Yu-ri and the Dojang People # 4
Yu-ri and the Dojang People # 4
Yu-ri dragged me over and I sat down on a chair in the corner of the dojang. Being made to sit all alone in someone else's dojang was seriously awkward.
And all eyes were already glued to me. I hate these uncomfortable spaces.
"Hey. Stay put right here. I'll go tell them not to mess with you."
Yu-ri said, patting me on the shoulder.
"But Yu-ri?"
"What."
"They were calling you Martial Aunt."
That had vaguely stuck in my ear earlier.
Isn't "Martial Aunt" a bit of a martial arts novel kind of term? I might not know much, but I swear, not a single dojang in my hometown talked like that.
Even in Taekwondo, people just call each other by rank and name, not Martial Aunt this or Martial Sister that like a martial arts novel.
Was it a different world, so the culture was different too?
Well, it is a world ruled by an absolute monarch, the Sovereign Commander, instead of a president with separation of powers. The culture's bound to be totally different.
"It's a title. I'm the dojang head's daughter, right? Strictly speaking, I'm basically the highest in seniority, so that makes me the Martial Aunt."
"Whoa. You guys actually count seniority?"
"Yeah. And we've got a cohort system, organized quarterly."
It struck me as a bizarre hybrid of the military and a martial arts clan. But whatever it was, this was a dojang where superhumans came to learn martial arts. Naturally, that kind of culture would exist.
"Since it's a place where you use swords, the hierarchy's bound to be strict, wouldn't you say?"
"They enforce discipline and all? That hardcore stuff."
"Would a bunch of bastards who use swords bother with weird military discipline?"
"Ah."
"They acknowledge the hierarchy and treat each other with courtesy."
"I'm convinced."
The explanation gave off a strong vibe of people genuinely training in martial arts. So the hierarchy was strict, but there was no pointless discipline.
"Hey. It's a bit loose, but technically, Kim Geun-cheol, you're the youngest one here too, man."
"What do you mean I'm the youngest! I haven't even joined officially!"
"I don't think those bastards see it that way... heh-heh. Anyway, they're a bit weird, but they're not scary people, so relax."
"A bit?"
I looked back toward the dojang.
Amid the stuffed heads of monsters and monsterkin hanging everywhere.
"Hrooah! Hrooah! Hrooaaaaaah!"
"Pyo-rorong!"
"Ryaaaaargh!"
"Aaaiieeeeeee!"
"Ooooaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"
Cries you could never imagine coming from a human.
Didn't they say, "When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you"? Over there were men who'd killed so many monsters that they were mimicking monster cries.
"Raaaaah! Raaaaah!"
"Aaaaaargh!"
"Beat the shit outta iiiit!! Bea-beat the crap outta iiiit!!! Beat the living shit outta iiiit!!!"
"Shatter!!! Shatter!!! Shatteerrrrr!"
"Uwoooh! Uh, uwoooh! Beat 'em all! Wipe 'em all out! Aaaaargh!"
"Bam! Kick it! Like this! Bam, kick it!"
"Drink every last drop!"
—Whoosh!
—Whoosh!
These powerful men were either unleashing violent sword techniques full of excessive motion into the air, or pairing up for inhuman sparring, or endlessly doing backflips in place like someone with Savant syndrome in an insane state of concentration, or pounding a sandbag with crazed expressions as if all the world's evil was packed inside.
They were training, flaunting superhuman strength far beyond human imagination. I couldn't even keep my cool while describing this sight... How could there be such a terrifying space? Was this another world?
On top of that, they were all training while blasting their mana like crazy, to the point where even the thick smell of mana was hanging in the air.
But what was truly unbearable—
—...
—...
—...
—was the fact that every single one of them, while silently carrying on with their training, had turned their heads entirely—all of them!—and were staring straight at me!
"No! Yu-ri! Wait!"
"Huh? Why?"
Yu-ri, who'd been walking away, turned around with an annoyed expression! But you're all I can trust right now!
