Divergence Point (3)
The precious opportunity he would lose if he went to Murim. Though he asked again what it was, he couldn't get an answer. Elle merely hinted that, unlike before, it was connected to this Tower. Now it seemed not that she couldn't tell him because it was the future, but because of the Tower's restrictions...
"What will you do? Will you go to Murim?"
"I'll think a bit more and decide."
"Understood. I hope you get what you want."
Elle now respected Yun-seok's opinion and simply nodded without further comment.
After some more brief conversation, Yun-seok returned to his waiting room. He quickly checked the date and headed straight to the integrated plaza.
[June 11, 2019 AM 11:27]
This mission had taken 15 days. That meant 15 to a maximum of 45 days remained until something happened to Cheonma in Murim. Before deciding, he wanted to hear from Geom-ma Jeong Dae-un if anything else had occurred in those 15 days. But...
"Geom-ma has returned to Murim."
"Did he leave any message?"
"Yes. He said to tell you not to worry if Yun-seok came."
"I see."
"It's been a while since you visited. Was something up?"
Come to think of it, he hadn't told Eshton about the mission. Like catching up on overdue homework, Yun-seok took the opportunity in the plaza to briefly share recent updates with Eshton. It took about 10 minutes, confirming no major incidents in either the Tower or Earth.
"See you in a week, then."
Back in the waiting room once more, Yun-seok stood lost in thought.
Yeah, better not go...
He'd never wanted to get involved with Murim affairs from the start. But hearing his future self had been there piqued his curiosity about what had drawn him and the trigger. Elle's intentions also began to feel suspicious. So he'd dug around. The result? Conviction that Elle wouldn't give harmful advice.
I don't know what this precious opportunity is, but if she's that regretful, it must be important.
In the end, Yun-seok decided. He'd ignore Murim business. Besides, Cheonma seemed capable of handling herself without his help.
Focus on my own tasks now.
Once direction was set, he charged ahead without doubt. That drive had brought him this far. Reminding himself, he shook off lingering regrets and approached the tablet.
Before spending the 2.5 million MP from the mission, he first checked what he'd gained via Predation from the duel with Miller.
As expected, nothing special.
He'd absorbed mana stats, but ranks hadn't risen. Leader of Light shone with allies, and the Heretic Inquisitor's Punishing Hammer (Rank A) was a weapon Yun-seok had no reason to use. It was chosen for rank anyway.
Equipment decomposed. Recovered 1.3 million MP.
Yun-seok first dismantled the equipment via Origin. Perhaps because the original owner bought it with MP? It converted to MP, not AP. A delightful outcome for him.
Points were awkward, but this works perfectly.
2.5 million plus 1.3 million made 3.8 million MP total. Enough to evolve another unique skill to A-rank.
Purchased item has arrived.
Please check your inventory's lower section.
Using 3.75 million MP, Yun-seok downed the B-rank elixir. Last time he'd raised Predation, so this one's target was set.
But...
Heaven Breaking Divine Art Rank A
Escape predetermined fate.
Seeing the added effect, Yun-seok laughed hollowly. 3.75 million points poured in, yet the reward was this cryptic phrase? He'd believed Heaven Breaking Divine Art wouldn't disappoint, but it felt like betrayal.
Feels like higher ranks just give weird stuff...
Escaping predetermined fate sounded impressive at first. But how it helped? No clue. Maybe it'd prove useful unexpectedly someday...
Till then, pretend it doesn't exist for peace of mind.
Yun-seok quickly shelved the disappointment. Not the first time, so no surprise.
Oh, forgot to ask about that.
During final checks, the thug Elle faced popped into mind late. Who was he? Challenger turned administrator? Tower creator? Why only at her entry? No idea. Even asking Elle would likely get "restrictions" as excuse. Still, he'd question next time. With that, final thoughts cleared.
Enough pondering mysteries. Time to...
Prepare. Duel will begin soon.
Charge ahead again.
Countdown begins.
Instinctively, eyes locked on the opponent. As naturally as breathing, he scanned gear, build, arm and weapon lengths. What skills did this one have? What combat style? Hope it's not boring.
Thoughts swirled.
3.
Yun-seok smirked. A sudden realization.
