Just once.

Father had said that.

If I succeeded in one attack, he’d tell me where Mother was.

‘...Can I do it?’

I had already agreed, but I honestly wasn’t confident. More than I ever had been.

I’d usually be able to sink my teeth into something, but this... this was different.

‘What should I do?’

The air was still.

Only the sound of the wind passed through the open space. My father and I stood at a distance, facing each other.

The solemn, almost wistful atmosphere from a moment ago had vanished, replaced by a chilling tension.

My father stood with his hands behind his back, watching me intently. Under the rising moonlight, his red eyes seemed to glow even brighter.

“Come.”

At his words, I gathered my focus, channeling the heat that surged through me and filling my inner core with energy.

“Hahh…”

Heat escaped from my mouth, signaling that my body was properly heated up. Feeling the power circulating through my whole body, I asked him.

“Are you sure you won’t give me any advantages?”

At my question, he tilted his head and extended one hand forward, releasing his grip behind his back.

“I won’t use one hand.”

Quite the concession.

Since we both practiced martial arts, fighting with only one hand was a significant handicap for him. It would mean giving up his balance and limiting his attack range.

“...Then, can you keep one of your legs out of it?”

I decided to push my luck. Restricting his leg would be even more favorable than his arm.

“...”

“Guess that’s a no. Got it.”

Of course, I abandoned the idea after just one look at his eyes. Perhaps I’d pushed it too far.

I sighed inwardly, then focused my gaze back on him.

‘So he won’t use his left hand.’

Judging by how he had placed his left hand behind his back, it seemed that was the hand he would refrain from using. So, if possible, I should focus on his left side.

Crack...!

With the strategy in mind, I planted my feet firmly on the ground.

Sparks flickered from my soles as I leaned forward, ready to launch myself.

I had no intention of testing the waters. I had to go all out from the start.

Even then, I wasn't sure if it would be enough.

Fueled by the heat, I prepared to charge directly at him.

Swoosh—!

“...!”

But my father’s figure disappeared right before my eyes.

I immediately turned my head.

I couldn’t sense him at all. My aura was spread out, but I couldn’t pinpoint him. Yet, my body moved instinctively.

As if to prove that my choice was correct, something sharp brushed past my cheek.

It was my father’s arm.

Boom! Crack—!

The speed was incredible; only after dodging did I realize he’d moved.

I barely avoided it. Judging by the force of the wind and the sound of something shattering behind me…

‘I would’ve been finished if that had hit.’

The force behind that strike was no joke.

‘But even now…!’

When I looked at him, a scowl crossed my face. His left arm, which he’d kept behind his back, was the one he used for the attack.

I had expected him to strike with his right arm.

‘I fell for it.’

Was he baiting me into letting my guard down?

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I moved again.

If his left arm was extended and he wasn’t using his right, that would leave his side exposed.

I twisted my body to aim for it, but...

Boom—! A burst of flames erupted from his body, blocking my view.

I immediately narrowed my aura, increasing my accuracy and speed.

I sensed something near my chest. It was too late to dodge. I concentrated my defensive aura at one point.

Crack—! The impact struck me. The aura I had painstakingly gathered shattered in an instant.

Was that his knee? I couldn’t make out what had hit me.

Bang—! The force of the attack sent me flying backward.

I had to plant my feet down to slow myself down; otherwise, I’d be done for.

My gaze remained fixed on him. I needed to read his next move.

But my father was already gone from my sight.

“Damn…!”

I had lost track of him. Where did he go...?

Thud—!

“...!”

As I flew backward, my back hit something solid, stopping me mid-air.

The open space didn’t have any walls, so what was this?

Realizing what it meant, I twisted my body as quickly as possible.

Thud—!

But it was already too late. My father’s fist had connected with my chest.

“Gah…!”

The impact threw me far, sending me rolling across the ground.

The pain wasn’t as severe as expected. Considering I hadn’t fully activated my aura, he must have held back.

A chilling thought struck me.

If he hadn’t held back in that strike...

I would have died on the spot.

Scrambling up from the ground, I tried to locate him.

He stood where he had pushed me, his gaze on me.

Was he waiting for me?

I asked, a hint of incredulity in my voice.

“You didn’t mention you’d attack first.”

“I never said I’d let you attack first either.”

“...Damn, that’s true.”

I had just assumed he would.

That assumption was my mistake.

But the bigger issue was...

‘The gap between us is too wide.’

What was this?

I may not have mastered the Hwahyeong completely, but the difference was just too great.

And he even vowed not to use one of his arms.

It was as if he was toying with me, treating me like a child.

I looked at him with a helpless expression. He watched me with a curious gaze.

“Your reactions are decent. Although your moves rely more on instinct than calculation, they’re not wrong.”

Was he evaluating my movements?

It felt almost like he was instructing me.

“However, you don’t seem comfortable handling the heat yet.”

He had a point.

My Gu Flame Wheel Technique was close to reaching the seventh star, but I didn’t have a profound understanding of it.

I’d only used it to boost my speed with smoke and create destructive explosions with fire. That was the extent of my skill.

It seemed absurd for someone who had reached Hwahyeong to know so little about his own technique.

But there were reasons for that.

“It’s not like anyone taught me.”

My words seemed to make him flinch, if only slightly. I hadn’t dedicated myself to my martial arts, but he hadn’t exactly paid much attention to me either.

Noticing that, he averted his gaze slightly.

‘Now’s my chance.’

When he looked away, even for a moment, I ignited flames around my body and rushed toward him.

Simultaneously, I gathered energy in my palm, focusing the surrounding flames to quickly form a Fire Jewel.

I aimed to strike him with it, but...

Whack—!

“Huh?”

He swung his hand, knocking the Fire Jewel out of my palm. It flew past me into the woods, crashing with a loud explosion soon after.

