Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Summer
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Summer
In the flourishing spring, Elena submitted her quarterly report to the Derusia Magic Tower.
Fourth-tier mages affiliated with the tower were required to submit performance reports each quarter, though it didn't have to be strictly related to magic. If there was nothing noteworthy to report, they could fulfill the obligation by completing a commission from the Adventurers' Guild suited to their rank.
But that applied to ordinary fourth-tier mages under the tower. For a disciple candidate of the tower lord, the standards were far harsher.
Out of the four quarters, reports on magical research had to be submitted at least twice.
It meant you couldn't become the disciple of Heavenly Thunder Orca Derusia just by slacking off and living off your body without devoting yourself to magic.
This was the second quarter of the year. What Elena submitted was the first volume of the Haiderga Magic Formula (working title). Though she hadn't yet completed specific incantations, it organized the fundamental theories behind the magic she pursued, earning her high marks from Orca in the quarterly evaluation.
"Just wait until the third quarter."
On the day she returned from the evaluation, Elena said this as she sat at the celebratory dinner table.
There was no need to ask what she wanted them to wait for.
"Yeah."
The seasons changed.
Even in this world with a single sun and a single moon, there were apparently four seasons.
When 27-year-old orphan Lee Soo-hyuk became 20-year-old orphan Yuri, it had been a cool spring day and a chilly spring night. A few months after Baker left, sweltering summer arrived.
He didn't know the exact temperature, but it felt about as hot as Korean summers. Because of that, training in the mansion garden became grueling. His body was already moving a lot, and with the heat on top of that, sweat poured down like rain.
It actually rained a lot, too.
Going through such a summer, Yuri felt fortunate to be staying at Elena's mansion.
What if he'd spent the summer in that rundown communal housing in Oldor that could collapse any moment?
The putrid smell wafting from the nearby pusae-style outhouse just passing by. The well where you had to haul up water every time if you even wanted to wash. The communal kitchen that was worlds away from any hygiene. The cramped single room with no air conditioning beyond opening the windows.
Spending the summer in that room without even a fan, let alone AC—it was horrifying to imagine.
In contrast, Elena's mansion was comfortable even in summer. There was nothing to be done about the blazing sun beating down directly in the garden, but indoors, you couldn't feel the heat at all.
While Elena prepared her third-quarter report, Yuri devoted himself to martial arts.
Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art, Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist, Light Breeze Cloud Step.
He didn't spend special time training the Pure Ear No Dust Heart Method. As his attainment in the Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art rose, his understanding of the Pure Ear No Dust Heart Method improved accordingly. After all, a heart method was just a way to control and utilize internal energy, so focusing solely on the divine art was sufficient.
Unfurling the Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist and Light Breeze Cloud Step together had also become effortless. They were so ingrained now that using them separately felt awkward and difficult.
Linking the four forms into one. He'd made significant progress compared to when he'd first shown it in front of Baker.
"To link all the forms seamlessly into one—do you even realize how incredible that is, Yuri?"
With Baker gone, there was no one suitable to seek martial arts advice from. Yuri still had no intention of becoming Namgung Yuri or Yuri Namgung, and he had zero desire to visit Full Moon Night Dance.
In the end, the only one left around Yuri who could offer martial arts advice was Ha-ryeong, but she immediately turned serious at his request to link all the forms.
"To achieve that, you must grasp the ultimate essence of each form and master the frame so perfectly that you can execute it even in instinct and the unconscious. In simpler terms, you need to be able to unleash the optimal form in any situation without deliberation."
"Hmm..."
"Unfurling forms in sequence. Unfurling them out of order. That's easy. You just do them one by one with breaks. But 'linking' is different. It's giving multiple forms a sense of unity, as if they were one from the start—flowing naturally like water, flexibly."
"I don't quite get it from words. Could you demonstrate?"
"Well, now."
Even after months of acquaintance, Ha-ryeong's expressions rarely changed. But now, Yuri could pick up on even the subtlest shifts. The faint mischief glimmered in Ha-ryeong's eyes as she looked at him.
"Trying to probe my martial arts with such an excuse?"
"Come to think of it, I've never actually seen you use yours."
"That's fortunate and only natural. I'm an assassin and Elena's bodyguard. The only times I'd use martial arts are when I need to assassinate or when a threat arises to Elena. Just those two cases."
"Yes..."
"As I told you before, Yuri, when on duty, I'm a ruthless, merciless, utterly terrifying assassin. And a diligent, loyal, model bodyguard who protects her charge with all my might. I don't use martial arts for trivial matters."
"You make it sound so grand."
"You spoke truly. Yuri, I'm expensive. And not just in money. Even if you call yourself a 3.5 billion man, hiring me is impossible. Because I'm an expensive assassin."
"Yes, yes..."
The mischief in her eyes. The emotionless face. But those words were sincere, not a joke. He'd tested the waters out of curiosity about an assassin's martial arts, and sure enough, rejected.
