Chapter 43: It's Nothing Much
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 43: It's Nothing Much
[Well, this is an unexpected pairing.]
As the two arrived at the path, Black-White 1 materialized smoothly from thin air.
Only a mask floated in the air, devoid of a body.
[Martial Artist Ki Mu-hyeok, Martial Artist Yang Ha-yun. Have the two of you formed a team?]
From the Second-Rate Martial Artist License Exam onwards, Black-White's designation for participants changed to 'Martial Artist'.
It was a mark of respect for the martial artists who had passed the Third-Rate License Exam.
"Yes. We're a team."
Ki Mu-hyeok, bundled in a thick jacket, hat, and leather gloves he'd acquired from who-knew-where, exhaled a plume of white breath as he spoke.
Beside him, Yang Ha-yun glanced at his appearance and nodded.
"…Because the time limit was up."
Black-White 1 had set a ten-minute time limit for forming teams.
During that time, no one other than Ki Mu-hyeok had appeared who wanted to team up with Yang Ha-yun.
Even though she was a Grade 1 Constitution Rising Star, everyone was reluctant to take the exam enduring her Extreme Yin Energy right beside her.
While Yang Ha-yun hesitated, unable to refuse or accept, Ki Mu-hyeok went around borrowing winter gear as if preparing for hibernation.
'I would have preferred to go alone…'
Due to the rule that teams must be formed unless there weren't enough people, Yang Ha-yun ultimately ended up on Ki Mu-hyeok's team.
Before they set off, Yang Ha-yun timidly asked Ki Mu-hyeok, who was armed with thick clothing:
"…You said you could handle it?"
"That's separate. There's no need to waste Internal Energy unnecessarily, is there? I tend to prefer efficiency."
Contrary to his initial impression of baseless overconfidence, it was a rational decision.
Yang Ha-yun actually felt relieved.
It was better than seeing him shiver uncontrollably in thin clothes.
"…That won't be enough. When I use my martial arts, even more cold energy will emanate."
"I'll handle it then."
Despite his 'don't worry about it' reply, Yang Ha-yun was concerned… but the Second-Rate License Exam had already begun.
She couldn't not use her martial arts just to accommodate her teammate.
Yang Ha-yun quietly watched Ki Mu-hyeok, then bit her lower lip.
'You'll definitely regret this. And you'll come to hate me.'
She vowed that if Ki Mu-hyeok ever resented her later, she wouldn't back down and would retort fiercely.
Black-White 1 looked at the two with a strange gaze, then spoke.
[You two are the last group to depart. I will now give you your mission.]
At that moment, Black-White's hand appeared with a smooth motion, just like the mask floating in the air.
[Your first mission is item transport. You simply need to take the item I give you along the path to the destination, completely intact.]
At the end of the path were several forks, and an arrow for the two of them appeared on one of them.
With the direction kindly indicated, it sounded like an easy mission.
However, the moment they saw the item resting on Black-White's palm, both Ki Mu-hyeok and Yang Ha-yun's expressions twisted simultaneously.
"…An egg?"
[It's not just any egg. It's a fragile, raw egg.]
To the two of them, Black-White seemed to be barely suppressing laughter.
Black-White handed the egg to Ki Mu-hyeok and added an explanation.
[If the item is broken or damaged during transport, you must return here to receive a new egg. Therefore, please exercise extreme caution.]
"Damn it! Argh! Are you kidding me?!"
Just then, shouts, curses, and angry voices of other martial artists could be heard from afar.
Soon after, martial artists carrying broken eggs began to appear, one by one, returning to the starting point.
[Those who wish to receive another egg, please come this way! The two of you may depart.]
"…"
"…"
After silently staring at the raw egg for a moment, Ki Mu-hyeok and Yang Ha-yun let out a small sigh, then began to run, using their Lightness Skill far more carefully than usual.
[I wish you both good fortune in your martial endeavors!]
Black-White's cheerful voice echoed from behind them.
The two used their Lightness Skill in silence for a while.
Only after they had moved quite far from the starting point did Ki Mu-hyeok look back at Yang Ha-yun for the first time.
He cautiously scanned their surroundings, then spoke in a low voice.
"Let me ask you something."
"Wh-why?"
Yang Ha-yun flinched, surprised by Ki Mu-hyeok's serious gaze.
