Seo Hayeon

While Kim Bongpal learned martial arts from Tearing Wind Sword, there was a brief mention of the Celestial Demon God Technique. It was written with the assumption that those who mastered it would reach the limit of Transcendence, and it was said that it contained an essence that the simple Trail Force Technique couldn’t catch up with.

So, it would have been of considerable help to Kim Bongpal if he had mastered the Celestial Demon God Technique. Even if he learned about a few techniques through battle, learning them through a well-organized book was another thing.

“…”

Nevertheless, Kim Bongpal refused to read it. No, he went beyond not reading and even crushed it.

The reason was simple: whatever their purpose, Kim Bongpal refused to comply. Seo Hayeon was why he came to the Celestial Demon Cult, but in the end, that was the Divine Lady’s plan.

It was also still unclear if the Divine Lady had died simply because she reached the end of her lifespan or if she’d finished her last goal.

Anyway. As a result, Kim Bongpal was defeated by the Celestial Demon, and he felt an unpleasant sense of helplessness. Hence, he wanted to be a little stronger than he was now. Throughout his life, he knew it was good to be stronger than others, so Kim Bongpal lived in pursuit of his own strength.

However, it was the first time Kim Bongpal felt this much ambition, and it just happened that there was a way to do so. This martial arts technique book left by Divine Lady called the Celestial Demon God Technique was a clear path to growing stronger.

“What a load of crap.”

It wasn’t even funny. If the meeting between Kim Bongpal and the Celestial Demon was according to the Divine Lady’s plan, his defeat would be the same. It must be her intention that he wanted to become stronger now, and it must be why she gave him the Celestial Demon God Technique.

If so, he didn’t want to abide by it. It was really fucking disgusting to feel someone controlling his actions as they pleased. Even more so for Kim Bongpal, who had lived his life the way he wanted.

“…”

Kim Bongpal swallowed a curse. He wanted to say it out loud, but he didn’t. After all, Kim Bongpal didn’t make a hobby of swearing at the dead, let alone at those who worshiped a god whose existence was uncertain.

Glancing at the Young Divine Lady for the last time, he went out the door and walked away. He didn’t even ask where his party was; his senses had already picked up on their familiar energy in the distance. And among them, there was that unfamiliar energy that seemed familiar.

The size of the energy and its nature wasn’t quite what he remembered.

Kim Bongpal paused and then wiped his face with his hands, the action trying to clear away the remnants of his anger. Fortunately, his rage had started to subside, but the emotion that emerged in its stead was a little awkward.

This was their first meeting in six years. Those six years seemed very short when he first left El Plades, but now that he thought about it, it wasn’t so. Maybe it was because of the many things that happened in the few months he spent here in the Shire, or Kim Bongpal was now aware that those six years couldn’t have been short for Seo Hayeon.

Squeak-

There was a loud sound as the door opened, enough to draw everyone’s attention.

The first thing that caught his eye was the large Warg and Tearing Wind Sword next to him. Maya mumbled, her cheeks still packed with food.

And.

“…”

Finally, the person he hadn’t seen in six years. Kim Bongpal approached the party, and Seo Hayeon looked up at his presence. The first thing he thought was: she’d changed a lot. Her features were the same six years ago, but the vibe differed. It reminded him of when he looked at her before and thought she had the face of a true Hunter.However, compared to her now, back then, she was still a little girl in his eyes. Now her eyes, tightly closed lips, and the scars partially hidden by her eyebrows that he must look closely to see…Seo Hayeon’s face reminded him of a hunter, a warrior.

“…Hey. Seo Hayeon.”

He didn’t think about what he would say when they met again. Such thoughts were quite far from Kim Bongpal’s personality. So Kim Bongpal called to her just like when he saw her at Seo Kang Jun’s funeral.

Strangely, it felt unfamiliar to call her name.

“…Ah.”

Her eyes blinked once, then twice. Soon, Seo Hayeon’s expression changes. Now, rather than a hunter, it reminded Kim Bongpal of her familiar self. A smile crept across Seo Hayeon’s lips.

And what was on her mind?

“Who are you?”

Seo Hayeon asked. Kim Bongpal felt a playfulness in the question and pondered for a moment. How should he answer that question? Your uncle from like 11 years ago? Or a debt collector? None of them were very good answers.

In the end, Kim Bongpal just said whatever came to mind.

“…Fuck.”

That was the most appropriate answer.

“Hahaha.”

Seo Hayeon laughed out loud. The sound of her laughter that he hadn’t heard in a long time was pleasant.

* * *

“What? T-three hundred years old?”

