*Rustle. Rustle.*
“Do you like your new toy?”
“Excited!”
Rolling it around like making a snowman, riding on it and rolling the ball, having a great time.
“Baekseol, let’s go shopping and play more later.”
“Okay!”
Baekseol, who was playing with the ball, jumps up and clings to me.
Feeling a chill on the back of my head, I turn around to see Grandfather Cheonma watching while rubbing his neck.
“Can we go a little deeper?”
“Take your time looking around.”
Everything seems incredibly precious, yet the path stretches on endlessly.
How many years did it take to gather all these items? It’s overwhelming.
“Hmm.”
As I walk further along the path, the amount of equipment increases.
Most of the items here are related to combat.
I need to pick what I lack the most.
Weapons are overflowing from everywhere. I never really used them much anyway, as punching felt more comfortable. Plus, I never had a reason to use them.
Moreover, my strength was already out of control, and thanks to the hair tie Baekseol’s father gave me, daily life has become a struggle. If I hadn’t held back when punching Uncle Daeju, there wouldn’t even be a human shape left, just a puddle of blood.
“Grandma, is there any armor or something?”
“Tsk tsk, martial artists tend to avoid protective gear.”
“Why? Is it too heavy?”
“There are several reasons, including what you said, but the biggest reason is that gunpowder, armor, bows, etc., are considered war equipment, and the royal family has strictly forbidden their use.”
“Oh.”
“As time passed, wearing armor became seen as something only cowards do.”
I thought it was just because it was heavy, but it seems there’s more to it.
“That’s stupid.”
“You’re right. Practicality is what matters most.”
As I chat with Grandma and go deeper, the weapons on display become more menacing.
Since I often use martial arts techniques as Grandfather Gwonma suggested, I’m tempted by the gauntlets.
But right now, armor seems more important.
“This is the end.”
The long path finally comes to an end.
Looking around, there aren’t many items that qualify as armor.
“Grandfather Cheonma.”
“What is it?”
“Are you worried I might take something valuable?”
“Ahem.”
Seems like I hit the mark.
The grandfathers, who had been suggesting this and that, suddenly go quiet.
“I won’t take anything good, so can I have those two?”
“Those?”
The grandfathers’ eyes follow my pointing finger.
Among all the treasures here, the only items shaped like armor.
“Child, that armor has an eerie aura but isn’t particularly useful. Choose something else. Not everything that glitters is gold.”
“Right, forget that and take the Black Blood Soul Spear instead. What use is useless armor?”
“This old man is still recommending that junk.”
“Junk!?”
Even though the grandfathers say that, I can see it.
───
[Spirit Command Armor]
The horn of the Kirin wards off evil spirits.
The feathers of the Phoenix ward off misfortune.
The shell of the Divine Turtle wards off disasters.
The scales of the Dragon ward off hardships.
Armor imbued with the spirit of divine beasts.
◈Spirit Command: Star, Fire, Water, Cloud
◈Spirit Counterattack: Reflects ranged attacks
Defense: 2250
Grade: High Ancient
───
───
[Evil Spirit Command Armor]
The wings of the Garuda scatter evil spirits.
The fangs of the Taotie scatter disasters.
The claws of Chaos scatter hardships.
The horns of the Taowu scatter misfortune.
Armor imbued with the spirit of demonic beasts.
◈Evil Spirit Command: Chaos, Death, Misfortune, Evil
◈Evil Counterattack: Reflects close-range attacks
Defense: 2250
Grade: High Ancient
───
“This armor looks insane, though?”
“Ahem, if you insist, I won’t stop you.”
Looking at Grandfather Cheonma, he subtly turns his head.
Clearly trying to avoid responsibility.
These guys…
Even if it’s called armor, it’s just something hard, so it’s understandable that they react like that.
“Child, are you really okay? I can’t understand why you’d want to wear such thick armor.”
“Yes. I like those two.”
Grandfather Hyeolma nods his head, while others shake theirs.
In raids, the top priority isn’t attack power but survival.
No matter how strong you are, if you die, it’s all for nothing.
People here default to being glass cannons, so no matter how much you explain, they won’t get it.
“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
“Go ahead.”
Holding the armor, I understand why they tried to stop me.
If I can feel its weight in my hands, martial artists wouldn’t even glance at it.
As I inspect the armor and step outside, the stale air feels refreshingly clear.
Creak!
The report door closes with a loud noise.
“Grandfather, grandmother. I’ll rest a bit at the Black Dragon Pavilion and come back.”
“You worked hard treating the Young Master. Rest well.”
***
The armor on the bed exudes a menacing aura.
“Eat.”
Crunch, crunch!
