Chapter 101: Misunderstanding (1)

Here was a man who believed the world hadn't cast him out; rather, he had cast out the world.

Baek Cheon threw his arms wide with theatrical flair.

"However, mark my words! I shall transform you into a member of my new theater troupe, an actor who will stand second only to me!"

Jeong Hyeon's head whipped back and forth in frantic denial. She had absolutely no intention of becoming an actor or a member of any theater troupe.

"But first, we must do something about that timid voice of yours! Come! Follow my lead!"

Unfortunately for her, Baek Cheon was already deep within his own fantasy world.

And so began their strange routine. Every day after classes ended, Jeong Hyeon found herself dragged along by Baek Cheon's relentless enthusiasm. In truth, though she had mustered the courage to ask for his teaching, his overwhelming presence made her deeply uncomfortable.

The real problem, however, was his complete inability to read the room.

"Where do you think you're going? Stay right here!"

No matter how desperately she tried to escape, he clung to her like a persistent leech. Worse still, he had no qualms about bellowing at the top of his lungs, regardless of who might be watching.

(TL Note: Poor girl.)

"Now then! Take a deep breath, put strength in your stomach, and shout! AHAHAHAHAHA! Come on, give it a try!"

When every pair of eyes in the vicinity turned toward them, Jeong Hyeon's mind went completely blank. In a moment of pure desperation, she grabbed Baek Cheon's hand and ran off.

She led him to the secluded clearing where she used to spend quiet moments with Il-mok, a place where she thought no one would come.

The moment they arrived, she realized what she'd done and quickly let go of Baek Cheon’s hand.

"Eek!"

She screamed as panic assaulted her, but for some reason, she had a strange feeling.

‘I held someone's hand. Actually held it. Me!’

Perhaps spending time with this eccentric senior might help her overcome her affliction, even if only slightly.

While Jeong Hyeon was wrestling with her own mind, Baek Cheon surveyed their surroundings.

"Hmm. You want to practice here?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Hmm, but surely I should display my magnificent talents for all to see."

This time she shook her head with equal vigor.

Baek Cheon watched her animated responses—nodding frantically one moment, shaking her head the next—before his face lit up with sudden understanding.

"So that’s how it is! Even the most skilled performer never reveals an unfinished work! Practice should be done in secret, and only perfection should grace the stage. The audience can only be truly amazed when they witness the completed masterpiece!"

He gazed at her with newfound respect.

"I see now that you possess the talent of an actor!"

While Jeong Hyeon silently questioned his sanity, her inability to voice objections left her with nothing but helpless head-shaking.

"Ha! No need for such modesty in my presence!"

While Jeong Hyeon felt an ominous feeling that she had gotten involved with the wrong person...

Thud.

Baek Cheon suddenly approached Jeong Hyeon and shouted.

"Excellent! Let us begin in earnest! Take a deep breath, just like when you do your breathing exercise, and put strength in your stomach. Then, laugh! AHAHAHAHAHA! Now you try!"

"A-aha... ahahaha..."

"No, no, no! That won't do at all! Again!"

Unable to resist Baek Cheon’s relentless insistence, her face burned crimson with embarrassment as she forced herself to make sounds she'd never imagined producing.

***

For several days after that, the two continued practicing in that secluded clearing.

And now, several days later.

"Ahem."

Il-mok, who had been watching this bizarre scene, finally couldn't hold back and cleared his throat.

Both Baek Cheon and Jeong Hyeon spun around, their eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.

"Young Master Il-mok!!!"

"Y-Y-Young Master...?"

Their reactions couldn't have been more different.

"I knew you'd return safely! This Baek never doubted you for a moment! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"......."

Baek Cheon approached with a laugh as if he might embrace him at any moment, while Jeong Hyeon twisted her body nervously, not knowing what to do.

"Young Master, you must regale me with tales of your adventures! I’m sure inspiration will spring forth endlessly to me after hearing your stories!’

Il-mok ignored Baek Cheon's nonsense and focused on the figure cowering in the background.

"Disciple Jeong, has Senior Baek been... bullying you?"

From where Il-mok stood, this looked disturbingly like a case of systematic harassment.

"Bullying? Preposterous! I've been providing invaluable instruction to help this young friend!"

Regardless of the accused's protests, Il-mok kept his attention fixed on the supposed victim.

Meeting his gaze, Jeong Hyeon felt heat flood her cheeks as memories of their previous encounter came rushing back. Though embarrassment made speech very difficult for her, she managed to steady herself with several deep breaths.

"It's... It's true, Young Master."

"This crazy bastard... I mean, what exactly has Senior Baek been teaching you?"

"I'm l-learning how to t-talk with p-people."

Finally, the pieces clicked into place for Il-mok.

'I heard there are methods such as shock therapy.'

He recalled hearing that people who were afraid of singing or acting in front of others sometimes overcame it by doing street performances.

"...You've had it rough."

"I'm f-fine."

The two exchanged glances filled with complex emotions. Then Baek Cheon spoke to Il-mok again.

"Hahaha! I'm glad the misunderstanding has been cleared up! Now then, Young Master, tell me about your adventure at Oblivion Ridge.”

Il-mok suppressed a sigh. "I'll tell you the story another time. For now, could you give us some privacy? I need to speak with Disciple Jeong alone."

Il-mok thought this was his chance to find out why Jeong Hyeon had been avoiding him.

But for some reason, as soon as Il-mok finished speaking, Jeong Hyeon violently shook his head from side to side.

Having Baek Cheon present felt manageable, but the thought of being alone with Il-mok again made her mind go wild again.

Il-mok's expression darkened as he witnessed Jeong Hyeon’s violent rejection.

‘Damn it. He's still avoiding me. But why?

Completely missing Jeong Hyeon's distress, Baek Cheon laughed heartily and prepared to make his exit.

