“An Ear Sword is, as the name suggests, something that sucks in filthy souls and converts them into something new. However, even then, some tendencies remain. But the mixed souls born from this are completely different. As I mentioned before, they are akin to newborns.”

What lay before me were three swords.

Yet I instinctively felt it. The colors of the sword sheaths for those three swords were different…

I was not to draw them easily.

“The white sword left by Bing Baeksul was a legendary sword from its very creation. With just a slight touch, one could embed a soul into it. The other two I created myself. As a result, I haven’t slept for three months.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear. I meant for you to listen more carefully. Now, look.”

He picked up one of the swords resting on the rack.

“This is the Ear Sword. Naming it is my role; how to wield it is yours.”

“What is its name?”

“The one who will handle the Flames Wheel Demon Sword is Black Pearl. That white one was reborn from my fingertips, so the one who wields it is Bai Ya. And lastly, that one…”

Master Guigok Yajang let out a sigh.

“It’s an incomplete product.”

“Excuse me?”

“Didn’t you hear? I said it’s an incomplete product. That one… I don’t know. I don’t know what to call it precisely.”

“What exactly do you mean?”

“An Ear Sword is tailored to fit the owner. It starts with a structure that rebels if it doesn’t have a rightful owner. I thoroughly analyzed your body. From weight balance to suitable blade length, everything is fitting.”

Master Guigok Yajang swung the sword in his hand, still in its sheath.

“These Ear Swords don’t fit my body. The same goes for other warriors. But yours fits so absurdly well. However… that one does not.”

“What does that mean…?”

“I gave it birth, but from some point onward, the hammer acted on its own.”

Master Guigok Yajang’s hand trembled.

“That was something that used me to form its own body. I thought I had selected the one that would match your intentions best, but… somehow, there was one more thing added to it.”

“What is…?”

“Cheongeop.”

Master Guigok Yajang’s expression grew heavy.

“I rushed after completing the two swords. Being sleepless made my mind wobble. So, I added something that shouldn’t have been added. A fragment of Cheongeop that I had detached from you for observation. That found its way inside.”

“What is this Cheongeop?”

“Only the First Heavenly Demon would know that well. The founder of Heavenly Demon Arts. Do you understand why the ‘Demon’ is attached to our school? Because our seed originated from beings unlike humans. It comes from the seeds of calamity that were cast out from the Central Plains. The progenitor possessed the Cheongeop.”

“So what exactly is that…?”

“I already said I don’t know it well. I only know that Cheongeop is an object that one who reached the end of the void held.”

“……”

Master Guigok Yajang sighed.

“If there’s anyone who knows something about Cheongeop, it would be the current Master. If you’re curious, go ask that person. All I have to tell you is about the Ear Sword. Anyway, that sword is, in essence, something that should never have been born. A physical sword emerged where Cheongeop, which shouldn’t have had a body, now has one, and naturally absorbed a soul that could back its meaning.”

“Is that… possible? Is Cheongeop that powerful?”

“No. It’s impossible. I once asked the previous Master if I could use Cheongeop as material—however, back then, Cheongeop didn’t act this way. It simply vanished without mixing. But yours is different. Here’s a hypothesis.”

Master Guigok Yajang turned to me.

“The nature of Cheongeop changes according to its owner. It can be viewed similarly to the Ear Sword. Your Cheongeop, born from the current Heavenly Demon, can be seen as having grown in a completely different direction from those of past Heavenly Demons. Yours, in essence, is dreadful. It stubbornly clings without giving up. Perhaps that’s why it may have created something that shouldn’t exist.”

“……”

“Since its creation, I couldn’t draw it out. After shoving something heated into the incomplete sheath, I didn’t touch it for a while. I wanted to break it, thinking I had made a blunder, but I couldn’t even do that. It wouldn’t break or shatter. After that, I bound it with Sanmang, so it couldn’t leak out even if I tried to pull it.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t draw that thing for a lifetime?”

“No. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have anything to introduce you to.”

Master Guigok Yajang crossed his arms.

“You pull it out. Check what’s inside.”

“……”

“Black Pearl and Bai Ya. They are akin to newborns. The Ear Sword I always made from mixed souls. How you wield them will determine their consciousness. But that one over there is different. It’s immensely different. I cannot pinpoint what its identity is precisely. I did not create it, so I couldn’t name it, nor could I destroy it…”

Master Guigok Yajang took a step back.

