Chapter 56:

Korean superhuman academy was one of the biggest academies in the world.

How could such a gigantic size come out from such a cramped land like Korea, you ask? The answer was, the whole island was built on the sea in the west coast area.

On top of the white marble-like island, a magnificent castle-like structure was built. It was the superhuman academy city, or widely known as ‘Sekim’, a name derived from a new coined word proposed by the president at that time.

People used to sarcastically call it ‘a word made of pork belly (Samgyeopsal) and kimchi’ but years later, the name Sekim was imprinted in the heads of people all over the world.

The academy where many brilliant superhumans were working as their teaching staff. A highly sought out place for both superhuman wannabes who wanted to learn skills as well as ordinary students who seeked this place for their diploma.

This huge city with a total population of 5 million people was where the famed ‘Sejong Super Ability School’ was located at.

‘A parent’s visit day huh?’

The Academy held ‘parent’s visit day’ once a year to show the parents how much their children had changed. At the same time the academy used this event to boast about the academy’s achievements through the student progress.

Unlike the ‘normal’ parent’s visit, this day was also the day where both conglomerates and guilds tried to scout some promising students through the fighting tournament held by the academy 

Lee Dong-joon looked at his daughter, Shin Hye-ji from the spectator’s seat.

Even though they didn’t share the same blood, Shin hye-ji was still his ‘daughter in contract’. And it was also true to some extent that Lee Dong-joon had put her inside the ‘boundary’ of his own family.

Shin Hye-Ji was a girl with a very sad dream. She wanted to become a ‘hunter’ even though she was only an ordinary human without any kind of superpower.

Lee Dong-Joon had asked her to give up her dream several times. Yet, she kept working hard everyday to achieve her dream. Eventually, Lee Dong-Joon, who was moved by Shin Hye-ji’s determination, broke another rule. 

In addition to ‘don’t have a relationship’, Lee Dong-joon also broke the ban of ‘don’t spread martial arts.’

-You shouldn’t have done that.

Lee Dong-Joon heard those words as he watched Shin Hye-Ji’s duel.

-Why did you break the ban?

‘Because i’m the one who made it.’

The identity of the voice who was talking to him inside his head was none other than Dharma. More precisely, it was Dharma of Earth. 

Long time ago, Lee Dong-joon was accidentally possessed by  the spirit inside a Dharma’s relics. Countless Earthlings were summoned to Moorim. While everyone was still engulfed in confusion and chaos, Lee Dong-joon adapted faster than anyone else and successfully earned a high achievement thanks to the Dharma inside his body.

At that time, his one and only dream was to return to Earth.

However, Dharma from Earth was afraid that martial arts from Moorim would spread on Earth.

Dharma, who once spread his Magical energy on Earth and made it possible for anyone to use it, collected all of his power back when he saw that people were so absorbed in their own power that they stained the world with blood.

He didn’t want to repeat the same mistake ever again. Even when the world has changed into a world where monsters existed, he had yet to change his mind

‘Can’t you make it so that only I can return to earth?’ Lee Dong-joon asked, but the Dharma shook his head to refuse Lee Dong-Joon pledge.

-If you return, all the earthlings in Moorim would also return.

In that case, there was no other choice but to impose a ban on all earthlings in Moorim.

So Lee Dong-joon took all of them under his wings to observe their action. And then he made a rule that stated ‘if you used martial arts or engaged in a relationship, Dharma would visit you.’

But there was one big flaw in the rules.

It was the fact that the rules wouldn’t apply for the Dharma, Lee Dong-Joon himself.

-… I trusted you.

‘……..’

However, Lee Dong-Joon didn’t have any intention to use his power to hunt monsters. He simply wanted a normal life.

‘The world is bound to change. Didn’t you also change your way of talking too?’

-You bastard! I’ve been living for hundreds of years. How can I only speak one tune?

‘It doesn’t matter. I’m going to do anything I can for me and my family.’

-…So, you won’t think about other people from Moorim at all?

If Lee Dong-joon decidex to return to Earth. all earthlings on Moorim would have no other choice but to follow him.

‘Please, my daughter and my husband are here. I don’t want to go back. Please…’

There was a person who said that as she  hugged her child and begged. Then there were others…

‘Please, she’ll be back in a week. Let me see her just one more time. Please, I’d like to confess to her.’

Someone begged as they slammed their head into the ground.

‘I can’t go back now. I have to kill the man who killed my girl!’

Someone said that as he stuck a knife towards Lee Dong-joon

However, Lee Dong-joon was an absolute master of Moorim who had reached the status of ‘Legendary Lord’. No one could ever beat him by force. In the end, they were all forced to move back to earth.

After their return to earth, there were many cases where people from Moorim couldn’t hold their bloodthirst and used their martial arts recklessly. Whenever that happened, Lee Dong-joon went and dealt with them in the cruelest way possible. Some of them had their limbs cut off and left with only their lives remaining.

Lee Dong-joon did that in order to make an example out of them so that no one would disobey the will of the Dharma ever again.

-Your karma is bound to catch up to you. How angry would all the people from Moorim be if they knew what you’ve done, I wonder?

‘There is no way it is going to happen. I have already changed my face and hidden my identity. No one from Moorim would know who I am.’

The martial arts he taught to his daughter, Shin Hye-ji, was seemingly similar to a Body strengthening skill. There would be no problem whatsoever.

But suddenly,

“Oh! Hello, we meet again.”

Lee Dong-joon’s face stiffened. The identity of the man who called him was Yoo Seodam. A Dimensional Returnee who didn’t belong to Moorim as well as the only one who knew Lee Dong-joon’s real identity as someone from Moorim.

