Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Resonance (2)
Hum─!
The spear shaft trembled faintly.
That vibration soon spread from his shoulder throughout Bi-hyeong's entire body.
'It's crying.'
A phenomenon one could call the Spear's Cry.
It was a concept that appeared often in the game, and as far as Bi-hyeong knew, it happened when you infused a certain amount of 'energy' into a weapon.
But not now.
His spiritual power and yokai energy weren't budging from his lower dantian at all.
Without infusing any energy whatsoever, Bi-hyeong was drawing forth the Spear's Cry.
As he listened to the weapon's wail, he heard its story.
He had stepped into the realm of Resonance.
'…….'
Before he knew it,
in the darkened field of his closed eyes, a single spear floated into view.
From the shaft to the spearhead. Right to the tip of the blade.
It was all one piece, that jet-black spear.
In the realm of his mind, Bi-hyeong faced the spear one-on-one.
"Alright, let's talk honestly."
Hum.
"You want to return to your main body over there too, right? Then cooperate with me a bit."
Humm─!
"What? Not yet? What nonsense is that…."
Hum─! Hummm─!
The spear in his mind thrashed wildly.
…This guy was being offered a way back to its own body, so why was it acting up like this?
"No. Let's have a conversation."
But any further words were pointless.
Like it was covering its ears and squeezing its eyes shut, the spear just hummed─ without giving any response.
Bi-hyeong let out a deep sigh and narrowed the realm of his mind.
"…Fine. Then I'll just do it my way."
He'd tried resolving it through talk, but it didn't work. What could he do?
He had no choice but to pull out his second means of conversation: his fists.
"Don't blame me if you end up going back anyway, okay?"
Hum!!!
"What're you saying."
Bi-hyeong raised his hand as he watched the spear scream incomprehensible nonsense—no, more like shriek in agony.
'The realm of Resonance. Here, you gain a better understanding of the weapon's internal structure and perceive the will residing within it.'
One step further into the Intimacy stage, and you could enter the weapon's will.
Of course, literally 'Intimacy'.
It happened when the weapon deemed your bond close enough and invited its master in.
"Who's going in?"
Bi-hyeong had no intention of playing nice to raise this spear's affinity right now.
He wanted just one thing.
To whittle down this spear's durability.
To do that, it would be best to first restore this thing's will.
'In the game, when they explained it as "will," I thought, why make it sound so grandiose.'
In truth, now that he saw it for himself, there was no more accurate description.
From the moment a weapon was forged, the value it held depended on how much karma it accumulated thereafter.
Unlike modern objects that wore down, lost teeth, or broke with age and use,
most exceptional items in this world boasted origins spanning hundreds, or even over a thousand years.
He'd once dismissed it as mere game lore,
but now he understood.
It was probably passed down through legends too.
'Weapons each have their own stories.'
And that story would be the will that formed the weapon itself.
'Even if you're a fragment of a divine artifact. Let's see who wins, you or me.'
With that, Bi-hyeong's fist began pummeling the spear's will.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Hum!
Humm─!!
The spear, which had been trembling intermittently, now shook violently like it was having a fit.
Yet Bi-hyeong, spear slung over his shoulder, showed no change in expression as he gripped it tightly—looking utterly imposing.
"…Hey, Top Student, did you see that? He didn't even attend yesterday's class, but he's got the best progress here."
"You hear what the prof let slip? He said Bi-hyeong's stepped beyond Resonance into Intimacy!"
"Whoa, insane… Is he gonna achieve Man-Weapon Unity before the end of freshman year?"
As they whispered among themselves,
their instructor, Shin Hu—the one who'd dropped that topic—stared at Bi-hyeong in disbelief.
'Hah. He's really going wild in the Intimacy realm.'
The spear's frantic wails were almost pitiful.
'I told him to aim for Man-Weapon Unity… What the hell is that guy doing?'
From the spear's mournful cry, it didn't seem like he was bonding amicably.
Unless hammering down the rough edges counted, that is.
'And yet, strangely, the spear seems to be trying to unite with him?'
The spear was bonding and striving for Man-Weapon Unity,
while its so-called master was rejecting it outright.
'…Sheesh, tsk. Not unity, it's Man-Weapon Discord.'
Why was it that whenever he taught this guy something, it never went as planned?
And yet, his eyes kept drifting back—damn, the kid was something else.
'He's suppressing the spear's will with his own sheer force of will. What's his angle?'
A moment later,
Bi-hyeong exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.
"Hoo."
"Cadet Bi-hyeong."
A voice called to him right then.
Bi-hyeong turned to his instructor with a puzzled look at the summons.
"Why do you call, sir?"
"What the hell did you just do?"
"Pardon?"
"That spear's totally cowed now. Might not unite, but it'll obey commands like a charm."
"Uh…."
Bi-hyeong knew that wasn't praise.
He scratched his head awkwardly, and the instructor sighed deeply, beckoning him over.
"Come with me. Let's have a talk."
This would be their second private chat.
…Getting this early in the semester was legendary.
Anyway.
Bi-hyeong stood and followed his instructor.
