NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Life and death’s boundary began to feel realer and realer.
Sowol glanced over. The family warriors, who had been laughing and joking just yesterday, were now swinging their weapons with terrifying expressions.
Those struck by them died, while our own fought to survive against those weapons.
Whether one could deflect the attack or not decided life from death.
That’s why she had no choice but to get a grip on herself.
–Chaeeeeeeng!!
“Ugh…!!”
If she hadn’t learned how to use magic, she would have dropped her sword on the first attack.
Sowol gritted her teeth and spun her internal magic rapidly.
She had gained strength beyond that of a teenage girl, but attacking wasn’t easy.
‘This is different from the goblins…’
Killing a person.
That meant she also had to be prepared to die.
Was she ready for that?
She always thought it was no big deal.
But here, in the boundary of life and death, she began to question if that had really been her true feeling.
“Die!!”
–Chaeeeng!!
Sowol deflected the axe aiming for her head with her sword and gritted her teeth.
If she didn’t kill, she’d die.
Why wasn’t she able to move her hands even knowing that?
“Miss!! It’s dangerous!!”
Just by letting her guard down for a moment, death was approaching.
No, she didn’t want to.
She didn’t want to die.
She wanted to survive.
That thought solidified at that moment.
“Be at peace. Don’t think of anything. Not even the thought of not wanting to die or wanting to kill. Don’t think of anything.”
In this battlefield where metal clashed and shouts echoed, that calm voice pierced her ears.
“Are you scared? Don’t feel fear. Are you excited? Don’t feel excitement. Don’t be conscious of every little action you take. Unconsciousness. Be at peace. Don’t think of anything. Move as your body leads you. The more you do, the stronger you’ll become.”
Lee Hyun’s voice kept digging in.
Hearing that, Sowol moved her body instinctively.
“No?!”
She stepped back just in time to avoid the attack of a skeleton member charging from behind.
She slightly angled her sword to deflect a thrusting attack from the side.
She rolled under a flying chain and cut the spearhead aimed at her with a swing of her sword.
She didn’t think of anything.
She simply moved as her body and instincts urged her.
That was all that mattered.
As she considered this and moved, Sowol suddenly saw a hulking figure standing before her.
A man wearing a massive orc skull helmet. The leader of the skeleton gang, the skeletal warrior, Rungbit.
“You brat!!”
Rungbit’s huge axe came crashing down.
Could she dodge this?
Could she block this?
The death she had been trying to ignore came right up to her face.
Before she felt fear, Sowol shut her eyes.
This too was void.
She mustn’t feel any fear.
–Chaeeeng!!
Sowol opened her eyes.
The axe that was about to split her head had suddenly stopped in mid-air.
Holding that axe was nothing other than a single sword. The sword’s owner was…
“…Mister?”
“Have you felt the boundary between life and death?”
By now, all the enemies around had fallen.
Had he done that?
Sowol found herself nodding slightly without realizing it.
“Good. The extra lessons end here. Looks like you made some progress.”
–Pwaaargh!!
Rungbit’s body, which had been struggling to bring the axe down, flew backward.
He had merely kicked him, but he rolled several meters, covered in dirt, grinding his teeth.
“Who the hell are you?!”
“Me?”
Lee Hyun grinned, spinning the sword in his hand.
“She’s my student.”
.
.
.
Sowol stared blankly at Lee Hyun.
No, it wasn’t just her. Everyone present was looking at him.
The warriors of the Eastern Trading Company and the members of the skeleton gang.
All those who were supposed to fight each other could not take their eyes off Lee Hyun’s sword dance.
The flowing sword that created an upright line shone under the moonlight, and the light movements of his hands were as free as a dance.
He wielded the sword beautifully.
Was this what it meant to see the sword dance of a celestial being? Lee Hyun’s sword dance, illuminated by moonlight, was so incredibly beautiful that none could move.
They were mesmerized to the point of not being able to breathe, and they came to their senses only when Lee Hyun performed his final strike.
