Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Yaksha Rules Taekwondo (3)
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Summer vacation.
A sweltering summer.
“All dressed!”
Hwayeon stared at the mirror in her usual taekwondo dobok.
She had a white tank top underneath and the dobok on top.
“But tying this belt! It’s so hard!”
The white belt symbolizing taekwondo rank.
Hwayeon dashed into the living room, swinging the white belt.
“Yawwwn— yuuuawn—”
Lee Ha-jun was dozing on the sofa.
“Dad’s sleeping! Gotta wake him up!”
Boing—!
Hwayeon leaped straight onto the lying Lee Ha-jun.
She shook him wildly and shouted.
“Dad!! Get up!!”
“Ugh… What is it, Hwayeon…”
“Dad, tie this belt for me!”
Whoosh—!
Hwayeon beamed innocently and held out the white belt.
You can’t spit in the face of a smiling child.
Lee Ha-jun grabbed the white belt with a sleepy face.
“Already time to head to the dojang, huh…”
“We’re already five minutes late! It’s fine!”
“That’s not fine at all… Turn around…”
Lee Ha-jun tied the white belt around Hwayeon’s waist in a daze.
As tightly as possible so it wouldn’t come loose.
“All done…”
“Hmph, really?”
Hwayeon rushed to the mirror to check.
It was a bit clumsy, but tied neatly enough.
“Hmph, this’ll do!”
“Next time, go on time…”
“Got it! No nagging!”
Zoom—!
Hwayeon shouted that and bolted toward the dojang.
During vacation, she’d grown quite attached to going to taekwondo.
“Hehe~ Wonder what we’ll play today~ Dodgeball would be great~”
Bounce, bounce—
Hwayeon skipped along, humming a tune.
She arrived at the dojang buzzing with excitement.
Clatter—!
“Here I am!”
Even though she was ten minutes late.
Hwayeon made her confident entrance.
Her friends at the dojang waved in greeting.
“Instructor Hwayeon! You’re here?”
“Yeah, I’m here!”
“Sit over here, Instructor!”
“Nope, I’m sitting in the middle!”
Hwayeon sat on the floor amid the warm welcome.
The kids immediately swarmed around her.
“Instructor, what’re you gonna show us today?”
“Hmph, am I your clown? So demanding!”
“Instructor! Did you see Game Ranger yesterday?”
“Of course! Red’s the best! She saved all the Game Rangers in a pinch!”
Hwayeon chatted happily with her friends.
Some of the kids even called her Instructor.
Even kids older than Hwayeon called her Master.
The reason for this un-Confucian situation was this.
‘Hey, fight me!’
‘A spar?’
‘No, let’s do Yaksha Rules!’
Hwayeon had shoved Yaksha Rules at them to seize the initiative.
‘I win! You’re all my minions now that you lost!’
She’d made them her minions with a simple victory.
‘Wanna see something cool? Five-step side kick!’
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—!!
She’d won them over with flashy techniques.
That’s why rumors like this spread among the kids.
‘Did you see your instructor do the five-step side kick? I missed it.’
‘Doesn’t that mean Hwayeon’s stronger than the instructor? Hwayeon seems more master-like.’
Maybe Hwayeon was stronger than the instructor.
Once those rumors started, the kids began calling Hwayeon Instructor on their own.
It wasn’t that Hwayeon demanded it—they’d acknowledged her themselves.
“Instructor Hwayeon. If we play dodgeball today, please be on our team.”
“Hmph, why should I!”
That’s why Hwayeon was pretty popular at the dojang.
Her straightforward personality and cute looks helped.
“If I have time, I might even show you the 720-Degree Dragon Kick!”
“Wow, you’re the best, Instructor! Amazing!!”
Hwayeon basked in the kids’ cheers as they surrounded her.
“Well, that’s basic for me!”
She didn’t seem to hate it.
“Ahem…”
The middle-aged Dojang Master glared at the late Hwayeon and spoke.
“Lee Hwayeon… Let’s not be late next time…”
“Gotcha!”
“Then, let’s all have fun learning taekwondo today…”
Grind— crunch—
The middle-aged Dojang Master spoke through gritted teeth.
He held back his anger with deep breaths.
And thought to himself.
‘…It won’t be much longer anyway. Just hold on a bit.’
The Dojang Master sighed and returned to the instructors’ room.
Trophies lined the walls inside.
Awards from his taekwondo days in his youth.
“No one remembers them now… But if my leg heals, I can…”
Stroke—
The Dojang Master glanced at his aching right leg.
“Be as strong as back then… No, stronger. Not just recovery—evolution…”
He muttered as he looked at the kids gathered in the dojang.
They smiled innocently, oblivious.
“…”
Clench—
The Dojang Master bowed his head and gripped his fist tight.
His loosely tied black belt looked pitiful today.
***
It was just like any other day.
The usual taekwondo class.
The instructors played with the kids.
“Hmph, I’m in a bad mood.”
“Instructor, what’s wrong?”
“Dunno, just bad mood!”
But.
Hwayeon was especially prickly today.
Her sharp instincts were warning her.
‘Those dummies are up to something!’
A bad vibe.
A prickling warning from her senses.
