Habuk Pengga Swordsman Genius - Chapter 81



Only Noblemtl

Episode 81. Hot Toran (3)

Seo Jae-oh answered Hanbin’s question with a smile.

“I have been preparing for a duel with you for some time.”

As Seo Jae-oh slowly grabbed the sword on his waist, Han Bin took a step back and folded his arms.

“Hmm, the Great Swordsman is not ready yet.”

“What does that mean?”

“Aren’t you also immature in your role as an instructor at Cheonsujang?”

“hmm.”

Seo Jae-oh looked up at the sky and coughed in vain.

It was exactly as Hanbin said. As an instructor, Seo Jae-oh was not earning his keep. These days, he was being trained by So Dae-seop on his role as an instructor.

Thanks to that, the thick rope that was So Dae-seop’s share became Seo Jae-oh’s.

He’s been going crazy and jumping around a lot these days.

The basics of martial arts were the use of internal energy according to the beginner’s style and the sword.

Seo Jae-oh thought that the degree to which one understands the secret determines the level of one’s martial arts.

However, the training at Cheonsujang was centered on physical strength from beginning to end.

Seo Jae-oh lowered his head and looked at his hands.

There were blisters here and there on his hands.

It was Seo Jae-oh who swung his sword from dawn to night in the Hwasan faction.

Even back then, his hand was in good shape and had become a mess due to training at Cheonsujang.

Seo Jae-oh concluded this training.

He thought Hanbin had a strange bad taste.

That bad taste is exactly what torments people.

As he thought about it, Seo Jae-oh preached to the members of the Tiger Corps that this training was unnecessary.

However, the members of the Tiger Corps all shook their heads and turned away.

Seo Jae-oh couldn’t understand their cold attitude toward his words.

He was swinging a strange sword called a ghost’s head sword that didn’t even have the right center of gravity, and he would chew on tasteless dried radish during every break.

In a way, even though he was tortured in every way, people believed Hanbin’s words even if they were chickens or cows.

Living in a cramped quarters where he couldn’t communicate drove Seo Jae-oh crazy.

There’s no way out of here until you find the plum blossom patch.

If he ran away from here, it was obvious that Kang Yu-chan of the Royal Guard would chase Seo Jae-oh to the ends of the earth.

The more I thought about it, the more I sighed.

Thinking back, I was able to communicate quite well with Jang Ja-myeong, a doctor who was in a similar situation to me.

He was Seo Jae-oh’s only friend.

Even for a moment, Seo Jae-oh’s expression changed from joy to sorrow several times.

Hanbin, who was looking at his expression, said with a laugh as if he found it ridiculous.

“Then let me make a suggestion.”

“Tell me, my nephew who is as old as my private tutor.”

“Tests are a game of tag.”

“Do I look like someone who would be playing tag with the four cadets?”

“Be precise. My share is above.”

“hmm.”

“The important thing is that I am not the target of the tag.”

“Then who are you talking to?”

“… … .”

Hanbin silently pointed to Seolhwa with his chin.

Of course, Seo Jae-oh only tilted his head and showed no reaction.

Hanbin continued speaking.

“The method is simple. After the maid Seol-hwa hides, you have to catch her after a while. If you beat Seol-hwa in that test, I will give you a duel. If you lose… … .”

As Hanbin trailed off, thinking of a plot device, Seolhwa hastily interjected.

“Can I make a suggestion?”

“Okay, do whatever you want, Seolhwa.”

As Hanbin nodded, Seolhwa looked at Seo Jae-oh.

“How about granting me a favor, sir?”

Seo Jae-oh chuckled at Seol-hwa’s innocent smile as she made her suggestion.

At first glance, it seemed like a tale of an ordinary maid.

No matter how you look at it, he’s in his mid-teens.

But can such a tale avoid one’s own pursuit?

Seo Jae-oh snorted.

He vowed that today would be the day that he would successfully achieve a peace treaty with Hanbin.

Then Hanbin said.

“I can’t just play tag my whole life, so let’s set a time limit. This test is until morning. If I can’t catch it by morning, I’ll lose.”

