CHAPTER: Chapter 9
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Chapter 9.
“Wait, Ma Chung. Hold a moment. I, too, have business with that child.”
Ma Chung’s shoulders stiffened.
It was because of the chill that had suddenly risen at his back.
‘This... surely not?’
He turned around with a startled expression, and in his eyes appeared a man who had somehow become one with the darkness at the entrance to the training chamber.
He wore robes as black as midnight, and his face was as emotionless as a blade. His very presence seemed to swallow the light and sound around him whole.
A Head Instructor of the Shadowless Killing Sect, the most secretive and deadly of the Ten Sects of the Demonic Cult.
“The Shadowless Pursuit-Killer... Yajin!”
Without realizing it, Ma Chung swallowed dryly as he spoke the name.
Yajin gave a faint nod.
“Do you call a senior Head Instructor’s name so casually?”
At those words, Ma Chung unconsciously straightened his posture.
“What brings a Senior Head Instructor all the way to a humble place like this?”
A sharp wariness crept into Ma Chung’s voice.
Unlike himself, who had no backing to speak of, Yajin was both a martial expert and a man supported by a formidable force.
“Did I not just say so? I have business with that boy.”
As though Ma Chung did not even exist in his eyes, Yajin stared straight at Uncheon alone.
His gaze was not so much greedy as it was cold and relentless, like that of a blacksmith examining a fine piece of material.
“You have already made your offer. Now it is my turn to make one. Step aside.”
A taut current of tension clashed between the two Head Instructors.
But as Yajin had said, Ma Chung had already made his proposal. The choice now lay with Uncheon.
Smacking his lips in frustration, Ma Chung took a step back.
‘So the situation has become interesting.’
Yajin stepped toward Uncheon and spoke.
“You know better than anyone that your frame is poor. For someone like you, I shall teach a martial art suited to your nature. A martial art that will make you a dagger hidden in shadow.”
Uncheon gave the offer serious thought.
‘So he speaks of an assassin’s art.’
The martial arts of Gonryun were orthodox arts that required upright and majestic internal energy.
As such, not only could he not use them for the time being,
but even if he could, he would not be able to reveal them.
Yet if he learned an assassin’s martial art, as Yajin proposed, there would be two advantages.
One was that he would be able to overcome, at least in part, the limitations of his constitution.
The other was that it would be perfectly suited to infiltrating not only the Demonic Cult, but also the orthodox sects and the Murim Alliance in secret.
‘The risk is far from small... but it would be advantageous for moving both within and beyond the Demonic Cult. It may even broaden the scope of what I can do.’
Having finished his calculations, Uncheon found Yajin’s offer rather appealing.
At that moment, judging that he could not afford to lose the initiative to Yajin, Ma Chung urgently cried out,
“No! With the talent in your legs, my Blood Wind Leg is far more fitting! Boy, choose me! I will pass on to you the true essence of the Blood Wind Leg!”
At Ma Chung’s offer, Yajin’s brow twitched ever so slightly.
He measured Uncheon’s potential for a brief moment, then curled the corner of his mouth as though reaching a decision.
“Hmph, forget Ma Chung’s leg arts. I shall teach you the Shadowless Step and the Soul-Severing Dagger, arts of the Shadowless Killing Sect! With them, you could kill even a master of the Peak Realm.”
“The Shadowless Step and the Soul-Severing Dagger? Are you out of your mind? Hah! Then I, too, shall pass on the Whirling Step! Together with the Blood Wind Leg, it is a martial art fit to reach toward the Peak Realm!”
It was a spectacle of astonishing offers.
‘Peak masters, is it? So they are martial arts of some worth after all....’
And yet not a flicker stirred in Uncheon’s face.
In truth, it would have been stranger for a child dragged here against his will to react to the Demonic Cult’s martial arts.
But more than that, a more fundamental question rose in Uncheon’s mind.
‘...Why are they making such offers to me?’
