WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: WeTried
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◈ I Made a Tier List the Transcendents Are Obsessed With ◈
Chapter 44: I Will Give You My Utmost Loyalty
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Lee Hamyung's awe and respect were half sincerity, half doubt.
It was his first defeat since his immature days.
Having been beaten one-sidedly without even a chance to strike back naturally led to awe toward his opponent.
But was Jin truly qualified to become his master?
That was something worth considering several times.
Of course, while receiving treatment, he had observed Jin, his daughter Judy, Wendy, who was said to be a Tower Master, and the rest of the household.
And he had learned one thing.
The two young women under Jin had grown while receiving his guidance.
In particular, once he learned that Judy had truly reached the Life-and-Death Realm, his thoughts became complicated.
'I thought I was a genius.'
Lee Hamyung had never doubted his own talent.
He could not help feeling defeated by a girl who had reached a higher realm at less than half his age.
Even if Judy were a genius who surpassed him, such speed was hard to understand.
If someone said that a brat barely past fifty had reached the Life-and-Death Realm, what would people say in the martial world of the Iron Horse Continent where he had lived?
No one would believe that such martial talent had emerged from Haedong, a country dismissed as a relatively backward region.
Then perhaps the secret behind this impossible growth lay with Jin.
That was Lee Hamyung's conclusion, and afterward, he had tried his best to make a good impression on Jin.
Sincerity moves heaven, or so they say.
Today, when those efforts seemed to have finally borne fruit, Lee Hamyung felt the shock of an explorer seeing a new world for the first time.
One Sword Annihilates Heaven!
That grandiose move unfolded within his mind.
He saw the martial artist who wielded that sword, and at the same time, felt the impression of the one receiving it.
The trajectory of a sword, established as a single principle over countless years, unfolded in his mind.
Thousands, tens of thousands, no... even more sword strikes were swung within his mind.
And as those countless strikes gradually became more perfect, Lee Hamyung felt pure exhilaration.
From above to below, then below to above.
The sequence of movements, made up of horizontal cuts and pinpoint thrusts, was wholly contained within that single move.
"A sword that destroys heaven..."
It was truly a move worthy of such a name.
At the same time, he felt the spiritual energy around him rushing toward him.
As enlightenment came, his cultivation was rising.
The wall between him and the Life-and-Death Realm, which he had contemplated for so long, was cracking as though it would shatter.
All the lives of the former "I" passed by like fleeting traces, strengthening the realm of his present life.
"Ah..."
After the layers of sweet illusion and exhilaration passed, Lee Hamyung realized that he was still in the same room as before.
All the abundant enlightenment drained away like seawater retreating from a beach. In the end, all that remained was himself, still unable to break through his realm, and Jin watching him.
Lee Hamyung suddenly feared that gaze.
Those eyes looking silently at him were simply calm.
From those bright red pupils, he seemed to sense reproach. Or perhaps disappointment.
'...Is this all I can achieve?'
Shame, humiliation, endless awe, and pressure filled him.
Every experience he had just undergone had come solely from the man before him.
Jin must have passed on a portion of all the memories he possessed.
Lee Hamyung could not even imagine how such a process had been possible.
That was true even though he had witnessed everything before his eyes.
And from those fragments of experience and memory alone, he could tell what position the being before him held.
Those who had ascended to the Upper Realm in the last thousand years could be counted on one's fingers.
At the very least, Jin was clearly an existence of that level or greater.
Judging from the memories Lee Hamyung had seen, even that might be an understatement...
"Th-this..."
Gulp!
Beneath that silent gaze, Lee Hamyung felt nothing but guilt and fear.
In that moment, the talent he had taken pride in felt utterly insignificant.
After receiving such insights and memories, he had failed to properly break through even a single realm.
...Perhaps Jin would take his life as the price for disappointing him.
Such things happened often in this world.
To someone of Jin's stature, he must look no different from a worthless insect...
"I'm sorry. This unworthy disciple has shown you nothing but such disappointing results."
Thud!
Lee Hamyung immediately struck his head against the floor.
He was prepared to accept any punishment.
Neither eccentric masters and hermits nor even great sects would bestow such grace upon a disciple who had only just joined them.
Since he had shown such disappointing achievement in return for that grace, it was only natural that punishment would follow in one form or another.
"..."
"..."
Silence passed.
Then Jin's voice reached Lee Hamyung, who still had his head pressed against the floor.
