Martial Arts Exchange (2)
Martial Arts Exchange (2)
The Beastkin Alliance.
An alliance formed by non-human races, including elves, dwarves, beastkin, and other demi-humans, excluding humans. The beastkin held the greatest power within that alliance.
Unlike the elves who lived in the Great Forest or the dwarves who established their nations near mines, the beastkin made the earth their bed and the clouds their blanket, surviving anywhere.
Naturally, the ones who fought humans the most and thus achieved the most development were the beastkin.
"Sister, why did you open a dojo in a place like this?"
"Teaching martial arts to the likes of humans... how pathetic."
"...You want to die? Just say that fucked-up shit one more time, and I'll peel your snake skin right off."
"Isn't it true? If you're so confident in your martial arts, you should think about nurturing successors. Teaching the likes of humans..."
Sparks flew between the two beastkin. The man watching them let out a sigh and stepped in to stop them.
"Enough. Don't waste your energy pointlessly. And remember, we came to observe the martial arts of humans, not to fight."
"...Okay."
"...Understood."
At the words of the bear-like man, the two instantly shrunk back and stopped fighting, but that didn't mean their relationship improved.
As the two glared fiercely at each other as if ready to fight any moment, the carriage came to a stop in the city.
In one of the seven most famous cities in the world, the Dungeon City.
'Ho-yeon.'
The bear beastkin, Nam-woong, stepped forward, thinking of his long-time rival.
"So, you're taking next week off?"
"That's right."
I said apologetically. However, my party didn't seem to mind as much as I thought. Rather, they were busy congratulating me as if it were a great opportunity.
"A martial arts exchange with beastkin... That's an incredibly rare opportunity. Congratulations."
"Is it that uncommon?"
"Beastkin are the race that succeeded in holding back humanity solely with their own bodies, right? Whether it's the Empire's Royal Knights or the Great Forest's Rangers, it's difficult to beat a beastkin in a one-on-one fight."
That significant, huh? Thinking that, I looked at Orion. She had called me a spy or something, but she herself seemed suspiciously well-informed about world affairs.
Ordinary people probably knew nothing about which country's strong fighters were stronger, or who would be stronger under what conditions.
Indeed, Raize also seemed to know nothing about beastkin, only letting out an intrigued sigh as she listened to Orion.
'I think I have a rough idea of what kind of person she is now.'
Pushing the thought aside for a moment, I apologized to Raize and Orion.
"Anyway, that's the situation. So, the next hunting trip will be delayed a bit."
"It's okay. Ah, would it be possible to go watch? I'd like to see the beastkin fight."
"I'll ask, but I'm not sure if it'll be allowed."
Traditionally, martial arts exchanges are not that open events. On Earth, martial arts masters are desperate to spread their knowledge rather than hide their secrets, so if such an event existed, they'd publicize it widely to attract people.
'But here, it feels like a medieval era.'
In medieval times, martial arts were fundamentally passed down to a single successor, kept secret from outsiders. In medieval Japan, people would work at a dojo for over ten years to learn a single secret technique, and even that wasn't enough—some even married the dojo master's child.
I don't think the other world is much different. If anything, it might be even more extreme.
'Thinking about it, that guy back then was strong too.'
Recalling the wolf beastkin I met in the Black Mage's warehouse, I clutched my pounding chest and waited for the exchange day to arrive.
Events aren't held just on a single appointed day. It's standard to prepare for them days, weeks, or even years in advance.
Although this exchange was decided quite hastily, that made things even busier.
"Hurry, stack them up!"
"That scroll goes over there, not there!"
The dojo's gate, usually wide open, was firmly closed, and the not-so-high walls were obscured by temporary partitions.
Moreover, to prevent anyone from spying inside with magic, anti-magic scrolls began to be laid out all over the dojo.
'Do we really need to go this far?'
Coming from a world where the value of martial arts is dirt cheap, it felt quite bizarre. To go to such lengths just to avoid people's eyes...
As I blankly watched the scene, Ho-yeon approached and bowed her head.
"Thank you for agreeing to my request, Dojin-gun."
"No, not at all. You're my companion's teacher-nim."
"I appreciate you calling me that. In the end, I'm just teaching for money."
Hearing that, I wondered if the other students would complain. After all, they were also paying to learn.
"Aren't the other students complaining?"
"The students who complained all disappeared after getting beaten up by your companion."
"Oh-ho, really?"
I glanced cautiously at Eunha. Perhaps embarrassed that she had silenced people by beating them up, she kept her head bowed and fell silent.
Leaving her be, I asked Ho-yeon the reason she specifically chose me.
"You have so many students. Is there a reason you chose me specifically?"
"There aren't many people I can call 'students.'"
"...What do you mean?"
"You'd understand, the difference between teaching one person and teaching many."
Words anyone who has learned martial arts even once can easily understand. What she meant was that she has many students, but not all of them are truly disciples.
