Chapter: 527
The sky is particularly clear today.
It was a thought that crossed my mind naturally as I gazed upwards.
I could see the sunset gradually fading away, the sight of colors bleeding into the sky without a single cloud was truly beautiful.
Fabulously so, I might add.
“Brother, how long are you going to lie there?”
At the sound of the voice, I turned my head slightly.
It was Pajeon, lounging on a rock with his legs crossed, staring at me.
I looked at him and asked.
“Don’t you think your way of speaking is a bit strange…?”
What the heck is that terrible mixed-up language?
“What’s strange about it, brother?”
“…”
Pajeon is stubbornly refusing to change his words even after being pointed out.
Does he think that by simply adding ‘brother’ to his speech, everything’s fine?
I was left utterly flabbergasted.
“Ugh….”
That’s because I had just been thoroughly beaten a moment ago.
That’s why I was staring at the sky. I couldn’t muster the strength to get up.
As I tried to force myself to sit up, each joint screamed in protest.
With all my might, I managed to sit up, casting a resentful look at Pajeon.
“I told you I was a patient….”
From the way you were talking earlier, you seemed okay, brother.”
“…You plan on continuing that, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about, brother?”
“…”
It appears the old man has more stubbornness than I thought.
‘You’re really pushing it.’
Knowing he had run away for days because he didn’t want my treatment, I decided to have a little fun.
I forgot that by calling him brother, I had sworn not to act against him.
After miscalculating, I got beaten up under the guise of a spar.
“Ugh….”
It hurts more than last time.
This definitely carried some emotions behind it.
And yet, I can’t seem to get the words out.
“…Are you not tired?”
“What nonsense are you spouting, brother…?”
“Please stop that.”
I told him to cease; it felt like I was bowing down for praise.
Only then did Pajeon chuckle and start spinning his wrist like it’s a fun game.
The reason I asked if he was tired was none other than this.
‘My body doesn’t feel that soft.’
It hurts since I just got beaten up, but somehow, it felt oddly refreshing.
Certain parts that had been ached and blocked by blood flow now felt surprisingly free.
This made it clear.
That Pajeon’s hits were not just random strikes.
This was definitely…
‘Pushing through the palace past the holes.’
Just like last time, the blows from Pajeon usually did something beneficial for my body.
He struck inconvenient spots like a ghost, unclogging blockages.
So this was even more astonishing.
‘How does this even work?’
Pajeon’s skills are currently at their peak perfection.
He is a person who could have reached a higher level much earlier, but still, he is at the peak.
But rather than completely suppressing me, a Hwagyeong, with that level?
‘He even manages to squeeze in a medical technique during a fight.’
And it’s not like I just stood there and let him hit me.
‘…I struggled like crazy.’
I gritted my teeth and lunged, even just to land one hit, yet I couldn’t even graze his clothes.
‘What’s the issue?’
The difference in skill is overwhelmingly in my favor. And my speed, too, is faster.
My strength practically goes without saying; my stamina must be significantly higher as well.
To put it simply, I should be dominating him in every aspect.
‘But the fact that I can’t even graze him?’
It’s utterly absurd.
As I was continuously racking my brain to figure out the problem…
“It’s because your eyes are underdeveloped.”
Pajeon seemed to read my thoughts and provided an answer without me needing to ask.
“My eyes?”
“Yeah. With such poor eyesight, how can you see and evade?”
You think my eyesight is lacking?
“…So, do you mean that the reason I can’t reach you is due to a difference in vision, old man?”
“That’s right. How can you reach what you cannot see?”
When the essence integrates with the body, the reaction speed becomes faster.
Consequently, my field of vision widens and clarifies, so that suggestion about my vision being poor didn’t add up.
One thing struck me.
‘What Pajeon meant isn’t that simple.’
It shouldn’t just be analyzed in a straightforward way.
Even now, see? Pajeon spat out his words while gazing at me intently, almost as if scrutinizing.
That guy was testing me right now.
‘How annoying. Just tell me already.’
He intentionally made it tricky—show me if I can pick up on it.
That must be the plan.
‘Tsk.’
Is this part of the training too?
No matter how much I don’t like it, I can’t refute him.
Pajeon’s training methods hold significant value.
