Ah, How Does a Veteran Hold Back Against a Newbie? 'Ehehehe! So Much Fun!'
Three days into the training, Yujin was feeling genuine joy for the first time in a while.
Why? Because his master, Kim Taejin, hadn't shown up at all!
Normally, he'd be full of complaints, but Yujin had zero desire to meet that S-rank hero. Getting stronger wasn't even his goal in the first place, so what was there to gripe about?
Hmm, who knew washing clothes in the stream could get them this clean? Learned something good today!
Far from it—his recent routine filled him with a profound sense of accomplishment. Up early for cleaning and laundry. Lunch, then dishes. A short break, followed by foraging for firewood and ingredients. A life in total harmony with nature, without a single soul in sight! Yujin, the ultimate outcast loser, was savoring every phytoncide-filled moment.
Phew, thank goodness that hero Kim Taejin is such a promise-breaking scumbag.
Of course, objectively speaking, he knew it was something to get mad about. He'd come here to learn, only to be left high and dry. But wasn't there that saying—good for the sister-in-law, good for the brother-in-law? If both sides were happy, that was enough. Yujin resolved to embrace Bentham's utilitarianism and call it a day.
Finish the laundry and mix some rice with wild greens—drizzle on that sesame oil. Heh heh.
As Yujin hummed merrily through his chores, the girl who believed herself to be Kim Taejin's disciple—actually Kim Taejin herself, stuck in that girlish form for certain reasons—chewed on some jerky with a crunch crunch.
Her eyes never left Yujin.
What a weirdo.
At first, when she'd heard she had to teach Heukcheon's heir, she'd been baffled. Who hated Heukcheon more than her? She'd only accepted because someone dear had begged on their knees. Even then, it was half-hearted—she figured the kid wouldn't last a day and she'd kick him out.
But he's weirdly... not Heukcheon at all.
From their first meeting, Yujin had been impeccably polite. He'd even helped carry her luggage by hand. And ever since, he'd been itching to lend a hand with everything. His personality didn't scream "Heukcheon" in the slightest.
And even though I'm just making him do chores without teaching him a damn thing.
She hadn't taught him a single skill. Housework, that was it. Normally, you'd expect complaints, or at best silent endurance from a diligent type.
But this guy's having the time of his life?
Grinning like he'd unearthed treasure while doing laundry—it was a first. And he wasn't weak, either. Heukcheon's heir, shrugging off her killing intent like it was nothing. His nonchalant demeanor made her wonder if he'd even felt it.
Big vessel... or something like that?
Either way, it wasn't the behavior of a typical Heukcheon member. So it had to be his innate nature. How did a guy like that emerge from that family?
"Ah, Senior! Look at this! I washed your underwear spotless!"
The idiot grabbed her panties in his fist and waved them around. Kim Taejin dashed over in an instant and smacked his head.
"Ow!"
"You idiot! Who handles a lady's underwear like that?!"
"S-Sorry."
Watching him wilt with apology, she felt a headache... but couldn't help a smirk.
Dense? Or just pure?
Heukcheon through and through, and a weirdo to boot. Yet, oddly, not hateable.
Senior, huh...
The title, long unheard since becoming an S-rank hero and ending up like this, made her chest itch uncomfortably. No one had treated her casually since.
His bright smile and casual "Senior~" somehow lifted her mood.
"Whatever. Pack it up if you're done. Let's head down and eat."
"Got it! Kimchi stew or doenjang jjigae today?"
"No stew. Grill some samgyeopsal tonight."
"Whoa, pork belly!"
Kim Taejin strolled off with hands clasped behind her back, light of step. The remaining days suddenly felt a tad regrettable.
...
"Hey, kiddo. Come here."
Yujin was sweeping the yard when the girl called. Honestly, she was the kiddo no matter how you sliced it. But whatever. This pint-sized senior had a surprising amount to teach.
Plus, she's cute.
Unlike his initial worries, Yujin had been enjoying himself more than expected. He walked over with a smile.
"Yes, Senior?"
"What weapon do you use?"
"Nothing specific."
