Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Clash (1)
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"Say that again."
"I'm entering the Little Dragon Tournament."
What had I just heard? It sure wasn't nonsense. My son, listening beside me, was just as shocked. Even Cheon-gyeong, who had taken up residence in my head, fell silent in surprise.
It was a single phrase that plunged everyone into astonishment. Judging people by their looks or holding prejudices wasn't right.
Even so, this face was irreplaceable.
When I'd seen the Iron King back in my War King days, I'd thought he was at least in his sixties and nearly bowed in respect.
Just to be sure, I asked.
"How old are you?"
"A proud sixteen years... Gahk!"
I shouldn't have, but anger got the better of me, and I swung my fist. Nam Cheol-ho, caught off guard, flew straight back, tumbling across the ground.
Roll, roll!
Not a rock, but a person suddenly bouncing away drew every eye.
Patter, patter!
Mujin hurriedly chased after and helped Nam Cheol-ho to his feet. If I'd misjudged my strength a bit more, I'd have crushed his skull, but I didn't let it show.
He wasn't dead, so no murder. Anyway, since he was alive, manners were in order.
For Nam Cheol-ho, suddenly punched and sent flying, this was a harsh reality to swallow.
"...Why?"
"Are you perhaps royalty?"
"No, not that!"
"Yet you keep talking back. Got a demon in your tongue? Or are you some indestructible diamond body that won't die even decapitated?"
"I've always been like this... Urk!"
"Just follow me for now."
As the giant crumpled powerlessly, the onlookers slyly backed away, gauging the situation. I told my son to wait by the ferry. Grabbing Nam Cheol-ho by the collar, I headed to a deserted spot. I'd said "follow," but really, I was dragging him. I tried to make it look voluntary.
Couldn't just beat a kid in front of a crowd.
What the hell was that yesterday?
The brat had jumped in without knowing his place. Now, that clumsy response made sense. Expecting sharp judgment from a kid not even twenty? Yeah, right.
That meant the Iron King in his prime had been under forty too.
'This punk!'
A genius!
A genius with talent on another level.
Yesterday's Five Freaks were second-rate scraps, but they had vast, messy experience. Any rookie would've been no match once they sized up the situation and attacked together. Dodging a sloppy coordinated assault without getting eaten was lucky enough.
Anyway, surpassing second-rate at sixteen was impressive.
"What's your sect?"
"You think I'd tell y... Gahk!"
"Brat keeps talking back! Is that how your parents raised you?"
"Don't insult my parents... Gahk!"
"Don't want your parents insulted? Then show some manners. Live like that, and you won't last long. Short life is unfilial. Got it!"
Nam Cheol-ho struggled wildly but couldn't loosen my grip on his collar even a bit.
This feeling was a first in his life.
Inner power would take time, but he'd been born with divine strength like no other. Even his master had praised his raw power as the best.
'What the hell is this guy?'
No matter how hard he strained, my arm stood like an iron pillar. He felt utterly overpowered in strength. If it'd been inner power, he might've understood. But this was hard to accept.
'...Is this the jianghu?'
Inexperienced as he was, he'd thought his strength unbeatable. Yet yesterday and today hammered home his own shortcomings.
-Funny who’s calling who rude. From what I know, you're the arch-nemesis those righteous old fogeys hate most.
'Hey! Slander is bad. You know I end up corpses if I drop manners.'
-So polite you drove everyone nuts? You even dragged in the previous War King for a seniority pissing match. Some died cursing you before my hands got them.
'They flaunted their backgrounds first and acted superior. In the jianghu, the strong are the bosses.'
After gaining the insights left by the War King from centuries ago, Mujin boasted he was the top dog.
Push when you can.
That drew enemies like grains of sand.
Ahem.
Mujin hadn't liked the hypocrites playing superior back then either. So he'd invoked the previous War King and twisted it his way. Dissatisfied? Settle it with fair fists.
Once they tasted his punches, they called him boss.
The Shaolin monk's red-and-purple face was a sight. Monks don't cling to worldly ties? Bullshit—they wiped their asses with compassion.
-Get your story straight, at least.
