Nicknames (2)
"First, let me explain the Tiger King Art simply."
"It's an external art that strengthens other external arts... right?"
Paeng Ojin, who had placed a large jar and an empty bowl on the floor, nodded.
"That's right. But the part it trains is different. The areas that general external arts train can be broadly divided into three. Do you know what they are?"
"Skin, muscles, and bones."
"You know it well. Most external arts aim to produce greater power or protect the body by training those three. The level of an external art varies depending on how many of them it can train and how quickly."
For example, the Iron King Heart Protection Art that I had learned. It could train all three, and at a decent speed too. That's why both Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso had said it was pretty good.
On the other hand, the representative third-rate external art, Iron Cannon Three. That one only hardened the skin, and even that at a snail's pace.
"The difference between the Tiger King Art and other external arts starts here. To make an existing external art even stronger, what do you think needs to be trained?"
"Uh... the internal organs? Like the heart?"
"The heart isn't wrong, but in that case, the side effects are too great."
"Side effects...?"
"Our Paeng family is born with unparalleled muscles and bones. So over a long time, we've researched various external arts to make use of them... and some trained the heart."
"What happened to that person?"
"Their heart exploded, and they died."
"......"
Okay. For now, never mess with the heart recklessly.
"...The Tiger King Art has nothing to do with the heart, so relax your expression."
"Yes."
"Ahem. Back to the main point—the Tiger King Art trains right here."
Paeng Ojin tapped his head.
Don't tell me...?
Seeing my expression, Paeng Ojin grinned and nodded.
"Your guess is correct. The Tiger King Art trains the brain."
"But isn't the brain just as dangerous as the heart?"
Messing up the Baihui acupoint and becoming an idiot, or making a mistake near the head during qi circulation and spewing a basin's worth of blood before falling into qi deviation—there were more than a few such cases...
"Of course, it doesn't touch the brain directly. It just releases the physical limits that the brain imposes."
"......?"
This setup sounded awfully familiar.
"You must know what kind of nature the Paeng family's martial arts have through the Five Tigers Gate Severing Saber Art, right?"
"Yes. It's a tyrannical art that relentlessly presses the opponent, not giving them a chance to use their strength properly."
"Correct. Because of that, we often see cornered opponents making a last desperate struggle. Most of the time, it's just a futile struggle, ending with us exploiting the gap they reveal afterward..."
"But some break through their limits in crisis and unleash superhuman strength."
"Hm? Well, since your fighting style resembles the Paeng family's arts, you might know."
In truth, it was something I'd heard here and there in my previous life, but no need to mention that.
Superhuman strength in fire accidents, or techniques in various fictions where the brain releases the limits it imposes on muscles to protect itself. It was a concept quite familiar to me.
"But you can't control that consciously, right? Even if you could unleash superhuman strength at will, the body wouldn't withstand the power."
"You really know your stuff! You're basically right. But aren't you missing one thing? The Tiger King Art isn't just a technique—it's an external art. It doesn't release the limits all at once but gradually, according to achievement."
"And in that process, the existing external arts you've learned deepen further."
Most external arts follow the principle of super-regeneration, where torn muscles become tougher and broken bones harder. In that process, they infuse qi to surpass normal biological limits.
Paeng Ojin nodded with a satisfied smile, confirming my guess was right.
"You catch on quick—good. Then let's start right away. For the initial training, it's easier with medicine, but once you're on track, you don't need it."
So the goal this time was to get my Tiger King Art achievement past the beginner stage before I left for Mount Mosan.
"A tiger uses full power even to catch a rabbit. Once you master the Tiger King Art, you'll be able to fight at full strength anytime."
Paeng Ojin said that as he opened the large jar and scooped out a bowlful.
A sinister color somewhere between dark brown and purple. Mixed with sticky viscosity and a murky smell, it felt like something no human could eat—utterly bizarre.
"Here, down it in one go."
"...Do I really have to drink this?"
"It also sharpens your senses, making it easier to feel urgent situations. Without it, you'd need a real threat to your life... Which do you prefer?"
"I'll just drink it."
I took it reflexively, but hesitated to bring it to my lips. Then Paeng Soso's voice came from behind.
"Ah, it's been a while since I saw that. When I was little, I really hated drinking it to death... But don't worry. Hold your breath and gulp it down—it's tolerable."
"Really?"
"Would I lie to my Jin-gga?"
"In that case..."
Trusting Paeng Soso, I slowly drank the medicine. The stickiness was heavy and annoying, but as she said, though it tasted weird, it wasn't unbearable.
"Urk."
Not that it was tasty, either.
As I grimaced, Paeng Soso, who had Hong Yeonhwa on her lap like a doll and hugged tight, giggled and spoke.
"Seeing Jin-gga reminds me of when I was little. I'd frown and stomp my feet after drinking it..."
"That's why this father always prepared honey water for you."
"Right. Later, even after I got used to it, I'd pretend to fuss just to drink honey water."
Little Paeng Soso. What did she look like? No photos in this era—such a shame.
"Ah! Jin-gga, did you know? If you shout 'Roar-king!' while training the Tiger King Art, your achievement speeds up a bit!"
