The Martial Master - 36 Deal.

“I’ll kill you.”

The man felt his heart thump in his chest as he heard that declaration; it felt unmovable. And, as such a voice echoed into the pitter-pattering air, Su Min gripped his axe.

A thumping hum thrummed in Su Min’s chest as his voice faded, then, with a furious throw, Su Min walloped the air with his grip and launched the axe straight at the man’s shin.

*SHEW SHEW SHEW SHEW*

Spinning and spinning, the axe plunged like a scythe onto the man, yet the man remained unfazed as his whole body got drenched in a dark haze of martial energy. A faint image of a burly ape seemed to materialise behind him, roaring with a strenuous might.

Su Min, though, felt his chest remain unemotional to such a figure; like it was unworthy of its attention. So, he, as the axe darted right towards the man, leapt into the air with it and clenched his fist.

A supply of gold darted into his chest as both his fists lit up the air with a light that blinded like a sun. Though, it flickered like a candle flame in torrential rain.

Su Min felt his body crackle as it reached its all-time limit, any more and he would break something.

“Petty tricks.”

The man, pressing his fist against his chest, threw a punch at the flying axe! A swirl of black enveloped his fist in a dense fog as this happened, pressuring everything surrounding him.

“You’ll pay for being such an arrogant bastard!”

*CLANGGG*

A clear-cut indented itself in the hazed black energy swirling around his fist as the axe sludged what force it had into him, though it wasn’t enough. A striking clang slapped the air as the man’s fist, unbelievably, propelled the axe backwards!

*BOOM*

“Sure.”

Su Min, arriving with a booming blur, smirked as he swivelled his fists to his chest and struck out!

*SMACK*

The air, with a visible cry, distorted as a boom rang by. Shifting at a speed that rivalled the peak of the Martial Condensation first stage, Su Min raged as he slammed it towards the man’s face.

“Petty. If that’s all you got then you shouldn’t have come here.”

*SHHH*

The man’s face lit up with mockery as his whole arm got enveloped in the black haze. In conjunction, the ape-beast behind him growled and merged with the man, performing the same movements.

“Battle Ape Form!”

The air around the man froze as his aura leapt, and as if the ape had boosted him, a newfound strength blasted out. Though, the man’s face went pale as his whole body got zapped of its strength from the ape.

Su Min’s eyes trembled as a newfound strength glistened in his view, one that surpassed the first stage he knew!

“Second stage..!!”

*BANNNNG*

The man, meeting Su Min’s fist with his apely might, smirked as he overwhelmed Su Min to a ghastly proportion. His fist ruptured the air with a newfound boom that materialised a faint cone of sonic speed, doubling and tripling what Su Min could ever muster.

*WHOOOOSH*

Su Min, like a kite in a hail storm, sped away with a darting boom that reverberated with a thundering clap. His body mangled with aching pain tore by for a hundred meters in a shaking flash.

*CRASH*

That was until, a sudden hill, like a blitzing car ramming full speed into him, thrashed at his back with a crackling crash!

“GUH!”

Coughing out a gallon blood, Su Min felt his back pop and pop. It popped for what seemed like forever; only ending as Su Min felt his body numb all over.

“Shit…”

Feeling crazy, Su Min grumbled as his mouth dripped with blood. It seemed that what his ancient body sensed wasn’t always right.

‘I had an instinct that I could fight him when the symbol on my chest sensed him. But I guess not, huh.’

“Pfft! Is that all you got?!”

The man, landing on the ground with a thud, stared at Su Min who was embedded in the hill. Su Min felt his blood boil as a familiar feeling brewed within him. It was the feeling of weakness.

“Won’t talk? Well, I’ll send you off!”

Laughing, the man strode towards Su Min as he crackled his fists. Su Min, still unable to move, watched as he grew closer and closer.

‘I’m going to die?’

It was a strange feeling, death. A thing people fear, the true unknown that envelops the world. Nevertheless, He doesn’t have time to fear death, as he cannot die today…

‘Godammit…’

Maybe he was fated to kill himself by walking into a death trap? Yet, just as the man walked up to him, a faint sizzle emerged from deep within him. The book in his pocket also started to tremble, and without warning, his body began trembling also.

