It was a sudden remark.
A spar.
Lee Sungmin surprisedly stared at Wijihoyeon.
Wijihoyeon gaze met with Lee Sungmin’s, and smirked playfully as she spoke.
“I didn’t say anything weird, did I?”
“That’s true, but……it’s just so sudden.”
“I don’t think so. Well, it’s not a big deal. It’s not like we’re fighting to kill each other.”
“But….”
“Just stop.”
Wijihoyeon shook her head and cut off Lee Sungmin’s words.
“I want to check. How strong you have become and see just how narrow the distance is between us.”
‘And how far away I need to reach in order to catch up to you.’Wijihoyeon did not say the words in her head.
Lee Sungmin closed his mouth and glanced at Wijihoyeon’s face. The eyes of Wijihoyeon, who was facing right at his, did not waver at all.
She was smiling, but her laughter showed a determination that she would not allow him to reject the sparring proposal.
“……right now?”
“Yes.”
Wijihoyeon nodded her head. It felt so…… sudden. Lee Sungmin had finally met back up with Wijihoyeon, and there were many things he wanted to say. However, he did not want to reject Wijihoyeon’s request either.
Because it was the same for him as well.
Just as Wijihoyeon said she wanted to check out his skills through a spar, Lee Sungmin also wanted to check out hers.
Sima Ryunju had even said there was a difference and that Lee Sungmin was currently stronger than Wijihoyeon. Wijihoyeon would not be able to last 10 seconds against Sima Ryunju, and that he would probably last 15.
It was still a rather depressing fact, but nonetheless it still gave Lee Sungmin some curiosity.
And he also didn’t believe that just because he was in the Realm of Transcendence, that he was guaranteed to be stronger. Wasn’t it enough proof when he defeated Guan Zun?
Of course the difference between levels of internal energy between the two was so monstrous to even compare them to others in their Realms. However, what decided battles was exploiting the gaps of the other martial artists. It was what truly decided a battle between any two practitioners.
[That’s what Sima Ryunju said earlier.]
Heoju smirked and muttered.
[Do you want to win against that girl? Or do you want to lose?]
‘……Honestly.’
Either would do for him as long as he gave his best and could see the difference between them with his own two eyes. Lee Sungmin thought so and took out the spear. The armor and spear worn when he was impersonating the C-Class mercenary Jeong Hyun-Soo was gone and replaced with the demonic armor and orchicalcum spear crafted by Selgerus.
Wijihoyeon wrapped the Cape of the Black Dragon around her body while watching Lee Sungmin gripping his orchicalcum spear.
“Stop.”
All of a sudden the tension between the two was forcibly suppressed like they were getting pressed down on by an elephant.
Sima Ryunju intervened between Lee Sungmin and Wijihoyeon. His movement did not not even compare to martial artists’ typical movement techniques.
If anything, it was like he had used blink which was a teleportation spell. But, that would only be accessible to magicians, and even they had to spend time casting such a spell. To be that fast by simply moving was ridiculous.
Sima Ryunju, standing between Wijihoyeon and Lee Sungmin, spoke in an annoyed tone.
“It’s good to be eager to fight, but you shouldn’t fight recklessly like a bunch of kids.”
“What are you talking about this time?”
Wijihoyeon’s eyes were narrowed as she spoke in a bitter voice. She was annoyed by Sima Ryunju, who suddenly intervened in her precious moment. Sima Ryunju spoke while glancing at Wijihoyeon.
“This forest is the forest where the fairies live, and it is the territory of the fairy queen. You can’t fight as you please and hurt the forest.”
“It didn’t matter when you and I fought earlier.”
“The situations were completely different.”
Sima Ryunju said with a smirk.
“It was a one-sided beating. You’ve been busy getting beaten up by this old man without even being able to formulate a proper attack. However, did this old man harm the forest in the process?”
Wijihoyeon closed her mouth tightly.
“No, there was no harm done to the forest except for you rolling around the ground. But if you fight with that kid, the forest will be ruined because of how powerful and ignorant you are with your attacks.”
“……so what?”
“At least ask for permission first.”
said Sima Ryunju.
“You can ask to go to the Fairy Queen of the Forest and ask her permission first. The Fairy Queen will be able to prepare a proper space if she accepts your proposal.”
Wijihoyeon realized how stubborn she was and bit down on her lips. She could not refute Sima Ryunju’s words either since they were completely true.
Lee Sungmin also did not argue. After a brief silence, Wijihoyeon opened her mouth.
“Then let me meet the fairy queen.”
“So quick-tempered.”
Sima Ryunju teetered, but Wijihoyeon did not respond. Sima Ryunju glanced at Lee Sungmin.
“Do you want to fight with that girl right now?”
“I don’t really care.”
Sima Ryunju laughed when he heard Lee Sungmin’s answer. He turned his body around and started to move deeper inside the forest.
