I Became a Childhood Friend of the Middle Boss

Chapter 3

Woongeum-dong, Wooeun-dong, Woodong-dong.

Born on the same day, at the same time, they could sense what each other was thinking.

They understood each other well to that extent, and their interests perfectly aligned.

“I’m going to become a Hunter when I grow up.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“Me too!”

They decided to achieve their dream together, coincidentally dreaming the same dream.

However, becoming a Hunter was not an easy profession as they thought, and it required a significant amount of money.

“What do we need to do to become Hunters?”

“First, we need to learn how to handle mana. And we need to learn how to handle weapons.”

“I’ve seen a swordsmanship school nearby! We can learn there!”

First and foremost, to become a Hunter, they needed to acquire the basic skills of a Hunter.

For that, it required tuition fees.

If you are from a prestigious family, you naturally acquire basic etiquette from your lineage, but for the triplets who were not born into such a family, it was inevitable.

“What about after that? How can one obtain a Hunter License?”

“You have to enter the Academy City.”

“You need to graduate from the High Academy there to obtain a Hunter License.”

Furthermore, to be recognized as a legitimate Hunter, one needed to possess this license.

The method of obtaining the license varied depending on one’s age.

Those who hadn’t graduated high school had to complete the 3-year High Academy program in the Academy City.

Elementary and middle school academies did not apply.

However, regardless of the academy chosen, the tuition fees were exorbitant.

“Even the cheapest academy in the Academy City costs 10 million won per semester…”

“Still, I don’t want to attend such a place.”

“Here, the dormitory fees are separate.”

Moreover, the cost of living in the Academy City was high.

Living in that city for over a year incurred significant expenses.

Even attending a low-cost academy required a minimum of 60 million won.

“…”

For three individuals, that would amount to a minimum of 180 million won.

Considering other expenses like living costs in the Academy City, dormitory fees, device management fees, etc…

Even the most careless of them knew that they could potentially ruin the household.

That’s why they turned to sponsorship.

“Look here! Talented individuals receive sponsorships. With sponsorship, you don’t have to worry about money!”

“Then let’s find a place that sponsors.”

“Come to think of it, didn’t the instructor mention once that he sponsors from the Swordsmanship Hall! Under the name of Shin-geom Do.”

That was the only way.

The triplets decided to strive to catch Shin-geom Do’s eye.

And then, an opportunity presented itself.

“You want sponsorship?”

A boy who introduced himself as a cousin of Do Geon-woo approached them upon hearing the news.

Subsequently, he promised sponsorship.

However, there was a condition.

“You go to school with Geon-woo, right? Then you’ll have a lot to do with him.”

“…”

“Do you understand what I mean?”

Poke at Do Geon-woo, the Swordsmanship Hall’s protege.

They couldn’t possibly miss the meaning behind that.

“So, will you sponsor us?”

“Of course. I’ll talk to my dad about it.”

“Really?”

“I trust you.”

The triplets accepted the offer.

There was no way she could refuse from the start.

If she rejected his proposal for no good reason, she would be out of his sight.

At the same time, they were not secretly fond of Dogyunwoo either.

“Is he really from the Shin-Gum Do?”

“A crybaby, a coward… How could he be from the Shin-Gum Do?”

“Irritating, frustrating, annoying.”

The Dogyunwoo they saw in the swordsmanship hall seemed to dislike wielding a sword.

It was unpleasant for him to be forced to wield a sword as if against his will.

And that wasn’t all.

He was always scared during sparring, didn’t know what to do if he accidentally hit his opponent, and occasionally even cried when hit.

“I don’t like him. Can’t stand him.”

“Agreed.”

“Me neither.”

Simply because he was from the Shin-Gum Do, Dogyunwoo received attention from the instructors, enjoyed a luxurious environment for free, and learned the complete style of swordsmanship as if it were natural.

For the triplets, his presence was enough to make them feel comparatively deprived.

Therefore, they didn’t hesitate to torment him.

“Dogyunwoo! Let’s spar later!”

“Go first and get our wooden swords!”

“Make sure not to hurt yourself!”

Of course, they knew the limits.

“You get it? You need to be careful.”

“You might get hurt if you’re not careful, right?”

