Chapter 445: Elucidating (5)

Chapter 445: Elucidating (5)

The night was deepening, yet many people still loitered in the Martial Assembly's grounds, unable to leave.

Bang Jin-Hun quietly tutted at the sight of the auditorium, which was still brightly lit. “Gee whiz. You sure have a rotten personality...”

“Mm? Did something happen?” Kang Jin-Ho relaxedly asked back.

“Huh-uh? Will you get a load of this guy...?” Bang Jin-Hun shot a glare at Kang Jin-Ho for his blase response. Kang Jin-Ho smiled innocently while sneakily avoiding Bang Jin-Hun's rebuking glare.

“Mister Jin-Ho, are you really going to kill half of the applicants?”

“Mm. Well, who knows?”

“Weren't you just trying to scare them?”

“That's also in the 'Who knows?' category.”

Bang Jin-Hun furrowed his brow. “Even if you were joking, those guys most likely didn't think of it as one, Mister Jin-Ho. What will you do if they get too scared and no one applies? I think I've said this before, but Mister Jin-Ho? You just are not aware of how other people see you. And that's a huge problem.”

“I'm not aware, you say?”

“Yes. Definitely not. The way those people see you is markedly different from how I see you, Mister Jin-Ho. I'm guessing here, but they probably think you are some kind of monster with three heads and six arms.”

“I see. That's fine, then.”

“I'm sorry?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't clarify himself and just smiled away. Although, his smile carried hints of bitterness. ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels

There was no problem even if those younger-generation martial artists viewed Kang Jin-Ho as a monster like what Bang Jin-Hun said just now. Back when Kang Jin-Ho was in the demon cult, people there didn't merely view him as some monster but actively called him the avatar of Asura, after all!

The demon cult was reviled and feared by the rest of Zhongyuan for its cruelty. However, even the members of such a feared demon cult viewed Kang Jin-Ho as an object of terror for his viciousness. When he looked back at his life, though, Kang Jin-Ho realized his behavior was unavoidable if he wanted to survive, as he had no one to rely on in Zhongyuan. Being cruel came naturally with the territory, so to speak.

Kang Jin-Ho still had the mindset of a modern-era person when he started his life in Zhongyuan, so the people around him back then looked like a bunch of savages with zero common sense. How could he maintain his sanity in a world where thieves caught in the act immediately got their limbs chopped off, while human meat could be bought openly from the roadside stalls?

That world didn't seem fit for human life. Trying to live like a modern-era person in a world with zero respect for human rights was impossible.

'...They are all lame excuses, though.'

Kang Jin-Ho's bitter smile deepened. Indeed, he was simply making excuses for himself.

Surviving in Zhongyuan while maintaining his dignity and respect as a modern-era person might have been doable. As long as Kang Jin-Ho was courageous enough not to fear death and respected his honor more than his life, that was.

Unfortunately, Kang Jin-Ho didn't have the courage back then. All he could do was become even crueler and more vicious than anyone else.

“What are you thinking about, Mister Jin-Ho?” Bang Jin-Hun curiously asked.

“It's nothing important,” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head before mouthing a fresh cigarette. It felt like frustration always clogged up his chest whenever his thoughts drifted back to the events in Zhongyuan.

“Mister Jin-Ho, aren't you worried about losing too many potential applicants?”

“No, I'm not. And it's still fine, anyway.”

“Even so... Wouldn't losing too many applicants become a problem in the long run? At the very least, how about coaxing back some of those kids who have overflowing talents...?”

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke before replying to Bang Jin-Hun. “Overflowing talents, you say?”

Bang Jin-Hun noticed a certain wryness in Kang Jin-Ho's chuckle but still replied to him. “Yes, talents. I think training the smart kids would be a far better investment than wasting time on hopeless idiots with zero...”

“No, not correct,” Kang Jin-Ho abruptly cut Bang Jin-Hun off with a shake of his head. “Talent doesn't matter at the end of the day. Only one's willpower matters.”

“Will... power?”

“Yes,” Kang Jin-Ho coolly dusted his cigarette ash outside the office window and got ready to explain himself.

However, Bang Jin-Hun suddenly walked up to him first and placed an ashtray on the window sill. “Please don't litter, Mister Jin-Ho.”

“Of course.”

“Will you say that was you putting in enough effort?”

