Swordmaster, My Ass!(Under Revision)

Resurrection of the blood god (4)

Gwak Deomshim walked across a long dark hallway, the lights leading the way outside. He wore a crimson red robe, its ends dragged on the cold stone floor. Gaze stern and focused, every step he took carried a sense of strength and pride.

Further ahead, a man carrying books with both of his hands passed him without glancing at him.

Gwak Deomshim caught onto this and glanced at the man over his shoulders. "Where's your sense of respect, Cheon Gwi-jin?"

Cheon Gwi-jin halted in his tracks and turned to Gwak Deomshim with a confused look before smiling awkwardly. "Oh, I'm sorry, right hand. It seems I'm too focused on my studies. Apologies."

"Next time, heed your respect to your elders."

Gwak Deomshim sighed heavily as he walked away. He glances at his skin, pulling his sleeves. His skin turned pale due to being hidden underground for months, unknown to the world.

'I've been focusing on training so much that I've forgotten to get out of my chambers and eat. Converting my Qi into energy seemed to have helped me survive isolation training.'

He walked further and climbed a long narrow stair leading to the exit. As he walked closer, he closed his eyes and covered them with one hand, the other reaching ahead. He had not seen the sun for ages, not even a faint light from a small lantern. The large boulder that closed the chambers deep in the mountains prevented any light from piercing through the inside.

He didn't know if it was either day or night, stepping out mindlessly into the sun would blind him, and he knew that well.

He had been hailed the right hand of the cult leader. As expected, he must hold a tremendous amount of power, unparalleled by his subordinates. The endless pursuit of strength left him with nothing. Although he had built relations with other people outside of his chambers, he had no one who truly knew who he was.

Except for one woman. That one woman he wished to see every time he stepped out of his chambers, that one woman he could truly call his friend, the one who truly understood him.

Slowly, he pushed off the boulder with relative ease. As the boulder rolled aside, Gwak Deomshim was greeted by a sudden flood of sunlight. He winced, shielding his eyes from the harsh glare with his hand. The bright light was almost painful after months spent in darkness, and it took several moments for his eyes to adjust.

When he finally lowered his hand, he saw the familiar landscape of the mountain peak that housed the cult's hidden chamber. The world outside was vibrant, alive with the colors and sounds of nature.

He spread his arms widely, taking in the smooth breeze that flowed through his robe. As he does so, his mind travels to Hyeon-mi, his friend.

He smiled widely.

'She must be somewhere over here; she's the only one to refuse isolation training, after all.'

He walked through the familiar forest, each step bringing him closer to a small clearing hidden among the trees. The cult leader always called for her on assassination missions, and he hoped to meet Hyeon-mi at her favorite spot. But knowing this information, it is improbable.

But as he approached the spot, he turned unknowingly at his back, glaring through the trees with a smile. As he had hoped, Hyeon-mi was there, up in the trees.

"You've finally crawled out from your shit hole, Gwak Deomshim? Guess you can't handle it without seeing my beauty at least once a year, eh?"

Gwak Deomshim frowned.

"You're awfully high of yourself."

Hyeon-mi laughed, her voice ringing through the trees like a clear bell. She effortlessly leaped down from her perch, landing gracefully in front of him. Her long, dark hair flowed behind her, and her sharp eyes gleamed with mischief.  "I see your sense of humor hasn't improved during your little hermitage," she teased, brushing a stray leaf from her shoulder.