Chapter 183
Episode 59: The Legacy of the Spirit Sword (6)
The reason the Myungwang clan dared to challenge the gods wasn’t just because of their legendary martial prowess.
Half a millennium ago, the magical civilization they built had aspects that even today’s generation couldn’t match.
“We didn’t have wizards like other races, hehe. Instead, anyone who could wield magic became a blacksmith—just like me,” Boras said proudly.
Jin struggled to contain his shock.
‘Memory transfer magic…!’
He’d known that the Hister family’s legacy site housed such a device. But that was a unique magic developed solely by the Histers, not something commonly used.
Memory deletion, maybe—but transfer? Even the top scholars of magic didn’t study that field.
“Hey, what’s this? Otu-wang brothers, did you enchant something on your molars?”
“That’s a secret!”
“Whatever it is, Jin, you’ve received quite the gift. The Otu-wang brothers are renowned as the greatest blacksmiths in our clan’s history. Back in the day, all the brothers lined up just to get something from them.”
“Though that was all before our time stopped, haha.”
Though Boras was a blacksmith by trade, he was also a formidable warrior, more than qualified to hold the title of Myungwang clan’s Tu-wang.
“Thank you. I’ll put it to good use.”
“Give and take, right? Since I gave you the teeth, you owe me your second achievement.”
Why was everyone so obsessed with achievements?
Jin wondered but simply nodded. He wasn’t sure what his next achievement would be anyway.
January 20, 1797. It had been a month since Jin arrived in Lafrarosa.
During that time, he trained under Garmund and Boras. With Garmund, he practiced soul slashing; with Boras, he learned how to use his body more efficiently.
How to lighten his frame, control his strength, unleash power beyond limits—Boras’s Myungwang clan martial arts were wild yet mysterious.
“I thought you’d be stuck in your old ways, always winning without effort, but you’re learning surprisingly well.”
“That’s because you’re a good teacher, Boras.”
“Hehe, not really. All Myungwang martial arts come from the aura that gathers in the heart. You send that aura throughout the body to strengthen and lighten it. The fact you picked that up so quickly is your talent.”
The Myungwang clan was born with a gem-like heart that stored aura, but Jin, being human, was not.
Still, a triangular aura glowed in his chest like a gem heart. He had formed an aura heart in his chest to replicate the Myungwang aura manifestation.
It wasn’t easy.
Any master warrior could form an aura “chamber” in their chest resembling the Myungwang gem heart.
But for that chamber to function like a real gem heart? That was another matter. No matter how skilled, no one could replicate it in just a month—not even in ten years.
‘If it weren’t for the memories imprinted on the new molar about the Myungwang sword, even I would’ve struggled.’
Jin’s rapid mastery of the Myungwang aura techniques owed much to the memories etched in Boras’s molar.
Of course, Boras still praised Jin’s talent, even considering that.
“Teaching you is even more fun than teaching Temar, hehe. The Sat-u-wang brother will come this afternoon. He’ll teach you the second form of the Spirit Sword.”
“Huh? Sat-u-wang brother’s coming this afternoon? Why didn’t I hear about this?”
“It was decided just before dawn, so you wouldn’t have known, Pal-tu-wang brother. I asked him myself. Originally, I planned to call him after you finished mastering the Spirit Absorption Sword, but seeing how you’re doing, I figured meeting earlier wouldn’t hurt.”
Garmund smiled slyly at that.
“You think I don’t know Otu-wang brother’s mind? He’s eager to claim Jin’s achievement as soon as possible.”
Boras pretended not to hear and unpacked his bag. At lunchtime, the three sat side by side, eating traditional Myungwang clan sweets.
Called “Kakto,” the sweets had no flavor but restored energy quickly, much like the water flask Valeria had given him in the great desert.
“Can I take some of these when I leave?”
“If the Warrior Brother allows it.”
Munching on Kakto, after a couple of hours of soul slashing practice, Sat-u-wang appeared in the training ground.
Sat-u-wang was a woman carrying a massive greatsword on her back.
‘She never showed any emotion during the Warrior Tournament.’
Garmund was easygoing, and Boras already liked Jin a lot, so it wasn’t hard to get close to them. But not all Tu-wang would be so approachable.
“Jin Runkandel,” Jin greeted first, but Sat-u-wang only gave a slight nod, not revealing her name.
‘Does she dislike me? I can’t read her expression.’
Just as Jin was about to greet her again, Boras suddenly clapped his hands.
“Ah! Right, Sat-u-wang brother can’t speak.”
So she had a speech impairment.
That was the assumption until Garmund added a word.
“She’s been practicing silence training. For quite a while, even before time stopped in Lafrarosa…”
Sat-u-wang nodded quietly.
‘Silence training? Why would someone do that?’
Jin had heard that saints of Vankela practiced silence during their ascetic training, but he’d never seen a warrior do it.
