Ep496 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

Her power, now as the Heavenly Demon, was truly formidable. This was most vividly demonstrated by the world of her mind that enveloped everything within hundreds of sheets. And within that world, Baek Woo-jin constantly suffered. "Hoo…." Therefore, he kept moving without rest. Even as his breath faltered, he didn't have a moment to pause; he plunged forward to clash swords with her. 'Can't stop.' Instinct warned him. Stopping meant the end. If his steps slowed, he’d be caught in this world, sinking into an even deeper mire. To shake off the lingering shadows of regret that slowly crawled towards him, he never halted for a moment. 'She is a monster.' And it was none other than him who created this monster. His misguided decisions piled up and up, crafting the person she was now. Thus, it was only natural that rectifying these mistakes should be his responsibility. "Huff, huff…!" Breathing harshly, Baek Woo-jin charged again. In her own world, the Heavenly Demon effortlessly repelled his attacks. It was nothing more than a game to her. She could kill him whenever she wished. But she didn't. "Already tired?" Her teasing question made Baek Woo-jin shake his head. "No way… huff!" Even as he answered, he swung his sword once more. Combining countless techniques learned in another world with martial arts from Murim, the brilliant strokes of Baek's sword style poured from his blade, only to crumble before the Heavenly Demon’s sword. His whole body was drenched in thick sweat, breathing came so labored it seemed his heart might burst. In contrast, the Heavenly Demon remained unruffled. Her face, wearing a beautiful yet fierce smile, showed not a single drop of sweat. So, had all his efforts been in vain? No, they weren’t. "Hoo…." Finally, he stopped. But what his instincts warned against did not transpire. Thanks to his own imagery sprouting within the world blanketed by hers. A gust of wind snatching away the sweat on his brow. A cold wind. A harsh, lifeless, arid wind. Simultaneously, beneath his feet, emerged parched earth and a worn tombstone standing askew on top. "Ah…, he succeeded after all." All this reckless charging was for this very moment. To insert, albeit briefly, his own world, a realm where he could catch his breath, into the world meant solely for her. Her thoughts flashed back to the past version of him. How he would craft opportunities even against an adversary offering no openings, and insert a blade into the small cracks. It was a series of steps. A death parade that he marched through to kill her. This brought her a twisted sense of joy and elation. Then, suddenly, her eyes landed on a particular tombstone. Old and worn, yet accumulating a little less dust than the others nearby, bore the name 'Angelica.' It was the name she had boldly discarded upon arriving here. "…I see." She understood how his imagery was constructed. It was the place where his power maximized and simultaneously burdened him the most. Hundreds, thousands of comrades who had died by his side. Each of their names intricately engraved there. His longing for the comfort of being among comrades intertwined with his wish to never forget those who had died in his place, creating an unsettling yet immensely comforting mental landscape. Her name was written among them, carrying that very significance. "…He hasn’t forgotten." Even after parting, he had longed for her with all his heart. To never forget her, whom he believed he’d never see again, he buried her in his heart. It also marked his resolve to move forward, leaving her behind. "…As expected." Witnessing this, she resolved her mind once again. Baek Woo-jin must die. He must vanish, bearing all the hatred packed into his frame. Only then. "Only then…, can we start anew." Strength surged into the hand gripping her sword. Finally, she decided to stop playing around. Baek Woo-jin and the Heavenly Demon. As if folding the space between them, her sword reached him in an instant. Aimed for his neck. He raised his sword, blocking her strike, and attempted a counterattack. His blade, thrust to pierce her heart, was effortlessly stopped by the palm of her hand. "Not bad." Thanks to the faint shade of meaning he cast, the fight had become a slight bit easier. Baek Woo-jin grinned through the struggle. "You too." The pressure emanating from her wielding sword began to intensify significantly. The threat of killing him was becoming more and more of a reality. As he barely managed to fend off her relentless sword strikes and found himself cornered. A crooked smile crept onto her lips. "You seem to be blocking well enough, so let's add another sword." In an instant, an unforeseen sword appeared, piercing into Baek Woo-jin's side. A sword forged from the energy abundant in this place. It was a Sword of the Mind. "Ugh…!" Baek Woo-jin