The Yang Sect.

They were wearing sleek, dark blue robes, in a noticeably better condition than any of ours.

I was reminded of the Flame Sect.

They introduced themselves, but without giving us any of their names-

There was the Yang Sect Head, his son, and then his grandson- the Yang Sect Heir. It was just the 3 of them.

"It's good to see you, father."

"It's good to see you too… Dae-sung."

"How's it been, brother?"

"...It's been good."

I was right to think that they were related in some way. However, I had no idea why everyone was so stone-faced. Were they on bad terms or something?

Dae-sung's father, the Sect Head, seemed to be surveying us.

"Who's that boy?"

He was looking straight at me.

"He's Kwang-sik; he wandered into the 12th district, and doesn't remember his parents."

Dae-sung answered him, expressionless.

"Ah, so he's a brat." Dae-sung's brother had chimed in.

The grandson hadn't even said anything yet, but he was glaring at us as well.

…I think I could tell why the mood was so grim.

***

We were only halfway through dinner, and the atmosphere had gotten gradually more and more unpleasant.

Almost everything that came out of their mouths was about us being in poor living conditions or being orphans.

"Have you been raising your kids well? Oh, sorry, I meant the kids- slip of the tongue." Dae-sung's brother sneered.

I could tell this remark struck a chord that the other ones didn't.

Hae-won's expression had faltered, and both Dae-sung and Gi looked desolate.

I didn't know what his brother meant by it, but it must have meant something to Dae-sung, Hae-won, and Gi.

…It made me feel like I didn't know them that well.

"The food is good at least, all things considered. It's also apparent that you haven't been teaching them any martial arts," The Head sneered while glancing at Gi.

He was just as malicious as his son.

"...I'm g-going to turn in early."

Gi had gotten up from the dinner table. His eyes darted between Dae-sung to Hae-won before he left.

A few minutes later, the rest of the kids were dismissed by Dae-sung, including me.

"Don't worry about your plates, just go ahead and wash up for bed."

We left Dae-sung and Hae-won alone with the Yang Sect.

***

It was dark out, but Gi was still sitting outside, practicing Ki control.

"Gi."

"Yeah?"

"Tell me what happened between Dae-sung and the Yang Sect."

"I don't want-"

"Tell me or I won't teach you any more training techniques."

"...You're too young-"

"Just tell me, damnit!"

Gi was taken aback.

I might have only been here for 3 weeks, but after being alone for so long I treasured this place in my heart. I just wanted to know what was going on.

Being left in the dark…

It made me feel isolated. I hated it.

"...The Yang Sect is very traditionalist. Every firstborn son is to practice martial arts, to become the next heir. The last heir… was Dae-sung.

Dae-sung met Hae-won after becoming the Sect Head, and they fell in love.

…They both found out later that Hae-won couldn't bare children.

Dae-sung's father suggested a concubine, but Dae-sung was against it. He chose Hae-won over the Sect- he handed the position of Sect Head back to his father.

His father was furious. He told Dae-sung that he wasn't allowed to have any children- adopted or his own- or pass on any martial arts if he didn't want to be exiled.

He told Dae-sung that after I was already adopted by Dae-sung and Hae-won."

Gi's expression worsened.

"They started this orphanage under the pretense of keeping me, but they were forced to look after us as caretakers instead of parents.

…I'm not allowed to call my own father Father."

I couldn't meet Gi's eyes.

When I first got here, I treated everything lightly, like a game. My last life sucked and I just wanted to forget about it. I even had a status screen and everything.

The situation with the Yang Sect felt surreal, it wasn't something you'd see in a game.

There wasn't a solution.

…It was just something unpleasant.

I was angry, sad, and heartbroken all at the same time- I couldn't control my emotions.

I was tearing up.

"T-thank you for telling me."

"...Yeah."

***

I woke up the next morning- I was still mulling over what I learned yesterday, and I didn't feel like getting out of bed.

I was angry with the Yang Sect, but there was nowhere for me to put that anger.

They had left already anyway.

I had thought that this place was close to my heart, but I didn't know anything about the people living here.

When it came to the kids, I've barely talked to any of them- the person I've interacted the most with was Gi, but that was only because we trained together.

I felt like an outsider, and I wanted to change that.

…But the exam was in 1 week, and I still needed to prepare for it.

Breakfast was uplifting- it was like dinner with the Yang Sect never happened.

