A Stuffed Cheonma in my Head - Chapter 4



Only Noblemtl

Episode 004. Accepting a Disciple, Master

* * *

[… …Teach me how to use a sword?]

“okay.”

The feeling of finally dodging that bastard’s attack and striding towards him was still vivid.

The air from that time still clings to my breath. As Cheonma said, I simply threw my body at the sword that was swinging at me, and in an instant, the winner and the loser were decided.

Life and death are originally divided into a split second of time, but this is a first for me.

The feeling of handling death as if it were my own.

It feels like you have everything in the palm of your hand.

I was sure.

A man of unknown identity who fell into my head… no, a stuffed animal. He is the absolute ruler of another world who dares to call himself the best in the world and the greatest of all. I had a feeling. This man is definitely an incredibly strong person.

I knew he was something out of the ordinary from the moment I saw him sitting there with his head in my hands… … but to this extent.

I was half in doubt, but it is certain that he is a man who has truly conquered the world.

If you learn swordsmanship from a man like that… … .

[Why me?]

Cheonma replied with a snort.

“Why?”

I tried to persuade him in a polite tone.

“Master Cheonma. Aren’t we one in mind and body?”

[The whole body will freeze to death. Why should I teach a loser like you? There is no waste of time like this.]

“You said it was stuffy.”

[It’s bearable. If you watch them do stupid things, you’ll get used to it.]

“… … .”

… … Are you going to come out like this?

I changed my tone.

In an extremely polite tone, but also in a confident tone as if he was about to kick the door open and run out.

I declared resolutely.

“Cheonma.”

[What is it?]

“Tomorrow, I’m going to raid that Gustave or whatever guy’s hideout.”

The horse snorted.

[Or else. I’ll die a dog’s death.]

“No matter what the master says, I will go in. This is certain.”

[Who can do whatever he wants?]

“Anyone who teaches me is my master. Even a stray dog, Bangul, was my master. There are no exceptions.”

[I’ve never had a stupid disciple like you.]

“Once a master, always a master.”

[… … .]

I clung on as shamelessly as possible.

If I could just buy a sword from this strongest man, what would I not be able to do?

“Master, aren’t you worried about your disciple?”

[What a filthy, shameless bastard.]

“This unworthy disciple. I have one question for you, Master.”

[Tsk. What is it now?]

I asked the continuously bouncing Cheonma one question.

“If I die, what will happen to my master?”

[… … .]

As if he had been caught off guard, Cheonma closed his mouth.

I gently persuaded Cheonma.

“I don’t know for sure. If I die, wouldn’t it be difficult for you, Master? Huh? What do you think, Master?”

[… … This fucking bastard.]

‘Okay.’

I said with a victorious smile.

“Accept my disciple, Master.”

[… … What an insolent disciple.]

* * *

“Is there a separate example of priest-student relations in your world? I don’t know much about this. I’m an uneducated person.”

[I didn’t even want that. Throw it away.]

In that way, through a dramatic conversation, I learned swordsmanship from Cheonma.

But there is no time.

Before I could even feel the joy of having established a priestly relationship through persistent persuasion, class began.

But this crazy master, while teaching me how to use a sword, suddenly told me to sit cross-legged and concentrate.

“… … I, Master.”

[What is it?]

“If you were going to teach me the sword, why am I meditating… … .”

[Shut up and do it. Before my head explodes.]

“yep.”

Cheonma sighed.

[You said one day.]

“Yes, Master.”

Cheonma muttered in a displeased tone.

[We don’t have much time. Especially not with a punk like me who has no foundation.]

“… … You’re going to throw it away to your disciple.”

[From what I can see, your external achievements aren’t that bad. It seems you haven’t been slacking off on your training. That’s fortunate.]

“External attack?”

I tilted my head at the term I was hearing for the first time.

I decided to understand it as roughly meaning external training.

[But the problem is my inner strength. I can’t find it no matter how hard I look. How can this be? No matter how humble your talent is, it’s something you’re born with, even if it’s a little. Have you ever seen such a beggarly talent?]

