Chapter 457
“...”
An awkward silence settled between the two. Kwang-Soo was uncomfortable due to his youthful memories being forcibly exposed, whereas Se-Hoon was staying cautious and observing Kwang-Soo’s mood because he could tell that.
He should’ve said something earlier...
If he had done so, Se-Hoon could’ve just glossed over some of the memories.
As Se-Hoon silently grumbled over how the trivial awkwardness could have been avoided entirely, Kwang-Soo finally let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face.
“So, what’s going on here exactly? Judging by your reaction, my appearance here was unexpected, wasn’t it?” he questioned, resignedly changing the subject.
Seeing Kwang-Soo acting as if nothing had happened, perhaps having realized that persisting further would only make him more embarrassed, Se-Hoon followed suit.
“I think your consciousness might have split,” he theorized, surveying their surroundings.
“What? My consciousness has split?”
“Yes. To be more precise, the memories of your past have been filtered out cleanly.”
No matter how vividly one remembered their memories and emotions within them, they were inevitably blended with their current perspectives. However, due to Se-Hoon’s Bond Recreate, those two perspectives had been separated completely.
“So not only am I suffering from inner demons, I’m also experiencing a split consciousness... what a mess.”
“This is just temporary, meaning there’s no need to worry. It might even help you overcome your inner demons.”
Considering how inner demons related to the past often arose because people either avoided or couldn’t properly confront those memories, Kwang-Soo observing his memories in his current detached state was most likely good for him.
“Hmm....”
Briefly pondering Se-Hoon’s explanation, Kwang-Soo turned to watch his past self dining with the villagers.
“Huh. So he walked all the way here from Busan? I’m surprised he managed to get through safely...”
“...”
“You’re still asking that, even after seeing him fight Ha-Rin earlier today? He’ll probably be safe wherever he goes.”
“...”
“If it were us, we would’ve collapsed within ten seconds. Young folks nowadays are really impressive....”
Regardless of the villagers’ chatter, the young Kwang-Soo ate quietly. In their eyes, that made him appear reserved or socially inept, but Kwang-Soo was just lost in thoughts that painted a vastly different picture of him.
“Lee Ha-Rin... I heard she had talent, but I didn’t expect it to be to that extent. With that slender body, how could she... no, judging by how strange things such as mana exist now, it’s pointless to wonder about that. But why did she laugh earlier? Was it because my face was funny...?”
Crunch-
Kwang-Soo ground his teeth, forced to experience the vivid thoughts clearly streaming into his mind once again.
Do I... really have to watch this together with that brat?
Just the sight of his past self acting aloof by tightly shutting his mouth was painful to witness. But sharing all the trivial thoughts running through his mind, too? Despite having endured countless hardships for over fifty years, the current situation was uniquely excruciatingly unbearable.
“Ahem...” Se-Hoon suddenly coughed awkwardly, tightly biting his lip at the sight of Kwang-Soo’s past self stroking his beard in contemplation.
Embarrassed, Kwang-Soo’s internal struggle intensified until, finally, he let out a deep sigh and resignedly surrendered.
“Fine. Let’s just watch it together.”
His past self at least had youth as an excuse, but him now? Kwang-Soo knew well that allowing mere embarrassment to rob him of the chance to conquer his inner demons would indeed be something to be even more ashamed of.
“You’ve made the right choice. Even though it might be a little embarrassing right now, it’ll be helpful...”
“Hmm. I don’t care how others see me, but it feels uncomfortable. Perhaps I should shave this beard off now.”
“H-helpful....”
“...Enough. Just be quiet and watch.”
At that moment, a man approached the youthful Kwang-Soo, who was stroking his beard.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
The appearance of the man, who clearly bore a soldierly demeanor, that sat opposite Kwang-Soo, prompted the villagers to all discreetly withdraw.
“My name is Kim Jeong-Hoon. I came here to speak on behalf of the villagers.”
Kim Jeong-Hoon then fell silent, waiting for a reply.
“Broken Sword.” A short and curt response. Instead of his real name, the young Kwang-Soo had blatantly offered his pseudonym.
Instead of taking offense, though, Kim Jeong-Hoon nodded after some brief contemplation. “I see. Then I’ll address you as Broken Sword from now on.”
Using such an alias would most likely have sparked suspicion in modern times, but Kim Jeong-Hoon showed no such reaction. In the first place, he distrusted strangers from the outset and was thus already skeptical of whatever was said.
The sense of hostility is mutual.
The bloodthirsty scene of both men staying tense, ready to strike at any moment, intrigued Se-Hoon. It was quite reminiscent of the pre-regression world he knew.
“We haven’t had visitors from outside for months, and there’s much we’d like to ask... but you don’t seem too inclined.”
“Clearly.”
“Then I’ll get straight to the point.”
Kim Jeong-Hoon faced Kwang-Soo, becoming more serious.
“Please avoid mentioning any unnecessary things to Ha-Rin.”
