ML Chapter 7

I’m dreaming.

If you ask how I know it’s a dream, well…

Because I’m watching myself?

Literally. I’m observing myself. More precisely, I’m watching not the real-world me, but Jin Tae-kyung in the game.

“Hah, huff.”

Jin Tae-kyung breathes heavily.

His clothes are torn, face and body bruised and swollen all over.

Meanwhile…

That bastard’s totally fine.

Hyeok Mujin was fresh as a daisy. He even had the leisure to mock his opponent.

“You’re better than I expected… but fighting so crudely, what’s the use? A martial artist should properly use martial arts.”

Oh, that irritating fucker. I wanted to rush over and smack the back of his head, but being a dream, I couldn’t move or speak.

Watching it like this pisses me off even more.

Right. This dream was showing me my earlier fight with Hyeok Mujin from a third-person perspective.

“You son of a biiitch!”

Jin Tae-kyung charged with a roar, but it was useless. I know because I did it.

I was already exhausted by then.

Arms and legs heavy, breath ragged. With larger movements come more openings.

Sure enough, Hyeok Mujin easily dodged the punch and swept Jin Tae-kyung’s legs, breaking his balance.

Smooth and swift movements like flowing water.

The fight was just a repetition of such scenes.

This fucker can actually fight.

Have to admit it. Hyeok Mujin was stronger than me.

He used Inner Force efficiently and neutralized me with unknown martial arts every time.

In short, he was a “martial artist.”

It was a shock.

I’d been overconfident after taking down Thousand Strength. A vague expectation that this level would work. Combined with my hunter combat experience and system power, I thought logout was just a matter of time.

Perfect recipe for getting killed.

Thousand Strength and his bandits were just tutorial monsters.

I was celebrating after killing level 1 rabbits in a newbie hunting ground. Seven years as a hunter? What shallow thinking that made my experience look ridiculous.

I need to learn martial arts.

This isn’t just a simple game. My life is at stake.

I have to do whatever it takes to survive. Level up, martial arts—I’m prepared to learn anything and struggle.

Prepared to become not an F-rank hunter, but a martial artist.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Fuck. Just won’t go down with this ridiculous endurance. Go down already!”

“Arghhhh!”

I saw myself—no, Jin Tae-kyung—keep getting up no matter how many times he was knocked down.

I did land one good hit at the end though.

BAM!

Yeah, that’s how you do it. Just like the past seven years, just like I’ve always done…

But what level is that bastard Hyeok Mujin anyway?

At that moment, as if answering, a system window popped up above Hyeok Mujin’s head.

[Lv.20 Hyeok Mujin]

…Should I shut up and focus on leveling first?

• Sleep mode has ended.

I opened my eyes with the system voice.

For a brief moment, I imagined waking up in my goshiwon room, but it was pointless.

“Are you conscious?”

Looking around at the man in white’s words, I saw a neat room filled with strange smells.

Where is this?

As if reading my question, the man answered.

“This is the Medicinal King Hall. Young Master regained consciousness after half a shichen of unconsciousness.”

Ah, a traditional medical clinic. And this NPC is a doctor.

Half a shichen… I was out for an hour?

That bastard Hyeok Mujin really did a number on me.

“The bruising will be quite painful. Please lie still for a moment without moving.”

With those words, the doctor left the room. After confirming his footsteps had faded, I quietly muttered:

“Status window open.”

Ding.

[Lv.11 Jin Tae-kyung]

• Class: Second-rate Martial Artist 
• Fame: 10 
• Titles: Scion of a Noble House / Family’s Disgrace (Title effects active) 
• Strength: 40 
• Health: 40 
• Agility: 50 
• Intelligence: 10 
• Charm: 10 
• Inner Force: 10

Remaining Points: 10

• Distribute remaining points.

The 10 points from defeating Thousand Strength were still there. I’d postponed distributing points in case of unexpected situations, but I hadn’t expected to fight Hyeok Mujin.

Didn’t expect to get my ass kicked either.

After brief consideration, I invested all 10 points into Health.

The memory of myself panting exhausted during the fight with Hyeok Mujin came to mind.

Would I have had a chance if I’d distributed points beforehand?

The thought occurred briefly, but I shook my head.

The result wouldn’t have been different.

A fight between an adult and a child. That’s how big the gap was between Hyeok Mujin and me.

And in my opinion, that gap wasn’t about levels and stats, but about having martial arts or not.

How was he able to move and respond like that?

Martial arts exist in reality too. Boxing, Krav Maga, Jiu-jitsu, and so on. What’s called practical martial arts in modern times.

But the martial arts here are on a different level.

Each movement is both practical and precise. Like gears moving with Inner Force at their center.

I need to learn martial arts.

What if I’d faced Hyeok Mujin instead of Thousand Strength in the tutorial?

The words defeat and death came naturally to mind.

I have to learn martial arts. Have to learn them to survive.

“Fuuuck…” Just as I let out a curse from deep in my chest:

There was movement outside the door.

“It’s this room.”

“Thank you.”

Slide.

Before I could react, the door opened.

And there…

“What a sight.”