“Something is clearly waiting for you.”

“……”

I took a step forward. Grabbing the sword placed on the rack tightly.

Cheongeop reacted immediately. As if witnessing something strange, it jumped vividly along my veins, urging strength into the hand that gripped the sword.

I too felt something.

This is…

So…

“What do you think?”

I silently reached out. I cut the string that fixed the blade and sheath.

I heard the whisper of Cheongeop. It urged me to draw it, and I nodded in agreement.

I gripped the sheath with my remaining hand. I tried to slowly extract the blade.

But it wouldn’t come out.

As if saying I lacked the qualifications.

Instead, whispers could be heard. Unintelligible whispers. However, I understood that they were directed at me.

I withdrew my hand from the sheath. The sword itself trembled.

It wasn’t rebellion.

It was simply embarrassed because it was still incomplete.

I let go of the sword. In the whispers, I heard the name of that sword.

“Gumang…”

“What? Gumang? Why are you naming it with such a dreadful title?”

“You’re right, Elder. This sword is still incomplete. It knows that, and thus refuses to be drawn.”

I caressed the sheath.

“…But it isn’t dangerous. I can tell.”

“How could it not be dangerous? It’s being kind only to you. As I said before, it knows it is incomplete. Then do you know what’s needed to complete it?”

I tried to converse, but Gumang did not respond.

It only growled softly.

Within that growl was contained what it desired.

“It’s time.”

“…Time?”

“It seems that when the moment comes, it will naturally reveal its body, so for now, it wants you to think that it doesn’t exist.”

“Oh dear… Is it that a newborn Ear Sword has such a distinct personality?”

“Can I check the other swords as well?”

“Nothing stopping you.”

I drew Black Pearl, the sword aimed to draw forth the Flame Wheel Demon Sword’s energy.

The sword itself showed no reaction. But I felt something different from an ordinary sword.

A strange sensation crawled up the sword hilt. Is this what spirit energy feels like?

For a moment, my arm tightened. It felt like fire coursing up to my wrist.

But with a single push, I expelled it.

Master Guigok Yajang went pale.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It hurts. But it’s not unbearable.”

The areas where the spirit energy had tightened recovered immediately. I observed the weak flames crawling over it.

Even without infusing my own力, the flames sparked. So this is spirit energy.

I wanted to try a transformation sword technique, but I held back. There was still one more thing to examine.

“The sword.”

I also took the remaining sword from Master Guigok Yajang. Unlike before, the shape had changed—Bai Ya.

A sharp chill flowed out. But its pressure was unlike before.

Instead of explosively bursting forth, it felt as if it was being meticulously managed. The chill flowed down my wrist. Just as it displayed its rebellious tendencies, it engraved distinct ice marks onto my body.

After enduring once, I put the sword back in its sheath. Both of them…

Their nature is no joke.

“Stronger than I expected, huh?”

“Yes.”

“They’re confused since they were just born, and it might be because they don’t know what kind of person you are. Originally, an Ear Sword emerges from brutality. The roughness that was born from that clings to a physical body meant for killing. If they aren’t rebellious, that’s odd.”

“…….”

“You must remember two things. If you don’t properly tame them, they will end up harming you, and…”

Master Guigok Yajang raised his finger.

“You must focus on taming one Ear Sword at a time.”

“Yes?”

“Ear Swords are greedy. If you carry them all around, they will take offense. At least for them to acknowledge you, concentrate on taming just one. Do you understand what happens if you give up on a child in the middle of parenting? It goes awry. A single deviation might return later as hostility. If you pull out a sword only when you need it, it might just come after your life instead. More than anything, an Ear Sword is a sword that constantly seeks to take its owner’s body…”

Master Guigok Yajang cleared his throat.

“To avoid being devoured, you must make continuous efforts.”

“Thank you, elder.”

“We don’t need thanks. Just promise me one thing. When the day comes that you can draw that strange sword, no matter what it is, be sure to let me know.”

“Is it really that intriguing to you?”

“How arrogant to use my name, Master Guigok Yajang Cheol Il-hwan, as a stepping stone to create yourself. So…”

Master Guigok Yajang glared at Gumang.

