WeTried Translations

Translator: Joy

Editor: Joy

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Damned Transmigration

Chapter 18

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The Revered of the Martial Pinnacle

The final bid for the Seven Thunders was 540 million sel.

The manager had estimated it would sell for around 600 million, so on the bright side, it was a sixty-million-sel bargain.

But that logic only applied to the one actually paying. Since Yuri and Elena hadn’t bid, they had essentially got it for free.

‘Would’ve been better if it had gone higher.’

Yuri had ended up in a bidding war with Bakerd and been saddled with the Fist of the Rending Cloud.

When the dust settled, they were left with only ten million out of the original billion. Having taken a loss himself, he’d hoped Bakerd would suffer one too.

But with the Crimson Wing’s Scorching Blaze having just sold, the Seven Thunders hadn’t drawn nearly as much attention.

“The Seven Thunders… the Seven Thunders…!”

Elena, sitting beside him, seemed to be in another world. She kept muttering the name of the technique, her hands trembling.

“That happy about it?”

“Wha-what? No, I’m not.”

“You’re lying through your teeth.”

“When did I lie? I told you. I… I am the prospective disciple of Heavenly Thunder Orca. One day, I am destined to inherit her unique magic and become the next Master of the Dersia Mage Tower.”

Her trembling hands clenched into determined fists.

“You saw it last time, didn’t you? Lady Orca’s Thunder God’s Mirage. I was lucky enough to experience it, but honestly, I couldn’t begin to fathom its principles or depth. That’s just the kind of transcendent magic Lady Orca wields.”

After spending the past few days with her, Yuri had learned her tells. She was quick to admit fault and apologise. But when embarrassed, she rambled excuses endlessly.

That was what was happening now.

“It’s true that Flash Soul-chaser Jang-un was brilliant, but his final rank was 5th Circle, and I’m 4th Circle. Do you know what that means? It means there isn’t much of a difference.”

It was only a one-circle difference, yes, but by no means a small one. A mage was only recognised as 4th Circle once they could weave different common magics together and condense them into stable formulae. A 5th-Circle mage had to go beyond that, developing their own unique magic.

Not every unique magic was stronger than common magic, but the act of creating one at all showed a completely different level of understanding.

“Well, I’ll admit I got a bit uncharacteristically excited since I had the chance to get the Seven Thunders. It can’t be helped. It’s in a mage’s nature to thrill at a new learning opportunity. Actually no, it’s not just mages. Haryeong, martial artists are the same, aren’t they?”

“Of course, Lady Elena.”

Elena’s excuse was so desperate that even Haryeong spared her usual teasing. She gave a small nod, then turned to Yuri.

“That’s why I’m disappointed. I could have had the new learning experience of the Fist of the Rending Cloud, but it all came to nothing. Yuri, did you really have to do that to me?”

“…Pardon?”

“Why so formal? I thought you said we were close. If we’re close, doesn’t that make us friends?”

Yuri blinked in confusion. Haryeong studied his face with unreadable eyes.

“Goodness. So you were lying when you said we were close. And here I was, foolishly taking you at your word.”

“No, I do think we’re close. You just caught me off guard.”

“Is that so? My mistake. It seems being close doesn’t immediately make you friends.”

“No, that’s not what I meant—”

“Ah, then I misspoke. A friendship with strict boundaries. Duly noted.”

Was she serious or just toying with him? Haryeong rarely showed emotion, making it impossible to gauge her true meaning.

“You’re quite cheerful for a salsu, Haryeong.”

“That is because my relationship with you, Sir Yuri, is not an escort contract, nor an assassination request. On assignment, I am ruthless. Merciless. Terrifying.”

“She’s like that with me too, and I have an escort contract with her,” Elena muttered, glaring.

Haryeong answered without hesitation, expression flat.

“However, I am careful never to cross certain lines.”

“Really…?”

“If I did, Lady Elena, you would be so humiliated that you would terminate our contract on the spot.”

Then she returned her gaze to Yuri.

