I leaned my back against the large, overgrown tree stump and spoke.
"Isn't it a common occurrence? When you end up fighting an unexpected powerhouse, getting separated from your companions is only natural."
Something similar had happened before when I faced the Blood Flame Fist Demon, and though I couldn't say this to Seomun Hwa-rin, back before my regression—when I was dealing with the Demonic Cult—a defeat often meant every man for himself.
So the fact that we'd merely fallen into a temporary stalemate meant things were far better off now, weren't they?
"We got lucky."
"No, wouldn't you say that fighting an unexpected powerhouse in the first place is a stroke of bad luck?"
"…"
I let Seomun Hwa-rin's reasonable question go in one ear and out the other.
It wasn't for any particular reason. The poison energy I'd taken from the Slaughter King had left my senses muddled, so I simply hadn't heard her clearly.
Really.
"By the way, Senior Seomun Hwa-rin. It seems my body will need a bit more time to recover, so… where exactly are we?"
"Ehew. You were swept up in the landslide you yourself caused, so where else would we be but somewhere at the foot of the mountain?"
"So you can't confirm exactly where. The enemy probably can't either, I'd imagine. That's a relief."
"Hmm. When you put it that way, it does make sense."
Seomun Hwa-rin nodded and let out a sigh of relief.
If we don't know our exact location, then the White Peak Mountain King and the Slaughter King probably don't know theirs either.
Which means there's a good chance they won't be able to find Seol Ri-hyang and the others, since we sent them fleeing first.
"You don't need to worry too much. The last thing I confirmed was those two brutes landing in the opposite direction from Hyang-i."
"Yes. I suppose we should worry about ourselves first. Fortunately, the two of us landed together, so even if we run into the White Peak Mountain King, we can handle him without issue…"
"So you're saying the Slaughter King would be a problem."
"Yes. At least until my body fully recovers."
To be honest, the Slaughter King I faced head-on was about on par with the White Peak Mountain King, or perhaps slightly below him.
In other words, someone I could take on with my current condition.
But the Slaughter King is an assassin, not an ordinary martial artist. If he hides his body with stealth techniques and strikes from a blind spot the moment I let my guard down… even a Harmony Realm martial artist would not escape serious injury.
It is not for nothing that he bears the alias of Slaughter King.
In fact, that alias was earned because he had once assassinated a Harmony Realm martial artist with his own hands.
"I am rather more surprised by you. How on earth did you see through the stealth of someone like the Slaughter King? Especially while you were focused on the battle."
"It was possible precisely because I was focused on the battle. As Senior Seomun Hwa-rin knows, my Qi Sense is quite sharp."
Even before, my Qi Sense, though not wide-ranging, had been extremely sharp.
I could scatter killing intent and perceive everything moving within it—especially those carrying killing intent—as clearly as if I could grasp them in my hand.
And that had only become clearer upon reaching the Harmony Realm.
Killing intent is the most basic application of Intent. But what if one were to wield Intent itself directly?
Naturally, one would be able to perceive the surroundings far more keenly than before. The range, however, was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Of course, it wasn't an easy task. The Slaughter King, unlike other mediocre assassins, was perfectly concealing his killing intent."
"Then…?"
"Rather, it was the subtle dissonance created by that very perfection of concealment. And noticing the shift in the flow of the air as he took his stance, having decided to strike."
"???"
Seomun Hwa-rin tilted her head, as if she couldn't understand what she had just heard.
For her sake, I explained it again, breaking it down in simpler terms.
"Ah, well. You know how it is. When you see a blade, your nerves get on edge, and when you smell blood, even without realizing it's blood, you start scanning your surroundings. I've trained that feeling to its absolute limit."
"…What manner of beast are you?"
Seomun Hwa-rin tilted her head the other way, still looking as if she couldn't understand.
How could this be? A more detailed explanation than this was impossible.
She tilted her head for a long while, but soon nodded as if she had accepted it.
