novelraw Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Chapter 86
“I believe that the martial artists of the Divine Cult are people who exist for the sake of its followers. I believe that the role of a martial artist is to protect the followers of the Divine Cult. That must be the mission entrusted to us by the Demonic God. If we put our strength into the mission entrusted by the Demonic God, he will surely look after us.”
Until now, among the Head Instructors and candidates, there had been no one who had thought of the reason they had to become strong in that way. But listening to Cheon Ha-seong's words, they thought that he was right.
And they also felt motivated.
They also had the thought that they had found something precious that they had forgotten for a long time.
A sense of pride appeared on their faces.
The initial confusion had vanished at some point, and in the place where that confusion had been, anticipation and a fighting spirit arose.
“I look forward to working with you all. I am Cheon Ha-seong, the Principal of the Martial Arts Academy.”
Cheon Ha-seong introduced himself again to the Head Instructors and candidates and bowed. A cheer like a clap of thunder was heard, and someone stamped their feet.
A great thrill swept through the entire bodies of everyone present.
A smile spread across everyone's faces with the anticipation of a new Principal, a new Martial Arts Academy, and a new goal.
……
The Fourth Demonic Marquis's eyes went round as she listened to what Cheok Gyo-woon was saying.
Even while knowing that Cheok Gyo-woon would not lie to her about such a thing, she could not easily believe it.
“The Principal of the Martial Arts Academy? Why? Why would he go to a place like that, leaving aside other good positions? I thought he would at least become a Protector. Isn't the Principal a minor post compared to a position like that? It's not respected, nor is it acknowledged. Sometimes, if a child of a prestigious martial family enters as a candidate, he might receive a bribe, but Cheon Ha-seong is not a person who would accept such a thing, is he?”
In fact, the Fourth Demonic Marquis had given bribes to the Principal and Head Instructors when Cheok Gyo-woon had entered the Martial Arts Academy. But even then, Cheon Ha-seong had stubbornly refused the bribe.
As if a thought had suddenly occurred to her, the Fourth Demonic Marquis burst out laughing.
“What is it, Mother?”
“The Head Instructors. What do you think was the reason they held on at the Martial Arts Academy all this time? They must have endured it, hoping for the people who would occasionally give them bribes, but now that Cheon Ha-seong has come as the Principal, they can no longer hope for such a thing, can they?”
“That would be the case.”
Cheok Gyo-woon answered awkwardly and felt a sense of shame.
The memories of giving bribes to the Principal and Head Instructors, of looking down on them and the candidates, of tormenting the candidates from commoner backgrounds, came to mind, and his face flushed hot.
The mere fact that he was having such thoughts showed how much he had changed.
“What do you think? Will that be of help to you? Don't you think it might have been better to enter next year? Or do you think it would have been better to enter last year?”
“In any case, there is no meaning in thinking such things. Ah. Until now, if one failed to pass the Martial Arts Academy, they would lose the chance to try again, but I hear they now give up to two more chances. If I don't pass this year, I can enter the Martial Arts Academy again next time. He said that if one just decides to become a martial artist of the Divine Cult and resolves to endure the process, he will make sure they pass the Martial Arts Academy one way or another.”
The Fourth Demonic Marquis became interested.
“What do you think of me entering the Martial Arts Academy?”
At those words, Cheok Gyo-woon burst out laughing loudly, then was startled, covered his mouth, and watched her reaction.
“My apologies, Mother. For me to dare…”
“No. There is no need for that. I say it because it seems Cheon Ha-seong would not place any restrictions. And it seems even this mother of yours has something to learn from him. You haven't forgotten that I am a martial artist, have you?”
“How could I ever forget that?”
“Until now, I have used all my time and passion for the revival of our clan and for making you the Young Cult Leader. But now there is no need to strive for such things. So it seems I will need a place to attach my heart. This isn't something I'll just say here and be done with. When you go to the Martial Arts Academy tomorrow, ask Cheon Ha-seong for me. Ask him if a Demonic Marquis can also enter.”
Cheok Gyo-woon felt a cold sweat run down his spine.
He absolutely did not want to attend the Martial Arts Academy with his mother.
Although they had become much more comfortable and closer in the meantime, how could he say it was completely comfortable? But he did not want to continue feeling a suffocating tension even at the Academy.
“Mother, even if it is possible, you will have to wait for next year.”
“Yes. I know that. But who knows? If I ask Cheon Ha-seong, he might make an exception. If I say I want to train at the Martial Arts Academy with my son, he might listen, don't you think?”
Cheok Gyo-woon thought that this was the time for him to use a bribe on Cheon Ha-seong. It seemed he had to take measures in advance so that he would absolutely not be swayed.
“The Divine Cult is really changing a lot. The things we thought were a given, the things we thought would never change, are changing, aren't they?”
The Fourth Demonic Marquis said with a face that seemed to be growing deep in thought.
The So Demonic Clan was shattered to pieces, and the Danmok Demonic Clan's Young Family Head and martial artists were chased out. Since the news of their return had not yet reached the Fourth Demonic Marquis, she thought the Danmok Clan was in the same situation as the So Clan.
While the prestigious Demonic Clans were falling, the Cheok Demonic Clan had held on alone, but they were in a position where they had pledged to the Cult Leader to be loyal to him and become Cheon Ha-seong's faction.
Who would have thought that the pillars of the Divine Cult would end up like this?