“In any case, Sir Yuri, you must act with care so that you only ever see my cheerful side. I doubt it would ever happen, but if you were to face me as a salsu on a job… thwack.”

“Thwack what?”

“Thwack something. A necessary action, of course.”

While the three talked, Bakerd’s scowl only deepened. He no longer needed to scrape together 1.5 billion, but the idea of teaching martial arts to Yuri still soured his mood.

‘I have to teach him myself?’

The basics of the Fist of the Rending Cloud. Just the first forms and stances, stripped of their true essence. Even so, he hated it.

For one, Bakerd had never taken a disciple. He had never taught anyone martial arts. Nor had he ever learnt from a master. His arts were his own, forged in the fires of revenge.

His eyes narrowed beneath his heavy brows as he stared at Yuri. He still didn’t know who exactly the boy was. A friend of the Dersia Tower’s famed Marigold…

‘Friend? Seems more like… a kept man, doesn’t it?’

After all, it was Marigold, Elena Heinderga, who had bought the Fist of the Rending Cloud. She had spent 990 million sel for him. Even if they were the closest of comrades, who bought a technique worth nearly a billion sel just for a friend?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Bakerd’s glare was so blatant that it would have been impossible for anyone to miss. Open disdain radiated from him.

“Surely you’re not thinking of going back on your word now?”

“The bid’s already been won. What is there to change?” Bakerd spat, his voice thick with annoyance.

“So. Have you really never learnt martial arts?”

“I’ve been in plenty of fights, and I receive daily instruction in combat techniques from Haryeong.”

“Hah. The techniques a salsu teaches probably amount to little more than walking silently and running away.”

“I see you hold a deep-seated prejudice against salsu, Sir Bakerd.”

Despite the insult, Haryeong’s expression didn’t flicker.

“From the perspective of Sir Bakerd, who reached the 6th Circle as a martial fighter, a notoriously difficult path, a salsu’s methods may well seem trivial.”

“I don’t look down on all salsu. I acknowledge the Dang clan of Salmun, one of the Six Evils of the Black Dragon Society, and the Salmun Clan Leader.”

“I see. And what of the leader of Salhomun?”

“The Faceless Killer, whose tracks are never clear? Hah. How can I acknowledge someone whose circle isn’t even known?”

“That in itself is proof of an exceptional salsu,” Haryeong replied smoothly.

She inclined her head towards Yuri.

“Speaking as one who has instructed him in these so-called trivial techniques, Sir Yuri’s Martial Talent is remarkable. This is a fact acknowledged not only by me, but also by the Dersia Tower Master, Heavenly Thunder Orca.”

“Heavenly Thunder Orca acknowledged him…?”

“Yes. Lady Orca said Sir Yuri’s meridians are strong and almost free of blockages. She said he was born with a truly gifted body.”

“That’s what she said,” Yuri added, nodding.

At the mention of Heavenly Thunder Orca, Bakerd’s expression shifted. His glare softened into scrutiny.

“Hmm…”

Indeed. The body beneath Yuri’s clothes seemed well-trained. His seated posture was steady, his eyes clear and untainted by murky energy.

For someone with no formal training to show such qualities meant one of two things: a life of secluded cultivation deep in the mountains, or a body simply born this way.

“Where is your hometown?”

“Oldor.”

“Oldor? Did you live there your whole life?”

“I lived there twenty years, then came to Rutlan a week ago.”

“What did you do for a living in Oldor?”

“This and that.”

No need to tell Bakerd he’d been a pickpocket; his opinion of Yuri was already low.

“I see.”

Luckily, Bakerd didn’t pry further. He assumed the boy wouldn’t dare use Orca’s name falsely. As for his supposed martial talent… that, he could see for himself.

“Right then. I’ll visit you in two days.”

Bakerd rose and left the auction house. Once he was gone, Yuri’s party stood as well.

While the martial art they had won underwent final verification, Yuri purchased a heart technique from the basic catalogue on Haryeong’s advice.

The Art of the Untainted Heart.

