Chapter 52  

Richard hesitated. He couldn’t figure out what the other person?meant.

“... What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. You didn’t just thoughtlessly come here, did you? Those who joined this clan have only one goal in mind: becoming the best.”

Unsatisfied with the great rank of B-grade, ace hunters aimed to reach A-grade! The clan only had a few dozen members, but becoming the best among them was a feat that was on an entirely different league of difficulty.

“How hard do you think is it to be with these people? You don’t think being in the 2nd team will allow you to reach A-grade, do you? You have to get into the 1st team.”

“I don’t know why you’re telling me things I’m already aware of. Stop wasting my time.”

“A bit ignorant, aren’t you? You’re new here and know nothing. How can you compete with the others? They’re better and have more experience than you.”

“......”

“Unlike you, I’ve been in the clan for quite some time. I can sell you what tests or training will be done and what the others’ weaknesses are.” The hunter held out his hand along with these words. “Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet. Whittaker Moneymaker. Remember that.”

“It’s a fitting surname.”

“I hear that often. So, want to join forces?”

“... I’m sorry, but it won’t turn out the way you think.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m from the Parker family, but becoming a hunter means disobeying orders. You won’t get anything by hanging out with me...”

Before he could finish speaking, Whittaker stood up and walked away.

“? ? ”

Richard was dumbfounded. He expected a sudden change in attitude once the moment Whittaker realized he couldn’t get any help from Richard’s family, but how could he be so blatant?

***

Whittaker lived by categorizing everything in the world into gains and losses. His personality wasn’t caused by a contract with a constellation. He simply had always been like that. Richard was no longer of any worth to him. Without the help of the Parker family, he had no value as a hunter.

‘I wasted my time. I will have to find someone else.’

Unlike others, Whittaker didn’t have the ambition to become a powerful A-grade hunter who could control a country. Rather, he aimed to be the one manipulating the A-grade hunters behind the scenes. He wanted to be in a position where he’d have various personal connections with A-grade hunters and manipulate them at will when necessary! And the Icarus clan was the best place to build a network. After all, ace hunters crowded to this place.

‘The other choices aren’t bad, but I?definitely like the Icarus clan better...’

It wasn’t just because aces gathered to it. Few people offered?as selfless and full support as Hwang Gyeongryong. Those who had invested a lot of money would usually expect to greatly profit from it.

“Odaigon, right? Are you new?”

Whittaker approached?Odaigon, the pale and skinny young man! Aside from being a hunter, he looked like he'd be a good fit for photoshoots and modeling. Hence, Whittaker expected to see him often in future broadcasts.

‘Now, how do I approach him?’

"Aack!"

“? ?”

Whittaker flinched at?Odaigon’s?sudden yell.

What? Was he crazy?

“I died because of you!”

Odaigon held up his smartphone and fiercely glared at Whittaker. He died due to poor control, but he didn’t even consider that to be a possibility since he had always been blinded by anger. The goblin king released killing intent, stunning Whittaker. The latter had never been confident in one-on-one combat between hunters.

“N-No. Something else likely caused that.”

“Get lost! Take another step closer and I’ll crush you!” Odaigon?growled and chased him away.

Dumbfounded, Whittaker backed off. Nothing good would come from messing with an angry person. ‘I’ll just wait for the next opportunity.’

Choi Yeonseung was the only one left!

‘I heard he’s a martial artist who had just returned from the Abyss.’

Whittaker initially thought the man wouldn't be that useful since he was a martial artist, but he had since changed his mind. Being able to join this clan meant he'd likely have the basic skills mastered, at the very least. And he managed to do such a feat as a martial artist, no less…

‘He’s probably amazing.’

He seemed unusual in many ways, but there was nothing wrong with befriending him.

***

Clap.

“Are you going to keep hitting me, f-friend?”

“Shut up and feel the flow inside you.”

“But...”

Clap.

Choi Yeonseung lightly hit Smallwood’s other cheek with his palm. Smallwood stumbled in shock.

“Maintain your posture.”

Smallwood groaned while assuming the horse stance, one of the best postures when it came to training one’s body and feeling their internal energy. It seemed more of a punishment on the surface, though.

“You’re a magician. Shouldn’t you know how to handle magic power?”

“I know, but...”

Magicians could draw in an infinite amount of magic power from external forces to cast magic. Unlike martial artists, they didn’t have to store internal energy in their dantian. ?That was why it was considered a much more efficient method than martial arts.

“... I don’t let it flow through me like this, friend!”

Instead of dantians, magicians created a mana circle in their hearts. Mana circles didn’t?accumulate internal energy as?much?as dantians, but they were an organ that stored magic power. To control the magic power around them, magicians had to have a certain amount of magic power.

However, they were just storing?mana in the magic circles, not circulating it through their body like internal energy. While they appeared to be doing the opposite, they weren’t sending magic power into their body and circulating it!

“Don’t magicians use magic power?when using strengthening?magic on themselves?”

“We don’t make it course through us! We use our own magic power to summon the magic power around us!”

While it appeared like he was strengthening himself by infusing his arm with magic power, he was actually just gathering the surrounding magic power and making it dwell in him. It was a very quick and simple way to use magic!