2.
Endless pondering wasn't his style.
1.
This was.
Win and survive. Or vanish without a corpse. Duel's binary choice. No right or wrong, good or evil. Just one rule: win.
At start, the matched fairy swordsman charged. Fitting a 14th-floor duelist: erratic strides hid distance, flawless stance, razor-sharp sword momentum.
Swish.
Yun-seok silently drew both swords. Truthfully, Judgment of the Destruction Lord or Demon Transformation would end it without swinging. But such skills were pure rank. No proficiency experience. Thus, unless unavoidable, he'd duel with sword alone. If all skills vanished someday, only these blades remained.
Though it's all the same in the end.
Yun-seok eyed the front. The fairy swordsman focused intently, charging warily, prepared for any move.
Irrelevant.
Whoosh.
Yun-seok slashed empty air. Neither fast nor sharp—a simple horizontal cut. Or so it seemed.
Until space warped around the gray aura on the blade.
Slash!
As Yun-seok's sword halted mid-air, the fairy's body split in two. Yet Yun-seok adjusted stance with interest.
Dodged it?
Phantom Shift. Extreme speed leaving afterimages.
Not surprising for the fairy swordsman. Agility stats plus technique made it feasible.
But Yun-seok's curiosity lay elsewhere.
How did he see it?
Cheonma Sword, 2nd Form: Time Shadow Black Severance. Extreme space sword blending feint and blunt. First time hit, Yun-seok hadn't grasped it. Sensed danger, but trajectory-less blade was unavoidable.
Yet this fairy did the impossible.
Luckily guessed on instinct and got grazed?
Unclear, but worth testing again.
Soon, split afterimage faded; fairy swordsman's form appeared—front-northwest, mid-leap.
Whoosh!
Same 2nd Form slashed wider. Yun-seok watched keenly, curiosity piqued. Pure luck? Duel ends. Otherwise, uncover secret.
Result in a blink.
Slash.
Fairy's body split again. Afterimage.
Not luck. Then what? How?
Yun-seok kept questions internal. No point asking; opponent wouldn't teach. But he'd learn by watching—as always. A glance beats a thousand words.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Wooosh!
Repeated same technique. Fairy swordsman's eyes flicked to opponent.
"......"
Grotesque mask, dual swords. Internally shocked upon seeing him. Sensed overwhelming mana far surpassing his.
But incomparable to shock when sword cleaved air.
No doubt. That's her swordsmanship.
Before coins vanished, he'd met a female duelist. Name unknown, but superhuman swordplay. Unfathomable mindset.
—Not comparable to that guy, but decent potential.
Tsk tsk! Her words after his arm severed on first clash.
Unknown who "that guy" was. But her 3-day teachings shattered his wall, rapid growth.
Greedily, he'd begged her arm-severing technique despite shame.
—Forget it. You can't learn that sword anyway.
Firm refusal, no hedging. Otherwise, she wouldn't say:
—But I'll teach you how to see. Master one, master ten. It'll help.
He learned silently. Her "way of seeing."
It saved him countless times, this included. Otherwise, first strike fatal—like arm loss.
Her disciple perhaps?
Heavy heart. Repaying grace with enmity if so.
But no intent to lose. No coins for revival now.
But how long? Is this all he has?
Narrowed eyes. Denying it felt wrong. Same swordsmanship agreed, but depth incomparable to hers. Amateurish? Even with "seeing," her it'd be invisible.
Recent disciple maybe...
Unknown reason, he shifted to offense. Force hidden cards or accept defeat.
Whoosh! Wooosh! Boom boom crash!
Fierce exchange probing gaps. Or so he thought—until unease hit.
What...?
Blocks blocks, dodges dodges. Yet leisurely observes his sword. Then, judgment shows in masked eyes.
Disappointed...?
Incomprehensible. Weak opponent should please, no? Yet eyes held arrogance of overwhelming superiority.
Whoosh! Wooosh! Boom boom crash!
Fierce... no, pointless clashes continued.
As time passed, opponent ignored his sword entirely. Focused solely on...
What? Why stare into my eyes?
Beyond him to know.
Yun-seok was learning.
The "way of seeing."