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Flame Burst – Scene

Bang—!!!

As if my body had become flames, I invaded the space around me.

My form, soaring in emptiness, plummeted straight down and hit the ground.

Thud-! Flame Burst-!!

Fire erupted where I fell, melting the ground beneath me. I hurriedly pulled out a bottle from my robe and dusted off my body.

The funny thing was that even the glass bottle I held had started melting.

“Phew….”

Struggling to maintain my dazed consciousness, I took a step forward, only for my vision to shift.

The alien sky of Mankye disappeared, replaced by the familiar sky I knew.

It was the entrance to the Hwasan Sect.

Feeling that I was back, I steadied my feet once more.

Whoosh-!

Once again, my body became a blaze as I leapt into the air.

I twisted my narrowed vision, searching for my location, but it was hard to see.

If I continued like this, I’d surely fall again. What to do? Just as I was pondering this—

“…Tsk, tsk.”

I heard a tongue-clicking sound from nearby.

And then—

“Every time you head out, you cause a ruckus.”

With a familiar curse, I felt a jolt to my head.

Bang-!!

A rough impact sent me crashing to the ground.

Bang-!

I rolled after hitting the ground, bouncing a couple of times before finally coming to a stop.

“Cough.”

I spat a cough and got back on my feet. It didn’t hurt. My dazed mind and body were numbed enough not to feel it.

I squinted up, and there stood the person I was looking for.

“What a funny fellow.”

It was Shin Noya.

He looked down at me with a wry smile.

“You went out thinking the world was ending, but here you are in this state. What gives?”

“……Noya.”

“What a hopeless case.”

Noya said, inspecting me as if it were fascinating.

“…What on earth happened? It doesn’t seem like the time yet… This is strange.”

“…What’s going on? This feels odd…”

At my words, Noya inquired.

“What feels off?”

“Just… it feels strange.”

“…Nice explanation there. What am I supposed to do with this?”

I wanted to respond properly, but I had no words to explain.

It was indeed strange.

A floating sensation.

Pride surged to the top of my head, making me feel like I could do anything.

But intertwined within that was a maddening feeling that pulled me away from my senses.

Burn everything that seems trivial.

Stop messing around; just immerse yourself in the lake you saw.

Such desires bubbled up from within.

Seeing my reaction, Shin Noya tilted his head in curiosity.

“It’s not usually like this. Something must be off.”

“…Do you know what this is?”

“Of course… you know, right?”

“What do you mean…?”

“What should we do? Should I congratulate you first?”

Congratulate? I frowned at the incomprehensible words.

“Kid.”

Noya spoke to me.

“You have finally reached transcendence. How does it feel?”

“……!”

My eyes widened at those words.

I reached transcendence?

‘Is this what transcendence feels like…?’

Transcendence beyond the Great Success.

The pinnacle of mastery in martial arts that one could only touch upon achieving Great Success.

To become one with martial arts.

Are you telling me I’ve reached transcendence now?

I was taken aback by Noya’s words.

Is this what transcendence is?

Whoosh-!

I transformed my hand into flames.

The flickering fire was burning in a rhythmic pattern.

“This is….”

Is this the domain I longed to reach?

My dazed brain started to spark a bit.

While swallowing my astonishment, I heard,

“What’s going on with a kid who left to finish a job only to end up like this?”

Clank.

I looked up at the sharp sound. Noya had drawn a sword from his waist.

“By the looks of it, it seems there’s something you should do first.”

“…Noya?”

“Well, if it’s about making the old man suffer, you’re the best at that.”

From Noya’s feet, plum blossom petals spread out.

As beautiful as always, yet I could feel an intense qi within them.

At the sight, my body instinctively radiated hostility.

Its true nature was simple.

Daring to show hostility before me.

The flames seemingly disapproved of that.

What to do?

Once again, pride surged. At that moment when I thought I should hold back,

“Don’t hold back in vain. Do you think I can’t handle a little brat like you?”

Noya’s calm statement made me feel oddly relieved.

“Do what you can. I imagine it’ll be better than last time.”

Whoosh.

As my body ignited in flames,

Bam-!

Noya’s hand grasped my neck.

And then—

Bang-!!

Noya pulled me with force.

We quickly burst out of the Hwasan Sect’s territory, shattering the barrier I barely created, soaring into the sky.

The night sky wrapped in Extreme Light filled my vision.

Once outside, Noya tightened his grip and threw me with all his might.

My body flew through the air at an incredible speed.

Rough pressure enveloped my body. Inside, I relaxed my muscles instead.

Whoosh.

I heard the pop of sparks, and my soaring body turned to flames.

Suddenly, it felt like my body was trapped against a wall and stopped midair.

My eyes darted around.

I wanted to find Noya but—

Swish.

