Ghost Blade Dok Bejun.
Like Baek Sogo, he was a martial artist who spread his name across Eria. First with the great magician Scarlet and now Dok Bejun?
‘Why are there so many magnates…?’
No, maybe at this point, they weren’t strong enough to be called that. The main point was that they really started to spread their name was after leaving the mountain.
Therefore, Dok Bejun, Baek Sogo, and Scarlet all became huge figures after training in this mountain.
“Who are you?”
Bejun looked at Sungmin and asked. He wasn’t able to see because of his penalty. Sungmin looked at Sogo. She wrote down on the ground with her branch.
[Just introduce yourself. There’s no need to be scared. He looks scary, but he’s not a bad person.]
“...I’m called Lee Sungmin.”
Sungmin bowed down in an awkward position. Bejun looked in the direction of Sungmin and held his hand out.
Surprised, Sungmin couldn’t move before Bejun took hold of Sungmin’s shoulder. He rubbed Sungmin’s shoulder and arms with his hands.
“You don’t seem to use a blade.”
“Yes?”
“Looking at your muscles, a spear. Spear… is a good weapon. How old are you? Your voice and everything, you seem young.”
“...I’m 15.”
Sungmin answered. Bejun nodded and tapped the blade on his waist.
“Would you like to duel?”
“Yes?”
“Ah, don’t worry. We can’t hurt each other. I don’t have any intention of hurting you. Even if I can’t see right now.”
To that, Sungmin hesitated and looked at Sogo. She didn’t really care. She didn’t seem to want to intervene.
“...My skills aren’t good enough yet.”
“Ah? That’s a shame.”
He looked actually pretty sad about that. He was a martial artist called Ghost Blade. No, was he not called that now?
‘Thinking about it…’
He died. Like Sogo. He went into the same dungeon as Wijihoyun and wouldn’t come out. It was strange seeing a person who would die 8 years later.
[Let’s go back.]
Sogo wrote down. To that, Sungmin tilted his head.
“Didn’t you say 4 people?”
There were 4 people that were in the mountain for half a year. Sogo, Scarlet, Bejun. He had only met 3 people.
“Don’t try to meet Plam.”
Bejun who was listening said.
“He isn’t going to meet you, but still don’t go. It’s not good for you.
[Say that you get it.]
“Ah… I get it.”
Sogo lifted Sungmin again. They left the cliff and came back to Sungmin’s resting place. His resting place was basically just a small house.
[Plam doesn’t know how to be social.]
Sogo wrote down.
“What does it mean that it’s not good for me?”
[Plam…]
Sogo smiled bitterly and wrote down.
[He’s amazing. He lived here for a year and he’s strong. I never really fought him, but if I do, I’m going to lose. Easily.]
It was a surprising. Sogo who was already over the apex limit was saying that she would lose easily against Plam.
[Not just me. If that Bejun fought him, he would lose as well.]
“What is that guy?”
He couldn’t help but be horrified. He didn’t know how strong Bejun was, but he felt like a great master from his aura. His Ghost blade nickname was a proof of his strength.
[What should I say. A genius that comes out once every hundred years.]
Sogo laughed. She didn’t laugh loudly, of course.
[Or just a genius out of a million. I’ll tell you something. I showed Plam a speed technique. He followed it immediately.]
It was as if he got hit with a hammer. Sungmin looked at Sogo’s techniques once or twice, but it was hard to look with his eyes. But Plam copied it as soon as he saw it once.
[Not just me. He copies Bejun’s sword techniques, Scarlet’s magic. What is that if he’s not a genius.]
Martial arts might be not that bad. It was only just a way to move the body. But to copy magic, that was just impossible.
[I’m telling you. Don’t meet him.]
“...Because he might steal something from me?”
[That too. Your spear technique is a great one. It’ll be a shame if you got it stolen. But that's not the reason.]
“Then why?”
[You’ll fall into despair.]
