Chapter: 604
Whoosh.
Upon the vast expanse of the massive, hollow iceberg, a haze begins to rise.
Blue flames flutter and sway in the wind.
The heat and smoke emanating from there intertwine with the blizzard, making their presence unmistakably felt.
It was an overwhelming sight.
Though it wasn’t Mt. Tai, the spectacle of the upper remnants of a mountain being blasted away in one blow was indescribable.
And then—
“Crazy.”
I, who conjured this scene, found myself staring at the iceberg with an utterly bewildered expression.
“What in the world is that?”
With a casual swing of my sword, I ended up creating such a disaster.
I rushed to inspect my hands.
There was nothing wrong with my hands.
It meant that I emitted such energy without leaving a single trace behind.
‘What the hell….’
I couldn’t comprehend.
What was that last strike all about?
Did I really do that?
I had no energy, and I wasn’t even in a posture to strike properly.
It was merely a wild swing in a desperate attempt to survive.
‘…To generate such a sight.’
It wasn’t impossible.
If I pulled all the energy from my body and detonated it at a single point, I could produce that level of destruction.
‘But I didn’t even use my energy just now.’
At that moment, I had genuinely only used a paltry amount of energy for strength.
How on earth did this happen….
“…!”
Thud!
While I was trying to grasp the situation, my legs suddenly lost strength, and I crumpled to the ground.
I barely managed to maintain my posture and avoided fully falling over.
Beeep!
This time, I even started hearing a ringing in my ears.
Woom woom woom—!!
I could even feel an unexplained vibration radiating from my body.
“Hah… Hah… Huh…”
My breaths became labored, and nausea clawed at my throat.
How am I supposed to explain this?
The sensation of not just the strength that supported my body but even my inner vessel shaking to its core.
I was dizzy as if the world was spinning out of control.
Drip drip.
Blood started to trickle from my nose.
I was already bleeding from a hit, and now it began to flow even more profusely.
Thud.
Struggling to endure, I planted one hand on the ground.
Crimson droplets fell from above my eyes.
I felt as if my body was in shambles, like it was broken beyond repair.
Trying to catch my breath, I was hit by another bout of dizziness.
“…Ha ha…”
I could hear the voice of the master nearby.
There was a hollow laugh filling the air.
“This is absurd.”
This wasn’t a situation where I had any words to respond. I felt a flicker of anxiety creeping in.
I can’t get hurt any more than this, right?
That thought gnawed at me, unsettled.
If I had taken that direct hit, who knew what would’ve happened to Pajeon?
Immediately after swinging my fist.
From the moment my energy burst out, I could see everything clearly since my mind’s eye was activated.
The lines visible to Pajeon were all consumed by the energy I emitted and faded away.
That implied there was no other way for him to react at that moment.
Having almost tasted death.
I found myself somewhat anxious that the enraged Pajeon might retaliate against me.
“I’m really torn whether to praise this or curse it.”
Fortunately, it seemed like he had lost interest in hitting me further.
Pajeon approached closer.
“I’ve never seen someone who tried to beat their teacher and ended up gaining enlightenment.”
Enlightenment?
Curious, I tilted my head to hear more about it.
“Stay still. If you move wrong, you’re done.”
I heeded the warning and stiffened my body, doing my best to maintain stillness.
“Focus solely on your breathing. Your soul is rattled completely. If you act carelessly, your vessel might shatter.”
Pajeon placed his hand on my back as he began explaining.
Huuuuuuu—!
Beginning from Pajeon’s palm, the chaotic energies within me gradually began to regroup.
“You’ve impressed me, truly. I didn’t expect you to be this talented.”
Despite everything happening, Pajeon continued to talk.
He was assisting in organizing my energy.
If either of us wavered even slightly, we could risk falling into a state of frenzy.
Thus, the norm would be to focus on breathing, even more so than speaking.
But Pajeon didn’t seem to care about that at all.
On the contrary—
“How does it feel?”
He seemed somewhat delighted.
Considering what had just happened, it was rather amusing.
‘An appreciation?’
What kind of “appreciation” was he asking about?
“What’s it like stepping into the realm of imagination?”
“…!”
My eyes widened at Pajeon’s words.
Despite the shock throwing my energies into disarray, Pajeon effortlessly held onto them and began sorting them out.
‘The realm of imagination?’
I had heard of that before.
The realm of heart and thought.
A plane somewhat akin to, yet utterly distinct from the state a martial artist reaches through rigorous practice.
