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Manhwa: The Breaker

Let the rampage of Nine Arts Dragon begin.

"Isn't it better to fight and lose than not fight at all?"

—Shi Woon

Shi Woon lives a pathetic life of being beaten up by a particular group of bullies who just seem to have it out for him. Why? Who knows, maybe he's just unlucky but he's pushing his limit and is on the verge of suicide.

Enter Han Chun Woo, a highly suspicious teacher substituting while the actual teacher is on pregnancy leave. A master of nine martial arts with a mission and plenty of secrets to keep, he doesn't want to concern himself with some kid's playground drama.

Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned. And for Chun Woo, they don't ever go as planned. Shi Woon ends up asking his teacher to train him how to fight and Chun Woo just can't wait to get rid of the kid. He gives him bad advice, such as jumping off of a bridge to show his resolve without really meaning it. He jumps, and the training begins. Of course there's still the issue of what Chun Woo came to Korea for. And why do more suspicious people keep ending up on staff at this school?

Part one ends after 10 Volumes (72 chapters), after which a Time Skip occurs. Part Two is called The Breaker: New Waves.

Has a character page here.

Compare with Veritas which has a similar set up, but sets off in a completely different direction.

This manhwa provides examples of:

The Aloner: Unwol, due to the nature of his punishment. He illicitly took on an apprentice, however...
An Offer You Can't Refuse: Yoo Ji-Gun uses Saehee to manipulate Shi Woon.
Antivillain: Hyuk So Chun and Kangsung, among others. One of the things that sets this series apart is how most enemies are not presented as evil, even if they may seem to be at first. Instead, they're just people, who sometimes have to do unpleasant things in the course of their work, and if they act like jerks it's more bravado than actual hatefulness. Though of course, there are just enough actual Complete Monsters to keep it from seeming contrived.
Applied Phlebotinum: The Ilwollsindan, one big pill, changes Shi Woon from an utter wimp to a powerhouse bursting with ki. Although if Chun Woo hadn't intervened the bursting would've been literal.
Attack! Attack! Attack!: Shi Woon just refuses to go down.
Attempted Rape: Poor Sae He.
Back-to-Back Badasses: Chun Woo and Shiho in the Koa Tower fight
Badass Normal: Shi Woon after his Ki center is broken, reverting him to normal
Batter Up: Chang Ho uses a bat in his last fight. Not that it helps him any.
Battle Aura
Battle Couple: Chun Woo and Shiho, eventually
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Chun Woo and Shiho.
- Seems to be developing between Shi Woon and Jinie
Berserk Button: Chun Woo may act like he doesn't care about Shi Woon, but if you touch his disciple you're dead. Talking shit about his master's death will also get him very mad. Also, seeing Shiho badly hurt makes Chun Woo one-hit that cheap old bastard! Thank God for that, finally.
- Eventually, Shi Woon gets his own: anyone threatening his Love Interest Sae Hee.
- For Elder Kwong anything related to Sun Woo clan.
Betty and Veronica: Yoon Ji and Shiho, respectively.
- Sae He and Jinie seem to be shaping up like this.
Big Breasts, Big Deal: Kim Soon Lee is Murim but her main technique is only a leg swipe because her breasts got in the way of everything else.
Big Damn Heroes: Chun Woo, all the time. May be justified, since his apprentice is always getting into trouble with guys way out of his league.
- Shi Woon's about to get curb stomped yet again when Mamungi conveniently intervenes
- Alex and Those Two Guys show up in this fashion too.
- Also Jinie in New Waves.
Big Eater: Jinie can eat 10 servings of rice along with other food in a single sitting.
Blood from the Mouth
Bound and Gagged: Shioon in chapter 71 of New Waves. It ain't pretty...can you say, Strapped to an Operating Table?
Brainless Beauty: Kim Soon Lee, enough so that it takes her awhile to realize she's bait in her first mission.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: The characters occasionally do this and call the authors on it.
Breather Episode: Chapter 37 plays double duty by also being the Beach Episode. Both are heavily noted by the cast. It still manages to find the time to load a bullet in that special gun though.
