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Chapter 162

Hearing Kwang-Soo\'s call, Se-Hoon came to his senses and approached naturally. He gave no sign that he found the dream mana inside Jin-Hyun’s body.

Up close, he noticed Jin-Hyun looking more tired than before, which explained why Sung-Ha was looking at him with concern.

Se-Hoon greeted him, “Hello, sir.”

“It\'s been a while. I heard you\'ve been quite busy recently. Did you manage to finish everything?” asked Yeom Jin-Hyun.

“Yes. I’m almost done.”

“That\'s good to hear. I was worried that I might be causing you too much trouble,” Jin-Hyun remarked with a relieved expression.

Sensing Jin-Hyun was done, Se-Hoon curiously asked, “By the way, are you acquainted with Professor Ma Kwang-Soo?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes. We\'ve known each other for a long time. We served in the same unit when we enlisted in the army in the early days.”

“You could say we\'re comrades,” Kwang-Soo added.

Their responses intrigued Se-Hoon. So they had been conscripted by the state and fought monsters side-by-side during the chaotic early days when the Towers of Heroes and the Abyss of Demons first emerged.

Wait. If they’ve known each other for that long, why doesn’t there seem to be much interaction?

If they had known each other for so long, wouldn\'t Kwang-Soo have lent a hand with matters related to the Flame Sect? Luckily, he didn’t have to wonder for long.

Perhaps noticing Se-Hoon\'s curiosity, Kwang-Soo continued on to say, “Of course, that doesn\'t mean we\'re close enough to meddle in each other\'s family affairs.”

“That\'s also true.”

Though it was cold, Jin-Hyun accepted the statement without any reaction. That allowed Se-Hoon to understand that they were just old comrades.

Accepting it, Se-Hoon moved on.

“What’s this about the sudden sparring match between me and Yeom Sung-Ha?”

“I heard you learned my friend’s very own Celestial Infinity Blade. And I was curious about how well you can handle it, so I requested this duel.”

“Ah, I see...”

It made sense for Jin-Hyun to be curious after hearing that someone had learned his old comrade\'s secret sword technique. So, Se-Hoon nodded.

“Alright, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

“Then let\'s head inside.”

Together, the four of them entered the training hall. It was the perfect chance, so Se-Hoon walked a few steps behind Jin-Hyun to check his body again.

I didn’t notice at first glance, but... this is really no joke.

Except for Jin-Hyun’s brain, there wasn’t a single place not eroded by the dream mana. And around the heart especially, there was a lot of dream mana. The most important part, however, was its behavior.

It’s actually circulating alongside the bloodstream.

Because of that, it was also affecting his internal organs and sustaining his life. It had integrated so naturally that the oversaturation of dream mana didn’t show externally, which also explained why nobody had noticed.

I probably wouldn\'t have noticed either if it weren\'t for Ethereal Vision.

Thankfully, the culprit behind Jin-Hyun\'s long-time, heavily eroded state wasn’t very hard to figure out.

It\'s probably that bastard, Lee Won-Ryong.

No matter how weakened Jin-Hyun was from injuries, he was still the founding father of the Flame Sect and the creator of the Inferno Ring. Considering Won-Ryong\'s personality, he wouldn\'t have left Jin-Hyun alone without a leash as a precaution.

Now... it\'s hard to believe that the timing of his visit is just a coincidence.

Of course, Jin-Hyun had likely just come to see Sung-Ha\'s condition, but what was more important was that his state proved that the Flame Sect and the Barmuths were conspiring. Meaning, it was obvious they would somehow use the dream mana eroding Jin-Hyun\'s body as a part of their scheme.

Tsk... For now, I’ll stay calm and see what they’re going to do next.

Just then, they arrived at the training hall, so Se-Hoon deactivated Ethereal Vision, picked up a training sword, and stepped onto the platform. A few seconds later, Sung-Ha joined him after grabbing a pair of training spears.

“How do you want to spar?” Sung-Ha asked.

“Oh. I get to choose?”

“The purpose is to show your skills to my master, so it\'s only natural for me to match you.”

“...”

Se-Hoon made a strange face at Sung-Ha\'s matter-of-fact response. Normally, he would just charge in and thrust his spears without discussion.

It\'s kind of annoying that he only acts normally in front of Yeom Jin-Hyun.

He thought it would be nice if he always acted like this.

Se-Hoon readjusted his grip on the sword. “Then let\'s fight a bit slower... about this fast.”

Whoosh-

He swung his sword at a speed that was neither too fast nor too slow. It was a speed that the weakened Jin-Hyun could observe.

Sung-Ha nodded. “Seems good enough.”

“Good. Let\'s match our mana usage as we see fit.”

Readying themselves, the two exchanged glances before simultaneously pushing off the ground with their feet and swinging their weapons.

Clang!

While Sung-Ha kept a firm distance and launched a calm barrage of attacks, Se-Hoon rushed in and defended himself. Like that, they exchanged a seemingly unending amount of blows, impressing Jin-Hyun, who was watching from below.

