Chapter 305: Overcoming Fear
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 305: Overcoming Fear
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
His entire body began to shake uncontrollably.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
His teeth knocked against each other without a moment's rest.
When was the last time he had felt such terror?
Had he ever even experienced this kind of fear before?
"You look like a frightened rabbit."
Neung So-hwa’s voice reached Sun-woo’s ear.
With trembling eyes, Sun-woo looked up to meet her gaze.
Neung So-hwa was watching him with an expression that suggested she found him absolutely adorable.
She clearly realized that he was consumed by fear.
"Do not worry. I will not harm you. The Black Flame is a terrifying power, but it will never hurt you. Look at your arm. Is there not a single scar?"
Neung So-hwa spoke as she pointed to Sun-woo’s right arm.
She was right.
The Black Flame, which had inflicted pain so excruciating it nearly made him lose his mind, had not left even a tiny burn mark on his arm.
It was as if nothing had happened at all.
"You were insolent. You dared to oppose me. You were also arrogant, for you presumed to guarantee your victory against me. Had Bukgung Yeon said such things instead of you, I would have reduced her entire body to ash."
Neung So-hwa continued, her eyes flashing with a hint of lingering anger.
"But because it was you, I showed consideration by ensuring you felt only the pain. No matter how insolent you were, I did not wish for you to be hurt. How could I injure my precious one simply because I was in a foul mood?"
Neung So-hwa met Sun-woo’s eyes with her own, which were as crimson as fresh blood.
"That is enough defiance. I believe you have done quite enough. You have shown me sufficient capability. So, stop now. This is your limit."
Neung So-hwa spoke with a tone of finality, as if passing judgment.
"……"
Sun-woo couldn't find the words to respond.
He felt that she wasn't wrong.
She had indeed shown him consideration.
Despite the extreme pain of the Black Flame, she hadn't left a single wound. Even when she summoned the Fire Dragon, she had merely slammed it into the glacier; she had never directed a lethal intent toward him.
He was being coddled.
She was treating him like a petulant pet that needed soothing.
Sun-woo could feel it now—the staggering, insurmountable abyss between the Profound Realm and the Transcendent Realm.
On paper, it was only a single stage of difference, but the reality of that gap was far more immense than he had imagined.
In the past, Sun-woo had felt despair when facing the Sword Emperor.
Back then, as a mere Upper Stage Super-Peak martial artist, he couldn't even fathom achieving victory over someone who had reached the pinnacle of the Transcendent Realm.
Yet, in the end, Sun-woo had triumphed over the Sword Emperor.
It was the result of several strokes of luck aligning perfectly. The Sword Emperor had been pushed to the brink of death in his battle with Ok-ryeong, and Sun-woo had received help from that legendary artifact, the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor.
The current situation wasn't much different.
Neung So-hwa had expended more than half of her internal energy creating a Fire Dragon massive enough to melt a glacier instantly. And while he didn't have the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor, he held the Dragon Tail Soft Sword—an artifact of equal caliber—in his hand.
But he couldn't bring himself to try.
He couldn't find the courage to overcome the transcendental stage known as the Profound Realm.
This meant that the gap between the Transcendent Realm and the entry level of the Profound Realm was even wider than the gap between the Super-Peak and Transcendent Realms.
At least, that was how it felt to Sun-woo.
Despair washed over him.
He was certain that no matter what he did, he could never surpass her.
"Why do you not answer?"
When Sun-woo remained silent, Neung So-hwa pressed him.
She wanted a definitive answer from him.
She wanted him to say he was sorry for defying her.
That he had briefly lost his mind.
That he would accept her as she was and love only her.
At her question, Sun-woo slowly met her gaze.
He saw those eyes, as red as pooling blood.
Right now, they were filled with affection, but if he rejected her again, they would undoubtedly be clouded by rage.
And so, Sun-woo agonized.
He debated what choice he should make in this situation.
No matter what he tried, he couldn't overcome her.
How could he possibly face someone who could create an inextinguishable flame through sheer will alone?