In fact, since I improved remarkably in my body usage compared to before, I had no thoughts of resisting.
‘My vision is low, huh?’
What is the difference between Pajeon and me?
What could that possibly be?
‘…It cuts off before I even make a move. No, even before I even begin to move.’
I wouldn’t know unless I saw it.
Even before making a motion, before I could even start, Pajeon moves in advance.
It means he blocks the move before it unfolds, no matter how fast I think I am.
Just as I planned to kick, he had already kicked my thigh to stop me.
All the jabs I threw were all blocked out.
All the real techniques were completely shut down.
There’s only one way to break through this: moving so fast that he can’t even react.
‘On the other hand, the only way Pajeon can figure this out…’
It’s more than just anticipating my every move.
It’s as if he’s mapping out subsequent moves in his head while we fight.
If that’s the case, regardless of human brain limits, how is that even possible?
“…Rather than saying my vision is low, isn’t it more accurate to say that I fight with my head, rather than just my eyes?”
“Ha ha.”
Pajeon burst out laughing at my response.
“That’s a refreshingly simple answer.”
“I put in a bit of effort, you know.”
“True, it’s simple but not bad… The answer is correct. So why can’t you put it into practice? Knowing it alone doesn’t seem to help?”
I wrinkled my brow as he spoke.
If knowing was all it took, I would have already been on the winning side, you idiot.
The inclination to express what I really wanted to say clawed at my throat.
The spot where just moments ago he had struck still hurt like hell.
“Looking at your expression, I can tell what you’re thinking.”
“I was just thinking how admirable you are, elder.”
“What are you saying?”
“…”
Ugh.
Still not getting through?
As I turned my head with a disappointed look, I could hear Pajeon clicking his tongue softly.
“I won’t be disappointed in you for not being capable of this. In some sense, it’s quite natural.”
“…You mean that even elders have to train hard to get there?”
“No? I was already good from the very beginning.”
“……Huh?”
“If you can’t do even this, how will you ever allow yourself to walk around calling yourself a master? Tsk, tsk.”
The way he casually acknowledges his greatness unnerved me.
I found it rather unfortunate.
“What I’m saying is, it’s not a problem if you can’t do it. Although this still stands.”
A twinkle formed in his eyes.
Every time Pajeon laughed like that, it sent chills down my spine.
“I’ll make you able to do it, so that’s no issue either.”
That’s the most terrifying statement in the universe.
He’ll somehow make it happen.
It mirrored the aspirations I held in my life, yet it was terrifying when someone else wanted to impose that on me.
I asked, burying my fear deep down.
“…So you’re saying you will help me use my head better?”
“Are you speaking nonsense? How could I possibly do such a thing?”
“Pardon?”
The one who just boasted about making everything happen if it didn’t work.
What on earth does this mean?
“If you don’t grasp this part in its entirety, don’t overstretch yourself and think you can process it with just your head. It would be a waste of precious time.”
“Then… what am I supposed to do?”
“It’s simple logic: if it doesn’t click….”
Shiiing!
“…!”
All of a sudden, a fist shot out towards me, prompting me to twist my body to avoid it.
Thwack!
As I tried to shift my left foot back, it ended up colliding with Pajeon’s foot, breaking my balance.
With that, my lower body crumbled, and I found myself plopping down unceremoniously.
I sat there stunned, gazing blankly at Pajeon.
He looked down at me and said,
“Learn it with your body.”
My mouth was poised to question what was going on but just stayed shut.
‘What?’
Something felt off about that last move.
The issue is I don’t know what exactly it is that feels off.
Is it strange that I fell that easily?
Or am I simply an idiot who couldn’t read Pajeon’s moves?
It’s a puzzling sensation. A sense of suffocation that evaded a solid grasp.
[…Oh?]
In the middle of it all, I heard Shin Noya’s voice, sounding impressed.
Does that mean Pajeon actually did something notable?
“I keep saying you have a misconception about who you are.”
The beast’s voice echoed.
“I truly dislike the way you look down on yourself with that body. Why do you think so little of yourself?”
“What are you rambling on about all of a sudden?”
It may seem like an off-the-wall statement, but it certainly did a number on my heart.
It’s entirely justified.
The body I gained through regression in a harsh environment is indeed remarkable.
