SWNOVELXO Chapter 214
“The outside dimension is calm, yet passionate.”
It sounded like a contradiction, but no other words could quite capture the scene reflected in Edel’s eyes.
Only the occasional beam of light cutting through the dark night sky left behind a faint echo.
The pitch-black curtain draped in front of Edel was as calm as a vast, deep ocean.
But the moment you step into that calmness, you’ll realize something.
That what you see is all there is.
Underneath that seemingly tranquil surface, deadly whirlpools sharper than blades are swirling fiercely.
And the price of peeking into secrets? A body ripped to shreds.
A catastrophic mistake born from ignorance.
“…Cough.”
But Edel was far from ignorant.
She knew all too well how dangerous that black curtain before her truly was.
In fact, anyone so foolish as to blindly trust what they saw would never make it this far.
Crossing the wall to step beyond the world is, quite literally, a different dimension from simply opening a door.
“Hoo.”
Having done it once, why not again? Stepping into the current maybe risky, but Edel had no other choice.
She couldn’t just sit there and become prey for the ones chasing after her.
“…I have to go back.”
For revenge, she knew she couldn’t stop here.
“Eat this!”
With her hand raised against the Dimensional Beings drawing near, Edel.
Whoosh—
She leapt right into the current.
* * *
Days later, I found myself buried in manga again.
While I seemed to be engrossed in a comic, the background around me had shifted.
I was no longer at Da-eun’s house, but at Yuki’s Gymnasium.
Da-eun, who had been flipping through the manga for quite a while, suddenly ran up to me with a book.
“How about this? It’s a technique that channels power through your index finger to pierce targets. Apparently, if you master it, you can use other parts of your body too!”
“You mean like this?”
Fwoosh!
“Uh….”
A tiny hole punched cleanly through a brick.
Da-eun froze, holding the comic, staring at the perfectly made hole that didn’t even leave dust behind.
“…Did you know?”
“Nope. Had no clue.”
“But how did you do it right away?”
“Hmm….”
How do I put this into words?
After some thought, I opened my mouth.
“I didn’t follow the exact same process.”
“Huh? But….”
“Just because the result is the same doesn’t mean the process is.”
If I had ten chocolates in a box, and I ate all ten by myself versus sharing five with Da-eun and eating the remaining five, the end result is the same — an empty box.
“That’s a unique analogy… But I get what you mean. You’re saying you imitated it roughly, right?”
“Yup.”
These things don’t require any special technique to begin with.
Does it really take skill to punch a hole in a brick?
…But where on earth does Da-eun keep bringing these bricks from?
I found myself tilting my head at this sudden curiosity.
“What techniques are there that Kana can’t imitate?”
Da-eun chirped thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hand.
To that, I could only respond with disbelief.
“…Isn’t the goal kind of shifting?”
There might be an ulterior motive, but on the surface, it looked like she was just trying to help me train.
With the things she said, it felt very much like a challenge to break a dojo.
Just how far can I go, I wondered.
Da-eun casually quipped.
“If it’s something that can easily be copied, then there’s no training in that, is there? Since everything mentioned so far was all easily mimicked, don’t you think it’s better to look for something difficult?”
“Hmm.”
…It’s not wrong, but why does it feel like sophistry?
Finding the answer was simple.
It’s just Da-eun’s usual behavior.
Even after that, Da-eun tried handing me the manga several more times, but it didn’t have much effect.
Yuki, who had been peering around initially, seemed to lose interest and was busy doing her own thing.
“…How do you even copy this stuff?”
Eventually, a defeated Da-eun exclaimed.
“You’re just too talented!”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“Ugh… it’s a compliment… but…”
“If it’s praise, then it’s praise! Why so bitter about it?”
“…Even after seeing it dozens of times, I still don’t get it. But Kana can pick it up just from explanations. That’s so unfair.”
“…Is that so?”
But from my perspective, I couldn’t empathize with Da-eun’s complaints.
I could easily replicate realistic techniques.
And even the unrealistic ones could be mimicked with Mana.
