Chapter 23

Woojin and Bow.

Neither spoke much, yet both were curious about the power the other possessed. As if by unspoken agreement, the two men stood facing each other at the center of the training ground.

Raymond, watching nearby, voiced his concern.

"Elder. It would be wise to hold back your strength. If something goes wrong—"

"Quiet."

Bow cut him off.

It seemed he disliked distractions breaking his focus. Faced with that firm tone, Raymond could only seal his lips and observe.

The spar began.

Woojin carefully studied the old man's movements.

Bow stood still, like a stone Buddha rooted in place. Woojin edged closer, lifting his leg slightly as if preparing to kick at any moment—testing him.

Bow did not so much as twitch.

Was it because he was blind and couldn't react? Or had he sensed that Woojin was merely probing?

There was only one way to find out.

Woojin suddenly lashed out with a kick toward Bow's unguarded flank.

Thwack!

A sharp, explosive impact rang out.

But the one who frowned was Woojin.

Bow had dropped his elbow like a hammer onto Woojin's instep. Then, gliding forward as if sliding across ice, he thrust out his palm.

Woojin's posture had been slightly compromised from the kick. There wasn't enough time to fully recover, so he forcefully pivoted on his supporting foot and withdrew his body.

The palm strike did not touch him.

Pak!

And yet—

Woojin was hit.

He staggered back several steps in shock. A clear palm imprint appeared across his chest, as if burned into the fabric.

The strike had landed—

Even though it hadn't physically connected.

"…What was that just now?"

"Wouldn't it be more interesting to figure it out yourself?"

Bow smiled and beckoned him closer.

"I appreciate the courtesy, but you seem to be holding back too much. Come at me properly."

"Understood."

Taking the advice, Woojin drew up more strength.

He clenched and unclenched his fists as he stepped forward. The distance closed until their toes nearly touched.

Without warning, Woojin shot out his left fist—using the elasticity of elbow and shoulder.

A jab.

Bow simply shifted half a step back.

Woojin pursued instantly, stepping forward with his rear foot and driving his right fist deep toward Bow's head.

Crack!

Bow's hand shot out and caught the incoming fist perfectly.

As Woojin pulled to free himself, Bow was drawn slightly by the force—only to thrust his palm out once more.

With his arm restrained, there was no room to evade.

Woojin fired his left fist forward, colliding directly with Bow's palm.

Boom!

A dull thunderclap filled the training ground.

Old palm against young fist—

Yet strangely, it was Woojin who was pushed back.

His elbow tingled as if struck by lightning.

What an obnoxious attack.

Bow's palm felt like it was releasing a formless shockwave.

The point of impact hurt, yes—but it was as though a greater explosion detonated inside, behind the surface.

If struck in the stomach, your back would burst. If you blocked with armor, the shock would pierce the plate and rattle your body.

Even when it didn't connect, residual force lashed at him.

How am I supposed to take that head-on?

There was no time to dwell.

Bow surged forward, pressing the attack. His body seemed wrapped in a golden whirlwind.

A relentless flurry poured forth.

The speed defied common sense.

His fists and kicks left golden afterimages in the air—yet strangely, even those afterimages seemed to move, striking at Woojin.

As a result, Woojin had to move like a man with fire under his feet.

Retreat. Guard. Evade.

What a mess.

It felt like he'd been on the defensive this entire time.

I'm starting to get pissed.

Just let one clean hit land.

Abandoning defense, Woojin suddenly drove his head forward.

He clenched his fist tightly.

In the midst of his rapid assault, Bow felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Something was wrong.

Whoosh—

Woojin's fist swung.

Sensing danger, Bow ducked sharply.

Boom!!

Though it struck empty air, something exploded.

The golden afterimages Bow had created were swept away entirely by the shock.

And Woojin clenched his fist again.

To stop him, Bow thrust his palm forward.

Seeing it, Woojin instinctively opened his fist.

Both men extended their palms toward each other.

Craaaack—!!

The sound was like lightning splitting the sky.

At the moment their palms collided, the back of Woojin's hand tore open, blood spraying outward.

He was shoved back, leaving a long skid mark on the ground.

But Bow was worse off.

The old man's body was launched backward, slamming into the wall.

Bricks shattered and collapsed in a heap like a grave.

"Oh my God, Elder!!"

Raymond cried out and rushed over.

At the sound, Woojin snapped back to his senses.

…Damn it.

He'd been taking hits nonstop and let his temper flare—misjudging his strength.

Woojin hurried toward Bow as well.

Yet the worry proved unnecessary.

Bow soon rose calmly, as if nothing had happened. He dusted dirt from his clothes and clicked his tongue at the ruined wall.

"At this rate, we'll tear the whole place down… Why build a training ground so flimsy?"

