<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 159>
There are days that are strangely uneventful.
Days when it feels like the whole world is telling me to “take it easy.”
Today was exactly like that for Kim Yeon-hee, so she decided to visit Yoo Hae-ryun’s house, having not seen her in a while.
“Hey, I’m here….. What are you doing?”
“Huh, you’re here?”
What are you doing?
In Kim Yeon-hee’s gaze, Yoo Hae-ryun appeared, struggling with a piece of paper smaller than the palm of her hand—much smaller than colored paper.
“Is that crane paper? Are you folding cranes?”
“Are you blind?”
“What crane?”
“I’m doing this at the request of my granddaughter. Why don’t you sit down and help me? Your handcrafting skills have always been better than mine, anyway.”
“You only say that because you’re so clumsy…”
Wait a moment!
While engrossed in this casual conversation, a sudden thought occurred.
Yoo Hae-ryun only has one son and one daughter, and neither has married, let alone had children.
Therefore, the so-called “granddaughter” she mentioned must be with high probability…
“…You’re at it again. Park Bom is my granddaughter, not yours.”
“Yeon-hee, here we go again? It’s time you accept it. Even Park Bom calls me ‘Lovely Grandma.'”
“Not by a long shot.”
“Just sit down. Help me fold while we talk. Park Bom needs them.”
“I don’t agree with that.”
A familiar battle for custody of Bom began.
The contest between these two grandmothers with strong pride unfolded.
What does Bom like? What is Bom interested in these days? Where did you go with Bom, and what did you do together?
“I went shopping with Bom last weekend.”
“Are you still stuck on that? Ugh, it’s getting tiresome. I also went two weekends ago.”
“Are weekends two and five weeks ago the same? To a child, a week is a lifetime.”
“Ha! Look at how pompous she sounds. Hey! I invested in the ‘Captain Tiger’ movie series because of Bom.”
“So what! You’re trying to buy affection with just a little money? Love isn’t about that. Children value time spent together. You fool!”
“Hey, you poop-idiot!”
No one who sees this would believe it.
The witch of Optimum, known as the terror of Korean agents, is yelling “poop-idiot” while her neck turns red with anger. Meanwhile, the lady of the Jin-ryong family, the cradle of Korean magic, is mockingly sticking out her tongue, saying “Ehehe~.”
How incredibly trivial and embarrassing.
Even the attendant who brought the tea turned red and left the room.
After a long while of arguing, the two finally seemed satisfied.
What meaningful lesson could be derived from such trivial conversations? It’s just the usual bantering between friends, isn’t it? After all, when you talk casually about anything, it’s surprising how your complicated mind can settle down.
They seemed to have had a decent time, as they happily sipped their tea and wrapped up the conversation.
Of course, the conversation didn’t end with just talk about Bom.
“Did you know she’s graduating from kindergarten soon? Where are we thinking of sending her to elementary school?”
“Hm, I’m still thinking about it.”
“Go ahead and tell me, Mrs. Kim.”
“Hm…”
After some thought, Kim Yeon-hee shared her thoughts with her friend.
“Under normal circumstances, it’s best to send her to a nearby elementary school.”
It was the most ordinary method and had the advantage of allowing her to build normal human relationships. As a reference, all three children of the Sword Master family opted for this approach.
For that reason, Kim Yeon-hee was also well aware of the critical drawback of this ordinary method.
At that age, kids perceive ‘talent’ as ‘difference.’ Children avoid ‘different’ friends and end up excluding or isolating them.
“…I’m worried Bom might get bullied like Park Ki-hyuk did.”
“Hm, she would have to be quite extraordinary for that to happen. It’s understandable to worry.”
“If she gets angry, it’ll be bad.”
“Hm… You’re right. It would be bad.”
As if they had planned it, the two people let out a sigh, recalling Park Bom’s abilities.
While it’s cute to refer to her as “Bom,” the incredible talent slumbering within this small child must not be overlooked.
