-Yah, you need to train super hard.
‘… right.’
I had no excuse. Without the help of Small Short Sword, I wouldn’t have even been able to touch Noh Songgu.
Even though he didn’t use qi, he moved so fast that it was difficult to catch him.
“Ah.”
My body and face were covered in bruises. The man had no mercy in his hands.
‘I need to train.’
Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be able to last. Either way, I got what I wanted, a Middle-rank classification. As a result, I was one step further from just being a card to be discarded. However, there was no peace in this place, as people often fall down to the lower ranks during training.
“Ah…? He is coming.”
“He is.”
The twin brothers looked at me with displeasure. I thought they would definitely get upper-rank classifications, but shockingly they were with me in the middle. It seemed like they had a pretty rough time.
“Man.”
However, the men grumbled as if they were dissatisfied with my presence there. In a place like this, where they had no connections, the only face they knew was me, so even if they acted strongly on the outside, they would have eventually returned to me.
“Commander. Please reconsider.”
“Uh. Speak softly.”
The emergency meeting was being held twenty feet away from the trainees. It was because Leader Oh was expressing a dissenting opinion.
‘I can’t hear them.’
At first, I could hear everything, but now they were lowering their voices and using Voice Transmission techniques, and I could hear nothing.
Voice Transmission was a technique for delivering the voice right into the person’s mind using internal qi.
‘Well. Even if you do it like that, I can mostly understand what’s being said.’
Leader Oh was obviously trying to figure out if Noh Songgu had simply let me pass, but the latter was shaking their head.
‘You are doing well.’
After all, he was a man who kept his promises.
Leader Oh, who lost his reasoning, couldn’t even shout. Thanks to this, everyone else bowed their heads as the conversation progressed to avoid any sensitive actions. It looks like it won’t be solved for a while.
After the ranking evaluation was complete, the trainees were given clothes. It wasn’t a flashy outfit, just the right type for training. However, since there were no pockets, I couldn’t put the short sword inside and had to put it around my waist.
-Wow. I might live.
It began to cheer up and was speaking up more in excitement. Of course, no one else could hear it even if it spoke.
After all the trainees changed into their clothes, We were moved into place according to our ranks. Our guide was a female leader.
Her name was Hae Okseon, and I didn’t even look at her after my gaseous incident. Whenever I even glanced over, she would return it with a glare.
-You have made enemies.
‘I know.’
I was unintentionally increasing my enemies here.
Still, I was glad she wasn’t suspicious of my identity like Leader Oh.
-You farted. That is the reason.
‘…’
Ignoring Short Sword’s words, I walked ahead. When an instructor was officially assigned to conduct training, the whole process formally started.
-How long does this last?
‘One year.’
-That’s not that long, is it?
‘A low-ranking trainee usually ends up training alone.’
After one year of training, the basic course of a warrior in the Blood Sect was complete. Once that happened, those who do not possess further qualifications would be assigned positions as low-ranking warriors.
I was at the bottom of the sect in the past.
-What did you do here?
‘Supplies.’
-Supplies?
‘… Yes, I carried luggage, you idiot!’
That was literally the bottom of the pile. Even if I could master martial arts, I couldn’t be better than normal people. As a result, I had to take on chores in the sect, such as carrying luggage. Still, it was a more comfortable time than my eventual role as a spy.
-You have to be at least middle rank to avoid chores.
‘I will get away.’
I will put in a decent amount of work to climb up. I’m aiming to at least become a middle-rank warrior and take up the role of a captain.
If I could make a good impact and name to sharpen my skills, maybe I could even become a first-rate warrior.
-What is a middle-rank warrior?
‘I need to become one within a year.’
-Eh? With what means? You are still the same.
‘I did tell you that there is a way.’
-How?
It was curious, so it kept on questioning me.
‘The opportunity will come in ten months.’
In fact, despite knowing all this, my stomach began to hurt. Of course, I did manage to learn things, but it was no use to those who are not given a chance to utilize their education.
-What happens then?
‘In 10 months, an important person will come here.’
-Person? Are you saying someone precious will come?
‘Right.’
-Who?
‘I don’t know.’
-… are you messing with me? You farting trash.
I can’t give it an answer just once, and my whole character changed.
It felt like Short Sword was getting more of a taste for making fun of me.
‘If you say that one more time, I will break you.’
-Ah. You’re angry? You said nonsense first! You raised my expectations!
Right. My fault. Let’s just get to the point.
‘I know who that person is. It’s not the person who is important, but the one who accompanies him is important.’
-Who is that?
‘The Divine Doctor of Ten Thousand Deaths.’
The Divine Doctor of Ten Thousand Deaths. He was a physician who was known to have a cure for all diseases. He, who didn’t belong to any side, will cure a diseased person no matter who they were as long as they could pay the set price.
-Oh, oh! Then can he cure your dantian too?
‘Right. I heard that he can heal broken dantians.’
-But why will he help you?
‘He is coming here to find a certain medicine.’
-Medicinal herbs?
‘The reason for bringing that person to this place for treatment is that the moment the herb is uprooted. It cannot last over a day, so it must be done nearby.’
I couldn’t remember the herb’s name, but it was some kind of grass. All the trainees were mobilized to find this one herb, and whoever found it was given a promise by the Divine Doctor of Ten Thousand Deaths,
‘He will give us anything.’
-Then you can aim for it.
‘Right.’
I remembered exactly where this herb was found.
Even though my dantian wasn’t in great condition, I tried hard to get into the middle ranks this time.
From the time I was in the wagon, I had been making plans.
‘If I become a middle-ran warrior and transfer into the Blood Wolf squad….’