Broken Pedestal: The Nine Arts Dragon has quite a number of followers among the lesser murim-in; they expected that he would start great change in the martial arts world. When he failed to bring about that change, some of them, including Yi Gyu-Bum, felt as though they were abandoned and became bitter and cynical.
Broken Masquerade: Part of the meaning of the Title. The Nine Arts Dragon and members of the Black Forest Defense Group and later the S.U.C are breaking long standing traditions around Murim society and especially its separation from interacting in view of the normal world.
Butt Monkey: Shi Woon. Also Yoon Ji has her moments of this, thanks to the running gag of her dates with Chun Woo ending poorly. Especially since it's all Played for Laughs.
Can't Catch Up: The bullies.
Car Chase
Car Fu: Alex vs. Mamungi
Cerebus Syndrome
Charles Atlas Superpower
Chekhov's Gun: The SUC code card Shi Woon was given back in chapter 35 of New Waves finally is used over 30 chapters later.
- It appears that the blood sample Shi Woon traded to the doctor may be one in regards to the attempt to bring Shiho back from the dead.
Chekhov's Gunman: Hyun Tae, who went crazy after Gijuu's death and tried to get revenge on Chun Woo only to get beat up earlier in the story when they first meet.
- Much more on the spot is Jung Raewon aka the bespectacled government agent
Clothing Damage
Conservation of Ninjutsu
Cool Car: Lots of them...a Maybach, Lamborghini Murcielago, Mercedes-McLaren SLR...
Curb-Stomp Battle: Mamungi and his gang, who'd absolutely brutalized Shi Woon, don't do so well against Chun Woo.
- Shi Woon vs Hyuk So Chun a unique twist because of Hyuk So's own conditions he "lost", but Shi Woon got his ass completely handed to him a dozen times over without doing any damage the entire time.
Cycle of Revenge: Kangsung comments on it in Chapter 71.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Gijuu during his fight with Chun Woo, was using level 10th Strong Metal Hand, without having the body, capable of withstanding the strain it put on his hands. If he survived the fight he would've been a cripple for the rest of his life.
Deal with the Devil: Chun Woo's alliance with the Black Forest Defense Group is treated this way in-story.
Death by Origin Story: Chun Woo's master Unwol.
Dead Mentor
Death Glare: Chun Woo is a pro with these, and Shi Woon is not half bad himself.
The Determinator: Most of the martial artists to some degree, but Shi Woon takes the cake.
Died in Your Arms Tonight: Shiho. Poor, poor Chun Woo.
Disproportionate Retribution: Shioon is at the receiving end of this just for being Chun Woo's disciple. Jinnie is also at the receiving end of this, because her mother, Lady Hae-jin, ran away to the United States and breaking the arranged marriage that Elder Kwon had set up for her and the previous head of the Sunwoo Clan.
- Made even worse when Elder Kwon finds that his daughter didn't break the arranged marriage, it was the Clan Head.
Dissonant Serenity: Shiho after she gets shot, then Chun Woo when he's about to kill the Chief.
The Ditz: Rookie special forces agent Kim Soon Lee in a special side chapter released during New Waves.
Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Jinie seems to take Shi Woon's nice guy personality to her as this early in the story.
Drama-Preserving Handicap: Played straight with Chun Woo being drained of ki already during his fight with Gijuu.
- After that fight, it's subverted. Chun Woo is supposed to be weakened since he's got his arm in a cast most of the time, but so far it looks like it hasn't been a problem. As of now, this is finally over.
- In Part II Shi Woon's broken ki center qualifies, as it prevents him from doing high level martial arts without injury to himself. Most of the time, at least.
Driven to Suicide: Almost.
Dude, She's Like, In a Coma!: Jinie attempts this with Shi Woon, but her cell phone goes off and she loses her nerve.
Dynamic Entry: Kangsung
- And now Jinie, the girl who chewed out Shi Woon for trying to help her earlier.
Evil Old Folks: Chief of the Alliance in Part 1, Sun Woo clan elder, Kwon Jae Kyu assumes that role in New Waves.
Eyelid Pull Taunt: Jinie does this in a meido outfit just makes the people who were trying to kill her think that she's cute.
Eye Scream
Fanservice: Mostly Shiho, though Yoon Ji and even Sae He have their moments. In New Waves Jinie provides most of it, as she frequently wears clothing that shows off her assets. Taken Up to Eleven in recent chapters, where she's stuck in a skimpy maid outfit.
The Farmer And The Viper: Li Joo. Turns out you can't be nice to everybody, Shi Woon.
