Martial Arts.
In the martial arts genre, this can be considered an essential element.
The difference between martial arts and the martial arts that exist in reality lies in the fact that what we term “martial arts” is more of a scholarly learning and enlightenment combined, rather than just physical training.
Most martial arts develop their abilities through internal energy techniques, accumulating energy in the lower dantian, which acts as the fuel for their martial skills, allowing them to unleash various superhuman powers.
I want to learn such martial arts too.
Some might say, “Why bother learning martial arts if regular people don’t mess with martial artists?” But…
Did the Cheon Sal-pa, who thoroughly thrashed me, not belong to the martial arts world?
Living as a black-haired barbarian in this world without martial arts is indeed a hellish experience.
If someone is drunk and chooses the tutorial’s hell difficulty, I could at least accept that.
It’s better to have learned martial arts than to endure the humiliation and disdain of being a black-haired barbarian, resisting it with just my bare body.
Until now, I had no master and no money, so I couldn’t learn martial arts, but now a Heavenly Killing Star capable of teaching me martial arts stands before me.
The woman I casually mentioned to Sohee as a fleeting connection has also taught me martial arts.
Sohee, we’re closer than that. Please teach me some martial arts.
“Why?”
Her response to my request was a question.
Fortunately, it wasn’t an outright refusal right away.
“I’m worried that something like this might happen again.”
“I won’t make that mistake again.”
No, a mistake can occur more than once, which is why it’s a mistake.
Should I share the story of when I was called an animal after stepping on an instant-death tile in an RPG raid and then stepping on it again?
“It would be better for you to be able to protect yourself at least, right?”
“I’ll protect Yoon Ho.”
She said this firmly. I’m so grateful it brings tears to my eyes, really.
I think I diverted the conversation poorly. I wanted to ask her to teach me so I could take care of myself, but did she pick it up as I was pointing out her mistake?
“Even though I’m grateful for Sohee protecting her brother, I’m worried it might cause a hindrance.”
“Yoon Ho is not a hindrance.”
Please think of me as a hindrance.
You’re not invincible either. What if a ninja suddenly appears and tries to wipe everyone out?
But thinking about it, she is the strongest ninja in this martial arts dating sim world. So that analogy wasn’t valid.
While I pondered what reasons to give, Sohee spoke again.
“Yoon Ho isn’t a member of the Salmak, right? Martial arts shouldn’t be taught to outsiders.”
Unexpectedly, she spoke a firm doctrine.
I let my guard down thinking this was a martial arts dating sim world, but martial arts still exist in its own right.
Letting an outsider learn the martial sect’s arts is like leaking the secret recipe of a 50-year-old traditional restaurant.
In martial arts, to prevent such leaks, those who divulge martial arts may have their dantian shattered, their tendons cut, or even be killed.
But I can’t back down just like that.
“Outsider… Yeah, I’m an outsider to Sohee.”
I said this with a pouting expression.
“I’m not talking about our relationship, but about the Salmak…”
“I understand. It’s just because she treats me specially.”
I quickly cut off her words and brought up Murong Sang-a again.
I looked at Sohee with a nostalgic expression, gazing into the distance, then after a pause, I sneaked a glance at her face.
Her eyebrows were slightly trembling. She seemed to have something on her mind.
“…I can teach you self-defense at least.”
See? There is something you can teach me. Self-defense is surely attractive, but it’s still a bit lacking.
I wouldn’t want to learn the Salmak’s martial arts either, but surely she must have more than just that to teach.
I need to dig a little deeper.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, I pretended to grab my head as I felt a burning pain at the back.
When I touched the back of my head, I felt something like a thread. Did the physician grandfather stitch me up while I was out?
“Does it hurt?”
I could sense her concern in Sohee’s voice.
“It does hurt. But, hey, at least I won’t end up as a complete fool.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Sohee’s shoulders tensed slightly. She seemed to think it was all her fault, even lowering her gaze.
If you’re sorry, teach me martial arts.
“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not Sohee’s fault, and it’s not the first time either.”
“It’s not the first time?”
“Though Sohee might not know since she hasn’t learned martial arts yet, a black-haired barbarian is an object of scorn and contempt among the people of the Central Plains. It’s common to get insulted as a barbarian and beaten up, and if you have money, get robbed.”
I looked sadly at the bruises on my arm as I spoke.
“……”
Sohee silently followed my gaze, looking at the wounds.
“Every time something like this happens, I’ve thought, if I had learned martial arts, I wouldn’t have gotten beaten up like this. That’s why I asked Sohee. Please don’t think too much about it.”
Please think about it a lot.
Is learning only the Salmak’s martial arts all you’ve got?
Surely, there must be something you can teach me.
“Do you just not want to get hit rather than wanting to become strong?”
Good response.
“I don’t even dream of wanting to become the strongest in the world. I just hope I can avoid the blind blades when you’re protecting me.”
I gave Sohee a pitiful look, like a husband who gets beaten. She furrowed her brow, contemplating whether to offer me something.
“…If your goal is self-defense rather than becoming strong, I can teach you a martial art.”
