Looking at Da Jeryong’s distorted face, I thought.
Giving realization to Iryu, a martial artist, was truly a life-risking gamble.
Why was it a gamble?
Because it was contrary to reason for a lowly person to make a peak expert grasp the principles of unlearned knowledge.
The existence of an Iryu martial artist was like fallen leaves. Anyone with a broom could easily sweep them away.
How could such leaves give enlightenment to the one wielding the broom? Naturally, it would look suspicious.
But what about me now?
I had a grand title of Brain Knife Outcast and was evaluated as a peak expert among experts, having taken down an Outcast Faction’s peak expert in one strike.
What if rumors spread that Da Jeryong’s realization was given by the Brain Knife Outcast?
What? The Brain Knife Outcast gave realization to Da Jeryong? The author must be a realization provider!
Would people respond that way?
No.
People would just think Da Jeryong was lucky.
It was an entirely natural thing for an expert to help a lowly person grasp unlearned knowledge.
“Are you already drunk? What nonsense…”
“Wave surging, clouds in chaos.”
Because of that, I spoke without hesitation about Da Jeryong’s realization.
Da Jeryong’s eyes widened, and the cup fell from his hands.
Seeing Da Jeryong entering realization with his eyes half-closed, I finished the drink left in my cup.
Delicious.
The drink tasted more than just fine wine.
Hmm. Maybe I should have spoken after drinking for a while.
That thought crossed my mind, but I shook off the regret and got up.
Just like I couldn’t gather the spilled drink from Da Jeryong’s fallen cup, the deed was already done.
*
Wave surging, clouds in chaos.
Waves surged high, and the clouds were in disarray.
It was an expression used to describe a chaotic situation.
“Am I a chaotic person?”
The sight of the despondent master came to mind. Due to the nature of his challenging training, he had been struggling for a long time without notable achievements, but now he seemed to regain his vitality.
The Sacheon Outcast’s late selection tournament.
He sought a place to prove himself.
Watching the master, who boasted of raising the honor of the Western-style restaurant, Da Jeryong thought that with the master’s abilities, he could easily secure a spot in the late selection.
Then the master was eliminated in the top 128.
Da Jeryong, mixed among the crowds watching that scene, sighed in disappointment. The luck of the matchups was severely bad.
It was unfortunate that he faced only slightly stronger opponents, resulting in close encounters and losses, ultimately leading to his elimination without finishing in the top 100.
“The master was more than capable of being selected as one of the late candidates in Sachheon City.”
Yet when Ho Cheon-an inquired about the master’s well-being, Da Jeryong responded:
“Well, what can I do if my skills were lacking? I should be satisfied with just being in the top 128.”
Da Jeryong pondered.
Why did he let those words slip?
Despite recognizing the master’s skills and feeling regret over not ranking in the top 100, why did he speak those words?
It was just that anger had suddenly surged up.
The master’s loss saddened and angered him, leading to rash remarks.
However, because he said that aloud.
The Brain Knife Outcast now perceived Da Jeryong’s master as someone who rightfully deserved to lose in the top 128.
Unable to control his sudden anger, Da Jeryong unintentionally degraded the master’s reputation.
Only then did he realize he was [chaotic].
“But is that bad?”
Da Jeryong felt a surge of rebellion rise. Of course, belittling the master in a fit of rage wasn’t a commendable action. Still, wasn’t it precisely because the master’s defeat was regrettable that he got angry? A little grumbling in anger seemed justifiable.
His previous behavior was similar.
Saying he could beat Jaso-gyeong, someone who could be called a rival, was simply part of common bravado for a guy.
By the standards of martial arts, it could be a bit rude to show disrespect to the Brain Knife Outcast, but it was fine since the Outcast had committed wrongs in the past.
Reflecting on recent events and those from long ago, Da Jeryong nodded repeatedly and suddenly realized.
“My actions were not wrong.”
Da Jeryong believed he hadn’t crossed the line. He surely got angry and made mistakes, yet he almost never bore true malice or sincerely hoped for the downfall of another.
However.
“…I don’t think I ever tried hard to do better.”
When anger flared, he acted accordingly. Later, he would regret his actions and justify them by saying it was the situation at the time. He thought there was no need to reflect since he hadn’t crossed a line.
Was that truly the right way to act?
A practitioner of the Daoist Sect. A manly man. The disposition of a martial artist.
Gathering those words as excuses, had he ever truly tried to discipline himself?
He realized he had been using such thoughts to cover up his flaws each time he faced them as little accidents and verbal mistakes.
Water rises, fire descends.
Cold energy rises, and warm energy lowers.
Considering that cold energy goes down and warm energy goes up is the natural principle, the meaning of this phrase was simple.
It meant to strive so that two energies do not stagnate but can circulate.
“Have I ever tried to lower the anger that rises to my head?”
Suddenly, Da Jeryong felt a surge of rebellion.
He gazed into his heart.
Fire here, fire there. It was all flames; there was no water or ice.
Only full of hot fireballs, would trying to push the fire down still mean it would be hot?
However… could it really be so?
