Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Chapter 48
When Fate Becomes Destiny (3)
White snow was falling.
"How long was I out?"
"Two weeks."
Two weeks of oblivion. Today's date was December 31st. Tomorrow would be the new year.
"The Witch?"
"She's recovering."
The Witch had collapsed as if all her energy had been drained, and had been laid on the ice bed. Jimun Seo-saeng had conducted treatment for three hours, and she was currently resting.
"Please don't worry too much. It must have been a great experience for Yuri as well."
"We both could have died."
"You two wouldn't have died like that."
Jimun Seo-saeng seemed to speak with conviction. At least his presence calmed my troubled mind somewhat.
"Congratulations on your achievement."
The second Hwangoltaltae. This was a phenomenon I was experiencing for the first time. If the first Hwangoltaltae felt like being reborn, the second felt like my body had been reinforced.
"Focus on treating the Witch for now. Put everything else aside."
"Understood."
Jimun Seo-saeng entered the laboratory again.
"Whew."
I was filled with the urge to move my body. But reason held me back.
'After the Witch is completely better.'
I couldn't use this power freely right now.
'She held on for me.'
During the continued oblivion, cold energy was supplied to my body stably. If this balance had been broken, we both would have died.
'Such a destiny.'
I don't believe in destiny. I grew by investing time, enduring pain, and breaking through fear with courage.
'Already the second one.'
The Baekhoehyeol transforming into something like a Dantian was the first, and my connection with the Witch became the second destiny.
'Please wake up safely.'
I was genuinely worried about the Witch.
***
The Witch rose from the ice bed a week later.
"She will be healthy."
Jimun Seo-saeng looked exhausted. He must have used every method he knew.
"Can I see her?"
"She should be awake."
A week after the Witch began treatment, I visited the laboratory.
The Witch was lying on the ice bed. I skipped greetings and went to the bedside. An IV needle was inserted in her thin arm, and the surroundings were filled with the smell of medicinal herbs.
"I hate this smell."
The Witch wrinkled her nose. A hospital room had been created that utilized both modern medicine and medicine from my previous life to restore vitality. Moreover, the Witch's body had dozens of needles inserted, including moxibustion. She had awakened, but couldn't move.
"She'll recover."
Her complexion was returning. It seemed that even the Jiwonjiqi that humans inherently possess hadn't been damaged.
'Thank goodness.'
I couldn't say those words. But then the Witch looked at my face and curled up the corners of her mouth.
"You said you were sorry to me, didn't you?"
I became wide awake.
"You heard?"
"If you're sorry, you should compensate me. An apology in words alone is meaningless. As you can see, I almost died because of you."
The old Witch had returned. Relief and annoyance rose simultaneously. I realized then that emotions were also conditioned reflexes.
"What do you want?"
"Simple. Take care of me until I recover."
"What?"
It was a completely unexpected request. Reading my expression, the Witch continued as if incredulous.
"What's with that face? You hurt me, so I'm telling you to take responsibility, and you think that's too much?"
"Jimun Seo-saeng is better at it."
"He has to do the treatment. He's too exhausted from taking care of me on top of that. It's inefficient."
"Then Cheong Ak-sal..."
"I'm uncomfortable with that person."
This wasn't unreasonable but a fact.
'I can't tell my parents either.'
Eventually, giving reasons one by one, I was the only one left.
'This actually works out.'
If this could settle my troubled mind, it wasn't impossible.
"Fine."
When I agreed, the Witch pointed with her finger to the experiment room connected to the laboratory.
"There's a small bell in there. Can you bring it?"
Since it was a simple task, I did as asked. The Witch shook the silver bell, making a sound.
"Come when you hear this sound. Got it?"
It was an efficient method, but somehow my pride was hurt.
"I'm hungry."
I stared blankly at the Witch.
"What are you doing? The patient stated the problem of being hungry. Then the caregiver should solve it."
I had no choice. It was a promise, so I had to keep it for now.
"Wait."
I left the laboratory. But the moment I closed the door and was about to walk away, I heard the Witch's long breath. It was rough and anxious breathing.
'Tsk, showing off in that condition.'
She had been caught in the whirlpool of internal energy for two weeks. And during that time, she must have done her utmost to supply cold energy.
'There's no way she'd recover already.'
Instead of porridge, I should prepare a full feast.
***
A month later.
"Wow, isn't this really too much?"
"I'm a patient."
"I know! I know that! But why are you suddenly telling me to go to Antarctica?"
"This is the last one. If you do this, you can stop."
I had done so many things during this time. Food was basic, and I also helped her get down from the bed or turn her body, and when she wanted to go outside, I carried her on my back or in my arms to the mountain. Among them, the hardest task was reading magic books or reports. She said her eyes hurt and asked me to read to her, and I was about to fall asleep first.
—The laboratory feels too empty. Can you draw me a picture?
Thanks to that, I drew a large mural on the entire wall of the experiment room.
'Fine. It's worth this much suffering, and I've made enough sacrifices.'
So I did everything. But now she's telling me to go to Antarctica.
"Just go there, create a Teleport magic circle, and come back."
"That's the place you were originally going to go, right?"
"Right. But I didn't go because it was bothersome."
"So you're telling me to take care of it while I'm at it?"
"This is the last one."
"Can I trust you?"
The Witch was about to answer, but suddenly grabbed her forehead.
"Ah, another headache..."
"Fine!"
The Witch had recovered enough to be considered normal. But that was a physical issue, and her energy and mental strength were badly damaged.