“… … .”

I don’t care.

That’s right.

I really don’t care.

[But now that my talent has seeped into it, things will be a bit different.]

“So, Master, what do you do?”

[It’s called a lucky breakfast.]

Cheonma explained.

[Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Let go of the negative energy and take in the pure energy of nature. The energy here is not bad.]

I quietly focused on my breathing as Cheonma said.

I felt a refreshing breeze tickling my nose.

‘This is… … energy?’

I wondered if it was different from Mana, but there was no way to know.

Because I’ve never felt mana in the first place.

[Store the energy you receive through breathing in your danjeon.]

“Dantian? Are you talking about the heart?”

[Not the middle dantian, but the lower dantian. Below the navel.]

Indeed, as I concentrated my consciousness, I felt an empty space below my belly button, just as Cheonma had said.

It was visible after I realized that there was such a place.

It was an absurdly large space.

Like a river and sea.

I accumulated the energy I received through my breathing there, layer by layer.

[Tsk. It’ll take a whole day just to stack them up. How can someone with such little foundation be like this?]

Cheonma muttered in a displeased tone.

“Let’s be quiet and focus here.”

Cheonma clicked his tongue and said.

[Focus only on your breathing and forget everything else. Until I tell you to stop.]

“Phew… … .”

I followed Cheonma’s advice and forgot everything and focused only on my breathing.

The Sherwood Mercenaries, the thieves I killed, the dagger they claim is the key.

I forgot everything and focused all my attention on inhaling and exhaling.

How much time has passed like that?

When everything starts to become hazy.

[stop.]

Cheonma said.

[Calm your breathing and now open your eyes.]

“Phew… … .”

I finished my breakfast and opened my eyes.

“Ouch, that’s a surprise.”

When I opened my eyes, three people were looking at me blankly, each carrying their own luggage.

“Why are you doing that?”

Hans answered.

“You’re the one who’s doing that. I was worried because you said you had something to think about and didn’t come back all night.”

For a moment I doubted my ears.

“… … Yes? All night?”

“Didn’t you know? It’s already morning.”

As expected, the clear chirping of birds could be heard, and the golden sun was rising in the distance.

‘… … I thought I closed my eyes for a moment, but it’s already morning?’

Cheonma said.

[Concentration is a useful skill.]

“… … .”

Oh my. This is ridiculous.

“I didn’t approach it rashly because I felt like I shouldn’t touch it.”

“Are you okay? It looks like you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

Hans and Julia spoke in turn.

“It was time to leave, but you were still like that. I was waiting to say goodbye and leave.”

I got up from my seat, scratching my head awkwardly.

“I guess I was meditating for a while and didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

I shook hands with Hans and Julia respectively.

“Stay healthy. Take care of yourself.”

“Yeah, you too.”

“Mr. Ashvan, take care of yourself too. Here, I brought you some food.”

“thank you.”

I took the basket Julia handed me and looked at Joey, who was fidgeting behind her.

“I should say hello to Joy too.”

At Julia’s words, Joey came out from behind her.

“Um… … .”

Joey approached me hesitantly and held something out to me.

“Mister, thank you for saving my mom and dad.”

It was a bracelet woven with wild flowers.

I wondered what he was hiding behind his back.

I smiled and put it on my wrist.

“Thank you. It’s really pretty.”

But that wasn’t the end, as Joy gestured for me to come closer.

“And… …I’ll tell you a secret. Can I tell you somewhere?”

He had a very serious face.

“Of course. What is it?”

Joey glanced at my parents, who were watching with a pleased face, and whispered in my ear.

“My name. It means ‘life.’”

I stared blankly at her for a moment.

I felt like I’d been hit in the back of the head.

“… … .”

It’s a tricky thing.

The name of the first girl the man who returned from the dead met was Zoe.

I smiled and placed a hand on her small head.

“Thank you. I will take this secret with me to the grave. It was a great gift.”

