7dqNze0ksxiabTaDRXFKYd6
Zn9R4R6DvbMCv9BwvJ1Izzt7ui6
FTMxUfhoRkpNVIBce9LCueQj0W
Chapter 6
‘This much? Then there’s no need for me to step in.’
—You shouldn’t underestimate the Beast Keeper.
Who wouldn’t know that?
Still, martial arts don’t improve overnight. It takes time, time spent training. And now, he had ten whole years in his pocket. There was no need to rush.
Worst case, he could always fall back on the Thirty-Six Stratagems.*
—Should the War King really be saying that?
‘Just kidding.’
No need to get so serious. A man should know how to relax a little. The next twenty years should be lived to the fullest. What’s the point of returning to the past if you can’t even enjoy some time with your family before blowing everything up again?
Have fun first, if things fall apart, well… that’s life for you.
****
‘Why?’
It didn’t make sense.
Sure, it was a little shocking, but if you were a martial artist, you should always be prepared. Even if there was no intent behind it, even he had been caught off guard.
‘Was it just coincidence?’
Dismissing it like that would’ve made things easier on his mind, but something still didn’t sit right. Maybe it was just his nature. He always pursued perfection. If there was a problem before him, he couldn’t move on until he solved it.
‘Something’s off.’
His older brother that day, he was clearly different from before.
But it wasn’t like someone else was impersonating him. No matter what anyone said, they were still brother who shared the same blood. And really, what benefit would there be in pretending to be his Brother?
To get cursed out more and live longer?
Still, he felt like a stranger.
The look in his eyes, his expressions, it wasn’t a performance.
That was what made it even more unsettling: it was real.
He’d always known what was in his Brother’s heart. But what could he do? Even he couldn’t ignore their father’s expectations.
Yes, it was cruel to be compared to his Brother, and yes, he felt sorry for him. But for the sake of their clan, someone had to rise up.
That burden, layer upon layer, had become the source of their rift.
‘I turned away from it all.’
At first, he tried to get closer, because they were Brothers after all. But the more he tried, the colder his Brother became.
He understood why. But there were still moments when he couldn’t help but feel angry. He was only human. There was only so far one could go.
The gap between them had grown so deep, he’d come to accept they could never go back to how things were.
Yesterday, though…
His Brother’s eyes looked just like they did when they were children,
Burning bright with ambition toward the world.
Back then, his Brother was a bundle of untamed energy, pure genius wrapped in innocent enthusiasm.
But the world doesn’t go easy on you.
Maybe within Cheongyang, sure. But step outside even a little, and the gap becomes brutal and unforgiving.
And it wasn’t just his Brother’s problem.
‘Even I…’
Their clan’s martial arts alone weren’t enough. And talent? That too had clear limits.
The same went for the martial arts themselve, and the ones teaching them.
Even so, it wasn’t like they could just toss everything out and start over. Modifying martial arts, much less reinventing them, was only possible once you’d reached the level of a Grandmaster. And to establish something entirely new? That required reaching the absolute pinnacle.
But him? He hadn’t even fully mastered their existing techniques. To talk about creating new ones at that point would’ve been laughable.
‘Still, I won’t give up.’
The clan called him a genius.
It’d be a lie to say that didn’t weigh on him.
In truth, it didn’t even make sense. He was just someone doing his best, refusing to give up no matter what conditions he was dealt.
Because if he didn’t, he’d fall behind. He knew better than anyone what that would lead to, decline.
On the surface, the clan looked fine.
Keep things the way they were, and maybe they could stay afloat.
But unlike the complacent clan, the world around them was changing, fast.
New sects were rising, expanding their power.
They might not have felt the impact yet, but sooner or later, the balance of power would shift. And once that shift happened, scrambling to catch up wouldn’t do a thing. Once the tide turned, it couldn’t be reversed.
‘Did my Brother finally wake up?’
He hoped so.
Of course, he didn’t want his Brother crushed under the weight of the eldest son’s role.
He could carry that burden himself.
But to do that, he’d have to break past the wall before him.
Clearing away those thoughts, Mu-ho stepped into the inner quarters…
And was greeted by a rather unfamiliar scene.
“Oh wow, look at my girl! You’re so brave!”
“Daddy! This is fun! Again, again, again!”