Plus, I had heard similar comments so many times in the past that I had grown indifferent.
The phrase “inexplicable talent” had been said to me countless times.
“Okay. How about this instead? A technique that harnesses the power of stars and unleashes it in an instant. It uses an immense amount of energy, so it might leave the stars barren, but it’s powerful enough to destroy a planet.”
“…Whether I can use it or not aside, is it okay to use something like that?”
Considering it would leave the stars barren.
Isn’t the star they’re standing on supposed to be taken into account?
“Hehe. Just joking.”
Da-eun stuck her tongue out with a smile as I looked on in disbelief.
“By the way, Kana was really looking forward to this and now there’s no result, what a bummer.”
“…?”
“When Kana’s upset, I get upset too…”
“You think I’m upset?”
I hadn’t really expected anything, nor was I feeling upset.
“Is there another person named Kana?”
“Of course not! The only ‘Kana’ I know is this little cute Kana in front of me!”
“…Phew.”
What a strange person.
Suddenly, I caught Yuki’s gaze.
Watching our antics from afar, Yuki was twirling her index finger at her temple.
There was no way I could disagree with that clear message.
Nodding.
I nodded discreetly so Da-eun wouldn’t notice, and started to gather the books scattered around me.
I hadn’t expected any results, so I felt no disappointment at all.
It was enough to relieve the boredom that had been sticking to me like glue.
“Did you happen to have any insights? Like an epiphany or something?”
“There weren’t any brilliant flashes.”
“No way…?!”
Da-eun’s eyes sparkled.
“There was no epiphany like you described.”
“Ah….”
Her eyes, which had sparkled like stars in the night sky, dulled.
Though I didn’t want to admit it myself, I wasn’t particularly imaginative.
Perhaps that’s why, I sometimes found myself awestruck when seeing techniques in manga.
How could the person who drew this manga come up with such imaginative ideas wielding a pen instead of a sword?
But none of that helped me move forward.
Considering what lay ahead of me was a realm beyond humanity.
To be inspired by characters dancing in book pages was impossible, for the staircase blocking my path was far too high.
‘Honestly….”
What I was truly curious about lay elsewhere.
‘What exactly is this so-called epiphany?’
Now I finally realized where Da-eun’s definition of epiphany came from.
It was a phrase that often appeared in her favorite martial arts novels.
Where a martial artist, previously blocked by a wall, discovers enlightenment and rises to greater heights.
Unfortunately, I’d never experienced the epiphany Da-eun spoke of.
The path I had walked until now was no different from racing fast down a clear road.
Sure, there were obstacles, but none of them could block my way for long.
I did it because I could, and because I did, it was done.
Just about that much.
The closest thing to an epiphany I could claim was understanding the tricks of manipulating space while fighting a sage.
Even back then, to call it a revelation would be a stretch.
Manipulating space was something I had continuously practiced before, and as my level rose, I simply began to do what I couldn’t before.
So really, it wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that it wasn’t about achieving an epiphany to elevate my level, but rather that I achieved an epiphany because my level was raised.
“Um….”
I was someone who could eventually do what others found impossible, given enough time, so I lacked any of those illuminating epiphanies.
“I totally get that feeling.”
Suddenly!
Yuki, who had appeared without me noticing, grabbed my hand.
Ignoring Da-eun, who was yelling from behind.
“That’s the plight of a genius. You and I are in the same league, Kana!”
“What are you forming this connection for without my permission! Get away from my Kana! Back off!”
“Why would I be your Kana?”
“The one closest to Kana is me!”
“….”
Da-eun finally resorted to physical enhancement to pull Yuki away.
Yet Yuki stood her ground, as if Da-eun’s strength was still inexperienced, or Yuki’s determination was that strong.
Seeing her smash bricks without issue, it seemed more likely to be the latter….
‘Why is she so fired up over something like this?’
I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
While I watched in disbelief, Da-eun finally managed to separate Yuki from me, panting heavily.
The visible exhaustion on her face made her satisfied smile seem all the more ridiculous today.
I quietly shook my head.