To others, it must seem like a body worth envying.
Pajeon saw that and took me on as a disciple, after all.
Again.
‘But that doesn’t mean I’m a genius.’
It doesn’t seem odd for Pajeon to be misled; I knew this.
I’m not someone fit to be labeled as a genius.
The same goes for now.
I failed to fully grasp what Pajeon said in my mind.
Looking at that, Pajeon’s words clearly weren’t any easy things to comprehend.
“With that ugly face of yours, it seems you’re having some silly thoughts again.”
Isn’t that a bit too much? I couldn’t help but chuckle at that remark.
“Oh, cool.”
Pajeon called out to me.
“However you assess yourself is none of my concern. In the end, you will come to realize one thing.”
“What exactly is that?”
“That you will ultimately become my sole and unique disciple, the masterpiece of my life.”
“…”
How on earth can a person say something like that so nonchalantly?
I’m simply amazed at how confident Pajeon is.
“If you lack confidence, build it up and stack arrogance on top of it. Then encircle it with the capability to take responsibility. Even if you can’t do that, so be it.”
Thwump
I saw Pajeon loosen up his body while delivering those words.
A chill run down my spine at that sight.
I instantly rose to my feet and leaped back a few steps.
“If you feel something is lacking, I’ll make sure to fill it. If you’re unaware, I will teach you. If you can’t gain strength, I will fill that too. As your teacher, I can do at least that much for you. No, I must do so.”
“…Um, why are you acting this way all of a sudden?”
You seem far more energized. Did something crucial happen while I was away?
It felt like the old man had definitely gotten more charged up.
In a rather unpleasant manner, I must add.
With a cold sensation causing my eyes to dart as I looked for an escape.
Instinct warned me.
If I’m going to run, it has to be now.
Whether he caught on or not, Pajeon kept rattling on.
As I prepared to bolt,
“I mentioned that your body seems ready, so it’s time to step up to the next level.”
“…!”
At Pajeon’s words, I found my feet stopping on their own.
The next level is…
‘The transplant of the Tuapacheonmu?’
Last time, just after I hardly learned about the procedure.
It meant he intended to commence training in the next phase of the Tuapacheonmu, a phase that hadn’t been touched upon in a long time.
The problem is.
“…Are we doing this right now?”
He intends to do it now? As I express my surprise, Pajeon shakes his head.
“Not immediately. Your physical readiness seems solid… but the essential part hasn’t been met yet. That needs to be addressed first.”
“And by ‘essential part’ you mean?”
“Didn’t I just tell you? You need to rectify your low perception.”
“Ah.”
The reason I couldn’t reach him, which he mentioned earlier.
And…
Could it imply the weird sensation I had just felt?
Is that what he’s referring to?
Pajeon asserted.
If I don’t get it, he’ll continue explaining until I do.
“If you manage to learn this, you should look at least somewhat like a human compared to now.”
“…Does that mean I don’t look like a human now?”
“Well, I guess you’re about at the level of a snot-nosed brat getting into fights on the block.”
“Runny-nosed….”
[Ha ha, how can you so perfectly articulate what’s on my mind?]
I feel as though those two irritable old men are targeting me.
It felt exasperating in every sense.
“If that happens, you’ll find it hard to get beaten up easily anywhere. If you can reach that point, I’ll give you permission.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying that as someone who claims to be Pajeon’s disciple, I’ll allow you to claim it.”
At my inquiry, Pajeon smiled in satisfaction as he spoke.
This implies I would earn recognition as a true disciple of the great king.
A successor acknowledged by the three Buddhas.
This essentially meant that I was on the path to holding a royal position in the future…
“…I don’t think I really want that.”
“…?”
That wasn’t something I cared about deeply.
Even if you told me to go around boasting, I wouldn’t bother telling anyone, so would I really tell anyone if I was granted permission?
‘It’s not embarrassing… but it does feel slightly shameful to flaunt it.’
That’s the feeling that washed over me.
I am! the disciple of the magnificent Pajeon!
This is the kind of attitude I’d have walking around.
It’s ridiculous just to think about it.
The thought made a shiver run down my arms.
Concealing my emotions, I turned to Pajeon.
I saw his brows slightly twitch.
Is he angry? I hastily tried to appease him.
