The meaning of the boundary between life and death was gradually becoming visible.
Sowol glanced around. She could see the family warriors, who were laughing and chatting just yesterday, now swinging their weapons with fierce expressions.
Those hit by their weapons die, and her side dies by weapons swung to survive.
Life and death are decided by whether one can block an attack.
That’s why she had to come to her senses.
-Clang!!
“Ugh…!!”
If she hadn’t learned how to use magical energy, she would have lost her sword at the first attack.
Sowol gritted her teeth and rapidly rotated the magical energy within her body.
This gave her strength beyond that of a teenage girl, but she still couldn’t easily attack.
‘It’s different from the goblins…’
Killing a person.
That meant she had to be prepared to die as well.
Was she really prepared for that?
She had always thought it was no big deal.
But at the boundary between life and death,
She questioned whether that was truly sincere.
“Die!!”
-Clang!!
Sowol gritted her teeth as she deflected an axe aimed at her head with her sword.
If she doesn’t kill, she’ll be killed.
Even knowing this, why wouldn’t her hand move?
“Young miss!! It’s dangerous!!”
Just a moment of lost focus.
No.
I don’t want to die.
I want to survive.
It was when that thought took hold.
“Detachment. Don’t think about anything. Neither the desire not to die nor the desire to kill. You shouldn’t think about anything.”
Amidst the clashing of steel and the exchange of battle cries on this battlefield, the calm voice was clearly heard.
“Are you afraid? Don’t feel fear. Are you excited? Don’t feel excitement. Don’t put consciousness into each of your actions. Unconsciousness. Detachment. Don’t even think about all of that. Move as your body leads you. The more you do so, the stronger you’ll become.”
Lee Hyun’s voice continued to penetrate.
Hearing this, Sowol’s body moved.
“What?!”
She avoided an attack from a Skull Gang member rushing from behind just by stepping back.
She deflected a thrusting attack from the side by slightly twisting her sword.
She rolled on the ground to avoid flying flails and cut through an incoming spear by swinging her sword.
She thinks of nothing.
She just moves as her body leads, as her instincts desire.
That’s all that matters.
As Sowol moved with this mindset, she could see a large man standing before her.
A man wearing a large orc skull helmet. It was Lungbit, the leader of the Skull Gang and the one called the Skull Warrior.
“You little brat!!”
Lungbit’s large axe comes crashing down.
Can she avoid this?
Can she block this?
The death she had been ignoring was now right before her eyes.
Before she could feel fear, Sowol closed her eyes.
This too is nothingness.
She must not feel any fear.
-Clang!!
Sowol opened her eyes.
The axe that was about to split her head was stopped in mid-air.
What was holding that axe was none other than a single sword. The owner of that sword was…
“…Mister?”
“Did you feel the boundary between life and death?”
Somehow, all the enemies that were around had fallen.
Was it his doing?
Sowol unconsciously nodded slightly.
“Good. The extra lesson ends here. It seems there was some progress.”
-Whoosh!!
Lungbit’s body, which had been straining to bring down the axe, flew backward.
He was kicked just once, but he tumbled several meters on the ground and gritted his teeth, covered in dirt and dust.
“Who are you?!”
“Me?”
Lee Hyun grinned, twirling his sword, and said.
“Her master.”
.
.
.
Sowol stared blankly at Lee Hyun.
No, not just her.
Everyone present was staring at him.
The warriors of the Eastern Trading Company, and the members of the Skull Gang.
Everyone who should have been fighting each other couldn’t take their eyes off Lee Hyun’s sword dance.
The flow of the sword cutting through was shimmering in the moonlight, and the light movements of his hand were as free as if he were dancing.
It was beautiful.
His sword dance unfolding under the moonlight was so breathtakingly beautiful that one might think this is what the sword dance of a sword god descended from heaven would look like.
No one could move.
They were all entranced by the movement that made it hard to even breathe. They only came to their senses when Lee Hyun’s final strike was unleashed.
When the head of Lungbit, the Skull Warrior who had ruled this area with terror, soared into the sky.
“What are you all doing?”
“Ah. Aah!! Your leader is dead!! If you throw down your weapons and surrender now, we’ll spare your lives!!”
