Ch.130Giving and Taking – 1

“Let me try it. I’ve heard about it. I heard you demonstrated my wind.”

“…Impressive. To achieve that level after seeing it just once. I’m simply amazed.”

“Neither my disciples, nor my children, nor even my grandchildren were at that level.”

“As a reward for surprising this old body, let me show you a bit more.”

“If you can adapt to this as well, your level will rise another step.”

Since that day when I first imitated Minseong Kang’s sword.

Those words he spoke when he called me, and the other wind he showed me.

I realized afterward. Minseong Kang wasn’t wrong.

Because it was literally wind, it was extremely complex and difficult to follow.

Even one mistake would scatter it in the breeze, erasing it without a trace.

But when I finally managed to create that wind, the energy I felt in my body intensified.

It’s the same now. Simply preparing to create wind.

A simple swing to pave a new wind path, to draw the way.

Yet the shadows approaching from the front are all sliced away by that sword.

Thwack!— Clang!—

…I wonder if this is really the sound of a blade colliding with shadows.

Every time I feel the heavy impact transmitted through the sword tip, my concentration threatens to break.

If even one shadow escapes this wind path and heads for my body.

No matter how sturdy my body is, it would be instantly riddled with holes.

From top to bottom, from below to diagonal, then forward again.

A faint path is etched where the sword’s trajectory is drawn.

And along that created path, the wind passes.

“You, that’s…”

As the wind path takes shape, Sujin Hyun’s expression slightly hardens.

She seems to have noticed what I’m trying to do now.

She should have realized it a bit later, but as expected of The Elder, her perception is incredibly sharp.

‘The attack trajectory has changed.’

Until just moments ago, the shadows’ joint attack was nearly perfect.

Now they’re pouring down haphazardly, indiscriminately.

Boom!— Crash!—

I even saw shadows colliding and exploding against each other on their way to me.

Looking at just that, one might say it was Sujin Hyun’s failure, or my advantage.

The problem is that I’ve completely lost track of Sujin Hyun’s attacks that I’d been adapting to until now.

With them stabbing and charging in recklessly among themselves, it was hell for the one on the receiving end.

‘Damn it! This is brutally intense!’

Just a little, just a little more path to draw, but I can’t proceed further.

If I stall for time like this, the path I’ve carefully created will scatter.

If that happens, I’ll have to start over from the beginning, and Sujin Hyun won’t allow that.

Sujin Hyun’s physical condition isn’t normal. I can subdue her sufficiently.

My plan was to go help Rina Lee afterward,

but at this rate, I might be the one needing help.

“You chose the wrong opponent to use that against. You shouldn’t have even thought about it in front of me. Did I look like an idiot like Hyuk Kwak who insists on head-on battles? Huh?!”

Thwack!—

Damn it! I almost got pierced through from chin to head by a shadow!

Fortunately, I jerked my head upward when I sensed something ominous.

If I’d been a moment slower… shit, the image of what would have happened is too vivid and horrifying.

Front, back, sides—these three directions were already overwhelming, and now I’ve lost above and below too.

If I rise up into the air, Sujin Hyun’s attacks become even more unrestricted.

Conversely, even if I stay grounded, I can’t hold out because of shadows piercing up from anywhere.

If only I could handle shadows like that, it would be so nice.

I’ve tried a few times since encountering Sujin Hyun.

Just like I could imitate Minseong Kang’s and Hyuk Kwak’s techniques.

Wondering if I could also imitate Sujin Hyun’s shadow control.

But it was a complete failure. I couldn’t even approach the method.

The most I could do was pass through by breaking the boundary of shadows, like I did earlier.

It was a kind of assimilation. That was my limit, and I couldn’t control them in large quantities.

Swoosh!— Slice!—

A burning sensation transmits from my shoulder, followed immediately by pain.

It was enough to make me involuntarily gasp.

I turned my head slightly to check the state of my injury.

‘…I shouldn’t have looked.’

It felt like just a graze, but looking at the wound, it was definitely not something I could call “grazed.”

Seeing the red blood gushing from the gaping wound, I should have just ignored it.

“Where are you letting your mind wander!”

The voice of Sujin Hyun, who was clearly standing in front of me, suddenly comes from behind.

Gritting my teeth, I turn my body to prepare for the next attack…

‘Huh.’

She’s not there. Sujin Hyun, who should have been behind me, is nowhere to be seen.

With a sinking feeling, I quickly looked up.

“…Shit.”

I was tricked.

Thwack!—

“Guhk!”

As I stepped back, I ended up exposing my thigh to Sujin Hyun.

It was a misjudgment. I should have at least tried to block with my sword.

