Chapter 3

Episode 3: What is your wish?

I opened my eyes.

I have opened and closed my eyes countless times throughout my life, but there has never been a time when I was more desperate than this time.

I hope we can go back to a time when all of that can be undone.

please!

And what unfolded before my eyes was a sight that compensated for all the hardships I had experienced before returning.

I was standing on a non-stage as wide as a square.

Huge statues of evil spirits were visible beyond the thousands of warriors who filled the audience. The red, blue, and yellow three-colored demon statues appeared to be clashing with each other around the training ground. Their huge swords, swords, and fists served as an unarmed roof.

And beyond that, I saw an even bigger statue standing tall in the distance. The black demon statue proudly looking down at the world with its arms crossed was the symbol of the Heavenly Demon God religion.

‘Back to the past!’

My heart started pounding like it was going to burst.

“Waaaa!”

Shouts came from all directions, as if celebrating my return. Demons from the Heavenly Demon Church were filling up the area around the training hall.

‘Now that I think about it, today is!’

At that time, a man came up onto the non-stage from across the street.

‘It’s the day of the new demon battle.’

Around this time, my father suddenly announced that the next religious leader would not be limited to his own blood relatives.

The announcement shook the school. Now, if you have the skills, you can become a Heavenly Demon.

As if to give more strength to his presentation, his father held a dance competition for the students in the second half of the school year. That is the Shinma Saengtu.

And the winner of Shinma Jaengtu was given the opportunity to challenge one of your two sons.

It was said that whoever wins between the winner and his son, Cheonma will grant him one wish.

So, how hot was the heat of the battle between gods and demons? A large number of young students from the school participated and competed.

After ten days of intense competition, the winner of the competition emerged, and the opponent he chose was me.

“Geommugeuk (劍無極)! “Sword dance!”

The soldiers chanted my name. The very name that the ghost wanted to know so much. I am Geommugeuk, the youngest of Cheonma’s two sons.

As the warriors cheered on the sword dance, the competition winner, his opponent, frowned.

“joy! After this match, the name you shout will change. “No matter how much you do, I won’t look at you.”

At the time, I felt bad that he chose me. Because it meant that he viewed me more easily than his brother.

But in hindsight, there was another reason why he chose me.

“How about abstaining right now?”

He was already confident of victory.

Actually, I lost this match.

It wasn’t because I lacked skill. It was because of the other party’s petty plan. The opponent had captured my kitchen master and poisoned my rice with a poison that temporarily rendered me unable to use my energy.

It was not a typical acid poison. It was a special acid-gong poison that was completely fine when it was just there, but when it became a violent situation like rain, it dissipated my energy. I found out later. This is an acid poison called Heubi (黑妃), which was developed and secretly distributed in the market by Sado Maeng.

Anyway, after losing the fight that day, I told my father about it, but he didn’t say anything. Rather, I remember that he gave me a look of reprimand, asking if I had been fooled by that ruse.

Afterwards, I threw several irrational moves one after another to make up for today’s loss.

The enemies at that time were not my older brother or other successor candidates. My enemy was impatience and wounded pride. When I close my eyes, I think of my father’s pitiful look in my eyes.

A series of mistakes and failures led me to stumble over my own feet and become distant from the battle for succession.

It all started with today’s defeat.

My first words at that fateful turning point were these.

“What was your name?”

At that moment, laughter erupted from those around them, and the other person’s expression hardened. He probably thought he was making fun of me, but I really couldn’t remember his name.

“Ignoring me, Gu Pyeong-ho, is the same as insulting Master!”

“Oh, right. “It was Gu Pyeong-ho.”

Gu Pyeong-ho, the fifth of the seven disciples of Gucheonpa, a blood-cheon sword demon and one of the eight demons. You probably don’t know it, but he probably won the Shinma Battle by using all kinds of cowardly tricks.

“Look, you have to speak straight. “I’m ignoring you. Why are you dragging your master in?”

At that moment, laughter broke out among the soldiers. It was the laughter of the demons on the Ilhwa Geomjon side who were not on good terms with Hyeolcheon Doma.

“Hey Confucius! “Seeing how you upset me like this, I guess you’re confident in your skills.”

