Chapter 29. Raising a Hero
Before the sun rose, Kang Ji-hyuk picked up the holy sword placed at the foot of the bed and slowly got to his feet. Cool dawn air lingered in the pitch-black hallway. One step, then another. With each footfall, he sank deeper into thought.
What is martial arts?
Following one question after another inevitably led to that endpoint. It was both the beginning and the end. What is martial arts—
Ji-hyuk was still lost in that question. He had a vague answer in mind, but it wasn't the kind that lit up his head with clarity.
...Maybe I'll never solve this question before I die, he thought. For some reason, the deeper his realm grew, the more philosophical he became.
...A moldy human. Is it really right to swing my arms chasing something intangible? Will racking my brain for an answer that won't come actually produce one?
The question "What is martial arts?" wasn't all that different from "Why do humans exist?" A human born from the chance meeting of sperm and egg could never answer that on their own.
Lost in contemplation, Ji-hyuk arrived in the backyard before he knew it. Mahushu, sitting cross-legged in the center of the training ground immersed in meditation, opened her eyes. The hero approached her slowly.
...Yeah, screw the useless thoughts. Swing the sword one more time. If ten million swings aren't enough, make it a hundred million. Even crawling like an ant, if you keep at it steadily, you'll get there eventually.
Mahushu picked up her short spear from beside her and rose slowly. The tomboyish innocent girl had transformed into a true warrior woman. No words passed between them. A mere glance was enough for understanding.
Ji-hyuk drew his holy sword with a shing and tossed the scabbard carelessly into a distant corner. At the same time, Mahushu gripped her spear with both hands and lowered her stance. Just from her unshakable gaze and aura, he could tell she'd grown tremendously.
He stood tall, sword dangling loosely at his side, staring her down sharply. An ominous energy began to spread.
Ugh—
Mahushu gritted her teeth against the prickling chill of his killing intent piercing her skin. It was a tension incomparable to facing powerful monsters. Her throat tightened, saliva swallowing involuntarily.
...He's gotten insanely strong. Only now did Mahushu vaguely grasp how unfathomably high Ji-hyuk's realm had become. As the saying went, you see as much as you know—and she was overwhelmed by his dominating martial prowess.
...Honestly, I'm scared. Terrified. Even though he's just standing there defenseless, I can't approach. It's my beastkin blood screaming instinctual warning.
"Not coming at me?"
Impatient, Ji-hyuk spoke. Mahushu scraped her front foot forward with a skid. Ignoring her body's screaming alarm, she mustered her courage. As her back foot spat on the ground and left it, she shot forward like lightning. The spear thrust straight for Ji-hyuk's heart in a perfect line. A superb strike. Her fundamentals had solidified dramatically from before. The result of bloody effort and astonishing talent.
But that superb strike pierced only empty air, futilely. Of course, she knew full well it wouldn't land. She immediately followed up.
This time, Ji-hyuk deflected the snaking spear with his sword, then slammed his foot into her chest.
Whump—
Mahushu flew back with a whoosh, tumbling once across the ground before springing up for another attack. Whoosh, whoosh—the wind-cutting sounds were sharp and swift, but none of her strikes so much as grazed a hair on him. It was hopeless. Yet she didn't give up. She clenched her teeth, pouring every ounce of strength into landing even one hit.
"Stay calm. Don't get excited. Even if your opponent's stronger, gaps will appear eventually. In a fight you can't run from, find that gap and strike no matter what. Give flesh to take bone."
But the hot-blooded beastkin nature didn't cool easily. That was Mahushu's flaw. The more excited she got, the simpler her attacks became. Fast and powerful, sure—but easier for a superior foe to handle than at the start.
Ji-hyuk smashed his fist into her solar plexus.
Thwack—
Guh— Breath cut off, she staggered back without attacking.
"Get your head in the game? ...What's meditation for? To observe calmly without excitement in any situation, right? Did I teach you to fight like this shit?!"
Ji-hyuk raised his voice. Catching her breath again, she panted roughly and gripped her spear anew. Her flushed, excited eyes seemed to settle calmly once more.
Mahushu charged again. Definitely improved from before. A bit more polishing, and she wouldn't lose to Gunda anymore. The mixed-blood beastkin refused to yield to Ji-hyuk's blows, no matter how many. Until her legs finally gave out, and she collapsed.
Hah, hah.
Mahushu tried to rise somehow, but her exhausted body was beyond her control.
"Enough. Stay down."
At Ji-hyuk's words, she let go of her will to fight. He went to her side. She bowed her head deeply, ashamed.
"I'm sorry."
"Nah. That was good. You've improved a lot. I can see the effort."
Ji-hyuk shifted from stern master to kindly leader. He let her lean on his shoulder. Despite her crushing defeat, leaning against him strangely lifted her spirits.
This must be that 'titty-hardening' feeling Ludvine talked about.
"Captain, my titties feel like they're gonna stand straight up.... Yours too, Captain? Cock twitching?"
