Those mysterious eyes which looked at me. It was the first time I was seeing this person with two golden eyes.
-Gold eyes…
In my head I could hear the voice of Iron Sword and I couldn’t help but be shocked at the golden eyed man being in here.
And I asked Iron Sword.
‘Is that man the one who fought with the South Heavenly Swordsman?’
But the answer was unexpected.
-No
‘No?’
-It isn’t the face I saw back then and the appearance is completely different.
Then who was this guy?
As I was puzzled, Iron Sword told me.
-The man I saw then had just one golden eye. Just like the man, but he has both eyes…
“Eh!”
Before Iron Sword could end the golden eyed man called me and spoke with an excited face.
“I asked if you removed the talisman.”
Being able to speak meant he was rational.
He seemed different from the other monsters. If not the man with the golden eye who killed the South Heavenly Swordsman, who was this man?
And I spoke.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Then is it you?”
The guy turned to the one armed guy.
“W-what do you mean…”
He too couldn’t figure out what the man was speaking and the golden eyed one titled the head as he mumbled.
“Did it come off without anyone taking it off? Hahaha.”
It felt like he had his own madness. He had a handsome face, but the way he spoke or anything like that was rough and brazen.
I wasn’t sure who he was, but my instincts said that the man was dangerous.
-That is what I was thinking. It looks dangerous and I don’t feel nice with the man here.
-What do we do?
At those words I saw the restrained legs.
It was a chain with a huge iron ball attached. Although the ones on hands had came off, taking this out would be impossible.
‘And a fight….’
I couldn’t even think about the skills he possessed.
Even with my qi back it seemed like the full strength of his couldn’t be grasped.
‘Can I run?’
I thought, but I wasn’t sure if the running away would happen with the one armed guy being wounded. And with both legs cut, maybe we could delay the chase.
‘Ugh!’
As I thought the left eye hurt more and when I opened my right eye, it still felt hazy.
If I closed the left eye then I was sure I would miss something important but it hurt and the golden eyed man said.
“Yah. Can I borrow that?”
Before I could think the man held his hand out.
I wondered what he was talking about but the eyes were on Iron Sword.
-No. Wonhwi
Iron Sword refused it and I wasn’t thinking of giving him either.
After giving the sword what new trouble would I be asked to handle?
“Are you talking about this?”
I held Iron Sword to confirm and the golden eyed man nodded.
“Right. That sword.”
‘He doesn’t know.’
This man was unaware of Iron Sword. If he was someone who fought with his owner then he would have recognized the sword. But I wasn’t sure.
As Iron Sword said, was this man really a different person?
“I am not asking something else, so why are you this hesitant?”
“I don’t know why I have to lend you my sword.”
The golden eyed man sighed and laughed.
“With both hands free. I can get out of the shackles on the arms by forcing them out. You surely can understand that.”
“Then why bother asking for the sword?”
“Because the body heals quickly it doesn’t mean I like getting hurt.”
‘He feels pain?’
This was important information considering he had golden eyes and I felt curious.
Asking for the sword meant to cut the chain when the sword and iron ball collided there wasn’t even a scratch on it.
Then he could cut it?
After a moment of hesitation I said.
“If you promise me one thing, I will lend it.”
-Wonhwi!
Iron Sword seemed scared. Trust me for a moment.
“Promise?”
“In a way, wasn’t it my help which freed your hands?”
“Your help?”
“Yes.”
At my words his lips twitched.
“Kuahahaha! You are a funny guy.”
“What?”
“Are you trying to bargain with me on an attack you did intentionally?”
‘Right’
And this meant he knew I intended to cut the hand in the first place.
Which was why he blocked the second slash.
“It isn’t a big deal. I am connected to you in a way but have no reason to fight, so make a promise.”
“You don’t want to be harmed?”
“Yes”
He looked at me and then smiled.
“Well. fine. I am not someone who lacks morality. And it is true that I got released thanks to you so I will promise you.”
Fortunately he accepted.
I couldn’t be relieved yet but he didn’t seem like he was lying.
And if he could have broken free he would have never made such a promise.
Whiek!
I threw Iron Sword to him and he naturally reached for it. Just looking at the grip around the sword told me he was a skilled swordsman.
“A sword I am holding after a long time.”
He mumbled as he swung Iron Sword a couple times in the hair and without another thought struck the sword at the chain near the ankles.
‘Ah!’
A light swing and the chain was cut off.
Iron Sword and iron collided but there were no sparks. Such an amazing swordsman.
“A better sword than it looks.”
The man praised Iron Sword as he slashed the chains on the right ankle. And I watched as he swung the sword.
The tenderness in the movement, the strength which wasn’t full and light tension to move the sword effectively.
But the golden eyed man I was told about didn’t have it.
“Phew”
The golden eyed man who was free from restraints turned his head and relaxed. The expression as if he was refreshed.
And I couldn’t do that though as I felt confused and the man threw Iron Sword back to me right away.