Seo Hayeon’s eyes widened. Her hands, fiddling with Maya’s hair, had stopped before she knew it.

“Lies….”

Seo Hayeon looked at Kim Bongpal’s face and said she couldn’t believe what he said. It was Maya, not Kim Bongpal, who answered.

“Uhm? But I am really three hundred years old, though.”

“…R-really? No, is that true?”

“Yes!”

Maya answered with a nod. Seo Hayeon lowered her hands, still secretly stroking Maya’s hair. Maya tilted her head again and focused on the snack in front of her.

Seo Hayeon watched her for a moment, then she turned her gaze back to Kim Bongpal.

Six years. Seo Hayeon didn’t know how it was for Kim Bongpal, but six years was quite a long time for her. She had changed a lot during that time, though there weren’t many changes in her appearance. She’d grow a little taller, her body a little bigger, and her scars had increased.

Those changes were nothing compared to what Seo Hayeon experienced inside her. Like her father and Kim Bongpal once did, Seo Hayeon wielded her sword daily. She killed many monsters, and sometimes she drew her blade toward people.

Those six years were enough for Seo Hayeon to think of herself as an adult rather than a child. Now, she wasn’t afraid of spider-type monsters.However.

“Ah! Look at this, Uncle. I’ve also learned this, and it’s called a Sword Trail….”

It felt like she was thrown back in time. Seo Hayeon swung her sword, which she had covered with a still immature Sword Force, and tried to keep her expression as casual as possible.

Actually, she wanted to show a slightly different side. While waiting for Kim Bongpal to wake up, she heard that he had come to the Celestial Demon Cult and fought with Chen Hua-lin; now, her teacher, Seo Hayeon, kept thinking. As she thought, she wanted to show her uncle that she had become a little more mature.

Just as her uncle had never contacted her in six years, she had lived very well for six years. But contrary to what she had hoped, Seo Hayeon couldn’t keep that up now. Still, this wasn’t bad.

Seo Hayeon smiled slightly as she watched Kim Bongpal.

“Our hunters use mana sword or Sword Force as a special ability. But if we learn martial arts, we can use Trail Force like this, right? It’s also very powerful!”

Seo Hayeon continued. She was told that she could unleash Trail Force not long after she began martial arts because she had honed her special ability, Sword Force, for over 10 years. Her teacher, Chen Hua-lin, and the White-Haired Sword Phantom praised her for her talent.

Even though she kept it to herself, she didn’t think her talent was too bad. And Seo Hayeon wanted to brag about it to Kim Bongpal.

“Uncle, do you want me to teach you how to use Trail Force? It did take me a few days to get used to it, but it may take a little longer for you in your old age….”

Seo Hayeon, who was continuing to talk, looked around. Tearing Mind Sword, Warg, and even Maya, whom she greeted before Kim Bongpal woke up, were all looking at her strangely.

However, Seo Hayeon didn’t think long about it. It was because Kim Bongpal, who smiled as he stared at her, said this:

“Sword Trail? Good. You can teach me.”

“Yes! Hmm. I am not supposed to tell anyone, but I’ll tell you just because it’s you, uncle.”

Seo Hayeon answered with her chest puffing out. The same went for the Sword Trail, Body Lightening Technique, and everything she learned. She wanted to show off her changed self to Kim Bongpal.

She swore it was the last time she acted like a child when they broke up six years ago, but now Seo Hayeon could see six years wasn’t enough for her to stand alone properly.

“By the way, uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“You came looking for me. Why? Originally, you said you’d only come to my funeral.”

“Damn it. I’m here to collect your debts.”

Kim Bongpal spat out an abusive answer. Seo Hayeon smiled a little.

The last conversation she had with Kim Bongpal was six years ago, but it was clear to her now. Kim Bongpal also cursed like that then, and she laughed at it. Then their conversation ended with them breaking up. Kim Bongpal headed to El Plades, and Seo Hayeon headed to the Gate.

It was comforting to see how he’d changed but also how he’d remained the same.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Kim Bongpal responded and stood up. Seo Hayeon nodded and followed, then paused to check the others. Each of them looked puzzled at their rather random flow of conversation. But that was enough for them.

Seo Hayeon didn’t ask much of Kim Bongpal, which was the same for him. Whether she’d like to return to Earth with him, how her life at the Celestial Demon Cult was, etc.

He just got up after saying let’s go. It was short for their first meeting in six years, but considering that one of them was Kim Bongpal, it could be quite long.

Anyway, the party followed after them. And as he pushed open the door, Kim Bongpal glanced back to Seo Hayeon to see if she was following.

Seo Hayeon smiled back.