Finger Poke of Doom: One of Yoo Ji-Gun's moves.
Flash Step
Freak Out: Shi Woon has one in the basement, after he uses his abilities for the first time, accidentally curb stomping some mooks. You can't really blame the kid for freaking out, given the end result◊.
Funny Background Event
Fun with Acronyms: Soldiers Under Command aka S.U.C
Gambit Pileup: For the first half... So Chun Woo, the Black Forest Defense Group and the Murim Alliance all have their own agendas and are poised to use each other to achieve them. All of which birth the conflicts of the story.
Gang Of Bullies: Pretty much played straight with Chang Ho's gang.
Generation Xerox: Chun Woo spends a good chunk of Part 1 beating people up with his arm in a sling. Shi Woon continues the tradition in Chapter 30.
Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: Delivered by Shi Woon to Chun Woo while in Demon King mode, no less!
Giant Mook: Kang Oongsan, the giant of a man that Shi Woon one-shotted while running from the martial arts organization. That guy had to have been at least more than 2 meters tall.
Give Him A Normal Life
Godiva Hair: Shiho invokes this trope a couple times.
Go Through Me: Shi Woon invokes this trope trying to stop Chun Woo's murderous rampage, but it doesn't work. Fortunately Hyuk So pulls a Diving Save, barely just in time.
The Gwen Stacy: Shiho, apparently.
Hard Work Hardly Works: Shi Woon, seems to learn techniques that would take years after just seeing them once. Sera even lampshades this fact with Green-Eyed Monster jealousy at this fact.
Healing Factor: Thanks to his insane amount of ki, Shi Woon has a rather insane recovery rate. Lampshaded by Chun Woo, when he compares him to a planarian. And it seems most powerful martial artists, have a bit of it, since Chun Woo remarked that normally his broken arm would've healed within few days.
- As of New Waves, Shi Woon still has it. Not so depowered now, eh?
Heroic Sacrifice: Jung Jipsa, and then Chun Woo's master in a flashback
- Shiho, but hopefully it won't stick.
Heroic Spirit: Hyuk So Chun, completely cold and rational since he was a child, is so intimidated by Shi Woon's Heroic Spirit that he is caught off guard and allows Shi Woon to punch him, losing the fight.
He Who Must Not Be Seen: The leader of the Black Forest Defense Group.
Hidden Eyes
Hopeless Boss Fight: Shi Woon vs. Hyuk So Chun
Hope Spot: While Chun Woo's getting trashed by the Chief of the Alliance, Shiho figures out a way to replenish his ki. It works... but then Hyun Tae of all people comes out of nowhere and shoots at Chun Woo, prompting Shiho's Heroic Sacrifice.
Hot for Student: Shiho isn't really, but she teases Shi Woon in a couple instances. It's very awkward for him.
Husky Russkie: Dmitri
I'm Dying, Please Take My MacGuffin: Jung Jipsa, who's badly wounded when he asks Alex to take his car and its cargo, Sosul. Then Mamungi finishes him off for good.
Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: In New Waves it's Battle 1, 2, 3 etc
If You Kill Him, You Will Be Just Like Him
I Have No Granddaughter: Jinie's grandfater thinks of her as nothing more than a useless child. Even when one asks him about saving her, he merely replies, "I never saw that red headed foreigner as my family".
Insult Backfire: Chun Woo responds positively to being called "a player".
Interrupted Suicide
Invisible to Normals
It's Not You, It's My Enemies
Jumping on a Grenade In New Waves, after getting thrown from a motorcycle just hit by a car, Jinie does this for Shi Woon, using her skills in midair to alter their descent so that she takes the majority of the impact.
Ki Attacks
Kick Chick: Jinie
Kick the Dog: Chun Woo kicked the dog at the end of Part I. Shoot the Hostage was one thing, but disowning your own disciple and leaving him to die after that? Kangsung isn't pleased. Of course, that's exactly what Chun Woo wants them to think.
- Li Jioo kills the cat Jinie befriended.
The Lad-ette: Jinie. Most definitely a girl, but Shi Woon wonders if she really was one because of her loud, abrasive personality.
Laughing Mad: "Kyahahaha... gotcha."
Last Kiss: Maybe.
Let's Get Dangerous
Let's You and Him Fight: Elder Kwong did this to Shioon and Yong-Hyun
- Later on Jung Chun and Jae Gal manage to do this to Sun Woo and the Alliance.
Loads and Loads of Characters
Looming Silhouette of Rage: Used most by Chun Woo, but occasionally used by other characters.
Love Epiphany: Oh if Jinie hasn't yet she is certainty so very close after this