Wijihoyeon followed Sima Ryunju without saying a word, and Lee Sungmin followed along with her.
“I know it’s sudden.”
Wijihoyeon opened her mouth first as she traveled with Lee Sungmin behind Sima Ryunju.
“But I didn’t want to wait any longer. It’s been over 10 years. The original promise we made…… we were supposed to fulfill it in Rubes last year. It was our promise to meet up together and see how much each of us had grown.”
“We did both go though.”
“I was cursed and weakened at the time, but I think it turned out for the better now. Thanks to it being pushed back, you’ve been able to become even stronger than you were when I last saw you in Rubes.”
Wijihoyeon smiled lightly.
“Honestly, I never imagined it. I would never have believed you if you said you were going to be this strong 11 years ago. That’s why I didn’t want to wait any longer than we already have. It’s already been a year……and I want to check.”
“Check how strong have I become?”
“Yes.”
It was not necessarily just that. During her year in the forest, Wijihoyeon continued to think about Lee Sungmin.
Lee Sungmin, who fought with An zun to protect her when she was helplessly immobilized from a curse.
From when they met as kids summoned in Genavis. In the dungeon with the Silent Flare, Baek Sogo. And even thought about what would happen in the future for the two of them.
“Here we are.”
Sima Ryunju stopped walking. There was a small lake in the middle of the forest.
The water in the lake was transparent and glistening, but there were no small fish in it.
Wijihoyeon let out a sound of exclamation as she saw the beautiful lake and surrounding scenery.
Lee Sungmin glanced at Wijihoyeon, whose eyes were glistening in admiration and joy at the landscape of the lake.
Come to think of it, it was the first time he had seen such a reaction from Wijihoyeon.
“Oslo.”
Sima Ryunju called out a name as he approached the lake.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear it. We were all listening. Because you didn’t show up, this old man had to come all the way here.”
Sima Ryunju stared at the lake grumbling like that. Then the lake began to flutter.
The surface of the lake started to boil. Lee Sungmin and Wijihoyeon looked at the bubbles and steam emitting from the lake.
However, the lake had remained bubbly for a period of silence, and no other changes could be seen.
“You thought I was coming out of the lake, didn’t you?
A bright and white light shone brightly in the sky and spoke with a playful voice.
What appeared in the light was a rather interesting fairy. It had the definite appearance of one, yet it was about as big as a young human girl.
Lee Sungmin and Wijihoyeon looked up at the fairy in embarrassment from her pinpoint words. She was smiling with her big, colorful butterfly wings spread wide open behind her back.
“It’s fun to tease people these days. I teased Ryunju so much that it’s not even fun anymore.”
“I was never tricked by your pranks in the first place.”
Sima Ryunju grumbled and continued.
“I shouldn’t have to tell you because you’ve already heard everything.”
“But Ryunju is very nice. You came all the way here even though you knew I was listening. Or are you here to see this queen’s face?”
Oslo asked as she raised the corners of her mouth. At the words, Sima Ryunju pointed to Lee Sungmin and Wijihoyeon with a scoff.
“They want to see who’s stronger. It doesn’t matter too much, does it?
“What’s the point of competing for when you’re only as strong as my pinky finger?”
“Normally, humans are idiots who want to compete for things like whose shit is thicker than the other.”(T/N : Wtf lmao this is the real line from the author)
“Don’t say such dirty things, Ryunju.”
Oslo pouted her lips and turned to Lee Sungmin and Wijihoyeon.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. If you two had fought without asking for my permission, I would have scolded you, but since you’ve come all the way here and asked for permission, I’ll allow you to enjoy your fight with sincerity.”
“That’s right.”
Sima Ryunju nodded his head as if to agree with Oslo’s words. Oslo’s wings shook lightly.
Then the space began to flutter around her. Before Lee Sungmin knew it, the flower garden and lake had disappeared and a blank white space was created.
Oslo, like Mush and Denir, was a transcendent being that humans could encounter but not possibly comprehend.
“Do whatever you want.”
Oslo giggled, and Sima Ryunju took a few steps back. Wijihoyeon mumbled while glancing at the two.
“It feels bad to be treated like someone’s entertainment.”
“Are you complaining?”
“No…”
Wijihoyeon looked back at Lee Sungmin as she murmured. The cape of the Black Dragon, which was wrapped around the shoulder of Wijihoyeon, slowly lifted itself up.
“It’s under the pretext of a spar, but I want you to show me everything you can.”
Lee Sungmin caressed the spear in his without saying a word. Looking at Lee Sungmin, Wijihoyeon’s smile widened.
On several occasions, Lee Sungmin used to think about when he would fight with Wijihoyeon again.
One the day the two of them had left Genavis, Lee Sungmin struggled against Wijihoyeon in their parting fight, and suffered an overwhelming defeat and realized just how big the gap between them truly was.