hurriedly drew an additional sword. From the scarce ground beneath, a rusty blade rose to intercept hers. She recognized that sword's owner. It was the blade of a mercenary who had died in his stead back when he was still naïve. A person who, despite walking in a rough and crude world, was exceptionally kind and righteous. "It's been a while since I've seen that sword style too." "……." Chaaeng! Kaaang! One sword. Then another. As time passed, the number of swords surrounding them began to increase. Including her swords and Baek Woo-jin's, there were nearly a hundred blades in total. Already at his limit, Baek Woo-jin managed to summon nearly fifty swords within the narrow confines of their mental realm. But not the Heavenly Demon. With evident ease, she summoned five more swords before his eyes and asked with a smirk. "And how will you block these now?" "……." Baek Woo-jin lowered himself without responding. He had no more swords to draw. Any additional blades and strikes from her were now his alone to handle. Though resolved, he was honestly unsure of his chances. These weren't ordinary slashes; they were heart swords imbued with her essence. Which meant it was like facing six Heavenly Demons all at once, including her true form. Even though it was just swords created by mind, embodying her full strength was an impossibility, but the difficulty remained insurmountable. Baek Woo-jin steeled himself. 'I can sacrifice flesh as much as needed.' The principle of flesh cut, bone broken. Even if he got stabbed and slashed numerous times, he would stand in her way. Just as she sent five swords flying with a flick of her wrist, poised to strike Baek Woo-jin. At that precise moment, five figures surged from behind him. Blood Sorceress, Seol Soo-yeon, Yoo Hwa-yeon, Shin Ye-hwa, Song Hee-yeon. They had been observing the situation at Baek Woo-jin's entreaty, now stepping forward. One by one they intercepted a sword each, gathering closely around Baek Woo-jin with their respective weapons poised. "You all…." His surprise rendered him speechless as he tried to say something, but the Blood Sorceress silenced him. "Haven't you done enough?" "Sister." Her icy gaze bore into him. "If you're going to bear it all alone like this, then why did you keep us at your side?" This was a rebuke towards Baek Woo-jin, an expression of her frustration. They were gathered for one reason only. For Baek Woo-jin. To support his path and walk alongside him. He had kept them close and nurtured them for this very reason. Yet the human heart is indeed peculiar. Because of the bond formed through such diligent cultivation, he found himself reluctant to burden them with heavy loads. Baek Woo-jin didn't realize. "Did you think only you felt that way?" Blood Sorceress. "We feel the same, Hero." Seol Soo-yeon. "I don't want to see you struggling alone." Shin Ye-hwa. "Protecting you is my final duty." Yoo Hwa-yeon. "…Please use me as you wish, Master." Even Song Hee-yeon. They were no different from Baek Woo-jin. They didn't want to see him fighting alone, bearing everything on his shoulder. Their effort and companionship were aimed precisely at that. The Blood Sorceress placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I understand not wanting to lose those dear, but you know you can't always shield everything." "……." "Shed some of that burden. Only then will you catch even a slight advantage against that monstrous adversary." Baek Woo-jin turned to look at the other women's eyes. Each of them held the same gaze as he did. Eyes brimming with the determination to sacrifice themselves willingly for the sake of their loved ones. At last, he realized. By overprotecting them, he had inadvertently ignored their own feelings. Afraid to lose them and so decided they shouldn't fight together? That was indeed a laughable notion. To prevent such a fate, he had strived to become stronger, and he had worked to make them stronger as well. 'Believe.' He had to believe. In their abilities. In the fact that they would never perish before him. The moment he engraved that belief in his heart— Rumble…! Baek Woo-jin's mental landscape began to surge. The world that had been on the brink of destruction, suppressed by the Heavenly Demon's presence, began to expand. It wasn't vast. Compared to her world, sprawling across hundreds of layers, it was still grossly insufficient. But it was enough. Enough for the women standing by his side to move freely. With a bright smile, Baek Woo-jin said, "Help me carry this burden." And they responded with smiles of their own. Author's Note Hello, dear readers. This is Noonjak. I took a complete day off to clear my complicated thoughts and lighten my burdens a bit. I’ll strive to continue the serialization as consistently as possible. I’ll see you in the next chapter. Thank you, as always, for reading. Wishing you a peaceful night. (_ _)