Tyrant’s Lesson

Ghost-Shadow Sword.

A sword technique characterized by an uncanny elusiveness, as if it manipulates ghosts and shadows.

It was the name many who had witnessed the calamities unfolded by the Sword Ghost gave it, and it naturally remained as the title symbolizing the supreme swordsmanship he developed.

However, as the Sword Master had said, the Ghost Shadow Sword itself was an orthodox sword art unrelated to such notions. The name was only given because those dying could not discern its true nature.

Rather, the forms and the ways it was wielded were closer to basic swordsmanship that emphasized nothing special, only speed, power, and precision.

What made it special was precisely that it contained and handled heart-swords in various ways.

‘The principle itself is simple, but…’

It was, in effect, a power bordering on something outside the category of swordsmanship.

Even from the perspective of an instructor, the Ghost Shadow Sword is an absurdly powerful force.

Usually, sword or spear techniques are treated as kinds of skills. No matter how great, they don’t surpass Legendary grade.

Legendary status also required historical great deeds or myths passed down through generations.

But this was myth-level despite having none of that. That was how ridiculous this sword art itself was.

‘Annoying, but…’

He had to admit what needed admitting. Even with Yu Seha’s genius, creating a sword art that surpassed the Ghost Shadow Sword was nearly impossible.

So he resolved instead to master it perfectly. The one who used it might have been a bastard, but the technique itself was innocent.

A buzzing, rotating triangular blade qi. A derivative skill of the Ghost Shadow Sword, it was a technique called ‘Formless Blade’ that symbolized the ultimate state.

Yu Seha, who had been gazing at it, suddenly crossed his legs. Normally he would have swung it and embodied it physically, but…

‘Now is not the time for that.’

This pitiful body absolutely could not handle the Ghost Shadow Sword. So rather than manifesting it directly, he would fight internally. In other words, he decided to move to image training.

He closed his eyes. By that act darkness came, and everything fell silent.

The darkness that had rippled like an abyss soon formed its characteristic shape and projected a being quite similar to the Sword Ghost.

A figure presumed to be an old man walked forward. Yu Seha matched him and clashed.

‘Back then…’

He reenacted the life-and-death duel he had wagered everything on right there. Hand movements, the center of gravity in the toes, and so on. Even though it was imagination, the sensations were vivid.

Drip, drip. Sweat began to pour from the child’s body like rain. The image training he had thought about incessantly while drooling and sleeping right after coming out of <Cocoon>.

It had by now become a clear training method that directly affected reality. With cracking sounds, muscles began to develop within limits that wouldn’t strain his bones.

As he swung the sword in that moment, Yu Seha suddenly had this thought.

‘I might be able to do it.’

Creating something new was difficult, but the idea of weaving together all the sword arts he had learned so far.

It was crazy, but he resolved he wanted to try it immediately.

[‘As a Transcendent, your Five-Star reaches the high heavens.’]
[‘Beings of the Above are drawn to your light and gather.’]

‘Focus.’

The core, of course, was the Ghost Shadow Sword. The most powerful heart-sword formed the center, and into it he placed ‘Heavenly Blade Slash’. Around the triangular ‘Formless Blade’, a subtle yet stable sword qi wound itself.

Soon, the blade wound so fierce it was hard to control enveloped him. It was the first sword art Yu Seha had learned, a technique among the top in pure power, proof that he served Peng Jin-ah as teacher, and the crystallization of his heart—the Overlord Sword Technique.

Soon, a faint plum blossom scent wafted under his nose. It was the Epic skill he had roughly observed the Sword Empress use and managed to internalize: the Twenty-Four Hand Plum Blossom Sword technique. Its characteristic butterfly touched the ‘Formless Blade’, altering the swirling energy and its color.

What was produced was the same Ghost Shadow Sword, but it was a fundamentally different new ultimate art.

In the Sword Ghost’s case, he had trained only the Ghost Shadow Sword to the extreme, reaching a level of forming a complete sphere based on more diverse Formless Blade forms,

Yu Seha, as it were, through unification, had achieved something new suited to his Five-Star. A manifestation of genius even the creator Sword Ghost could not achieve. It was clear proof that Yu Seha was no longer merely human.

‘Just like this…’

Add the speed of ‘Ryu-Cham’ he had used on ‘Kwae’—

Drip.

“…Huh?”

Yu Seha flinched. A lukewarm liquid trickled from his nose. It was blood black as if dead. It was a symptom visible because he had internal injuries.

“Ah, damn!”

Yu Seha shook his head and shook it off. Hurriedly, he used [Emergency Heal] to mend the inside.

He lowered his head and surveyed his surroundings. Fortunately, his clothes weren’t stained with blood. If bloodstains had been found, the others wouldn’t have let it slide. If unlucky, he might have been barred from entering here…

[‘The King of Demons says, are you showing genius again? The beings of the Above keep trying to come, it’s annoying, he scolds you to do it later when you’re fully grown.’]

“Ah, sorry. It’s hit or miss, and yet I keep getting greedy.”

Still, it felt good. He saw hope. There was no basis, no guarantee it would work, but in this moment, in the fragile child’s form, Yu Seha felt certain.

‘I can overcome it.’

The terrifying nightmare and symbol of calamity, the Sword Ghost So Hang-woo, the wall he thought he couldn’t beat… He even felt certain he could smash whatever the Demon King might be.

‘Next time we meet…’

when this body has fully grown, the day it unleashed Complete Devour and everything else.

‘That day will be the day the Sword Ghost dies.’