“Wow, you’re shivering out of fear?”

The man’s smile grew wider as he hunked over Su Min and grabbed him by the neck.

“Enjoy your death.”

Su Min felt the world turn upside down as the man’s sneer became his everything. The eyes, enjoying the show; the wide grin, glistening with white teeth. He sees it, the view he will have of his last few moments of breath.

‘I need to uphold my promise…’

He felt anger, anger beyond repair. He wanted to rip their family to shreds, he wanted to do it all!

Though, as his breath died down, his body went limp and his eyes caved in, he found that he couldn’t. His world turned black, and his meagre breath collapsed.

Though, not like others, his raging consciousness remained clear as he joined a strange world…

“Huh?”

Before he knew it, he was sitting on a simple wooden chair next to a simple… Wooden table. The table was of a average size, and a cup of tea brewed atop it. Steaming with a wafting aroma that calmed the mind.

“Tea..?-”

A sudden voice interrupted his incredulous expression as the endless black fog stirred.

“Heh. Truly tragic.”

A figure, hazed and fogged in an abyssal black wandered out of nowhere and sat down opposite him. His voice was raspy and rough, almost like scraping metal. However, within it was a strange playfulness that made Su Min’s skin crawl.

“Your strange book awakened me, Su Min.”

Continuing, the black figure moved his fogged hands and grasped the teacup. He, with an elegant demeanour, sipped at the tea with a slurp.

*Ssss*

Su Min, frozen as he watched this, saw the figure place the teacup down and stretch his body.

“Gahhh! You know, you can’t beat a good cup after sleeping for a goddamn eternity. Right?”

Not knowing what to say, Su Min clenched his fists as his death played past his mind again and again.

“Angry, right? Well, I would be too if I went and jumped into the jaws of death whilst roaring that I’d murder such jaws. Pfft!”

*BANG*

As if he couldn’t hold himself, the figure slammed the wooden table with a fist as he covered his face, shivering with laughter.

“Hey, at least your not dead. We can be best buddies now, forever and ever. Literally, PFFT!”

*BANG**BANG*

Wobbling with a creak, the table stammered as the figure banged it whilst holding his giggles in with a shut mouth. It continued for seconds, and just as Su Min was about to lose it, the man paused.

“Hm. How about we… Do a deal? Eh? Don’t worry, it’s not a deal with the devil! It’s a deal with yourself! PFFT!”

Shaking, Su Min’s eyes widened as he stared at the figure who was having trouble containing himself. Though the figure shook as a strange hymn hit the air, and with a glare at the sky, the man grumbled and spoke.

“It’s simple, I let you live again, and you give me something in return.”

Slumping on his chair, the figure scratched his arse as he yawned. Though, Su Min spoke with a shaky breath as he heard the sentence.

“Really?”

“Yes. Are you stupid?”

Grumbling, the figure continued to slump on the chair. Su Min rubbed his forehead as he felt his mind hurt from confusion, but he knew that this must be a chance!

“What do you want!”

Like a bulb had just lit for the figure, a sudden chuckle erupted out of him as he sat back up with a fierce motion; his expression serious but playful.

“Oh. Nothing. Just some of your emotions.”

“Emotions?”

Su Min, with a reflex, muttered back as his mind went blank. The figure tapped the table as he hummed with a whistle, and only as Su Min’s expression went sour did he speak.

“Yeah, you know empathy and all that… But! You get to live again..! Heh? Good trade right?”

“Wait…”

“Oi! You ungrateful bastard, no normal person even gets a chance to live again! You, given the choice, would rather choose to die just because you want to feel? Priorities man!”

Waving his hands in the air, the figure spoke with shock and dismissiveness as he watched Su Min’s expression. Su Min, gripping his fists, shook his head as he spoke.

“Is there no other option?”

Scratching his chin, the figure spoke as he eyed Su Min.

“Hm, nope! Well, if you want you can just stay here forever. You are, after all, dead!”

Speaking with a resoluteness, the figure’s sternness shone in Su Min’s eyes. It was true, he was dead.

‘Either live or die…’

Thinking, Su Min clenched his teeth as he spoke.

“Deal.”