A Deathbed Promise
“Grandson.”
It was the night of the waning moon.
From her hospital bed, my grandmother called out to me.
“Grandson.”
“Yes, Grandma?”
I gave a brief reply and stepped closer to her. Her body had grown terribly thin, and her breathing was shallow.
The sterile smell of the hospital and the ominous beeping of the machines filled the room.
I knew.
I knew that tonight would be the last time I would ever speak to her.
Her withered hand gently grasped mine.
“My ugly grandson.”
“Hey, shouldn't you be calling me handsome at a time like this? 'Ugly' is a bit harsh, don't you think?”
“But you are ugly.”
“...Unbelievable.”
I couldn't help but chuckle at her bluntness.
They say even hedgehogs think their own pups are sleek, but my grandmother had no such illusions.
“Are you busy with work?”
She asked, looking at the suit I was wearing.
“Not really. I've got plenty of time. The work is easy, too.”
It was a lie. The work was brutally hard, and I barely had a moment to breathe.
I had only managed to squeeze out this visit because it was for her.
“...Is that so...?”
She gave a weak smile.
The sharp old woman had probably seen right through my lie.
But she let it slide anyway.
A brief silence settled between us.
“...Grandson.”
“Yes?”
“I'm sorry.”
She suddenly apologized. A bitter smile crept onto my face.
“Why are you apologizing all of a sudden? You've never done that in your life.”
It felt incredibly awkward to see her become so gentle only at the very end.
“I wanted you, at least, to live a normal life. But this grandmother's karma is far too heavy.”
“Don't worry about it. I don't care about this stuff anymore.”
Ever since the day I started seeing ghosts.
I knew she felt guilty.
I also knew she had never let it show.
But hearing her say it now, at the end, left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“I'll figure out how to survive on my own... so stop worrying.”
I spoke as if it were nothing, and her grip on my hand tightened slightly.
“...Grandson...”
“Yes, yes.”
“Is there anything you want to do?”
“...Out of nowhere?”
Something I wanted to do? It was a sudden question, but I gave it some thought. However...
“Not really.”
My life was too turbulent to think about such things.
Life was too barren to harbor dreams.
And the obstacles before me were too massive to set goals.
I was just surviving day by day.
That was my life.
“...I see.”
Perhaps disappointed by my answer, she continued.
She looked at me and spoke again.
“Grandson.”
“What is it now?”
“May this grandmother leave you with one last wish?”
“No.”
“Please, live your life doing what you want to do.”
“...I told you not to.”
Why did she even ask if she was going to say it anyway? I let out a dry, exasperated laugh.
“Why are you suddenly making a will?”
She was the type who hated that kind of sentimentality, yet here she was, leaving me with a final request.
And to do what I wanted?
It was far too late for me to look for something like that.
“If not now, then later. Please, find something you want to do...”
Should I tell her no? Should I tell her it was too late, that my current life was already exhausting enough?
Wouldn't it be better to just say that?
Those thoughts swirled in my head, but...
“I beg of you.”
“...I'll try.”
Looking at her pleading eyes, I couldn't bring myself to say those harsh words.
Even that vague, half-hearted promise seemed to satisfy her. She smiled and closed her eyes.
That was our final conversation.
Something I wanted to do.
Well, I didn't really know.
But if I had to think of something...
A much better life than this.
That was all I wanted.
Whoosh!
The sword sliced rapidly through the air.
Swifter, sharper.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Before the sound of the first strike could fade, another slash cut through the air. Flashes of light erupted continuously in the broad daylight.
Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh! Whoosh!
There was no pause.
I swung the sword without rest. I kept swinging, and just as I was about to execute another strike—
Drip.
A single drop of sweat fell from my chin.
“……Whew……”
Only then did I halt my movements.
Tremble.
The tip of the sword shook.
To be precise, my entire arm was trembling. Perhaps it was the fatigue of swinging the sword continuously, but despite the exhaustion...
“Haha.”
A grin spread across my lips.
My arms were shaking, and my body was burning hot.
My heart hammered wildly and my breath came in ragged gasps, yet I felt exhilarated.
“……It actually worked.”
I stared at the sword gripped in my trembling hand and chuckled.
I could actually swing at this speed, and for this many repetitions.
The realization brought a persistent smile to my face.
Now I see why people crave the First-rate realm so badly.
The sensation was entirely different. How could there be such a massive gap between yesterday's me and today's me?
Previously, I had to consciously circulate my energy.
But now, the energy flowed naturally through my body on its own.
Furthermore...
The volume has grown exponentially.
Thanks to the Great Pill, my internal energy had more than doubled.
No, calling it double felt like an understatement.
Perhaps it was because my baseline energy had been so low to begin with, but the difference was night and day.
I felt like an entirely different being.
This sudden leap in realm opened my eyes to so many new sensations.
“Fhuuuuu……”
I exhaled deeply from my core, settling my energy.
My racing heart calmed down in no time.
My body, exhausted from the intense training, recovered rapidly.
……Did my recovery rate improve too?
My breath had never returned to normal this quickly before. Seeing the change, it was clear my physical capabilities had been enhanced.
Just as I was about to lower my wooden sword—
[You seem to be quite pleased with yourself.]
A chuckling voice echoed from behind.
“……”
I turned around silently to see Yoo Chun-gil leaning against the wall, watching me.
[How does it feel to stand at the crossroads?]