Love Triangle: Yoon Ji, Chun Woo and Shiho can be interpreted this way initially, but later it becomes Chun Woo, Shiho, and (her ex) Wonjae. Shi Woon, Sae He, and Sosul is also a possibility, now that Sosul clearly has a crush on Shi Woon.
- In New Waves it appears to be Shi Woon, Sera, Jinie, as Sae He and Sosul have been Put on a Bus.
Made of Iron: Anyone who fights.
Madness Makeover: Hyun Tae started off okay, then after Gijuu gets killed he gets progressively crazier.
Malevolent Masked Men: The Mooks of the S.U.C.
The Masquerade: The murim-in.
Master-Apprentice Chain
Might Makes Right: Chun Woo frequently claims that in the Murim-in the strong makes the rules and whatever they do is right. If he really believes this or not is up to you.
- Shi Woon counters this philosophy by saying the Chun Woo is strong enough to do the right decisions and not slaughter people for his own convenience.
Misplaced Retribution: A lot of the people who were actually wronged by Chun Woo seem to find it easier to get their revenge on Shi Woon instead.
Moment Killer: Alex, you idiot!!! Then there's Shi Woon saving Chun Woo and Shiho.
Mook Horror Show: Pity the poor bastards who go up against Chun Woo.
Mugging the Monster: Near the beginning of the manhwa a group of low-lifes try to beat up Chun Woo. You probably know how this turned out. In a later example, the first time the bullies try to pick on Shi Woon post-Taking A Level In Badass, they're not in on The Masquerade so you can hardly blame them. But after Shi Woon shows that he can make ki blasts with his fists and break cement columns they have no excuse.
My God, What Have I Done?: Hyun Tae
Nebulous Evil Organization: The Black Forest Defense Group
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Poor Shi Woon is on the receiving end every time. Fortunately, in later chapters of the Breaker, he's been able to turn the situation around.
- Unfortunately, he's back to this in New Waves.
No, I Am Behind You
No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: Subverted in New Waves. A murim-in calls out Shi Woon, threatening Sae Hee. When they meet, the murim-in has already set up tea, table included. Its the best tea he ever tasted. Turns out, its drugged, but not poisonous. He talks them out of throwing his body off a bridge, before he passes out.
Normally, I Would Be Dead Now: Shi woon has even lampshaded this about himself many times.
Not So Stoic: Hyuk So Chun has a minor Freak Out caused by Shi Woon's Heroic Spirit
Not What It Looks Like: Shiho and Chun Woo's first meeting.
Pre Ass Kicking One Liner: Jinie to Li Jioo. It is incredibly satisfying.
Li Jioo *as she strangles Shioon*: Die!
Jinie:No, you die!
- A second one with Elder Kwon to Li Jioo
Elder Kwong: I will now proceed to school you on exactly who you have dared to touch.
Offscreen Teleportation: Invoked when Chun Woo pursues the mook who was trailing them, Played for Laughs.
Oh Crap: Practically anybody who realizes just who Chun Woo is mid-battle. Shi Woon also has a big one when he encounters Hyuk So Chun.
- Li Jioo is petrified by Elder Kwong's aura after finding out S.U.C. gravely injured Jinie. Even Shioon is terrified by it.
Old Master: The Chief for sure and later Elder Kwong Jae-Kyu.
Only Mostly Dead: Shiho. Wonjae appears to be keeping her in a state of suspension and plans to revive her later.
Perky Goth: Li-Ji-Oo.
Police Are Useless: Even the ordinary SUC fighters were able to defeat ordinary patrolmen and the NPA's famed anti-riot division.
Pressure Point
Primal Scene: Narrowly averted.
Punched Across the Room
Punk in the Trunk: Sosul's first appearance
Put on a Bus: Many major characters from Part 1. Justified, since now they are on the run from the Alliance.
Revenge: Not only is it Chun Woo's main motive, but there's also a lot of people looking to get revenge on him.
Revenge Before Reason: Gijuu, Hyun Tae, and "Iron Fist" Munju play this straight. Chun Woo himself also starts invoking this trope in later chapters.
Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Revenge is revealed to be Chun Woo's main motive for fighting the murim-in organization. In later chapters, he takes the opportunity to confront the murim-in leaders responsible for his master's death. It's getting to the point you think he and Roberta are going to trade tips.
Romantic False Lead: Is it Shiho or Yoon Ji? Turns out to be Yoon Ji.
Running Gag: Chun Woo's dates with Yoon Ji always get interrupted.