“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Seo Jae-oh smiled brightly, and at the same time, Han Bin snapped his fingers.

Exactly!

At that sound, Seo Jae-oh looked at Han-bin’s fingers.

But then something strange happened.

I was just concentrating on Hanbin’s hand for a moment, but the maid Seolhwa disappeared from my sight.

Seo Jae-oh looked at the ground and muttered softly.

“Is the weather bad?”

* * *

The next morning.

Seo Jae-oh had a strange experience last night.

While searching through the tomb of the deceased, I felt several strange sounds.

However, when I actually checked the place where the strange noise was coming from, there was no trace of it.

Not only the traces, but even the sounds disappeared like melting snow.

As such things continued to happen, Seo Jae-oh ended up forgetting his bet with Han Bin.

Do you feel a chill down your spine?

Seo Jae-oh’s conclusion was one.

It was said that there might be ghosts in Cheonsujang.

Come to think of it, this place was called Gwigokjang until recently.

This was a place where the occasional groaning sound could still be heard.

I heard from So Dae-seop that it was the sound of the wind, but when a strange noise was added to it, I suddenly got goosebumps.

From then on, Seo Jae-oh gave up on finding the story.

Seo Jae-oh was even worried about Seol-hwa.

Although he was a bit cheeky, he was a child with a bright expression.

What if that kid gets possessed by a ghost because of a bet with himself?

For Seol-hwa’s safety rather than a bet, he thought about going outside to look for her, but the occasional creepy feeling kept Seo Jae-oh awake all night.

As the morning dawned, Seo Jae-oh cried out in despair.

“O Primordial Heavenly Lord! Why are you giving me such a trial?”

Seo Jae-oh headed to the restaurant wearing the clothes he had worn yesterday, forgetting to wash up.

Seo Jae-oh staggered to find Han-bin.

They came to declare surrender.

Seo Jae-oh’s eyes widened as he entered the restaurant unsteadily.

Seolhwa was eating breakfast calmly next to Hanbin.

“Welcome, sir.”

When Seolhwa greeted him with a bright smile, Seo Jae-oh asked in surprise.

“Is it okay?”

“I’m fine. By the way, you admit that you lost the bet with me, right?”

“bet?”

“You made a bet yesterday, right?”

“Ah, that bet… … .”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s a bet that Daehyeop and I made yesterday.”

“No matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find it… … .”

“I was taking a bath with my sisters yesterday.”

Of course, it was half true.

It is true that she took a bath, but after shaking off the body odor, Seolhwa secretly spied on Seo Jae-oh.

The identity of the creepiness that Seo Jae-oh felt was Seol-hwa’s secret gaze.

It was a misunderstanding caused by his developed five senses.

Seo Jae-oh shook his head, not knowing any of this.

“Now that I think about it, there was a place I didn’t go to.”

Come to think of it, I never stopped by the women’s quarters.

This was the unwritten rule of Taoist priests.

If she had hidden in the women’s dorm, it would have been natural for her not to have been found.

Seo Jae-oh rubbed his chin and shook his head.

“This bet is void.”

“Ah, I was expecting it since it’s the Hwasan faction… … . Even in the Gudaemun faction, Hwasan is said to be the best… … .”

“Just wait a moment.”

Seo Jae-oh showed his palm and stopped Seol-hwa from speaking.

When I mentioned volcanoes, I thought of the old man and his master.

Now that I think about it, what kind of favor could a fifteen-year-old child possibly ask for?

As Seo Jae-oh pondered silently, Seol-hwa asked again.

“What’s wrong, sir?”

“Nothing. I will grant your request. What do you want from me? As long as it is within the limits, I will grant anything.”

“What I would like to ask is… … .”

“Speak comfortably.”

“I’ll put it on.”

“… … .”

Seo Jae-oh looked at Seol-hwa without saying a word.

He just got the ominous feeling from Hanbin that he had gotten from Sulwha.

For a moment, Seo Jae-oh laughed in vain.

“Okay, tell me later if you think of it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Seolhwa bowed politely.

