“I told you to fill it ten thousand times, but I never set a deadline for it. What I want is not just for you to reach that number; I want you to have the stamina and endurance to consistently turn that metal rope ten thousand times. But don’t just fill the numbers blindly! How many times do I have to tell you not to get hung up on the counts, you lot?! Feel the stimulation! Understand how your muscles move, how your arms and legs work!”
Lee Han didn’t hold back on reprimanding those with the red marks, the so-called young masters.
“Is it because you’re young masters? Do I need to serve you one by one for you to listen? Why can’t you understand me?”
“…I’m not a young master.”
“No, it’s clear you’ve grown up pampered. Ah, did you not even know you’re a young master?”
“Th-this…”
“Upset? If you’re upset, try doing better. Why are you so weak that you let a demoted knight insult you like this, tsk tsk.”
“Just you wait! Someday, I’ll stick a sword right in that face of yours!”
“Oh, I sincerely hope that happens.”
“!!?”
His taunts had truly reached the next level.
With the flick of his tongue, he toyed with them, and Lee Han laughed inside, encouraging them to curse away.
“Go ahead, curse me out, you’ll live longer.”
His mental resilience was far too strong to be shaken by mere insults.
Lee Han continued to chide them and kept the pressure on.
But he didn’t focus solely on the young masters; he made an effort to pay attention to everyone.
First, there were those with yellow marks.
The so-called chicks.
Most of them were women, yet they hadn’t even mastered basic swordsmanship let alone sparring techniques.
So, he said:
“For now, you chicks aren’t even ready to grab a training sword yet. Therefore, what’s most important for you is to build your basic strength and stamina. Oh, by the way, don’t even think about getting muscular from exercising—muscle doesn’t just pop up overnight, and it definitely won’t grow from a little bit of working out.”
He was kind.
Not because she was a woman, but simply because even the newbie chick level felt a bit too good to be harsh on.
How could he scold someone who didn’t even know how to operate a treadmill at the gym?
Kindness was, indeed, kindness.
“U-um, Instructor, does jumping rope actually help me gain stamina?”
“Good question, Chick Number One.”
“C-can you just call me Levy?”
Levy Polt, who had made quite a good impression the previous day, was asking a diligent question.
Excellent.
From a teaching standpoint, he understood how precious it was to have students who asked questions like this.
Restraining himself from offering her a reward, Lee Han continued in a softer tone.
“Jumping rope not only builds stamina but also improves muscular endurance and strengthens your cardiovascular system. It enhances your balance and athletic ability as well. Of course, you won’t see the effects right away, but if you stick to it every day, you’ll eventually notice your body becoming more agile.”
“A….”
“By the way, it’s also the best exercise for dieting.”
“!!!”
At this mention, all the female trainees perked up and turned their heads like meerkats, eager for more.
Motivation.
Lee Han provided the chicks with a reason to work hard.
“Not only that. If you follow the instructor’s training well, getting dressed will become enjoyable in the future. Those trainees who are fashion-conscious already know this: even if you wear clothes that fit perfectly, there are instances where the outfit might not look good due to your body being too skinny or lacking firmness. However, as your body gains overall firmness, even clothes you thought wouldn’t suit you can end up looking beautiful.”
“R-really?”
“I assure you, I, the instructor, do not lie. And I’ll add another enticing piece of information. Maid!”
“Yes!”
As soon as Lee Han called, Leira Winter appeared without delay.
The trainees’ eyes widened at her unfamiliar face.
After all, becoming a royal maid was one of the dream jobs most noble women aspired to have.
To those girls, he said:
“Maid, please show us a demonstration.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Though her voice and demeanor seemed a bit sleepy, as soon as she executed a curtsey, the girls’ eyes changed dramatically.
Their expressions gradually morphed into ones of amazement!
“Wow, perfect.”
It was a sincere remark from a noble lady of an illustrious family, and it was one everyone agreed with.
It was truly a perfect and beautiful curtsey.
“As you can see, the maid’s posture is lovely. This is because her balance and posture are both upright and graceful. And for such upright and beautiful posture, the strength of her back and glutes is essential. How about it, do you feel motivated to work hard now?”
“……Yes.”
“I heard your response. I promise, if you chicks follow the training schedule set by me, I’ll make sure anyone can develop a beautiful posture that others will admire.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Thus, the female trainees—or rather, the chicks—promised to follow him like believers in a god.
Indeed, it is fundamental desires that move people.
