Chapter 640: Thunder Heaven Single Sword (Thunder Heaven Single Sword)

Flames blooming from the ground soar into the sky.

A dark night (黑夜) filled with cold.

As if covering that black ink, the flames engulfed the sky, slowly igniting the world.

The night recedes.

And so, the white night (白夜) arrived.

I couldn’t bear to tear my eyes away from that sight.

The white night itself is a wonder, but to feel amazement that a mere human created such a situation…

My breath hitched.

It was as if I had forgotten even to breathe.

The sky opened its eyes, and warmth sprouted in the cold world.

The snow filling the ground melted away. An unknown heat brushed past the tip of my nose.

Devouring the chill, the heat was rampaging (猖獗) through the world.

Hwa-reureu-reuk–!!

The flames soaring into the sky were like pillars.

Sizzling sounds could be heard, but what was visible showed no wavering.

A power that seemed more fitting to be called a pillar of light than flames.

‘That…’

What on earth could it be?

What on earth could it be that makes me unable to tear my gaze away like this?

[Don’t take your eyes off it for even a moment.]

Even if it wasn’t Gu Cheol-un’s words, now that I’ve seen that, I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to tear my eyes away.

Gu Yangcheon had no choice but to be convinced of that.

Woo-oong—!!

“…!”

At the sensation he felt, Gu Yangcheon clutched his chest with his hand.

The ring of the Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong implanted within his body began to spin on its own upon seeing the pillar.

It was resonance between energies.

This means that the pillar was ultimately the power of the Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong.

It was a power Gu Yangcheon had never seen before.

At least, as far as he knew.

Du-geun-! Du-geun-!

My heart pounds just from watching.

I didn’t know what principle or power it possessed, but I instinctively knew something extraordinary was happening.

Just then.

Keu-reu-reu—…!

The monster that had been sent flying reappeared.

Was it thinking of attacking again? Just as I was about to become vigilant about it…

“…What?”

At the unexpected situation, Gu Yangcheon showed a bewildered reaction.

Because the monster that reappeared wasn’t attacking like it did earlier, for some reason.

‘What’s wrong with that guy?’

I wondered if it was testing the waters, but…

Not long after, I could sense something strange.

Keu-reu-reu….

Its appearance seemed hesitant somehow.

The hostility and fighting spirit were still there, but the signs of hesitation were evident.

Seeing that, Gu Yangcheon thought.

‘No way.’

Is it scared?

‘That thing…?’

Even though I thought it couldn’t be, its appearance was exactly like that.

Fear.

That creature was feeling fear right now.

It meant that the creature, which only ever attacked desperately, was now thoroughly scared just by looking at the pillar.

I wondered how that could be, but…

Keu-reu-reu-reu–!!

As if that was only for a moment, the creature tensed its body again.

A stance that looked like it would attack any second.

But.

Hwa-reuk!!

At the same time, the pillar of fire that was soaring began to gradually subside.

Sa-aaa-a-!

The flames were gradually being retrieved and settling back to the ground.

The heat spread around changed direction and was being sucked in.

Hwa-aaaa-a–!!

It was immense pressure.

It was to the point where I had to exert force to forcibly stabilize my body.

The epicenter was, naturally, where the flames bloomed. The place where Gu Cheol-un was standing.

Kkeu-geu-geuk-!

As I tried to withstand the pressure, my feet scratched the ground, leaving marks.

Around the time Gu Yangcheon was firmly holding his balance to endure…

Keu-aaaa-a-!

The monster, rather as if welcoming this, rode the flow and increased its speed.

The accelerated monster looked much more intense.

Kya-aaaa-a—!

Where had its fearful appearance from just before gone? It opened its maw as if to swallow the flames whole.

Just before being pounced upon and devoured by the monster…

The moment Gu Yangcheon, seeing this, intended to rush forward to defend…

Ttuk-!

The blooming flames stopped.

Hook-!

As the surrounding flames disappeared, Gu Cheol-un’s figure was revealed.

Seeing Gu Cheol-un like that, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened.

His originally red-dyed hair now embraced light and shone brilliantly, and the red martial attire symbolizing the Gu clan flickered as if burning.

Yet, paradoxically, no flames were visible.

The Gu clan’s martial arts started with flames, covered over by rotation and blazing, yet…

Gu Cheol-un showed no such flames.

