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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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A scream echoed through this damn neighborhood, a sure sign that something was happening.
Immediately, people from the surrounding area began rushing towards the source of the commotion.
The people here had a tendency to run and gawk whenever something happened. Maybe it was due to a lack of entertainment.
Whoosh
Of course, I was no different.
How could I pass up such an event when there was nothing else to do? Blending in with the crowd offered a perfect vantage point.
However,
“Squeeeeeak!”
When I arrived, it wasn’t some grand incident, just a giant rat rampaging through a street vendor’s stall.
That damn rat.
“A monster! A monster has appeared! Gyaaaaaah!”
A woman, the owner of the ravaged stall, stood there in distress.
“Oh dear! A giant rat has appeared!”
“It’s completely wrecking the place!”
“Why is it doing that?!”
The onlookers, however, found it fascinating and amusing, not particularly inclined to intervene.
Yes, this was the martial world. People in Jianghu rarely interfered in others’ affairs.
Let’s see.
It was just one giant rat, wasn’t it?
The creature seemed disoriented, unsure where to flee with the sudden influx of people.
Should I catch it?
“You!!!”
I immediately shouted, stepping forward and drawing my Siljang Gonbong.
Groooan
I felt a surge of fighting spirit, a sensation like my barely-there internal energy coursing through my meridians and spreading throughout my body.
I figured I had to get used to this feeling through conscious awareness.
“Squeek!”
The giant rat, noticing me, puffed up its fur, displaying its vigilance.
Too bad for you, you little bastard!
I was about to test out the martial arts I had learned!
“You monster! You dare wreak havoc on a commoner’s precious stall! I shall punish you!”
“Heavens! It’s a martial artist!”
“A martial artist has stepped in!”
“Wah, waaaah! A martial artist has appeared!”
Whoosh!
I hadn’t specifically learned any movement techniques, but the Three Talents Sword Technique included basic footwork. Employing this nameless footwork, I strode forward.
“Squeeeeeeeeak!”
The giant rat, as if challenging me, jumped high, and I aimed precisely at its head, executing the vertical downward strike of the Three Talents Sword Technique.
“Full Bloom!”
Whack!
“Squeak?!”
What a satisfying impact!
“You’re no match for me!”
The giant rat, its skull caved in, crashed to the ground.
The effects of my martial arts training were definitely showing!
It felt cleaner and easier than when I used to brawl with monsters. My legs felt stronger, too. And my breathing seemed more stable?
I had only trained in basic, low-level martial arts for two weeks, and this was the result? Whether it was psychological or not, I could really feel the difference.
At this rate, I might actually reach peak mastery in no time!
“Oooooh!”
“Well done!”
As I reveled in my martial prowess, the onlookers expressed their admiration and dispersed.
“Thank you!”
The stall owner, whose wares were ruined, expressed her gratitude, but it wasn’t particularly important.
I simply nodded in acknowledgement and picked up the giant rat by its tail.
It was really quite dead.
Only its head was crushed; the rest of its body was intact.
So, could I eat this?
Before, my brawling had left the monsters too damaged to fetch much for byproducts, and I couldn’t eat them.
But this should be edible.
“Let’s go!”
I decided to head to the place that had offered to cook monster meat.
“Hehehe.”
Honestly, the thought of rat monster meat was repulsive, but I had to consider it an experience and just eat it.
The allure of a free day’s worth of protein was irresistible.
Besides, I had just neatly executed a technique, killing the monster in one blow and helping a commoner, so I was in a pretty good mood.
With this feeling, I could eat any monster meat.
“Owner! I’ve brought a pristine giant rat carcass! Please cook this for me!”
“Hmm? Ah, you caught it cleanly. But you want to eat the meat?”
“Is it poisonous?”
“No… but giant rat meat is tough and doesn’t taste good.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll give you all the byproducts, just cook it for me.”
“Well, alright then.”
The owner, having received the carcass, immediately began preparing it.
“Except for the head, it looks usable.”
