Chapter: 642
‘That idiot is real.’
Woohyuk, no.
To be exact, I was thinking of a guy wearing Woohyuk’s body.
How many times has he had his body taken? Damn, even saving him is getting exhausting.
‘If that’s the case, I should have just let him be stolen. What a mess.’
It’s absurd.
I worked hard, sweating and bleeding, to save him, only for him to end up having his body snatched by some unknown guy.
‘I don’t think that kid is a genius.’
A genius of the highest order.
The most exceptional shaman that bridges the generations of Yoo Seong.
If he hadn’t wasted his life in a past life, Woohyuk would’ve surely been a monster fighting for the title of Sword King in later generations.
Looking at that kid’s actions now makes me doubt his talent.
At this point, isn’t it just like saying, ‘Oh dear! Please use my body!’ and offering up his body?
‘Moreover.’
I frowned at him.
‘What the hell is this guy doing this time?’
For a moment, I couldn’t shake the suspicion that this could be a failure.
I thought he was dead, but he was alive.
Could he have popped up in Woohyuk’s body again?
That thought crossed my mind, but then—
‘No.’
I shook my head firmly.
That’s not a failure.
‘He’s not the kind of guy.’
He was too much of an existence to be compared with a mere failure.
Jeerit!
My fingertips are shaking.
It was an unfamiliar sensation.
My body instinctively displayed its defenses.
My instincts were warning me.
That’s something dangerous, they said.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
As I felt that, even the corners of my mouth trembled.
It was a feeling I had never experienced before, not even when looking at the failure, much less the hundred-level monster who seemed to be the true form of this bastard.
It was so sharp that it instilled fear. I was scared as well.
Could this be how a legendary sword crafted over many years by an exceptional artisan feels?
The figure before me was like a finely honed blade.
Is this the kind of impression one gets when looking at a human?
It’s absurd, yet that is the only thought I can muster.
‘I can’t sense any bets.’
I don’t feel any special energy.
That only deepens the chill.
‘That means this is purely based on presence.’
The presence of a master comes from a vessel honed through years of training.
The amount of bets, the level of external energy, the stage of internal energy. All these combined to manifest as presence.
So, what about this author?
“… Suuuuu…”
I barely managed to control my breathing for a few seconds while forcing my pounding heart to calm. I wiggled my fingertips.
Can I win?
The beastly voice urges me to charge forward right now.
But instinct was colder than I expected.
I can’t see anything.
I can’t see anything at all.
I could barely sense the tip of a hair, and since I couldn’t see, I managed to barely hold my position.
Another few seconds passed without confrontation.
“Hmm.”
Something wearing Woohyuk’s mask spat out a sound.
It was a low breath. I frowned at that voice.
He was definitely expressionless, yet somehow, it felt like he was smiling.
“You have a keen sense. I commend you. That hesitation saved your life, and it will save you in the future.”
“…”
That was chilling.
Though it may sound arrogant, his words sent shivers down my spine. In matters of life and death, truths manifest.
He was truly thinking that way.
Ironically, I found that I believed those words to be true as well.
I looked him in the eye without flinching from his furrowed brow and asked, “Who are you?”
His gaze narrowed at my question.
Woohyuk himself is a rather blunt person, and looking at him now, he seemed just as unfortunate as the Namgung family’s disgraced fool.
Perhaps that’s why his expression felt even more irritating.
“Do you think I’d answer if you hear me? I am merely a remnant of the past.”
“Then get out of that body. The landlord probably didn’t even give you permission; why’d you crawl in there?”
For some reason, the man chuckled lightly at my growl.
“Split?”
“You’re amusing. It’s been a while since someone used such filthy speech towards me.”
At that moment.
The man slightly moved his right arm. I instinctively stepped back.
My body reacted uncontrollably to the eerie sensation.
Is he trying to do something? Keeping my guard up, I watched him intently as he halted his movement to speak.
“Originally, I would have scolded you, but I miss that tone of voice and don’t want to go down that path.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Speak clearly.”
If you know your opponent, you should be cautious with your words. But this guy’s mouth couldn’t seem to manage that.
