Episode 28
Episode 28
Translation: Godtl
Baek Ha-rin.
Cheon Mu-jin liked her name.
She also seemed perfectly suited to be an instructor. A C-rank hunter, no less.
While that wasn't exceptionally high by absolute standards, it was more than sufficient for someone who could spar with him properly.
Without hesitation, he extended his hand and shook hers.
Unlike her seemingly delicate appearance, her palm was surprisingly rough. Had she trained that hard?
At the very least, she didn't seem like a complete fraud.
"Will you be teaching me personally?"
If possible, he preferred that. Having a beauty like Baek Ha-rin instruct him in martial arts would be ideal.
"Yes. Due to personal circumstances, I'm currently serving as the acting master of the Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall."
"Acting master?"
Baek Ha-rin nodded.
"There are some family matters involved."
He roughly understood. It must have been a situation she couldn't easily explain to others.
Everyone carries at least one such private burden in their heart.
"In that case..."
"You mentioned wanting to spar first, so would you like to show me what you can do?"
He immediately raised both hands.
Right hand high, left hand low.
The basic stance of the Thunder Fist.
He shifted his footing. Though he exerted considerable force, the floor showed no signs of impact.
They must have used some high-quality shock-absorbing material.
Thunder Fist, First Move—Thunder Clap!
The moment he extended his hand, Baek Ha-rin twisted her body and threw a punch in response.
Her stance was undeniably solid, but right now, what caught his eye more was the way her hips swayed as she spun.
And of all things, she was wearing white leggings—just sheer enough to reveal a faint glimpse of what lay beneath.
Was that black fabric inside her underwear?
Regardless, Baek Ha-rin effortlessly blocked his Thunder Fist. Her skills were clearly genuine.
Though she did frown slightly.
He wondered if she had noticed him stealing glances, but that wasn't it.
"That was quite powerful. Are you really an F-rank hunter?"
"I only became a hunter recently. If I meet the promotion conditions, I'll probably rank up quickly."
"You certainly seem capable enough. Honestly, you might not even need to learn the Heaven-Shattering Style..."
She trailed off.
"Still, experiencing different martial arts is always valuable."
"If that's the case, shall we move straight to sparring?"
"Sure."
He welcomed the idea of frequent physical engagement. That's how people naturally grow closer.
But Baek Ha-rin didn't attack immediately.
Instead, she stepped forward and briefly grasped his wrist.
"What's wrong?"
"Mind if I check your physique for a moment?"
He nodded. He wouldn't have minded stripping entirely to show her.
Truth be told, though his hunter talents hadn't manifested yet, his body was in excellent shape thanks to rigorous training.
More than anything, the body he had forged in the Murim World was something even he, as a man, could call a work of art.
Baek Ha-rin's reaction was similar.
"Wow, you've trained your body really well, haven't you?"
"Isn't that the fate of a martial artist?"
She ran her hands over his frame. The warmth of her touch against his skin felt pleasant.
Almost too pleasant to bear.
"Could you tell me what kind of training you usually do?"
"I don't mind sharing. But I'm also curious about your training—would you show me first?"
"Sure. Follow me."
She immediately headed toward a mat in the corner. He followed, his gaze inevitably drifting to her backside.
The way her hips swayed with each step was mesmerizing.
With a body like that, she could make a fortune as a fitness YouTuber instead of a hunter.
"We do everything on this mat. I don't rely on brute strength."
Indeed, from what he had seen earlier, she favored redirecting force with fluid movements rather than blocking head-on.
Was that why?
Her training regimen focused less on raw power and more on cultivating flexibility.
She assumed a stance, spread her legs, and slowly twisted her waist.
It was the kind of acrobatic training that demanded perfect control, but something else caught his attention more.
When she rotated her body, her firm breasts pressed against her arms, slightly spilling out from her tank top.
Damn, look at those milk jugs.
But that wasn't all.
When she stretched her legs straight, the thick mound of her pussy became visible through her leggings.
Whether she was wearing underwear or not, the outline of her vulva protruded unmistakably.
It was enough to make his cock twitch.
"This stance embodies the principle of 'softness overcoming hardness.' The idea that gentleness can conquer strength..."
Her words went in one ear and out the other.