There’s a saying that even cold water has its ups and downs. He just had hot fireballs inside?
“Then, I should’ve at least raised a slightly less hot fireball to my head.”
Da Jeryong thought.
When the Brain Knife Outcast inquired about the master’s well-being, no matter how much he tried to control his anger, it likely wouldn’t be held back.
However.
It occurred to him that there might have been a better outcome than belittling the master’s skills by letting his inner seethe out.
What if he had just gulped down the drink?
What if he had just slammed the table with his palm?
Neither would have been good actions, but they might have been slightly better than what he did now.
Flames danced.
A bit of order was imposed on the chaotic flames. The extremely hot ones were kept far away, whereas the relatively less hot ones were brought closer.
“Better.”
Along with that realization, Da Jeryong acknowledged that this circulation was quite bothersome.
This circulation’s master was none other than Da Jeryong.
Was there any meaning in continuing this circulation?
Whether it was a less hot flame or a hotter flame, they were all still flames. Though they might seem the same to others, was there really a need to keep trying?
Da Jeryong thought about this.
“Still, this is better.”
The moment he had that thought, a principle imbued itself within the flames. The hot flames moved to heat the less hot flames and drew the warmth away from the hotter ones.
“Hah.”
Observing that the flow of flames was governed by one principle, Da Jeryong chuckled softly.
He became certain afterward that he would still easily lose his temper, display rude speech, and frown.
How could he do anything else with all that anger bottled up inside?
However.
He was also convinced that this anger wouldn’t easily lead him to actions that would cross a line anymore.
Da Jeryong opened his eyes.
The Brain Knife Outcast, who had been before him, had vanished.
No, it wasn’t a matter of the Brain Knife Outcast disappearing.
“….Hah.”
Before falling into an altered state, it had definitely been evening, yet the bright sunlight was breaking through the paper on the window.
When had time passed so quickly?
Realizing he had received Julu’s consideration, Da Jeryong called for someone.
“Congratulations on your achievement.”
“Thank you for Julu’s consideration.”
Da Jeryong thanked Sachae-yong, the owner of Video Tower, as he received congratulations.
“The Brain Knife Outcast informed us of the situation. We merely watched without doing anything.”
“The Brain Knife Outcast…”
“Yes. He delegated the follow-up and left.”
“Is that so?”
Da Jeryong let out a long sigh. Suddenly, he recalled rumors about a Sacheon Outcast who was summoned by the Imperial Family due to the ability to give realizations. Following that, it was said he had been immediately chased out of Nangyang after it was exposed that he had no such ability.
Da Jeryong came to realize that the Brain Knife Outcast was the subject of that rumor.
“Was that rumor a smokescreen to conceal the truth?”
“Did the Brain Knife Outcast leave any messages?”
“Yes. There was one indeed.”
Da Jeryong swallowed hard, observing Sachae-yong’s enigmatic expression. He felt there must have been an important message since the Outcast had so overtly given realization.
“He said to congratulate you on your achievement. He also mentioned that since you have become a new star of Sacheon City, you should work hard for the peace of Sacheon City going forward.”
Da Jeryong nodded and continued to focus on Sachae-yong. He wanted to hear more.
However, Sachae-yong’s lips remained sealed.
“…Is that it?”
“Yes.”
If he had just openly given realization like that, shouldn’t there at least have been a nominal silencing statement?
Though Da Jeryong thought this, he soon chuckled.
“Let it be.”
What good would it do to threaten or trouble someone who is bustling about to protect Sacheon City?
He and the Brain Knife Outcast were connected by mere thin threads of fate. The Outcast Inn’s client and target, the Sun Club, and Jaso-gyeong.
He couldn’t strike the back of someone who had treated him with respect, simply based on that thin connection.
All said and done, after all, the one who gave the realization was the benefactor.
Wahhhhhh!
Cheers echoed from afar. Hearing the cheering, Sachae-yong opened his mouth.
“It seems the late selection tournament has begun.”
“Indeed.”
Remembering that today was the last day of the Sacheon Outcast late selection tournament, Da Jeryong turned his head towards the direction of the martial arts arena. The Brain Knife Outcast must be guarding the place now.
Thinking of seeking out the Brain Knife Outcast, Da Jeryong opted to drop it.
After all, it didn’t seem likely he would hear anything substantial from the Outcast.
If there was something to be said, surely a message would have been left.
While sorting through this reluctance, Da Jeryong suddenly looked up at Sachae-yong.
“…By the way, I heard the Brain Knife Outcast received a request to save this Video Tower.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“At that time, did the Brain Knife Outcast cause chaos like this?”
Sachae-yong wore a wry smile.
“Indeed. Just thinking about that day still makes my heart race.”
Da Jeryong smiled at Sachae-yong’s response.
“Well, since neither of us will be watching the late selection tournament… how about a drink? I still have leftover drinks from yesterday, and I hate to waste them.”
“Not a bad suggestion at all.”
Wahhhhhh!
With the cheers resounding throughout Sacheon City, the glasses of Sachae-yong and Da Jeryong clinked together.
It was a warm spring day in Sacheon City.
