’ve wanted to ask for a while now...."
Gueseon seemed to hesitate somewhat, as if finding it awkward to ask.
What was he suddenly trying to ask?
The moment I tilted my head in curiosity.
"...Why does your face look like that?"
"..."
Ah.
At Gueseon’s words, I remembered a fact I’d forgotten.
Namely, that my face had been beaten to a pulp by those bastards.
******************
In the silent space, the air shifted in an instant.
I had been struggling merely with the pressure Gueseon exuded.
Fwoooosh-!
As an unidentifiable heat began to radiate from Guyang Cheon’s body, that oppressive momentum doubled.
'Hot.'
The heat brushing against his cheeks was unlike anything ordinary.
Gueseon had to suppress the smile tugging at his lips at the dense, heavy aura that far exceeded his expectations.
'Incredible.'
History itself stood there.
Gueseon was certain.
He was witnessing, with his own eyes, a stroke of history that would surely be recorded and endure.
Looking at Guyang Cheon, Gueseon couldn’t help but think so.
If he was already like this, how high would he soar in the future?
The origin of a pillar that would rise to unseen heights.
Watching from the vantage point of that beginning, one felt a sweet yet bitter contradiction.
Did one feel envy toward his talent?
No.
Gueseon had never been the type to feel such jealousy to begin with.
'When the level is different, you don’t even feel such things.'
Jealousy is felt only when you harbor the regret that you might be able to catch up.
From the very beginning, something far in the distance inspired awe, not envy.
And Guyang Cheon was exactly that.
This wasn’t a talent one could even think of coveting.
That was the choice of Heaven.
Otherwise, it made no sense.
Then what was the regret Gueseon felt now?
'My disciple is pitiful.'
It was precisely the regret regarding Uhyeok.
He worried about Uhyeok having to watch such a monster by his side. It made Gueseon uncomfortable.
'Ha, to think I’d end up worrying about something like this.'
It was absurd even to himself.
Of all things, to think he’d worry about his own disciple being cowed by a peer.
Though the disciple himself didn’t seem to care much.
Gueseon observed Uhyeok’s face from a distance.
'...Why does he look so excited?'
Uhyeok was staring this way with an uncharacteristically bright-eyed face.
Even with his master about to fight his friend, he looked excited, as if wondering why they weren’t fighting already.
He’ll be the death of me.
'...Am I just unlucky with disciples?'
He had never once thought that before.
On the contrary, he’d thought he had more than enough. He wondered if Uhyeok had made the wrong friends; the boy seemed somewhat changed.
If so, was that fellow the problem?
Gueseon looked at Guyang Cheon.
Irritating.
That gaze was exceedingly irritating.
Beyond the fact that he’d agreed to discipline the boy, instead of fearing the fight, his eyes gleamed with delight.
In other words, he was actually looking forward to fighting him.
'Hah, damn.'
How can such a fellow exist?
Gueseon couldn’t understand. What was his purpose in welcoming this fight?
He vaguely knew the boy wanted something from him.
Gueseon had keen instincts, after all.
However, he had no idea what.
'Moreover.'
Guyang Cheon was a problem too, but the bigger issue was.
'That I’m looking forward to it myself.'
The fact that Gueseon himself was secretly hoping to fight Guyang Cheon.
His senses soared.
His fighting spirit reared its head of its own accord, soon breaking free of his will and growling.
Leaving aside Gueseon’s temperament, was it the instinct of a martial artist?
The fighting spirit, having met a worthy opponent, bared its teeth to overwhelm them.
He recalled how Nangong Myeong had given a direct order to discipline the boy.
What had his own heart felt then?
Outwardly, he’d cursed Nangong Myeong.
'An excuse.'
Hadn’t he honestly thought it was a good excuse deep down? Gueseon saw through his own contradiction.
He wanted to fight.
Was it because such boundless potential stood before him?
How bright that dazzling light was.
And.
'How bright it would become.'
He wanted to feel it firsthand.
Shhhring.
He drew his sword.
In that instant.
Fwoooosh--!
The pressure erupting from Gueseon’s body devoured the surroundings.
Rooooar-!
Unlike the heavy pressure, the sword cry emanating from Gueseon’s blade was incomparably clear and crisp.
It revealed just how extraordinary the realm Gueseon had reached.
"Whoa...."
