Ep528 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

There's an old saying that even the slightest brush of clothes can forge a connection between people. This reflects the mysterious nature of human relationships, illustrating how unpredictable they can be and how they can evolve over time. In that sense, the divine often seems cunning. The time required to save a world is never short. And whether one likes it or not, many connections—both positive and negative—are formed during that journey. These individuals become invaluable throughout the journey. So much so that without them, it is uncertain whether one could reach the end. But do you know? After the journey concludes, these bonds, which once provided strength, can become shackles. These are people worth sacrificing lives for without hesitation. Leaving them to return to one's original world is akin to leaving a piece of one's soul behind. At the end of their journeys, both Baek Yuseong and Baek Woojin made the same choice. They decided to stay and live beside those individuals. However, Baek Yuseong's life was far from smooth. In a world where he thought only peace remained, countless incidents continued to arise. In this process, he was injured and lost those dear to him. That is why— He wandered the world, abandoning the mundane, to pass down the ultimate technique known as "Jeol" to future generations. He must have hoped. That those who saved the world would live in the freedom and peace they rightly deserve. And one more thing. "This was probably the most certain method." An unfeeling deity that never granted him even a shred of peace until his death. The ultimate move he could deliver against that deity. Thus was left the legacy and wish of the previous generation. As he inscribed an additional missing character, Baek Woojin felt it. "This power…." The fiery source of strength welling up from deep within his heart. It originated from a book. A chronicle faithfully documenting the life of a martial artist who saved the martial world. The image of a woman, her belly growing, writing letter by letter. And the moment that book spread to the world. The awe it stirred in people's hearts, a tale more novel than fiction itself. That energy transcended the fictional world and reached the abode of the gods. Ultimately, it was them once more. Those who supported him throughout the arduous journey. Now they were pushing him forward again. "How should I repay these feelings?" He worried for a moment, but soon let it go. It's a needless worry. There's ample time to repay. From now until the day he dies. Living solely for them by their side is enough. To do that, he must return. Grasping a complete future, back to their side. With confidence. "Breathe in." He channels the surging energy into a single sword. Layer by layer, from the ground up. The energy is stacked meticulously, filling the sword and extending outward, emanating a radiant light. This is neither sword aura (剣氣) nor sword force (剣罡), but something else entirely. Something none have seen before in form or energy, a power best described as willpower (意氣). A sword forged with intent reaching to the heavens. "Eui-cheon Sword (意天劍)." With this will, there is only one thing to accomplish. "Jeolpil (絶筆)." The sword, transformed into a radiant light, slices through the distance between Baek Woojin and the deity's authority. A resolute will extends forcefully, nearly indomitable. It leaves the tenth scar on the deity's authority, which writes the destiny of the world. The deity shuddered at the sight. "My God…." A pure white brilliance so blinding, even the eyes of a deity overseeing countless worlds faltered. Within it, the well-defined blade splits their authority. Crack! A distinct fissure appears on the brush immersed in the light. Once it begins to move, even its master cannot halt it—a divine power stopped by a mere human's blade. However, it was not over. For the first time since its creation under the deity's hand, this divine power faced a crisis, resisting fiercely. Boom—! A thunderous sound generated by the clash of two colossal forces. Without blinking, Baek Woojin and the deity watched the fateful confrontation. To break the deity's will. To maintain the deity's will fully. The clash of strength and will soon reached its conclusion. In contrast to the earth-shattering roar during the battle, the end was simple. Crack! The brush, which had resisted so fiercely, ultimately failed to fulfill the deity's will and snapped in half. It fell to the ground with a rather pathetic noise, broken into two pieces. The deity approached the fallen fragments, picking them up silently. It was unprecedented. There had never