Thinking I could dodge was a miscalculation. And the result was not good at all.

“That’s one.”

Sujin Hyun, who emerged from above rather than front or back, smiles.

Seeing that expression made my stomach twist, but there was nothing I could do.

She concealed her presence, deliberately let it slip behind me, then took position above.

It was a perfect deception. In that move, it was clearly my defeat.

And as a result, I suffered a large penetrating wound on my thigh.

It hurts like hell. I just want to examine the wound before anything else.

Though I’ve suffered many injuries before, pain is something you never get used to.

Crucially, the wind path I had been carefully drawing was completely disrupted.

My situation isn’t good enough to start drawing from scratch again.

Even before, I was barely managing to draw the path, and now one of my legs is gone.

Even if I can notice the next deception, I’ve given up too much.

‘Should I just hold out and wait for Rina?’

Shameful as it was, it was a somewhat rational judgment.

It’s more likely for an injured Rina fighting two Elders to win than for an injured me fighting one Elder.

The problem is whether I can actually do that against Sujin Hyun.

If that perceptive woman notices my thoughts, things will get very troublesome.

If I try to hold out, Sujin Hyun can simply go to Rina.

That would drastically reduce Rina’s chances of winning.

Even for Rina, facing three Elders while injured would be too much.

‘So the conclusion is one. With all my might, keep that woman here.’

Thinking that way actually made me feel calmer.

The pain became blurry, fear faded, and hesitation disappeared.

Now all I could see was Sujin Hyun, the enemy I had to stop.

Hissss—

Suddenly, feeling something strange, I looked at my thigh.

A long shadow piercing completely through my leg.

A dagger that only Sujin Hyun could use, which she had thrown at me.

‘This might actually work if I do it right.’

I could assimilate with shadows, but couldn’t create them.

No matter how many times I tried, it was impossible to imitate the source of Sujin Hyun’s ability.

But now, the situation was a bit different from before.

Although it’s stuck in my body, a shadow has been created.

– The Third Eye is active.

◎ Sole Arbiter

: Characteristic is active.

: This is an opponent who has not received promotion from Seojin Baek.

: Recognized as assessment target.

◎ Overtime

: Characteristic activation conditions have been met.

: Characteristic is active.

: Assessment is possible despite undesignated location.

The Third Eye also added weight to my possibility.

When my “maybe?” thought turned positive, there was no more hesitation.

“…Guhk!”

When I grabbed the shadow stuck in my leg, pain shot through me as if my body was being torn apart.

I almost let go involuntarily, but forced myself to hold on.

If I back down here, I’ll be penetrated. The opponent will go where she wants.

No. Can’t go. How dare someone who hasn’t even been assessed by me try to leave.

Elder? S-rank? Get over yourself. Get your Silver certification from me first, then go.

*

As expected, as I thought. He’s growing frighteningly fast, but lacks practical experience.

When I threw a feint, he turned around, showing he still has much to learn.

I sent a shadow flying toward Seojin Baek.

If he blocks or dodges, he might survive. If not, he dies.

“Guhk!”

It was good that he finally detected my position.

And his movement to pull his body away in that instant was also impressive.

But that’s it. He couldn’t dodge perfectly.

He retreats, limping. I could see him trembling slightly from the pain.

Looking at him, I thought it was time to finish this.

I won’t hesitate. Since I decided to become a monster, I should act like one.

Hissss—

I drew out shadows to their maximum for a decisive finish.

Perhaps from the strain on my body, dark red blood rose between my lips.

Being hit by Rina was part of it, but pushing myself to the limit was also an issue.

I thought I’d finish quickly, but I didn’t expect it to drag on this long.

I understood why Hyuk Kwak had asked me, “Could you defeat him?”

But now it’s the end. In that state…

“Guhk!”

…What? What? What? What is that bastard doing now?

I thought I was seeing things. I wondered if I was hallucinating.

Seojin Baek grabbed my shadow. At first, I thought he was simply trying to pull it out.

But that wasn’t it. He didn’t grab it just to pull it out.

‘It’s fading. The connection between that shadow and me.’

All shadows are my limbs. I can control them at will.

They share everything with me until they’re disrupted by an opponent.

But that sensation is gradually fading. I’m losing control.

“Kuhp!”

Splash!—

Red blood spurts, scattering everywhere.

I see Seojin Baek breathing heavily with a large hole in his leg.

In his hand was something black that could no longer be called “mine,” writhing.

“That’s one.”

Seojin Baek repeats the exact words I had said earlier.

“I’ll take this.”

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Crazy bastards. I thought they had failed, but I was wrong.