“Wow... there’s not a single wasted movement. Has he already refined his skills to this level?”

“I didn\'t teach him that. He refined it on his own. You see, he’s overly obsessed with efficiency.”

Jin-Hyun could hear the exasperation in Kwang-Soo’s voice. Intrigued, he focused again on the clash.

Thud! Thud!

Currently, the two were locked in a close-up battle. Se-Hoon had just deflected Sung-Ha’s thrust with minimal force and was countering with a thrust of his own. At that moment, Sung-Ha’s other spear swung in, but Se-Hoon naturally changed the trajectory of his sword to deflect it.

If Sung-Ha’s style used one spear for defense and one for offense, Se-Hoon\'s style allowed for free transition between offense and defense anytime, anywhere.

It was a style that couldn\'t be executed properly without sufficient experience, but he was performing it perfectly with optimal efficiency.

Was he able to stabilize my body in an instant by devising the most optimal method because he continuously analyzes his own body in the same way?

As Jin-Hyun kept watching, the sparring, which had been dragging, finally saw some changes.

Celestial Infinity Blade: Golden Origin

Swish!

Recognizing the familiar aura given off by the golden sword formed in Se-Hoon\'s previously empty right hand, Sung-Ha flinched. After quickly recovering, he narrowed his eyes.

“Aria Myers?”

“Eh, I just copied it roughly from memory.”

“You\'ve acquired something truly unpleasant.”

Seeing Sung-Ha\'s palpable discomfort, Se-Hoon chuckled and lightly spun the golden sword, which now resembled a slender rapier.

“It\'s weaker than the original, so take this chance to strike me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, when else can you feel like you\'re beating Aria Myers?”

Stunned silent, Sung-Ha’s eyes twisted with anger when he understood the taunt. Livid, he enveloped the tips of his twin spears with fire mana and took his stance.

“I\'ll take it as a request to step it up a notch since you\'ve revealed your sword technique.”

“Sure.”

Boom!

The two clashed at a faster speed than before, splattering red flames and golden sword aura everywhere. The scene of Se-Hoon matching Sung-Ha\'s dual spear technique with his own dual sword technique was an incredible sight, regardless of whether his opponent was going full force.

“What... what a monster...”

Se-Hoon had acquired the Celestial Infinity Blade only a few months ago, yet he was wielding it as if it were his own creation. From just that alone, Jin-Hyun could tell Se-Hoon completely understood sword aura.

Throughout this sparring match, his abilities as both a swordsman and a blacksmith were fully utilized without any waste.

Clang!

The two continued to exchange relentless blows without yielding an inch.

Watching them, Jin-Hyun felt both pride and a touch of sorrow; he remembered his own glorious days that were now long gone and unreachable.

“You should teach him well.”

“What?”

At Jin-Hyun’s sudden comment, Kwang-Soo puzzledly glanced over to see Jin-Hyun\'s eyes still focused on the spar.

“Being able to completely pass down your technique is also a kind of blessing.”

“...”

Feeling the weight of his old comrade’s words, Kwang-Soo muttered, “It\'s not like I don’t want to teach him...”

Returning his gaze to the spar, Kwang-Soo watched their bout continue for over ten minutes.

In the end, Sung-Ha\'s superior stamina eventually secured victory.

“Huff... huff.... This is so tiring...”

Compared to Se-Hoon, who was drenched in sweat and struggling to catch his breath, Sung-Ha was calm. Internally, however, he was shocked.

How has he grown this much already?

Before, even if Se-Hoon matched his physical abilities, Sung-Ha could easily overwhelm him head-on. However, now, such a thing was no longer possible. In a full-power fight with his own weapons, he still had the advantage—assuming Se-Hoon wasn’t hiding anything.

Had he been too complacent? Thinking about his own lack of growth in comparison, Sung-Ha was about to frown when Jin-Hyun spoke from below.

“Excellent.”

He praised them with satisfaction.

“Even though you perfectly performed the basics of the Inferno Ring back then, it seemed a bit lacking... but after witnessing your modified technique in actual combat, I’m beginning to understand. With a bit more refinement, I think your technique could become a new version of the Inferno Ring.”

Sung-Ha bowed his head in gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“And...”

Turning to Se-Hoon, Jin-Hyun hesitated before asking curiously, “Have you not learned Sword Control yet?”

“Oh, I\'ve seen it before, but...”

Before Se-Hoon could explain how he hadn\'t had time to practice due to his busy schedule, Kwang-Soo interrupted with a wave of his hand.

“Don\'t do anything stupid. It should be near impossible for you to use Sword Control properly without learning it thoroughly.”

Though Kwang-Soo\'s words were blunt, they were true. Regardless, Se-Hoon was still irritated by it.

Glancing between the two, Jin-Hyun suggested, “Why not try making your own version without overthinking it? Just make it in a way that feels natural to you.”

“Natural?”

“Think of it like forging a piece of equipment that moves automatically to protect its owner. Try it with that kind of mindset.”

Se-Hoon considered Jin-Hyun\'s proposal.

