Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Learning the Sword

[Using the Unique Skill ‘Plum Blossom Venerable’!]

[Entering the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable’s Unique Space!]

The Personal Lobby broke apart into fine particles and scattered.

The particles that had scattered changed color and gathered back into one place.

Whoosh...!

Before the space had even finished forming.

A wind blew in, brushed past my cheek, and rose to tousle my hair.

To be honest, I was a little surprised.

Because it had been a long time since I had felt a wind so full of phytoncides.

It was a freshness that could never be found in Sillim, where my rented room was located, or in the Labyrinth Personal Lobby.

Eventually, I looked around the completed space.

It was a mountain that shot sharply into the sky.

The terrain was so vicious that the word “rugged” was nowhere near enough to describe it.

One wrong step, and I would fall immediately.

Hm?

I thought something felt empty, and it turned out Poporu and Aris were not here.

It seemed only I could enter Plum Blossom Venerable.

‘Is that fortunate?’

If they had come in with me, they would have fallen straight down, so this was actually for the best.

I slowly admired the scenery and walked toward the place where the stone monument stood.

Clouds lay beneath the mountain, and sunlight slowly seeped over them.

It was such a magnificent view that it was not easy to look away.

Mount Hua.

I frowned at the word engraved on the stone monument.

Could it possibly be the Mount Hua from the martial arts novels I knew?

Judging by the fact that Jin Hwayeon’s epithet was also Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, it did not seem like a coincidence.

I shrugged and passed the stone monument, heading inside.

“Hah.”

A voice rang out, sounding properly dumbfounded.

I still could not see Jin Hwayeon, so where was she—

?!

Had even one second passed since I formed that question mark?

Jin Hwayeon, whom I had seen earlier, leaped before my eyes in an instant.

It was an incredible speed, one I could barely follow even with Evil Eye.

GRIP!

Jin Hwayeon seized the nape of my neck and pushed me against the cliff.

Her wrist and fingers were far thinner than mine, yet she had this kind of grip strength.

It seemed the epithet Plum Blossom Sword Venerable had not been attached to her for nothing.

“You have lost all sense of fear. As if defying my words and taking the Plum Blossom Jade was not enough, you crawled into my space with your own two feet? I shall throw you down beneath Mount Hua right now.”

Jin Hwayeon glared at me with blazing eyes.

I also stared straight back at her.

How much time passed like that?

Jin Hwayeon bit her lip.

Even though she was saying she would kill him right now, Ryu Jin was looking at her with a calm, relaxed face, far from being terrified.

He looked as if he would never beg for his life or ask for forgiveness.

What on earth was this brat?

What did he believe in that allowed him to remain so composed?

Let us push him a little further.

Now that it had come to this, she had to see him terrified and sobbing somehow.

“This Exalted One shall show mercy and hear your final words, at least. Speak.”

“Since the scenery on all sides is magnificent, what do you think about sitting somewhere and having a calm conversation?”

Jin Hwayeon’s furious eyes widened.

“Those are the most worthless final words I have ever heard. Farewell.”

The moment she finished speaking, she loosened the strength in her grip.

In an instant, the brat Ryu Jin vanished beneath the cliff.

Jin Hwayeon stood at the edge of the cliff and listened closely.

She could not hear even the faintest scream.

GRIP!

She clenched her fist so tightly that her palm nearly split open.

Then, before it was too late, she threw herself down the cliff.

Jin Hwayeon descended the cliff at tremendous speed and snatched Ryu Jin as he was falling.

“Gueok!”

She stopped lightly, changed direction, and leaped up the cliff.

In the blink of an eye, the two of them returned to the cliff edge where they had been a moment ago.

Jin Hwayeon threw Ryu Jin, whom she had been holding, to the ground.

Ryu Jin rolled across the ground.

Jin Hwayeon’s eyes shook violently as she looked at him.

What was that, really?

He had not screamed even once despite being in danger of death?

Gulp!

Ryu Jin, who had sprawled on the ground, swallowed dryly.

This was insane. She had really thrown a person off a cliff.

I had been so startled and terrified that I could not even make a sound.

“Haaaa.”

After briefly organizing her thoughts, Jin Hwayeon parted her lips.

“Brat. You know, do you not? That I will not kill you.”

Ryu Jin, who had barely risen while brushing off his clothes, forced a smile.

“Rather than saying you won’t kill me, it would be more accurate to say you can’t.”

The corner of Jin Hwayeon’s mouth twisted.

“I cannot say much else, but your talent for getting under someone’s skin is excellent. Every word you say twists this Exalted One’s mood.”

Although she expressed her displeasure, she did not deny what I had said.

Of course.

Because it must have been the truth.

When I had walked toward the Plum Blossom Jade in the cave, Jin Hwayeon had warned me.

That if I advanced any farther, I would lose my life because of my greed.

I had been the first person to enter the cave.

Yet Jin Hwayeon, who had no physical body, knew about the curse set by the Labyrinth.

What did that mean?

It meant she was the one who had made the Labyrinth guard the Plum Blossom Jade through some kind of contract.

And there was only one reason Jin Hwayeon would have made such a contract.

She had wanted someone qualified to inherit the accomplishments contained in the Plum Blossom Jade.

She had wanted the accomplishments she had devoted her life to not be forgotten by the world.

The moment I, the owner of the Plum Blossom Jade, died, all those wishes would come to nothing.

Far from killing me, Jin Hwayeon was in a position where she had to protect me somehow.

Huuuuuu.

Jin Hwayeon, with the smoking pipe in her mouth, exhaled a long stream of smoke.

Through the scattering smoke, Jin Hwayeon quietly stared at me.

“Still, it seems falling off the cliff frightened you. A man who showed no respect in the cave is now speaking politely.”