“...”
“I don’t know how Lee Chul-Joong conveyed it, but I know it isn’t for his daughter’s future. Rather, it is most certainly for his own selfish interests.”
Noting that his attitude wasn’t just him being merely exclusionary toward outsiders but was from genuine conviction, Se-Hoon turned to the current Kwang-Soo curiously.
“What exactly happened before?”
“You’ll find out if you keep watching.”
“It’s boring to just watch quietly.”
“...The two are old friends, but they parted ways after they had a few disagreements. Lee Chul-Jong supported the government, but Kim Jeong-Hoon rebelled and deserted,” Kwang-Soo reluctantly explained with a frown.
“Ah, it’s one of those situations.”
Having seen similar cases himself when humanity had been losing, Se-Hoon roughly understood the situation and refocused on the ongoing conversation.
“I’m not telling you not to deliver a message. But if you keep on giving us biased information with hidden motives...”
“Nonsense.”
Kwang-Soo glared coldly at Kim Jeong-Hoon.
“If that’s your concern, you should just persuade her yourself. Have you not even earned that much trust yet?”
“...”
“You pretend to care without trust. You’re no different from Lee Chul-Joong.”
Giving Kim Jeong-Hoon a contemptuous look, Kwang-Soo stood and left, silencing Kim Jeong-Hoon.
“Oh~ Charismatic, aren’t you?”
“Shut up.”
The memories then changed to a darkened courtyard, where Kwang-Soo and Ha-Rin were sitting quietly while gazing at each other under the moonlight. Together, the two presented extreme contrasts. On one side, Kwang-Soo’s rugged appearance grew more intimidating in the shadows; on the other, Ha-Rin exuded a mysterious beauty, illuminated by the moonlight.
A prolonged silence stretched on between the two, when at last, Kwang-Soo handed Ha-Rin a small box from his pocket.
“Take this. They’re Lee Chul-Joong’s belongings.”
“...”
Ha-Rin quietly opened the box in front of her.
Click.
Inside, two medals rested neatly atop red velvet. And upon seeing how they were carefully polished to the point of gleaming, Ha-Rin gave a bitter smile.
“Awakener Medals... this is definitely something Father would send.”
One medal belonged to Lee Chul-Joong himself, and the other had been Ha-Rin’s, before she deserted.
“Wow... this is quite the blunt message.”
“Well, he was always a stubborn man.”
Though unaware of Ha-Rin’s exact circumstances, Lee Chul-Joong clearly intended for his daughter—despite her deserter status—to return. It was just the kind of action that could make one’s blood boil, but Ha-Rin calmly closed the lid and set it aside.
“Thanks for bringing my father’s belongings.”
“No need for thanks. I was paid to do it after all.”
“But considering the hardship you went through to bring it all the way here...”
“It was my own decision. There’s no reason for you to thank me.”
“...”
Ha-Rin stared blankly at Kwang-Soo, taken aback by his continuous aloof responses.
“Do you... dislike me?”
Kwang-Soo noticeably paused at the blunt question but recovered.
“What if I do?” His voice was calm.
“If that’s really the case, then that would be a bit troublesome...”
“...Why?” Unable to comprehend, Kwang-Soo asked for clarification.
And to that, Ha-Rin smiled as gently as she had that morning and answered, “Because I happen to like you.”
“...”
At the bombshell confession, the past Kwang-Soo froze completely solid—and Se-Hoon’s mouth also dropped in shock.
“It wasn’t just a one-sided crush...?!”
“It’s nothing like that, so stop making a fuss.”
Looking away to snap at Se-Hoon, the current Kwang-Soo turned his attention back to Ha-Rin. And seconds later, his past self came back to his senses.
“What... what exactly do you like about me?”
Although he was startled by the unexpected confession, he could tell it was certainly not a romantic confession from the atmosphere alone... which Ha-Rin casually confirmed immediately after.
“There are quite a few factors, but what impressed me most was your brutish swordsmanship that lacks even basic form.”
“...?”
“Also, your inefficient movements that rely entirely on instinct, the blatant murderous intent that clearly reveals your next move, and finally, your awful mana usage, which only activates after breaking your sword.”
“...”
“I genuinely liked all those wild techniques. They were things I had never even imagined in my entire life.”
Listening to her words alone, they clearly sounded more like ridicule than praise. But when adding how genuinely pleased Ha-Rin seemed, Kwang-Soo accepted her sincerity and followed up the conversation once more.
“What is there to like about such pathetic techniques?”
“Because I can feel your emotions in them.”
“My... emotions?”
Ha-Rin nodded, looking up at the night sky.
“Your experiences, current beliefs, and even future aspirations.”
“...”
“Everything that makes you who you are lives within your techniques as a single, combined emotion, and I felt it through my heart.”
Is she... talking about synesthetic mindscapes? Se-Hoon’s eyes widened in shock.
