Chapter 44: Secluded Training (5)

Chapter 44: Secluded Training (5)A chill coursed down Riarc’s spine. Every strand of his silver fur stood on end. What is this? No matter how deeply he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. How can this guy still be moving? Riarc understood the devastating weight of death better than anyone. In his own grueling training, he'd asked Vega to create a Sacred Ground and spar with him. Twenty was my limit. Even someone as proud and tough as Riarc had been paralyzed by fear after twenty deaths in a row—each one more agonizing than the last. Bones shattered, and organs crushed and mangled—how could a mind possibly stay intact after suffering that level of pain? But here was the man before him, smiling. After enduring over twenty deaths, how could he smile so brightly? Twenty was my limit. “Why are you zoning out?” Kwon Oh-Jin echoed, dragging his spear along the ground as he took a step forward. His mind felt like it was on fire, his legs trembling on the verge of collapse, but... “We’re not done yet, right?” He kept moving, clinging to the last threads of consciousness, forcing what little strength he had left into his shaky legs. Step by step, he continued forward. Riarc involuntarily stepped back, eyes wide in disbelief. In that moment, he found himself completely overwhelmed by the frail human standing before him—the same human he could crush with nothing more than a flick of his finger. He’s...! Riarc bit his lip, his fists shaking. The word "willpower" could no longer describe what he was witnessing. This was insanity—pure madness; something that went far beyond mere resolve or conviction. “Ugh!” His every instinct screamed at him to flee, to avoid clashing with this human no matter what. His senses howled in alarm, a raw warning to run. “N-Nonsense!” Suppressing his primal fear, Riarc raised his fist, ready to charge at the unsteady human before him. But then, the silver aura enveloping the temple suddenly vanished. Woong! “Ah,” Kwon Oh-Jin and Riarc murmured in unison. They turned their eyes toward the goddess, who was fiercely glaring at them. “Did you not hear me say "enough"?” Riarc immediately bowed. “I-I apologize.” Kwon Oh-Jin fiddled with the spear in his hand, looking slightly disappointed, then nodded. “... Sorry. I got a bit too excited.” Vega sighed as she approached them and said, “Both you and Riarc are equally reckless.” She gently pinched Kwon Oh-Jin's cheek and continued, “You’re such a troublesome child. How much do you plan to make me worry?” Though she spoke playfully, her voice trembled slightly. She had truly been concerned. With a bitter smile, Kwon Oh-Jin reassured her, “I’ll be more careful from now on.” “You must promise, alright?” Vega shyly extended her pinky finger. Where did she learn something like this? “Yeah, I promise.” Though, he couldn’t help but wonder how long a scammer like him could keep such a vow. “Hehe. I trust you.” Watching her radiant smile, any temptation to lie evaporated as he seriously considered keeping his promise. I did get a little too worked up back there. He had practically let go of his senses and turned so savage that even Riarc had stepped back in fear. But is that really so shocking? The trauma of death was intense, no doubt. There were moments he feared his mind might just burn out entirely, but... I could still endure it. Yeah, it hurt like hell. But in the end, isn't it just a matter of pushing through? What’s with all the fuss? If he could hold out long enough to reach the end, he could just laugh it off later. After all, he’d dealt with plenty of difficulties in life that didn’t stop, no matter how much he endured. “Promise, my ass!” Her eyes flicked down to his and Vega’s hooked pinkies before she grabbed his ear and gave it a sharp tug. “Ow, ow! Hey!” “You're always pulling this reckless hero act...!” She seemed more than just a little angry. “Come on, I said I’m sorry.” “... Haa,” Song Ha Eun sighed. She didn’t want to bother talking about it, but she continued, “Are you okay? Nothing hurts?” Her heart sunk again as she recounted the memory of him being torn to shreds by Riarc’s claws. “As you can see, I’m perfectly fine,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied playfully, shrugging. Song Ha-Eun’s expression softened a little. “But I am a bit tired,” he conveyed. Perhaps because he had finally eased up, a heavy fatigue settled over him. “Ha-Eun, come sit here,” he voiced. “Huh? Why all of a sudden?” “Just hurry up and do it.” Song Ha-Eun sat down, puzzled. Kwon Oh-Jin plopped his head down onto her lap. “W-What are you doing?!” she yelled, her cheeks flushing red. “Hehe.” She's yelling, but she's also adjusting her position to make me more comfortable. This is exactly what makes her so charming. “Let me nap for ten minutes.” “Y-You little...!” Song Ha-Eun’s fist trembled above his head as she barely held back the urge to swing. “... Hmph!” As soon as Kwon Oh-Jin closed his eyes and drifted off, she lowered her fist. “He’s unbelievable,” she muttered, a small smile tugging at her lips as she gave him a light tap on his forehead. Vega