Chapter 280: Traditional Culture
Chapter 280: Traditional Culture
After grasping such a sweet victory, I stopped by the Management Bureau’s Martial Alliance branch, which was to serve as our lodging, to see if our luggage had arrived.
However, the only answer I received was that processing the plane crash was taking longer than expected, and it would still be a while.
Left with no choice, I requested access to the Martial Alliance’s information archives and an interview with the Heavenly Sword. Then, I stepped out of the Bureau, determined to enjoy the unique culture of the Martial Alliance.
As we walked from the small Bureau building back toward the main street...
“Master! I have a question!”
My disciple, who had been constantly scanning her surroundings, let out a booming voice.
Her hand was thrust high into the air.
“What is it?”
It was rare for Si-hyun to ask a question instead of A-bin.
Especially if it wasn't about combat or my private life.
“Why is the Management Bureau so small here?”
The question that came back was as simple as could be.
And here I was, wondering what it might be.
The childishness of the question felt so typical of Baek Si-hyun that a smile played on my lips.
Actually, it was a natural doubt to have if you were used to seeing the massive Black Tower and then were told this tiny building was a Bureau branch.
I only thought it was childish because the answer was obvious if you gave it even a little thought.
“Si-hyun, what do you usually find in a Management Bureau branch?”
I tossed the question back, tailoring it to a child’s level, but...
“Hmm. Reality Anchors, Otherworldly Power Detectors, Probability Observatories, underground communal spaces, isolation-type shelters, the Omni-Recorder...”
Wait, hold on. How do you know all that?
While I was reeling from the words pouring out of Si-hyun’s mouth...
“...Future Archives, Regression Time Detectors, Timeline Recording Anchors...”
“Si-hyun, wait. Stop. Cease.”
If she said any more, the Bureau would come to arrest us for leaking classified information.
I was thinking of places anyone would imagine, like dormitories or training rooms. Why were all these top-secret terms tumbling out?
I immediately turned my head to see if anyone else had heard her.
Fortunately, it seemed no one was paying attention to such nonsensical talk. My senses didn't pick up any sign of anyone focusing on us.
Thank goodness.
If someone had heard, I might have had to smack them across the head and perform a Magical★Memory Erasure.
I’d never used it before, but I’d seen other Magical Girls do it, so I figured I could give it a shot.
However, A-bin was standing there with her eyes wide, looking like she was wondering what on earth Si-hyun was talking about.
I grabbed Han A-bin by the collar, forced her to meet my eyes, and spoke.
“A-bin.”
“Yes? Yes!”
“We didn't hear anything just now.”
“Um, just now, about the future or whatever...”
“We. Heard. Nothing. Got it?”
“...Yes.”
Good.
Next was Baek Si-hyun.
“Si-hyun.”
“Yes!”
One idiot stood there with her hand still raised high, completely unaware of the gravity of what she’d done.
“Where did you get that information?”
“I was bored while we were at the Bureau, so I tapped on a terminal and it just came up!”
Are you kidding me?
Come to think of it, didn't Baek Si-hyun bypass security just to find a bathroom using only elevator buttons?
Based on what she just said, it sounds like she breached everything up to Level 3 security.
I thought the Bureau’s security team had just been incompetent during the elevator incident.
Now I realized that Baek Si-hyun was simply a force of nature.
One more thing I gathered: since the assassination or censorship teams hadn't stormed our location screaming their organization names yet, it seemed she hadn't been caught.
Phew. Thank god the Bureau’s information network is a closed system.
Looking at the way Si-hyun acts, I suspect she could have stripped a public network bare with just basic internet access.
“Si-hyun. From now on, don't touch any terminals when you go to the Bureau. If you absolutely have to touch one and a ‘Access Denied’ warning pops up, don't do anything weird to make it go away.”
“Yes! Understood, Master!”
Good. She listens, so that should be enough.
Isn't that Si-hyun’s greatest strength?
When you tell her something, she actually listens.
The problem is she only listens to exactly what you say.
Fine. Let’s consider this settled.
It probably is settled. As long as we keep our mouths shut.
Now, shall we steer this wildly derailed conversation back on track?
“Right, as for the essential things Si-hyun just mentioned...”
“So, the space-time...”
No. Please. Si-hyun.
“Si-hyun, one more thing. Never let those words leave your mouth again.”
Dammit, I forgot to mention that.
Okay. Now it’s truly settled.
“Those essential mechanisms are smaller than you’d think, and since they’re installed underground or on the roof, they don't take up much space. Most of the actual space in a Bureau building is for Hero dorms, training centers, administrative offices, Defense Force standby rooms, and infirmaries.”
If we went beneath the Bureau building we just left, it would likely occupy a vast underground area.
It’s just not visible from the surface.
“But they don't need those things here. All those facilities are scattered around the neighborhood, and the martial artists cluster together according to their sects. There’s no reason for them to huddle together in a Bureau building.”
What use is a Defense Force when the area is crawling with Heroes? You only need the bare minimum.
It’s the same with the Magic Society, not just here.
As I thought before, it was a question with an obvious answer if you just looked around.
I never imagined it would lead to such a catastrophe.
But considering the trouble that would have started if she’d said those things in a more sensitive place, I should be glad the question came up now.
Now, let’s end this talk.
Shall we get to what I originally intended to do?
* * *
While scanning through the various sects, I spotted one with an incredibly arrogant name and headed straight for it.
My disciples, unable to read the Hanja, just tilted their heads in front of the nameplate.
They radiated an air of confusion, wondering why on earth I was going in there.
But when I opened the door and stepped inside, they followed quietly.
As luck would have it, someone was there to greet guests right by the door, so I tossed out a question.
