Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Understanding Unorthodox Martial Arts (2)
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Seo Dohee leisurely surveyed the interior of the manor.
Just as expected from the greenhorns raised in the orthodox sects.
They were fumbling around, unable to easily subdue her subordinates even with their internal energy sealed.
The truth was, internal energy could only unleash its full potential when backed by a sturdy physique.
Yet here were so many fledglings who didn't even grasp that basic principle.
Of course, some were putting up unexpectedly fierce resistance.
A few even showed real promise.
"Hah!"
Take, for instance, the male student who looked like he was from the Beggars' Sect.
The moment he clashed with the bandits, he swiftly snatched a staff using the Golden Crow Hand Technique and cleared the surroundings with rapid staff strikes. It was impressive.
"Gah—."
...Though for whatever reason.
This handsome guy froze the instant his eyes met a woman's, got rocked by a punch from a female thug disguised as one, and staggered without landing a single counter. Ignoring that idiotic behavior.
He was a student who barely scraped by as passable.
And another.
A female student, likely from the Southern Barbaric Beast Palace, who cleverly exploited her given situation.
Even without weapons, she seemed skilled in hand-to-hand combat. She fluidly unleashed punches and kicks, effortlessly subduing a brute larger than herself.
"Squirrel Punch!"
"Kyuu!"
It was striking how she covered the openings with perfect teamwork from her animal companion.
Well, of course.
"...!"
"Hehe, kiddo. That won't cut it."
The real deals were right in front of Seo Dohee.
No matter how temptingly she dangled that midterm exemption prize.
Even across the entire martial world of this era, few would dare charge at her so boldly.
As a reward for the sub-sect leader—who had already surpassed first-rate and touched the Peak realm—constantly firing thin bursts of demonic energy bullets from her slender fingers.
Thwack!
"Ngh."
Seo Dohee flicked a light knuckle rap and swiftly pulled back. A mischievous smile played on her lips.
Seeing the faint vein pulsing on the sub-sect leader's expressionless face, she was clearly pissed.
So what can you do about it?
All you can manage is puffing your cheeks like a Peak weakling!
Seo Dohee harbored that insolent thought—which could spark a war between righteous and demonic if spoken aloud.
This time, she casually adopted an Iron Plate Bridge stance.
"Damn."
"You think it's proper to curse at your sky-high instructor?"
She ruthlessly kicked the side of the man whose attack had barely grazed her chest, fulfilling her duty as an educator.
"Guhk!"
"Krrgh—!"
Seo Dohee felt refreshed watching Geum Sihyeon, kicked flying, crash spectacularly into the student swinging his staff.
Who would've thought that punk was the young master of Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress.
The nerve of him, stealing her cute Silver Wolf.
To be fair, his momentum was decent, but his external arts and the depth of his techniques were sorely lacking by comparison.
Probably due to consistent pressure from the Azure Heaven Society.
Still, she had some personal curiosity.
Plus, she'd received plenty of favors from Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress.
For the hall master's sake, she'd at least train him enough to act human.
"Tch!"
"Hehe."
Even so, she jabbed a finger into the sub-sect leader's forehead—aiming for the gap as she charged with Peak-level bravado—and shoved her back.
If she weren't so cute, she'd have smacked her like Geum Sihyeon.
Cuteness truly was justice.
"You idiots! Get it together! Anyone who flops here skips dinner tonight!"
"Yes, sis!"
"The one who called me sis—kneel with your head to the ground later!"
After solidly motivating her subordinates.
She savored the brief moment of leisure.
Still.
Whether out of a crush or something.
Geum Sihyeon hovered around the Beast Palace girl like a lovesick fool, beating a few bandits, before charging again.
"Here I come again!"
Seeing him grab a staff and rush her once more.
"Yes! That's the spirit!"
Seo Dohee shouted cheerfully.
At the same moment, the sub-sect leader—forehead red in the center.
—puffed her cheeks ever so slightly and joined the assault.
But no chance.
"Eep—"
Her forehead might bruise if hit again, so Seo Dohee pinched the sub-sect leader's cheek and shoved her away.
"Guhk—"
Geum Sihyeon, lacking any charm, got a merciless kick to the turf.
After several exchanges.
A glint began to shine in Seo Dohee's eyes.
Geum Sihyeon and the sub-sect leader had started off attacking independently.
But now, they were subtly syncing up.
When the sub-sect leader's arm-wrapped black flame dragon-like energy shot at her, Geum Sihyeon would preemptively position to cover her dodge angle.
Or when he thrust a palm at Geum Sihyeon's chest, the sub-sect leader would pop out as if rehearsed, dispersing and redirecting the energy.
Without a word between them, they were gradually adapting to each other's movements. Seo Dohee smiled inwardly, pleased.
Though their arts had grown unnecessarily flashy compared to the past, they weren't just for show—they packed real power.
But.
That alone wasn't enough.
"Gek!"
Seo Dohee grabbed the sub-sect leader's slender, soft leg as it extended toward her, spun her twice in the air, and hurled her at Geum Sihyeon.
Hesitation flickered in Geum Sihyeon's panicked eyes.
Of course, a Peak expert wouldn't get hurt from one dramatic roll on the ground.
"Urk!"
Despite her deliberately exaggerated motion exposing a gap.
Geum Sihyeon chose to catch the sub-sect leader with his body rather than seize the opening.
"Youthful indeed!"
She tossed the remark teasingly on impulse.
"Call it camaraderie."
Neither batted an eye.
They readjusted and charged again in sync.
Admirable persistence.