Run the Gauntlet: Shi Woon goes through a smaller scale version at the start of the final arc of Part 1 going from a skirms with Chang Ho through various Mooks in the rain and ending with Kangsung and later Yu Gyu Bum. Chun Woo goes through the a more literal one when he decides Trap Is the Only Option later in the same arc.
- Jinie in New Waves goes through one as well.
Sadistic Choice: Given to Chun Woo by the Chief. Give up the Black Heaven and Earth technique, or let Shiho die?
- In Volume 10, this takes new turn. Give up the Black Heaven and Earth technique, or let Shi Woon die?
Sexual Harassment Is Okay When Its Female On Male: Shiho invokes this a lot, with her practically molesting the male protagonists at every opportunity.
Shipper on Deck: Chi Woon believes Chun Woo likes Shiho, and keeps offering to give them privacy. Chun Woo, of course, yells at him for thinking something so stupid.
Shirtless Scene
She Is Not My Girlfriend: Both Chun Woo and Shi Woon have these moments.
- He Is Not My Boyfriend moment comes from New Wave Jinie towards Shoon Yi. Though the Luminescent Blush she gives off while around him makes it so Everyone Can See It.
Shoot the Hostage: In-story, most characters considered this to be a Kick the Dog moment for Chun Woo. However, there's also evidence to support a Shoot the Dog interpretation.
Shouldn't We Be In School Right Now?: Shi Woon, Jinie and Yoo Ji Gun after the first two dozen chapters of New Waves, when the SUC take more story prominence.
Shower of Awkward
Slasher Smile: Besides Chun Woo, Hyun Tae starts using theseafter he goes off the deep end.
Someone Else's Problem: Until Chun Woo showed up, no one does anything about Chang Ho's frequent assaults on Shi Woon.
Spanner in the Works: Shi Woon.
Spell My Name with an S: All day long
Springtime for Hitler: Shi Woon asks the Sun Woo heads to train him, and they agree... with the intention of training him so intensely that he would burn out and not be able to continue. Instead he takes the training in stride, shocking everyone, and it is revealed that he still has his Healing Factor due to his whole body being infused with ki, despite his ki center being broken.
Super-Deformed
Supernatural Martial Arts
Super Serum: How Shi Woon is able to do martial arts after the destruction of his ki center at the end of Part 1. Also revealed later to be how the S.U.C. are able to get non murim to be able to perform murim techniques without the normal extensive training.
Super Toughness: Shioon.
Taking the Bullet: Aaargh, Shiho!
Taking You with Me: Gijuu. Later Shiho and Chun Woo consider this option, when gravely outnumbered.
Thanks for the Mammary: See for yourself. It was accidental... Or was it?
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: "Iron Fist" Munju towards Chun Woo
These Hands Have Killed: Subverted. Shi Woon looks like he's going to have one of these during his Freak Out, when he asks Chun Woo if the assassins were still alive, but Chun Woo tells him they're fine.
This Cannot Be!: Shi Woon in New Waves when confronted with a video showing Chun Woo addressing the S.U.C.
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Jinie and Sae Hee, though they have not spent any real time together.
Time Limit Boss: Gijuu had rigged the place to blow up within 10 minutes.
Too Awesome to Use: Shi Woon's powers, without proper training, can kill ordinary people which is why several characters prevent him from using it on some bullies. They also rip his body a part without proper training.
Took a Level in Badass: Shi Woon, majorly.
- Chang Ho in New Waves as a member of SUC.
Training from Hell
Tranquil Fury: Kangsung.
Tsundere: A few. There's Chun Woo, Sosul, Jinie and Elder Kwong.
Undying Loyalty: Shi Woon grows this for Chun Woo well into Part 2 of the series.
- His personality later begins to inspire this among others, notably Sera.
Ungrateful Bitch: Li Jioo, after Shi Woon calls off Jinie and even returns her compact, once they leave she immediately orders her SUC mooks to kill them.
Wall Jump: The Wall Tiger Skill
Will They or Won't They?: Chun Woo and Shiho. They do. Until Murim kills her. And as of Chapter 38, no she's not dead!
With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: The Black Origin Threshold is described as "the highest existing level of the martial spirit" that had previously only been found in legends. Unfortunately using this technique pushes the user into an uncontrollable, Ax Crazy, rage-driven state of mind in which they cannot distinguish friend from foe.