Searching For The Old Power (2)

"Despite enduring for ages, it seems the world still harbors such extraordinary individuals."

The old man stood still, looking at the man who had come to find him.

"I thought I hadn't neglected teaching Cheondo."

Even considering Cheondo's youth, the man's potential was something even the old man had to admire.

"The jar filled with magical power is unstable. Five months… at best, a year. That body was hastily made."

While talent can overcome a lack of skill, physical growth cannot be hastened.

Inherent inner power, Qi (氣). Or should it be called magic from the outside? The vessel holding the inner power was too unstable.

This was a common sight among talented individuals who experienced rapid growth.

"I thought he was just a young blood stepping onto the path of martial arts. Seeing him wield power so freely, it seems that's not the case."

Countless young heroes seen and slain.

Typically, such prodigies diverge into two paths depending on their talent.

Either they fall into a severe slump due to unstable magic and abandon the path of martial arts,

Or they overcome it somehow with effort.

The old man slightly furrowed his brow.

"No matter where he's from,"

He's a troublesome one.

Lee Shiheon had already overcome the slump phase.

He was forcing his way through the slump that geniuses experienced, even managing to control his unstable magic at will.

Whether it was overwhelming talent or the presence of effort.

"..."

A man who was ordinary a year ago now possessed such power.

If that was the case, it was within his own realm of possibility.

But just in case,

If this unrefined power had accumulated in just five months—

"To think I'd see such a person in my old age."

—It was an achievement even he had to acknowledge.

An impossible miracle.

"Kukukuku."

The old man laughed heartily, saliva spraying from his mouth.

As if he had inherited his power directly, the aura emanating from the man was as dark as pitch. It was as if fate itself had been decreed by the heavens.

What a curious event. It made him want to tear into that flesh with his teeth right away.

The old man felt the vigor of his youth and brushed back his hair.

"Cheondo."

"...Yes."

Cheondo quickly stepped back from the man's embrace and bowed her head.

Embarrassed by showing such vulnerability, her cheeks shyly flushed.

"Step back from there."

"Yes."

Cheondo stepped back about two steps.

"Baekdo. Hwangdo."

"Eek!"

"Eeek!"

"I thought I told you not to come up here."

"Well, that person said he wanted to meet father below and caused a commotion…"

"Explain that later."

"Ye, yes, Father!"

Baekdo and Hwangdo, catching the old man's gaze, quickly distanced themselves from the man, trembling.

Their shaking legs were quite a funny sight.

"So. You wanted to see me?"

Without moving a muscle, the old man stood up and approached the man. Just that action alone started to shake the atmosphere around them.

-Woong!

A man whose mere existence shook the mountains and rivers.

The shadow of the old man, with his back to the sun, completely enveloped the man.

"Who are you?"

A cold voice.

"I cannot tell you my name."

Boldly, the man faced the old man's demeanor without being overwhelmed, pushing forward with a cheeky face as he said so.

Such arrogance was unusual.

No, rather, it's preferable.

"Are you the one called Cheonma?"

The old man laughed at Lee Shiheon's question.

"Yes."

Cheonma.

The name the world had given him.

Warrior. Demon. The worst tree in history.

These derogatory terms had described the old man numerous times.

The large scars etched on his body vividly displayed his past deeds.

A warrior's body formed over many days. That skeleton. Eyes grotesquely torn.

The long white hair thrown back over his shoulders was just like the mane of an old lion.

"I don't know why I got such a name, but that's what everyone calls me."

"I see."

Of course, he didn't become Cheonma overnight.

Nor was it a position he had aspired to from the start.

Since his youth, the old man simply had too many people he disliked.

Those without a clue preaching righteousness. The psychopaths oblivious to the era.

He lived his life crushing those he found detestable.

Because he couldn't stand the sight of rats drenched in water acting as if they were tigers.

Because it was utterly infuriating how those who committed all sorts of crimes wore the mask of hypocrisy.

If someone caught his eye, he would beat them, tidy them up, and grow that way.

The wild boy known as Cheonma eventually became the leader of a group.

This place, Dowon. The last stronghold.

His hair turned white, but his body became even more robust, supporting him through the long years.

The king of martial arts, revered by all.

It was impossible not to marvel at his impressive stature.

"How was our first meeting?"

"…Somewhat surprising."

"It's not something someone who entered without permission should say. Yes, that's the easiest way to see me. So how long are you going to hide it?"

"Excuse me?"

The old man leaned forward, bringing his face close.

"I don't know why you wanted to see me, but… show me how complete you are. If you don't want to die here today as a punishment for mimicking my power."

With a flinch—

The old man's fist plunged towards Lee Shiheon's abdomen.

Instinctively reacting, he quickly formed a shield for defense and then pushed the old man away to create some distance.

-Clang!

The shield formed around Lee Shiheon's abdomen shattered like a split plank.

The man's counterattack followed.

-Thud, thud, thud!

Compressed air poured from the sky, mercilessly pounding the old man's entire body.

A cloud of dust enveloped the old man.

"…Magic. It's completely become a habit."

Sweeping away the dust cloud, the old man emerged unscathed, his bitter smile not hidden as he leisurely walked towards Lee Shiheon.

"All those half-baked fools, I never found anyone worthy of being called a 'junior' all my life. But just before death, I finally met one."

Was that a compliment? Lee Shiheon's eyes narrowed.

"I'll ask why you came looking for me later. For now-"

Black energy enveloped the body of the old man, Cheonma.

"-give it your all."

[Shall we transfer?]

When I was trapped in a dungeon called Purgatory with Cheondo.

I still remembered the longing in my teacher's eyes for someone from time to time.

