TRPM 74

chapter 74

There are many kinds of Simma (心魔, inner demons).

“…Even if I say there are many kinds, only Yeon Mirae and I have mastered martial arts, so I can only explain based on the Simma I’ve experienced.”

Sometimes, it appears during periods when your heart feels like it’s about to break, or when you’re questioning your current state… times when it seems almost natural for a Simma to arrive.

Like me before the regression, when I lost my family, or like Yeon Mirae now, when she doubts her own growth rate.

And martial artists like us, the warriors, are inevitably more affected mentally than ordinary people.

“…This is probably because when I created my martial arts, I was greatly influenced by Buddhism and Taoism.”

In martial arts novels, the Nine Sects and One Faction (九派一幇) all have sects influenced either by Buddhism or Taoism. In reality, among the Nine Sects, Shaolin (少林寺) and Emei (峨嵋派) are Buddhist, while Wudang (武當派), Huashan (華山派), Zhongnan (終南派), Kongtong (崆峒派), Dianchang (點蒼派), and Qingcheng (靑城派) are Taoist.

Depending on the author, the composition of the Nine Sects may vary, but it cannot be denied that the major forces are rooted in Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

“…Even the demonic religions that worship demons or heavenly demons could, in a sense, be considered Buddhist-influenced.”

After all, the term “Heavenly Demon” (천마) is one of the names for Mara, the demon mentioned in Buddhist scriptures.

For that reason, when I created my martial arts, I was inevitably influenced by both Buddhism and Taoism.

“And both Buddhism and Taoism are religions that value enlightenment.”

Buddhism teaches to realize the truth and become a Buddha, while Taoism aims to attain the Way and become an immortal.

Thus, the martial arts I created, influenced by these philosophies, are naturally sensitive to the mind. If your mind is disturbed by Simma, your martial arts will inevitably be affected as well. This applies not only to me but also to Yeon Mirae.

“……”

Yeon Mirae, gripped by Simma, deteriorated in a single day.

Her mental state worsened due to Simma, which in turn negatively affected her martial arts. When her internal energy wouldn’t respond properly, the Simma intensified, creating a vicious cycle of mental and physical decline.

“……”

I had many things I wanted to say to her, but I remained silent.

True enlightenment is something one must achieve on their own. I could give advice or try to forcibly pull her out of Simma, but if I truly wanted to help Yeon Mirae, I had to wait until she overcame it herself.

After all…

‘Yeon Mirae’s Simma stems from feeling that her growth is slow, right?’

Telling her that her growth is sufficient, even if I’m growing faster, wouldn’t have a meaningful impact. Even though Yeon Mirae trusts me enough to send me her faith, my words would not fully reach her heart.

“Mirae?”
“……”
“Mirae? Yeon Mirae?”
“…Ah…!”

Yeon Mirae, shaken back to reality by her mother’s repeated calls, looked at her.

“What are you doing, stopping your meal halfway?”
“Ah, sorry.”
“You finished training early today… Are you sick or something?”
“No, I’m fine.”

Yeon Mirae repeatedly apologized and insisted she was okay… but who would believe her entirely?

“…Are things really tough lately?”
“Huh?”
“The guild… or rather, after returning from work, you teach Gunwoo and Haeun, right? Isn’t it because that’s hard?”

Since my mother didn’t know about Yeon Mirae’s Simma, she assumed it was just the burden of work and tutoring.

“If it’s too hard, you can take a break from teaching Gunwoo.”
“No, it’s fine. Teaching Gunwoo actually helps me learn too…”

Yeon Mirae said this while hurriedly shoving rice and side dishes into her mouth.

“Don’t eat so quickly, you’ll get an upset stomach.”

Seeing this, my mother pushed the pot of soup toward Yeon Mirae. She poured the soup into her mouth as well…

‘…The keyword is impatience.’

Watching her, I realized that she seemed rushed. Even though there was no reason to hurry, she tried to finish her meal quickly, as if wanting to leave the table as soon as possible.

‘…After dinner, Yeon Mirae usually raids dungeons or hunts criminals with my doll.’

Until I finished eating, I wouldn’t send the doll, so she trained alone. She couldn’t match our growth pace, so she extended her training time to catch up.

‘Giving her rest might help, but telling her to rest when she wants to grow stronger would probably not work.’

Forcing her to rest would likely make her sneak out to train anyway, so I decided to maintain our usual routine. Even if her condition worsened due to Simma, her level wouldn’t drop.

