The Breaker
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The Breaker (브레이커) is a Korean comic ( manhwa) written by Jeon Geuk-Jin (전극진) and illustrated by Park Jin-Hwan (박진환 or Kamaro). It is published by Daiwon C.I.. The story is a mix of martial arts and shounen[1].
It was licensed by the French publishing Booken manga, and the first volume is scheduled for release February 2011.
The series consists of two parts. The first part is called The Breaker and consists of 10 volumes (72 chapters), the second part is called Breaker: New waves Left and as of 2011 is being regularly released.
Synopsis
Han Chun Woo is a new "Sunsengnim" (teacher) of Nine Dragons High School. However this is merely a cover; he is actually a member of the Murim, a covert martial arts organisation co-existing with contemporary society, similar to the Martial Arts Community depicted in the Chinese Wuxia genre. It is revealed that he the notorious "Nine Dragons", a nickname he earned in his youth during a competition, the aftermath of which made him a fugitive to the Murim. He make his appearance to the protagonist of the series, Yi Shioon, an boy often bullied for his physical weakness.
After witnessing a display of Chun Woo's legendary fighting abilities during an attempted mugging, he is coerced into teaching Shioon how to fight, as the boy recorded his fight and threatened to expose his battle prowess. Initially reluctant, and rejecting him due to his atrocious physical abilities (later revealed to be attributed to his unusually under developed blood vessels), they eventually form a master-disciple bond after Shioon risks his life to improve his condition. By ingesting a rare, and stolen, medicine given to him by the school nurse, also a member of the Murin and an acquaintance of Chun Woo, he significantly bolsters his body's spirit energy. It is worth noting that he would have died due to the lethality of the pill, had his master not assisted in balancing the boy's spiritual energy with his "Black Heaven and Earth" technique.
After recovering from the effects of the pill, which required him to remain motionless or risk tearing his body apart, he learns several techniques such as spiritual energy punching and lightning steps. It is revealed that Shioon has a keen mind for understanding martial arts techniques. After a chain of events introducing several recurring characters and the influential Sun Moon Clan, the ending of the series leads to an internal upheaval of the Murim, resulting in a confrontation with Chun Woo and the leaders of the Murim. An intense struggle breaks out between an elder and Chun Woo, whose grudge against the Murim is revealed to stem from the sacrifice of his master's life for his own. Initially holding the upper hand, the elder is overwhelmed when Chun Woo enters a berserk frenzy attributed to the Black Heaven and Earth technique. Shioon attempts to snap him out of the state, unable to accept the berserk Chun Woo as his true master. WHile suceeding, the elder seizes Shioon and attempts to blackmail CHun Woo into submission. Chun Woo, however, recalling the unbearable guilt of witnessing his master's same sacrifice, told the elder that he would not place the same burden on his disciple. He then punches through his disciple's Chi center in order to defeat the elder, permanently destroying Shioon's martial arts ability in the process. When asked why by Murim members present he only states that he has no disciple and leaves the scene. After recovering his health, but not his martial arts, Shioon comes to the conclusion that his master was trying to free him from the Murim, as only members of the community are subject to its codes. This is reinforced by a recording on his phone, given to him by Chun Woo, with instructions on the secrets of the Black Heaven and Earth technique, as well Chun Woo reminding him that Shioon is his disciple and thus would have to be trained properly.
The Breaker: New Waves begins with Shioon's readjustment into normal society.