Chapter 18: The Leader

The Hall of Skilled Talents.

In short, it was a hall for geniuses who would be responsible for the future of Cheonsalgok.

The leadership of the valley fostered the next generation of masters there, and they later became the backbone of Cheonsalgok, leading the valley.

A talent of level 3 or 2 could not even dream of entering.

The rest were… merely expendable.

They were sent on dangerous missions, and even if they died, the valley wouldn’t bat an eye.

It might sound cruel, but this was the way of Cheonsalgok.

And I was… a core talent on my way to the Hall of Skilled Talents.

“But if I go to the Hall of Skilled Talents, will I also learn the valley’s martial arts? Besides basic swordsmanship or footwork? I’m already learning Shaolin martial arts from my master.”

At my words, Nanpa seemed hesitant.

“I believe so. But Young Master, being a Harmonious Body, might not.”

“So you don’t know for sure. You have wide connections, but don’t you know any Harmonious Bodies?”

“They are such high-ranking people. If Nancheong weren’t Young Master’s personal attendant, I wouldn’t even be able to talk to Young Master. And Harmonious Bodies don’t go out much, so there aren’t many opportunities to see them.”

Listening to Nanpa’s words, I chuckled.

The image of the Harmonious Bodies he described was like immortals living above the clouds.

But the reality was completely different.

I recalled my master’s words. The words he always said with a sigh.

‘Those guys are finished once they reach the first-rate. There’s no more progress. They have no perseverance.’

Yes, the reason Harmonious Bodies didn’t go outside was simple.

They were just lazy.

Once they reached the first-rate level and were recognized as core members, they lost all motivation.

It’s not hard to understand. Even at the first-rate level, they receive treatment better than most grandmasters.

They are considered core members of the sect without having to fight directly, so they’re warm and well-fed. They wouldn’t want to move anymore.

But this was not the path I wanted to take.

“I will become a grandmaster. Like my master.”

I publicly declared once again to steel myself.

“That’s a good mindset.”

Time passed.

Every morning, I treated Yuha noona’s injuries.

The energy transmitted through my fingertips became more stable day by day.

My hands, which used to tremble every time I held her hand, had become accustomed to it.

“Thank you.”

After the final treatment, Yuha noona said that.

I tried not to be swayed by my feelings for her anymore, but that one word made my heart ache again.

A few days after the treatment ended, I received notification of admission to the Hall of Skilled Talents.

Now I would eat, sleep, and learn martial arts there.

Lying on the bed, I looked at the ceiling and pondered.

What kind of martial arts would I learn?

Shaolin martial arts were good, but learning the martial arts of assassins wouldn’t be bad either.

Since orthodox martial arts are late-blooming martial arts that are strong in the late game but lack practicality in the early game, it would be good to learn them as a sub-weapon.

But there was something I was looking forward to even more than martial arts.

The girls who would be entering the Hall of Skilled Talents with me.

According to Nanpa, they were all geniuses with outstanding talents.

The female martial artists here were especially beautiful.

Among the women from No. 1 to No. 16, there was no one who wasn’t pretty.

Of course, the standard of beauty is subjective, but… they were objectively so.

If the average appearance of ordinary people is 50 points, and the average of celebrities is 80 points… the average of female martial artists in this world would be at least 60 points.

The higher the level, the more so.

I think I know why now.

Among those born with certain constitutions, the proportion of handsome men and beautiful women was particularly high.

Moreover, some martial arts had the effect of improving the skin or correcting the skeleton during the training process…

Of course, that wasn’t always the case. There were individual differences, and there were many martial artists with ordinary appearances. But the overall average was definitely high.

I was a little unsure whether this was due to the influence of the Busty Murim Mode or if it was like that from the original Pungun Murim, but in any case, it was a clear truth in this world.

“Hmm…”

I sighed without realizing it.

Suddenly, Yuha noona’s face came to mind.

She was by far the most beautiful among No. 1 to No. 16.

Tch, let’s forget it. She rejected me.

She thinks she’s so great…

What good is a pretty face? What good is being a grandmaster at that age? What good is having great stats and S-class talent…

She has everything.

Damn it…

But there was no time to be sad for long. Tomorrow was the entrance to the Hall of Skilled Talents.

The place Nanpa was talking about. A place full of beautiful girls.

My heart started to flutter again.

Surely there… there will be someone there to heal my wounds. A new relationship…

There wasn’t.

Well… it wasn’t bad.

If we were to compare the average appearance of female martial artists to the average middle school in Korea being 50 points, I’d say they’re around 65-70 points.

Quite high.

Of course, there were occasionally appearances in the 80-point range.

But my standards, which had risen over time, weren’t really satisfied.

Of course, there was one person with a super-duper appearance.

That’s me.

[Status: Harmonious Union of Yin and Yang, Alluring Beauty]

I recalled my status window. Alluring Beauty… the same trait as Yuha noona.

