Heir to the Wolf's Blood (3)
"Maintain the Immovable Heart Method and channel energy into your eyes. You're enhancing your visual power."
Unlike the first downward striking step, which can be deployed even in a basic state, the second step can only be activated while upholding the Immovable Heart Method.
'This footwork technique is ridiculously finicky just to use once.'
But as the saying goes, when you're thirsty, you dig a well—no complaints here. I pour qi into both eyes without a word.
With my eyes closed, I breathe in and out steadily. The Bright King's energy has already spread through every corner of my body along the meridians.
Maintaining Bright King Mode is the hard part. Sending the Bright King's energy to my eyes is simple enough.
I extend the Bright King's energy from my upper dantian, weaving it long and thin into my eyes. Enhancing my visual power.
Slowly, I open my eyes.
I simply survey my surroundings with calm, settled emotions. Not with human eyes, but with the gaze of the Bright King.
'...This is the secret of the second Immovable Bright King Step. What a total cheat footwork.'
If I weren't in Bright King Mode right now, I'd have yelped in shock. The world had stopped.
More precisely, it had slowed.
It felt like viewing the world through a high-speed video camera's slow-motion function. The flowing river water, the scales on a leaping fish, the scattering droplets—one by one, the count poured into my brain through my eyes.
I'd wondered how he dodged attacks with just a single step. Now I get it.
There was no trick to it. He simply saw and evaded.
Observing the opponent's movements in minute detail through the slowed world—which technique they'd unleash, where the strike would come from—coldly analyzing it all, then shifting just one step to evade.
A footwork that slips past the enemy's ultimate techniques with minimal motion. Yeah, even a lame guy like me could pull this off without issue.
...Though, if I'm being coldly rational, is this even footwork anymore? Whatever—good is good.
As these thoughts swirl, I spot Mukgang's fist flying toward my forehead. From his stance, he's clearly aiming for a knuckle rap.
It's training to master the Immovable Bright King Step, so unavoidable, but I inwardly sigh at the unexpected hit.
And the moment the sigh ends, I inwardly scoff.
'Slow.'
A punch so sluggish it couldn't possibly be Mukgang's normally hurtles toward me in slow motion. Slow enough to yawn over.
I could dodge right now, but where's the fun? I wait until the last razor-thin instant, then spot the perfect angle to slip away stylishly.
...And that's when I realize I've made a huge mistake.
I should've dodged the second I saw the fist. No time to check angles.
'Wh-what?! My body won't move?!'
Well, it moves, but way slower than expected—unimaginably so. At this rate, I'll take it right in the eyes wide open.
'Uwoooo—stay back, I said!!'
I scream silently inside, but the fist doesn't stop. Ever so slowly, it touches my forehead, then presses down and smacks with force.
"Eek?!"
The knuckle rap shatters my focus—the slowed world vanishes, Bright King Mode releases. Back to plain old Mancheon.
"If you see it, don't overthink—just move. Otherwise, you get hit."
Mukgang looks down at me with a faintly exasperated expression, as if he read my thoughts plain as day.
"...Tell me that before you hit me."
Rubbing my stinging forehead, I grasp the Immovable Bright King Step's weakness.
Mukgang hadn't just strutted one step to dodge—he'd only had time for one step.
The world slows, but so does my movement. You have to bolt the instant you see it.
It's a cheat since the world slows, but to move even a bit faster in that slowed world, you need boosted physical stats.
Basic training is essential, after all.
"My body's reacting way slower than I thought. Exercise is the answer, huh?"
Mukgang nods calmly at my question, agreeing.
"Muscles are speed itself. Good eyes alone won't dodge every attack."
...Yeah, even with quick reactions, if your body can't keep up, you're just eating hits.
Guess I need more foundational training time. Haven't even fully mastered Dual Hands Mutual Combat yet.
The more martial arts I learn, the more there is to do. No end in sight.
"I see some rough edges still, but you picked it up faster than expected. As expected of a genius who even fools the heavens."
'...What? Is he roasting me now?'
I squint at him suspiciously, but his usual impassive face gives nothing away. Never could read his emotions.
No clue what he's thinking. I don't know much about Esoteric Buddhism, but the Immovable Bright King Step isn't something you teach lightly.
Feels on par with the Jegal family's Heavenly Mechanism Bewildering Step.
Honestly, a powerhouse like Mukgang could've just apologized and bounced—we'd have no grounds to complain. The power gap's that vast.
We should be relieved just to be alive.
Yet he took responsibility for his actions and taught me Esoteric Buddhism's secret art. What heavy accountability. Almost burdensome.