Ji-hyuk chuckled. The innocent Mahushu stared at his profile intently, eyes sparkling.
"Don't say that to just anyone."
"Then who?"
"Only to the one you truly love."
"...Love? What's love?"
He hmmed thoughtfully for a moment.
"Someone you think of whenever you have time. Seeing them makes you happy, you want to be by their side. That's probably love."
Ah— Mahushu smiled brightly at his words.
"Then, I think I love you. I think of you all the time, seeing you makes me happy, I want to be by your side. ...And my titties stand up every time I see you."
Ji-hyuk looked at her. Mahushu smiled beautifully. Her slightly sharper-than-normal canines gleamed prettily.
"Captain..., do you love me too?"
Instead of answering, Ji-hyuk gave her a light peck on the lips. Mahushu's eyes fluttered shut softly, then slowly opened. Dawn was breaking.
...And in her heart, warm sunlight spread.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After finishing his spar with Mahushu, Ji-hyuk immediately dove into training with telekinesis mage Celly. She trained brutally, mouth tasting like blood. But with solid grit, she never complained, following his orders diligently. Especially her telekinesis proficiency had surged.
Drawing from past fights with telekinesis mages, Ji-hyuk taught her combat tactics.
"Imagine you have two enormous invisible hands. It'll make fighting much easier."
The advice worked wonders—her telekinesis advanced significantly. But due to its inefficient nature, she couldn't sustain it long. For now, build mana capacity while minimizing waste, and keep developing.
With daily grueling sessions, Celly's stamina and skill grew rapidly.
...And just like that, ten days flew by in the blink of an eye.
Still no word from witch Jeanne. Must be a massive workload. Makes sense—it's not some half-assed potion, but the legendary elixir. Of course it'd take time.
He wasn't without nagging doubts like what if—, but interrupting mid-process to check could ruin everything. He didn't want that.
If you place trust, see it through to the end. If she betrays him spectacularly, that's on him for misjudging the person.
Anyway. That day too, Ji-hyuk was going through his utterly ordinary routine of training and errands. Fresh from morning practice, sitting at his desk shuffling papers in the study, he had no inkling of what was coming.
He was deep in reports when the manager suddenly rushed in looking for the hero. First time seeing the guy so frantic—Ji-hyuk got curious.
"What's up?"
"You need to come down right now."
Ji-hyuk didn't ask more and moved. As the saying went, seeing beats hearing a hundred times over.
But from the second-floor stairs, an unnatural aura wafted thickly.
...Powerful enough to make my skin crawl.
Ji-hyuk's steps halted unconsciously.
This fucker—
Blanketing someone else's mansion with aura like this was blatant rudeness.
...At least not some polite pussy.
Ji-hyuk's face hardened like drought-cracked earth. He strode to the drawing room and flung open the door.
There sat a muscle-bound human. Not tall, but tank-like in sheer mass.
...But a woman.
Ah— Ji-hyuk realized upon seeing her face. Legs splayed wide like a man's, she grinned at him entering.
But that smile was somehow chilling.
"Hey, nice to meet ya, friend."
Ridiculously, her voice was pretty despite the bulk. The mismatch felt off.
"Damn, you're a handsome fucker. ...You're Kang Ji-hyuk, right?"
"...And?"
Ji-hyuk shot back casually. Her smile deepened.
"Heard so much hype about you. Came to see if you're really as badass as the rumors."
He clamped his mouth shut, hands behind his back, staring silently.
The woman waved her hand with an aaah.
"Right, forgot to introduce myself."
She shot to her feet. Striding right up, she tilted her head and shoved her face close—breath-touching close. The smile had vanished.
"Ganesha. ...Came to check your skills."
"Outta nowhere, no heads-up?"
"I'm impulsive like that. ...Hate it? Scared?"
Short-cropped Ganesha's lips stretched long.
"What's with the rookie act? ...Let's throw down, asshole."
Ji-hyuk exhaled sharply through his nose.
"Not here. Don't wanna wreck my house."
"Obviously. Let's go. Hurry up."
"Mind if I bring my crew? Let 'em watch and learn."
Ganesha cackled crudely.
"Do whatever the fuck you want. Heh heh heh."
Ji-hyuk called Mahushu and Celly. Dragged suddenly from the backyard, they looked baffled.
"Just follow."
He told Durka he'd be out briefly. The butler bowed politely.
Ganesha's carriage rolled out. Ji-hyuk's group followed tight on its heels.
"What's going on?"
"Got a fight."
"What?!"
"Bringing you two means chew on this fight for life. It'll be on another level from anything you've seen. Eyes front, full focus. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
Ji-hyuk sighed long, leaning back.
...Gonna have to throw down with this bitch again—
Fight-loving Ganesha. Defeated by century's genius Gerolt, lost rank and fame. S-rank #3, hero—
...Ji-hyuk steeled himself to go all out.