Here is Chapter 18 of Legend of the Forgotten Blade, around 850 words, as requested. It continues directly from Chapter 17, leading i
Baek Sun-Ho sat by the dying campfire. Embers crackled beneath ash, glowing like restless stars. His breath came slowly—controlled, rhythmic—but his chest felt tight, as if something deep inside had just been unlocked.
The memory of that past life lingered. The words he'd spoken. The feeling of purpose.
And then—
Thrum.
A pulse of warmth flared in his dantian. His body stiffened. The core of his being trembled. Energy rose like a wave beneath his skin.
> This is it…
The edge of the Grandmaster Realm. He could feel the threshold—so close he could almost reach out and tear it open. Fire Qi surged upward, racing through his meridians like molten light.
But—
Krrkkk—
The warmth suddenly sharpened.
Pain.
His veins clenched, Qi stuttering mid-flow.
> No…
A cold sweat broke across his brow. The flow of energy turned jagged, forcing its way through under-tempered pathways. Muscles tensed. His vision blurred.
Kwak.
A sharp crack rolled through his shoulders as he tried to stabilize.
His body wasn't ready.
> This shell… It's too weak.
Years of living as a neglected outer disciple. Poor nutrition. Hasty breakthroughs. His current physical form, though steadily improving, was nowhere near capable of handling this level of internal strain.
His breath hitched—
Hkk—
He coughed. A thin line of blood traced his lip.
No one noticed.
With immense effort, he forced the fire back down. His hands trembled as he pressed a cold stone to his neck, absorbing the heat and suppressing the inner surge.
The moment passed.
The breakthrough was gone.
---
Morning Ash and Quiet Concern
The next morning, Sun-Ho emerged from his meditations a little paler, but calm.
Yeon sat beside the fire pit, waiting quietly. He didn't ask questions—but Sun-Ho saw it in his eyes. The boy had felt it. Sensed something shift, even if he didn't understand what.
Sun-Ho smiled and tousled his hair. "You almost set me on fire with your silence, you know."
Yeon blinked. Then nodded solemnly.
---
Unexpected Support
Ma-Rok tossed a pouch of dried meat into Sun-Ho's lap. "You look like you lost a duel with a pillow."
"Thanks," Sun-Ho said, chewing wearily. "It was a very aggressive pillow."
Yul-Rin leaned against a tree nearby. "Whatever you were trying to do last night, don't try it again. Not without proper rest and nutrition."
Sun-Ho arched a brow. "Are you my physician now?"
"No," she replied. "But I don't like following someone who bleeds when he breathes."
---
The Riverbank Moment
Later that afternoon, So-Ri joined Sun-Ho by the river.
She didn't ask what happened. She simply handed him a pouch of pickled plums and sat beside him. He chewed quietly, savoring the taste.
"These were your favorite as a kid?" he asked.
She nodded. "Still are."
"You always keep things to yourself," he said. "You and Yeon might have been siblings in another life."
She smiled faintly. "Maybe we were."
A pause settled between them, quiet and comfortable. The wind brushed the water.
Wheee—
Sun-Ho looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks for being here."
So-Ri turned her head slightly. "You're not good at asking for help, are you?"
"I was a leader once," he said. "It's hard to unlearn the habit."
So-Ri chuckled. "Then learn faster. Or next time you bleed in your sleep, I'll smack you awake."
---
A Vanishing Spark
Evening came. The group made camp near a thicket outside a tiny village. Yul-Rin went into town for supplies, while Ma-Rok scouted for herbs.
Sun-Ho sat with Yeon again, going through a new breathing pattern.
"Hold it. Exhale slowly. Feel the fire inside—not as something you push, but something that listens."
Yeon followed perfectly. Silent. Focused.
Sun-Ho smiled to himself. He's a prodigy in control, if not in speech.
He looked away briefly to stoke the fire.
When he turned back—
Yeon was gone.
---
The Empty Silence
At first, Sun-Ho assumed he had wandered off to relieve himself. Or maybe gather sticks.
But minutes passed.
So-Ri returned. "Where's Yeon?"
Sun-Ho stood. "He was just—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Something felt wrong.
The fire snapped.
Kkktt.
So-Ri froze. "What is it?"
He scanned the treeline. His eyes narrowed. No broken branches. No tracks. Not even the usual rustle of rabbits.
"Too quiet," he muttered.
---
Signs of Struggle
Ma-Rok returned moments later. "There's movement in the woods. Four men. Moving fast. One was carrying something."
Sun-Ho's face darkened.
"Yeon."
Yul-Rin came running, breath short. "A gang. They've been snatching kids from villages lately. Probably saw him when we passed the edge of town."
So-Ri gripped her bow. "Then let's get him back."
Sun-Ho's voice dropped low.
"No."
They turned to him.
"I'll go. Alone. We can't risk him getting hurt."
---
[End of Chapter 18 ]