章節 11: Ch 11 - 8 months of power rising
- Four months after the rise of the Hao clan -
"They're references, read them carefully." It looks like the sentence I was trying to tell them slipped out of their minds somehow...
"Master... how many martial arts are in here?" Nox finally asked after thirty minutes of sifting through the mountain of books.
"Oh my? It has over fifty martial arts books, why?" I replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"...You're not going to guide us?"
"With this little thing? No way. Why should I?"
He looked at me, and I looked at him...
"And you say the deadline is...?"
"Next week, obviously."
"..."
"..."
"LIKE HELL WE CAN!!!" Thus, the disciple exclaimed. Dear me, is this the famous "puberty" I've been hearing about? I hope it's just a phase...
"💢Stop looking at me with that pitying look, it's unbearable." Yup, it's a phase...
While Nox was complaining to me, comfortably seated on a huge rock, Ryn's cute voice rang out, "Uncle dragon, can you help me with this?" She held up the book, raising it high in the air as Veldora's scaly face approached her, his index finger scratching his chin.
"Let's see," the dragon posed comically.
"Ryn-chan~ having someone else help you is cheating, you know~!✨" I teased.
I could see her pouting face from a distance, but she decided to listen anyway. Well, they are still just eight-year-olds... "Why not try it out?" I suggested. "Stop reading intently and start practicing the skill directly."
"...Sure," Nox replied first. He picked up a book that explained how to utilize qinggong, a footwork technique that enhances movement speed.
"Circulate your qi to the middle Dantian first, then lower, and let the bursting energy flow to the bottom of your feet..." It wasn't me speaking; it was Nox, reading aloud from the book. As he attempted to execute the technique, he predictably faltered.
The technique comprised four intricate steps of footwork, yet Nox stumbled and fell on the second step, letting out a loud "Gah?!" that echoed through the cave.
I couldn't help but smile. "You see that? You failed. Want to know why?" I asked.
"💢Stop beating around the bush, seriously..." Nox replied, annoyance evident in his tone as he dusted himself off.
"Ciih~ you're no fun..."
They were definitely eight years old, through and through.
"It's simple, really. No matter how long—or how perfectly—you practice a technique, you'll never truly 'master' it," I explained. This not only caught the attention of my young disciples but also that of Veldora. "In fact, scratch that. None of the martial arts in these books can be mastered."
Veldora finally interjected, raising his voice. "So you gave them these books for nothing? Or are you just boasting that these arts are on a different level than what they can learn?"
I raised an eyebrow at Veldora's question. "If it were like that, I could show them the two million other arts I've learned in my lifetime."
"And here's the real question," I continued, pushing their understanding further. "Why do people write down martial arts?"
"Ryn-chan, care to give it a shot?" I prompted.
"Huh? Isn't it so they can teach them to others?" Ryn replied.
"Not quite. They simply find a move they like and don't want to forget it, so they jot it down," I clarified.
"Consider this: how should one hold and swing a sword? With so many factions and martial artists, countless techniques exist. But the essence of learning martial arts is to defeat enemies. So why bother copying moves from books?"
I stood and walked over to Nox, tapping his forehead gently to capture his full attention. His eyes widened as he absorbed my words.
"If they only show you how they move, then it shouldn't matter how you do it. There's no one right way. You know your body best, so you should be the one creating your own techniques."
The sole purpose of martial arts is to defeat your enemy. Does it really make sense to merely counter a technique with a stronger technique? Do you think this is some kind of Pokémon game where you swap out to exploit enemy weaknesses?
What about dodging? Parrying? Element of surprise? Utilizing the terrain? Aren't these essential aspects of martial arts?
If all you do is copy someone else's moves, nothing significant will ever change. Even if the creator of the martial art claims you've mastered their technique, it won't make a real difference.
"I've told you before, those books are just 'references,'" I remarked, noting the glint of awe in their eyes. Whether this revelation truly enlightened them would ultimately depend on their own efforts. Just to reinforce the lesson...
"WHAT ARE THE THREE BASIC MOVES IN SWORDMANSHIP!?" I suddenly shouted, perhaps sounding a bit mad. But my intention was clear.
