Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Faintly, Suddenly (2)
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"Tomorrow."
Sitting in the guest room in the middle of the night, meditating, the Heavenly Demon came to visit.
"...Didn't you say training starts today?"
"I planned to, but that wretched girl held me up for five whole hours, so there was nothing I could do."
Is he bragging about their good relationship?
I don't need to hear this.
I let the old man's excuses flow in one ear and out the other.
"I don't have much time."
"Hey now. That's your problem. Anyway, I've delivered the message. Come to the sparring ground by noon tomorrow, unarmed."
The old man gave me one last warning right before leaving.
"Oh, and your sparring opponent... she'll be a bit stronger than you, so keep that in mind."
-Thud.
The door closed with a loud bang.
The room darkened once more. I kept my head bowed and stayed still for a long while.
There was space to lie down, but tonight it would be a light nap.
Leaning back against the wall, I closed my eyes.
The moderate discomfort actually made for a fine bed for me.
*****
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day of the spar.
-Boom, boom, boom, boom.
A massive drumbeat echoed loud enough to shake the heart.
Has word of the spar spread through the neighborhood?
Of course the seats were full, but even the stairs were packed tight with martial artists.
"You gonna be okay?"
The Heavenly Path, dressed as a servant, sneaked up and asked me.
The Heavenly Path was wearing something different from usual. It looked like an outfit from a historical drama.
"What's with the getup?"
"I usually hide my identity as the Little Heavenly Demon. Even my name and the fact that I'm the master's daughter."
Is that how it was? To avoid annoying conflicts and focus on training, she completely conceals her status as heir.
There's a reason the White Path is treated like the eldest daughter.
Thinking that, I felt a bit resentful toward the old man who sent me up to the sparring ground.
The Heavenly Demon saw me as someone who could handle a little friction.
Well, from their perspective, I'm just a stone that rolled in completely, so it's natural.
"Anyway, I'm heading out now. Good luck."
The Heavenly Path's expression was a bit brighter than yesterday, her words more direct.
-Boom, boom, boom.
The drumbeat rang out again.
A woman in red attire appeared up front, holding a real sword in one hand.
'...A woman.'
He said she'd be a bit stronger than me.
I unwound the bandages wrapped tightly around my forearm.
The long scar on my arm was revealed.
"Hoo."
Exhaling, I slowly awakened my sharpened nerves.
My chest cooled like ice.
As I steadied my mind, the woman took a step toward me.
"You're my sparring opponent?"
Arrogant tone.
"Yeah."
At my response, the woman's face twisted sharply.
"...You don't even know I'm the leader of the Dao Garden. Show some respect."
"You're not my master, so why should I? If you're here to spar, focus on the spar."
The leader's face flushed red and purple.
Far off, the Heavenly Demon and his daughters were watching the scene.
Along with numerous martial artists and sect elders filling the spectator seats, being ignored like this was humiliating for her.
I removed my blood-soaked bandages and laid them on the ground.
"You're injured. Can you even fight properly? You won't last a minute—it'd be a joke."
I rolled my shoulders to relax my body.
"...What an idiotic fool, calling yourself a disciple."
I sank my breath again. Now, my scattered mind seemed to focus on a single point.
"Give up now. That'd be best for you."
"We're not fighting with words, so shut up."
"...What?"
"Did you boil and eat train whistles instead of Bamboo Leaf Green Tea?"
I extended one arm and took my stance.
The woman looked stunned, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
"Bamboo Leaf, what? Heh heh heh."
Soon, she let out a sneer and gripped her sword tighter.
Raw killing intent washed over my body.
"Don't regret it too late. Hong Yeon will cut your throat right now."
Boom—the lively drumbeat cut off abruptly.
Then came the short, crisp ring of a gong.
-Ding~ Ding~
Hong Yeon's red-clad body began advancing toward me.
-Tap!
The woman's footsteps rang clearly in my mind.
I felt the flow of wind moving over my wounded skin.
My flesh trembled, the sword approached.
I moved my body in response.
-Clang!
I slapped away the flat of the flickering red sword aiming for my shoulder with my hand blade.
Normally, one would retreat there, but Hong Yeon pressed in deeper.