"I still don't fully understand, but I'll take your word for it. You're quite different from me in how delicately you handle your energy, aren't you? That tendency only grew stronger after you reached the Harmony Realm."
"Ah, that's true too."
The Intent I had awakened upon reaching the Harmony Realm was a sword that could cut what could not be cut.
And to cut what cannot be cut, one must first see what cannot be seen.
Naturally, this was only possible because my Intent had awakened and my Qi Sense had grown sharper.
"Well, it's impossible for now, though."
"…Come to think of it, you did say your body wasn't in a normal state. Did you sustain an internal injury?"
"No. It's poison."
"Hm? You? Poisoned?"
"Surprisingly, yes. I never imagined there was a poison that could affect me in my current state."
"I-It must be no ordinary poison, then! Are you truly alright?!"
"It's not enough to make a fuss. My senses are dulled, and my vision occasionally blurs. However…"
"However?"
"As Seomun Hwa-rin said, it's no ordinary poison. Even when I try to burn it away with internal energy or gather it up and expel it, it doesn't yield easily."
It was clearly an extraordinary poison, enough to surprise even the Slaughter King. It simply didn't work properly on me, who had achieved something akin to Immunity to All Poisons thanks to Tang So-wol.
"That's a relief… So, once you fully expel the poison energy, you'll be able to see through the Slaughter King's concealment again?"
"Probably. Perhaps even a little better. I've done it before."
"One of the few pieces of good news! How long do you think it will take to naturally purge it?"
"Since I have to wait for natural recovery… I'd say about a day."
"Then it would be wise to hide for a while. This place… is good for resting, but not suitable for hiding."
I nodded and rose to my feet along with Seomun Hwa-rin.
Then I began walking carefully, doing my best to leave no trace behind.
With the landslide having piled up dirt, rocks, and broken trees all over the place, finding a place to hide wasn't difficult.
After finding a suitable spot and carving out a hiding hole, Seomun Hwa-rin finally spoke only after sealing the entrance shut.
"Now that I think of it, I never expected the Slaughter King to appear so suddenly. You there. Have you perhaps incurred some grudge?"
"I've incurred plenty of grudges, but there's no need to worry."
"Why is that?"
"Because all those who bear grudges against me are no longer among the living."
"…"
Seomun Hwa-rin looked up at me with an expression that said she wasn't sure if she'd heard me right. I shrugged my shoulders at her reaction.
"It'll be the same this time."
"That's not what I meant to ask, but…"
Seomun Hwa-rin let out a sigh before continuing.
"I can't say there's no one who bears a grudge against me, but surely not to the point of moving the Slaughter King. What on earth is going on… Could it be that the Green Forest hired him? That couldn't have been a small sum."
"It's probably not the Green Forest. After all, the White Peak Mountain King isn't the type to pay that kind of money just because he lost a few subordinates. Of course, he might have made it look to his men as though he'd spent the money himself, but…"
"I was thinking the same. But then, why on earth…"
"Hmm. This is something I learned before I ever met Senior Seomun Hwa-rin, so you may not know, but the truth is that Assassin Valley was absorbed into the Demonic Cult a long time ago."
"What?!"
"It's probably the Heavenly Demon who sent them. To help the Green Forest and kill me."
"This is why those Demonic Cultists are what they are! Assassins! Surely they don't consider the scars of that time an insult now? How can a master of that caliber act so despicably!"
"Well, I see it a little differently."
If the Heavenly Demon had truly wanted to kill me, there would have been far better opportunities.
If he were a more seasoned regressor than I am, he would know countless methods, and even if not, he could simply come find me and settle it himself.
But the Heavenly Demon did not do that. Instead, he sent the Slaughter King—a move that counted among the subtler options available to him.
A figure like the Heavenly Demon would surely have known that I might be able to see through the Slaughter King's concealment.
If he was a regressor, there was even less doubt.
Yet he still sent the Slaughter King to me. As if tossing me a suitable opponent to hone my sharp senses—my greatest strength.
In truth, I had only retreated because of the poison and because Seol Ri-hyang was behind me. Had I fought to the end, I was confident I could bring down the Slaughter King one way or another.
