Group Training Supervisor (Group PT) (2)

"Hmm. Isn't three people too small a number for a comparison?"

"Isn't it still difficult for everyone to trust our family's training methods? If we proceed with training too many children and it turns out to be ineffective, it would be a waste of time for the other disciples. That's why I thought of starting with just three."

Upon hearing Mu-Jin's explanation, Hyun Song's eyes sparkled.

'To think this child considered such things.'

Those words meant that Mu-Jin was making a considerate choice, taking into account not only himself but also Hyun Song, the head of The Hall of Arhats, and Hyu Jong and the other second-generation disciples responsible for the current disciples' training.

Satisfied with Mu-Jin's thoughtful choice, Hyun Song nodded with a pleased expression.

"Then, for now, proceed with training those three as you suggested. We will observe for three months before making any further decisions."

"I am grateful for the consideration, Master."

Receiving Hyun Song's approval, Mu-Jin bowed respectfully and expressed his gratitude.

'Alright.'

Of course, it wasn't really out of consideration for Hyun Song or the others.

'Why should I teach more kids just because they're nice?'

He was already busy enough with strengthening his own still-weak body and had no intention of managing dozens of kids for free.

---

The next morning at dawn.

Mu Gung headed to the training ground as usual as soon as he woke up.

As someone who didn't want to show weakness in front of others and worked hard, Mu Gung grabbed a sandbag and was about to take the horse stance as soon as he arrived at the training ground.

"Hey, what are you doing there?"

That is, until Mu-Jin, who followed him out to the training ground, spoke up.

"What do you think I'm doing? Can't you see I'm about to train?"

"You don't need to do that today, dude."

"???"

"From today on, you'll be working out with me. You, Mu Yul, and Mu Gyeong."

"??????"

As Mu Gung, who couldn't understand Mu-Jin's words, looked around bewilderedly, Beob Gang, who had also come out to the training ground, supported Mu-Jin's words.

"Mu-Jin is right. You three will train with him for the next three months."

For Mu Gung, this was like a bolt from the blue.

Although he sometimes stretched his body or practiced the Chain-Linked Fist with Mu-Jin, he never did physical training together.

That was because both the second-generation disciples and Hyu Jong disapproved of Mu-Jin's training methods.

As someone who dreamed of becoming a full-fledged disciple of Shaolin, why would Mu Gung want to risk getting on the bad side of the seniors?

From that perspective,

'Just by associating with him, I'm already marked!'

To Mu Gung, being told to train with Mu-Jin sounded like an order to be expelled from Shaolin.

But while Mu Gung was feeling dejected, Mu Yul and Mu Gyeong, who were to join him, had nonchalant expressions.

"Hehe. So we'll be doing what Mu-Jin does from now on?"

"Mu, Mu-Jin Brother. Pl, please go easy on me."

Seeing his two thoughtless fellow disciples, Mu Gung felt even more despondent.

'The seniors see me at the same level as those two...'

While Mu Gung was lost in his own dramatic thoughts, Hyu Jong, who had arrived at the training ground, shouted in a deep, resonant voice.

"Begin the dawn training!"

At once, all the disciples grabbed their sandbags and took the horse stance.

Whack!

"Snap out of it, dude."

Mu-Jin slapped Mu Gung on the back of his head to bring him back to reality.

"You guys have been tormenting your legs and knees with the horse stance every day, so today we'll start with arms, which have been lacking exercise."

To demonstrate, Mu-Jin grabbed two sandbags in each hand and alternately flexed his arms, showing a bicep exercise.

"Alright. Since Mu Gyeong and Mu Yul are doing this for the first time, take one sandbag each. Mu Gung, you're stronger, so you start with two."

Right after showing them, Mu-Jin handed the sandbags to the kids and led the training.

"Hehe. "It's really comfortable."

"I-I think I can do it at this level."

Muhyul and Mugyeong looked happy at the thought that it was much more comfortable than the Shaolin training they had been through until then.

"Damn it! If I keep doing only this kind of training, I'll never become a True Disciple!"

On the other hand, Mu Gung was silently yelling in frustration at the overly easy training. He couldn't voice his complaints out loud, or he'd get another smack on the back of his head from Mu-Jin.

However, the three's belief that the training was easy was somewhat premature.

"Alright, if you've done fifteen reps, your muscles should be warmed up a bit, so let's add one more sandbag."

The intensity of the training was meant to steadily increase.

Each person added another sandbag, so Mu Yul and Mu Gyeong each held two, while Mu-Jin and Mu Gung held three sandbags each.

After completing twelve reps with the added sandbag, they added yet another sandbag.

