Ch.35Chapter 35 – How Can One Forget Without Getting Drunk (4)

This is what people from the past commonly called “personal barriers,” and what modern people refer to as “domain expansion.”

When a powerful martial artist visualizes a form in their mind, it’s called a mental image, and if I were to count such things on my fingers, this scenery would naturally appear.

“Do-hyeon, do you like snow?”

One day, it was Yoo Seol-hwa who spoke to me while I was watching the first snow falling outside through the school window.

Originally, I disliked snow, but seeing her innocent expression, I had no choice but to say yes. I felt that if I said no, she might burst into tears.

And then,

“I like it too…!”

The pure, fragile smile Seol-hwa showed me then. Her cheeks flushed red like plum blossoms blooming in the snow, so adorably.

From that day on, I came to love the winter season.

The cold falling snow, the white breath that appears when exhaling, and even the warm smell of the cream-filled fish-shaped pastries that Seol-hwa loved—all of it.

‘When I first discovered that Verdandi’s ability, the Eyes that Know Truth, could be used this way, I was surprised.’

I merely overheard Verdandi talking with Bi-wol. She shouldn’t normally know anything about the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, yet she was speaking as vividly as if she had directly witnessed Bi-wol’s past.

It was an application of the method I used to defeat my Inner Demon. If it was possible to enter someone’s mental world, then conversely, it was also possible to draw someone into my mental image.

“Puha, Master! How on earth did you turn the ground into an ocean?! This goes beyond what could be called an illusion!”

Verdandi was flailing about, having fallen into the sea. She seemed to not yet know how to control herself in the mental world.

“I asked you why you wield your sword.”

I began to recite words to teach Verdandi. This was also a theme I considered important in the original “I Need To Kill The Hero.”

If the justice a hero pursues becomes twisted and distorted, can it still be considered good?

I thought that a hero isn’t inherently good, but is defined by their actions.

“I don’t know!”

Verdandi responded to my question with a bright smile, saying she didn’t know. Like a blank sheet of paper, she had lost even the reason why she should act as a hero.

In the original story, she would have pursued justice to take revenge on her parents and villagers who abandoned her.

“Haven’t you solved all the problems for us, Master!”

But now, Verdandi lacked that bitterness. She was pure—perhaps too pure—making it frightening how easily she could be colored by someone else’s influence.

People are influenced by others as they live. This manifests as emotions like admiration, love, jealousy, and envy, which change who we are.

“I can’t stay by your side forever.”

“What…?”

“I’m living on borrowed time. I can feel my life gradually diminishing, like a flame slowly dying out.”

I revealed the truth to Verdandi. She must have noticed my symptoms—coughing up blood, bleeding from my eyes, nose, and mouth—with worried glances.

“…So, you need to figure out for yourself why you wield your sword.”

Hearing it directly from the person involved carries a different weight. When I heard about Seol-hwa’s death from her parents, it felt like the sky was falling.

“No! Can’t you just win that Dragon and Phoenix Tournament or whatever it is! If not you, then maybe senior…”

“The opponent is someone with prophetic abilities like me. They’ll likely send out the most troublesome opponent you would have faced if I weren’t here.”

I shook my head and spoke to Verdandi about Seol-hwa. To her, Seol-hwa was like a mother and co-creator.

I wondered how happy Seol-hwa would be if she could see these children, but she was likely not in her right mind, having been consumed by an Outer God.

‘Otherwise, she wouldn’t have specifically mentioned the “original story”…’

Alternatively, it could be a means to lure me using Seol-hwa. After all, she was already dead.

Thinking negatively about all possibilities was a habit I developed to prepare for misfortunes that had plagued me since childhood.

“To be honest, I have no regrets in my short life. I’ve accomplished almost everything I could.”

I spoke as calmly as possible.

I had resolved Bi-wol’s dark past, prevented Verdandi from going astray, and delayed Azazel’s twisted love. All that remained was to support these children on their path.

“…Master.”

“What is it, Verdandi?”

Verdandi’s head drooped. Tears fell as she stopped swimming. Looking at her, I saw something overlapping.

“Then, does that mean there’s no one wielding a sword for you right now…!”

It was the expression of Seol-hwa worrying about me. Verdandi’s seemingly innocent face contorted as she burst into tears.

“Actually, there’s your senior Bi-wol.”

Bi-wol is like my first child. Thanks to her, I met Seol-hwa and was able to develop our relationship.

“She would do anything for me.”

“No, senior alone isn’t enough.”

