The next day, after finishing Black Fist training, I followed Kwonma.

“Please have a meal with me today.”

Kwonma always ate alone. Maybe the other Majons were the same, but Kwonma didn’t even occasionally eat with his subordinates.

“No thanks.”

“Why not?”

“It’s uncomfortable.”

“If I’m uncomfortable, that’s one thing, but Kwonma being uncomfortable? Who would believe that?”

“I’m uncomfortable because of you.”

Kwonma strode off ahead without hesitation. Even though his subordinates were around, Kwonma saying he felt uncomfortable, and me following him insisting on eating together— the Iron Fists looked at us with surprised expressions.

Of course, I didn’t give up. The next day, I followed Kwonma again.

“Then how about some tea today?”

“I don’t like tea.”

“They say drinking a lot of tea is good for your health.”

Kwonma stopped walking.

“Why are you acting like this? Are you trying to poison my tea or something?”

“Of course not. If you poisoned it, I wouldn’t be able to learn the next finger technique.”

“Right. You’d have to learn it all first to poison it.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Despite my protest, Kwonma walked on briskly again.

The next day, after training ended, I followed him again.

“Do you know how to play baduk?”

“No. What’s a real man doing with those little stones? It’s not a girl’s pretend game.”

“That pretend game is something my father is really into these days.”

“......”

Without looking back, Kwonma strode off. Maybe because I mentioned my father, his pace was even faster than the day before.

The next day, and the day after, Kwonma was still as unyielding as a steel wall.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

I had succeeded in dunking Kwonma into a boiling pot of boiling anger, but this big, sturdy opponent was not going to soften easily. I wanted to cook him, but he wouldn’t simmer.

When things got this frustrating, one person came to mind.

I headed straight to Namdojong, where Blood Heaven Butcher was.

Blood Heaven Butcher was teaching Seodaeryong martial arts.

Seodaeryong, now a formal disciple, was receiving the Poison Martial Art: Annihilation Demon Sword Style from Blood Heaven Butcher.

I went quietly to the backyard so as not to disturb their training. I closed my eyes, sat cross-legged, and began operating the Cheonma Hoshingong technique.

Flying Sword Technique had achieved the rank of Twelve Star Great Success, and the Wind God’s Four Steps also reached Great Success. Among the martial arts I had mastered, the one I must achieve Great Success with was Cheonma Hoshingong.

While I was training for a long time, I heard Seodaeryong’s cautious voice from afar.

“Training’s over.”

He quietly let me know so as not to disturb my training.

When I opened my eyes, Seodaeryong, drenched in sweat, sat down beside me.

“Are you tired?”

“I’m dying.”

Seodaeryong had just started serious training, and it looked like an endless hellish regimen.

“Let me tell you, our Investigator Seo is struggling a lot. Please go easy on him.”

“Of course. There are many ways to kill someone.”

I quietly looked at Seodaeryong’s side profile.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’ve changed. It feels different.”

“How?”

“You look strong.”

That one sentence instantly brightened Seodaeryong’s mood. He clenched his fists tightly.

“Wait for me!”

“Not evil men, but women! Right?”

“Did I make it obvious?”

“Cheer up, right arm! If you don’t put in this much effort, you’ll die by evil men and be rejected by women.”

“What if I’m rejected even after all this?”

Seodaeryong’s deer-like eyes hoped for “That won’t happen,” but.

“Then let’s catch even more evil men. Ah! The evil men of the world might run out of seed.”

“No! Is that what this is?”

I laughed loudly, and Seodaeryong laughed with me.

He got up from his seat and said farewell.

“See you tomorrow. Oh, and please say again next time that I look strong! Every time I’m struggling.”

“All right.”

After seeing him off, I went to the front yard. Blood Heaven Butcher was leaning against the Annihilation Great Sword, wiping sweat.

“You must be busy punching. Why did you come? Already tired?”

“Yes. I’m tired. I regret saying I wanted to learn Kwonma’s art instead of just hanging out with you, sir.”

“Who said I’m here to play?”

I sat beside Blood Heaven Butcher.

“No matter how much you fire up, he just won’t soften.”

“Trying to soften a rock? Do you think that will work?”

“That’s why I came to see you.”

“Trying to put old ginger in boiling water?”

“That’s why I like you, sir. You get me without words.”

“What do you want from Kwonma? His martial art? Or his heart?”

“At first, it was the martial art.”

“Now you want to win over his heart too?”

“He wants to break down a cliff. At first, it looked cool, so I wanted to break it down too. Now I’m curious why he wants to break down that cliff so badly.”