In spite of its lofty name, it was an unremarkable first-rate heart technique. Safe, balanced, and devoid of glaring flaws, but lacking any real brilliance.

“What do you think is the difference between a first-rate martial art and a peak-tier one?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Their floor and ceiling.”

As Elena went to settle payment, Haryeong explained, her voice flat as ever.

“First-rate martial arts have a low floor and a low ceiling. Peak-tier martial arts have a high floor and a high ceiling.”

“And divine arts?”

“They exist on a different plane. For an art to be called divine, its starting point must be higher than the absolute peak of a top-tier art. That doesn’t make it easy to learn, of course. It just means the heights one can achieve are beyond comparison.”

“What about you, Haryeong? What martial art did you learn?”

“Asking a martial artist to reveal her secrets so casually. How shameless. Are we that close, Sir Yuri?”

“That hurts. You already know everything I’ve learnt.”

“You are you, and I am me.”

Her eyes narrowed faintly.

“If it bothers you that I alone know your secrets, then learn another heart technique later without telling me. But if you do, I suggest you pick something better than the Art of the Untainted Heart.”

“You think finding a peak-tier heart technique is that easy?”

“You never know. From what I can tell, you’re a very lucky man, Sir Yuri. If a goddess of fortune exists, she may well be watching over you.”

“….”

“A childhood friend with a brilliant future ahead of her. The three-and-a-half-billion-sel man. Someone like you may yet stumble across not just a peak-tier art, but a divine one.”

Her words brought to mind the Heavenly Art of Annihilating Evil he was secretly cultivating.

‘It’s definitely not first-rate. Could it be… peak-tier?’

It was a martial art that hadn’t existed in the game. He had no way of knowing.

“The Fist of the Rending Cloud…!”

The manual arrived after its verification. Its cover was worn and stained, which only made it look more authentic.

Ignoring Haryeong’s dramatic gasp, Yuri accepted it with both hands.

“Is it really fine for you to look at it alongside that old man?” Elena asked.

“We got the Seven Thunders for free because of it.”

“That may be, but… what if he holds a grudge and teaches you wrong?”

“Surely he wouldn’t be that petty.”

In truth, Yuri felt confident he could learn the Fist of the Rending Cloud without Bakerd.

What he needed wasn’t just the technique; it was a teacher, a plausible origin for his skill that others would believe.

Receiving even the basics from a 6th-Circle martial fighter like Bakerd would be far more convincing than claiming self-study.

For now, Elena held onto the manual. After layering several protective spells on the bag carrying the 990-million-sel text, the group finally left Le Seyun.

“I’ve never heard the name Fist Wolf Bakerd. Who is he?”

“6th Circle is no low rank. You’ve really never heard of him?”

“Lady Elena knows plenty about mages,” Haryeong interjected, “but she isn’t well-versed in martial artists.”

By the time they stepped outside, the sun was setting. The three of them made for a nearby restaurant.

“Do you know of Sir Bakerd, Sir Yuri?”

“How would I know?”

“Ignorance isn’t usually something to boast of, yet you wear it so comfortably. How shameless.”

Haryeong shook her head.

“Fist Wolf Bakerd. He once served in the Sairan city guard, but resigned abruptly twenty years ago and took to wandering. He had originally been a spear-user, but abandoned the weapon to become a martial fighter.”

“Why change paths so suddenly?”

“No one knows for sure. There must have been a reason to discard a weapon he’d mastered, but it was never made public.”

Yuri suspected it might be tied to the Raspion Family, but that wasn’t something he could voice here.

‘I’ll have to dig into that later.’

“Bakerd built his reputation through reckless duels. Starting a decade ago, he sought out famous martial artists and challenged them without warning.”

“Did he win many fights?”

“He would have, had he picked weaker opponents. But Bakerd only challenged those stronger than himself. He’d be beaten soundly, challenge them again, and then move on to the next. That relentless cycle is what earned him the name Fist Wolf.”

‘With that build of his, shouldn’t he be Fist Bear instead of Fist Wolf?’ Yuri thought, only to draw a sharp tsk from Haryeong.

