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Chapter: Blood on the Floor

Drip, drop—!

Blood spills across the cracked floor.

There was quite a lot for a mere mouth injury. My trembling body signaled that I had pushed myself to the limit.

I shifted my gaze to the side.

Beside the pool of blood, my sword lay abandoned.

The swordsmanship master trembled, having failed to keep hold of his weapon.

It was a scene that needed no further words.

“Hm.”

In this fog-heavy world, Pang Woojin observed the young man kneeling against a gray backdrop.

“Disappointing.”

It was far from what he had expected.

Was it Jin Imseok he was called?

Pang Woojin had held different anticipations for him.

He had thought he might endure a little longer, granting some amusement in the process.

“Did I expect too much?”

In a regrettable situation, Pang Woojin’s heart grew cold.

Meanwhile, his eyes shifted.

Leaving behind the already fallen opponent, he turned beneath the sparring stage.

Pang Woojin sought someone amidst the countless spectators. Soon enough, he spotted a figure.

Finding them wasn’t difficult. In a world painted gray, it was merely a matter of identifying the one shining brightly.

“Haha.”

He smiled as he found the young man.

Still an expanse of brightness.

In this bleak, murky gray world, only the youth glimmered with a blue hue.

“Truly splendid today.”

When he first laid eyes on him, the brilliance had been somewhat shallow.

Just an ember.

Or a flickering flame.

Yet, from that boy, younger than himself, he felt that spark.

Wasn’t it truly fascinating?

Pang Woojin had taken interest in that flame, and as time passed, the ember blazed vividly.

It was color.

The world he had lost when he turned ten.

A scene lit with color flickered before his eyes.

“Beautiful.”

Though the shimmering red light had inexplicably shifted to blue, it remained beautiful nonetheless.

Moreover, it didn’t shine alone.

Other colors nestled around that blue.

The daughter of the Tang Clan, a name he had no need to remember.

She now radiated a green hue as he watched.

“Bright.”

How could a woman who once bore no color possess such brilliance?

This wasn’t the first time Pang Woojin had seen those adorned with color.

There had been others beyond this girl.

He had observed Cheonan, the leader of the Shaolin.

And the Sword Sovereign, known as the protector of the alliance.

Did martial artists express their strength through color?

He had thought so as a child, but soon learned otherwise.

His father…

Pang Clan Leader bore no color at all, while Shin Yi, claimed to be the strongest in the Central Plains, displayed a striking hue.

“Then what is color?”

If the difference in strength didn’t dictate color, what, then, determined the colors in his view?

He had always harbored such questions, yet Pang Woojin could never find an answer.

He could only realize…

“How radiant.”

In a world devoid of color, the hues he perceived were irresistibly tempting and alluring.

He had long forgotten to concern himself with why he saw it.

What was important now was simply that color existed. That alone sufficed.

It was like a beam of light in a forsaken world.

Perhaps that was why a change occurred in Pang Woojin’s life.

Those stripped of color began to seem like mere dust.

They didn’t feel human.

Even sharing the same heart, without color, it became difficult to recognize them.

Not worth remembering.

Like the countless stones scattered on the ground.

No more, no less.

Was his father any different?

He had inherited the color of his hair and eyes, yet Pang Woojin had never deeply contemplated his father.

Was it because of his inept leadership?

Or was it because his father struggled in a pitifully ugly manner?

Neither was it.

It was simply because they lacked color.

He held no interest in those who could not bear color.

Not even blood kin.

Incapable fathers and useless brothers.

Only his younger sister, Peng Ah-Hee, retained some vestige of color, which was why he still exchanged words with her.

Just how alluring was that?

“A being that creates color in the surroundings.”

He had seen those who lost their color, yet never one who could create it; however, being near that young man, he could feel colors emerge.

So…

“You ought to show me something as well.”

Pang Woojin chuckled as he observed his rising opponent.

His trembling limbs made for a pitiful sight as he held his sword like a cane.

【Would you grant me but one favor?】

Before stepping onto the sparring stage, Gu Yangcheong had piqued Pang Woojin’s interest with a request.

Had it not been for that, he would have never engaged in such a bout.

“Or perhaps…”

Maybe he would have even without it.

After all, that young man also possessed color.

Simply…

“Far too shallow and trivial.”

The fading ember.

The color he sensed from the youth was diminishing gradually.

And with that, Pang Woojin’s interest was also waning.

“I wonder, what could you possibly want from that author?”

One strike would be enough.

Pang Woojin determined that would suffice to gauge the author’s worth.

Sure, seeing the color, he could view him positively, yet he still held doubts about having any substantial expectations.

Look closely.

Wasn’t the color still fading?

Despite managing to stand and seize his sword, it was evident just by looking.

The will to fight was absent.

What remains when a martial artist lacks fighting spirit?

A void.

That was akin to nothingness.

“Such a pity.”

This time, it seemed he had misjudged.

As he contemplated this, he drew his blade.

The pact must be fulfilled.

Thus, he too must claim what he sought.

Swish.

He swung the blade, aiming for a final blow.