“Hmm. You’re making it very difficult on yourself. You just have to internally envelop yourself with magic.”

“I think your method is more complicated.”

Smallwood trembled with fear. Magic power was a strong and unstable force, and moving it back and forth within him wasn’t normal. magic

“Take your time. I’ll keep it in check.”

“How?”

“I’ve put my hands on your back, haven’t I? Don’t worry. If you fail to control your magic power, I’ll save you with my internal energy. At most, your blood vessels will be ruptured or some of your organs will be damaged.”

“......”

Smallwood grumbled as he slowly drew out his magic power and moved it internally from his heart to the tip of his left arm. Soon, he felt a great deal of power in his left arm. It was similar to strengthening magic, but it was easier to use!

“I’m glad it worked. I thought internal energy and magic power were similar, so I gave it a try.”

[You've learned to control magic power the same way internal energy is controlled!]

[The skill ‘Mana Control Method’ has been acquired.]

[Your power of existence as the 'Undefeated Incarnation of Training' has risen.]

[Mana Control Method]

[Rank: C Allows the use to execute martial arts using magic power instead of internal energy. The higher the user’s understanding, the lower the penalty.]

It wasn’t just about making martial arts stronger but applying it to other skills as well. This, too, was a type of training. Choi Yeonseung felt proud for proving his hypothesis through Smallwood.

-Magic power and internal energy are nearly similar in nature. If we use magic power within us like internal energy, won’t it be possible to use it for martial arts?

‘There’s still a long way to go, though. It’s currently C-ranked. I have to polish it more.’

“Wait, did you just say you’re glad? Did we try this without you knowing what could happen?”

“Shh. Focus. Keep moving your magic power.”

“Ugh. It consumes too much magic power.”

“Don’t keep drawing magic power from your mana circle. Hold onto the ones you’ve already drawn out and circulate them inside you. You’ll get tired and won’t be able to use martial arts otherwise.”

Neither internal energy nor magic power was infinite. Magicians borrowed magic power from external sources, while martial artists mastered the technique of maintaining internal energy. To execute skills similar to martial arts using magic power, he had to learn that technique. Otherwise, he’d swiftly run out of magic power and collapse!

“Can’t I just build up internal energy from scratch?”

“You want to build up mana circles and internal energy? It would take at least a hundred years to see results. This is the best way for magicians to master martial arts.”

“Controlling magic power is too difficult and exhausting.”

Every time he drew out magic power, the magic power in his mana circle was drained. Unlike Choi Yeonseung, Smallwood couldn’t keep his magic power inside him. It would disappear immediately if he lost even a bit of concentration, and he’d have to draw more from his mana circle again...

“Your main focus is magic anyway, right? Not martial arts. You’d only use it?when you’re in a?pinch.”

“That’s true, but...”

“Then it doesn’t matter if it consumes a bit too much for as long as your attacks hit.”

Choi Yeonseung had no intention of teaching Smallwood everything about martial arts since that was practically impossible and he didn’t have much time to teach... Hence, he tried to teach him a fist technique that would allow him to deliver a lightning-like blow against his opponent during melee combat! The martial art could be imperfect and exhausting since it used magic power, but it still had sufficient power.

“Okay. You’re not stupid. You should be able to stretch out your magic power along with your arms.”

“I’ve never heard you sound so stupid.”

“Shut up. If you really plan on practicing martial arts, what type of weapon are you going to use?”

“This!”

Smallwood grinned and pulled out some knuckles, which were weapons worn over one’s fists to increase power.

“Not bad. I'll teach you a fist technique, then. Get rid of any unnecessary thoughts and just focus on drawing and circulating magic power through the route I taught you.”

Choi Yeonseung drew a path through his veins and told Smallwood to only let his magic power travel through it.

The technique truly was meant to execute just one blow!

“Shouldn’t I learn footwork or something?”

“How many hours do you think you’d require just to learn to even use footwork? I wouldn't put you through that even if I didn't have a conscience. At your current level, you won't even be able to use it even if you practice it over and over. It's better to just remember this single attack. Once you think you're in range, draw your magic power out and throw a punch.”

“Got it.”

Since Smallwood was an experienced hunter, he immediately understood what Choi Yeonseung meant. A child who had just taken their first step wouldn't be able to fly yet! He became even more amazed by Choi Yeonseung for teaching him, a technique.

Smallwood practiced repeatedly until a message popped up saying that he had become used to it and that he had gained a skill.

[The skill ‘One Hit With Magic Power’ has been acquired!]

[One Hit With Magic Power]

[Rank: D

Execute a single attack using magic power instead of internal energy. The higher the user’s understanding, the lower the penalty.]

‘Huhu. It's great that I've finally learned it, but its rank is way too low.’

The lower a skill’s rank, the lower its value. He had to practice it more to raise its rank.

‘Well, just because it has a low rank doesn’t mean it can’t be used...’

A D-rank 5th-circle magic was still more powerful than an A-rank 1st-circle magic.

Smallwood hissed and threw a punch. He felt proud to have obtained something!

[Smallwood Highmountain has honored you as a master of martial arts.]

[Being respected has increased the Undefeated Incarnation of Training's power of existence.]