"It's funny saying this after learning it all, but... was it okay to teach me the Immovable Bright King Step? I could use it for bad stuff, y'know."
No idea why I asked that. It just slipped out.
And Mukgang answers my question in his usual steady voice.
"Doesn't matter. It's power you earned through training. How you use it is up to you."
Finishing, he unusually sighs and continues. A flicker of anguish in his ink-black eyes.
"Good and evil aren't for individuals to judge unless they rush to extremes. Positions of good and evil swap constantly. So don't worry—just live as your heart dictates."
His face is serious as always, but more gravely so as he addresses me. Short teaching stint or not, it's a master's advice to his disciple.
"But you must always take responsibility for your words and actions."
"...Responsibility?"
"Whether committing good deeds or evil acts, never flee the consequences of your choices."
Immovable Bright King. Unmoving, literally. Not lazy unmoving. Unmoving because his power is too vast to wield lightly.
"Without responsibility, your words and deeds grow frivolous. Without accountability, you won't even realize your wrongs. You'll harm and wound others without hesitation."
Mukgang reaches out, placing a hand on my shoulder. It carries weight.
"Manchon, whatever life you lead ahead, remember this."
'...W-wait, no way?! Is he about to drop that line?!'
No matter how I sliced it, the timing screamed for that famous quote. I gulp and meet his solemn gaze.
"Great power comes with great responsibility."
If I'm Murim's Spider-Dancer, Mukgang's Uncle Ben. Yeah, Uncle Ben's an essential for any Spider-Man.
"Uncle, mind if I call you Uncle from now on?"
"...No sworn brotherhood with your old man. Just stick to 'uncle' normally."
I felt a twinge of oddity at his genuine disgust, but since it was a joke anyway, I let it slide.
"So, Uncle, I've learned the Immovable Heart Method—a bit rough—and the second Immovable Bright King Step. What's next?"
We'd agreed on just the footwork, and I'd learned it all, but he'd said today through the end. Time to squeeze every drop.
Mukgang ponders my fair question, then suddenly gazes behind me, muttering in surprise.
"...Siblings who truly get along."
"Huh? What's that outta nowhere?"
Turning at his random remark, there stood Yeomhwa—pretty black hair dusted with leaves—beaming radiantly at me.
"Orabeoni, I brought lunch."
She says it proudly, lifting a cloth-wrapped three-tiered lunchbox.
"...Huh?"
A total surprise lunch delivery draws a dumb noise from me.
***
"Sob sob... so good. Yeomhwa's cooking hits different."
"If Orabeoni wants, I'll make it anytime."
Yeomhwa smiles warmly at Mancheon, who loves her food to tears, and hands him tea. Blissful time. Orabeoni feels grateful to her. Needs her. That joy warms her heart.
To better support her beloved Orabeoni, Yeomhwa flashes a business smile and offers tea to Mukgang.
"Here, Teacher—you have some too."
"...Why am I 'Teacher'?"
"You're teaching Orabeoni martial arts. Of course you're the teacher."
Mukgang finds the polite "teacher" title burdensome for some reason. Esoteric Buddhism follows Buddha's teachings as a Buddhist sect, so refusing offered food is forbidden. Leave no precious gift from another uneaten.
In truth, Mukgang scraped Yeomhwa's lunchbox clean, not a grain left. The food was exquisite. Impressive skill for her age. Each side dish a heartfelt gourmet creation.
He sips the tea. Premium leaves. Exemplary hospitality.
...And after such fine treatment usually comes a "request" called a favor.
"Sooo~ I heard Esoteric Buddhism has this amazing fist art called the Bright King Fist. Is that true?"
Mukgang eyes the fox innocently broaching the topic, subtly signaling Mancheon to rein her in—but Mancheon pretends not to notice.
"Sob sob... today's meal was delicious. Want more tomorrow."
He stares at the empty lunchbox tiers. Mukgang quietly sighs.
'Ah... I've fallen into the trap of these filthy sibling con artists.'
Having accepted alms, reciting sutras is the Buddhist way. Yeomhwa's red eyes gleam seductively.
"I don't know martial arts well, but since you taught footwork—chopsticks need a pair to be useful—isn't it proper to teach fist arts now?"
As Mukgang resolves to deflect with platitudes and leave before Esoteric secrets spill—nauseating demonic qi floods the air. Filthy stench roils. The reek of zealots worshiping the Heavenly Demon.
Mukgang rises, positioning to shield Mancheon and Yeomhwa. Protecting people from monsters—that's the role and duty of Esoteric guardian lion, Immovable Bright King Mukgang.