Chapter 99

Chapter 24. The Unicorn Tribe (9)

"Learn martial arts?"

Edora's eyes widened as if she had heard something she had never expected.

Yeonwoo nodded.

However, he knew the chances of his request being granted were low.

Martial arts were a unique skill of the Unicorn Tribe.

That's why it was clearly stated in the diary that they were very reluctant to let it leak outside.

Many high-ranking players had often been turned down when they asked the Unicorn Tribe for martial arts manuals, and the tribe was also known for relentlessly tracking down anyone who leaked them without permission.

Occasionally, they would give the manuals to people who had a deep relationship with the tribe or had been guests for a long time as a token of gratitude.

But even then, transferring them to others or passing them down to descendants was strictly prohibited.

Edora knew this, which was why she couldn't answer rashly. She scratched her cheek with her index finger.

"I'll ask Father as soon as it gets light, but I can't promise that he'll agree easily."

"That's fine. I know it's a difficult request."

When Yeonwoo nodded, Edora realized he was trying not to put pressure on her and sighed in relief.

Of course, Yeonwoo only said that. He hadn't given up completely.

'If it doesn't work, I'll have to research it myself, even if it takes a long time.'

Yeonwoo thought of the Hohowunjin.

A significant portion of the knowledge of the Hohowunjin was already etched in his mind.

However, even if he understood it, there was a big difference between that and modifying and applying it to a magic circuit, which was why he hadn't attempted it yet.

But if the export of martial arts was not allowed, he planned to start modifying the Hohowunjin right away.

Since it could amplify the output of a magic circuit several times over, he couldn't give up on it easily.

'There are plenty of references.'

In any case, he would be watching the Unicorn Tribe's battles throughout the war. He knew that using them as samples, he would eventually complete the modifications.

Was it because of his thirst for martial arts?

Yeonwoo moistened his dry lips with his tongue.

* * *

"Martial arts? For Cain?"

The Martial King looked up from the book he was reading and turned to Edora.

It was late at night, and he wondered what had brought her in such a hurry.

Such an absurd request.

Then he narrowed his eyes.

"Does our daughter really have a thing for that friend of yours?"

Edora frowned slightly but nodded, knowing she needed to make a good impression on her father.

"He might become the master of the 'Shadow Sword.'"

"Hmm. You think that highly of him?"

"Didn't you think so too, Father?"

Edora's eyes sparkled. The Martial King, knowing he couldn't avoid those eyes, had to raise his hands.

"Anyway, who would have thought you were the daughter of a seer?"

"I'm also your daughter."

"Alright, alright."

The Martial King chuckled.

"You're right. Cain, that kid has quite a lot of potential. He's got guts too. I heard he monopolized everything during the tutorial. He had the qualifications for it."

Most high-ranking players weren't paying much attention to the monopolizer yet.

They just saw him as one of the many promising rookies who stood out during each tutorial.

But the Martial King knew.

He knew what Yeonwoo had accomplished.

At first, he had only investigated out of curiosity about the person his children were following.

But when he traced Yeonwoo's actions, he found nothing to look down on.

He cleared the tutorial in three weeks, defeating all the new talents, including Pant, Edora, Khan, Doyle, and Bahram.

He single-handedly destroyed the Arangdan, backed by the Blue Flower Sect.

He ate the snake of Akasha and broke the all-time tutorial record.

He even broke through the Hohowunjin, the defense line of the tribe.

Potential, presence, and determination. Along with a sharp mind.

No, there was one more thing to add.

The ability to lead people.

A well-rounded talent with the five essential qualities needed to become strong and a higher being.

Such a person was hard to find even within the Unicorn Tribe.

If he didn't feel a desire to have him as part of the tribe, he would be lying.

He really wanted to keep Yeonwoo, marry him to Edora, and take him as a disciple to make him a part of the tribe.

But there was one reason the Martial King couldn't do that.

Yeonwoo's eyes.

'Those are not the eyes of someone who can be tied down to one place.'

The Martial King thought of someone when he looked at Yeonwoo. A child he had to let go because he couldn't contain him, a child he could no longer see from the tower.

So, the Martial King planned to watch Pant and Edora interact with Yeonwoo for a while.