"T-Thrust!" Nox responded promptly to my abrupt question.
"Cut! and..." Ryn chimed in cheerfully.
"And finally..."
"Parry!" They both answered simultaneously.
That's when I gave them their wooden sword back. They answered correctly. Start with those three basics and then innovate from there.
.
.
.
- Five months after the rise of the Hao clan -
The siblings made swift progress. The one-week deadline I set for them to master all 50 martial techniques had been purely a joke. Once they grasped the fundamentals, they began by refining the three basic swordsmanship techniques. As they delved into other books, they drew inspiration from various techniques to apply in their battles.
Just because I encouraged them to trust their instincts and create their own techniques didn't mean I discouraged them from learning from others. They adopted whatever techniques proved effective. As a result, their approach became a blend, pieced together from various martial arts.
If it works, it works.
Their imitation of techniques was unrefined, yet their decision-making in battles flowed smoothly as a consequence. Being able to see the "flow" of battles is even more important than how much you can imitate a technique.
In the world of Murim rankings, they would be considered first-rate martial artists. The first two ranks are merely about mimicking as many techniques as possible, whereas being first-rate entails improvisation in battles—no fighting as if it's a Pokémon battle.
.
.
.
- 6 months after the rise of the Hao clan -
I brought a huge cauldron from the city today and took it inside Veldora's place. "What are you doing?" Such was Veldora's reaction.
"Cooking"
"Hm? What are you cooking?"
"My disciples"
"...huh?"
.
.
.
Fifteen minutes later...
The day wasn't going well for the two siblings. They were deeply immersed in learning various martial arts, having already read and "imitated" over 25 books, yet their struggles showed no sign of easing. Returning inside the cave, they stumbled upon an unexpected sight.
Their master, now sporting a witch hat, was stirring a suspicious-looking liquid with a long wooden soup ladle. "Kekekeke~" Her chuckles were as questionable as the concoction itself. The liquid was thick and green, occasionally shifting to a purple hue. Amidst this bizarre scene, Veldora appeared frantic.
"YOU TWO, RUN AWAY!" the dragon bellowed.
"Huh?" "What?" Their bewildered reactions came too late. I appeared behind them in a flicker, moving so swiftly that not even an after-image remained. In the blink of an eye, I grabbed both by their collars, whisking them away.
"Eh? 2x"
Naturally, I threw them into the cauldron.
"WAAAA?!" Splash
They plunged into the thick liquid, which swallowed them like quicksand. Struggling to resurface, they were met with my ever-smiling face.
"Take your time in there and cultivate, okay?" I exclaimed cheerfully.
"YOU COULD HAVE SAID THAT WITHOUT THROWING US AROUND!"
Oh come on, where's the fun in that?
The liquid wasn't some mysterious, powerful concoction from Murim; it was merely ground Hipokte grass and magic ores. Thanks to Veldora's excess magicules, both monsters, and these ingredients were abundant.
Since I ground them up, their magic sensitivity should increase, meaning they'll finally learn "magic perception" on their own.
Suddenly, Ryn burst into tears. "Hic— Everyone is so cruel... Uncle Veldora screaming like that made it seem real..."
"W-w-wha-? I know nothing, Ryn! It's all your stupid master's fault! Yes, blame stupid Haruto!" The dragon's voice echoed defensively, arms crossed in indignation. The interaction was almost comical; it was clear Veldora reserved such antics exclusively for Ryn.
Well, we've been here for a few months now, and it's been a long time since Veldora had anyone to talk to. Naturally, he's grown quite attached to them.
.
.
.
- 7 months after the rise of the Hao clan -
"M-MASTER! HELP!!"
I had just returned from the city and stepped into the cave when the sight before me made my eyes widen in shock. "You guys... huh? horns?" There stood Nox, sharp red horns protruding from his forehead, resembling curved twin blades growing upwards.
But it wasn't just Nox. Next to him was a teary-eyed Ryn. In stark contrast to Nox, Ryn had bright, translucent gold horns. Unlike Nox's blades, Ryn's horns arched gracefully upwards and slightly back, their rugged, textured surface covered in scales and ridges.