—Pow!
I instantly sprang up and glued myself to Yu-ri's back.
"Ah! What! I told you to sit still!"
"Please! Don't go! Stay with me!"
"What?!"
"It's scary here, I'm telling you!"
In that moment, Yu-ri looked at me like I was a piece of trash.
"Scared? Of what?"
"Look! They're all looking at me! They're silently training but they're only staring at me!"
When I pointed over there.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The grotesque men were just silently training as if they'd never looked at me at all...! Whoa, look at these crazy bastards controlling their line of sight!
They're trying to mess with me!
"I don't see anyone looking. You keep trying to start trouble, you little shit?"
"No, they were totally looking just a moment ago!"
The situation made me seem like a whiny little kid, but I had to push forward. Even if Yu-ri glared at me coldly, I had to push!
"Anyway, I can't just sit there alone! Let's go together!"
"Ugh, you crazy bastard. Seriously a psycho."
Yu-ri scratched the back of her head and said with an irritated expression.
"Great move, coming to the dojang."
"It's not a great move. Just think about it. How awkward would it be if I were abandoned here? And I'm telling you, the way those trainees are looking at me is way too weird."
"You're way weirder, you are."
She said it like she had no idea about the gravity of the situation.
"Ha, fine, you little shit. Then stick right behind me and follow."
In the end, she said that as if it was a huge bother!
"Hooray!"
"Don't jump while shouting hooray!"
"Ack!"
Yu-ri grabbed my ear and dragged me along...! And so I ended up entering something like a small office in one corner of the dojang.
* * *
"Uncle. I brought my friend."
"Yu-ri, you're here? Is that friend the one called Kim Geun-cheol?"
"Yeah."
The curly-haired, bespectacled man who'd been typing on a keyboard stood up and looked at me. Judging by the thickness of his arms and the shape of his muscles, he was probably an instructor at this dojang.
If Yu-ri called him uncle, he had to be at least an instructor.
"Ah, yes. Hello. I'm Kim Geun-cheol, Yu-ri's friend. Yu-ri's been teaching me swordsmanship lately, so I came to visit."
I greeted him politely.
"Oh, yeah, yeah. Be good friends with Yu-ri. I hear your skills are pretty decent."
The man smiled and accepted my greeting.
"Yeah. This bastard awakened last year. He was a total civilian up until then, but after I started teaching him, not even a full semester in, he's gotten pretty good. So I'm trying to figure out if it's because I'm a good teacher."
"Or if Geun-cheol has talent, you wanted me to see? Yeah, okay. I'll check. He's your friend, so of course I will."
"Oh! Thank you!"
The moment he said that, I bowed ninety degrees. Opportunities like this are rare.
"It's an honor to have you personally evaluate me!"
"Hahaha, you know who I am and you say it's an honor? I'm not from Yeonggwang."
"Wh-What?! Good heavens, you're not from Yeonggwang?! Then where on earth are you from?!"
"Me, me? I'm from the Hanam side."
"Oh my god! I live in Gyeonggi-do! Gyeonggi-do! Wow! We're from the same province, fellow provincial! Hahahaha!"
—Clap, clap, clap!
Not knowing how to respond to the word "Yeonggwang," I just laughed, clapped, and said it loudly, and the man burst out laughing.
"Hah... hahaha! I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, Yu-ri's friend is quite a cheerful guy."
"What the hell are you?"
Yu-ri said it like she couldn't believe it, but seriously, how the hell are you supposed to respond when someone says they're not from Yeonggwang after you say it's an honor? You just have to roll with it cheerfully.
"What do you think I am? A mosquito-net merchant."
"What?"
"Well, then, let's go take a look at your skills. Ah, I'm Instructor Woo Ji-hyeok. I teach swordsmanship at this dojang."
"Is that so? Seeing how incredibly strong you look, I'm really, truly grateful that you'd check my skills. Hehehe."
"You're a smooth talker."
And so, the three of us left the office.