With eyes full of pure curiosity, he asked, “May I ask... why the two of you are showing such interest in someone as insignificant as a mere cadet? What benefit is there in it for you?”
It was an innocent question, yet one that struck straight at the heart of the matter.
For an instant, the two Head Instructors looked as though they had just been struck in the head with a hammer.
‘He does not know? Truly?’
So focused had they been on Uncheon’s talent and bearing that they had mistakenly assumed he must be a boy secretly fostered by one of the Demonic Cult’s factions.
But the more they thought about it, the less sense that made.
The boy before them was clearly dressed in ragged tatters and looked miserably impoverished.
‘He is not one of the cult’s people? Was he simply a talent too sharp to remain hidden?’
Only then did they realize that he was a pure rough gem with no background at all.
‘Then all the more reason not to let him slip away!’
‘He has no backing, just like me. But his talent surpasses even mine, though I stand on the brink of the Peak Realm!’
Ma Chung felt a sense of kinship with Uncheon, who likewise lacked any special background.
‘Neither one of the Ten Sects of the Demonic Cult nor one of the Twelve Guardian Families claims him. A rough gem like this! If I can take him under my hand, it will not only count as an achievement for me as a Head Instructor, but benefit my sect as well. It is killing two birds with one stone.’
Yajin, too, now evaluated Uncheon’s worth even more highly.
To discover such a talent first and make him his own was the greatest achievement a Head Instructor could hope for.
Ma Chung hurriedly spoke first.
“Each month, cadets of the Hidden Demon Cave are given ten Instruction Tokens. To receive guidance from a Head Instructor, they must pay one Instruction Token per lesson. In other words, the tokens are the measure by which Head Instructors are judged...”
At that moment, Yajin cut across Ma Chung’s explanation and interjected.
“If I so desired, I could sweep up Instruction Tokens by the handful. But to be judged by token count alone is the way of lesser men.”
With unshaken confidence, Yajin continued.
“A true expert proves himself through quality. From the beginning, I have no interest in teaching cadets of poor aptitude. But every cadet I have taught has always ranked among the top ten.”
Ma Chung immediately added, unwilling to fall behind, “I have only recently been assigned to the Hidden Demon Cave! My skill does not fall short of even Senior Head Instructor Yajin’s!”
︙
Thanks to the continuing clash between Ma Chung and Yajin, Uncheon easily grasped the evaluation system of the Hidden Demon Cave, and a cold smile touched the corner of his mouth.
‘Instruction Tokens... an interesting system. So the Head Instructors are in competition as well. In that case, it makes perfect sense that they are desperate to secure promising cadets first....’
A cold gleam flashed in Uncheon’s eyes.
‘The positions of advantage and disadvantage have now been settled. From this point on, the price will be whatever I name it.’
Uncheon let the innocent expression fall from his face.
Then he offered a respectful cupped-fist salute toward the two Head Instructors.
“I understand both of your earnest intentions. However, I find it difficult to make a decision based on the names of the martial arts alone.”
He muttered in a voice that truly sounded troubled.
“Surely there are limits to what one can know from mere explanation... are there not?”
Ma Chung hurried to speak.
“If the Blood Wind Leg is cultivated to great completion, one may become a Peak master worthy even of the cult’s esteem. Even Senior Head Instructor Yajin could not deny that!”
Yajin, however, looked at Ma Chung with faint contempt and said, “How foolish... Do you truly think a kidnapped child will be moved by talk of realms or the circumstances of the cult?”
“...Then do you have another method, Senior Head Instructor?”
“Is there not a very simple one?”
As though he had no choice, Yajin glanced toward Uncheon and said, “If you cannot tell from explanation alone... then we need only show you directly which martial art is stronger.”
It was exactly as Uncheon had intended.
‘This is the Demonic Cult, yes, but in truth their simple desires are easier to deal with than anything else.’
Ma Chung nodded as well.
“...True enough. If a child who knows nothing is to understand it for himself, there is no better way. But are you certain? I may be a newly appointed Head Instructor, yet I have confidence in my martial prowess.”