"But."
Just as he thought that, Ha-ryeong suddenly raised one finger.
"I'm a terrifying assassin, but right now, I'm not on a job. I have a human heart."
"...?"
"The time and bond we've spent together aren't heavy, but not feather-light either. So today, considering all that, I'll give you a special discount."
"A discount?"
"In exchange for appraising your martial arts, I'll show you a bit of mine. How about it? A tempting offer, isn't it? To see the martial arts of a terrifying, duty-bound assassin like this."
The bond was just an excuse. Honestly, Ha-ryeong wanted to gauge Yuri's exact prowess too.
His internal energy study wasn't impressive yet, but his martial talent was acknowledged even by the Lord of Boundlessness. Yet Ha-ryeong hadn't properly assessed Yuri's skills. Because she hadn't spied on his training.
"Appraise your martial arts—how exactly?"
"A spar would be simplest."
"A spar?"
"Why so surprised? Oh, don't worry. I'll approach it with a human heart, not as an assassin. No weapons, and barely any internal energy."
"Barely any—what's that mean?"
"If I use none at all, I can't fully execute the forms, can I?"
"Still seems dangerous..."
"Good grief."
Ha-ryeong's eyes widened round. She stared at Yuri with unwavering eyes and parted her lips, which held no hint of a smile.
"You're not worrying about me, are you?"
"No, I mean it seems dangerous for me."
"If you were worrying about me, I'd think you arrogant and give you a proper lesson, but since you're not—it's a relief and a disappointment."
"Why a relief and disappointment?"
"It's commendable that you'd worry about me despite the arrogance, but weren't you just thinking of self-preservation?"
With that, Ha-ryeong stepped back a few paces.
"Anyway, let's spar."
"I never said I would."
"After all this talk, backing out now—what kind of nonsense is that?"
"You said it all unilaterally."
"Didn't you want to see my martial arts? And you asked me because you're unsure if you've linked the forms well. A spar will answer all your questions."
Hearing it, it made sense. Yuri stopped hesitating, stepped back the same distance, and assumed the Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist stance. Facing him, Ha-ryeong relaxed her shoulders and extended her index and middle fingers together on both hands.
"What's that?"
"Stands in for daggers."
"I'm unleashing Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist."
"What else do you even know?"
"What martial art will you use, Ha-ryeong?"
"Don't slyly pry into my arts. Do I look like a sucker to fall for leading questions li—"
Before Ha-ryeong could finish, Yuri moved. The Light Breeze Cloud Step closed the distance in an instant, and the fist he'd swung countless times became clouds engulfing Ha-ryeong.
"Such treachery."
Ha-ryeong muttered with an unsurprised face.
In conclusion, he lost.
He didn't go down in one hit, but Yuri's fists never once touched Ha-ryeong. It was a bizarre experience. It seemed like it would hit, but it didn't.
'No, did it hit?'
—He didn't know. It was ambiguous. Like fighting a fluttering feather. Too light and fluttering... even if it hit, it didn't feel like it did.
He chased the darting Ha-ryeong for a while. She didn't just focus on evasion. Amid the swaying, grotesquely twisting attacks grazed him several times. The extended fingers. Ha-ryeong called them 'daggers.'
So, in this spar, Yuri had been stabbed dozens of times by Ha-ryeong's daggers. If they'd been real, he'd have been covered in blood and collapsed long ago.
Anyway, he lost.
"Why the face?"
It was Yuri who asked. Catching his breath as he sat on the ground, he looked up at the blankly standing Ha-ryeong and tilted his head.
"What's wrong with my face? I'm the same as always."
"No, you're not."
"You look dissatisfied and annoyed?"
That's how it seemed to Yuri. Ha-ryeong's brows were subtly furrowed beyond her usual blankness, and her straight lips had the corners very slightly twisted.
"Are you a fortune-teller, Yuri?"
"No."
"Then did you learn mind-reading?"
"No."
"So why act like you know? You don't. Dissatisfied? Annoyed? I'm a cold-hearted assassin. Emotions like dissatisfaction and annoyance are useless for an assassin's missions. That's why I cut them all out at a young age."
"Doesn't seem like it? You sound even more annoyed and dissatisfied right now?"
"Oh, come on, I said no."
"Your tone's different from usual. Why are you annoyed and dissatisfied? The one who got unilaterally beaten and lost is just sitting here quietly."
"Want more?"
Rarely, Ha-ryeong glared at Yuri with wide eyes.
"No."
Yuri quickly backed down. Even as he obediently shut his mouth, Ha-ryeong glared at him with the same expression for a moment.
"Hmm."
A moment later, Ha-ryeong composed herself.
"First, Yuri. About linking the Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist forms into one, as you mentioned earlier."
"Yes."