Fate cannot be forced. Although they were now connected as guests of the tribe, he wanted to see if this connection would continue.

Fortunately, there was another connection.

Martial arts.

It would certainly be tempting.

"Does that mean you're granting it?"

"Impossible."

"Then..."

"But I'll allow it under certain conditions."

The Martial King spoke in a serious tone, unlike his usual playful one.

"Daughter."

"..."

"Do you know the restrictions that come with being the next seer?"

"I haven't forgotten."

"You've been the first in centuries to master the seer's insight, and you'll soon inherit the position. If you've chosen this person, show that he has the qualifications."

"I believe he can do it."

Edora's eyes grew serious, and she nodded firmly.

The Martial King looked at his daughter with a slightly pitying gaze.

His daughter, bound by the chain of the clan's insight.

She had to grow up maturely beyond her age and would have to walk a thorny path in the future, which made him feel sorry for her.

* * *

After all the banquets were over.

Yeonwoo slowly walked along the path Edora had shown him.

'I hope it works out.'

He didn't have high hopes that it would.

But he didn't think the Martial King would refuse outright.

'The Martial King must be expecting something from me.'

He didn't know what it was, but as long as it was there, he had a strong feeling that the Martial King would grant his request to some extent.

'Anyway.'

The conclusion would only be known the next morning.

While organizing his thoughts, Yeonwoo picked up the black bracelet and chain with his left hand, feeling the cold sensation run through his fingertips.

'Is this really Shinjin-iron?'

The word Edora had muttered kept echoing in his mind.

Shinjin-iron.

While many elixirs greatly helped in enhancing magic power, rare metals that were excellent materials for artifacts were just as important.

The best of these was called 'Shinjin-iron.'

However, as the name 'divine precious iron' suggested, the iron that was said to have once imprisoned a god was extremely rare.

Many doubted its existence. There were rumors that Allforone had a large amount, but there were so many false rumors about that person.

But I knew.

I knew that Shinjin-iron actually existed.

Because the 'sword' that had reduced him to this state was made of that damned Shinjin-iron.

Yeonwoo recalled the diary's content.

The sword that had injured his brother was made of Shinjin-iron.

However, it only contained a very small amount of Shinjin-iron. Even so, it was a remarkable material that could create an excellent artifact.

To use it entirely to make these handcuffs?

Of course, Edora might have been mistaken, but Yeonwoo thought she had seen it correctly.

And he was curious.

'If it had to be made of Shinjin-iron... what kind of person was the Black King? And why didn't such a powerful person become famous?'

Yeonwoo stroked the black bracelet.

He had known it was extraordinary since it had the characteristic of handling dead spirits.

He had suspected it had great power since Phoenix warned him.

But he hadn't expected this.

'In the end, I'll have to find the remaining parts and connect them to know the details.'

Yeonwoo decided to put his questions about the Black King aside for now.

It didn't seem like something he could solve urgently.

Thus, he entered the annex located on the outskirts of the village and opened the door.

His assigned room was 203. He planned to unpack and rest for the day.

However, when he opened the door and entered, a giant was sitting on the bed with his legs crossed, uninvited.

It was Brak, whom he had seen at the banquet.

"Hey, newbie. Is it okay to wander around so late? You're slacking off, aren't you?"

The concept of a 'guest' in the Unicorn Tribe was a bit unique.

The tribe, while not completely isolated, didn't usually interact much with the outside world.

There was one condition for being invited as a guest.

Would it help the clan's development?

If there was something to gain, they accepted it and were never stingy about exchanging.

Being a guest of the Unicorn Tribe was a valuable addition to a player's resume, so there were many applicants.

However, most were kicked out before they could pass the test. The tribe's standards were too high.

Moreover, most high-ranking players who knew the tribe well generally avoided getting involved.

They came to seek martial arts and formations but often ended up revealing their own secrets.

But being a guest meant one thing.

It meant they had outstanding skills in some field, whether in ability or technique.

Brak must have had something too.

However, Yeonwoo couldn't find anything special about Brak. He didn't even bother to look.

Most importantly,

'It's too troublesome to deal with.'

Yeonwoo silently approached the giant.

"What? You want to...!"

Brak growled, picking up the halberd he had left on the floor.

Yeonwoo raised his fist without a word.

