Jamma Cave Graduation 2
Shin Gi-woon arrived at the hideout and dropped straight to the ground. He hadn't shown it, but his body was in terrible shape.
Stepping into a place where he could finally let his guard down seemed to release whatever tension had been holding him together.
There was no need for a long rest, though. The moment he took the Demon Heaven Pill, his body would recover.
"You already know how this works from absorbing the Dark Red Pill, right? I'll help as much as I can so none of the energy goes to waste. Fully heal those internal injuries first."
"Understood."
"Begin."
Shin Gi-woon relaxed and settled into a lotus position. The Demon Heaven Pill was on an entirely different level from the Dark Red Pill. He was nervous about whether he could absorb it all — and yet, he was also eager to see what kind of achievement full absorption would bring.
Ready?
Anytime.
Ryu-jin had agreed to help with the absorption as well. His control over the upper dantian had weakened from the internal injuries, so her presence would be a greater help than he expected.
Resolved, Shin Gi-woon tossed the Demon Heaven Pill into his mouth. The elixir slid down his throat, dissolved under the influence of his stomach acids, and the vast compressed internal energy began flooding through his entire body.
"…!"
"Focus!"
It was more intense than expected. Without Shindogun's shout, he would have been swept away by the torrent of power.
Shin Gi-woon clenched his teeth and concentrated on the catastrophically surging energy — first, to heal his internal injuries.
Guh. This is no joke!
The speed was insane. His injuries weren't merely healing — they were regenerating. The Demon Heaven Pill's power far exceeded anything he had imagined.
Internal injuries that should have required months of recovery were completely cured in an instant. And still, the remaining energy was immeasurable.
Shin Gi-woon urgently circulated the energy through every meridian in his body. The sheer volume of internal energy was enough to make him seriously consider forcing open the Conception and Governing Vessels.
But he needed to climb the stages carefully. Forcing them open prematurely would almost certainly lead to qi deviation. Stay focused. Just absorb.
"Hooo…"
It was more dangerous than absorbing the Dark Red Pill. One wrong touch and it felt like he might explode.
Even though the internal injuries were healed, they had only just been healed. Carelessly handling the meridians could tangle them into an acquired meridian blockage.
Dying because he couldn't control his energy would be the stupidest possible end. Ryu-jin was doing her utmost within her domain as well.
Shin Gi-woon sank into his own world, pouring everything into absorbing the energy.
How much time passed?
His eyes snapped open. Every strand of energy that had been thrashing through his body settled stably into his dantian.
At the same time—
"Bleeegh!!"
The turbid energy and black blood that had accumulated from his internal injuries surged up from within. The sensation was unpleasant, but his insides felt refreshingly clear.
"Whoa, you're a pure monster. You absorbed all of that?"
"Commander… thank you. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Looks that way. Anyway, pull yourself together and head back to Jamma Cave. I'm busy, so I'm off."
"Take care, sir."
The moment his job was done, Shindogun vanished. As the leader of an entire unit, he was bound to be busy. Apparently this place was one of the Thousand Transformations Soul Chasing Squad's hideouts.
Since Gi-woon's enlistment was already confirmed, they were leaving him alone. Still, having forged a strong connection with the commander before even joining — that was something to be satisfied about.
Shin Gi-woon roughly changed clothes and wiped away the blood with a rag. He'd used the place, so cleaning up was only natural.
Once finished, he left the hideout with the White Fang Spear. Shindogun had left it here in advance, so there was no need to search for it.
Once outside, a sudden dread hit him. He had no idea how much time had passed since then. If he returned to Jamma Cave now, just how furious would his friends be?
Somehow he felt a single punch wouldn't be the end of it. They wouldn't beat him to death, though… right?
Thinking that, Shin Gi-woon returned to Jamma Cave.
The moment he opened the main gate, the person who greeted him was none other than—
"Yul?"
"…"
Sama Yul. Shin Gi-woon tilted his head. She just kept staring at him fixedly.
"Yul? What's wrong?"
"Liar."
"Huh? Wait, wait. What's that in your hands."
Shin Gi-woon waved his hands and backed away. Sama Yul was holding hidden weapons in both hands.
On top of that, a faint killing intent was radiating from her. Cold sweat ran down his spine. She was serious.
Unfortunately, she wasn't alone.
"Aagh!"
"You said you'd be right back — does this look like 'right back' to you, you bastard?!"
"S-So-hyang! Calm down, calm down!"
His guts went cold. If he hadn't twisted his neck just now, an arrow would have been buried in his skull. Was it just his imagination that this was more terrifying than shaking off the pursuit squad?
"Here, eat th— gueeek!"
"I saw that coming."
Next up, Ma Ra-jin swung a fist — but Shin Gi-woon struck first, cracking him across the back of the head with his spear shaft.
