Chapter 15
Translator: True Detective
Mystic Management Bureau (2)
There is a saying that people die if they do things they don't normally do.
It's a saying born from cases where someone whose time to die has come shows an aspect different from usual while settling their life affairs, but this isn't a story limited strictly to individuals; it can also be applied to groups.
Because just like the values and behavioral patterns a person comes to possess while living, a group also acts with operational policies and purposes.
In that sense, the event our university pulled off right now was quite suspicious to me.
'A school that didn't particularly support even central clubs or department clubs is suddenly singling out only the kendo club and sending us to a resort for an MT?'
Even looking just at this much, it's news that would hotly heat up the community with a controversy over preferential treatment. Actually, upon checking the university student community, as I expected, there were many voices demanding an explanation from the school.
Furthermore, it's not even the university sending us on its own. It's something that happened because the government, out of nowhere, supported the school so our club could go to a resort.
Guessing by the justification I briefly heard from the club president senior, it seems the government side supported the school after seeing the incident where I swept the kendo tournament last year, but...
'Not only have I not officially entered a tournament since then, but there's no way the government would contact the school to back a single club just after seeing one kendo tournament.'
If they had done that, the place that contacted the school should have been another kendo association or something, not the government.
Because if it were a contact from that side, I could have just let it slide, thinking it was a scheme to win my favor to send me to a tournament again.
Since Kendo is not an Olympic or Asian Games event like other sports, there is hardly any reason for the government to go out of its way to show interest.
'If it were an event where they could hang the Korean flag in the first-place spot at a world-class tournament, maybe, but there's no way the government would step up and express interest in Kendo, which has few particularly world-famous tournaments like the Olympics or Asian Games.'
Ultimately, even if it might be a somewhat leap in logic, I couldn't help but think there was some mastermind behind this MT support.
'If it's an organization like the Bureau, even if they can't outright boss the government around, they could probably mobilize public power by seeking cooperation.'
Weren't my recent tracks already spectacular enough? Since I even possess the Cults of the Ghouls, a grimoire that couldn't be more dangerous, the Bureau will surely try to find me with wide-open eyes.
Besides, even if they send all the kendo club members to a resort, our club has about forty people, so this number doesn't cost an exorbitant amount of money.
Even if it's a somewhat burdensome amount for an individual to handle, it wouldn't be that much money for the government of a country or a faction capable of moving such a government.
To be blunt, it's a world where news pours out about politicians embezzling from hundreds of millions to tens of billions of won whenever you're bored.
Unlike ordinary people whose hands tremble even at a few hundred thousand won, it means the scale on which that side plays with money is fundamentally different.
'Saying I won't go using body aches or something as an excuse after coming this far... would probably be meaningless.'
Thanks to that, I even thought about completely skipping this MT, but I abandoned that thought not long after.
If the Bureau truly stepped on my tail and singled out our university's kendo club, it's meaningless to run away any further from here.
They would be able to find my name just by rummaging through the club membership roster, and if they asked a few club members about me in an interview format, they would even be able to know my tracks.
In truth, I must consider that the Bureau has definitely specified who I am.
'A head-on clash is the only way.'
It would be nice if all these thoughts were just my needless worry, but if it truly is a board set up by the Bureau to catch me, the only method is to clash directly and settle the matter.
It's not like I can spend my life hiding and running away from the Bureau forever, right? There is a possibility of getting swept up in anomalous phenomena and various incidents in the future, so even if I avoid them right now, the Bureau's investigation net will gradually close in as time passes.
If so, it is right to check what kind of organization the Bureau is using this opportunity instead. With those thoughts, I deleted the MT absence message I was about to send to the club president senior.
'If I knew this would happen, should I have gotten a sword tailored a bit earlier?'
The time I spent rummaging through the internet just to get a proper live blade felt like a waste.
The morning of the second Saturday of April, when signs of winter ending and spring beginning could be seen.
"Everyone, please board the bus in order now. And please put your luggage in the trunk on this side."
The kendo club members, including me, were busy preparing for departure, orderly putting our individual luggage and prepared MT supplies into the bus trunk.
"You've put all your luggage in, right? Because there might be someone who hasn't arrived, I will call names one by one."
A woman dressed in a neat suit raised her voice and called names one by one with a face that looked tired due to dark circles.
The person whose name was called briefly raised their hand and lowered it along with an answer. It's a procedure to check if there is anyone who couldn't board the bus by any chance.
'Everyone seems to have lost their minds.'
Slightly turning my head and surveying the surroundings, most of the male club members were busy sneakily glancing at the female guide doing the headcount on the bus.
Honestly, it wasn't a sight I couldn't understand. Because even to my eyes, the guide was on the pretty side. Without needing to exaggerate, she had an appearance that people would readily believe if told she was a celebrity right now.
Even though she was tightly wrapped in a suit, her figure was revealed, and the dark circles on her blunt yet sharp-featured face added a charm as if she were worn out by society.
"There is no one missing. Then, nice to meet you. I am Kang Yuna, who will be in charge of guiding you this time."
In the bus that began to depart as the doors closed after the headcount ended, she revealed her name.
Whether they were excited by the fact that they were going on an MT to a resort, or just in high spirits from the introduction of the beauty they had their eyes on.
As soon as Kang Yuna's introduction ended, everyone was busy clapping until their hands turned red.
"The destination is a famous resort near a local beach, and the schedule is for 3 days and 2 nights—"
Finishing her introduction, she slowly introduced facts good to know, starting from the destination and schedule, as if fulfilling her duty as a guide.
What we should do when we arrive, how we should enjoy the resort, what is delicious at the buffet and restaurants inside the resort, etc.
At the explanation that truly highlighted a professional aspect like a tourist guide, everyone blossomed into beaming smiles filled with expectation.
