ch14

Martial arts is the history of struggle.

The very reason martial arts was created is, after all, to possess the ‘power’ to protect and seize.

Whether in my past life or this one, learning is precious in this world.

You can see it just by watching a merchant who has learned calculation doing mental arithmetic or using counting rods and abacuses to calculate large numbers, while uneducated commoners use their fingers and toes to calculate even small numbers, looking ridiculous.

It’s because they spend their whole lives digging in the dirt.

If even calculating small numbers is like that, how about the mysterious techniques of using the body, flying in the sky, and exerting the power of a thousand pounds with the force of four ounces?

Whether by chance or necessity, humans came into contact with various energies of nature and began to harness them, developing various martial arts by adapting them to forms, and sometimes adapting forms to righteousness. Or so I believe.

However, knowledge with phenomenal complexity not only has extremely high barriers to entry, but also possesses exclusivity due to those who seek to monopolize its power.

Formulas approaching infinity.

This means that even if a mortal who lives for only a hundred years dedicates his entire life, his attempts will inevitably be limited.

Therefore, there was a significant difference between talented individuals who learned formulas (martial arts) through countless trials and errors within a sect and vagrants who grew up in the streets. In the secular world, taboos arose to protect the power derived from this difference, such as not being allowed to observe others’ training.

However, I am probably one of the very few people in the history of the martial arts world who has delved into the mysteries of various sects.

With Enlightenment so outstanding that I can communicate with the heavens through my Upper Dantian, unable to use my own martial arts, and destined to die young with the secrets of martial arts.

In order to develop their sect’s martial arts even a little more before death, they entrusted me with their martial arts until their dying breath.

I must have seen over twelve thousand martial arts books, working on them until the end of my life.

Not like the vast but narrowly focused knowledge gathered in places like the Shaolin’s Sutra Depository or the Hwasan’s Chuiun Palace, but I experienced various inspirations and knowledge that formed the basis of both the righteous and the demonic paths.

The knowledge given to me without considering the consequences, because I was destined to die young, shone in this new life.

‘The form is slowly being completed.’

The giant brothers, whom I received three weeks ago on the condition that they would not harm humans, were still clumsy but diligently demonstrating the various postures I had created, sweating profusely.

The existence of the giants provided inspiration as a martial artist.

Originally, a creature of that mass wouldn’t even be able to stand upright on the earth.

Like the Elves originating from the World Tree, the Titan giants were also beings that deviated from the rules of ordinary life.

Therefore, I had to create martial arts for beings that defied the rules, not conventional martial arts.

And accordingly, I created basic training and taught it to the giant brothers.

‘Not bad, not good, just average talent.’

Since I was focusing on getting the form right first, without thinking about linking it to internal energy, they were learning quickly even without outstanding talent.

When I first saw them throw a punch, it was worse than the punches of the little street urchins.

They only used their upper body, swinging their arms around like windmills, using only their shoulders.

A posture that didn’t properly transmit power.

Of course, the weight and strength of a giant would make even that a mythical level of violence.

So there was no need to contemplate anything beyond that.

That’s why I taught them how to plant their feet, use their waist, use their shoulders, etc.

A genius with outstanding talent would instinctively realize and use these steps without being taught, but generally, these are things that people only realize when they are taught.

But isn’t that so?

If you leave an ordinary person who can’t realize things instinctively to their own devices, that’s usually how it is.

But everything can be edified through proper education.

Whether it’s knowledge or martial arts.

I had more work to do, but I didn’t mind much.

I didn’t expect the brothers to have talent in the first place.

‘I just don’t know if this is a good thing to do.’

The ecology of these giants seems too abnormal, so I tried experimenting to create a point of contact, but the physical power of the giants was more impressive than I thought.

The punch swung with just the strength of the upper body was already powerful in itself, but when a giant who looked like he was over 8 Elte and 10 Halgerd took the correct posture and swung, the rocky mountain shook for a moment.

Until the correct posture came out, there was nothing different, and when the guy who had been tilting his head finally succeeded in perfectly matching his body and breaking the rock after dozens of attempts, I remembered his wide-eyed surprise.

I don’t know what level of civilization humans have achieved here, but it’s a power that could break a stone wall 4 Elte thick.

From that point on, they seemed to have gained faith in martial arts itself, but I was a little worried when I faced the potential of the giants, which was more, no, actually more outstanding than I had thought.

If these giants were to show hostility towards humans, a wooden fence would not be able to stop them.

Maybe if they were equipped with internal energy here, their destructive power, if not their technique, would be greater than mine now.