Ryn immediately rushed to hug me, while Nox panicked even more. As I caught Ryn in my embrace, I shifted my gaze towards Veldora. "Did something happen, Veldora?"
Veldora responded abruptly, "I don't know, it looks like they've evolved. But something feels a bit wrong..."
I looked back at both of them. The horns in my embrace poked at my chest, but the tears and snot Ryn wiped on my plain white shirt were far more concerning. "Ryn-chan, stop crying, okay? What's the matter with these? Aren't they beautiful?"
"Hic—are—hic—are they?" she stammered. I shot a meaningful glance at Veldora, clearly signaling him to play along with my act.
"Y-yes! See, those horns are just like mine!" Veldora exclaimed. Good job, Veldora!
But how did this even happen? I wonder... Since this was the case, I chose to ask Jester to explain instead.
«They are of the ogres lineage» But you see, when I ask him, this is the kind of bullshit he is saying.
«The hell, why are you complaining, I 'm right.»
'Then explain'
It turns out, the two siblings I had taken in weren't entirely human. I delved into their lineage, and while their radiant gold hair suggested noble heritage, my research over the past two days revealed a more complex background. Their mother was from the ogre tribes.
The mother was a woman in her twenties, rumored to possess incredible strength. She was said to have once stopped a rampaging cattle with her bare hands. However, when whispers began to spread about her having horns on her forehead, she disappeared without a trace.
So, when they reached enlightenment and evolved into sages (Senjin), their evolutionary path took a sudden turn, aligning with their unique bloodline and transforming them into Ogres instead. Unlike typical ogres, known for their rough appearances and larger body sizes, these two retained their human-like looks except for their horns.
Given this situation, we will have to relocate our base of operations. Falmuth is not hospitable to monsters or even demi-humans. Instead, we should consider The Armed Nation of Dwargon, home to the dwarves. Located north of the Jura Forest, it would be an ideal place to establish a new branch of the Hao clan.
.
.
.
- 8 months after the rise of the Hao clan -
I've made a breakthrough.
You remember what I said about body reformation? Following the evolution of my disciples, I too underwent an enlightenment. My body changed, aging at least two years, but it will not age beyond that. I've achieved eternal youth with an earthen body.
Of course, this couldn't have been achieved without my sponsor! Veldora-san, the caveman, has been incredibly supportive, providing materials like Hipokte herbs and Magic ores~~!
But there's more to it. "You want to name them?" That was my question to Veldora. "You're not trying to make them your subordinates, are you?" I added, my words tinged with anger.
"OF COURSE NOT!" He quickly denied my accusation.
"Well, it's just that we've become close after a few months, and it wasn't just Ryn-chan; Nox-kun also started calling me their uncle, so... you know..."
"Huh? So it's Equal naming." The type of naming either consumes no energy to perform or costs so little that it's considered 'safe,' and the power received in return can be minimal.
But even then, the namer is still a True Dragon. Even with Equal naming, the effects are tremendous. It can be beneficial, but the two siblings haven't undergone body reformation yet. Because they have ogre's blood, evolution doesn't happen the usual way.
Body reformation isn't evolution; it's just that sages in this world have a certain threshold of magicules. Even after becoming sages, they can still undergo body reformation. The more magicules they have, the harder it is to achieve body reformation, so it wouldn't be good if they obtain a huge amount of magicules before achieving body reformation.
"I understand what you mean, Veldora. But naming them now might hinder their future body reformations, especially since they achieved evolution through human cultivation. Unless we can acquire a skill for polymorphing or any kind of transformation, it might be safer to hold off on naming them."
"Is that so...?"
Moreover, naming them now will impede their ability to conceal those horns. Returning to society will prove challenging for them.
Even now, we're struggling to manage a branch of the Hao sect in Dwargon due to opposition from the king. It's clear they're trying to force us out. Given the Hao clan's reputation in branches across other countries, it's not surprising. Ultimately, I just want the siblings to be able to afford inns and use public facilities freely, reintegrating into society without facing discrimination.
.
.
.
To be continued.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票