## Chapter 435 – Water Spirit Undine
I’d been pondering enchantments, but it was proving too difficult to make a decision.
It was a situation where I had to choose one good option from a pile of good options. But having so many choices only made the decision harder.
Picking one meant regretting the others.
“Shit.”
I decided to rule out Sallister’s core for now.
I’m a man who can start a fire anywhere. Plus, I always carry a fire starter, so while it would be convenient, it wasn’t exactly necessary.
That left me with Latras’s light spirit core and Undine’s core. A convenient flashlight in the dark versus a water purifier for extreme situations—I couldn’t choose between two such useful items.
Usually, when you go into dark places like dungeons or caves, you need torches or lamps.
Humans don’t have ultravision, and it’s hard to see in the dark.
So, securing a light source is essential when entering a closed underground dungeon. And you need a lot of it. Torches mean extra baggage, and lamps require carrying a lot of oil.
Most of all, using those things means sacrificing one hand.
Because you have to carry them.
Mages can use light magic and get around quite conveniently, but a brawler like me doesn’t have such handy tools.
Should I just go with Latras?
Of course, when I think like that and try to make a decision, I regret the Undine core.
The ability to purify contaminated water… I usually keep my canteen full, and I always locate the valley first when moving through the mountains.
People die if they can’t drink water.
Getting clean water would be ideal.
But a water purifier… needing a water purifier means you’re in a truly fucked situation. No water to drink, and only contaminated water around.
It only shines when there’s nothing but ‘contaminated water’ around.
…When would that ever happen?
The natural environment around here is quite clean, so even the valley water is safe to drink. If I’m really worried, I can boil it. Like I said, starting a fire isn’t difficult.
And if it’s hard to find water, a purifier isn’t really necessary either.
Ah, shit, but it would be nice to have.
“I’m screwed.”
In the end, this dilemma plagued my mind all morning. It was the same when I was clumsily making Kim Katt’s special Korean stew and eating it with Cloudie and Winia, and even when we were having a good time after the meal.
“Hey, Darkie, what are you thinking so hard about?”
It was a truly peaceful and leisurely afternoon.
Winia, with the magic book she received from Lady Risha open, asked me while continuously drawing various magic circles on a piece of paper with a pen.
“Looking at these cores is giving me a headache.”
“What’s wrong? Are you worried about how much to sell them for? Leave it. I’ll take you out later.”
“No, Lady Risha said she’d combine this with the fairy necklace to make an artifact.”
“Artifact?”
I explained to her the conversation I had with Lady Risha in the morning.
I told her that the fairy necklace was originally made to store a single spell, so it could be enchanted using the cores.
“So, I was wondering which one to use.”
“Hmm… then use Undine. I can do light magic. I can’t purify water.”
Winia said it like it was nothing and went back to drawing magic circles.
Looks like she’s thinking of using it to enhance her magical abilities. Just like I train physically, Winia never skips her magic studies.
“Hmm.”
This is really stressing me out.
You shouldn’t give people good choices.
Humans are inherently greedy, so if they get something good, they think, ‘Ah, they should have given me something better.’ And if you give them choices so they can get what they want, they want both.
That’s why Santa Claus disappeared from the world.
Even if they’re just kids, their desires are the same as adults. No, kids are even less restrained in expressing their desires. Crying and whining is proof of that.
I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling that some research suggests that kids who are so unrestrained are more likely to become criminals later in life.
Of course, I’m not that kind of shameless bastard.
Let’s think about this slowly.
I immediately grabbed my sword and went out to the backyard.
I was going to practice swordsmanship and physical training.
Having a backyard makes it easier to move around. When I was staying at the inn, I could do some indoor muscle training, but I couldn’t practice swordsmanship, which was quite inconvenient.
“Alright.”
It was wrong from the start for a warrior to be so preoccupied with such trivial things. My strength doesn’t come from tools like that. It comes only from muscles honed like steel, killing techniques, and the inherent mana, fighting spirit, and the teachings of Fusion Confucianism.