To cut through that Black Flame, he would have to manifest a Sword of the Mind, just like a Sword Maniac.
For someone like him, who was still only in the Upper Stage of the Transcendent Realm, such a feat was a distant dream.
How could he do anything when he hadn't even grasped the proper principles of the Heart Sword?
It would be better to just prostrate himself and beg for forgiveness.
That would be the best path for him.
Whether she killed Bukgung Yeon or took her anger out on innocent villagers wouldn't matter; he just had to preserve his own life.
It would be better to accept this radically changed Neung So-hwa as she was, becoming her plaything and granting her every whim.
At least he would be able to live that way.
His brain screamed the command at him incessantly.
Bow your head to the ground this instant.
Beg for your life.
Tell her you'll accept her as she is.
Tell her you don't care who she kills.
Tell her you'll love only her.
Beg.
But strangely, his body wouldn't move.
Not just his body—even his lips wouldn't budge.
Something other than his brain was putting the brakes on his actions.
It gripped him tight, as if he were bound in heavy iron chains.
That 'something' was telling him not to yield.
It told him that if he gave in here, this would be his limit forever.
It asked if he wanted to live the rest of his life in defeat.
And then it spoke again.
If he surrendered now, he would never see the original Neung So-hwa again.
It asked if he was truly okay with that.
There was no way he was okay with it.
When he said Neung So-hwa was a precious friend, it wasn't just empty talk.
She was precious to him.
The woman who had given him joy.
The woman who had unreservedly shared her enlightenment with him.
The woman who had shown him such kindness.
"Neung So-hwa."
Sun-woo spoke, looking at her with steady eyes.
"Speak. I am ready to hear whatever you have to say."
"I guess I'm just stupid."
Sun-woo let out a short, dry laugh.
"What do you mean by that?"
Neung So-hwa tilted her head in confusion.
Why was he suddenly calling himself stupid?
"Because I'm really shitty at listening to what my brain tells me to do."
Having finished his sentence, Sun-woo bent his waist.
He picked up the Dragon Tail Soft Sword lying on the ground.
Holding the sword, Sun-woo slowly raised it and pointed it at Neung So-hwa.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Neung So-hwa’s gaze turned cold as she glared at him.
"It's exactly what it looks like. My intention to take you down hasn't changed."
Sun-woo spoke, his eyes filled with grim determination.
"Foolish."
Neung So-hwa gave a short reply.
He was a fool.
An utter, complete fool.
Had he not already experienced the gap between them?
And yet, he dared to point a sword at her?
Sun-woo could not defeat her.
How could someone who hadn't even properly formed a Sword of the Mind face her, who had reached a realm where she could defy nature itself?
It was impossible.
There wasn't even a sliver of a chance.
"Do you truly believe you can defeat me? You should be well aware of the difference in our power. Why then do you make such a foolish choice?"
Neung So-hwa asked, her expression one of genuine incomprehension.
"It is foolish. Honestly, even I think I'm being an idiot. I should be begging for forgiveness and pleading for my life, yet here I am, picking up a sword. Anyone watching would probably call me a moron and curse me out."
Sun-woo continued in a calm tone.
"Then why do you lift your sword?"
"Because I want to."
"What?!"
"My body won't listen. My brain is constantly warning me that I can't win, that I'll be burned to a crisp, that I'll die... but this thing called a 'heart' keeps moving my body however it wants."
"I do not understand."
Neung So-hwa spoke, looking completely baffled.
"You don't, right? I don't even understand it myself, so how could you?"
Sun-woo chuckled at her reaction.
"You seem to be ill. Perhaps you should see a physician?"
"Yeah, maybe. If I survive this, I'll be sure to go."
Sun-woo replied with a faint smile.
"Do not worry. I am merciful. Though you have bared your fangs at me, since you are ill, I shall overlook it by merely burning off one of your arms."
"That's so kind of you, I might just cry."
"There is no need for tears. I was simply born with a merciful nature."
Neung So-hwa spoke with an air of immense pride.
She seemed quite intoxicated with herself.
"I hope that mercy lasts."
