Chapter 1
“It’s been 10 years,” I said as I looked the old man square in the face.
He was resting on his back, but at my words, he turned his eyes to look at me before yawning as wide as he could. “What do you mean?”
“That’s how long this disciple of yours has been stuck on this mountaintop.”
“Already? Goodness. Time flies by so very quickly.”
“Now is not the time, Master. When will I be able to descend the mountain?”
Hearing me say that, the Strongest Under the Heavens of this era, the Martial Saint of Spirit Mountain, my master, Baek Nogwang, blinked.
Then he said, “Youngest.”
“Yes.”
“You are strong.”
“...”
Even as I received praise from the Strongest Under the Heavens, my expression did not brighten. Rather, the grip around my heart grew more uncomfortable, as if I’d just sat on a bed of thorns.
“Of course, no matter what tricks you try, you won’t even be able to touch the edge of my clothes, but you are still very strong.”
“Yes, sir, I know it well. In front of the Strongest Under the Heavens, Greatest of All, Strongest in History... in front of my perfect, immortal master, how could a disciple like me dare to say such things.”
“Hmm. You know your shortcomings well. It’s not something to be embarrassed about. In front of a master like me, even geniuses are like fireflies before the might of the sun.”
My master nodded in satisfaction before changing the way he was speaking.
“First came by two days ago,” said Master.
“Eldest Senior Brother? Didn’t you say he went somewhere very dangerous?”
Master had a total of five disciples, myself included, and “First” obviously referred to my eldest senior brother.
Eldest Senior Brother never really stuck around on Spirit Mountain. Honestly, unlike me, most of my senior brothers were like that.
“He did. But that’s not what’s important.”
“Did something happen?”
“The end result is that First is now expelled.”
“Pardon?”
“To be precise, he left of his own accord. So, Youngest, you’ll need to go bring him back.”
“Pardon?”
I was flicked on the forehead. Smack!
“Ack!”
It was only technically a flick—Master could destroy an entire mountain with just his finger—so I held my throbbing forehead.
“What does your master hate most of all?”
“...Asking twice. But it was only because I really couldn’t believe it. If Eldest Senior Brother left on his own accord, then is there a reason to drag him back?”
Well, since Master used the word “expel,” there probably was some sort of friction between the two...
But Eldest Senior Brother was already at a point in his martial journey where he could even be considered a grand master. If he left to escape the shadow of our master, to pursue his own independent martial enlightenment, he should honestly be praised.
“There is a reason,” said Master.
“What is it?”
“That man stole the Spirit Pill before he left.”
“Ah...”
The Spirit Pill was the supreme mystic elixir that Master had created through much time and dedication.
I had little interest in mystic elixirs, so my understanding was lacking, but from what I’d heard from my other senior brothers, the Spirit Pill was a treasure incomparable to the existing mystic elixirs like the divine pill.
“Why would Eldest Senior Brother do that...?”
Stealing it couldn’t have been difficult.
Master never went out of his way to hide the Spirit Pill; he just left it sitting in plain sight.
What I was shocked about was that Eldest Senior Brother had stolen it at all.
“He probably thought he needed it to accomplish his goal.”
Goal?
I thought about Eldest Senior Brother’s appearance.
What came to mind first were his always-smiling face and gentle voice.
On the days when I was beaten up by Master a little, Eldest Senior Brother would apply medicinal herbs he’d personally dug up.
Personally, of all my senior brothers, I followed Eldest Senior Brother the most.
“I’m guessing he relapsed into the madness he was suppressing all this time. He always had useless thoughts, so this isn’t that shocking.”
“Ehm...”
I went to say something, but then I stopped myself.
I rubbed my throbbing forehead lightly.
“I understand the circumstances... but why me?” I asked again. “I’m pretty sure this would be easily resolved if Master just went personally.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to descend the mountain?”
“...”
“And it can’t be me.”
“Why not?”
“You’ll understand if you go personally. And I think your tone of voice is particularly impolite today. Am I perhaps mistaken?”
“...You must be mistaken, Master.”
I politely lowered my head while scheming within my mind. Master seemed set on sending me instead of my senior brothers or going himself.
I couldn’t understand his true intentions... but he was someone who wouldn’t change his mind after he made a decision.
“...Still, handling Eldest Senior Brother alone is a bit...”
“Of course, it’ll be difficult for you to bring First back.”
“...”
“As you are, that is.”
Master rose from where he was seated, and I held my breath. His body was very thin, and he was practically wearing a straw mat, but his form was more imposing than any mountain.
Master took a step toward me.
Step.
At this point, he began to feel a little ominous.
“Youngest.”
“Y-yes...”
“How old were you when I first met you?”
I didn’t understand this random question, but I still answered, “Five years over twenty, Master.”
I could never forget that day.
At that point, I had completely given up on life. I had been awaiting death. But just when I'd felt like all was lost, Master appeared in front of me.
My meeting him then was practically a miracle.
“Twenty-five. Not a young age. They say one is never too old to learn, but it is different for martial arts. The body and mind are intimately connected. At that point, your physique had stopped growing at an immature state, so your body wasn’t able to become the most suitable for the Strongest Technique in History.”
This was a regret of mine as well. Because of this issue, my training on Spirit Mountain had been many times harder, and I’d nearly died countless times.
“But if, with your master’s perfect training and kind teachings, you could become good enough to be even remotely useful... tsk.”
“I... I’ve never forgotten your overwhelming grace, and I will always be thankful.”
Just what is he trying to say?
I started to step back a little as Master’s continued approach felt more and more ominous.
“What do you think would’ve happened if you’d properly learned the Strongest Technique in History during your youth?”
“Who knows... I guess I’d at least be stronger than I am now?” I replied. Immediately, I asked my own question. “But isn’t this all in the past? You’re a little peculiar today.”
The master I knew wasn’t attached to the past like this. This was the first time he had ever talked about such a “what if” scenario.
However, Master just gave a hearty laugh. “Listen ‘till the end. Didn’t you ask when you can descend the mountain? Do you still not get why your master here never allowed you to descend?”
“Wasn’t it because you needed someone to care for you?”
“Yes,” Master joked, “But that’s not the only reason.”
The joking air disappeared from Master’s face, and I found I had backed up all the way to the edge of the cliff. I thoughtlessly looked backward, and all that I could see was the sheer drop covered with an odd fog.
“A picture is indeed worth a thousand words.”
Master pushed me.
Push.
“What...?”
I belatedly tried to bring out my internal energy, but my consciousness suddenly started to fade and my body refused to move, as if it was covered tightly in steel chains.
I fell like a bird with broken wings. I was falling so fast that Master’s face instantly disappeared, covered by the fog. But even while falling, I could weirdly still hear his voice.
“Let’s see... 15 should be good. The fact that you don’t need to make preparations from boyhood is another advantage of the Strongest Technique in History.”
“W-wait!”
“Now, Youngest, I’ll see you in 10 years.”
Bafflingly, that was the last thing I heard before my consciousness faded.
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