Chapter 224
Chapter 224
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: Golden Talent (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A hidden force so subtle it manifests in motions too small to observe with the naked eye.
An inch force that erupts when locked in close contact or at extremely short range.
A projectile force that shoots qi from afar.
A penetrating force that ignores defenses to shatter only the enemy's internals.
Chinese wuxia novels and movies feature explosive forces in endless variety—you could list them forever.
They often come with convenient setups, like turning an earring into a weapon if it's on your ear, or a nose ring if it's on your nose.
But the explosive force Eloa had newly defined was extremely simple.
The action and reaction born from physical laws.
Wasteful tension in muscles not needed for the motion.
Forced strain from excessive tension—stiff power, in other words.
When humans perform any action, inevitable dispersion of force occurs.
What if that dispersion were minimized to the utmost, refined and concentrated into a single point—an extreme focal point?
What if a punch weren't swung merely with arm strength, but extended through the entire body?
Then a human could punch a hole in a wall with the force of extending a single finger.
In essence, explosive force is motion executed with extremely refined and concentrated power.
Eloa could perform it as naturally as breathing and applied it to all her swordsmanship.
"...Somehow, it doesn't feel right."
"It was almost there. Try again."
Now wielding mana, Siu had nearly replicated Eloa's explosive force in a single attempt.
It wasn't perfect.
The crater at his feet, far larger than necessary, proved it.
Even when thrusting a true step, the unavoidable pushing force could shatter the ground beneath.
But a crater this size meant the forward-driving power had dispersed outward.
Still, it was astonishingly similar.
"Hup...!"
Siu drew in a deep breath.
"Don't breathe so deeply. It weighs down your body. Even a single motion must keep the body light and nimble."
"Yes."
Siu relaxed his tension and once more visualized Eloa's movements in his mind.
He endlessly replayed the timing and points where she accelerated her mana.
Then, syncing with the rhythm in his head, he thrust his fist.
Thung!
"Ah..."
This time, Siu noticed his own mistake first.
The scattered sound without backbone.
A foreign sensation, like his naturally extending fist catching on a curb.
"When thrusting a fist, the force must flow from the lower body, through the body's center, and into the upper body. If the distribution is off or the transmission breaks, it won't work properly. Again."
"Yes!"
"Try again. Mind and body must harmonize. Think of transcribing the image in your head directly onto reality."
"Yes!"
"But don't get too lost in the mental image. Overthinking slows the body. Moderation is key."
"Yes!"
Several failures and several pieces of advice passed between them.
Through trial and error, Siu's body was slowly attuning to that unique timing.
The key wasn't posture.
It was accelerating mana to propel the body at the precise moment.
Screech!
Siu's sole ground crushed cement fragments.
The force pushing against the earth didn't lift his body upward but pulled it downward instead.
The force burrowing through his pillar-like solid legs reached the pelvis's rotation, channeled into the back muscles, and transmitted to the upper body like loading a spring.
All that remained was for shoulder, arm, and fist to slash forward crisply.
Bam!
As Siu's fist shot through empty air, it produced the exact same sound Tiphereth had made.
Just a single punch, yet it felt like his entire body—from toes to scalp—mobilized in perfect unity.
A tingling vibration lingered in his fingertips.
Residual power that hadn't fully released hummed through his body like a struck bell.
"Whoa..."
Siu let out a gasp of admiration.
In the instant of success, he'd intuitively realized, Ah, I've been using my body so inefficiently all this time!
It felt like pulling off a complex combo command in a fighting game for the first time.
In truth, it was just stylishly throwing a punch.
"Did I get it?"
"......"
Even as Siu grinned happily, Eloa was lost in thought.
A technique she'd mastered to perfection, but explosive force was quite tricky.
Eloa had simplified the requirements of explosive force into three elements.
The mind: perfectly visualizing the body's motion.
The energy: assisting that motion with mana.
The body: the physical ability to realize the motion.
Only when all reached a baseline and harmonized in balance could one approach mastery.
Yet Siu fell short in the "body" category.
His physique couldn't fully contain the mind's image.
So why could he demonstrate explosive force?
It lay in his "energy."
Mana he wielded more freely than his own limbs flowed through the circuits extending across his body, compensating for the deficiencies in his physical motion.
The path differed, but the destination was the same.
In any case, he'd splendidly unleashed explosive force.
Not quite as Eloa had envisioned, but it was talent worthy of the name.
"Now that you have the feel, repeat it."
"Yes!"
Siu immediately recalled the sensation and repeated the loose punches.
As with any exercise, once you grasp the knack, the motion comes out convincingly no matter how many times you repeat it.
Siu, who had faltered repeatedly at first, had already memorized the full-body tremor, fingertip vibration, and timing, so he succeeded in succession without difficulty.
Thung! Thung!
Fists thrust repeatedly, resounding through the air with a reverberating clang.
That hand-feel, like landing a trophy fish, sent shivers through Siu's chest.
Perhaps because he'd felt stuck in place these past few days?
With tangible progress before his eyes, he unconsciously clenched his fist and cheered.
