Chapter: 503
He placed a curse on mankind.
I mulled over Noya’s words.
‘Curse.’
What kind of curse did he place?
‘The power that martial artists gain has been reduced?’
The overall power of the martial artists accumulating their skills has diminished.
This statement raised several questions for me.
Does this mean the limits have been lowered?
Or is it that the power itself that is gained has decreased?
I don’t know. I don’t know, but if what Shin Noya said is true…
‘We’re in deep trouble.’
No matter how I looked at it, I could tell the road ahead was bound to be perilous.
The abilities that were no issue during Noya’s time have become impossible now.
That means…
‘It means they couldn’t even stop the Blood Demon with that.’
It was an incredibly messed-up situation.
‘No, the Blood Demon is sealed, though.’
I tried to think that way, but judging by the Blood Demon’s reactions and the way he presented himself directly, I had a feeling that this was not the case.
The Blood Demon appeared to be capable of breaking free from its seal at any moment.
And yet, since it’s somehow maintaining its condition…
‘It’s waiting for something.’
It felt like it was just idle, hanging around, waiting for some situation to emerge.
What on earth could that be?
Also…
‘What about Cheonma?’
The issue wasn’t just the Blood Demon; Cheonma was also a problem.
Hoo-ooosh—!
Feeling the sensation of my feet trampling the ground, I twisted my waist.
Thud-! The ground sank under the pressure.
In my body, the energy from the Toua Pacheonmu wriggled.
Pain surged.
Even though I had shed my skin, the pain still remained.
It was still painful and agonizing, but…
Now, I could brush it off without batting an eye.
I stretched out my arms.
Bam—!
A cracking sound erupted above the space where my fist passed. Plus…
Whoosh—!
Simultaneously, a small burst of blue flames erupted.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue briefly at that.
Because that firework wasn’t something I had hoped to ignite.
‘Controlling it is tricky…?’
Could it be that the merging of blood and body was the problem?
Every martial art I performed was filled with flames.
It’s not all bad.
Compared to the original purple flames, the blue flames possessed overwhelmingly stronger power.
As the delayed backlash vanished with the use of blood energy, I realized that the side effects had faded away.
As the flames of the Gu Flame Wheel Technique infused into my martial arts, my strength increased.
I understood this was a situation that could be quite supportive in combat.
‘… but it interferes with my training.’
It was a state that quietly disrupted my practice of the Toua Pacheonmu.
Every movement was infused with flames, making it hard to concentrate properly.
Tap tap.
After shaking off my fingertips, I returned the energy from the Toua Pacheonmu that had been swirling around my body back to my heart.
Hmm.
I surveyed my surroundings. I had now released the Gas Transformation Technique and reverted my body to its original state.
It was to check my physical condition.
Although my heightened field of vision still felt dizzying, I had become somewhat accustomed to it after the previous battle with Pajeon.
Even during the beatings, I learned a lot of things.
When I checked on my own, I uncovered something else too.
‘Definitely. Using the Gas Transformation Technique feels a bit taxing.’
This was a reference to the fight against the Goseon.
Since I couldn’t extract my true self, I was compelled to fight in my old form.
At first, I thought it wouldn’t matter since the Gas Transformation Technique didn’t consume much energy.
But…
‘It’s a bigger nuisance than expected.’
The impact of the Gas Transformation Technique on my body was greater than anticipated.
‘Energy is a secondary concern, but maintaining it is annoying.’
The problem was that while it was usually unnoticeable, maintaining the physical transformation through the Gas Transformation Technique had its toll.
Even with low energy, I had to rely on it to keep myself centered.
It was just annoying to sustain this until combat.
‘… Should I just let it go?’
Should I just abandon it and get on with my life? That thought briefly crossed my mind.
‘That might be a stretch…’
There were various issues with that.
First and foremost, the biggest problem was that it was too conspicuous.
I touched my face. As my fingertips brushed against my skin, a peculiar sensation surged.
‘…Tsk.’
From afar, I looked no different from an ordinary person, but upon close inspection, it was apparent.
I was referring to the slightly altered skin.
‘Not as much as my arm, but…’
It wasn’t as discolored or scaly as my left arm.
Though my skin had changed to a degree…
‘The changes in hair and eye color are a different story.’
Could it be due to the alterations in the Guyeonhwaryun Gong dwelling in my body?
Things that were gradually turning red had switched to blue.
How am I supposed to explain this to my family?
‘Of all times, why is my father here too?’
Even my father, the person I least wanted to explain myself to, was present.
Should I just bolt?