As she used her Lightness Skill, Extreme Yin Energy inevitably flowed out.
She had tried her best to control it so the cold wouldn't reach him, but perhaps it was already becoming unbearable?
Yang Ha-yun's lips unconsciously jutted out as she muttered with an aggrieved expression.
"I told you from the start. So it's not my fault…"
"What are you talking about?"
Ki Mu-hyeok moved close to Yang Ha-yun's side, then pulled the raw egg from his pocket.
And, keeping an eye on their surroundings, he whispered:
"This thing. Can you freeze it solid so it won't break?"
"…!"
Yang Ha-yun stared at Ki Mu-hyeok with wide, surprised eyes at a method she hadn't even considered.
And as she instinctively channeled cold energy into the egg she'd been handed…
CRACKLE-!
The raw egg solidified, hard as a stone.
Ki Mu-hyeok lightly tapped it, then looked at her with a satisfied smile.
"Your Constitution. Seems quite useful, doesn't it?"
"…Hmph."
She snorted, but in that moment, Yang Ha-yun thought for the first time that perhaps teaming up with Ki Mu-hyeok wasn't so bad after all.
*
"Kyaaaah!"
A ghost-like Monstrous Being, the nth one they'd encountered, shrieked and dispersed into smoke in the air.
"Hoo… The item?"
Ki Mu-hyeok turned around and asked, and Yang Ha-yun, who was cradling the egg carefully in her arms, replied with a tired face.
"…It's intact."
The area around her was dyed pure white, like the middle of a snowfield, and frozen arrows and hidden weapons lay scattered on the ground.
After freezing the egg, the two truly picked up speed, using their Lightness Skill.
Their plan was to rely on the frozen egg and push through to the destination.
For a while, things went smoothly, but at some point, all sorts of obstacles began.
Beasts sprang from the forest to attack them, Monstrous Beings surged from the sky and ground, and Mechanical Formations activated, unleashing a barrage of thrown weapons.
"Looks like they caught on."
Ki Mu-hyeok clicked his tongue and muttered.
The interference was so strong that if they had been carrying a raw egg, it would have shattered countless times over.
At this point, it was clear that 'they' had noticed their trick and raised the difficulty.
"Should I melt it now?"
Ki Mu-hyeok shook his head at Yang Ha-yun's suggestion, as she fiddled with the egg.
"Nothing will change. If we'd broken a rule, Black-White would have appeared instantly and told us to return to the starting point. It feels like they've added a 'spite' penalty… but this is a bit much."
So this is how they want to play?
As Ki Mu-hyeok muttered to himself, the corners of his mouth curled up into a chilling smile.
…Yang Ha-yun was a little scared.
"First, let's find a place to rest."
"…Uh, okay."
The sun was already setting.
Night, having fallen upon the forest, quickly plunged their surroundings into darkness.
Fortunately, the two managed to find a small hut before the sun completely set.
The ownerless place had some food and survival supplies, and the interior was quite chilly.
'I don't know how much time has passed.'
Yang Ha-yun huddled in a corner of the hut.
Inside the Spell Formation, everything felt disconnected from reality.
It felt like they had been running for hours, but it might not have even been thirty minutes.
Her senses couldn't be fully trusted either.
That fact made Yang Ha-yun a little afraid.
So she slightly raised her head, looking for Ki Mu-hyeok.
"…What are you doing?"
Ki Mu-hyeok had, at some point, found a brazier, lit a fire in the center of the hut, and was busy packing various items into his backpack.
Every one of his actions seemed practiced, as if he'd done them many times before.
"You never know when something might come in handy if you pack it."
"…Want me to help?"
"No, just stay put. You're doing your part well enough by protecting the egg."
Yang Ha-yun, quite exhausted, nodded.
She curled up and closed her eyes, hoping to get even a short nap.
But sharing a space with someone she'd just met today, sleep wouldn't come easily.
Yang Ha-yun raised her head again and watched Ki Mu-hyeok, who was moving diligently.
'He's a strange one.'
From suddenly appearing and suggesting they team up, to the egg-freezing method she hadn't even conceived of, and even his martial arts, which were far stronger than she'd expected.
Everything about him was strange.
It felt as if someone had secretly cast a spell on her.
'Could it be… he's fallen for me?'
It was embarrassing, but she had briefly entertained the thought.