By the third set of ten reps, the kids' reactions began to change.

"Mu-Jin, I don't think I can go on."

Mu Gyeong, who was starting to doubt himself, voiced his concern.

"Ugh."

Mu Gung, veins bulging on his forehead, stubbornly lifted the four sandbags again.

"Ugh, Mu-Jin? My arms won't lift anymore. What should I do?"

And somehow, Mu Yul still had a bright expression on his face.

"Hey, don't give up just because you think you can't do it. I'll help you, so keep trying as hard as you can."

Of course, Mu-Jin wasn't going to lower the intensity just because they found it difficult.

He helped lift Mu Yul and Mu Gyeong's arms, making sure they put in every bit of strength they had.

"Looks like three sandbags are the max for Yul and Gyeong. Gung, you can handle four? Alright, now let's start decreasing the weight one by one. Try with two."

Mu-Jin was using a well-known exercise method called pyramid sets.

It involved starting with a light weight and gradually increasing to the maximum weight one could lift, then decreasing the weight again.

This method allowed for both a warm-up with lighter weights and continued exercise with fatigued muscles after lifting the heaviest weight.

In other words, it was a way to push muscles to their absolute limit.

And Mu-Jin had no shortage of muscles to push beyond just his biceps.

"Okay. Take a short break from your biceps, now it's time for triceps."

Biceps, triceps, deltoids, forearms—every muscle from the arms to the shoulders was methodically targeted for half an hour.

The trio's arms were shaking violently.

'Is this really such a tough workout?'

Especially Mu Gung, who had been underestimating Mu-Jin's training, was filled with astonishment.

Shaolin training typically involved the whole body, leaving one feeling utterly exhausted and ready to collapse.

Mu-Jin's training, however, had a completely different focus.

There wasn't much use of the lower body or abs, so standing wasn't an issue.

"My arms have no strength left."

But the arms, which had been intensely trained, couldn't even hold a chopstick.

"Mu-Jin, we're done now, right?"

Even the usually cheerful Mu Yul asked with a slightly tearful expression, hoping there was no more to do.

"We've completed one round, so now we just need to do one more. We rested for half an hour, so we can start with biceps again."

Mu-Jin had no intention of stopping there.

Mu Gyeong, uncharacteristically for him, shouted in surprise at Mu-Jin's dreadful suggestion.

"Rested!? What do you mean by rest, Mu-Jin?"

Naturally, the disciples training nearby, including the second-generation disciples, shot him annoyed looks, but Mu Gyeong was too desperate to care.

His arms felt like they were going to fall off, what did other people's stares matter?

Despite Mu Gyeong's protest, Mu-Jin smiled brightly.

"We did biceps first and then other exercises for half an hour, right? So, the biceps rested for half an hour. Isn't that right?"

With a smile as innocent as Mu Yul's, the trio had the same thought.

'He's a demon.'

'The demon is right here!'

'Mom, Mu-Jin has gone crazy again. Wahh.'

---

That afternoon, after the scheduled training was over.

As usual, the beginner disciples gathered at the training ground for their self-directed practice.

Once again, Mu-Jin was up to something strange by himself.

"Mu-Jin, what are you doing?"

Despite being tormented that morning, Mu Yul asked cheerfully.

Mu-Jin confidently explained his new creation to Mu Yul.

"This? It's a punching ball. Well, a striking ball."

He had tied a sandbag with rope to a thick branch of a tree at one side of the training ground, creating a punching ball.

"A striking ball? What's that?"

"Hmm. Let me demonstrate first. Gyeong and Gung, watch carefully too."

Mu-Jin spoke to Mu Gyeong and Mu Gung, who had reluctant expressions, and started demonstrating.

First, he lightly clenched his fist and tapped it as if throwing boxing jabs.

Then, after positioning himself, he began using the Chain-Linked Fist he had been practicing for months, hitting the striking ball with swift, fluid movements.

"This is how you use it. You can't just practice the Chain-Linked Fist in the air all the time, right? So you use this to practice continuous strikes. Or, you can practice shadow boxing like this."

Mu-Jin showed more of the Chain-Linked Fist techniques in succession, occasionally dodging as if the striking ball were a real opponent.

"Wow! I want to try too!"

Upon hearing Mu-Jin's explanation, Mu-Yul was delighted like a child with a new toy, while Mu-Gyeong, although he didn't say anything, seemed quite curious.

And Mu-Gung, who was watching from behind, pointed to something next to them this time and asked.

There were several sandbags tied tightly with ropes to the wooden pillars of the training ground.

"What's that?"