Would I actually escape? Maybe this is the moment I’d finally been longing for to run away.
I genuinely thought so.
I figured now might be a good time to just take off.
But…
‘…Is that really all you’ve got in mind?’
Naturally, Noya chimes in, pondering my thoughts.
Just when I thought it was about time to be reasonable, I was hit with a reminder of how late it was.
‘… If it’s come to this, wouldn’t it be okay to stand out a little?’
…
I had said it as a jokey remark, but Noya didn’t respond to me.
It seemed the old man recognized the weight of my situation.
If effort could make a difference, then it was what Shin Noya had alluded to, but if the heavens have blocked that very effort…well, there’s no way for me to advance.
‘No matter how I think about it, that’s just unfair.’
‘Throwing a tantrum just because things didn’t go your way.’
He obstructed all my paths just because I said things were going poorly. It was really shitty and unfair.
Yet, amidst all this, a question emerged.
‘Noya.’
… Okay?
‘Madam Tang referred to it as a curse.’
‘Even if I’m not a lady?’
‘Anyway.’
Now clearly wasn’t the time for that, yet you still manage to nitpick!
Honestly, your quick wit is impressive.
‘Well, that might be true, but I have some doubts.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘No, it’s just…’
The world has placed a curse on the martial quality.
Noya stated that after hearing the words from the Tang Clan Hall.
‘… something’s off.’
There’s something nagging at me contrary to that statement.
What do you think would happen in a world without its owner?
That’s what Yeonilcheon and the Blood Demon had mentioned, after all.
A world where the rightful owner of this land has vanished.
That was the world we lived in now.
A mad world seemed eager to upend it.
When I listened to all this nonsense, it didn’t seem strange that they’d create curses and whatnot.
‘A world without its owner. Can there truly be no issues?’
I couldn’t shake that curiosity.
If the master of the world is the linchpin connecting all existence…
‘Then is this world of his, left for work, really okay?’
‘Maybe it’s not merely a curse… but rather something impacting it?’
I held firm in my belief that human limitations had taken a hit.
If I were to pursue the reasons, that could very well be the answer.
‘… Neither really matters right now.’
Currently, I needed to focus on matters beyond that.
‘Noya.’
… Yeah…
Calling out to Noya, I clenched my hands.
In response, the Gwijeong tied around my left arm reacted.
Wiggle.
The sensation altered.
Gwijeong began to respond to my will.
Trembling downward, I sent the binding energy from my forearm to my fingertips, entwining them.
Utilizing what Noya had said about it once being used as a sword, I adjusted it to form something akin to gauntlets to wear on my hands.
It would never snap or shatter.
Using the strength that Gwijeong possessed might turn out to be a rather magnificent weapon.
And…
‘With this sensation, I’ll be left with minimal discomfort.’
Honestly, it felt akin to wearing bandages, so for someone like me who was into martial arts yet loathed armor, it was the ultimate gear.
Thus, I had to work hard to acclimate myself to it.
After trying it out last time, I found it agreeable.
“You said the world has placed a curse on mankind.”
‘And?’
“So, I’m curious. What about me?”
‘… What? What’s about to change?’
“I’m not a human any longer.”
‘…!’
Why am I so unfazed even after hearing such astonishing news?
I had pondered this throughout my training, yet the answer eluded me.
Just.
It felt more mundane than I had anticipated.
“So, if it’s a curse on humanity… then I shouldn’t care, right?”
‘… Huh?’
Upon hearing my words, Noya reacted as if wondering what I was saying.
That was indeed how it felt.
If they called it a curse upon humanity, then to be honest, it had nothing to do with me now.
‘I’m not even human anymore.’
I felt just a tad awful admitting that.
If you declare I’m no longer human, shouldn’t this part be irrelevant now?
Of course…
‘It doesn’t seem like an issue that can be viewed that simplistically though.’
As Noya pointed out, it wouldn’t simply wrap up like that.
But still. I hoped that would be the case.
‘You little brat.’
“Yes?”
‘You can’t possibly grasp this. How can you feel pleased?’
“Am I happy?”
‘Yes… why on earth do you feel that way?’
“… Hmm.”
Am I, in fact, happy?
I touched my lips with my hand.
The corners of my mouth indeed tilted upward slightly.
No matter how this is viewed, I shouldn’t find this amusing, so why on earth…?
Contemplating it thoroughly…
“… Ah.”
After thinking for a moment, I found an answer.
This is why I feel joy regarding this situation.
Perhaps, it’s because I feel fortunate.