"Flower."
With swift speed, instead of her sword tip, Hong Yeon stabbed the outside of my chest with her finger.
-Stab.
Hong Yeon, who had pulled back, showed a bewitching smile.
'...'
A red magic flower was blooming from the stabbed spot.
Blood vessels endlessly surged, soaking my uniform red.
"Move more, and the bleeding will get worse."
Hong Yeon's smug face.
I sealed the wound with healing authority.
"The moment you allowed the attack, you—"
The World Tree's healing authority for injuries grows stronger the deeper and more severe they are.
Unless it drives me to death.
As long as it doesn't kill me instantly, I won't collapse.
"—Huh?"
Hong Yeon panicked as things didn't go as expected.
I ignored it and reset my stance.
This time, I raised my magic power too, severing the connection to the World Tree, scattering black petals in the center of the sparring ground.
-Boom!
Black Peach. Black Persimmon Tree.
Petals sprouting from the ground swirled around me, forming a vortex.
Swelling magic power materialized as black energy on my skin.
Surprise in Hong Yeon's eyes was now expected.
-...Ooh!
Admiration from the surroundings.
The noise of clashing magic power swallowed even those gasps.
"Looks like you had something to rely on."
Murmuring that, Hong Yeon revealed her own magic power.
The floral scent at my nose. The power of vegetation slowly turned red.
Crimson Maple.
Five-lobed leaves began carpeting where she stepped.
-Rustle, rustle.
Seven swords wrapped in leaves rose around Hong Yeon.
The red, needle-shaped sword at her back looked just like the tip of a maple leaf.
"Pointed Cluster."
Remote-controlled swords.
"Since you're showing full power, I'll go all out too."
Hong Yeon's eyes ripened like red flames.
"...Bloom."
Her red uniform vanished, exposing her shoulder skin.
Maple leaves covering her body serrated like saw teeth, guarding her.
'Lignification.'
The quality of magic power was different.
The absolute power inherited from divine blood and preserved to this day.
This time, no wooden parts were visible.
Every Wood Person's lignification form differs. Hong Yeon seemed to preserve her human appearance.
"Come."
At Hong Yeon's words, I charged forward like a sprint.
Wind rose, petals scattered around.
I gathered magic power in both hands while piercing the focused maple leaves.
-Crack, cra-crack.
The swords multiplying gradually. The red ones sprouting from her back easily surpassed thirty.
"Flying Heaven Sword Dance."
Dozens of swords poured with a gesture.
I narrowed my eyes and parried them.
-Kwaaaa!
Swords rained down, embedding in the ground.
Following my movements, the dozens soon neared a hundred.
-Kwang, kwagak!
Forcing an opening, I closed in.
Leaving afterimages on both sides, endlessly forward.
The ground where swords clashed cracked, forming craters.
My vision narrowed. Finally, the distant Hong Yeon was before me.
"...Where do you think you're going!"
-Boom!
One precise strike. Straight to the heart.
Hong Yeon crossed her swords to block, but the impact sent her flying back.
I tried to rush again, but my legs gave out, halting me momentarily.
"Think you can keep going in that state?"
Hong Yeon's mocking voice came from ahead.
Dozens of swords stabbed into my shoulders and back.
"A porcupine now—you can't do anything. Can't even approach."
My eyes trembled. My heart still pounded, blood spurting from my body.
Enough rest.
I kicked off the ground and advanced again.
"...You're insane."
-Boom!
Once more, closing in.
Thanks to that, a sword pierced my back, but from the second, it was simple.
Closing distance, spraying blood, I hammered fist strikes.
Hong Yeon's swords busily parried each one.
"Get away now!"
Frustrated, it seemed. Hong Yeon swung the sword in her hand at my neck.
-Clang!
I bit and shattered that sword with my teeth.
Sword fragments grazed my cheek, drawing blood, my face reflected in the scattered metal.
One more step.
-Kwachik!
...I couldn't advance.
A sword from above pierced straight through my left shoulder blade.
As if to make me feel the skill gap.
Hong Yeon blasted magic power from her fingertips.
"You're a beast. You'll surely bring ruin to our Dao Garden."
The sword embedded in my body.