Clench!
-He kept his promise.
Short Sword said feeling happy and I felt the pain in the left eye increase.
“Kueh!”
Unable to stand it, I closed it right away.
My eyes burned and right then I felt a presence in front of me.
I opened the right eye which was bloody and I could see a human; the golden eyed man.
I panicked, stepping back but he tried to grab the wrist. I desperately tried to shake it off by moving to the other direction but his hand held to the shoulder.
Clench!
His hands were as cold as ice. And I tried to lower my body and then use my hands to move his hand but nothing seemed to work.
“You are pretty good. With this, you must have made a name for yourself in Murim.”
Praise flowed from his mouth but this situation wasn’t something I could enjoy.
“You promised.”
“Who said I broke it?”
“Then why are you doing this?”
To my question the guy with golden eyes said.
“Why don’t you open your left eye?”
“What?”
I was puzzled but he brought his face close to mine.
And he sniffed like he was smelling something.
“What are you doing?”
I tried to push the face away but he said the most unexpected thing.
“Look at you. You are an interesting one.”
“Uh?”
“Did you take the Golden Enhance Body procedure with a living body?”
“Golden Enhanced what?”
“What relationship do you have with him?”
He was saying things I didn’t know of and it felt frustrating with the left eye in pain and the right one hazy.
And he came closer to me as he said.
‘Uh?’
His golden eyes were looking at the left eye and the corners of his lips smiling.
“Treated. But you don’t know him?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Well, there is no way you will know him.”
“Who is this one you are talking about?”
“It is fine if you don’t know. Did you enter the room full of luminous stones?”
“How do you know?”
He knew I went into that cave, how?
I was puzzled and he just mumbled like he didn’t understand
“Then you should have died, why didn’t you? It surely should have been like that.”
What he pointed out was to the monsters I killed.
What did he mean?
The golden eyed man titled his head
“Do you have the same body as him? Or is it because of the qi within the heart?”
‘…?!’
Surprisingly he noticed the innate qi within my body.
At that time he put the other hand right onto the chest and I tried to slap the hand.
But instead he just removed mine with lightning speed and a cold feeling moved from his hand.
“Euk!”
I felt creeped out at this. I was shocked because my innate qi was hot and warm and what he was throwing into me was cold.
The man lifted his palm and said.
“Then I get it. This protected you.”
“What do you mean by protected?”
“You are a lucky guy.”
He never answered and just mumbled what he liked.
“But there is no point in having it done.”
Suddenly the man continued to press around the blood points heart the heart.
Tatatatat!
It all happened so quickly that I couldn’t stop him and each time his finger fell on me a cold qi would pass through the body.
“Huh!”
I felt like a stomach reflux happening.
“Euk!”
Blood and saliva flowed from my mouth and the guy finally stepped back as he said.
“I made it through the seals so it will not be too much.”
“Ugh… what have you done to me….”
“Hahahaha. What am I doing? Well you will be thanking me for the rest of your life.”
“What?”
“This is the end of my debt toward you.”
And then the golden eyed man walked to what looked like a common area. I screamed in pain as the nausea continued to rise.
“Wait… euk!”
The golden eyed man pointed his finger to his eyes.
“I am telling this out of concern if you see someone with just one eye like this, run without another thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“I am saying this if you don’t want to be locked up like me.”
Pat!
After saying that, he moved to the west. It was my first time meeting such a person
“Young Lord So! Are you fine?”
And then the one armed man came up and asked, panicking.
I coughed and puked before saying I was alright.
And the nausea stopped and so did the pain in my left eye.
‘It doesn’t hurt.’
Even the right eye which was wet in blood and hazy turned normal like something had been lifted.
While I was wondering I heard a loud roar like thunder.
Kwang!
The entire place shook and I stood up wondering what this was but then something felt ominous.
It was from the side where the golden eyed man went and the one armed guy uttered.
“This is…”
It was then–
Swish!
“W-water!”
Water poured in from the cave and the current of flowing water was so strong that the walls came crashing down.
-Run!
“Damn it!”
I picked up the one armed man as if snatching him.
“Y-Young lord So!”
“This will be faster!”
Ignoring his confusion I picked him and ran. I wasn’t sure what the man did but it seemed like he did something which made water rush in. And judging from the force of water, the cavity would fill in quickly.
-Hurry!
I know!
I could hear the sound of water and I entered the cave using light footwork at once.
And threw myself into the water.
Plop!
As I immediately pushed the innate qi into the eyes to have a clear sight inside the water. And as I was swimming, Short Sword said.
-Wonhwi. Your left eye…
‘What about it?’
Since I was in a hurry I didn’t care about the pain but the needle-like pain in the eye was no longer present.
-No, the color of my eye had changed.
‘What are you talking about? The Blood Demon hasn’t been…’
-No. The left eye has turned gold!
‘What?’
In the middle of swimming I opened my mouth.