"Huh? Really?"
"Father said so, so I shouted it every day. Right, Father?"
"Hm..."
Paeng Ojin trailed off, then chuckled and shook his head.
"Might as well confess now—it was all a lie."
"What?"
"I just wanted to see my cute daughter show off..."
"Whaaat?!"
Paeng Soso jumped like someone learning that baby platypuses have teeth that disappear as they grow, leaving only the beak.
"How could you lie about that?! I believed it was real all this time!"
"I planned to tell you once you grew up, but you ran off and brought back a son-in-law first."
"I'm 21! I'm all grown up!"
"You're still a baby in this father's eyes."
The father-daughter duo suddenly started bickering.
Actually, adults deliberately giving kids wrong info when they were little was surprisingly common. I had similar experiences myself.
In my previous life, there was a time I threw tantrums saying I absolutely wouldn't eat kimchi. As a kid, I couldn't handle spicy, but the problem was I refused dongchimi—watery kimchi—too, just because it was kimchi. My mom lied and said it was soda to make me eat it...
For the record, the lie got busted when I entered elementary school and called the dongchimi in school lunch "soda," getting teased by classmates. A well-intentioned lie to end my picky eating backfired into hurt.
Back then, the betrayal hurt more than the teasing.
Paeng Soso must be feeling that same kind of betrayal now.
...But now, I think I understand why Paeng Ojin lied.
Little Paeng Soso running around the training ground going "Roar-king!"?
"That must've been adorable."
"That's why Father... Huh? What did you say, Jin-gga?"
"I said doing 'Roar-king!' must be super cute."
"Really...?"
Paeng Soso blinked, not quite getting it. Then she spun Hong Yeonhwa, who was burying her face in her chest and munching snacks, to face her.
"Hong-unnie? Could Hong-unnie try it?"
"Th-this lady?"
Hong Yeonhwa, mid-snack, flinched in surprise.
"Why should this lady...?"
"There's no mirror here, so even if I do it, I can't see how it looks."
"That's true, but..."
Hong Yeonhwa trailed off, clearly reluctant. But unable to ignore Paeng Soso's request, she swallowed her snack, put on a serious face, and raised both hands.
Clenching them like beast paws by her head, she cautiously opened her mouth.
"Roar-king."
"Eek..."
Paeng Soso froze stiff, like struck by lightning.
Seeing no reaction despite asking, Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head questioningly and tried again.
"Roar-king...?"
"Ugh... Kyaa!"
Maybe she couldn't take it twice. Paeng Soso hugged Hong Yeonhwa and rubbed her cheeks furiously against the top of her head.
"Let go! What is this suddenly! I can't breathe!"
"So cute! Hong-unnie is so cute!"
I couldn't see her face from behind, but from Paeng Soso's reaction, I got the idea.
"Kweee! That's ticklish! Let go! This lady said let go!"
"No way! Now I get why Jin-gga always hugs Hong-unnie and won't let go! So warm and squishy—you don't wanna let go!"
Hong Yeonhwa pushed at Paeng Soso's shoulders with her small palms and poked her sides, but Paeng Soso didn't budge.
She even tried wriggling in resistance, but Paeng Soso pinned her down with strength and started petting her everywhere forcibly.
"Ugh... Why is this lady going through this..."
Finally giving up on escaping, Hong Yeonhwa stopped resisting and let Paeng Soso's hands roam limply.
As deep resignation seeped from Hong Yeonhwa's dangling arms...
Paeng Soso finally released her, satisfied.
"Whew... That was really nice, Hong-unnie. Now, let's show Jin-gga too."
"Eh?"
Before Hong Yeonhwa could react, Paeng Soso spun her around and lifted her toward me.
Held by Paeng Soso, Hong Yeonhwa still looked drained, limbs drooping like damp laundry.
"It was that cute, right? Jin-gga will love it too."
"...Really?"
"Of course!"
Paeng Soso nodded confidently. Vitality returned to Hong Yeonhwa's face.
"Ahem ahem... Then..."
Hanging in midair, Hong Yeonhwa stretched out her limbs and shouted.
"Roar-king!"
"This is...!"
Arms spread wide like asking for a hug, voice loud enough to reach me a bit away, face still flushed with embarrassment, pink eyes peeking at me curiously...
It was cuteness that explained why Paeng Soso wouldn't let go.
...But one person wasn't pleased, speaking in a disgruntled tone.
"They say people turn childish with age... No, is it because of shedding bones and molting? Good relations are fine, but..."
Paeng Ojin sighed deeply, shook his head, and continued.
"Anyway, enough chit-chat. The medicine should be kicking in soon—how's it feel?"
"Hm... Not sure?"
"Oh dear. Looks like you have a constitution that doesn't take to medicine well. While we wait a bit more, let me share some good news."
"Good news?"
"The Yongbong Tournament finals are coming up soon. Once the winner is decided, the top 14 will receive the Yongbong titles shortly after."
"I see. ...Huh? Wait, does that mean...?"
Paeng Ojin grinned, nodding to affirm my guess.
"I don't know what titles you'll get, but both you and Soso have been pre-selected as next-generation Yongbong. Congratulations in advance."