Ten promised days had passed.
Cheon Myeong and Heo Cham stood facing each other in the training ground.
"..."
Heo Cham stood still and moved his left hand, clenching and unclenching it.
As Cheon Myeong had said, for the past ten days, Heo Cham had taken the medicine Cheon Myeong had given him without missing a single day.
However, to be honest... he couldn't feel much of a change in his body.
'Is my left hand really healed?'
Every time he took the medicine, he had felt his mind become clear.
However, he couldn't say that his left hand was fine just with that.
If he put strength into his left hand, he could check it right away, but for some reason, Heo Cham had been deliberately not putting strength into his left hand until now out of fear.
"What are you staring at your hand for?"
"..."
As Cheon Myeong asked, Heo Cham raised his head.
"You've been taking the medicine every day until now, right?"
"Yes... I took one pill a day as you said, Young Master."
"Then that's good. Your left hand is already completely healed."
Cheon Myeong, who was speaking with a confident voice.
What on earth was Cheon Myeong looking at to be so confident?
Since Cheon Myeong had not even touched his left arm until now, Heo Cham couldn't help but feel that question.
"Then we'll have to check if the treatment went well."
"Check?"
In what way on earth was he going to check?
Of course, the method was simple.
He could just put strength into his left hand to check if the treatment went well.
However, since he could usually use his left hand to the extent that it was not inconvenient for daily life, the standard was actually a bit ambiguous.
Swish-.
At that moment, Cheon Myeong grabbed what he was carrying on his back with his hand.
Then, Heo Cham's gaze naturally turned to that side.
'What on earth is that?'
In fact, he had been curious about what was on Cheon Myeong's back since they had first met.
Although he couldn't see its appearance because it was wrapped in cloth, since its size was almost as big as Cheon Myeong, he couldn't help but look at it even if he tried not to.
Thump-!
Cheon Myeong placed what he had been carrying on his back in front of him with one hand.
And the moment he untied the string that was tying the cloth, Heo Cham's two eyes, which were looking at it, widened.
"Th-that's...!"
An overwhelmingly large saber blade. Just by swinging it once, it felt as if whatever was standing in front of it would disappear without a trace.
To think that what Cheon Myeong had been carrying on his back until now was a Zanbato.
Towards Heo Cham, who was looking at the Zanbato with a blank face, Cheon Myeong said.
"The weapon you were using in Namgang was something like this, right?"
"..."
"I tried to prepare it by recalling my memory as much as possible. How is it, do you like it?"
"...Yes?"
At Cheon Myeong's question, Heo Cham barely came to his senses.
"What, you don't like it? I had a pretty hard time getting this."
In fact, it was not Cheon Myeong but Hong Yeorin who had gone through all the trouble.
Since a Zanbato was not a very common weapon in the first place, the quantity was small, and among them, since Cheon Myeong had insisted on preparing the highest quality one, the conditions had no choice but to become more difficult.
Originally, it was an item that could never be obtained in ten days, but it could be said that Hong Yeorin's obsession with the Pung-yu-hwan had ultimately won.
"From what I heard, it's a tremendous famous saber. Was its name the Hell Zanbato?"
"I-it's not that I don't like it..."
"What, then you like it?"
"...I like it."
He could tell at a glance that that was a tremendous famous saber.
However, what Heo Cham couldn't understand was why Cheon Myeong had obtained it.
"Here, take it."
At that moment, Cheon Myeong lightly threw the Zanbato towards Heo Cham.
Heo Cham habitually received the Zanbato with only his right hand, and although his balance seemed to be slightly off, he soon regained his stability and stood in his spot.
"..."
Seeing it up close, he could see that this Zanbato was really a tremendous famous saber.
Especially because of the red pattern engraved on the saber blade, it seemed to feel not only complete but also stylish.
"Now that's yours."
Cheon Myeong said to Heo Cham, who was standing still and examining the Zanbato.
"Is that really true?"
"Yes."
"But how can I..."
"What are you talking about?"
"...?"
"You are the leader of the Chunguidae. So you should naturally carry a weapon that suits it."
"...!"
Yes, now he was not just Heo Cham.
The leader of the Chunguidae, Heo Cham.
From now on, all his actions would also affect Cheon Myeong.
'Yes, there is a reason why the Young Master gave me this Hell Zanbato.'
Clang-.
