Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Upgrade (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The familiar ceiling... damn it.
I was sick of looking at it.
Kim Gunja gripped his sword and rose mechanically.
He had no idea how many times he'd done this now.
At least over a hundred thousand, right?
Such thoughts crossed his mind, but his body automatically assumed the familiar stance it had repeated endlessly.
And as always, a flash of sword light exploded from Ma Ilcheon.
Like a mirror image, three identical flashes of sword light clashed in succession, grinding out harsh metallic screeches.
Then, seamlessly, the Second Form: Sky Piercer followed.
Clang!
Two long spears thrust out collided and canceled each other.
Using that recoil, the two spun like tops and unleashed the Third Form: Heaven Shaker.
Kirarararang!
The fiercely vibrating swords, from a single clash, spat out dozens of metallic rings as they bounced apart.
Kim Gunja's arms trembled from the successive impacts, but he desperately held his stance.
He didn't want to be split in two, after all.
Ma Ilcheon's sword left afterimages like a thousand-armed Guanyin, soaring high into the sky before abruptly plummeting down.
True to its name of collapsing the heavens, a Mount Tai-like momentum poured down.
And Kim Gunja, in a stance completely opposite to Ma Ilcheon's, swung his lowered sword upward.
A sword flew back with a metallic screech so intense it caused ringing in his ears.
The two, having swapped stances, clashed once more.
Kaaaaang!
Kim Gunja's stance crumbled completely under the impact.
The moment he realized he couldn't block the Sixth Form like this.
For the first time, something unexpected happened.
Kwajijik—
Ma Ilcheon and Kim Gunja's swords shattered into pieces, unable to withstand the successive shocks.
"...?"
Kim Gunja stared blankly at the fragments raining down.
In the endless-feeling time focused solely on Ma Ilcheon and the Heaven-Shattering Sword, he couldn't immediately grasp how to react to this sudden change.
And Ma Ilcheon seemed the same, his movements halting for a moment.
"........."
Ma Ilcheon stared at his sword hilt before finally speaking for the first time.
"What is the reason?"
Kim Gunja's eyes widened like saucers.
He was shocked that he spoke, but even more so because the voice—expected to be rough—was profoundly deep and clear.
As the stunned Kim Gunja hesitated, Ma Ilcheon asked again.
"I asked for the reason you so desperately seek to grow stronger."
The word "reason" triggered a panorama of memories from the past three months.
At first, it was because of Kang Inhyeok.
He felt wronged and furious.
He wanted to make him pay.
When Jin Garyul tried to overpower him outright, those feelings intensified.
But when Sin Yeji was in danger, he realized it.
The true reason he wanted to grow stronger, more urgent than revenge.
Making Kang Inhyeok pay remained unchanged.
But there was something even more important.
A deeply personal reason, nothing grand or noble. Kim Gunja said it honestly.
"I want to protect. Myself, and the people dear to me."
Because that's what he believed was the duty of one who learns.
"Heh..."
Ma Ilcheon let out an ambiguous chuckle, gazing into space before speaking.
"My sword was not suited for protection."
He said, staring straight at Kim Gunja.
Unyielding eyes.
Eyes only one who had clearly found their reason for growing stronger could possess.
A faint smile appeared on Ma Ilcheon's expressionless face.
"But yours might be different."
The Heaven-Shattering Sword is now yours.
Ma Ilcheon's body began dissolving into sand and scattering away.
As the startled Kim Gunja opened his mouth to say something.
His eyes snapped open at the notification.
"...?"
He was definitely awake, but it felt like he'd just opened his eyes?
Before he could resolve the doubt, his gaze was stolen by the brilliantly glowing human figure model.
It was the human model he'd always customized.
"...Customizing? No way...!"
Only then did Kim Gunja piece together a few facts.
The Customizing Room had never demanded the impossible from him before.
Daily quests, special quests—none.
They were brutally tough, nearly deadly, but always left a sliver of success possible.
'And that path was always toward my growth.'
Viewing the test the same way.
The reason his mind hadn't collapsed during that infinite time.
Perhaps the Customizing Room's power had intervened, making it possible.
After all, the test was to examine the 'resolve' of its master, not an 'experiment' to see how quickly he'd go mad.
Of course, that didn't change the fact,
'It was still hellishly tough.'
And an answer to his speculation appeared.
As always.
The completed human model overlapped onto Kim Gunja's body.
The sensations and experiences from clashing swords with Ma Ilcheon over a hundred thousand times fully integrated into his body.
Then, the alarm barrage exploded.
Heaven-Shattering Sword has reached 4 Stars! Heaven-Shattering Sword has reached 5 Stars! Heaven-Shattering Sword has reached 6 Stars!
[Physical Level Up!]
[Magic Power Level Up!]
Following the growth alarms,
Customizing Room upgrade notifications appeared.
And,
The reward he'd wanted most.