—Papapap!
I immediately unleashed the Siljang Kwonbeop and Cheonma Shin’gong, training in unarmed combat and immediately transitioning to physical training.
I was shirtless and wearing shorts, so sweat started flying everywhere. I have no doubt that the sweat I shed today will flow as the blood of imperialists. My sweat is the gasoline of justice that will burn the sugarcane fields. If I add a spark of fighting spirit to that, it wouldn’t be hard to burn down the sites of exploitation.
—Boongtzz Boongtzz!
The power in my fist techniques, palm strikes, and kicks was unmatched, and doing push-ups while standing on my hands was also too easy.
Before I knew it, I finished the high-intensity training.
I immediately gulped down water from my canteen and grabbed the handle of the black iron longsword leaning against the wall.
Now it’s time for swordsmanship.
—Swaeak!
—Shwiik!
First, I warmed up by smoothly transitioning through basic swordsmanship stances. Then, I imagined an enemy and shadow-sworded (a sword-swinging version of shadow boxing), slashing at the air.
—Chwajajak!
Fighting people and fighting monsters are completely different.
When fighting people, you have to pay attention to the characteristics of their weapons. But since they’re still people, you can roughly estimate how to fight them. If you know the right techniques, killing them is easy.
When fighting monsters, improvisation is more important than anything else. I’m human, so I know a lot about humans, but monsters are completely different from us, so they’re hard to predict. Their shapes and muscle structures are different, so they can launch unexpected attacks.
It’s similar to humans throwing hidden weapons, but monsters are even harder to deal with. Because you don’t know what they are. It’s hard to recognize their preparation movements.
Well, it’s all different, but anyway.
When shadow-swording, I imagine all those things and combine it with Siljang Footwork and Cheonma Gunrimbo to create the most realistic feeling possible.
Finally, when it was time to deliver the finishing blow—
“—Siljang Begi Dejaaaat!!!!”
I shouted and unleashed my first secret technique, Siljang Begi.
I felt the mana melting into my muscles draining away, and at the same time, the sword cut through the air with unbelievable, inhuman power and speed. My strongest technique as of now, its power is truly immeasurable.
The trajectory was visible because it was just barely within my dynamic visual acuity, but my opponent wouldn’t be able to see it. The attack would be over before I even finished the word “Sil.”
“Hoo!”
The heat of training filled me with courage and fighting spirit. As a result, my body felt lighter than ever, and I was filled with confidence.
Good, then let’s continue—
“—Siljang Jeolgaeeeeeet!!!!!”
Remembering when I cut down Alaune, I unleashed Siljang Jeolgae.
But the mana surging within me didn’t produce any results and scattered back into my body. A normal attack that wasn’t even as good as Siljang Begi cut through the air.
I guess it’s not working.
I tried to regain the feeling from that time, assumed the stance, and refined my mana. Then, I put an explosive feeling into my fingertips and unleashed Siljang Jeolgae again.
“Shit, Siljang Jeolgae!!!”
—Boongtzz Boongtzz!
“Siljang Jeolgae Dejaaaat!!!”
Of course, it doesn’t connect. The terrifyingly powerful technique that had cut down Alaune and her entire garden was not unleashed.
—Haa, haa.
Only then did I start panting.
It was quite a high-intensity workout.
I suddenly crave meat like crazy.
“Damn it.”
I plunged the tip of my sword into the weed-covered ground.
Then, as if possessed, I stretched my arm towards the sun.
“Cheonma Death Beam.”
—Damn it.
Nothing special happened. Well, the Cheonma Death Beam, the greatest martial art of all time, isn’t some kid’s game, so you can’t just use it willy-nilly.
My physical abilities, combat power, and techniques have definitely improved. That’s been proven by defeating powerful enemies.
But there hasn’t been much progress with mana.
“Siljang Begi!”
—Swaeak!
When I grabbed my sword again and used Siljang Begi for the second time, I felt the remaining mana draining away at once, and I felt dizzy.
Still, my mana pool has increased quite a bit, so I don’t collapse.