“Yes. Shout with all the confidence you like now, for it shall soon crumble.”
Uncheon did not speak again while the two continued their exchange.
‘After all, I spent long years dealing with the old foxes of the Murim Alliance, men full of nothing but hypocrisy.’
The fire had already caught.
To fan it clumsily now would only invite suspicion.
If left alone, it would blaze on its own soon enough.
“...I shall begin. Watch carefully, boy.”
Ma Chung stepped forward first.
“My Blood Wind Leg is like a raging storm! It is a destructive leg art that can shatter and tear apart any defense!”
The moment his foot moved with that cry, a blood-tinged gale swept through the training chamber, accompanied by an ear-rending roar of splitting air.
KRAAAASH—!
Dozens of kicks struck the wall of the training chamber like a single massive storm, leaving deep marks upon the hard stone.
Within Uncheon’s mind, a sharp evaluation was already taking shape.
‘As befits a leg art, its destructive force is extraordinary. But between the connections of each form, there are fleeting gaps. On the battlefield, such an instant would decide life and death. The footwork that complements it is what matters.’
Next, Yajin stepped forward.
“An empty cart makes the most noise. The martial arts of the Shadowless Killing Sect make no sound. Ours are arts that approach without leaving even a shadow behind, and sever the soul.”
SWISH.
For an instant, his body seemed to disperse like smoke, and then he was already standing behind the candle in the farthest corner of the training chamber.
The candle flame had not even flickered, and yet on the wall his fingertips had brushed past, a long, deep scar had been carved.
“This is the Soul-Severing Hand.”
It was almost impossible to believe that mark had been left by the edge of a hand alone.
Once more, Uncheon spoke inwardly.
‘Interesting. The Soul-Severing Hand... it differs from an ordinary hand technique. It is an assassin’s martial art perfectly suited to concealment and ambush.’
The two Head Instructors waited with supreme confidence for Uncheon’s choice.
Yet Uncheon still wore an expression that suggested he could not quite tell, and carefully opened his mouth.
“My discernment is shallow, so judging your arts from demonstrations against a wall alone is difficult for me.”
“What did you say...?”
“I have seen the destructive force of the Blood Wind Leg, and I have seen the stealth and sharpness of the Shadowless Killing Sect’s art. But I still cannot tell which martial art is superior.”
Uncheon fanned the flames with exquisite subtlety.
“Martial arts are meant to be used not against walls, but against people. Would the two of you grant me the chance to witness your arts directly against one another?”
At those words, both Head Instructors looked troubled.
“Witness them directly?”
No matter how talented he might be, if they demonstrated their true martial arts on a mere child, he would not survive it.
‘Martial arts are meant for people....’
As though a fine idea had just occurred to him, Ma Chung clapped his palms together.
“How about the two of us spar?”
“What?”
“As the boy says, martial arts are used upon people. Then surely sparring is the best way, is it not?”
At those words, Yajin seemed briefly taken aback, but soon nodded.
At the same time, a cold killing intent began to seep from Senior Head Instructor Yajin.
“Hah... To ask a killer for a spar. You understand what that means, do you not? Are you prepared to stake your life on it, Ma Chung?”
A cruel smile hung at the corners of his lips.
The dignity of their sects, and the pride of a senior Head Instructor, were now at stake.
The words had already been spoken. Even though they were fellow Head Instructors, neither could back down now.
A taut tension spread between the two.
‘Just as planned.’
The spar was now all but decided.
Everything had gone exactly as Uncheon intended.
＊ ＊ ＊
A short while later, the spar between the two Head Instructors began.
“You may have the first move.”
“...Then I shall not refuse.”
Ma Chung immediately kicked off the ground and spun his body.
The Chain Kicks of the Blood Wind Leg swept toward the place where Yajin had been standing like a raging storm.
But Yajin was already gone from that spot.
He was slipping into Ma Chung’s storm-like range of attack by no more than the width of a sheet of paper.
