Horror

Moo-hyung (無形).

If you interpret the word as it is, it means ‘without form’. Since it was called a breathing technique, I guessed it was a breathing technique related to formless mana.

,In our family, we call it Moo-hyung or the Moo-hyung Breathing Technique. It changes the form of the vessel, the body, that turns mana into the power called magic, allowing you to forcibly gather natural mana.”

Yooran-ssi interjected as soon as Raikan-nim finished speaking.

,I’m telling you in advance, the training you’re trying is not a normal method. Originally, the Moo-hyung Breath is a way to gradually refine your breathing from childhood and naturally master it over several years. But what Raikan-nim wanted was a short-term result, so I’m going to directly perform a magic interference procedure on this body.”

Stopping, Yooran-ssi opened the leather wallet he was holding and took out a silver needle. The tip of the needle shone sharply in the sunlight.

,I’m warning you in advance. If you receive this procedure, this needle will remain in your body until you can perfectly use the breathing technique. It’s a way of forcibly twisting the flow of magic in your body, so there’s a risk of shortening your lifespan because you can’t withstand the burden on your body. You have to endure it with your mental strength alone. Will you still do it?”

Raikan-nim looked at me silently, as if Yooran-ssi’s exaggeration was not a threat. Despite Yooran-ssi’s gruesome warning, I didn’t feel any particular pressure. Rather, I was only interested in Raikan-nim’s words that I could grow several times in a short period of time, rather than the danger.

I answered without hesitation.

,I will.”

It might be several times harder than running around the training ground in armor. But I felt desperately that I was stagnating these days.

The desperate fight with Deuwin-ssi, and the second trial room with no progress. The fact that I had been using tools to make up for my below-average body was gradually showing its limits.

In this situation, I was given the opportunity to grow several times. There was no reason to hesitate at all.

Yooran-ssi didn’t like my answer, and brought his face close to mine.

,A young punk is already blinded by power… I don’t know even if you regret it later!”

It was a word that I could have laughed off, but for some reason, I felt the urge to refute Yooran-ssi’s words. I might have wanted to believe that the choice I was making was not wrong.

,I don’t regret the choices I’ve made. I don’t doubt it either. Because I’m sure my choice is the right one.”

Yooran-ssi, who was staring at me, softened the corners of his mouth as if he was about to show it. It doesn’t seem like he’s laughing at my words. Rather, it felt closer to a bitter smile.

Yooran-ssi, who had put the needle away, muttered with a sigh, as if he had taken it out with the intention of threatening me.

,He’s a guy with a stupid belief.”

,That’s why he’s my disciple.”

Raikan-nim smiled contentedly. He came to me, patted me on the shoulder with his thick hand, and continued.

,I’ll teach you the basics of mana operation before you learn the breathing technique.”

Raikan-nim explained in detail about the mana operation method. I learned what flow to move the mana that started from the heart.

I operated the mana in my body for nearly an hour following Raikan-nim’s guidance. Finally, when I was able to operate the mana naturally, Raikan-nim nodded and turned to Yooran-ssi, who was watching our training in the shade.

,Ready.”

Yooran-ssi didn’t like Raikan-nim’s short words, and muttered something inaudibly, then came to me and said in a blunt voice.

,Okay, then I’ll start the procedure now. Take off your top and operate the mana as you learned.”

I took off my top and operated the mana in my body as I learned from Raikan-nim. Yooran-ssi used magic to observe my body with glowing green eyes, and then suddenly stabbed a silver needle into my chest without warning.

,Keu, heueu… Euk!”

The needle piercing through my chest was not enough to be called pain. But because the penetrating needle broke the normal flow of the mana I was operating, I felt a burning sensation as if I was on fire.

The blocked mana went back and caused a collision of mana in my body. If I hadn’t put strength in my legs, I would have rolled on the floor in pain.

But the procedure didn’t end with just one needle. Yooran-ssi, who continued to take out needles from his leather wallet, quickly began to stab needles all over my body.

Arms, chest, waist, back. The places where the needles were stuck were all paths where mana flowed. When those places were blocked, mana swirled through the blood vessels of my whole body and stirred up the inside.

,Keuaaaaaak… Kkeueueuk…!!!”

I bit my teeth, but groans burst out in unbearable pain.

,Don’t stop, keep operating the mana!”

At Yooran-ssi’s request, I desperately tried to break through the blocked flow.

The heart, which was spewing out mana, began to beat so fast that it seemed to explode beyond its limit. My muscles were twisted and my internal organs were boiling. I felt like I was going to lose consciousness from the excruciating pain that felt like my whole body was being torn apart.