"In my view, it was... decent enough. Of course, not even grazing a master assassin's hem, but considering your martial experience, it's impressive attainment."
"No other advice? Like areas needing improvement."
"Well, I don't know the Drifting Clouds Southern Sky Fist forms or oral formulas. If you're feeling ambiguity, it might be due to insufficient internal energy. Or lack of experience."
"Experience?"
"You've only properly sparred with me and Elder Kwon. The scuffle with Young Master Namgung barely counts."
"Yeah, fair."
"Martial arts have limits when trained alone. To solidify the ambiguities, you need to accumulate various experiences."
Ha-ryeong's head tilted sideways. The complicated irritation faded from her face, but her eyes remained dull, chilling like a snake eyeing prey.
"Yuri. What tier are you now?"
"Pardon?"
"You should have a sense. To me, you passed second tier long ago."
"Well... I am supplementing my movements with internal energy, but I don't think I'm anywhere near third tier."
Yuri lied calmly. Ha-ryeong had held back, and so had he. Throughout the spar, he'd meticulously controlled his internal energy.
He had innate martial talent, but his mana talent was average. Everyone who'd acknowledged his talent had always evaluated him that way, and Yuri didn't want to deviate from that.
A second-tier martial artist could actively use dantian energy to strengthen the body—lifting heavy rocks, moving intensely without getting winded, taking hits without serious injury. That was second tier, where the body transcended mere conditioning into toughness.
A third-tier martial artist could emit internal energy outside the body. For swordsmen, the entry to sword aura. Martial fighters could coat their body with it.
"Second tier..."
In truth, Yuri had already reached third tier, but he couldn't boast it.
"Looking purely at form comprehension and level, no one would peg you as second tier."
"Is that praise?"
"Does it sound like an insult?"
With that, Ha-ryeong turned sharply.
"Where are you going?"
"It's about time for Elena to return, and we've sparred, so I'll go greet her."
"I have some thoughts after seeing your martial arts."
"What did you feel?"
"An assassin's arts are truly elusive. Hit but doesn't connect, think she's in front but she's behind."
"You saw it right. So always watch your back, Yuri."
"Why?"
"I won't, but some assassin might smash the back of your head."
Leaving those words, Ha-ryeong exited the garden.
'What the hell?'
Staring at the closed mansion door, he thought. Ha-ryeong hadn't mixed lies into her evaluation.
What he'd felt in the direct spar—it absolutely didn't feel like second tier. Movements aside, the sense for using forms at the perfect moments was astonishing.
Especially chilling were Yuri's eyes.
Even suppressing internal energy, he'd used footwork quite earnestly.
'Definitely couldn't keep up at first.'
Hit but doesn't connect? Simple but accurate. The assassin's art Ha-ryeong practiced was like that. Present yet absent. Unable to close in no matter how you try—a ghostly art.
'But gradually... he kept up.'
The gap narrowed bit by bit. At some point, Ha-ryeong had to move to 'shake off' Yuri's persistent attacks. She hadn't even been conscious of it at first. He hadn't been worth it.
'If we hadn't stopped midway...'
It was Ha-ryeong, not Yuri, who'd ended the spar.
Simple reason. Continuing would've forced her to get more serious too.
"Genius..."
Ha-ryeong let out a hollow laugh as she looked at the sky. The summer sun was hot and blinding, making her eyes squint involuntarily.
Still summer.
Yuri. That man had entered martial arts, and only one season had changed...
"..."
Should she report it?
Ha-ryeong pondered as she walked. In a few months, Yuri would leave Elena Haiderga's mansion. Leave Lutran, head into the world.
What that man would do, become—nothing set yet. He'd said something about wandering the world...
'Too wasteful as just an adventurer.'
Cold assessment.
'Better to mark him first.'
Yuri himself didn't seem inclined to become an assassin, nor suited for it.
Didn't matter. Even if not fitting, mark him first and guide—even a man unsuited for assassin, the Killing Guard Sect lord would prepare a fitting position.
'Too soon.'
Ha-ryeong thought with a blank face. Tempting, yes. But her current mission was guarding Elena Haiderga, not talent recruitment for the sect.
If the temptation overrode distinguishing positions, maybe. But for now... observe. At least until Yuri fully separates from Elena.
'Arrogant overreach too.'
If Ha-ryeong acted on personal greed alone—her unloved family would glare.
She hated that.
—Summer ripened.
The time for the Derusia Magic Tower's third-quarter report arrived.
Elena submitted the incomplete second volume of the Haiderga Magic Formula (working title), referencing the Island Thunder Seven Forms incantation, and received high praise again.
A sweltering night.
'I am the fire that executes heavenly punishment, the asura that annihilates evil, the apostle that rectifies heaven's principles.'
'My hands uphold the holy flame, my feet tread the demons.'
As Yuri immersed in the Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art—he felt the dantian energy 'ignite.'
The distant fourth-tier wall faintly came into view.