“That’s my daughter! You’re fearless.”
“Of course! I’m gonna become the greatest martial artist ever!”
“Well then, Daddy will make you the strongest!”
Mujin lifted Mi-joo onto his shoulders.
She should’ve been scared. But Mi-joo just giggled, pure and innocent. The way she flailed and flapped around, she looked like a kitten, it was downright adorable. Her big round eyes didn’t blink even once.
“…Dad… Father… We’re supposed to be training right now!”
“And my son should learn how to fly too.”
“…Can’t I fly later…?”
“You’re such a scaredy-cat.”
“…It’s not that… Ugh!”
Tae-jin tried to squirm away from his father’s hands, but it was hopeless.
How could an 8-year-old possibly escape the grip of the War King?
The outcome was already decided.
Victory: Dad.
Overwhelming pressure: Also Dad.
Tae-jin, sweating bullets, began counting silently in his head to calm himself.
“…Okay? That’s enough, right?”
“Nope.”
“…Why not?”
“Because you’re the older Brother.”
“…Noonaaaaa~~~!”
He switched hands, tossing his son and daughter into the air one after the other.
To anyone else it looked like a reckless stunt, but to Mujin it was child’s play, literally.
The sensitivity in his fingertips kept perfect balance. What started as light training had turned into a bonding game, and he was frighteningly certain his kids loved it.
“Oh-hoo, my adorable babies!”
Tae-jin: “Aaaaah—!”
Mi-joo: “Kyahahahaha!”
Unlike his fearless little girl, the faint-hearted firstborn flailed in cute panic, giving Mujin a brand-new kind of joy.
He’d never played with children in his previous life, but this time would be different; he meant to live as a father who shared every moment with them.
‘Just try blocking my path.’
Anyone who shattered this peaceful family life would pay dearly. Even the slightest harm would be repaid with catastrophe.
That was the vow, and the warning, of the War King.
****
Swoosh!
Halfway into the inner hall, Mu-ho froze.
“Since you’re here, come in,” Mujin called, still juggling children. “Don’t loiter on the threshold and let our good fortune slip away. We don’t have much to spare.”
“Ah—Hyung-nim, the kids!” Mu-ho’s face twisted with worry. The expression didn’t suit the man famed as the Emotionless Sword; clearly he was more sentimental than Mujin had ever realized.
Yet even without looking his hands stayed beneath the children.
Light or not, a child dropping from about 1.5 m wouldn’t be gentle.
“Relax,” Mujin said. “They love it.”
“Tae-jin doesn’t look thrilled.”
“But Mi-joo does.”
“Th-that’s—!”
So much for treating son and daughter equally; his obvious preference for his girl left Tae-jin pouting.
‘…I hate you, Dad!’
Sure, Father had become affectionate—but somehow it was less pleasant than before.
Thanks to that obliviously happy little sister, he couldn’t even complain. An eight-year-old still had his pride, and Dad’s undignified antics were shredding it.
“Light as feathers, my kids are.”
“Hyung-nim, please. At this rate they’ll—hey, not with just two fingers—hup!”
Those nieces and nephews he’d “never trade for the world” were… well, literally being traded between hands.
Mi-joo’s delight was one thing; Tae-jin’s wide eyes were another. The boy had already been recognized by their sect as a prodigy, if he got hurt, the future of the Songho Sect would look grim. Unlike his leisurely Hyung-nim, Mu-ho saw no benefit in tempting fate.
“Call me just Hyung. Saying Hyung-nim makes me sound ancient.”
“I can’t. As direct heirs we have to set an example.”
“Still the same old stick-in-the-mud.” Mujin clucked his tongue.
‘I’m loosening up for my sake and yours, why stay so stiff? I don’t want my little brother living unhappily.’
“Keep this up and I might go off the rails again,” he warned, grinning. “Then it’ll be all your fault. Willing to risk that?”
“Hyung-nim!”
“Think carefully. Call me hyung and everything stays peaceful. Refuse, and who knows what trouble I’ll stir up. Your choice.”
“Is that a promise?”
“It is. From now on, just say hyung. Drop the formal speech, too. Talking politely only puts distance between brothers.”
“…Got it… Hyung.”