“If I learn that, won’t the assassins come to kill me?”
If I’ve shaken her heart too much, I might be in big trouble.
I’m not interested in being greeted at night by the assassins of the Salmak.
“It’s not a Salmak martial art; it’s fine. Once your body recovers, I’ll teach you. I also need to prepare myself.”
“Thank you, Sohee.”
So there’s something after all.
Great! Finally, I can learn martial arts!
“I’ll nurse you for a while, so just recover quietly.”
Care from the Heavenly Killing Star.
How many have received nursing from the Heavenly Killing Star, who only goes around killing people?
I lay back down, feeling Sohee’s worried gaze on me, deciding to focus on recovery for now.
—–
My condition felt bad enough that anyone in reality would have had to file a lawsuit against the guy who did this to me alongside lower courts, high courts, and the supreme court.
Sohee seemed to treat my injuries as if they were her fault and was extremely dedicated in her nursing. The direction seemed slightly off to me, though.
“Take it off. Yoon Ho.”
“Sohee, I can manage my own body.”
“Take it off.”
“Just wait! Ugh.”
I wasn’t even forced to undress on my wedding night.
“I’ll wash you, so spread your arms.”
Sohee’s nursing was more aggressive than I expected.
She bathed me three times a day, treating me as if I were an underwhelming bathhouse scrubber who wouldn’t forgive a speck of dirt.
“I’ll apply golden ointment too.”
“Sohee! I told you last time, there’s no need to slather it on like this.”
“There are still many wounds and bruises.”
As with yesterday, she began coating me with golden ointment.
The smell is quite potent.
Isn’t this golden ointment expensive? I would tremble while using it on wounds that looked like they would leave scars.
Her nursing overflowed with sincerity and passion but lacked consideration.
That must be due to her inexperience.
Of course, she was overly thoughtful in other strange areas.
“Yoon Ho, I’ve brewed some herbal medicine. Take it with the pills.”
She brought me a pot of herbal medicine she had brewed herself.
“The medicine pill is too big.”
Looking at the pill on the tray, which seemed larger than a ping-pong ball, I said. Is this a rice ball or something?
It’s not like I can chew on something like that due to my injured jaw and cheeks.
Sohee looked between my incredulous face and the pill, showing a hesitant expression.
Why are you anxious?
“…I’ll chew it and cut it for you.”
Huh?
Sohee looked determined to grab the pill.
“Sohee!”
I called out, startled.
“Hmm?”
“Isn’t it enough to just mix it with the herbal medicine?”
This isn’t some kind of priestess family that requires chewing to make the alcohol; there’s no need to chew the pill first. Just mix it with the herbal medicine and it’ll be fine.
“…Ah.”
She seemed to realize she made an absurd statement, quickly starting to mix the pill with the herbal medicine.
Is she overflowing with thoughtfulness or just oblivious?
—-
To recover, I diligently employed both the golden ointment and the Tonae Technique.
The Tonae Technique was incredibly effective in healing my body, even when I didn’t have money for medicine. Using them together had my body recovering very fast.
I learned that Murong Sang-a taught me an excellent version of the Tonae Technique.
I thought it was just a simple, stable healing technique, but it turned out to be something special.
If someone from the Murong Family knew I learned this, it could put Murong Sang-a at risk too. Still, it’s strange she taught me such a unique technique, considering I was only her fiancé.
She likely taught me because I was the only ally who showed up in a crisis, but it doesn’t change the fact that she taught me martial arts that shouldn’t be disclosed to outsiders.
I truly believe this is a strange fate.
In the martial arts world, everyone desires a power-up chance. Considering its original meaning as a strange connection, it fits perfectly with my relationship with Murong Sang-a.
Murong Sang-a, I’ll make good use of this.
By the way, I really wish there was a martial arts online community in this world where I could post about this.
I never expected the Tonae Technique, which I thought was a basic life-regenerating technique, turned out to be something extraordinary.
[Did I just get a free martial art? Is this good?]
n Of course, it’s a scam.
n It’s rubbish. gg.
n Scam post. I’ll ban you for 7 days.
That’s the kind of reaction I could expect.
As a “nobody,” where I feel as if I obtained something only martial arts protagonists would receive, I can’t help but let my lips curl upwards.
Right now, if someone were to see me grinning while rubbing my lower abdomen, I might look suspicious, like a character from an NTR story.
But given I’m the only one in this house, it doesn’t really matter.
“Yoon Ho.”
Oh, there’s someone else after all.
“Uh? Sohee, didn’t you say you’d be away for a while?”
It’s cold. Her gaze strikes like a dagger.
I awkwardly chuckled, trying to divert the subject, hiding my shameful behavior.
“I just went to take care of something.”
In her hands, she carried a basin filled with some strange liquid.
Is it herbal medicine? Seems like too much though.
“Well then, you should rest.”
I tried redirecting the conversation like an awkward brother caught off guard by his little sister walking in on him while watching adult content.
“Forget it. But Yoon Ho.”
“Yeah?”
“What were you just thinking about?”
Sohee’s disapproving voice stabbed through my chest like a dagger.
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