Sogo wrote down and didn’t write anything else. He didn’t miss the emotion that briefly showed up in her face.
[If you meet a real genius, most people fall into despair.]
That was true.
Sungmin knew the people that fit into the real genius category. Small Pegasus Wijihoyun. She was a genius that he had ever met before.
[So don’t meet him. If you don’t want to feel hopeless.]
“...I will.”
[I like your style.]
Sogo wrote down.
[I think it’s great for a person to try to achieve something. Especially if the journey involved pain and suffering, other people would want to cheer along. I think so too. I want you to get what you want.]
“Isn’t that the same for you?”
Sungmin asked. Sungmin wasn’t that special. Like him, Sogo also got 2 penalties starting off. And now, she got another one recently.
[I’m trained.]
Sogo answered.
[But you’re not. Still, you’re holding up. There’s only Plam who stayed here for a year. Do you know why?]
“...I don’t.”
[The pain and suffering only get worse as time goes on. More penalties adds on. It’s harder to survive. If you can’t, you die.]
Sogo laughed.
[I don’t know how long you will last, but I hope you last without despair. I cheer you on.]
“...Thank you.”
He had gotten a lot of help from Sogo for a month. He was feeling kindness towards her.
To the point that he hoped that she wouldn’t die
*
Suffering grows as time goes on. That seemed strange to Sungmin. He wasn’t used to the taste that came into his mouth and the weight on him as well.
But he wasn’t staying in place either.
‘I’m growing quickly.’
It’s been 4 months since he arrived. His Amethyst Cloud came up to the 3rd level. Even with his fast growth rates, grace techniques like Amethyst Cloud grew really slowly. But in only 3 months, it grew from level 2 to level 3.
‘This mountain...there’s something about it. Even if it’s hard, there is a reward for it.’
This could be the reward that Mush was giving. It wasn’t just the Amethyst Cloud as well.
His spear skills moved very quickly trying to withstand the weight of his body. It was fast even with this weight, how much faster would it be without the? Sungmin felt his heart beat everytime he thought about it.
I’m getting stronger.
I’m getting closer to Wijihoyun.
It could be just a thought. Wijihoyun wasn’t probably doing nothing as he was training hard. Wijihoyun could have already gone to a stronger place by now.
But he didn’t want to think that.
He made her his goal. It gave him a goal. It made his open his eyes every day. It made him lift his heavy body everyday and swing his spear. Starting from the basics to the High Heavens, then going to his room and using the Amethyst Cloud.
It was repetitive, but it was a good day. He never… practiced this hard in such a harsh environment.
His inner strength was growing as well. The Potion and the strength from Wijihoyun was spreading through his blood, with the nature of this mountain and the Amethyst Cloud, power was flowing towards his energy supply.
The food still tasted terrible. He didn’t want to eat. He retched every time he tried to eat. He actually had to swallow the vomit that was coming out.
HIs body was still heavy. He had to use his inner strength just to move. His muscles were breaking, and bones were shaking every time he swung his spear.
But he had to do it.
He had to.
He wanted to .
To get closer to her. To get closer to his goal.
Maybe---
Even to surpass.
“Hello.”
Sungmin stopped his spear moves.
When he looked, a boy was looking at him that looked the same age as Sungmin. When he saw the boy’s eyes.
He felt pressured. There were stars in his eyes. The stars exploded as he looked. It was the first time he had met such strange eyes.
“I’m Plam. Who are you?”
Plam.
Truthfully, Sungmin never met a person called Plam in his past life.
Ghost Blade Bejun.
Baek Sogo.
Scarlet.
He had heard of those names before. But he had never heard of a name called Plam before.
He heard that Plam could easily win against Bejun and Sogo.
He could copy magic and techniques in just the first time seeing them.
A genius that brought despair just by meeting him. Sogo said that, but Sungmin never heard of such a genius like him. So he didn’t really care.
“...Sungmin.”
Sungmin put down his spear and answered.
He didn’t think that Plam would come and meet him first.