Yooran-ssi, who had finished the procedure, took out a blue bead from his pocket.

,This is called Heup-jeong-seok. If you hold this in your hand, the pain will end.”

Yooran-ssi threw the Heup-jeong-seok into the air. As if something invisible was holding the Heup-jeong-seok, the blue bead was fixed in a position where it could be reached by reaching out.

,Where, shall we see if your choice is the right one?”

Yooran-ssi smiled as if he liked my face distorted with pain, and turned to Raikan-nim, who was a little away.

I couldn’t hear Yooran-ssi’s words. I was only filled with the thought that I had to desperately grab the blue bead.

The reversed mana tore my organs. Following the rough breathing, blood flowed back from my mouth. My ears became numb and my vision blurred.

The voice that had been groaning was low and cracked, and I squeezed out a scream.

,―――!!!”

In the consciousness that was sinking into the abyss, my body used mana amplification like an instinct, beyond my will. There was no reason to feel strange about it. Because my head was full of the will to grab the bead.

***

Yooran-ssi felt an unpleasant feeling as he watched Raikan-nim’s disciple, who was sure that his choice was the right one.

It was a childish belief that he once had in his youth.

The thought that the path he had chosen was not wrong, and that his efforts would surely be rewarded.

But it was a belief that was shattered by a society that did not allow mistakes and a reality that was different from what he had imagined. It was unpleasant to witness what he had lost again in front of him, and he wanted to strongly deny it.

In a word, it was creepy because it was like seeing himself.

So he predicted failure in his heart. There were countless people who had not completed the breathing technique even after decades. Moreover, this abnormal method basically required tremendous mental strength.

It was a procedure created after a long period of research in the family, but the success rate was extremely low. If they couldn’t bear the pain, there were often cases where their ego died due to the intense desire to blow up their hearts.

But for some reason, Raikan-nim had a strong belief that this crazy method would work for his disciple. That was the reason why he brought Yooran-ssi to the academy with almost violent persuasion.

Hearing the groans fading away from behind, Yooran-ssi twisted one corner of his mouth towards Raikan-nim.

,Do you really think he’ll succeed?”

Raikan-nim’s expression as he looked at his suffering disciple was calm and indifferent.

,He’s my disciple.”

It was a short word, but it was a voice full of trust. That made Yooran-ssi feel more than just annoyance.

Yooran-ssi sighed and turned his body to look at Raikan-nim’s disciple with a displeased gaze.

His whole body was convulsing with pain, and his blood vessels were wriggling and rising to the surface of his skin. Blood was flowing from the clenched fist, as if the fingernails had dug into the flesh. His nose was bleeding and blood was dripping down his chin with saliva, and his face was distorted with bloody tears and turned hideous.

Even if he was Raikan-nim’s disciple, whose name he didn’t even bother to hear because he didn’t like the way he looked, he was sympathetic enough.

,Rather than enduring it, just faint.”

If he didn’t operate the mana, the pain would disappear. Grabbing the Heup-jeong-seok was also a way, but looking at that figure, it seemed impossible to even raise his hand.

Raikan-nim’s disciple, who had been screaming, finally vomited blood. Yooran-ssi glanced at Raikan-nim’s expression next to him. He still looked indifferent.

,Is it trust, or does he not care what happens?”

While Yooran-ssi was thinking that, Raikan-nim’s disciple let out an animal-like scream. When he turned his head, he saw him staggering as if he was about to fall.

,It’s over.”

Yooran-ssi really thought so. But Raikan-nim’s disciple, who looked like he was about to fall at any moment, moved his staggering body one step to regain his balance and stopped abruptly with his head bowed.

He was covered in his own blood, and his head was dropped to the floor, making him look like he was about to fall forward, but he never fell.

The groans of pain that filled the training ground and the body that was shaking like convulsions disappeared like a lie.

A very brief silence.

Yooran-ssi thought that Raikan-nim’s disciple had died standing up. And at that moment, Yooran-ssi heard a very small breathing sound like an animal exhaling in his ear.

Raikan-nim’s disciple slowly raised his head. Their eyes met in the air.

As if someone had forcibly squeezed his lungs, Yooran-ssi gasped. His waist became wet with cold sweat in an instant.

Yooran-ssi, who was caught in a feeling as if he was facing a bottomless darkness, was able to feel a primal sense for the first time in a long time.

A different dimension of fear felt in the gaze full of murderous intent, anger, and madness.

Yooran-ssi felt a chill that seemed to freeze his whole body with just his gaze.