Chapter: 384
Just once.
My father definitely said that.
He mentioned that if I succeeded with just one attack, he would tell me where my mother was.
‘…Will it actually work?’
I spoke up, saying I would try, but honestly, I had no confidence. More than ever.
Usually, I would try to bite and claw, but even that has its limits.
‘What should I do…?’
The air is still.
The only sound breaking the silence in the empty lot is the wind. My father and I stand facing each other, maintaining some distance.
The serious and somewhat ominous atmosphere that had lingered just a moment ago has completely vanished. Only a chilly aura swirls around.
My father stands with his hands clasped behind his back, quietly watching me. The moonlight rising behind him casts a shadow that makes his red eyes appear particularly bright.
“Come.”
At my father’s words, I tense up.
Heat surges rapidly, filling my body and pulsating through me to the top.
Hssss…
Heat escapes from my lips, proof that my body is warmed up properly. I feel the power begin to flow through me, and I ask my father.
“Will you give me any concessions?”
My father tilts his head slightly at my words, then releases his hands from behind his back and stretches one hand forward.
“I won’t use one hand.”
That’s quite a considerable condition.
Since my father is a martial artist like me, saying he won’t use one hand is akin to giving up the full center of control while expanding his attack range.
“…Then, how about not using one leg?”
I decided to get a little cheeky. It’s easier to have my legs restrained than my arms.
“…”
“That won’t do. Got it.”
Naturally, I gave up immediately upon receiving just one look from my father.
Was I being too cheeky?
Internally sighing in regret, I regarded my father again with serious eyes.
‘Does this mean he won’t use his left hand?’
Given that the arm behind him is his left, it seemed to imply he wouldn’t be using it.
If that’s the case, then I should aim for his left.
Kwuuuk-!
I focus on my footsteps, feeling the strength surge into my toes.
Sparks start to swirl around, beginning from the soles of my feet.
I lower my stance. It was to build up speed.
I never intended to merely test the waters to begin with.
I must go at full power.
Even then, it might be on the edge of success.
As I prepared to launch myself at my father, using the boiling heat as the drive…
Pah-!
“…!”
In an instant, my father’s new form vanished from my sight.
I swiftly turned my head.
Using my mounting energy, I couldn’t sense anything, including my father’s presence properly.
This was purely instinctive movement for self-preservation.
As if affirming that my choice was the correct one, something zipped past, brushing my cheek.
It was my father’s arm.
Boom! Crackle!
The speed was unbelievable; I only felt my father’s movements after narrowly evading his attack.
It was close, but somehow I managed to dodge. However, the wind pressure behind me and the sound of something shattering suggested otherwise.
‘If I hadn’t dodged, it would have been over.’
The power contained in that single strike must have been no joke.
‘In the midst of all this…!’
Frowning as I assessed my father’s condition, I realized something.
The arm that was relaxed behind him was definitely the left arm. The arm he used to attack was also left.
I thought for sure he would have attacked with his right.
‘Got hit.’
Did he lure me into a false sense of security?
I clicked my tongue in frustration and shifted my body.
If his left arm is extended and he can’t use his right…
Then, that means the side is open!
Adjusting my waist to target that gap…
Whoosh-! A burst of flames erupted from my father’s body, obscuring my vision.
In an instant, I focused to sharpen my senses for accuracy and speed.
I felt something near my chest. It was too late to dodge. I centered my self-defense on one point.
Kwadduk-! I felt the impact.
The energy I had gathered shattered instantly.
Was that my father’s knee? It was hard to tell.
Bang! The shock from my self-defense technique exploded backward, propelling me away.
Thud-! If I went down like this, it would be the end, so I desperately needed to set my feet against the ground to slow my momentum.
My gaze remained forward, trying to grasp what my father would do next.
Yet my father was no longer visible.
“This…!”
I missed him. Where did he go…?
Thump-!
“…!”
As I flew backward, my movements halted as if my back had struck a wall.
With only an empty lot in sight, there was no wall present.
Which means…
Quickly spinning around in response to the chilling sensation…
Bang-!
At this moment, my father’s fist had already penetrated my chest.
“Ugh…!”
Upon impact, the shock sent me flying far, forcing me to tumble on the ground.
The pain isn’t too severe.
Given that I entered without even managing to gather my energy properly.
It seems my father had moderated that force.
What’s chilling to realize is…
Had my father not tempered that last attack…
I would’ve died on the spot.
Rushing to my feet, I frantically searched for my father.
He stood at the spot where he had pushed me, directing his gaze my way.
