Chapter 014. Requiem
Somewhere in the Martial Sovereign Castle, Dam Jeok-san's quarters.
The time when the sun rose to the middle of the sky.
However, Dam Jeok-san was not returning there yet.
“……Excuse me, may I ask you one thing?”
The girl rescued from the grasp of the Iron Blood Woo Clan, Lee Hyang, opened her mouth.
“There is no reason you cannot, speak.”
Dam Jeok-san's guard, Gyeong-won, answered that question while making his eyes as gentle as possible.
“W-Well, about the person who saved me…….”
“Yes, the Young Master.”
“Did that, that Young Master…… go to tear the limbs of the bad guys?”
“…….”
A faint sigh flowed from Gyeong-won's mouth at the girl's violent remark.
Tear the limbs. Gyeong-won clearly remembered that the Young Master had said such words.
He taught her something very good, he thought, but―
“I-It is just that he has not returned yet…….”
Thinking she had offended him, the girl hurriedly added words.
“No, no. Did you say your name is Hyang? I did not sigh because of you.”
Gyeong-won quickly shook his head and said.
But soon, a look of serious worry appeared on his face.
Even Gyeong-won thought there was a point to that child's words. Because too much time had passed to call it a short while.
‘Still, he would not have gone to kill that guy Woo Seo-gwang.’
Given the years he and Dam Jeok-san spent together, he could tell just by looking at his eyes.
What Dam Jeok-san showed was not killing intent extending out madly. Rather, it was a kind that converged endlessly into himself.
The Young Master must be agonizing. Whether he can do that task. Gyeong-won thought so.
And perhaps, if he judged it impossible…….
‘He is a person who changes even himself.’
Although such temperament faded slightly before and after losing his dantian, and he started to make political calculations.
Dam Jeok-san was originally that kind of person.
Bold enough to look reckless. And a person who showed results that would shock everyone with that boldness.
It was like that even when he became the Martial Sovereign's disciple.
For an orphan to negotiate against the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle who stood at the apex of the world.
If you want to accept Dam Jeok-san himself as a disciple, the Martial Sovereign Castle must also take in Gyeong-won…… The moment he said that was a memory Gyeong-won could never forget.
Because a feeling struck his head right then.
If it is that person, I can bet my life. If I die for that person, I will have no regrets.
This mindset was the very loyalty that made up the current Gyeong-won.
“Hyang, do not worry. The Young Master will return soon.”
Gyeong-won spoke to Lee Hyang in a quiet, reasoning tone.
He is not just returning.
He will come back sufficiently strong.
Enough to tear Woo Seo-gwang's limbs as he promised. Because that is the Dam Jeok-san Gyeong-won knows.
Instead of going out of his way to explain that, Gyeong-won gently stroked the girl's hair.
Because sometimes, simply reassuring someone is more important than persuading them with logic.
The Young Master, who still had clumsy corners, did not know that and talked about tearing limbs or whatever…….
He is different. Gyeong-won was certain of that.
“Will he tear their limbs when he returns?”
However, the girl's subsequent question shattered Gyeong-won's belief with a crash.
Is that not it? Was the Young Master's method actually more efficient for soothing a child?
Thinking about it, it seems Gyeong-won also made a resolution to tear monsters to shreds after losing his family at that age.
“……Probably, I think he will.”
He sighed and said.
“I am incurring a grace that is truly hard to repay fully.”
The girl's eyes sparkled at Gyeong-won's answer.
While the two were talking with Dam Jeok-san as the topic like that.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK―
The presence of someone knocking on the door was felt out of nowhere from afar.
Gyeong-won habitually placed his hand on his sword and guarded the surroundings.
Fear appeared on the girl's face for a moment, but her expression relaxed when Gyeong-won gave a faint smile.
It was not that she wasn't truly afraid. She was gauging his mood right now. Since she was in a position of relying on this place, it was natural if one considered it natural.
She matured early. Like a child living in this harsh world.
Perhaps that was why she could talk about tearing limbs and such so calmly.
Gyeong-won quickly shook off his complicated inner thoughts. Because he at that age was not much different from that girl.
The present time when monsters were swarming in all directions was simply that kind of era.
“Young Master, it is the Head of the Grand Martial Hall. I apologize for visiting without notice. I have something urgent to report.”
Soon, the voice of the person who knocked on the door was heard.
A moderately heavy and thick voice.
The one who turned his back on Dam Jeok-san at the end.
And the man who swore allegiance to him once again.
It was Black Panther Spear Jang Woo-ryang.
* * *
“The world is truly cruel.”
Dam Jeok-san muttered in a bitter voice.
He was ‘experiencing’ the memories remaining in the monkey monster's thoughts.
It was hard to express it as anything other than experiencing. Because those memories were too vivid to say he was just seeing them.
However, experiencing them did not mean his ego was blurred. As he thought before, it must be because he had already deeply understood the monkey monster's tenacity.
The relationship between the swordsman and the monkey monster.
That ending ended in a heartbreaking conclusion that made even Dam Jeok-san distraught.
Because the sword of the swordsman, who hated monsters more than anyone, was passed on to a monster.
But Dam Jeok-san did not think that was all.
The monkey monster…….
No, the swordsman he faced was too sparkling to define as merely a ‘monster’.
The appearance of walking the path of the sword while disregarding personal safety gave him deep resonance.
And one more thing.
‘The Fast Sword technique did not disappear.’
There were holes here and there in the monkey monster's memories.
Therefore, there was nothing he could properly know, such as the name of the martial arts the swordsman used, the moves, or the chant of the cultivation method that paired with it.
But Dam Jeok-san saw it.
The Fast Sword unfolded by the nameless swordsman. The sight of him cutting down countless monsters with that sword.
