"Oh Maiden, did you just ask me about the Sect I entered after my cursed visit to South Korea?"
Iwan looked at the beautiful lady with a murderous gaze.
He spoke like a true gangster even though he wasn't one. Each of his lips was twisted in a different direction and he looked so frightening that even the ugly ducklings wouldn't accept Iwan.
Words that came out of a completely curved set of lips weighed more as they carried the frustration that Iwan had faced.
Looking at Iwan didn't scare the lady at all instead her curiosity had just increased by a notch along with a change in her opinion of the man in his twenties in front of him.
Till now she hadn't even given Iwan a full look as she was just interested in his past but now things were changing. She couldn't ignore the display in front of her anymore.
'He is a genius at expressing himself, albeit a bit ugly.'
The beautiful lady thought to herself while giving away a short-lasting smile to Iwan.
Just her smile was enough to calm down the murderous aura that Iwan had released without realizing it.
"Yes, I would love to know about it."
The lady neither hid her intention nor did she sugarcoat her words.
Iwan nodded and took a deep breath before glancing at Old Pudin who was already snoring.
'This little bastard.'
Iwan cursed but also realized that a chance had come.
'Does this mean that I am finally alone with her?'
Iwan felt glad and took it upon himself to present the saddest version of his past without any lies in it.
"Then, let me tell you what happened."
The beautiful lady nodded and Iwan continued his past from the time he was driving his truck in South Korea.
"Three months had passed since the appearance of countless portals all over the World.
I was whistling while driving my Truck on the polished and shiny roads of Seoul.
It was a great day to enter a portal and join a Sect.
I couldn't wait to become a part of the mysterious Martial Society.
In just three months, a lot of information had been accumulated by the people who had already taken on the apprenticeship of a Sect.
From the naming of portals to the ranking of Sects, everything was going smoothly.
Not only were the apprentices being taught martial arts but the complex system of these Sects of the Martial Society allowed them to earn too. It was like a martial arts internship which surprised me.
In the third month, many disciples had been paid by their Sect in coins.
Bronze.
Silver.
Gold.
With bronze being the coin with the least value according to the Sect, they were still worth a whopping five grand.
A silver coin was easily bringing in fifteen grand while a gold coin was something that the new disciples could only wish for.
Just one of the gold coins made from the extremely pure form of molten gold could bring in thirty grand.
'Thirty thousand dollars, Pudin.'
I mumbled while looking at Pudin whose eyes were filled with greed. It was as if I could see my own reflection in his eyes.
The thought of joining a Sect and earning a gold coin made me smile unconditionally.
'There are nine great sects in Seoul and twenty-seven lesser sects. Counting the branches of other Sects around the World, there are a total of seventy-nine sects just in Seoul. That means we have seventy-nine portals to enter. Hehehe~'
I could only laugh at the choices I had in front of me. There was no way that I would fail to join a sect when there were so many choices.
'Once I learn martial arts, I would love to beat the crap out of that old bat.'
I was already looking forward to the time when I would go knocking on the old demon's door and take revenge for the humiliation he had left me and Pudin with.
'Mhuum.'
My little friend raised his paws excitedly as he cried loudly.
'Yes. Yes. I will let you smack him too.'
We both had our wishes already lined up. It wasn't a bad day.
I hadn't entered another portal after the encounter with the old demon but now I could feel the amazing stability of my mind and body.
'I can see the gold coin falling in my lap already.'
I laughed crazily.
Just like that nine months passed.
A year had gone by.
In the past year,
The Great Sword Sect~
One-Punch Sect~
The Cherry Blossom Sect~
Ultimate Combat Sect~
The Mountain Sect~
Body Refining Sect~
Rejection from all these great sects left my heart with deep holes.
I didn't give up.
And why would I give up when the choices were still plenty?
I was disappointed as these great sects in Seoul were not only overrated but also amazingly shortsighted that they couldn't see through my profound talent.
'Mhuum~'
'Thank you, Pudin!'
Even Pudin agreed with me.
So, I continued making my way to the other portals.
Crouching Tiger Sect~
Flying Dragon Sect~
Shining Crane Sect~
Slithering Snake Sect~
Small Mentis Sect~
Pigeon Bomb Sect~
The Dark Sect~
Internal Energy Sect~
.
.
.
'REJECTED!'
I was rejected by all of the sects.
Not only in Seoul but in the other cities of South Korea too. None of the Sects would take me in.
One phrase kept on ringing in my head. Hundreds of people. Hundreds of mouths but all of them let out just one same line over and over again.
( You have no talent for my martial arts. So, Get Lost! )
'Why, Pudin, Why?'
'Mhuum~'
I cried while Pudin could only shake his head like the little furry bastard he was.
'Obviously, you don't know when I don't know, as these martial artists won't even tell me the real reason.'
I still rejected the thought of myself being a talentless piece of trash.
'Now, only two portals are left in South Korea that we haven't visited.'
I told Pudin while holding the list which had the names of all the Sects in South Korea-"
"Don't tell me that you are talking about THOSE sects."
The beautiful lady interrupted eagerly for the first time since the start of Iwan's storytime.
"Indeed!"
Iwan didn't mind the interruption. Instead, he only looked at her with grim eyes as she had also caught on.