A lot of time had passed since then. On the mountain of Mush, Lee Sungmin had suffered nightmares every night, and Wijihoyeon appeared several times in his nightmares.
In his nightmares…… Lee Sungmin had suffered terrible losses to Wiijihoyeon and not even once had he won against her in any of his nightmares.
The same was true in his mental world. In the white world, the endless solitude, Lee Sungmin had recalled Wijihoyeon. Wijihoyeon was his life’s goal and direction.
It was a fight that he didn’t want to run from this time.
11 years ago in Genavis. When he was defeated by Wijihoyeon, he had spat out incredibly passionate and even venomous words.
He would target her. Someday, He would put a spear in her heart. Of course, he realized later just how embarrassing that was and didn’t actually mean to say such words.
So he repeated it to her and told her that he would knock her down.
Red tendrils of energy rose from under Wijhoyeon’s feet.
The cape of the Black Dragon on her shoulder began to shake.
Lee Sungmin had fought with Wijihoyeon’s doppelganger. At that time, he barely managed to win by accepting Heoju’s power for the first time.
But compared to the real Wijihoyeon from that time, the doppelganger was not even close to her true power, and Lee Sungmin had barely survived against the doppleganger.
Several years had passed since then, so Lee Sungmin couldn’t imagine how strong Wijihoyeon would be right now.
[You don’t have to be too nervous.]
Heoju said.
[You’re more than strong enough.]
Lee Sungmin lifted the spear. The Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques was a technique that Wijihoyeon had created for Lee Sungmin by altering the existing Nine Great Spear Techniques.
The same went for the internal energy inside his dantian. Wijihoyeon had laid the foundation for him to build his strength as she had given him two-thirds of her internal energy at the time.
It would be hard to gain a lead on Wijihoyeon with the Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques. No matter how strong he was, Wijihoyeon knew the mechanics of that technique to the core, since she was the one who made it after all.
“11 years ago. I gave you 20 seconds.”
Wijihoyeon said.
“Should I hold back again this time?”
“……no.”
Lee Sungmin grabbed the spear with both hands.
“It’s okay if you need to give up against me.”He spoke with a hint of competitiveness in his voice. Wijihoyeon smiled brightly at the answer.
Pshhh!
Wijohoyeon’s image disappeared.
It was a quick movement, but it was not even comparable to the movement of Sima Ryunju.
Lee Sungmin immediately twisted his upper body.
Clang!
The orchicalcum spear lifted up by Lee Sungmin and the cape of the Black Dragon shot out from Wijihoyeon collided.
Through the fight against the doppelganger, Lee Sungmin knew to some extent what fighting style Wijihoyeon used.
The only weapon that Wijihoyeon used was the cape of the Black Dragon. The cape of the Black Dragon, which could stretch and unfold at will, was more powerful, more fluid, and more flexible when it came to adjusting as a weapon for Wijihoyeon.
The same went for Lee Sungmin’s spear, which was incredibly sturdy, light and powerful.
It was not about Lee Sungmin’s Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques though, it was about the basic techniques and combination of others that he used against Guan Zun to overcome the wall of Transcendence.
The widely spread cape of the Black Dragon, attacked at Lee Sungmin’s spear. Lee Sungmin deflected the Black Dragon to the side with the Rana technique.
But the Cape of the Black Dragon had spread wide and attacked Lee Sungmin from two sides, not one.
Shhhh.
Lee Sungmin’s body disappeared, leaving an afterimage. Shadowless movement Technique, First Step : Spirit-stealing steps (偷灵)
Wijihoyeon was well aware that only her cape of the Black Dragon would actually be able to stand a chance against Lee Sungmin.
Wijihoyeon’s hands spread wide open. The Heavenly Demon martial arts, which the basis of her origin prior to transmigrating, and was her signature martial arts, was the most powerful and threatening technique she knew.
The swinging cape of the Black Dragon returned to her body, and Wijihoyeon raised her right foot.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
When Wijihoyeon’s feet trampled on the ground, red rivers of energy exploded in all directions.
It was an ignorantly huge explosion of power without any finesse.
However, Lee Sungmin was not worried. His second step in the shadowless movement technique, would completely change the flow of the air around him. Shadowless movement Technique, 2nd step : Two-step Gentle Ripples (温柔的水)
It was not just some simple walking.
Lee Sungmin’s steps, which contained the depth of Transcendence, twisted the space axis with the two steps and completely forced the direction of the red energy coming at him to disperse.
‘Okay.’
Wijihoyeon’s bright smile was burning fiercely with joy. Wijihoyeon caught the cape of the Black Dragon draped around her shoulder and looked at Lee Sungmin who was pointing the tip of his spear at her a few meters away with an indifferent face.
“I shouldn’t use any more tricks.”
Wijihoyeon spoke and took off the cape of the Black Dragon.