The passage of time was truly transient.
However, if asked if she was sad about it, she couldn't say that she was.
The Cult Leader, who before had not even given her a proper glance, would now occasionally visit, drink tea, tell her various stories, and listen to hers.
Before, she had strived to somehow create a meeting with him, even using her right of audience, but now there was no need for that. She felt respected by the Cult Leader, and her self-esteem had risen without having to struggle.
“These days, I find myself thinking that it's amusing. I feel a sense of anticipation and become curious about what will become of the Divine Cult.”
At his mother's words, Cheok Gyo-woon nodded his head. He understood all too well why she was saying such a thing.
“The same goes for me, Mother. I am full of anticipation. And I want to play an important role in the new Divine Cult. I will become a son you can be proud of.”
“Enough. What good is it to be a person others are proud of? Just live as you wish.”
“Yes, the life I wish for is to be a son who is righteous in the eyes of others and whom you, Mother, can be proud of.”
The Fourth Demonic Marquis looked at Cheok Gyo-woon for a moment and nodded her head.
“I am a lucky woman. To have been able to take a child like you as my adopted son.”
Cheok Gyo-woon, who had not expected to hear such words, felt a strange emotion.
Overwhelming emotion.
Could it all be expressed with just those words?
The Fourth Demonic Marquis would never have been able to know how great his resolve had grown in that moment.
……
The sight that awaited Danmok Yeon, who had emerged after finishing his isolated training, was not what he had expected.
He had expected Cheon Ha-seong to be waiting only for him, unable to get a grip on anything and in a state of devastation. Wasn't that only natural? Hadn't he shown him a tremendous art? And he had said he would teach it to him. So he should have been waiting, hoping to learn it as soon as possible…
‘What? The Principal of the Martial Arts Academy?’
Danmok Yeon was dumbfounded. But for now, he went to the Martial Arts Academy.
“Where is the Principal!”
When he, with a fierce face, looked for Cheon Ha-seong, Cheok Gyo-woon happened to spot him and came running.
“You have come? I will guide you.”
Thanks to him, the other Head Instructors and candidates were spared from being harassed by Danmok Yeon.
Danmok Yeon, who was on his way to the Principal's office, tilted his head at a strange feeling. As he did, he looked around, wondering what was making him feel that way. Then, the wall on which the mnemonic verses of the Heaven-Shattering Will Art had been carved came into his sight.
“…!”
It had been carved again. The broken wall was as it was, but the mnemonic verses of the Heaven-Shattering Will Art had been re-carved on it.
Danmok Yeon, thinking 'no way,' approached and examined it, and he realized it had been carved without the slightest difference from the original.
“It is not only the mnemonic verses that have been restored. We have also all received copies of the commentary.”
Cheok Gyo-woon said, as if he couldn't help but speak.
“What does that mean?”
“Our Principal persuaded the Cult Leader and received his permission.”
“Are you saying he gave the commentary of the Heaven-Shattering Will Art to the candidates of the Martial Arts Academy?”
Danmok Yeon was at a loss for words. He didn't even know how to describe his current emotion.
“So…? So have there been any bastards who have understood the commentary?”
Danmok Yeon finally asked that. He did not know what kind of answer he was hoping for. If the answer was yes, it would be a great blessing for the Divine Cult, but if he really heard those words, it would feel as if his own life was being denied.
He was not a person who could handle feelings of inferiority in a normal way.
It was only now that he had, as a result, helped others and was getting along, but the things he had originally done had not been forgiven.
Since the people who had the right to forgive were no longer of this world, it would be a distant matter for him to be forgiven in the future.
“That is not the case. But their enthusiasm is truly incredible. Just by receiving the commentary of the Heaven-Shattering Will Art, the look in people's eyes has completely changed. Before, if they had trained for three or four shichen (6 - 8 hours) a day, they would have been satisfied with themselves, but not anymore. They wake up from the early morning to perform Qi Circulation Meditation and train until late at night. Since the candidates are like that, the Head Instructors are also diligent.”
Danmok Yeon could also feel that the atmosphere had changed. The same was true for the fact that the eyes of the candidates and Head Instructors were alive. Usually, in a large group, you would be seeing a lot if you saw two or three people with such eyes, but what he felt at the Martial Arts Academy was different.
The eyes of everyone he met were shining brilliantly and were alive. At first, he had thought it was strange and didn't know exactly what had changed, but in the end, he had realized what kind of change it was.
Danmok Yeon did not need to strive to find out what he was curious about. It was because Cheok Gyo-woon, who was itching to tell him, was following him around and telling him the story fluently.
“The Principal walks among the training candidates, checks their posture, and tells them stories about the followers who are out in the Central Plains. He tells them what kind of treatment they receive and in what kind of environment they proselytize. At first, I just thought he was telling us the story because he thought we would be bored, training and strengthening our stamina in the same posture.”
Watching Cheok Gyo-woon's emotional expression, Danmok Yeon had a hunch that another round of praise for Cheon Ha-seong was about to pour out. And without fail, the words came out just as he had thought.
“But as I listen to those words, don't you think a sense of purpose would arise on its own? Until now, while learning and training in martial arts, I had only a vague reason for why I had to become strong. In the Divine Cult, the strong are the most noble, so I thought I had to become strong to not be looked down upon by others. I thought I had to become strong for myself, for my family, and for the cult.”
Danmok Yeon's thoughts were not much different from that either.