The Fusion
I assumed the lotus position and took a deep breath. With the first breath, I washed away all distracting thoughts. With the second, I forgot the foul stench and biting cold of the Repentance Cave. By the third breath, even the faint presences of the demonic heads receded into the distance.
My consciousness raced along the path forged by the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art. It was as if the art itself recognized my will and guided me onto its own path.
A fleeting doubt crossed my mind. This was something I'd never experienced before during my energy circulation sessions. My consciousness detached from my physical body and plunged into the deepest recesses of my inner self—the unknown realm within the brain known as the Upper Dantian.
The state of no-self.
The body's pain became infinitely distant. No, even the pain became part of this mysterious sensation. I was no longer confined within the shell called 'I.' My consciousness had become an 'observer,' watching over the inner universe.
Within the inner darkness. At the very core of the brain, in the center of the Niwan Palace, the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword coiled like a massive black dragon. It was an abyss that seemed to condense all the darkness of heaven and earth, spinning greedily as if to devour my mind.
Around this immense darkness, the energy of the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art swirled. It was pure life force bursting from the muscles, a golden river tempered by the heart's beating. That river extended into thousands, tens of thousands of branches along the fine meridians of the Niwan Palace, creating the very 'world' in which the black dragon could run wild.
The two energies were polar opposites. If the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword represented the 'death' of extreme yin that sought to freeze and immobilize all things, the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art was the 'life' energy blooming from the heart's pulse.
Every time the black dragon spewed forth darkness and tried to encroach upon my mind, the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art, transformed into a golden river, would swirl around it even more violently, opening a 'path.' It wasn't blocking it by force. The more the darkness raged, the wider it forged the 'vessel' for that darkness to dwell within.
It must have been like the primordial chaos. The 'darkness' of the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword and the 'power' of the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art collided, yearned for each other, and finally began to intertwine like a single massive Taiji symbol.
Inside my brain, my own small heaven and earth was undergoing creation.
The flow of time lost all meaning, and the stench and cold of the Repentance Cave ceased to exist. Only the majestic moment of 'fusion' created by the two energies stretched on like eternity.
I... had become that vast 'flow' itself.
In the silent Repentance Cave, I forgot my physical form and sank into deep meditation.
“Haa.”
A heated breath escaped me. When I opened my eyes, the world came back into focus.
“Whoa,” “Hoo,” “Ha!”
Exclamations of admiration echoed from various spots in the Repentance Cave. A brief silence followed, and I joined in it as well. I wanted to savor the lingering aftertaste of this profound sensation I'd never experienced before.
“...What did you do?”
At the Heavenly Poison Old Man's question, I turned to look at him.
“What do you mean?”
“You... led us all into the state of no-self.”
“Huh? You experienced it too, old man Cheon?”
“Wasn’t it intentional?”
“?”
I couldn’t make sense of what the Heavenly Poison Old Man was saying. Then Gapjil Jijon from the adjacent room spoke in a heavy voice.
“It might be due to the Vision Manifestation Array.”
“The Vision Manifestation Array?”
When I expressed my confusion, Gapjil Jijon spoke in an uncharacteristically serious tone.
“The Vision Manifestation Array, when eight people cultivate the mind method, combines all the internal energy accumulated by the eight and distributes that combined energy back to all eight practitioners. The sum of eight people's energy, given to all eight people.”
“I know that part. It’s like each person receives the equivalent of eight people’s worth of energy, right?”
“Yes, it’s an insane formation. However... it seems that during energy circulation, it may also share the 'state' of whoever achieves a higher level of immersion. Judging from the current situation.”
“So all of you experienced the same state as me?”
When I gauged the demonic heads' reactions, the atmosphere suggested they all agreed.
“But what’s the basis for saying I led everyone into the no-self state?”
“As I entered the no-self state, I felt that it was because of you.”
At the Heavenly Poison Old Man's words, I asked a question loud enough for all the demonic heads to hear. They all expressed their agreement.
“Wow... that’s fascinating.”
Whether it was the Vision Manifestation Array or whatever, I definitely wanted to take this with me when we escaped.