Kim Gunja clenched his fist tightly.
Austin approached him.
"Master, you worked hard."
Her tone suggested she knew everything that happened.
"Thanks. Did you... watch?"
He asked cautiously.
It wasn't a pretty sight.
"Yes, from start to finish. It's my duty."
"Sorry you had to see that."
"I'm used to it."
"Used to it?"
He blinked in confusion, but Austin just bowed her head silently.
"Then, Master, the perk..."
"Ah, hold on."
Before Austin could look puzzled, Kim Gunja bowed deeply toward where Ma Ilcheon had vanished.
"...Master?"
Once, twice, up to nine times.
Finishing, he stood.
"Not sure if this is proper, but I don't know the exact rituals like kowtowing or whatever."
He believed sincerity mattered more than formality.
"I learned a lot, Senior."
He bowed once more in genuine gratitude.
As the relieved Kim Gunja moved to select his perk.
An unexpected response came.
Kim Gunja blinked at the sudden developments, then chuckled.
Maybe.
Investors weren't as fearsome as he'd thought.
A pleasant fullness welled up, and he closed his eyes briefly, savoring the sensations of clashing with Ma Ilcheon.
With his mind made up, Kim Gunja spoke.
"Austin."
"Yes."
"Prepare the perk."
Austin smiled brightly and summoned the perks.
A thick smile spread across Kim Gunja's lips as he looked.
Hero Guild.
A man set down his documents and spoke.
"Quite amusing."
It wasn't amusing at all.
"Can't predict where he'll bolt next."
His head throbbed painfully because of it.
But he couldn't complain to Baek Jincheon, so the branch chief suffered inwardly.
'Of all people, the victim of Kang Inhyeok!'
For the branch chief ordered to bring Kim Gunja to Hero Guild, it was thunder from a clear sky—enough to make him go mad.
True to its reputation, Hero Guild didn't accept anyone with unclear backgrounds.
So when deciding to recruit Kim Gunja, they investigated him, naturally uncovering his recent activities, including his Hero Guild hospital records revealing ties to Kang Inhyeok.
A fact known only to a select few in Hero Guild.
He'd doubted his ears when told to delay the contract.
'What kind of guild is Hero Guild?'
Overwhelming number one domestically, second worldwide.
No reason to delay given their position.
But there was.
A damn good reason.
If he were guild master, he'd cut ties cleanly, but Baek Jincheon wasn't.
Once he set his sights, he'd acquire by any means.
"Small world, huh?"
"Yes, quite the coincidence."
"Any countermeasures?"
The branch chief took a deep breath inwardly and licked his lips.
"Best is Kang Inhyeok personally apologizing and escorting him."
Baek Jincheon tapped the desk and nodded curtly.
Impossible.
A gesture to suggest alternatives.
Kang Inhyeok was still a needed card; couldn't discard over this.
"Next best: Send attorney Choi Jinseung, the handler, to apologize."
"Can afford to discard him?"
"Plenty replacements. But few as clean in handling."
Silence fell, then Baek Jincheon spoke.
"Proceed. Aim to keep both."
If tough, sacrifice Choi Jinseung to get Kim Gunja.
Regrettable, but orders were orders.
"Yes. Will do so. Next, A-rank gate allocation..."
After finishing the report and leaving, the branch chief sighed.
'Smart guy, so he'll manage...'
But this time seemed rough.
So he had to consider sacrificing the attorney.
The world was funny.
Handling things cleanly had backfired, tightening the noose around his own neck.
Truly unpredictable business.
"Tough, so tough..."
Shaking his head, the branch chief trudged to his office.
To assign a near-impossible task to his capable subordinate.
Sometimes, such moments come.
Standing at a life-changing crossroads with choice paralysis.
"Seems hard to choose."
Austin spoke with a smile.
Kim Gunja nodded vigorously.
Unlike before, he'd checked every perk this time—and that was the problem.
Knowing them all made choosing harder.
His gaze turned to the perks.
[Left Arm Grasping Lightning]
The left arm of the holy knight Abel.
His spear arts based on lightning and holy power were not beneath the Sword Demon's.
[Right Leg Crushing the Earth]
The leg of Titan Emperor Pertaou.
Stomping once tore space and split the earth—demigod-like majesty from fairy tales.
[Left Leg Ruling Over Shadows]
The leg of Shadow Lord Staine.
His movements and dagger arts, outpacing even shadows—elusive incarnate.
Honestly, he wanted them all.
Ma Ilcheon's example proved their worth.
How great the dormant abilities.
But only one choice.
So he pondered carefully.
'For me now, with Heaven-Shattering Sword—what do I need most...'
Ultimately, one answer.
But even knowing, he hesitated.
Wondering if something better existed.
The perks warranted such deliberation.
But the agonizing ended here.
Time to decide.
Hoo, deep breath. Kim Gunja slowly reached out.
Toward one of the perks.