“It’s not that I don’t need it… I guess it’s just that…”
“…Well. It might not be necessary. I didn’t exactly intend for you to go around saying it either.”
Was he not upset?
That was a relief.
“Oh, thank you for understanding….”
Crash.
“Eh?”
The sound of something cracking exuded from Pajeon’s arm, and as I turned to look, I saw him moving his fists around, loosening up.
“Elder?”
“I think I didn’t fully explain the training methods earlier, so I’ll share a bit more with you.”
“Wait a minute. Please don’t come any closer. Let’s converse from over there, shall we?”
“If you don’t grasp it with your mind, you have to learn it physically. Do you know what the quickest way to do that is?”
“No. I don’t want to know…!”
Shoosh! Before I could finish, it seemed Pajeon ignored my pleas and thrust out his fist straight at me.
It was even faster this time.
I barely managed to dodge.
Thwump!
“Ugh…!”
I thought I had turned my head in time, yet somehow, his punch landed directly in my chest.
Was it a ghost strike? I didn’t see it coming.
My upper body instinctively bent forward.
Pajeon’s punch contained the heart’s technique of the Tuapacheonmu.
The power broke through and flowed right into me.
Despite trying to stay alert, I couldn’t predict when I’d be hit.
‘…He pierced through where my defenses were weakest.’
How did he figure that out? He had struck right where my defenses were weakest; he smashed through.
And yet, that wasn’t the end of it.
Using the opening created by my faltered posture,
Pajeon delivered a kick that sent me flying back.
Bam!
I ended up crashing into a tree.
“Ugh… ugh…”
I couldn’t even catch my breath, let alone exhale.
The previous blow had twisted my body painfully.
The blood flow that had begun to heal was now acting up once again.
What kind of devil fixes it and then messes it all up again?
With an expression of indignation, I took a glance at Pajeon. He only looked at me, his eyes gleaming with mirth.
“You learn by experiencing it firsthand. That’s the fastest.”
“…What the hell….”
I felt frustrated.
That old bastard is clearly so petty.
Why are all these old folks so egotistically narrow-minded?
Even with sweat dripping from the agony, Pajeon approached me slowly and remarked.
“Your instincts are quite sharp. It’s the second most valuable trait I see in you right after your physique.”
I strained every muscle to force my body upward. There was urgency bearing down on me.
Compared to the distance, his voice sounded eerily close.
I tried to move my body in tune with my senses.
I first attempted to create some distance between us.
Thud!
Blocked.
Damn it…! Pajeon has already secured the escape route.
Pushing my shoulders down.
It wasn’t my will behind that. It was simply his pressing force.
It wasn’t a matter of being able to overpower him, yet he cast me aside unimpeded.
“First, I was already quite displeased with how much you’re relying solely on that instinct. I’ll tear it down and reshape it this time.”
I let out a burst of energy.
I focused all my heart into projecting a blaze of strength.
Boom!
“Ugh…!”
While letting my energy flow, Pajeon swiftly disrupted it.
The unique destructive force of the Tuapacheonmu scattered my essence.
Caught up in the recoil, I felt my body temporarily enveloped.
Taking that fleeting moment, Pajeon seized my collar and hurled me backward.
While being launched, I barely managed to roll and stay upright as I landed.
With my vision spinning, I fought through the dizziness.
“There’s only one condition for completing the training from here on out, you damn disciple.”
Once again, Pajeon’s voice echoed directly in front of me.
“You have to intercept my punch at least once. If you succeed at that, this training will conclude.”
“…What do you mean…!”
I tried to exclaim my confusion, yet Pajeon’s knee was already speeding towards my face.
I raised my hands in a defensive manner.
Crunch!
But I still couldn’t block every attack.
The impact rattled my head.
‘This is infuriating…!’
Attacks rained down from every direction.
While managing to barely block or evade them, that was all I could do.
During that chaotic momentum, Pajeon’s incessant instructions continued.
“Remember, it’s not just about blocking or dodging; it’s about ‘intercepting.’ Keep that in mind.”
That instruction rang particularly clear in my ears.
‘Damn it all.’
After absorbing his words, I clenched my teeth.
Was every training method ridiculously sudden and downright awful?
The thought flashed through my mind as I continued to get hit.
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