Lee Han found it somewhat amusing that he was going this far, but one had to be kind to newbies.
On the other hand…
“Green shoots!”
“…Are you talking about us?”
“Right. I’m talking about you.”
“…It doesn’t sound like an insult, but it’s still an odd feeling.”
There was a particularly strict side to those with the green marks.
They weren’t just newbies; they were ambiguous, which made it all the more necessary to be stricter with them.
“You lot have learned a certain degree of swordsmanship. You might not have learned any sparring techniques, but I bet you’ve diligently practiced since you were kids. So you actually have better basic stamina than those red young masters over there.”
“…I’d rather be called sprouts.”
“Then strive to be called weeds.”
“Well, that’s something.”
“Anyway, listen carefully—I want to give you some serious advice. If you want to become knights, you shouldn’t be attending this academy. I’d recommend you drop out right now.”
“…W-why is that?”
After a brief silence, they reluctantly posed the question.
They had seen that he didn’t spit out poisonous remarks for no reason.
And just as expected, he replied:
“Because you haven’t learned any sparring techniques.”
“…Ugh!”
The moment sparring techniques were mentioned, their faces darkened as if they had confronted a harsh reality they had been trying to ignore.
“Those who know already know. Indeed, there’s a huge gap between those who have learned sparring techniques and those who haven’t. It’s an unreasonable disparity, almost like a child fighting against an adult.”
Even a healthy adult known for their size and selling goods in the village would be overwhelmed by a child who had learned sparring techniques.
And those who honed these techniques to the extreme are the knights, which is precisely why knights are both revered and feared.
“Of course, you who have enrolled in the academy will have the chance to learn basic sparring techniques provided here. However, the basic sparring techniques offered by the academy are fundamentally low-grade. It’s like a sandwich missing ham, cheese, and sauce—just bread and vegetables. Well, if any of you are outstanding geniuses, you might be able to reach the highest levels with those inferior techniques.”
“…Hahaha.”
That was nothing more than a sweet dream, akin to a fleeting spring dream.
If one were truly that talented, a noble would have already recognized their ability and taken them to train as a knight rather than enrolling them in the academy.
“Sure, there are no absolute rules in this world. Nevertheless, I don’t think staying in the swordsmanship department is a particularly good choice for you. You’d have had the chance to learn proper sparring techniques by joining a higher-level mercenary corps or a warrior/swordsman guild… although you’d be risking your life in the process.”
“That’s why we came here.”
One of the sprouts replied.
Lee Han nodded in acknowledgment.
In mercenary circles, death was all too common.
Guilds were secretive, doing anything for profit, making for a vile and cruel environment.
So it was better to avoid such places.
But Lee Han understood.
“Most of the commoner students in the swordsmanship department drop out and go off to the mercenary corps or guilds by the time they reach the second or third year. The gap with the noble young masters is just too wide.”
Hence, all that remained among the second and third-year swordsmanship students were noble students.
This was perhaps the stark reality of the academy, where the inequalities of the world were plainly visible.
It was quite funny.
While they sought to recruit talents, it was the mercenaries and guilds that ended up prospering rather than the kingdom.
At this rate, there was a high chance that in about 20 years—or even less than 10—the hierarchy of knights and mercenaries and guilds would be turned upside down.
In the face of numbers, there’s no business; the foundations of mercenaries and guilds would only grow richer.
“Well, that’s not something I need to worry about.”
By the time that came around, he would either have defeated Baltar or that geezer would have retired due to old age, and he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
“…Surely, he won’t still be around in ten years.”
That guy would definitely age too.
…Surely.
“Instructor?”
“Oh, sorry. I got a bit tangled in my thoughts.”
“…Thank you for thinking of us that way.”
“Umm, it’s the instructor’s duty, after all.”
There seemed to be a misunderstanding, but let’s just roll with it.
If a misunderstanding is beneficial, it’s a gain.
“Ahem, anyway, I don’t think your presence as sprouts in the academy is a positive thing.”
“…….”
“However, my duty as an instructor is to teach you well, and as the swordsmanship department’s instructor, I need to make you stronger. In that sense, I’m going to teach you ‘this.’”
“?”
“Watch closely.”
Lee Han picked up a branch lying on the ground.
It was broken yet appeared sturdy enough, and he held it with his fist, remaining still.
But…
“You saw it yesterday? The technique called ‘Aura.’”
Crack!
-!!!?
Instantly, the branch shattered, and they were astonished.
