Seo Woojin — Part 4
I sat Seo Woojin down and said,
“Now, you’ll have to take off your gloves.”
“W-will that be okay?”
“Of course not.”
I positioned myself directly in front of Seo Woojin.
Then, I aimed at an empty spot in the training room and released a shield.
Whirrrr.
The Domain Shield erupted from the designated spot, enveloping Seo Woojin entirely, but leaving me outside of its protective barrier.
If Seo Woojin extended his right hand, it would stop precisely at the edge of the barrier, at wrist height.
“What are you doing…?”
“It’s simple. You’ll take off your gloves, and I’ll hold your hand. Then, I’ll remove my shield.”
Currently, I was using a Mana Shield outside the Domain Shield. So what would happen if I took down my shield?
Naturally, the Divine Fever would rush in like a storm.
And what if Seo Woojin extended his hand outside the shield, gloves off?
Seo Woojin looked at me as if I was insane.
“You’re suggesting… resonance?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s insane! You know how terrifying the Divine Fever is! If it resonates, we’ll die—literally die!”
“We won’t die. It’ll just hurt so much you’ll wish you were dead. And did you expect overcoming the Divine Fever to be easy?”
“Well…”
“It’ll be tough, but isn’t this what you’ve committed to? Do you plan to live like this forever? A day of suffering is far better than a lifetime of misery.”
Seo Woojin bit his lower lip hard.
His gaze reflexively darted to the locked door before he shook his head, slapping his cheeks a couple of times to steel himself.
“Alright. You’re going to suffer more than I will, so I can’t complain. Let’s do this.”
“Good. Now, give me your hand.”
“I’ll take off the gloves myself. They’re locked by my biometric signal, so no one else can take them off.”
Seo Woojin grasped his right glove with his left hand.
His face full of inner conflict, he stared at it for a moment before gritting his teeth and removing the glove.
In an instant, a black dragon of flames soared upward.
The flames exploded outward with such force that the pressure alone was overwhelming.
Compared to this, the black flames that had been flickering around me were nothing more than faint fireflies.
Seo Woojin’s voice came out in a strained whisper,
“Q-quickly!”
Without hesitation, I grabbed his hand.
With a slight pull, I yanked it out of the Domain Shield.
Then, the flames exploded in a fury.
Simultaneously, black flames erupted from my own body. The two fires, both divine and black, resonated violently, spiraling out of control. My vision blurred, and excruciating pain shot up my spine.
“Grrraaah!”
It was worse than when the Saintess had baptized me.
Suppressing the urge to scream, I moved exactly as I had planned.
[Domain Shield] [Holy Resistance] [Endurance]
[Mana Absorption] [Potion Addiction] [Mana Core]
First, I swapped my traits.
Gulp.
Second, I downed the mana potion I had prepared.
Lastly, I began manipulating the mana.
I focused on drawing in the energy, trying to absorb Seo Woojin’s divine flames through our linked hands, which were resonating fiercely.
Under normal circumstances, this would be impossible.
But right now, it was achievable.
With a level of concentration beyond human limits, divine flames originating from the same source, and the Mana Core glowing brightly in my heart, these factors aligned to create a small miracle.
Rumble.
The heavens groaned as the flames shifted.
Bit by bit, like a snail inching forward or bubbles popping in waves, the divine flames were being drawn into me.
‘It’s working!’
As the flames flowed into me, the power burning through my body intensified.
The pain was unbearable.
I wanted to quit. I wanted to abandon everything.
Why was I putting myself through this hell?
But I clenched my teeth and endured.
‘I need the Nectar!’
It was all because of the Saintess.
If it weren’t for that wretched Saintess, I wouldn’t be suffering like this.
Do trials make people stronger? Do hardships temper resilience?
I didn’t need any of that—I could’ve grown stronger without this nonsense!
Just wait.
I’m going to grow so powerful that I’ll destroy the Old Father’s Cult, the Saintess, and all those cursed followers!
“Aaaah! AAAAAH!”
Seo Woojin screamed like a madman.
He pounded his chest with his left hand, even slamming his head as hard as he could.
Blood poured from his eyes as he wept, but even through the pain, he clung to my hand with his right.
He wasn’t ordinary, after all. Anyone else would have fled back into the shield by now. No wonder he reached level 8 in the game.
And then, suddenly, the pain in my right hand became unbearable.
Had Seo Woojin squeezed my hand?
No.
It wasn’t a surface-level pain. It felt like something was ripping apart deep inside, from the bones.