Yujin had never properly learned any weapon. Fighting monsters was scary, after all! Sure, he'd fired a gun a few times, but after it bounced off an ogre, he'd mostly shelved that too. Yujin had chosen the Gandhi meta.
"Hmm, as expected. Pure bare-fisted fighter like me, eh?"
The girl muttered, hands behind her back, and walked off somewhere. Having gotten a read on her personality by now, Yujin followed silently.
She led him to a wide clearing. In the center loomed a car-sized boulder.
"Truth be told, I hate Heukcheon."
With the massive rock at her back, the girl declared it flatly.
"A brutal, vile organization that only knows how to swing its power around. If I could, I'd tear its limbs off and hang them up right now."
Yujin stood there blankly. She squinted at him.
"You're not pissed?"
"Ah, should I be?"
"They just trashed your family."
"Eh, can't everyone like everything in the world? If someone's gotta hate it, nothing I can do. I've got my dislikes too."
As an outcast, Yujin had realized early on: universal love was impossible! Pick a side, and you're scum to the other.
Plus, Heukcheon probably isn't that great an organization.
He knew it was a scary outfit. Why else would people fear it? Of course, Heukcheon's darkest secrets were nightmare fuel that'd make him foam at the mouth—but he didn't know them yet, so irrelevant.
"Hate Heukcheon all you want, long as you don't hate me."
"Ha, you're one weird bastard."
Was this guy really Heukcheon? She was starting to doubt her own intel.
How the hell did a son like this crawl out of that witch's belly—who's swallowed like a hundred snakes?
Whatever. Pointless now. What mattered was she'd finally mustered the will to teach him.
"Fine, whatever. I accepted the gig, so I'll keep my word."
She shook her head.
"What do you think is the most important thing for getting stronger?"
"Uh... believing in yourself?"
"Hmm, not bad. Can't put in effort without self-belief, that's for sure."
She grinned, sounding like some effort-genius archetype. Yujin, meanwhile, had meant "lose your fear enough to charge a monster—that's some next-level confidence."
No one would've guessed Heukcheon's heir thought like that.
"But I'm talking specifics."
"Hm, grab a good weapon and one-shot anything... Ow!"
"You say some... no, a lot of dumb shit sometimes."
"But that's not that bad an idea, right?"
"Fair."
"Then why'd I get hit?"
"'Cause I felt like it."
Whoa, tyranny. Ignoring his aggrieved look, she continued.
"Key is repeating those annoying basics every damn day."
"Like what you do every morning, Senior?"
"Ho, sharp eyes. Planning to steal my secrets?"
"Not that smart."
"Not a complaint. That's a compliment."
True to her word, Kim Taejin did basic training daily. Never missing, always at the exact same time. That was her secret to staying strong.
Hm, so he noticed.
Learning started with observation. Good attitude, at least.
"Anyway, you saw it. Repeat the tedious basics daily! Fastest way to power, bar none."
She pointed at the boulder behind her.
"From now on, punch this rock every day. Till you shatter it. No other training."
Yujin blinked. Punch this monster truck of a rock? Bare-handed? It wasn't a damn sandbag...
"No better training methods?"
"You could take daily beatings from me instead."
"Nice to meet ya, rock!"
Yujin clenched his fist and stepped forward. Kim Taejin smirked.
Won't be easy.
This rock was hero-grade training gear. Even a seasoned pro's mana-charged sword strike barely scratched it. Special properties absorbed mana, even self-repaired using it.
Chipping away bit by bit? Fat chance.
And with a kid's bare fist? A week straight wouldn't crack it.
Still, it'll toughen him up plenty. Not lying.
She liked the guy, but couldn't fully train Heukcheon riffraff. This was her limit. A sane kid like him would gain some enlightenment at least.
Tch, so why's my chest all unsettled?
Regret tugged at her inexplicably. As she turned to walk it off—
-CRACK!
The explosion from behind halted her. She turned slowly.
"Uh, uh. I just hit it as hard as I could, y'know? No way this huge rock breaks easy. But... uh..."
The boulder had split cleanly in half.
.......What the hell.
Who was this guy?
"Haha, it broke... Did I mess up again...?"
An irrepressible smile bloomed on Kim Taejin's lips.