‘I’ve made a mistake.’

At first, Lee Dong-Joon assumed that Yoo Seodam was someone from Moorim. So, he went to visit him in order to punish him from using ‘Martial arts’ on earth. But, when he saw him directly and listened to his explanation, he realized that Yoo Seodam wasn’t someone from Moorim. In the end he just ended up revealing his own identity.

‘Should I have killed him back then?’

But he couldn’t. As soon as he would stab his intangible sword to that man’s body, he would disappear like an illusion. He must have believed in his skills and came here.

His conviction that he would never die.

That fact was what made Lee Dong-joon uncomfortable.

“Oh,The rumor seems to be true. Your daughter is simply excellent. Amongst all students in the Academy she is definitely a top tier student.”

“……”

“Look at that step! Wow, I can never do something like that. I bet all hunters in the world would kill just to learn those fancy footwork.”

“Why did you come here?”

When Lee Dong-joon reacted curtly, Yoo Seo-dam raised his hand to appease his anger.

“Didn’t fathers like it when someone complimented their daughters?”

“Don’t cross the line Yoo Seodam!!”

“Please calm down, Your majesty. I’m here to help you solve your problems.”

“…..!”

Yoo Seo-dam smiled and looked towards the arena. Shin Hye-ji was showing an ability to lighten her body as she stood on the tip of her opponent’s wooden sword.

[Supporting character Shin Hye-ji was using Irwidogang (SS)]

What Shin Hye-ji did wasn’t something that could be done easily even for a superhuman. As someone who originally doesn’t have any superpower, Shin Hye-ji failed to hold his excitement back. She was wildly running around the arena. She even forgot the words that Lee Dong-joon has said to her ‘Never show your martial arts’.

Of course, both ‘irwidogang’ and ‘Thirteen swords of Buddha dharma’ was a difficult skill to recognize even for the eyes of good warriors from Moorim. Both skills was a legendary achievements that difficult to see even in Moorim.

But there was someone here who clearly knew who he was. Also, he was aware of the existence of the ‘rules”.

“What do you want?”

Lee Dong-joon asked curtly. 

“Thanks to Miss Shin Hye-Ji superior specs, I’m sure many guilds have sent her some love call, right?” Yoo Seo-dam said.

“…..”

“Reject everything. And leave your daughter to my guild.”

“How can I believe you? Your guild is just a newborn guild.”

“Yes, it is, but by the time your daughter graduates, My guild wouldn’t be the same as it is now. Unlike your people with their restriction, I’m going to share my skills generously.”

Hearing those words, Lee Dong-joon finally realized the reason why Yoo Seodam approached him.

“Mr. Lee Dong-joon. I really want to get along with you. I found out that you were one of the best in the world as well as in Moorim. So, why would I do anything that would harm you? I won’t ask you to believe me.”

And then, Yoo Seo-dam pointed at Shin Hye-ji with his fingers.

“That ‘superpower’ your daughter use… Surely, it’ll be a headache if people from Moorim know the real identity of those powers, right?”

Lee Dong-joon did not answer.

“But what if she was my disciple?”

“……..!”

“I can teach anyone my ‘power’. Your daughter wouldn’t have to hide her powers like she is now. I’ll tell you again, Mr. Lee Dong-joon. Send your daughter to my guild. Although my guild is smaller than any other guild, isn’t it the best guild for your daughter to be active?”

His words were true, there wouldn’t be any problem if Shin Hye-ji became Yoo Seodam’s disciple. Because he had already showed the world a technique similar to martial arts.

‘Can I really believe him?’

Lee Dong-joon questioned in the back of his mind. As a man who had fought many times in the jungle called Moorim, Lee Dong-joon tried to be as rational as possible.

‘This man knows a lot about DR. Perhaps he also knew that revealing this fact to the world would put me in a difficult position. Nevertheless, he came to me first with his mouth shut and made this suggestion– did he want something from me?’

After a brief thought, Lee Dong-joon asked him.

“What do you want from me?”

Then Yoo Seo-dam said without blinking his eyes.

“In the future, there will be a lot of people who will come after me. I am not strong enough to protect myself. So i want your protection.”

And…

“I want to be taught by you.”

The teachings that all the people from Moorim wanted.

The teachings that were sought by all the Hunters all over the world.

He wanted those ‘Teachings’ that no one could learn.

“Do you know how heavy the teachings of a Dharma are?”

“Yes I know. So, I’m here to solve your difficult situation. Not only that, I’m in a position where I’m quite socially active. If there’s another difficulty, please feel free to tell me.”

Lee Dong-Joon once again fell in a deep thought.

Yoo Seodam, wasn’t he such an excellent ‘assistant’ for him? There’s a time when he couldn’t use his power fully when he taught her pitiful daughter about martial arts because he was afraid of being caught. In exchange for solving all of his problems Yoo seodam only wanted to be taught by him.

In the first place, Supreme Dharma’s teachings were so heavy and perfect at the same time thanks to ‘Protagonist correction’. Isn’t the current Hunter’s Association all creeping around him just to get this lesson?

Eventually, Lee Dong-joon nodded.

“Okay, but if you ever tell my daughter about this deal or you tell me what to do…. I’ll cut your throat.”

“Of course. You shouldn’t worry about that.”

Eventually, Lee Dong-joon decided to leave his daughter Shin Hye-ji to him.

Turning back, Yoo Sodam smiled at his win. This deal got him the protection of Dharma by having her daughter Shin Hye-ji. And also, Dharma’s teaching was guaranteed.

But the most important thing of all was the fact that he grasped Lee Dong-joon’s weakness on his hands.

***