“It’s probably a trivial reason once you know it.”

“Isn’t it the same for everyone? Me too.”

Blood Heaven Butcher looked at me like I was a spoiled kid.

“Sorry to say, but I don’t know much about Kwonma.”

“That’s okay. I just came because I was frustrated.”

Spicy ginger was used not only for cooking but also for healing.

“Hey, Young Master.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you all right?”

“!”

Blood Heaven Butcher asked me if I was okay.

If it were someone else, I would have said yes, but I didn’t want to say that to Blood Heaven Butcher.

“I don’t know.”

“Saying you don’t know is more dangerous than saying you’re not okay. Rest when you’re tired.”

At that moment, I once again felt Blood Heaven Butcher’s genuine concern. These days, I let my guard down around him. I worked hard to open his door, but maybe it was my door that had opened wide first.

“Then may I lean on your swordsmanship, sir?”

“No. You’re sane if you’re saying nonsense like that.”

“Just once. I’ve really wanted to lean on it just once since long ago.”

When I begged, Blood Heaven Butcher reluctantly agreed.

“Just this once.”

I leaned on the Annihilation Great Sword.

“Ah! Now I see why you wanted to lean here.”

“Feels like something sturdy is protecting me?”

“No. It’s really cool.”

The Annihilation Great Sword had a primitive chill.

“You stayed cool all alone on that hot summer day!”

Maybe surprised I argued, Blood Heaven Butcher laughed and said, “You brat.”

Joking with Seodaeryong and laughing with Blood Heaven Butcher like this relieved much of my frustration. I also gained a great healing method.

“I’ll rest when I’m tired.”

“Come anytime you’re struggling.”

Those words pierced my heart.

“What would I do without you, sir?”

“You’ll live fine punching fists with Kwonma. Stop talking nonsense and go. Got midnight training to do or something.”

“No. How can the Majon have no secrets?”

Blood Heaven Butcher took up his sword and went inside, saying,

“Who did you inherit that sharp tongue from?”

I took Blood Heaven Butcher’s advice.

The next day, I didn’t go out for Black Fist training. While training was in full swing, I was inside the world of the Space-Time Illusion Technique.

A blue sky and sea resembling my sword spirit, a sunny sandy beach, the shade of broad-leafed trees. Even a cool mat. I lay down comfortably in the world.

Today was a day for loafing.

Since returning from the Martial Alliance, ever since getting tangled with Kwonma, I hadn’t rested properly for a moment.

So today I decided to spend time alone. I wouldn’t think about anyone else.

I had prepared drinks, snacks, and even a book — a perfect loafing day.

I looked at the sky, then the sea, then a crab crawling on the sand. I read the book, dozed off, then stared blankly at the sea again.

“Ah! This is great!”

It was too great to be good.

I stretched out all day.

That afternoon, someone came to my place. It was Cheon Sohee.

“Brother, brother.”

In front of Kwonma, she called me Young Master, but when alone, she called me brother, which was cute.

“Where did you go?”

I saw her peeking through the window into my room. She usually never missed Black Fist training, so she seemed worried when I suddenly didn’t go.

She lingered in the yard for a while, then left.

Her visit was expected enough, but shortly after, an unexpected visitor came by. Not exactly a visitor, more like someone passing through.

Surprisingly, it was Kwonma. He passed by my house as if on some other errand, glancing briefly toward my place. He raised his ki slightly to check if I was home, then passed by.

Pretending not to notice was hilarious, and at the same time, touching.

I really wanted to end the Space-Time Illusion Technique and rush out. To ask if he came worried, to see him flustered. But I didn’t.

These people, they should know how precious I am!

After loafing late into the night, filling my internal energy through breathing techniques, and lounging again, it seemed like an insignificant day, but it was precious recharge time for me.

Then midnight training time came.

The three arrived on time, but as soon as they came, Cheon Sohee asked me.

“Why didn’t you come to Black Fist training today?”

Ian was surprised when I said I hadn’t trained.

“Young Master! Are you sick? How badly hurt are you?”

“Why the fuss?”

“There’s no way Young Master would skip training! What’s going on?”

“I’m human too. Sometimes I want to loaf and rest.”

Then I looked at Kwonma.

“Isn’t that right?”

Kwonma glanced at me briefly, then shook his head.

“I’ve never felt that way.”

“Really?”

“If I had lived such a lazy life, someone else would be in Kwonma’s place now.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Not at all.”

I know. What really wears a person out isn’t the work itself but that no one acknowledges the hardship, or if they do, they ignore it.

