Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Dynamics
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So-hyang knew her appearance was so outstanding that it caused a commotion wherever she went, but she never tried to hide it.
What was there to be ashamed of that she should cover her face?
All she had to do was let the bees drawn to the flower know there was no nectar to offer and send them away, and for those who still tried to pluck the flower, she could simply break their wrists.
Problems arising from her looks could be crushed with her own power, so there was no reason to lack confidence.
However, if such an issue erupted now, it could create complications for her disciple's first real fight, so she covered her face with a fox-head mask sold at the arena entrance.
"Hey, that fox mask over there..."
"Why's your voice shaking li—hup."
Of course, even with the mask, the curve of her neck alone allowed people to guess her features, and it couldn't hide the contours below her face anyway.
In this underground arena, dressing well and masking one's face while spectating marked someone as a high-status person seeking illicit entertainment without blending in.
"Whoa... what the hell are those tits..."
"You idiot, keep your voice down...!"
Those with any sense of propriety limited themselves to sneaky glances or quiet vulgar talk, avoiding anything more.
"Heh heh heh... you slut, shaking that ass like you want it grabbed—gah!"
Among them, the brainless ones occasionally reached for the woman before them, but a twitch of her finger sent them into a deep sleep.
"...? That guy's jaw just twisted—"
Anyway.
A bewitching woman in a fox mask drew plenty of eyes, but surprisingly, it didn't cause much more disturbance.
After all, the spectators' attention inevitably focused on the arena where red flames blazed and dust swirled.
"You fucking bastard!! Getting beat by a damn kid?! Go open an inn outside!!"
"Wooooaaah!!! Upset win!!"
"Don't bullshit me!! I said don't bullshit!! Losing to a kid?! Give me my money!!!"
Especially when, among all the arena spectacles, an underdog challenger's comeback drove the crowd wild—who could look away?
Before the fight with the giant began, So-hyang had given the boy some instructions.
For the first ten minutes after it started, he wasn't to attempt any attacks at all—just focus on evasion.
It was hard for the boy to accept.
He, who had always been overwhelmingly weak, always struck first when cornered into a fight.
'Fight' rarely even applied in the first place.
Simply put, did it make sense for a sturdy adult and a ten-year-old child to battle?
Thus, the boy's only option had been 'ambush.'
The moment the opponent was most off-guard.
When his own stamina was at its peak.
Like a honeybee sacrificing itself, pouring all his strength into one bite at the neck.
The instant the fight turned into an exchange or prolonged battle, it was already his defeat.
But that was the old boy—until recently.
His body, weakened by malnutrition and near-abusive exertion, had been nearly perfectly restored through So-hyang's proper diet, fasting, and physical therapy.
His master wanted him to feel this change himself rather than hear it from her.
"Hahk, hahk...! Why won't it hit...?!"
"...Hey, are you even doing it right?"
Divine Sense, fanning out from his focused brow, engulfed the giant.
Every movement he made began imprinting itself into the boy's mind.
The shift in center of gravity from his stance, the shoulder blades and rotator cuff motions, the muscle twists.
Above all, the direction of the gaze fixed on him, as his master had endlessly emphasized.
Perceive, respond.
"Take!"
Right fist, aimed at the face.
Before it launched, he tilted his head aside; the punch merely sliced air.
"This—!"
Left fist, again for the face.
A light push off the ground and half-step back placed him beyond reach.
"—you brat!!"
Right leg, a side kick to the ribs.
As the giant's leg moved, he bent his knee, hunched his waist, and dropped low; only a breeze grazed his occiput.
A series of exquisitely close dodges, as if scripted, finally stirred unease in the crowd, who began jeering.
"Hey!!! Bear!! Get serious now!!"
"He's gonna bolt! It's almost ten minutes!!"
Of course, the one feeling it most acutely was the giant swinging those punches.
"F-fuck... I wanna end this quick too...!"
His strikes weren't slow, yet they kept missing—like chasing fluttering leaves.
"See? I told you it would work..."
In the chaotic atmosphere, only So-hyang smiled in satisfaction.
It wasn't about superior physicality. No need to be stronger or faster.
Just a body healthy enough to follow his thoughts sufficed.
In other words, with the boy's talent, a mere return to normal health meant he'd never get tagged by this brute's fists.
Thus, ten minutes passed, and now it was time for the boy's attack.
The instructed time had passed, and he could attack—but now the boy felt at a loss.
"...How do I even hit him."
Dodging was easier than expected, honestly simple.
But the opponent was still an adult—a burly, trained fighter.
Without a blade, bare fists wouldn't dent that frame much.
