502 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.502 The Third Test - 8 "Did you learn martial arts from a woman?" Do I really seem like someone who would charm women just to steal their martial arts? Believe it or not, I've been formally trained by my wife, childhood friend, fiancée, and even a lover. "How did you come to know about that?" Unable to answer honestly, I simply asked, looking surprised. "Is it true?" Sam An Geom looked so astounded he couldn't close his mouth. "Do I exhibit feminine behavior when I use martial arts?" It’s like when I took Japanese language classes to boost my GPA and confidently spoke in conversation, only to be asked if I was speaking like a schoolgirl. Is it that kind of situation? "You wouldn't notice unless you were really scrutinizing it. It's not at a level where it becomes a major issue." Jo Cheol shook his head. "Then how did you notice?" "All of your martial arts are separate entities, yet there's a unified intent behind them." "A unified intent?" Jo Cheol looked at me with a hardened expression and gave an unexpected answer. "That you must not get hurt." "What?" Not get hurt? What does that mean? As I looked at him, puzzled, Jo Cheol continued to explain. "Even when using self-defense techniques, the focus is not on perfect takedown but on ensuring a clean escape from potential counters. You often try to widen the distance and avoid close combat, even in situations where the opponent shows a vulnerability. Always ready to escape, always safely. It’s less about elimination and more about safety. I sense this intent in all the martial arts you wield." "Perhaps it's because I was taught in ways that would make up for my lack of skill in martial arts." "Typically, the focus is on how to decisively suppress the opponent, not on ways to ensure survival, escaping, or avoiding crisis." Thinking about it, that makes sense. When you learn martial arts, you usually focus on how to wield a sword correctly, practice forms, or footwork for attacks. "Indeed, I was taught with that in mind. But could you really tell just from that?" I didn't learn martial arts to become a renowned master in the martial world. Perhaps they taught me for self-defense. "What I noticed was the direction." "The direction?" "When one learns a new martial art, conflicts often arise with the previously learned ones, as they embody different philosophies. But that’s not the case with you. Your mentors recognized the direction of your martial arts and added to it in agreement with your previous teachers' intent, as if they all shared the same feeling about you, regardless of who taught you." I didn’t need to ponder why they taught me with such an intent. "Haha…" Come to think of it, So Hee also had a peculiar dissatisfaction when she modified the So Yoon Sim Sang Gyeol for me, but she restructured the mood regulation without much ado. Ha Yeon So Jeo also sighed when first seeing my martial arts, indicating some dissatisfaction before teaching me. It seems like there was an unspoken agreement between them, despite never meeting each other. "The martial arts are all over the place, yet each seems highly profound. It's not that you have extraordinary talent or passion for martial arts. Yet, those who taught you seemed determined to protect you from harm… That's what I thought." Indeed, a top-tier instructor in the wandering sect, quick to assess a student's abilities in martial arts. "I just learned diligently, but I didn’t know it held such a meaning." I learned hard to survive. "Except for feigning weakness at the end, you remained eerily calm during the whole sparring. Is that perhaps the function of your mental technique?" "The technique I learned is derived from Buddhist disciplines." The mental technique So Hee learned is the Suratalmyeonggong. Similar to the demon submiting to Buddhism, it suppresses the rising killing intent of the Celestial Massacre Star. Having learned the So Yoon Sim Sang Gyeol, modified by So Hee’s technique, I could maintain my usual composure even in life-threatening situations. "Buddhist mental techniques accumulate refined internal energy, although slowly. To have such functionality as well is impressive. You’ve learned a good technique." "I am always grateful." In fact, it’s mainly the secret mental technique of the direct line of the Moyong clan. It also helps temper perception and muscles through breathing techniques. "Your swordsmanship also seems unusually mystical, not typical martial arts." "I only know that it carries the essence of Kunlun." "What?! It’s martial arts from the Nine Great Schools? The external technique is Bobo Gong, with its cost is as heavy as its effects, and the self-defense is extraordinary…" "Haha. Somehow, things just happened that way." Brother, if you keep looking so surprised, it’s a bit embarrassing. Jo Cheol’s expression was that of an RPG gamer watching a player ignore the main quest, decked in cash items, as he enjoys life skills in the game. "Brother, martial artists don’t just train others on a whim." "It’s because we have promise for the future." "So, not just one, but all…?" Jo Cheol subtly gestured in the direction of where Jegal So Jeo was, hinting at his question. "Yes, all of them..." "No way. Brother, surely not with Jegal Se Ga… Is that really possible?" Jo Cheol’s eyes grew wider than I’d seen today. "Things just turned out that way." I couldn’t bear to lift my head. This makes me sound like some kind of marriage swindler… "Could it be that assassins are actually sent by your in-laws?" "......" "Normally, with black hair, just learning a single martial art is tough…" Jo Cheol's hair was black. The martial arts he learned were second-rate. A certain hollowness, born from years of experience, seeped into my bones. How should I console him? "Ah…! I learned concealed weapons from the Tang family." "Suddenly, the world feels terribly unfair…" It wasn’t effective. --------- "You never know when an assassin might show up again. So let’s start with the urgent life-saving techniques." Jo Cheol’s training seemed