“(Report.)”
“(Anti-eavesdropping talismans are in place. Speak.)”

In a hotel in Seoul, a woman listened to her subordinate’s report.

The woman was Oracle, a person Han Gunwoo was most wary of and keeping under surveillance. Sitting on a sofa, she listened.

“(Yes. It’s a report on one of the surveillance targets, Yeon Mirae.)”
“(Yeon Mirae… was suspected to be connected to the Artist.)”
“(She’s a likely candidate after Ji Hyung-man, the guild master of Cheolhyeol Guild.)”

Oracle’s expression hardened at the mention of Yeon Mirae.

Yeon Mirae—suspected of having trained an Aura Master and a Great Magician under the Artist’s orders, possibly an Aura Master herself, and occasionally appearing alongside the Artist—was being evaluated. Oracle attempted to lightly foresee her future.

‘(Of course, it probably won’t work.)’

Oracle had tried to predict the futures of Cheolhyeol Guild members, including Yeon Mirae, but mostly failed. The likely cause: spacetime manipulators, allies of the Artist, interfering with her prophecies.

But…

“(Hm?!)”

For a moment, Oracle saw Yeon Mirae’s future. There was no time to wonder why. She quickly stored the vision in her memory and tried to understand its meaning.

“(…The atmosphere is completely different from the Yeon Mirae I know….)”
“(Yes?)”
“(Shh, quiet. Oracle is interpreting a prophecy.)”
“(Ah, yes!)”

Her subordinates, used to this behavior, remained silent.

Oracle pieced together the images she had seen.

‘(…If the usual Yeon Mirae wielded a sword as beautiful as her alias, Sword Blossom (劍華)…)’

The Yeon Mirae she saw now was different. Brutal, ferocious… radiating a sharp aura that could cut down everything before her.

‘(…I see.)’

Was Yeon Mirae going to fall? Oracle smiled, though she might have been overinterpreting. Yet the murderous aura in her blade…

‘(…The sword that formed with her Aura Blade…)’

Although technically not an Aura Blade, her energy had changed color, signaling an inevitable anomaly. Oracle’s next step was clear.

“(Has the investigation on Yeon Mirae and her surroundings been completed?)”
“Yes!”
“(Then put pressure on her. Make it impossible for her not to fall….)”

Oracle intended to ensure that Yeon Mirae couldn’t resist the lure of darkness.

“(Despair her. I’ll leave the method to you.)”
“Yes, understood!”

Oracle was certain. The reason Yeon Mirae might fall was due to Oracle and her subordinate terrorists’ machinations. Otherwise, a prophecy blocked by the Artist’s spacetime ally couldn’t suddenly succeed.

Yeon Mirae was dreaming.

[This martial art was made solely for you. So you can name it.]
[Because it defies fate… I’ll call it Reverse Heaven Divine Art (逆天神功).]

A dream of receiving the martial art Han Gunwoo had created for her.

[What…]
[Blocked it…? With one hand…?]

A dream of astonishing everyone at school, which felt like hell to her.

[What…]
[Instructor, you didn’t just use Sword Aura, you swung your sword as if to kill me!]
[So this is self-defense.]

And a sweet moment of revenge.

[Argh?!]
[Since you cut cleanly, if you go to the hospital quickly, it can be fixed.]

She quietly recalled those events. Then Simma asked her:

‘Of all the things you just saw, which did you achieve by your own power?’

…None.

Everything she had recalled, she only succeeded because the Artist, Han Gunwoo, chose her and imparted his internal energy. She merely wielded the energy he gave her.

‘If you hadn’t caught the Artist’s eye… what would your life have been like?’

“……”

Yeon Mirae couldn’t answer. What kind of life was she supposed to have led? Perhaps she would have opened a sword academy using her talent, or tutored students based on school lessons? Either way, it would have been far from the life she truly wanted.

‘Yes. Han Gunwoo holds significant importance in your life.’
“……”
‘But in Han Gunwoo’s life, how important are you?’

…Not insignificant, but not central either.

‘Now, he keeps you around because of your abilities and social status… but if later he deems you unnecessary because you’re weak… could you endure that?’

“……”

She couldn’t. She didn’t want to imagine it. Not anymore.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

At her whisper, Simma smiled.

‘Then what should you do?’
“……”
‘Become stronger than now… so you won’t be abandoned.’

No, make it impossible for him to abandon you.

“By any means necessary.”

At that moment, Simma and Yeon Mirae’s thoughts aligned.