Placing my hand on the armor and focusing, it disappears instantly with a crushing sound.
Ding!
[Starting fusion with Spirit Command Armor]
Ding!
[Starting fusion with Evil Spirit Command Armor]
[0.0001%]
[0.0002%]
One of the abilities of the Ilwolshinjang, given by Baekseol’s mother, is fusion and transformation.
With this, I don’t need to wear heavy armor. Once absorbed, I can just tie my hair and go about as usual.
The hair tie from Baekseol’s father was absorbed immediately, but these armors don’t seem to have a good compatibility rate.
At a rate of 0.0001% per second, it’ll take about 11 days.
“Nice.”
“Great!”
“Hehe, Baekseol, do you like it too?”
“Yes!”
Knock knock.
Feeling good about getting a nice item, I was grinning with Baekseol when a knock came.
“Yes, I’m coming.”
Creak.
Opening the door, Grandmother Hyeolma stands there.
“Come in.”
“Thank you.”
Grandmother enters the room and looks me in the eye.
“Child. Do you have a separate teacher?”
“Huh? No, I don’t.”
“Then, would you like to follow in this old woman’s footsteps?”
“Uh… Learn martial arts?”
Grandmother nods with a gentle smile.
“I don’t even know the character for ‘martial’ in martial arts.”
“Hehe, if you knew everything from the start, what would be the point of studying?”
“Hmm.”
Martial arts aren’t just about fighting.
The basics alone could take years, and I can’t just stay here learning martial arts forever.
The Black Dragon Pavilion grandfathers are still deep in training. They’ll probably train for life.
“Child, let me see your hand.”
“My hand?”
As I extend my hand, she presses gently with her index and middle fingers near my wrist.
A strange energy flows into my body, spreading and examining every part.
Creak! Bang!
“Eh?”
Just as my eyes were closing from the warm energy, the Black Dragon Pavilion grandfathers burst in.
“Oh no, we’ve been beaten to it.”
“The Murim Alliance leader sent a document demanding the release of Shin Yi to the entire martial world.”
“Child, interested in fist techniques…”
“Of course, it’s the sword. The old man is still going on about fist techniques…”
“Get out.”
“Yes.”
“Grand Elder, take care.”
The grandfathers disappear like ghosts in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, the warm energy continues to swirl inside me.
“Such a fine and pure meridian. But what are these chaotic divine powers tangled like a bundle?”
“Eek. You can see that?”
“There’s nothing this old woman doesn’t know.”
I thought she was just a strong grandmother, but it seems there’s more to her.
“Just looking at your physique, the strongest in the world would drool and rush to take you as a disciple. Such a sturdy and pure body is a first for me.”
As Grandmother withdraws her energy from my wrist, the energy disappears without a trace.
“This old lady doesn’t have much time left. My martial arts are a one-person inheritance.”
“Huh? Why don’t you have time?”
*Sizzle.*
Taking out the alcohol I had stored in the space and tearing off the thick paper cap, the room fills with the aroma.
“Grandma, have this. There’s plenty.”
“Hehe, how can your heart be so pure? Child, I’ll just accept your kindness.”
“No, there’s a lot, so please have some.”
When old people say they don’t have much time or are sick, it feels like my heart drops.
I don’t want to feel that twice.
“Alright, I’ll take just one cup.”
*Gulp.*
Quickly taking out a soju glass and pouring the alcohol, a liquid that seems to hold moonlight pours out.
“What a pretty glass.”
“Please drink it quickly.”
Handing the glass to Grandma, who was just watching, she smiles brightly.
*Gulp.*
Grandma takes the soju glass and downs it in one go.
“Whew, this is like heavenly nectar. This should give some vitality to my weakened energy.”
“Have some more.”
“Hehe, that’s enough. I’m satisfied.”
Grandma silently looks into my eyes.
It seems like she’s waiting for my answer.
“I don’t know right now. Can I think about it a bit and then tell you?”
“Do so.”
A warm smile and an answer come back as if she had been waiting.
***
“Our Pposiraegi, are you sleepy?”
“Yeah.”
After being on a plane all day and getting into a car right after landing, she seems really tired.
The car has been driving for a while since entering the estate, showing how vast it is.
“Young lady, we’ll arrive soon.”
“Okay.”
Petting Baekseol, she stretches her body fully.
*Click.*
Opening the box, the running car fills with a medicinal scent. It’s the Cheonsimyongyeondan I took from Namgung Myung.
I’m not sure if Baekseol can eat it.
But Baekseol is a rabbit that can use magic.
And she’s a rabbit that has even smelled the Daehwandan.
“Baekseol, should we eat this?”
“Food!”
