The True Martial Artist
The symbol of a man.
A man's pride.
The very reason for a man's existence.
His manhood.
Jang Mugeon didn't have one.
When I checked between his legs, nothing dangled there at all.
So was Jang Mugeon a woman, then?
That wasn't it either. His face was no pretty girl's, and there was no female anatomy in sight either.
Could he be genderless? Did people like that even exist? Or maybe Jang Mugeon was some kind of monster?
All sorts of questions swirled through my head in the shock of it—until I saw the horrific scar sitting right there between his legs and understood.
Jang Mugeon had originally possessed a penis. For whatever reason, he had lost it.
What the hell happened to him in the past?
I was dying of curiosity. But I couldn't just blurt out a question like that. We weren't close enough yet, and prying into something that sensitive would have been rude. So I held it in, forced the curiosity down, and pretended I hadn't seen a thing as I stepped into the bath.
Maybe the tattooed guy had been thinking the same thing. Even after witnessing Jang Mugeon's crotch, he kept his mouth shut and asked nothing…
"Jang Mugeon. Why don't you have a dick?"
He couldn't hold it in after all. That crazy bastard.
He'd managed just fine until we got into the bath, but in the end his curiosity must have exploded. I glanced at Jang Mugeon's face. Luckily he didn't look offended. Maybe it wasn't that sensitive a subject?
"Ah. This is from when I was little…"
Jang Mugeon slowly began, and it felt like some tragic tale from his past was about to unfold. I watched him and listened carefully.
He continued as if it were nothing.
"I tore it off myself. Grabbed it with my own hands and ripped it away."
"…"
"…"
The tattooed guy and I both lost the ability to speak at the same time. I had no idea how we were supposed to react to that.
He removed it himself? Why? For what possible reason?
"You tore it off? Why…?"
The tattooed guy asked another question. This time I wanted to praise him for it.
"Obviously because a true martial artist has no need for genitals."
"No need?"
"Genitals are a man's fatal weak point. Why would anyone keep something that cumbersome attached? Especially me—I am a martial artist who hones his craft. If you intend to live as a martial artist, castration is the only correct and wise choice."
"Hold on, then how are you supposed to leave descendants later?"
"I have no intention of leaving descendants. Reproduction is something only the weak engage in."
"What kind of nonsense is that…"
"Think about it. The purpose of reproduction is the preservation of the species, and the evolution of the species. But if I myself polish my martial arts, attain permanent lifespan, and evolve into a new higher race of my own accord? Then there is no need to perform that filthy act called reproduction."
In other words, reproduction was something only the weak did—those who already expected to die and had decided they would never evolve. Jang Mugeon added that little explanation as well.
Is this guy's brain made of muscle too?
The way he thought made me wonder if there was a hole drilled straight through his skull. Packaging absurd logic so convincingly only proved he was definitely not a normal person.
"Well? I explained it so even a regular person could understand. Did you get it?"
"Uh… a little… But people don't always do the reproductive act just to leave descendants, you know."
At the tattooed guy's words, Jang Mugeon tilted his head.
"Reproduction has another purpose?"
"A lot of people do it for the pleasure."
"What a rather filthy reason. Unfortunately, I was born without any sexual desire at all. Not simply less than the average man—none whatsoever."
Ordinary men had low libido to begin with, and men who possessed a Shinbi usually had just a little more than that. But there were special cases. I had heard that sometimes a Shinbi erased sexual desire completely. Jang Mugeon apparently fell into that category.
"Gil Taehyeong."
Jang Mugeon called the tattooed guy by name.
So his name was Gil Taehyeong. First I was hearing it. No—more precisely, I had heard it during the introductions and then completely forgotten.
"I will ask you just one thing. Are you, by any chance, one of those filthy humans who engages in sexual intercourse for the sake of pleasure?"
"Huh? Is that filthy?"
"By my standards, yes. Having intercourse with the intent of leaving descendants is a personal freedom I respect, but I have no desire to associate with anyone who does it purely for pleasure."
Jang Mugeon's expression turned serious. Basically he was saying he hated promiscuous people.
"…Don't worry. Even if I wanted to be promiscuous, I couldn't."
"What does that mean? Don't tell me you also lack sexual desire like me? Cases like mine are rare. How fascinating."
"Huh? No, I've got the desire. I just can't feel the pleasure."
"You can't feel pleasure?"
"My Shinbi is the sensory-blocking type. So I can't feel pain, and I can't feel pleasure either."
"Ahh. I see."
So Gil Taehyeong's Shinbi was something close to pain immunity. Could he turn the sensory block off? I was curious, but I didn't want to insert myself into the conversation, so I didn't ask.
"Gil Taehyeong. In that case, why don't you try castrating yourself like me?"
Jang Mugeon made the suggestion, adding that Taehyeong probably didn't want the responsibility without the pleasure, and then launched into a detailed explanation of all the advantages of being a eunuch.
Please stop trying to persuade him.
After hearing the advantages of castration, Gil Taehyeong thought for a moment, then…
"Hmm… There are actually a lot of upsides. Castration might not be so bad after all."
He gave a small nod.
Please don't get persuaded either. You're not that easily swayed, are you?
"But I still want to leave descendants. I want to get married too."
"I already told you. That is something only the weak do."
