전생검신 88권 01화

After hearing my shout, Ajidahaka’s eyes shone with a spark.

[So you want to be a Sword God… How ambitious! If you truly seek the realm of a real Sword God and not just some nameless martial fame, then even you now have an ambitious goal ahead of you.]

“……”

[If you wish to become a Sword God, first you must overcome me right in front of you…!!]

Swish!

Ajidahaka assumed a stance, aiming his sword at me yet again. The moment I saw that stance, I instantly figured out what was going down.

‘Divine Skill…!!’

That immense skill, enveloped like an infinite sand desert, couldn’t be tackled just with a Dark Night Slash. No matter how well I just faced off against it, I wouldn’t win by simply reading the [Flow]. It’s a technique that seems to embody Great Nature itself; it’s like trying to prevent a storm or a volcanic eruption with human hands, even if you know it’s coming.

There’s no way I could slice through the entirety of a desert with one slash. How on earth would I block that technique?

‘Could I rely on that lucky break from before again…?’

……

Now that I think about it, how on earth did I avoid major injury from Ajidahaka’s attack? Even while chatting with him, I never really grasped the answer. I had a gut feeling there was a secret I wasn’t catching onto in this situation, but without knowing its substance, it’s meaningless.

‘What is it within me… What the heck is it protecting me from that Divine Skill?’

And there’s something strange too. Why is it that other times I don’t react but I’m showing unusual responses in this battle? It seems closely related to that peculiar potential that protects me.

‘… Inner self?’

At that moment, a memory flashed through my mind.

[It’s for the sake of seeking the world.]

[This is the technique of the War God, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens.]

[It is the accumulation of cause and effect.]

[In other words, it can be seen as a secondary vessel where the Great Immortal can store his power.]

[However, depending on one’s gaze, even the end of the universe might not be a result… ]

And at the same time, a single line pierced through my soul.

[The Martial God has smiled upon you for the first time.]

The day the Martial God… smiled at me…

I thought he merely meant to encourage me, saying to “hang in there” as he passed by. Even the Great Immortal still had human feelings and often would say flattering words.

But if that was taken at face value…?

Without realizing it, I began to mutter the teachings I received from him.

“Qi flows according to the principle of Heart, Qi, Blood, and Essence. Qi and Intent are interconnected…”

And from that Heart, Qi, Blood, and Essence, a new Trinity is formed.

What didn’t resonate with me back then now felt understandable in light of the divine skills I’ve been digesting.

Swish!

I took the stance of the Thunder God Sword Dance. For some reason, I felt this was the most appropriate sword form for me right now.

Why, you ask? The Thunder God Sword Dance is undoubtedly good, but I had far more powerful techniques in my arsenal. Above all, the Thunder God Sword Dance is not particularly excellent for practical use; it’s more of a ceremonial sword dance.

But why did I pull out the Thunder God Sword Dance against the Divine Skill—a limit for all martial artists?

Even I didn’t understand myself, but soon I figured it out.

‘Because it’s cool…’

The Thunder God Sword Dance is just plain cool. That’s the only reason.

With the insight into the resonance of swords taught by Dokgo Seong, I made my first true step as a martial artist through the realm of the essence of Thunder God lineage, feeling a sense of belonging as I truly became a disciple of Thunder God lineage, not merely dabbling. That feeling of pride was beyond words.

In that moment, I heard that sword resonance echo like a voice in my head.

[Do you desire lightning?]

[Do you truly think that ridiculous lightning can affect this sword?!!]

And there it was, the 96 seconds of the sword dance that had me enthralled!

I realized that the heavenly sword technique was something I couldn’t possibly withstand with the techniques of Thunder God lineage, and I could feel my sword and the intentions of Thunder God lineage merging into one. That recognition brought a satisfaction that was unspeakable.

At that moment, I could hear that resonating voice from back then ringing in my head.

[Do you desire lightning?]

[Do you really think that your flimsy lightning could do anything against this sword?!!]