Knowing his place yet being unable to control his mouth.
It seems that his damn personality won’t change.
Even while barking as if his life depended on it, my opponent remains unfazed.
“They resemble each other perfectly, right? No, they do. I really miss them. Especially that pathetic fool.”
“What….”
What is he talking about? I attempted to voice my confusion again, but my mouth felt locked.
It was due to the realization of my surroundings coming late.
“…Damn it.”
Had I been so tense in our earlier conversation? Only now could I see the bizarre scene unfolding around me.
It froze.
By now, the demon who had been trying to block my path stood frozen in place.
Seongyul was also frozen in shock just as he drew his sword.
The black lion determined to protect the princess also stood still.
The ashes that had been swirling turned into a light in the air.
The flickering snow goblin had finally turned into a solid afterimage.
This sight made me sharpen my gaze.
Time has stopped.
It was a sight as wondrous as those I had once seen with my father, yet something I had encountered only a few times before.
Now, rather than the situation, I needed to grasp what this meant.
“…Who are you?”
I quickly altered my tone.
Hearing that, the man chuckled softly.
“You’re quick to react. Additionally, it looks like you already know the answer.”
“…”
The knife sinks in.
Yes, as soon as I grasped the situation, I realized who he was.
Had it happened once or twice, I might’ve been oblivious. But counting the times would fill a hand, and through that, I knew who my opponent was.
I just hoped it wasn’t true.
If my suspicions were right, it was odd that the author was in Woohyuk’s body, and I certainly hadn’t expected to see him so suddenly.
‘I temporarily forgot this was the North Sea.’
To be precise, I had forgotten that it had been stated to be in the North Sea.
No, even if I had known, there’s no way I’d anticipate seeing him.
‘Now is not the right time.’
There are far too many variables to deal with at the moment. Thus, I had planned to tackle this later.
‘Never did I think he’d come to me directly.’
And to top it off, he just had to do it through a foolish friend’s body.
Should I play the lottery? A brief moment of hesitation passed before the other party continued speaking.
“Knowing the answer doesn’t remove the need for discussion.”
In the frozen world, the man took a step forward.
Sabak.
Watching him crush the snow made my body tingle.
“There’s no need for you to remember this for long. I’ve long abandoned my name.”
As he walked with an imposing demeanor, I felt a powerful presence radiating from him.
It was the most overwhelming aura I had ever experienced.
“Many names have been spoken, but birth is dictated by one’s surname, so I shall express it properly in that regard.”
The man standing before me spoke with a gaze sharp as a blade.
“I am Namgung Myung.”
“…”
“Nice to meet you.”
Namgung Myung, the Thunder Heavenly Sword.
The hero of the Namgung family who ruled over the heavens, unleashing bolts from his sword tip.
“And you, descendant of that damned fool.”
He appeared right before me.
Just moments ago.
When Hanchang Goyangcheon was battling a hundred-level monster.
The Ice Palace, specifically the corridor leading to the princess’s chamber.
Wooosh.
The wind wafted in through the barren walls.
A young man walked through this corridor.
He wore an oddly awkward expression.
‘It’s quiet.’
Too strangely quiet. The sound of the wind blew in, but outside, there were lively voices everywhere.
Separately, the young man’s meaning diverged.
‘Why is it so quiet?’
All the usual noise had vanished. It was bizarre.
Though this was something he had longed for, only questions filled his mind.
‘Is it because my friend is here?’
His friend who came visiting the North Sea; he didn’t hear any noise when they were close, but once they distanced, the sounds resurfaced.
Given that, by now, there should have been at least some faint noise, but for some reason, it was eerily silent.
He couldn’t fathom it.
Reflecting on this, the young man continued walking. Eventually, he reached his destination and halted.
A chilling breeze brushed his cheek. The young man swallowed hard, gazing at what lay before him.
A body, in a wretched state.
It seemed drained of all life, devoid of moisture, and long lost its original form.
The lifeless body lay there, unable to even close her eyes properly, looking utterly pitiful.
Observing this, the young man bent down and gently closed the woman’s eyes.
“… .”
There were no words to express.