"I kind of agree with you after listening, but from other people's point of view we'd look like losers, right?"
"Other people's gazes can simply be ignored."
"And even if I can't get married, I still want to try dating. If I'm a eunuch, though, can I even meet girls…?"
"You simply pursue platonic love. Any woman who meets you with the goal of intercourse is not a normal human being and should be kicked away."
Gil Taehyeong was steadily being won over when—
"…But hey. That thing about you tearing off your own genitals—that's not a lie, right?"
"Hmm? What reason would I have to lie about something like that?"
"No, I just wondered if maybe you lost yours and now you're trying to get rid of everyone else's out of resentment. Like some kind of jealousy."
Only now was Gil Taehyeong starting to get suspicious. So he wasn't a complete idiot after all.
"I am not that kind of filthy, underhanded human. I am disappointed you would think of me that way."
"Sorry. We only just met, so it's hard to just take your word for it."
"That is a fair point. I could prove it if necessary."
"Prove it?"
"On the day I physically castrated myself, there were witnesses who saw it with their own two eyes. If you still doubt me, I can arrange a meeting so you can ask them yourself."
"Who are the witnesses?"
"My family and relatives. When I was young, at a gathering where the whole family and relatives were having a meal, I took off my pants, grabbed my genitals with my hand, and tore them off. So there is no shortage of witnesses."
"…And your family and relatives just calmly let that slide?"
"They did not just let it slide. That day I got beaten black and blue and was hauled off to the hospital. They tried to perform reconstructive surgery, so I knocked the doctor out and escaped from the hospital."
In the end I never joined the conversation. Or rather, I deliberately stayed out of it. Our conversational wavelengths clearly weren't going to match.
While talking with Gil Taehyeong, Jang Mugeon suddenly turned to me.
"Ah. Kang Hahwi. What do you say? Why don't you join our true martial artist family as well…"
He casually extended the invitation my way. I refused without a second of hesitation. I had zero interest in joining a eunuch family.
There were only two other guys in the class, and neither of them was normal. Seriously, give me a break.
After we got out of the bath, we finished the afternoon classes and it was time to go home.
Even on the way out, girls kept watching for openings and calling out to me—inviting me to karaoke, asking if I wanted to grab drinks in the evening, or offering to exchange numbers. I turned down everything except the number exchanges. I still wasn't at the stage where I could casually hang out with cute girls and enjoy free time together.
For the record, I didn't get any help from Seo I-eung. We might eat lunch together, but we didn't walk home together.
As I was heading home and turned into an alley—
"M-meow…!"
I ran into the same cute cat from yesterday again. Was it always here around this time? Unfortunately I hadn't brought any treat sticks with me. I never expected to meet it again after only one day. Tomorrow I'd definitely stop by a convenience store and buy some.
"Here, kitty. Come here."
Glad to see it, I crouched down and beckoned with my hand.
"Meow!"
The cat strode right up to me. Just like yesterday, it showed no wariness at all.
"Myaa!"
Nuzzle nuzzle. It vigorously rubbed its face against the hand I held out. It was so cute I thought I might die. If it didn't have an owner, I would have taken it home and raised it on the spot.
Judging by how well-groomed its fur is, someone is definitely taking care of this cat…
Its body wasn't trembling as badly today, so its owner must have taken it to a vet yesterday for treatment. It didn't have a collar, but it definitely didn't look like a stray.
More than that, it's really adorable.
I gazed at the cat with eyes full of affection, then carefully scooped its body up and pulled it snugly into my arms.
"M-myaa…?!"
While I was holding it and stroking its head a few times—
"Myaa!!"
It burst out of my arms and bolted away.
Ah. Did I go overboard with the affection and scare it? I thought that much would be fine… Next time I'd have to hold back. Surely it wouldn't start avoiding me because of today.
Believing I would meet the cat again, I stood up and headed home.
In the yard in front of the building, Cha Seolyu was sitting on the wooden platform as usual, pouring alcohol down her throat. At this rate she was going to ruin her stomach. Her outfit was a suit, same as always. Why did someone who didn't even have a job bother wearing something that uncomfortable?
"You're early again today."
"Yes."
I gave Cha Seolyu a quick bow and was about to head inside when she called me to a stop.
"Hm? Hahwi."
"Yes?"
"You've got blood on your clothes."
"Blood?"
"Look at your chest."
I lowered my head and checked. Just as she said, there really was blood on me.
What? When did that get there?
The stain was tiny—barely visible unless you were close. Cha Seolyu had somehow spotted it from all the way over there. Her eyesight was impressive.
Anyway. It didn't seem to be my blood. When I rewound my memory a little, I recalled hugging the cat in the alley. I had held it right against that spot. So had the cat been bleeding?
Did it have an injury somewhere…?
I was worried. Tomorrow when I saw it again, I would have to check properly for any wounds.
"What's that blood from? Did you get in a fight? Or did someone mess with you?"
"No."
"Then did someone jump you?"
"No."
"You can tell this big sister everything honestly. I'll help you out."
"Nothing happened."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
After finishing the conversation with Cha Seolyu, I started walking into the building, then stopped for a moment.
"Thank you for worrying about me."
With my back still turned, I bowed my head toward Cha Seolyu. When someone worried about you, you had to say thank you.
Then I went inside. My head was completely full of thoughts about the cat.