When Rungbit, the skeleton warrior who had been terrorizing the area, lost his head and it soared into the sky.
“What are you all doing?”
“U. Uh-oh!! Your leader is dead!! If you drop your weapons and surrender now, I’ll spare your lives!!”
It was only after Lee Hyun spoke those words, sounding incredulous, that everyone snapped back to reality.
Right, this was not the place to admire sword dances.
That’s why Sowol shouted roughly, and only then did the skeleton gang members, regaining their senses, quickly turn their weapons on the warriors of the Eastern Trading Company.
But could they continue to fight?
Their strongest member, Rungbit, had died so easily?
Was there anyone who could block that sword dance?
In fear, the skeleton members began to lower their weapons one by one.
Sowol watched the entire scene unfold and turned her gaze to Lee Hyun.
Even after creating such a spectacle, he casually retrieved his sword, exuding a nonchalant attitude. What was this feeling?
She placed her hand on her chest.
Her heart was pounding like crazy.
‘I want to try it too.’
The sword dance from just moments ago.
‘I want to become like that.’
Like he had overwhelmed the entire situation.
‘I…’
Sowol stared at Lee Hyun. Just then, as if he had caught her gaze, Lee Hyun smiled and approached her.
“Yeah. How does it feel to pass the extra lessons?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
His slowly extended hand touched the top of Sowol’s head.
Under normal circumstances, she would have dodged that touch. She was extremely averse to anyone touching her body, but for some reason, she didn’t want to refuse that hand.
The gentle strokes were warm.
Warmth that one could never imagine belonged to hands that had ended numerous lives.
“So, should we head back?”
As Lee Hyun calmly said that, his hand left her head.
Was that why?
Sowol felt a sense of regret.
“Yes.”
Nodding, trying to soothe her disappointment, Sowol looked at Lee Hyun walking ahead and softly said, “Master.”
“Oh ho. So you’re finally acknowledging me?”
Up until now, Lee Hyun had merely been a knowledge-selling figure to Sowol.
But now it was different. Sowol desired.
She wanted to become like Lee Hyun.
To do that, she had no choice but to acknowledge him.
As she openly revealed that inner thought, Lee Hyun only smiled calmly in response.
*
No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed she had done well. Just performing the Moonlight Sword, one of the three famous sword techniques of Ragnarok, on some mere mountain thieves.
Look.
Until now, she had merely regarded him with a polite attitude, but now it was as if she were gazing at a star.
“That’s incredible. That sword dance was amazing.”
“It was nothing special. By the way, how’s the situation… seems to be sorted out?”
“Ah, yes. Everything has been organized. I think when we join up with the Lord, it will be over.”
“I see. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ve done nothing. Your master has done all the hard work.”
All I did was kill a few people and use the Moonlight Sword once. That’s not worth calling hard work.
“By the way, are you planning to teach that sword dance to Sowol?”
The timid Sowol asked.
Was he going to teach Sowol the Moonlight Sword?
“Yes, I plan to.”
“Ooooh!! Really?!”
The Moonlight Sword is treated as one of the three great sword techniques in this world, so if she could use this, she would be seen as an adult. That would conclude one of my missions.
“…Is that true?”
Sowol, who was standing behind me, cautiously asked. She seemed excited.
I squatted down to meet her gaze and extended my pinky finger.
“Yeah. I always keep my promises.”
As she stared intently at the outstretched pinky finger, Sowol linked her pinky with mine.
After making that promise, Sowol exclaimed, “What should I do to repay this?”
“The greatest reward is for my talented student to grow. Hahaha.”
So just grow up strong and healthy.
“Still… ah, not that, I can prepare a position for you in our organization, so how about staying there permanently? You won’t need to work; as long as you put my name in there, we’ll handle everything.”
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
Having my name in a giant organization like the Eastern Trading Company would prevent unnecessary friction.
That sounds better until I can obtain the title of Sage.
“Huh?”
At that moment, Sowol grabbed me. Did she have something to say?
“Then, does that mean you’ll stay with our family, Master?”
To that question, I simply smiled.