I narrowed my eyes at his question.
Wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, I asked,
“……The crossroads?”
It was an unfamiliar term, yet it resonated with me instantly.
[Indeed, the crossroads. The point where you must choose whether to push forward or settle for what you have. Is that not what the First-rate realm is?]
Yoo Chun-gil continued, his smirk widening.
[The grave of martial artists. Is that not what they call the First-rate realm?]
“……”
Push forward,
or settle.
Put that way, it certainly felt like a crossroads.
However...
“If I said I wanted to stop here, would you even let me?”
Even if I chose to stop at the First-rate realm, would this old man actually allow it?
I asked out of sheer skepticism, but—
[Of course not.]
Yoo Chun-gil beamed and delivered a flat refusal.
Unbelievable.
“……If the answer was already decided, why did you bother asking?”
Why ask when he had no intention of letting me off the hook?
As I grumbled in exasperation, Yoo Chun-gil kept his smirk and replied,
[My boy, regardless of whether I allow it or not, I am asking about the state of your own heart.]
“……Does my heart even matter?”
[Well, who knows?]
“……”
Ambition?
I pondered Yoo Chun-gil's words for a moment.
Ambition. I had it. It was impossible not to.
From the moment I got tangled up with this old man, I had resolved to use him to climb as high as I could.
But...
“I don't know.”
I really didn't.
I wanted to reach the top, but I hadn't thought about how far I actually wanted to go.
Hadn't the old man promised to make me the world's greatest? I was too old to believe in such fairy tales.
So, I gave him an honest answer.
[Is that so?]
Yoo Chun-gil let out a soft sigh and nodded.
[Then tell me when you do find out.]
I smirked at his casual tone.
“Will anything change if I tell you?”
[Of course it will.]
“Like what, specifically?”
[Who knows? If you are curious, make up your mind first. Then I shall tell you.]
“Forget it……”
I shook my head dismissively.
The old man really loved these pointless Q&As.
Or maybe they aren't so pointless.
It was probably more accurate to say he just enjoyed messing with my head.
Tsk. I clicked my tongue and stretched my body.
My breathing had fully recovered, and the fatigue was rapidly fading.
“By the way, where did Dok-jon go—”
I cut myself off mid-sentence.
[Ho.]
Yoo Chun-gil let out a small grunt of admiration.
[It seems you are no longer as dull as before. You have grown somewhat sharp.]
Just as Yoo Chun-gil spoke with satisfaction—
Knock, knock!
A knock sounded from outside the training hall door.
—Are you inside...?
“……Yes. Come in.”
The door opened the moment I answered.
“Excuse me……”
Judging by his attire, he was a servant of the Dang Clan.
“What is it?”
“The Clan Leader has requested your presence, young master.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly at his words.
It seemed the time had come once again.
Following the servant, I headed toward the Clan Leader's office, a room I had frequented recently.
I had expected to go straight back to the Secret Vault, but for some reason, he had summoned me to his office instead.
What's this about?
Wondering what his motive could be, I sought out the Poison King.
Knock, knock.
I knocked lightly on the door and spoke.
“Excuse me—”
—Come in.
“Yes……”
The Poison King answered before I could even finish. Feeling a bit awkward, I opened the door.
Creak.
As I stepped inside, the Poison King, who was sitting at his desk, turned his gaze toward me.
“You've arri—”
He froze.
The Poison King stiffened the moment he laid eyes on me.
Why was he reacting like that?
While I was trying to make sense of his reaction—
[He noticed the change in your realm. A man of his caliber could hardly miss it.]
Yoo Chun-gil's explanation cleared it up.
I had jumped from Second-rate to First-rate overnight, so of course he would react that way.
……What should I do?
I pondered for a moment, but realized there was no need to make a big deal out of it.
So, I chose to ignore it for now.
“I heard you summoned me.”
“……”
At my casual tone, the Poison King's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing.
His reaction made me slightly nervous, but in situations like this, it was best to just play it cool.
“Is there something you need?”
“……There is something I wish to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
Fortunately, the Poison King didn't press the issue of my sudden breakthrough.
Was he just going to let it slide? It was nagging at me, but it wasn't like I could bring it up myself.
“As you may already know, Young Master Bang, there is something I must find within the Secret Vault.”
“……”
My eyes widened slightly at his words.
I hadn't expected him to be so direct.
……I didn't think he'd actually say it.
Even if he knew I had figured it out, openly admitting it carried a different weight.
Why?
Why was he telling me this? My mind, slightly sluggish from training, began to spin rapidly.
Should I pretend to be ignorant? Or should I take a different approach? After a brief moment of hesitation, I made up my mind.
“Yes. I was aware.”
No point beating around the bush. I would face it head-on.
Having made my decision, I spoke plainly.
Even after hearing my admission, the Poison King's expression remained calm.
He must have been certain that I already knew.
“In my current position, I must obtain what I am looking for at all costs. To do that, I believe I will need your assistance, Young Master Bang.”
“……My assistance? I am already doing my best regarding the Secret Vault.”
“I know. However...”
The Poison King paused for a moment before continuing.
“……The item I seek seems to be hidden much deeper than I anticipated.”
“Hmm……”
“Therefore, we may need to increase the number of searchers and extend the duration of the search. I wanted to ask for your understanding and permission regarding this.”
“……”
In other words, the reason the Poison King had summoned me was...