been a need to reverse the destiny of a world once it began to be written. And it was unimaginable that a mere human could shatter it just because it didn’t match their liking. Thus, nothing had been anticipated. Even infusing the brush fragments with power proved futile. Clang! Once broken, the brush refused to contain the deity's authority any longer. This meant that the fate of the world, now just left as a blank page, slipped from his grasp. "Sigh..." A laugh escaped. "Haha..., hahahaha!" It wasn't from joy, but a laughter stained with futility and emptiness. He pondered. What had gone wrong? Had he underestimated the limits of humanity? Or did the potential within them surpass his expectations? Or perhaps, he never should have engaged in such a gamble in the first place. "No, no." It was only at the end that he realized. Where Baek Woojin's final technique had originated. "Baek Yuseong..." The protagonist who wished for an absurd power to see the future as a wish. Before Baek Woojin, he had been the deity’s favorite protagonist. So, he granted a minimal ability for future sight. "To think that would come back to pierce my heart..." All he could feel was a deep admiration. How could it not be impressive when he flawlessly concealed his intentions and will from the deity? Remembering that realization brought a sudden sense of relief. "Having one like that might not be such a bad thing…." A world where the script defies the deity's authority, created solely by the choices of its inhabitants, wouldn’t be so bad. It would be intriguing to see what kind of stories they weave, differing from his outcomes. What paths lead to what ends, without interference. With this newfound clarity, he tossed the shattered brush fragments to the ground without hesitation. And with a fresh smile, he declared to Baek Woojin, "The victory is yours. I acknowledge my defeat." For the first and last time. Declaring the victory of a human and accepting his own loss. He resolved to watch over their world closely, to inspire more narratives. To cultivate inspiration and weave more compelling stories. Just as Baek Yuseong and Baek Woojin had done. Feeling at peace, he inquired, "The fate of the world now belongs entirely to those who live in it. However, it's all due to your and Baek Yuseong’s will. It cannot be said that I granted your wish." Resisting the urge to simply walk away, he acknowledged that the scope of the fulfilled wish was too insignificant compared to what they accomplished. Wasn't it merely offering a few chances deemed impossible? Achieved solely by his will. "State another wish. This time, something I can fulfill." Without a moment's hesitation, Baek Woojin voiced the thought that surfaced in his mind. "Let me punch you once." "What?" The deity, baffled, questioned again, and Baek Woojin replied with a crooked smile. "Just let me land one solid punch." Annoyed by the arrogant composure of this deity while he'd harbored a grudge, Baek Woojin moved forward with a knuckle-cracking sound emanating from his fist. "Uh, um." The deity squeezed his eyes shut. * * * As he opened his eyes, familiar sights filled his vision. Surrounded by untouched, sturdy books in a place where no owner's hand had reached. He found himself back in his study, where he had once opened the Book of Heroes that led to the divine realm. "...Am I back?" He wasn’t sure. Whether he had indeed ventured to the place of the deity and returned or merely awakened from an elaborate dream. His senses were dazed, reality felt distant. "Ugh." He winced at the subtle headache, trying to rise. "......?" Two distinct sensations were felt in his hands. One at the knuckles and fingers. And another within his grip. That sensation on his knuckles and fingers— The tactile memory of striking the deity's face wholeheartedly as if intending to crush the bone— the divine kill. "That felt awesome, yeah." If you had to quantify it, he felt roughly thirty thousand times happier than when he had decapitated the Demon King. Baek Woojin unclenched his fist to examine the other hand. "What is this...?" Resting there was a broken brush, split in two. It was small in size, but unmistakable: the fragment of the brush that once contained the divine authority writing the world's fate. Seeing it, he remembered. "Oh right, I took it as a souvenir." After all, he couldn't return to the divine realm ever again. So it was a hastily grabbed keepsake to remind him of the place he’d visited—a world of gods. "From now on, this is the family heirloom." No one but himself would likely see it as valuable, but what did it matter? It would endure even if his family were to fall into ruin, as surely no one would pay for