Only the realization of what had transpired remained.
Are you feeling relieved? The young Woohyuk questioned himself.
He couldn’t come up with an answer.
-Listen to me. If you do, I will save the child you are holding in your arms.
A curse bound to blood relatives.
That amplified desire had become both a threat and yearning.
Where had it all gone wrong? Perhaps the mistake lay in my mere presence here?
Or could it be that it was a mistake to have been born on this land in the first place?
Ah, yes. That might well be the problem.
It was a reality he hadn’t once denied all his life.
There were times when his family brutally abandoned him.
Even when his father, unable to manage the child, attempted to dispose of him using justifiable reasons.
Those were memories ingrained sharply in his mind, even having sneaked into the central plains by breaking through those barriers.
Such had been his life.
How laughable it had become, to have lived like that and merely returned to this land by some stroke of luck.
His father, terrified by his own limitations, approached him while hiding ambition and true nature.
How bizarre his actions had seemed while referencing that name he had long since rejected as a child.
At that moment, he understood.
He had already severed his ties.
So, when his father’s throat was torn and he faced death, it was mere indifference that clouded his expression.
‘They call it home, don’t they?’
They say it’s a place cherished deep within, a longing place.
To Woohyuk, this was hell.
An eternally frozen hell that would never thaw.
In one corner of that hell, Woohyuk turned his back on a dead woman.
How she obsessively clung to him.
What emotions had she harbored within to act in such a desperate way? Unsurprisingly, he still didn’t fully grasp it, but something compelled him not to linger on that sight for too long.
His feelings cooled, just like the weather.
Woohyuk felt this unfamiliar sensation and his spirit flared anew.
He couldn’t allow his emotions to die.
Even if the reasoning eluded him, he had to keep them alive.
Nothing could be more pitiful than such dry feelings.
Woohyuk sat up again and turned to look back.
The cold chill still lingered, yet something translucent loomed behind him.
It was a familiar face.
No surprise there, his face mirrored that of his own teacher.
Only the essence itself was different.
[Are introductions done?]
Woohyuk bowed his head at the middle-aged man’s words.
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
The man’s hair swayed slightly at Woohyuk’s greeting.
[How do you feel about the girl? Is it a romantic interest?]
Did it seem that way?
A faint smile crept onto Woohyuk’s lips at the man’s inquiry.
“No, not at all. If we were to be accurate, we’re more like enemies.” [Hmm.]
No further exchanges followed.
How could one treat their enemy in such a manner? There wasn’t even the slightest hint of a necessary question.
He showed a complete lack of interest.
That was exactly how the man’s expression seemed, and curiously, it provided some comfort to Woohyuk.
He gently inquired, “Could you please tell me how I should address you, senior?”
The voice trembled with tension.
Naturally so. If anyone in the Central Plains had recognized that man, they would have emulated the same instinct.
Ah, though one individual might not fit this mold.
That lunatic may consider himself a friend of mine, but he’s definitely not normal.
[The title doesn’t matter. As long as you show proper respect, feel free to call me whatever you wish.]
“If so, I will call you Senior Thunder God.”
The man’s eyebrows twitched as those words spilled forth without hesitation.
[Such frivolous flattery.]
There certainly were times he was addressed that way, but he often bore other titles as well.
Recognizing that, my insistence on calling him “God” now struck me as overly sycophantic.
[Let’s disregard that trivial matter and move directly to the main topic, shall we?]
“I’ll listen.”
As I replied, I studied the man with fascination.
‘That’s a striking resemblance.’
He looked far too similar to my teacher, Goeseon.
Then again, being a descendant, it made sense they would share such qualities.
‘They look almost identical.’
It was to the extent where twin-like comparisons could be valid.
A sudden pang of nostalgia hit. Was it because of the thoughts of Goeseon? Woohyuk allowed a bitter smile to form.
‘Here… I never thought I’d meet him.’
When I was introduced to the author below, I was utterly stunned.
How could it even cross my mind that it wouldn’t be so?
A hero of the Namgung clan, said to have saved the world through the ages.
Who could have guessed he was resting in the North Sea?