The hope that having moved beyond humanity means I’ll no longer be linked to the curse.
That’s probably the root cause here.
Can I grow strong on my own?
Maybe so. There’s a certain charm in advancing alone when everyone else in the crowd has hit their limits.
But…
That isn’t why I’m laughing right now.
Should this mean I’m capable of standing strong by myself?
‘A reason to shoulder this on my own seems to be forming.’
A justification to face it solo, without dragging those around me into it.
While it’s frustrating to bear it by myself, the notion that those involved may be okay gives it an almost comical edge.
In a twisted way, it felt like a stroke of luck.
… You poor thing.
Noya let out a tone as if he regarded me with pity.
‘Don’t view it like that. It’s truly not such a terrible matter.’
… Who said anything while looking at something like that?
‘Isn’t it simply because you feel bad about cleaning up your own mess?’
…
Noya remained silent this time regarding my remark.
It was obvious.
Even with his foul and spiteful disposition, the old guy wasn’t truly a bad person.
‘No need to fret. I’m cleaning up Noya’s mess while I’m at it, after all.’
… For the love of God, stop calling it mess. It makes me feel grossed out.
‘It’s just mess, is it not?’
It was evident that this was part of what led Noya to be somewhat reserved and the atmosphere turned somber lately.
Even though the Blood Demon was sealed, it wasn’t managed properly.
Alongside that, the repercussions spread to future generations.
It’s guilt that came from this very reason.
‘Why?’
Naturally, it’s an emotion I cannot fathom.
I can’t comprehend why, despite having made every effort to seal it, you still feel guilt about leaving behind any loose ends!
I joke about it but, honestly, that’s my actual thought.
The trouble was I ended up needing to deal with the aftereffects.
As I said before…
‘If you want to prevent a bloodbath, it’s bound to overlap.’
I learned that Cheonma was entangled with the Blood Demon.
Also, by visiting other worlds, I realized the divine sword from my previous life might be associated with the Blood Demon.
And again…
‘The Murim Alliance itself was tied in with the Blood Demon.’
When viewed through the lens of blood energy, this was an obvious conclusion.
Regardless of what I’d embark on, I was destined to get tangled up in it.
Thus, Noya didn’t have to feel such overwhelming guilt.
I’m doing it because it’s necessary. The meaning hasn’t deviated from the very beginning, it remains unchanged.
In fact, is that not fortunate?
‘Instead of the kids, it’s the country.’
Because they ought to be the ones struggling, not those who should be basking in comfort.
That alone was a blessing.
… Speaking of which, Aesong-ah.
“Yes.”
‘Is it fine to leave him as is?’
“That guy…? Ah!”
I was about to relax but paused upon hearing Noya’s words.
Suddenly, I remembered who “that guy” Noya was talking about.
Brain. Something contained within that isn’t Namgung Myung…
I had shoved him in a drawer prior to exiting.
It became so obnoxious that I had stuffed him in a drawer.
Funny thing is, you can’t hear much when you distance yourself.
“Isn’t that a blessing? If he had been immersed in energy like Noya, my ears would’ve hurt.”
Since the ghost ship was set to pass it along anyway, I thought leaving it alone would be fine.
Moreover, handing it to Namgungbia right now felt a bit awkward.
‘…How did it come to this?’
The thought of Brain sent a slight twinge through my head.
The bloodline of the Namgung family. It stated that no one could grasp it if Brain didn’t choose them.
Why was I able to seize it then?
It was incredibly intricate in so many respects.
I sought to untangle it, but the clamor from Namgung Myung got so loud, I simply left him there.
… You truly are something else, huh?
Noya seemed taken aback, questioning whether I truly had shoved him away.
‘We aren’t exactly going to become chummy, are we?’
Frankly, that part’s a real downer.
I’m not even going to use the weapon!
Moreover,
‘I just want a spell of quiet right now.’
I was already in a rather anxious state; a single ill-tempered old man was more than enough for me.
… Heh, this little brat…
In the midst of this tangled situation…
‘… The evening dinner is going to be a problem.’
There’s also the issue of my father. I was genuinely shocked to see him suddenly appear in Sacheon.
He even casually told me to prepare for the evening as he was going to scold me.
‘I genuinely wish to make a quick exit.’
It was a situation far too troubling.
I just wanted to face the scolding and be done with it.
Yet, my father merely mentions he’s got something to take care of and poof, he vanishes.
‘Where on earth has he disappeared to?’
It’s curious enough that he showed up out of the blue.
What had he needed to attend to in Sacheon?
That question lingered in my mind.
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