Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: If It Hurts, It's Training
"Huh?"
Dongryong tilted his head as he read the letter.
He was probably at the part about how the Murim Alliance and the Demonic Cult had peacefully resolved their conflict in Qinghai by now.
"All done?"
"...Yeah."
Dongryong handed the letter back to me, his face full of questions as he asked.
"...It says the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance made up nicely, though?"
"Yeah."
"But why were you looking so worried?"
"......Haa."
I let out a sigh and was about to explain to Dongryong.
But before I could open my mouth, he smacked his palm like he'd figured it out.
"Ah! I get it. Were you hoping for the Great Righteous-Demonic War to break out, Boss? As expected of you... Ow-!"
"Hey, you dumbass fuck, agh shit, I'm the idiot who made a retard like you vice boss. You think I'm some war maniac? You think I pray to the heavens every day for a war to start?"
I hurled the letter at him in frustration, and Dongryong clutched his head, looking wronged as he asked.
"No, then why..."
"Out of the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance, who actually came out ahead in this mess?"
"Huh? Well... Um..."
Dongryong couldn't answer my question easily.
And why would he? No one really gained from this conflict.
The Murim Alliance had one of the Nine Great Righteous Sects' sect leaders lose an arm, bruising their pride, while the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had revealed their power, putting the Murim Alliance even more on guard.
"The Demonic Cult knew they'd take a loss too, but they started this anyway. Why do you think that is?"
"...No idea."
"That's the problem—you don't know."
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were always unpredictable bastards, but this was especially bad.
They'd lived quietly for centuries, then suddenly went berserk before calmly signing a peace treaty like manic-depressive patients.
They're the type who patiently hid for centuries, waiting for the right moment—calmly insane.
So why did these calmly insane bastards do something even the original story never had them do?
'No way... because of our bandit crew...?'
...Actually, the only ones who really profited from this were our bandits.
Bad thoughts kept creeping into my head... Maybe those bastards had figured out where I was, way down here in the far south...
Maybe...
'There's a Demonic Cult spy hiding in our bandit crew...'
"Boss."
"...!"
...Dongryong's voice snapped me out of my heart demon spiral.
He looked at me with a deadpan expression and continued.
"Whatever the reason, you don't actually know why those Demonic Cult bastards started this, right?"
"...Right."
"What's the point of racking your brains over something you don't know? Just teach us your saber arts already!"
"......"
...What kind of idiot talk is this?
When you face a problem without an answer, you have to agonize over it until the solution comes.
But Dongryong's just like, screw that, teach me saber arts.
How stupid is that... and how perfectly bandit-like.
'Yeah, fuck it. Since when was I some smart guy...'
I chose to become a bandit so I could live free of worries and stress.
Worrying about the aftermath now and fretting over the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would be ridiculous.
And if they really are a problem, then we just get stronger, right?
Hearing Dongryong out finally cleared my head.
"Alright, you bastards. All you officers, grab your sabers and follow me. If that's what you want, I'll teach you."
"Yes!"
Yeah, let's just live like proper bandits. Dumb and simple.
Free of worries.
**
And so the officers all grabbed their weapons and followed me to the clearing I'd called them to.
Bongchun was off unifying the Black Dao, so he was excluded. I'd teach him separately later.
The officers all looked tense, their faces stiff with the thought of learning new techniques.
'No real need for that...'
Anyway, matching the solemn mood, I started speaking to them in a slightly subdued voice.
"Before we begin, there's something I need to say... Maknae, Jeokyeom."
"Yes, bro."
"Yes, Boss."
The two I called raised their hands, looking puzzled.
"What I'm teaching you starting today is saber arts. But you two don't use sabers."
"Ah..."
Maknae was one of the only ones in our stronghold using a sword, and Jeokyeom used an axe.
No need to explain the difference between an axe and a saber, and even sword and saber look similar but have plenty of differences.
"D-Does that mean we can't learn...?"
Jeokyeom's voice trembled, sensing he might miss out on martial arts training. I patted his shoulder and continued.
"Don't worry too much. I'll adapt the saber arts into sword arts and axe arts for you."
"Ah..."
"Uh, bro!"
Then it was Maknae's turn.
He raised his hand with a bright smile and spoke to me.
"Can you just teach me saber arts as is?"
"Hm?"
Now that I looked, the weapon at Maknae's waist wasn't a sword—it was a saber.
"Huh? Where'd you get that saber? You're a swordsman."