“If you plan to tread the path of a martial artist, Sir Yuri, you should at least know the names of the great ones.”

This was the first time they’d eaten out since arriving in Rutlan.

The restaurant Elena had chosen, claiming to be a regular, looked high-class even from the outside. That claim proved true; the manager himself came out to greet her and personally guided them to their table.

“The ones you must know are the One Demon, the One Emperor, the Two Saints, the Three Hegemons, the Four Absolutes, and the Four Perils.”

Once seated, Haryeong began ticking them off on her fingers.

“These fifteen figures are collectively called the Revered of the Martial Pinnacle.”

“I’ve heard of the One Demon and the One Emperor.”

The One Demon was none other than the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult. The One Emperor was the head of the Orsia family, one of the seven high-ranking families in the Cartel, the western alliance known as the Pride. The Sword Emperor, Albator Orsia.

“A commoner only needs to know those two. But since you aspire to be more, Sir Yuri, you’ll need to remember the rest.”

Haryeong clicked her tongue and continued.

“The One Demon and the One Emperor are both confirmed to be at least 8th Circle. The remaining thirteen are at least 7th Circle.”

Yuri recalled the high-level NPCs from the game, but groups like the Three Hegemons or the Four Absolutes were completely unfamiliar. So he listened quietly, rather than pretending to know.

“The Three Hegemons rule the Underworld. The Four Absolutes walk either the righteous path, or stand neutral.”

“Is the Heavenly Demon the only noteworthy figure in the Demonic Cult?”

“They have the Seven Evils, but their line-up changes constantly. By now it’s likely shifting again.”

The Salmun Clan Leader, Dark King Dang Yu-shin.

The Sword Demon, Wi Do-yeong.

“The third Hegemon was the Monstrous Tyrant, former head of the Black Dragon Society, but he was killed by his successor. Nothing is known about the new leader, but they’ve taken his place to complete the trio.”

The Righteous Heavenly Alliance Leader, Swordless Crane Mo Yong-hyeon-rak.

The Sun-Piercing Divine Spear, Luderk Torres.

The Fist King, Dokgo Gwi-jin.

The Silver Empress of War, Yeon Ri-sang-ah.

“The Four Absolutes haven’t changed, not even during the Age of Chaos that began thirty years ago. The Four Perils, though… all appeared after the chaos began. Every one of them is either suspected or confirmed to be a transmigrator.”

That made Yuri focus.

Cruel Mayhem, Elleia Yudel.

The Tide of Carnage, Geum Yeong-gwan.

Moonlit Reveller, Chuk-sin-doo.

Zenith Star, Ju Jin-hak.

“….”

Yuri kept his expression carefully neutral.

“Which are confirmed?”

“Two. One is Moonlit Reveller, Chuk-sin-doo.”

‘Of course he is.’

“No one knows his real past. That ridiculous name is apparently just an alias, yet he flaunts it everywhere.”

‘That crazy bastard. To think he’d still be pulling that stunt so openly, even in this world. Doesn’t he realise being exposed as a transmigrator is a death sentence? You’d be targeted by natives and fellow transmigrators alike.’

‘No… to survive all that and rise to the Revered of the Martial Pinnacle… he must be absurdly strong.’

From the sound of it, Chuk-sin-doo had announced himself as a transmigrator from the very start, drawing enemies from every direction. Yet he hadn’t died.

‘Then again, he was the first among us to hit number one in the Hall of Honour.’

[Ah, for fuck’s sake, I can’t play this shitty game anymore.]

[See you later, you pricks. I’m out.]

[I’ll be back when our boy lifts the World Cup trophy lol]

[UrMumSpammer, you son of a bitch, don’t you quit before then. I’ll buy you a pint when I see you lol]

That final outburst, that half-joking promise, echoed in Yuri’s mind.

“Cruel Mayhem, Elleia Yudel, is also confirmed. The other two are unproven, but I’m certain they’re transmigrators as well.”

Just then the food arrived. Yuri picked up his cutlery, trying to steady his racing heart.

