Chapter 23
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 023
Chapter Title: The Third Eye
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Woojin and Bow.
They were curious about each other's power. Without exchanging many words, the two men faced each other in the center of the sparring ground as if they had planned it beforehand.
Raymond voiced his concern upon seeing this.
"Elder. It might be best to moderate your strength. If anything goes wrong..."
"Quiet."
Bow cut him off.
He seemed to dislike any distractions that might break his focus. Faced with that firm attitude, Raymond had no choice but to clamp his mouth shut and watch.
...
The spar began.
Woojin closely observed the movements of the old man standing opposite him. Bow stood motionless like a stone Buddha. Woojin slowly closed in, lifting his leg a few times as if ready to unleash a kick at any moment.
Bow didn't so much as twitch. Was it because he was blind and couldn't react? Or had he noticed Woojin was just testing the waters?
There was only one way to find out. Woojin suddenly launched a kick straight at the old man's exposed side.
Paak!!
A sharp impact rang out.
But it was Woojin who grimaced. Bow had smashed down with a rigid elbow onto Woojin's instep, then slid in close like he was gliding, thrusting out a palm strike.
Woojin's stance had faltered slightly from the kick. With no time to recover, he urgently rolled back on his planted foot, pulling his body away. Bow's palm fell short.
Crack!
Yet Woojin took a solid hit. He stumbled back several steps in surprise. A vivid palm print was seared onto his chest like it had been branded by fire.
The attack had landed even though it hadn't touched him.
"...What the hell was that just now?"
"Wouldn't it be more fun to figure it out yourself?"
Bow chuckled and beckoned him over.
"I'm grateful for the consideration, but you held back too much. Come at me properly this time."
"Got it."
Following the advice, Woojin drew out a bit more power. He flexed his fingers a few times as he stepped forward. Before long, the gap between them had narrowed until their toes were nearly touching.
Woojin threw a sudden left jab. It was a standard strike using the spring from his elbow and shoulder.
In response, Bow simply took half a step back. Woojin pursued, planting his rear foot forward and driving a deep right straight toward the old man's head.
Thud!
Bow's hand shot out and caught the incoming fist dead on. As Woojin yanked to pull his fist free, Bow was tugged forward by the momentum and unleashed another palm strike.
With his body caught, there was no dodging. Woojin countered by thrusting out his left fist to meet the palm.
Booom!!
A heavy thud filled the sparring ground.
The old man's palm clashed against the young man's fist... yet strangely, it was Woojin who was pushed back. His elbow tingled like it had been scorched by lightning.
'What a tricky attack.'
Bow's palm felt like it unleashed a formless shockwave.
The spot where it struck hurt plenty, but even worse was the sensation of a greater impact exploding from behind.
A hit to the stomach would rupture the back; a strike to armor would pierce through the plate and batter the body. Even without contact, the shockwave's aftershocks whipped at him.
'How do I even block something like that?'
He had no time for deep thought. Bow charged to press the attack. The old man's body seemed wrapped in a golden whirlwind.
Bow unleashed a relentless barrage without giving Woojin a moment to breathe. His speed defied common sense. His fists and kicks left multiple golden afterimages in the air, and bizarrely, those afterimages seemed to move and attack Woojin as well.
Woojin had to scramble like his soles were on fire. Retreat, block, dodge... this was ridiculous. He'd been on the receiving end nonstop since the start.
...
His temper was starting to flare.
'Just give me one opening.'
He abandoned defense and lunged headlong. Woojin clenched his fist. A chill ran down Bow's spine amid his spirited flurry. Something was off.
Whoosh—
Woojin's fist swung out. Sensing it, Bow ducked urgently to evade.
BOOM!!
Even hitting empty air produced an explosive burst. The afterimages Bow had created were swept away and vanished. Undeterred, Woojin cocked his fist again.
To stop him, Bow thrust out a palm. Seeing it, Woojin instinctively opened his hand. The two men extended palms toward each other.
CRAAACK——!!
A thunderclap roared.
The moment their palms clapped together in a deafening crash, Woojin's hand tore open, blood spraying wildly. He skidded backward, leaving long brake marks on the floor.
But Bow was in worse shape. The old man flew far off and slammed into the wall. Shattered bricks collapsed in a heap like a grave.
"Oh my God, Elder!!"
Raymond screamed as he rushed over. The noise snapped Woojin back to his senses late.
'...Damn it all.'
He'd lost his cool from getting pummeled and slipped up on his control. Woojin hurried toward Bow as well.
