episode_0131

131. Sarah’s depression. And a disciple.

Sarah and Johann continued walking. The distance to the detached building where her Sword Unit stayed and the Black King’s manor was quite far.

Johann glanced at Sarah. Her expression wasn’t good. She had been like that ever since she missed the Clan Lord.

‘Is she blaming herself?’

It was a reasonably valid inference. She was miserably crushed in the Clan Lord’s bet. Thanks to that, she couldn’t even properly participate in the battle with the Clan Lord.

Johann hesitated to speak. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t have anything specific to say. Johann was immature in these aspects.

At that moment, Sarah spoke.

“······I was too careless with my training. To lose my mind over a mere bet. I’m sorry.”

Johann paused for a moment to choose his words, then replied with difficulty.

“It’s okay. That man called Gwangwi was also subdued. The Great Scholar and the Black King, well, there’s no need to even mention them.”

Those two were on a completely different level than us. Of course, Johann would catch up to them someday.

“······.”

Sarah’s expression didn’t improve. Rather, Johann’s words seemed to have backfired.

If Johann’s story was interpreted in reverse, didn’t that mean that only Sarah and Gwangwi were terrible? Sarah became depressed.

‘Hmm······. What should I do?’

Johann quickly racked his brain. The regressor was in a bad mood. It wasn’t a good situation.

Okay, I should change the subject. Johann suddenly said.

“By the way, what reward did you receive from the Black King?”

Johann himself had received something, so she must have gotten something too.

Sarah replied in a dark tone.

“I received an advanced martial art for the martial art I already had. I also received elixirs.”

“An advanced martial art? Was the martial art you already had that bad?”

“No. It wasn’t bad. But there were some lacking aspects.”

“Ah······.”

Johann understood. Honestly, the Great Scholar’s fan techniques were superior to the martial art his master taught him.

‘There are golden spoons in modern times, and martial art spoons here, huh.’

As expected, background was important. While Johann was having trivial thoughts, Sarah spoke.

“What’s the point of receiving good elixirs and good martial arts? My skills are terrible. Heh heh······.”

Johann was sweating profusely. It seemed like she had received a serious shock.

He gestured aimlessly and said.

“I, I’ve also hit a wall recently. My fan technique achievements aren’t increasing well.”

“You’re a mage, Johann. How important are martial arts to you······.”

Johann was honestly taken aback. She was right. To Johann, martial arts were a means of support, not the main attack method.

But he had to deny her opinion now. Johann forced his stiff tongue to move.

“Um, no. How important is the fan technique. What’s important is, uh······.”

At that moment, a light bulb flashed above Johann’s head.

It was an epiphany. An epiphany that came while forcibly trying to find the practicality of the fan technique!

Before he knew it, Johann’s vision included the training ground. The training ground used by her Sword Unit members.

Johann ran to the training ground as if possessed by something.

“Huh? Johann?”

He didn’t answer. The flow of air, the brightness of the brilliant sunlight, the swaying green grass, the warm inspiration swirling within.

He didn’t want to miss any of it. He arrived in the middle of the training ground in an instant.

“───────.”

His ears were ringing. It was as if he was alone in the world. He took out a fan from his chest. He swung it as it was.

Whoo-oong-!

The flow of air changes by his gestures. He frowned. No, this isn’t it.

He swings it again. He still didn’t like it. It’s okay. He can try again.

He spun his body violently and swung the fan. Sharp wounds were engraved on the training ground.

Sarah, who was watching from the side, fluttered her clothes near her chest with her thumb and forefinger.

‘It’s hot. What is he doing?’

Soon Sarah’s eyes widened. She rubbed her eyes. And she could be sure. She didn’t see it wrong.

The color of the wind was changing. It was a strange expression, but that’s the only way to explain it.

Orange. Immature to reach a blood-like red, but enough to be expressed as “red.”

The reason why it was colored was simple. A small flame was surrounding the wind.

Of course, Sarah wouldn’t have been surprised if that was all. She knew Johann’s spell skills well.

‘Something is different. That’s not a spell. Rather, it’s close to martial arts······.’

Johann’s dance became more and more intense. She realized. It was coming to an end.

“Heuh, heuh!”

Rough breaths flowed from the mouth of the mage, or rather, the martial artist.

A crimson wind was seen in the narrowed vision. It was surrounding and rotating him.

A smile of joy spread across his lips. He succeeded. The combination of martial arts and magic!