If it were for such an emotional reason, it would make sense for him to approach her, whom everyone avoided, and suggest teaming up.
But to say that… something felt off.
"Not sleeping? Then freeze these and carry them."
Ki Mu-hyeok, having found yet another small backpack from somewhere, filled it with food and pushed it towards Yang Ha-yun.
Does he think I'm a refrigerator?
Yang Ha-yun grumbled inwardly but did as she was told, freezing the food in the bag and placing it beside her.
'He's unfriendly.'
His gaze was sharp, his tone curt, and after fighting the Monstrous Beings, he only asked about the egg's condition, never if she was alright.
Yang Ha-yun unconsciously glared at Ki Mu-hyeok with a sulky expression, but he didn't seem to notice.
'Or… did he pity me for being alone?'
Yang Ha-yun immediately shook her head, thinking that couldn't be it.
She was a Grade 1 Constitution Rising Star, the recipient of everyone's expectations.
She was also the sole disciple of the Glacier Goddess, the Sun Moon Sect's greatest expert.
Though she hadn't become a martial artist by her own will…
"Yang Ha-yun."
"Wh-why?"
"Since you can't sleep anyway, let's talk a bit."
"…About what?"
Crack, crackle.
Sparks flew from the brazier placed between the two, who sat facing each other.
Regardless, they were a team.
They needed to know each other to some extent to work together effectively.
Ki Mu-hyeok slowly roasted a potato on a skewer over the brazier as he spoke.
"Oh, just this and that. When did you start learning martial arts?"
"…Fifteen. You?"
"I was twelve. I pestered my parents because I wanted to be a Martial Arts Practitioner since I was little. You're the type who started learning after your unique Constitution was revealed, right?"
"How did you know?"
"It's obvious just by looking."
Ki Mu-hyeok chuckled, handed the roasted potato on the skewer to Yang Ha-yun, and started roasting another one.
"It's delicious…"
Yang Ha-yun, after taking a bite, murmured with an expression of admiration.
At the same time, the resentment she'd been holding began to melt away.
He must be hungry too, yet he offered her food first. She started to think he might be a better person than she'd imagined.
Noticing her reaction, Ki Mu-hyeok casually asked.
"Tell me about yourself. I'm curious how a Grade 1 Constitution learns martial arts."
"It's nothing special. I…"
The incident when her Constitution suddenly manifested at fifteen, turning her hair pure white.
How the Glacier Goddess, the Grand Elder of the Sun Moon Sect among the Eight Great Sects, came to find her and spent a month persuading her to learn her martial arts.
And how, after forming a master-disciple bond with the Glacier Goddess, her incorrigibly doting Master showered her with all sorts of Spiritual Medicine, which, as a side effect, made it difficult for her to control her Extreme Yin Energy until she achieved sufficient mastery – all these stories flowed out smoothly.
'Did I say too much?'
Regret washed over her belatedly, but Yang Ha-yun feigned interest in the campfire, hiding her embarrassment.
Crack, crackle…
Watching the sparks fly from the brazier, her eyelids grew heavy.
As the atmosphere relaxed, accumulated fatigue washed over her.
"…What about you? I've talked a lot, so you tell me…"
Yang Ha-yun struggled to lift her heavy eyelids and looked at Ki Mu-hyeok, who was smiling gently.
"You look tired. Go to sleep. I'll tell you my story tomorrow."
"…It's not like I'm particularly curious."
Yang Ha-yun pressed her lips together, stared at the campfire, then slowly closed her eyes.
Zzzzz…
"…Yun, Yang Ha-yun. Wake up."
And the moment she flinched at the sound of her name and opened her eyes again.
WHOOSH-
The Extreme Yin Energy flowing from her body extinguished the brazier's fire in an instant.
"S-sorry."
"It's fine. It was time to wake up anyway."
Ki Mu-hyeok stretched his neck from side to side, loosening up as if it were nothing.
Then he picked up the sword he had laid beside him and spoke.
"Just in case, have you ever made any enemies or something?"
"…What do you mean?"
As Yang Ha-yun blinked and asked again, Ki Mu-hyeok muttered, 'I see,' and stood up.
"It's nothing much, just seems like we have some uninvited guests."
Ki Mu-hyeok's eyes glinted coldly as he looked in the direction from which he felt Killing Intent.