"Elder, are you injured?"

"As you can see."

Even after hearing that, Raymond circled anxiously, inspecting Bow's condition.

Bow waved him off like an annoying fly.

It seemed he truly was unharmed. Despite crashing into a wall, the old man showed no sign of injury.

Relieved, Woojin spoke.

"It would be best to end the spar here."

"Regrettable—but unavoidable."

Bow nodded in agreement.

Neither of them had fought with full intent to kill—but if they had pushed their strength any further, one of them might have been seriously injured.

Since the spar had ended, Woojin voiced a question that had been lingering in his mind.

"Those techniques you used… what were they?"

"They are arts practiced by the monks of Vritra," Bow replied. "A form of qi manipulation—what you might call Mana Arts."

Mana Arts.

When Claire had explained it before, it hadn't sounded like much. But experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely. It was a headache of a technique. He would need to study carefully how to counter it.

Bow, too, had been surprised.

He had used a secret art honed over many years—yet the moment Woojin truly began exerting his strength, the flow of the match reversed instantly.

"Frankly, this is shocking," Bow admitted. "I did not expect you to be this strong. I assumed Raymond was exaggerating. Who is your master?"

Given Woojin's strength at his age, Bow naturally assumed he had a teacher.

Saying he had none would raise suspicion, so Woojin answered vaguely.

"I received guidance from Hunter Hector."

It wasn't a lie.

Whenever Woojin had questions while reading the Demon Realm journals, he had asked Hector. He had also learned a bit of cooking along the way.

Perhaps because he omitted certain details, Bow stroked his chin in confusion.

"That's peculiar. Hector's archery is exceptional, but I wouldn't have thought him capable of teaching such hand-to-hand combat… Ah. Now that I think of it, you were the one who claimed the werewolf bounty today, weren't you?"

"Yes."

From the way Bow mentioned the werewolf, it seemed he and Hector were personally acquainted.

By coincidence, the story lined up neatly. Bow nodded as if satisfied, then made a proposal.

"Tell me—have you considered joining the Church Federation?"

The offer caught Woojin off guard.

"I don't have a particular god I believe in."

"That is no obstacle. There are not a few atheists within the Federation. Believing there is no god is, in its own way, a form of belief."

The Church Federation was an alliance of multiple religious orders. Naturally, their doctrines differed, and to avoid conflict, various forms of belief had to be respected.

Of course, that respect had not come easily at first.

When the Federation was founded, conflicts were inevitable. At times, its very survival had been in jeopardy.

But now, after centuries had passed, the Federation stood on stable ground. Its influence and strength had grown far beyond what they once were.

There was only one purpose behind that strength:

To purify lands consumed by the Demon Realm and reclaim humanity's homeland.

The Pioneer Cities were merely forward bases for that grand endeavor.

"Before long, full-scale reclamation of the Demon Realm will begin," Bow said. "We will restore corrupted lands and build new Barriers, expanding humanity's domain. For that, we require capable individuals like yourself."

"…I will need some time to think."

At that, Bow reached into his pocket and withdrew a square object.

"Then take this."

"What is it?"

"A recommendation token. I grant it only to those I acknowledge. If one day you decide to stand with us, bring that to the Church Federation."

With that, Bow casually tossed it over.

Woojin caught it reflexively.

It was carved from white stone, smooth like marble. At its center was an engraved golden emblem shaped like a human eye. In place of a pupil, a green gemstone was set.

An emerald?

It looked valuable enough to keep. Woojin tucked it deep inside his coat.

"If there's nothing further, I'll take my leave."

"Go safely."

Without hesitation, Woojin departed the training ground.

As his figure receded into the distance, Raymond spoke quietly.

"So… what did you see?"

There are things one sees precisely because one has no eyes.

After closing his two eyes, Bow had opened the eye of the mind—the ability to perceive the essence of those before him.

The monks of Vritra called it the Third Eye. Or the Mind's Eye.

After a long pause, Bow answered.

"…I chose not to use it."

Raymond blinked.

"You did not?"

"For some reason, I felt that peering into that man's essence would be dangerous."

"That happens?"

"It is the first time for me as well."

An opponent he hesitated to examine with the Mind's Eye.

That was why Bow had attempted to gauge Woojin through sparring instead—pushing harder than usual to gather as much information as possible.

And the result—

…I nearly died.

He had provoked the wrong man and taken a devastating blow.

When he had been flung into the wall after their final clash, the force had been so immense that he had nearly lost consciousness.

He had barely avoided serious injury by wrapping his qi around his body at the last moment.

Had Woojin followed up with another strike as he rushed forward—

There would have been no escape.

Where did such a monster come from?

Bow had no answer.