Somehow Ma Ra-jin had become the neighborhood punching bag. Then Gi-woon froze solid at the sight of one person.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Cheon Se-hwa. She was walking toward him, even using demonic energy.
Alarm bells screamed in his instincts. If he didn't stop her, he was genuinely going to die.
"Ah, no, it's not what you're thinking? There was a recruitment offer, sort of?"
"Get hit first, think later."
"W-Wai— hey! If you hit me there, I'm dead!"
"Die, you bastard!"
"Somebody save me!!"
Cheon Se-hwa drew her sword in earnest. Shin Gi-woon activated his light footwork with everything he had right then and there.
"That bastard's running! Catch him!"
At Cheon Se-hwa's command, Sama Yul and Bi So-hyang unleashed a barrage of hidden weapons and arrows, while Cheon Se-hwa charged straight at Shin Gi-woon.
Looking at the angle of her sword, if she swung he'd take the flat of the blade. So she wasn't actually trying to kill him—
Yeah, right. Get hit like that and your skull's going to explode.
He was newly grateful his internal injuries had fully healed. Without that, he would have been beaten half to death the moment he got back.
Ryu-jin! Can you use Fire Wings?
Even if I can, I won't.
What the hell are you talking about?! Use it already, damn it! I'm gonna die!
Dying once isn't so bad. I'm rooting for them.
You perverted lizard bastard!!
Even Ryu-jin had abandoned him. Dying once isn't so bad? Screw that — that was easy for her to say when she'd already died and hijacked his upper dantian.
Was thinking that a mistake?
Ah, I was going to help, but never mind.
W-Wait! I was wrong! Come back!
Ryu-jin's response never came. Left with no choice, Shin Gi-woon fled at full speed.
"You're dead when I catch you, Shin Gi-woon!!"
"I said I'm sorry!! Save me!"
"You're dead even if I don't catch you!"
"What the hell am I supposed to do about that?!"
Cheon Se-hwa warned him, killing intent blazing. Shin Gi-woon ignored her and ran. Surviving came first.
And so a sudden chase began — one that only ended after roughly four hours.
"Hah… haaah…"
"Y-You okay? Not too tired, right?"
"Still going strong… you son of a bitch."
"Sorry."
Cheon Se-hwa, who had chased him to the very end, finally stopped. Shin Gi-woon apologized to her from the bottom of his heart.
He was the one who had betrayed the trust of the person who believed in him first. A hundred apologies wouldn't be enough.
Of course, he'd planned to kowtow the moment he walked in — but when they came at him ready to kill, he'd had no choice but to run for his life.
Cheon Se-hwa reined in her demonic energy and looked at Shin Gi-woon.
"Haa… You really are a bastard."
"I know."
"I'm just glad you came back safe, Gi-woon."
Without realizing it, Cheon Se-hwa pulled Shin Gi-woon into an embrace. He was a little flustered, but stroked her hair.
A tremor ran through her body. She was crying.
"I'm back."
"Yeah. You bastard."
Cheon Se-hwa wiped her tears and faced him. When she'd first met him, it had been simple curiosity.
The feeling she had toward him now was…
A flush of heat rose to her face.
"Huh? Your face is red."
"…Shut up."
"Don't tell me you're embara—"
"I said shut up, you bastard!!"
"Gueeeek!"
Cheon Se-hwa's finishing blow. Shin Gi-woon, struck by a full-powered slap, spun three times in midair.
"Huk! Hey, you okay?"
"The world… is spinning."
"Did it hurt a lot? You're okay, right?"
"Haha. Hahahaha!"
Hitting him one second, fretting over him the next. How could he not laugh? Seeing him burst into laughter, she looked relieved, then smiled.
"Think that's funny?"
"Ugh!"
Then Bi So-hyang, who had been knocked away earlier, returned. A startled Shin Gi-woon bolted upright — only for Sama Yul, approaching without a sound, to clap restraints on him and bind his body with rope. Held tight so he couldn't escape.
Sama Yul murmured with a satisfied smile.
"Restraints complete."
"Y-Yul?"
"Good. Time to pay back every hit I've taken…!"
"Jin. You know those were all punches of friendship, right?"
"I really like you too, so here's a punch of friendship."
"I'll beat you with my bow."
Shin Gi-woon poured cold sweat, unable to move an inch. Ma Ra-jin and Bi So-hyang wore expressions like demons.
As the two slowly closed in, an indescribable terror took hold. Shin Gi-woon turned to Cheon Se-hwa for help—
"Se-Se-hwa?"
"If I hit you with the scabbard, you won't die."
"You crazy bastards! This isn't right!"
"What's not right about it? We've got plenty of grievances piled up — let's settle them all today!"
"Aaaargh!!"
Bi So-hyang charged first, and the others united under the name of friendship to dispense violence.
After the third trial of Jamma Cave had ended, while they waited for graduation—
It was autumn.
"My poor life~~"
…The romantic season when a person is dying.
That is autumn.