Chapter 639: Have You Ever Been Cut at the Speed of Light?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 639: Have You Ever Been Cut at the Speed of Light?
'What on earth is that...?'
Sun-woo’s expression turned grave as he watched Ok-ryeong, who was now enveloped in a shroud of radiance. Even a cursory glance told him her momentum was anything but ordinary.
He expanded his sensory perception to its absolute limit, preparing to react to any possible attack.
Tap.
Ok-ryeong lightly tapped her foot against the ground. In that instant, she vanished completely from his sight.
'What?!'
Sun-woo’s eyes widened in shock. His eyesight had been maximized through his Awakening, yet even in that state, he had completely lost track of her movement.
Twitch.
Suddenly, his senses picked up a trace.
'Behind me!'
Sun-woo spun around instantly, raising his sword to shield his body.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar erupted, followed by a crushing weight pressing against his blade.
"Urgh!"
Skreeeeek!
Sun-woo was forced back, his feet skidding across the ground as he struggled to withstand the overwhelming pressure.
"You have good instincts, Sun-woo."
Ok-ryeong’s clear, elegant voice drifted from ahead. Sun-woo slowly raised his gaze. There stood Ok-ryeong, bathed in a brilliant, shimmering aura of light.
"......How did you do that?" Sun-woo asked, his voice laced with bewilderment. He was reeling from a speed so transcendental it defied human perception.
"I simply became a little faster," Ok-ryeong replied nonchalantly.
"I don't think this is a matter of just being 'fast,'" Sun-woo said, looking stunned. This speed surpassed the realm of mere quickness. It was closer to teleportation than movement.
'Ah!'
A flash of realization struck him. He began to grasp the source of that nonsensical power. If it was a transcendental force that defied the natural laws of the world, there was only one possibility.
"Did you manifest a Sword of the Mind?" Sun-woo asked, his gaze turning incredibly serious.
"The Light Sword."
As Sun-woo stared blankly, Ok-ryeong spoke in a calm tone. "That is the name of the sword I pursue."
She looked directly at him with an unwavering gaze.
"You mean... you've actually become light itself?"
"Not quite. I mimic the speed of light by photonizing my body, but if I were to achieve the actual speed of light, my physical form wouldn't be able to endure it."
Ok-ryeong slowly shook her head.
"However, it is an undeniable fact that I possess enough speed to ensure you cannot even attempt a counterattack."
She stared at Sun-woo, her eyes burning with intensity.
".......This is crazy."
Sun-woo looked troubled. He realized he had truly poked a sleeping lioness.
"I can accept your surrender if you wish, Sun-woo," Ok-ryeong offered.
"I decline." Sun-woo raised his sword. "It's not like I can't react at all," he added, his voice regaining its composure.
"Then.... I have no choice."
Ok-ryeong let her dazzling white sword hang low toward the ground.
"They say speed is weight."
Her body began to glow with a blinding brilliance once more.
"Have you ever been cut at the speed of light?"
Flash!
She kicked off the ground again. Just like before, her figure vanished entirely from Sun-woo’s vision.
Sun-woo began to refine his sensory perception even further, desperate to detect her movements even a fraction of a second faster.
'Left!'
Finally, he caught it—the trajectory of her movement. Sun-woo whipped his sword to the left.
CRAAASH!
Another explosion of sound followed as a massive kinetic force slammed into him. It was an impact so heavy it was hard to believe it came from the slender Ok-ryeong.
Tremble.
Sun-woo barely managed to parry the attack, his hands shaking from the force.
CRAAASH!
A follow-up strike arrived immediately. It was slightly less powerful than the first, but still formidable.
CRAAASH!
CRAAASH!
Her blade began to rain down relentlessly. Head, neck, chest, arms, waist, abdomen, thighs—she targeted every inch of his body in a rapid-fire succession. Sun-woo barely managed to intercept her strikes.
BOOM! BOOM!
Ear-splitting explosions echoed through the training ground one after another.
Skreeeeek!
Sun-woo was pushed back continuously under the onslaught. Her sword speed was so great that he could barely prevent a clean hit, and each strike was heavy enough to make his wrists go numb.
