Chapter 233: Episode 44 – Swindler (1)
Yoo Jonghyuk’s master, the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was very patient. It was the same 100 years ago and even 200 years ago. That’s how she was able to make a group of sword techniques. As other martial artists sold their skills and left Murim, she stayed here alone and broke through transcendent heights.
“So who the hell are you?”
Her big finger poked Yoo Jonghyuk’s cheek as he hung in the air. It was just a finger but it was the finger of a transcendent. Thus, there was no way it couldn’t hurt. Nevertheless, Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t react.
「 “The teacher and disciple. The two of you are the same.” 」
They were the words spoken by a Murim teenage expert, the Heavenly Demon. Perhaps the Heavenly Demon saw them accurately.
“You aren’t saying a word. You will be spanked if you don’t talk.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint raised the large smoking pipe. Yoo Jonghyuk’s butt couldn’t endure the pressure and he couldn’t help letting out a pathetic sound.
‘Damn Kim Dokja. I will surely kill you.’
Slap! Slap! Slap!
The sounds were like jokes but the power contained in the pipe wasn’t a joke. Before long, blood trickled from Yoo Jonghyuk’s mouth. Then the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s eyebrows formed a strange curve. “You are a man of character.”
She was a bit impressed. “I will ask you again. Where did you steal and learn the power of the Breaking the Sky Sword School?”
“...”
“I will spare your life if you tell me honestly.”
Yoo Jonghyuk slowly raised his head at these words.
The Breaking the Sky Sword School was originally a non-humanistic organization. (TL: An organization that doesn’t pass down techniques to people with personality problems, i.e.don’t value talent over virtue) As an outsider, Yoo Jonghyuk couldn’t have learnt it.
Now the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint said she would spare him. Her meaning was clear. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was currently trying to take Yoo Jonghyuk as a disciple.
‘Teacher.’
Yoo Jonghyuk understood his teacher’s mind better than anyone. It was hard to find a proper disciple in the declining Murim. Then a transcendent person who learnt her martial arts suddenly showed up. It was natural to be interested.
‘But...’
Yoo Jonghyuk bit his lip. Maybe it wasn’t bad to move according to Kim Dokja’s intentions. He knew the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint better than anyone. If he took the chance and told her the story, he would surely find himself in the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s good graces. However, Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t want to do that.
“Hrmm, it is a fiery gaze.”
“...”
“Do you desire me?”
Talking such bullshit in the middle of this situation, it was certainly his teacher. Yoo Jonghyuk kept biting his lip.
‘You will die if you meet me here.’
Yoo Jonghyuk remembered his teacher’s last appearance. A transcendent wounded alone after years of hard work. No matter what, her stubbornness refused to be broken.
-Dumb disciple. They are existences that you can deal with.
His teacher fought alone against the returnees alliance after being turned down by the strongest in Murim, the Heavenly Demon and Blood Demon.
-Live, Jonghyuk.
At the time, Yoo Jonghyuk hadn’t fought with her because he was weak. He was too weak.
“...Your eyes are sad.”
Yoo Jonghyuk trembled at the sudden words. The clear eyes of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint faced Yoo Jonghyuk. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was a mixture of a human and giant god. Thus, she had one of the abilities of the Neanderthals.
“Lonely, arrogant, deeply wounded.”
She had the Mirror Eyes that could read the emotions of others. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was staring at Yoo Jonghyuk with these eyes.
“Who are you?”
Yoo Jonghyuk harshly bit his lips like he was digging up his agony. He shouldn’t say it. Never, he absolutely couldn’t say it...
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is looking at you.]
Yoo Jonghyuk looked up at the message.
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ says it will be okay.]
...It would be okay?
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ says this round will be different.]
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is telling you to trust your teacher.]
This round would be different. He wouldn’t have believed it if it was spoken by someone else. Then why? He wanted to believe what this person was saying.
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’...]
“This fly... shut up.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint flicked her fingers at the air and all the sound in the area disappeared completely. All outside sound was cut off with magic power. It was possible for a transcendent at the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s level. Kim Dokja’s voice wouldn’t be heard for a while as long as the dokkaebis didn’t adjust the channel frequency. From now on, it would be left to Yoo Jonghyuk’s own judgment.
“...My name is Yoo Jonghyuk.” Yoo Jonghyuk took a small breath before releasing it. “I was your disciple.”
“Hrmm... what does that mean? I have never seen you before. I naturally have no memories of taking you as a disciple.”
“It is literally what I said. I learnt the techniques from...”
The moment Yoo Jonghyuk was about to speak, sparks flew around his body.
[The story ‘Disciple of Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’ is activated.]
Yoo Jonghyuk’s lips twisted as the ending of his words were forcefully changed to a honorific.
“...Teacher.”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s expression distorted. He recalled the conversation he had with the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint in the last round.
-You said that you are a regressor. If so, we might meet again someday.
-I won’t become your disciple next time.
-This angry fellow. You should say sweet words... and why aren’t you adding honorifics? Do you want to caught in your next life?