And as a result, I had no doubt grown another step beyond where I stood before.
Until now, I had thought of the Heavenly Demon as my enemy. A great adversary I would one day have to bring down.
But here he was, knowing of my existence, yet moving as if he meant to raise me up instead.
I didn't know what his goal was. Only one thing was certain.
Growing my Qi Sense—my greatest strength—and using it to bring down the Slaughter King was the fast and sure path. But it was also the path the Heavenly Demon wanted.
So I needed to walk a different road, even if I had to force it. If I danced to the Heavenly Demon's tune, I'd end up no different from before my regression.
So how could I slip past the Heavenly Demon's expectations and overcome the threats before me—the White Peak Mountain King and the Slaughter King?
After a moment's thought, I reached my answer.
"Senior Seomun Hwa-rin."
"Hm? What is it, to look at me with such serious eyes all of a sudden?"
"Let's complete the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art. Within a day."
"…?"
"Even if the Slaughter King's sword is fast, how could it be faster than the lightning in the heavens? And no matter how well one hides, how could one evade the sound of thunder?"
"Hmm. I understand what you're trying to say. Theoretically, it's possible, but realistically…"
"Of course, I don't mean to complete every Technique."
Not the first half I had been restoring until now, but the latter half, which contains the true Killing Moves.
And rather than perfectly restoring the Techniques, if I could just understand the core Mystery and melt it into my own sword, it would be possible by any means.
My weapon is not just my sharp Qi Sense. Dismantling another's martial art and adding it to my own is also a fine weapon.
I don't know what the Heavenly Demon saw in me to be so pleased, nor what he hopes for in sending the Slaughter King—an opponent I could overcome if I grew a little more.
Whatever the reason, I need to do something he doesn't expect. That is, if I don't want to be pushed around by the Heavenly Demon from now on.
…And it's also true that I felt my shortcomings while crossing swords with the Slaughter King.
No matter how long he's been in the Harmony Realm before me, in the end, he's still an assassin.
And yet, against an opponent like the Slaughter King, I cut through his Qi Barrier and exchanged blows head-on several times, but I couldn't gain the upper hand even once.
At best, I could only manage a stalemate before finally succumbing to poison.
If I had gone all the way, I might have succeeded in completely seeing through the Slaughter King's sword with my sharper Qi Sense, but…
That would just mean my eyesight improved—it couldn't be called overwhelming him with sword skill.
So this time will be different. It has to be.
I firmly grasped Seomun Hwa-rin's shoulders and stared straight into her eyes.
"W-What are you doing, suddenly, in a situation like this…?"
"I can't explain in detail, but will you help me?"
"Well, given the circumstances, of course I don't mind, but the real question is whether it's even possible in the first place."
"Of course it's possible. Actually, while restoring the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art with you, Senior Seomun Hwa-rin, I've been thinking about something. It's just that…"
Just that—this is something completely different from helping Seomun Hwa-rin restore the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art like I've been doing until now.
Because I'm talking about making the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art a part of my own martial art.
What Seomun Hwa-rin permitted was for me to gain the seeds of Enlightenment in the process of helping her restore the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art.
But what I'm about to do now is no different from saying I'll tear apart the Seomun Clan's secret art as I please and make it my own.
If it were anyone else's martial art, I would have just quietly taken it without a word, but if it's Seomun Hwa-rin's martial art, I can't very well do that.
"If you would permit me, I will do whatever you ask of me, anything at all."
"Anything, you say?!"
Seomun Hwa-rin's eyes flew wide open for a moment. Then she wiggled her fingers and nodded her head.
"Well, I suppose there's no helping it. Since I will permit it, go ahead and do as you please."
"…?"
Her face flushed red all the way to her ears. Her gaze kept darting away. Her lips, caught in some sort of imagination, kept curling up and stiffening by turns.
Seomun Hwa-rin would say this was hardly the time for such a reaction, but…
In any case, I had received her permission.