[Shooting Sun]

In the past, there was a man who had learned nothing. He didn't even know how to hold a sword, let alone internal energy techniques. He just swung it. Until he became an old man with white hair and bones sticking out. A passing martial artist saw him. A simple thrust from the old man who looked like he was about to die. The moment he saw it, goosebumps covered his body. The world blurred for an instant. It was as if the sun had disappeared.

"What the...?" The man rubbed his eyes without thinking. He doubted whether he had seen things. He looked around. As if it was an illusion, there was no change. The sun was still shining brightly.

This...! But the old man's single sword strike. That simple thrust would not leave his mind. It was embedded in his chest like a brand. As time passed, it became clearer. He approached the old man without realizing it. For a moment, he didn't know what to call him. He looked like a simple village fool, but he couldn't treat him carelessly. The sword strike from earlier made him hesitate.

"Senior. What is the name of that sword technique?"

"Name...? There is no such thing." A voice cracked like dry wood was heard. It was full of despair. He didn't know the story, but his voice had no strength. The old man was on the verge of death. His legs trembled weakly. There was no vitality in the old man. That sword strike was probably the last sword of his life. Thud. The old man slumped to the ground. As if he had exhausted all his energy, he closed his eyes quietly. As if he would die soon. The martial artist couldn't leave him like this. He felt like he should say something.

"That... sword art. May I give it a name?" There was no answer, but the murky eyes opened faintly. The man who had been silently staring spoke. "...Sai-il (Shooting the Sun). It looked like it pierced the sun. The Shooting Sun Sword Art (Sun-Shooting Sword Technique). How about it?" The old man passed away without answering. But in one corner of his expression, a subtle satisfaction lingered. The martial artist who buried him thrust his sword into the air. "Was it like this...? No, like this?" He was the first leader of the Jeomchang Sect.

Present day.

Namgung Moo-jin of the Namgung Clan. He regretted it. He should never have entered this damn cave... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Whenever the massive arm, thicker than a person, swung, his comrades died. To kill that monster, they would need to bring the Supreme Peak Master from outside.

Whoosh!

"Krrk-"

"Crazy..." In the moment he lost concentration, a comrade next to him died and fell. If that arm had fallen just a little to the side, he would have died. It was a spine-chilling experience.

"I-it opened!! The bastard is dead!" Hope appeared in a hopeless situation. At a wanderer's shout, everyone's gaze turned to the exit. Mo Yong-cheol was dead. The one blocking the exit was dead, and the path was open.

Boom! Boom! Moreover, the monster's arm was no longer attacking them intensively. It was like a beast that had lost control. In that case, there was no need to face such a monster.

Crash!

"R-run!!" They ran toward the exit, avoiding falling stalactites and the monster's arm. They ran with all their might, but someone was blocking the way.

"M-move!!" Namgung Moo-jin gripped his sword. The wanderer who had killed Mo Yong-cheol was standing still, looking at the air. Fooled by the idiot standing there, rage filled him. He wanted to cut him down and run outside immediately. But the teachings he had learned so far held his heart. He turned the sword sideways someone and tried to strike him with the flat of the blade. That saved his life. The man who killed Mo Yong-cheol caught the sword. An ordinary iron sword without even sword force. That sword thrust toward him.

Ah...? It felt like his soul had been pierced. Clatter. His legs gave way and he rolled on the ground. Something seemed to have passed by. Simply standing up was too difficult. W-what...? He barely got up on trembling legs and touched his body. Fortunately, there was nothing was wrong. He tried to say something but closed his mouth. Then he lowered his head. His hand was too light. A famous sword mixed with ten-thousand-year cold iron. A hard famous sword that could withstand even sword force was crumbling into powder. "T-this...!"

Come to think of it, the cave was quiet. He forced his stiff body to turn around. Like the sword, the giant monster's arm was turning to ash and disappearing. Beyond the rift. There, on the huge eye, a sword scar was visible. Just looking at that eye made Namgung Moo-jin feel like his breath stopped.

"Hey."

"Huh...!" At the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠same time as the call, the rift closed. The monster-like eye disappeared from view. Only then could he finally come to his senses. The man who had shot the sword at him, no, at the monster, was calling him. He could not dare to look directly into the eyes of the seemingly ordinary young man. He lowered his head and forced his trembling mouth open.

"Y-yes?! What do you...?"

"Who is outside?"

"W-what do you mean...?"

"I'm asking who is outside the secret valley."

"Ah...! W-well, the Supreme Peak Master is there, and... th-the Crimson Blood Demon is there."