Hearing Pposiraegi, who seems to have a black hole in her stomach, suggest eating, she wags her butt energetically.
“It’s not food, it’s medicine.”
“Medicine!”
“Wait a moment.”
Even though she gets full from eating one flower, she eats a lot compared to her size.
Just in case, I coat the Cheonsimyongyeondan with honey and place it on my palm. She puts her front legs on my hand and examines it for a while.
“Can you eat it?”
“Yeah!”
In an instant, the honey-coated pill, no bigger than a fingernail, disappears into Baekseol’s mouth.
“Huh? You already ate it all?”
“Yeah!”
“Let me see.”
Putting my hand under Baekseol’s armpit and lifting her, she dangles along.
“Hmm. You’ve become even fluffier.”
“Yay!”
Honestly, I’m not sure what’s changed.
***
“Game festival? Looks fun, let’s go together.”
– Yay! I’ll contact you!
“Okay, hang up.”
*Click.*
After hanging up, the car door opens as if waiting.
“Young lady, we’ve arrived at Hurst Leopold.”
“Thank you.”
No matter how big, it’s just a house, but it even has a name like an apartment.
Coming out of the car door opened by Albert, I immediately think it’s justified.
You have to turn your neck from left to right to see from end to end, it’s that big and wide.
<Lady Han Ga-eul has started broadcasting>
[⚔️Bangjaaaaa!!!!]
[⚔️Come on in, Han boss]
“My kids, come on in.”
[⚔️Bangjang, where is this?]
“I told you a friend is sick. So I came to visit. I’ll just turn off the broadcast for a bit, you know why, right?”
[⚔️We know, we know]
[⚔️O_K]
Our quick-witted viewers get it right away.
This is why I love our kids.
[Is your friend a foreigner? This doesn’t look like our country]
“This is Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, North Carolina. I’m turning off the screen now.”
[⚔️Bangjang, your tongue is so smooth lol]
Waiting a bit, the door of the mansion opens.
As the door opens, discomfort…
A dark cloud pours out and quickly engulfs the body.
Ominous.
“Baekseol, Grandfather!”
“Over there!”
Baekseol points to the second floor of the mansion.
Clack clack clack!
With every step, noise echoes from the floor.
Bodyguards passing by raise their hands to stop me, but lower them again upon seeing the badge on my chest.
Boom!!
“Grandfather!!”
As two guards open the door they were guarding, I see Grandfather lying surrounded by numerous medical devices.
The face of Grandfather, who always laughed heartily yet seemed fierce, is now completely pale.
In front of him, an elderly woman, who had been grinning with her hands in her pockets, turns her gaze toward me.
“Where do you think you are, barging in like this…?”
“Where the hell is this bitch cracking jokes, I’ll tear her mouth apart.”
—Slap!!
Crash!
[⚔️What the hell is that sound?]
[⚔️Damn it, the Room Master caused trouble again.]
[⚔️Super ultra biiiig!!!!]
A man in his 60s, dressed in a suit, falls to the floor, trembling.
The thickly applied lipstick is smeared, and the teeth on the side of her cheek that was hit are all knocked out.
“Jeremy, take this bitch away, please.”
“Uh, Young Lady. This person is a senator…”
“If you don’t want to deal with a corpse, take her away quickly.”
“Haha, yep. While I’m at it, I’ll go smoke a cigarette too.”
Smack!
〈Mental Breakdown〉
“Huh? Did you have a seizure or something? What’s wrong? Friend, help me.”
“Phew. You grab the legs.”
Soon, the room is enveloped in silence.
Perhaps because of the stillness, the repetitive beeping sound from the medical devices becomes even louder.
Grandfather, who should be drinking, seems unconscious.
As I gently tilt the white bottle toward Grandfather’s lips, drops of alcohol fall one by one.
Drip.
Drip.
***
Someone brushes my hair.
They carefully sweep through the scattered strands as if they were treasures.
The fingers, weathered by time, are filled with affection and warmth.
“Mmm…”
“Child, did you sleep well?”
“Grandfather.”
“Yes, it’s Grandpa.”
The rough fingers stroking my head tickle my tear ducts.
“Sniff…”
“Hoho, who made my grown child cry?”
***
Bowing my head under the wave of relief, tears fall onto the white bedsheet.
“Who made you so sad? This Grandpa will scold them.”
[⚔️T_T_T_T Room Master, why are you crying?]
[⚔️T_T Room Master, since you’re crying, cry for 3 minutes straight.]
***
“Sniff… Grandpa, those bastards bullied me.”
![[TS] Became a Peach Saint](https://i1.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737067516-2183-TS-Became-a-Peach-Saint.png?resize=151,215 "[TS] Became a Peach Saint")
