[Dedicated to sabaroth_zarkiel]
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"Time for lunch!"
When Instructor Mo's roar echoed across the training ground, the would-be guards stopped practicing and stretched their bodies. Then they made their way to the table set by the servants under the tree. As Instructor Mo watched the cadets from a distance, his eyes fell on Baek Yisoo, who continued to train in a corner of the field.
Baek Yisoo was practicing his agility. His uniform had already darkened, beads of sweat were pouring down his forehead, and his face was flushed. He was trying to improve his agility by practicing stairs with carefully placed wooden sticks.
It was a process, he was aware that it was impossible to get immediate results.
"Still practicing, kid?"
A muffled voice from beside him startled him into alertness.
"Welcome sir!"
"No need for that."
Instructor Mo eyed him indifferently. He looked at his shoes that were about to tear and his hands that were already damaged.
He sighed.
"Follow me."
Instructor Mo turned around and walked to the area where the guards had just practiced. Baek Yisoo followed behind him. Instructor Mo threw one of the wooden spears that had fallen to the ground at Baek Yisoo with his foot.
Baek Yisoo clumsily caught the spear and looked at Instructor Mo skeptically.
"The spear is the king of long weapons. In all of Murim, the spear is the weapon of choice after the sword and knife. The basic principles of jousting are simple. Keep your distance, strike at the right time, strike hard. There are four basic movements. Stabbing, cutting, slashing and throwing. But despite being so simple, there are very few families and martial arts specializing in the spear in all of Murim. Do you know why?"
"No, sir." Baek Yisoo shook his head from side to side.
"The spear is easy to learn, but very difficult to achieve full mastery."
Instructor Mo pointed his finger at the wooden puppets a little further away.
"Go over there."
"Yes...?"
"Do this move."
Instructor Mo picked up a spear from the ground and stabbing it forward. It seemed like a simple move, but the power behind it stunned Baek Yisoo.
"How many times do I have to do it?"
"Until you are satisfied."
"Excuse me?"
"Find me when you're satisfied."
Instructor Mo didn't care about him anymore. Baek Yisoo was left standing with the wooden spear in his hand. He looked at the guard trainees. They were laughing as if they had found something really funny in looking at him.
"Instructor Mo seems furious."
"Giving such a punishment to a novice."
Baek Yisoo didn't give them any more thought and went back to work. He could not compare himself with others. Their starting places were very different. And just because of that, he had to work harder than anyone else.
He sat down at the wooden puppet. He closed his eyes and visualized Instructor Mo's movements in his mind. There were rumors that Instructor Mo had reached the realm of Master. This was not an easy thing. After all, in all of Murim, the number of people who had reached the realm of Master was only three digits.
He had a lot of experience and knowledge.
Baek Yisoo continued his training until the sun set. His hands were peeling and bloody from the wooden spear.
Hufff!
"Can you continue like this?"
Baek Yisoo turned his head. He looked at Sung-hoon coming towards him. He was holding a bucket of water, a towel and a small box.
"I wouldn't advise you to push too hard in the early days. You might do irreversible damage later on."
Sung-hoon put down the water and towel, stretched his body and held out the small box. Inside the box was a creamy substance that shimmered like glass. A strong, pungent odor was emitted.
Seeing Baek Yisoo continue to thrust the spear forward without answering, he sighed and asked.
"Why are you so obsessed with getting stronger?"
Sung-hoon knew how cruel this world was. However, there was a limit to one's mental strength. He thought it was unnecessary for Baek Yisoo to try so hard. After all, he couldn't go any further than where he was.
Baek Yisoo twisted his waist and thrust the spear forward with the force of his thigh. The spear pierced the empty air harder than ever.
"I want to be the strongest..."
He stopped moving and looked solemnly at Sung-hoon.
Sung-hoon looked back at him.
"'Ugh-'" suddenly retched Baek Yisoo. Even he felt nauseous.
"'Ugh! You're really disgusting."
They both gagged at the same time.
That answer was really incredibly cliché.
"That aside, it's not healthy to train this much."
"I know."
Baek Yisoo washed his hands with the water in the bucket. It was a painful process, but he managed to endure it through gritted teeth. Then he took the towel Sung-hoon handed him and dried his hands.
"This training program is really tough. Are you able to endure it?"
"Yes, and it's working. I feel stronger every day."
"Do you know anything about Instructor Mo?"
"I heard he has a complicated past. When he was young, he followed the patriarch on the battlefield. But he was badly wounded in the battle against the Demon Sect and didn't develop further. So he decided to become an instructor in the Baek Clan."
"A sad story..."
"I agree..."
Suddenly there was silence. Baek Yisoo shamelessly took the cream from Sung-hoon's hand and rubbed it on his peeling skin. It was painful, it burned, but after a while it felt soothing. Sung-hoon sighed.
"This is really weird. We have nothing to talk about."
"Thank you. For the ointment." Baek Yisoo stretched his body, then picked up the spear and threw it to the others. The sun had already set. The training ground was empty except for the two of them.
Baek Yisoo looked at his hands.
There was no place that wasn't peeling and bleeding.
"You're going to be in a lot of pain."
"I know."
Pain made him stronger.
He didn't want to be like before.
He was a man who was afraid of pain and...
'Weak.'
Baek Yisoo looked at the young man. He was undoubtedly handsome, tall and talented. Yong-mi was a charming lady. He thought they would suit each other.
"Do you have plans for the future? I don't know, start a family, make a lot of money, or conquer Murim?" Baek Yisoo asked, wiggling his fingers after coating his hands well with ointment. It hurt.
"I am too young to get married. I don't need to earn money. My family is well-to-do. They run a very popular inn. Have you heard of the Fall Wind? We own it."
"What do you think about the maids? Are you interested in any of them? A few days ago I overheard some people talking, they were talking about someone called Yong-mi."
"Yong-mi? I heard she's really beautiful."
Seeing how disinterested Sung-hoon was, Baek Yisoo sighed quietly. It seemed like they had to use underhanded methods. Otherwise, Yong-mi would have to try too hard.
"Shall we go? The guards will show up soon."
"Hm." Baek Yisoo nodded.
The two set off for the barracks, but Baek Yisoo left halfway on an excuse. The young man entered the ward without paying much attention to him.
Baek Yisoo headed straight for the dark areas of the mansion. There was an artificial lake fifteen meters wide and next to it a willow tree that shed its leaves into the lake. It was a place rarely visited. The dark, quiet atmosphere reinforced the peacefulness inside.
Baek Yisoo sat with his back against the trunk of the willow tree. He watched the lake in silence. It was still an hour before the end of duty hours for ordinary servants. Considering that and the information he had received from Yong-mi, he had come here.
For ten minutes, Baek Yisoo thought about things. About what kind of person he would be in the future... ten minutes later, he heard footsteps.
Someone came out of the bushes.
Come, It was Minji.