She was strong—strong enough to drive him back before he could even set a proper defense.
But he didn't want to give up. Sun-woo had to protect those precious to him. To do that, he had to win. He had to prove himself by defeating her—to prove that he was the only one who could protect them.
He needed a way. A way to overcome her.
'What do I do..... how.... how do I....'
Sun-woo fell into deep thought, searching for a way to defeat her. But no solution came easily. It was because of the unique nature of the Light Sword. Even with his physical abilities pushed to the limit through blood flow acceleration, her sword speed was so superior that he could only manage to avoid fatal wounds. Furthermore, the power behind that speed was immense, leaving his wrists throbbing.
It was a dire situation.
Just then, her fast sword lunged toward his shoulder in the blink of an eye.
CRAAASH!
Skreeeeek!
Sun-woo blocked the blade with the flat of his sword, but he was sent skidding backward once more.
'Hold your ground!'
Sun-woo began to activate the muscles in his lower body, concentrating a massive amount of internal energy there.
"Hup!"
He put strength into his waist and shoulders, then swung his sword with everything he had. The impact knocked her Light Sword back slightly.
'Now!'
Sun-woo’s bloodshot eyes flashed. He saw his opening. He lunged his sword toward her shoulder.
SHREEEEEE!
His blade pierced through the air with a sharp whistle.
CRAAASH!
Another explosion rang out. Ok-ryeong had recovered her sword with lightning speed to block his decisive strike.
CRAAASH!
Having regained her momentum, Ok-ryeong began to press Sun-woo even more fiercely, leaving him no room to resist.
'Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!'
Sun-woo cursed inwardly as he was driven into a corner. This wasn't enough. He needed power—a more formidable power. The power to protect her.
WHIIIIIIIR!
As if responding to his desperate desire, a terrifying murderous aura erupted from his body. The aura completely enveloped the Dragon Tail Soft Sword, turning the blade as black as the abyss.
"I won't lose!"
Sun-woo glared at Ok-ryeong with eyes full of killing intent and thrust his sword forward. He couldn't afford to lose, no matter what means he had to use.
CRAAASH!
Sun-woo’s Killing Sword clashed with Ok-ryeong’s Light Sword.
"Urgh!"
This time, it was Ok-ryeong who was forced back. She couldn't withstand the unprecedented, monstrous strength imbued within the Killing Sword.
'I'm winning! I'm actually winning!'
Sun-woo’s bloodshot eyes gleamed with triumph. His Killing Sword was working.
BOOM! BOOM!
The two swords collided again, triggering more explosions.
"Khhh...!"
Ok-ryeong was ruthlessly pushed back once more.
'He's strong.'
Ok-ryeong could feel it firsthand—the sheer power of the Killing Sword Sun-woo had manifested. Sun-woo’s reaction speed hadn't changed; he still couldn't keep up with the movements of the Light Sword and was merely managing to deflect her strikes. However, the monstrous strength of the Killing Sword was completely bridging the gap in speed. Even though he was barely blocking, he was completely blowing her Light Sword away.
CRAAASH!
Another roar erupted.
"Cough!"
This time, Ok-ryeong gagged. The shock from the Killing Sword had completely rattled her internal organs.
'He is terrifyingly strong.'
Ok-ryeong’s expression became incredibly grave. Sun-woo was powerful—powerful enough that she could finally believe he had severed the arm of Lee Jae-won, the man called the World's Greatest Martial Artist.
'Can I win?'
Doubt began to creep in. She wondered if she could even stand against him. Ok-ryeong slowly looked up at Sun-woo. He was charging toward her, consumed by killing intent.
Grip.
Ok-ryeong tightened her hold on her sword. It might be a difficult fight. It might even be impossible. But she couldn't give up. She couldn't just stand by and watch her beloved husband turn into a murderous ghost.
Vroooooom!
Suddenly, her entire body began to glow with a blinding light, as if she had become the sun itself.
'Dangerous.'
Sun-woo felt an instinctive threat. His intuition screamed at him to stop this woman.
Step, step, step!
