ch 4
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 4
This is frustrating.
Two and a half hours from Seoul to Jangsu-dae.
Two hours to climb from Jangsu-dae to Daesungryeong Pass, where the protagonist got lost.
I've been searching for more than five hours since arriving at Daesungryeong Pass, but with no results.
The sun is already setting, and the surroundings are starting to darken.
Even though I'm a B-rank Hunter, so my stamina is fine, it's getting hard to see the path at night, and despite it being April, the weather is quite chilly at this high altitude.
The possessed protagonist found it so easily...
Is it possible the portal hasn't been created yet?
Feeling discouraged, I decide to head back down for today and search again tomorrow.
Looking for the hiking trail to return, I get confused as it's become quite dark.
I turned on my phone to run the map app, but damn, it's a no-service area.
No choice then.
I'll have to go upward a bit, even if it means taking a detour.
The sun hasn't completely set yet, so if I go up, I might be able to see the path from above.
Quickly heading upward, wait, what's that?
White mist is rising beside a large pine tree.
As I approach, the white mist gradually thickens and transforms into a large oval shape.
Although it's considerably smaller than what I remember, this is definitely a portal.
Moreover, unlike regular portals, this one is white, indicating zero danger level, just as described in the novel.
Thinking I've finally found it, I immediately jump into the portal.
I feel slightly dizzy, but it quickly passes.
"Wow!"
I can't help but exclaim in amazement.
Exotic plants and trees flourish everywhere, and heavy snowflakes are falling despite the season.
So this really is another world?
The scenery wasn't specifically described in the novel, but it's truly artistic.
No, this isn't the time to be leisurely admiring the view.
The sun is setting.
If I don't want to spend the night in the mountains, I need to find the martial arts manual first.
To avoid getting lost, I record the entrance location on my Hunter watch and proceed straight ahead.
After walking for about 20 minutes, I finally spot a small cave in the distance.
I was worried it might not be there, but thankfully it is.
My steps quicken with joy, but... what's this? Suddenly, the hair all over my body stands on end and my skin tingles.
This is killing intent.
THUD— THUD— THUD—.
The surrounding trees split and fall.
Had I not quickly dropped to the ground, I would have been cut in half like those trees, making my spine shiver at the thought.
What on earth is this? This didn't happen in the novel.
As I press myself completely against the ground to locate where the attack came from, I sense someone behind me, and a snow-white blade is placed right below my neck.
"You're a human."
A sharp voice speaks from behind me.
But it's not in Korean, it's in Chinese.
Normally, I'm not good at Chinese or even English, but since Kang Shin-hyeok had been stationed in China, I understand it.
"If you don't answer, I'll cut you down right now."
Translation isn't the issue here.
"P-please wait. I'm not an enemy."
As I think about speaking Chinese, the words actually come out in Chinese.
It's fortunate that Kang Shin-hyeok had been stationed in China.
"So you can speak. Which guild do you belong to? And how did you enter this place?"
"I don't belong to a guild; I'm a teacher at the Republic of Korea's Hunter School. I entered this place through a portal."
"Republic of Korea? Hunter School? Portal? All words I don't understand."
Not knowing about the Republic of Korea, Hunter School, or even portals — something seems off.
Judging by the speech, this is undoubtedly a Chinese person, but what's going on?
"I'll explain everything, so please put away your sword. I really have no intention of fighting you."
"You wouldn't be a match for me anyway."
"That's why please put your sword away, and let's talk face-to-face in a friendly manner."
My plea seems to have worked, as the sword is withdrawn.
I get up and turn around to see an old man in a white robe.
Wait a minute, could this person be...
"Excuse me... Is your name Cho Yu-ryang?"
"Hmm, I didn't expect anyone to still remember my name. How did you know?"
I suspected it, but to think it's really Cho Yu-ryang.
He's the person who left the internal energy manual that the original protagonist was supposed to get from the portal.
However, when the protagonist discovered the portal, Cho Yu-ryang didn't appear.
According to the will left with the martial arts manual, he had already ascended to immortality...
It seems I've met him because I found this place two years before the protagonist.
"Well..."
I understand the situation roughly, but I can't say I saw it in a book, and I'm not sure how to explain.
"Are you perhaps my descendant?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then how..."
"I've heard stories before."
"What stories? About me?"
