Chapter 32: There's Something I Need to Tell You
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 32: There's Something I Need to Tell You
In the center of the training arena, two young men stood facing each other, one with a sword and the other with a saber.
The first to move was the slightly larger of the two.
Huuuuuh—
Shin Kang-heon exhaled a long breath and held his saber in a middle stance.
As he slowly began to circle to the left, Ki Mu-hyeok also took a step in the same direction.
“……”
“……”
The two men circled in the same direction, subtly shifting their sword and saber.
With every change in the blade's direction, a fierce battle of wits unfolded in their minds.
They mentally drew countless trajectories, reading their opponent's intentions while concealing their own.
Every step, every subtle breath, was meant to deceive the other.
A battle of wits far too difficult and complex for rising stars barely in their twenties.
Yet, the two of them executed it instinctively.
Then, Shin Kang-heon, who stopped first, clicked his tongue softly and muttered,
“...Since when did I start caring about ‘potential’?”
His eyes, now those of a young man rather than a boy, had changed beyond recognition in just a few months.
Unlike his previous rough and fierce gaze, they now held a chilling glint, like a predator slowly approaching its prey, claws sheathed.
Squeeze...
Shin Kang-heon gripped the hilt of his saber tightly.
The moment his forearms, more defined than months ago, swelled as if to burst.
CRASH!
Shin Kang-heon planted his foot firmly, and his body shot explosively towards Ki Mu-hyeok.
His momentum brought to mind a tiger charging at its prey.
But his opponent was no gullible prey; he was a seasoned hunter.
“What kind of cheap trick is that? I can see you thinking a mile away.”
Ki Mu-hyeok chuckled, twisting his body as if he’d been waiting, and deflected the blade at an angle.
Sword and saber clashed at the most dangerous point among the countless trajectories he’d envisioned in his mind.
Clang—!
It wasn't over with a single collision.
Shin Kang-heon wielded his saber with truly divine fervor, and Ki Mu-hyeok calmly met his attacks with his sword.
Clang! Clang-clang! Kaaang—!
Over the past few months, Ki Mu-hyeok and Shin Kang-heon had clashed countless times, yet they never grew accustomed to each other.
They constantly stimulated each other's talents, pushing for continuous improvement.
When one took a big step forward, the other fiercely pursued, and once caught up, they would desperately strive to get ahead again.
By constantly one-upping each other, they were able to progress much faster than they would have training alone.
‘Madman.’
‘Psycho.’
They had started calling each other that as a joke, but now those nicknames carried mutual recognition and respect.
“Uraaat!”
For the first time, a battle cry erupted.
Shin Kang-heon let out a loud breath, leaping high and spinning his body in mid-air.
Swish!
It was an agile and light movement, utilizing his natural physique.
The blade, swung while rotating in the air, momentarily tore through the space like a fierce tiger's claw.
Slish—
The hair tie holding back Ki Mu-hyeok’s hair, which had grown long over several months, was severed.
Through the scattering strands of hair that obscured his vision, Shin Kang-heon’s grinning face appeared.
“I was aiming for that from the start!”
“...You petty bastard.”
“It’s strategy! Uraaat!”
Landing back on the ground, Shin Kang-heon pushed off with explosive thigh power, closing the distance.
His saber shot up from below, aiming for Ki Mu-hyeok’s chin.
The tip of the blade grazed him, scattering drops of blood into the air.
The saber wasn't sharpened, but it hardly mattered.
Flames blazed in Shin Kang-heon’s eyes as he glared at Ki Mu-hyeok.
‘I will win!’
He thought he had significantly narrowed the gap by training desperately, but even now, if he fought Ki Mu-hyeok ten times, he would lose seven.
Even the three wins were hard-won victories, earned on good days with a stroke of luck, and often declared a judgment call by Sword Demon Choi Geon, who was watching.
It wounded his pride, but... Ki Mu-hyeok was still much stronger than him.
‘What if I put half my life on the line?’
He desperately wanted to win today.
Not a vague judgment call, but a definitive victory where he could say he had broken Ki Mu-hyeok’s sword.
And then, he would confidently walk into the License Exam tomorrow!
“Shin Kang-heon is at his peak today!”
CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH!
A fierce saber wind raged.
Scratches were carved into the specially treated wooden floor.
This spectacle was created solely by his natural strength and technique, even without having properly mastered an Internal Energy Cultivation Method.
Even Sword Demon Choi Geon, watching from behind, let out a wry laugh.
“Hmph, he’s really determined.”
Shin Kang-heon, pressing Ki Mu-hyeok, looked like a martial artist engaged in a life-and-death duel.
Who would think this was a friendly spar held the day before the License Exam?
‘For tomorrow’s exam, I should probably stop them now...’