“Then let’s call it a day for today.”

Even if Dogyunwoo didn’t resist and foolishly endured, he was still from the Shin-Gum Do.

That fact should not be forgotten.

If a problem arose later due to forgetting that, it could lead to a big trouble.

They also couldn’t completely trust Dogyunwoo’s cousin who promised to sponsor him, and they were unsure of how far he could protect him.

So, they had to stay within certain boundaries.

The triplets tormented Dogyunwoo while keeping an eye on the cousin.

They pondered how they would bother him today…

“Cough!”

“Next.”

“…”

Something… Something was different today.

Wueundong and Wudongdong stopped doubting their eyes.

The moment Wugumdong and Dogyunwoo’s spar began, it ended.

Before Wugumdong could do anything, he missed the sword from Dogyunwoo’s attack, allowing the attack to continue.

Once on the hand, once on the chest.

The sequence flowed so smoothly that it seemed like a single movement.

“Next. Who’s next?”

“Ah… it’s me.”

At first, I dismissed it as a coincidence.

Just a brief slip-up by Woogeumdong.

With that thought, Wooneedong left, only to soon find himself in the same situation.

…!

“Next.”

When I came to my senses, I was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.

It was lying there, just a short distance away.

“Cough!”

Thud!

In that moment of daze.

Someone collapsed beside me.

It was Udongdong.

“Hey, you too?”

“Yeah, me too.”

Their eyes met.

Their gazes spoke to each other.

That they didn’t understand the situation.

But seeing Dogyunwoo looking down at them, they had to admit.

“This won’t end with just one round, will it? Come on, grab your swords and get up.”

Dogyunwoo, sounding somewhat different.

“There’s still a long way until class starts. I’ll keep you company until then. As always.”

They felt like they saw a different figure behind him than usual.

Not a trembling rabbit in fear, but a rabbit with red eyes gleaming.

No, it was a lion.

“If you feel like you can’t do it alone, we might as well team up as three.”

…”

The lion was smiling.

* * *

I wasn’t particularly weak.

I was simply afraid that swinging my sword might accidentally hurt my opponent, that’s all.

So I just let them take the lead, without any thoughts of rebellion.

“Slow, clumsy. Weaker than I thought.”

Fragile, as if it would break with a single blow.

That’s how they appeared in my eyes.

Weak, meek, and with a timid nature, I couldn’t swing the sword.

But I realized, upon awakening to my past life.

The human body isn’t as fragile as I thought it would be.

It was just my misconception.

“…Tsk!”

“The one who fell should quickly pick up the sword and come in.”

“….”

The arm doesn’t break even when hit.

The shoulder doesn’t shatter even when struck.

Even poking the throat doesn’t kill.

The vitality of a person is surprisingly tough.

“How pathetic it was.”

Pathetic and utterly pitiful.

Quietly chewing over my past self in my mind, I spoke to the fallen ones on the ground.

“Let’s go for another round. Get up.”

“Ugh….”

They groaned.

Rolling on the floor, struggling to get up, it seemed quite agonizing for them to stay in place.

But I didn’t know better.

They won’t die from this.

Moreover, they were characters that appeared in games.

“Stop whining and get up.”

“….”

“Or should I leave you in that state?”

The extras, who had an unflattering nickname like Kerberos, had a certain status, although they were just the type to pick fights with stronger players and end up as tourist attractions.

Yet, they wouldn’t just drop out after a few rounds of sparring.

Although their hands might be swollen to the point where it was difficult to grasp a sword, there would still be strength left to wield it.

I forced them to stand up.

“Why are you doing this to us? Are you crazy!?”

“That’s enough now!”

“We were wrong!”

“Get into position.”

They shouted desperately.

Ignoring their pleas, I assumed the stance.

In response, they twisted their faces and clumsily gripped the sword.

There were many openings in their stance.

＜Basic Stance of the Water King – Type 2＞

The Stance of Fierce Advance

In that case, the basic stance should be enough.

I stepped forward the moment their composure wavered.

The sword, maintaining its horizontal position with the ground, moved outward from within my arm.

The horizontally drawn trajectory deflected their swords all at once.

“I suggested we go at it for real, didn’t I?”

“…!”

And it didn’t stop there.