a broken brush. "But how much time has passed?" His time spent in the divine realm hadn't felt long. Perhaps about a month at most. However, he sensed more time had passed here. The book that bestowed new power upon him. It would have taken significantly longer than a month to be written and circulated. "...I suppose I'll find out once I step outside." He tore off the talismans plastered around the study and reached for the handle. Waaah-! The cry of a baby echoed from somewhere in the house, pushing Baek Woojin into a state of shock. "Ah." It had definitely happened. The fruits of love shared with them had been born! "Damn...!" He swung the door open and rushed towards the inner courtyard. Familiar faces appeared on the veranda. Dang Seyeong, cradling a baby swathed in silk, surrounded by other women. "Coochie coo, peek-a-boo!" "Isn't the baby just the cutest?" "Doesn't it look a lot like the master's face?" "Indeed. Perhaps this is exactly how he looked when he was little." "I hope the one I'm about to have looks just like him too." Amidst the shower of admiring remarks, Dang Seyeong, pacifying the whimpering baby, turned her gaze towards Baek Woojin standing afar, bewildered. "Darling...!" Her single word of surprise drew the attention of the women around her. The household erupted into a flurry. "Master!" "Where have you been all this time?!" "Do you have any idea how long we've waited?!" "You should have said something if you were leaving!" Nagging rained down like a torrential shower. Weaving through the admonishments, Dang Seyeong rose to her feet. She swiftly crossed the courtyard, stood before Baek Woojin, and presented the child she held. "Look. This is our baby." He finally saw. The small, round face peeking out from the silk wraps, with big eyes darting this way and that, limbs flailing. Pale and fair. Eyes shimmering with the same brilliance as Dang Seyeong’s, and a nose resembling his own, prominent and proud. As Baek Woojin gazed at the precious, dainty face, he asked in a daze. "W-When was the baby born...?" "About a month ago." "I see." Already a month had gone by. "In that case, what about the baby’s name...?" "We haven't decided yet." "What...?" His eyes wide, Baek Woojin looked at Dang Seyeong, who returned his gaze with a bittersweet smile. "How could we name the child when its father was nowhere to be seen?" "Ah..." Of course, names could have been chosen. A venerable monk from Shaolin might have provided a good name, and asking the head of the Sichuan Tang family, her own background, would have yielded a splendid one. Yet they had waited. Waited so the baby's father could decide for his child. As Baek Woojin stood there, overwhelmed with emotion, she urged him. "Well, aren't you going to hold your child?" Startled, Baek Woojin recoiled. "M-Me? What if I accidentally hurt the baby…?" He was scared. Afraid that he'd hold the baby awkwardly and make it cry. This tiny, precious being seemed too fragile for him to handle without causing harm. With a small sigh, Dang Seyeong gently placed the baby in his arms. "Here, support the neck with one hand and the back with the other… like this." "O-Okay…!" Spurred by her guidance, he found himself holding the baby. Fortunately, the baby didn't cry. In fact. "Babaaah!" Whatever delighted it so, the baby joyfully gazed at him, smiling, waving its arms and legs even faster than before. "Ah…" He didn't know. How to put this feeling into words. How to describe the emotion swelling in his chest. All Baek Woojin could do was let the feeling pile up in his heart as he struggled to speak. "Yeonghee…." "Hm?" "Let’s name the baby Yeonghee." Yeong, meaning 'eternal.' Hee, meaning 'joy.' Eternal joy. For Baek Woojin, this moment would forever be remembered as such. Dang Seyeong smiled and replied. "That's a lovely name." "Isn't it?!" "But…" She then playfully inquired of the jubilant Baek Woojin. "You do know the baby is a boy, right?" "Uh, well." And so, the name of the firstborn son of the Baek family—an illustrious lineage known for saving the martial world during its peril—was decided as Baek Yeonghee (白永喜). "Maybe he'll earn a cool nickname later, don't you think?" "……." Thus marked the moment where the son of the Baek family, Baek Yeonghee, began his fateful path, destined to wander the martial world, distinguished by a moniker rather than his given name. Author's Note: I apologize for the delay. My persistent cough and declining health made writing this difficult. This concludes the final episode. Tomorrow, I'll bring you the closing epilogue and my final thoughts. I look forward to meeting you in the next part. Thank you all for reading as always. Have a restful night. (_ _)