Was he waiting for me?
Observing that made me ask in disbelief.
“You didn’t mention anything about taking the initiative.”
“I also didn’t say anything about allowing you to strike first.”
“…Damn, that’s true.”
Was my mindset a mistake, assuming I was allowed to attack first?
That’s an issue, but:
The most pressing issue is…
‘The gap in skill is way too vast.’
What the heck is this?
No matter how flawed I might be, is there supposed to be this big of a difference?
He even proclaimed he wouldn’t use one of his arms.
He was genuinely toying with me like a child.
No matter how I looked at it, it was absurd.
As I stared at my father in a haze of disbelief, he too regarded me in a meaningful, subtle manner.
“The response was decent. I left the reaction mainly to instinct instead of calculation, and it wasn’t wrong.”
Is this an appraisal of my movements?
It felt as if he was giving me a lesson.
“However, it seems you lack familiarity with handling heat.”
I resonated with my father’s words.
With my skill in the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, I would soon surpass the sixth star, pushing to the seventh. However, my grasp of the martial art wasn’t that great.
I could raise my speed with smoke.
Explode with fireworks to display destructive tendencies. Is that really the best I could manage?
It’s absurd that a person who has reached Hwagyeong understands their martial art so little.
And it had to be that way.
“I never really learned from anyone in particular.”
“…”
My father’s expression flinched slightly at my admission.
It was indeed my fault for not pursuing martial arts more diligently; still, did it not imply he also didn’t care to teach me?
Realizing this, my father subtly averted his eyes from mine.
‘Now’s my chance.’
Whenever my father shifted his gaze, even for just a moment.
I surged toward him, flames bursting from my body.
In that moment, I summoned the energy unto my palm.
The flames encircling my body rushed toward my palm, swiftly forming flame jade.
I extended the jade towards my father, but…
Smack-!
“Huh?”
He waved his hand, swatting the jade from my palm.
Despairing, the flame jade flew off toward the forest beyond the empty lot.
Kwahgahgagahng-! Before long, an explosive sound cracked, creating a thunderous noise.
What is happening? What just transpired?
Wearing a dumbfounded expression while peering at my father, he spoke.
“Your speed in creation is impressive. The power you’ve gathered isn’t bad either.”
“…Ah, yes, thank you.”
“One thing though. It lacks weight.”
As my father spoke, something manifested in the palm of his hand.
Woosh-!
It was another flame jade.
However, it was different from what I had created.
It was much faster.
Rather than gathering sparks as I did, it seemed like it popped into existence in his palm.
Moreover, it was larger and a deeper shade of red.
I could perceive the overwhelming power just from looking at it; my body began to tremble. I wondered why I was shaking like this.
‘Is it pulling me in?’
The flame jade in my father’s hand was drawing me closer.
Could the jade possess this kind of power?
“It’s not merely about creating and holding onto it; you also need to keep it spinning within.”
I didn’t grasp it immediately, but one thing was certain.
If I got hit by that, I wouldn’t have any bones remaining.
Just as I pondered how to counter it, my father carelessly tossed aside the flame jade.
Boom! The sound of the flying flames hitting somewhere far off echoed.
Moments later.
BAMMMM!!
With a magnificent burst of flames shooting high into the sky.
A tremendous quake reverberates through the ground.
That was on a completely different level compared to the jade I had been utilizing.
What is that…?
As I gazed at the explosion in utter bewilderment, my father continued to address me.
“Remember to maintain rotation. Always contemplate what the wheel in the Guyeonhwaryun Gong signifies and strive to embody its essence.”
Gu Flame Wheel Technique.
Depending on the level of enlightenment attained by the martial artist during its execution, a ring comprised of flames manifests. Moreover, based on its usage, the ring could rotate rapidly.
I had questioned why the shape of the ring was included within my body.
Yet, I never genuinely sought something there until the very end.
However, it appeared there was this specific point…
Are you suggesting I also incorporate that ring’s influence into other martial arts?
‘…Why didn’t I think of that?’
In some respects, it was the most fundamental theory.
I just now understood the significance enclosed within the name.
Did I really need to consider both rotation and compression?
‘Hold on…’
Amidst all this, a question arose.
What we’re engaged in now feels more aligned with practice sparring rather than a duel.
‘Isn’t it more akin to guided training?’
Am I mistaken?
Regardless of how I pondered it, it didn’t seem like an illusion.
My father addresses me amidst my confusion.
“How much can you do?”
“Excuse me?”
“Try everything you can.”
A thought flickered in my mind as I processed my father’s words.
