Chapter 13: He's Possessed, I'm Telling You?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: He's Possessed, I'm Telling You?
Back in the waiting room, I watched the remaining participants' sword dances on the monitor.
‘Strange, they've been making a lot of mistakes since earlier.’
The competition participants who came after my turn were making one mistake after another.
Various mistakes unfolded on stage: sword paths getting tangled as they attempted overly ambitious moves, or ad-libs that ended up neither here nor there.
CRASH!
“Oh dear…”
“How unfortunate…”
The last participant even attempted an excessive move, spun several times in the air, and then fell hard. When they scrambled back up, their lip was split and bleeding profusely, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them.
‘Tsk. It would've been better if they hadn't overexerted themselves and just stuck to what they'd prepared.’
While it's true that performing later in the lineup adds pressure, I still couldn't quite understand why the Martial Artists participating in the General Division were making so many consecutive mistakes.
“Good thing I went earlier…”
“Someone just did something ridiculous, so now everyone's trying not to lose.”
“Is that guy really a high schooler?”
A few people glanced at me, whispering amongst themselves. It felt vaguely like they were talking behind my back, but I couldn't be sure.
‘What are they saying?’
When I subtly looked over, they all avoided my gaze or coughed awkwardly, just offering strained smiles.
With that, all the participants in the General Division Under-25 Competition had completed their turns.
An event staff member came and announced that the results would be posted on the website in two days, and winners who received individual notifications should attend the awards ceremony held at the Korean Martial Alliance headquarters.
“So, can I leave now?”
“Yes, you may.”
I grabbed my bag, just about to be the first to leave the waiting room.
“Excuse me.”
Oh Jung-min, the competition participant who had first spoken to me when I entered the General Division waiting room, approached me cautiously.
“This is my business card. Would you mind taking it?”
The business card he handed me read: <Pine Moon Sect First-Generation Disciple>.
While not a major sect, being a First-Generation Disciple in his early to mid-twenties meant he was a considerably skilled practitioner for his age. Indeed, Oh Jung-min had displayed a sword dance so excellent that I thought he might very well place in the Competition.
“Why are you giving this to me…?”
Of course, I understood his meaning, but I asked as if I knew nothing.
Oh Jung-min winked one eye and said, “I want to get to know a promising teenage Rising Star like you. And, while I'm at it, maybe do a little recruiting for our Pine Moon Sect.”
The affable Oh Jung-min had a knack for making even serious topics sound casual, like a joke.
“Have you decided on your career path after high school?”
“Not yet.”
I shook my head. The truth was, I had a place in mind, but there was no reason to reveal it now and put myself at a disadvantage.
Sure enough, Oh Jung-min's face lit up as he said, “The Pine Moon Sect is a Mid-Sized Sect with a strong foundation. It might not appeal to you right away, but your mind could change if we talk. Especially when it comes to supporting talented Rising Stars, I can guarantee we're on par with the major sects.”
The Pine Moon Sect (松月門).
It was a sect that was always mentioned when discussing solid Mid-Sized Sects in the Korean Martial, and Oh Jung-min's words weren't much of an exaggeration. The prospect of receiving solid support and steadily aiming for a high-ranking position within the sect was certainly a major appeal.
But what I wanted wasn't just a stable job.
“...I'm still thinking about my career path. I also need to have a detailed discussion with my parents.”
When I mentioned my parents with a serious expression, Oh Jung-min backed off a step.
“Of course. It's absolutely not a demand. I just mean it would be great if you'd consider the Pine Moon Sect. Oh, and…” He hesitated for a moment, then continued with an awkward expression. “If it's not too rude, could I ask about your Constitution Test results? If you haven't taken it yet, we could even help you with that…”
“Grade 4.”
At my answer, Oh Jung-min's expression subtly shifted for a moment. It was as if he was disappointed, yet also a little relieved. But he quickly masked his expression with a gentle smile and said, “...Your Constitution is as outstanding as your Musculature. Once you graduate, everyone will be scrambling to recruit you, won't they?”
I read the meaning hidden between the lines of that brief silence, but again, I pretended not to know and smiled brightly.
“Thank you. May I leave now? Someone's waiting for me outside.”
“Oh, right! Sorry for holding you up. I hope to see you at the awards ceremony next week.”