"I still wanna learn saber arts from you, bro!"
"...You switching to saber from now on?"
"No, I wanna use both at the same time. Like left sword, right saber."
"Left sword, right saber my ass."
What, dual wielding?
Guess Maknae's still young—can't shake off the flashy appeal yet.
"Mess that up, and you'll end up good at neither. Sword or saber. Pick one."
"I... I can do both...! Can't I please...?"
"Haa..."
With Maknae begging like that, I couldn't stay firm and fell into thought.
Truth is... I have a soft spot for Maknae. All my subordinates dote on him, but I'm especially bad.
After a moment's hesitation, I finally nodded.
"Fine... but you'll have to work twice as hard as everyone else. And if it still doesn't click later, you pick one—sword or saber."
"Yes! I'll work hard! Hehe."
Maknae beamed when I finally agreed. I smiled for a second too, then turned to everyone.
"Kids, how'd I train you back in Shaanxi?"
"You taught us the mental method... and physical training..."
"And?"
"You beat the shit outta us to build real combat sense..."
Grit.
Bangsam answered through clenched teeth.
Heh, you little shit. He's the type who'd stab me in the back someday.
Thud.
I gripped Bangsam's shoulder and continued.
"...Looks like our Bangsam misunderstood my profound intent. That hurts my heart."
"...Ahaha, does it hurt your heart, Boss? My shoulder's the one hurting... If you just squeeze a tiny bit harder... Gaaah-!"
"I'm gonna teach you two saber arts over the next hundred days."
Truth is, there are a few more beyond that, but they're still too early for these guys.
"Anyone know the defining trait of my martial arts?"
"Uh... strong... and sharp, right?"
Dongryong's hesitant answer was somewhat accurate.
But more precisely and clearly, it'd be "霸道"—overbearing.
My martial arts are burdensome on the opponent, but even more so on the user.
Without innate talent or familiarity, you might learn it fine but fail to use it in real combat.
"All that rough sparring I put you through? It was because my arts rely more than anything on real combat experience and instinct."
"...Bullshit."
Smack-!!!
"Gaaaahhh-!!"
The second I heard the curse, I swung my sheathed saber and clocked Bangsam.
Everyone froze at the blink-of-an-eye strike.
I savored my subordinates' reactions and continued.
"We're splitting the hundred days into thirds: one day everyone builds external strength together, one day I personally teach you the forms, and the last day..."
"......"
"...you spar with me using what you've learned."
"......"
Dongryong watched Bangsam trembling on the ground, then cautiously raised his hand.
"Uh, Boss..."
"Yeah, Dongryong."
"Uh... we're way below your level, right? Sparring you means we'll just get the shit beaten out of us..."
"As expected of Vice Boss Dongryong. You nailed it. Yeah, you're gonna get the shit beaten out of you. Take it gratefully."
"...Fuck, what kind of barbaric..."
"Then what, you think we're some Righteous Sect pretty boys? You wanna train giggling and sweating daintily with a sense of fulfillment? Snap out of it, Dongryong. This ain't the Hebei Pang Clan."
"......"
"I learned by getting beat too. Just accept it and take the beatings, Dongryong. Get beat till you're seeing Guanyin Bodhisattva, and you'll start getting it."
This is real talk.
From experience, my arts start clicking once you've been beat half to death.
"Now I finally get my master's feelings... Beating his disciple black and blue while clutching his aching heart..."
"...You're smiling, fucker."
"Dongryong, watch the casual talk?"
I pointed my saber at the subordinates, and Dongryong shuddered but smirked anyway.
"Provoke the enemy before fighting. Learned that from you. You little punk younger than me..."
"Good pupil. Now I'm fucking pissed."
With that, I lunged at them.
Seeing it, Dongryong bellowed at the subordinates.
"...Weapons up! Think of him as that Dogo Young bastard and beat the shit outta him-!"
"Waaaah-!"
At Dongryong's shout, the subordinates raised their weapons tensely. Seeing it, I felt...
'Thrilled.'
Finally realized it.
Didn't know when I was taking it, but damn, this is fun.
'I'll teach you proper, you bastards.'
For their sakes, I gritted my teeth and hardened my resolve.
They wanna think of me as Dogo Young? Fine, I'll treat them like it.
"Get it through your heads. Pain means training."
"Then you take some fucking pain too, you bastard-!"
Gotta rebuild them from the ground up first.
Crack-!
My saber hit, sending Dongryong's jaw flying back, and hell's hundred days began.