Do You See It? (2)
A dog encountering a tiger for the first time instinctively rolls over and exposes its belly. But the dog acts purely on instinct, unaware of the true emotions stirring within toward the tiger. Is it out of fear, a desperate bid for survival? Or awe at the tiger's majestic otherness, a desire to submit? Only time will reveal the truth.
Simply put, one good smack to the head would make it clear. Though by then... it might be too late.
Dragon. The pinnacle of all living beings—animals, insects, reptiles, humans. Its mere existence inspires terror and commands reverence from all creation. Scales hard and radiant. A colossal size that blots out the sky. Claws and fangs sharper than any forged blade. Eyes brimming with mystery. Any creature beholding a dragon for the first time would be instantly captivated, forgetting even its own terror.
The natural instinct every living thing holds toward a superior being: awe. Discovering what one lacks in another, fearing it, envying it, revering it. Out of fear, one strives to emulate it. Out of envy, one strives to emulate it. Out of reverence, one strives to emulate it. Thus, animals evolved through the ages, birthing new traits along the way—like venom or camouflage.
Humans, unlike beasts, evolved through thought. The pinnacle of that evolution is martial arts. Mimicking the tiger's raw power. The eagle's agility. The serpent's stealth. After tens, hundreds, thousands of years, humans have claimed the top of the food chain.
Namgung Jung couldn't quite grasp the emotion stirring within him. 'What's wrong with me? Has the youngest picked up some demonic art?' It was a first for him in life, leaving him utterly confused. Normally, such a fleeting doubt would be insignificant, unworthy of thought—everything had always been clear-cut before. Everyone he'd deemed exceptional was superior to him: one his brother, the other his father. So he'd always viewed them through the lens of their strength.
But now? This was someone born far later. Someone he could kill on a whim, even now, with a mere stretch of his arm. He could erase that pathetic youngest right before his eyes.
"Tsk, tsk."
Yet strangely, he couldn't. Namgung Jung mistook it for mere pity toward a weaker lifeform. Though it was something else entirely.
"Brother, you've discovered Yang-ui Simgong in the Manhak Seogo too."
"Indeed. And I've even begun cultivating it."
I hurriedly schooled my expression. 'Haha.' I nearly burst out laughing. It wasn't time for Yang-ui Simgong to be revealed to the clan yet. My eldest brother wouldn't mention finding it in the Manhak Seogo for over a year from now.
So... how did he know?
Speculating on the reason now was pointless—it wouldn't change anything. Focus on the revealed fact. I racked my brain discreetly and swiftly.
'Namgung Jung knowing about Yang-ui Simgong means...'
Not just my second brother. 'Most of the Namgung core members must know. They all have the insight for it. But why...'
Leave it be? This was Yang-ui Simgong, no less. Could they not realize its true power? I only just did myself. Once my belly was full and a pleasant drowsiness set in, I finally sensed the change in my body.
A seed in my dantian. Or maybe not—calling it a dantian felt wrong. Had it always been this vast? It felt like standing alone on an endless plain. And the world I'd seen before now looked... different. Suddenly expanded, like my dantian. Or perhaps this was the true world. Closing my eyes seemed easier.
Shifting my gaze back to the food calmed me. I examined the change closely. What I'd thought was my dantian had expanded vastly, like a plain vast enough for a grand castle. At its center sat what looked like a seed. I stood atop it. Yes—the seed was me.
This must be what my eldest brother gained. And I understood how I'd obtained it. My eldest brother Namgung Dae probably had it too, thanks to his Cheonmu Jiche—or something even greater. That's why it took root. Not through rote breathing methods like Taeguk or Yin-Yang or the Four Images and Five Elements, but pure comprehension in his mind, forged by his own power.
Experiencing this, I knew I'd become someone entirely new. Proof? My second brother, once impossibly lofty even after mastering Samjae Geombeop, now seemed... approachable. Astonishing. A peak once invisible, abandoned before even glimpsed. Now I could see where Namgung Jung stood. Not that he was weaker—no, the gap remained vast. But I could see its end. And surprisingly...
