Episode 37: What’s beyond the door?
“Training ends today.”
The executioners expressed their disappointment at Jangho’s words. Although the training was so difficult that I couldn’t even count how many times I swore, I gained a lot from it.
Although my martial arts skills did not improve dramatically, my spirit, which had become slack, was tightened.
It can be said that for experts who are at the level of executive officers, the difference in mental strength leads to a difference in skill.
In addition, Jangho watched the martial arts performance of the executioners from time to time and corrected their bad posture and habits. Thanks to this, there were many people whose martial arts skills substantially improved.
Until the very end, Jangho was telling each of the executioners how to improve their posture and what kind of training they should do in the future.
You really wouldn’t have thought that executioners who had been trained through hell would say something like this.
“Can you give me a little more training?”
At that time, I, who was watching from the side, came forward.
“It became difficult. “Daju Jang has ascended to the position of Demon Lord this time.”
Everyone was surprised to hear the word Demon Lord. This is because I was only at the training ground and could not hear any news from outside.
“Congratulations.”
Cheers and applause erupted in someone’s congratulations.
Jangho left a final greeting to them.
“I will never forget the time I spent with you. See you next time then. No, if I look at you from my perspective, it would be a big problem. “Let’s never see each other again!”
After saying his final goodbyes and including a joke, Jang-ho left.
I stood on the platform where Jangho was standing. The eyes of the executioners were quite different from those on the first day of training.
“You guys are the first and last warriors trained by the demon lord!”
Some people burst out laughing at my words.
“Now you can go without fear even if I order you to arrest my father, right?”
Laughter broke out again here and there.
After lightening the mood, I told them what I wanted to say.
“Martial arts are important and fighting well is also important. However, I think the most important thing for people who are named executive officers is pride. We are proud to follow the school’s rules and protect the system. We are going our own way. Do you understand?”
“yes!”
“I had a hard time getting trained. “I’ve prepared a banquet for you, so drink plenty and rest today!”
A louder shout of joy erupted than the loud response that preceded it.
* * *
Hyeolcheon Doma was waiting for me at the place where I met every day.
“The sight of you standing tall here is like a guardian stone protecting me.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Is that possible?”
It looked like he was going to be furious for bringing Ilhwa Geomzon into the picture, but he was unusually calm.
“Congratulations on making Jang Ho the Demon Lord.”
“thank you.”
I was more nervous than ever. Because I didn’t know what this old man would suddenly do.
However, today’s Hyeolcheon cutting board, like Jangho’s, showed something unexpected and different from usual.
It was very calm. It’s as if this person called Hyeolcheondoma wasn’t originally like this? So much so that I thought about it.
This is why you should not judge a person by only looking at one aspect of him or her. Don’t be fooled by the front. I still don’t know what the back of the Hyeolcheon cutting board looks like.
“How did you persuade Geomzon?”
“If you promise not to get angry, I’ll be honest with you.”
“I won’t be angry.”
“I touched Geomzon senior’s pride by saying that he was a true mazon. “They took advantage of the elderly.”
The corner of Hyecheon Doma’s mouth curled up.
“Then you were deceived. “There’s no way that little brat didn’t know about your shallow trick.”
Although he hated Ilhwa Geomzon, at least he did not underestimate it.
It was the same for Geomzon. The fact that she got involved in this matter also meant that she trusted Thomas’s eyes for people.
“That fox will definitely play a trick on you. They won’t let you meet me just because I helped you. “Then what are you going to do?”
“For me, seniors come first.”
“You’re going to boast about helping Jang-ho?”
“It’s okay because the elder helped me first.”
“Is that really the case when you make an offer you can’t refuse? Just like this.”
Hyeolcheondoma took out a small box from his arms and held it out.
“A promise is a promise.”
I received the box and opened it carefully.
A single herbal medicine with a blue glow was emitting a magical energy as if it were not of this world.
He said with an expression that it was truly a waste of blood.
“It is an extraordinary shrine.”
There was no need to pretend to be surprised at this moment. I was really surprised to see him so willingly offering up an extravagant altar. I expected that they wouldn’t give it to me easily, making various excuses such as trying to get an elixir but not having anything good.
“oh! Is this really an extraordinary deity? “How did you get this?”
“It has been stored for a long time. “I also saved it without taking it.”
“Are you really giving it to me?”
“Shall I take it back?”
“That can’t be right.”
Hyeolcheondoma felt sick to his stomach and drank the alcohol in front of him.
He said as he put down his drink.
“I will bet the rest of my life on you, Mr. Lee.”
Hyeolcheondoma presented his most powerful card.
I told my father the other day. The blood-cheon cutting board is not worth owning.
Now I have to correct that statement.
If you are this hot, I will try to keep you in my possession.
The fate of me and Hyeolcheondoma changed when the Heavenly God who was to go to my brother came to me. The change was even greater because he came ‘willingly’ rather than being forced to do so.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
I politely gave him my hand and asked him for a favor.
“I will be taking the Shindan right here, so would you please stand guard?”
Then, Hyeolcheon Doma was surprised.
“You’re going to take Shindan in front of me?”