I returned Oh Jung-min's well wishes.
“I think you'll definitely win an award, senior. I'm not so sure about myself.”
“Hahahaha! You're good at joking, aren't you?”
“...?”
Anyway, I took Oh Jung-min's business card and tucked it safely into my pocket. And then, just as I was really about to leave the waiting room...
“Wait! Will you take my business card too?”
“I'll give you mine too!”
“Could you perhaps give me your number?”
The General Division participants, who had overheard our conversation, approached, blocked my way, and started handing me their business cards.
I accepted all the business cards they offered but declined all requests to exchange numbers. Only after collecting more than ten business cards was I finally able to escape the waiting room, almost as if I were fleeing.
“Phew…”
I quickly crossed the hallway, heading towards the High School Division Competition venue, just in case they kept following me. The faces of the General Division participants who had been looking at me came to mind, and a chuckle escaped my lips.
“Guess my sword dance wasn't so bad after all.”
Being acknowledged by others was a joyful thing. Especially when those people walked the same path as me.
After Ki Mu-hyeok left the waiting room.
The General Division participants remaining in the waiting room began to openly discuss their impressions of the sword dance the nineteen-year-old boy had performed.
“What is that guy? Interpreting the Ghost Dance Moves like that?”
“That was an Unorthodox Faction-style swordsmanship interpretation, right? Restraining his Killing Intent and only revealing it when necessary, it was just like…”
“I still have goosebumps.”
“Hahaha! I might have messed up, but the Competition was fun!”
The quiet atmosphere that had prevailed before the Competition began was completely gone, replaced by an excited buzz. This was because, before being competitors, they were all Martial Artists truly dedicated to the sword.
Among them were some who mentioned Ki Mu-hyeok's Constitution, expressing regret.
“He said Grade 4, right? It's a decent Constitution, but quite disappointing compared to his Musculature…”
“Exactly. If it had just been one grade higher, all the major sects would have been scrambling to recruit him.”
“They're probably still drooling over him now, though. How many people are top-tier in both, anyway?”
Unable to calm their excitement, the participants even started predicting the award results among themselves. Ki Mu-hyeok's name was on everyone's prediction list; only the type of award varied slightly.
“He'll definitely get a special award… Silver? Bronze?”
“If I were a judge, it'd be a special award and a silver. The quality was high, but it was too rough for gold.”
“I think gold is possible too.”
“How will the judges evaluate him?”
The participants were merely predicting the winners for fun, completely unaware.
“I'm telling you, we have to give Ki Mu-hyeok the gold award!”
“Even so, gold is too much!”
“Hmph, how frustrating…”
“Are you speaking to me right now?”
That the judges were currently spitting at each other, fiercely debating because of Ki Mu-hyeok.
I headed to the venue where the High School Division Competition was taking place.
The audience seats were much more crowded than the General Division, filled with parents, and I managed to spot Kim Bok-ja's back, seated in the front row.
“Everything alright?”
As I sat in the seat Bok-ja had saved for me, she lowered her body and looked at me as if we were on a secret mission. Why was she even wearing sunglasses?
“You said you turned the General Division Competition upside down?”
“...How did you know?”
Bok-ja tapped her smartphone. She said it hadn't even been ten minutes since the General Division Competition ended, and people were already buzzing about me on the community forums.
I clicked my tongue softly. “There are really too many people with nothing better to do. They should be swinging their swords one more time instead.”
“There you go again, sounding like an old man… But you, is this okay?”
“What is?”
Bok-ja glanced around, then lowered her voice even further and said, “There must have been a reason you hid your Constitution, right? Aren't you drawing too much attention to yourself now?”
Understanding what she meant, I chuckled. “It'll die down soon anyway. I subtly let them know I was Grade 4.”
It wasn't for nothing that I had told Oh Jung-min I was Grade 4 right then and there. If a Grade 1 Constitution appears in a Constitution Test, the Korean Martial world itself is stirred. A Grade 2, while not to that extent, still receives significant attention, enough to be talked about on YouTube and various other media for a while. Even a Grade 3, depending on their Musculature, is a talent coveted by major sects.
‘From Grade 4 onwards, it gets a bit ambiguous.’