"About a martial artist who suddenly appeared in the Central Plains long ago and disappeared after fighting against a ferocious dragon that harmed many people. The hero in the story resembled you..."
"Haha, to think that story would be passed down. Since there was no one watching, I thought no one would remember it."
I hastily mixed some content from the will I'd seen in the novel, and fortunately, it seems to have worked.
As I continued the conversation while appropriately flattering him, I was able to learn the exact situation that led to the will mentioned in the novel.
A dragon suddenly appeared and massacred people, and Cho Yu-ryang, who was wandering at the time, witnessed this and engaged in battle.
After a week-long struggle, Cho Yu-ryang emerged victorious, but the dragon, in its final desperate act, placed a curse.
Anyone who came into contact with Cho Yu-ryang would gradually waste away and die.
Not knowing this situation, Cho Yu-ryang met people and became an enemy of the martial arts world. Eventually, he secluded himself deep in the mountains and devoted himself to training to remove the curse.
He finally succeeded in removing the curse, but at that moment, he was swept into a suddenly appearing black space and arrived here.
Fortunately, he met a group of people immediately upon arriving here, but they attacked him without warning. After subduing them, he tried to get information, but unable to communicate, he killed them all.
He tried to find a way back but failed, so he's been living alone here, training in martial arts.
Based on Cho Yu-ryang's description, the humans he subdued and killed were likely demons.
Demons are monsters that appear in the latter part of the story, with even weak individuals matching the strength of A-rank Hunters at minimum.
Strong ones with multiple horns can hold their own against S-rank Hunters, yet he killed more than ten of them? Is this man a monster?
Since the exact time wasn't mentioned in the will, I asked how long he had been here, and he said he stopped counting after 30 years.
"It must have been difficult for you."
"It was at first. I thought I had gotten used to it, but seeing you, it seems I still had lingering attachments."
"Pardon?"
"I apologize again for earlier. If you came here by your own will, you must know how to return, right? Please, help me get outside."
I received his apology, but honestly, I don't feel very good about being attacked out of nowhere.
Still, I came here to learn martial arts from him, so I should cooperate, but there's a problem.
"A lot of time has passed."
I've never written a martial arts novel, but I've read many.
The background of martial arts novels is mostly China during the Ming Dynasty.
Even if he goes out now, people he knows probably don't exist... No, it might not even be the same world.
In the novel I read, only the protagonist and the original protagonist used martial arts.
"I suppose so. But if my descendants are still alive, I'd like to meet them."
Even if it's the same world, how does he plan to find his descendants among 1.3 billion Chinese people?
Besides, without a passport, how would he cross into China?
Nevertheless, I agreed and activated my Hunter location device to return to the portal entrance.
"It's here. Pass through that white circle over there."
"Where are you pointing?"
"Can't you see this white circle?"
"..."
Judging by his lack of response, he probably can't see it.
Thinking he might still be able to pass through even if he can't see it, I held Cho Yu-ryang's hand and passed through the portal.
With a slight headache, familiar scenery unfolded before me, but Cho Yu-ryang was nowhere to be seen.
Re-entering the portal, I saw Cho Yu-ryang standing there with a dejected expression.
"L-let's try again."
Even after the first attempt, we continued to retry, but Cho Yu-ryang could neither perceive nor pass through the portal.
"Let's stop now."
His expression looked like he had lost everything, and his voice lacked strength.
It seems he had high hopes of being able to go outside, but as they say, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
As I was contemplating how to console Cho Yu-ryang, my stomach growled.
"You seem very hungry. Wait a moment."
I was about to say it was fine, but before I could, Cho Yu-ryang disappeared.
A moment later, he reappeared with unfamiliar plants in his hands.
"These are precious, so chew them thoroughly."
I was about to decline since I had ramen and snacks in my backpack just in case... Wait, precious?
Could this be some kind of elixir?
I took a bite and found it extremely bitter.
Well, they say good medicine tastes bitter.
Fighting back the urge to vomit, I forced myself to chew thoroughly, but I noticed Cho Yu-ryang wasn't touching them.
"Aren't you going to eat, sir?"
"I don't need to eat food."
"What?"
"Once you reach my level, food and water become unnecessary."
"I see."
"Interestingly, it seems to suit your taste. Before reaching my level, I had to eat to survive, but it was too bitter for just satisfying hunger..."