"Raise your head. How petty do you intend to make your master seem?"
At the sigh-filled voice, Lee Hamyung carefully raised his head.
"Did you gain enlightenment?"
"Yes, certainly."
"That is enough. Since I have decided to accept you as my disciple, I have no reason to be harsh with you."
"...Ah."
His expression was not much different from before, but the words of encouragement that came back made his features seem endlessly benevolent.
Lee Hamyung was sincerely moved.
"This disciple sincerely thanks you for your teachings!"
Lee Hamyung gave a formal salute, pouring all his feelings into it.
It was an expression of respect toward the first master he had ever truly served in his life.
Afterward, he laid out all his circumstances and true feelings, then expressed his firm resolve to devote all his loyalty.
Still wearing a stern expression, his master listened to everything, nodded several times, then spoke quietly.
"Your constitution is called Combat Addict. The stronger the enemies you fight, the faster your attainment increases. Therefore, you need not serve me in daily life. If you follow several orders from time to time, I will pass on the teachings you need."
"This disciple will gladly follow any command!"
Lee Hamyung answered in a voice overflowing with respect, then withdrew.
He carried both expectation and tension at the thought that his master would give his first order before long.
After Lee Hamyung left the room, Jin, now alone, muttered in a somewhat baffled voice.
"...What is wrong with him?"
He could not understand where all that emotion and tension had come from.
* * *
Those who reached transcendence through so-called miscellaneous arts did not receive much respect.
Unless they possessed an extraordinary record called a Grand Narrative or myth, their standing as Transcendents was relatively low.
Of course, they were still incomparable to beings below transcendence.
Even so, they were generally treated strangely for Transcendents.
After enough such incidents piled up, Yoron, the Drevan blacksmith who had reached transcendence, came to view the world far more pessimistically than their natural disposition would suggest.
People barged in demanding weapons made exactly as they pleased.
And if the result did not suit their tastes, they casually hurled insults.
Watching that again and again, it was impossible not to grow bitter.
Eventually, anyone would turn dark...
"Huhuhuhuhuhu."
Recently, however, Yoron had simply been in high spirits.
There were several reasons for that.
The increasing number of crafting commissions, along with rewards that had gone beyond merely appropriate to become generous, likely played a part.
The reverence and kindness shown by those who visited Yoron directly at their forge on an independent planet also contributed.
"Hahahahaha."
Yoron could clearly identify the turning point when all these changes had begun.
A post on the Transcendent Gallery.
"Are you that happy?"
"Of course! I've never been this happy in my life. You were born and raised here, so you might not feel it, but do you know how much sorrow our people have suffered?"
"I've heard it enough to make my ears bleed. Like you said, I don't really understand... Still, I'm happy too."
The young Drevan, Yoron's adopted son and assistant, let out a quiet chuckle.
Seeing Yoron so full of life, the boy could not help smiling.
"...Honestly, I don't know how I could ever express this gratitude."
That one post from not long ago had changed quite a lot.
The person responsible had denied it, but because of it, how people viewed the Drevan had changed throughout all worlds, beyond the Seventh Dimension.
Even without any great practical benefit, Yoron was simply delighted.
After transcending and casting off various restraints, there had been times when Yoron felt doubtful.
Their people simply endured difficult moments because of their racial disposition.
And there had been times when Yoron felt miserable, forced to watch them.
Yoron had also felt despair and anger, wondering who would ever understand such thoughts, even after contemplating peace and love on a grand scale.
But someone had understood the entire process and offered respect and praise for it.
It was an indescribably moving feeling...
'...They asked me to refrain from sending messages.'
So Yoron intended to prepare a gift in return.
It was regrettable that Yoron could not send a message because of that previous request, but even the small amount of information available was enough to create something the other party would like.
"An ancient female deity... They often mention an adopted daughter, a disciple, and even a pet Spirit Beast."
Those clearly identifiable traits led to one conclusion.
Gathering every one of those imaginings together with their own skill, Yoron succeeded in creating a masterpiece.
It was one of the ten finest works of their life.
And after it was completed, it was delivered to an empty region of the Void.
Along with a request to please pass the contents on to Oz.
[ ...That's what they said? ] - No Existence
Me> [ Got it for now;; ]
The request had certainly been delivered correctly.
"At least the girls will like them."
The recipient's expression upon receiving the gift was rather ambiguous.
A flower hairpin and a beautifully crafted silver necklace for women.
There was no way he could wear these himself...
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