'Shut it! Can't just take lip from a sixteen-year-old punk. You would've let it slide?'
-Kekeke, you know why you're doing it.
'Creep.'
Why else was he the Demon King?
His thinking was worlds apart from normal. The guy who tore limbs off for rudeness and fed them to dogs. I was going easy, just grabbing his neck. If it were Cheon-gyeong, he'd beg for death. Rumor had it he was into human flesh.
-I don't eat human!
'Who knows, maybe you did.'
Mujin stopped bickering with Cheon-gyeong and probed Cheol-ho's family background. How was he raised so rude? Needed to know about the parents.
Family education was the issue.
"My parents died young, and it was just my master..."
"There we go, finally acting human."
Nam Cheol-ho's circumstances were rough.
Born dirt poor, lost his parents to plague. Met his passing master by chance, and now this was his first jianghu trip.
"What's your current realm?"
"Fifth Star."
Mujin gauged the culmination of his Iron Blood Lion Art. Fifth Star was mid-level but short of first-rate. Seemed like a late-blooming art that flowered only at a certain threshold. And his progress had sped up since yesterday.
"You haven't surpassed your master?"
"...How'd you know?"
Cheol-ho gaped in surprise.
Mujin struck a haughty pose, like this was trivial. As if his insight was unparalleled.
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent you down. Probably told you to find a way past your limit."
"Yes."
Cheol-ho's master wasn't exceptional. Barely past second-rate, dipping a toe into first with more experience. Yet in six years, Cheol-ho had nearly matched him.
Nothing left to teach. Or couldn't.
The chronic plight of late-bloomers. One wall away from a new world, but slump without crossing it.
Open it: jackpot. Fail: bust.
A hair's breadth.
That's the cruel reality in a nutshell.
But is it really just a hair?
Most deny it. Pride, reflexive denial—they hate admitting it.
'Sometimes ridiculously small, sometimes absurdly vast.'
Life's fortunes turn.
That's life. Walking straight doesn't guarantee the right answer; wrong paths aren't always doomed.
No right answers, so constant choice paralysis. Regret inevitable. How many die boasting a life well-lived? Count 'em if curious.
"Getting anxious?"
Gasp!
Under Mujin's gaze—like a tongs nipping truth—Cheol-ho's words stuck. Exactly as said. Master's teachings hit a ceiling. Stagnant, so off to jianghu as a desperate fix.
"Sent out a half-baked kid, fearless."
"Don't insult my master... sir!"
"Not insulting. Saying your talent's high. But you'll suffer. Anyway, got it. Good luck."
"Yes."
Not thrilled, but Cheol-ho answered. Straight talk or that brute's fist flies. He knew now. Yesterday, today—shocking.
Inexperienced, but known names were aware. This guy wasn't among them. True, the unknown scare most in jianghu.
"Oh, right. My son’s entering the Little Dragon Tournament too. So, you're losing."
Cheol-ho snapped alert, hit hard while off-guard. Fatherly pride stung his ego. Age gap with the guy? Fine. But same age? No.
"I'll win!"
Mujin turned with a smug smile at the shout.
'Definitely a kid.'
Falling for childish bait.
"Lose, then what?"
"I'll be your little bro... Gahk!"
This punk plays dumb and spouts crap. Kid gloves make War King a joke? Thinks same title, same treatment?
-He's still a kid!
'Shut up.'
Stop stating facts. Demon King or Iron King—young meant no manners. Treat 'em like bosses, act right.
"Win, I'll give you a youth-extending elixir."
"Pardon?"
"Lose, do one job with me. After, live free."
"Don't even know what job."
"Scared?"
"Deal!"
Luring kids is child's play. Especially power-hungry ones. Tournament prize: inner power-boosting Creation Pill from Nangong family. Tier varies, but usually ten years' worth.
-Trying to scam the Iron King?
'He'll croak untreated.'
-Fated encounter maybe.
'None like mine.'
-Bad fate?
'Good one, man!'
No principles, but knowing future meant recruiting Iron King. Pure potential, no what-ifs. Ignorant? Wash hands.
'Hunt successes, not maybes.'
Efficient. Knowing the future's this comfy.