"No, wait."

[But if you die here, the timeline will get twisted. It's beyond my power.]

So, even though he's called Cheonma, I thought he'd be kind and gentle… What's this now?

Cheondo looked at us worriedly. The little ones, Baekdo and Hwangdo, couldn't even cover their mouths.

'I admit I was rude, but why so aggressive? Well, it does fit the image of Cheonma better. I must have been blind just looking at our master.'

As I felt, the old man must have felt it too.

The power of Cheonma that was inherent in my core. A power that was never meant to be revealed, must be driving him crazy with curiosity.

He might even try to kill me on the sly. He approached me with some semblance of friendliness, but the result was a fight without hesitation. If I were to approach him in the future, I would have to pass some sort of test with this man.

'Can I sever the connection with the World Tree while I'm in the past?'

[What are you talking about?]

'…I don't know. I have to do it now.'

As the old man said, it seems like any trivial magic won't work at all. I crossed my arms.

"Huup."

Swallowing my breath, I summon my magic power. Veins bulge in my eyes as black magic power similar to the old man's spreads across my skin and into the surroundings.

[ The connection with the World Tree is temporarily withdrawn. ]

[Wait a minute. You, what's this-]

Heukdo (Black Path).

The magic power expanded once more.

-Paang!

The air around us was pushed away as the magic powers from both sides collided, slowly shaking the land here.

"Beyond imagination."

The black magic power. I revealed a derivative of the power, standing before the man who first tamed this force. I was not unaware of its significance. From this point onwards, I became certain of why the World Tree of Time sent me to this world.

"Huu, hup."

Slowly regulating my breath, I wrapped all my magic power around my body. My heart pounded with tension to the point of pain.

A combat-ready physique. Adapt to the situation and read the opponent's movements.

The old man does not show any movement, just watching me quietly.

'…Is it my move first?'

Not bad.

I have to strike with all my might. I never planned to hold back.

First stance.

I pull back my fist, turning the black magic power stark white.

-Zzizik, zzizzizzik.

"It can't be…"

The rough sound of the wave swallowed Cheondo's murmuring from afar.

Blossoming petals. Yet, it's grossly insufficient. I put in more magic power than I had shown before.

A single blow, melted into white. True to its name, I turned part of the mountain stark white.

I didn't know how far it would reach, but I let it stretch out as it could.

"Baekdo."

A massive falling blossom engulfs the body of Cheonma. Cheonma, without any intention to dodge, received the flow with his right arm.

-Kwagagagaga!

The surroundings crumbled. I have never fired it at full power since coming out of Purgatory. Because I never met an opponent worth it. And because the situation never allowed it.

-Paddeudeuk!

The entire mountain resonated, leaves fell, and birds soared.

"..."

"..."

A strike with the momentum to pierce the sky was enough to freeze everyone in place.

Except for one person.

"Not bad."

Without a single scratch on his body, Cheonma displayed his right hand as if to show something.

There, a white vital energy buzzed and compressed. It was clear whose magic power constituted it.

"Take this one."

As he swung his arm, the compressed magic power shot towards me.

'This is crazy.'

-Kwadeuk!

Forcibly receiving it, my whole body was pushed back. A burning sensation covered me. The pain felt as if I was being sliced by a scalpel, piece by piece. It was a familiar pain, yet still unbearable.

-Kwadang.

My body tumbled and hit a tree. Not stopping there, my body flew backward, breaking the tree.

After being pushed back for a while,

I stood up, staggering, far from the old man. My upper body was exposed through the burnt rags.

"Damn."

"You have many scars. Though not many yet."

Cheonma, having closed the distance suddenly, walked towards me with a fierce look in his eyes.

"I could add one more."

"I'd rather not-"

Before I could finish speaking, a fist rapidly approached my face.

-Hwoong!

I caught the fist and dodged the follow-up attacks. I saw a few openings and aimed for the abdomen, but it didn't lead to any significant damage.

"You're quite slow."

The ground split with a kick.

"How much have you trained?"

Without a chance to answer, a fist grazed my cheek. The tree behind me split in half and fell.

If I forced some distance, he closed it in a single bound.

'Crazy…'

The pressure on my shoulders had been building for a while. Every time he stepped, the magic moved in the opposite direction I moved.

It felt insurmountable. Not even using a tenth of his strength… Was he even human?

'If a Flower executive has this level of power.'

I had never seen Cheondo or Cheonma in their liberated forms, that was, the form of the World Tree.

The calamity that almost destroyed the world.

Why Cheondo has protected me by my side until now.

-Thump!

His fist pierced my abdomen accurately. The giant rock supporting my back shattered into pieces.

"...Ugh, ugh."

The surge of vomit. Strength drained from my entire body.

"Is this the end?"

It's not the end.

I channeled all my strength into my weakened legs, a green energy enveloping my body.

"This is…"

In Cheonma's eyes, admiration surpassed interest. The power of healing. It dulled the body cornered into a tight spot.

As I was about to collapse, spewing gastric fluids, I shook off the exhaustion, gathered magical power in my fist, and unleashed it towards him.

-Kwang!

Just one hit. But it was ineffective. …Steam rose from my muscles.

"Not bad."

Cheonma easily withstood the attack, dismissing it as if it were nothing. Ridiculous human. Was that even a living being? A hollow laugh escaped me.

-Kwadeuk.

Cheonma harshly grabbed my neck, lifting me effortlessly.

Just as I thought I might die like this-

"With a bit more refinement-"

Cheonma's face came into my view. At that moment, I couldn't help but release all the tension in my body.

"-you might be useful."

The face of the old man looking at me.

It was as if he had found an intriguing object.