The one through my left shoulder twisted once.
-Kwachik!
A bad sound, and my left arm flew off.
But these arrogant folk grow most careless when victory seems certain.
I thrust forward, clenching my right fist tight.
She noticed late and tried to widen the gap, but too slow.
-Pow!
One hit.
Shattering ribs, shocking her internals.
Seeing her retreat, I stepped forward first.
A sword from behind pierced my right arm this time. I shoved my face in again.
No arms? Use my mouth.
I bit her shoulder, tearing off flesh.
"Urk, kuhup!"
Hong Yeon, grimacing in intense pain, widened the distance greatly.
The swords flying around lost focus one by one, falling to the ground.
Blood gushed from her hand clutching her shoulder.
"Damn... what a psycho."
I infused magic power, and the swords in my body were pushed out, clattering to the floor.
After heavy breathing for a while, I looked around.
In my narrowed vision, my severed arm appeared.
I picked it up and pressed it to the stump.
-Crack, kwajik!
Bad sounds as bone and flesh aligned.
Blue veins bulged on my skin.
The worse the injury, the stronger my authority.
Even with tendons and nerves severed, the torn arm regenerated swiftly.
"...'
Astonishment flooded Hong Yeon's face.
"Are you even human?"
I took a step. Hong Yeon's magic power was heavily depleted; even if she summoned swords again, only a few.
I could swat those away by hand.
Drenched in blood, I walked toward Hong Yeon.
The terrified woman's eyes filled my view.
-Pang!
I slapped away another volley of swords.
Then the sturdy swords unraveled like unwound bandages.
Magic that doesn't sustain once the mind wavers.
The leader isn't accustomed to pain, it seems.
Of course, that's what I was aiming for.
The nerve toxin the Heavenly Demon scattered in me last time still lingered in my blood.
Not fully detoxed, its effect remained.
"Damn, I..."
Hong Yeon, her lignification undone, uttered words of surrender.
Before her lips could fully part, I hooked her foot and shoved her chest, toppling her.
"Kuk!"
Straddling Hong Yeon, I raised my clenched fist high.
Blood from my body soaked her face.
One hit to the bloodied spot.
-Pow!
I felt her nasal bone crunch under my knuckles.
"Krahk... stop. I get it—"
I didn't stop.
With the Time World Tree's lifespan unknown, possibly returning to reality anytime, this spar was a waste of time.
The Heavenly Path might die. Cornus too. Even Bead.
Not even our daughter has a guaranteed future.
Time is precious.
Purely to teach me a lesson, dragging me to this sparring ground.
"...Stop."
I ignored the pleading voice.
-Pow!
The brutal impact echoed through the sparring ground.
The arena, hot with excitement for the martial artists, fell deathly silent.
As I wound up for another.
-Whoosh, pak!
The last sword from behind pierced my raised right hand.
Pathetic resistance.
I ignored it and brought it down.
"Kuhuk... guk, kek."
I diligently swung my fist.
-Pow!
"Kuh, kuk, kuhuk."
How many hits?
"Stop it."
As I raised my fist again, the old man who had approached grabbed my wrist.
Strong grip holding my hand.
"Worthless tree to you, but she's lived pathetically in my stead. That's enough."
Without her, he'd be too busy. That's what the Heavenly Demon said.
I quietly told him.
"If so, you should've stopped when my arm came off. You joking? One more in this state is fine."
"...It does look that way. People don't die that easily."
"Let go."
The old man released my wrist wordlessly.
-Pow!
With the final blow, Hong Yeon's head snapped back.
Blood trailed long from my clenched fist.
I stood, wiping my eyes. Relaxing my jaw, a clot fell from my mouth.
The old man watching me shuddered, face pale.
"Seen plenty, but you're worse than drugged idiots who lost their fear."
"Necessary. This way, other punks won't crawl up."
"...To me, it just looked like she got on your nerves."
I don't know how the Heavenly Path will see me... but that's not the concern now.
I staggered to my feet.
Consciousness threatened to fade, toppling me. I bit my tongue to forcibly awaken my body.
I pulled out the sword from the back of my hand.
The extracted dagger turned to maple leaves and burned away.
From then on, I never passed out again.