Most cases where one couldn't advance beyond what's commonly known as a Peak Master were due to a Constitution of Grade 4 or lower. They lacked the talent to absorb and manipulate ki, preventing them from reaching higher realms. Their limit was an elite Martial Artist of a major sect. Or a leading figure of a Mid-Sized Sect. They were certainly formidable practitioners, but not irreplaceable. That's why Oh Jung-min and some of the other participants had such subtle reactions when I said I was Grade 4.
“Once my Constitution is known to be Grade 4, all the fuss will quickly die down.”
“You cunning bastard… Hiding as much as you can, but enjoying what you need to, huh?”
She wasn't my friend for nothing. I grinned at Bok-ja, who had accurately caught on to my intentions.
“Anyway, enough about me. Was there anything unusual around Shin Kang-heon?”
“Not really. His immediate circle didn't seem to have anything special. His parents passed away when he was young, and he lives with his uncle, who's over there.” Bok-ja gestured with her chin towards a tall man who resembled Shin Kang-heon, sitting with a serious expression.
“But Shin Kang-heon… it looks like his uncle is leeching off him.”
“What do you mean?”
I already knew that Shin Kang-heon lived with his uncle. It was written in the materials I'd given Bok-ja. In the meantime, Bok-ja seemed to have uncovered more information than what I'd provided.
“A gut feeling, you could say, from shared experience? After watching a few YouTube videos, it became clear.” Seeing Bok-ja's subtle smile, I recalled a certain fact. That this girl, too, not only had a bad relationship with her family but actually hated them.
‘Could Shin Kang-heon have fallen into the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult because of his family situation?’
I fell into thought for a moment, but it wasn't a matter to be judged hastily based solely on Bok-ja's words.
“...For now, don't worry about that part. Was there anything else suspicious?”
“Nope. No suspicious people, either. And it's just high schoolers' level, so it's not very interesting.”
Bok-ja yawned softly, bored. I promised the girl who had worked hard an additional reward.
“Let's just watch the rest of the performances and then go get tteokbokki. I'm even buying dessert today.”
“Add cheese. Add flat dumplings. Add glass noodles. And a side of french fries…”
“You're going to drain a high schooler's allowance, you know.”
We sat side by side and watched the High School Division Competition.
The High School Division was lower in standard than the General Division, but it had its own desperate charm. My eyes were quite entertained, especially during Shin Kang-heon and Pi Seung-hwa's turns.
‘Not bad, huh?’
Shin Kang-heon showcased a tough and intense sword dance, utilizing his overwhelming physique, while Pi Seung-hwa's sharp and precise movements made the audience spontaneously gasp in admiration.
Both were so exceptionally skilled that it was hard to tell who was better, making the subsequent performances feel rather dull.
“Now for the last one.”
“Is it Lee Hyeon-seung's turn? He's pretty good too.”
“...Isn't it Kim Hyeon-seung? His name's right there.”
“Oh, right.”
Kim Hyeon-seung, with twin swords strapped to his back, walked onto the stage. While slightly less skilled than Shin Kang-heon or Pi Seung-hwa, his ability was certainly enough to place in the High School Division Competition.
“Hyaaaah!”
Kim Hyeon-seung let out a shout and drew both swords simultaneously, displaying movements that rivaled Shin Kang-heon and Pi Seung-hwa, making my earlier assessment seem pointless. His athleticism allowed him to reach the edge of the stage in an instant, and his sword tips were alive with power. Yet, this didn't mean a lack of precision or sharpness.
“Cha-haaaah!”
Adding to that, a stage-dominating presence, he was performing a sword dance far more intense than the Kim Hyeon-seung I knew.
“Was that guy always this good? He's completely lost in the moment, moving as if possessed…”
Bok-ja's stiff voice cut into my thoughts.
“'Possessed' doesn't mean he's literally got a ghost in him, does it?”
“What are you talking about?”
At her absurd words, I turned to my side and saw a pale blue will-o'-wisp flickering in Bok-ja's eyes, now that she'd taken off her sunglasses. Her eyes were glaring at Kim Hyeon-seung as if piercing right through him.
“That guy, he's possessed by a ghost.”
The moment her finger pointed at Kim Hyeon-seung, he snapped his head back at a grotesque angle, and our gazes met.