I ignored his words and looked at Cheonma sitting at the head table in the distance.

Even in a place where there were thousands of people, he clearly showed his presence, saying, ‘I am here.’

If you take a person who does not know his father and ask him to find the Heavenly Demon here, he will definitely find his father. My father’s presence was like seeing a blood-red circle in a black and white painting.

On either side of my father were the eight masters of Palmazon, representing our school. They only humbled themselves because their father was by their side, but they were also people with a powerful presence.

My father and I made eye contact. I read this feeling in my father’s eyes toward me.

How will you get out of this difficulty?

It was a look in my eyes that I had never felt at the time.

‘ah! ‘My father already knew that I had suffered from acid poisoning.’

He was pretending to be indifferent and unaware of the succession dispute, but I would have guessed that he was fully aware of it all.

I could see that the same incident as the past was happening, but in a completely different situation.

‘You knew everything, right? If that’s the case….’

It’s a bad idea to tell someone after being treated like before.

Since we have been defeated by the Communist Party of Korea, it is a grave decision to postpone the match.

It is best to win without any internal skills.

Of course, we have to use the best strategy. Because I wasn’t the messy-haired kid back then. Because I have lived a much longer life than my father.

In fact, Gu Pyeong-ho is only an enemy even if he fights without any internal skills.

But I couldn’t show my skills with so many demons watching.

I raised my hand high and caught everyone’s attention.

And then he spoke as loudly as he could.

“I will speak confidently in this gathering of our school’s heroes. I will face Gu Pyeong-ho without using my strength! “I am confident that I will win even without using my strength!”

There was silence for a moment at my declaration, and then a thunderous roar broke out.

“Waaaaaa!”

On the other hand, Gu Pyeong-ho’s face was noticeably distorted. I never thought I would come out like this. You might want to ask this.

―How did you know you had been poisoned by industrial poison? It’s a poison that only works when a fight breaks out.

Are you really crazy curious?

In any case, it would be a coward to use internal energy alone in this situation.

Goo Pyeong-ho, overcome with embarrassment, shouted with a red face.

“If this Confucius behaves like that, I will not use my inner skills either.”

He reacted as I expected.

A few of his followers clapped, but there were no shouts. That choice turned an exciting fight between those with skill and those without into a boring fight between those without skill. I could even hear a sighing sigh.

Gu Pyeong-ho was embarrassed, and his embarrassment turned into anger toward me.

“Hey Confucius! Even if you don’t use internal energy, you’d better be careful because my sword doesn’t have eyes.”

I was examining my body while heeding his warning. The unfamiliar feeling of having a young body was taking over me. The sword I was using at the time felt as light as a toy.

‘Will this body really follow my thoughts?’

Gu Pyeong-ho pulled out his sword with great vigor, but on the contrary, I released my sword and placed it on the floor. Because if I use a sword, there is a higher chance that my skills will be revealed.

Then shouts broke out again. Isn’t it the nature of demons to completely ignore others and cheer when they ridicule them?

Naturally, Gu Pyeong-ho’s anger exploded.

“I won’t kill you because you are the cult leader’s flesh and blood, but I will take away one of your arms!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Pyeong-ho ran toward me, narrowed the distance, and struck me with his sword, aiming for my shoulder.

Love love!

I looked at the flying blade until the end and twisted the new type at the last moment to avoid it.

‘Good, good!’

I had no hope that my body would move as I wanted. My body responded immediately and was faster and more agile than expected. It felt like my body was saying this.

-Did you forget? This is you when you were young, right?

There was a time when I felt like I could run all day and crush anything with my clenched fists.

‘At this age, my heart was beating so vigorously!’

I couldn’t help but laugh. I was so happy that I wanted to cheer.

Gu Pyeong-ho saw my smile and became even more crazy.

“Is this crazy bastard laughing?”

Gu Pyeong-ho, whose eyes rolled back, blatantly swung his sword, aiming for a vital point. Since he was a guy who could use his internal energy to unleash his sword, I didn’t waste any more time.

I rushed into the guy’s chest, dodging the sword that was persistently trying to cut off my arm.

Gu Pyeong-ho defended himself with an urgent sigh, but my elbow was already stuck in his solar plexus.

puck!