It wasn’t particularly surprising that the branch broke, but what was truly astonishing was that he made no movement whatsoever.
Point-blank range.
He didn’t swing or strike; he simply held his fist against it, and yet the branch shattered without any effort.
What could possibly amaze one more than this?
“It’s called ‘The Art of Fortification.’ You might have heard about it yesterday. This isn’t a sparring technique; rather, it utilizes the total power of bones, muscles, and tendons. In other words, it’s a skill you can learn through effort, and once you grasp the sensation, its applicability is limitless.”
“Y-You’re going to teach us such a precious skill!?”
They were absolutely stunned.
Even though he was an instructor, they couldn’t hide their shock at the fact he would teach such a valuable technique.
Hadn’t they seen it?
How he, even after dying twice, overwhelmed bastards of genius with just a training sword.
And knowing that this incredible ability stemmed from the very technique he was preparing to teach them made it hard to believe.
The idea that he would teach them such a precious skill was simply unbelievable.
Yet, of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
“Needless to say, I’m not going to teach you just for the fun of it.”
As expected.
Did Lee Han look like a complete sap who would give everything away without a second thought?
His techniques were ideas he had personally gained through battles and training—a form of ‘intellectual property.’
So, just teaching them for free would be a loss.
However…
‘After all, retired martial artists usually make a living by teaching their techniques, right?’
He needed to prepare for life after his prime, after all.
Something solid, like a pension lottery.
Lee Han unfolded a rather long explanation while concealing his ulterior motives.
“First of all, if you want to inherit this technique from me, you all must refer to me as ‘Daesabum’ (Grandmaster), and from the time you start making income after you get a job, you must pay a fee for 15 years to the Grandmaster instructor. Additionally, you cannot freely teach my techniques to others, as it would require my absolute permission.”
Fifteen years of this long-term pension was intolerable.
“And if you manage to learn from me, it means a master-disciple relationship is established. This relationship isn’t just a matter of friendly ties; you have to monitor each other closely and ensure my techniques don’t leak out. If someone misuses the techniques, you will have to handle it yourselves, and if someone tries to steal them, you must exact retribution.”
Extra income is precious, and if you have children, you have to pass down your wealth.
However, letting someone else steal that wealth is unforgivable.
“Of course, I’m not asking you to decide right here and now. Take your time to think about it. This could be an important crossroads in your life. But the instructor needs to say this: if you want to get stronger, you must have the ‘resolve’ to stake your life on it.”
─That’s all.
“……”
A silence enveloped the group.
It was a flood of astonishing revelations.
‘He’s strict, but… it’s doable!’
Though the conditions he laid out were quite harsh, they were still reasonable enough to accept.
After all, the instructors who had previously taught them swordsmanship had offered similar conditions.
The instructor’s conditions were just a bit stricter and had a longer duration.
However, if they could learn the precious technique that can’t be acquired anywhere else, it would be overwhelmingly valuable.
But they needed to think about it.
As the instructor said, they needed to have the resolve to bet their lives on it.
They had to come to a decision after sufficient consideration to avoid regrets later on…
“Cunta! I want to learn that! Instructor, I’m going to call you Grandmaster from now on!”
“What if a conflict arises or issues surface among classmates? Is there a set rule for that?”
“Don’t call you Instructor anymore but from now on refer to you as Grandmaster?”
“Lucky you. I wanted to learn, too.”
“Those with means only get greedier…”
The sprouts had gathered in an instant as if they’d been listening since before, and Lee Han could only shake his head in disbelief.
They already had so much, yet they still wanted more.
But seeing these talented kids willingly step forward gave the sprouts a decision to make.
“…It’s only one life, so I should give it a shot.”
That was enough to dispel any hesitation.
“-But, Sir Knight.”
“What is it, Miss Maid?”
“So you’re the one forming a faction; what’s the name of that faction?”
“A name?”
“Yes! Every faction has a name, right?”
“A name, huh…”
It was something he hadn’t really considered.
A sharp observation.
Clearly, while it might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision, a name was important to foster a sense of belonging.
And after a bit of pondering…
“Let’s go with ‘The 108 War Heroes,’ shall we?”
“Quite a unique name!”
“It means I wish to gather 108 outstanding warriors someday. Haha.”
“That’s a nice meaning!”
The innocent maid, unaware of anything, cheerfully praised him, causing Lee Han to feel a slight pinch of embarrassment.
Sometimes, such innocence could pierce the heart more than anything else.
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