Everyone came to their senses only after Lee Hyun spoke as if it were ridiculous.
Right. This is not a place to watch a sword dance.
So, So Jung-yang shouted roughly, and the Skull Gang members, who had finally come to their senses, quickly moved and pointed their weapons at the Eastern Trading Company warriors forming ranks.
But could they continue fighting?
When the strongest among them, Lungbit, died so easily?
If that sword dance were to unfold again, would anyone be able to block it?
The Skull Gang members, gripped by fear, eventually began to lay down their weapons one by one.
Sowol, who had watched this scene from beginning to end, turned her eyes to Lee Hyun.
What was this emotion that arose as she watched him casually retrieving his sword as if it were nothing despite having created such a spectacle?
Sowol placed her hand on her chest.
Her heart was pounding wildly.
‘I want to do it too.’
That sword dance just now.
‘I want to become like that too.’
Like him who overwhelmed this entire situation.
‘I too…’
Sowol stared intently at Lee Hyun. As if he had just noticed her gaze, Lee Hyun grinned and approached Sowol.
“So, how do you feel about passing the extra lesson?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ll understand soon.”
The slowly extended hand touched Sowol’s head.
Normally, she would have avoided such a touch. Sowol extremely disliked anyone touching her body, but for some reason, she didn’t want to reject this hand.
The gentle caressing touch was warm.
It was a warmth that couldn’t be thought to belong to hands that had ended countless lives.
“Well then, shall we go back?”
Along with Lee Hyun’s calm words, the hand was removed from her head.
Was that why?
Sowol felt a sense of regret.
“Yes.”
Nodding her head to assuage her regret, Sowol looked at Lee Hyun, who was walking ahead, and said softly.
“Master.”
“Oh ho. Are you finally acknowledging me?”
Until now, Lee Hyun had been nothing more than someone selling knowledge for money to Sowol.
But now it was different. Sowol wanted it.
She wanted to become like Lee Hyun.
For that, she had no choice but to acknowledge him.
Towards Sowol who revealed her inner thoughts without hiding them, Lee Hyun simply smiled calmly.
***
No matter how I think about it, it seems I did well. Using the Moonlight Sword, one of Ragnarok’s three great sword techniques, against mere mountain bandits.
Look.
Until now, their gaze was merely one of trying to treat a guest politely, but now it’s as if they’re looking at a star.
“Ama, amazing. That sword dance.”
“It was nothing. By the way, it seems… the situation has been resolved?”
“Ah. Ye, yes. It’s all been resolved. I think it will be over once we join the lord’s side.”
“I see. Good work.”
“Oh my. What work? You, Master Lee, did much more.”
I only killed a few people and used the Moonlight Sword once. There wasn’t anything that could be called hard work.
“By the way, do you intend to teach that sword dance to Sowol as well?”
So Jung-yang, who had been hesitating, asked.
Am I planning to teach Sowol the Moonlight Sword technique?
“Yes, I plan to teach her.”
“Ooooh!! Is that so?!”
The Moonlight Sword is considered one of the three great sword techniques in this world, a high-level swordsmanship.
Honestly, if one can use this, they can be considered fully grown. Then, one of my missions will be completed.
“…Is it true?”
Sowol, standing behind me, asked cautiously. She seems to be looking forward to it.
I crouched to meet Sowol’s eyes and held out my pinky finger.
“Yes. I always keep my word.”
Sowol, staring at the extended finger, linked her pinky with mine.
After making this promise, So Jung-yang exclaimed.
“This is really… how should we repay you…”
“The growth of a disciple with outstanding talent is the greatest reward. Hahaha.”
So just grow up strong and healthy.
“Still… Ah. Instead, how about we prepare a position for you in our company and you stay there permanently? You don’t need to do any work. Having your name there would be enough, and our company will handle everything else.”
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
Having my name in a large company like the Eastern Trading Company would prevent unnecessary friction.
Not bad. It might be better to stay like that until I obtain the qualification of a sage.
“Huh?”
At that moment, Sowol grabbed me. Does she have something to say?
“Does this mean you’ll be staying with our family permanently, Master?”
To that question, I could only smile.