Chapter 13:

Chapter 13:

“Why are you here?” (3)

“Hey. Did he really bring that guy here?”

Upon hearing the words of one of the Novice Monks behind the humble hall, Mu-jin let out a slight chuckle.

“Wow. Did you expect us to come?”

“We’ve been hanging around together these past few days, how could we not know?”

“You knew we were coming but didn’t run away, what were you thinking?”

In response to Mu-jin’s question, the three Novice Monks tried to suppress their emerging laughter by covering their mouths with both hands.

Even though it was a secluded place, they had to be careful not to laugh too loudly since someone from the Shaolin temple could come by.

“Keheheheh. Why should we run away?”

“Wow. Just because you beat that big oaf, you’re overflowing with confidence?”

“See. I told you that guy’s crazy.”

The three managed to hold back their laughter, taking turns to speak. For some reason, Mu-jin also burst into laughter at their words.

“Keheheh. Hey, did you hear them? They called you a big oaf. Didn’t you say you were sure to win?”VịSit no(v)3lb/!n(.)com for new novels

“...They were looking at me like that?”

Provoked by Mu-jin’s taunt, Mu-gung stepped forward with veins bulging on his forehead.

“Anyone, come at me. I’ll make sure you won’t be able to spout such nonsense again.”

“Hmph. As if someone would be scared by that.”

The Novice Monk, who had just boasted about beating Mu-gung in front of his friends, approached him.

“Hmm. Then is that remaining guy mine? Since Gyeong and Yul are taking care of Mu-tae.”

And Mu-jin approached the Novice Monk standing beside Mu-tae, as if he was going out for a casual stroll through the neighborhood.

“Hmph. I’ve been waiting for this moment, you brat. I’ll humble that arrogant nose of yours since you got cocky beating Mu-gung.”

With each individual’s opponent decided, the only ones left were Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, and Mu-tae.

Mu-tae walked confidently towards Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong.

As Mu-tae approached, Mu-gyeong’s hands began to tremble more and more.

Over the past two months, due to repeated violence, the image of Mu-tae that had taken root in Mu-gyeong’s heart had grown too large.

“Oh, is our little friend Mu-gyeong, the son of our enemy, trying to hit me?”

As if knowing exactly what was in Mu-gyeong’s heart, Mu-tae taunted him with ease. He even went as far as to approach Mu-gyeong, sticking his face right in front of him as if daring him to throw a punch.

Instead of fighting back, Mu-gyeong’s body shrank even more at that provocative attitude. Even though his opponent did not assume a stance to attack, Mu-gyeong’s body had instinctively curled up like a turtle.

From the experiences of being hit and trampled on, Mu-gyeong’s body had become accustomed to trying to minimize the pain as much as possible.

A smirk appeared on Mu-tae’s lips at the sight of Mu-gyeong looking like a turtle. Mu-tae leaned in closer to Mu-gyeong’s ear and issued one last threat.

“If you hit me, do you know what will happen to your father?”

However, those words acted as a catalyst instead.

The fear of Mu-tae was overshadowed by concern for his father.

As Mu-jin had said, enduring this bully would ultimately lead to his father being treated like a slave by this guy.

There was only one way out.

To stand up to this guy and become a True Disciple.

“Don’t you dare bully my father!!”

In the moment when anger overcame fear, Mu-gyeong, with a shout, swung his fist towards Mu-tae, who had come right up to his nose.

“Whoops!”

However, Mu-gyeong’s punch, driven by anger, was too straightforward.

“This guy must be crazy!”

Mu-tae easily dodged Mu-gyeong’s punch and counterattacked. His fist, filled with internal energy following the initial move of the Revolving Fist Technique, flew towards Mu-gyeong’s abdomen.

“Ha!”

Just before Mu-tae’s punch could hit Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, who had leaped in with perfect timing, pushed Mu-gyeong away.

“Mu-gyeong senior brother! Snap out of it!”

Perhaps it was his pride that was hurt when his punch hit nothing but air, for Mu-tae immediately redirected his target and began swinging his fist toward Mu-yul.

