Chapter 169

Chapter 169

What kind of situation is this?

Seohwa blinked at the appearance of the person who tore through space, despite the desperate circumstances. The person’s form was that unexpected.

Shinui’s medical token is a magical artifact. If you break Shinui’s medical token, Shinui will appear to provide treatment no matter where in the world they are.

That was what Seohwa had heard from Baek Riyun. Though it can only be used once, it’s a trump card that can even revive the dead if they haven’t been dead long. Something to only use at truly critical moments.

Naturally, she had fantasies about the mysterious being called Shinui. An immortal-looking elder wandering the world. Someone somewhat eccentric, yet still practicing benevolent medicine to save people.

But what is this person before her eyes now?

“Wh-what is…”

Shadows hanging darkly below the eyes. A height even shorter than her own, which isn’t particularly tall. And eyes anxiously looking around constantly.

“A young… child?”

That’s right. Not an immortal-looking elder, not an eccentric middle-aged person.

Just a young girl extremely awkward at dealing with people stood before her.

“Wh-what do you mean…? The med-medical token was definitely used…”

Shinui muttered anxiously and looked at Seohwa, then slightly averted her gaze. Her voice growing smaller.

“Th-the only unused medical token is that brat Baek Riyun’s? Who are you…”

“Are you Shinui-nim?”

“…I-I am. Why?”

“I’m Seohwa from Uicheonmun. I’m a disciple of Master Baek Riyun.”

“That br-brat became a sect master…?”

“Yes. I received the token from my master and used it.”

“W-well, he’s not the type to lose it somewhere…”

Shinui muttered timidly to herself, nodding as if convinced, then took a deep breath. And asked again.

“So, why did you… c-call me?”

“…There’s someone to save.”

“Wh-who doesn’t know that? You c-called a physician, so ob-obviously. Who, who do I need to save… Did that brat get hurt…?”

“No. The person to save is next to you, Shinui-nim.”

“Next to… Hiiiik!”

At Seohwa’s words, realizing something pale-faced was next to her, Shinui let out a high-pitched scream and clung to the side.

“F-fuck…! You sc-scared me. I thought it was a ghost…! You want me to save this kid…?”

“…Is it difficult?”

“Is that sup-supposed to be a question…?”

“…I see.”

Enough blood loss to form a pool. The organs weren’t damaged, but the abdomen was split open and exposed to outside air, and the heart had stopped beating long ago.

Even a great immortal sage couldn’t save this. Making that judgment, Seohwa lowered her head with a gloomy feeling. But the next moment, Shinui’s words continued.

“C-calling something this easy difficult… What do you take me for… Do I look that pathetic to you…”

“…What? You can fix this?”

“It’s not like you’re ask-asking me to attach two more arms or something…? T-to evolve into an Asura.”

“…Are there people like that too?”

“There w-were… Damn bastard. Anyway, if it’s not something like that, well… I’ve pulled back people who went to the underworld with only hair remaining as long as they weren’t completely dead…”

Kung!

Shinui muttered gloomily and struck the floor with her palm. The pooled blood gradually rose into the air and began being sucked back into Choil’s body as if time was reversing. Choil’s complexion rapidly returning.

“Magic arts…?”

“What are you st-staring at? First time seeing a ph-physician use magic arts…?”

“Yes. It’s my first time…”

“Any technique that helps save people, a physician should learn… Young people these days have no will to learn…”

“Anyway, with this the em-emergency treatment is done. He’ll be fine for about one gak in this state…”

After examining Choil closely for a moment, Shinui suddenly turned her head toward Seohwa. And asked.

“Why do you need to save this kid…?”

“…What?”

“Y-you might know, but the medical token can only treat one person. Only one person, no exceptions… That’s my rule. No exceptions. Do you un-understand…? From now on, if that brat Baek Riyun gets hurt, I can’t treat him…”

“Yes. I know.”

“Yet you’re using Baek Riyun’s spare life to treat this kid…? He’s not handsome, doesn’t have overflowing talent, doesn’t have a rare constitution…?”

“Why?”

Receiving Shinui’s increasingly clear and sharp gaze despite her stuttering, Seohwa closed her mouth. But Shinui’s words didn’t stop.

“I’ve received help from that brat… Because he found an extremely rare medicinal ingredient that was nearly impossible to obtain. But is that alone enough to receive my medical token? The spare life that can even revive the dead…?”

That can’t be. In her long life, Shinui had given out medical tokens that could summon her directly, rather than just treating patients on the spot, fewer than three times.

“I-I gave that brat a medical token because I believed he would accomplish great things in the future…”

“Great things?”

“Yes. I thought he’d be a huge help in correcting this absurdly unreasonable world… And his physique and face are pretty decent too…”

She knew the moment she saw him that he was talent destined to become a star. Fate whispered, heaven murmured, and Shinui’s instincts from living over a hundred years rang out.

“Just once, a device to catch a falling star when it falls. That’s why I gave him the medical token… But now, you’re using that chance on such an ordinary person…?”

“Why should I…?”

If it were an ordinary patient met on the road.