“yes. Since it was given to me by an elderly person, I think it is right to take it in front of the elderly person.”
This act of protecting the law when eating fortune-telling has a certain symbolic meaning. For a warrior, this is the final step of faith.
“Are you saying you trust me?”
“Isn’t it because you believe in it that you are taking this divine power? “If it’s poisoned here, I’ll have to do as the elder tells me to get the antidote.”
An interesting look flashed in Hyecheondoma’s eyes.
“Why do you believe I wasn’t poisoned?”
“Because you are not the kind of person who would choose such a mean method.”
“I think I’m pretty mean?”
“There are many types of meanness. In my eyes, the old man is not someone who breaks his promises and upsets the situation.”
“What if your hunch is wrong?”
“I will think about it later. Now then, please stand guard for a moment.”
In fact, it was a safe adventure. This is because I know that Hyeolcheon Doma hates poisonous techniques or evil arts to the point of trembling.
I sat there cross-legged and took the Cheonoesindan without hesitation.
Hyeolcheondoma looked at me with a surprised face. It seems like he really didn’t know that he was going to take the elixir in front of him.
The Divine Mercy was an elixir that I had never seen before in my life before my return.
‘Shindan, please melt well.’
The medicinal properties of the Heavenly God Altar that melted in my mouth began to spread through my throat and throughout my body. It was a much stronger energy than the magic tablet I had previously taken in Socheon-dong.
The blood vessels strengthened by the Cheonmaek strengthening technique opened their passages wide and welcomed this tremendous energy. The blood vessels willingly accepted the energy of the shrine, running like a horse, as if it were a field. The spiritual energy that rushed like a gale spread through the fine blood vessels of the entire body.
I put a lot of effort into eating fortune-telling to completely melt this huge energy into my inner energy.
After several elaborate fortune-telling ceremonies, I was able to capture the magical energy of the Heavenly God Altar in the altar.
When I open my eyes, I see Hyeolcheon Doma looking at me from a little distance away with his arms crossed.
“How did Shindan taste?”
“It’s sweet. “I have never eaten anything this delicious in my life.”
“shit! Damn it!”
He regretted not being able to eat.
“I am sure that the food was digested ten times more valuable than if you ate it yourself.”
Even if you hit the Hyeolcheon chopping block in front of you right now, you won’t be told that you lost because of your internal strength. To that extent, Danjeon was overflowing with pure power.
Hyeolcheon Doma squatted in front of me. When I looked up close, there were more wrinkles than I thought.
“Look here, Mr. Lee.”
“Yes, old man.”
he asked, looking into my eyes.
“What are you? “Who are you to turn my heart around and make me spit out the supernatural?”
I immediately increased my energy and unleashed my demonic energy. Demonic energy burst out like an exploding volcano spewing lava. It was a cold and stern aura that was different from anything he had seen before.
“He is the one who will lead you in the future. “If you are still alive by then.”
Amid the suffocating energy that was oppressing him, various emotions flashed across Hyecheondoma’s expression. At least he wasn’t laughing even though he was angry.
As I withdrew my demonic energy, the frozen air around me was released.
“I just admit that you have a lot of guts.”
“I would also like to ask you one question.”
“Ask.”
“What does the elderly ultimately want?”
“What do you want when you’re all old? “We just continue to live as we have lived, guided by inertia.”
“Aren’t you too passionate to say that?”
“I?”
“When you push me, I look like a young person. “I can feel the fire burning brightly.”
At this moment, I saw flames in Hyecheon Doma’s eyes again. Hyeolcheon Doma still stands alone in the flames.
“Does it look like that?”
“yes.”
On the other hand, he spoke as if he had no confidence in himself.
“Thank goodness. These days, I thought I had cooled off…”
I guessed what this was like. No matter how much ambition and desire you put in your basket, there are things that time inadvertently takes away.
“Please give me a drink.”
“alcohol? “I lost this bet?”
“You won the bet the moment you generously gave away your heavenly altar. “I’ll take the old man’s drink.”
“Are you serious?”
“Please guide me well from now on.”
If I am this difficult to deal with, how difficult can my enemies be? I plan to make Hyeolcheon Doma my true person. I don’t know if that’s possible.
Hyeolcheon Doma was thrilled and poured a lot of alcohol.
“Here, take it.”
I drank the refreshing drink that Hyeolcheondoma gave me.
“Good luck in the future!”
“Even if you do a lot of work, please only give me as much as I can handle.”
Hyeolcheondoma, who was shocked for a moment, burst out laughing.
“ha ha ha!”
Since becoming Mazon, I’m probably the first person to say to my face that it’s a modification.
“Let’s have another drink.”
“Good!”
I know. Although he is smiling brightly like that now, he has not fully opened his heart yet. Hyeolcheon Doma is not a person who can be evaluated just by what he sees through the tightly open door.
I don’t know what’s beyond that door.
Just as my father said that you can never know a person’s heart, I do not intend to make any predictions or conclusions about the person called Hyeolcheondoma. I will judge only what I see.
And our relationship will be decided the day that door opens wide.
Whether I burn to death in your fire, whether you are stabbed to death by my sword, or whether we become eternal friends will be decided that day.