“Huff!”

But to his surprise,

Despite the fist being charged with internal energy, Mu-yul was dodging all of his punches.

This was thanks to the teachings of Mu-jin over the past two days. While young Mu-yul’s eyes couldn’t follow a fist filled with internal energy, he could recognize the preparatory movements well enough.

And then, Mu-yul’s urgent voice burst out.

“Mu-jin! Hurry up and help!!”

Startled, Mu-jin immediately turned his head towards the direction where the three were fighting.

“???”

A puzzled expression naturally crossed his face.

There was no need for help; Mu-tae was already on the ground, getting pummeled with glee.

‘What does he need help with?’ Mu-jin wondered inwardly. Just then, Mu-yul shouted again, urgently.

“Help me hold back Mu-gyeong senior brother!”

Mu-yul cried out and rushed toward Mu-gyeong, who shook off Mu-yul and climbed back on top of Mu-tae to swing his fist.

As he mercilessly beat the already bloody-faced opponent, Mu-tae’s face turned into a bloody mess.

But Mu-gyeong, who had completely lost his senses, continued to pound the bloodied face relentlessly.

And the blood spattering from Mu-tae’s face was now drenching Mu-gyeong’s fists and face in red.

The sight of his blood-stained face and eyes shimmering with madness brought back a certain memory buried deep in Mu-jin’s mind.

The mad priest who loved blood more than anyone.

The lunatic who claimed that all humans are evil and that he washes away their sins with blood.

He was the most insane villain character from “Record of the Demon Sovereign’s Return,” the first work by Ga-gyeong, the author of the novel “Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk” that Mu-jin had joined.

Blood Monk Mu-gyeong.

“Crazy. He was that guy?”

It was then that Mu-jin remembered why the name Mu-gyeong sounded familiar and was horrified.

No matter how much he liked the novel, it had been eighteen years since he last read it. Moreover, it was a character he remembered not through pictures or images but through text, so it was impossible to recall right away.

In the novel, the scene of the Blood Monk bursting into maniacal laughter amidst bloodshed overlapped with the sight of Mu-gyeong relentlessly throwing punches while covered in Mu-tae’s blood.

At that moment, Mu-jin felt chills unwittingly creep up his spine.

‘What have I awakened?’

A child whose self-esteem had been shattered by prolonged bullying.

The very act intended to revive that child’s self-esteem was now flowing in such an unexpected direction.

However, now was not the time to be shocked.

Mu-jin dashed towards Mu-gyeong and shouted,

“Hey! Grab him quickly!!”

As Mu-jin and Mu-yul grasped his arms from both sides, Mu-gyeong struggled violently as if having a seizure.

“How can he be so strong?”

It was as if he was channeling some innate divine energy.

“Let go!!! He’s the one!!! He was going to bully my dad!!!”

After a while of Mu-yul and Mu-jin desperately holding on,

“Hu, huuuuk. Huuuuk.”

Perhaps his anger had subsided, Mu-gyeong suddenly burst into tears.

Mu-jin then let out a sigh of relief as he watched.

‘He’s not the Blood Monk yet, is he...?’

He had worried whether this incident would become a catalyst for Mu-gyeong to turn into a blood-crazed madman.

But considering his current state, it didn’t seem quite so.

‘I’m not sure if my memory serves me right, but the Blood Monk just appeared as a madman. There was no story about why he became mad.’

Perhaps, as a child, he endured bullying like this, and eventually, he crossed a line he should not have.

Mu-jin was contemplating this when,

“Halt!!!”

A deep, resonant shout from the Buddhist tradition burst out behind them.

Only then did Mu-jin snap out of his reverie, and his eyes refocused on the situation at hand.

The two Novice Monks, whom he and Mu-gung had beaten, were sprawled on the ground crying, and there was Mu-tae, turned into a bloody mess.

‘...We’re doomed.’

As he pondered how to resolve this situation, Mu-jin cautiously turned around,

And what met his gaze was the figure of Master Uncle Beob Gang.