"Hey, everyone! I'm going to size up Yu-ri's friend's skills, so clear a ring!"
Instantly,
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir!"
The inhuman men bellowed their reply and swiftly, swish-swish-swish, moved their bodies to the sides.
—Whirrrr.
Suddenly, the floor flipped over and a ring rose up...!
What high-tech!
The very age of ubiquitous computing!
"All right, both of you, get up here."
"Yeah."
"Yes, sir!"
So I climbed onto the ring together with Yu-ri.
"First, I'll gauge your skills through a spar. Now, as for Geun-cheol's training background..."
"This bastard only started learning after he entered the academy."
"So a complete beginner. Then go over there. Grab a practice sword and come at me with everything you've got."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
As instructed, I went to pull out a practice sword, but—
—Grab.
An ominous man sitting below the ring gripped the blade of my practice sword tight and wouldn't let go.
I mean, it's scary!
"Hey, uh, mister? I'm trying to use this."
"Mr. Kim Geun-cheol? Are you going to register at the dojang?"
"Well, that's...!"
"Please register. Let's train in swordsmanship together."
"Yu-ri! Yu-ri! Yuriiii!"
"Why the hell are you calling me again!"
"This guy's holding my sword!"
"Hey! I told you not to mess with him!"
The man let go and slithered away into the darkness... What, was he a ghost? This was a dojang, right? Not some paranormal center?
"And shit, what am I, your mom? Why do you keep hollering for me and carrying on?"
"Because this is your dojang, so I'm calling you!"
"Then do you call Leona when you're at school? Fucking mama's boy. Can't do anything without your mommy."
What did I do...!
Anyway, after that little incident, I stood in front of Yu-ri's uncle.
"Come at me, all you want."
"Understood! Ah, but Instructor. Should I be as serious as possible?"
"Why even ask? In a place like this, that's how you do it. Come at me full force. Use any means, with the intention of taking me down. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Three. Two. One."
—Ding.
"Begin!"
The moment Yu-ri's uncle yelled, I kicked off the ground and charged, just like I always did with Yu-ri. The basis of offense is taking the initiative. Of course, my skills probably wouldn't work against this instructor.
But still, if I wanted to show my skills, attacking was definitely the best way.
"Hyaaap!"
As Yu-ri had taught me, I advanced and swung my sword. My blade slashed down diagonally at the instructor, just as it always did.
—Clang!
The instructor casually blocked my sword and stepped back. Was he planning to just receive my attacks at first to gauge me? The moment I read that, I did exactly what Yu-ri had taught me.
—Thump!
I infused my foot with mana and stomped hard on the instructor's instep.
"What?!"
But his bare foot felt like a lump of iron. I saw he had already wrapped mana around his foot to protect it. That was also a skill Yu-ri had told me about.
"Wow, Yu-ri. You taught him properly?"
"Yeah. Well. Gotta teach this stuff right."
"Well done. You've got the qualities of an instructor."
"Right?"
The two chatted in the moment my attack had failed. Of course, I didn't let up. Right away, I shot mana from both soles—
—Pow!
—and as if taking flight, I launched a flying knee kick with the foot opposite the one that had stomped his instep. Protecting and weaponizing the knee at the same time with the Mana Shield skill was basic. And I didn't forget to use my sword to interfere with his so he couldn't block my attack.
—Wham!
Of course, the instructor just lightly stepped back, pulling his body away. So I ended up launching my flying knee into thin air.
"Ooh!"
The instructor, now at a distance, was impressed.
"Not bad. Aggressive and gutsy. And with such bold, serious attacks on a first meeting... This is exactly Yu-ri's style. It's showing, exactly as you learned from her."
"You mean."
Yu-ri-style.
"Are you saying Yu-ri's spirit dwells in my swordsmanship?"
"Pretty much."
"Then I'll name my swordsmanship Yu-ri-Yu-ri Woo Yu-ri Swordsmanship!"
"Ugh! Cut the crap! Drop dead!"