"Duchess! I did it! Wow, this is insane! No power leaks out at all!"
Over Siu's joyful expression overlaid a memory from the past.
Like a poorly preserved oil painting, the blurred recollection stabbed at Eloa's heart regardless of her will.
"Master, what do you think? I finally did it! We even named it—wanna hear? Look... Secret Technique! Heavenly Dragon Wave-Heaven Defying Explosive Fist!"
It was unmistakably Rafi's phantom.
As her trembling eyelids blinked, the vivid hallucination vanished like mist, leaving only Siu staring puzzled at the dazed Eloa.
But guilt, karma, self-reproach didn't dissipate like illusions—they seared her chest like a red-hot iron.
"Are you alright? Your face looks pale."
Siu sent a straightforward gaze full of concern, and Eloa squeezed her eyes shut against the heat in her own.
"I'm fine. It's nothing. We'll end here for today."
"Yes, thank you as always."
Tiphereth withdrew the barrier realm.
The shattered rooftop repaired itself like reverse regeneration, and the city's din bubbled up noisily once more.
Siu, elated from finally nailing the loose punch, was taken aback by Eloa's profoundly gloomy expression.
Did I mess up somehow? He glanced nervously, but divining Eloa's unspoken thoughts was impossible.
"Ah, I forgot to mention something. Starting today, I'll be staying in the apartment below yours."
Eloa continued nonchalantly, but even to the somewhat dense Siu, her voice carried lingering melancholy.
Like smog drifting through Seoul's air?
Her consciously lightened tone couldn't hide it.
"Starting today?"
"Yes. No need to worry. I won't interfere with you or anything. Well then, I'll head down first."
Normally, after training ended, Eloa would leave first, and Siu would linger on the roof for a smoke.
But...
Eloa's slumped shoulders as she opened the rooftop door to descend.
Siu couldn't know the exact circumstances, but he could guess roughly.
He already possessed that knowledge.
A very vague hunch.
Perhaps even presumptuous speculation.
But... what if Eloa was reminded of the apprentice witch she'd lost in these lessons?
Then her proud gaze at Siu suddenly turning vacant made sense.
"Do you have any plans when you get home?"
When he came to, he'd grabbed Eloa.
Frankly, Tiphereth Duchess was a rather intimidating figure for Siu.
Setting aside their status difference, it was her demeanor during lessons.
She never scolded him directly, but she was incredibly strict and intimidating as an instructor.
Moreover, even in sparring without mana or anything, it was obvious.
If Eloa willed it, killing Siu would take less than a second.
So he'd kept a certain mental distance...
Eloa slowly turned to face Siu.
"Nothing in particular."
"Then have you already finished moving in?"
"No luggage to carry, so Sua probably handled it."
Then wouldn't she just hole up alone feeling that melancholy?
Nosy? Sure, but he was worried.
Besides, after all her guidance, he felt affection.
Moreover, Siu felt goodwill and pity toward Eloa the person, not just Tiphereth the witch.
She was one of the few witches who cared for humans, and he'd known the pain of losing a loved one too.
"Then how about dinner together, as a housewarming?"
"Dinner... you say?"
"Yes. Plenty of good spots nearby. It's about time for dinner anyway."
Wouldn't sharing a meal be more enjoyable than returning home alone?
That was the thought behind the offer.
Plus, she was the duchess who'd vouched for his status—getting closer couldn't hurt.
He still had much to learn.
But Eloa hesitated for several seconds without answering.
Did I overstep?
"Ah, just throwing it out there. If it's inconvenient, we can do it another time."
"...No. Sounds good."
Was it imagination, or had the shadow lifted slightly from Eloa's nodding face?
The two descended the stairs amiably.
"Then, give me a sec to change. Wait here."
Beep beep beep beep.
As he punched in the passcode, a clatter erupted from inside.
And the moment the door opened.
"Siu, you're home earlier than usual today? Rough day? Let me wash you agai—"
Sharon burst out in her morning outfit—nude under his dress shirt, now augmented only by skimpy panties—fully prepared.
No need to spell out what for.
She'd probably leaped from her studies at the sound of the door passcode.
Her beaming smile, ready for hot times with Siu, froze solid.
Because beyond the still-open front door stood Tiphereth, eyeing her intently.
Slam!
The door shut like it might shatter.
"........."
"........."
Tiphereth and Siu stood awkwardly in the doorway.
Moments later, the door cracked open shyly, revealing Sharon—face red as boiled octopus—greeting the guest in a crawling whisper.
Clothes hastily thrown on, not quite straight.
"P-Please... come... in... Duchess..."
"I wasn't planning to enter anyway..."
"Ah, r-right..."
"I'll change quickly and be right out."
"Understood."
The instant Siu closed the door, Sharon pummeled his arm with teary eyes.
"You should have said something...! Warned me...!"
"Ow! Ow! No! You're the one who came charging out—what're you talking about?!"
"I don't care, I don't caaaare!!!"
Siu burst into laughter at Sharon's muffled wail.