Even a fraction of that talent, if awakened, would be terrifying.
What do I mean by that?
A person dies with a mere gesture from Park Bom.
Too far-fetched? Absolutely not. Just think about what lies within her.
“It’s unimaginable for the angelic Bom to hurt someone, but you never know with worldly matters.”
As Yoo Hae-ryun grumbled, she opened her mouth.
“Let’s move past that. No matter how you think about it, that doesn’t seem right. Next?”
“Hm, the next option is sending her to a private gifted school.”
A school where prodigies from various fields come together.
In this category were children who ‘awakened’ to mana early, and these children were separately grouped to receive early education in basic magic or swordsmanship.
“Here, Bom could also feel at ease, surrounded by similar kids.”
“I see that too, it seems decent. Many of the Jin-ryong children attend there.”
“Hm…”
Even though the scales of decision seemed to tip, Kim Yeon-hee’s concern deepened.
The problem was still there.
Too powerful.
Power beyond the norm.
Even if Bom went to the gifted school, would it make a difference?
True, her ability to use mana would be understood, but Bom is far beyond that level, right?
Would kids who’ve merely awakened to mana be able to handle Bom?
No, it’s out of the question.
“Don’t worry too much. Ki-hyuk is teaching her well, isn’t he?”
At Yoo Hae-ryun’s words of comfort, Kim Yeon-hee’s expression suddenly scrunched up.
“…That just makes me more worried.”
It would be like entrusting a fish to a cat.
“Ah~ Let’s just hope she doesn’t break anything.”
“Come on, surely not… Even though it’s Ki-hyuk, it’s not like this kind of thing…”
“Could it be? Could be? Ki-hyuk has his limits too, right?”
As Kim Yeon-hee and Yoo Hae-ryun exchanged skeptical smiles about the unlikely scenario…
They didn’t know.
That unlikely scenario was actually unfolding right then.
*
Song Saebyeok couldn’t pull herself together.
Originally, today’s session was supposed to be solely hers. It was set up to relay information about the bloodline she received from Japan for her to consolidate.
Suddenly, Park Bom was added.
“Saebyeok, Bom is coming along today.”
“I feel like I’ve been neglecting her too much. There are things that need to be taught.”
According to Jin Yu-ri, it was shocking that Bom had clashed with inferior opponents. All those people were once considered the pinnacle of talents in Japan, yet to Park Ki-hyuk’s eyes, they were only mediocrities.
But Song Saebyeok’s doubt at the time was of a different nature.
‘Bom, isn’t she… seven years old? What kind of training needs to be done at that age…?’
She was curious, but she waited.
And then… sure enough, Bom approached Saebyeok with a belly button salute inside the training gate.
She was as adorable as ever today, and Saebyeok couldn’t help but smile like a proud father.
But she was curious.
Exactly what does Master plan to teach Bom?
Her doubt was soon resolved.
“Bom, what did dad say last night?”
“Yes! He said I have to protect myself.”
“Dad will protect you for life, but that doesn’t mean he wants to raise a spoiled brat.”
“I am a big sister! I’ll grow up properly!”
“In the past, during travels, you learned the basics, right? Today, we’ll learn all kinds of ‘magic’ quickly!”
“Yes! I’ll try my best!”
It wasn’t just talk.
Real magic from Bom, let me correct that — this went far beyond simply learning.
‘How do I describe this…?’
Is it like storing information?
Park Ki-hyuk demonstrates magic. Park Bom watches attentively.
And then, exactly the same magic Park Ki-hyuk used is flawlessly reproduced.
Absolutely identical.
That’s all.
“Ha… ha…”
Watching this, even Song Saebyeok was disbelieving. But this was not exaggerated in any way—it was 100% the truth.
Is learning magic this easy? Saebyeok’s friends used to study hard to master just one spell, so how would they feel seeing this?
But Saebyeok wasn’t amazed enough yet.