"Oh, that? It's a punching bag. Well, it's also for practicing martial arts techniques, but you can practice techniques that can't be done with a striking ball."

Mu-Jin once again took a stance in front of the punching bag to demonstrate.

But the atmosphere was different from when he was striking the striking ball. From the beginning, he took a proper stance, regulated his breathing, and cultivated his inner strength.

And the moment his inner energy, cultivated from the Danjeon, extended from the Dahnjeon to the extremities—

Thunk!!

Mu-Jin's fist, cutting through the air, struck the punching bag, creating a solid sound.

"This is for practicing using inner energy. You can't feel the sensation of hitting a target when you practice in the air, right? But if we use our inner energy to hit each other, someone might end up dead."

After briefly explaining about the striking ball and punching bag, Mu-Jin addressed the trio.

"So, from now on, in the afternoons, we'll warm up with the striking ball to practice the application of techniques and then practice techniques infused with inner energy on the punching bag. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah! Can I try the striking ball first then?"

As soon as Mu-Jin finished explaining, Mu-Yul rushed towards the striking ball as if he couldn't wait and began swinging his fists.

Watching Mu-Yul punch the striking ball with a look of obsession, Mu-Jin muttered.

"...Is he some kind of cat?"

He looked like a cat that had just found catnip.

"Is he really a cat? It's his first time, but why is he so good..."

Although watching boxers or martial artists hitting a punching bag might seem funny, in reality, it wasn't an easy workout.

Yet, today, Mu-Yul, who was trying a punching bag for the first time, was seamlessly transitioning between hitting the bag and shadow boxing, moving to the rhythm.

Certainly, among the beginner disciples, he seemed to have the most talent for physical activity.

'It must be his mind. His mind.'

Shaking his head, Mu-Jin looked at Mu-Gung approaching the punching bag this time.

Mu-Gung, who had been training tirelessly with the Danjeon for a long time, was itching to use his inner energy.

That's why he chose the punching bag over the striking ball. And in front of the punching bag, Mu-Gung focused his mind even more, aiming to create an even louder impact sound.

Thunk!!

As Mu-Gung struck the bag with all his strength, a satisfying impact sound resounded.

"Hahaha, how was that? My skills, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah. Impressive."

Whether Mu-Gung was boasting or not, Mu-Jin, who was digging his ear with his little finger as if bored, waved his hand dismissively, pushing Mu-Gung away.

"Okay, step aside since you're done, and it's Mu-Gyeong's turn!"

"Um, can I, um, try that (the striking ball) too?"

Although Mu-Gyeong asked with a slightly nervous tone, when Mu-Jin just stared at him without saying anything, he took his place in front of the punching bag with a face that looked like he might cry.

"Have confidence! You can do it! Focus! Imagine that punching bag is that annoying guy from last time and give it all you've got! You did well last time!"

Although Mu-Jin cheered to boost Mu-Gyeong's confidence, it seemed to only make him more self-conscious, as his face turned red.

---

After that, Mu-Jin continued to work tirelessly to gain recognition from Hyun Song and, above all, to improve the physical abilities of the trio.

They were indispensable talents for him to survive and see the ending of this novel.

Mu-Gyeong was a future protagonist, and Mu-Yul and Mu-Gung could grow significantly if they only corrected their weaknesses.

It might seem better to spend more time training himself rather than taking care of them.

'But it's good to have insurance. Just in case.'

Human affairs were unpredictable. Especially now that he was in a situation where he had become the protagonist of a novel named 'Mu-Jin'.

As it was the body of the protagonist, he might be exceptionally talented, but if there were any problems, the fact that the person who entered the body was Cho Kang-hyuk was a concern.

Currently, the training was mostly focused on external skills, so his knowledge as a former personal trainer was a great help.

'But can I really attain enlightenment about Tai Chi, Five Elements, Bagua, and Yinyang?'

Honestly, Mu-Jin was worried about this aspect.

If he were the protagonist of the novel, the enlightenment he gained on a whim would be fictional, but from Cho Kang-hyuk's perspective, it was nonsense that was extremely awkward.

That's why Mu-Jin wanted to nurture the trio.

In case he couldn't grow as much as the protagonist 'Mu-Jin.' In that case, he would overcome obstacles by joining forces with them.

So, the trio were not only PT members to Mu-Jin but also adorable nephews and insurance for the future.

So at least in terms of external skills, he had to nurture them as much as possible, and from that perspective, gaining recognition from Hyun Song was a very important issue.

Because that would allow him to continue teaching them for another three months.

However, contrary to Mu-Jin's thoughts, as the time for recognition from Hyun Song approached, the situation began to take a strange turn.