At that moment…

Thud.

“…!”

Retrieving the swung blade, Pang Woojin hurriedly leaped back.

“…Hm?”

After stepping back roughly six paces, he lost his smile as he regarded his opponent.

A ruined stance.

A trembling body.

Nothing had changed.

Pang Woojin narrowed his eyes at his foe.

“Color…”

The hues that had once swirled like a mirage had disappeared.

But…

“What’s this?”

Why was he so vividly clear?

Though the colors vanished, somehow, the young man seemed distinctly vivid.

What could this mean?

As he became lost in thought, the realization dawned on him.

“Ah, I see.”

The colors hadn’t vanished.

They had transformed.

The golden hues like a mirage had dissipated.

While the surrounding darkness grew deeper.

The moment Pang Woojin noticed the shift…

SSSSHHHHH—!!

“Hooh.”

The young man, Jin Imseok, had turned entirely black.

Pang Woojin turned his gaze towards the judge.

The judge maintained his unchanging reaction below the sparring stage.

He was merely confirming the situation that occurred.

This meant that others couldn’t see this transformation.

“Haha, so it’s like that again.”

Pang Woojin chuckled brightly.

“It seems my thoughts were mistaken.”

He was wrong, and the young man was right.

The realization was so enchanting that he could scarcely compose himself.

Creek.

The young man began to move.

Jin Imseok, who surely had reached his limits, made a move.

He appeared so dark it was hard to tell what expression he bore.

While Pang Woojin found himself fascinated by Jin Imseok’s transformation…

“Ah.”

As Jin Imseok moved, he uttered a brief word.

Then his eyes ignited with light.

Bright, shimmering golden irises.

Upon seeing that, a chill ran down Pang Woojin’s spine.

SSSSHHHHH—!!!

In the next instant, an overwhelming energy surged from Jin Imseok’s physical body.

“This is…”

Pang Woojin nodded as he sensed the energy.

“Killing intent.”

That dreadful aura was nothing but killing intent.

How could one exude so much killing intent?

The scene was astounding.

Yet, he couldn’t simply marvel at it.

Pang Woojin, grinning, drew his blade.

KA-BOOM!!

The energy that had emanated from Jin Imseok raced towards Pang Woojin in an instant.

CLANG-!!

Swords met.

In that moment…

CRACK!

“Huh.”

The foot where Pang Woojin stood sunk into the sparring stage, forced back.

“What is this?”

The force was completely different from before.

GROWL-!!

What had once felt so light now held oppressive weight.

Pang Woojin repositioned his grip on the blade and altered his path.

SCREECH! Jin Imseok’s sword sliced by, brushing against the air.

Once he released the defense, Pang Woojin refocused his lost strength and countered.

Yet…

WHOOSH–!!

“!”

Suddenly, Jin Imseok’s killing intent surged toward Pang Woojin.

Like a blade, it was sharp and unyielding.

Seeing this, Pang Woojin swiftly altered his trajectory and swung his blade.

Black Smoke Random Blade.

The weapon, infused with strong energy, unleashed unrestrained chaos.

CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!

Each swing deflected the killing intent, blocking every assault.

It was an easy effort.

However, the moment he finished his defense, Pang Woojin’s expression was anything but pleasant.

“How astonishing.”

The intensity of the killing intent far exceeded his expectations.

It felt akin to smashing scrap metal.

“It’s definitely killing intent, yet does it match the intensity of strong energy?”

What kind of martial art was that?

Pang Woojin tilted his head, intrigued.

Plick!

Suddenly, Jin Imseok’s attack brushed against Pang Woojin’s cheek.

Blood splattered into the air.

“Faster than before.”

Compared to the initial encounter, this was significantly quicker.

Had both speed and strength increased?

“This could very well mean he feels like a different person.”

The sword path remained similar.

CRACK! BOOM!

Initially delicate yet fundamentally sound, Jin Imseok now resembled a beast.

He swung instinctually.

The killing intent smeared on his sword was unmistakably intense.

While one might regard it as too crude to be called swordsmanship, the intent and power contained within had shifted dramatically.

“Hahaha!”

Pang Woojin laughed heartily.

Instead of retreating from the killing intent, he lunged deeper.

Plick! SWISH!

The violent killing intent tore through his skin.

The wounds flared with heat instantly, yet Pang Woojin didn’t flinch.

The more it hurt, the more energized he felt.

“How delightful.”

He no longer cared why this young man had transformed.

“This is enjoyable.”

Now it felt exhilarating.

Pang Woojin’s eyes focused solely on Jin Imseok’s eyes.

Those ecstatically shining golden orbs.

Even filled with killing intent to the point of nausea, to Pang Woojin, they were merely beautiful.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you dead. I will end you.”

It seemed even Jin Imseok’s mutterings were inaudible to Pang Woojin.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Pang Woojin unleashed a flurry of precise attacks to deflect the killing intent as he closed in.

He alternated between applying and retracting strength while mixing in feints, yet Jin Imseok seemed to dodge them effortlessly.

With a decisive strike, he slashed at the surface level.

SWISH!