No way…
‘Are you actually concerned because I mentioned not learning anything?’
Since I had said I was engaging freely due to my lack of formal training, could he be trying to convey some wisdom now?
It was a positive twist since I intended to inquire about martial arts anyway.
“Master…”
“Yeah.”
“Weren’t we in the midst of a duel just now?”
“Correct. We are indeed.”
Yet I suppressed the urge to indicate that this didn’t really seem like an environment conducive to teaching.
It was also an essential moment.
As such, I felt this scenario wasn’t all that bad.
I instantly elevated the energy circulating in my upper chamber.
Soaring into the sky. Soon, change began to brew above.
Red sky.
Like the flame jade, I employed one of the secret techniques from the Nine Families.
Heat became fully concentrated beneath the reddened sky.
Kiieeeing-!
The ring of flames encircling my body continues to rotate tirelessly.
‘Did he mention to focus on rotation?’
I have a slight grasp on the flame jade, yet I lack clarity on how to handle the Red Sky technique.
For now, I shifted into action.
Even considering the possible misinterpretation, the main objective at hand remained sparring.
The Red Sky technique enhanced my movement speed marginally.
I made my approach, targeting the right side—as that’s where my father’s arms were restricted.
In the interim, my father inspected the Red Sky I had conjured.
Does this imply I needn’t concentrate too intently?
How utterly embarrassing. In too many ways.
I aimed for the right and unleashed a torrent of attacks.
Despite his monumental stature, my father moved with grace, evading every one of my attempts.
It wasn’t anything extraordinary.
He was simply faster than me.
Boom! Directly transferring power through my left foot, I detonated the Gu Flame Wheel art. Overflowing more energy than necessary increased its scope.
Although it wasn’t the most practical use, as long as I could achieve a single hit, I figured it’d suffice.
Just before the mass of flames gathered in my hands erupted in front of me…
My father’s palm blocked my path.
“Collecting is swift, but extending is slow.”
“…!”
Hooosh-!
Flames erupted from his palm.
The flames that burst forth encircled me and surged past.
I clamped my eyes shut and mustered my defense, but it was already too late.
I figured as much.
Oddly enough, I didn’t feel any pain.
Something felt off, so I cracked open my eyes for clarity. Indeed, there were flames—but they wreaked havoc everywhere except where I stood.
“…”
How should I even phrase this?
The will to fight had vanished. Should we conclude it was overwhelmingly superior in every respect?
With such significant disparity, it would be quicker to simply ask my father to handle a Cheonma.
As I wore a baffled expression, my father asked, indifferent.
“Are you considering giving up now?”
“…”
After displaying such prowess, are you suggesting I should surrender? To be truthful, that sounds accurate.
“No.”
Regrettably, I still had no intention of conceding just yet.
“If I’m going to do it, you told me to give it my all.”
“…”
“There are quite a few things I still haven’t tried.”
At my statement, my father nodded.
That was permission to try more.
There were things I hadn’t yet displayed to him.
Realizing I couldn’t solely rely on the Gu Flame Wheel technique.
I would need to explore other options.
I couldn’t wield magic or blood. Even if I attempted with those, victory seemed unlikely.
At the very least, I wasn’t keen on relying on that kind of power before my father.
Then…
Only one choice remained.
‘…Ah, I was told not to use this.’
The Master (Jin) warned me against employing it in brawls until he gave the nod.
‘It’s always easier to beg for forgiveness than it is to get permission.’
I needed to take action now.
Would that person likely overlook this?
‘What would happen if he didn’t?’
Even if they didn’t explicitly mention that they wouldn’t overlook it, no other alternatives seemed available. After all, when it comes to martial arts, I’m the only one left to learn from.
Once I reached that point in thought…
Woosh-!
“…!”
As I applied the Gu Flame Wheel technique, other forms of energy started to engulf me.
“…What is this?”
As if sensing the energies, my father’s eyes widened to the largest I had ever seen.
Was this truly that startling?
While gauging my father’s reaction, I concentrated on dispersing my energy.
Then, the toxic martial art of the Emperor, Tuapacheon Gong, began to infiltrate my body.
Hoo…
It was the same exhalation as before.
But accompanied by the heat, thick energy flowed in with it.
Immediately, I felt pain rise within, yet this much was manageable.
Upon completing my setup, I addressed my father.
“Thank you for your patience. I’ll come at you again…”
Just as I was about to speak…
For some unfathomable reason, my father’s fist came rushing toward me.
“Huh?”
Smack-!
With that blow’s impact…
My consciousness vanished.
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