Four.

There were unmistakably four of the lustrous spheres.

I counted again, and it was still four, and even counting backward it was four.

No matter how I looked—four.

I rubbed my eyes over and over, then clapped a hand over my mouth at the number I saw again.

“...Mmph...”

If I hadn’t blocked it, I wouldn’t have been able to keep from making a sound.

That’s how violent a sight it was.

‘Four... Four Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pills!’

A full four.

A thing where landing just one could let you live in peace for the rest of your life—there were four of them.

The divine pill of divine pills that all martial artists call a fortuitous chance.

Not one, but four Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pills.

“...Wow... whoa...”

I wiped the drool running down my hand and kept staring at the pills.

‘...So this is the famous Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill?’

An outrageous elixir said to change a martial artist’s future and history with a single dose.

The edible miracle I’d only heard of by name was right before my eyes.

[The color is good. Looks like it was stored well.]

“Obvious. Do you know how hard it was to pry that from a bald monk?”

“If you’re done gawking, take out one and close it again. If you leave it open, the energy might leak out—oh. Good.”

I didn’t even listen to the end; I just shut the box first.

“Why would you tell me something that terrifying only now...? What if the product’s value dropped.”

[...No...]

At my words, Yoo Cheongil let out a short, incredulous breath and looked at me.

His eyes were especially blue today.

[‘Product’? Odd choice of words. Are you saying you’d sell the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill?]

“...”

At that, my shoulders twitched.

Ah.

‘I let my real thoughts slip out.’

I’d been so startled I’d lost control. Stupidly.

I tried hard to fix my face, but—

‘Too late.’

I knew both Yoo Cheongil and the Poison Sovereign were looking this way.

It was a little late to spit out a belated excuse, so—

“...Well, eating it is a bit much, isn’t it.”

I had to go straight down the middle.

[What?]

Yoo Cheongil’s brow narrowed at my words.

[‘A bit much’? Of course you should eat it.]

At that, I narrowed my brow.

“Have you lost it?”

[What?]

Eat the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill? I was so dumbfounded.

“Do you know how much one of these goes for—and you want to shove such a precious thing into this shabby body? Have you gone senile?”

No matter how badly I wanted to grow stronger, casually scarfing down a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill was a hard choice to make.

[Huh. Look at this lunatic. So you got your hands on a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill but won’t eat it and plan to sell it? You still call yourself a martial artist!?]

“‘Martial artist,’ my ass. Isn’t it more insane to eat something this expensive without a thought? It’s not like being a martial artist is some official rank.”

[You—!]

He was about to raise his voice and really go at me, then paused.

Maybe he realized there was no point in fighting now?

Instead of rage, what Yoo Cheongil chose was—

[Still, there are four. You can afford to eat one, can’t you.]

Soothing.

Uncharacteristically, his tone was rather gentle.

So gentle it gave me the creeps.

[Just one. You know you can only take one Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill anyway.]

“Excuse me? ‘Only one’?”

When I looked puzzled, Yoo Cheongil stared back like surely I was kidding.

[...You don’t know?]

“No.”

[...Heh.]

His cheek twitched as he let out a laugh. I could see him forcing down the urge to call me pathetic.

[Even divine pills have something like resistance.]

It was news to me. Resistance when ingesting a divine pill?

It was interesting, so I pricked up my ears; he kept going.

[Since a martial artist’s dantian has a fixed limit to what it can accept at once, once a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill sweeps through, resistance forms, so even if you take a second one, it won’t help much.]

“So taking two is meaningless?”

[Not meaningless, but not worth the attempt. As you said yourself, a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill isn’t cheap.]

“...Hm.”

Meaning:

One pill is definitely effective, but from the second on, the efficiency drops sharply, so there’s no need to bother.

[So just take one. You still have three more anyway.]

And just as his coaxing deepened—

“No... you keep talking nonsense.”

The Poison Sovereign cut in.

“When did I say I’d give you all four! Why are you bastards making a scene over someone else’s property!”

His bark finally snapped me back to my senses.

Oh. Right?

‘I never said he’d give them all.’

Thinking of that, I resolved not to open the pill box again.

Then—

[You rotten penny-pincher. Throwing ashes on a done deal? What’s the harm in giving that little? You’re dead anyway, so don’t be greedy.]

At his heated jab, fire lit in the Poison Sovereign’s eyes as well.

[What? ‘That little’? ‘Penny-pincher’? Listen to this crazy bastard run his mouth about what isn’t his. Do you know how I stole—no, obtained—that!]

“...”

I definitely heard it. He was about to say he stole it.