Uhyeok, unable to help himself, let out an exclamation.
Seeing that, he realized his master was getting serious.
'Will he be all right?'
He watched with interest yet felt worry.
Though his master drew complaints from those around him with his eccentric behavior, no one could ignore his blade.
The elders and the sect leader had said that were it not for his temperament, he’d have been a shoo-in for the next sect leader.
Of course... his temperament showed no signs of changing.
The current sect leader, Wudang’s Geomseon, seemed unlikely to hand over the position.
Conversely, since his master didn’t covet the position, perhaps it didn’t matter.
Amidst the gradually intensifying atmosphere, Uhyeok observed Guyang Cheon.
His perfectly straight back.
An atmosphere that seemed somehow changed over the past few days.
A sense of incongruity, a quiet silence mixed with a personality that seemed fierce and restless.
A presence that felt anything but small despite being shorter than him.
Though his face was a sight to behold, battered from some beating.
Even so, Uhyeok could sense that Guyang Cheon had changed.
'What happened to him?'
He wanted to know.
Because Guyang Cheon wouldn’t speak of it, he pretended not to notice.
He wanted to know the nature of that drastic change.
Yet the reason he didn’t ask was, ultimately, because of Guyang Cheon’s will.
Because Guyang Cheon didn’t want to speak of it.
Uhyeok simply kept his mouth shut.
Rooooar--!!
The sword cry grew more intense, and simultaneously, the heat deepened.
Uhyeok stretched out his hand.
Something brushed against his fingertips as they stirred the air.
It was astounding.
So that the energy radiating from the center wouldn’t reach Namgung Bia and Uhyeok.
A barrier had been erected so subtly it was unnoticeable.
Though he acted as if he hadn’t noticed, Uhyeok—with his exceptional hearing—could 'hear' that Guyang Cheon had erected it.
Feeling this, he looked at Guyang Cheon.
'He’s going to lose.'
If the two fought, Guyang Cheon would lose.
No matter how exceptional Guyang Cheon was.
He couldn’t defeat his master.
Did Guyang Cheon truly not know this?
No, that idiot was fighting despite knowing it.
Why?
Uhyeok couldn’t fathom the reason.
Guyang Cheon was someone who seemed to say everything freely, yet kept the truly important matters to himself.
Uhyeok sighed and looked to his side.
Namgung Bia, who was staring intently in Gueseon’s direction.
"...Are you all right?"
"..."
She didn’t even look his way, as if she had no interest in his words.
At that frigid disregard, Uhyeok let out a short laugh.
"Sister-in-law."
"Hm?"
"Goodness."
At the casual address, Namgung Bia turned her head.
He couldn’t help but smile at her simple yet resolute attitude.
"Are you all right, sister-in-law?"
"...What do you mean...?"
"With that hothead acting like that. I’m asking if you’re all right."
He was about to fight his own master.
From the moment Guyang Cheon had arrived with his face in such a state, Uhyeok couldn’t forget the look in Namgung Bia’s eyes.
'...They were eyes that looked ready to cut everyone down.'
How could he forget her fingertips trembling ever so faintly as she gripped her sword hilt?
Had Namgung Bia fought Uhyeok then, he would have lost without a doubt.
That was how breathtaking Namgung Bia’s fighting spirit had been.
Yet now he was about to be beaten by his master.
Would Namgung Bia truly be all right?
That was why he’d asked.
"I’m fine."
"Hm?"
Unexpectedly, Namgung Bia answered flatly.
"Why?"
At that, just as Uhyeok was about to grow flustered.
Namgung Bia continued.
"Because there must be a reason he’s doing that."
"..."
Her words were filled with unwavering faith.
And within them.
"However... I hope it’s not for me... not for us."
A sharp sorrow was mixed in, rendering Uhyeok speechless.
'This is a bit enviable.'
A faint envy welled up from deep within.
Guyang Cheon’s greatest strength wasn't—
—his absurd talent, but perhaps his incredible luck with women.
That feeling suddenly crossed his mind.
Uhyeok turned his head. He saw Guyang Cheon clenching and unclenching his small fist. Since his fighting spirit had peaked, something would erupt at any moment.
At that moment, as he focused his gaze—
Fwhip-!
As if by sleight of hand, Gueseon and Guyang Cheon’s figures vanished.
KABOOOM-!
A sudden explosion erupted.