His eyes were already glued to her body—
From her chest down to her waist, her hips, and the thighs below.
He barely suppressed the urge to pounce on her right then and there.
This was reality. Unlike in games, there was no easy fix if things went wrong.
Wait—what if I just erase her memory with acupuncture?
But that would cause problems too. If Baek Ha-rin started acting strangely after having her memories wiped, people who knew her would definitely take notice.
In the end, he endured the torment of watching her train for about an hour, feeling like he was being tortured as he held back.
***
Next was Cheon Mu-jin's turn.
Since he had observed how Baek Ha-rin trained, now it was his turn to instruct.
"First, there's something absolutely essential we need to do. I hope you'll understand."
"Go ahead."
With that, he immediately stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing a body so lean it looked like a washboard.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Thunder Fist is a martial art that draws upon nature's energy. Of course, the proper way to train it is in a near-nude state."
"N-nude...?"
"Yes. Normally, I train completely naked when I'm alone. But since you're here now..."
Of course, it was all bullshit.
Who cared about "nature's energy"?
But Baek Ha-rin wasn't actually going to learn this, so he was just pulling a stunt to get what he wanted.
Fortunately, she seemed to accept it.
Hunters' abilities were often unique, after all.
"If you'd like to follow along, you're welcome to. I'll help you with Qi Circulation."
"Eh? Uh... okay."
"Qi Circulation is essential for mastering Thunder Fist. It's the process of drawing nature's energy into your body. Naturally, your body will heat up."
Mu-jin casually placed his hand on Ha-rin's shoulder.
Qi Circulation, my ass. This is just the Lust Demonic Art.
The Lust Demonic Art was the best!
But from Ha-rin's perspective, the moment his hand touched her and he did something, her body really did start heating up.
So she had no choice but to believe him.
The world was vast, and it was best to assume there were all kinds of strange martial arts out there.
After a while, beads of sweat began forming on Ha-rin's forehead.
Her body was heating up from the Lust Demonic Art's influence—already stimulating enough on its own, but now she was following along with the training movements, amplifying the effect tenfold.
The scent of a woman in heat grew thicker around her.
Suppressing any outward reaction, he continued the training.
Who knows? Maybe an aroused Ha-rin will be the one to pounce on me.
That was the whole point of stripping down for training in the first place.
Ha-rin didn't take off her clothes, but she did roll up her pants to expose her skin.
The curves of her legs were truly a work of art.
And so, their training sessions continued for several days.
***
After days of coming to the Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall and training in close contact with Ha-rin, their relationship had grown simpler and more familiar.
He went from calling her "Ha-rin-ssi" to "Ha-rin-noona." As it turned out, she had also attended Korea University's Hunter Studies Department—though she'd dropped out. Still, since she was three years older, he decided to comfortably call her noona.
Today was the day of their sparring match.
Of course, they had agreed to go all out.
And Mu-jin fully intended to do exactly that.
If asked whether he meant Thunder Fist, of course not. The thing he was going all out on was obviously the Lust Demonic Art.
After being exposed to it for so long, Ha-rin had grown bolder than before.
Without realizing it, she'd started pressing her chest against his back during training, or emphasizing certain key areas while practicing the Heaven-Shattering Style.
He had even caught glimpses of her leggings growing slightly damp at times.
It definitely wasn't sweat.
If it were sweat, it wouldn't have gathered only around the Y-zone of her crotch.
"Alright, shall we begin?"
"Noona, what are the rules?"
"Rules? Hmm... How about official martial arts tournament rules?"
Until one side sustains an injury.
Here, "injury" included failing to block properly.
"Sure."
With that, Mu-jin moved first.
At a speed far faster than before, he aimed for Ha-rin's shoulder.
Thud—tap!
Ha-rin smoothly deflected it with a guard. Naturally, none of the force reached her.
But there was no issue in applying the Lust Demonic Art where his hand made contact with her elbow.
The attacks continued.
Ha-rin seemed to be blocking them effortlessly, but her movements gradually slowed.
Before long, she began stepping back.
Her body, aroused by the Lust Demonic Art, wasn't responding the way she wanted.
Her eyes had already lost focus.
And in that moment, Mu-jin's Thunder Fist struck true.
Boom!