Even gazing at this, I found it hard to believe.
‘Death thoughts, huh?’
Does such a thing actually exist? From the perspective of a shaman, it was an incredibly surreal notion.
What bordered on regret was that I, of all people, confronted such residual thoughts.
‘I’m unworthy.’
There are two clans of Namgung in the North Sea.
One of them had shed their surname and embraced a monk’s life, but they could still reclaim their familial line at any time they desired.
The other might potentially be the first female head of the Namgung family.
‘Although becoming a sword master would be more expedient.’
She surely possessed the ability to reach such heights.
Despite never having faced the current sword master properly, one could feel her capabilities. Woohyuk felt that conviction welling within.
It would hardly be a lengthy endeavor. Her innate disposition towards swordsmanship coupled with her skills would rise above the mountains of snow piled in the North Sea.
Regardless, being in such a situation while face to face with the most significant being of the Namgung clan deeply unsettled him.
It felt like a waste.
The fact that I stood here, even more so the absence of my teacher or disciple, was lamentable.
That was genuinely regrettable.
[What are you seeking from me?]
“…!”
Woohyuk jolted at Sanyeom’s inquiry.
I must have stared at him for too long.
“I apologize. You resemble an acquaintance of mine, which made me lose my composure.”
[Hmm.]
At Woohyuk’s response, Sanyeom nodded and continued.
[Is it the Namgung family?]
“Yes… that’s correct.”
It seemed he anticipated that since I looked alike.
[I see.]
However, his next response felt rather dry.
Even upon hearing that the Namgung family continued to exist, it didn’t seem to provoke any interest.
It felt slightly off, as if even the slightest curiosity eluded him.
An excessively cold reaction for someone who might be considered an ancestor.
Ignoring this awkwardness, Woohyuk pressed further.
“… So, the main point you wish to address is…?”
Namgung Myung spoke with an unchanged expression, mirroring his first reply.
[A disaster is soon to descend upon the world.]
Skipping over the previous explanations, he dove straight into the matter.
It was a brutally serious statement to declare in such a matter-of-fact tone.
Hearing this made Woohyuk’s eyes widen like lanterns.
“A disaster… excuse me? What do you mean by that?”
Suddenly, a disaster? What could that possibly entail?
This unexpected revelation left him feeling utterly bewildered.
However, Namgung Myung didn’t pay any mind to Woohyuk’s stunned reaction.
[Time is running out. The breaking of the seal serves as evidence.]
“Senior, what in the world is that….”
Woohyuk, flustered, attempted to interrupt the elder’s words.
This time, however, Namgung Myung didn’t allow it.
[Much has gone awry, but it’s not too late to rectify matters, and thus I request a favor of you, using fate as collateral.]
“May I inquire what favor that might be?”
[Indeed.]
His trademark cold gaze turned toward Woohyuk.
Those azure eyes, reflecting the sea or sky, focused upon him.
[Become my successor.]
“…!”
Woohyuk’s breath hitched momentarily.
[Thus, raise your sword for the world, and in return, I shall bestow upon you all that I have left in my name on this earth.]
Hearing this made him shiver uncontrollably.
Seeing his reaction, Namgung Myung lowered his gaze and continued speaking.
[It’s a pity you aren’t a child of my family. But it is what it is. Consider it your fortune.]
“I’m sorry.”
[Very well, but first, we must discuss the internal power within your body… Hmm?]
Namgung Myung, who had been speaking at ease, suddenly paused.
His expression shifted slightly, as if he had misheard something.
[What did you just say?]
“Uh….”
Woohyuk repeated his answer with a somewhat reckless expression in response to the elder’s inquiry.
“I’m sorry… that might be a bit difficult.”
[…?]
An awkward silence hung in the air. A thick discomfort laden upon the stillness.
For some reason, Woohyuk found himself stealing glances at Namgung Myung, who seemed lost in his thoughts as he wondered if he had truly heard correctly.
About thirty seconds passed in that manner. Finally, Namgung Myung broke the silence to query Woohyuk.
[…Why?]
It seemed as though he still didn’t fully comprehend the situation.
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