A state where the soul is refined and ultimately expressed through the martial body.
According to the legends, this is the position where mind and sword harmonize, enabling one to wield the absolute power known as the Heart Sword.
Also—
‘It’s a realm where one can properly utilize the Fire Star.’
A power available only when entering this abstract realm.
It marked the threshold where I could wield a true wheel of fire as opposed to the half-baked one I was used to.
This meant—
‘…Are you saying I’ve reached that point?’
I found it hard to believe.
How could that possibly have occurred without warning?
At that very moment—
“As I mentioned earlier, it’s not that you’ve surpassed it—it’s that you’ve merely brushed against it.”
Pajeon elaborated, seemingly sensing my surprise.
“It’s not that you’ve wholly crossed over. It’s a bit disappointing, but even having brushed against it is something commendable.”
For Pajeon, who was usually devoid of excessive praise, to acknowledge this much seemed considerable.
‘So that means what I just unleashed….’
The force that shattered the top of the iceberg in one strike. Could it have been the power of imagination?
Since I wasn’t using a sword, it couldn’t be described as a Heart Sword.
Should I call it… a ‘Heart Punch’?
‘To be sure….’
Thinking in that manner, I started to grasp why Pajeon had asked about my impressions.
It was an incredibly peculiar sensation.
In performing that action, my energy wasn’t the main force driving it.
It wasn’t even in the Danjeon, but it stemmed from within the heart.
No, it was more than that; it felt like it came from a place that couldn’t pen down an exact location.
At the moment my fist shot out, I could feel something escaping from within.
Something was being pulled out whole.
Moments later, a tremendous void washed over me, causing my body to lose balance.
That was the sensation.
“That’s what it truly means to use your soul.”
“Phew…”
My breathing, which had been erratic, finally began to stabilize.
“When the vessel called ‘I’ achieves completeness and I firmly establish the beliefs driving me—only then does the soul take form and establish a realm.”
Complicated.
Both the words and their meaning.
I couldn’t fathom it just by listening.
“Imagination is akin to using the path I’ve walked until now as my strength.”
My breathing, as well as my energy, began to regain some stability.
“With shallow enlightenment and limited pathways, you can’t even grasp it, let alone reach it.”
Pajeon’s hand slid slowly off my back.
Only then could I lift my gaze from observing the ground below.
“You’ve successfully brushed against it, so you can consider yourself halfway there.”
“…Ah…”
I attempted to speak slowly.
Fortunately, it seemed I had no issues making sound.
“So, are you implying that what I just executed was a force akin to the Heart Sword?”
“Well…”
“Yes?”
“Well… that’s hard to say.”
Taken aback by the unexpected answer, I was momentarily flustered.
Pajeon continued, grinning as he added, “How does it seem to you?”
“…I’m asking because I don’t know either!”
“Then seek the answer until you achieve clear understanding.”
“That’s….”
“Disciple, do you know why the Heart Sword is referred to as the Heart Sword?”
I frowned at the question.
How on earth could I know that? I had barely begun to understand imagination itself!
“Swordsmen carry their swords throughout their lives. Therefore, the very first thing they forge when entering the realm is the sword.”
The soul assumes the shape of a sword.
Thus, the name, Heart Sword.
“Because the shape of the path they’ve tread is indeed a sword. They become convinced that the shape of their soul is a sword. That’s why it’s called the Heart Sword.”
“That indicates that…”
“The shape and essence of the power you manifested is something you must decipher for yourself; it cannot be learned from anyone else.”
“…”
The form of a living soul.
The shape of the self-assured heart.
What was it that had surged from the tip of my fist just moments ago?
I had no clarity whatsoever.
I couldn’t be certain of anything.
‘As for me.’
What kind of form did my soul take, created within my body?
I wondered what it looked like.
Can I simply label it as a Heart Technique just because it was unleashed through my fist?
Those worries flickered across my mind.
‘…It’s too hard; I think I’ll just call it a Heart Fist for now.’
At that moment, that felt like the best decision. While I was contemplating that, Pajeon’s words drew my attention.
“If you have any lingering questions….”
I had to carefully listen to the face of the master.
Questions?
“I believe this is merely a sign that you are not quite prepared yet.”
“Excuse me? Not prepared?”
“The vessel is almost complete. I reckon the mold’s shaping has progressed quite a bit. However, reaching the realm of imagination is a tall order; therefore, it appears that the time for instruction hasn’t yet come. The fact you’ve brushed against it solo raises a hint of suspicion.”