“Ha, heh heh heh!”

He laughed unusually loudly with his mouth wide open. Then, he curled his body into a ball, and like a spring, he bounced and launched the fan into the sky.

Hoo-ooo-ooo-!!

A tornado of flames stretched into the air.

It was the most domineering power among the spells Johann had cast so far. No, that was no longer a spell or martial art.

Yes, this is······

“Magic Art (魔功). Flame Storm Heaven (炎飇天).”

Thud-

Johann, who muttered in a low voice, collapsed on the training ground floor. Sarah jumped out in surprise.

She carefully brought her finger under Johann’s nose. And she let out a sigh of relief.

“What! What’s going on!”

“Sword Unit Lord? What on earth is this!”

Numerous martial artists poured out from outside the training ground.

They could find Johann and their Lord. Someone shouted.

“Sword Unit Lord······! What happened?”

They stared at the training ground with bewildered eyes. The heat was still smoldering on the floor, and the soil was all turned over, showing off a deep color.

The most spectacular thing was not the training ground but the sky. A huge hole was drilled in the huge cloud floating in the sky. A sight like a yellow dragon ascending to the sky!

They sent intense gazes toward Sarah. It was a silent expression of demanding an explanation.

Soon her mouth opened.

“I, I don’t know.”

She stuttered for the first time in a long time.

***

Fortunately, Johann woke up from his bed in less than a few hours.

He didn’t have any external or internal injuries, and his recovery was quick because he was simply lacking in magic power.

Johann rolled his eyes around. He saw a familiar face.

“Why are you here? Gwangwi?”

“Well, from now on, I will be the Preceptor’s personal physician.”

“Personal physician?”

“Yes.”

Johann scanned Gwangwi. His martial arts seemed decent, and judging from his nickname, his medical skills seemed excellent.

Why would he volunteer to be the personal physician of a mere leader of a humble religion, not the Black King’s Castle?

“Why did that happen? Weren’t you originally affiliated with the Black King’s Castle?”

“That’s right. I applied directly. To become the Preceptor’s personal physician. The Castle Lord has already approved it.”

Johann was silent. He had never approved of such a matter.

‘Well, it’s not bad.’

The greater the power of the doctrine, the more beneficial it was to Johann. People get their strength from their background.

At that time, Gwangwi rummaged through his pocket and took something out.

It was a pill. A round pill with a bluish light.

“Please eat this, Preceptor. It will help restore your internal energy.”

“······Is this, is the taste okay?”

Gwangwi smiled faintly. Johann frowned. Damn it.

gulp-

“Keuhhhh······.”

His eyebrows came together, creating vertical wrinkles. It was better than eating the White Pill.

The effect of the Round Pill appeared quickly. The speed of blood flow increased, and he drew magic power from the air more easily.

“Good······. What is this Round Pill made of?”

“It is mainly made by combining baby Forget-me-nots and hundred-year-old Fleeceflower Roots. Of course, other medicinal herbs were also added.”

Johann nodded roughly. As long as it’s effective.

“By the way, Preceptor. A pillar of fire was shot into the sky earlier, was that what you did?”

“That’s right. I had a small epiphany.”

“Hoo······. I see, what is the name of that technique?”

Johann scratched his chin. Gwangwi’s reaction was a bit excessive. It was like a true fan facing his favorite idol.

“I tentatively named it Magic Art (魔功). Because it is a technique that is different from the existing martial arts.”

“Magic Art (魔功), oh. Amazing. Preceptor, you are writing a new history of martial (功) arts.”

Is that how it turns out. Johann felt uncomfortable. Gwangwi’s reaction was a little burdensome.

Gwangwi said with sparkling eyes.

“Could you possibly teach me that Magic Art?”

“Huh? Magic Art?”

Gwangwi nodded vigorously. Johann knew why he was called the Mad Doctor.

This man is not normal.

“Preceptor, I will do whatever you tell me to do. Please accept me as your disciple!”

Koo-oong, Gwangwi slammed his forehead on the floor. Johann’s butt lifted slightly. How hard did he hit it.

Johann raised Gwangwi with a slightly embarrassed face.

“G, get up. I can teach you, but you must learn spells before that. That sorcery you’re talking about.”

Somehow Gwangwi’s face shone even brighter.

“Even sorcery? Thank you!”

“······.”

Johann gained a personal physician, a believer, and a disciple.