The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 129

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 129. It’s Over

 

 

Step. Step.

Heavy footsteps.

She simply moved her feet wherever they led her.

How long had she walked like that?

Suddenly, she raised her head and looked around.

“Where is this?”

Gwan Ha-gyeong looked around her surroundings.

A familiar place.

An all too familiar place.

It was the Waryongdae 5th Group Training Ground.

A place where she had spent four years, sick to death of being there. A place where she knew exactly what was where, even with her eyes closed.

She had walked aimlessly, letting her feet guide her, yet the place she ultimately arrived at was here again.

The last day at Gyoryong Hall.

In the end, she had lost.

She had lost, unable to overcome heaven-sent talent.

“Grr.”

The training ground shrouded in darkness, with no one around.

Gwan Ha-gyeong gritted her teeth.

Tears dripped down.

If she didn’t grit her teeth, it felt like she would burst into sobs, so she gritted them even harder.

“Sob… sob sob…”

However, the small cries that flowed through the gaps between her teeth were impossible to stop.

No one had expected anything from Gwan Ha-gyeong.

But just one person.

Gwan Ha-gyeong herself had high expectations for herself.

Today, she had failed to meet those expectations.

Four years of blood-soaked effort.

The fact that the result was reaching the round of 16 in the Winter Tournament brought a flood of sorrow she had been suppressing all along.

How long had she shed tears like that?

Step.

At the sudden sound of footsteps, Gwan Ha-gyeong jerked her head up.

She saw a shadow slowly approaching through the darkness.

“Who’s there?”

Gwan Ha-gyeong asked in a wary voice. Her hand was already gripping her blade weapon.

“This is inside Gyoryong Hall. I’m not a suspicious person.”

A calm voice.

A voice she had heard before. She had heard it for the first time today, but it was an unforgettable voice.

Wasn’t he the protagonist of this morning’s commotion?

The instructor who had exposed the gender of the Jamryong Corps cadet.

“Are you an instructor?”

But she didn’t know which instructor he was.

“That’s right. I’m Ha Mu-baek, instructor of Maengryong 7th Group.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s introduction, Gwan Ha-gyeong tilted her head.

Why would a Maengryong Corps instructor be here?

This was Waryong Corps’ training ground, a place he had no reason to come to.

“What brings a Maengryong Corps instructor to this place?”

Perhaps because she felt she had shown an embarrassing side of herself? Gwan Ha-gyeong’s voice carried wariness.

“You worked hard.”

Ha Mu-baek said briefly.

“Pardon?”

At the sudden words, Gwan Ha-gyeong had no choice but to ask back. She couldn’t understand the reason behind those words.

“Cultivating the Heaven Severing Blade to that level is not something that can be done with ordinary effort. It’s not something just anyone can accomplish. Regardless of today’s martial duel result, that alone deserves praise. That’s why I came to tell you that you worked hard.”

“What do you mean by that…”

Gwan Ha-gyeong couldn’t continue her words with a bewildered expression.

Because she had heard the words she had longed for so much from someone she was seeing for the first time today, not from her assigned instructor or an elder from her sect.

“Even within Dorim, there probably aren’t many people who know the true nature of the Heaven Severing Blade. They just think of it as a blade technique that’s a preliminary stage before learning the Demon Slaying Asura Blade. But the Heaven Severing Blade is the foundational blade technique of the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade. If you neglect the Heaven Severing Blade, you can’t properly master the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade.”

“…”

Gwan Ha-gyeong silently listened to Ha Mu-baek’s continued words.

What kind of person was this man?

To speak of things that no one in Dorim had ever mentioned.

And he wasn’t even from Dorim.

‘Ah.’

Then, a memory suddenly flashed through her mind.

An unpleasant incident from the first half of the year.

They said that Han Pyeong, the fourth-year Waryong Corps instructor, had been crushed by a Maengryong Corps instructor.

At that time too, Gwan Ha-gyeong had been absorbed in swinging her blade at the training ground, so she hadn’t witnessed the scene firsthand and had only heard about it from other cadets.

Han Pyeong was a strong warrior from Dorim who had mastered the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade. She knew him well because they shared the same origin.

To think that such a Han Pyeong had been crushed by just the Three Talents Fist Technique, and by a Maengryong Corps instructor at that.

Even then, she couldn’t believe it.

That instructor’s name was definitely.

‘It was Ha Mu-baek.’

It was the name of the person standing before her eyes right now.

“If you’re Instructor Ha Mu-baek, then previously you and Instructor Han Pyeong…”

The memory that surfaced spilled from Gwan Ha-gyeong’s lips.

“Huh? Han Pyeong?”

Ha Mu-baek asked back as if he didn’t remember.