But.

‘I can feel it.’

Even if it wasn’t visible, it wasn’t unfelt.

Gu Yangcheon stared at Gu Cheol-un’s back without even blinking.

Gu Cheol-un wasn’t producing flames.

For some reason, Gu Yangcheon felt like he knew the reason.

The reason was…

‘…Father himself is the flame.’

Because there was no need to produce flames.

Cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

Gu Yangcheon looked solely at the front with trembling eyes.

I could instinctively tell.

That I mustn’t miss even a bit of it.

It was definitely there.

‘The place I must go forward to.’

The place I must reach somehow.

That was right before my eyes now.

Gu Cheol-un slowly moved his hand.

Shiiiii—-!!

A sharp wind sound came from his fingertips.

No heat was felt.

Despite his hand being dyed red and possessing a tremendous color, not a bit of heat was felt.

Ku-oong-!

Kya-aaaa-a—!!

The monster’s fangs were about to reach Gu Cheol-un.

Nevertheless, he merely prepared his stance with somewhat slow movements.

Seu-geuk.

Clenching his fist, he lowered his upper body.

An ordinary straight punch stance.

A mediocre stance, where one could only feel a sword-like angle and a substantial center of gravity.

However.

[Ultimate Secret Technique.]

The power generated from that stance was absolutely not that simple.

[Gu-yeom-geuk-tae-san-o-hyeong.]

Gu Cheol-un’s fist slowly extended towards the monster.

Shwik-!

[Geuk Gu-yeom-tae-a-rang.]

Woong-!

Along with the vibration heard from his fist’s tip.

Beon-jjeok-.

The world flickered.

---

Du-du-deuk–!!

The sound of something collapsing was heard.

My eyes hurt.

I closed my eyes to avoid the light, but the world was still enveloped in light.

Everywhere, I was suffocating from the nauseating heat.

About ten seconds had passed since the light burst out.

During that time, I kept silent without even breathing.

Du-geun-! Du-geun-! Du-geun-!

I had to calm my wildly pounding heart.

I had to suppress the energy that felt like it would explode.

A few more seconds passed like that.

Tu-du-deuk….

Peace came to my closed eyes, and finally, I felt the sounds gradually quiet down.

Only then did I gently open my eyes.

“…?”

The first thing I saw was someone’s back, with their hands clasped behind them.

Wearing black martial attire, with a not-so-large build.

I saw a figure standing with their back turned to me.

Seeing him, I opened my mouth.

“…Elder?”

The one in front was Pae-jon.

“Hahaha-!”

At my call, Pae-jon let out his characteristic laughter.

The only difference was that Pae-jon’s usually withered voice was somehow filled with ecstasy.

Just as I was wondering why this person was acting like this…

“Do you know that?”

“I have never once regretted my choices.”

Along with the ecstasy, a hint of laughter was clearly felt.

The problem was, that laughter was somehow creepy.

“Even when I discarded my family’s martial arts because I had a path to follow.”

“Even when I threw away my state to gain a ruined young body because I needed time.”

“I had not a shred of regret.”

What was he suddenly talking about?

As I watched him with a look of incomprehension, Pae-jon released his clasped hands from behind his back and continued speaking.

“However, for the first time, I feel regret.”

“…What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Before I abandoned my state, I should have fought your father at least once.”

“That, I regret terribly.”

I frowned at Pae-jon’s words.

‘Should have fought my father?’ I wondered what kind of bullshit he was spouting in front of his child.

“I, Bi-ju, the number one in martial arts, Pae-jon (敗尊), acknowledge it.”

Pae-jon said to me in a voice that sounded like he was going crazy with amusement.

“Your father is a monster.”

“A monster so difficult to comprehend.”

Uttering those words, Pae-jon conspicuously moved aside.

Only then could I see.

“…!”

The world, which had been filled with pure white snow, burned away and disappeared.

Everything that had been in front vanished, leaving only piles of black charcoal.

How many Li would I have to say the distance was?

I don’t know.

The flames had engulfed an area so vast it was overwhelming to count.

Within that inferno.

Pa-seu-seu-seu….

Black ashes, barely retaining their form, collapsed.

Making the term ‘White-grade monster’ meaningless, the creature had lost its characteristic color and was burned black.

Koong-!