Bang!

* * *

"I... couldn't... do it..."

Brak was kneeling with his hands up, his eyes swollen and bruised like a panda.

Tears and snot were streaming down his face, and a couple of his front teeth were broken.

It turned out he had come to intimidate Yeonwoo, to establish a pecking order and use him as he pleased. It seemed he had been specially asked to do so by the Baekseon family.

That was his only purpose.

Of course, Brak deserved to be beaten to a pulp for that alone.

Yeonwoo, finding it too troublesome to deal with, kicked Brak out of the room and managed to get some sleep.

The next morning, he left his room as soon as it was light.

In the lobby on the first floor, Brak was cleaning.

His eyes were still swollen and bruised, and he was scrubbing the floor with a broom, looking pitiful.

It seemed he had originally planned to pass on the various chores, like cleaning and washing dishes, to Yeonwoo.

Although it didn't go as planned,

In the lobby, other guests were sitting at the bar, enjoying their personal time.

Some were eating, some were reading the newspaper while drinking coffee, and some were chatting.

They didn't pay attention to each other and were of various races and attire.

'Elves, merfolk, halflings? The guests are quite diverse.'

Among them were people recorded in the diary.

A magician quietly drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, and a talkative halfling.

'Travia and Sylon.'

They were known as the 'Lightning Mage' and the 'Singing Hammer,' respectively, and were high-ranking players.

They had suddenly disappeared during Artya's time, but it turned out they were staying as guests of the Unicorn Tribe.

The guests, who were doing their own things, noticed Yeonwoo coming down the stairs and stopped what they were doing to glance at him.

Various emotions flickered in their eyes.

They had heard about the new guest last night.

The one who was a top candidate for the next king, who had easily defeated Zhang. The one who was called a monopolizer and seemed quite impressive.

Yeonwoo ignored their gazes and entered the lobby.

He didn't plan to get close to them anyway.

"Ah, good morning, d-did you sleep well?"

Brak, remembering last night, couldn't meet Yeonwoo's eyes and stammered as he backed away.

Without a word, Yeonwoo picked up a piece of bread from the bar and left the annex.

"Brother, you're here?"

Outside, Edora was waiting with her hands behind her back.

"Result?"

"Tsk. You ask about that before anything else?"

Edora pouted, then smiled prettily.

"Fortunately, it was approved. And the Martial Library was opened to you immediately."

"Martial Library?"

"It's a place that compiles all the martial arts manuals our clan has developed over generations while staying in the tower."

"..."

Yeonwoo clenched his fist.

He could tell the Martial King had shown him more consideration than he had expected.

"The Martial Library has four levels: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Iron. The Bronze level is usually not open to outsiders and is only shown to senior warriors..."

A slight smile spread across her face.

"Father seemed to pay a lot of attention to you. The elders also unanimously agreed to grant it, saying they should help with the study of the alchemy."

Yeonwoo thought of the Martial King.

A face that was impossible to read. What was he thinking inside?

"However."

"..."

"There's a rather unusual condition attached."

"Condition?"

Edora nodded, looking troubled.

"You're not to receive any help from me, Pant, or anyone else. You're to study the martial arts books and gain insights on your own. And Father will personally evaluate you in four days..."

Edora trailed off.

Martial arts were not to be taken lightly. They were originally the power granted to the Unicorn Tribe and operated on a different principle from the magic power used in the tower.

Therefore, an interpreter would be needed, but the Martial King forbade it.

At first, she thought it was another of her father's mischievous tricks and was about to get angry, but the condition he added afterward made it clear it wasn't a joke.

"Moreover, if you pass the evaluation, Father promised to personally guide you in martial arts during the war."

"..."

Ding-

[A new quest has been created.]

[Sudden Quest / The Martial King's Test]

Content: The king of the Unicorn Tribe, Martial King Nayeou, has a deep interest in you, who has performed miracles since the tutorial, and wants to test you.

Travel through the Iron and Bronze levels of the Martial Library, and 'create' your own martial arts style to master a new way of using the magic circuit.

Time Limit: 4 days

Reward:

1. Guidance from the Martial King

2. Martial Arts Book <Eight Extremes Fist>

3. Succession Rights to the <Shadow Sword> + ???