Then he seemed to recall.

“Ah! That trash who was harassing the female cadet?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s question, Gwan Ha-gyeong couldn’t give any answer.

Because it was the truth.

She was also a woman.

In fact, she hadn’t known Han Pyeong was that kind of person until that incident happened.

Because he hadn’t acted that way in Dorim and Waryong Corps.

According to the investigation that followed, there were instructors from Jamryong Corps and Waryong Corps who specifically targeted Maengryong Corps female cadets for such trashy behavior.

Of course, all such instructors were rooted out and expelled because of that incident.

Ha Mu-baek chuckled and said.

“If you look down on the Heaven Severing Blade, you end up learning only a hollow shell of the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade like that trash. Even if you were to display the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade right now, you’d be better than that trash.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“Have more confidence in yourself. Have faith in the cultivation you’ve done. Among the warriors from Dorim that I’ve seen, you’re the first since Alliance Leader So Hwi-ung to polish the Heaven Severing Blade to that level.”

Having said that much, Ha Mu-baek turned around as if he had nothing more to say.

And he slowly walked away.

The words were so shocking that Gwan Ha-gyeong could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.

To compare her with So Hwi-ung.

Does this even make sense?

 

‘Did I meddle unnecessarily?’

Ha Mu-baek chuckled softly as he thought. He never expected he would interfere like this.

Even thinking back to when he first came to Gyoryong Hall, this was unimaginable.

But that cadet named Gwan Ha-gyeong was someone he couldn’t help but interfere with.

Someone with basic talent had honed his martial arts with terrifying determination.

Regardless of talent, this was the first person he’d seen master the Heaven Severing Blade to that level since So Hwi-ung.

Moreover, achieving such accomplishment at a much younger age than So Hwi-ung.

Of course, that child probably focused everything on it since the Heaven Severing Blade was the only blade technique he learned from Dorim.

Ha Mu-baek knew the secret of the Heaven Severing Blade for a different reason.

Once, when resting after an intense battle, So Hwi-ung had casually mentioned it to him.

In his youth, when the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade hit a wall and he fell into confusion, he re-examined all of Dorim’s blade techniques and found the key in the Heaven Severing Blade to overcome that wall.

Since then, he had carefully studied Dorim’s blade techniques and understood why So Hwi-ung had said that.

The only mystery was why Dorim didn’t know this fact.

It was probably lost somewhere along the way.

However, it was puzzling why So Hwi-ung, who had newly realized this fact, still hadn’t informed Dorim.

Dorim was So Hwi-ung’s sect and foundation after all.

‘Anyway, he’s a person whose thoughts I can never understand.’

Though So Hwi-ung was the greatest hero under heaven and recognized for his fairness and integrity, Ha Mu-baek occasionally saw this cunning side of him.

 

***

 

“It’s over…”

In a corner of the Maengryong Corps Group Seven training ground.

Sitting carelessly on the ground and looking up at the night sky, Dang Jin-san muttered.

“Indeed.”

Beside him was Nak U-jin.

The two who had fallen in the round of 16 of the Winter Tournament.

They had lost to Namgung Ji-yu and Namgung Ji-hu respectively, the Namgung siblings.

“They were strong. The Namgungs.”

“Indeed.”

Nak U-jin replied to Dang Jin-san’s words.

Because the atmosphere between the two was heavy, Baek Ri-pyeong, Dan Mok Un-rae, and Yeon Ha-min couldn’t bring themselves to come here.

If they had all advanced to the quarterfinals together, they would have laughed together while preparing for tomorrow, but for those two, their year at Gyoryong Hall had ended today.

“Tsk tsk.”

The sound of tongue clicking was heard.

Step, step.

Footsteps were heard.

It was Ha Mu-baek.

Dang Jin-san and Nak U-jin’s gazes turned toward him.

“Ah, Instructor.”

“You’ve come?”

The two awkwardly rose from their seats.

“I knew you’d be doing this.”

Ha Mu-baek said with a frown.

At those words, the two averted their gazes and pretended not to care.

These two hadn’t been like this when they lost and came down from the martial arts arena.

They had simply felt regretful about their defeat.

Since they had poured out everything they had, they thought that was enough.

But as time passed, they felt frustrated and wronged.

“And I’m glad you’re doing this.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s following words, both their heads snapped around toward Ha Mu-baek.

“What do you mean by that?”

Dang Jin-san asked.

“If you’re not angry about defeat, then you’re only that much of a person.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, the light began to return to both their eyes.

“Nak U-jin.”

“Yes.”

“You must have had some idea of Namgung Ji-hu’s skills from your usual training matches, so why didn’t you use a shield?”

“I overestimated my own abilities.”

