My gaze was sharp. I chose the words I needed to say.

What should I say first? I thought for a moment. In the end, I decided to smile slightly.

“…It’s been a while, Seol-ran.”

“Yeah. It has been a while.”

My ears were caught.

They twisted just like that.

“Ouch.”

“I told you to contact me when you came out, right? Do you want to die?”

“Well, I’m not completely out yet…”

“Then what’s this? A member of the Blood Demon Organization? You’ve joined the Blood Demon Organization? That shouldn’t be possible unless you’ve left the Blood Demon Army, right? And more than anything…”

Eun Seol-ran leaned closer. She was smiling, but it was a very cold smile.

It was as if she was warning me not to say anything wrong.

“You dare to pretend you don’t know me?”

Reluctantly, I began to spill out everything that had happened. My relationship with Ilma and the reason for coming to Fengma Cave.

And in the end, I even mentioned the reason I couldn’t acknowledge Eun Seol-ran.

“A romantic relationship? You, and me?”

“Even if the two of us are fine with it, wouldn’t others see it as strange?”

“…That’s not wrong.”

Eun Seol-ran glanced at me.

“Still, it’s infuriating. How could you not give me a heads-up? At least leave a letter hidden in my backpack or something.”

“I was worried about what would happen if I was caught doing something spontaneous…”

“Is the Ear Sword really that important? What kind of weapon is it?”

“It’s a form created by mixing different energies. According to Ilma-nim…”

I sifted through my teachings.

“All energies have both Yin and Yang, right? The Ear Sword is a weapon that extracts that energy to its utmost limit in a moment. The Ice White Divine Sword and the Fire Wheel Demon Sword, which are the main components of it, symbolize Yin and Yang, respectively.”

“Then what about the Black and White Lotus Sword?”

“I heard that the sword made of magic serves as a foundation to adjust the balance between the two. And if things go well, it is said to achieve the union of Yin and Yang…”

“Ilma-nim… said that?”

Eun Seol-ran muttered in disbelief.

“No way… achieving the union of Yin and Yang isn’t that easy… It’s unusual to think you can do it yourself… If you succeed, of course, you would get something unbelievable, but… what about the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique?”

“I’m still learning it.”

“How is that going?”

“I heard it forms the basis of everything. In the end, you won’t know anything unless you experience it all…”

“Did you learn the Ear Sword, the theory of Yin and Yang union, and the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique all from Ilma-nim?”

“Yes.”

Eun Seol-ran clicked her tongue.

“What a monster. To construct such theories on your own… You even came up with the methods? No, no matter how abnormal your body is, planning to implement such a crazy idea…? I get why people say the current Heavenly Demon is a fixed thing before officially retiring from politics. In terms of talent… how many steps above am I?”

“What martial arts have you acquired, Seol-ran-senpai?”

“Master’s martial art, Yuma Seven Swords. It’s a sword that walks the path of dominance. My master also referred to it as Surado. The Heavenly Eight Martial Artists are taught ascension martial arts directly imparted by the master, right? Each martial art fits perfectly with its respective talent and disposition. Sma received the Yuma Seven Swords.”

Eun Seol-ran looked down at me.

“Each one resembles a beast’s struggle. Their momentum is the fiercest among the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists; it reaches its peak just with the word ‘power.’ I liked it too.”

“To be able to master that in such a short time… wow, you are indeed different, senpai.”

“It’s not that exceptional. Just, you know, similar to others.”

“If others were that capable, wouldn’t the main school have united the world by now?”

“You’re joking too much. What’s your relationship with Ilma? To establish a theory of that level of martial arts, no matter how talented you are, it would have taken an immense amount of time… You’re not really saying…?”

Eun Seol-ran glared at me sharply.

“Don’t tell me… you’re not a pillar husband or anything?”

“I’m just someone who wants to have Ilma-nim as my master.”

“…What about now?”

“It’s a bit much to see it simply as a master-disciple relationship…”

Eun Seol-ran furrowed her brows. She grabbed my face and prodded it.

“…You’re saying you’re not involved at all?”

“If we were to put it that way, we’re more like a superior and subordinate.”

“Hmph.”

Eun Seol-ran stood me up. She turned her head away.

“I’m annoyed that you deceived me, but I’ll let it slide this time. There were circumstances. So for now, can I consider you half a member of the Blood Sea Organization? Since you work under Ilma.”

“You can consider it that way. At least for now.”