‘Now that I’ve come this far, I can’t kill them, so I’m already on a running horse.’

I made a choice, and I just hope it’s not the wrong one.

“Stop and eat.”

The two of them ate two whole wild boars, gutted, skinned, and roasted.

A bone mound had already piled up quite a bit around them.

Not human bones, but the bones of animals they had hunted in the area.

There’s no gentleman after ten days of starvation, so to prevent them from harming humans, I had to at least solve the problem of their livelihood.

For a week, I directly hunted and provided them with food, and after that, I analyzed the characteristics of the giants and created martial arts for hunting, allowing them to hunt for themselves.

However, even if it was a reasonably large forest, river, or field, I couldn’t handle three giants at once, so I advised them not to hunt in the same place for two weeks after hunting there for a day.

If they settled in one place and ate everything, the ecosystem’s cycle itself could collapse. In the case of land where the cycle itself has collapsed and died, it takes a very long time for the materials for the cycle to be replenished, and sometimes it doesn’t come back to life.

And the skinned hides, teeth, and bones were traded with humans to obtain items that were difficult to obtain through hunting.

To make the benefits of dialogue and trade feel greater than the usefulness of harming humans.

I had put in place all the safety measures I could.

I took out a honey cookie from my pocket and ate it, saying.

“I’ve taught you the basic forms. There’s nothing more to teach you until the next appointment.”

Golb stopped eating and asked.

“Then… are you leaving now?”

“I have to. I should have left a long time ago. I’ve been looking after you for as long as it took me to come here from the forest.”

“Then…”

“Elf! Elf! What are you eating?”

“Hmm? This? It’s a snack made of honey that my sister packed for me.”

Silb stared with sparkling eyes and begged.

“Can’t you give me some too? I want to eat it too.”

“Hmm… this is too small even for me…”

I look at the size of the giant’s mouth and the cookie, which is about the size of one of my finger joints.

It’s probably so small that they wouldn’t even feel anything if they put it in their mouth.

It wouldn’t even be the size of a grain of rice for a human.

“It’s too small for you to eat.”

“Hmph…”

Honestly, after seeing him continue to act in a way that didn’t suit his large and grotesque appearance, he now looks quite cute.

“Silb.”

“Yes?”

“If you keep the promise I made until I come back, I’ll ask my sister to make a big honey cookie that you can eat.”

“!!”

He was happy, being honest with his emotions.

“What was the promise I made with you?”

“Don’t bother humans! Don’t eat humans! Only catch as many animals as you can eat! And rinse your teeth well!”

“That’s right. If you keep that well until we meet again, I’ll bring you a gift.”

“Okay!”

Golb finished his meal and quietly listened to my brother and I having a meaningless conversation before quietly opening his mouth.

“Thank you.”

“Hmm?”

“For… teaching us martial arts. For teaching us how to hunt like this… For taking good care of my brother too…”

“Well, we’re master and disciple, even if it’s just in a rudimentary way.”

“Master and disciple?”

“Yes, it refers to the relationship between a teacher who bestows teachings and a disciple who receives teachings.”

In the case of direct disciples of large sects like Hwasan or Wudang, it was compared to the relationship between parents and children.

“In the place I used to be, the relationship between master and disciple, where knowledge and will are passed down from generation to generation like receiving a body from parents, was compared to the relationship between parents and children.”

“Master and disciple…”

“If you keep your promise until the end, that’s what you’ll truly become.”

I stood up and approached Rudolph, climbing onto his back.

Rudolph, who was so scared of the giants at first, was now yawning and relaxing, as if they weren’t scary at all.

‘It’s a good thing that his courage has grown as much as his appearance.’

“I’m going now. I’ve experienced farewells once, and there’s no point in dragging them out. Awkwardness makes it hard to know when to leave.”

The two of them hurriedly stood up and saw me off.

“Say hello to Mother for us before you go.”

“It’s a hassle. Please convey my regards to Madam Bronya.”

“Elf… are you going?”

“Yes. I have a place to go, so keep your promise and I’ll come back.”

“Okay… I’ll keep my promise… Do you have to come back…?”

“Yes.”

I burst out laughing, watching the two giant brothers seeing me off until I became a distant dot.

Rudolph gave me a ‘is he crazy?’ look, but I laughed and rubbed the fur on his neck.

I balanced myself on his back, enduring as he shook his body to try to shake me off, as if he was annoyed.

“The first chapter of my journey out of the forest was creating two giant disciples…”

I thought, heading east following the guiding star that illuminated the sky.

It seems like it will be a pretty exciting journey ahead.