His brow slightly furrowed, and fear naturally arose. An incredible master who could kill everyone here with a single sword stroke. As evidence, this place that had been like a marketplace became quiet. Everyone couldn't speak. They just stood trembling. A master hiding his identity. Now he even thought it was fortunate there was no treasure. At least the possibility of being killed and annihilated was reduced.

Si-woo opened his eyes. The life of an old man was floating in his head. His family starved to death in a drought, and his only remaining younger sister died of heatstroke. He had learned nothing, so he was ignorant. That's why he hated the sun. He wanted to destroy the thing that took his family. And he devoted his life to it. He swung the sword foolishly, over and over. Until he could make a scar on the sun. Did it connect? He couldn't know.

Super Peak... Without a shred of internal energy, just by swinging a sword, he reached Super Peak, maybe even beyond. Unknowingly, respect arose. He had swung the sword his entire life to pierce the sun. His static life quickly faded. Only a few memories remained and disappeared. Judging from the few things he remembered, he seemed to be a person from the Martial Arts World.

While examining the memories of the unknown old man, he turned his attention to the martial artist before him.

"I'm asking who is outside the secret valley."

"Ah...! W-well, the Supreme Peak Master is there, and... th-the Crimson Blood Demon is there."

His brow furrowed as he listened to his explanation. Even he had heard of the Supreme Peak Master. A Super Peak level master. He couldn't guarantee to win even in his current state. Moreover, this state would not last forever. There was not much time left. About two hours left. He had to obtain as much as possible before the awakening ended. Even if it was just a hint about the Peak realm.

"Everyone, get out."

"Y-yes...?"

"I said get out."

He gestured toward the exit with his chin. There was no need to kill them all to silence them. He had hidden his face, and he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Th-thank you!" Those who had been watching their chance, went out one by one. When Si-woo stood still without moving, they quickly poured out. Watching them, he approached Seo Ji-yoo, who was still lying down.

"Hmm..." Her chest rose and fell regularly. At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first glance, she appeared unconscious. But he was currently tasting the incomplete but Super Peak realm. He could feel even the tiny insects crawling in the cave corners. Just by looking at her energy flow, he could tell. She's awake. She was pretending to be unconscious. But that didn't mean she was fine. The qi and blood in the part of her abdomen that was kicked by Mo Yong-cheol were damaged.

"Tch." He picked her up, eyes closed as if asleep. He felt a slight stiffening of her muscles. A level that would be hard to feel if not for the Super Peak realm. Her control over her body was remarkable. He covered her eyes with his palm. Then, crossing the Mixed Energy barrier, he returned to the side room. He laid out a thick cloth and laid Seo Ji-yoo on it. Then, using the regeneration power imbued in the Magic Core, he healed her.

"Hoo..." At the sensation of her wounds healing, an involuntary moan escaped her lips.

What should I do? The longer time passed, the harder it would be to leave. He considered two options: leaving quickly or consolidating the realm here. He decided to stay. If he had had enough time, he would have left and then solidified the memories, but time was too short. He decided to trust the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mixed Energy barrier left by Mok Yi-do. He grabbed his sword and focused. The residual thoughts arose easily. The quality of his focus felt different. The sword force stretched out extensively. He could even launch it. Sword Force... not yet. He had heard that at the Super Peak realm, one could handle Sword Force, but he couldn't get a sense of it. He set aside what he couldn't do and focused on other things.

The Shooting Sun Sword Art. The technique that turned the monster's arm to ash in one strike. It contained the life of a man who had strived to pierce the sun. He silently paid his respects to the old man's life. He quietly closed his eyes and sat cross-legged. He circulated the Mixed Energy throughout his body, consolidating the fleeting realm as much as possible. The sensation that would disappear with time was too precious.

Two hours passed like a dream.

"Haa..." He let out a small sigh. The sensation that could feel even the crawling tiny insects disappeared. He felt as if he had suddenly become blind. He ignored what was lost and focused on what was gained. The Shooting Sun (Sai-il) was a kind of buff skill usable in all past life bodies. A skill that extremely amplifies the power of piercing and cutting actions. It seemed like there was something deeper, but for now, that was all he could understand. His level of attainment could only reach that far.

Hm?

Crackle!! While focusing on the skill, a gap appeared. Seo Ji-yoo, who had been waiting for an opportunity, was trembling with her hand reaching for his money pouch. Paralysis magic.

"Ngh..." The anti-theft magic he had set on the pouch activated. He approached Seo Ji-yoo, who was stiffly paralyzed. Her eyes were shaking uneasily. Like a rabbit caught in a trap.

"Haha. Gotcha, you thief girl."