It’s here!
Without hesitation, I pulled Seo Woojin close and dove back into the Domain Shield.
The black flames sputtered and fragmented.
Though they hadn’t completely disappeared, they were significantly weakened compared to before.
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Seo Woojin collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
I activated the newly acquired trait.
A cold sensation swept through my body, followed by a deep, burning pain from my bones.
And this was with the protection of the shield, affecting only a portion of my body. What must it be like under normal circumstances?
I shuddered at the thought.
“W-what’s happening to me?”
Seo Woojin muttered.
Still lying prone, he glanced down at his hand, then raised his head to look at me.
Confusion filled his eyes, but then suddenly, realization dawned on him.
“Is this… [Damage Absorption]?”
Of course, the young master of a prestigious family would figure it out immediately.
“That’s right.”
“W-wait, but isn’t Damage Absorption supposed to be an incredibly rare trait? I heard even with specialized training, only one or two in ten manage to awaken it.”
Of course not.
This was only possible because I’m Warrior Kim, and I had meticulously planned everything.
Instead of explaining in detail, I stared him down.
“I trust you’ll keep this a secret.”
My serious expression made Seo Woojin’s face harden as well.
“Of course. It’s a man-to-man promise.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
I retrieved a wooden training sword from the corner of the training room and handed it to Seo Woojin.
While Seo Woojin gripped the sword, I donned steel arm guards and stood before him inside the Domain Shield.
The shield was suppressing some of the Divine Fever, and with [Damage Absorption], I was transferring part of the pain to myself. But even so, his expression wasn’t good.
The searing pain was still pain, after all. Any ordinary person would be demanding painkillers at this point.
“Seo Woojin, this is the final step. You’re almost there. Now, I want you to attack me with everything you’ve got. Do you understand why?”
“I heard it from the previous teachers. When you’re afflicted with the Divine Fever, your concentration reaches a superhuman level, making it the best time for mana awakening and martial arts training.”
“That’s right. You’ve learned World Saving Sword Art, World Saving Mind Technique, Unified Spirit Sword, and Unified Spirit Mind Technique, correct?”
“Yes. I learned them when I was younger.”
“Anything is fine. Use all the techniques you know to attack me. If something clicks, focus on that technique. Once you awaken your mana and fill your Dantian with energy, it’s over. Then you’ll drink the Nectar, and the Divine Fever will disappear completely.”
His focus sharpened, and the pain became manageable.
Success was just within reach.
Seo Woojin swallowed nervously, sensing the moment’s significance.
I emptied another mana potion and gave him a final piece of advice.
“Concentrate on your Dantian. Even if you haven’t been able to train for the past ten years, in this heightened state, you should be able to sense your mana. Whether it’s through World Saving Mind Technique or Unified Spirit Mind Technique, find what works for you and make it yours.”
Seo Woojin nodded firmly.
Then, he let out a brief statement as if tossing it out.
“First Sword.”
“What?”
“First Sword. My parents created it.”
Wait… So, they combined the martial arts of Jaegumun and Ilgeomun?
They named it First Sword because it combined the idea of “First” from both schools. (TL Note: As in, the Best of both schools. It should have been Supreme Sword, but that’s not what it’s written as)
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s a terrible name. Besides, the Chinese characters are completely different.”
“They are.”
“You should’ve stuck with the original characters instead of awkwardly forcing it into English. Honestly, the name’s pretty bad.”
“Haha, I thought the same. Once I master it, I’ll give it a better name.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
But for that to happen, Seo Woojin needed to make it through this ordeal.
I wiped the smile from my face and focused on him.
He did the same, his expression turning serious.
“I’m ready.”
“Come at me.”
Seo Woojin raised the wooden sword.
For the first time in ten years, he was holding a weapon properly.
And yet, his presence was anything but ordinary.
As soon as he lifted the wooden sword, there was a deceptive fluidity in his movements, coupled with an icy sharpness that pricked at me.
What the hell?
Is this really someone who hasn’t even awakened his mana yet?
Before I could fully process it, Seo Woojin swung the sword down.
Swoosh!
A sharp sound of air being sliced through.
There was no awkwardness or roughness typical of beginners in his movement.
Seo Woojin wasn’t attacking like a rookie; he was already a fully formed warrior.
“Damn!”
I barely managed to cross my arms in time to block.
Crack!
Even though I was wearing steel arm guards, the impact was immense.
My arms were forced apart, leaving my chest exposed.
