novelraw Chapter 91 : Chapter 91
Chapter 91 : Chapter 91
Chapter 91 Same Bed, Different Dreams (4)
“How is your body?”
“I feel like I could fly,” Yu Ha-rin replied with a rosy blush on her face.
“To live a life without pain... this is how it feels. I feel like I could do anything.”
Yu Ha-rin looked down at her hands and clenched her fists tightly.
Hwan Chu-hyul looked at Yu Ha-rin with a satisfied expression and nodded.
“Haha. That is good. Truly good. To think such a fortuitous encounter would occur.”
As Hwan Chu-hyul patted Yu Ha-rin on the shoulder with a moved expression, she nodded.
“A fortuitous encounter.... To be honest, I thought my life was far from such things. Rather, I always thought I was born under a curse....”
Hwan Chu-hyul looked up and gazed at Yu Ha-rin.
“The pain began from the moment I took my first steps, and I lived with parents who neglected, exploited, and defiled a child living in such agony. I was a forsaken child whom no one looked upon, and I only felt as if even the heavens had turned their back on me.”
A small teardrop fell from Yu Ha-rin's eye with a plop.
“The instructor saved someone like me and gave me the will to live. And today, through him, I think I have learned that life is not just about enduring day by day, but something that can be enjoyed.”
Hwan Chu-hyul nodded with a broad smile on his face.
“Yes. You have suffered much. How much must your young heart have ached? Now that the pain that always tormented you is gone, do not just immerse yourself in the sword as before, but enjoy the vast world and try learning from it.”
Yu Ha-rin slowly stood up, picked up her sword lying beside her, and sat back down.
Placing her sword on her lap, Yu Ha-rin smiled brightly at Hwan Chu-hyul.
“The sword is still everything to me, instructor. However, to be able to meet this sword without pain. That alone is enough for me.”
Yu Ha-rin's radiant smile filled the room.
***
“Ah. Is it not time yet?”
“Soon... Look, over there, Heartless Soul Stealer is coming up!”
As Ice Rakshasa and I climbed onto the grand stage, a massive cheer erupted from all directions.
Today was originally a day without matches, but a single grand stage was specifically opened for the duel between Yu Ha-rin and me.
Therefore, the eyes of every martial artist in the Sado Alliance were focused on our duel.
For a whole day, enormous rumors had spread within the Sado Alliance without basis, and the martial artists who heard them gathered here with various expectations.
Thanks to the gathered martial artists, there was no room to step in the Inner Court.
Furthermore, since they were gathered and sitting everywhere on the roofs of any slightly tall pavilions, no matter where I turned my head, there were only martial artists of the Sado Alliance.
Martial artists filled the sky and the ground.
Ice Rakshasa shook her head at this overwhelming sight.
“Wow.... It seems this has become the most anticipated match since the Sado Alliance was formed.”
Ice Rakshasa clicked her tongue and turned toward me.
“Actually, I did not think it would turn out like this, but somehow it happened.”
Ice Rakshasa looked at me with a worried expression as I replied while scratching my head.
Ice Rakshasa had been quite tense after hearing the details from me after yesterday's match ended.
There was no room for doubt that Yu Ha-rin was one of the foremost geniuses of the current generation, and today, even the last reins of that genius were released.
“Seriously, truly, definitely. If you think it is dangerous, you must give up immediately.”
I nodded as I looked into Ice Rakshasa's eyes, which were more serious than ever. I also felt sweat forming on my palms.
Although Yu Ha-rin had gained a great enlightenment yesterday, her internal energy would be far from enough to reach the Peak Realm.
Therefore, I had decided not to open my middle dantian today as well, intending to conduct the duel according to Yu Ha-rin's level.
Assuming we fought at the same First-rate level, Yu Ha-rin, who could now freely use Yin and Yang energy, would clearly have no major deficiencies compared to me, so I could not be confident of victory without wounding her.
Furthermore, since a gap as wide as heaven and earth existed between a martial artist who had attained enlightenment and one who had not, even if only a single day had passed, the enlightened Yu Ha-rin would have grown far more than yesterday.
How much has she grown in that short time?
The result of today's duel depended on Yu Ha-rin's growth.
The moment I was catching my breath, a massive cheer erupted from the surroundings.
Has she finally arrived?
I turned my gaze toward the source of the cheering.
Yu Ha-rin was slowly heading toward the grand stage from afar.
As I carefully scanned the aura of Yu Ha-rin as she climbed onto the stage, I smacked my lips bitterly.
This... is going to be a problem.
The momentum of the walking Yu Ha-rin was incomparable to yesterday.
It felt as if molten iron from a giant furnace was pouring out and flowing toward me.
Subduing her without hurting her is the best option.
I fiddled with the Ink Ring on my left hand and then tightly gripped the Dark Steel Sword in my right hand.
Before long, Yu Ha-rin climbed onto the grand stage with light movements.
Then, along with a loud cheer, the area around the stage began to fill with tension.
“……Thank you for yesterday.”
Having climbed onto the stage, Yu Ha-rin looked at me and smiled softly. I also bowed my head slightly toward her.
The aura of Yu Ha-rin as she approached was so immense that my mouth hung open involuntarily.
She has completely reached the end of the First-rate level.
I looked at Yu Ha-rin while wetting my parched mouth.
It seemed today's duel would not go easily.
As I slowly scanned Yu Ha-rin from top to bottom with a tense expression, a slight desire rose within my heart.
The more I looked, the more I wanted her.
If a martial artist of this level moved according to my will, what a tremendous power she would be.
