The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board-Chapter 390

Shin Yu flinched upon hearing the shocking truth from Shin Hyun.

It was the first time he had heard that Shin Hyun and Shin Rip didn't have much time left.

- Why didn't you tell me…?

Their bodies would soon disappear, leading to their true death.

Why didn't they tell him sooner?

Shin Rip closed his eyes and said.

"That way… was better."

"Hyung-nim is right… Not telling you… We thought it would be better for each other."

- Why?!

Shin Yu wrote irritably.

"That way, we could let you go."

- …

"We thought that if you believed you could meet us at any time, you would leave without worrying. But… it seems we were mistaken."

The reason they hadn't told him until now was because they didn't want Shin Yu to feel overwhelmed by an unnecessary sense of responsibility—or suffer from their deaths.

"Do you understand now…?"

Shin Yu stiffened at Shin Rip's words.

Soon, he reluctantly wrote down his reply.

- How much do you have left…?

Grin…

Shin Hyun smiled.

"We've already used up all our remaining time. Since you didn't leave quickly, the God of the underworld took it from us."

- Don't go…

"Huh?"

- Don't die…

Shin Hyun burst into laughter.

"Hihihi! You idiot! How can someone not die because they don't want to? Death is natural. You also couldn't escape from it, remember?"

Death was inevitable, but accepting it was up to those left behind.

"Yu, we're okay."

"Hyung-nim, no matter how many times we say it, he will just pretend not to have listened to us."

- I don't want to be left alone…

"…"

- Being left alone… I don't like it.

"Do you think that will bring your hyungs back to life? You're wrong, idiot."

- …

After waiting for Shin Hyun to finish speaking, Shin Rip quietly said.

"There's… still a chance."

With the purpose of correcting his younger brother who had taken the wrong path, he said.

"Follow Seol. If it's him, he will take you outside the labyrinth."

"Yes, to you, Seol is like a savior fallen from the sky. And I actually think that."

Flinch…

Shin Yu hesitated for a moment before writing.

- Seol doesn't need my help…

"What? What do you mean? There's no one who would say they don't need Shin Yu's help…"

- I lost.

"What…?"

- I gave my all, but I lost.

"…"

Shin Yu’s memories from the dream…

His talent had fully blossomed, allowing him to advance one step beyond his former self. However, he still had lost—to Seol and Yurim.

Regardless of whether he escaped the dream or not, what mattered was that he had lost to Seol.

"Come closer."

Shin Yu, who was writing from across them, got closer to Shin Hyun.

"I heard a rough version from Seol, but I didn't hear your side in detail. Come, tell us."

Shin Yu wrote down everything that had happened until that day.

After listening to everything, Shin Hyun said.

"Now that I think about it, there was another guy who said he didn't need you—Shin Kang."

Shin Hyun dragged out Shin Yu’s old memories.

Shin Yu could still vividly remember the place where Shin Kang had sent him away.

"Seol… he really resembles Kang a lot. Don't you think, hyung-nim?"

"That's true… They do resemble each other a lot."

Shin Hyun was right.

Sometimes, it felt as if they overlapped.

"Yu… in this world, some people are hard to reach, no matter how much you try."

- Are you saying Seol is one of those people…?

"Why wouldn't he be? After all, your talent also ultimately lost to him."

- But…

"There's no 'but.' The results are clear. You need to face reality—a loss is a loss."

- …

Grin…

Shin Hyun laughed.

"It's hard to accept, right?"

Nod…

Shin Yu nodded with the back of his hand.

"It's natural to feel frustrated the first time you see someone superior to you. Helplessness and feeling empty also come along. You might even start to wonder if everything you've done so far is pointless." 𝔯𝒶ɴŎ𝖇Èŝ

Shin Yu looked quietly at Shin Hyun.

"To me, that was you."

- …

"No matter how hard I tried, my talent simply couldn't keep up with yours."

Even someone advancing toward the light can become a beacon for others.

- But… how did you break free?

"I went through some hardships. The path to break free was simple in theory, but executing it is difficult…"

Shin Rip said the answer instead.

"That method is to acknowledge the opponent."

- …

"Struggling isn't the only way to advance."

"That's right. I've also acknowledged the fact that you're a stronger swordsman than me."

However, there were also parts he couldn't accept.

- But if you accept that… isn't it all over?

"Haha, who said it was over?"

- …

He had never thought deeply about it. He just thought that his limit had appeared.

"You're talking as if the path someone has walked disappears just because they die."

- Ah…!

"The path is always there. But still, someday, you and I… will reach that path. This is the truth…"

As Shin Hyun looked at him, Shin Rip smiled warmly.

"The path remains."

"Hihihi! Hyung-nim, it seems like we're going to have to show him what we wanted to show Seol. Are you ready?"

"Anytime."

"Good!"

Swoosh…

The two drew out their swords simultaneously and swung them toward the mountain.

Whoosh…

PAAANNNGGG—!

Dozens of thrusts were unleashed from Shin Hyun's sword.

And they all became one sound.

"Oof… Oof…"

The mountain was riddled with holes like a honeycomb.

"How was it? This is what I call Shin Hyun's Torrent."

Shin Yu pondered.

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That was certainly Rainfall Sword's 3rd movement, Torrent, but it was quite different from the Rainfall Sword he knew.

He wondered how he should express it.

- It isn't fast. No, it's fast, but…

"Hihi, I saw it clearly. The next is hyung-nim's turn."