Although everyone understood the concept of synesthetic mindscapes clearly now, back then—only a few years after the appearance of the Towers of Heroes and the Abyss of Demons—that wasn’t the case at all. Forget synesthetic mindscapes; it was a barbaric era where even mana handling hadn’t been properly systematized, forcing people to rely entirely on instinct.
Yet, from her words, Ha-Rin had already defined and clearly understood the concept of synesthetic mindscapes?
No wonder they said she could have surpassed Ludwig as the first to conquer a Tower of Heroes if she’d survived.
Se-Hoon marveled at Ha-Rin’s exceptional talent, but then another thought suddenly crossed his mind. He appreciated her insight because he already knew about the synesthetic mindscape, but how did people from that era view it?
As if to answer that silent question, the past Kwang-Soo opened his mouth.
“You must’ve lost your mind.”
“Ughhhh”
“...”
As Se-Hoon groaned, Kwang-Soo turned his head away, also unable to watch anymore. Thankfully, the awkward nighttime conversation ended abruptly there, and the scene transitioned to the next.
Kwang-Soo was leaving the village early in the morning.
“You really left just like that?”
“I just thought she was insane back then...”
Having encountered various lunatics during his travels, Kwang-Soo decisively left the village. Or rather, he left after hesitating and quickly judging the situation as dangerous.
I guess that was the right decision back then.
Even Se-Hoon had to admit it. Staying thoughtlessly beside someone stronger who also seemed mentally unstable was practically signing a death warrant.
I wonder when they’ll meet again... huh?
Se-Hoon belatedly noticed Kwang-Soo staring in the opposite direction—away from his past self—and turned his head, too.
Whoosh!
There atop a stone wall, Ha-Rin stood. She tossed her sword, scabbard and all, towards Kwang-Soo.
Thump!
Catching the sword overhead, Kwang-Soo turned sharply and looked up at Ha-Rin.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s a gift.”
Kwang-Soo frowned.
“I’m sure I clearly said that I don’t need such a thing.”
“No. This isn’t about my father’s keepsake.”
Seeing his questioning glance, Ha-Rin smiled faintly.
“It is to commemorate the exchange of our hearts.”
“...”
“Just what is she thinking...?” Unable to figure her out, Kwang-Soo made a strange expression while staring at the sword given by Ha-Rin.
Like that, he remained still for a while until he dropped his duffel bag to the ground. Opening it, Kwang-Soo selected the finest sword among the dozen left and threw it toward Ha-Rin.
“?!”
Instinctively catching the sword, Ha-Rin widened her eyes in surprise. Compared to the one she had given him, the sword Kwang-Soo threw was far superior in quality.
“W-wait a second. This wasn’t what I meant—”
“I’m only entrusting it to you.”
Interrupting the flustered Ha-Rin, who was about to jump down, Kwang-Soo stared at her.
“Pardon?”
“My bag was a bit too heavy, so I’m leaving it with you for now. I’ll come pick it up next time.”
Slinging the duffel bag back over his shoulder, Kwang-Soo started walking away without another word.
Behind him, Ha-Rin just stared blankly at his disappearing back. Then, a beat later, she let out a bright smile.
“I’ll be waiting.”
Thus, the future master and disciple pair parted ways.
“Oh... so you were an expert at push-pull,” Se-Hoon commented in admiration.
“...Hey, are you intentionally trying to provoke me?”
By now, Kwang-Soo seriously began pondering whether he should just punch Se-Hoon in the face.
“So... when do you two meet again?” Se-Hoon hastily asked, changing the topic upon noticing Kwang-Soo’s tone.
“Tsk... Half a year later.”
“Huh, that’s sooner than expected.”
Considering the travel time and Kwang-Soo’s apparent reluctance back then, Se-Hoon expected a few years would pass before the two met again. Interested, he glanced at Kwang-Soo, who was still looking toward Ha-Rin and the walled village.
“Because I heard something I couldn’t ignore back then.”
Crackle!
The next memory appeared, turning their surroundings vividly crimson. Everything was drastically different.
Intense flames had engulfed the mountain valley, and blood was splattered on the destroyed stone walls. Standing before it all, the past Kwang-Soo gripped his two swords and pushed through the flames, stepping over rubble into the village.
“...”
Ha-Rin stood blood-soaked amid scattered corpses. The villagers’ bodies were mutilated as though they had been attacked by beasts—a stark contrast to the demon corpses that lay cleanly decapitated.
The village was attacked by demons and Ha-Rin slaughtered them all?
From the aftermath, Ha-Rin seemed to have been overwhelmingly victorious, so why were the villagers all dead?
Unsure, Se-Hoon observed Ha-Rin until his eyes stopped at her right hand.
Woong!
In it, a sword less than a third intact was enveloped in a blue aura that completed the shape of a complete blade.
And upon seeing that, the eyes of both the past Kwang-Soo and Se-Hoon widened in shock.
“...It’s been a while.”
Welcoming them, the genius who created the first sword aura gave a sorrowful smile.