'It seems the Bureau really prepared thoroughly, properly setting the stage?'
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Kang Yuna, who was continuing the guidance at the front.
Just as I said she looked like a tourist guide rather than being a tourist guide, in truth, she was not truly a simple tourist guide.
Perhaps she really is working in the tourist guide field, but at least I obtained the certainty that she is affiliated with the Bureau.
'Unlike ordinary people, she is subtly harboring inner energy.'
The reason was simple. As a result of observing with Qi Sense, unlike an ordinary person, a considerable amount of inner energy was felt from Kang Yuna.
However, peculiarly, there was no Dantian in her body. It seemed she was using a separate method of True Qi operation, not a method of storing it in the Dantian.
Suddenly feeling curious, I increased the precision of my Qi Sense. Because if she didn't have a Dantian, I wanted to know by what method she was operating True Qi.
If there is a martial art technique I don't know, I could learn it and use it for my own development, couldn't I? Anyway, since she is someone like a Bureau agent, I thought there was no harm in verifying anything.
'...Why is she operating True Qi like that?'
However, the result of observing with Qi Sense was quite surprising. Kang Yuna's True Qi operation method felt far too inefficient to me.
'Does she not know of the existence of the Dantian? If she knew the Dantian, there's no way she would use inner energy like that?'
How should I express this? Pondering for a moment, I found the most suitable expression.
'Breathing technique. It would be correct to call it a breathing technique.'
To speak more bluntly, it was correct to say it was like a downgraded version of an Inner Qi Cultivation Method.
It is the same up to the part of absorbing the energy of nature into the body through breathing, but the subsequent process was far too inefficient compared to a Cultivation Method.
Comparing it with the method I use to operate True Qi as an example, I could clearly feel how big the difference was.
'If I compare it with Kang Yuna's breathing technique using the First Self Mental Art as an example...'
When I absorb the energy of nature through breathing, I immediately convert it into Inner Qi and accumulate it in the Dantian. In the process of the energy of nature that entered the body heading to the Dantian, it passes through the acupoints and is dyed according to the oral chant of the First Self Mental Art, becoming First Self True Qi.
Inner Qi created in this way has many advantages. Because it has unique properties matching my mindscape, it is easy to handle, and in the process of refining it into Inner Qi, even its density becomes higher than the energy of nature.
That is not all. Since it's fundamentally a method of using accumulated power, the amount of inner energy that can be outputted at once is also outstanding.
'Summarized in one sentence, it's a method with good output and efficiency.'
However, the True Qi operation method Kang Yuna used was different. She used the energy of nature that came in at the moment of breathing as is.
The moment she breathes, the energy of nature enters her body and spreads throughout her entire body like oxygen in the blood. The widely spread energy of nature instantly reinforces her physical abilities, like reinforcing the body with Inner Qi.
The problem is the chronic limitation of this method.
'Because the energy of nature is raw energy existing in nature, it cannot stay in the body for long and quickly scatters and disappears.'
Therefore, physical reinforcement by the energy of nature lasts a few seconds at most. The moment the breathing technique is disrupted even briefly, the energy of nature in the body depletes, and the physical reinforcement unravels in the blink of an eye.
It's not like the output and efficiency are superior to Inner Qi, either. The total amount of energy of nature that can be absorbed in a single breath is directly the limit of the output, and since the energy is used up completely as soon as it enters, there isn't even anything to call efficiency.
'Moreover, compared to Inner Qi, the energy of nature has lower density and is an energy where various energies are intricately tangled together.'
Even if the same amount is poured in, the energy of nature's output falls behind compared to Inner Qi, and because its properties change slightly depending on the location, it is affected by the environment.
Furthermore, setting all these factors aside, there is a reason the energy of nature is not used as is.
'Because it cannot be utilized in areas other than physical reinforcement.'
This is the reason the study of accumulating the energy of nature through Breathing and Energy Circulation is called a Mental Art or Mental Qi by attaching the character for 'mind'.
A person rules and moves energy with their mind. To handle energy, one must absolutely dye the energy with their mindscape to change it into Inner Qi with properties suitable for them to handle.
If one tries to use the energy of nature exactly as it is without going through such a process, the energy does not move according to their will. Even if it moves, the result cannot help but be trivial compared to the effort put in.
'There's no way an organization capable of even moving national power like the Bureau would teach such a half-baked True Qi operation method...'
Suddenly, such a thought occurred to me. Half a month ago, the words Marcel Lacrima shouted pointing at me using martial arts while I was fighting him.
'Secret martial arts.'
The thought 'could it be?' crossed my mind for a very brief moment. It was an absurd, leaps-and-bounds imagination even to me.
'Is this really correct?'
Pondering for a moment, the moment the bus arrived at the destination, I solidified a firm resolve and got off the bus.
And, passing right by Kang Yuna, I sent a strand of Sound Transmission to her.
'If it's a board set up by the Bureau anyway, there is a high probability the Bureau will approach me whether now or later.'
So, rather than being blindly dragged around by the Bureau's ulterior motives, let me directly lead the situation from the start.
"This person has no Dantian..."
Flinch—Kang Yuna's body trembled so greatly the moment I passed by sending the Sound Transmission that such an onomatopoeia naturally came to mind.
Feeling her turning her head toward me with an astonished expression via Qi Sense, I pretended not to know anything, pulled out my luggage, and joined the procession of club members.
'Seeing that reaction, it seems it's correct.'
Perhaps, martial arts might no longer exist in this world.
Only the breathing techniques and secret martial arts meant to absorb and use the energy of nature might remain like a degraded version of martial arts.
It is strictly a story of possibilities, but if my guess is true...
'I might not have a reason to blindly fear the Bureau.'
The initiative of this contact was practically handed to me.