"Hahaha! Since we've made a promise, you must tell me next time!"

Watching Baek Cheon move toward the clearing's edge, Jeong Hyeon went pale and felt panic seize her throat.

"D-don't go!... please...."

Though her voice faded to barely a whisper by the end, that initial cry had been unmistakably loud.

Both men stared in astonishment at this rare vocal display.

"You see!! If you try, you can do it. This is surely the fruit of my excellent tutelage! HAHAHAHA!"

Baek Cheon suddenly became pleased and approached Jeong Hyeon, patting her shoulder enthusiastically.

Il-mok watched their oddly harmonious interaction with growing bewilderment, then let out a defeated sigh.

"I appear to be the problem here."

If someone like Jeong Hyeon, who suffered from severe social anxiety, was willing to shout just to prevent being alone with him, his presence must be truly unbearable to her.

'Tsk. Did I really do something so hateful to him?'

While puzzled by various things, Il-mok was about to leave when another whisper stopped his steps.

"Please... don't go..."

Il-mok stopped walking and looked at Jeong Hyeon with a puzzled expression.

"Are you talking to me?"

Hidden behind Baek Cheon Jeong Hyeon frantically nodded her barely visible head up and down.

'What kind of situation is this? He can’t stand being near me, but he also can't bear having me leave?

Il-mok was still processing this situation when a booming voice shattered the afternoon calm.

"Junior Il-mok!"

A familiar voice rang out, and soon Mak Ho-yeol burst into the clearing.

“You can't imagine how happy I was when I heard the news of your safe return!”

The sight of yet another enthusiastic lunatic drew a weary sigh from Il-mok's lips.

'Why do the crazy bastards keep multiplying?'

Whether he knew Il-mok's feelings or not, Mak Ho-yeol stated his true purpose.

"Now that you've returned safely, give me an answer to my sincerity!"

"What sincerity are you talking about?"

"The letter I gave you before I left!"

A question mark appeared in Il-mok's head.

‘Letter? What letter?’

Then a hazy memory surfaced.

It was a memory of tossing something aside without a second thought the moment Mak Ho-yeol pressed it into his hands.

"Sorry, but I didn't even read it."

Rather than taking offense at Il-mok’s brutal honesty, Mak Ho-yeol threw back his head and laughed heartily while drawing his saber.

"Hahaha! Don't worry! The challenge letter was just a formality anyway, now, face my saber!”

Without waiting for Il-mok’s answer, Mak Ho-yeol launched himself forward and opened the battle with lethal moves, even manifesting his saber qi.

Il-mok's sword was drawn from its sheath on pure instinct.

For the first time since his intensive training with Elder Kang, he would put these new techniques to the test against a human opponent.

Clang!

The moment Mak Ho-yeol's saber met Il-mok's sword wrapped in Sword Qi, something extraordinary happened. Mak-ho-yeol's saber strangely twisted its path and bounced to the side.

Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword, Second Secret Technique: Soul-Repelling Sword.

It was a technique that utilized the Sword Qi wrapped around the blade at the moment of collision to deflect the colliding object.

The Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword's final eight techniques transcended mere swordplay, focusing instead on the masterful manipulation of Sword Qi itself. Il-mok had already glimpsed this principle during his duel with Baek Cheon, when he'd woven together multiple techniques masterfully.

In retrospect, he'd been unconsciously grasping these advanced concepts all along.

Mak Ho-yeol stared in shock as his full-power strike was casually deflected.

'This can't be....'

He'd dedicated himself to grueling training after their last encounter. He had even received a month of special training from Vice Hall Master Yu Geuk.

'The gap... hasn't narrowed.'

No, far from narrowing, the gap had widened considerably.

During their first duel, they'd at least managed a proper exchange of moves. But now, his saber was deflected in just one exchange, and the Young Master's sword was already flying toward his throat.

‘Is this how it ends?’

Of course, since this was merely a sparring match between fellow disciples, Il-mok would stop short of delivering a killing blow. But even if he didn't die, the emptiness of losing in just one exchange didn't disappear.

While Mak Ho-yeol wore a dejected expression from having sensed his defeat...

Il-mok's sword path, which had been flying toward his throat, twisted.

Instead of stopping at his throat, the blade angled toward his face.

Thwack!

The flat of the sword connected with Mak Ho-yeol's cheek in a stinging slap.

"What the—"

Having been slapped by a sword, Mak Ho-yeol shouted in bewilderment.

"Haa!"

Before he could finish his bewildered protest, Il-mok was already moving again.

'Fuck it. Since I've drawn my sword, let's finish this properly.'

Il-mok had grown tired and sick of dodging duel-obsessed lunatics like Dokgo Pae and Mak Ho-yeol. Today, he planned to give him a proper mental education so he'd never think of challenging him again, just like he had done with the idiotic trio.

His expression turned demonic as his sword began its relentless dance.

Thwack! Thwack!

The flat of his sword repeatedly struck Mak Ho-yeol's face and body.

At first, Mak Ho-yeol seemed confused by this unconventional approach to combat. But then...

'So that's how it is!'

Understanding dawned, and his face transformed with gratitude.

"Hahahaha! My deepest thanks, Junior Il-mok!"

Despite the vast gulf in their abilities, his junior was extending their fight to provide valuable teachings through practical demonstration.

Filled with appreciation, Mak Ho-yeol continued swinging his blade even as Il-mok's "lessons" rained down upon him.

Clang!

Thwack!

Il-mok deflected each wild swing before delivering another educational correction to Mak Ho-yeol's form.

"Uhahahaha! Give me more!!"

Il-mok, who had intended to vent his frustration, unconsciously got goosebumps.

'Looking at this bastard, not only is he a battle maniac, he is a masochist too!”