“...!” Bang Jin-Hun thought he could just about figure out what Kang Jin-Ho was saying. It seemed that 'Putting in effort' was when one was doing something they didn't need to. At least, that seemed to be the meaning behind what Kang Jin-Ho said.

And it sounded like Kang Jin-Ho wanted the Martial Assembly's younger generation to throw their everything into improving their martial arts as if it was something as obvious as breathing air.

“Are you saying they should set milestones for themselves? Goals to reach at certain points?”

“Something like that, yes.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded.

“...That won't be easy, though.” Bang Jin-Hun muttered, still skeptical about this whole thing. 'The current era's far too different for that.'

Bang Jin-Hun thought he finally knew what Kang Jin-Ho had been saying. Indeed, there was a time in history when martial artists poured their absolute everything into their pursuit of strength, which was what Kang Jin-Ho demanded from the Martial Assembly's younger generation. However, that era had ended a long time ago.

One didn't need to become that strong nowadays as only a passable attainment in martial arts would still open a lot of doors in the modern era. And all the fun and pleasure to be had from those open doors were indescribably wonderful, too. So, who would go out of their way to become even stronger in such an environment?

“The idea of the spirit of martial arts sure sounds nice, but... Let me be honest here, Mister Jin-Ho. I think that's one hell of an outdated concept these days.”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “I'm sure that's the case. However... I never asked for that from the get-go. I don't believe in something as lofty as that, you see.”

“Eh?” Bang Jin-Hun blinked his eyes in even more confusion. If that was Kang Jin-Ho's case, just what motivated him to get stronger?

“The spirit of martial arts, is it? What a lofty-sounding ideal that is. However, I don't think martial arts' basis has anything to do with that,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Mm? In that case?”

“Let me ask you this, then. Mister Jin-Hun, what do you think is the fundamental principle of martial arts?”

“To me? It's to become one with nature through martial arts. Or... The will to attain an even higher realm. That's my belief.” Bang Jin-Hun confidently declared, only to notice the corners of Kang Jin-Ho's lips curling up. He realized that smirk signified ridicule, and his face blushed a little. “Am I wrong?”

“That certainly sounds grandiose, Mister Jin-Hun. However, while that sounds cool, I also think it's incorrect. Personally speaking, of course.”

“In that case...?” Bang Jin-Hun cautiously asked, his anticipation level rising.

Kang Jin-Ho was the strongest martial artist Bang Jin-Hun had ever met. And he firmly believed that no one in the Korean peninsula was stronger than Kang Jin-Ho, including those from history books. So, such an individual's viewpoint on martial arts would definitely help Bang Jin-Hun's own martial arts journey.

“Mister Jin-Ho, what do you believe is the foundation, the basis, of your martial arts?”

Click...

Kang Jin-Ho stubbed out his cigarette before lighting another one.

“Fuu-woo...” Kang Jin-Ho took a deep puff before smiling brightly at Bang Jin-Hun. “This might sound a bit simplistic and blunt, but... This is what I think. The feelings and thoughts I get from the techniques I trained in and other martial arts I've seen are like this.”

“Y-yes? What is it?”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded before revealing his thoughts in a serious tone. “I will never lose to that punk.”

“...Eh?” Bang Jin-Hun's expression grew a bit dazed just then.

“Ah, let me be clear about something. That's not exactly my viewpoint on martial arts. What I'm saying is that's the overall impression I get. So, if I were to go into more details, then...”

“:..Y-yes?”

“It's more like... I'm going to do whatever it takes to destroy that bastard.”

“...”

Kang Jin-Ho's attitude became even more serious than before. “I don't need any other reasons. Beat up the other party until they are dead, and prove that I'm the strongest in the room. That's all. If your goal was to become one with nature and whatever, why not join a Buddhist monastery instead? Why risk your health and sanity on training in martial arts? Besides, martial arts solely exist to beat up your enemies, don't they?”

Bang Jin-Hun suddenly beamed brightly and nodded away. This guy named Kang Jin-Ho, he...

As it turned out, he was beyond hopeless!

'Guys, I'm sorry, but... I think you should give up.'

Even sane people might suffer untold mental damage and go mad after experiencing Kang Jin-Ho's training regime!

Bang Jin-Hun's worried gaze shifted outside the window toward the wavering lights in the distance.