“If you’re tired, come hang out with me! I’m always ready.”

Of course, Kwonma didn’t even acknowledge it.

Near the end of training that day,

Whoooosh!

I heard an unfamiliar wind sound from my fist. It wasn’t thunder, but it wasn’t the usual punch sound either.

“What’s that sound?”

At my question, Kwonma looked at me with surprise.

“It’s the sound of an approaching storm.”

It meant the thunder was near.

At my unbelievable rapid progress, a fighting spirit flared all over Kwonma’s body. He looked like he wanted to rush at me right away.

He instinctively stepped forward, and I stepped back. Ian and Cheon Sohee tensed, sensing an imminent fierce battle.

I quickly said to him,

“Shall we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“I don’t want to fight hitting and punching, so how about a contest of speed? If I win, teach me your second finger technique, Byeokryeoksura.”

“If I win?”

“I’ll duel you, Kwonma.”

A confident smile spread across Kwonma’s lips.

“You must have thought I was slow because of my size.”

The best Kwonma masters’ footwork was amazing, and footwork was connected to speed techniques.

“Fine. I accept that bet.”

Kwonma was confident. He trusted his speed enough to wager the Poison Martial Art’s second finger technique.

“To the entrance of Magachon. How about that?”

“That’s not a good place to duel. If you go about ten more ri from the entrance, there’s a bamboo grove. Let’s go there.”

In Kwonma’s mind, he had already won the bet.

Ian drew a line on the ground, and we stood side by side on the line.

“Ready, go!”

Like arrows shot simultaneously, we shot forward. I can imagine how surprised the two women were at how quickly we disappeared from sight.

Kwonma was really fast. I’m sure he’s the fastest among Majons. That’s why he accepted the bet, but he couldn’t be faster than my Swift Step.

I ran at nearly the same speed as him, barely keeping pace. Kwonma’s surprise came on his rough breaths.

I reached the bamboo grove a few steps ahead. I panted and pretended I barely won. Kwonma arrived soon after, looking at me with surprise. He must not have expected me to be faster than him.

“First, teach me the second finger technique, and if you feel it’s unfair, we can bet the third.”

Kwonma’s terrifying expression was truly scary. But scary is scary. He was not a man to break a promise.

“Fine. I’ll teach you the second finger technique right here.”

His decision was without hesitation, and I was inwardly surprised. He was truly a tough man among men.

The second finger technique was too precious to lose in [N O V E L I G H T] a speed bet. I wondered what he was thinking. Did he never think he might lose? I was curious about his thoughts.

“Are you okay with this?”

“Are you asking if I’m okay after trapping me?”

I hoped he hadn’t knowingly fallen into the trap.

Second Finger Technique: Byeokryeoksura (霹靂修羅)

While the first finger technique, Heukunsura, focused all power into one strike, Byeokryeoksura was a technique where punches were thrown so fast they were invisible. It emphasized speed over power, like the Flying Sword Technique’s Quick Blade style’s Changcheon form.

Kwonma taught me the finger techniques and the stance.

I used all my mind power to absorb every bit of his teaching perfectly.

That way, Kwonma’s second punch became mine too.

“Thank you very much. This fist will never be used wrongly.”

I bowed to him. We weren’t formally master and disciple yet, but I had received the second finger technique.

“Since you came all this way, let’s get some fresh air before going in.”

Kwonma looked at me as if wondering what I meant.

“You’ve been out of the sect a long time, right? I skipped training yesterday and it felt great. Kwonma, why don’t you loaf with me too?”

Kwonma snorted dismissively and started walking toward the main sect. Watching his big, broad back, I said,

“Because you go out every day like that, nobody appreciates how precious you are.”

Kwonma stopped walking.

“Kwonma’s kindness toward the main sect has lasted too long.”

He didn’t say it was kindness toward his subordinates. Because the subordinates feared him, and he didn’t want to belittle his affection for them.

Kwonma turned to face me.

Our gazes tangled in midair. For a long moment, we said nothing. He was smart and understood the meaning behind my words.

“You look tired.”

It was the second time I said that to him. Did it reach him?

After a brief pause, Kwonma asked,

“Do you have anywhere to go?”

I smiled brightly.

“The beauty of loafing is in having no plans. Let’s go.”

Before his heart could change, I started running, and Kwonma ran with me.

We matched speeds, running roughly evenly. On his face running beside me, I glimpsed a kind of joy I’d never seen before.

In no time, we were far from the sect. Far from our daily lives.