But the worry proved unfounded. Bow stood up as if nothing had happened. He brushed the dirt from his clothes. Gazing at the ruined wall, he clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
"At this rate, we'll demolish the place... Why'd they build the sparring ground so flimsy?"
"Elder, are you all right?"
"As you can see."
Not reassured, Raymond circled him, checking for injuries. Bow waved him off like swatting an annoying fly.
It wasn't empty talk—he truly seemed fine. Despite embedding in the wall, the old man showed no visible wounds. Relieved, Woojin spoke up.
"We should call the spar here."
"A shame, but can't be helped."
Bow nodded in agreement. Neither had fought in earnest, but pushing further risked serious injury to one of them.
With the spar over, Woojin asked what had been on his mind.
"Those were some amazing techniques. What are they?"
"They're the arts practiced by Britra's ascetic monks. A form of qi manipulation technique. In your terms, Mana Arts."
Mana Arts.
Claire had made them sound trivial, but experiencing them firsthand... they were insane. He'd need to study how to handle them.
Bow was equally stunned. Even using his long-honed ultimate techniques, the moment Woojin got serious, the flow reversed in an instant.
"Honestly, it's shocking. I had no idea you were this strong. I thought Raymond was overreacting... Who was your master?"
Bow asked.
Given his age-defying strength, he assumed there must be a teacher. Saying none would seem suspicious, so Woojin gave a vague answer.
"I learned from Hunter Hector."
It wasn't a lie.
Whenever questions arose while reading the Demonic Realm Chronicles, he'd asked Hector. He'd picked up some cooking tips too.
By omitting the crucial details, Bow stroked his chin, puzzled.
"That's odd. Hector's archery is exceptional, but I can't imagine him teaching close-quarters combat like that... Ah, speaking of which, were you the one who claimed the werewolf bounty today?"
"Yes."
Mentioning the werewolf suggested Bow knew Hector personally.
It made his cover story fit perfectly by chance. Bow nodded, convinced, then made Woojin an offer.
"You. Any interest in joining the Church Alliance?"
The unexpected proposal threw him off.
"I don't have any god I particularly believe in or worship."
"Doesn't matter. There are plenty of atheists in the Alliance. Isn't believing there are no gods a form of faith in itself?"
The Church Alliance was a coalition of various religious orders. Naturally, with differing doctrines, conflicts were inevitable unless diverse beliefs were respected.
Of course, that respect wasn't easy from the start.
When the Alliance was first formed, clashes were rampant, threatening its very existence more than once.
But after centuries, today it had stabilized. The Alliance's power and influence had flourished beyond compare.
And what they aimed to do with that power was simple: purify the Demonic Realm's corrupted lands and reclaim humanity's home. Pioneer cities were mere outposts for that goal.
"Full-scale Demonic Realm reclamation won't be long now. We'll restore the tainted earth and build new barriers to expand human territory. We need talents like you for that."
"...I'll need some time to think it over."
With that reply, Bow rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a rectangular object.
"Here, take this then."
"What's this?"
"A recommendation token I give only to those I've acknowledged. If you ever change your mind, bring it to the Church Alliance."
With that, Bow flicked it over. Woojin caught it reflexively.
It was carved from white marble-like stone. A golden emblem in the center drew the eye—a stylized human eye. A green gem was embedded where the pupil should be.
'An emerald?'
It looked valuable, so keeping it couldn't hurt. Woojin tucked it deep into his pocket.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
"Take care."
Woojin left the sparring ground without lingering. His figure gradually receded into the distance.
Watching him go, Raymond suddenly spoke.
"So, what did you see?"
Without eyes, he could see certain things.
After losing his two eyes, Bow had awakened the mind's eye that pierced a person's true nature. Britra's ascetic monks called it the third eye, or heart's eye.
After some thought, Bow answered.
"...I didn't want to use the heart's eye. For some reason, it felt like peering into that man's essence would put me in danger."
"That happens?"
"First time for me too, so I'm a bit flustered."
An opponent he instinctively avoided using it on.
That's why he'd gauged him through the spar. In an attempt to gather more info, he'd pushed harder than usual... and nearly died.
'...That was close.'
Provoking him had led to a massive counter. At the final clash, when he hit the wall, the impact had nearly knocked him out.
Thanks to wrapping himself in qi just in time, he'd avoided major injury... but if that man had followed up, he'd have been done for.
'Where did a monster like that come from?'
He couldn't fathom it.