Don’t tell me he really did steal the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pills?

‘...Steals the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and steals the pills. What kind of old man is this?’

It’s not like he lacked money at home.

He’d been Head of one of the Five Great Clans—why did he keep stealing things?

[Hey! Who doesn’t know you snuck it from that bald monk anyway!]

I wondered which bald monk he meant.

I was curious—and very much not curious.

‘I shouldn’t hear this.’

It felt bad just looking at it. The Plum-Blossom True Sword story had already been a shock; hearing “that side” here too would only make things worse.

[Damn it! ‘Snuck’? It was a legitimate trade! Even Gaebul himself acknowledged it, I’m telling you!]

Ah, damn—heard that one.

I had to dry-wash my face repeatedly at what drifted in.

‘...Gaebul... that’s the former Shaolin Abbot.’

Another fact I’d hoped to avoid turned out to be true.

I’d heard about Gaebul in the Blue Moon Vault too. Of course it was that side again.

[Whether you snuck it or not, you could still hand it over. Why so many words. You’re dead anyway and can’t even use it.]

[You—!]

The Poison Sovereign trembled.

I worried he might explode, when—

“Phewwww...”

He let out a long breath. If that breath had a color, it would’ve been red, that’s how full of anger it felt.

“...Who said I wouldn’t give it? Try listening to the end.”

Wow, the patience on this one.

If it were me, I’d have flipped the table.

Contrary to appearances, the Poison Sovereign seemed very patient.

“...Hoo. Child.”

His gaze turned to me.

“Yes, Elder.”

“I have a request—why did your form of address switch again?”

[Ignore it, he’s always like that.]

“Uh. Uh... anyway, I have a request for you.”

“A request...?”

“Ordinarily, this would’ve been the end of it, but there’s something else I need to ask you.”

“Hmmm...”

I squinted at him.

The phrasing felt odd.

‘A request now, of all times?’

We’d brought out the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword as intended and taken the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pills as compensation.

And now, all of a sudden, he had another request?

‘No. It’s not sudden.’

It wasn’t a request that popped up out of nowhere.

‘From the number of pills on down, this must’ve been planned.’

The Poison Sovereign had prepared the process, knowing it would go this way.

“What’s the request?”

Keeping my gaze calm, I asked.

He cleared his throat once and spoke.

“I want you to deliver the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword you brought. If you do this... I’ll give you the remaining pills as well.”

‘Deliver?’

All I had to do was deliver that handle I’d brought to someone?

And he’d give me more pills in return?

Maybe—

“...Is this person very far away?”

“That’s not it. The person is inside the Tang Clan.”

“Hmmm...”

Solving something that simple for Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pills was very cost-effective indeed, but—

“You’re really giving the pills for something that small?”

“Yes. Like that damn bastard said, I’m dead and my body has no use. And—”

Just before he finished, his eyes shifted, ever so slightly.

“That way you can afford to eat one, can’t you.”

“...”

I cocked my head.

This guy...

‘I can understand Yoo Cheongil, but even the Poison Sovereign wants me to eat a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill?’

Why?

Judging by attitude, that’s what it looked like, but I didn’t know the intent.

“So... you’ll give me all the pills if I just deliver this sword, and you’re saying I should eat one.”

The more I spoke, the less loss there was for me.

Frankly, even getting one Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill down is a miracle. If everyone’s throwing them at me from all sides, what’s there to dislike?

‘Delivering the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword is a bit of a hassle, but...’

If you asked whether that was reason enough to refuse—

“...All I have to do is deliver it, right?”

I decided it wasn’t.

“Yes.”

Hearing the Poison Sovereign’s answer, I held back my unease and looked to Yoo Cheongil.

In the midnight blue of his eyes, he was looking at me with anticipation.

“...Ugh.”

His stare was too much, so I averted my eyes and opened the box again.

As soon as I did, the fragrance from before rose up again.

Worried the energy might fly off, I quickly picked up one pill and closed it.

For all it’s called a “supreme” pill, it was about the size of a circle formed by my index finger and thumb touching.

Could something that great really be soaked into this?

I stared at it a moment, then sighed.

“What a waste...”

Do I really have to eat it? I hesitated until the very last second.

It was far too precious to put into this shabby body.

“Damn it...”

With a hand trembling hard, I put the pill in my mouth.

As soon as it touched my tongue, a radiant fragrance spread through my whole body.

But—

‘Do I chew this or just swallow?’

How are you supposed to take this again?

As for divine pills, the only thing I’d ever taken in my life was the Blue Moon Pill, so I had no idea.