“The Revered of the Martial Pinnacle… how grand. Mages don’t have anything like that.”

“Tower Masters and the Revered are essentially the same,” Haryeong replied.

“How’s that the same?”

Elena grumbled, tossing her salad about.

“So, who are the Two Saints?”

“You were scoffing a moment ago. Interested after all?”

“I’m just curious since you didn’t finish.”

“The Two Saints both serve religious orders. Kares, the Saint of War, from the Sect of War. And Lorelia, the Fell Saint, from the Sect of Order.”

Once again, Yuri had to force his face into calm neutrality.

“The Sect of Order? Aren’t they practically gone?”

“They were once prosperous, but the Age of Chaos crippled them. They brought it on themselves. They chose to protect transmigrators, and their goddess, the Goddess of Order, fell into eternal slumber while doing so.”

“I still don’t get it,” Elena muttered with a frown.

“Why protect the transmigrators? Everyone knows the God of Chaos dragged them here by force, but why would the Goddess of Order go out of her way for them?”

“Because she pitied them.”

“Everyone knows that. What I mean is, why pity only them? What about us, the ones who were here first?”

“How could we possibly fathom the heart of the benevolent goddess?” Haryeong replied.

“I don’t like it.”

Elena dragged her nails across the table with a grating scrape.

“Thanks to her protection, transmigrators got to run wild, didn’t they? If she really knew about them first, she should have just killed them then and there.”

From a native’s perspective, Elena wasn’t wrong.

“I suppose so,” Yuri agreed.

He’d heard the reasoning before.

The benevolent Goddess of Order pitied the transmigrators, dragged into this world unwillingly. So she sheltered them from pointless deaths and sent priestesses to guide them. She hoped they would adapt, grow, and one day slay the God of Chaos, the root of the calamity.

Thanks to her, transmigrators had survived.

But some had sided with chaos. Some had become monsters spreading chaos themselves.

“Not all are evil. Some revealed their identity and devoted themselves to good. Cruel Mayhem, despite her title, only hunts the Demonic Path, the Underworld, and followers of the Sect of Chaos.”

“Haryeong, you’re defending them?” Elena snapped.

“I’m not on anyone’s side. I’m stating facts.”

Finally, the main course arrived. Haryeong’s eyes lit up at the thick steak, and she wasted no time cutting into it.

“In any case, the Sect of Order is finished. They were attacked by rival sects, exiled from the Union of city-states… they’re in hiding now, barely surviving.”

“They’re still friendly with transmigrators after all that?”

“It’s their goddess’s command. They can’t refuse. But priestesses are people too. After thirty years, I doubt they all remain friendly toward the ones who caused their ruin.”

So that was the state of things. Yuri cut into his steak in silence. Better to listen than risk a slip.

“The only reason the Sect of Order still exists at all is the Fell Saint, Lorelia.”

“Is she really that strong?” Elena asked.

“Yes. Likely upper 7th Circle, maybe even 8th.”

Haryeong popped a large piece of steak into her small mouth, chewing with gusto.

“She’s known as the Fell Saint, the Order Injector. She is the Sect of Order’s violence, given form.”

Yuri chewed his meat, a knot of relief and terror tightening his gut.

Because the Heavenly Art of Annihilating Evil, the art he was currently learning, was hers.

The martial art of one of the Revered. A master estimated at high 7th, maybe 8th Circle. A technique not just peak-tier, but divine.

‘If they find out…’

He’d be ruined.

It wasn’t just anyone’s art. It was Lorelia’s. That tied him to only two possibilities: a priestess of the Sect of Order. Or… a transmigrator.

‘Especially her. She must never know.’

Yuri glanced at Elena as he chewed. She was openly hostile to transmigrators.

‘How long can I keep this up? Staying in her house, trusting the Veil of Deception, hiding my progress…’

‘I can’t.’

He never intended to freeload forever.

When the time came, he’d leave. Return to the days when they exchanged only the occasional letter.

That would be better, for both of them.

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