396.
Park Seong-jin sat in quiet meditation at the edge of the camp, trying to settle the fractured currents within him.
His breathing was deep, yet the moment he opened his eyes, a lingering sense of distortion remained at the bottom of his chest—as if the world itself were still wavering.
"Seong-jin."
It was a calm voice.
When Park Seong-jin lifted his head, his senior brother Lee In-jung was standing there.
There was no authority of a general in his face, no expression of a superior officer.
Only the look of an elder brother who was worried.
"Senior Brother… you've come."
Lee In-jung sat down quietly in front of him.
He seemed to consider where to begin, then spoke without preamble.
"Seong-jin. Let's leave the battlefield for a while."
Park Seong-jin's eyes widened.
"Leave the battlefield? At a time like this?"
Lee In-jung raised a hand gently, stopping him.
"This isn't something I decided on my own."
"It's something this war itself requires."
Park Seong-jin looked confused.
Lee In-jung continued in a low voice.
"Your energy and your mind are mixing right now."
"Your hands have grown faster. Your inner force has deepened."
His voice dropped further.
"The world has opened itself to you too widely."
"If you keep advancing in that state alone, everything you've built through years of study could collapse in an instant."
Park Seong-jin lowered his gaze.
It hurt—but he couldn't deny it.
Lee In-jung placed a hand on his shoulder.
It was a touch rare in a military camp—one only a senior brother could give.
"When a person rises too quickly, the mind can't keep up with the height."
"And when that happens, they step into real danger."
The flags rustled in the wind.
A brief silence stretched long.
Lee In-jung spoke again.
"So step back for a moment. Catch your breath."
"Under open sky, rebuild yourself."
Park Seong-jin's eyes trembled.
"Am I… important enough to be pulled from the front lines?"
Lee In-jung answered without hesitation.
"You are the most important disciple I've seen in my entire life."
"And right now, you're the last hope on this battlefield."
His voice hardened.
"So you must live."
"Without wavering."
The words struck Park Seong-jin squarely in the chest.
"Senior Brother…"
Lee In-jung cut him off.
"Get up."
"We're going to the hermitage by Poyang Lake."
"It's only for a while—but His Majesty has granted permission."
That afternoon, the two of them quietly headed south.
Once they left the battlefield, the dust and stench of blood faded away.
In their place came the smell of water, wind, and forest.
Park Seong-jin walked in silence, eyes forward.
Lee In-jung watched his back for a while, then spoke softly.
"This is the first time you've stepped away from the smell of war in a long while."
"…Yes."
"Your body is still tense."
Park Seong-jin exhaled lightly.
"This air feels unfamiliar."
Lee In-jung smiled.
"That's why I'm taking you away, Seong-jin."
As the path entered the forest, a vast expanse of water filled their view.
Mist hung low, blurring the boundary between sky and lake.
Lee In-jung said,
"Poyang Lake."
"This lake…"
Park Seong-jin couldn't finish the sentence.
It was a different world from the rivers and marshes of the battlefield.
The wide, silent water seemed to alter the rhythm of his heartbeat.
With each crossing of water and valley, the distance from the world grew greater.
After climbing further into the forest, a small hermitage appeared beneath a rocky cliff.
It was old, yet carried a dignified presence.
The clear sound of a wind chime rang softly, and cool mist rising from the lake wrapped around the structure.
Lee In-jung said,
"This should calm your mind. A good place for study."
Park Seong-jin spoke quietly.
"I could live buried here for the rest of my life."
Lee In-jung chuckled briefly, then grew serious.
"That would be even better."
"I wish the world wouldn't call you back."
"It won't be long, but this is all I can do for you."
Park Seong-jin stepped onto the wooden platform.
At that moment, it felt as though the world itself paused to breathe.
Mountain, river, and lake—vast as the sea—entered his vision all at once.
"It feels like a mountain drawing in its breath," Park Seong-jin said.
Lee In-jung nodded.
"Yes."
"Rebuild your mind here."
"Thank you."
Lee In-jung added quietly,
"When one devotes themselves fully to study, the entire world lends its aid."
Park Seong-jin smiled, just barely.
"…Ah."