He followed Gu Pyeong-ho, who was bouncing backwards, like a shadow.

My fists hit one after another. The first quick punch hit the guy’s nose, and the heavy second punch broke his ribs. No matter how much we don’t use our inner skills, we are martial artists who have learned martial arts since we were young. There was no way his body could withstand hitting a cow with his bare fists.

I’m not finished with this.

I grabbed the wrist of the guy who fell down with a scream.

“With which hand did you release the poison? “Is this your hand?”

I jumped up holding his arm and hit him with his head.

Boom.

With the strength that came from the soles of my feet and through my entire body, I used my knees as leverage to break his arm.

Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!

My wrists, elbows and shoulders were completely crushed by the shock wave that rushed like a tsunami.

“Aaaahhh!”

Even if it wasn’t a harrowing scream, everyone could tell. The arm and shoulder on the side where the sword was used were completely crushed, so it is impossible to recover.

Cheers erupted from all directions.

“Waaaaaa!”

Everyone was satisfied because it was not a clumsy match, but a clear victory with something to see.

The demons on the Hyeolcheon Doma side booed, but they were drowned out by the unstoppable cheers.

Hyeolcheon Doma, who was sitting in the middle of the chair, just observed the situation without showing any expression even though his disciple was destroyed.

When the heat, shouts, and groans of pain subsided, my father finally stood up. The red dragon embroidered on my father’s pure white dragon robe seemed as if it would ascend to heaven at any moment.

Palmazon, who was with him, stood up all at once.

Wow.

As if waves were flowing, all the demons in the hall stood up and paid respect to the Absolute.

The Heavenly Demon Geomwoojin (劍宇珍).

The strongest of this era.

…Not yet.

My father looked at me. It was a gaze so powerful it seemed as if it would pierce through my body.

At that time, I was very afraid of my father. In particular, I don’t think I’ve ever properly looked into those intense eyes that seemed to look down on a person. If so, would you have had a proper conversation?

In the end, my perception of my father was made up of guesses, prejudices, and rumors.

I want to say this to my past self.

When it comes to human relationships, don’t imagine them on your own. Look straight and listen carefully. The answer is not within you. Because the other person is over there.

I didn’t avoid my father’s gaze.

What’s so scary about that expression? There is only one human being who tries not to lose his authority over the ten thousand demons amidst numerous challenges and tricks aimed at his position. That’s why it’s just callousness and bluntness. I see things now that I didn’t see then.

“What is your wish?”

My father’s heavy bass voice was heard by everyone even without much emphasis, and had the power to make those who heard it feel intimidated.

Everyone listened to my answer. In particular, the Palmazons next to me were paying keen attention to what kind of answer I would give.

“My wish is…”

I didn’t expect to return to today, so I followed my instinct.

“I want to go hunting with my father.”

My father was startled, probably because it was unexpected. The demons who were watching also murmured. I never thought I would say such a wish. Since he would not grant his wish to become a successor, he would have expected him to at least want a treasured sword or a military rank.

“Hunting with me?”

“yes. Alone with my father. I heard that my father enjoyed hunting when he was young. “I want to take this opportunity to learn hunting.”

My father stared at me in silence for a moment and then spoke bluntly.

“Departure is tomorrow morning.”

After speaking, my father walked away.

In the black and white picture, the red Heavenly Demon walked alone and all the Demons bowed their heads. In the place where thousands of people gathered, not even a sound could be heard.

When Cheonma and Palmazon left that place, you could finally hear the harsh sounds of their words.

“You idiot. “I just wanted to make that wish…”

When I turned around, I saw Gu Pyeong-ho being carried by the executioners with his arms hanging limply.

I scratched my head and said to the guy.

“sorry. “What was your name?”

Gu Pyeong-ho, who was ignored until the end, did evil.

“Aaaah! Kill that guy! execution! “Please kill me!”

But when the fight was over, no one attacked me. They just glared at me coldly and left, taking Gu Pyeong-ho with them.

‘Now that I’m back, your life won’t be fun anymore.’

I was grateful to Heaven for sending me to the most important turning point in my life. I was also grateful to the ghost who perfected Dafa even though he tried to betray me.

‘Thank you so much.’

I looked up at the sky as blue as my age and smiled brightly.