Chapter 24
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Treatment - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Her face was filled with fear. Perhaps due to the anxiety of being rejected, her pretty features were slightly distorted.
But asking to stay together in the middle of the night like this... This wasn't something he could just casually agree to.
Even if women in the martial world were a bit freer than those from ordinary noble households, they still couldn't afford to be careless with their conduct.
Just imagine if word got out that she, the heir to the mighty Namgung Family, had spent the night with an outsider man.
No matter how innocent it was, rumors unfavorable to her were bound to spread.
"That might be a bit tricky."
"I-is that so? Sorry... I'm sorry. I asked for too much..."
He slid the sword he held back into its sheath.
Then he guided her to a chair in the wide-open garden. Once she sat down—looking like even standing was a struggle—he brewed some hot cocoa and placed it in front of her.
"Here, have some."
"Mm..."
Namgung Hye answered weakly and grasped the cup with both hands. Was it because she sipped the steaming cocoa, the chill of the night air, or some other reason? Her trembling body seemed to settle down a little, at least.
"So, why the sudden request to stay together? What's going on?"
"I had a dream... a dream."
Her faint mutter drew her gaze to him.
"A dream where you died..."
What nonsense.
But Namgung Hye was in a fragile state right now. He couldn't scold her for it. What needed doing was to calm her heart.
"I'm not that easy to kill."
"But!"
"Want to check?"
He picked up the sword from its sheath. Namgung Hye stared at him blankly, bit her lip lightly, then stood and walked away. A moment later...
She returned with a sword in hand.
"Looks like it's time to keep that promise from before."
They had made a promise last time: to spar. Various events had piled up since then, preventing him from fulfilling it, but now it was happening.
Startled by his words, she nodded slightly and assumed her stance.
A fish that had gone rotten from the head was still a bluefin tuna. Even though her condition was clearly a mess, Namgung Hye's posture was sharp, and her aura felt even more impressive than before.
"What happened?"
"...Nothing. I just... kept reaffirming it endlessly."
Some kind of mental image training? If so, compared to him—who had grown by grasping the meaning of Sweeping Away Heavenly Armies a bit—she wouldn't fall short at all. No, she might even be stronger.
So, no letting his guard down.
"Let's begin."
"Hup!!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Namgung Hye moved first. Her body swayed faintly, then she was upon him in an instant, swinging her sword. It was a form he'd seen before.
Soaring Palace Free Sword Art.
But the aura infused in her sword was different from what he'd seen previously. Gone was the sense of free blue skies; instead, it carried the oppressive pressure of pitch-black heavens intent on crushing everything.
- Chaaeng!!
He barely blocked the first strike and took a step back. Namgung Hye's attacks grew even faster. He narrowly dodged blows aimed at his head and chest simultaneously, then unleashed Sweeping Away Heavenly Armies to force her back three steps.
"...You've gotten stronger."
"Yeah. That incident helped me."
That incident.
Her face clouded over as he brought up the time he'd faced three high-grade demon beasts and a pack of Earth Dogs alone. Seeing that, he gripped his sword again.
"I told you. I'm not dying that easily. Your worries? They're pointless."
"But!!"
"Test it yourself."
He assumed his stance again.
Namgung Hye watched him with eyes brimming with tears, bit her lip, then charged forward.
Soaring Palace Free Sword Art? No, Lightning Flash Thirteen Thunderbolts.
He somehow blocked the lightning-fast, ferocious strikes using defenses rooted in the Five Elements Circulation Art's iron energy.
But her attacks were so relentless that small wounds were accumulating all over his body.
Still, Namgung Hye didn't stop. As she swung her sword like a woman possessed, a hint of killing intent began to seep into her strikes.
Was this the heart demon?
"I'll win... I'll win...!! I'll overcome it... overcome it and protect what's mine!!"
And he was included among those things she had to protect, right?
But it wasn't bad. It was like she was battling the heart demon within her.
The problem was him, the one enduring it...
"Hoo..."
He deflected her explosive barrage and stepped back. As Namgung Hye paused to catch her breath, her sword rose.