“That is a little different.”

“Different?”

“Back then, you were a stranger I had just met, but now you are my master, the one who will teach me the sword.”

Cough!

She choked because she was so flustered.

That was how absurdly shameless he was.

Jin Hwayeon, who barely calmed herself, opened her mouth.

“I will admit that I have no choice. But do not misunderstand. I have not acknowledged you. Until you possess sufficient qualifications, I have no intention of teaching you the sword.”

“Then it will be too late.”

“If you fail to obtain those qualifications even by the time you grow old and decrepit, then I will simply give up. Just because I have no choice does not mean handing it over to anyone would be proper respect toward the accomplishments I achieved.”

“The meaning of ‘too late’ that I mentioned is a little different.”

“How is it different? Spare me your sophistry. I have already heard enough.”

“What if I don’t have time for you to check what you just mentioned? What if I’ll lose my life before long unless I become strong immediately?”

Jin Hwayeon’s eyebrow twitched.

“What are you trying to say? Are you saying someone is aiming for your life?”

“Yes. I have provoked the largest and strongest enemy in the world I belong to.”

“Why?”

“Because I received something from them. I plan to repay it a thousandfold. And if possible, I will go even further.”

I spread both arms wide.

“I plan to overturn this entire world that threw away only me.”

Ordinarily, she would have burst into laughter.

At a glance, it was close to a delusion, absurd beyond belief.

But Jin Hwayeon did not laugh. No, she could not laugh.

Because she realized it at a glance.

That the brat before her was serious.

Moreover, there was something faintly unhinged in those eyes for some reason.

Perhaps because of that, she became certain.

Whether it succeeded or failed, this brat would put the things he had just said into action.

She drew deeply from her smoking pipe.

Then she exhaled.

“I still dislike you. Because you ignored this Exalted One’s words and took the Plum Blossom Jade as you pleased. However, I shall acknowledge what must be acknowledged. I do not wish for my accomplishments to disappear, and for that, I have no choice.”

Having said that much, Jin Hwayeon held up one finger.

“I shall teach you for one year. Then I will judge whether you possess the qualifications. If, by any chance, I judge that you do not...”

She brought the smoking pipe beneath Ryu Jin’s neck.

“I shall take your life. Consider it a small apology for the accomplishments of mine that you have insulted.”

A smile formed on Ryu Jin’s lips.

“Very well. Then I look forward to your guidance, Master.”

Ignoring the smoking pipe held beneath his neck, Ryu Jin extended his hand with a smile.

Jin Hwayeon looked at him for a moment, then let out another hollow laugh and clasped his fingertips.

She did not say it aloud, but she had to acknowledge one more thing.

A little interest had begun to rise.

In this brat.

---

Jin Hwayeon led Ryu Jin to a lakeside beyond the stone monument.

Then she reached out and checked Ryu Jin’s physical condition.

“What a truly trash-like body.”

“You are very honest.”

“I am being very considerate by keeping it to that extent. If you want, I would like to give you a more honest impression.”

“No. I’ll pass.”

The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hwayeon, let out a deep sigh.

She had been a genius from the moment she was born.

Naturally, she had no experience whatsoever building something from nothing.

That was why she had wanted someone talented.

Only then would it be possible to teach from a perspective even slightly similar to her own.

“I shall tell you your current state objectively.”

Jin Hwayeon picked up a tree branch lying on the ground.

“You are an insect whose life would be taken by a single swing of a branch like this.”

After saying that, Jin Hwayeon extended the branch toward Ryu Jin’s face.

She had intended to lightly touch his forehead and say, “Did you see that? If this had been a live blade, your forehead would have been pierced.”

Until Ryu Jin casually dodged the branch, that was.

Whoosh.

Jin Hwayeon formed a question mark in her mind.

What was that? Since she had only intended to frighten him, there had been no particular preparatory movement.

Wondering whether it was a coincidence, she swung the branch several more times.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

“Hah?”

Even though she had raised the speed quite a bit, he dodged lightly.

As if he knew where the branch would arrive.

Moreover, luck seemed to follow him quite well.

The lakeside where they currently stood was full of rocks and tree vines beneath their feet.

Ryu Jin was too busy avoiding the branch to even know such things were there.

Even so, he stepped only where those things were absent.

“Your body itself is pathetic, but your eyes are fairly useful.”

“Thank you.”

Ryu Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled.

There was an insult mixed in, but it was praise, anyway, right?

‘I should give Aris one Magic Stone.’

Motion Detection, one of Evil Eye’s unique abilities.

Thanks to it, I had avoided being stabbed by the branch.

If she became any faster from here, my eyes might keep up, but my body would not, so I would be unable to dodge.

“Pick up one of suitable length.”

I looked around and picked up a tree branch of appropriate length.

When I came in next time, I should bring a wooden sword or something.

“Swing it.”

I took a kendo stance and drew in a breath.

I had never actually done it before, but I had seen it here and there through various internet media.

With a solemn expression, I raised the tree branch.

Whoosh!

Then I swiftly drew it from top to bottom.

Even if it was not a full hundred points, it should at least be eighty—

“It is trash-like.”

“I see.”

“I shall show you a basic form, so practice in this posture exactly as it is. It may look easy, but doing it perfectly will take at least a month.”

Jin Hwayeon, holding her smoking pipe instead of a sword, took a stance.

To be honest, she did not know what meaning there was in showing this to a human who could not even swing a single branch properly.

But what could she do?

Jin Hwayeon herself did not know how she was supposed to teach a human like this.

Rustle.

Jin Hwayeon let out a deep sigh and began unfolding the form.

And right beside her.

As Ryu Jin watched, a message appeared before his eyes.

[The Unique Ability ‘Motion Analysis’ of Evil Eye LV4 activates!]