Book 8 Chapter 6

Master and Disciple Showdown

- Disciple Extension Decision Match

Last night!

At the deep hour when even the stars had fallen asleep! Two men stood facing each other in the indoor training hall, where not a soul could be found. They were Yeomdo and Biruyeon. A subtle tension stretched the air taut between them.

"We made a promise!"

Biruyeon said.

"Of course."

Yeomdo nodded with a resolute face.

"You're prepared, right?"

"Of course!"

Yeomdo had nowhere left to retreat. His body was already unable to contain its excitement.

"Then you won't have to worry about tomorrow's bar tab."

Biruyeon was already salivating. He wasn't considering the perspective of the person who would be paying at all.

"We'll have to see about that."

"Ooh! Such great confidence!"

*Clap, clap, clap!*

Biruyeon clapped in admiration. Yeomdo wasn't happy at all.

"I haven't been idle for even a moment."

Yeomdo wanted to tell Biruyeon not to look for soup in a well. He hadn't been idling for the past six months either. For him, the Jujakdan were good practice partners. He had dedicated himself to training without a moment's satisfaction. Yet, Biruyeon seemed to see him as too much of a pushover. Now, Yeomdo intended to assert with his entire being that he was not a meal.

"There are many things in this world that can be known without trying them."

Biruyeon smiled.

It seemed that every living creature in the world had a natural enemy. This thorough, cold, and even cruel food chain was not something humans could escape.

Humans, too, definitely had their natural enemies based on the dynamics of their individual strengths.

Yeomdo had thought his only natural enemy in this world was the one and only Binggeom with his "Ice, Ice, Baby." But it had only been a little over two years, a short period, since he discovered that an even more terrifying natural enemy existed. That day, which was almost two years ago, was the very day of the nightmare when Yeomdo first met Biruyeon.

In front of this predator, Yeomdo was utterly helpless, like a frog facing a snake. Yeomdo wanted to say he wasn't a lunchbox, but his claims fell on deaf ears.

While he maintained a tense relationship with Binggeom through a desperate confrontation and psychological warfare, with Biruyeon, he had only been unilaterally defeated.

For the proud and hot-tempered Yeomdo, this was unbearable. It was so shameful and humiliating that he couldn't even bring himself to speak of it to anyone else.

How much effort had he put in to end that story…

'Today, I absolutely must!'

I will raise the banner of 'Leaving Discipleship' high, even at the cost of my life.

'Just you wait!'

Although he had lost all three previous fights, Yeomdo hadn't been idle either.

Yeomdo was determined to finally defeat the enemy before him today and end his time-limited disciple life.

Yeomdo's eyes, gripping the hilt of his Hongyeom, which was still sheathed, were cautious.

Their regular matches, held every six months to decide the extension of his disciple period, were originally part of the agreement between Biruyeon and Yeomdo. They were an escape route Biruyeon had prepared as a contingency for Yeomdo, who had no way to escape if the path to fleeing was completely blocked. The agreement was as follows: If Yeomdo diligently fulfilled his duties as a disciple for six months, he could fight Biruyeon to decide the extension of his disciple period. In other words, if he wanted to quit being a disciple, he had to settle it with his fists. And in the three fights held over a year and a half! Through these three fights, Yeomdo had to unequivocally acknowledge one fact. With a heavy heart, he had to admit the dreadful truth that he had lost not by mistake but by skill. After that, Yeomdo trained even harder. The Jujakdan and Yun Junho, who became his training partners and stress relief, suffered greatly.

Yeomdo was burning with frustration.

How hollow he had felt in the first challenge, being defeated before even drawing his Hongyeom, just like the very first time… The Jujakdan, who were the outlet for his frustration, only suffered. All his anger was poured onto them. However, the results of the subsequent fights weren't any better. If those two fights had gone well, Yeomdo wouldn't be fighting Biruyeon here right now. It was a series of nightmares he didn't even want to recall. But the two-year nightmare was indeed too long.

'What if I lose again…'

If he were branded a permanent disciple, he thought it would be more peaceful to just bite down on a sword and die. However, as if knowing Yeomdo's personality, Biruyeon, his temporary master, had been so thorough that he had even included a suicide prohibition clause in the Disciple Consent Agreement, making Yeomdo shiver with dread.

Yeomdo was exercising extreme caution, as if facing the ultimate adversary of his life, maximizing his full potential. He knew, through countless failures, that he could never regain victory unless he gave his absolute best with all his might and at his peak.

"Aren't you taking too long this time? You're being too cautious. Caution that doesn't suit your temperament can be a poison."

Biruyeon pretended to worry about Yeomdo even during the standoff. Thankfully, wagging his tongue cost nothing. Therefore, Biruyeon could afford to show this level of nonchalance.

"I think I've been beaten enough. I won't fall for honeyed words more than once. I've suffered enough already. I believe I've learned enough lessons."

This was Yeomdo's declaration that, no matter how hot-tempered he was, he possessed sufficient learning ability.

"Ah! It's precisely because of that learning ability that you've drunk the bitter cup of defeat three times. I didn't realize it due to my thoughtlessness!"

*Grrr!*

Hearing Biruyeon's words, Yeomdo's face contorted into a grotesque curve. His heart ached. No, it flinched.

With a record of three consecutive losses, Yeomdo's accumulated experience was considerable. He knew, without being told, that he was vulnerable to speed, having learned enough through his pain. How hard had he strived to compensate for his lack of speed…

The three previous losses were all one-sided defeats because he couldn't withstand Biruyeon's sudden breakthroughs.

Yeomdo had never trained this hard even when he was beaten by that hateful and fated adversary, Gwancheolsu.

'This time, I absolutely will! I absolutely must!'

He was firmly determined to seize victory and be liberated from this pathetic and desperate disciple status.