“…”
Though my physical condition was acceptable.
That meant my enlightenment was insufficient for venturing into the realm of imagination.
‘…Did he even intend to teach me?’
I wasn’t sure how he would aim to teach such an obscure state.
Considering Pajeon’s character, I figured it would be best to simply let that thought pass.
Regardless.
Pajeon’s assessment indicated I wasn’t yet at a level worth scrutinizing.
It was perplexing to me that I had even brushed against it in that situation.
‘That’s a question I have too.’
Somehow, it seemed that I had grown stronger.
Yet, it was odd to reach something during this inferior state that I couldn’t even achieve in my past life.
He had stated that establishing a belief was pivotal for crafting an image.
‘Belief…’
I found myself still standing there in confusion.
In a state where I couldn’t assert anything.
It couldn’t be as simple as that.
That means….
‘Could it be…’
The strange conversation I had just shared with the entity surfaced in my mind.
The one that had suddenly appeared and struck up a dialogue with me.
It had undeniably told me something clear.
[I will help you.]
It promised to help.
Since I was caught in a rather sticky situation, it pledged assistance… just this once, though.
Could that have been the underlying cause?
Was that the reason why I could use my Heart Technique all of a sudden?
‘To rule it out…’
There wasn’t anything else to consider.
The burning heat I felt then, and the mirthful smile directed at me.
Everything felt jumbled and unsettling.
[We are ‘Dragons’.]
Even the last, absurd statement rang in my ears.
“…”
Thinking of having acquired this power through its help left me feeling uneasy and uncomfortable.
As I mused in silence, Pajeon, observing me quietly, spoke up.
“You seem to have something on your mind.”
He seemed to perceive something glimmering within me as he gazed at my muddled expression.
At such times, it’s rather regrettable not to have been wearing a mask.
“It’s nothing to concern yourself with.”
I tried to feign ignorance, but Pajeon merely chuckled at my words.
It felt like he was saying, ‘That sounds about right.’
Regardless, I was relieved to have grazed the realm of imagination.
Was I meant to think along those lines?
‘It isn’t my place to be choosy or picky, anyway.’
I must adopt all means and methods.
I definitely meant to.
Yet, the discomfort didn’t dissipate.
‘Let’s think positively.’
I had indeed grown stronger.
Regardless of the specifics, I had pierced through to another level.
I gained a power thirteen times better than my last life.
I had to feel satisfied with just that.
Slowly, I began to rise.
‘First, I need to accurately grasp what this is.’
How precisely does it function?
How much power does it actually contain?
Moreover, how much can I expend?
Understanding these nuances became a priority—
Thud!
“Ugh.”
My knees, that I had barely managed to lift, buckled again.
Rough…
Afterward, blood erupted from my mouth.
The quantity was substantially greater than the earlier blood-filled drips from my nose.
What the hell? Why was this happening now?
‘Wasn’t it Pajeon who helped me regain my energy?’
I attempted to cover my mouth, but blood continued to seep between my fingers.
“Ah.”
Given the grim state I was in, Pajeon let out an exclamation.
“It seems you couldn’t manage the recoil. Hehe.”
“What do you mean… by that…?”
I wasn’t able to voice out all my inquiries.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A debilitating pain struck me accompanied by tremors echoing within.
I immediately clasped my chest, tremoring and shaking.
It hurt like hell.
“I organized your energy so that your body wouldn’t burst, but I couldn’t mitigate the backlash from exerting power far beyond your means.”
While those ominous words echoed from above, I couldn’t afford the luxury of worry.
Boom!
The agony surged to my head.
This felt far beyond endurance.
It was akin to an earthquake shaking within my body.
At that moment—
[Confucius-!!]
Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I heard Dang So-yeol’s voice rushing toward me.
I didn’t want to show this pitiful state, but I had no choice but to succumb.
Observing silently, Pajeon declared, “Just take a nap and wake up.”
In that instant, I thought he meant for me to faint.
“Then you’ll likely feel better.”
With that said—
Thwack—!
The sensation at the back of my neck caused me to lose consciousness instantly.
Time passed.
When I finally regained my senses and opened my eyes again, I was greeted by—
“Oh my!”
A voice belonging to a woman I recognized, intertwined with the unfamiliar ceiling I had never seen before.
And—
“Are you awake?”
It was the face of the White Lotus Sword, pinching my cheeks on either side.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.