looked at the two with a complex expression. “Hmmm.” After a moment of contemplation, she sighed and turned away. “Riarc,” she called out. “Yes, Lady Vega.” “Now that you’ve witnessed him in a real fight, do you understand what I meant? Riarc slowly nodded as he replied, “... Yes, I do.” He recalled Kwon Oh-Jin’s explosive growth during their brief fight. Even as a Regressor, his ability to create skills on the spot and skillfully wield the mana of his Stigma was remarkable. Riarc had interacted with countless Awakeners on behalf of Vega, but none had possessed Kwon Oh-Jin's overwhelming talent. “Haha. So even you agree on his talent now.” Riarc bit his lip hard. ... No.That’s not what’s important. One could have all the talent in the world and still hit a wall, leading to despair just as Riarc had experienced himself. However— The most terrifying thing about that human is... He remembered Kwon Oh-Jin’s staggering resilience—how he rose again and again even after countless deaths. He's crazy. It was like someone placing their hand in boiling-hot oil and smiling as if nothing were wrong. Could that be described simply as “patient” or “strong-willed"? That’s a level of determination close to madness. Riarch clenched his fists tightly. That was the true terrifying nature of Kwon Oh-Jin. “Why... couldn’t I be as crazy as him?” He reflected on his distant past. After being resurrected as a transcendent, with a fragment of his soul gifted by Vega, he had thrown himself into relentless training. He had struggled for hundreds and thousands of sleepless nights, driven by a singular purpose—to stand as Vega's shield against the darkness of the Black Heaven foretold by the stars. But in the end, I couldn’t break through that wall. For centuries, he remained stagnant, unable to grasp enlightenment. Frustration ate away at him until, eventually, he abandoned training altogether. It was my lack of willpower. If he had possessed even a fraction of Kwon Oh-Jin’s near-mad determination, he wouldn’t have stayed stuck. “Riarc?” “No, it’s nothing,” Riarc replied, shaking his head with a bitter smile. He glanced at Kwon Oh-Jin, sleeping peacefully on Song Ha-Eun’s lap. I’ve lost. He couldn’t surpass the human before him in talent or will. Petty jealous had even driven him to an uncontrollable rampage. He had been completely defeated. Now, there weren’t any excuses for him to not accept Kwon Oh-Jin. Thud. Riarc fell on one knee, facing Kwon Oh-Jin. Bowing respectfully, he sincerely spoke. “Heaven-Defying Star, please protect the Weaver from the wicked Black Heaven.” *** Kwon Oh-Jin's three months in the Sanctum had come to an end. “It’s about time I head back,” Kwon Oh-Jin said, sounding slightly disappointed. He was done sparring with Riarc, who was now frowning. “You’re going back?” the wolf asked. “Yeah.” “Ha! You only just managed to last over five minutes against me, and you’re going to neglect your training already?” Riarc spoke bluntly, but his voice was tinged with disappointment too. Despite everything, he had grown quite fond of Kwon Oh-Jin over the past three months. “Considering I only lasted three seconds at first, five minutes is a huge improvement.” “That’s still barely longer than the time it takes to cook instant noodles!” “Huh? You know what instant noodles are?” “I saw you eating them once, so I tried some myself.” “Ah, geez. I wondered why a few packs were missing.” “They’re rather delicious.” “You little shithead.” The two had gotten close enough to have playful banter. Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled and then bitterly shrugged. "I can’t just stay here forever,” he stated. It was about time he checked in with the association as well. Plus, my training is starting to become less efficient. Even with all his tricks, sparring endlessly with Riarc had its limits. He needed real combat experience without the safety net of resurrection. Riarc crossed his arms with a sullen look. “Grrr...” “Hehe, what’s up with you? Are you pouting now that I’m leaving?” “N-No way!” Riarc shouted. “Don’t spout such nonsense, human! A true warrior doesn’t suffer from solitude!” “Okay, sure, sure.” “Grrr!” Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled and proceeded to pack up his belongings, like his sleeping bag, pillow, cooking utensils, and instant food of various kinds. “Here, I’m leaving behind some of the noodles. Eat them if you get bored.” Riarc accepted the noodles and mumbled, “Human.” “Yeah?” “...” Riarc stayed silent for a while, his lips moving soundlessly before he finally turned his head away and muttered under his breath, “... Th-Thanks.” Sparring with him had rekindled Riarc's determination to challenge the "wall" once more. He couldn’t help but feel grateful to Kwon Oh-Jin for giving him that courage. “Pffft!! Huh? What was that? I couldn’t quite hear you~” “G-Grrr! You dare...!” Riarc bared his fangs, and his silver fur stood on end. Kwon Oh-Jin, however, clutched his stomach as he continued laughing. Now then, shall I head back? He had grown strong enough to defend himself now. “It’s time to reveal who the apostle of the Weaver really is.”