“Super suspicious! Hey, Min-su!”
“Yeah, Instructor Hwayeon.”
“You stand guard here! Tell me if an instructor comes!”
Slide—
Hwayeon said that and stealthily slipped into the instructors’ room.
“Ugh, stinky! Gross!”
Ugh—
Hwayeon pinched her nose and searched the room.
Nothing visible.
But the bad feeling persisted.
“Hmph, over here?”
A shelf emanating an unsettling aura.
Hwayeon clenched her fist.
“Gotta smash it!”
Grip—!
Hwayeon punched toward the shelf lined with trophies.
“Dragon Punch Thrust!”
Crack—!!
A taekwondo straight punch attack.
The trophies on the shelf crashed to the floor.
“Felt weird, but nothing here?”
The commotion drew attention.
Min-su’s voice came from beyond the door.
“I-Instructor! The Dojang Master’s coming this way!”
“Block him with your body!”
“H-How am I supposed to block the Dojang Master!!”
“You’re a pig! You can do it!”
You can do it.
Hwayeon kept searching inside.
Then she sensed strange air currents from the wall.
“It’s coming from here! This wall!”
Thud thud—!
The Dojang Master knocking on the door.
Hwayeon ignored it and kicked the wall.
“Dragon Front Kick!!”
Crash—!!
The wall crumbled easily, revealing a hidden space.
“Stairs! Too deep to see!”
Peek—
Hwayeon peeked into the basement stairs.
“Cold!”
Only chilly wind hit her face.
As she peered into the basement.
“What’re you doing in there!!”
Boom—!!
The Dojang Master finally burst in.
Min-su, clinging to his pant leg, called to Hwayeon.
“S-Sorry, Instructor Hwayeon! Couldn’t stop him!”
“Hmph, you tried! I’ll let you off special!”
But.
“You, Dojang Master? I won’t let you off!”
Hwayeon pointed accusingly at the middle-aged Dojang Master.
He stared silently at her and said.
“…I could’ve let you go easy if you didn’t know.”
Grind—
The Dojang Master gnashed his teeth at Hwayeon.
Then other instructors entered, surrounding her.
Hwayeon grinned casually.
“Yaksha Rules at last! Come at me, all of you!”
The cramped instructors’ room.
A young instructor kicked at Hwayeon first.
“Grab that brat!!”
“Hmph, think I’ll lose to you!?”
Whoosh—
Hwayeon dodged the kick effortlessly and counterattacked.
“Aerial Cartwheel Kick!!”
Thud—
The instructor hit by Hwayeon’s tiny foot slammed into the wall.
Another instructor charged.
“You little—!! Stay still!!”
Continuous kicks.
Hwayeon was gradually cornered.
‘This is why adults are tough!’
The physical gap was too big.
Even striking first, adults overpower.
“But if I exploit openings, it’s over! Taekwondo has big motions!”
Taekwondo has great power.
But big motions too.
Hwayeon targeted the gap and slammed a kick into his chin.
“Dragon Whip Kick!!”
Crack—!
Bone-crunching sound as the instructor crumpled.
Hwayeon sneered at him.
“Hmph, instructor with that skill? From now on, I’m the instructor!”
Kyahahaha—!
Hwayeon laughed at the fallen instructor.
And.
“You’re the last one! Dojang Master!”
“…”
She eyed the black-belted final foe.
Hwayeon kicked first at the Dojang Master.
“Die!”
Whoosh—!
“…”
“Huh?”
But contrary to expectation.
Hwayeon’s kick didn’t reach.
The Dojang Master dodged simply and said.
“Thirty years in taekwondo. I can read attacks from the starting stance.”
“So what! Don’t show off!”
“You’re the one showing off. That’s not taekwondo.”
Crack—!
The Dojang Master planted his foot firmly.
Taking a ready stance.
“Taekwondo boasts high power through high rotation. But what you’re doing is just mimicry. Real taekwondo is this.”
Thud—!
He spun in midair.
One turn, two, three.
Body speeding up with each rotation.
And the leg charged with that spin.
“This is taekwondo.”
With those words, he kicked at Hwayeon.
Boom boom boom—!!
His kick split the thick wall.
But.
“…Missed.”
“W-What!”
It merely grazed Hwayeon’s head.
Hwayeon hadn’t been hit, but was inwardly shocked.
‘Even a human can get that strong with decades of training?’
A moment to rethink her low opinion of humans.
Hwayeon spoke sincerely to him.
“Still, human! You were pretty strong for one!”
“…”
“But not against me! Like this?”
Slide—
Hwayeon perfectly mimicked the stance she’d just seen.
And fired a kick at the startled Dojang Master’s face.
“Dragon Taekwondo Kick!!”
Thud—
His body collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.
Hwayeon untied the black belt from his waist and held it.
“You were strong, human! But from today, I’m the Dojang Master!”
Surpassing instructors to become Dojang Master.
Hwayeon tied the black belt around her waist and shrugged.
“I’m the dojang master starting today!”
Yay—!
Hwayeon cheered.
Oblivious that the dojang would soon close.
Just reveling in her new title.
“I’m the taekwondo champ! Rawr—!!”
And so, the dojang closed under Hwayeon’s reign.