## Chapter 199 – The Way of the Unprincipled
The gathered martial artists numbered roughly over ten.
So many martial arts practitioners crowded the alleyway that it was completely filled. They were all equipped with brutal martial artist class-exclusive killing weapons like knuckles, claws, and gauntlets.
A chilling aura.
Overflowing violence.
The man who seemed to be the leader of these musclebound criminals stood before me.
“Take your hands off that child.”
His torn-sleeved uniform seemed to indicate his level of training. Well-balanced muscles. And an arrogant posture. I didn’t know if his skill matched his attitude, but for some reason…
I wasn’t scared at all.
ㅡSmack!
“Ugh!”
Instead of answering, I slapped Serka across the face. The martial artists erupted in curses and commotion.
“…You bastard!”
“Hey.”
And I said,
“This is a bit of an old story. But have you ever heard a rumor about some swordsman getting ganged up on by a bunch of martial artists? You know, the one about the dick-measuring contest in front of the bar.”
Even Karin knew about it, it was that famous. Considering that swordsmen and martial artists didn’t get along very well, they probably bragged about it amongst themselves.
Martial artists never forget a grudge.
I am the martial artist Kim Kat.
“…That…”
The guy thought for a moment, then glared at me.
“Was that you?”
He spoke in a serious voice, as if something clicked.
But he seemed to be misunderstanding something. This situation wasn’t happening because of that incident. It was simply because of my grudge against Serka.
“So you’re saying you beat those two guys to a pulp and tried to kidnap that child because of that?”
“No. You’ve got it wrong. I have a personal grudge against Serka. Those two just got caught up in it. And they did it willingly.”
“A grudge? I can’t understand what kind of grudge you could have with that little child. Anyway, none of that matters. If you don’t release that child immediately, you’ll have to face the wrath of us martial artists.”
“Hehehe, wrath.”
He’s talking about wrath in front of me?
I glanced at Serka’s face. Even though so many comrades had come to rescue her, she was just terrified as she met my eyes. “Hey.” She trembled at my call.
“Serka. Who do you think will win?”
“…”
“I’m asking who you think will win.”
Serka didn’t answer.
Frustrated, I punched her in the gut. ㅡThwack! My fist dug deep into her abdomen. She vomited up stomach acid and passed out.
“You crazy bastard!”
I don’t avoid.
I don’t run away.
I don’t cower, I don’t yield.
As a martial artist, all I can do is,
Only the conversation of fists.
“Enough with the chatter.”
I threw the unconscious Serka aside.
“Come at me. You vermin.”
I took a stance for the Siljang Fist Technique, and said those words.
From now on, I will be facing the martial artists’ army.
“Son of a bitch! Everyone! Kill him!”
ㅡUwaaaaaaaa!!!
A roar erupted.
It was literally a tidal wave of muscles.
Or in English, a Muscle-Tsunami.
Like a surging wave, giant proteins formed a wall of flesh and rushed towards me, eager to unleash their attacks on me with their respective fist techniques and leg techniques.
ㅡInner World.
I draw up mana.
And spread the surging mana throughout my body. My senses sharpen. My body lightens. At the same time, my muscles become heavier… I overlay my inner world onto reality.
“I am.”
The first to rush at me was the leader of the martial artists I had been talking to. His specialty must be fist techniques, as his greatly twisted body and bulging arm muscles were impressive.
The veins that looked like they would burst proved its power.
“Cheonma.”
But.
“Kim Kat.”
There are too many openings.
At that rate, I won’t even get hit.
ㅡFlash!
I seize the initiative of the attack. He must have thought that he would definitely make the first move. But I charged towards him faster than he could run.
“…What?!”
His face contorted in shock.
Siljang Fist Technique and Siljang Footwork. Unlike the martial arts of the martial artists, my close combat skills, which had been improved and supplemented through deadly real combat, had no gaps or unnecessary movements.
So it’s only natural that I’m faster.
“Cheonma Pacheonjang.”