I looked down the table.

In-su and Kwang-sun were playing with their food, and Yeong was telling them off for it.

Dae-sung and Hae-won were talking to each other, and Gi was shoveling down his food.

Hana was looking down at her plate, eating quietly.

Didn't Hana say she liked martial arts? Now that I thought about it, I didn't know why she wasn't training with us- she was already 15.

[Hana doesn't have the right constitution for martial arts.]

[She doesn't possess Ki.]

Ah. I really didn't know anything.

…I'll just go train.

***

[Kwang-sik.]

[Kwang-sik.]

[Stop it Kwang-sik.]

I've been doing Ki control push-ups all day. I haven't been able to feel my arms for a while now, but I didn't feel like stopping.

[Please stop it Kwang-sik.]

All of the sudden I fell to the ground, wheezing. It was as if someone had stabbed me in the stomach.

[I told you to stop Kwang-sik. You overworked your Ki- you've been at it for 8 hours now.]

I sighed. I just can't do anything right-

[Kwang-sik, stop blaming yourself.]

[You aren't responsible for what happened within the Yang Sect.]

"What do you know! You can't even feel anything!"

[You're right that I can't feel pain. I can't touch or interact with anything. It's isolating.]

[My very being is attached to you. I cannot talk to anyone else.]

[I cannot sleep, so I have to wait through the night in silence, starved for your attention.]

"Suzie I…"

[And when you ignore me, it's scary.]

[I start worrying that you can no longer hear me either, that I'm truly alone.]

"Suzie I'm sorry, I didn't-"

[But I don't blame you.]

[I have never and will never blame you.]

[You've been through countless hardships- you lived your entire life feeling trapped and emotionally vacant, only to die painfully, and alone.]

[Then you woke up in an unfamiliar world without any of the utilities you took for granted, or the one thing you were obsessed with.]

[I know that you're kind, Wyatt.]

[No one blames you for anything, but you blame yourself because you care.]

[So please stop tormenting yourself like this, I don't like it- I despise it.]

"I'm… sorry."

[Don't worry about it. I just want you to be happy with yourself.]

[I will always be on your side, Wyatt.]

"...Thank you."

[You have 6 days left before the exam- let's focus on your footwork starting tomorrow.]

"…Ok."

***

I woke up the next day feeling refreshed. It was best for everyone if I didn't get hung up on something that had already happened.

"Good morning Suzie."

After what happened yesterday, I felt more comfortable talking to Suzie out loud- but only when no one else could hear, of course.

[Good morning Kwang-sik.]

[Let's get started when you're ready.]

Gi was outside training as well, still working on Ki control. It was still rather awkward between us.

Please teach me the Basic Footwork Art.

[Starting the Basic Footwork Art Lesson.]

…This one was easier than Ember's Flame Step 4, but it was almost 10 times the length.

Why is this one so much longer than the Flame Step one?

[Ember's Flame Step 4 is incomplete- it is just 1 step of at least 14.]

Ah- that's what you meant by you have to see the full technique.

Wait… Suzie, how do you know that it's the 4th Step without knowing the rest of it?

[I cannot answer.]

…I see.

***

Even though the Basic Footwork Art was 10 times as long as the other one, I mastered it in under an hour.

The physical movements and the Ki movements were easy to follow.

"...I should have started with this."

[The Basic Footwork Art is a great starting point.]

I spent the rest of the day learning the rest of the Basic Arts. I had finished the lessons for the Fist, Palm, and Kick Arts, but I didn't have any weapons on hand, so I couldn't even start the other ones.

After finishing up the Basic Kick Art lesson, I had sprawled out on the grass.

The sun was setting, and I was exhausted.

Open Status.

[Kwang-sik]

[Rank: Third-rate]

[Strength 98/100] [Agility 100/100] [Stamina 95/100] [Ki Level 100/100]

[Dexterity 92] [Ki Control 145] [Ki Resilience 5]

[Arts]

[Basic Footwork Art] [Basic Fist Art] [Basic Palm Art] [Basic Kick Art] [Ember's Flame Step 4]

I was on the verge of becoming second-rate.

I rolled over in the grass to face Gi- his eyes were closed, and his face was still contorted with that lovely 'Ki control' expression.

Open Gi's Status.

[Gi]

[???]

…!

Did he finally reach second-rate?

[You should spar with Gi tomorrow.]

...Huh?

***