It was like everything was going to happen. If I could achieve success with the help of Noh Songgu, there was a chance that I could rise even further.
After all, this was how I came to the Blood Sect, so I should try and make a life out of this.
-Puahahaha, you are a funny one. A person from a well-known family with a good name is thinking about making a career in an Unorthodox Sect.
‘Well, people will live the same way, and rotten people, be they Murim Alliance or not, are always rotten.’
It was a truth that I realized during my life as a spy. To the one who wants to climb up anywhere, surviving was best.
While I was chatting with the sword, we approached the center of the mountain, where there was a training center for middle-rank trainees.
“Oh?”
As we arrived, Leader Hae Okseon seemed to be slightly shocked. I looked ahead, and around 20 people were lying on the ground of the training floor.
‘What is this?’
Even I couldn’t comprehend this event that is happening out of the blue. I had never heard of such a thing happening in my previous life. Then I saw someone lying on the floor slowly getting up.
From a distance, he had a very large physique and is stout. His clothes weren’t normal either.
He was wearing leopard skin around himself, and his entire face was covered with a beard, making him look like a barbarian.
Phat!
At the same time, this man ran towards us at a great speed like a bull. He was able to come close to us in just a couple steps by using Light Footwork.
“Everyone, get back!”
Hae Okseon hurriedly shouted at us as she drew the sword from her waist. It felt like she, too, was unaware of this man’s identity.
Like any first-rate warrior, she tried to stop the man by swinging her sword. At that moment, something unbelievable happened.
Papak!
The man blocked her sword with his bare hands and then threw her away.
Puck!
“Kyak!”
With a scream of pain, she flew quite a distance. The blow sent her rolling on the ground before she slumped over in a heap.
‘No way.’
This was the first time I had seen a leader taken down this easily. This would have been impossible even for the commander.
“S-she’s dead!”
Song Jwa-baek panicked.
“No. She isn’t dead. Calm down.”
She may have looked dead at a glance, but her body was still twitching. At the same time, the man who easily defeated her began to walk toward us.
It was unusual for me to feel intimidated by just steps. Everyone was unsure of what needs to be done now, but the man opened his eyes wide before we could move.
“….?”
Then his hands met. The strength behind them caused an immense wind pressure and generated a sound that threatened to tear off our ears.
Pat!
The impact was so strong that I covered my ears as I could not withstand it.
“Ahhhhh!’
The strange noise was hurting my ears.
Beeeeeeik!
I couldn’t hear anything else from around me. As I struggled in pain and confusion, I saw the other trainees collapsing around me. They, obviously, couldn’t withstand the sound.
“Euk!”
I removed my hands from my ears, and blood was dripping from them. I felt dizzy to almost the point of fainting and puking, but suddenly something happened.
Ba-dump!
I felt a warm energy in my chest beginning to soar up little by little.
“Huk… Huk….”
I couldn’t understand what this energy was. But then I heard a scream.
“Fuccckkkk! I-if you want to kill someone, kill me! Do not touch my brother!”
Looking at where the scream came from, I saw Song Jwa-baek covering his ears and standing in front of his brother, who was hurting.
That crazy guy! This was unexpected. But the results weren’t as expected either.
With just one punch from the man, Song Jwa-baek’s body made a creaking sound. The man who easily defeated one of the twins then moved toward Song Woo-hyun… No, the place he was heading to is…
-Run away!
Small Short Sword shouted at me.
But my legs were frozen, and I couldn’t immediately regain my senses.
Pak!
Eventually, I lose consciousness and feel a dull sensation on the back of my head.
Cold.
It feels like my mouth is transported to the back of my head. I wake up with a cold touch on my skin and a terrible headache. Then came the hoarse voice.
“Kuku, surprising. This guy’s dantian is broken, so you are someone who cannot handle internal qi but woke up first?”
The voice is too close. It startles me and wakes me up.
“Ugh!”
In a state of confusion, I step back.
Right ahead of me is the giant barbarian leaning on a stone chair covered with leopard skin. I am so afraid that I can feel my whole body shaking.
“Euk!”
Something touches my foot, causing me to trip backward.
“Uh?”
It is Song Jwa-baek. However, it isn’t just him. His younger twin is also sleeping soundly next to him.
“W-where is this?”
I look around and note that this isn’t a large cave.
I also can’t see any of the other trainees, which means that only the 3 of us were taken here.
‘Damn it.’
I had such a perfect plan, but what is this? This is embarrassing.
“Ah!”
I remember the short sword and look around, trying to look for it.
“Kuk, looking for this?”
I look at the large man. He is holding the short sword in his thick and large hand. For some reason, I can’t hear its words. When my head was hit, he must have taken it away.
“You are a funny one. They said that all the trainees who just came in are kids, but you have this dagger.”
‘What?’
This man. He knows I am a trainee here. I don’t think he is from the Blood Sect, but I am not sure anymore.
After some hesitation, I decided to muster up my courage to ask.
“W-who is the elder who brought us here?”
“Kulkulkul.”
The man breaks out in a roaring laugh.
“Me? I am Hae Ack-chun.”
‘…!’
I feel a shiver run through my body when I hear that name. I have to be hearing this wrong.
‘No!’
If this man’s words are true, he is one of the Four Venerable Dignitaries of Blood Sect, the Ghastly Monster, Hae Ack-chun.
He is known as the most bizarre and unique of the four.
‘W-why is he? Wait…. No!’
My trembling gaze falls to the twins lying next to each other. They are asleep and without a care in the world.
I am sure.
‘No… was it Hae Ack-chun who passed down martial arts to these two?’