Damn it.
As soon as I heard that, I immediately spat out the plants I was chewing.
"Haha, it seems you were forcing yourself to eat them too. Still, they're hard to find in this weather."
So that's why he called them precious.
Haha... I can't help but laugh in disbelief.
"I have food with me."
"Then you should have said so earlier."
...The words "Are you messing with me?" almost came out, but remembering the old man's fierce attack, I suppressed my emotions and opened my bag.
Expecting to find the portal had made me think my descent might be delayed, so I packed plenty.
Two rolls of kimbap, three chocolate bars, and since the shop at the mountain entrance sold thermos bottles, I bought a cup ramen and filled it with hot water.
Opening the thermos, I found that the water wasn't very hot, probably because it was a cheap one.
Still, it seemed hot enough to cook the cup ramen, so I poured in the seasoning and water, then unwrapped the kimbap.
Despite saying he didn't need to eat, he's hovering around me.
"Is that food?"
"Would you like some, sir?"
Seeing that he clearly wanted to eat, I offered him some, and he immediately sat down beside me.
I was about to give him a chocolate bar, but considering his age, his teeth might not be in good condition despite being a martial arts master, so I generously handed him one roll of kimbap.
At first, he seemed slightly suspicious, but after one bite, he continued to stuff the kimbap into his mouth like someone who hadn't eaten for days.
Come to think of it, he really is someone who hasn't eaten.
And not for just a few days, but for several decades.
Cho Yu-ryang devoured the roll of kimbap in an instant.
For someone who claimed he didn't need to eat, he's eating too well.
I originally planned to wait for the ramen to cook and eat together, but seeing Cho Yu-ryang licking his lips while looking at my kimbap, I had no choice but to eat mine as well.
Realizing I wouldn't give him more kimbap, he now started eyeing the cup ramen.
"This is called ramen, something similar to noodles."
"Noodle dishes were my favorite food."
This man seems to have a bigger appetite than he looks.
"I'll share some with you."
"No, it doesn't look like there's much. I'm fine."
He says that, but he keeps staring at the ramen, clearly not fine.
After offering once more, he finally pretends to reluctantly sit beside me and stares at me with puppy eyes waiting for food.
Checking the state of the ramen, it's slightly undercooked because the water has cooled a bit, but it should still be edible.
I only have one pair of chopsticks, but I broke a nearby branch to make another one, and I used the ramen lid to make a bowl to serve him some.
"May I eat this?"
When I said yes, he immediately took a large bite with the chopsticks and then tossed them away.
I thought he didn't like the taste, but then he tilted the ramen lid and poured everything directly into his mouth.
"It seems you like it."
"Among all the noodle dishes I've eaten, this is the most... No, there's too little to really taste it. Could I have a bit more?"
After giving him another serving, which he devoured instantly, he looked at me again, so I just handed over the entire container.
"BURP—. This is quite something."
He emptied even the soup in an instant and looked very satisfied.
I feel a bit disappointed that I couldn't even have one bite, but I've already satisfied my hunger with the kimbap anyway.
Besides, I still have chocolate bars left.
"Do you like sweet things?"
I had two chocolate bars left, so I gave him one for dessert.
Earlier, I was concerned about his teeth, but seeing him now, he seems capable of chewing through iron.
"Hmm, at my age, would I like sweet things like a child?"
"Then I'll eat this one myself."
I unwrapped it and took a bite, feeling the sweetness spread throughout my mouth.
The sugar is making me feel more energetic, but then I notice Cho Yu-ryang staring at me again.
"I thought you didn't like sweet things?"
"Ahem. Well, my friend, even if someone says they don't like something, it's proper etiquette to offer again..."
Thinking the old man is being dishonest, I unwrapped the chocolate and handed it to him.
"The color is quite strange."
He took a bite to taste it and then devoured it as quick as a wink.
"Is there more?"
Seeing how much he wanted it, I asked if he'd be okay with what I had been eating, and he immediately snatched it and ate it in one bite.
He kept looking at the plastic bag with disappointment even after I told him it wasn't edible.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"It's nothing."
Just a moment ago, I was wondering how to console him.
What saved this absolute master who had lost hope was one roll of kimbap, a small cup of ramen, and a chocolate bar.