The sight wasn’t particularly appetizing, so I simply sat down and waited for the dish. I wasn’t expecting much in terms of taste. I was just doing this to save money and get some protein.
This world was crazy.
Eating rat meat for protein. The thought that this was a human world instantly vanished.
I was just utterly disheartened.
Was this even real?
As I grumbled to myself, the owner returned with a steaming bowl.
“Here you go.”
“What’s the name of this dish?”
“Giant Rat Soup, what else? Don’t expect it to be tasty. It’s something a beggar or a dog would eat.”
“Well… alright.”
He brought me the dish and called it dog food.
Let’s see.
As expected, it looked awful.
No matter how I looked at it, all I could think was, “I’m screwed.”
“I’m supposed to eat this?”
“Didn’t you order it?”
“I can’t believe it! I can’t believe it!”
I ordered this?!
The meat was dark and unappetizing. Still, the portion was decent enough to provide a full day’s worth of protein… Well, as a beggar, I couldn’t be picky.
Let’s eat!
“Huuup!”
I lifted the bowl and slurped down the broth and meat, then chewed.
“Cough!”
But damn, how could it not defy expectations?!
It tasted awful!
Chew, chew
The meat was so tough it almost brought tears to my eyes!
Help me!
“Ugh… This tastes absolutely terrible.”
“What did I tell you?”
“I’ll still eat it all. I need the protein for my muscles. I’ll be relying on you in the future, owner.”
“Huh…”
The owner, shaking his head, walked away saying.
“It’s usually used for dog food…”
“Oh, really.”
Once it’s in my stomach, it’s all the same!
“Ugh!”
And so, I combatively finished the entire bowl of Giant Rat Soup.
The sole thought that this meat would become my muscle fueled this feat.
I recalled reading that a tribe in the Amazon called rats ‘yahem.’ But they called all meat yahem. Essentially, rats were meat, their staple food.
I would live with the spirit of that tribe.
“Phew.”
I left after eating, but it was still a leisurely time of day.
“Now what?”
Should I just go back and rest? That seemed like a waste of my day off. I pondered as I fiddled with my Siljang Gonbong… Ah, that’s it!
A weapon!
A weapon!
“Tagu bong…!”
This damn stick!
Was there any reason to keep using this Hitting Stick now that I was training in martial arts? I had learned the Three Talents Sword Technique and knew how to wield a sword.
“Alright!”
The Siljang Gonbong was abandoned!
I had some money, so I decided to buy a real sword! I was finally at a level where I could use a sword!
“Ha.”
Coming to the martial world and only now thinking about getting a sword, I was a fool.
I had to act on this immediately.
I set off to find a blacksmith.
“The smell of iron.”
As I entered the street where the blacksmiths were, the smell of iron hit me.
Was this the true scent of metalwork?
The fragrance of a true man.
Thump-thump.
The thought of buying a real sword made my heart race.
What was a sword?
A weapon that stirred a man’s romantic ideals. A long blade with a sharp edge.
No man had ever lived who hadn’t imagined himself wielding such a magnificent sword, cutting down his enemies.
Not having such a fantasy was grounds for castration, a basic concept. It was even covered in elementary school.
And now, I was going to acquire one.
As a modern man, I had never held a blade besides a kitchen knife and a bamboo sword. Buying a sword felt like going to buy an expensive toy I absolutely had to have.
I entered a blacksmith’s shop that looked reasonably large.
Clang! Claaang!
“Wow, the heat.”
I heard the clang of hammers and felt the heat.
But what caught my eye most were the various weapons displayed inside!
“Ooh!”
A wide array of blades was on display. Swords, knives, axes, spears, glaives, some large knife with a ring… The sight of them all gathered in one place was truly impressive.
Men, young and old, went crazy for weapons.
“Are you here to purchase a weapon?”
A clerk approached me as I was looking around.
“I’m thinking of buying a sword. I’ll take a look around.”
“Hmm…”
The clerk glanced at my attire and nodded.