At that moment, a sharp sound was heard from in front of Heo Cham.
Heo Cham reflexively looked at that side at that sound, and he could discover the figure of Cheon Myeong standing with his sword drawn.
"Young Master? Why did you draw your sword...?"
Heo Cham asked with a reluctant voice.
Then, Cheon Myeong said to Heo Cham as if it were natural.
"What do you mean, why? We have to check from now on."
"Check?"
"Yes, your left arm."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Heo Cham's gaze turned to his left arm.
However, Heo Cham, who soon raised his head as if he had realized something.
On Heo Cham's face, which was turned towards Cheon Myeong, bewilderment was revealed as it was.
"Here I come."
"W-wait...!"
Cheon Myeong, who rushed forward before Heo Cham could finish his words to wait. And he mercilessly brought his sword down on Heo Cham's head.
Clang-!
Heo Cham instinctively raised his Zanbato and blocked Cheon Myeong's sword strike.
At the same time, a heavy feeling felt in his right hand.
Just with that, he could know that Cheon Myeong had by no means swung his sword at him in a playful manner.
'I-I'm going to die!'
Heo Cham already knew Cheon Myeong's strength to the bone.
To think that Cheon Myeong, whom he had not been able to handle even when he was bare-handed, was now rushing at him with a sword.
Of course, although he was more alert now than at that time, that did not mean that the result would be different.
Clang, clang, clang, clang-!
Cheon Myeong did not stop at once and continued to swing his sword at Heo Cham.
Although Heo Cham was somehow blocking all of Cheon Myeong's series of strikes, he strongly felt that he would not be able to block the next attack.
"How long are you going to block with only your right hand?"
At that moment, Cheon Myeong briefly stopped his sword strikes and said.
"Or does it mean that you can block my attacks with just one hand?"
"N-no, that's not it!"
"What do you mean, no?"
At that moment, the momentum felt from Cheon Myeong changed.
Although it was already a sharp momentum, now it was to the point where it felt overwhelming.
Heo Cham could also notice that change.
"This time, I'm going to swing properly."
"...!"
"You will never be able to block it with one hand."
With those words, Cheon Myeong, who was swinging his sword at Heo Cham.
There was no time to think.
Since he instinctively knew that he would die if he couldn't block it, Heo Cham raised his left hand, which he had not used until now.
Clang-.
"...What, you can do it?"
Cheon Myeong said with a grinning face.
Heo Cham, who was standing with his sword against Cheon Myeong's.
Heo Cham's hands, which were holding the Zanbato, had now become two hands.
"...!"
Heo Cham himself seemed to be the most surprised by the fact that he was holding the Zanbato with both hands.
'Did I really swing the Zanbato with both hands?'
He had just swung the Zanbato with both hands without realizing it, with the sole intention of blocking Cheon Myeong's sword.
Moreover, the hand holding the Zanbato was not trembling.
As if he couldn't believe that fact, Heo Cham looked at Cheon Myeong with a blank face and said.
"Young Master... I..."
"You've worked hard."
"..."
"And congratulations."
As Cheon Myeong said that, an unknown emotion welled up inside Heo Cham.
The life as a martial artist that he had thought would no longer be in his future.
Like the cry of a newborn baby who had just received a new life, tears flowed from Heo Cham's two eyes.
***
Whoosh-.
Heo Cham was swinging his Zanbato alone in the training ground.
A sound as if a storm were raging.
Every time Heo Cham swung his Zanbato, that sound was heard one after another inside the training ground.
"..."
Cheon Myeong was silently watching him from a little distance.
'It seems he's completely fine.'
After that, it was Cheon Myeong who had ordered Heo Cham to swing his Zanbato for confirmation.
Who knows?
Even if he was fine now, if he swung his saber for a long time, something might go wrong with his left arm again.
However, although Heo Cham had been swinging his saber for about two hours without a break, there were no symptoms that seemed to be a problem.
Whoosh-.
Just by listening to the sound that was generated every time he swung his saber, he could tell how much power was in that saber strike.
Was he really at the level where he had competed for the position of leader of the Eighth Grinding Squad in the past?
It was safe to say that the Heo Cham who used only one hand and the Heo Cham who used both hands were completely different people.
'Especially for a person who uses a Zanbato, that difference would be huge.'
For a martial artist who uses a normal saber, there might not be much of a difference between one hand and two hands.