But they knew endless charges meant little.
If they were a bit wiser?
They'd feign surrender here, regroup with allies, take down the bandits first, then swarm her with numbers.
Well.
First-rates banding together couldn't do much anyway.
But better odds than one first-rate and one Peak.
Deduct a few points for that lapse in judgment.
As that thought crossed her mind.
Plop.
Something dropped onto her shoulder from the tree she'd casually leaned against.
Thinking it a bug, Seo Dohee calmly turned her head.
"Kyuuut!"
A familiar squirrel.
While Seo Dohee blinked in confusion.
The squirrel on her shoulder chomped a cute hole in her clothes with its tiny teeth.
Then hopped back up the tree.
"No way."
The squirrel reached the top and leaped in a leap of faith.
Seo Dohee instinctively jumped to catch it.
"No you don't."
But the sub-sect leader exploited the gap, popping right in her face to block her view.
"Ahk."
She punished her with a knuckle rap immediately after.
But the squirrel had already landed on its target—
Geum Sihyeon's palm.
The squirrel spat out what it'd chewed.
A chunk of cloth torn by its teeth.
Geum Sihyeon pinched the torn fabric scrap between thumb and pinky, waving it smugly with that punchable grin. Beside him.
"Eek! Squirrel MVP!"
The Beast Palace girl from earlier scooped up the squirrel, beaming brightly.
So that's why he'd gone to her briefly—to borrow the squirrel.
Now the oddities in their actions clicked into place.
They'd been attacking from one side strangely.
They'd planned around this tree.
Slowly herding her path without notice.
—If these punks so much as brush my clothes—
They'd brushed it.
Torn it, even.
"Pfft."
Seo Dohee let out a hollow laugh.
That punk.
What a scheming bastard.
Suited the unorthodox sects more than the orthodox.
"Beggar boy! I'm coming!"
Confirming her laugh, Geum Sihyeon.
Bowed politely and turned his back toward his friend without hesitation.
Seo Dohee made up her mind.
This midterm would be practical exam only—no written test.
A brutal idea worthy of the Green Forest Bandit King.
"That's it! Good work, everyone!"
When Seo Dohee's voice signaled the end of class, almost no one was left standing unscathed.
Most lay sprawled on the ground, exhausted and drained.
Of course, the bandits had taken far worse damage overall.
They'd charged in with staffs and intimidating poses at first, but who would truly smash orthodox kids' heads in earnest?
The worst injuries were mine, actually.
My side from that kick throbbed fiercely.
Maybe a cracked rib.
But patience is bitter, its fruit sweet.
"Kuhuhu."
I savored the lingering soft texture of the perfect-score generator I'd gripped till the end.
She'd already graced me, Little Boss, Unhak, and Moyong Taek with touches.
But one pitiful lamb remained unblessed.
So I approached Cheon Luri, who'd tussled solo with Seo Dohee till the buzzer and now lay spread-eagled on Myo Narang's lap.
"...Traitor."
Her pouty voice stabbed my heart.
Fair enough—from her view, I'd bailed midway like a coward.
I silently pressed the cloth scrap into her hand.
"This is..."
"Good work."
We hadn't had each other's backs.
But it was the reward owed to a comrade who'd transcended righteous-demonic and faced the great evil, the bandit boss.
Cheon Luri's sharp gaze softened into round delight.
"Kyuuut!"
"Yeah, yeah. Tons of acorns later."
"Kyuu! Kyu!"
Eye-nod to Little Boss, proper props to today's MVP squirrel.
As I headed out with the two dimwits slouching against the wall.
"Geum Sihyeon?"
The annoyingly energetic auntie's voice hit my eardrums.
She'd brutalized me—a mere first-rate—over the Peak girl, fueling my resentment, but I couldn't ignore her.
"Yes?"
I replied weakly.
"Follow me."
What now.
Why me.
I frantically shot SOS glances everywhere.
"Ahem. Moyong, bro. Let's head out first."
"Wise choice."
In return... sales drop. No, betrayal.
Like a cow to slaughter, I trudged dejectedly.
Trailing the violent auntie deeper into the manor.
And.
"No master, right?"
The violent bikini auntie's opener felt like, 'Y'all don't even have this at your place?'
Chilling.
Something felt off.
"Be my disciple."
"...?"
Instantly, a nostalgic tune echoed in my mind.
My... childhood memory... of that unbelievable line...
This is piracy.
Inherit the Bandit King's will?
Higuma-sensei, is that you?
How'd my face look?
Smack!
"Guhk!"
The violent bikini bandit auntie swung a staff at my noggin without warning.
Pain surged; I crumpled unknowingly.
"Hm. That's one bow down—seven more to go. No refusals."
Crazy... bitch...
Who receives nine prostrations like this...!
I tried resisting the outrage.
"Ah, didn't Chunbujang tell you?"
The violent bikini bandit chicken-coop auntie flashed a creepy smile and shoved her smartphone at me.
Our hands brushed as I took it.
[A kid with many shortcomings, but I leave him in your care. At least with our Seo Daehyeop at the academy, my mind's at ease.]
Why.
The sender.
Our.
Father's name...?
Then, from the hazy recesses of memory.
The 'Paid Highway Tang' project Dad and big bro once pushed.
"Eight more bows, right?"
That gentle yet ominous, chilling, terrifying line surged up.
I looked up on impulse.
And spotted the text floating over the violent bikini bandit blackmail chicken-coop auntie.
"Hiiiak! Hiaaaaaah!"
Facing cosmic horror like Cthulhu's return.
My consciousness faded.