"This is really the last one, right?"
"Yes. I'm sick of lying down, too."
As I was about to look into ways to get to Antarctica, I suddenly had a question.
"You're not planning to get up and resume normal activities as soon as I leave, are you?"
At my words, the Witch closed her eyes without a reply and stayed still like a sick person.
'Fine, since it's the last one.'
And so I departed for Antarctica.
***
The journey to Antarctica was much more complicated than expected.
'What is this ordeal?'
I took a cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina. I also left a magic circle in Ushuaia. Leaving magic circles near all arriving airports was the mission given to me. Although it had the grand name of cruise passenger ship, in reality, it was just a small bar with rooms equipped with bunk beds.
'So I'm supposed to go to the 3,779-meter point of the mountain where the Japanese Antarctic base is located?'
The request was complicated.
'The lowest temperature is minus 91 degrees.'
Just hearing about it made my teeth cold.
'Uncomfortable.'
I wore thick clothes so people wouldn't look at me strangely. It felt unfamiliar, and I wanted to take them off, but I held back. I hid among the travelers, set foot on the Antarctic continent, and separated from the group there. While looking at the map and wandering around the continent searching for the Japanese Antarctic base, I saw various animals. Especially, penguins and seals were easily visible.
'Well, not bad.'
I started to feel like I was traveling. As I relaxed for a moment, the clothes became uncomfortable again.
"You want this?"
I offered my jumper to a nearby penguin. The penguin ignored it and turned around.
"Tsk."
I just threw away the jumper and walked around Antarctica wearing only a t-shirt and jeans. Because of the chilling cold, my internal energy instinctively moved.
'I understand why this training method exists.'
Among the peculiar training methods of Murim, there are cases of training internal energy techniques on the ice of the North Sea. Coming to Antarctica, I clearly understood what effects that had. When you think about it, it's the same as Jigokgwan.
'If I release my internal energy, I'll freeze to death.'
I searched for the Japanese Antarctic base while enduring Antarctica's cold with internal energy. I ran around the snowfield for a full day. At least there were no watching eyes, so I could freely display Qinggong. Of course, the animals guarding the place did look at me strangely.
'This feels good.'
The Qinggong was satisfying. I experienced the power of the second Hwangoltaltae for the first time. Even when I deployed Yongcheon, I didn't feel my strength draining away. Moreover, even when I consecutively deployed Cheonmasingong, there were almost no aftereffects.
'Good.'
The more I moved my body, the more excited I became.
'Absorbing Strike.'
Heavenly Demon Divine Arts 8th Form, Absorbing Strike. The surrounding ground was pulled toward me, creating a snowstorm. In the center of the snowflakes that rose like a reversed waterfall, I saw the sun that felt distant. The snowflakes reflected the sunlight and fell around me like jewel powder. The unexpected spectacle felt like receiving a gift of fortune.
'Now Absorbing Strike is sufficient too.'
Absorbing Strike is the core of combat. Now I could use it freely.
"Let's go."
I discovered the Japanese Antarctic base. Satisfied with my new physical condition, I immediately ran up the mountain. 3,779-meter point. The target was the coldest place on Earth. The words introducing this place were simple.
A temperature that freezes even human lungs.
I sprinted toward the target point up the snow-covered mountain.
I checked my location with the satellite equipment the Witch gave me. It was exactly the area the Witch had marked. As I tried to take out the scroll from my bag, a problem arose. The bag had completely frozen.
"Ugh."
I eventually created heat with my hands and melted it. And I took out the scroll, too.
"This is driving me crazy."
As soon as the heat disappeared, it froze immediately. After several attempts, I finally tore the scroll. The Teleport magic circle was completed. After confirming the magic circle, I was about to return when I felt reluctant.
'It's spectacular.'
The place was a sloped snowfield. And below was a sheer cliff. Looking down at the entirely white world from a high place had a different charm.
'If only I could do closed-door training in a place like this.'
The environment itself was the North Sea ice. I stood up and deployed Heavenly Demon Divine Arts from the 1st Form to the 8th Form one by one. Starting with Falling Dragon Fist to Absorbing Strike. Every time an impact occurred, a snowstorm burst up around me, creating a beautiful scene.
'This is why hermit masters appear.'
In my past life, I couldn't do this kind of training. I always lived in gloomy environments, drinking poison or blood.
'Let's go back now.'
After deploying Heavenly Demon Divine Arts a few more times, I grabbed the ring. Then, I heard a thundering sound around me. The sound started from the mountain peak.
"Huh?"
Tremendous snow was roaring down toward me.
'Avalanche!'
I had swept away too much snow below while training.
'Good, let's face it.'
I gathered internal energy into my fist. I intended to punch through the middle of the descending avalanche with force. But the magic circle on the ground scattered light. The Witch, confirming that the magic circle was complete, was teleporting.
'Of all times...'
The Witch appeared on the magic circle.
'Too late.'
The avalanche engulfed the Witch. I withdrew my fist and spread both arms, blocking in front of the Witch. I deployed extreme Gangqi while bracing for impact.
'Hm?'
There was no impact.
"What are you doing?"
The Witch asked. Only then did I turn around. The avalanche that was covering the Witch had frozen in its falling shape. It even felt natural, as if it had been a roof sheltering the Witch's head from the beginning.
"Hey."
"What?"
"You've already fully recovered, haven't you?"
She couldn't use that kind of magic with a sick body. Even if she had pushed herself, she couldn't be fine like now.
"Busted."
The Witch shrugged her shoulders and turned around.