Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special-Chapter 30: Murim Debut (3)

Seojun and Chunbong left the back alleys they had grown fond of.

Since falling into this martial arts world he had stayed in that area, so traveling through the city was a first.

“Wow, this city’s bigger than I thought.”

“It’s not really that big though?”

“It isn’t?”

A city where even first-rate martial artists had to walk quite a while to reach the walls and she’s saying this isn’t a big city?

It seemed he shouldn’t judge this place using his previous world’s common sense.

Perhaps this world’s murim had a completely different geography from Earth’s China. Not that it mattered since he didn’t know Chinese geography anyway.

After leaving Douyin Township, the two examined their map.

“This way, right?”

“Yeah, if we’re crossing the mountains.”

Looking at the roughly drawn map they got from the market, they used a compass to set their direction and drew a straight line to Mount Hua Sect.

Just some mountains and cliffs—as martial artists, they shouldn’t die taking a straight path through.

With that mindset, they began climbing the mountain.

Having started late after packing and touring the market, they might need to camp on this mountain tonight.

As he trudged along the mountain path, Seojun observed Chunbong walking with tiny steps beside him.

She had definitely grown quite a bit compared to when they first met.

Both in height and, heaven in all its cruelty, had stripped away even her baby fat.

Seojun sighed seeing her feminine curves beginning to develop.

“Can’t you stop growing?”

“...Why do you always say such nonsense?”

“But you know, my cute little Chunbong...”

“Hmph. You like little kids that much? You have some weird as fuck tastes.”

“It’s not that I like brats, it’s just, you know, there’s something about it.”

I am not a pedo. I can say that with confidence.

But thinking about Chunbong growing up into a proper adult woman just makes me feel... an indescribable sadness.

“Soon I won’t even be able to give you piggyback rides.”

“Hm...? Well, that shouldn’t matter right? Even if I grow a bit...”

“See?! I knew it!”

“You bastard, setting me up!”

“I knew all along you actually liked piggyback rides!”

“No, I don’t!?”

Chunbong threw a fit. Is this what they call a woman’s heart?

I know she likes it despite what she says. The body is more honest than words. I’ve mastered reading Geum Chunbong’s reactions by now.

“Alright. Want a piggyback ride?”

“Stop with the bullshit and let’s just walk.”

“Come on, you know you want—huh?”

There was a commotion coming from the dense trees, the sound of screams and hurried footsteps in its direction. As they watched, a wild bandit suddenly burst out.

“R-Run away...!”

“Save meee...!!”

And he bolted past them, running like his life depended on it.

“What the hell is going on?”

Seojun moved quickly. The moment his feet pushed off the ground, the fleeing bandit’s back appeared right in front of him.

He grabbed the bandit by the scruff of his neck, leaving him dangling in the air.

“L-Let me go!”

“You’re a bandit, right mister?”

His fashion screamed bandit.

“If you know then let go! The Green Forest’s revenge is—eek! Q-Quickly, let me go! Please! Let me go!”

The bandit’s struggling suddenly intensified as he saw something.

Seojun turned around. The approaching presence had stopped. There was a man covered in blood, blood dripping from the blade in his hand.

“Who are you...?”

The man didn’t answer Seojun’s question. Instead, he charged forward swinging his blade.

If he stayed still, the bandit’s head would fly off.

Seojun stepped back lightly while throwing the bandit far away.

Whoosh!

As the blade cut across the empty air, the man’s sharp gaze turned to Seojun.

“Are you part of their pack?”

“I pack quite a kick, yeah.”

I do enjoy a good kick.

Seojun spun in place and swung his leg.

Bang!

The man blocked with the flat of his blade but was pushed back.

“Hmm...”

He shook off the frost from his frozen hand and fiercely glared at Seojun.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Uh... the fuck, shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?”

You just start swinging your blade at anyone? Clearly someone’s lacking social skills.

The man’s eyes darted around as he stared at Seojun.

Once at Chunbong watching him warily, once at the frantically fleeing bandit.

His expression twisted as he wrapped blade qi around his weapon.

“Out of my way!”

The man charged. No, he feinted and turned toward Chunbong.

“You son of a bitch.”

Seojun also drew his sword and charged.

A brilliant golden sword qi enveloped his blade, heat exploding towards the man as he swung.

Bang!

The man was pushed back.

Seojun quickly scanned the ground and picked up a stone. After imbuing it with yin qi, he shot it at the man who blocked with the flat of his blade.

Clang!

The stone hung in the air.

Seojun held his middle finger with his thumb.

After gaining insight into the Supreme Polarity, it wasn’t just his inner qi that had grown denser.

The speed at which he could convert between yin and yang qi had increased dramatically.

He instantly fired the yang qi gathered at his fingertip.

The yang qi bullet hit the floating stone directly, and—

────────────!!!

—caused a massive explosion.

“Guh...!”

Caught in the explosion, the man went flying.

After breaking through several trees with his body, he finally crashed into one and fell to the ground.