Now, as I think back, I realize that my inaction at the moment of that overwhelming sword resonance held countless regrets and disappointments. But why am I only feeling this again now?

[Thinking of reasons can wait till you’ve grown stronger.]

Suddenly, a past line from Jin So-cheong flashed through my mind.

“……!!”

Yes… That phrase has governed my life like a precious principle since my early reincarnation. Since I was too weak to bear the trials before me, the right move was to get stronger first, and only then should I think. And true to that remark, now that I’ve grown stronger, the time has come for ‘thought’.

At the same time, I was painfully aware of the ruthless survival of the fittest in this world.

Looking back, that single phrase represented harsh reality.

‘The weak… do not even have the right to be angry… nor the right to be aggrieved!!’

True.

In the past, being weak was unavoidable, but now, I had proclaimed myself a disciple of Thunder God lineage.

Then it was time to fight back against the grievances of that past.

‘What lies dormant within me…’

I reach out to [It] with my intent.

Electric zing!!

Once again, the sword resonance echoes in my mind. And like back then, I could feel the 96 seconds of the sword dance flowing before my eyes like an apparition.

‘This is not some illusion crafted from my will, trained before battling Musashi.’

Clearly, this sword resonance was something beyond the influence of my brain –

Truth is, it was in me from the start, just lying dormant until now.

Swoosh!

The sword clash danced and sang in a magnificent state – I had memorized the start and finish of this 96 seconds of sword dance, but it still felt fresh.

‘Now I’m beginning to catch a glimpse of the enlightenment that resides within this peerless sword form.’

Things I couldn’t comprehend from the trivial realm of not grasping sword resonance were now visible. Back then, it was simply thrilling because it was cool, but now I could read the profound attack and defense harmony nestled within this Overlord’s sword technique. Understanding how meticulously it was crafted filled me with awe.

‘It really is magnificent! This freedom and strength… There’s no way my incomplete Thunder God sword techniques could withstand this!’

It was embarrassing to think I fled in fear by simply grasping the revelation of sword resonance. I thought it was distant then, but even now, it was awe-inspiring.

Could I really withstand this?

If I’ve developed Thunder God lineage swordplay to this extent, could I truly reach out and grasp it?

“……”

While I was deep in thought, I suddenly sensed a weakness in this swordplay.

‘But this is a technique. Its attack is still present, proving its vulnerability.’

Should I label this a weakness?

For some reason, the very essence of the ‘96 seconds’ felt like a limitation. Despite its complete form as a swordplay, I felt it lacked the robustness of coherence.

And I easily realized why I felt this way.

Gong Sun Da-rang’s Natural Sword!

Without form, it has no attacking techniques!

When I faced that Divine Skill, I struggled to even put up a fight. I couldn’t exploit the weakness of a formless technique in the first place. Unlike that Natural Sword, this Overlord’s sword play, however flawless, remains as an attack since it has form, thus it can be interpreted and countered. Even if at the moment I didn’t know how to counter, I felt it had the weakness of having a form.

‘If that’s the case…’

Naturally, memories of my combat experience against Gong Sun Da-rang came back to me alongside thoughts on how to counter this sword resonance.

Step forward!

I stepped into the swirling mirage of the Overlord’s Sword Dance. The moment the Divine Skill descended to sever my spirit in one blow, I swung my sword.

‘Defeating the Overlord’s Sword with Thunder God Sword Dance is simple.’

It is to sharpen my very heart into lightning!

Flash!!

In a split second, the clash between the Overlord’s sword and the Thunder God Sword ended, bringing me back to reality.

Crackle…

I felt my sword transform into a complete Thunder Sword as I maintained the same stance.

Instead of merely applying the sword resonance to cover the Thunder Spirit Technique, this wasn’t just ordinary sword resonance!

‘… Awesome!’

And as if waiting for this very transformation, Ajidahaka swung his sword horizontally to attack.

Argel, the Sword Emperor of Immortal and Unkillable Externals,

First Form,

Divine Realm,

Ganges Sand.

Swishhhh!