He also saw it.
The sight of the monkey monster unfolding the Fast Sword technique.
The sight of it cutting down both monsters and humans without distinction with that sword.
Leaving aside the right or wrong of that act, those scenes became the foundation for reproducing the martial arts upon reaching the rare genius called Dam Jeok-san.
‘I can summarize it into a single sword move.’
Dam Jeok-san ruminated on the feeling he received from those two swordsmen.
Absolute speed.
Deep, deep sorrow.
And power that transcends limits.
These were things that touched upon what Dam Jeok-san pursued.
He drew a single trajectory based on what came to mind. Cautiously yet decisively, like brushing on a canvas.
Monkey-Destroying One Flash.
A single trajectory Dam Jeok-san drew.
The monkey disappeared with it.
To commemorate that disappearance.
Dam Jeok-san named this sword move Monkey-Destroying One Flash.
A story created by two swordsmen who were born with completely different fates but pursued the same sword.
That ended here and simultaneously continued to Dam Jeok-san.
The moment it was decided like that.
Slowly, the thoughts of the monkey monster cleared, and the demonic energy he absorbed was gathered in the dantian.
But still.
‘It was not completely gathered perfectly.’
Enlightenment is lacking.
But he did not feel frustrated like before.
Because he had found the path to advance.
[Predation is complete.]
[You understand the thoughts very deeply. A large amount of Karma is accumulated.]
Dam Jeok-san realized intuitively.
That the ability of predation was about to grow one step further right now.
‘No, not now.’
If the ability grows, the problem he currently has might be solved.
But he must not do that.
Because right now, a definite solution to break through this difficulty was prepared for Dam Jeok-san.
All that remained was to put it into practice.
‘The ability growing must happen after that.’
According to the memories of his past life, Seo Woo-joo, it is rarer than thought for the predation ability itself to grow.
Even Seo Woo-joo, who was the absolute being of a world, only stayed at eight stars at most without reaching great completion.
In other words, it means one can command the world just by rising to eight stars, but…….
He wasn't sure.
His past life, the Predator Seo Woo-joo.
Is he truly stronger than the master of his current life and the martial artist discussing the world, Martial Sovereign Man Su-geuk?
Both possessed power as deep as a great ocean, so Dam Jeok-san's eyes could not fathom all that depth.
But one thing was certain.
That both people were not satisfied with or complacent with what they had.
Seo Woo-joo is a failure. He eventually failed to protect his world and died left alone. However, he crushed and bit his enemies to become stronger until the very moment he died.
That is the same for the Martial Sovereign.
Dam Jeok-san knew well the fact that his master constantly honed himself.
To advance even a single step further.
And to save even a single person more.
So he himself could not become arrogant either.
If there was a way to become stronger, he could do anything.
Even if it was placing his life on a precipice in a precarious situation.
‘I must settle things with Second Senior Brother.’
Only then will he be able to bid farewell to his past.
‘Because it starts from then.’
Thinking so, Dam Jeok-san suppressed the growth of the ability.
As his powerful will accompanied it, something boiling as if full of Karma stopped abruptly.
Dam Jeok-san, who finished predation, slowly straightened his body.
What his gaze reached was none other than the corpse of the monkey monster.
The corpse whose neck and body were separated by his sword.
Even at this moment when the death match was over, other monsters of the Forbidden Demon Forest did not dare to dream of approaching this place.
Of course, there must be monsters even more powerful than that monkey monster inside this forest, but…….
‘Wait, even they do not seem to have any sign of coming this way right now.’
Is it respect between those who dominated territories? or are they watching for the right time to jump in while being wary of each other?
Since there were more things he didn't know than he knew about the habits of monsters, he couldn't easily guess.
But thanks to that, Dam Jeok-san gained the leisure to mourn the death. He dug up the ground of the Forbidden Demon Forest and buried the monkey monster beneath it.
And covered it with soil again.
A small mound was completed in an instant.
Dam Jeok-san stuck the rusty sword, which barely had any shape left, on top of that mound.
And he swung his sword like a thunderbolt to carve writing in front of the mound. The sword, flashing as if brushing past following the profound principle of the Monkey-Destroying One Flash, carved four characters on the ground.
Nameless Grave).
Nameless Grave. The reason for naming it so was simple.
This grave does not need a name.
Instead of replacing the name with Monkey-Destroying One Flash, he would spread that name throughout the world of Jianghu.
Making sure that name does not fade would be his due share for stealing and learning their sword.
For now, he just quietly prayed that their next lives would be more peaceful than now.
And some time later.
The Heaven-Honoring Forbidden Demon Formation opened.
* * *
“Hoh.”
A sound that was hard to tell if it was lamentation or admiration burst from the Martial Sovereign's mouth.
Dam Jeok-san, who volunteered to head to the Forbidden Demon Forest.
He had reappeared emitting a spirit that shimmered as if it would explode at any moment.
Violent and unstable.
But that is completely different from the ominous omen preceding qi deviation.
Rather, it is closer to the momentum of a snake preparing for metamorphosis.
‘But he has not reached it yet.’
The Martial Sovereign could grasp Dam Jeok-san's condition just by a single glance.
And.
Dam Jeok-san, seeing the Martial Sovereign, took out the Heavenly Martial Gentleman Token from his bosom and opened his mouth.
“I request, your disciple dares to utilize the authority Master has lent me.”
“Speak.”
The Martial Sovereign answered, nodding his chin.
“Let me punish Woo Seo-gwang, the sinner who violated the solemn Imperial Laws and the stern Castle Lord's Order. Furthermore…….”
Dam Jeok-san stopped speaking for a moment, looking toward his quarters.
“Let the child who lost everything due to his brutality watch that process.”