‘Head Instructor Ma Chung’s martial art has clear strengths and weaknesses. I see now why his eyes lit up when he saw the Limitless Step. A leg art that could shine even more brilliantly with excellent footwork!’
Yajin’s fingertips aimed for Ma Chung’s flank like the tongue of a viper.
At that exact instant, Ma Chung’s upper body twisted in a strange rotation, and from an unpredictable angle his foot shot out.
A turning kick meant to strike where the enemy least expected it.
WHISH!
Yet Yajin, as though he had anticipated the incoming kick, smoothly let it slide past him like a serpent and burrowed in close.
Ma Chung’s knee flew up toward the approaching Yajin.
BAM—.
In the blink of an eye, the two Head Instructors had already exchanged several moves before both retreating a step.
‘By contrast, Senior Head Instructor Yajin’s martial art... its footwork is too accomplished to dismiss as a mere assassin’s art. And he is not yet revealing all of his strength....’
Watching the clash between the two, Uncheon dissected everything before his eyes.
The strengths and weaknesses that revealed themselves in real combat were far clearer than anything shown in mere demonstration.
The rotational force of the Whirling Step and the stealth of the Shadowless Step.
The destructive Blood Wind Leg against the razor-sharp Soul-Severing Hand.
It was a collision between martial arts of utterly different temperaments.
After exchanging several moves in an instant, the two seemed equally astonished by each other’s skill.
‘The newly appointed Head Instructor Ma Chung is this capable?’
‘Senior Head Instructor Yajin... his martial art is not something to look down on as that of a mere assassin....’
As they caught their breath, each inwardly reeled at the power the other had kept hidden.
Remarkably, both of them stood at the end of the First Rate and were already looking toward the Peak Realm.
‘This is enough of a harvest.’
Just before they could collide again, Uncheon intervened at the exact right moment.
“Thank you. I believe I have seen enough of both of your martial arts.”
Only then did Ma Chung and Yajin each take a step back.
‘This brat... was that coincidence?’
‘He stepped in at the precise moment... No, that was no coincidence. As I thought, this boy is....’
Having ended their spar, the two exchanged a cupped-fist salute and turned back toward Uncheon.
It was time for him to choose.
But Uncheon gave an answer that left them both stunned.
“...I have seen the formidable martial arts of you both. They are indeed extraordinary. However... for me as I am now, they are too much.”
His expression was sincerely apologetic.
“I have not yet even become familiar with the basic martial arts I obtained from the library. I do not believe I can yet accept martial arts as advanced as yours.”
At Uncheon’s words, Ma Chung’s face flushed crimson.
Even Yajin’s cold expression twisted.
“You little wretch! We even went so far as to spar for your sake, and now you dare toy with Head Instructors?”
Ma Chung exploded at once.
Yajin’s reaction was no different.
“Hah... I thought you had a measure of talent, so I meant to grant you an opportunity, yet you are a fool who lacks even the eyes to judge. To think you would kick away your own chance.”
After speaking in a voice cold as ice, Yajin sharply turned on his heel.
“Damn it all! Stealing my identification tag was insult enough, and now this makes the second. If not for the rules of the Hidden Demon Cave, I would not let you off so lightly....”
Ma Chung too, unable to contain his fury, turned away in seething anger.
But just as the two Head Instructors were about to leave the training chamber, their steps halted abruptly at the sound of Uncheon muttering to himself behind them.
“...It was certainly something like this.”
Then, following that quiet murmur—
WHOOOSH—!
A tearing sound through the air pierced their ears.
That alone was enough to tell them it was no ordinary thing.
‘...What is he doing?’
‘Surely not... is he imitating our martial arts?’
The two Head Instructors’ feet froze in place.
Then, abandoning their pride, both chose to turn around.
What met their eyes the instant they did was an utterly impossible sight.
“......!”
Uncheon was reproducing Head Instructor Ma Chung’s Blood Wind Leg with flawless form.
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