Still charging, I delivered an uppercut to the guy’s empty jaw. ㅡCrack! My gauntlet-enhanced punch shattered his jaw. Blood and teeth flew. He floated in the air for a moment before falling backwards.
“How can this be!”
“Master Jonathan!”
A dozen enraged martial artists with completely crazed eyes rushed towards me. Swish, I stepped back, twisted my waist, and deflected the claw attack with my gauntlet. ㅡSpark! Sparks flew. The claw’s blade grazed my shoulder armor.
“Ilbo Shin Kwon.”
I took a step and slammed my knee into the guy’s solar plexus. “Ghehk!” I grabbed the guy who was about to fall and pushed him into the guy who was throwing a punch. They collided and fell in a tangled mess.
Weak.
Too weak.
Judging coldly, these guys were all around E-class adventurers. Only slightly stronger than Serka. There’s no way those scrubs could beat me, who had reached the transcendent realm.
Among them, the one who was the fastest kicked me.
ㅡBut, slower than a Dryad.
I stepped aside to dodge. The kick that lost its target slammed into another martial artist. “Huh!” Combined techniques are advanced skills. It’s not something that these average Joes can use in team battles.
I dodge the attacks.
Deflect them with my armor.
“You guys!”
I throw punches and plant kicks.
“Are too weak!”
I wouldn’t lose even if a truckload of guys like you came at me!
“Kuh-heueuk!!”
“Kkyaaaa!!”
In an instant, five martial artists were lying on the ground, completely wrecked. At that point, all the martial artists who were still standing looked at me with eyes filled with awe and fear.
“W-What is that technique! I’ve never seen it before!”
A martial artist with knuckles, taking a stance like a soaring crane, asked. Drip, drip. The blood flowing down his fist fell to the ground. I smiled at him with a metallic tang, and said,
“Siljang Fist Technique.”
“What?”
“Remember it.”
ㅡPapat!
And I rushed out in a surprise attack.
“Uhaaaak!”
“And this is Taekwondo.”
My kick, which had reached omnipotence, swept across the ground and slammed into the back of a martial artist who had turned his back. Taekwondo was a deadly martial art that was adopted by the military as its standard combat technique. Although the technique I was using now was one I had created myself, it was more than worthy of being called Taekwondo.
“E-Everyone, run away!!! We’re no match for him!!! We have to call the instructors!!!”
“Uaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!”
“And this is.”
The martial artists, in despair, began to run away, calling out to their gods and mothers. But I hadn’t shown them everything yet.
“Cheonma Shin Gong.”
I leaped out like a frog, grabbed one of them with my whole body, and used my weight and speed to slam him upside down into the ground.
“Ugh! Let go! Let go of me!”
“Rear Naked Choke.”
“Heuk-heueueueup!!!”
When the guy who had been hit by the secret technique frothed at the mouth and fainted, the situation was over. I reigned supreme, trampling on the backs of the martial artists who were lying on the ground bleeding. Standing on top of those broken and wrecked guys was quite enjoyable.
ㅡWhoosh.
The wind blew and scattered my hair.
“My victory.”
I immediately searched the pockets of the fallen guys and stole their wallets.
Whatever the case, the situation had already become a mess. I didn’t know what would happen, so I had to take what I could and leave.
I was a little sad about Serka, but if the instructor-level martial artists of the martial arts guild came rushing in, as the guys who had already run away had said, I honestly wouldn’t be confident.
I’m the type who goes on a rampage against weaker scrubs, but I’m not the kind of person who enjoys fighting those really strong guys.
I didn’t check the amount yet.
Since there were seven fallen guys, there were a total of seven wallets.
When the fight was over, the people who had been hiding in the corners of the alleyway and watching began to go their own way. Among those passersby were some who looked like vagrants or beggars, and they were already trying to strip the clothes off the unconscious martial artists or take their knuckles, claws, etc.
“Hey! You son of a bitch! What do you think you’re doing?!”
I kicked the half-naked man who was happily taking off a gauntlet in the side.
“Kwehk!”
