A Young Monk's Morning Exercise
Behind the student dormitory lay a small mountain.
“This is Lord’s training ground.”
“It’s quite special, isn’t it?”
A blatant sign of surprise.
[Welcome, training students!]
Isra extended both hands to her waist and greeted the hunters.
Her form was perfectly restored.
Thanks to the Life Ring, restoration had been effortless.
Only the finer details had required manual touch-ups, but the need to hunt for materials had been a major advantage.
[Feeding on corpses is unfortunate; their value has diminished.]
“Well, no choice.”
There was one minor drawback.
Healing skills were not free.
Bones and claws remained intact, but the muscles, flesh, and skin had withered.
Still, it was better that Isra no longer needed to gather specific byproducts.
[Please grant an opportunity to the maiden as well.]
“Of course.”
The support team included a mage.
Ingrid suddenly appeared from the shadows and extended a finger.
[Mage.]
“Ah, yes.”
[You will handle this side.]
“I’m on a separate team?”
[What does a mage learn in knight training?]
“Waaah, ugh…”
[Do not waste time. Follow me.]
Isra would not eat you.
Study well and come back.
Ignoring the suffering eyes of the mage hunter, I turned my gaze to Isra.
[Do you possess any mastered sword techniques or combat skills?]
“None.”
“Sword techniques are expensive.”
True.
Simple skills like strikes or charges were easy to obtain.
Combat-skill books that added effects to basic attacks were relatively rare.
Even at the same grade, prices were at least three times higher.
[So it is actual combat swordsmanship.]
“Ehehe. It is not exactly swordsmanship, though.”
[Imagine a monster before you and swing the sword.]
“I mainly use a bow.”
[I will guide you separately. Wait here.]
The two hunters hesitated before swinging their weapons in their own styles.
[Excellent. Your skill is solid.]
Isra twirled her sword.
[It is boring. I want to die.]
“…….”
[The weight center is off and the swing spacing is sloppy.]
Aah.
A devastating critique.
[Fortunately, you lack many bad habits, so correction is possible.]
“Correction?”
[Your senses are not bad. If you follow my guidance, you will become a usable swordsman.]
“Oooh!”
Isra.
She had the talent to win hearts.
Whoosh!
Isra swung her Serimis magic sword.
The warrior hunters stared blankly at the swing.
[I will demonstrate once more. Copy me.]
“Ne?”
[Repeat the motion I just showed.]
Teacher, the pace is too fast.
I have the Heavenly Martial Body, so I could follow that one swing.
These guys are different.
Still…
I watched without interfering, curious how Isra would teach them.
Whoosh!
[Alright. Now try it.]
The support team hunters exchanged glances before grumbling that they did not understand and gripping their swords.
Hup!
Whoosh!
Aah, that is not how you swing it.
[You. What is your name?]
“Park Seunghyo.”
[When swinging the sword, you slide your right foot half a step forward.]
“Eh?”
[Putting force into the legs is good, but it is excessive. The weight center shifts and accuracy suffers.]
“Yes, yes.”
[Try it once more.]
Whoosh!
Huh.
The posture really is corrected.
From then on, Isra corrected the warriors’ stances one by one.
[Your wrist is putting in too much force.]
Sometimes she offered advice through thought transmission.
Thwack!
“Oof.”
Other times she struck specific points with a grabbed branch instead of the sword.
“Isra. You are being rather kind.”
[I do not quite understand what you mean.]
Wow.
This is the kind of person who remembers being the victim but forgets being the perpetrator?
“When teaching swordsmanship, you could not speak and just hit me.”
[Since Lord had not even learned the basics, there was no choice.]
Yes.
Because I was a hopeless student who had not learned the basics, I felt sorry.
[These students have real-world honed fundamentals, so speaking comes naturally.]
“Yes. Yes. It is all my fault.”
[Did you acquire it quickly?]
“It is thanks to your talent.”
[Hahah. Correct.]
Yes.
Your shit is thick.
[Lord, try swinging the sword once as well.]
I already know Imperial Swordsmanship, don’t I?
Tilting my head in confusion, he did not answer and simply shrugged, urging me on.
Yes.
It would be worth it.
The sword was not worn out; I might as well try it.
Whoosh!
[I have understood Imperial Swordsmanship and Sword Technique 1.]
[Sword Technique has been added as a skill.]
[Imperial Sword Technique]
Type: Body Technique
Grade: D
Classification: Passive
It is a sword technique said to have been created by the Mercenary King Giparang.
It follows basics and can adapt to various situations.
……?
What is this.
I swung the sword once.
“Why did a skill appear?”
[I understood Imperial Swordsmanship as well, so capturing even low-grade techniques should be sufficient.]
“R-really a skill was added?”
“Yes.”
“Amazing! If we just study hard, we can learn a skill!”
“Let’s train harder.”
Strange.
Some people swing the sword with sweat but never get a skill.
Others learn swordsmanship in one slap and feel jealous or lose motivation.
It is not empty?
[Lord is not an ordinary hunter, is he.]
“These things are usually only taught in large guilds.”
“There will be no one in the support team like this.”
I was not a warrior hunter, so I knew little of their ecosystem.
If they said it was good, it was good.
[Lord, do not become intoxicated by your own talent and keep striving.]
A chuckle nearly escaped me.
Talent?
I only obtained it a month ago.
Five years of clawing at the bottom was still fresh.