With those words, Sun-woo began to circulate the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art to its absolute limit.
He had to go all out from the start.
He didn't have the luxury of testing the waters.
He would simply clash with her in his peak state.
Vrooooooom!
Massive waves of energy began to ripple from Sun-woo’s body.
An energy that sought the harmony of Yin and Yang, clearer and more powerful than any other.
The Yin-Yang Harmony Qi revealed itself.
Sun-woo instantly flooded his fine meridians with the energy.
As his body became fully revitalized, power began to surge through his entire frame.
But that wasn't the end.
In that state, he began to accelerate his blood flow.
Faster than ever before, faster than anyone else.
Thump-thump, thump-thump!
His heart began to beat at a frantic pace.
His entire body began to flush a deep red.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
Sun-woo breathed heavily.
The accelerated blood flow demanded far more oxygen.
Tremble, tremble.
His whole body began to vibrate.
His physical form was reacting to the uncontrollable, overwhelming power.
Sun-woo stared at Neung So-hwa with bloodshot eyes.
"Ho, your aura has changed."
Neung So-hwa, who had been watching quietly, expressed her admiration.
She felt a momentum that was incomparable to anything he had shown before.
"It's going to be different."
Sun-woo spoke to her, his face flushed with intense excitement.
"I shall look forward to it."
Neung So-hwa replied with a slight smile.
She was genuinely curious to see what Sun-woo would show her.
Creeeeeak.
Sun-woo leaned his upper body back.
He leaned back as far as his physical limits would allow.
Then, he relentlessly poured Yin-Yang Harmony Qi into his Yongcheon points.
BOOM!
In an instant, Sun-woo detonated the internal energy gathered in his Yongcheon points, using the explosive recoil to launch himself forward.
Simultaneously with the explosion, he snapped his leaned-back torso forward, further accelerating his projectile speed.
Whoosh!
In a flash, Sun-woo’s figure completely vanished.
"What!?"
Neung So-hwa, watching the scene, was taken aback.
Sun-woo had disappeared entirely from her field of vision.
She quickly scanned her surroundings.
She searched for the vanished Sun-woo.
But he was nowhere to be seen.
Just as her confusion peaked—
Whoosh!
She felt the sound of wind being sliced from behind.
Neung So-hwa quickly surged her Flame Emperor's Demonic Qi.
BANG!
"Ugh!"
Neung So-hwa let out a groan at the significant impact delivered to her back.
BANG!
But it didn't end there.
This time, a heavy impact struck her right arm.
"Urgh!"
Neung So-hwa grimaced and whipped her head around.
She wanted to confirm the identity of the Sun-woo who had attacked her.
But all she saw was the vast, empty expanse of the glacier.
Sun-woo was nowhere to be found.
BANG!
Another heavy blow landed on her back.
The force was enough to make Neung So-hwa stumble forward.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
After that, a relentless barrage of attacks began to pour down upon her.
"Where are you hiding!?"
Furious, Neung So-hwa screamed, her face contorted in a scowl.
She was in an extremely foul mood.
She hated the fact that she was being attacked unilaterally without even being able to land a proper counter-strike.
Fortunately, her Flame Emperor's Demonic Qi automatically warded off the attacks, so she wasn't in danger, but that didn't change the fact that she was pissed off.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Despite her shouting, Sun-woo’s onslaught showed no signs of stopping, and Neung So-hwa’s irritation continued to mount.
"If this is how you want to play, I have no choice!"
Incensed, Neung So-hwa shouted into the air as a warning.
Then, she operated the Extreme Yang Flame Emperor Demonic Art to its absolute peak.
Fwoooooosh!
Soon, her body was filled with an unbearable heat that began to expand outward incessantly.
"Come at me whenever you like!"
BANG!
At that moment, she felt another impact from behind.
And in that instant, Neung So-hwa unleashed all the heat she had been gathering.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A thunderous roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of heaven and earth erupted, followed by a massive explosion centered on Neung So-hwa’s body. A giant cloud of explosive smoke completely enveloped her.