“…You won’t be coming as a member of the Black Death Corps? I’ve told you before. Indeed, I’ve already made a spot for you under me. A vacant position. My bodyguard position.”

“Aren’t there already two people that came here?”

“They were just showpieces given for an official position. It’s the first time I’ve even seen their faces.”

Eun Seol-ran spun around. She grabbed the wall next to me tightly.

“Stop beating around the bush and answer. Are you not going to take my bodyguard position?”

“…I’m in a binding situation due to circumstances with Ilma.”

“When that matter or whatever finishes?”

Finishing.

Without realizing it, I started imagining the future. If the day comes when I return to the main school after finishing my work back in the righteous faction…

What would I be doing then?

“I… don’t really know.”

It was a story too far off.

For the time being.

Eun Seol-ran sighed. She removed her hands from the wall.

“…What on earth are you doing? But since you gave me a sincere answer, I’ll let it slide. Got it?”

“That means…”

“There’s no worthy person around, so I’ll just keep it empty. Isn’t it for you? I’m just saying it’s left empty because there’s no one. But if you want…”

Eun Seol-ran turned her back.

The ears peeking out from her hair were slightly flushed.

“I wouldn’t have a problem accommodating you.”

“…Senpai, you really haven’t changed at all.”

“Shut up. I’ve changed a lot, you know? Do you have any idea how much I learn each day? I’m learning all kinds of things as the formal heir of the Heavenly Eight. If I change any more than this, you might not recognize me. So make up your mind quickly.”

“If time permits, I will do so.”

“Yeah, right.”

Eun Seol-ran rummaged inside. I also belatedly started looking around the structure.

There was a smell. The scent of iron and metal. But in one corner, there was a heavy smell of blood, suggesting this was not an ordinary building.

A relatively spacious interior. I brushed off a dust-covered anvil.

“It seems like a blacksmith’s shop…”

“Blood and eerie energy are everywhere. Can you feel it?”

“It’s cold.”

“Right. It’s not even winter… even if it’s underground, it’s too cold. It feels like pure resentment is striking us. I want to open the door, but it seems we can’t…”

Eun Seol-ran narrowed her eyes.

“Thanks to being in Demon Valley, piercing through the darkness is easy, but that doesn’t mean I want to keep staring into this darkness. I need light. Don’t you have anything?”

“I brought my backpack with me.”

“Is there anything inside?”

“I have plenty to eat. I brought more than a hundred pieces of dried meat.”

“You can’t light up the place with dried meat, can you?”

Fortunately, we managed to find a rusty lantern inside. Using a fire starter, the dark interior suddenly brightened.

I already knew, but this was definitely a blacksmith shop. It was the largest I had seen, but all sorts of tools hung on the walls, easily recognizable.

However, it seemed like time had taken its toll; there wasn’t a spot free of dust. Some tools were even rusted.

“…A rusty blacksmith shop underground? Overflowing with eerie energy…? Could this be…?”

“Do you know something?”

“It seems that the collapse of the ground was… truly part of a trial.”

—Kugugugugu…

A weak vibration resonated. The blacksmith shop shook a little.

We looked at each other.

“…The corpses that were running around earlier. And the eerie energy gathering in a disgusting way… there’s only one meaning.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“The blacksmith shop of Master Guigok Yajang.”

Eun Seol-ran sighed deeply.

“How far did we fall, really?”

…

We focused on the occasional sounds coming from outside the door. Some of the corpses were not completely gone and were hovering around the area.

“It seems we can’t go out.”

“They will chase us. We don’t even know how many there are. Besides… they’re not ordinary. If we rush out without thinking, we’ll only see bloodshed.”

Fortunately, amidst the urgency, I had brought enough supplies; the pouch Ilma had given me survived intact.

“Among those strange things, there were some things I shouldn’t cut. Did you see the sword I wielded? I cut down dozens at once, but suddenly, I felt an odd shock on the sword. Just cutting them caused chaos in the blood flow and a strange feeling of internal injury.”

Eun Seol-ran sighed.

“They’re tangled. Inside. It’s annoyingly so. Aah… that’s why I couldn’t wield my sword properly…”

“What do you think those things are?”

“I’ve heard from my master. The Ear Sword made by Master Guigok Yajang is created by mixing the souls of the deceased.”

“Mixing souls…?”

“That’s why it’s called the Ear Sword. The mixed souls aren’t human spirits. They’re more like a material created by Guigok Yajang… Combining that with metal to make a sword is what Guigok Yajang does…”

Eun Seol-ran leaned her head on my shoulder.