Yeomdo had already clearly realized Biruyeon's strength. He couldn't understand why such a person possessed monstrous strength, but strength was strength. Yeomdo couldn't help but feel disgusted with his own existence for having to acknowledge it.

During this time, Yeomdo had focused solely on improving his speed. He had keenly felt the difficulty of matching Biruyeon's inhuman speed with his current speed. It took a month for the bruises on his bones to fade. Lessons are meant to be a stepping stone for new leaps.

The past year had been a whirlwind for Yeomdo. He was engrossed in teaching the Jujakdan and Yun Junho. His guidance of the Jujakdan unexpectedly provided him with a lot of help.

From some point on, sparring with the Jujakdan became an efficient part of his training. Therefore, his teaching was always bound to be aggressive. He unleashed his martial arts, assuming every opponent that rushed at him was Biruyeon. And sometimes, he used them as an outlet for his frustration.

Unless he could surpass Biruyeon's monstrous speed, which was so fast it could make ghosts and spirits ask for a cousin, the path to victory would not open.

"Kuuuuh…"

His Hongyeom had not yet been drawn. His waist, bent as he gripped the hilt of his sword until his hand bled, and the immense pressure that felt like his shoulders would break, crushed his entire body. A psychological pressure that made it difficult to move even a finger! Yeomdo couldn't forgive himself for instinctively shrinking back whenever he stood before Biruyeon. He felt a strong sense of losing himself whenever he faced Biruyeon.

He seemed to have been too severely contaminated by always being around Biruyeon.

"Hup!"

*Flash!*

The crimson light that split the space tore through the air.

It was a lightning-fast sword draw. Uncomparably faster than before. However, he failed to strike the ultimate target, the enemy. Even though he had perfectly judged the distance, it was in vain. Biruyeon had narrowly dodged backward before the crimson light could bisect his body. The split-second speed saved his life.

'Tch! Failure…'

Yeomdo regretted it but didn't let down his guard. Based on his past experiences, he knew well that Biruyeon's counterattack after the first strike failed was the most terrifying and powerful. Yeomdo devoted all his effort to his defense.

*Pang!*

Biruyeon, who had retreated a step, shot forward like an arrow with the technique of "Body like a Bow, Springing into Action" (궁신탄영).

Biruyeon's fists, drawing dozens of afterimages, rained down on Yeomdo.

"Hah!"

*Pababa-bat!*

Yeomdo fiercely swung his sword, forming a crimson barrier, and protected himself from Biruyeon's brute force fists.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The crimson barrier did not allow a single one of Biruyeon's invading fists to pass. Three times was enough. Four times was too much.

"Hoho! You've gotten a bit faster!"

Biruyeon was genuinely impressed. It was a significant improvement compared to before. He had become as fast as an ant from a grub. Biruyeon smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

"I haven't been playing around either!"

Yeomdo forced a relaxed smile, trying to hide the trembling in his hands.

Yeomdo gripped his Hongyeom again. Taking a middle stance, he straightened his body. In this brief moment, Yeomdo had achieved the state of "Body and Sword as One" (신도합일), where his sword and body were one. His entire being was already like a single sword. He intended to use his ultimate technique.

True Crimson Seventeen Flames (진홍십칠염) Ultimate Technique (오의)

Sword Flame Qi (검염기) Great Flame Fury (대염노)

A dancing illusion of flames enveloped Yeomdo's entire body. Yeomdo's eyes began to glow like rubies.

"Oh no! Are you going all out? That's too much."

Biruyeon exclaimed.

Originally, Great Flame Fury was a legendary fire that the immovable Fudo Myo-o used to burn away all evil energy in this world, possessing the power to purify everything. Of course, Yeomdo's sword technique did not possess such power, but even so, its power was terrifyingly formidable, not to be ignored.

*Crash! Kwagwagwagwagwac!*

It was indeed a brutally powerful technique. The ground, scratched by the fiery claws, was left ragged.

Biruyeon focused on quickly getting out of the range of Great Flame Fury. Getting caught in such a brute force technique would be no fun.

"Phew! I barely survived…"

Biruyeon let out a sigh of relief. He had narrowly avoided having all his hair singed. It was a dangerous moment. He felt like his hair had been suffering lately. It seemed there were many people who held grudges against his beautiful hair.

Biruyeon also felt the need to finish it. If it continued like this, a fatal accident could occur. Biruyeon did not want to lose his precious disciple in an accident.

Thunderous Lightning Sword (비뢰도) Unique Body Technique (독문신법)

Phoenix Dance (봉황무) Ultimate Technique (오의)

Secret Mirror (비경)

*Swish!*

Biruyeon's body split into two, as if reflected in a transparent mirror of space.

*Paat! Paat!*

The two clones that split from Biruyeon's body attacked Yeomdo from both sides.

"Huk!"

Yeomdo was terrified. Even though he had consumed a lot of energy just before, he couldn't just stand there and be defeated.

Yeomdo stabbed at the clone on his left with his sword, and with his left hand, he unleashed a palm strike, attacking the clone of Biruyeon that rushed at his right.

*Srrk!*

"Huk!"

Despite stabbing with his sword and delivering a palm strike, he felt nothing. It felt like hitting a phantom.

"Illusion!"

*Thwack!*

For a moment, Yeomdo felt his vision go dark. An immense impact from behind his head shook his brain. The two clones he thought he saw were actually decoys. Neither of them had substance. The real one was elsewhere.

'Behind…'

With that thought, along with a swelling lump as big as Mount Tai, he buried his face in the ground.

'And then I woke up in bed.'

Yeomdo let out a sigh of despair.

His backside was still swollen and showed no signs of going down. His backside was still burning and tingling.

'Next time, I definitely…'

Yeomdo had no choice but to start counting the remaining 181 days.