“I recommend the swords over here, sir.”
“What kind of swords are they?”
“Swords commonly used by martial artists. Please feel free to handle them.”
“Alright.”
They weren’t particularly fancy swords. Practical, mass-produced items, so to speak. They didn’t look expensive.
He probably recommended these based on my appearance.
Not bad.
“Well then.”
They all looked the same anyway, so there wasn’t much point in choosing. I picked up a sword and slowly drew it.
Shing.
“Wow.”
So this was a real sword.
It was quite long, and the blade seemed sharp.
It felt heavier than I expected.
“Hmm.”
The appearance was simple. A typical Eastern sword, distinctly different from the longswords seen in fantasy games.
The rectangular guard felt quite unique. I was used to Western swords, not Eastern ones.
“But the hilt seems a bit short.”
The hilt was short. Just long enough for a one-handed grip, unsuitable for the Three Talents Sword Technique I had learned.
The Sword Technique was fundamentally a two-handed style. Since I had learned the technique, I should buy a suitable sword.
“Ah, then over here.”
I tried a sword from another rack; it was perfect.
“Just right.”
The grip felt good, and it could be wielded with two hands without issue. The length was sufficient. I would learn to judge swords better as I progressed in my martial arts training.
“What kind of sword is this? Does it have a name?”
“It’s called a Han Jian. It’s a practical sword for martial artists. Not particularly high-end, but it will serve you well.”
A Han Jian.
I liked it.
“How much?”
“Since you seem to have a discerning eye, I’ll sell it to you for just 330 mun.”
What the hell was this guy talking about?!
“Isn’t that too expensive?”
Outraged by the blatant rip-off, I kept a straight face and attempted to haggle.
What kind of business didn’t allow for bargaining?
In the martial world, they might maintain face with the rich and merchants, but there were no such pretenses with the lower class.
“I believe swords like this usually go for around 250 mun. You’re overcharging me outrageously.”
“That’s impossible! That must be the price for a used one! This is brand new!”
“Hmm.”
“Alright. Just for you, 300 mun.”
“That’s still too much. I’ll buy it for 280 mun.”
“I can’t do that.”
Could I haggle further? I pretended to put the sword back, but the clerk stood firm. He wouldn’t sell it for less than 300 mun.
“Ugh… Fine.”
30 mun off was good enough.
Rustle.
I handed over my hard-earned money, took the sword, and went outside… I managed to shove the scabbard onto my belt.
“Kekeke!”
That alone made me incredibly happy!
I had a sword!
I had a sword at my hip!
I was carrying a real sword at my waist, just like a real martial artist…!
It was a small thing, but it brought me great joy. This was my first real sword. My Siljang Gonbong had been such a pathetic weapon. Having this sword definitely gave me a sense of security.
This sword would protect me.
“You’re my first sword.”
I felt the urge to caress the blade. So I did, fondling the scabbard like a madman. Anyone watching would think I was a demonic cult leader in love with his sword.
“Ha.”
I was deeply moved.
How long had it been since I arrived in the martial world before finally getting a sword?
This world was truly crazy.
Still, with this, I had become a proper martial artist.
Anyone who learned martial arts and carried a sword was a martial artist.
It wasn’t necessarily something to celebrate, but the thought of new horizons opening up made me happy.
“The tagu bong…”
With the sword scabbard on my belt, carrying the tagu bong became awkward. What should I do? Sell it?
No.
I would carry it as a secondary weapon, even if it was inconvenient. I had grown accustomed to it. My staff skills were probably quite decent.
It would be useful if I lost my sword.
With my sword at my hip, I returned to the inn.
I observed my surroundings as I walked.
There were certainly a lot of martial artists around. Many people carried swords.
I had struggled so much to finally get one, and yet so many others had them. Unless there was some giveaway event, latecomers could never catch up to the early birds.
I made sure to avoid eye contact with other martial artists.
It could lead to a fight. In my opinion, most martial artists were no different from thugs. There was nothing to gain from fighting them.
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