Seo Woojin’s eyes gleamed like a predator’s, entirely different from the shy boy he’d been earlier. He thrust the sword at me with the ferocity of a wild beast.
“Shit!”
I barely dodged in time.
The wooden sword grazed my chest, but that slight touch was enough to send searing pain through my body, the black flames latching onto me and burning fiercely.
Even now, Seo Woojin wasn’t holding back.
His attacks were relentless, like someone with the Chain Attack trait. His precision made it seem like he had the Pierce trait, and with the force of his slashes, I wondered if he’d unlocked Smash as well.
I could barely keep up, dodging and blocking by the skin of my teeth.
One mistake, and I’d be left with broken bones—or worse.
“Ugh!”
Thud!
“Oof!”
Hiss!
“Gaaah!”
Bam!
Seo Woojin’s assault was overwhelming, while I was left scrambling, trying to avoid his blows.
At the same time, I realized something deeply painful.
A prodigy is on a different level.
When it came to real combat, I was way out of my league.
Of course, I’d never actually fought before. I hadn’t trained in any swordsmanship. If anyone saw us, they’d think I was the student and Seo Woojin the master.
Seo Woojin, now fully in his element, shouted gleefully,
“Is this all you’ve got? You said you’d teach me!”
“I never said I’d teach you! I’m here to cure you! Now, stop yapping and focus on your Dantian!”
“I am focusing!”
“Then why can’t you sense your mana yet?!”
“I don’t know!”
Swoosh!
Seo Woojin brought the sword down hard.
Crack!
I barely blocked it, but my arms were screaming in agony.
I think my bones might have cracked.
But then, a strange strength surged through my arms as they glowed with a faint light. I quickly dismissed it.
Acquired the trait: [Defense].
A shame my trait slots were full, so I couldn’t equip it.
Whoosh!
Dodging a horizontal slash, I unlocked [Evasion], but again, no room for it.
In hindsight, I should’ve worn full armor, including a helmet.
Who would’ve guessed Seo Woojin was this strong?!
“Huff…”
After swinging for a while, Seo Woojin suddenly took a deep breath.
Was it because it had been ten years since he last held a sword?
Seo Woojin had already worked up quite a sweat, and his half-closed eyes were now sharp and focused. From deep within his eyes came a brilliant gleam, as though he’d entered a trance. His body, motionless, emitted steam rather than the black flames that had once surrounded him.
The moment of awakening.
I watched Seo Woojin, feeling a surge of emotion.
“It’s working.”
Damage Absorption had played a huge role.
Of course, this was only possible because it was me.
Who else would willingly suffer under the Divine Fever and help absorb someone else’s pain?
No one. Most people would give up and rush to a temple for proper baptism.
As I folded my arms, watching Seo Woojin with satisfaction, I noticed something.
Seo Woojin was slowly raising the wooden sword.
A faint energy began to swirl around it.
No way, was this… Sword Qi?
That couldn’t be. No matter how talented, a level-1 superhuman couldn’t use Sword Qi.
Doing so would ruin their entire mana system, forcing them into months of rehabilitation.
But then, something strange happened.
The wooden sword began to glow, encasing Seo Woojin in a cocoon of light.
The world blurred.
The training room, the Mana Concentration Array, the scattered potion bottles—all of it faded away.
All I could see was the wooden sword, enveloped in a bright haze, filling my vision.
I recognized this phenomenon.
Internally, I screamed.
‘[Sword and Spirit as One]!’
What the hell?!
How is this possible? His starting trait is Sword and Spirit as One?!
And that’s not even a unique trait—it’s part of a series!
If this is Seo Woojin’s starting trait, then what kind of god-tier trait does he have as his unique ability?!
The wooden sword finally reached its peak.
It stood upright, towering as if it could pierce the heavens.
A massive, overwhelming force gathered around it, as if preparing to strike down the moon itself.
Then, it began its descent.
Like a meteor burning through the atmosphere or a collapsing mountain peak, the sword plunged toward me.
There’s no way I could block this.
Even as I instinctively knew this, I quickly swapped my traits.
[Defense], [Mana Shield], [Strength]
[Toughness], [Endurance], [Mana Core]
I activated Defense in both arms and concentrated my Mana Shield there.
The Divine Fever, still burning through my body, aided me.
Two traits fused together.
[Defense] and [Mana Shield].
From their fusion, a new trait emerged—[Mana Barrier].
I hastily conjured a shield-like barrier.
And then, the enormous wooden sword crashed down.
–TL Notes–
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