Perhaps this story remained because of his previous conversation with the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
[You have to use honorifics for the incarnation ‘Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.’]
It was funny. He hadn’t been formal with the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint at the time yet this story remained with him.
-At that time, become my disciple again.
His heart throbbed as old memories poured out like a waterfall and knocked on his heart. He couldn’t hear the indirect messages but he felt Kim Dokja looking this way.
‘Companion.’
Yoo Jonghyuk had long forgotten what it felt like to believe in someone. He slowly blinked before opening his mouth. “Aren’t you wondering about who I am?”
“Of course, I am terribly curious.”
“Then I will open my mental barrier. Take a peek. It is possible with your Mirror Eyes.”
“...Hrmm. You know about the Mirror Eyes?”
“Just five minutes. I can’t give you any more time than that.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s eyes were tinged with suspicion. “Are you planning to use a strange trick?”
“You can subdue me even if I used a trick.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s eyebrows raised at the provocative tone. “Okay.”
It wasn’t just the constellations who loved stories. There weren’t many chances to peek at another transcendental existence. This transcendent suddenly appeared in Murim and used the same techniques as her. There was no way she wasn’t curious.
“I will look at you.”
Soon after, the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s Mirror Eyes shone. Yoo Jonghyuk felt like his hair was being pulled out.
A memory transfer through the Mirror Eyes was dangerous for Yoo Jonghyuk and the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. Nevertheless, Yoo Jonghyuk was committed. Perhaps the spirit of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint would be broken. She might not believe what she saw. She could deny everything and erased Yoo Jonghyuk. However, if this gamble succeeded, he might be able to change the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
A dozen minutes passed until the clear energy of the Mirror Eyes in the area disappeared. The light of the Mirror Eyes was turned off but the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint didn’t talk. She just stared at the floor with a lowered head. Had she gone crazy? Or...
There was an unknown emotion in the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s eyes as she raised her head. It was the first time he had seen this expression in the third round.
A moment passed before Yoo Jonghyuk realized the meaning of the expression.
“You said you wouldn’t be my disciple again...”
***
Yoo Jonghyuk and the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint talked for a long time.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“...Stop with the flimsy comforting. It doesn’t match you.”
“Okay. You are unmistakable my disciple.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint of the second round regression had died and would never return again. The current Breaking the Sky Sword Saint wasn’t the same as the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint of the second round. Even so, the two people spoke like they weren’t conscious of this fact.
“...I got revenge. The Heavenly Demon and Blood Demon, I beat them both in the 35th scenario.”
“Yes. I saw. I’m not satisfied since you found it hard to win.”
“Then you shouldn’t have died.”
It wasn’t a normal conversation between a teacher and student but there was a gentle smile on the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s face. “You’ve changed a lot, Jonghyuk.”
“Nothing has changed.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint flicked her finger at the answer. Then a portion of the barrier around the hut distorted and a panel reminiscent of a large telescope lens popped up. On the small panel, the outside scenery was shining.
“Is it due to that child that you came to see me?”
It was Kim Dokja talking to the dog while eating dumplings. Yoo Jonghyuk watched the scene and opened his mouth.
“Is he your new friend?”
“There is no such thing as friend. This person is just...”
“He is already brave enough to think about fighting against the nebulae.”
“...”
“Do you think he can do it?”
As the first friend of her blunt disciple, the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint looked closely at Kim Dokja’s face. Then the barrier shook and a loud voice was heard.
[ Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. Give up your techniques.]
The surprised Yoo Jonghyuk rose from his seat.
“...The dokkaebis.” The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint spoke like she was tired of this. “The techniques buyers came again.”
“...It is faster than planned. How long has it been?”
“A while. I’m the only one left around here.”
Martial arts were valuable in Murim. It was because they were all types of stories made up of history. The deeper the origin, the greater the value. The dokkaebis were well aware of this and coveted the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s techniques.
Yoo Jonghyuk pulled out the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds and opened his mouth. “Kim Dokja and I will handle it.”
“The opponents are dokkaebis. You can’t do anything.”
“It is possible for Kim Dokja.”
Instead of answering his teacher’s question, Yoo Jonghyuk watched the dokkaebis on the panel. One of the dokkaebis looked familiar.
‘It is that guy from Seoul Dome.’
Kim Dokja probably wouldn’t let him go. Then Kim Dokja’s voice came from the screen.
-I didn’t know you were still alive. Didn’t you go to be punished?
As expected, Kim Dokja’s characteristic ‘messing around with people’ had started. Kim Dokja scratched his chin and spoke to the dokkaebis like it was interesting.
-Hmm, yes. Did you come to buy the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s techniques?
Yoo Jonghyuk shrugged at his teacher. Kim Dokja would’ve sorted it even without Yoo Jonghyuk coming out. He didn’t know what Kim Dokja was trying to do but Kim Dokja was going to do another weird trick to deal a proper blow to the dokkaebis.
The next moment, Kim Dokja said something strange with an unexpected smile.
-Okay, I’ll sell it, the techniques of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.