Choi Geon pondered for a moment but decided against it.
His own disciple possessed an equally strong competitive spirit.
“You think I’m going to lose?”
Within the saber wind created by Shin Kang-heon, Ki Mu-hyeok, his eyes sharply narrowed, began to carefully navigate his way out.
His disheveled hair was a mess, but he paid it no mind.
As he pushed his concentration to the limit, the saber’s trajectories became clear.
Kaaang! Kaaang! Kaaang!
With every spark that flew, Shin Kang-heon’s saber was deflected.
Shin Kang-heon’s impatience caused his movements to become slightly erratic, and finally, pushed to his limit, the saber wind vanished like a gentle breeze.
“Uraaat!”
Shin Kang-heon, gathering all his remaining energy for a final strike, and Ki Mu-hyeok, his eyes sunken, crossed paths.
Swoosh!
And then, one person stumbled and turned around.
It was Shin Kang-heon, his upper garment torn to shreds.
“Damn it... I lost, but I fought well...”
Thud.
Shin Kang-heon, completely exhausted, lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.
Ki Mu-hyeok wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned.
“When it comes to life-or-death fights, I’m way above you.”
Muttering, Ki Mu-hyeok nudged Shin Kang-heon with his foot, pushing him to the corner of the training arena.
It wasn't a matter of his personality; it was because the training wasn't over yet.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh...
A thick fog began to fill the training arena, limiting visibility.
Ki Mu-hyeok looked around, muttering softly.
“No time to rest, it’s round two?”
Then, Kim Bok-ja’s voice echoed from all directions, its source impossible to pinpoint.
“Kkagwi! Sapsali! King Snake! Get him!”
Simultaneously, three Monstrous Beings burst out of the fog and lunged.
A black, cotton-candy-like Vengeful Spirit, twice its previous size, a large white dog big enough for a person to ride, and a yellowish python flicking its tongue attacked Ki Mu-hyeok from all sides.
If Ki Mu-hyeok and Shin Kang-heon were martial arts geniuses, Kim Bok-ja was a spellcasting genius.
Over the past few months, after mastering the spellbooks Choi Geon had given her, the number of Monstrous Beings she could control had increased to three.
“They say controlling multiple Monstrous Beings simultaneously is only possible for renowned Spellcasters...”
Even if the spellbooks Choi Geon had provided were specialized in controlling Monstrous Beings, her talent was still astonishing.
Screech!
Woof-woof!
Hiss-s-s-s—
Ki Mu-hyeok dodged and blocked the relentless attacks of the Monstrous Beings, running through the fog.
‘Slicing them won’t end it.’
If he could properly wield Sword Qi, it might be different, but for now, he could only make the Monstrous Beings controlled by Bok-ja flinch.
‘Find the Spellcaster.’
In the midst of the danger, Ki Mu-hyeok completely closed his eyes.
After all, he was in a fog created by a spell.
Sight, touch, hearing... he couldn't trust any of his five senses, so he expanded his Qi Sensing Domain.
He hadn't yet learned a proper Internal Energy Cultivation Method, but he had learned how to subtly control his qi under his Master's guidance.
Whoosh! Swish-swish-swish!
With his eyes closed, Ki Mu-hyeok dodged the Monstrous Beings’ attacks as if performing acrobatics.
The moment the enraged Monstrous Beings simultaneously shrieked and closed in.
“...There you are?”
Ki Mu-hyeok, his eyes half-open, slipped through the gaps between the lunging Monstrous Beings with a swift footwork.
The Monstrous Beings crashed into each other and bounced away.
“You idiots!”
There was a subtle, yet distinct, difference in the flow of qi somewhere.
Ki Mu-hyeok instantly reached that spot and swung his sword.
Swoosh!
The core of the Spell Formation shattered, and the fog dispersed into fragments.
And barely 30cm from where his sword had cut, Kim Bok-ja sat on her rear, eyes wide with surprise.
“Whoa, damn... I almost peed myself.”
As Kim Bok-ja blinked, an unfamiliar earring on her ear glowed faintly.
It was a spell tool that sealed the souls of her summoned Monstrous Beings (Spiritual Beings).
“Phew. That’s the end of the last training session...”
Ki Mu-hyeok, exhausted, sighed and was about to sheathe his sword.
As the spell lifted and his senses returned to normal, a killing intent as thin as a needle caught his attention.
‘A surprise attack!’
Ki Mu-hyeok flinched, spun around, and swung his sword.
It was a killing intent so subtle that he wouldn't have noticed it if not for his senses, honed over months, and his training against sudden assassin attacks.
Turning his body, Ki Mu-hyeok saw a sword piercing towards his heart.
Clang!