“Magic is something you need to keep learning. Do you remember what else dad said?”
“A magician’s study never ends!”
“Exactly, now Bom, you’re also a magician! You need to listen to the lessons the world offers. Can you do that?”
“Yes!”
“Good! Let’s move on to next. We’re going to study ‘stars,’ Bom’s favorite topic.”
“Finally-!”
Was she referring to ‘Apocalypse’? Apocalypse, after all, isn’t it Park Ki-hyuk’s personal magic?
Swallow hard.
With excitement, Song Saebyeok gripped her hands and fixated on the two of them.
Then she witnesses an unexpected scene.
“Bom, spread your wings.”
“Wing transformation!”
From behind Park Bom, a radiant light spread into life, forming wings.
Wings as small as the palm of a hand.
Cute, cherub-like wings of an infant angel fluttering as Bom ascended into the sky.
At that moment, Song Saebyeok’s jaw dropped slightly.
“Focus.”
“Focus!”
“Slowly follow dad’s mana flow.”
“Yup.”
Then Park Ki-hyuk wrapped his arms around Park Bom from behind, taking her hands and unfolding them together.
With intertwined hands, they mumbled incantations. As the spells continued, the surrounding mana began to react.
Not violently — but calmly, clearly, and finally magnificently vibrating.
The line drawn in the void.
Six lines crossed each other, creating a hexagram.
Park Ki-hyuk’s signature hexagram magic.
There was a clear difference between Bom’s hexagram and Park Ki-hyuk’s.
If Park Ki-hyuk’s hexagram contained the deep darkness of the ‘abyss,’ Bom’s hexagram emanated the dazzling brilliance of ‘radiance.’
“Alive (Birth: 舂生)”
Alive
……
…
Whoosh!
A burst of pure white light erupted, and the forest was ‘erased’.
No sound. No omens. No grand, flashy explosion like those of large-scale magic.
Just…
Within the white hexagram region, all matter was deleted alongside the light.
“Goodness…”
Song Saebyeok rubbed her eyes and saw the vanished forest.
The forest was completely hollowed out, as if it had never existed from the beginning.
Does this even make sense?
Song Saebyeok’s dazed eyes turned to Park Bom, who created this scene.
“Woooh!! Dad!! Did you see that? It worked!! It worked perfectly!!”
“Our Bom did a great job!”
“Hehehe. Am I good? I’m amazing, right?”
“Splendid. You’re amazing!”
As the light diminished and the erased forest was inspected, Park Bom clapped her hands in the air. Her adorable angelic wings flapped with energy, as if praising her master.
Park Ki-hyuk, floating beside her, gently patted Park Bom’s head.
Song Saebyeok couldn’t comprehend this at all.
At just seven years old, seven! Just before elementary school, this child erased a forest.
Certainly, considering scale magic, it was a bit small in scope, but the completeness of the magic was unquestionably perfect.
No, no, wait…
“Is that even magic?”
Frankly, Song Saebyeok didn’t know.
Even though Song Saebyeok, an unparalleled martial arts figure, had knowledge of magic, she hadn’t seen or heard of this kind of magic being used by Park Bom.
But…
The real spectacle was yet to come.
“Now, let’s restore it.”
“Okay!”
Park Bom snuggled into Park Ki-hyuk’s embrace and extended her hands.
“Restore…”
If Park Ki-hyuk’s “Apocalypse” contained destruction, symbolizing erasure, Park Bom’s “Alive,” meaning birth, evolved beyond destruction, advancing in a different direction.
Specifically.
The hexagram of radiant brilliance reformed, completed exactly in reverse of Park Ki-hyuk’s.
In that moment…
Alive
The erased trees began regenerating from their roots.
Grass swayed as if they’d already found their place, and stones appeared exactly where they once stood.
When the beams of light dissipated…
Everything had returned.
Just as it was before.
The twin embodying the opposite side of Apocalypse.
Alive.
This was Park Bom’s unique magic.
