Episode 37: Whatâs beyond the door?
âTraining ends today.â
The executioners expressed their disappointment at Janghoâs words. Although the training was so difficult that I couldnât even count how many times I swore, I gained a lot from it.
Although my martial arts skills did not improve dramatically, my spirit, which had become slack, was tightened.
It can be said that for experts who are at the level of executive officers, the difference in mental strength leads to a difference in skill.
In addition, Jangho watched the martial arts performance of the executioners from time to time and corrected their bad posture and habits. Thanks to this, there were many people whose martial arts skills substantially improved.
Until the very end, Jangho was telling each of the executioners how to improve their posture and what kind of training they should do in the future.
You really wouldnât have thought that executioners who had been trained through hell would say something like this.
âCan you give me a little more training?â
At that time, I, who was watching from the side, came forward.
âIt became difficult. âDaju Jang has ascended to the position of Demon Lord this time.â
Everyone was surprised to hear the word Demon Lord. This is because I was only at the training ground and could not hear any news from outside.
âCongratulations.â
Cheers and applause erupted in someoneâs congratulations.
Jangho left a final greeting to them.
âI will never forget the time I spent with you. See you next time then. No, if I look at you from my perspective, it would be a big problem. âLetâs never see each other again!â
After saying his final goodbyes and including a joke, Jang-ho left.
I stood on the platform where Jangho was standing. The eyes of the executioners were quite different from those on the first day of training.
âYou guys are the first and last warriors trained by the demon lord!â
Some people burst out laughing at my words.
âNow you can go without fear even if I order you to arrest my father, right?â
Laughter broke out again here and there.
After lightening the mood, I told them what I wanted to say.
âMartial arts are important and fighting well is also important. However, I think the most important thing for people who are named executive officers is pride. We are proud to follow the schoolâs rules and protect the system. We are going our own way. Do you understand?â
âyes!â
âI had a hard time getting trained. âIâve prepared a banquet for you, so drink plenty and rest today!â
A louder shout of joy erupted than the loud response that preceded it.
* * *
Hyeolcheon Doma was waiting for me at the place where I met every day.
âThe sight of you standing tall here is like a guardian stone protecting me.â
âAre you making fun of me?â
âIs that possible?â
It looked like he was going to be furious for bringing Ilhwa Geomzon into the picture, but he was unusually calm.
âCongratulations on making Jang Ho the Demon Lord.â
âthank you.â
I was more nervous than ever. Because I didnât know what this old man would suddenly do.
However, todayâs Hyeolcheon cutting board, like Janghoâs, showed something unexpected and different from usual.
It was very calm. Itâs as if this person called Hyeolcheondoma wasnât originally like this? So much so that I thought about it.
This is why you should not judge a person by only looking at one aspect of him or her. Donât be fooled by the front. I still donât know what the back of the Hyeolcheon cutting board looks like.
âHow did you persuade Geomzon?â
âIf you promise not to get angry, Iâll be honest with you.â
âI wonât be angry.â
âI touched Geomzon seniorâs pride by saying that he was a true mazon. âThey took advantage of the elderly.â
The corner of Hyecheon Domaâs mouth curled up.
âThen you were deceived. âThereâs no way that little brat didnât know about your shallow trick.â
Although he hated Ilhwa Geomzon, at least he did not underestimate it.
It was the same for Geomzon. The fact that she got involved in this matter also meant that she trusted Thomasâs eyes for people.
âThat fox will definitely play a trick on you. They wonât let you meet me just because I helped you. âThen what are you going to do?â
âFor me, seniors come first.â
âYouâre going to boast about helping Jang-ho?â
âItâs okay because the elder helped me first.â
âIs that really the case when you make an offer you canât refuse? Just like this.â
Hyeolcheondoma took out a small box from his arms and held it out.
âA promise is a promise.â
I received the box and opened it carefully.
A single herbal medicine with a blue glow was emitting a magical energy as if it were not of this world.
He said with an expression that it was truly a waste of blood.
âIt is an extraordinary shrine.â
There was no need to pretend to be surprised at this moment. I was really surprised to see him so willingly offering up an extravagant altar. I expected that they wouldnât give it to me easily, making various excuses such as trying to get an elixir but not having anything good.
âoh! Is this really an extraordinary deity? âHow did you get this?â
âIt has been stored for a long time. âI also saved it without taking it.â
âAre you really giving it to me?â
âShall I take it back?â
âThat canât be right.â
Hyeolcheondoma felt sick to his stomach and drank the alcohol in front of him.
He said as he put down his drink.
âI will bet the rest of my life on you, Mr. Lee.â
Hyeolcheondoma presented his most powerful card.
I told my father the other day. The blood-cheon cutting board is not worth owning.
Now I have to correct that statement.
If you are this hot, I will try to keep you in my possession.
The fate of me and Hyeolcheondoma changed when the Heavenly God who was to go to my brother came to me. The change was even greater because he came âwillinglyâ rather than being forced to do so.
âThank you for trusting me.â
I politely gave him my hand and asked him for a favor.
âI will be taking the Shindan right here, so would you please stand guard?â
Then, Hyeolcheon Doma was surprised.
