Ep442 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

To a parent's eyes, their child always seems young. This was equally true for Yong Seon-ah. In her eyes, her daughter always appeared inadequate and immature. Would that fragile girl truly be able to become a palace master and make tough decisions? Could that overly kind child fall victim to deception? Even when others praised her daughter as a prodigy, intelligent and gifted, her worries never ceased. But then. "The current master of the Northern Ice Palace is me, Mother. It is a duty of a master to confront threats to the palace. No matter how much you wish it, you cannot take away my responsibilities." "Oh…" When had she grown so much? When had she become so composed, standing by her mother's side? Such maturity hit Yong Seon-ah with a fresh wave of realization. She helplessly shook her head, sensing she couldn't block her daughter's insistence on entering the fray. How could she stand in the way of a daughter who had grown in her absence, ready to take on her duties as a palace master? In the end, she had only one thing to say. "Do as you wish." It was a curt response, borne from the reluctance of not being able to openly grant permission, knowing the peril her daughter faced. Understanding her mother's sentiment, Yong Seol-ran smiled warmly, nodding her head. Soon, the mother and daughter moved in perfect harmony. "Hah…!" "Eeyah!" To the grown Yong Seon-ah, her daughter still appeared lacking, yet in reality, this was not the case. Having honed her skills in the depths of the Northern Ice Palace, striving tirelessly to succeed her mother, the realm of mastery she achieved was such that none in the Martial World could dismiss. In fact, with her assistance, the oppressive chill from the Eternal Ice Crystal seemed to diminish significantly. [Death… wait…!] The mother-daughter duo tread the fine line between dire intent and defensive maneuvers. Evading attacks they couldn't fend off. Piercing through those they couldn't avoid. What was impossible alone now flowed smoothly as if they were sailing with the wind at their backs. At this rate, she was confident they could withstand the critical moment entrusted to them by Baek Woo-jin. [Groar…!] Suddenly, the blizzard emanating from the swollen Eternal Ice Crystal ceased. To be precise, the heaving energy was all drawn back into the orb. In that moment of intuition signaling impending danger, her mind rang clear. [Ra… Aaahhh…!] With a roar filled with fury, cracks began to web across the bloated orb. Crack! Crackling! The surface of the orb rapidly became a lattice of fractures. Amid this unexpected phenomenon, the mother and daughter held their stance and keenly observed. As the orb's surface became riddled with a web of cracks. PANG-! With a resonant sound, the surface of the orb burst open. Whirling, pure white fragments scattered into the air. In a moment that seemed like self-destruction. Yet it was no act of ruin, but a metamorphosis. Just as a cocoon splits for a butterfly to emerge. BOOM-! From within the shattered orb, what had been resting finally revealed itself to the world outside. A body, curled to match the orb's form, slowly stretched and unfurled. Two twisted horns spiraled atop its head. Below, long cascades of snow-white hair tumbled down. Eyes twisted with cold, a protruding nose, sharp teeth like jagged blades. A monster encased in armor-like transparent ice. Even Yong Seon-ah, experienced as she was, found it difficult to measure the depth of this creature—a nightmare incarnate that had finally opened its eyes. [Kill… them all….] What woke the ancient beast from slumber was nothing but rage. Failed to capture the swift, dazzling movements of the mother and daughter, its resentment piled on with each moment. If only it had arms and legs like theirs, it could seize them directly. If only it wasn’t fixed to this spot and could move freely. Accumulated anger burst through the rigid shell that encased it. Thus, its first action was clear. To tear apart the two who forced its premature awakening in an incomplete state. [KilLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL them!!] When it roared, the entire surroundings quaked. The sheer force of its voice sent a violent tremor through everything. “Ugh…!” Grinding her teeth, Yong Seon-ah quickly grasped the situation. And immediately pushed Yong Seol-ran, precariously standing by her side, away. “Seol-ran, fall back now.” “But, Mother…!” "Retreat, now!" No matter how determined her full-grown daughter's stubbornness, she could not sway her mother now. Until just moments ago, there had been a glimmer of hope. The confident assurance that with her daughter, they could withstand the crucial moment Baek Woo-jin had entrusted to them. But now was not that moment. The relentless cold that poured forth was entirely absorbed into the creature’s body. The impending attack, with all that energy consolidated, left even her doubting whether she could withstand it. "As a master, it's not just about upholding your duties. Knowing when to advance and when to retreat is equally important. You understand that, don't you?" There are times when one must courageously step forward, and times when one must wisely step back. Yong Seol-ran bit her lower lip and retreated. She no longer wished to be a burden to her mother. Left alone once again, Yong Seon-ah resolutely raised her sword, even in the face of death. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder. ‘Can that thing be killed?’ Could they possibly slay the monster by enduring that brief but endless-seeming time frame? Could that young man truly accomplish what even she wasn’t sure they could? Despite the endless doubt, her body was steeled to hold out for the time he mentioned. ‘How absurd.’ She found her own resolve somewhat ridiculous. Thump- Thud- The creature, easily twice her height, approached, shaking the very ground. Its enraged eyes still fixed on Yong Seon-ah. Yet only for a moment. […….] Something kept piquing that newly sensitized sense born from the shattered orb. It wasn’t far, about thirty paces away. The still figure of a man standing there with eyes closed constantly drew its attention. The surroundings were turbulent with its aura, yet that spot alone remained tranquil. The extreme unease arising from this unnatural atmosphere doused its fiery overconfidence, born from its booming power. This clarity of thought warned it that this man could, indeed, drive it to death, despite its incompleteness. Even if its anger swelled to its very limit, nothing outweighed the threat to its life. [Growl…!] Recalculating its target, it roared across the ice. "...!" Yong Seon-ah lowered her stance to brace herself, the speed so astounding that even keeping it in her gaze seemed difficult. Yet the creature's target was not her. Only when it zoomed past at a blinding speed did the realization hit her. "Damn!" The creature was charging towards Baek Woo-jin. A surge of dismay seized her momentarily. However, she quickly regained her composure. ‘It's not too late.’ There was still a chance to make amends. Channeling all her remaining inner strength into her steps, she used the 'Chase of Silent Snow' to propel herself forward. The distance dwindled with each heartbeat. Ignoring any potential consequences, she was wholly focused on closing the gap and finally caught up with it. [Get… out of the way!] The monster extended its rugged arm aggressively towards Yong Seon-ah, now blocking its path. “Urgh…!” Her crossed arms began to freeze, enveloped in the creature's ferocious cold. Desperately melting the remaining inner force felt slow, too late. In an instant, the beast lunged, its fist aimed at her head. Seeing its ice-covered, frigid punch cut through the air, she instantly knew. If it landed, she would die. Trying to twist her body to avoid a deadly strike seemed nearly impossible. As she felt the onset of resignation facing imminent death. [……!] Suddenly, the creature withdrew its fist, leaping backward. And then. Schhkk A chilling sound echoed as the ground where it stood cracked open. Had it remained there, no fortress, no matter how impenetrable, could have spared it from being split in two. "You're quite perceptive." The words came not from her but another. Baek Woo-jin. The man, who had been immersed in some unknown contemplation with his eyes shut, finally opened them. Had he achieved the time necessary to complete whatever he intended during that critical moment they barely managed to protect? "Please, step back now." He spoke, flashing her a confident smile. Outwardly, nothing seemed drastically changed. What on earth had he accomplished during the one critical moment she had painstakingly preserved? Just as she pondered, he took a step forward towards the creature, now caught in a tense standoff, snarling fiercely. Soft footsteps against the frozen ground. Yet the ensuing phenomenon was anything but gentle. Crack-! From the very tip of his foot, five streams of energy erupted, tearing into the earth with overwhelming force. Witnessing this, Yong Seon-ah's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. What was truly astonishing was not just the overwhelming destruction wrought by a single step. It was something else entirely. "Th-the Heavens-Seizing Step...!?" What he had deployed was none other than the Heaven-Seizing Step, a secret martial art from the Heavenly Demon Clan's exclusive techniques. During the brief period orchestrated with Yong Seon-ah's assistance, Baek Woo-jin had been meticulously unsealing a hidden martial art. Of course, it wasn't merely about channeling energy in line with the principles of the Heavenly Demon's Art. Had that been all, there wouldn't have been a need for an entire fleeting moment like this. The Heavenly Demon's Art is an array of techniques that defy the will of the heavens, a martial art of defiance. That crucial interval was needed to harness heaven-defying mysteries to overturn his own internal landscape. "Come." As he spoke those words, Whoosh! The once pristine world turned into a pitch-black darkness, impenetrable to the eyes. Author's Note I'll see you in the next chapter. Thank you, as always, for reading. Have a wonderful day. (_ _)