Chapter 338
Chapter 338
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 338
>Chapter Title: Change (2)
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A thick wave of murderous intent suddenly poured toward Hwangbo Se-hee.
Hwangbo Yeon hurriedly circulated her internal energy to protect her younger sister, but there was no need for her to step in.
Il-mok reacted to the killing intent even faster than she did, unleashing a lion's roar.
“Roar!!”
In the midst of Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a flinching at the fierce energy of the lion's roar.
Snap.
Jin Ha-yeon moved in a flash, swiftly striking Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's pressure points.
Having subdued Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a in an instant, Jin Ha-yeon turned her head and looked at Jeong-hyeon.
“Hyeon, go wait outside with Seon-a.”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
Right after Jeong-hyeon supported the paralyzed Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a and left. Jin Ha-yeon returned to Il-mok's side as if nothing had happened, assuming a respectful posture.
Likewise, Il-mok chuckled awkwardly as if it were no big deal and clasped his fists toward the daughters of House Hwangbo.
“Hahaha. Sorry about that. I must have mistaken her sudden removal of the veil for an ambush. I'll give her a proper scolding, so please forgive us.”
“Ah, it seems she was just a guard with strong loyalty. Hahaha.”
Since it had passed without any real issue, Hwangbo Yeon simply chuckled awkwardly and brushed it off.
“Yes, well. She's a girl with strong loyalty.”
Il-mok thought to himself with a wry smile.
‘Seon-a needs to get past the Extreme Demon stage soon….’
During their time at the western branch, Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a had successfully reached the Extreme Demon stage.
It was undoubtedly an incredibly fast pace for her age, something to celebrate, but the problem came after.
Her possessiveness toward him felt like it had reached its peak.
‘Sigh. Once she transcends the Extreme Demon stage and the side effects start to fade bit by bit, Seon-a will change too.’
Il-mok believed that her possessiveness toward him was ultimately just a side effect.
So, if she could just get past the Extreme Demon stage, she might find her own path afterward.
He felt sorry for his cute little sister suffering from the side effects and wanted to help her until then, but since she was his cute little sister, he wouldn't feel much regret even if she left after that.
While Il-mok worried about Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a inwardly. Hwangbo Yeon was also quite shocked inside.
It wasn't because of Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's killing intent.
‘…She clearly surpassed the wall, yet I still can't see through him.’
She was surprised by the masked man right in front of her.
The lion's roar he unleashed before she could even react to the killing intent.
At a glance, it seemed like an ordinary lion's roar, but astonishingly, its energy was entirely focused on the woman who had emitted the killing intent.
Thanks to that, Hwangbo Se-hee, who had only learned basic martial arts, was unharmed.
He hadn't even shown any sign of circulating his internal energy, yet he casually displayed such an advanced technique.
On top of that.
‘…I barely even sensed that woman moving.’
The woman who had subdued the one emitting killing intent and now stood respectfully was several levels above Hwangbo Yeon herself.
‘I'm still at the lower tiers, after all.’
Though she had gained confidence after surpassing the peak, she couldn't help but be amazed anew at the depths of the Maitreya Divine Cult.
But her vessel wasn't so narrow as to feel despair or jealousy over something like that.
Far from despairing, a spark of competitive spirit ignited in her eyes.
“Great hero, I know it's an unreasonable request, but might I ask for a lesson? As I mentioned in my previous letter, I came to the Maitreya Divine Cult because I wanted to exchange martial arts with you.”
Hwangbo Yeon bowed her head and directly requested a spar with Il-mok.
“If you wanted to exchange martial arts, why didn't you say so back then?”
When Il-mok asked in a puzzled tone, Hwangbo Yeon replied.
“Back then, I didn't think I was worthy to exchange with you. That's why I planned to come after surpassing the peak… But now I see, even surpassing the transcendent isn't enough. Hahaha.”
She laughed heartily even as she discussed her own shortcomings.
After a short burst of laughter, she soon returned to a serious expression and said.
“I know I'm still lacking even now, but if I wait any longer, I feel like I'll never catch up in my lifetime, so I'm asking. Would you be willing to cross swords with me, insufficient as I am?”
Il-mok pondered for a moment at her earnest expression.
Though she called it a spar, given the gap between them, it was essentially instructional sparring.
Instructional sparring was familiar to Il-mok, but the issue was that she was a promising talent of the righteous faction.
‘Hmm. Well, there's no need to ruin relations with House Hwangbo yet, so it should be fine to humor her moderately. As long as I just spar and give some pointers.’
Having sorted his thoughts moderately, Il-mok nodded and replied.
“It'll be hard to spar here, so I'll guide you to the training grounds first.”
* * *
Around the time Il-mok and Hwangbo Yeon were sparring at the Maitreya Divine Cult's training grounds.
“You can let me go now, right?”
Though her pressure points were sealed, her movement points were free, so Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a spoke to Jeong-hyeon in a curt tone.
However, Jeong-hyeon stammered but refused her request.
“N-No, I can't.”
“…If it's because of Team Leader Ha-yeon, you don't need to worry.”
“It's n-not because of Team Leader. It's b-because of the Young Master.”
At Jeong-hyeon's mention of Il-mok, Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's eyes crumpled.
“…What does my brother have to do with this?”
“S-Seon-a junior is constantly d-disturbing the Young Master right now.”
While Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a was speechless at the unexpected words from Jeong-hyeon. Jeong-hyeon continued.
“I k-know about the side effects of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art too. The Young Master knows, so he's f-forgiving your m-mistakes.”
She kept stammering, unable to meet eyes and averting her gaze, shrinking back.
“B-But as a m-maidservant, I c-can't just watch you d-disturb the Young Master.”
“You're saying I'm disturbing my brother?”
“Yes.”
She pressed on boldly.
She had developed social anxiety from the side effects of the Ghost Spirit Divine Bow, but now she no longer greatly feared talking to people.
Her stammering and avoiding eye contact were habits formed from years of suffering side effects.
“The Young Master is a g-great person. He r-receives praise from m-many people.”
“…I know.”
“N-No, you don't. Weren't you like that just now? If you k-keep acting like that, are you p-planning to k-kill all the devotees who p-praise the Young Master? Just to m-monopolize him?”
“Th-That's…”
Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a was at a loss for words for a moment, then finally rolled her eyes away from Jeong-hyeon's and replied.
“It was just the side effects.”
“R-Right. But you d-don't even have the w-will to overcome the side effects?”
“What do you…”
“You have n-no intention of a-accepting the countless people who f-follow the Young Master, do you? And it's n-not because of the side effects.”
“!!!”
Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's eyes widened like saucers at having been pierced to the core.
“I k-know. That your reason for f-following the Young Master isn't the s-side effects.”
Jeong-hyeon could tell easily because she felt the same.
It might have started as a side effect, but that emotion had already melted into Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's very self.
This was why most demonic practitioners talented in martial arts failed to escape the Extreme Demon stage and became madmen.
A significant number of those who reached Extreme Demon subconsciously harbored such thoughts while cultivating their demonic arts.
‘This isn't bad, is it?’
‘Why should I fix this?’
Unlike Il-mok or Jeong-hyeon, who had desperately tried to escape side effects that terrified them, those who had trained in demonic arts from childhood had their side effects fuse with their ego—like Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a.
“I d-don't care what S-Seon-a junior thinks. As long as you d-don't disturb the Young Master. B-But you are.”
“Are you saying I'm wrong?”
As those pierced to the core often do, Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a glared at Jeong-hyeon with murderous eyes.
“Yes.”
Jeong-hyeon avoided eye contact but spoke boldly.
“If it's l-love, you should w-want the other person to s-succeed. It's o-only natural to want to h-help however you can. B-But Seon-a junior is just p-pushing your own feelings.”
“My brother didn't say a word, so who are you to lecture me!”
Regardless of Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's will, the energy of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art surged out, racing through her meridians, making her body tremble as if it might explode.
Even as Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a seemed on the verge of demonic deviation and rampaging, Jeong-hyeon didn't stop.
“The Young Master would f-forgive you. He sees you as his p-precious little sister. B-But if you keep this up, you'll n-never escape being treated like a little sister forever. Because you're a-acting like a c-child who needs constant c-care.”
“…….”
The moment Jeong-hyeon's final words ended. Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a, who had been on the brink of rampaging, fell silent.
Jeong-hyeon's last words branded themselves into her mind like a hot iron.
That if she kept acting like this, she'd be treated as nothing more than a little sister for life.
* * *
Maitreya Divine Cult's training grounds.
“Impressive technique.”
After moderately trading around thirty exchanges with her, Il-mok easily subdued Hwangbo Yeon and said so.
He could have subdued her in one or two moves, but since it was essentially instructional sparring, he had blocked or deflected her techniques to some extent.
He couldn't openly instruct a promising talent of the righteous faction, but sparring with a master was helpful in many ways.
“I'm grateful for the great hero's guidance.”
Subdued by Il-mok, Hwangbo Yeon clasped her fists with a joyful expression and showed her respects.
Since her opponent had easily blocked or dodged her techniques, she saw it as an opportunity to identify her own weaknesses in reverse.
While Il-mok and Hwangbo Yeon conversed in a somewhat harmonious atmosphere for a while. Hwangbo Se-hee, who had put her veil back on, approached Il-mok.
“Sister has achieved her goal, so now shall I tell you why I came, great hero?”
Il-mok, who had thought they were just out for a casual outing together, made a puzzled face.
“I'll hear you out first.”
“With the central plains' situation growing chaotic lately, House Hwangbo is considering an alliance with the Maitreya Divine Cult.”
“I see.”
It was a fairly enticing proposal, but doubts remained.
Why had this woman come along to deliver a message that Hwangbo Yeon could have relayed herself?
And with Hwangbo Se-hee's following words, Il-mok's doubts only grew.
“In that vein, if it's not too rude, might I ask the great hero's age?”
What did an alliance have to do with his age?
‘Are they trying to gauge my experience from my age?’
Having somewhat grasped her intent, Il-mok replied.
“I'm not yet forty.”
He didn't lie, but answered in a way to seem seasoned. They'd likely take it as late thirties.
Whether Il-mok's intent hit the mark, Hwangbo Yeon jumped in surprise right after his answer, while Hwangbo Se-hee let out a sigh of relief.
And the relieved Hwangbo Se-hee smiled brightly and asked.
“Then, what do you think of me?”
“…….”
What nonsense is this? Il-mok pondered briefly.
Only then did all the threads unravel in Il-mok's mind.
‘So the alliance means a marriage alliance!’