Chapter 58

There’s an ability that naturally develops while being active as a User, regardless of one’s intentions.

That would be the ability to quickly assess and judge situations.

Since most quests begin in desperate situations where one’s life hangs in the balance or similarly dangerous circumstances, the ability to assess and respond to situations in a short time could be considered a basic requirement for Users.

‘At least it doesn’t seem to be a dangerous situation.’

A piercing smell of alcohol and a soft sensation all over his body.

Yuseong opened his eyes carefully and realized he was lying on a bed, then cautiously raised himself.

“Ugh!”

An intense pain like his head was being split open.

After taking a moment to catch his breath while drinking the cold water placed at his bedside, the long-awaited message window finally appeared.

[Synchronization with ‘Wi Jinmu’ complete.]

[You can now use Wi Jinmu’s skills.]

-Uuungh.

A response that suggested he hadn’t regained his senses yet.

Yuseong decided to check the quest before talking with the client.

[Youngest Disciple of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family.]

-Civilization Classification: B-23

-Civilization Grade: 0.59

-Difficulty: C-

-Wi Jinmu, the youngest disciple of the Jincheon Martial Arts family. He has been chosen as a member of the martial competition that will determine the fate of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family, and is spending painful days unable to sleep properly due to severe pressure. Help Wi Jinmu lead the martial competition to victory and save the Jincheon Martial Arts family from the crisis of closure.

-Clear Conditions

1.Win at least one duel: 300,000 Karma, Blue Wood Pill×3, Supreme Golden Wound Medicine×3, Supreme Fasting Pill×30.

-Additional Conditions

1.Win more duels: 2,000,000 Karma for each additional victory. C-rank Skill Free Selection Ticket.

Compared to the first and last martial arts world quest he had done, these were very favorable conditions.

After all, he didn’t need to burn down an entire mountain range and faction or sacrifice tens of thousands of people as bait – he just needed to win in duels.

However, that very point made Yuseong suspicious.

‘I can satisfy the clear conditions by winning just once?’

For a C-rank quest, the conditions were too generous.

“Hey.”

-Mmm, maybe I’m not sober yet. What hallucination…

“Wi Jinmu, stop talking nonsense and get your act together.”

-Huh? W-what? Is this sorcery? A demon? Why is my body moving on its own…

“You’re not drunk, this isn’t sorcery, and you haven’t been possessed by a demon. I’m someone who felt your desperate wish and came to help you.”

-You came to help me?

“It’s easier if you just think of me as something like a transcendent being, similar to an immortal.”

The biggest hurdle when starting every quest is having to convince the client to accept the situation where someone else is controlling their body at will.

At first, Yuseong too put all his effort into persuasion, using various rhetoric to help clients understand the situation, but since this turned out to be quite mentally draining, he later started explaining things briefly with just a word or two.

While having the client understand and cooperate could provide various benefits, thanks to synchronization there wasn’t much problem completing quests even without their understanding.

It just became a bit more annoying.

Fortunately, Wi Jinmu fell into the former category.

-An immortal! C-could it be that you’ve come to teach me divine techniques or bestow teachings?

“Sorry, but when it comes to martial arts, you probably know more than me? I said something like an immortal, not that I am one. Wait a moment. Status window.”

Name: Wi Jinmu

Class: Youngest Disciple of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family

Level: 215

Title: First-class Warrior

Strength: 261

Agility: 387

Wisdom: 362

Constitution: 327

Internal Energy: 431

Skills: Thunder Fist(B-), Vacuum Step(C+), Full Moon Mental Technique(C+), Moment in Time(C+), Meteor Step(C), Force Control(C), Infiltration Path(C), Combat Technique(C), Energy Release(C), Sound Transmission(D)…

Overwhelming stats and skills incomparable to any client he’d met before, except for Heaven-Communicating Divine Demon Hae Cheongyeong had.

Yuseong, who had been absorbed in examining the status, belatedly recalled this quest’s rank and frowned.

‘Are the duel opponents incredibly strong?’

Creeak!

Just as he was about to speak to Wi Jinmu to get more detailed information, the closed door opened and a middle-aged man wearing white martial arts robes entered.

“…”

Though he hadn’t heard the circumstances, everyone has a sense of reading situations.

The alcohol smell vibrating through the room, the sun high in the sky, his status as the youngest disciple, and the man in martial arts robes who entered the room.

As Yuseong lowered his head, expecting a scolding to fly his way any moment, what reached his ears was a completely unexpected voice filled with worry.

“I wondered why you hadn’t come out… did you drink? In your current situation…”

The middle-aged man, who seemed about to say something as his lips quivered, shook his head and set down a basin of water and white martial arts robes.

“Haah, never mind. Just finish getting ready and come out as quickly as possible.”

A situation completely different from what he expected.

After pondering briefly, Yuseong found one condition that could explain the current situation through logical deduction.

‘Are you perhaps a problem child? Like someone who causes so much trouble that everyone around has just given up?’

-That’s not it. Though I’ve broken some rules recently, both my master and senior brothers all love and cherish me.

‘Then why is the atmosphere like this?’

-Well…

Wi Jinmu’s explanation went like this.

Recently, new martial arts schools had declared their establishment within the Jincheon Martial Arts family’s territory.

The problem was that these small and medium schools didn’t submit to the Jincheon Martial Arts family, instead showing ambitions to become new rulers by seizing the Jincheon Martial Arts family’s territory and interests.

In terms of martial artists’ level, Jincheon was superior.

However, the small and medium school alliance had far more martial artists, and as the saying goes that one hand cannot fight ten hands, the Jincheon Martial Arts family began to crumble as damage accumulated through repeated battles.

-Finally, Master threw down an all-or-nothing gambit. He proposed a martial arts competition with the territory’s interests and influence at stake.

