Ep514 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

The protagonist destined to save a world was meant to be exceptional. However, granting power was not an option. What meaning would a journey hold for a consistently powerful protagonist, and what narrative could possibly build around them? Instead of power, he was granted achievement. In other words, talent. An ability that isn't constrained to a single facet but can infinitely expand and branch out. The degree of effort might vary, but even feats that appear impossible for a human body were now made possible. At first, it was undoubtedly the right choice. The growth process of Baek Woo-jin, who found himself in another world, became a captivating story in itself. And now, it had become a clear mistake. His survival, born from ten years of rolling through death, had propelled his effort and determination far beyond human limits. Even when facing the demise of a world, he did not surrender; he struggled desperately. Even in this vast, boundless space, he did not let it oppress him but radiated hope. No. To the extent that he set a grandiose goal to swallow this space itself to save the world. "Sss..." He calmly inhales. "Huu." The energies mingled within the space lingered momentarily in his body before escaping through every pore. No matter how many tens, hundreds, or thousands of breaths he took, the energy left no residue. It would merely frolic inside and then flee, as if mocking him. Did that mean he was wasting time without achieving anything? That wasn't the case. Over the course of thousands, tens of thousands of times that the energy came and went, he at least realized what it felt like. This was a feeling that was neither nature's energy, spiritual energy, nor magic. ‘Resentment.’ The profound resentment, left behind by those who vanished so futilely here. The intent and grievances imbued in this very space prevented its departure or liberation. The energy of resentment. It's cold, heavy, and overwhelming. Countless worlds concluded here. For a mere human to comprehend this was close to impossible. Upon realizing this, he felt a chill run down his spine. ‘I almost got into big trouble.’ When the energy moved in and out of his body, it wasn't just to tease him. Rather, it was trying to find a vulnerability to attack him, now recognized as an enemy. What might have happened if he had forcefully detained and accumulated the energy within his body? With a sigh of relief, he came to a realization. ‘It’s too much.’ Accepting this energy directly would not only destroy his body but would obliterate his mind. How many worlds had collapsed here, and over how many centuries had such resentment accumulated? Forcefully absorbing this would make even his steadfast mind melt away in an instant. To accept and ultimately utilize this energy, an additional process was needed. ‘Changing the perception of the resentment energy.’ This intense resentment was directed solely toward this space and the god who created such a space. However, being merely energy without a self, it antagonized anything different. This was precisely what Baek Woo-jin needed to address first. He needed to make the sharp energy perceive him as an ally or comrade. And how would he achieve that? ‘Impart my will.’ He planned to imbue the energy with his own will, coaxing it. Fortunately, he had ample material to draw from. ‘When it comes to resentment, I’m not to be underestimated either.’ Whether it was this space that threatened to topple a world he wanted to live peacefully in or the third-rate author who kept tangling up his life. In terms of hatred, he was confident he would yield to no one. ‘Let’s take it slow.’ As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. He carefully released the energy to the surrounding resentment energy, gradually drawing close. He began to convey his will to the energies that were on guard with their sharpened attitudes. By revealing the deep-seated grudges within him, he showed that he wasn’t greatly different from them. Of course, it wasn't accomplished in a single attempt. ‘Keep going until it works.’ Once, twice, three times... He repeatedly spread and gathered the energy, gradually approaching them. His persistent efforts began to bear fruit. Their sharp vigilance slowly dulled, and the distance between them decreased little by little. Times like these required even greater caution. A reckless approach after getting slightly closer could erect an even higher wall than before. ‘Ugh, it’s not easy.’ The process was anything but smooth. These were energies clinging on in a space that erased everything but still remained. This meant they harbored intensely fierce resentment. Revenge, hatred, anger, and more. Infiltrating the gaps fraught with all kinds of intense, negative emotions was akin to threading a giant bull through the eye of a needle. The feat that approached the realm of impossibility could only be achieved because it was Baek Woo-jin. He knew how this world was constructed. And he harbored a genuine resentment towards the god who was floundering so deeply. His intense grudge was in no way inferior even when compared to the resentment gathered here. ‘Ah…!’ Finally, the tips of his outstretched energy hesitantly met. And that encounter led to the expansion of a world. A meeting of energies entirely unfamiliar with one another. As the energies began to connect, one by one, around that initial contact point, a new awareness spread outward. The perception of the grudge-laden energy shifted, opening up pathways and allowing his sensory range to increasingly encompass the surroundings. ‘I can feel it.’ He could sense the shape and size of the countless items, laid out in space spanning tens, hundreds, even thousands of layers. And amidst them, he found a spherical object emitting an extraordinary energy. A sphere pulsing with a dense vitality, despite being destined for a fleeting disappearance. ‘Found it…!’ It was undoubtedly the Wood Elemental Sacred Pearl. Baek Woo-jin, propelling himself with the energy unleashed from his Yongcheon Point the moment he opened his eyes, shot towards it. A gleaming blue light caught his attention amidst the countless ruins shattered and piled upon one another. Swiftly reaching out, Baek Woo-jin grasped the Wood Elemental Sacred Pearl in his hand, a smile forming at the corners of his lips. He pondered. “Perhaps, things might unfold more easily than I thought…?” Gathering the pearls might not be as difficult as he had anticipated. With the Wood Elemental Sacred Pearl safely tucked away, Baek Woo-jin’s senses once again began to traverse the boundless void. * * * When the god imparted the method to her. He had warned her. Not to even entertain the thought of entering the black hole, should she make a mistake. Back then, she simply thought it was because that place was dangerous. “…Was it for this reason?” It was only after entering the hole that she realized why he had so earnestly cautioned her. “This is.” All manner of things collided, shattered, and were sucked deeper and deeper inward. What was once a noble element of the universe had now fallen to pitiable refuse, flowing in vain. “The scene wrought by my own hand.” And this catastrophic scene had been a result of none other than herself. The god had known all along. That no matter how resolute the heart, in the face of such a harrowing spectacle, even a flame becomes vulnerable like a candle in the wind. It was only natural. After all, wasn’t she destroying worlds for her solely personal desires? The truths she had so studiously ignored were laid bare here, unmistakably raw. Once-human flesh. Fragments that had been majestic trees. Lifeless, coarse sand. She tried to avert her gaze from them. But it was futile. No matter where she turned her eyes, all she could see were the remnants of worlds she had contributed to destroying. After a long search for somewhere else to look, she finally gave up. ‘If I cannot avoid it, I must confront it.’ If possible, she would avoid it. But faced with a situation where avoidance was impossible. So she decided to confront it. There was little holding her back. Her longing was immense enough to trade it for the entirety of them. If only in this way, she could spend even a single lifetime with him. To walk the world together, find love where their journey ended, bear and raise children, and slowly die in each other’s arms. After ending that life, she’d spend hundreds, thousands of lives atoning. She would directly confess that fact to the god and endure hardship until her sins were cleansed. As she once more made up her mind and steeled her heart. The force that had been relentlessly pushing her inward disappeared, and she reached the endpoint where the remains of the floating world drifted aimlessly. "……." Even in this immense space, whose end she couldn’t even begin to fathom, why did she feel such suffocation? Accompanied by magic, she immediately began to wander through the space. There was no time to wallow in sentimentality. Finding Baek Woo-jin, who had entered before her, and obstructing him was urgent. “Where are you…?” She flew faster. The longer she delayed, the more she felt something might ensnare her. The feeling that the entire space was hostile to her. Amidst that unpleasant feeling, skimming quickly through and stretching out a net of her senses widely, she felt him. Changing direction at once, she flew toward the sensation of his presence and saw it. “That’s…!” Red, blue, yellow, white, black. Five spheres shimmering with distinct colors, flickering by Baek Woo-jin's side. "The Five Elemental Pearls…!" A massive shock reverberated through her mind. How on earth did he manage to find those small pearls in this vast expanse? No, more importantly. "If those things are expelled back outside… what happens then?" If the Five Elemental Pearls return to their original places. Would the ongoing destruction cease as well? Her face twisted at the ominous thoughts that raced through her mind. Clench! "That must never happen…!" With a murderous aura, she launched herself toward Baek Woo-jin. --- **Author's Note** I'll see you in the next chapter. Thank you, as always, for reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)