emotionally charged, as it was rigorous from the very first day. "Pant, pant!" "You feel like you’re dying now so you won’t die later. Get up!" This training seems to be the harshest one I've ever undergone. “Yes, sir!” I got up energetically. It feels like they're treating me like a newbie wielding cash items, expecting more from me. They push me to the limit, insisting I should do better, endure more, and deal more. Despite that, I've managed to glean some efficient tips. “That’s enough for today. Make sure to review what you learned. I'll focus on addressing your weaknesses for the time being.” “Th-thank you.” My legs felt heavy, and I could barely muster the energy to speak. I bowed my head while bidding Jo Cheol farewell. “Keep a concealed weapon under your pillow for the time being,” he advised with a serious face. “A concealed weapon?” “The enemy isn’t an ordinary foe. If they persist, you never know when or where they might strike.” “…….” “Don’t be too tense; they won’t breach the mansion. Just remain vigilant until this issue is resolved.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” “Take care.” Perhaps he noticed my concerned expression. Jo Cheol gave my shoulder a reassuring tap before departing. ——— Could this mean that the assassination attempt won’t just be a one-time occurrence? Since the investigators at the Bank of Mancheon are looking for the perpetrator, I suppose I should remain on high alert for a while. “Just fulfill your mission!!!” “Huh?” As I was about to re-enter the inner courtyard, a shout came from the outer courtyard where the guards and staff were staying. What's happening? “A guard who failed his duty dares to shout now?” “The mansion is our jurisdiction! You outsiders should just focus on your own external guard duties!” “And you act like you're not employed yourselves.” “What did you just say?!!!” “Just ensuring I don’t get blamed for any failure of duty, so… grant me some more authority…” “What’s going on here?” I opened the door of the room where the shouting was coming from and asked. “Kang Gonjanim!” Inside, there were familiar guards and some unfamiliar faces. Who is this? As I looked at the unfamiliar face with a cautious eye, a man, who appeared to be the one in conflict with the guards, sized up the situation, then approached me with a broad grin. “Black hair? Ah! You must be the one we're assigned to. Nice to meet you. I’m Tak Gojuk, known to others as the Cheongpogomgyeok.” “Cheongpogomgyeok?” “Ah, you’ve heard of me!” No, I didn’t. Who is this guy? I looked toward the mansion guards for an explanation. The head guard, with an expression of dismay, responded. “He is a recently hired guard from the Bank of Mancheon. We were just having a discussion with him.” “An assassin, you say? Don’t worry. Even if I were guarding the Emperor himself, I’d ensure his safety as if I were his personal guard, as long as the pay is good.” “What insolence towards the Kang Gonjanim! Show some respect!” “Just a manner of speaking. Can’t I even joke?” It seems the Bank of Mancheon hired external martial artists for reinforcement. The Bank of Mancheon, despite its wealth, isn't a martial organization. If they urgently need manpower, they'll hire external martial artists for reinforcement. ‘The original guards seem to feel overshadowed.’ The martial artist introducing himself as Cheongpogomgyeok likely carries more fame than the guards, hence their displacement. “Please, safeguard us without any shortcomings.” “See? He asks for comprehensive protection! We should guard the inner courtyard as well!” “Ugh!” This isn’t a matter for me to intervene in. I simply greeted him and turned away. Having been awake all night standing vigil, followed by a full day of training, I was exhausted. Let’s get some rest. ———— Suddenly, I awoke in the middle of the night. 'What is this? Why am I so alert?' I had such a long, arduous day. Why am I wide awake? It wasn’t even a nightmare. I thought if I closed my eyes, it’d be morning in the blink of an eye. My body is weary, but my mind is clear. Is it because my body is still tense? I closed my eyes, trying to drift back to sleep. A cool autumn breeze gently brushed my cheek. Maybe the window across from my bed is open. Wait a minute. 'But I closed the window.' Why is it open? This is strange. Why is it so eerily quiet? If the window is open, I should hear the guards. I deliberately squinted toward the window. 'An assassin...!' Damn it. Something was moving in the dark. 'I have my concealed weapon.' Just like how I place my phone beside me to snooze the alarm for five more minutes during workdays, I’ve stashed weapons in reachable spots. The issue is, I didn't leave too dangerous weapons around to avoid mishaps while half-asleep. ‘I have only one chance.’ If I shoot too soon, I'm done for. If it’s the same kind of enemy as before, there won’t be a second chance. My first chance could be my last. I need them to get close enough to inflict critical damage. Thanks to my heightened senses, I’ve had time to prepare. The shadow wasn’t approaching too quickly or too slowly. ‘Three.’ The presence gets closer. ‘Two.’ Fire and then use Silent Step to escape. ‘O-....’ — Swoosh!!! From somewhere, an unexpected sound came, unrelated to either the shadow or me. ‘...Huh?’ Something black shot out from the bed. “Ugh!” The shadow twisted in surprise. I don’t know what it is, but this is my opportunity. I also need to rise and attack. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw something else flying consecutively. “Iron balls?” Large iron spheres were shooting from the bed. What is this? There are letters on them. The writing reads: “Ally.” “Ugh!” The shadow was hit somewhere. But it wasn’t over yet. Some hidden mechanisms I wasn’t aware of opened in the room, and long poles shot out consecutively. The inscriptions read: [Sister, I won’t forgive you for the second time.] [Betray me and face the Kangdong Son’s wrath!] — Clang! Clang clang clang!!! This scene. I’ve seen this somewhere before recently. Could it be? This trap was... “Jegal So Jeo?”