What just happened?

I looked at him in disbelief, and he spoke.

“You’re quick at forming them. The power isn’t bad either.”

“...Ah, thank you.”

“But it lacked weight.”

As he spoke, something formed in his palm.

Whooosh—!

It was a Fire Jewel.

But it was different from mine.

Much faster and denser, as if it materialized instantly rather than forming.

It was larger and a deeper red, exuding a terrifying strength. My body trembled involuntarily.

‘Is it... pulling me in?’

Could a Fire Jewel possess such a force?

“You must keep it rotating inside, not just form it and hold.”

I didn’t know how, but one thing was clear.

If that hit me, there would be nothing left of me.

As I contemplated my next move, he casually threw the Fire Jewel aside.

And then...

Boom—! It crashed somewhere far away, and a few seconds later—

-!!!!

A massive flame shot into the sky, accompanied by an intense vibration.

This was on an entirely different level from my Fire Jewel.

What was that…?

I watched the flames with a stunned expression. He continued speaking to me.

“Remember the rotation. Always consider what the ‘Wheel’ in Gu Flame Wheel Technique signifies, and strive to embody its essence.”

The Gu Flame Wheel Technique.

Upon execution, it created a fiery ring based on the martial artist’s level of enlightenment. Depending on how it was wielded, the ring would rotate faster.

I had once questioned why it formed into a ring around my body, but I never sought an answer.

And now, I realized there was more to it…

So I was supposed to incorporate that concept into other techniques?

‘...Why didn’t I think of that?’

It was one of the most basic principles.

It was only now that I grasped the meaning embedded in the technique’s name. I should’ve considered both compression and rotation.

‘Hold on...’

The thought struck me.

This didn’t feel like a duel.

‘It’s more like a training session.’

Was I imagining it? It didn’t seem like it, not by any means.

My father spoke as I stood there in confusion.

“How far can you go?”

“Huh?”

“Show me everything you’ve got.”

His words sparked a realization.

This was...

‘Is he concerned that I didn’t learn anything?’

It seemed he was bothered by my earlier comment, so he was now trying to teach me something.

I had intended to ask him about martial arts anyway, so this was a good opportunity.

“Clan Leader…”

“Yes.”

“Weren’t we supposed to be dueling?”

“We are.”

It didn’t feel like the right moment to say, ‘This isn’t the time for teaching.’

I held my tongue because, in a way, this situation wasn’t too bad.

I pulled all my qi into my core.

I soared into the air, and soon, the sky began to change.

Red Heaven.

One of Gu Family’s secret techniques, similar to the Fire Jewel. The air grew thick with heat under the crimson sky.

Buzz—!

The fiery ring around my body spun without rest.

‘He mentioned focusing on the rotation.’

I had a sense of how to use the Fire Jewel, but I wasn’t sure about Red Heaven.

I made my move regardless. This was supposed to be a duel, not just training.

Under the influence of Red Heaven, my speed increased. I aimed for his restrained right side.

He observed my Red Heaven technique even as I approached.

I must have been so slow he didn’t need to focus on me.

It was embarrassing, on multiple levels.

I unleashed a flurry of attacks toward his right side.

Despite his massive build, he dodged every one of my moves with ease.

His movements weren’t anything extraordinary.

He was just faster than me.

Boom—! After shifting my center of gravity to my left foot, I activated my Gu Flame Swirl technique, pouring more qi into it to increase its range.

It was an impractical approach, but if I wanted to land even one strike, this was my best shot.

Just before the flames I gathered erupted, his palm blocked my path.

“Your gathering speed is fine, but your release is too slow.”

“…!”

Whoosh—!

Flames burst from his palm, wrapping around me as they passed by.

I clenched my eyes shut, trying to fortify my aura, but it was too late.

Yet, oddly enough, there was no pain.

When I opened my eyes, I realized that although flames had erupted, they had torn up everything except the ground I stood on.

“...”

What was this supposed to be?

I felt completely defeated. He had overpowered me in every way.

At this point, I wondered if it would be easier to ask him to take care of Cheonma for me.

As I looked at him with a stunned expression, he asked in a calm tone.

“Are you ready to give up now?”

“...”

Was this his way of telling me to give up? He wasn’t wrong, but...

“No.”

Unfortunately, I had no intention of giving up yet.

“You said to do everything I could, right?”

“...”

“I still have a lot left to try.”

He nodded, granting me permission to continue.

There were things I hadn’t shown him yet.

I realized I couldn’t rely on Gu Flame Wheel Technique alone.

I needed to try something else.

I couldn’t use demonic or blood qi. Even if I used those, I probably wouldn’t win.

And I didn’t want to use that power in front of him.

In that case, there was only one option left.

‘...I wasn’t supposed to use this.’

My mentor (Jin) had warned me.

He told me never to use this in a fight without his permission.

‘But it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?’

I had to do something. Maybe he’d understand in this case.

‘And if he doesn’t, well...’

It wasn’t like I had any other choice. Even Paejon had said there was no one else to learn it from but me.

As I finished my thoughts...

Wooong—

“…!”

Alongside the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, I drew upon another energy.

“…This…”

My father’s eyes widened in a way I’d never seen before.

Was it really that shocking?

Even as I noticed his reaction, I focused on spreading the energy throughout my body.

Then, Paejon’s signature technique, Dual Heaven Piercing Technique, infused itself into me.

“Hah…”

My exhale was the same as before, but this time, the heat mixed with a dense, sharp energy.

Pain immediately spread throughout my body, but it was manageable, as always.

After I readied myself, I spoke to him.

“Thank you for waiting. Here I come—”

Just as I was about to finish speaking...

Somehow, his fist was already in front of my face.

“Huh?”

Bam—!

And with that, I felt the impact and everything went black.