Striving, effort.
Those were…
“I am better than anyone else.”
Whoosh!
I swung the sword once more.
Isra shook her head left and right.
[Lord has mastered Imperial Swordsmanship, so there is no need to train the Mercenary Sword Technique.]
“Then why did you teach it to us?”
[It was to instill confidence in them.]
“…….”
There is a knight who is bossing Lord around.
[Those with power know how to care for the weak.]
“Is that not chivalry?”
[Haha. Since Lord is superior, it is only natural to care for the weak.]
“I am not a knight, so please do not force it.”
Grumbling the whole way, I began training Imperial Sword Technique.
***
Training that started in the morning continued through lunch and into the afternoon.
“Nom nom.”
“Slurp slurp.”
The instant ramyeon near the dormitory vanished in a flash.
Eek.
I had to save some for myself. You people.
[Eat moderately. If you overeat, you will vomit during training.]
Ugh.
That was troublesome.
I pulled my hand from the ramyeon after Isra’s advice.
Training continued into the afternoon.
I swung and ran until my mouth tasted of sweat.
[That is enough for today.]
The end of training reached my ears.
“Ahhhhh.”
“Hah. Hah.”
Whoa.
It was really hard.
“Isra. Each hunter has different stamina. How can you make them all pass out?”
[I adjusted according to each hunter’s abilities.]
It worked?
[I have overseen training for dozens of knight squad members.]
Yes, yes.
Well done.
But it was a fact, so I had no rebuttal.
[Understanding of Imperial Sword Technique has risen.]
[Understanding: 5.4 → 9.1]
[The effects of sword technique apply even to 3rd form.]
“Why did the understanding of sword technique skyrocket?”
[Lord spent several days observing my combat and established the sword technique.]
I did not do anything like that.
[The Heavenly Martial Body.]
Do not say 1+1 is 2 like that.
Normally it is not.
[I did that in my past life, so I assumed Lord could too.]
The conclusion is that Isra is amazing.
Hmm.
Honestly, your Heavenly Martial Body is awesome.
While I mastered Imperial Sword Technique 3rd form,
the support team hunters had all learned [Giparang Sword Technique] 1st form.
“Thank you!”
“We are grateful for today’s instruction!”
Though their faces showed exhaustion,
the hunters bowed their heads in greeting.
[From now on, we will train more seriously. Prepare yourselves.]
“More seriously?”
[To train with the sword, the body must first be loosened properly.]
Isra’s cheeks twitched.
[The sword swings today were just a taste. You should look forward to more.]
The color drained from the hunters’ faces.
“I did not do anything like that.”
[There was no need.]
No way.
Again with the Heavenly Martial Body?
Kwaaaah.
As our training was ending,
the mage hunter, drenched in sweat, staggered back to the training field.
“S-save me…”
[You have fundamentals. I wanted to look after you.]
It seemed the other side had gone through hell too.
Both seemed skilled at manipulating people.
[Hah. You do not know how many knights I have guided.]
[Because of those who wanted to discuss magic with the Solar Eclipse witch, our doorstep has worn thin.]
Yes.
They are amazing.
I wanted to say something, but since they were truly great in their past lives, I had nothing to reply.
By the way.
“I did not know you had archery expertise.”
[It is not at the level of a professional ranger.]
After polishing the fundamentals of archery, skill books were preferable.
[Would it not be good for us to train together from now on?]
“I am fine. The support team’s willingness is important.”
“Definitely! We are fine!”
Even with their faces completely pale, their conviction was not weak.
Anyway, since they said they were okay.
“From now on, we will do that.”
“Yes!”
Everyone’s spirit was high.
They were scared of Isra.
Or was it because they could learn sword techniques?
[Of course it is the latter.]
To me, both seemed the same.
In the evening we each had a light bowl of gukbap at the nearby restaurant.
If we had drunk alcohol it would have been better.
I held back because it was tiring and adding soju would ruin the meal.
“Sigh.”
It was a pity.
“Then I will see you tomorrow, Lord.”
“Hyung, let’s have a meal next time!”
“That sounds good.”
Eh.
Office (?) people usually hate company meals, right?
“Then let’s make a seat.”
“Yay!”
“Haha. Good.”
Everyone liked company meals.
I had almost wanted to drink after all.
After sending the support team hunters back, I walked slowly toward the dormitory.
Buuuuung—
[Mr. Chairman Baek]
“Yes, sir.”
—Is the call convenient?
“I am fine.”
—Actually, a request has come to meet Hunter Park.
Who could it be.
For anyone of decent caliber, Chairman Baek would have handled it himself.
—Guild Master Yang Seo-yeon of the Phoenix Guild personally contacted me.
“Phoenix?”
Because of last time’s operation.
“Ownership has been cleared, so there is no issue.”
—It seems more interested in connecting with Hunter Park than responsibility.
I had already signed an agency contract.
I had no intention of joining the guild, so why meet?
—It would be better to at least greet her once.
The Phoenix Guild Master has no bad reputation.
A person who would not cause harm if you knew her.
“Then what if I get lured by the Phoenix Guild?”
—I am receiving a penalty anyway.
Tch.
—Then I will refuse.
“You said meeting would not be bad.”
—Park Hunter, I do not want to miss you.
Whatever, just do what you want.
—And there is one more.
“Who is it?”
—That is…
My eyes widened at Chairman Baek’s next words.