WHOOM…

Thunderclap…

A sword art that resembled the strike of lightning—that was Thunderclap.

Creak…

A gentle breeze blew as he drew his sword.

PFWAAAAK—!

The third form of the Thunderbolt Sword that he was experiencing for the first time… Iaido, Burning Barley.

- …

The hill, full of holes, scattered into dust. Without any special destruction or any special vibration.

It was as smooth as Shin Kang's Swift Wind Sword.

- There's… something different…

Their 3rd form was different from the sword arts Shin Yu had seen from them so far.

They weren't extremely fast or extremely heavy.

"It's different, right?"

"It probably is."

"Well… it had to be different."

Shin Hyun said.

"A sword that's only fast is bound to fall."

Shin Rip added.

"A sword that's only strong is bound to break. Understood?"

- …

Shin Rip completed these two into one sentence.

"All paths are connected."

Craaack—!

Crack!

Shin Rip and Shin Hyun created lightning from their bodies.

Shin Yu felt a familiar energy from them.

It was that…

- Storm Sword!

"Haha, you're right."

"Yes, that's the Storm Sword you've realized."

Unbeknownst to Shin Yu, his brother's martial prowess had advanced a lot.

"My Thunderbolt Sword, Hyun's Rainfall Sword… And Kang's Swift Wind Sword… are ultimately one process."

It was true.

"Everyone was destined to meet at the crossroads."

Before Shin Yu spoke, they hadn't shown the intricacies of the Storm Sword. That's why Shin Yu didn't get frustrated.

"Shin Yu, we were waiting for you here."

"You've grown a lot."

- Why…

"Because this is your sword. It's a sword you must carry."

"Although it was a tempting sword, it suited you perfectly."

The brothers' swords were connected.

"Our swords are each other swords, and that sword…"

"Is yours, Shin Yu."

Shin Rip and Shin Hyun sat with Shin Yu in between them.

"Now, all that's left is to move forward."

Although he had realized his hyung's will, Shin Yu couldn't reply immediately.

- But this sword… lost to Seol and Yurim. I have no value to him…

"Tsk. Even after having seen Seol so much, you still haven't realized?"

"Shin Yu, Seol is a special kid. You know that, right? He remembers your hyung, Shin Kang."

- Kang hyung…

"He's someone who lacks talent and fails a lot."

The Storm Sword had lost to such a person.

"But he's someone who creates stories. For some reason, his path keeps going on."

"Even if he fails, he brushes it off and gets up. Fate can't help but yearn for such people."

Again…

Again…

The 'again' Seol had shouted countless times… that was different.

"Talent isn't enough to go over the crossroads."

"What's important is to imagine what's beyond."

To imagine a path beyond the crossroads—a path that wasn't yet visible.

Why was that?

Why were the crossroads not visible?

Why did the Storm Sword lose?

No, why couldn't he even complete it?

- Why… Was the Storm Sword wrong? Or… was Seol just too strong?

"It's both, you idiot."

"Wait… Do you perhaps…"

Shin Rip got up and showed him a sword arts.

Bzz…

WHOOM—

A huge amount of energy suddenly surged from Shin Rip

"Ugh…"

Shin Rip shook his head as if he were feeling dizzy.

"Ah! I see. Did you use the same sword hyung-nim used just now?"

Nod…

Shin Rip and Shin Hyun looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Hihihi! I knew you would do this!"

"Shin Yu… that's so like you."

"See? I told you. This guy is naive and will believe whatever is written without questioning it."

Shin Yu didn't understand what they were talking about.

"Yu, our ancestor was a madman—no, that's how he's known. And people said that's why the Storm Sword was made."

Nod.

"Isn't it strange?"

- Strange?

"How could a madman leave such detailed records? And why do we believe them to be accurate?"

- …

Were they implying the records were fake?

If so, why did he leave such records?

"Think about it, reflect! Our ancestor wanted us to think."

He deliberately lied.

'Why?'

If his being a madman was a lie, the records could also be a lie.

He also needed to doubt the records.

'I have to… doubt the records?'

At that moment, something came to mind.

An unnatural movement…

If his being a madman was a lie, the record could also be a lie—no, whether his being a madman was true or not… There was one important thing.

"Don't follow the predetermined path. Do as you think! Do as you judge!"

Shin Hyun's shout made him come back to his senses.

As you think, as you judge…

Someone came to mind… it was Seol.

Seol's actions and judgments were contrary to what he did.

Even though he was probably more trustworthy than Yaksha, he still chose Yaksha.

Even if he had to face him, he thought that was right.

The reason why his sword was also unstable slowly became clearer.

What he swung wasn't the Storm Sword; instead, it was a flawed sword art far from being the Storm Sword.

'Ah…!'

Shin Yu trembled and moved.

And then vigorously wrote.

- I want to go!

"…"

- I must go! I!

Shin Yu wanted to go where he had to be—to where he was needed.

The words engraved on the ground were the ones his hyungs wanted all this time.

He needed Shin Yu.

- I'm going to Seol!

* * *

The dark knight swung his sword.

Whoosh…

Paf—!

The swing was disguised as a gauging attack—yet it struck with startling speed.

TANG—!

Seol countered it with clean sword art.

Everything about Yaksha was now in Seol. So, mixing swords was relatively easy for him.

The labyrinth's master had retreated and quietly watched the fight. It wasn't because he had a special power but because it was hard to intervene effectively in the fight without entering the Night Crow form—just like Seol when he entered the labyrinth.