Having decided that I must make Yu Ha-rin my ally somehow, I spoke to her.
“You know you owe me, right?”
I drove the point home from the start.
“Of course. I received such great help that it cannot be described simply as a debt.”
A sword slid out from Yu Ha-rin's waist with a SHRRRING.
The well-maintained sword flashed light in all directions.
“I pondered all day how to repay this grace.”
Yu Ha-rin stroked her sword once.
“After endless contemplation, I reached a conclusion this morning. The only way a martial artist can express something is through martial arts.”
Yu Ha-rin raised her sword toward me.
“I will face you with all the achievements I have gained. I will clearly show you today that I was able to grow this much thanks to you, and I will convey that gratitude with my sword.”
No. Do not just decide on your own like that....
I looked at Yu Ha-rin with an absurd expression.
Shouldn't the answer be something like offering help without any conditions once in the future, or living with a grateful heart for a lifetime?
The very moment I was about to speak to Yu Ha-rin again, an immense heat that made it difficult to keep my eyes open began to pour toward me.
It was a momentum so strong that my entire body felt prickly.
Yu Ha-rin's clear eyes were sparkling as they directed toward me.
Having already erased everything from her mind, Yu Ha-rin was focusing solely on me.
……She will not hear anything I say right now.
I let out a sigh and slowly raised my sword to face her.
“Then, we shall resume the duel between Yu Ha-rin and Jaun that could not be finished yesterday.”
In order to enjoy the special match right before his eyes, Sa-hyeol-gyeom was on the stage today as the supervisor and judge.
Since Sa-hyeol-gyeom naturally possessed a disposition that enjoyed the gaze of others, he looked quite pleased to be overseeing this duel today.
Amidst the cheers of the martial artists, Sa-hyeol-gyeom made a graceful fist-and-palm salute and raised a flag.
After confirming the status of both me and Yu Ha-rin, Sa-hyeol-gyeom took a deep breath and then slammed the flag down forcefully.
“Begin.”
The awaited duel between the two of us began.
****
─ BOOM!
As soon as the flag went down, Yu Ha-rin's energy flared up violently. In an instant, Yu Ha-rin's eyes began to be stained with red flames.
Feeling the hot wind blowing from all directions, I narrowed my eyes and focused on Yu Ha-rin's sword.
It is certainly... different.
The momentum and speed at which the heat erupted were markedly different from yesterday. With a single enlightenment, Yu Ha-rin was perfectly handling her heat.
Looking at me with eyes full of heat, Yu Ha-rin grinned.
“Now. I will show you.”
Now?
I frowned slightly as if puzzled by Yu Ha-rin's words.
Then, Yu Ha-rin began to increase her energy while wearing a smile.
─ BOOOOM!
In an instant, the energy burning from Yu Ha-rin's body exploded in size.
The enormous momentum created a wind, and my clothes began to flutter rapidly in the breeze.
……Could it be, this?
The energy of Yu Ha-rin, which I had thought was at its limit, began to grow without knowing an end.
As the blue steel stones of the grand stage began to heat up from the heat Yu Ha-rin emitted, the martial artists watching from nearby stepped back one by one.
Soon, Yu Ha-rin's entire body was enveloped in red flames, and after a short time, the color began to darken gradually. From a blood-red color to a dark red, and the energy of Yu Ha-rin, which had been darkening, now began to take on a faint blue light.
“This is the stage of Blue Flame. It is a new realm opened thanks to your teaching.”
The audience around us began to murmur.
Not only was the momentum flowing from Yu Ha-rin's body impressive, but the color of the visible flames had changed.
Although the murmuring of the audience grew with bewilderment, Yu Ha-rin remained focused.
The sizzling flames emitted a bright blue light and wavered around her.
But without stopping there, Yu Ha-rin raised her energy even further.
I let out a small sigh as I raised my demonic energy.
Sigh.... It seems I must see this through to the end today.
The energy of Yu Ha-rin, which had been growing endlessly, began to compress little by little.
The size of the flames significantly decreased, and then that power began to concentrate into Yu Ha-rin's sword.
Yu Ha-rin's flames, which had been bluish, also gradually lost their color and at some point burned into a perfect white.
“……And this is White Flame. The realm I will show you today.”
Yu Ha-rin looked at me while carrying the white-shining flames in her sword.
Due to the concentration of massive energy, Yu Ha-rin's body and the surrounding air vibrated together.
Subsequently, Yu Ha-rin's sword, containing the white flame, pointed toward the sky.
Cold sweat trickled down my back as I was increasing my demonic energy to match Yu Ha-rin's energy.
……This is going to be really dangerous.
I hurriedly raised my demonic energy.
A pitch-black mist spread out and began to coil around my body. In that way, the demonic energy circling my body rapidly increased its size.
Like a single dragon, the massive demonic energy pushed back the yang energy that Yu Ha-rin was pouring out.
─ HISSSS
As Yu Ha-rin's yang energy and my demonic energy met, steam rose from various places in the air.
Looking at the demonic energy I was emitting, Yu Ha-rin nodded.
“Yes. You should at least do this much. As expected, my thoughts were not wrong.”
Having finished speaking, Yu Ha-rin kicked off the ground powerfully and leaped into the air.
The blue steel stones on the floor of the grand stage where Yu Ha-rin had stepped were melting mushily in deep gouges.
I grit my teeth, raised my sword, and aimed it at Yu Ha-rin.
[Flying Sword. Fourth Form]
[Explosive Thunder Forgetting Heaven]
The martial forms were recited from the mouths of both people simultaneously, and just like that, the swords of the two met in the air.