“I don’t know the details either. Isn’t it likely that something strange got mixed with the corpses? Perhaps a half-made soul or something like that… But… damn it, why am I teaching you this? How dare you deceive me?”

“Are you angry?”

“Am I not supposed to be? I’ve had a massive headache acting this way. You saw how I was playing coy. You mean to tell me you were snickering from a distance while watching?”

“I didn’t snicker.”

“Then what?”

“I thought you were doing well…”

I smiled.

“I was very glad.”

“…What about jealousy?”

“There’s no way I could be. Since you are amazing, it’s only natural that Master Sma would take you with him.”

Eun Seol-ran’s gaze pierced my cheek.

“You’re a disciple of Ilma-nim, though.”

“I’m a person who wants to be referred to as a disciple…”

“That’s the same thing. You’ve even inherited the sword, so there’s no way you wouldn’t be a disciple, right? It’s absurd…”

Eun Seol-ran spun around, slipping her hand into my coat.

“W-Wait, senpai?”

“Just stay still. Let me see… how much have you trained your body? Hmm?”

“Why are your hands there…?”

“Shut up. It’s revenge.”

Eun Seol-ran played with me for a long time and then burst into a smile.

“Not a lie, huh? Ultra rare Jeok-un.”

“Speaking of which, has Senpai not entered the martial arts stage yet?”

“I’m only halfway in. It’s precarious. Master Sma seems to be blowing hot air a lot these days, making me uneasy. Hearing things like ‘a heavenly genius’ or ‘a talent that will lead the Black Death Corps’… sigh. It only makes my shoulders heavy.”

“Should I ease some of that tension for you?”

“I won’t refuse that.”

Her lighthearted tease made her turn her back on me, and it felt awkward to reject her now, so I placed my hand on her shoulder.

A slender body. It was hard to see even a trace of martial training on her shoulders.

But what I felt beneath my touch was astounding. The muscles were highly compressed, more than I had ever seen, feeling it through my fingertips.

It was just like mine. Not easily visible on the surface, but you could feel its depth when you touched it.

It’s a realm that can’t be achieved by talent alone. There must be effort beneath it.

“…Seol-ran-senpai.”

“Yeah?”

“Senpai, you are indeed remarkable not only in talent but also in efforts.”

In every aspect.

As a close acquaintance.

She was a woman I couldn’t help but respect.

“Wonderful.”

“…….”

Eun Seol-ran rested her head against my chest. She glanced up at me.

Her small mumble was loud enough for me to hear.

“You’re more amazing than me.”

“That’s not true.”

“It’s not? I thought this back then too, but you’re the one who’s more impressive. You’ve risen so high with that body of yours, right? What on earth have you done this time? Your efforts must be abnormal… you must have faced death countless times, right?”

“Not that much.”

“No way. It was all written all over your body.”

Eun Seol-ran sighed.

“I’ve heard about the Cheongeop. It’s embedded in your body, isn’t it?”

“…….”

“I heard that if you forcefully cling to something that doesn’t match your body, it will cause terrible pain. It might fade over time… but every moment would be like being sliced by a knife. But you endured all that by yourself? Without a hint of it?”

“I felt like I could handle it as I kept enduring.”

“Do you want to die? You know that’s not a pain you can just endure. My master said the pain was so great that even a part of you could be horrified. The original Cheongeop was said to be something you wouldn’t dare endure. You’re saying it was the same when you were with me.”

Eun Seol-ran reached out and touched my cheek gently.

“…Did you know Yeon Guang?”

“I spoke with him for the first time here.”

“Why did you go that far for someone you just met?”

“I thought it was the right path.”

“See, you are the amazing one. Thirty.”

I smiled at the old title. I looked down at her.

“Did you know?”

“What?”

“That the martial artist you respect is the Twenty-Nine?”

“…Ahaha!”

Giggling, Eun Seol-ran’s eyes softened. My face instinctively brightened.

Moist eyes. The gaze looking up at me whispered softly.

“Back then and now, you’ve always been like that.”

“…….”

“The time we’ve spent apart was short, and the actions were very risky, but…”

So close I could almost touch.

“I still liked it…”

“What are you doing in my workshop?”

“Eep?!”

Eun Seol-ran jumped up immediately. I turned my head as well.

A metal plate I thought was a wall opened up. A face squeezed through the gap.

An old man with a nasty expression appeared.

“You rascals.”

 

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