Failed Possession Chapter-115

## Ch-115.

—

When Yuri regained consciousness, the first things he felt were the softness of the bed, the gentle texture of the blanket, and a calming fragrance that soothed the mind.

“……”

The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Haryeong’s face looking down at him.

“Gah— you startled me.”

His voice trembled reflexively. At his mutter, Haryeong’s brows knit slightly.

“Startled? I am shocked. Why are you startled upon seeing this Haryeong’s face?”

Haryeong grumbled, her face wrapped thoroughly in bandages.

“Please consider my feelings, seeing a bandaged face first thing upon waking.”

“This Haryeong has no concern for Yuri’s feelings.”

“What’s with that way of speaking?”

“I have heard it so often that it slipped out unconsciously.”

Saying so, Haryeong glanced subtly behind her. The door was firmly closed. Reassured, she suddenly sprang up and grabbed Yuri by the shoulders.

“Why are you—”

Before he could finish, her hand struck sharply toward the back of his neck.

Yuri yelped and blocked it.

“Damn it, what are you doing?”

“Please remain unconscious for one more day.”

Just how much had she suffered while he was out?

Yuri cleared his throat.

“It’s all for your sake.”

“I used to think it better to grow strong quickly, even if it meant suffering. But now I believe perhaps it is not so bad to grow slowly and comfortably.”

At first, she had thought Calamity Star’s teachings were priceless—beyond what even a fortune could buy.

That was only at first.

Yesterday, she wondered why anyone would pay a fortune to suffer like this.

Today, she thought perhaps she should be paid a fortune for suffering this much.

“It seems I am more talented at learning by seeing and hearing than by experiencing with my own body. When I was at the Tang family, I stole martial arts by watching and listening. Even yesterday, watching you spar with the Sect Leader of Yicheon Sword Sect felt as though my eyes opened and I gained some realization.”

Her voice quickened as she kept glancing at the door.

Yuri extended his senses.

“Gaaah—!”

“Kuh—!”

“S-stop—!”

Estor’s pained groans and the sound of relentless blows came vividly from outside.

Even now, Lorellia was “guiding” Estor in the training yard of the Pointed Sword Valley.

“So please, Yuri, I beg you—offer counsel to the Priest. I am a delicate assassin unsuited for such brutal training.”

“You must not be an assassin!”

The roar shook the valley the moment Haryeong finished speaking.

She immediately straightened her shoulders and spine.

“Haryeong! Did this Lorellia not say yesterday? The Haryeong of the past was an assassin—but going forward, you must not be!”

“Yes, Priest. I have cast aside my assassin past and been reborn as a martial artist.”

Had there been mental reeducation while he was unconscious?

Lorellia had stopped calling her by her epithet Dark Flower and was using her name.

The door burst open.

Lorellia entered, shaking blood from her fists, smiling brightly at Yuri.

“Yuri! You have awakened! This Lorellia is most pleased!”

“Is Estor… dead?”

There was no groaning outside.

Lorellia laughed briefly.

“Hahaha! What are you saying? Estor is perfectly alive. He has merely lost consciousness and will awaken shortly.”

She pulled out holy water from the War Church and handed it to Haryeong.

“Go give Estor one drop. And Haryeong, prepare yourself.”

“Yes, understood. Thinking of receiving more instruction from you fills me with boundless joy. Yay, yay, yay.”

With dead eyes, Haryeong murmured her cheer and stepped outside.

“Isn’t this too harsh…?”

“The more iron is hammered, the stronger it becomes. Humans are the same.”

“And if you hammer too much and it breaks?”

“If one is so weak as to break from this, it is better they break early! But in this Lorellia’s judgment, Haryeong and Estor will not break so easily. Do you know why?”

“Talent?”

“Because they possess will! They have the resolve that they must accomplish what they set out to do. Those with such will do not break easily.”

Lorellia strode over and sat beside the bed.

“Rather, this Lorellia worried greatly that Yuri might break.”

“Did you think I lacked will?”

“Recall our first meeting! At that time, Yuri was empty—without will or spirit.”

He could not deny it.

Yuri smiled bitterly. Lorellia chuckled softly.

“But you did not break. You are becoming stronger.”

“Because I am filling myself.”

“Excellent. Depending on what you fill yourself with, you may become harder than diamond.”

Her hand rested atop his.

A hand hardened by calluses and shaped for striking.

Her smile deepened.

Though only two years had passed, the time Yuri had lived through could not be called merely “only.”

“Yesterday’s spar was excellent. To be completely honest, Yuri performed far better than this Lorellia expected—and adapted far more quickly.”