Then even Shinui wouldn’t have refused. She’s a physician too. Physicians don’t choose patients.

She can only emerge into the world through the medical token once. She has a mission.

“If I use it here, I might not be able to handle it when I really need to.”

Is that still acceptable? Using Baek Riyun’s spare life to save this child? Does this child have that much worth?

“Let me ask again…?”

Why should I save this child?

To Shinui’s question, Seohwa quietly opened her mouth.

“—I don’t know all of Master’s heart, but… if you had said those words to him, he probably would have said this.”

“…What?”

“If I’m a star, the reason I can become a star is because I always shine.”

—The best path is the most difficult one.

Recalling Baek Riyun’s words, Seohwa gripped the broken medical token again and held it out to Shinui.

“This isn’t simple sympathy. It’s Master’s, and our Uicheonmun’s creed. So.”

“Please treat him.”

No matter what price it takes.

Watching Seohwa speak firmly, Shinui pursed her lips crookedly. Then spoke as if chewing her words.

“Damn it… When pretty and handsome people make requests, I just can’t… refuse…”

“…What?”

“If-if you were even a little uglier I wouldn’t do it. Be th-thankful to your parents who gave birth to you… Got it…?”

“Then…”

“What are you doing?”

Slowly raising her hand to take out the bag at her waist, Shinui pulled out sharp instruments and her eyes gleamed.

“Come here and help with surgery. One sikgyeong will be enough.”

It’s heavy.

Kwaaaaaang—!!!

“…Keuup.”

While cutting through the mass of powerful demonic power falling overhead, I forcibly suppressed the breathing rising from my lungs. Though only at the first stage, using Cheonroesin yet still being pushed back in power.

‘Certainly troublesome.’

If it were an opponent I could cut down, I wouldn’t be struggling this much.

Twisting the sweat-soaked sword handle slightly in regret, I looked up. The yokai was looking down at me.

“It’s large, though not surprising.”

When a beast reaches six cheok in height, people feel that beast is enormous. Needless to say for great tigers or bears approaching one jang.

But the yokai before my eyes isn’t at that level. Just what’s visible is roughly over three jang in length. An indescribable form, like shadows leaping out into reality. And eerie killing intent.

Nothing looks like it belongs to the mortal world. An ordinary person who would be terrified just seeing a regular yokai might wet themselves if they witnessed this creature’s state with their eyes.

However, fortunately I wasn’t an ordinary person, and I didn’t become terrified either.

‘Much better than Heukya.’

That’s natural, since I’ve faced even worse creatures several times before.

—U. Uuu.

“Can you understand speech?”

—Uuu…

At the yokai’s attempt to say something, I tried speaking on the off chance, and the yokai stared at me blankly then reached out its hand. And the word that returned.

—All, die…

Materialized killing intent covers the world.

“Troublesome.”

At the sight of shadows covering the azure-green sea like waves of malice, I sighed and quietly sheathed my sword. It seemed the creature hadn’t lost language, but communication wasn’t working.

Kwareureuneung!

The palm technique that struck the air like lightning across the night sky soon transformed into massive lightning energy covering the surroundings. Though my total internal energy falls far short, the lightning energy pierces between the rushing shadows to shatter attacks from the inside.

From shoulder to heart. Muscles twitch as if paralyzed by the tingling sensation. Yet the yokai prepares the next attack seemingly untired.

‘What to do.’

I contemplate while watching the rushing shadows. Countless thoughts flash through my mind.

It’s been quite some time since Seohwa left. Judging from her not returning, she must have summoned Shinui, and if treatment has begun, it will need at least one dagyeong to one shichen.

Can I hold out that long?

‘At this rate…’

Probably difficult.

Kwagwagwagwa!

I judged objectively while cutting through the rushing shadows with hand techniques. My martial arts based on lightning energy has supreme destructive power, but it’s not particularly outstanding in endurance.

‘At this rate, I’ll lose.’

I can’t keep holding out. One dagyeong might be possible, but if treatment takes longer than one shichen, my body might not withstand the lightning energy and explode.

Then what should I do? I can’t injure it, and holding out is impossible.

How can I endure?

“…Shadows. Is it shadows?”

Udeudeudeuk.

Looking at the yokai manipulating shadows like its own limbs, I cracked my knuckles. Looking carefully, most of that yokai’s enormous frame consists not of its main body but shadows. And lightning energy is the most powerful force in this world.

‘Then…’

It seems absolutely impossible with human senses.

But if I could read the flow of shadows connecting to attacks from within, and cut them off with minimal lightning energy.

Wouldn’t it be manageable?

“A recklessly absurd plan.”

Expected success rate is at most below two-tenths.

An absurd proposition. This is like telling a blind person to guess what a painting depicts just by hearing it described.

“If it weren’t reckless, one couldn’t become a martial artist.”

That’s how martial artists grow through such attempts.

I slowly lowered my hand and closed my eyes.

Shortly after, when I sensed the rushing shadows’ presence and opened my eyes again.

The world visible before my eyes.

Split into a thousand pieces.