My knees collapsed onto the ground, my body crumbling.

It was a truly devastating sight.

Before that sight, Father was standing.

A posture without any disarray, no different from usual.

His blazing hair had returned to its dark color.

The monster’s upper body fell, passing Father and dropping to the ground.

Ku-oong–!! Pa-sa-sak-!

The monster’s body shattered from the impact, but Father, seeing that, turned his back without hesitation.

Even though the front had turned entirely into ashes, the place where I was still had partially melted snow piled up.

That unnatural sight seemed almost like a connection between the mortal world and hell.

Sa-bak-!

Father approached this way.

His appearance showed no sign of fatigue at all.

Watching Father approach calmly, I thought.

‘…What is it…’

He looks bigger than usual.

His already tall height seemed even taller.

Hwi-iiii….

The wind, which had stopped, began to blow.

Father, who had approached like that, soon stood beside Pae-jon and looked at me.

I could only stare at Father with somewhat dazed eyes.

I couldn’t muster any particular reaction.

‘It still hasn’t been erased.’

The martial prowess Father had shown.

The heat and resonance felt then.

Filled my mind completely.

As I was replaying the scene from that time with trembling eyes…

“Third.”

Father called me.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Even though his voice was heavy, I sat there blankly.

“Do not be overwhelmed. I clearly warned you.”

“…!”

His cold words brought me to my senses.

‘Do not be overwhelmed.’ It was a warning Father had given beforehand.

Somehow, recalling that, I shook my head.

Even so, it wouldn’t be erased.

It was that intense a sight.

So, while trying to regulate my scattered breaths and gasping for air…

“Third.”

“…Yes.”

Father asked me again.

“What did you see?”

“…”

I didn’t ask back ‘What do you mean?’

I wasn’t such an idiot as to ask that back.

However, I couldn’t answer easily.

Because I knew the meaning, but not the answer.

What did I see from what I had witnessed?

I tried to capture everything with my own eyes, but in the end, all that remained was the sight of Father who had become the flame itself.

“…I don’t know.”

So I answered honestly.

I had seen many things, but I knew nothing.

To the point of being disappointed in myself.

“Hmm.”

Hearing my answer, Father made a short sound.

And then, as always, he merely nodded slightly.

“Is that so.”

It wasn’t satisfaction or disappointment.

It was a reaction that felt truly like Father.

Just then.

Tuk.

“…!”

A rough hand was placed on my head.

It was Father’s hand.

Sseuk-sseuk.

A stroke that discarded delicacy like it was nothing.

It was a touch that felt full of signs that he hadn’t done it many times.

Even while feeling that, I couldn’t utter any words.

“…”

“…”

A peculiar atmosphere flowed between us.

Father stroked my head like that for a few seconds, and then…

“You did well.”

“…”

He uttered praise heavily laden with awkwardness.

Even though I wondered what this was all about, I couldn’t show any reaction.

All I could do was just nod my head.

“…Thank you…”

“Okay.”

“…”

“…”

The stifling atmosphere continued, making me want to escape.

By now, he should have taken his hand away, but…

Father still had his hand on my head.

I was wavering, wondering what to do about this.

I considered just stepping back first, but then decided to stay still and looked at Father, asking him first.

“Uh, Father…”

“Speaking of which.”

The moment I was about to ask how he even got here…

“I have something to say about your mother.”

“…!”

At the words Father abruptly brought up, my eyes had to widen.

“Are you talking about Mother?”

I was told that the Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong had to reach its core structure to reveal where Mother was.

I hadn’t reached the core structure yet.

If so, was this a different matter?

Despite the sudden words, all my focus turned towards Father.

Seeing my reaction, Father said.

“Yes, about your mother…”

My heart pounded at his continuing words as I looked at Father, but…

“Hmm.”

Father, who was about to add more words, suddenly closed his mouth and made a subtle expression.

He seemed to have sensed something strange.

“What’s wrong?”

“I see.”

Father nodded as if realizing it shortly after.

And then he said to me.

“Time is up.”

“What?”

“I’m leaving first.”

“Make sure you return on time.”

“What do you mean-“

Hwa-reuk.

“…Huh?”

He disappeared, engulfed in flames right before my eyes.

“…?”

Hwi-iiing.

Left alone, enduring the cold wind, I thought.

What the hell kind of situation is this now…?