“I shall observe just how remarkable that sword is with my own eyes.”

…

All the Ear Swords were completed. Of course, none of them could be properly wielded, but I had done everything I needed to do in Fengma Cave.

The exit I used was the back door of Fengma Cave. A hidden passage guided by the guards who wore blindfolds to protect Fengma Cave.

Before leaving, I politely said my goodbyes to those I had encountered.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Time has passed surprisingly quickly.”

“I’ve learned a lot during my time here.”

My bag was now so full that there was barely room left. The training disciples who had come here to learn techniques were desperate to give me anything they could.

“Take this too. It will be useful.”

“That’s a bit…”

“Is my creation not to your liking?”

“I gratefully accept it.”

I couldn’t refuse, so I ended up packing my hands full. Perhaps it looked funny, as the disciples burst into laughter.

“What’s with this, you’re no young pup going home.”

“I packed it well. Make sure to visit again sometime.”

“Be sure to eat this on your way.”

“Hey, this is too much.”

“What’s too much? You’re a big guy. Eat up!”

Master Guigok Yajang gripped my shoulder tightly.

“You remember what I said? When Gumang is complete, come to me. No exceptions.”

“I will remember. I won’t forget my debt to you, elder.”

“What debt? I act solely as my heart desires. I created it simply because I wanted to.”

Master Guigok Yajang grinned.

“Since I made it for you already, at least say my name when you do. It should be loud enough for me to hear. Got it?”

“…Yes!”

I left Fengma Cave. It felt like a smooth path wide enough for a carriage to run through, and I rushed through the night’s ride.

After that, the blindfold was removed. The guards from Fengma Cave who had dropped me off pointed in one direction.

“Follow that way and you’ll find a road, warrior. If you follow that path, a village will appear, and from then on, it should not be hard to find your way.”

“Thank you. Please take this on your way back. It’s too much for one person.”

“…Haha! I’ll enjoy it well!”

After sharing some food, my burden grew lighter. Though I still felt like a peddler.

I walked through the thickets. Just as the guards of Fengma Cave had said, it didn’t take long for the road to appear. Following that, it was quick to see the village.

Finding the way to the church was also not difficult. Anyone from the church knew that direction.

I ate as much as I could from the somewhat heavy load. With care, as it was for me, I stuffed my mouth before it spoiled.

Since food itself was plentiful, street camping was not too tough. I felt like I was on a picnic.

I also attempted to nurture one of the Ear Swords simultaneously. The first was undoubtedly Bai Ya, with whom I had shared a long time. It tried to attack me while leaking cold energy all around.

As I gripped the sword and swung it, it countered strongly instead. It disrupted the sword path and rushed toward me, shaking off cold energy.

A rebellion even greater than what Master Guigok Yajang had described. It felt as if it pledges to never obey me.

“…Hmm.”

Because of the nature of the Ear Sword, I couldn’t use it for long. The vile chill only worsened with time, forcing me to utilize the sheath as a kind of sealing device.

It was more organized and neat than before, but even more dangerous. For now, I decided to at least match my eye level with the sword.

I didn’t want to forcibly suppress it, so I first drained its energy. Because of this, my skin necrotized, but I endured it by utilizing Cheongeop.

Within the limits I could accept, I provided a stage where it could blow off steam as much as it wanted. The regeneration of Cheongeop slowed as it got colder, so whenever it got too extreme, I would shove the sword back in.

Every time I drew it, Bai Ya would thrash around, but I gladly accepted that.

I also paused my movements. In the heart of the forest, I had a long conversation with it.

A silent conversation.

[……]

Bai Ya, who had been frantically moving, explored my body without restraint. I softly brushed it aside while maintaining minimal lines.

Strong suppression didn’t suit me. So, I chose to embrace it. I didn’t want to forcibly impose another’s will into my own.

[…….!]

More time than I thought passed. When the forest froze and began to lose its shape…

Bai Ya finally stopped acting out. After stuffing away the rage, it turned to me and spoke.

A whisper.

This was, unlike what I heard from Gumang, a word I could clearly understand.

Like the babbling of a newborn, Bai Ya was whining.

If you’re just going to keep hitting, you might as well give up your body.

 

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