They climbed the stairs to the rooftop.
Behind them, the indoor training hall was visible through the glass.
"So, Cadet Bi-hyeong. What was the problem that made you beat that spear like it was dust on a rainy day?"
"……."
Bi-hyeong pondered how to explain it.
For a brief moment.
He honestly handed his spear to the instructor.
"Actually, I've learned something about this."
"About that spear?"
The instructor took it with keen interest.
"This is the one you picked from the weapon selection, right? And you've already figured something out?"
"Yes. Specifically, that this spear isn't ordinary."
"Keep talking."
The instructor's eyes grew serious as he ran his hand along the shaft.
His ears stayed open, listening intently to Bi-hyeong.
Bi-hyeong slowly explained the truth about the spear, omitting only the part about it being a divine artifact fragment.
"…That's how it is."
"Hmm. So when its durability hits zero, it reveals its true form? Who'd have thought something like this was mixed in there."
The instructor swung the spear once.
Whoosh!
His main weapon was a staff, but the spear felt right in his hands too, radiating a sharper aura than when Bi-hyeong held it.
"Well-balanced weight, sturdy. Better than what most cadets use. And this isn't its true form?"
"Yes. I'm certain."
"So you pulled that stunt to uncover its true form?"
Stunt, huh.
It had been a desperate experiment born from his own idea.
"…Yes. Exactly. I have a reason I must find it."
Only then did the instructor meet Bi-hyeong's eyes.
A gaze filled with unwavering resolve.
Pleased, the instructor grinned broadly and slung the spear over his shoulder.
"Alright. Then let me appraise it for you."
"Appraise it?"
"What, you forgot? I told you back at the disciplinary hearing."
Bring something from the treasure vault, and I'd take a look.
"I'm damn good at appraisals, y'know."
The instructor chuckled as the spear spun in his grip, pointing skyward.
He looked up, then fixed Bi-hyeong with a steady gaze.
"…Material's ujin? But it doesn't feel ordinary."
Ujin was an alloy of copper mixed with a bit of gold.
But given the spear's strength, it didn't seem like mere ujin.
"Got it. It's metal infused with exceptional karma. If this isn't its true form… whoa. The real thing must be no joke."
Bi-hyeong's eyes widened.
From just fragmentary info and a quick appraisal, he'd come close to calling it a divine artifact.
Not just anyone could do that.
'He can tell that much from an appraisal? What's this guy's real deal?'
But the instructor continued undeterred by Bi-hyeong's surprise.
"…Strong yin energy melted into the metal. That's why its durability's so damn tough, and why it can't revert. Tsk. Who the hell made it like this?"
Shaking his head, he handed the spear back to Bi-hyeong.
"Appraisal's done. I pretty much get how to drain its durability now too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Bottom line: you need to pay attention in my class."
"The Man-Weapon Unity process?"
"Exactly. You might not achieve it right away, but stop beating the crap out of it in the Intimacy realm. That won't wear down its durability."
The instructor shook his head like he was fed up, then continued.
"The metal's internal structure is packed with yin energy. You gotta dispel that to reduce durability. Normally, frequent use would disperse it over time."
"…Ah."
Right then, Bi-hyeong recalled what Two-eok had said.
'He said meditation in a seated position doesn't suit yokai, right?'
Yin energy seemed to be that kind of thing.
No matter how great yokai energy was, it didn't change the yin nature.
"If you keep trying your method… hm. Durability won't drop—instead, the yin energy might condense even more?"
Spiritual power stirred in the instructor's hand, drawing in the air.
A metal ingot with ice crystals inside.
"See, this ingot's the spear's metal, ice is the yin energy. But you keep hitting the spear? What happens?"
The ice crystals in the ingot drew inward, tangling more densely.
"Answer: yin energy condenses. Durability doesn't decrease—it increases."
Even if you wore some down, repeating this would restore it,
and boost the overall value even higher.
"…For an ordinary weapon, that'd be great."
"Right. But it's not ordinary, is it?"
The chuckling instructor handed the spear back.
"So challenge Man-Weapon Unity. In Resonance, Intimacy, Heart Mirror—don't separate from the spear. Keep stimulating it. And in that state, generate yang energy."
Nothing beat yang energy for handling yin.
"But if yin energy's the issue, can't I just infuse yang energy? Why bother with Man-Weapon Unity…."
"Pfft! I'm telling you this so you succeed. It's always good to do it right, and it's more efficient too, kid."
Tongue clicking, the instructor pressed on.
"The yin energy's stuck tight to the structure. Normal infusion won't melt it. Unless your yang energy can melt the whole spear into slag on its own."
But even high-rank exorcists couldn't manage that.
"Link yourself and the weapon as one, generate yang energy, and melt the bound yin with it. That's the fastest—and proper—way."
And you'd gain Man-Weapon Unity in the process. How perfect?
"Got it? Quit the stunt and go achieve unity."
Bi-hyeong stared blankly at his instructor, then bowed deeply.
"Thank you, sir."
His tone was rough and prickly,
but no denying he was an excellent teacher.