Sun-woo utilized the Wind-Dust Step to its absolute peak, closing the distance in an instant.
'It's over!'
Reaching her, Sun-woo thrust his ink-black Killing Sword forward to end it all. As the tip of his blade neared Ok-ryeong’s neck, Sun-woo was certain of his victory.
Flash!
But then, something unexpected happened. His Killing Sword pierced through empty air.
'Dammit! Where did she go?!'
Sun-woo frantically looked around. It had only been a split second; she couldn't have gone far.
Flash.
Suddenly, he sensed her presence.
'Above!'
Sun-woo snapped his gaze upward. There, he saw Ok-ryeong’s elegant foot descending toward him.
"Cool your head a bit."
Ok-ryeong spoke as she looked down at him, driving her instep straight into Sun-woo’s face.
BOOM!
With a thunderous crash, Sun-woo was slammed into the ground in a rather unsightly heap.
Tap.
After grounding Sun-woo, Ok-ryeong leaped back to create distance. She stood a short way off, quietly watching the crater where Sun-woo lay, waiting for him to rise.
After some time had passed...
Twitch, twitch.
Sun-woo’s body began to squirm on the ground.
"Cough, cough!"
He rolled over onto his back and began to cough violently. Dust and dirt had filled his mouth when he was slammed face-first into the earth.
"Cough, cough!"
After a long bout of coughing, Sun-woo reached out and braced himself against the ground. He pushed himself up and looked at Ok-ryeong standing before him.
"........Ok-ryeong."
"Yes, please speak."
"......I'm sorry."
Sun-woo apologized, his expression dejected. "I think I lost my mind for a moment."
He had realized it—that for a brief instant, he had been consumed by killing intent. He had tried to kill the woman he wanted to protect most in the world. His face was etched with self-loathing.
"It's alright."
Ok-ryeong shook her head gently. "It wasn't your fault, Sun-woo."
She began to comfort him with a soft voice.
Thump.
Hearing those words, Sun-woo felt a surge of emotion deep in his chest. Her consideration—not blaming him for harboring killing intent and comforting him by saying it wasn't his fault—brought an indescribable lump to his throat.
".......I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Sun-woo apologized repeatedly, his eyes growing moist as he spoke to the woman he loved.
Step, step.
Ok-ryeong walked slowly toward him.
Hug.
She wrapped him in a gentle embrace.
"As long as you are okay, Sun-woo, I am truly fine."
Pat, pat, pat.
Ok-ryeong gently patted his back, comforting him like a mother soothing a child. Sun-woo buried his face in her shoulder and leaned on her, staying still until his heart finally calmed.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After some time, Sun-woo, having regained his composure in Ok-ryeong’s arms, slowly pulled away.
"Are you feeling better now?" Ok-ryeong asked, looking at him with a benevolent expression.
"Yeah, thank you."
Sun-woo expressed his gratitude. Her silent embrace had given him immense strength.
"Ok-ryeong."
Sun-woo called her name, his expression turning deeply serious.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry."
"Haven't you apologized enough?" Ok-ryeong asked, looking puzzled.
"This is a different apology."
"A different apology?"
"I'm sorry for treating you like a fragile woman."
Sun-woo spoke with a look of deep reflection. Through their duel, he had realized just how strong she was—strong enough that even Lee Jae-won couldn't afford to be careless around her. It was surprising how powerful she had become. Yet, he had treated her like a weakling, thinking only of protecting her.
He had been arrogant. Far too arrogant.
Because he had reached the Profound Realm, achieved the Ethereal Body, manifested the Sword of the Mind, and severed Lee Jae-won’s arm... he had become conceited.
Sun-woo reflected on his actions—how he had tried to turn this ambitious, powerful woman into a bird in a cage.
"It's because you love me, isn't it?"
Ok-ryeong let out a soft giggle. "That part of your heart actually made me happy."
".............."
"Of course, I don't want you to be consumed by killing intent because of a sense of responsibility," she added.
".............."
That final remark was enough to make Sun-woo flinch. After all, he had just given her a live demonstration of what it looked like to be so consumed by killing intent that he couldn't even recognize the woman he loved.