'Not easy, but with effort... reachable.'
Arrogance? Me, barely past Samjae Geombeop, harboring such thoughts? But it was visible—how could I deny the feeling?
Then curiosity struck. 'What does Namgung Dae see now?' What drives his relentless effort, far beyond others, despite his strength?
The answer came easily. 'Of course. Silly question.'
The closest one. Stronger than any being. The world's mightiest warrior, Mushin Namgung Hancheol. Namgung Dae must have glimpsed something in Father and chased it ceaselessly.
'Then...'
A ripple stirred in my heart. If I looked at Father now, could I glimpse it too, like my brother?
Thump.
My heart raced—a feeling never known before. But its nature was clear. Yes, this is...'
'Haha.' A hollow laugh escaped. Rivalrous spirit, eh? I've lost it, Namgung Daeso. Daring such impudence against Father, the world's greatest.
They say a puppy fears not the tiger. That's me now. Though tweak the proverb: puppy to earthworm, tiger to dragon.
But the feeling only swelled. Until it became one desire.
'I want to see him.'
I shot to my feet. My second brother stared, startled.
"Ah, my stomach suddenly hurts... Ate too much, I guess."
"I figured. We'll talk later."
Thankfully, he let me go. Namgung Jung released Namgung Daeso because he knew something was off with himself today.
"Thanks for the meal, brother!"
The youngest bowed politely, then dashed off.
"That direction?"
Namgung Jung eyed the path curiously. "Uiyakdang's the other way."
The youngest headed straight for the 1st Gajujeon.
* * *
"It's real."
The masked guard muttered. Word of Namgung Daeso emerging from the Manhak Seogo had spread through the entire Namgung estate. But what followed? No one knew—Namgung Jung had sealed it tight.
Today's guard at the 1st Gajujeon was a fresh recruit to the shadowy Shadow Guard. Once captain of the Changgung Sword Unit, he'd nearly retired without elder status when a secret offer came: recruitment to the clan's most clandestine force.
Of course! Regretful at leaving, Namgung Ryul accepted, trained rigorously, and now guarded the 1st Gajujeon on his first mission.
That very morning, the patriarch had ordered preparations for a guest.
Masked, his flustered expression stayed hidden. He hadn't dreamed of direct orders on day one. Guests at the 1st Gajujeon were rare even during his captaincy—maybe a handful yearly. And today was one.
Tense, Namgung Ryul stood watch. And there—someone approached.
'That one...'
His eyes widened. Namgung Daeso, the youngest young master. He'd just met the second young master, or so he'd heard.
"Come in."
Masked again, his surprise stayed concealed. Per orders, he ushered Namgung Daeso inside.
"Thanks."
Unlike other direct heirs, the youngest offered warm familiarity before entering. Namgung Ryul resumed his post, now sharply vigilant. The second order: admit no one else.
* * *
This was my first time at the 1st Gajujeon, pre- or post-regression. I'd expected opulence, but it felt surprisingly modest. Ancient paintings and slender vases caught the eye now and then, but that wasn't why I came.
Honestly, I hadn't expected entry this easy. At the long corridor's end loomed another door.
"Enter."
The voice leaked through the closed door, clear as if beside me. Father's, unmistakably.
Creeeak.
Opening it, Father sat meditating in the center, otherworldly. He rose, approached.
"So."
Low-voiced, he stood before me, gazing down. I couldn't lift my head.
To such a me, Father asked abruptly:
"Do you see it now?"
I couldn't answer immediately. I had glimpsed—sneaking a peek entering.
Haha. Finally raising my head, I faced Father Namgung Hancheol.
"Are you... human?"
"Kukuku."
A deep rumble filled the room. Father, highly amused, continued:
"What do I look like to you?"