I wasn’t very interested in the knuckles and claws, but the gauntlets were a bit expensive. Why is this bastard taking other people’s things? I snatched the gauntlet from him and immediately sprinted away from the scene.
Looking back, as soon as I left, more people rushed in and were stripping the martial artists naked. Yeah, if you’re going to do crow-like things, do it after the person is gone.
That is the way.
ㅡTaptaptap!
I quickly ran through the streets.
An unbearable joy filled my heart.
Even if nothing else, I had captured seven wallets. The clinking sound already gave me an idea of the amount. How happy would I be when I went back to the inn and counted it with Cloudie?
How long had I been running when I heard a shout.
“There, that’s him!”
“Were we already found out?!”
As expected of the martial artist network!
Groups of martial artists in uniforms pointing at me came running from all directions! I checked their momentum as I ran. The instructor level… isn’t here yet? It seemed like they were just martial artists who had heard the rumors and came looking.
Why are there so many of these guys?
I might need to seriously investigate this sometime.
“Eeeit! You son of a bitch! Get lost!”
“Uh, ugh!!”
Feeling pressed, I drew my sword and randomly slashed at the martial artists who were trying to block my way. The uniform-clad men, terrified by the violent momentum, cleared the way.
As expected, a sword is the best.
“Stop!”
“Fuck off!”
ㅡRumble!
Before I knew it, their numbers had swelled to twenty! These cockroach-like bastards! No matter how I look at it, I can’t do anything if they come at me like that! What am I going to do with these bastards!
“Shit!”
A curse burst out!
I should have run away faster instead of trying to look cool!
I looked for an escape route.
Should I go back to the inn? No, if I do that, they’ll find out where I live. Knowing Cloudie’s personality, if those crazy guys knock on the door every day, she might just cause a murder. Cloudie is only nice to me, she’s just a cruel woman to most people.
Beating them up isn’t a problem, but if someone dies, there will be investigations and disadvantages.
“Then!”
I’ll run to the Swordsman Guild!
That’s where they’ll protect me!
ㅡThat’s what I thought at that moment.
“You’re surrounded!”
“You son of a bitch!”
Martial artists who had gathered from all directions surrounded the streets and alleys. Where are these guys coming from? No, I already knew there were a lot of martial artists, but isn’t this too much?
“Throw down your sword and surrender!”
The one who said that was a voluptuous blonde female fighter wearing a white uniform with a cheongsam-like design. Her hands were empty, and the fact that she was wearing boots that looked durable suggested that she was a person who had trained in professional leg techniques.
She blocked my path.
And the martial artists continued to gather… I was finally surrounded. About twenty people? They all seemed to be about the same level as the guys who had rushed at me earlier, but unlike then, their numbers had doubled.
Can I break through?
“I’ll say it again! Drop your sword, barbarian!!!”
“Who’s a barbarian, you bitch!!!!”
Why do these guys only say barbarian when they see my face!!!!! Copson is the only one who can call me that!!!!
I felt so intensely angry that I seriously considered dyeing my hair. Good. I’m not who I was back then. If you want to fight, I’ll gladly fight you.
I am Cheonma Kim Kat.
The supreme being beyond the heavens never turns away from a fight!
“You’ve gathered in droves like insects! Come! Attack! Show me your martial arts!”
ㅡSheeik!
Still, that woman looked like she could handle herself, so I couldn’t just fight with fist and leg techniques anymore. I raised my sword and performed the Siljang Sword Dance to show my skills.
ㅡSwaeek!
ㅡShwook!
ㅡWheeik!
It was a dance dedicated to the God of War.
The sword dance, in which all my experience and skill were melted, tore through the air.
From the middle, I began to be intoxicated by my sword dance.
The feeling of the sword in my fingertips reassured me more than anything else. If I have a sword, if I can cut down my enemies with it.
There is nothing to fear.
I ran out to break through the net of heaven and earth that had been spread out.
“Kkieeeeeeeeeeeeeeㅡ!!!!”
“Heok!”
The martial artists who had been bracing themselves in the front flinched at the momentum.
“He’s a madman!!!!”
“Run away!!!!”