Stood a middle-aged man pouring out cold gazes.

“How is his condition?”

“There are bruises, but nothing too serious.”

“That’s a shame. Should have broken a leg at least.”

The middle-aged man stared at me with fierce eyes.

“You wild beast of a fool!”

I quietly lowered my gaze. Though this was my first time seeing this person—no, NPC—somehow it felt like I should.

No, I absolutely must.

[Lv.???]

Three question marks. A high level that even [Qi Sense] can’t detect.

At least level 30.

Makes Hyeok Mujin look cute in comparison. Moreover, judging by the doctor’s attitude and his behavior toward me, he’s definitely no ordinary NPC.

He seems to have at least enough authority to freely smash the Taiyuan Jin Family’s Third Young Master’s jaw.

If I get hit by that… Gulp.

I unconsciously swallowed when I saw his pot lid-sized palm.

Forget levels, everything about him just screams dangerous.

Nearly two meters tall, muscles covering his entire body like a bulletproof vest, and cold eyes that freeze people in place.

Just as I was wondering about the identity of this middle-aged man who looked like both his hobby and specialty were murder…

But his face seems strangely familiar.

Where have I seen this guy before? After pondering, I realized.

Jin Tae-kyung?

The middle-aged man resembled Jin Tae-kyung. No, more accurately, Jin Tae-kyung resembled him.

An overwhelmingly high level, treating the Taiyuan Jin Family’s Third Young Master with contempt, and finally, the face.

There’s only one conclusion. He must be Jin Tae-kyung’s…

“Father?”

At those words that slipped out unconsciously, the middle-aged man’s eyes bulged.

“F-father?!”

His fists are even trembling. Someone might think I’d insulted his mother. I watched his fists carefully while speaking.

“Um, please calm down for a moment…”

“Calm down? Such words from your mouth? You’re still joking in this situation!”

“If I’m wrong, I’m truly sorry. I was disrespectful.”

“Shut your mouth.”

After silencing me with a cold glare, he turned to the still-waiting doctor.

“Thanks for guiding me. You may leave now.”

I sent desperate SOS signals with my eyes, but the doctor turned away quickly.

No fucking way… a doctor abandoning his patient?

Bang. The door closing sounds like the gates of hell slamming shut.

Left alone in the room, he raised his pot lid-sized palm and started approaching.

“Even being a good-for-nothing has limits, how long will you live like this!”

Before I knew it, I was up and slowly backing away.

Bruising? Pain? I couldn’t feel those anymore. Maybe I’ll become unable to feel any pain soon.

“J-just give me ten minutes. No, one incense stick’s worth of time and I can explain everything well. What are you angry about? Huh? Is it because I called you father? Are you perhaps my mother?”

“You foolll!”

The booming voice instantly freezes my body. I feel my back touch the wall.

• You have fallen into [Confusion]. Cannot move for 3 seconds!

Have you ever seen such a fucked up situation…

It’s over.

Twenty-seven years of life flash before my eyes. Adding a small lie, I even recall the fierce race for conception back in my sperm days. That was tough.

Mom, Dad, Hayeon… Just as I closed my eyes thinking of family:

“Always chasing women!”

Pat pat pat.

“Always hanging around gambling dens!”

Touch touch touch.

“You’re despised by the family because you act like this!”

Rub rub rub.

…What is this guy doing?

While spewing angry words of rebuke, his hands gently caress all over my body. My spine tingles.

Don’t tell me this is…

Ding.

• You are enveloped in [Fear]. Cannot move for 5 seconds!

“You are the family’s disgrace, disgrace!”

I am feeling extreme shame right now. To be sexually harassed by an AI, and an NPC in the form of a middle-aged man at that.

Mom… It was a moment later when I realized everything was my misunderstanding.

His hands move busily. But it’s exactly like a doctor examining a patient.

Checking under eyelids, taking pulse, carefully examining bruised areas. Wherever his hands pass, it feels refreshing like a massage and the pain disappears.

“You rascal! If you keep acting like this, huh? Huh! I’ll really teach you a lesson. Understand?”

Finally stopping his hands, he whispered in a small voice.

“Good thing it’s milder than expected. Why did you fight anyway? You never even practiced martial arts before.”

I opened my mouth with sincere feeling.

It was one phrase packed with multiple meanings.

“Who are you?”

The next moment, that face full of strictness, dignity, and seriousness suddenly transformed into a wounded baby deer.

“Why are you suddenly being so formal? What I said about being the family’s disgrace was just for others to hear… Were you hurt by that?”

“Huh?”

“Your brother is sad. When you were little, I changed your dirty diapers every day, carried you when you cried, comforted you to sleep… if you only knew how preciously I raised you.”

“What? Brother?”

A moment of silence fell.

Not father but brother?

I was shocked that this older guy was my brother and…

“Oh my, looks like our youngest hit his head. Hey! Doctor! Doctor!”

The middle-aged man ran out calling for the doctor. Watching his retreating back, suddenly one puzzle piece fell into place.

Now I get why Jin Tae-kyung grew up so messed up.

A perfect example of wrong family education.