‘You said the martial artists’ level was higher in the Jincheon Martial Arts Family though. Did they really make such a proposal thinking it would be accepted? No, from your explanation, they did accept it?’

-That’s right. Surprisingly, they accepted Master’s proposal.

Worried that they might change their minds, the head of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family hurriedly spread this news and called for a notary.

And the result of the martial competition that was held with everyone watching…

‘No need to say it. You lost?’

-…Yes.

A continuous victory match where eight people were chosen to compete in skill, with winners continuing to participate in the next match.

The results were devastating.

While seven people from the Jincheon Martial Arts Family were defeated, the small and medium school alliance had lost only three people.

Now Yuseong could understand why Wi Jinmu was in this state, and why that person earlier had shown such understanding.

‘Of course you’d feel pressure with your family’s fate resting on your shoulders.’

After using energy circulation to drive out the alcohol, Yuseong finished washing up and changing clothes, then began to lightly stretch his body in the room.

This was to narrow the subtle sense of incompatibility that synchronization alone couldn’t fill.

“It’s definitely different.”

The martial arts level between his earthly self and Wi Jinmu showed such a gap that it would be embarrassing to compare them.

He felt confident that if he could take these martial arts and experience with him, he could definitely compete with Nord.

‘Of course, I need to win at least once for that.’

Considering the difficulty, it wouldn’t be easy.

However, Yuseong was confident.

The point is just to win, isn’t it?

Creeak!

“Disciple! Didn’t I tell you to come out as quickly as possible!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Never mind the apology, just follow me quickly!”

Though he wore a gloomy expression on the outside, Yuseong’s mind was filled with thoughts about how to solve this quest.

‘First priority is gathering information. If I can strike at the opponent’s weakness or lower their condition through preliminary operations…’

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Following the middle-aged man, Yuseong frowned at the faint sound of drums.

‘Who is this person?’

-This is Senior Brother Jin Il.

‘Easy to remember. Is there perhaps a Senior Brother Jin Yi too?’

-You know about them. The three brothers Jin Il, Jin Yi, and Jin Sam are the pride of our Jincheon Martial Arts Family.

‘…’

While wondering whether to laugh or be surprised, Yuseong belatedly gathered his thoughts and spoke.

“Senior Brother, what is that drum sound?”

“Hm? You ask strange things. Naturally, it’s the drum sound to build atmosphere before the martial competition, isn’t it?”

“Martial competition?”

“You haven’t forgotten, have you? Today is your competition day, isn’t it?”

“…”

It seemed things had gone wrong right from the start.

* * *

“The competition is about to start but they still haven’t shown themselves. It seems the Jincheon Martial Arts Family’s disciple doesn’t think this competition is very important.”

“Don’t be like that. It’s a fight they’re going to lose anyway, I can fully understand them dragging their feet. No, maybe they’ve even run away.”

“Come on, no matter what, they’re proper martial artists – how could they show such an unseemly sight?”

“Well, who knows. The youngest disciple of the Jincheon Martial Arts family isn’t even blood-related to this family in the first place, right? It wouldn’t be strange if he ran away to save himself alone.”

“Hehehe, that would really be something to see.”

Crunch!

Jin Giwoo, the head of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family, gritted his teeth and suppressed his rising anger.

As a martial artist who lived and died by martial arts, he could fully accept the results of a martial competition.

However, he absolutely could not tolerate the dishonoring of his disciple’s and family’s honor.

He wanted to immediately unleash the family’s ultimate techniques against these rude fellows, but knowing that was exactly what they were aiming for, Jin Giwoo had no choice but to desperately exercise patience.

“Wi Jinmu of the Jincheon Martial Arts family enters!”

In that moment, the competition grounds that had been filled with noisy sounds fell into such a heavy silence that even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.

This could be the final moment for the Jincheon Martial Arts family, which had ruled this region as the strongest for a long time.

Whether they were people of the Jincheon Martial Arts family, people of the small and medium schools, or spectators, everyone couldn’t help but fall silent at this moment.

“So that’s the one…”

A young man approaching the competition platform with slow steps.

Seeing Wi Jinmu with dark circles under his eyes and sunken cheeks, sighs escaped from people’s mouths.

He was clearly not in a normal state.

Of course, there was no possibility of Wi Jinmu winning all six remaining matches to save the Jincheon Martial Arts Family, but still, they had hoped to see a somewhat more proper appearance befitting the Jincheon Martial Arts Family’s final moment.

‘The history of the Jincheon Martial Arts Family ends here today!’

Jin Giwoo, who let out a deep sigh, fell into serious contemplation as he looked at the haggard-looking Wi Jinmu.

‘Should we forfeit?’

Wi Jinmu’s condition looked so serious that even Jin Giwoo, who wanted victory more than anyone, couldn’t help but think that way.

The result was as clear as day anyway.

Rather than forcibly sending him out to a losing fight and letting him suffer badly, wouldn’t it be better for his beloved disciple to at least preserve his body intact?

‘…No.’

But Jin Giwoo shook his head.

He knew better than anyone how much mental anguish Wi Jinmu had gone through, how much he had suffered, carrying the family’s fate on his shoulders.

If Wi Jinmu had run away, Jin Giwoo would have understood.

However, Wi Jinmu had not crumbled under the surrounding expectations and pressure, and came to this place.

“…”

“…”

Just before stepping onto the competition platform, Jin Giwoo’s and Wi Jinmu’s gazes met.

Though no words were exchanged, as man to man, he could clearly guess what his disciple was thinking.

‘Those are the eyes of someone prepared for death. A choice made as a martial artist. How can I not respect that?’

Sadly, Yuseong’s true intentions didn’t seem to reach Jin Siwoo.