Ep418 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

A tree etched with my face. [Break me…] This was not something exclusive to Baek Woojin alone. "Hmm... Is it like a battle with oneself?" In the aftermath of the chaos, trees etched with their faces appeared before each member scattered by the flood, each muttering the same command to break them. The attack began with countless branches extending from the trees. For Tang Seonyeong, it manifested as the numerous leaves unleashing her blade technique. For Jegal Yeonji, it was the martial arts move she had personally developed. For Do Gyeong, it was the techniques of the Black Light Death Dance. It was the same for everyone else. The most formidable or familiar techniques they possessed were flawlessly replicated by their counterparts and unleashed upon them. [Break me…] The tree with Baek Woojin’s face also attacked with the most powerful technique he possessed. Slash! Slash! Countless branches extended simultaneously, targeting him from all directions. They moved at a speed that was nearly impossible to track with the eye. While narrowly parrying and evading them, another shift occurred. New branches began to sprout from the existing ones, their numbers growing steadily. “…!?” Baek Woojin's eyes widened. The tree had showcased one of the techniques from his own Baek Ga Swordsmanship: ‘White Peach, Full Sky.’ A branch brushed past his left cheek, leaving a scratch in its wake. He hastily wiped the trickling warm blood with his sleeve, his eyes narrowing in focus. "So that's your ability." He now understood why a tree bore his face out of nowhere. "Didn’t expect a mere tree to mimic my skills." Baek Woojin smiled bitterly. Though he referred to it as "just a tree," it turned out to be a formidable foe. The ‘White Peach, Full Sky,’ a maneuver inspired by the vision of countless branches of a white peach tree extending in all directions. The replicated branches were truly infinite, pressing him fiercely. Even their speed and strength surpassed what Baek Woojin could muster. "Are the other members trapped in a similar snare?" If so, it was somewhat reassuring. At least, it meant they weren’t facing threats that exceeded their limits by a vast distance. With a calmer heart, Baek Woojin glanced at the tree before him. "You want me to break you, right?" If the tree wanted to be broken, he had no choice but to comply. As soon as his resolve solidified, the previously retracted branches surged forward once more. The first step to defeating the core was to sever all those branches. Just as he was about to project the image in his mind outward— Thud! "…What?" The world, which had been expanding beneath his feet, suddenly shrank back to its original state. The same happened upon repeat attempts. The sense projected from under his feet vanished without ever fully manifesting. "......" The inability to project one's inner image into reality has only one cause. It occurs only when someone else's image, stronger than one's own, suppresses and overwhelms it. This means… "This entire flood is a single image, isn’t it?" The vast forest surrounding them was a world created from someone’s projected image. In hindsight, it was obvious. The fact that a single thin branch could possess a hardness stronger than steel or replicate and execute others’ abilities was unimaginable in reality. In a place where even the seemingly impossible becomes reality. That’s the nature of an image. "The treasure must have been incredibly precious." To think they left such an imprint to guard their treasure even in death. “Well… such is its value, it’s worth stealing.” Baek Woojin smiled as he adjusted his grip on his sword. Though his most powerful option was sealed, it didn’t matter. After all, he was accustomed to fighting with numerous shackles imposed. When the best isn’t an option, aim for the next best; if that's not possible, then think of a different strategy. Slash! Slash! Branches grew from existing ones. Their numbers increased exponentially, reaching near infinity. Observing this, Baek Woojin admired. "I created it, yet it’s so well-crafted." Watching the innumerable branches extend, a sense of overwhelming futility naturally arose. His opponents must have felt the same way. Enough self-praise. Baek Woojin countered the extending branches with the same technique. [Baek Ga Swordsmanship Second Technique: White Peach, Full Sky.] From his sword, a single strand of energy extended. Countless sword energies bloomed around, filling the space. And soon, the two identical techniques clashed head-on. Thousands of clashes occurred between the swirling energies and branches, each collision canceling out the other. What seemed like an endless tug-of-war was gradually coming to an end. And it was Baek Woojin who was on the losing side. “Hah, unbelievable.” It was ridiculous. The thought that he was losing in a battle of techniques to a mere imitation tree—a tree that mirrored the moves he had created—was almost too much to bear. His pride was a little bruised, but it didn’t matter. Countering with ‘White Peach, Full Sky’ was merely a distraction, meant to create an opening. ‘There it is.’ A gap emerged amidst the clashing energies and branches. Baek Woojin didn’t hesitate, diving into the gap and reaching the main body of the tree, which brandished its branches aggressively. He raised his sword, energy surging fiercely atop it. The move, executed with all his skill to reclaim his pride, was launched. [Baek Ga Swordsmanship – First Technique: White Thunder Breaking the Sky.] Kurrr! The sword shot forward with a sound like rolling thunder. Kaang! Yet it bounced off the enormous tree trunk, leaving not even a scratch. “Guh…!” An immense recoil reverberated down his arm. Baek Woojin withdrew, narrowly avoiding the branches targeting his back, teeth gritted in frustration. ‘What just happened?’ He couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t a mere swing—this was a technique unleashed with everything he had, and it accomplished nothing. Then the face etched into the tree spoke again. [Tricks… won't work.] [Break me…] Baek Woojin's brow furrowed deeply. "Damn, it's ridiculously solid. How am I supposed to break such a thing…?" His mind, aflame with anger, flashed with an idea. Could breaking it perhaps mean something other than physically cutting down the tree? “Could it be…?” Again, the tree executed the technique ‘White Peach, Full Sky’ through its branches. Perhaps when the tree said to break it, it wasn’t referring to its trunk. Perhaps... “That’s it.” Maybe the tree wanted him to surpass the very technique it borrowed and improved upon. Gritting his teeth, Baek Woojin muttered. “That’s much better.” His pride was already hurt, but this was perfect. Whether it was to demonstrate its greatness, or a form of teaching—whatever it was, he would have to overcome it. Slash! He launched the technique ‘White Peach, Full Sky’ against the relentlessly attacking branches. Once again, the energies and branches collided violently. Even after all the energies were canceled out, the branches persisted. The essence of ‘White Peach, Full Sky’ was its boundless derivation from a single entity. That’s why, even though he countered, the unimaginably numerous branches not completely evaded pierced him. Puk! Puk-puk! His right thigh, left shoulder, and right side were pierced, and blood flowed from three holes. The searing pain was nothing to him in his current state of contemplation. 'The strength is the same. The speed is slightly deficient, but manageable.' There was little difference in power and speed, nothing outrageously disadvantageous. The one thing lacking was: 'Proliferation.' The number of branches sprouting from a single branch outnumbered the sword energies he could generate from his own energy. That was the reason for his defeat. When each cancels the other out, naturally, the one with more extensions remains. Thus, victory hinged on how many more branches could be produced. "Hoo…" Taking a deep breath, he focused his stance. The pain flooding from the thigh, side, and shoulder he stood on surged through, but he endured. As long as he didn’t die, he was fine. A protagonist traditionally achieves a steep growth curve at the brink of death. Isn’t that typically how it unfolds in novels or manga? ‘That’s correct.’ And it’s true this world is within a novel. Moreover, the body he had taken belonged to the protagonist. It truly was an opportunity for growth almost as if sketched out perfectly. Indeed, it had always been this way. When pushed into traps and crises that seemed to scream ‘Die already!’, he clawed his way to survival and when on the verge of death, he finally saw it. The path of salvation, the way of seeking truth (求道), that leads to life. This time was no different. The moment he faced the unyielding branches aiming to end him mercilessly, ‘It’s clear.’ His senses expanded, eyes opened wide. The overwhelming derivative power of the branches— From it, he learned and found the path to surpass it. "White Peach, Full Sky." The energy extending from Baek Woojin's sword proliferated endlessly. Thinner and swifter, yet with tips even sharper and more robust. The energy consumption decreased, while its power amplified. Crack-crack-crack! They clashed and vanished, only to clash and vanish again. When the branches, once abundant enough to blanket the sky, finally exposed the ground beneath them— Only Baek Woojin's energy remained, soaring through the air towards its target. Even in flight, the strands of energy continued their proliferation, eventually converging toward the face identical to his own. Thwack-thwack-thwack! Crack! The tree, impervious even to the ‘White Thunder Breaking the Sky,’ was now easily carved and shredded. It seemed the tree was designed to be vulnerable only to the borrowed power it had replicated. The tree, now appearing as though it might crumble with a slight push, opened its remaining mouth on its defaced visage. [Impressive… indeed.] With those final words, the forest that had encircled Baek Woojin disappeared without a trace, leaving the dark night sky sprawling above him. Author's Note I'll see you in the next chapter. Thank you always for reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)