The gap between Fifth and Sixth Rank was severe, as one more Dantian opened.

Many Sixth Rank martial artists required years to adapt fully to the Upper Dantian and Intent.

“But you have not yet fully adapted! Yuri has grown too quickly.”

Sixth Rank in two years of proper training.

Unprecedented.

No such monster existed in the world.

Not even the unparalleled genius born of the Wei family of demonic lineage—Heavenly Demon Wi Jinhwa—considered the strongest among all past Heavenly Demons of the Demonic Cult, had grown so rapidly.

“Of course, your body has grown in step with your rank, and your internal energy and consciousness are balanced. But as I said yesterday, the Upper Dantian is delicate and mysterious. If you use it recklessly with only ambition driving you, and its balance twists, deviation will come—and what you built quickly will collapse just as quickly.”

Among the three Dantians, deviation in the Upper Dantian was most fatal.

Yuri knew that well.

Blood Fiend Ghost, once Seventh Rank among the Seven Evils of the Demonic Cult—what had been his end?

“Yesterday’s overload occurred because your Intent went too far.”

“Does that mean I did too well?”

“Yes! You did too well and could not endure it. So let us proceed a little more cautiously.”

Lorellia removed her hand from his fist and smiled.

“Yuri, how do you feel now?”

“I’m fine—”

He swallowed the rest.

“My head aches. My whole body aches.”

“The more you are hammered, the stronger you become. Rise.”

“Shouldn’t Haryeong go first?”

“It will be over soon!”

If he resisted longer, she might grab him by the collar.

With a heavy sigh, Yuri climbed out of bed.

—

—

“Even so, is it not excessive to give over Pointed Sword Valley and its surrounding grounds entirely?”

“And merely sheltering a priest of the Order Church could become a problem.”

Gongsun Myeong listened quietly to the elders’ complaints before speaking.

“What exactly do you expect me to do?”

It was the elders who had urged him to go personally and resolve the matter, saying that since he was acquainted with her, he should handle it.

As a result, Gongsun Myeong had gone alone to Sharp Sword Valley, wary lest Calamity Star raise her fist.

“In my judgment, there is nothing excessive about this. It is a hundred—no, a thousand—times better than allowing her to remain in Sharp Sword Valley. And protection? Protection from what?”

Those entangled in ill fate with the War Church or possessors had sought the Order Church not merely to confront them—but to locate their sanctuary and pressure the entire Church.

If there was anyone bold enough to come seeking Calamity Star after learning she had left her sanctuary and was here—

Gongsun Myeong sincerely wished to meet such a person.

“You told me to go negotiate, and this is the result of that negotiation. If the elders are dissatisfied, then go to Pointed Sword Valley yourselves and speak with Calamity Star directly.”

“Ggh…”

The elders could only groan; not one of them leapt up to head toward Pointed Sword Valley.

“And I consider this a great opportunity for our sect. Calamity Star herself has agreed to spar with me once a week. Through this chance, I will surely break through the wall of Eighth Rank.”

“Are you truly… all right?”

One elder asked, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

He was one who remembered clearly how, decades ago, Gongsun Myeong had stormed out of the sect swearing revenge—only to be dragged back by Calamity Star before half a day had passed.

“Even so, once a week seems too frequent. If the Sect Leader suffers lasting injuries…”

“Ugh.”

This time, Gongsun Myeong was the one forced to groan.

Had Calamity Star not said just yesterday that she would restrain her strength but not limit her martial arts? That meant he would unquestionably suffer in those spars.

“For the future of the sect, it cannot be helped. I am already prepared.”

Yicheon Sword Sect was counted among the foremost orthodox great sects. Yet its future was not particularly bright.

The rise and fall of a sect depended on how many high-ranking martial artists it possessed.

At present, Gongsun Myeong himself was a master beyond the middle tier of Seventh Rank—but with that alone, one could not speak of becoming the foremost sword sect of the orthodox faction.

Then what of the disciples who would lead the future?

Among the hundreds of disciples, was there a Dragon or Phoenix destined to carry the sect forward?

There was none.

He had thought their disciples were in no way inferior to those of other sects—

But after seeing Cloud Dragon yesterday, he could not stop comparing.

*If I am to give better guidance, I must first cross the wall myself.*

Gongsun Myeong straightened his back and solidified his resolve.

“Ohh…”

The elders murmured in admiration at his steadfast bearing.

“In any case, now that matters stand thus, do not nitpick about guests residing in Pointed Sword Valley.”

“What of the disciples? Should we not forbid them from approaching it?”

“There is no need. Calamity Star is not so unreasonable as to beat unrelated disciples without cause.”