I didn’t specifically choose this trait when creating the character, but it was probably thanks to the elaborate customization.

Sitting on the side of the training ground, I looked around.

These were the people I would be training with in the future. Most of them were girls, and there were hardly any boys.

Everyone was wearing the official combat uniform of Cheonsalgok.

Clothes with the valley’s insignia on a black background. Similar to ninja clothes, but more form-fitting.

Thanks to the form-fitting design, their figures were revealed as they were. I unconsciously paused, then quickly turned my head.

The faces… well, as I said earlier, they were a bit lacking compared to my expectations.

But considering their age, they were quite well-developed. Especially in the chest area…

Looking at Nancheong, I felt strangely complicated.

I felt like I could see her heart. The way she was shrinking among the other girls because of her figure.

Looking at her appearance alone, Nancheong was definitely in the top tier here. Dark eyes, long straight hair, elegant features. But her gaze kept looking down.

Especially her chest size… well, it was in the bottom tier, beyond the lower ranks.

The flatness that showed no curves even when wearing a combat uniform…

The expression “washboard” seemed fitting.

You couldn’t tell the front from the back.

Considering she was 16 years old, one year older than me, it didn’t seem like it would change much in the future.

“Sigh…”

Nancheong sighed again, as if she felt my gaze.

“Everyone is… bigger than me.”

There was bitterness in Nancheong’s voice. I quietly sat next to her.

“So what? But you’re the prettiest here.”

Nancheong’s eyes sparkled at my words.

To be honest, it was a bit ambiguous whether she was the prettiest. It would be more accurate to say she was one of the prettiest.

But I didn’t bother to say that. I have some tact.

Her expression brightened up, then quickly became discouraged again.

“I know that too. But chest size is more important than face.”

It was a common trope in male-oriented novels.

A scene where a woman feels inferior and angry about her chest size.

But Nancheong’s inferiority was not just a simple aesthetic complex.

In this world, chest size was directly linked to talent.

This was definitely the influence of the Busty Murim.

If the correlation between appearance and talent was at the level of “maybe,” the correlation between chest size and talent was at the level of “of course.”

In the new martial arts system created by the Heavenly Demon, chest size was a key competitive factor for female masters. Whether it was because the circulation of internal energy was smoother, or the flow of energy was better… whatever the reason, that was the reality.

That’s why Nancheong was anxious. She was apprehensive, as if her future, her talent, and her fate were already determined. Her sighs contained such deep despair.

“You have talent. I guarantee it.”

“Huh? How would Young Master know that?”

“I have a magic that only Harmonious Bodies can use.”

That magic was, of course, the status window. I examined her status window.

[Name: Nancheong]

[Age: 16]

[Talent Grade: A]

[Realm: Second-Rate Peak (51%)]

[Status: Footwork Specialization, Virgin]

[Stats: Strength: 41, Agility: 42, Internal Energy: 45, Combat Skill: 51, Durability: 44]

Even if she wasn’t a monstrous genius like Yuha noona, Nancheong still had considerable talent.

“What talent does a flat-chested attendant have?”

I turned my head at the voice from the other side. It was Hwangwol.

Nancheong’s shoulders flinched. I put my hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t mind her.”

“But…”

Before Nancheong could finish speaking, Hwangwol approached. Several girls followed behind her.

“No, we have to mind. Young Master shouldn’t make the wrong decision.”

There was arrogance in Hwangwol’s voice.

Her training uniform looked similar to the others, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly different.

It seemed to be made of the finest silk.

I looked around.

The atmosphere of the training ground was already divided into two.

On one side were those gathered around Hwangwol. They were from the lineage supported by No. 2 and No. 4.

Their combat uniforms had subtle gold embroidery.

On the other side was the group to which Nancheong and I belonged. Most of them were supported by No. 3.

Our combat uniforms were plain, but allowed for more freedom of movement.

And in between… were a few who didn’t take anyone’s side.

They were new recruits who hadn’t yet chosen a side.

I assessed the momentum of both sides.

We were at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. There were over twenty children gathered on Hwangwol’s side, and about fifteen on our side.

But the eyes of the children on our side weren’t intimidated at all.

This was because our special assassin had clearly proven in the recent sect war that even though her rank was lower, her skills were not inferior.

In short, they were a rising faction riding the momentum.

“Do you think you’re something just because you’re being targeted by us!”

I looked around.

A figure who could become the leader of our side against Hwangwol…

But there was no one who stood out.

First of all, their clothes were far from being as luxurious as Hwangwol’s.

Then someone’s sleeve fluttered in the wind.

A fabric that seemed to be woven with shining thread came into my sight.

It was my clothes.

And then I realized. That the eyes of the children on our side were focused on one place.

Toward me.

The leader…

Was me.