‘If she can’t speak, how is she going to teach me the second form of the Spirit Sword?’
Questions flooded his mind as Sat-u-wang drew her greatsword.
Then, with a speed too fast for Jin’s eyes to follow, she carved characters into the training ground’s floor.
—Linpa
That was Sat-u-wang’s name.
“Linpa, nice to meet you.”
“Uh, but Sat-u-wang brother, that’s written in the continental language?”
Linpa had written her name not in Myungwang script but in the continental tongue. Garmund and Boras’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Ha ha, no wonder you’ve been holed up in your room lately. Could it be you studied the continental language for the second successor…? Ack!”
“Clang!”
Garmund’s words were cut off by the greatsword. Linpa jabbed him once, signaling him to be quiet.
It was a fierce, heavy strike for a warning. Garmund barely blocked it and was lifted off the ground. Just as she was about to strike again, Boras stepped in front of her.
“Are you seriously planning to split Garmund in two?”
Linpa nodded.
“Hey, have some mercy for the successor. Garmund’s mouth has been running wild for ages.”
Nodding again.
When Linpa sheathed her sword, Garmund sighed in relief. It was clear who held the upper hand in combat—and it also showed Boras’s imposing presence as a blacksmith.
For Jin, though, it was absurd.
‘Is it really so embarrassing that she learned a few continental characters for me? She could kill me any second.’
Fortunately, Jin had already dealt with “crazy” people like this outside.
To him, Linpa was most like Yona.
‘I’ll treat her like Sister Yona. That might be the most effective approach.’
Sat-u-wang Linpa resembled a “mute Yona” in many ways.
That wasn’t entirely good. She was only similar; Linpa was not the real Yona.
Therefore, there was no deep affection between Jin and Linpa. Linpa seemed to regard Jin as a somewhat amusing toy.
Much like when Jin first sought Samil.
Linpa often tormented Jin.
Sometimes she’d show him the second form of the Spirit Sword once, then fall silent again.
When Jin practiced soul slashing, she’d watch for a while, then strike him with her greatsword once, as if to say, “That’s not it.”
“Ugh!”
If Jin hadn’t awakened his third eye, he would’ve lost his head to that greatsword at least five times.
Every time he blocked her strikes, Jin felt like his whole body was breaking, but Linpa’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction.
Whether she was pleased with her own strike or with Jin’s defense, he couldn’t tell.
Jin never questioned her. He never asked why she treated him that way, what she wanted, or why she kept attacking.
‘People like Sister Yona only come closer when their curiosity gets the better of them. Until then, it’s best not to give them attention.’
Garmund and Boras found Jin’s attitude fascinating. It reminded them of how Temar had been confused for a couple of days after meeting Linpa.
Jin’s judgment proved wise ten days after Linpa’s arrival.
Crack! Crack! Shhh!
For the first time since day one, Linpa carved words into the floor.
—Why don’t you ask the name of the second form of the Spirit Sword? I’ve shown it several times already.
A sly smile.
Jin smiled naturally upon reading it.
‘Of course!’
He wiped the smile away and met Linpa’s eyes.
“I wasn’t curious.”
—Why not?
“More importantly, can this be called silence training?”
Linpa’s pupils widened.
“In my view, silence isn’t just about not speaking. It’s about forbidding communication with others altogether.”
“Hey, Jin just nailed it.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true.”
Garmund and Boras turned to look at Linpa.
She seemed at a loss for words, her face blank as she silently mulled over Jin’s question for a long moment.
It was time to drive the point home.
“You asked why I didn’t want to know the name of Spirit Sword Style Two, right? The truth is, I don’t want to learn anything from someone who’s all show and no substance. So, I wasn’t curious. If you want to teach me, then show me something truly impressive. Like Garmund and Boras did.”
“Ah.”
“Ahhh…”
Garmund and Boras sighed in unison.
They never imagined Jin would corner Linpa like this. Even the fierce warrior Tou Shin had only ever said to Linpa, “What’s up with the Satou King brothers anyway?”—nothing like this.
Just as Jin spun around, ready to practice Soul Slash again—
“That’s not it…”
Linpa finally spoke.
It was the first time in half a millennium. Well, not quite a full half-millennium of uninterrupted time for the Meiwang clan, so from Linpa’s perspective, it was the first time in twenty years she’d opened her mouth.
Garmund and Boras couldn’t help but freak out.
“Linpa, brother! You’re training the Forbidden Words…?”
“Linpa, brother! Are you okay!?”
They clung to her, eyes darting anxiously, but she kept her gaze fixed on Jin and said only this:
“I’ll show you… something amazing.”
So she really was a fool of a tribe.
Jin swallowed a laugh and nodded to himself. Looks like the Satou King Linpa’s training would be over in just a few days.