[Creak—]
At that moment, the side door of the Repentance Cave opened, and the fake monk entered carrying the food pail.
What? Did he come to hand out spoons?
But instead of giving out spoons, the bastard was ladling porridge into bowls and serving it. As he served porridge in front of me as well, I asked, wondering what was up with him.
“Didn’t you serve the porridge earlier? What’s the special occasion? Is it your birthday?”
The fake monk, upon hearing my words, made a subtle expression and asked back.
“What are you talking about? It’s time for the morning meal offering, so I’m providing the morning meal.”
Huh? What is he saying? ...Has an entire day passed?
As I sat there with a dazed look, the guy looked at me and added.
“...Eat plenty.”
“?”
This guy was even adding courteous words he'd never used before... Had he lost his mind?
The fake monk quickly finished serving the food and left in a hurry.
What the hell is going on?
I looked at the bowl filled with porridge.
This son of a bitch... forgot the spoon again.
As always, I began the morning with energy circulation practice. In the afternoon, I trained the forms of the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword. It was regrettable that I couldn't enter that profound state of no-self from the previous day, but I made up for it by training diligently.
Before going to bed, I considered staying up all night by doing more energy circulation instead of sleeping, but I decided to just go to sleep. Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn't afraid of dying over and over like that in my dreams. But today... was different from yesterday. I wanted to see the results of the training that had succeeded in 'fusion.'
Please, let me die as few times as possible today...
When I opened my eyes, the endless white space unfolded as usual.
How many times did I die yesterday?
One hundred and fifty times. A full one hundred and fifty times.
...Let's only die a hundred times today.
As I walked forward, I loosened my muscles that had tensed up from nervousness. How unfair would it be if I died even one more time just because I was unnecessarily tense?
I ran lightly forward, and a single black dot appeared in the distance.
“Hey! Not happy to see you at all, you fucking bastard!”
Standing before him, I immediately assumed a combat stance.
A curtain of shadow condensed before the blade, forming a defensive barrier!
[Clangclangclangclangclang!]
The fused power of the Heaven-Shattering Divine Power Art and the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword completely blocked the barrage of phantom swords. I even swiftly deflected the few strikes I had missed!
With his attack thwarted, the bastard’s aura grew even colder. He unleashed the Seventh Stance—Abyssal Edge—drawing gravity toward the tip of his blade!
“Ugh!”
A powerful force yanked me forward in an instant. I immediately lowered my center of gravity, drove my sword into the ground, and held on.
[Screeech—!]
Even though my body was dragged forward, I didn’t miss the opening. Using the resistance as leverage, I thrust straight toward his gap!
I drove the strike into his opening with explosive force.
He twisted his body in mid-air and dodged. Then, from that same posture, he countered with the exact same Reverse Scale Strike!
[Clang!]
Our blades collided, sending violent sparks flying. Damn it... how many times have I died so far?
The moment he landed, he spun and slammed a back kick into my solar plexus!
[Thud!]
“Guh!”
My breath caught for an instant, but I retreated ten steps to dissipate the impact. If I hadn’t, his follow-up would have finished me. He didn’t stop. Using the momentum from his spinning kick, he slammed the ground with the Fourth Stance—Underworld Breaker!
[Boom!]
The ground flipped beneath me and I lost my balance. Damn it, he’s not giving me a single break!
I rolled across the ground to dodge his chain of attacks.
[Swishswishswish!]
Sharp strikes stabbed into the spots I had just vacated. ...How many times have I died now?
The moment I rose from the roll, a ferocious sword strike came flying. I barely blocked it with my blade and was pushed back.
I’ve been counting... around ninety times... I think that’s how many times I’ve died.
Seeing me stumbling backward, he charged again, thrusting his sword. In this unstable posture, I couldn’t block that powerful blade!
Damn it, how much time has passed? When the hell does this hellish time end?
I received his attack, redirected its power, and sent it flowing back like a serpent climbing his blade.
[Slice!]
Black blood sprayed as I finally landed the first wound on his shoulder. Black blood spattered across the pure white floor.