“Is this the sect known as Jijon-hoe?”
Look at that name. It’s insane.
“Yes, that is correct. Are you perhaps looking to enroll?”
True to that ridiculous name, his martial arts uniform was plastered with gold leaf. He didn't look like he belonged to a normal sect.
Besides, the guy greeting me couldn't even sense the ominous aura radiating from me.
Therefore...
“Ah, no, not that.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I began to spin.
A 360-degree rotation, using my left foot as the axis.
My right foot, carrying the full momentum of that rotation, swung toward The Enemy.
The perfectly executed roundhouse kick slammed directly into the Martial Artist’s stomach.
He didn't even seem to realize what had happened to him until the very end.
“Hmm. That landed well.”
If he’d been a skilled Martial Artist, he would have reacted even slightly, shifting the angle of impact.
But The Enemy’s skill was so pathetic that he didn't move an inch against my strike.
Taking the full force of my strength, the Martial Artist flew horizontally, smashing through the wooden doors inside the building before collapsing.
Mmm. Perfect choreography.
To think his skills were only at this level. I didn't expect it to go this well.
Don't they put skilled people at the door these days?
Or is this sect so far gone that they consider him skilled enough to be a gatekeeper?
“Huh...? Uh? Master, what did you just do?”
“Ooh? Are we beating everyone up?”
My disciples let out voices full of immense doubt, seemingly unable to grasp the situation.
The other martial artists in the dojo, seeing one of their own sent flying and their door destroyed, stared this way in utter bewilderment.
Oh, it looks like they were in the middle of training.
Even better.
Under the gaze of so many, I stepped into the dojo, treading over the wooden splinters and the fallen man.
“Is anyone home?”
I gave the unconscious trash a light kick to clear the path for my disciples, settling him further inside the dojo as I offered my greeting.
By now, there should have been some kind of reaction.
Perhaps the martial artists of this sect couldn't process what was happening.
Silence hung heavy, with no response.
“...What is the meaning of this?”
After about ten seconds, a bulky Martial Artist finally spoke.
He had dyed blonde hair and wore a golden uniform—a man who possessed a decent amount of perceived power.
He was likely the master of this sect.
Anyway, since the opponent had responded...
I returned the answer with due etiquette.
After all, this sort of thing has its own established format.
If you just walk in and start a riot, you’re just a thug.
“Ah, it’s nothing much. I just don't like the name of this sect.”
I took a stance, showing my own version of politeness.
“You know how it goes in these situations. We trade blows, and the loser takes down their sign. Oh, and while you’re at it, you should strip that gold leaf off your clothes and shave off that dyed hair.”
I threw out my demands with a modicum of courtesy.
“So, you’re here for a Dojo Breaking.”
Exactly. That’s it, you piece of trash.
Isn't this a time-honored traditional culture of martial artists?
Even if it’s not exactly 'survival of the fittest,' the logic that the winner is right is widespread among martial artists.
Even the martial artists from the West seem to accept this immediately, calling it a 'trial by combat.' I guess the heads of people who live by the sword all work the same way.
Of course, if you look into it, this is ultimately a duel conducted under Management Bureau rules, so things like life-and-death matches or sect extermination aren't allowed.
But if your sect’s name gets dragged through the mud, you might as well take down the sign.
“Fine. As a Martial Artist, I cannot refuse such an insult. But then, what will you wager?”
“Wager? Have you never been challenged to a Dojo Breaking before? If you win, your sect survives. If you lose, you’re out.”
If you’re going to hang a ridiculous name like 'Jijon-hoe,' you should be prepared to get smacked.
That’s what it means to put your sect’s name on the line.
I still don't understand how these guys are even alive.
In the old days, hot-headed idiots would have charged in and blown this sect apart long ago.
“I would accept a normal challenge, but your demands are excessive. Furthermore, you don't even look like a Martial Artist.”
At those words...
“Ahaha. A Martial Artist? What does that matter?”
I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
His solemn tone was ill-suited to his appearance.
But more than that, I could sense a lack of true martial spirit in every word he spoke.
“I’m probably more of a Martial Artist than you are. Why don't you stop pretending? Just be honest and say you want something that pays.”
Like a sparring fee or a challenge fee—some nonsense like that.
It happened all the time in the old days, so I wasn't about to judge modern martial artists for it.
“Then we have no reason to accept. Pay the compensation for the damages and leave quietly.”
You’re bringing up that logic here?
At this point, shouldn't they accept the Dojo Breaking just to save their reputation?
Especially since other martial artists are already gathering around to see what the commotion is about.
I don't know if the atmosphere has changed, but in the past, a Dojo Breaking was practically a festival.
I racked my brain.
Why would he act like that, even at the cost of his sect’s reputation?
It’s not like he’s incredibly weak.
He’s the head of a sect, he seems to have experienced a few challenges, and although I can't be sure of his exact skill since he’s unarmed, he’s at least C to B-Rank.
After thinking about why he was being so stubborn, I came up with a plausible answer.
Wait, is this guy...
Is he trying to get out of it by refusing, because he knows he can't possibly beat me?
Calculating that his reputation taking a hit is better than having his soul crushed by me?
It’s just a guess, but it’s likely the truth.
The vibe he gives off is more businessman than Martial Artist.
Starting with the talk about compensation was a big hint.
Tsk.
Was the problem that I entered too majestically?
It seems I broke his spirit in one go.
Well then, shall I try another tactic?
“Ah, then how about this? I won't be the one fighting.”
I cut myself off and turned around to look at one of my disciples.
The healing-type Magical Girl was looking anxiously at the crowd of martial artists that had gathered.
“A-bin. Step forward.”
My disciple. Han A-bin.