It seemed Mu-ho’s older brother had changed in personality, but not in stubbornness. Mu-ho sighed. This wasn’t like him. As the eldest son of the clan, he respected his Hyung-nim, yes, but he never just followed him around like this.
He’s different.
Calling him a troublemaker might not be fair, but his brother was always angry. Anxious from insecurity over what he lacked, frustrated by what he couldn’t catch up to. Even if you didn’t want to see it, it was there.
And yet, today’s Mujin showed no trace of urgency or competition.
Is he just hiding it really well?
But if that were the case, would he really be playing so naturally with the kids…? Hm?
That slight sense of unease, there was a reason for it.
Even if they were just children, they looked too light.
Mu-ho could tell this wasn’t just a matter of chance. It was precise. The throwing and catching flowed as naturally as water.
“Daaaddy, I told you, I need to go train nowwwww! Uncle, help meee!”
“I’m hungry!”
Who knew the word “Dad” could sound so sweet?
There was a time he’d hated it, because it made him feel old.
He’d been so immature.
But now? He was grown. And ready to do better.
Mujin wanted to hear more of it, but he couldn’t ignore his son’s earnest plea. And it was around lunchtime for Mi-joo too.
Since his brother was here anyway, it was a good time to wrap up.
“Next time again!”
“Yeah! Tae-jin Hyung, you’re coming too, right?”
“...I’ll pass.”
“A strong ‘no’ is basically a ‘yes’ in disguise.”
No, it isn’t! Just take it literally!
Tae-jin shot over the threshold like an arrow. Mi-joo waddled after him, a little unsteady but somehow perfectly balanced. Of course, it wasn’t just ordinary play, Mujin had subtly infused them with energy to strengthen their balance.
Before long, both his children would come to understand just how amazing their father really was.
“Mi-joo! Your fist’s worth a hundred nyang! Mi-joo! Your kick’s a million nyang! Let’s gooo!”
Even on the way out, Mi-joo swung her little fists and kicked her feet, much to her father’s delight.
*****
Back in the now quiet inner quarters, Mu-ho stood facing his brother, who had returned to his usual expression. Based on old memories, Mu-ho had always found his brother cold. He rejected everything, no matter the circumstance.
But thinking back more clearly, even if Mujin had been rigid, he hadn’t been wrong.
As an older brother, he’d failed to set a proper example. He’d always felt like he was lacking. To say he never felt any resentment would be a lie.
He’d wanted, just once, to stand ahead of his younger brother.
But reality hadn’t allowed it. The gap only widened, and he had crumbled under the weight of it.
So what if you win? So what if you lose?
He’d wasted so much time on meaningless pride, only to arrive back where he started.
They always said, if you didn’t have the ability, don’t act out.
But he’d worn clothes that didn’t fit him, forced into roles by the eyes of others.
If he hadn’t let himself be bound like that, he would’ve lived just fine.
Let’s not do that this time.
Honestly, even if someone begged him to take over again, he didn’t want to.
He wasn’t cut out for leadership. Not back then when he was the War King either.
He preferred being alone. Didn’t care much about being part of a group.
Life was survival of the fittest anyway.
Taking care of others? He wasn’t used to it.
“So what brings my oh-so-stationary little brother out to see me?
This older brother is dying to know.”
“It’s nothing special. You just seem… different lately.”
Blood is thicker than water, after all.
Good instincts, kid.
“I have changed.”
“I hope that’s true… though to be honest, I’m not sure I believe it.”
“I’ll stay out of trouble and hole up at home. From now on, just call me hyung.”
That was Mujin’s goal.
A world that ran smoothly on its own.
Even if danger lurked nearby, it’d be nice if someone else dealt with it.
He didn’t want to be the one everyone turned to anymore.
He’d fought enough battles. Killed more people than he could count.
That was plenty.
It was finally time for a little peace.
“That’s not what I meant by staying home.”
“Always so serious, aren’t you? You gotta joke around a little.
No one likes a guy who’s no fun.”
For Mu-ho, this was strange.
When was the last time he’d had an easy, relaxed conversation with his brother?
Aside from their earliest years, probably never.
“I’m sorry. For everything.”
“...What’s gotten into you?”
[TL: Thirty-Six Stratagems: It’s a classical Chinese collection of military tactics and strategies. ]
---The End Of The Chapter---
Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chapters ahead of the release.
Comments