The RoFan Novel Fan Has Reincarnated Into A Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 17
Chapter 17. A Frog? A Hero?
Yi Cheon-gang had stepped forward out of concern that Yeon might explode. From what he could tell, she had been holding back for long enough.
She clearly has business with the old man.
The old man seemed aware of that as well. The problem was that he was deliberately provoking Yeon.
"At this rate, things won’t go the way Hwang Bo Soje wants."
That was the only reason Cheon-gang had intervened. But the old man's reaction was far more intense than he had expected.
Kwaaaang!
A massive surge of force rushed toward him. Cheon-gang hastily unleashed his inner energy. If that thing hit him head-on, he wouldn’t be heading to Baekha Escort Agency—he’d be bedridden for weeks.
Kwaang!
“Ugh...”
Cheon-gang groaned as he barely managed to block the attack. Even after retreating several steps, he couldn’t completely nullify the impact. This meant one thing—this wasn’t just some crotchety old man.
"He’s a master. An absolute one at that..."
Swish!
Before he could even finish his thought, the old man’s relentless attacks came flying at him. They weren’t anything flashy, just plain punches—but the sheer speed was terrifying.
Cheon-gang focused in an instant, swiping his hand like lightning.
Papapang!
He deflected all of the old man’s strikes and subtly pulled his right arm back, preparing for a counterattack with a powerful palm strike.
But the old man didn’t let even that small opening slip by.
Thwack!
“Kh!”
A sharp kick landed against his right side, forcing Cheon-gang back again. That was twice now.
“Tsk, tsk. Your head is all about attack, attack, attack, and yet you can’t even see your own stomach getting hit. Just like a frog, aren’t you?”
Retracting his outstretched leg with ease, the old man continued speaking.
“But you’re a frog of uncertain origin. You said you’re from Iga? Where the hell even is that?”
Then, Yeon’s voice rang out.
“Grandfather! Stop it!”
“Can’t the little lady stay out of this? This frog is practically itching to fight again, so why—”
The old man’s thin lips curled into an amused smirk. His small, taunting eyes narrowed even further.
“Well? What do you say, boy? Am I wrong?”
Cheon-gang’s eyes sank deep at the provocation. Without a word, he glanced at Yeon.
“I’m fine.”
“Cheon-gang...”
Hearing her worried voice, Cheon-gang felt a flicker of self-derision.
"It seems I haven’t earned Hwang Bo Soje’s trust yet."
In the end, Cheon-gang unsheathed his sword. The blade remained inside its scabbard, but he had decided to use his main weapon.
“Keh, I don’t mind even if you use a real sword.”
At the old man’s relaxed tone, Cheon-gang took a slow breath, steadying himself. He had to acknowledge it—this old man was a rare master, someone even heads of prominent martial families might struggle against.
But Cheon-gang couldn’t afford to lose here.
Was it pride? Or was it because he carried the title of Young Master of the World’s Greatest Martial Family?
No. It’s not something so trivial.
Cheon-gang thought of his true enemy. The one who had ruined his life. The formidable foe who was undoubtedly watching him from somewhere far beyond his reach.
"Until the day I face that bastard again... I can’t fall in a place like this!"
As he recalled his nemesis, the deep grudge in his heart stirred.
A cold fury spread through his body. Letting the chilling sensation course through his veins, he imbued his sword with that frozen rage. In that moment, he became a blade.
“Oh-ho.”
The old man let out a small exclamation as he watched Cheon-gang unleash his true martial prowess.
His pale complexion gained a hint of color, and the temperature in the surrounding air began to drop. It was the telltale sign of White Cloud Sword Art, the Iga Clan’s secret technique.
As mist condensed in the air around them, the old man muttered,
“A frog gets stranger the more you look at it. What kind of bizarre martial art is this?”
“I’ll take that as permission to attack first.”
“Heh! Do as you like, brat.”
With that, Cheon-gang swung his sword.
His attack streaked through the air in an unpredictable trajectory, exploding toward the old man.