“……”

“Ahem… And rather, I would prefer our disciples to actively interact with the Three Heroes.”

“The Three Heroes are that outstanding?”

The elders’ eyes gleamed.

At present, the most noted rising talents in the Eastern martial world were the Three Heroes. Yicheon Sword Sect had many promising young disciples—but none had earned the title of Dragon in this generation.

“Dark Flower, said to be the younger sister of the Dark King—her exact age is unknown, but she cannot be over thirty. Sword Dragon is twenty-two, I believe?”

“Yes.”

“I saw Sword Dragon and Dark Flower being guided by Calamity Star. If this Sect Leader’s eyes did not deceive him, Sword Dragon stands at the very peak of Fifth Rank. Dark Flower trails him by perhaps half a step.”

“Haah…”

“As expected of Sword Emperor’s grandson. They say he is the greatest talent in Orsia family history…”

At the elders’ exclamations, Gongsun Myeong wore a faint, wry smile.

“Cloud Dragon is Sixth Rank.”

“…What?”

“Is that true?”

The elders’ eyes widened in shock.

“He ascended to Sixth Rank two days ago. This Sect Leader was ‘purely’ curious and confirmed his ability firsthand.”

He did not bother to mention that he had been pushed into sparring by Calamity Star.

“He is an absurd genius. One would never believe he only reached Sixth Rank two days ago.”

Cloud Dragon’s martial prowess was already famous—but Baekgeom Gongsun Myeong was not a man given to easy praise.

For him to speak thus meant Cloud Dragon far surpassed the rumors.

“In my judgment, if he continues growing at this pace for ten years—he may very well become the youngest Martial Zenith in history.”

While thus praised as a future youngest Martial Zenith—

Cloud Dragon was currently sprawled on the ground, retching.

“Uuueegh…”

Ten years could wait.

Right now, he felt like dying.

“Stop exaggerating and get up!”

He was not exaggerating.

The punch that had just sunk into his solar plexus had simply gone too deep.

If he could, he would ignore her words and collapse into unconsciousness right there.

Perhaps Lee Su-hyeok of Earth would have done so.

No one liked pain and hardship.

*No.*

Yuri of this world could not.

There was a path he must walk.

Things he wished to accomplish.

More he needed to fill himself with.

*Force it in.*

Grinding his teeth, Yuri rose.

Since reaching Sixth Rank, he had realized something each time he sparred with Lorellia.

How to use fists and feet.

How to strike an opponent.

How to evade.

How to redirect.

How to block.

The ultimate principles of bodily martial arts.

*All of it.*

He barely straightened and looked at Lorellia.

Her crimson eyes blinked once or twice—then curved into a bright smile.

“Ahh! Yuri’s expression right now is truly splendid! Are you enjoying this Lorellia’s guidance so much?”

He had thought he rose with clenched teeth—

Yet at some point, a twisted smile had formed on his lips.

En-joy-a-ble.

The word that could not quite form into sound lingered in his mouth.

Of course it was enjoyable.

Lee Su-hyeok of Earth had only ever been good at one thing: a game.

And not even a popular one.

Not an e-sport where one could become a professional gamer.

Just a trash, dying online game hardly anyone knew.

But now?

Because he had been good at that game, he had crossed into another world—

Where every effort yielded explosive results!

He had gained talent beyond anything he had ever deserved.

Even now, he could feel it.

Each time Lorellia struck him, he was growing stronger.

“It seems he has finally gone mad.”

Watching Yuri get beaten with an expression that was neither laughter nor tears, Haryeong shook her head.

There was no response.

Glancing sideways, she saw Estor forcing his swollen face into a smile.

“Ma…rvel…ous…”

“This one is broken too.”

Haryeong muttered, shaking her head again.

*Well… even so…*

She thought briefly of the past.

The Tang family.

Days of oppression, with no real opportunity to properly learn martial arts.

What of the Tiger Slaying Gate?

She had never truly been taught martial arts by the Faceless Assassin.

No matter how many times she requested it, she had only been told his art could not be taught.

Instead, she had undergone assassin training.

That training had been harsh enough—

But it was nothing compared to this.

*Come to think of it… is this the first time I’ve truly been taught like this?*

Had she not come to this man, none of this would have happened.

“……”

She tried to think positively—

But unlike the two who had gone mad, she could not laugh.

Haryeong rubbed her aching, stiff cheek and looked at Yuri.

He was still being beaten with that ambiguous smile.

“…Pfft.”

A small laugh escaped her.

It came without her realizing.

Startled, she swallowed it quickly and composed her expression.

Fortunately, Yuri neither heard nor saw it.