Just as she moved—her eyes devoid of light, like those of the dead—he shifted the sword at his midsection.
- Chaaeng!!!
Then came the thrust. Because it was so sudden? A cut appeared on Namgung Hye's cheek. As she barely dodged and retreated, he pulled his sword back in.
This wasn't it. Softer. More peacefully.
The path walked by an immortal held no danger. Thus, it must contain the leisure to embrace all things.
"Haaaaah!!"
Sword. Extend once and create the immortal's path.
Thus, encompass all upon that path.
- Wooong...!!
The internal energy of the Five Elements Circulation Art stirred. First came fire's energy. From its blaze came earth, and vast earth birthed metal. From cooled metal flowed water. Water nurtured wood, and wood kindled fire.
The energies of the five elements began to cycle, merging into one.
And from the sword brimming with that immense power, a soft light emanated.
- Chaaeng!!
Was it the light from his sword? Namgung Hye's blade shattered in two upon clash.
As she flew back from the impact and fell still, he collapsed to the ground.
"Ugh..."
His dantian emptied in a single exchange. No time to wonder what had happened.
All he could do was rapidly circulate the Five Elements Circulation Art to refill it.
"Pushing yourself like that."
It was then. A cold voice came from behind him. He tried to turn, but an overwhelming force halted him.
"You've learned the Five Elements Circulation Art, so accept it quietly."
A massive energy poured into his back. Absorbing it through the Five Elements Circulation Art filled his dantian. Once the once-perilously empty core brimmed full, the voice's owner glanced at the fallen Namgung Hye and lowered his head.
"This girl just lost consciousness briefly. No need to worry."
The white-haired elder had the same brown eyes as Namgung Hye.
With his stern expression, he gazed at him impassively and spoke.
"It was reckless, but not a bad strike. Still, never do it again. It's not a power you should touch yet."
"...If I may ask, who are you?"
"Namgung Cheon."
The Sword Saint? Sword Saint Namgung Cheon?
"...My deepest apologies. I'm Jin Hyun of Sword Heaven Manor."
"I know."
That was it. After his icy reply, he scanned the surroundings.
"Where's Sword Heaven?"
"She's away on business right now."
"I see."
So the rumors of bad blood were true. He'd grown cold when Sword Heaven—Yu Ye-ryeon—was mentioned.
"Anyway... Do you know what you just did?"
"Not really."
He'd only sparred with Namgung Hye and vaguely glimpsed the path of Immortal's Path. Was that a big deal?
"You just tried to surpass your limits."
Seeking enlightenment?
But what was wrong with that? As he stared questioningly, Namgung Cheon's dry lips twitched as if to speak, then he sighed deeply.
"...Ask that young girl about it later."
And with that, the conversation ended. As abruptly as he'd appeared, the Sword Saint vanished in an instant, leaving only him and Namgung Hye behind.
True to his words, moments later, the fallen Namgung Hye slowly rose. Her bewildered expression suggested she was struggling to accept that she'd blacked out.
"...Shall we call it a night?"
Continuing in this atmosphere felt anyway. As he shook his head, Namgung Hye—who had been silent—hesitated, then approached him.
"What?"
"That thing from earlier..."
"Oh, that? What about it?"
"I was in sword qi projection state. And you cut that sword..."
Huh? Had she been? But it had sliced so easily?
"Sword qi?"
"Even sword qi... can't cut a sword in projection state."
Namgung Hye stated firmly. Though sword qi was a higher technique than projection, it didn't completely dominate it.
Then what the hell was that light from before?
He and Namgung Hye put their heads together, groaning in thought, but no clear answer emerged.
"Want to try it again?"
"Yeah. Okay."
He attempted Immortal's Path once more. But the light didn't appear.
It had definitely felt like this...
"Maybe it was a fluke? Or perhaps I entered a trance for a moment."
Like you did earlier.
Namgung Hye stood speechless for a bit, then her face drained of color in an instant.
"I... I put you in danger with that strike...!"
She'd been the Namgung Hye he knew just moments ago.
But with this, he'd grasped a clue to exorcising her heart demon. A gain, in its own way.