Chapter 21: Divine Movements – A Mother's Trial
With the practical exam completed and the semester behind him, Lee Yujin returned to his home on the upper floors of the Assault Guild Tower. The academy had granted a one-month break, and while most cadets planned to rest, explore, or relax, Yujin had something else in mind.
He couldn't shake the memory of his fight with Kain. Though he had won, the slightest delays in movement had nearly cost him. Against faster or more ruthless opponents, that kind of gap could spell death. It frustrated him.
"I was too slow," he muttered while gazing out the window, watching the Assault Guild's junior members train in formation.
Later that evening, he sat across from his mother, Cha Jinwa, the vice guild leader of the Poison Guild. She sipped her herbal tea with a faint, unreadable expression.
"I want you to train me," Yujin said bluntly. "My movements are sluggish. I need to improve."
Cha Jinwa raised an eyebrow. "You've already surpassed the average cadet. Even beat Kain Vagor."
"That's not enough," he said firmly. "I saw it. I'm not fast enough."
She didn't respond immediately, letting the silence stretch between them. Then she set her cup down and shook her head. "No. You don't need my kind of training."
Yujin frowned. "Why not?"
"It's not your path. My training style is… cruel. Unforgiving. You won't gain anything from it but pain."
"I don't care. I've already endured worse."
"Still no."
Yujin grit his teeth. The next morning, he approached his father, Lee Fujin, the leader of the Assault Guild. After some persuasion, Fujin stepped in.
"She won't listen to me either," he sighed. "But I'll talk to her."
Later that night, Jinwa finally agreed. "Fine. But don't expect praise. You'll have to earn it."
---
Day 1
Yujin stood in the dojo at dawn, eyes scanning the open floor. He waited for his mother. Minutes passed. Then an hour.
Finally, a blade flicked past his face, close enough to cut a strand of his hair.
He turned—nothing.
A second blade followed, this one slicing the air near his shoulder. Still, he saw nothing. No presence. No aura. No footsteps.
"I'm here," his mother's voice echoed, but her body was nowhere to be found.
"Come on!" he shouted.
"Don't rely on your eyes. That's your first mistake."
The day ended with Yujin collapsing in sweat and frustration. He hadn't even seen her once.
---
Days 2 to 10
Each morning began with meditation, reaction training, and sparring—though he still couldn't touch or even glimpse her. He practiced dodging invisible strikes, tried to predict patterns, and increased his speed drills. In the evenings, he refined his mana circulation, experimenting with layering movement spells.
Every night ended in exhaustion.
---
Day 11 to 20
His progress was minimal. But on Day 14, he finally caught a flicker of her movement—a ripple in the air. The moment he reacted, she vanished again.
"You're too reliant on visual confirmation," she said that day. "Combat is instinct. Read intent, not motion."
By Day 17, he started incorporating sound and vibration detection. He used the mana flow in his body to sharpen every sense. In time, he could feel faint shifts in the wind, pick up the subtlest pressure changes.
His gunplay and footwork also became sharper, more efficient. But he hadn't landed a single hit.
---
Day 21 to 28
Yujin's Divine Perception wasn't enough alone. So, he created a hybrid method: combining perception with instinctive reflex. Day by day, he began predicting her movements—still a second too late, but closer.
His mana control grew tighter. His footwork began adapting. Each dodge now had flow, momentum.
He no longer just reacted—he moved with purpose.
On Day 25, he barely brushed her sleeve. His mother didn't comment.
On Day 27, she appeared before him briefly and vanished with a smirk.
He knew he was close.
---
Day 29: Breakthrough
The final training session began like the rest. Yujin stood still in the center of the dojo, eyes closed, senses open. A blade approached—he ducked. Another came from behind—he spun.
He was faster. Clearer.
Then it happened.
A surge of golden-white mana coursed through his body. His body moved—not out of thought—but instinct and rhythm. His perception deepened to a new level, where he could feel her intent before it even reached motion.
His body blurred with perfect timing.
[You have unlocked: Divine Movements]
[You have awakened: Mistake-Solving Sense]
A pulse of clarity washed over him. His feet glided across the floor, body in harmony with mana. When the blade came again, he didn't dodge—he intercepted, hand gripping her wrist mid-strike.
Cha Jinwa finally appeared before him, eyes wide for a moment. Then she smiled.
"Good," she said. "Very good."
Yujin's chest heaved. "Took me long enough."
"You've surpassed my expectations."
She stepped back and handed him a sheathed blade. "You've earned this. The training is over—but your real test begins when you face those outside this world."
Yujin held the blade with reverence. It wasn't a weapon he would use yet, but a symbol. Of approval. Of growth.
That night, he stood atop the guild tower, watching the stars with Demon Howl strapped at his side
and a quiet smile on his lips.
"Divine Movements... and Mistake-Solving Sense," he whispered. "This is only the beginning."