I felt a cold sensation at my throat.

The flaming body shifted from its place. Just then, a sword sliced where I had been standing.

It was Noya.

Krrrk—!!!

The sword that sliced through the air cleaved everything behind it apart. It felt like the world had been severed in one stroke.

Why am I suddenly fighting Noya?

Questions swirled in my mind, but before rationality could take over, my instincts reacted to his hostility.

Whirrrrr—!!!

A circular ring appeared behind me, spinning rapidly.

Sparkling embers began to coalesce over my shoulder.

The area filled with Flame Jade.

I swung my fingertips.

Brrrrraaaaam—!!!

The Flame Jade poured toward Noya.

As if countless shooting stars were falling from the night sky, the blue orbs filled the space around Noya.

“Hwoop!”

With a deep breath, Noya sliced his sword in a cross.

With just two slashes of his sword—

Boom—!!!

All the Flame Jade spread out exploded into nothingness.

I momentarily stared blankly at the explosion of Flame Jade. Did he burst them just with air pressure?

How is that even possible?

Back when I sparred with Yeongpung at the martial arts tournament,

Noya, who I had encountered in the Realm of the Heart, had sliced through the Flame Jade thousands of times, yet now he disposed of them in just two strokes.

The difference left me utterly baffled, but—

“Are you lost in thought?”

Now wasn’t the time to be astonished. A voice rang out right in front of me.

Whoosh—!!

Plum petals unfurled in fullness.

Beautiful.

I couldn’t help but think that.

So beautiful that I felt a desire to admire it, but contrasting that thought, my body ignited once more.

I understood all too well how terrifying those plum blossoms were.

Extreme Gu Flame Mountain.

The roaring flames expanded, sweeping everything around.

Trees, rocks, grass—

I cared not one bit about any of it, consuming everything.

Those engulfed didn’t burn; they melted.

The intensified heat made them all like that.

The same went for the Flame Jade that Noya emitted.

All was engulfed in flames, losing its existence.

Yet even amidst that chaos, my eyes chased after Noya.

It was belief.

Certainty and faith that he wouldn’t lose to something like this.

As if answering that firm conviction, Noya appeared through the flames.

“I know you’re excited, but you certainly don’t need to overdo it. Have you forgotten that I can handle you easily?”

With those words,

Swish—!!!

My body split as the sword that fell from the sky grazed me.

I took a step back and dodged, but had I not, I might have been pierced right through.

As I gazed at the sword that had fallen to the ground, it was the Heart Sword.

He grumbled about my size, yet he dropped a sword nearly the size of a house right at me.

While I found that ridiculous, the size of the Heart Sword reflected the wielder’s heart and intent.

Through Noya’s effortless display of power, I understood just how incredible his strength was.

What’s more,

‘Noya doesn’t just wield one Heart Sword.’

I looked up at the sky.

There it was.

The awe-inspiring sword tip that emerged through the night sky.

Radiant, in stark contrast to those lowly beings who claimed they saved the world.

I gasped at its majesty.

How could one express their heart so vividly and powerfully?

The pride and arrogance swelling within me started to shake.

The lake that had formed inside me was gradually becoming shallower.

“What are you standing there for?”

I turned to the sound of Noya’s voice.

He stood there, hands behind his back, watching me.

“It would be troublesome if you come to your senses this much. I went through the trouble of bringing you out; shouldn’t you be better than last time?”

“……”

Last time was when we sparred, right?

The day I first succeeded with the Heavenly Demon Technique.

“Kid. If this is all you’ve got, I’m disappointed. I’ve fed you more than a few things, you know? Can you really disappoint me with just this?”

Despite his reproach, Noya wore a sly smile.

“Ah.”

Seeing that grin, I let out a short breath.

“Show me. I know you can do something.”

What is he implying I can do?

Why does he have such faith in me?

I don’t know.

I don’t know, but my body was already moving.

He said I’ve reached transcendence.

Is this place I’ve arrived at what he referred to?

Then—

What I need to do now is nothing else but—

Swoosh-.

I extended my arms as if trying to grasp something.

No one taught me.

Everything I know is just what I’ve seen. Yet, how could I be sure to do this?

I felt ridiculous myself.

Though there was no knowledge, a longing remained.

Though I’d always resented, I always longed to resemble him.

This is the shape of that longing.

My father’s image overlaying my own.

‘Extreme Gu Flame Mountain.’

“Extreme Gu Flame Mountain.”

I melded my voice over my father’s.

Crackle.

With the sound of sparks igniting, Blue Flame erupted.

Boom—!

Light burst forth, turning the night sky upside down, bringing forth a White Night.

Amidst the newly formed white landscape,

“Well done. This pathetic disciple of mine.”

I heard Noya’s praise.

 

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