The mirage of sand, encircling the heavens, re-emerged. I could feel Ajidahaka’s heart words, blending with the energy of the sand, penetrating into my innermost thoughts.

[Take this!!]

Boom!

I immediately understood how terrifying the sword energy of Ganges Sand felt. While at a glance, it resembled the manifestation of the Absolute Realm shaped by Intent, the difference with Ajidahaka’s Ganges Sand was that every grain carried a power that could disregard the Small Cycle.

That meant just brushing up against a single grain in Ganges Sand could lead to a fatal hit!

How many people could survive the chaotic sword rain of the Divine Realm that seemed boundless like an infinite desert?

‘But I’m not scared.’

I had already found my countermeasure. No matter how many sands blow around me, I maintained my composure and executed the Thunder God Sword Dance right there.

Crackle!

In that moment, I felt my entire being transform into a mass of Thunder Energy. Yet, unlike before, it wasn’t a sudden realization; there was a moment of interruption, a feeling that I wasn’t yet entitled to reach that domain consciously. A little disappointing, but I didn’t stop there; I manifested a singular sword from the Heart Thunder within my grasp.

Wooosh—

The sword resonance echoed. At that moment, I felt my intent cover the Ganges desert, and tore forth my sword dance toward the world.

Heaven’s Escape!

The resonance of the Thunder God Sword!

Flash!

The Spirit Thunder shot out like a tree branch, piercing through the chest of Ajidahaka. I instantly found the location of his true body hidden deep within Ganges’s Divine Skill and intercepted it. The flash of my Intent was faster than anything, and its speed could be described as the Intent of Heart Thunder.

The principle was straightforward.

Before the Ganges became deployed, I would kill the caster faster with my Heart Thunder and block the Divine Skill!

[……!!]

Crash!

Ajidahaka, perfectly hit by my counterattack, halted the Ganges deployment, sinking to one knee. He barely maintained his stance while clutching his sword, struggling for breath.

[Huff… Huff…!!]

“……”

In a single strike, I had neutralized Ajidahaka, but I wasn’t in great shape myself. I didn’t show it, but the moment I unveiled that singular sword, I felt my strength drain rapidly, just like when I forced out the Dark Night Slash. This was a phenomenon akin to releasing too much energy.

I noted then that myself was about to fall apart.

‘…… So it was about capacity…’

If I waste energy beyond what my heart can manage, becoming exhausted is unavoidable!

But I couldn’t allow myself to be the first to fall here as a martial artist. I grit my teeth and held back the urge to collapse, right when Ajidahaka, battling for breath, spoke.

[What… is that technique…?]

“……”

[No… That sword in your hand, instead of steel… what exactly is it? I can tell it’s not a material sword… ]

Gazing down at the Heart Thunder sword manifesting within my grasp, I softly replied.

“It’s the Immortal Sword!”

The story was simple from the start.

It was the Immortal Sword within me that instinctively reacted to prevent Ajidahaka from sustaining serious wounds from the Ganges.

And not just to counter, but to win in this fight, I had materialized the lightning form of the Immortal Sword from within me. I had never pulled out the Immortal Sword this way before, but it felt like I could pull it off this time. After all, the Immortal Sword had also reached the level of the [Heart].

‘If my heart is lightning, then why not!’

And now, I felt like I could access the level of Heaven’s Escape!

After listening to my reply, Ajidahaka remained silent for a while before slowly speaking.

[The Sword God… Your intention to rise to the pinnacle of all swordsmen across the three thousand worlds… I previously thought was the ignorant rambling of a fool… ]

“… Is that so.”

[But now… ]

Ajidahaka seemed to be vividly smiling even as he faltered.

[It appears you might have the capacity to succeed… ]

Thud.

Ajidahaka collapsed forward. I watched him fall until I too staggered and fell. I couldn’t withstand this any longer with my spirit nearly depleted.

But I smiled weakly within my fading consciousness.

‘I’ve won.’

I had genuinely vanquished a master of the Divine Skill with my own strength.