“Even so, you were strong. It hasn’t even been a full year since you properly entered martial arts. Yet you pressured Namgung Ji-hu that much. It was excellent. You’ll probably be even stronger next year.”

He had expected criticism, but praise came instead.

Nak U-jin’s lips trembled as they slowly curved into a smile.

“Dang Jin-san.”

“Yes. I was arrogant and didn’t use a shield.”

Dang Jin-san answered first. He had already recovered and was being cheeky.

Ha Mu-baek chuckled.

“Right. You were really close. If you had used a shield, you might have won. It seems the Dang family’s troublemaker has disappeared.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Dang Jin-san’s cheeks flushed.

“Everyone worked hard today.”

These words were directed at the other three standing at a distance.

With those words, Ha Mu-baek left the training ground.

After Ha Mu-baek disappeared.

The five gathered in one place.

It was thanks to Dang Jin-san and Nak U-jin finally regaining their spirits.

The five who had gathered like this began sharing opinions in preparation for tomorrow’s quarterfinals.

 

***

 

Stars began to shine one by one in the night sky.

Ha Seol-ran, who had washed off her sweat and changed clothes early, was looking up at the sky from the window of her room at Yeonryong Lodge.

Her gaze was directed toward the sky, but her mind was complicated.

Reviewing today’s martial duel.

Thinking about it now, there were too many regrettable moments.

Even more so when thinking of what Dang Jin-san had shown in the round of 16 after her defeat.

‘Why didn’t I do that…’

All sorts of regrets and disappointments came flooding in.

She hadn’t realized it while the duels continued after her defeat.

But after the round of 16 ended and today’s Winter Tournament was completely over, returning to Yeonryong Lodge was different.

Her own martial duel came to mind, and the image of the Maengryong Corps Group Seven cadets fighting fiercely in the round of 16 came to mind.

She felt ashamed and regretful.

What was a martial duel that she had frozen up like that?

“What are you doing?”

A familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

At the voice that sounded as if someone was speaking right beside her, Ha Seol-ran looked around.

But no one was there.

“Down here.”

The voice came vividly once more. It was Elder Brother.

When Ha Seol-ran looked down, there was a shadow in the front yard of Yeonryong Lodge waving at her.

Though it was dark, she could see her elder brother’s figure clearly. How strange.

Ha Seol-ran immediately kicked off from the window frame and leaped outside.

The lightness skill she had learned in Sanwol Demon Forest was now being put to use.

“How did you come here?”

She asked with a face full of joy.

Yeonryong Lodge was a dormitory exclusively for female cadets.

It was a place where men were strictly forbidden to approach, and where Ha Mu-baek was standing was somewhere no man should be.

“Is there anywhere I can’t go? Let’s walk a bit.”

Ha Mu-baek thus left the territory of Yeonryong Lodge with Ha Seol-ran and moved toward the outskirts of Gyoryong Hall.

“Are you disappointed?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s question, Ha Seol-ran nodded slightly.

“Ran-ah. You’ve only been learning martial arts for just over three months. And you even suffered from Severed Meridian Syndrome.”

“Yes.”

“But Namgung Ji-yu. That child has been raised as a martial artist since birth. You leaped over that gap in one bound today.”

“But if I had just been a little more composed…”

“First times are difficult for everyone. It was your first real combat sparring, so it’s only natural.”

“Still…”

Ha Seol-ran tried to say something, but Ha Mu-baek’s words came faster.

“I was the same way.”

“What?”

At the unexpected words, Ha Seol-ran’s eyes widened.

“I too went completely blank in my first real combat and trembled all over. When I came to my senses, I couldn’t even tell how it had passed.”

“Ah…”

This was her elder brother who had shown incredible, unbelievable martial prowess.

Even such an elder brother had experienced that.

“You did more than well enough today, beyond your actual skill level. So now you just need to think about what’s next.”

“Yes!”

Life returned to Ha Seol-ran’s voice.

Ha Mu-baek smiled warmly and escorted Ha Seol-ran back to Yeonryong Lodge.

 

***

 

Cold air filled heaven and earth.

The sky was as clear and high as the crisp atmosphere.

It was truly beautiful weather.

“Well, perfect weather for winning a championship.”

At Dang Jin-san’s words, the Maengryong Squad Seven Cadets looked at him with confused faces.

After all, he had been eliminated yesterday.

“Not me, but one of you three. You’ll do it, right?”

Under his comrades’ gazes, Dang Jin-san chuckled and spoke.

Baek Ri-pyeong, Dan Mok Un-rae, Yeon Ha-min.

The three looked at each other. Then they smiled and nodded.

The Winter Tournament.

The morning of the quarterfinals had begun.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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