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….”
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