MC: Yeon Mu Hwi (Ma Bi Gwang)
Age: 8
---
[1 — Yesterday's Disaster]
The next morning, Mu Hwi creaked out of bed like an old man.
His legs shook.
His back screamed.
His arms felt like wet noodles.
Every movement made him wince.
MC:
"Urghh… I feel like a 900-year-old corpse…"
He limped toward the window and cracked it open to stretch.
CRACK—
His spine made a noise that sounded illegal.
MC:
"…Nope. Definitely a corpse."
He stared at his trembling hand.
Yesterday's excitement had turned him into a dead frog in front of his little sister.
He groaned into his palms.
MC:
"I really tried a movement art designed for grandmasters… in an eight-year-old body… WHAT was I thinking?!"
He imagined his past-life old-man self smacking him on the head with a scroll.
> Old Ma Bi Gwang (imaginary):
"Fool! Learn to walk before flying!"
He sighed dramatically.
---
[2 — A Logical Martial Artist (Finally)]
Sitting cross-legged, he took a deep breath.
MC (thought):
In my past life, I never trained.
Not once.
I only read. Wrote. Theorized.
No experience. No sense of pacing.
He imagined a little chibi version of himself running head-first into a brick wall labeled:
"Reality"
BONK.
MC:
"…Okay. No more being stupid."
He straightened his back and slapped his cheeks lightly.
THWACK—THWACK!
MC:
"Focus! Vision! Plan! Let's not die again!"
He raised one finger.
MC:
"Step 1: Build physical strength."
"Step 2: Strengthen breathing foundation."
"Step 3: Slowly adapt qi flow."
"Step 4: Test weak movements first."
"Step 5: Only then upgrade to full martial arts."
He nodded proudly.
MC:
"…Wow. I sound like a real martial artist already."
---
[3 — Sister Comes to Tease Him (Again)]
Just as he finished planning—
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
The door burst open without waiting for permission.
Su Rin peeked inside with the widest grin on earth.
Su Rin:
"Oppa! Are you alive? Or still a dead worm?"
Mu Hwi squinted.
MC:
"…I'm alive."
Su Rin:
"YAAAY~"
"Yesterday you looked like this—"
She flopped onto the floor dramatically, arms spread, tongue out.
Su Rin:
"Blaaaargh~ I'm Oppa~ I can't move~ Save meee~"
MC:
"…That is not how I sounded."
Su Rin:
"YES IT IS!"
"You looked like a sad pancake!"
Mu Hwi stared.
MC:
"…Why a pancake?"
Su Rin:
"Because you were flat on the ground! Like THIS!"
She flattened herself even more, face pressed against the floor.
He rubbed his temples.
MC:
"…Go away."
Su Rin:
"Never~"
She hopped up and poked his cheek.
Su Rin:
"So! Are you going to go flop around again today?"
Mu Hwi inhaled deeply.
MC:
"No. Today, I train properly."
She gasped loudly.
Su Rin:
"OHHHHH~ Oppa is serious!"
MC:
"…And you're in the way."
She stuck her tongue out and ran off, giggling.
---
[4 — The Small Training Yard]
Back in the quiet courtyard, Mu Hwi stretched slowly.
Every muscle protested.
MC:
"Yep. This is the price of arrogance."
He rotated his shoulders—
CRACK.
His calf—
POP.
His back—
CRRREAAAK.
MC:
"…I sound like dried firewood."
He breathed slowly.
No qi.
No advanced arts.
Just physical training.
Push-ups.
Squats.
Stretches.
Core strengthening.
His little body shook with effort.
But he smiled.
MC:
"This is… actually fun."
Because he had never felt this in his entire first life.
The burn.
The progress.
The feeling of muscles responding.
The warmth of qi waiting quietly.
This was the life he always wanted.
---
[5 — Rediscovering the Basics]
After sweat soaked his shirt, he sat down and opened the Iron Flow Breathing Manual again.
This time, he didn't jump to advanced versions.
MC:
"Slow. Steady. Foundation first."
He inhaled.
Gentle.
Soft.
Natural.
His meridians warmed—
not painfully, but comfortably.
MC (thought):
Yes… this pace is right for now.
Next, he practiced the first stance of River Palm.
Not the entire art.
Not the vibrations.
Just the opening form.
Swipe—
Step—
Palm out.
It felt good.
Natural.
Then he practiced the first step of Flowing Void Step.
Just one step.
No sideways movement.
No qi power.
No speed.
Just one silent step forward.
He landed without falling.
MC:
"…Hah. Success."
He imagined his past-life self clapping proudly.
---
[6 — A Smile at Last]
As the sun began to set, Mu Hwi lay on the ground—not in pain, but relaxed.
A satisfied smile tugged his lips.
MC:
"I can do this… slowly… carefully… properly."
For the first time, he wasn't rushing to chase a dream…
He was walking toward it with purpose.
---
[7 — Sister Returns]
Su Rin peeked around the bamboo again.
Su Rin:
"Oppa~ Are you a pancake today?"
Mu Hwi grinned.
MC:
"No. I'm a martial artist in training."
She blinked.
Then her eyes sparkled.
Su Rin:
"Then—!"
She lifted her fist and posed dramatically.
Su Rin:
"I, Yeon Su Rin, challenge you to a duel!!"
Mu Hwi closed his eyes.
MC:
"…No."
Su Rin:
"Cooowaaaard!"
MC:
"I'm literally eight."
Su Rin:
"And I'm six! Age doesn't matter in martial arts!"
Mu Hwi sighed deeply.
MC:
"…I regret teaching you words."
Su Rin stuck out her tongue and ran away laughing.