So before I start simping over everyone, I really want to talk about something this weeks chapter shows us, that being Yoo Joonghyuk's willingness to help Dokja no matter what. Lets start with this scene:
We know what happened in the 2nd regression, we know the sheer amount of pain and torment YJH went through, specifically here in the first Murim. We'll see later in the story how much of a lasting impact this moment had on him, but right now I think it's important to realize that for a regressor like YJH this specific moment probably feels like it just happened. To him, he recently watched his world burn down around him and his companions bleed out in front of him. But yet he's here again. Now, I know it could be said that he's only here for some items like Dokja bribes him with, which is true, but at this point in time YJH believes that he can get by without learning from the Sword Saint at all. But yet. We see this happen:
Dokja calls for him, and even though it takes him a moment and it looks like he wont actually come, he does. He puts aside his past and stands up for Dokja when he needs him
This is a big moment for him, even if it doesn't seem like it. We as the reader know that YJH will need the skills he'll learn here in the later scenarios, but he doesn't know that. He sees his painful past and wants to run away from it (which is a consistent theme with him). But the very moment Dokja asks for his help, he's there.
I think this really starts to show just how deep YJH actually trusts Dokja. As harsh as he can be with him, when it really matters Joonghyuk will throw away his own wants and feelings to support Dokja. This is going to become more and more evident as the story goes on, ultimately culminating in the epilogues, but it's very fascinating to see that it all really started here, this being one of the first times Joonghyuk really starts to confront his painful past in service of Dokja.
But of course, he still looks cool as shit doing it:
I absolutely adore how they've portrayed transcendence here. It was always kind of hard for me reading the novel to picture transcendence, but seeing it here really puts into perspective how amazing the act of transcendence really is when it comes to Joonghyuk.
We also get to see him softer! I think this links back to my first point pretty well; Joonghyuk in the 2nd regression was a very very different character than the one we know. Obviously this is for many different reasons, but I do enjoy that we get to peak behind the curtain to see how he was before tragedy struck him. (Because remember, the 2nd regression is the first one that truly ends in tragedy, as far as we know the 1st ended pretty tame and the 0th. Well. We know how that ended).
BUT GODDAMN DID THEY HAVE TO ALSO GIVE US THIS IN THE SAME CHAPTER. HOOOO BOY DO I UNDERSTAND DOKJA A LOT MORE.
Speaking of, for all of us women enjoyers out there:
Mommy? Sorry, mommy? Sorry, Mommy?
I fucking love her and I want her to crush me with her big arms holy. I may be ace but I love a big powerful women. Hnnnn