Sweat streamed down Ki Mu-hyeok’s forehead as he barely blocked the surprise attack.
Choi Geon had extended a back-scratcher, clashing it against Ki Mu-hyeok’s sword.
The killing intent had been so chilling that he had mistaken it for a real sword.
“Not bad.”
“...Master. You really scared me. The killing intent was so realistic, I thought I was going to die!”
“Didn’t I always tell you not to let your guard down until I say training is over?”
“So, it’s over now, right?”
Sword Demon Choi Geon smiled and nodded.
“Yes. Today’s training ends here.”
At those words, Ki Mu-hyeok also collapsed to the floor, lying spread-eagled.
As always, he was utterly exhausted after a series of training sessions that felt like real combat.
After a while, Ki Mu-hyeok managed to lift only his head and asked his Master,
“Master. With this... I can get a First-Rate License, right?”
Choi Geon found his disciple’s question incredibly amusing.
‘You fool. That last attack was difficult even for a Peak Master to handle. And after fighting rising stars, who are among the best of your age, one after another, you blocked that and ask... Is this enough?’
He almost let out an involuntary chuckle, but Choi Geon forced a stern expression and said,
“You rascal! Do you think the License Exam is so easy that you can guarantee the results?”
He put a lot of force into his eyes, lest his disciple become arrogant, but he couldn't help the corners of his Master’s lips from curling upwards.
And so, the final training session before the License Exam concluded.
That night.
Shin Kang-heon and Kim Bok-ja had already returned home, and Ki Mu-hyeok sat opposite his Master, Choi Geon, at the dining table.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“If I had my way, I’d chug a beer... but I’ll stick to barley tea today.”
“Then I’ll have to drink alone.”
“……”
“Hahahaha!”
Choi Geon, having teased his disciple, opened a can of beer and took a light sip.
His house, which only had barley tea to drink a few months ago, was now filled with all sorts of beverages and snacks.
Also, furniture like a sofa, dining table, and chairs, which hadn't been there before, had appeared.
Above all, the warmth of human presence, left by Ki Mu-hyeok, his parents, Shin Kang-heon, and Kim Bok-ja, could be felt everywhere.
“Tomorrow’s the exam, aren’t you nervous?”
“It might sound a little arrogant, but...”
Ki Mu-hyeok looked directly into his Master’s eyes and grinned.
“I feel like I’ve sufficiently reached the standard of a First-Rate Martial Artist.”
Choi Geon simply smiled without a word.
The disciple he had gained in his later years was a smart child.
There was no way he didn't know his own level.
“I don’t think you would, but don’t let arrogance ruin your exam, just in case.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
There was no more advice to give regarding the License Exam.
It would be better to send him home quickly to rest.
Nevertheless, there was a reason Choi Geon had held his disciple back to talk for a while.
“...I’ve never asked you in detail about your future. If you become a martial artist, what kind of life do you intend to lead?”
It was a rather difficult question, but Ki Mu-hyeok answered without hesitation.
“The strongest martial artist in the world. I want to surpass Richard Han and win the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
Choi Geon laughed heartily.
As if making up for two decades without laughter, he had been smiling much more in recent months.
“But is that all? Besides the goal of being the world’s greatest martial artist, do you have any plans for what you want to do with your abilities?”
“……”
Ki Mu-hyeok suddenly thought of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The organization that had plunged the world into chaos and sought to dominate it through force.
From the moment he returned to the past, Ki Mu-hyeok had vowed to prevent the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult from repeating the same atrocities.
But he couldn't say that directly, so he phrased it a bit indirectly.
“...If possible, I want to make the world a better place to live. A safe world where my family, friends, Master, and good-hearted people don’t suffer... I think that would be good.”
He had indirectly spoken of a world not dominated by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but it felt a little cheesy, so he scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Choi Geon, who had been listening intently, nodded.
“That’s quite an idealistic notion. A single martial artist cannot change the world. Such a feat would only be possible for a great politician or businessman.”
“I guess so, right?”
“However...”
Sword Demon Choi Geon.
In the past, he was a chivalrous hero with a passionate heart, so much so that martial artists of the Heretical Path called him by the epithet ‘Sword Demon’.
“I like such ideals. In the way of martial artists, you could call it hyeop (chivalry). There are too many villains in the world, and too few martial artists who practice hyeop.”
“……”
And Choi Geon possessed an identity that most people didn't know about.
“Mu-hyeok. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Please speak, Master.”
Choi Geon gazed at his disciple, who straightened his posture as if to listen attentively, then opened his mouth.
“Have you ever heard of a martial art called the Five Elements Divine Art?”
It was a martial art he had never heard of before, but at that moment, Ki Mu-hyeok felt his heart strangely pound.