At that moment, Verdandi’s words gained strength. Her body, which had been sinking until now, rose up, and she stood on the water’s surface.

“No matter what means I must use! Master must live a long life!”

Her face looked as if the worry that had been troubling her had disappeared. Perhaps being young, she didn’t yet understand the concept of farewell.

“Verdandi…”

People tend to remember the absence more than the presence. That’s how it was with my brother, who was like a hero to me.

When I was bullied by children and received disapproving looks from adults for being poor, he would appear and save me.

His death completely changed my values.

“Master, you saved me when I was about to walk down the wrong path. I don’t understand why you’re suddenly talking about dying!”

Verdandi shouted while wiping away her tears. Her reddened eyes and trembling hands looked somewhat pitiful.

“People should always be prepared for farewells.”

I steeled my heart. If I were to die, there was still nowhere I could entrust these children with confidence.

“The Six Harmonies Swordsmanship of Mount Hua Sect is based on the movements of plum blossoms. It consists of six basic movements: slashing, thrusting, blocking, deflecting, evading, and breaking.”

Originally a secret martial art of Mount Hua Sect, in my novel it had spread to become one of the common third-rate martial arts.

I created a sword made of ice while observing Verdandi. Her breathing was more stable than before, and the trembling in her sword had disappeared.

She seemed to have grown accustomed to walking on water, as she was now taking steps toward me, closing the distance.

“Like plum blossom petals falling from the sky, cutting down lightly from above—this is the first form, Plum Blossom Heaven Slash.”

Clang—!

A sword strike came down from above in a gentle curve. It created the illusion of fluttering petals landing on Verdandi’s blade.

“Ugh, ungh…!”

Verdandi tried to block with her Holy Sword and her other hand, but unable to withstand the weight behind the sword, she fell to her knees.

“Stand up and try the same. You must start by cutting all the falling petals.”

Using my mental image, I planted a plum tree around Verdandi, making petals fall as I continued speaking.

“Because plum trees can take root and survive even on rocks, this form is called Plum Blossom Earth Thrust.”

Clang! Clang—!

I created a large rock behind me, thrust my sword into it, and made numerous holes and cracks.

Just as steady water drops can make a hole in a rock, even a third-rate martial art could be elevated to first-rate with proper training and polishing.

In this world, one’s realm didn’t improve simply by having more inner energy. What mattered was developing through enlightenment and mastering martial arts.

“What power…?”

Crack—! Rumble—!

The cracked rock gradually broke into pieces and scattered in all directions. Verdandi lost her words seeing the terrain crumble like powder.

“Despite appearances, I am a martial artist with a title.”

Moreover, this was my mental world. I didn’t need to worry about physical limitations and could create anything for training.

“Is, is this how I should do it?”

“Wrong. Your upper stance needs your arm higher, and for thrusting, your foot should step further forward.”

Clang—!

I rotated my waist and wrist as if blown by the wind, demonstrating the feat of spinning my sword and body completely. Verdandi, blocked from both thrusting and slashing, looked at me in disbelief.

“This is the third form, Plum Blossom Human Rotation, modeled after plum petals spinning as they scatter in the wind. And…”

Clang—!

Taking advantage of my speech, Verdandi attempted a downward slash, which I deflected while speaking. The motion of deflecting after the blade collision mimicked plum petals riding the wind.

“This is the fourth form, Plum Blossom Wind Strike.”

Whoosh, I avoided Verdandi’s next attack with just a nod of my head, and took a step back to avoid the following combination.

“The sixth form, Plum Blossom Falling Rain, imitates plum blossoms disappearing in pouring rain to evade.”

And the fifth form that remained,

“This is the sword you must imitate last.”

The shattering sword that could engrave the shape of petals even on rock—the stance of Plum Blossom Body Break.

* * *

‘Master, why are you in such a hurry to leave us…!’

Verdandi envisioned the future in her heart. A future where she became a hero who defeated the Demon King and received praise from her master, Bing-yeon.

The thought that he wouldn’t be in that future caused a pain like her heart was being torn apart.

“I will learn the sword and defeat all those who stand in Master’s way…!”

Her heart ached terribly.

She couldn’t accept the reality.

Why does farewell come faster than happiness?

It was the first time in her life someone had looked at her with such devotion.

For her, Master Bing-yeon had become more precious than anything else.

“That is the justice I believe in…!”

A soft emotion (heart) that breaks hardness (strength).

For his sake, Verdandi had nearly grasped the essence of the Six Harmonies Swordsmanship.