Swiish!
“Waaaait! Young warrior, stop!”
A desperate, thunderous voice rang out, and Cheon-gang barely managed to halt his strike. The old man, unfazed, simply gazed curiously at the blade hovering just before him.
Moments later, someone approached, their heavy steps echoing through the ground.
It was Hwang Bo Jeonggun.
“Elder! How could you be so disrespectful to a guest of our family? This young man is—ugh!”
Before he could finish, he let out a grunt as his shin was kicked.
“Where the hell have you been all this time?”
“Ugh... I had matters to attend to after returning from the Martial Alliance Gathering. My apologies, Elder.”
“The Martial Alliance Gathering?”
“Yes, Elder. I went with Yeon. But Elder... what exactly brings you here...?”
At those words, Hwang Bo Gyeong glanced briefly at Yeon, then turned back to Jeonggun, snapping irritably,
“What, am I not allowed to be here?”
“O-of course you are, Elder. It’s just been so long...”
“Then lead the way already! I have things to discuss. Tsk, I was having so much fun, too.”
Clicking his tongue in disappointment, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) he followed after Jeonggun, disappearing just as abruptly as he had arrived.
Everyone could only watch in silence.
****
After everything settled down, Yeon sent the still-shaken Soso back to their quarters. Gongye, ever the opportunist, had slipped away along with her.
Now alone with Cheon-gang, Yeon checked on him. freewёbnoνel.com
“Cheon-gang, are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
His calm response only made Yeon feel more guilty.
"Seriously! That grandfather is way worse than he was in the book!"
As she fumed, Cheon-gang suddenly asked,
“You had something to discuss with the Elder, didn’t you?”
“I did... Not anymore, though.”
“It seemed important.”
“Well, yeah... Wait. How did you know?”
“You were holding back much more than usual.”
Right. For her, that had been some serious restraint. If Cheon-gang hadn’t stepped in, she would’ve exploded for sure.
Wait a second. If he hadn’t stepped in...?
Was he always this kind of person? A realization struck her.
“...Did you step in on purpose? Because of me?”
“...”
He didn’t answer. But Yeon wasn’t dumb.
“You—you deliberately went up against that crazy old man?”
“You were trying to ask the Elder for a favor, weren’t you?”
“...Yes.”
“Then it was better for me to take the hit instead. I didn’t expect him to attack so suddenly, though.”
“...Hah.”
What the hell? Since when was he this considerate?
Yeon had seen countless romance novel male leads. She’d never been fond of the delicate, sensitive type. Too lacking in manly charm.
But Cheon-gang? He exuded pure masculinity. He wasn’t an obsessive, yandere-type like her favorite ML, Ellond, but he had his own brand of rugged appeal.
"Cold on the outside, but burning hot on the inside?"
Something about him gave her the feeling that he was hiding something intense beneath that composed exterior.
Like the sharp, defined abs she was sure lay beneath his pristine white robes.
"Wait. Damn. Now I’m imagining his six-pack."
Yeon, her mouth slightly open in a daze from her heated imagination, was jolted back to reality by Cheon-gang.
“So, what was it? The favor you wanted to ask?”
“Ah... that. Actually, I was hoping to learn martial arts from Grandfather Gyeong.”
Truthfully, she still held onto some lingering regret. Personality aside, Hwang Bo Gyeong was canonically the strongest in the Hwang Bo Family.
But no, it’s impossible. The moment he laid hands on Cheon-gang, it was over.
She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought, when Cheon-gang suddenly spoke.
“You should go ahead.”
“...Huh?”
“After exchanging blows, I can confirm—Elder is undeniably a master. He probably wouldn’t even lose easily to my father.”
“That strong?”
Strong enough to stand against the world’s greatest martial artist? There was a master like that hidden within the Hwang Bo Family?
“But still...”
“Hwang Bo Soje.”
“Just call me Yeon. I call you Cheon-gang, after all.”
“...Then, I’ll call you Soje Yeon.”