Seo Jae-oh nodded his head as if relieved at that sight.

As Seo Jae-oh left, Han Bin said.

“Seo Jae-oh, that guy is lucky.”

“Are you lucky?”

When Seolhwa tilted her head and asked, Hanbin smiled meaningfully.

“It’s nothing else, but you added a condition to your request just now. ‘As long as it doesn’t go beyond the limit.’”

“ah.”

Seolhwa glanced at Hanbin.

Because it was like standing in the middle and flipping the abacus beads while pretending not to know.

At that moment, Sim Mi-ho approached from afar with a haggard look.

Hanbin smiled faintly at that sight.

I had to go back and forth from Cheonsujang to Habukpangga twice, so I had no energy left.

Still, I felt proud because I thought that with that level of lightness, I wouldn’t be killed by a blind sword.

Sim Mi-ho, who came within a stone’s throw of Han Bin, grabbed the ticket.

“My lord, I am back.”

“Put it down here and go and rest.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Simmiho put down the handle.

Bang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed pleasantly inside the sack lying on the floor.

Before the aftertaste could even fade, Sim Mi-ho quickly disappeared from the spot.

It was because he was afraid that Hanbin would change his mind and give different orders.

As Sim Mi-ho left, Seol-hwa asked.

“What is that?”

“It’s a secret!”

Hanbin shrugged and left with the sack.

Seol-hwa, who saw his back, crossed her arms and sighed.

“Whew, what on earth is that?”

Seol-hwa tilted her head and looked up at the sky.

In her opinion, this Cheonsujang was a strange place.

It was strange that they built a training center in a cursed place, and the plum blossom swordsman of the Hwasan faction was staying there as a guest.

The bet with Seo Jae-oh last night was entirely in Seol-hwa’s favor.

It was a victory gained because he mistook Seol-hwa for an ordinary girl.

The two letters ‘pride’ determined victory or defeat.

Still, Seolhwa evaluated that the first departure was not bad.

It was the first time I realized that life as a regular unmanned person, rather than a private, could be this comfortable.

It was while Seolhwa was evaluating her first day at Cheonsujang.

I heard the sound of grass rustling behind me.

Sasa-sak.

Seolhwa turned her head reflexively.

There, a beggar was smiling, revealing his white teeth.

When Seolhwa tilted her head, the beggar old man said.

“You’re a child I’ve never seen before.”

Seolhwa gulped at those first words.

It is a recognition of the depth of the opponent’s realm.

Seolhwa instinctively observed her opponent.

A knot that catches Seolhwa’s eye.

One, two, three… … .

Seolhwa’s eyes trembled.

‘Hong Chil-gae, the undisputed master!’

It was a name that came to mind.

Then the voice was heard again.

“Oh really, am I that scary? Child.”

“Oh, no.”

Seol-hwa stuttered and quickly took out the winning ticket.

Hong Chil-gae said at that sight.

“Looking at the stolen tickets, I guess he must be a son of a wealthy family.”

As Hong Chil-gae smiled, Seol-hwa waved her hand.

“Oh, no.”

It was clearly a mistake to unknowingly give up the game in front of Hong Chil-gae’s momentum.

She had to remain here as a maid.

Then a shadow appeared from behind.

This time there was no sound.

When I turned my head, Hanbin, who had disappeared, appeared again.

Seol-hwa, who was stuck between Hong Chil-gae and Han Bin, smiled awkwardly.

At that time, Hong Chil-gae said.

“The begging has improved noticeably. It will soon surpass me.”

Seolhwa was startled by those words.

To have been taught the Eighteen Steps of Begging meant that he was a disciple of Hong Chil-gae.

Not a direct descendant of Habukpengga, but a disciple of Gaebong?

And a master of swordsmanship?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with an answer.

Then Hanbin asked.

“You said you were going on a long journey, but when did you come?”

“I came because I was hungry. Haha.”

“Haha, welcome.”

Hanbin smiled and grabbed Hong Chil-gae and headed to the restaurant.

Seol-hwa, left alone, stared blankly at them.

Seolhwa was confused by the current scene.