Then—

[Come out.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke to me. Come out, just like that? With the pill in my mouth, I looked at him, puzzled.

[If the energy leaks, you’ll hate it. I’ll use it properly, so step aside.]

“...”

“What are you talking about? All of a sudden?”

The Poison Sovereign frowned at the two of us, but this wasn’t the time to care.

At his words I nodded at once. Let the precious energy leak? Absolutely not.

As soon as I gave permission, strength drained right out of my body.

Yoo Cheongil took hold of me.

[Huh?]

The Poison Sovereign’s eyes widened at that.

Yoo Cheongil sat cross-legged and swallowed the pill whole.

I could feel it.

The pill sliding down my esophagus.

And the instant it settled safely into my gut—

Thrum—!

A vibration from deep in my belly. Then—

Kwooooo—!!!

An enormous energy began to flow from my dantian.

‘...Huh.’

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I’d never felt anything like this.

A storm. Like a vortex made of energy rising inside my body.

So vast and rough that if I slipped even a little I’d be swept away, and yet at the same time neat and gentle.

Contradictory, paradoxical—there was no other way to describe it.

Krrrrrrrrrr—!!!

The tremendous energy grew ever more violent, like it would sweep me up whole.

Is this really okay? Can a dantian as tiny as mine pack something this huge?

Questions bubbled up, but—

“Ssssss.”

Making the questions pointless—

KRRRRRK—! SHHHH—

‘Ha.’

The energy that had been raging everywhere began to lose its head, as if nothing had happened.

Because the pressure swelling in my body grabbed the energy and started ramming it into my dantian by force.

‘...You can use it like this?’

It wasn’t guiding the energy or handling it gently.

‘...This is so brutish.’

It was violence done to energy.

Treating the rough energy even more roughly.

Yoo Cheongil grabbed the energy and jammed it into my dantian by force.

There was no risk of the energy twisting or scattering in the process.

‘This is possible?’

The more I felt it, the more absurd it was.

You can handle energy like this?

I’d never once imagined it.

To the eye, it looked like he was just stuffing it in, but along the way I felt ridiculous delicacy.

‘...I can’t.’

I couldn’t do this.

It was something I would never be able to do.

But—

‘Even if I can’t now—’

I’ll be able to use it someday. I concentrated on memorizing every sensation.

“Sssss...”

As if he wouldn’t let a single bit escape, he kept sweeping the energy in, making my body breathe out in rhythm.

I didn’t even have time to feel the brilliant, numinous energy people say you feel when you take a Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill.

All I did was watch the energy get beaten down and wrinkled.

After a little more time—

My rampaging dantian grew ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ quiet.

The surging energy no longer lifted its head.

“Hoo...”

With Yoo Cheongil’s low sigh, I felt a recoil.

Huff—!

My body took back control.

I was about to ask him something on the spot, but—

[Don’t open your mouth.]

At his warning, I kept my mouth shut.

[...Hm.]

In the middle of it, he blew a little breath through his nose like he’d noticed something.

[Your body’s better than it looks. More went in than I expected.]

He sounded satisfied.

[At this rate, just about a passing mark.]

Then—

[So.]

He looked at me with a curious eye. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

[Bear with what’s coming now.]

‘Hm?’

Bear with what?

As soon as that puzzlement rose—

Thud—!

“Mm—!”

I widened my eyes at the pain from my dantian.

[It’s the process of the energy packed in the dantian permeating the body. There’s a lot of energy, so it’ll be a bit rough. Again: don’t open your mouth. The moment you open it, the energy will all fly off.]

He warned me like it was an absolute must.

After that—

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!

A tremendous agony crashed over me.

[Endure it. Once you do, even a sorry wretch like you will be somewhat usable.]

Clenching my fists, I trembled.

It felt like a hammer was pounding my whole body.

And that pain—

Lasted all the way until the sun came up.

****

Chirp. Chirp-chirp.

Birdsong.

With my eyes half-open, I rolled my eyeballs. Light was leaking through the crack of the nearby window.

I moved my hand a little.

My trembling fingertips touched the floor.

“...Hoo... ooo... ah...”

I opened my mouth.

I didn’t know how many hours it had been.

A deep breath flowed out as I slumped down.

The pain I’d felt had ebbed.

Confirming that, I steadied my breath like I was drained.

Then suddenly I lifted my hand and opened and closed my fist.

“...Ha...”

I burst into a laugh at what I felt there.

“Seriously... unbelievable.”

Looks like the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill really is good.

So good that—

“...It put me at first-rate.”

My realm, which had been merely second-rate—

Was now to the point that I’d cleanly leapt past first-rate.