âYouâre going to take Shindan in front of me?â
âyes. Since it was given to me by an elderly person, I think it is right to take it in front of the elderly person.â
This act of protecting the law when eating fortune-telling has a certain symbolic meaning. For a warrior, this is the final step of faith.
âAre you saying you trust me?â
âIsnât it because you believe in it that you are taking this divine power? âIf itâs poisoned here, Iâll have to do as the elder tells me to get the antidote.â
An interesting look flashed in Hyecheondomaâs eyes.
âWhy do you believe I wasnât poisoned?â
âBecause you are not the kind of person who would choose such a mean method.â
âI think Iâm pretty mean?â
âThere are many types of meanness. In my eyes, the old man is not someone who breaks his promises and upsets the situation.â
âWhat if your hunch is wrong?â
âI will think about it later. Now then, please stand guard for a moment.â
In fact, it was a safe adventure. This is because I know that Hyeolcheon Doma hates poisonous techniques or evil arts to the point of trembling.
I sat there cross-legged and took the Cheonoesindan without hesitation.
Hyeolcheondoma looked at me with a surprised face. It seems like he really didnât know that he was going to take the elixir in front of him.
The Divine Mercy was an elixir that I had never seen before in my life before my return.
âShindan, please melt well.â
The medicinal properties of the Heavenly God Altar that melted in my mouth began to spread through my throat and throughout my body. It was a much stronger energy than the magic tablet I had previously taken in Socheon-dong.
The blood vessels strengthened by the Cheonmaek strengthening technique opened their passages wide and welcomed this tremendous energy. The blood vessels willingly accepted the energy of the shrine, running like a horse, as if it were a field. The spiritual energy that rushed like a gale spread through the fine blood vessels of the entire body.
I put a lot of effort into eating fortune-telling to completely melt this huge energy into my inner energy.
After several elaborate fortune-telling ceremonies, I was able to capture the magical energy of the Heavenly God Altar in the altar.
When I open my eyes, I see Hyeolcheon Doma looking at me from a little distance away with his arms crossed.
âHow did Shindan taste?â
âItâs sweet. âI have never eaten anything this delicious in my life.â
âshit! Damn it!â
He regretted not being able to eat.
âI am sure that the food was digested ten times more valuable than if you ate it yourself.â
Even if you hit the Hyeolcheon chopping block in front of you right now, you wonât be told that you lost because of your internal strength. To that extent, Danjeon was overflowing with pure power.
Hyeolcheon Doma squatted in front of me. When I looked up close, there were more wrinkles than I thought.
âLook here, Mr. Lee.â
âYes, old man.â
he asked, looking into my eyes.
âWhat are you? âWho are you to turn my heart around and make me spit out the supernatural?â
I immediately increased my energy and unleashed my demonic energy. Demonic energy burst out like an exploding volcano spewing lava. It was a cold and stern aura that was different from anything he had seen before.
âHe is the one who will lead you in the future. âIf you are still alive by then.â
Amid the suffocating energy that was oppressing him, various emotions flashed across Hyecheondomaâs expression. At least he wasnât laughing even though he was angry.
As I withdrew my demonic energy, the frozen air around me was released.
âI just admit that you have a lot of guts.â
âI would also like to ask you one question.â
âAsk.â
âWhat does the elderly ultimately want?â
âWhat do you want when youâre all old? âWe just continue to live as we have lived, guided by inertia.â
âArenât you too passionate to say that?â
âI?â
âWhen you push me, I look like a young person. âI can feel the fire burning brightly.â
At this moment, I saw flames in Hyecheon Domaâs eyes again. Hyeolcheon Doma still stands alone in the flames.
âDoes it look like that?â
âyes.â
On the other hand, he spoke as if he had no confidence in himself.
âThank goodness. These days, I thought I had cooled offâŠâ
I guessed what this was like. No matter how much ambition and desire you put in your basket, there are things that time inadvertently takes away.
âPlease give me a drink.â
âalcohol? âI lost this bet?â
âYou won the bet the moment you generously gave away your heavenly altar. âIâll take the old manâs drink.â
âAre you serious?â
âPlease guide me well from now on.â
If I am this difficult to deal with, how difficult can my enemies be? I plan to make Hyeolcheon Doma my true person. I donât know if thatâs possible.
Hyeolcheon Doma was thrilled and poured a lot of alcohol.
âHere, take it.â
I drank the refreshing drink that Hyeolcheondoma gave me.
âGood luck in the future!â
âEven if you do a lot of work, please only give me as much as I can handle.â
Hyeolcheondoma, who was shocked for a moment, burst out laughing.
âha ha ha!â
Since becoming Mazon, Iâm probably the first person to say to my face that itâs a modification.
âLetâs have another drink.â
âGood!â
I know. Although he is smiling brightly like that now, he has not fully opened his heart yet. Hyeolcheon Doma is not a person who can be evaluated just by what he sees through the tightly open door.
I donât know whatâs beyond that door.
Just as my father said that you can never know a personâs heart, I do not intend to make any predictions or conclusions about the person called Hyeolcheondoma. I will judge only what I see.
And our relationship will be decided the day that door opens wide.
Whether I burn to death in your fire, whether you are stabbed to death by my sword, or whether we become eternal friends will be decided that day.