Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Sparring and Preparations
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Se-woon, who had always been so indifferent to the camp, was different this time. Without anyone asking him first, he stepped up and helped out with the camp's chores.
Though he'd been away for quite a while, thanks to Park Jeong-pil's excellent report, Se-woon grasped the camp's situation in an instant.
Once Se-woon started moving around, the camp's problems began resolving swiftly.
Monster corpses were cleared away, the patients' groans ceased, and the camp's atmosphere stabilized considerably.
Right after that.
Puk! Bwak!
"Kuh!"
"Your skills have improved a lot."
"You've become a completely different person. You were already monstrous, but now you're an even worse monster."
Se-woon was sparring with Kang Han-cheol in front of a broken wooden pillar.
Was it thanks to Se-woon's guidance? Or had he gained experience fighting countless monsters after contracting with the constellation Old Man Riding Crocodile in Se-woon's absence?
Kang Han-cheol's combat abilities—and even his fighting style—had changed dramatically.
He no longer just overwhelmed opponents with brute force like before. Instead, he made maximum use of the surrounding terrain and his own techniques.
And those techniques were, for the most part...
"Tai Chi Fist—it's better than I expected. I never even taught it to you properly."
"If it's something I learn through my body, I have confidence."
It was the Tai Chi Fist that Se-woon had demonstrated against Kang Han-cheol before.
Even during the ninth wave, he'd focused more on grabbing or throwing enemies rather than straight punches.
It wasn't proper Tai Chi Fist, but it looked like he'd adapted it to fit his build.
"You're doing well, but this won't let you play to your strengths."
"My strengths?"
"Yeah, your strengths."
Taat!
Until now, the spar between Se-woon and Kang Han-cheol had mostly consisted of Kang Han-cheol attacking.
Se-woon had simply stood in place, blocking the assaults.
But this time was different. Se-woon kicked off the ground first and charged at Kang Han-cheol.
Kang Han-cheol's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Se-woon to come at him first.
Thanks to his accumulating real combat experience, however, Kang Han-cheol quickly regained his composure and reacted to Se-woon.
Defense? That was never his style.
Only attack. He countered Se-woon's assault with one of his own.
That was Kang Han-cheol's way.
He urgently scanned Se-woon's movements mid-clash but saw nothing unusual.
Se-woon was twisting his waist, preparing a punch.
But there was one thing invisible to Kang Han-cheol.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Treasure Vault of Greed has been opened. [Jinju Yan Clan Fist] The signature martial art of the Jinju Yan Clan, renowned for their bare-handed techniques specialized in handling the body as a clan of the Five Great Families, or their unique corpse manipulation arts. The Treasure Vault of Greed from Mammon.
The Jinju Yan Clan's unique martial art seeped into Se-woon's fist, dyeing his internal energy a deep blue. It resembled a dying corpse more than a blade.
Kang Han-cheol noticed the change just before the strike but didn't halt his attack.
Soon, their fists collided in midair.
Kwaaang!!
The impact was so fierce that a massive gust of wind blasted outward.
Yoo Seo-ah, waiting nearby for her turn, yelped and covered her face.
Kang Han-cheol gritted his teeth, refusing to yield...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The first form of Jinju Yan Clan Fist, Corpse Fist, is enhanced through internal energy. The power of the martial art is strengthened according to the mysteries of Boundary-Breaking Heart Art. Ddeleong!
"Kuh!"
In the end, he was pushed back by Se-woon's fist.
Since he wasn't just using arm strength but pouring his entire body's power into it, Kang Han-cheol experienced his whole frame being launched by the shock.
Not long ago, in clashes of raw power without Tai Chi Fist, Se-woon had been overwhelmingly disadvantaged. Now, he held the edge even in direct strength contests.
'Well, it's only natural.'
Honestly, in pure muscle power stats alone, he still fell short of Kang Han-cheol.
But Se-woon had about twenty years' worth of internal energy. Combined with the Boundary-Breaking Heart Art amplifying his martial art's power, he could unleash this level of destruction.
"Strong Fist. A way to maximize your power."
Kang Han-cheol's physical abilities were superior. He seemed like a descendant of an ogre, boasting the pinnacle of strength.
In a tower swarming with powerful monsters, soft techniques like Tai Chi Fist would help, but something like Jinju Yan Clan Fist suited him far better.
That was why Se-woon chose this martial art for him.
Jinju Yan Clan Fist.
A technique known for confronting enemies fearlessly with a body as rigid as a jiangshi.
Once mastered to a certain level, opponents would be gripped by the terror of facing a living corpse.
There were plenty of other fist arts that would suit Kang Han-cheol, but...
'Only I can absorb martial arts manuals instantly.'
No matter how talented, one couldn't master multiple techniques at once.
"That punch just now..."
"I used internal energy. Once you perfect the form, I'll teach you the cultivation method too."
"...Got it."
He must have been full of questions—how Se-woon knew such techniques, how he'd grown strong enough to surpass his own power so quickly—but Kang Han-cheol asked none of them.
He simply silently took Se-woon's fists, memorizing them with his eyes and body.
After demonstrating all the forms of Jinju Yan Clan Fist that he could currently perform...