I kicked the abdomen of one of the triplets with one foot.

The guys, who had been screaming in pain from my hand strikes, now couldn’t even make a sound properly and staggered back.

“Ugh….”

“My, my ribs…!”

“Ugh….”

“Shall we go for another round?”

How many rounds had it been by now?

I gave up counting in the middle; I wasn’t sure.

I aligned myself with the triplets and asked for their opinion.

They vigorously shook their heads.

“S-stop! We were wrong!”

“Why should I?”

“….”

“Have you guys never done this to me?”

If they had any conscience, they would know.

That they were receiving the same treatment they had given me.

That’s why they couldn’t properly argue back.

Their feeble attempt at a defense was…

“D-do you think we’ll get away with this?”

“Right! Do you think we can get away with it!? Think carefully!”

“Are you doing this because someone is behind us?”

“….”

It was truly an out-of-the-blue threat.

It seemed like they still hadn’t grasped the situation.

It was so absurd that I couldn’t help but laugh.

I chuckled at them, deciding to wake them up to reality.

“Who exactly is behind you guys? Oh, could it be my cousin?”

“….”

“What, do you think he’ll protect you?”

These guys were seriously delusional.

My cousin, Do Seungwoo.

He had only instigated them because they were useful to him, nothing more.

A long-term pawn he could discard without hesitation if they became an obstacle.

Their value was just about that much.

“Even if I bear this burden, do you really think that guy would watch my back?”

“….”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t want to get involved for no reason, so I’ll cut ties at an appropriate point.”

They must know the truth as well.

Unable to respond to them, I decided to offer them a piece of advice.

“And in case you’ve forgotten, I am undeniably a member of the Do family.”

“….”

“While I may lose face, if I go begging and pleading to the family, removing your names from the sponsorship list wouldn’t be a difficult decision.”

“…!”

“Did you think he could get away with it while I couldn’t? That’s out of the question.”

One knows, the other two are clueless.

I clicked my tongue audibly.

And then, it happened.

“What are you all doing right now?”

“….”

Unknowingly, it was time for class.

The martial arts instructor who entered the training hall quickly caught on to the situation and approached with a stern expression.

“I must have explicitly told you not to spar without permission. Yet here you are, engaging in fights under the guise of sparring!?”

“….”

“Do Gyung-woo, not only are you failing to be a model member of the Do family…”

“But they started the argument first.”

“What?”

“Should I have just stood there silently and taken the insults? Isn’t that what being a member of the Do family entails, as you said?”

“….”

“That wouldn’t be right, would it? You know that, right? As someone who has learned Do martial arts, sir.”

The instructor stared at me intently.

But when I brought up the family, his face turned to one of confusion.

As someone teaching Do martial arts, he couldn’t directly challenge the family’s authority, especially in front of a member of the family.

Ultimately, the instructor averted his gaze from me and turned his anger towards the triplets.

“Did you guys start the argument?”

“….”

If the triplets strongly denied it here, the situation would become troublesome.

The instructor, who felt subtly threatened by me, might have lashed out in anger without realizing it.

But I was confident that wouldn’t happen.

“If those idiots have a shred of sense, they wouldn’t dare mess with me.”

That was the message I had conveyed just a while ago.

The difference in position between them and me.

Therefore, I waited without a worry for their response.

Finally, they opened their mouths.

My expectations were not met.

“We were the ones who started the argument!”

“That’s right! We were the ones who cursed!”

“Gyunwoo did nothing wrong!”

“…What?”

Look at this.

I chuckled at the instructor who was dumbfounded by the unexpected response.

* * *

The next day, I headed to school.

Even though there was plenty of time before class, Yeonha was already there.

“So, she comes early like me.”

Yeonha, reading a book while basking in the morning sunlight piercing through the window. Her fair, blue hair shimmered along with the dust particles floating around, creating a mysterious sight.

“Hello?”

“…!”

Watching her for a moment in a daze, I approached Yeonha. As I placed my bag down and greeted her, she perked up like a rabbit, peeking out from the book.

“…Hello.”

Like a rabbit emerging from its burrow, she lifted her head from the book and timidly opened her mouth.

Then, she went back to reading, sneakily glancing at me.