[You can achieve Apotheosis! Beings of the Above wish to form a bond with you.]
[If you ascend to the Above world, a fitting divine seat is guaranteed for you.]

“Huh? This popped up again?”

[‘The King of Demons tells you not to worry. He scolds that everyone is just old and foolish.’]

Grumbling remarks. Yu Seha snorted, feeling reassured by that Yokai King.

A little later, sensing something, Yu Seha suddenly bowed toward the empty air.

“Have you come, old sir?”

Then, unlike the King of Demons, a distinct voice echoed in his head. It was a deep, dignified voice that evoked the kind of charisma that commands an audience.

[‘Ahem… How many times must I say I’m still of the younger generation?’]

Surprisingly, the voice spoke directly. It was none other than the Tyrant.

Unlike the Yokai King, the Tyrant did not refuse influence by a patron, so direct conversation like this was possible.

Especially a few months ago, Yu Seha, who had worn baby pajamas and was barely more than an infant. They naturally talked often, and now he also served as a mentor teaching Yu Seha various things.

[‘Typing messages was hard, but this turned out very well.’]

“…Oh, so you’ve been typing out all the messages yourself until now?”

[‘The Yokai King says that’s basically right. He mentions that Grandpa Tyrant is particularly slow because he’s old.’]

“Ah ha…”

[‘Ahem! How many times must I say I’m still young!’]

Two transcendent beings grumbled. Yu Seha was already used to it and barely reacted. In the meantime, the Tyrant asked.

[‘Ahem, so have you prepared that?’]

“Ah, right. I forgot.”

[’……’]

“Just kidding~”

Yu Seha chuckled softly. He took something out from the pocket dimension of [Sla-Sla].

It was elegantly wrapped ssanghwa tea and peanut sandwiches. A raw egg even sat atop the ssanghwa tea.

Yu Seha alternately took bites and sips, and the Tyrant’s voice came, sounding pleased.

[‘Hmm, not bad. It seems a quite skilled child made this.’]

As said before, they could share tastes with one another. It had been procured at his request. However, the Yokai King apparently didn’t like it at all.

[‘The King of Demons croaks! It tastes awful, like a stodgy old person, he scolds that your taste is old like your rotten skin.’]
[‘Tch! Already scratched three times! I’m only a mere 22,891 years old, I’m of the young generation!’]
[‘The King of Demons suggests you’re creepier and older than expected and advises you to rest in peace.’]
[‘Eeeeek!’]

After the noisy snack time ended, the deep voice resounded once more.

[‘Now then, put a lot of power into your butt.’]

“…Do you really have to use such crude words?”

[‘Ahem! Hurry and put your strength into it! This is how I always taught those of my generation.’]

Yu Seha sighed, and gathered strength as the Tyrant advised. His characteristic reddish magic swirled through his entire body, released as if erupting like an active volcano.

It soon transformed into red scales that rippled as if each were alive. Because he was in a child’s body, he operated it within limits that wouldn’t overstrain him. It took a full thirty minutes, but it finished transforming into a fairly convincing form.

[‘Complete Devour’ is activated.]
[‘Dragon Form’ is optionally activated. During its duration, all stats except divinity rise by 10%.]
[‘Dragon’s Greed’ hides within you. The ‘Tyrant’s Spirit’ blocks it.]
[You acquire information on ‘Dragon Transformation’. It can be used as material to form a new <Form>.]

His Dragon Form appearance was almost identical to what Ju Na-young had shown. This was why Ju Na-young’s name proudly appeared on the [Complete Devour]’s eating-list.

Hey, Yong!? My, my scales aren’t enough…you want claws and even fingernails attached!? I, uh, even if I manage mail, such areas can be a bit dirty. Still necessary? Ah, okay…but, instead…if you call me sis, I’ll give them, got it?

Yu Seha turned his body this way and that. He noticed his center of balance was slightly shifted backward. When he looked, a thin but sturdy crimson tail was swaying.

“Oh, so this is a tail…”

It was certainly a strange sensation. Not an arm or leg, but something akin that moved according to his will?

Without this, maintaining balance would be difficult—it wasn’t simply an ornament.

[‘Hmm…It’s only been four days since you could use the Dragon Form…already both arms and now a tail have come out.’]

“Ju Na-young would be so happy to see this. When he first used Dragon Form, she screamed and hugged me…”

[‘How wonderful that the one you adore can use the same dragon power. Dragons are inherently creatures of greed, which naturally extends to sexual desire toward the object. So this form is extremely attractive to that child. She’s probably barely resisting the urge to pin you down and mate right now. As an aside, when you later sleep with that child, maintain Dragon Transformation—you’re sure to produce superior offspring—’]

[‘The King of Demons tells the old grandpa to stop meddling in things like that.’]

“…Ahem.”

[‘Anyway, as I suspected, your talent is clearly out of scale. A Five-Star so fearsome it’s frightening. I can see why the Beings of the Above drool so much—if they succeed in recruiting you, they could expand the Many-God Seats.’]

[‘The King of Demons says, why bring that up now? Hurry and move to the next stage.’]

[‘Yes, let’s do that…Very well, Yu Seha. Take it out.’]

Yu Seha bowed his body as if he’d been waiting.

With a noise like something growing, nerves connected and a new sensory organ was added.

He looked over his back. A dazzling pair that seemed made on a base of red-hot metal.

Their identity was that which Ju Na-young had painstakingly managed to manifest. One of the dragon’s powers and strengths—it was the dragon’s wings.