With a shallow blow, Jin Imseok’s shoulder was grazed.

Since his feint had failed and left an opening, Jin Imseok eagerly seized the wound and pressed inward.

“I’ll kill you.”

Jin Imseok thrust his sword toward him.

WHOOSH!

This time, his sword pierced Pang Woojin’s shoulder.

It sank in perfectly, pushing through the skin, yet…

“Very good.”

Pang Woojin, as if undeterred by pain, grasped Jin Imseok’s hand.

“Tight—!”

“Huu… Huu!”

“Hahaha!”

In close proximity, the angle made it impossible for Pang Woojin’s sword to strike Jin Imseok, while his sword remained lodged in Pang Woojin’s shoulder, immobilizing him.

They couldn’t fight unless one of them released their grip.

Moreover, if either of them relinquished their hold, they’d be immediately at risk.

“Well then, what will you do, Jin—!”

Was there truly no escape? As Pang Woojin pondered, his eyes widened.

THUMP—!

Jin Imseok, without a hint of hesitation, bit Pang Woojin’s nape.

Pang Woojin relinquished his grip on the blade.

Then, with his empty hand, he struck Jin Imseok’s abdomen.

BAM—!!

The shockwave erupted, sending Jin Imseok’s body sprawling across the ground.

“Hmph.”

He rolled a couple of times before spitting something out.

Flesh and blood.

Watching this, Pang Woojin rubbed his nape.

“…”

There was a wound.

Not vital, so it was no issue, but it was definitely a rough injury.

Had he not let go of the sword and thrown Jin Imseok aside, it would have been very dangerous.

“…I didn’t expect this.”

To bite his nape in that situation…

What, was he a beast? Such a messy sparring match…

“Truly… truly delightful.”

As he wiped away his blood, Pang Woojin wore an ecstatic expression.

Colors overflowed.

The killing intent radiating from Jin Imseok enveloped the area,

And within it, the dazzling golden eyes shone.

Though there were only two colors, they filled Pang Woojin’s world.

“More.”

He couldn’t contain himself.

“Please, show me more of the prince’s colors.”

A wave of desire surged within him.

“Please, show me the limits of your radiance.”

WHOOOOSH—!

The blade in Pang Woojin’s hands began to scream fiercely.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—!!!!

The sound erupted as the energy gathered at his fingertips.

Drip, drip.

Blood trickled down from his neck and shoulder.

It hurt.

As if poisoned, the pain intensified. Yet, the more it stung, the more Pang Woojin laughed.

Now, even pain felt like ecstasy to him.

“Huu… Huu.”

Meanwhile, Jin Imseok’s condition deteriorated even further.

Though the amount of killing intent he exuded had decreased, its density had thickened.

It appeared he was adapting to the killing intent, beginning to regulate it.

Huff.

Huff.

The sword held by Pang Woojin began spinning slowly.

“Indeed.”

To what extent could this author show him?

Gu Yangcheong’s request had long since slipped from Pang Woojin’s mind.

“How far can you reveal yourself?”

“How far can you endure?”

“How far will you shine?”

The longer they fought, the clearer the colors became. Just how far could this go?

He ached to see it.

Only that brought him to the brink of madness.

“So, show me.”

“Show me your limits of radiance.”

WHOOOOSH—!!

Jin Imseok’s growling transformed.

A change came to the sword he gripped.

The killing intent he had been releasing began to concentrate on the blade.

Is this also martial arts?

Pang Woojin’s breathing grew rough as he observed.

Eyes blazing brightly, Jin Imseok’s gaze grew vibrant.

Watching this, Pang Woojin gathered all his energy.

He hadn’t intended to draw on strength until meeting that much-anticipated individual, but it was unavoidable.

Having witnessed such brilliant colors, he had no choice but to respond in kind.

Black Iron Ten Thousand Strikes.

Pang Woojin prepared a technique within his capabilities.

To acknowledge Jin Imseok’s value.

As their energies converged, tension thickened.

The atmosphere around the two grew heightened, ready to burst at any moment.

Huff—!

Jin Imseok’s body staggered.

“Snap.”

“Huh?”

Then, he crumpled to the ground.

The spontaneous shout escaped him as he collapsed against the stone floor.

“Wow…?”

Pang Woojin found himself bewildered.

“What is this—!”

Jin Imseok seemed unconscious, not moving in the slightest. The killing intent that had been radiating from him vanished instantly.

The depth of colors dulled.

The once-black body returned to its natural state of yellow.

“…No.”

As Pang Woojin approached tremulously, it was already too late. The judge had arrived and was assessing Jin Imseok’s condition.

After confirming his state, he raised his hand and declared.

“Hebei Peng Clan, Pang Woojin. Victory.”

What happened next was a blur.

Did cheers arise at the judge’s announcement? Or was there silence?

Pang Woojin couldn’t comprehend anything.

What he knew was instinctively, his gaze turned to Gu Yangcheong.

And upon doing so, he saw Gu Yangcheong…

Smiling as if he had found a fine treasure while looking at the fallen Jin Imseok.

 

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