“!!!”
I shoved him away and hurriedly created distance.
“Hahaha! How does it feel to get stabbed? Does it hurt? It hurts, doesn’t it?”
The black bastard stared blankly at his wounded shoulder, frozen like a statue.
“You really are a black bastard—your blood’s black too.”
I shouted triumphantly. Of course I’d probably get my head chopped off again soon for running my mouth, but if not now, when could I brag?
“This is the dignity of an Ultra S-Class hero, you son of a bitch. What do you think? I’ve gotten a lot stronger, haven’t I?”
“...Yeah.”
“Huh??”
What the hell? Did he just... speak?
“Hey, hey, hey? Did you just talk?”
“Yeah. I spoke.”
I stared at him in a daze before flinching backward to create distance. It wasn’t that I was scared he might suddenly attack... okay, maybe a little, but this was the caution befitting a great hero.
“Wait a second! If you could talk, why didn’t you say anything until now? Hey! Relax your stance!”
For some reason, the bastard obediently lowered his stance and sheathed his sword.
“It’s not that I didn’t speak. I only became able to speak just now.”
I watched him carefully, staying ready to draw at any moment.
“What do you mean, you only became able to speak just now?”
“Exactly what I said. As your level rose, I became able to speak.”
“My level rose?”
“Yes. Until now, your level was far too insignificant. That’s why I couldn’t speak.”
What the hell is this guy? Even his words are rude... Just what is he?
“What are you? A technique with its own ego or something?”
“I don’t understand. What is a ‘technique with its own ego’?”
“Then aren’t you the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword? You must have some purpose, right?”
“I am you. More precisely, I was born from your ability. I was born from your ability and the will of the Dark Heaven-Defying Sword.”
He paused for a moment before continuing.
“My purpose... is to keep killing you. And in the end... I will die.”
According to him, my guess was right. This ability from the woman’s body I’m using is exactly what I thought.
Let’s see... ugh...
What a fucking terrible ability.
While I was lost in thought, the bastard prepared the opening stance of Black Dark Charge.
“Wait! I still have so many questions!”
He lifted his head and looked at me.
“I don’t understand. Didn’t you come here to fight? Why do you need words?”
“No! No! It wasn’t a voluntary choice! No matter how great a hero I am, I can’t endure dying like that every single night!”
I spoke with complete sincerity.
“Let’s take a break.”
“I don’t understand. You’ve gotten stronger. It’s because you fought me.”
“That’s not it! Well, that’s not entirely wrong, but I got stronger through training in reality!”
No! The murder machine was trying to rampage again. Does this bastard have anger management issues?
“You’ve gotten stronger. I must raise the level of my attacks.”
I did feel like he was adjusting to my level... so it really was true.
“Hey... exactly what level have you been attacking me at until now?”
“You seemed like such an insignificant bug that I only used ten percent of my power.”
Fuck...!!! I’m going to kill every last one of those scientist bastards!
I cursed the scientists who were the root of all this misfortune and prepared for his attack. But the bastard, with his sword half-drawn in the Black Dark Charge stance, suddenly froze.
“...Time’s up.”
The moment I heard his words, I opened my eyes. Familiar darkness. A familiar ceiling. I was back in the Repentance Cave.
Whew... I died ninety-five times.
Going from one hundred fifty to ninety-five is huge progress. Still, dying ninety-five times in one night is still brutal. Every death in the dream is vividly painful. The feeling of an arm being severed, muscles being torn, a neck being sliced off... that vivid agony. Yet the moment I wake up, I feel as refreshed as if I’d slept deeply. There is no physical fatigue. But the mental fatigue... it keeps piling up.
I want to give up...
Is this really how a person should live? Trapped all day in a dark, damp cave, eating two terrible meals a day with the worst hygiene and worst taste. The moment I fall asleep, I die dozens, hundreds of times... Is this right?
I squeezed my eyes shut to pull my weakening heart back together.
No. If I don’t go back, I’ll lose everyone I love. I’ve already... lost far too many people.
Yeah. Let’s keep fighting today too. Fuck.