His only idea was kicking the universal male weak spot...
"As you all know, using weapons, biting, eye-gouging, or groin shots means disqualification."
Better a bloody head split than watching a guy crumple clutching his balls.
This was an arena, not a street brawl; spectacles couldn't turn unseemly.
A rule prioritizing show quality over lives, but it stumped the boy.
Unlike pure evasion, attacking risked grabs.
So, what to do...
Instead of sensing outward with Divine Sense, extend it inward.
"—Huh?"
So-hyang, fully aware of her disciple's dilemma, offered the solution.
"...But then I can't dodge attacks—"
No, our disciple can easily dodge those punches without Divine Sense.
Divine Sense was peerless for sensing, but predicting and evading relied on unrelated skills.
Besides, the opponent was tiring, panting, slowing—reading visually would suffice.
"B-but Master..."
Yet the boy hesitated.
Even if possible, deactivating constant outward Divine Sense left him anxious.
Like running blindfolded, or naked in the open.
But could he crawl forever on training wheels?
Eventually, he had to shed his shell and hatch forward.
Trust it.
"Damn it, fine...!"
The boy withdrew his Divine Sense from the opponent, redirecting it inward to perceive his body.
First, count your bones.
Divine Sense's spatial perception grasped every bone fragment in an instant.
Two hundred six, and twenty-five more.
Then, imprint the bend of each joint connecting them.
Instinctively, he started from the ground up.
Toes, instep, ankle, knee, pelvis, waist, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, fingers...
Gauging each range of motion and resistance, etching it in his mind.
...Now, observe the muscles wrapping it all, each twist of the threads.
He had never observed his own body via Divine Sense, let alone so meticulously.
Save for setting broken bones, why bother?
But now...
Joint bends on each step, muscle plays, even parts unimaginable before—all perceived.
How did his body move?
"...I get it."
His innate body control sense.
His special constitution wielding Divine Sense.
Plus, the entangled link with So-hyang's Divine Sense, imprinting fragments of enlightenment in instants shorter than instants.
Whatever the cause, he understood with reason, instinct, mind, soul, body.
Bones as axis, joints as pivots, muscles executing motion.
The boy moved.
"...!? Wildcat bastard—wha—t—"
Peak focus slowed his vision, stretched sounds.
Step shifting gravity's pull, adding weight throughout.
Calf, thigh, abs, waist, back, shoulder, arm—all muscles meshing, surpassing natural force.
His form shot forward unprecedentedly fast, closing in instantly.
"Thi—s—cra—zy—!"
The giant's eyes widened, mouth gaped, body recoiled slowly, arms raised to block—but
the boy was faster.
Mid-leap, twisting waist in an arc.
Centrifugal force amplifying momentum, concentrating mass.
Common sense: child's punch or kick lacked power against the brute.
But view it as swinging a blunt weapon of equal mass—plenty potent.
Optimal muscle use for leap.
Precise trajectory and spin for mass focus.
Instinct picking hard parts: knee, elbow over fist or foot.
Especially channeling full leg power over arm.
"—Guhk!"
In short, the boy's knee smashed the giant's jaw hard; the shock rattled his brain, collapsing him like a puppet with cut strings.
"—Hahk, huuk, huuuk...!"
"Mmm, first real fight's a success."
Cell-level control was beyond now, but awakening dynamics' essence—coordinating body for peak power—succeeded.
To her disciple savoring exhaustion's recoil and victory's thrill amid gasps, So-hyang clapped joyfully.
"Hey, hey, hey—you fucker!! Beaten by a kid?! Go run an inn!!"
"Wooooaaah!!! Upset exploded!!"
"No bullshit!! I said no bullshit!! This can't happen!!! Give me my money!!!"
Toying all along, then dropping from one hit.
Bear-sized man vs. a kid barely to his waist—who'd believe it?
"Alright, alright! Sucks, but result's result! Luck's insane, but win's a win!!"
"Oh ho, they follow rules decently."
Surprisingly, the black path sect's organizer acknowledged the win.
Fees were their cut; payouts just shifted recipients.
Calming the uproar, they led the boy inside, plunking a heavy pouch on the desk.
"Whew, no clue how you beat that bear-fist bastard, but it's yours."
"...Yeah."
Exhausted, speechless, he took the pouch and shuffled out.
"Now you've got the basics of body control, time to learn wielding a sword."
The dagger, kicked flying, stabbed at his feet; So-hyang beckoned to pick it up.
"...R-right now?"
Right after the match, back from the arena.
"Why not?"
So-hyang tilted her head, as if puzzled by the question.