“……lol.”

Now that I’ve said goodbye to Joy, all that remains is saying goodbye.

Before we parted ways, I asked Hans:

“Where is that Gustav guy?”

“… …Are you going to barge in?”

“No. I’m just going to show off my dagger and then leave.”

Hans answered with a complicated expression.

“If you go straight east from here, you will see a large mountain fortress in the forest. There is only one building that large in the forest, so you should be able to find it quickly.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“No, we should be grateful. Please take care.”

“yes.”

We waved goodbye.

I kept watching their backs as they walked away until they were hidden behind the trees.

“Life… … is.”

I clenched my fist as I fiddled with the wildflower bracelet Joy had given me.

“From now on, Joy and I are one. I will destroy anyone who tries to harm Joy.”

[… … .]

But… … there is someone who knows how to use Aura. It looks like the leader of the group killed yesterday is the vicious Gustave. So of course Gustave knows how to use Aura too.

Even if you handled it this time, there’s no guarantee that it will happen again. Starting from a disadvantageous starting point is stupid.

Aura can only be fought with Aura. Aura… must be learned.

In the past, I couldn’t learn even if I wanted to, but now it’s different.

“Master.”

[What is it?]

“Come on. How do you make it?”

[Are you talking about black magic?]

“Oh, that. I heard that in order to use Aura, you need to surround your heart with mana. Was it a mana heart or a mana circle?”

Cheonma said coldly.

[I don’t know about that. Just do what you say.]

“yep.”

[Is there energy accumulated in your danjeon?]

“Yes.”

The energy accumulated overnight was somewhat stored in the danjeon.

Compared to the size of the Danjeon, it was very small, like a drop of water in a lake, but it was still there, even if only a little.

[Move the energy and pour it into the sword.]

The explanation was quite brief.

“……end?”

[It is my talent, not someone else’s. You should understand it to that extent. From then on, figure it out on your own.]

I picked out the sword in the best condition among the gifts the thieves had given me.

I closed my eyes and tried to move the energy surging in my danjeon.

‘oh.’

The machine moved surprisingly well according to my will, better than I expected.

This also seems to be part of Cheonma’s talent.

I carefully poured it down my shoulder, from my shoulder down my arm, and from my arm down to my sword.

“… … Is it done?”

[If you properly infuse energy into the sword, the sword will sound.]

It felt like the sword was soaked with energy like rain, and soon the sword began to vibrate.

Woof-

The sword shook its body and let out a creepy cry.

“ah…….”

The strength that I had been unable to obtain even after fighting off an illness for decades was now rising before my eyes.

Slowly, a reddish-black aura arose.

“iced coffee…….”

It was like fire, like water, rippling and swaying on the sword.

A shiver ran through the hand holding the sword.

“This is black… … .”

I was so moved that I almost shed tears.

Cheonma said in a displeased tone.

[Why does your sword look like that? It’s an ominous sword that only a blood cult would use.]

I wiped my eyes and smiled.

“Why, it’s good.”

No matter what anyone says, I like this red, ominous cutie.

Cheonma clicked his tongue as if he didn’t like it and said.

[I don’t think I have time to teach you martial arts. I’ll teach you again when I finish and you survive.]

“Martial arts? Something like swordsmanship?”

[similar.]

“Okay.”

I guess you learned swordsmanship too.

Now it was time to smash up the bad guys who were harassing our Joy.

I walked briskly towards their mountain lair, carrying the bandit clothes I had taken off the day before.

A smile escaped my lips without me knowing it.

“Hehehehe.”

[… … .]

* * *

A man came into the yard shouting.

“Emergency! Emergency! Enemy attack!”

“What!”

The guys who had been resting there each drew their weapons and ran out, guarding the surroundings.

“It’s the enemy! Come out!”

“What kind of guy is he!”

“Where! Where!”

At this moment, the man who had come in noisily, reporting the enemy’s intrusion, chuckled.

“here.”

Choaack!

A dark red aura poured down their backs.