“Urghh...”

Though he tried to get up, he kept falling.

Even if he wasn’t hit directly and was just caught in the blast, the power of the Primordial Sun-Moon Finger was hard for humans to withstand. A direct hit would have blown his body apart.

Seojun stood over the man and looked down with gleaming eyes.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The reason I let this bastard live isn’t anything special. When he went for Chunbong, he reached out with his hand instead of his blade.

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If he’d gone for the kill rather than just subduing her, I would have torn him limb from limb.

“My daughter...”

“Your mother.”

Thud!

The man passed out after getting kicked in the head.

“Hmm...”

Seojun’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the man. Should he let this guy live or not?

As he pondered, Chunbong approached.

“Seriously, do I look that easy to these bastards? They’re always pulling this shit with me.”

“You do look pretty weak.”

Going by looks alone, she seemed like she’d barely lose by decision after an intense battle with a neighborhood puppy.

“What the hell?”

“That’s cause of how cute you are.”

“W-What... You really just say whatever you want...”

Chunbong stammered. Seojun grinned and patted her head.

“Anyways, what should we do with him? Kill him?”

“Let’s hear him out. He was saying something about a daughter earlier.”

“Daughter... Hmm. Whew.”

As Seojun shook his head with a sigh, Chunbong moved.

Tap tap.

After pressing his pressure points to restrict his qi flow and movement, she asked.

“Wake him up?”

“Yeah.”

Press—

The man’s eyes flew open as she pressed the point.

“Hup...!”

“Yo.”

Seojun lifted the man’s chin with the flat of his sword.

“Name.”

“...Wang Daesan.”

“So what’s this about your daughter?”

The man’s eyes widened. He thrashed his barely moving body and shouted.

“My daughter...! Please save my daughter...! Do whatever you want with me, but my daughter...!”

“What, she got kidnapped or something?”

“C-Correct! Search my clothes! There’s a letter!”

This motherfucker. Why didn’t you just say this from the start?

Clicking his tongue, Seojun flipped the man over with his foot.

“Let’s see...”

As he searched the man’s clothes, he found a letter as mentioned.

“Hmm... Can’t read this.”

Between being written in blood and messy handwriting, he couldn’t make it out at all.

“Lemme see.”

“Here.”

He handed the letter to Chunbong who read it aloud.

The gist was:

The Young Lady was kidnapped by the Green Forest Bandits. I barely made it out alive. Too gravely wounded to move so I’m sending this letter. Forgive me.

“From some kind of guard?”

“Seems like it.”

When they looked at the man, he nodded frantically.

“That’s right! It’s from So-ryeong’s guard!”

“Hold up, a guard lost to bandits?”

When he asked dumbfoundedly, Chunbong answered.

“Bandits these days are surprisingly strong. At least their leaders. There are lots of demonic creatures in the mountains, so you can’t survive if you’re weak.”

“What... If they’re strong why be bandits?”

“How would I know? Don’t try to understand what’s in people’s heads. It’s easier to just accept that such idiots exist.”

I really don’t get it.

Seojun scratched his head and clicked his tongue.

“But if bandits are strong, shouldn’t they avoid mountains? Why were they going through mountains and got caught by bandits?”

“Why are you asking me? I don’t know either.”

“I mean, it makes no sense.”

“I know right?”

They looked at the man who smiled bitterly as he defended the guard.

“They probably weren’t going through the mountains. The child is young, and he knows bandits are dangerous.”

“Then why’d they get caught by bandits?”

“...They may have stayed in a village and the bandits noticed So-ryeong’s beauty.”

So the bandits came down to the village to kidnap his daughter?

“There weren’t any bandits in these mountains originally. They seem to have settled recently...”

“Yeah, whatever.”

I don’t really care. Knowing that won’t change anything.

“So where’s their hideout?”

The man’s eyes went wide. Tears of relief or something rolled down his face.

“Th-Thank you so much...!”

“But, where is it?”

“I was planning to capture a bandit and ask... but...”

In other words, he doesn’t know. Useless bastard.

“Haah... Let’s go, Chunbong.”

“What about this person?”

“He’ll figure something out.”

As Seojun started walking, Chunbong quickly released the man’s pressure points and followed.

“Oh my sweet Chunbong. How will someone so kind survive in this harsh world?”

“You’ll support me.”

“W-What...!”

I’m touched! Seojun covered his mouth.

“That’s right, live with big brother forever, my Chunbong!”

“...What are you even on about?”

Hmph, Chunbong snorted shyly.

*“So how are we going to find them?”

At Chunbong’s question, Seojun closed his eyes.

After concentrating briefly, his eyes flew open.

“Should be that way?”

Chunbong focused closely on the direction he pointed towards.

“How do you know?”

“The qi’s messed up over there.”

“What the actual fuck.”

Chunbong smacked her forehead and lamented.

“This shitty world. Guess everything just works out if you have talent, huh?!”