Even after using Siljang Begi twice, I can still feel mana breathing in my bones and muscles. Normally, using it twice would leave me almost unconscious, but I can still stand on the ground like this.
If I increase it just a little more, I might even be able to do it three times.
My mana pool has definitely increased.
But.
“Sword Qi!”
—Tzupat!
I concentrated on creating sword qi, but the mana gathered at my fingertips didn’t climb up the sword handle and cover the blade.
Well, nothing’s happening.
I don’t know the feeling.
I tried various things, but the mana didn’t break through my skin and manifest. Even now, the remaining mana inside my fingers is surging as if it’s about to burst out, but it never comes out of my skin.
“Aura Blade!!!”
Even if I squeezed out mana more violently,
“Sword Expert Kim Katt!!”
Even if I tried to release it violently, the mana blocked by the barrier of my skin never seeped out of the shell like the yolk in an egg.
“Siljang Sword Qi, Hoo!!”
—Failure.
Let’s stop training here for today.
I didn’t gain anything from sword qi.
Anyway, when I came to my senses, about two hours had passed.
—Clap clap clap.
When I turned around to go inside, Cloudie was standing there. She was smiling brightly and gently approached me while clapping.
“Hehe, Katt. Your body is all wet with sweat? Mama is so happy that you’re training so hard.”
She approached and ran her fingers over my abdomen and chest. It was very slippery because my body was covered in sweat. But how long has she been watching?
“Hehehe, yeah. I have to work hard. But how long have you been watching?”
“Since you shouted the mysterious incantation ‘Cheonma Death Beam’?”
“Not long then.”
—Fondle fondle.
Cloudie was using her whole palm to massage my muscles. She kept saying they were firm and seemed quite absorbed in it.
Anyway, she really likes my body.
She keeps telling me she likes my firm body, so I can achieve high-intensity training every day. The ticklish sensation started to make me erect.
“Katt, you want to use sword qi?”
As I stood still and let her keep touching me, Cloudie opened her mouth.
Of course, I want to emit sword qi. Isn’t it a realm that all swordsmen dream of? The path of a true master begins after manifesting sword qi.
—A realm where you can cut steel with a sword.
Then you can kill enemies more easily and quickly. You can execute heavily armed infantry and even monsters covered in carapace with a single blow.
All swordsmen want that realm.
But more than that, I want to show Cloudie the results of my growth that she can see. Sword qi is the most intuitive.
“Of course, I want to use it. I tried to do it today, but it’s impossible. Damn it, sword qi won’t come out, Cloudie. Show me how to use it quickly.”
“U-Uhh?”
“Show me quickly.”
“Hehe, okay.”
Then I handed my sword to Cloudie.
She grabbed the two-handed sword with one hand and lightly twirled it around.
—Patzchut!
She instantly unleashed sword qi.
The materialized, sharp aura of mana surged up the sword and coated the blade. After a moment, Cloudie turned off the sword qi and handed the sword back to me.
…I don’t understand even after seeing it.
How did she do it?
I tried to do it again after grabbing the sword, but it didn’t work.
“Why can’t I do it?”
I think I’ve accumulated enough killing stacks. My physical abilities are also sufficient.
I’m also confident that I can perfectly control mana within my body.
But that’s only limited to within my body.
The mana just won’t break through my skin and come out. What am I lacking right now? Do I need a new, inhuman, murderous realization? The teachings of Fusion Confucianism are too perfect in themselves, so I don’t think I can gain a new realization.
I guess there’s no other way than to keep fighting in real battles.
“Katt, are you feeling down?”
“A little.”
“Don’t be too impatient. You can definitely do it, Katt. You’ve already grown so much. It’s just a matter of time. I know you best.”
“Teeeheeheeeng.”
I’m about to cry.
“But maybe you need adversity to grow quickly in a short amount of time?”
“Adversity… I guess so.”
People only grow when they overcome adversity.
Yes, growth.
By wearing the fairy necklace enchanted with the spirit core, I will become even stronger.