Cheon-gang always seemed oddly flustered over trivial things like this. Yeon found it unbearably cute.
“Soje Yeon, I strongly recommend you learn from the Elder.”
“Why? He nearly injured you. Honestly, I don’t want to learn from him out of sheer spite.”
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
“...What?”
Cheon-gang slowly shook his head.
“We may not have known each other for long, but I’ve realized one thing.”
“And that is?”
“That you need to become much stronger than you are now.”
“......”
“You’re already strong, but you need to be so strong that no one would even dare to challenge you.”
Why was he suddenly saying this? Yeon was genuinely curious.
“You can’t stand injustice. You can’t ignore those in need. No matter the hardship, you always follow your heart. That’s the Soje Yeon I know.”
Wait, is that true? Also, was this the longest she had ever heard Cheon-gang talk?
But he didn’t seem finished yet.
“In the martial world, that kind of mindset is called something else.”
“Something else?”
“It’s called the spirit of chivalry—협의지심 (hyeop-ui ji-sim).”
“...Hyeo—hyeop?”
Yeon nearly choked, despite not drinking anything.
Well, at least it’s not “hyum” (혐, disgust).
Unlike her embarrassment, Cheon-gang’s gaze remained unwaveringly serious.
“That is also the definition of a true knight-errant. And in this world, knights must be stronger than anyone else. Otherwise...”
He trailed off before finishing his sentence. Otherwise, they die the fastest.
After a brief pause, he spoke again.
“The truth is, I, too, have a reason why I must become stronger.”
“...Is it the same reason?”
“Not at all. Mine is extremely personal. However...”
However?
“If it must be done, then I will see it through to the end.”
The part he didn’t say out loud—no matter what it takes—remained buried in his mind. He hadn’t yet decided how far he was willing to go.
“So, Soje Yeon, I hope you won’t hesitate either. If that’s what you truly want. Besides, the 30 days we have are far too short.”
“......”
Cheon-gang’s words lingered in the air. Yeon fell into deep thought, as did Cheon-gang.
He’s right. 30 days is nowhere near enough.
No matter how much she trained on her own, there was a limit. She had no idea how strong the masters of Baekha Escort Agency’s enemies were, and that uncertainty gnawed at her.
Should I really ask Grandfather Gyeong for help?
Just imagining that battle-crazed face made her blood boil. But right now, that was exactly the kind of mentor she needed.
She had always despised her father’s harsh training in her previous life, but now, she found herself craving proper guidance.
After a long moment of contemplation, Yeon finally opened her mouth.
“Cheon-gang, then—”
“Yeon-ah!”
A familiar voice called out.
“...Father?”
Hwang Bo Jeonggun.
“Yeon-ah, I didn’t get to check on you earlier because of Elder. Are you all right? And you, young warrior?”
He immediately asked after both Yeon and Cheon-gang’s well-being.
“I’m fine, Gaju-nim.”
“Oh, good. Yeon-ah, are you all right?”
“Yes, Father. More importantly, where is Grandfather Gyeong?”
At Yeon’s question, Hwang Bo Jeonggun’s expression darkened slightly.
“Hm? Why do you ask?”
“I want to learn martial arts from him.”
“...What?”
Yeon had expected him to jump in protest, but instead, his expression became strangely complex.
Just as she was about to question it, Jeonggun spoke.
“I would’ve strongly opposed it, but I suppose it’s for the best. Elder has already left the family.”
“...Left?”
“He’s a recluse, after all. By now, he’s long past the main gate...”
Before he could finish, Yeon bolted past him.
No one knew where he had chosen to live in seclusion. Not even the author had mentioned it.
If he goes in now, I might never see him again!
The moment she realized she was about to lose the chance, panic and regret surged through her.
Activating the light-foot technique she had been secretly practicing, she pushed herself to the limit and sprinted forward.
“Yeon-ah, wait!”
Hwang Bo Jeonggun’s voice echoed behind her, but it was left unanswered, fading into the distance.