Since most of the saber techniques were performed with one hand, as long as one could skillfully use the dominant hand, there would be no particular problem in performing the saber techniques.
However, the saber techniques performed with a Zanbato are not like that.
Since most of them are basically saber techniques that use both hands, one would not be able to exert even half of the original power with one hand.
'Is that Heo Cham's saber technique?'
In fact, even for Cheon Myeong, the saber techniques performed with a Zanbato were bound to be unfamiliar.
In the first place, how many people would have the strength to swing such a ridiculously huge saber?
Just by that fact, he could know that Heo Cham, unlike his appearance, was a strong man.
"Good. That's enough."
Cheon Myeong watched Heo Cham for a little longer and then said that and walked forward.
Flinch-.
As Cheon Myeong said it was enough, Heo Cham had no choice but to stop his movements in the middle.
A face full of disappointment.
Although he had started because of Cheon Myeong, as he continued to swing his saber, Heo Cham was very excited by the sensation he had felt after a long time.
If he had his way, he wanted to swing his saber a little more, but seeing Cheon Myeong walking towards him, Heo Cham put down his saber.
"How is it, now that you've continued to swing it?"
"It's very good."
"Does your left hand feel numb or painful?"
"Not at all! In this state, I think I can continue to swing for several hours!"
Heo Cham said with a very excited voice.
'He's very excited.'
Well, it wasn't that he couldn't understand that feeling.
Since it would be the first time he had properly swung his saber in a long time, any martial artist would naturally be excited.
"Really? That's great."
"Thank you. If it weren't for you, Young Master, I would never have been able to feel this way again."
"Isn't it too early to thank me yet?"
"Yes?"
As Cheon Myeong said that, Heo Cham raised his bowed head.
"Revenge."
"...!"
"You haven't done it yet, have you?"
Cheon Myeong, who was saying that with a meaningful smile.
"..."
Yes, there was still revenge against that guy.
Although he had forgotten for a moment because he was so happy that his left hand had returned to normal, at Cheon Myeong's question, Heo Cham immediately realized that fact.
"That's right. I haven't gotten my revenge on that guy yet."
"..."
"If you just give me permission, Young Master, I will go and finish my revenge right now!"
"What, are you going to go and pick a fight with that guy right now?"
"That's..."
As Cheon Myeong asked, Heo Cham couldn't answer anything.
Unlike before, wasn't Jeonjong now the leader of the Eighth Grinding Squad?
In contrast, although he was the leader of the Chunguidae, he had no such rank within the Demonic Cult.
'If I, like this, were to pick a fight with Jeonjong out of the blue, I might be locked up in the prison again...'
Not only that, but it might also cause harm to Cheon Myeong.
It didn't matter if he was locked up in the prison, but thinking about the harm that would go to Cheon Myeong, Heo Cham had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.
"I'll be honest. Even if you happen to fight, I don't think you can win against that guy right now."
"Are you saying that I will lose?"
"Yes."
"Of course, Jeonjong and I were considered to have similar skills in the past, but in the duel at that time, it was I who had the upper hand!"
At that time, he had been defeated because Jeonjong had done something cowardly, but if they were to look at pure skill, Heo Cham was sure that he was more outstanding.
"That's just the past, isn't it?"
"Ah..."
"In the meantime, you have stayed in the past, but that guy has continued to develop."
"..."
"If he becomes the leader, he will be able to get more benefits from our cult than before, so he might have changed more than you can imagine."
Stab-.
Cheon Myeong's words became a dagger and pierced deep into Heo Cham's chest.
'Yes... I have just been staying in the same place all this time.'
He might have even regressed.
In contrast, Jeonjong would have continued to move forward.
One step. Two steps.
He might have already walked so far away that his back was no longer visible.
"Then what should I do..."
Heo Cham muttered with a weak voice.
Cheon Myeong, who was silently watching him. And soon, he opened his mouth.
"So you have to prepare."
"Prepare...?"
"Yes, to the point where you can make that guy into jerky and chew him up."
It doesn't seem like he has to go that far...
However, regardless of Heo Cham's intention, a look of plotting something was felt on Cheon Myeong's face.
"Hehehehe."
"..."
This, am I really the one getting revenge?
Looking at the viciously smiling Cheon Myeong, Heo Cham somehow had that thought.
(End of Chapter)