"Practice on your own now. Come back if you want to get hit again—or rather, learn more."
"Got it."
The sparring session was satisfying for Se-woon too.
The knowledge of martial arts seeped into his mind the moment he used them, but gaining practical experience with a hard fist art like Jinju Yan Clan Fist wasn't easy.
Though he'd taught it under the guise of instruction, it helped Se-woon refine his own proficiency.
Plus, it was a moment to directly feel the stats he'd built up so far.
A kind of combat power gauge, perhaps?
"Oh, right. Practicing alone must be tough, huh?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Nah, hitting a tree isn't the same as facing a person."
"Weren't you planning to spar with that woman next? No one in camp can match me anyway."
"Nah, there's one guy."
Se-woon grinned.
Just one.
He couldn't take Kang Han-cheol's attacks, but dodging them? That he could manage.
"Jeong-pil?"
"Yes, bro!"
The moment Se-woon called, Park Jeong-pil came dashing over from somewhere.
Good thing he hadn't overheard the exchange with Kang Han-cheol. His eyes sparkled with expectation otherwise.
"You free right now?"
"Yep! I cleared my whole schedule to answer your call anytime!"
"Then spar with Han-cheol."
"...Yep?"
His body froze instantly as he scanned Kang Han-cheol.
When Kang Han-cheol said to Se-woon, "You sure he's okay? I can't promise I'll hold back," the guy's face went pale.
"H-ha-ha. Bro, actually, I have this super important camp duty..."
"Use him as you like."
"Then I won't hold back."
Chak.
"Eek?"
Kang Han-cheol's thick palm gripped Park Jeong-pil's nape.
The guy desperately tried to persuade Se-woon and Kang Han-cheol, but they were already ignoring him completely.
"Take good care of him. Park... Park Jeong-tae."
"You can't even remember my name! Nooo, brooo!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Donkey-Headed Flying Fish' rolls on the floor cackling, then discovers its belly button has vanished. Constellation 'Old Man Riding Crocodile' watches you and nods approvingly, acknowledging you as the human chosen by two Demon Gods. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hahp!"
Chaeng!
After facing Kang Han-cheol, Se-woon immediately began sparring with Yoo Seo-ah, who had been waiting beside them.
She wielded her twin swords as if fully aware of her strengths, just like in his previous life.
It felt entirely different from fighting Kang Han-cheol.
Truly perfect software.
No internal energy, but her forms were nearly flawless.
However.
"Your technique is good, but you're too weak."
"Strength?"
"Yeah. Against weak monsters in numbers, maybe fine. But even one strong monster, and speed and skill alone won't land hits effectively."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Spider with Crown' nods in agreement. "Even those red-skinned monsters were tough enough already..."
"You know it too. The next wave's monsters will be even stronger than before."
"..."
Yoo Seo-ah gritted her teeth.
What she lacked right now was power and stamina.
In fact, when Se-woon first arrived at camp, she'd been gasping for breath, stamina depleted.
That she barely edged out Kang Han-cheol in contribution points was likely due to this fighting style.
But it didn't suit the tenth wave.
Se-woon, racking his brain to explain the next wave without seeming suspicious, finished his thoughts and spoke again.
"Do you know what I was doing every time I left camp?"
"You're finally telling me? You've been making it so obvious you didn't want to."
"I fought a boss monster."
"Boss monster?"
"Yeah. Not the regular ones from waves, but something even stronger."
"Then that's why you've gotten so much stronger so fast..."
"Yep. That's the reason."
He couldn't mention regression, so this was all Se-woon could say.
But it was enough for Yoo Seo-ah to accept. The Durandal he held proved it.
"And I've been thinking—waves won't keep following the same pattern forever."
"So, something like the 'boss monster' you've fought might appear in the next wave?"
"Just a hunch, but the odds are high."
Not a hunch—it was fact.
But this was the line Se-woon could draw without seeming suspicious.
"So, keep that in mind when directing people."
"Got it. Oh! And I've been thinking for a while."
"What?"
"I'm stepping up, but you're the real leader of our camp. So..."
"No, you keep doing it."
"But..."
"I'll handle the big picture, but I'll be heading out of camp a lot from now on. What do you think the mood would be if the leader kept vanishing?"
"Yeah, true."
"Exactly. So, keep it up."
"...Okay."
That covered everything Se-woon had to say.
Her eyes hardened with resolve, as if taking it to heart.
Feeling reassured, Se-woon continued sparring with her.
Her technique was already solid, so unlike with Kang Han-cheol, he focused on pointing out weaknesses and strengths rather than teaching new martial arts.
From there, it was her domain to figure out alone.
Time flew by.
Under Yoo Seo-ah's directions, training methods changed, and they began researching new formations.
The twins' wooden barricades shifted from standard wave defenses to ones accounting for 'boss monsters'.
Time passed swiftly, and as the wave approached, the camp's tension deepened.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Tutorial First Chapter – Adaptation] 5 minutes remaining until the tenth monster wave. "Don't worry! We can do this one too!"
"This time, our bro's here!"
Just before the tenth wave. Se-woon was steadying his gaze, mentally rehearsing for the coming wave.
"There you are!"
Someone's urgent panting reached his ears.