As if forging a piece of equipment...

While his advice seemed a bit odd, Jin-Hyun\'s long acquaintance with Kwang-Soo suggested his trustworthiness.

“Hey! What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Turning to each other, Kwang-Soo protested Jin-Hyun\'s unexpected advice. Yet it wasn’t long before they both instinctively turned back to the training hall, sensing something from there.

Woong-

Before their eyes, White Light was forming in the air, starting off as a skeletal structure before gathering white particles from all directions to fill in its gaps. Like fitting real weapon components, the pieces fit together with precision, completing it in the blink of an eye.

“What...” Kwang-Soo\'s jaw dropped.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A thin, razor-sharp sword floated in midair, not touching Se-Hoon\'s hands.

“Woah...”

Examining the completed White Light floating with the help of Sword Control, Se-Hoon looked up lightly into the air.

Swish!

And the White Light sword shot up into the sky as if it had been waiting. Engrossed, Se-Hoon moved the sword freely around with his will.

This turned out to be more efficient than I thought.

Thanks to structuring it properly from the start, the mana required to keep the sword aura floating was minimal. And while the mental strain was significant, considering the numerous advantages Sword Control could provide, it wasn\'t a bad trade-off.

Hmm... making a free-moving sword like this move autonomously might not be a bad idea.

Meanwhile, Kwang-Soo, who had been watching in a daze, finally snapped back to reality.

Could what Ha Baek-Yeon said really be true?

Seeing Se-Hoon effortlessly mimic the skills of others, just like Doppelganger, Kwang-Soo became both tense and excited. With such talent and ability, he might indeed be able to find that detestable demon.

What had only been a possibility was now a certainty.

[The bond with \'Ma Kwang-Soo\' has grown to Lv. 2.]

[Since the bond has grown to Lv.2, a Relationship has been established. Your Relationship with \'Ma Kwang-Soo\' is currently \'Exploitation’.]

An information message appeared before Se-Hoon\'s eyes.

[Relationship: Exploitation]

[Many relationships with people are made based on necessity, and there are quite a few who simply use others as tools.

The form of this Relationship varies greatly depending on the methods chosen by the respective parties, but as long as the conditions are all met, it can become an unbreakable Relationship.

*A Fatestone is created whenever the subject exploits you.

*The maturation rate of the Fatestone increases whenever the subject has gained useful benefits from you.

*Currently created Fatestones: 1]

Hmm...

Seeing the message before him, Se-Hoon stopped the sword and glanced at Kwang-Soo.

The look in Kwang-Soo\'s eyes was filled with a mixture of yearning and certainty; his previous ambiguous one had solidified.

I could use this Relationship... but it’s quite troublesome.

He began pondering how he wanted to interact with Kwang-Soo in the future.

Jin-Hyun suddenly clutched his chest with a contorted face.

“Ugh!”

Startled out of their thoughts, both Se-Hoon and Kwang-Soo looked at him, while Sung-Ha quickly rushed down from the training platform.

"Master! Are you alright?"

“Grr... medicine... get the medicine...”

Seeing the pill bottle Sung-Ha pulled out, Se-Hoon\'s eyes twitched.

Is that...

Feeling the same sensation he felt when he first saw Jin-Hyun today, he activated Ethereal Vision and saw that the state of Jin-Hyun’s body had changed completely.

Unlike before, the previously dormant dream mana was now moving violently, squeezing his heart and organs. Switching his gaze to the pill that Sung-Ha had taken out, he could see a similar but slightly different type of dream mana that had eroded into Jin-Hyun’s body.

And when the pill entered his body, that distinct deep-purple mana spread through his entire body and formed a peculiar shape.

A magic array?

What could the magic array be for? Se-Hoon continued to watch warily, and it was long before the dream mana in Jin-Hyun\'s body began to move again, this time with some of it naturally seeping into the previously unaffected brain.

“Phew... I’m alright now. Thank you.”

With faint purple glints in his eyes, Jin-Hyun reassured Sung-Ha before turning to Se-Hoon.

“You exercised Sword Control pretty well. How do you feel?”

Without Ethereal Vision, it actually did seem like Jin-Hyun’s condition had become better. However, Se-Hoon was not without it.

Contemplating for a moment, Se-Hoon decided to respond like he had never noticed a thing.

“I think it\'s usable enough. Thank you for the guidance.”

“No need for thanks. Ah... I just remembered; I wanted to talk to you about something today.”

Seemingly “recalling” something, Jin-Hyun looked at Se-Hoon.

“Would you be interested in visiting my home this weekend?”

“...You mean the main residence of the Flame Sect?”

“Not exactly; it\'s the old main residence in the mountain where I live now. I’d like to repay you for your help.”

At this invitation to leave Babel and visit his place, Se-Hoon wondered how much of his own will was in it.

And judging by the shape of that magic array...

Se-Hoon’s mind raced, calculating what the opponent could be aiming for. And when he finished—

“It would be an honor.”

The result was that it was something he could handle easily.