It's the same in the modern world. Just because I pay to register at a boxing gym doesn't make me the boxing master's disciple.
I'm just a member attending the boxing gym. Someone worthy of being called a disciple would be someone preparing to go pro.
"And above all, I wanted to show that even among humans, there are those who have trained martial arts that cannot be ignored."
"...What's the benefit for you?"
"Isn't it enough to make them realize beastkin aren't invincible?"
"You've never even seen my skills, though?"
"When you reach our level, you can tell just by looking."
Ho-yeon said that with a sly smile. Then, her fist flew toward me. I nonchalantly drew my sword and sliced through her fist.
It was an illusion.
"See?"
"...Your hand-speed is formidable."
My body, reacting to her killing intent, instinctively tensed its muscles, and at our level, that alone was enough to gauge the opponent's strength.
Traditionally, the fights of masters are decided even before they begin.
"Where did a master of your caliber fall from... It's truly a mysterious thing, isn't it?"
"Hmm, maybe I just swung a sword in the mountains?"
"Haha, the level one can reach through solo training inevitably has its limits. I sense history from you. An unbelievably thick and vast history."
It seemed Ho-yeon had grasped the essence of my swordsmanship to some extent just from that act. The problem was probably that the essence she grasped was too absurd...
'Well, it's swordsmanship created by that man.'
Beyond Europe, Germany, France, Britain, or Rome. Beyond Japan, China, India. Restoring all swordsmanship that existed in the West and the East.
Taking only the strengths of all martial arts developed in the modern era to create something that's only called Joseon Swordsmanship in name. In reality, there was a monster who created swordsmanship containing the entirety of human history.
That was my father, and my father wished for me to master that swordsmanship perfectly. The plan was half-successful—the techniques created by that man were embedded in my body.
"But still, it's just child's play in front of beastkin."
So, I was looking forward to it. Hoping that the martial arts of superhumans created by beastkin could thoroughly shatter the martial arts created by one genius.
As if reading my mind, Ho-yeon shook her head and spoke.
"Don't expect too much."
"...Why not?"
"The martial arts of the beastkin race weren't created for one-on-one situations. They are techniques born from contemplating how to massacre the weak more efficiently, based on overwhelming physical abilities."
"Some elf said beastkin are the strongest in one-on-one situations."
"That's just because beastkin are strong. Would someone who learned how to fight ten five-year-old kids lose to one ten-year-old kid?"
"That's true."
In a word, it meant 'the strong prey on the weak.' It's just that beastkin themselves are strong, not that their martial arts are amazing.
I felt disappointed hearing that. But there would still be something to learn. After all, it's martial arts fundamentally different from those created by humans.
Martial arts are often described like this:
─Techniques created by the weak to confront the strong.
Between the fangs honed by the weak to face the strong, and the claws refined by the strong to slaughter the weak.
Which would be sharper?
Which would tear out the throat first?
'Even if she says not to expect much...'
How could I not be excited?
While Ho-yeon and I were chatting about this and that, a student approached.
"Dojang-nim. They've arrived."
"...I see."
Ho-yeon, fitting her role as the master, moved with a serious expression. Making eye contact with Eunha, I cautiously followed behind her.
These were the people I would be facing soon. It wouldn't hurt to at least see their faces. Following Ho-yeon, I headed toward the main gate.
Three people stood at the main gate, emitting such an intense aura that even from a distance, one could feel their formidable presence.
"...Nam-woong. It's been a long time."
"Long time no see, Ho-yeon."
Ho-yeon, who was talking to the largest man among them, then turned her gaze to the smallest woman among the three.
"And Ho-yang. Long time no see."
"Long time no see, Sister."
Their faces looked similar; they seemed to be sisters. Ho-yeon didn't even glance at the last man and turned her gaze away.
"What, am I invisible...?"
"Sa-young. You managed not to die with that level of skill? Did you learn some art of survival fitting for a snake bastard?"
"Hah, funny talk... Seeing you running a shabby dojo like this, your skills must be dead by now. Aunt Ho-yeon."
The man called Sa-young looked at Ho-yeon, then slowly turned his gaze toward us. His eyes met Eunha's, and he burst into cheerful laughter.
"What's with that kid? Did you give birth here or something?"
"That is my prized disciple."
"Prized disciple? A human, and a little shrimp like that?"
Sa-young said that and approached Eunha. His vertically slit pupils began to lick over Eunha as if tasting her.
Nalleum. His split tongue stretched out long, reaching toward her.
Eunha stiffened rigidly upon seeing that disgusting sight. Sa-young's tongue was about to touch Eunha's cheek. Seeing that, I immediately grabbed her and pulled her behind me.
Sa-young's vertically slit pupils glared at me.
"What are you? Are you a prized disciple too?"
"No."
Saying that, I launched a kick toward him.