A fortnight later…
Jiryong Mountain.
Manhwa Peak.
Manhwa Peak, as its name suggests, was the beautiful summit of Jiryong Mountain, where flowers were in full bloom.
But the thirty or so people lying on Manhwa Peak, with their faces contorted in a way that didn't match the place, were foaming at the mouth.
“Gasp…”
“Uuuugh…”
“I think I’m going to die, for real.”
Infinite Stamina, Body Remodeling!
Under this creed that made one’s strength surge just by hearing it, the students of the Human Division had been overworked for the past fortnight.
When the morning dew fell in drops, starting with a beating, and then running to Manhwa Peak using only the strength of their bodies without using internal energy, sweat poured down like a waterfall.
But this hellish stamina training was something they couldn't get used to even as time passed.
It was because So-ah had forcibly shortened the time it took to climb Manhwa Peak.
‘Gentlemen! Did you eat a snail or something? Why are you so slow? And you call yourselves martial artists?’
‘Tsk tsk, you’re slower than my Huin-dung-i. Before you can be active in the Jianghu, you’ll be eaten by a mountain beast.’
‘Gentlemen. Let’s just quit. I see you have no hope, sigh.’
So-ah’s reprimands and nagging were roughly like this.
But while such nagging could be laughed off once or twice, it drove the listener crazy if it continued.
‘Ugh, that chatterbox!’
‘So-ah… you still talk a lot!’
‘Was Senior Brother always so nagging?’
Even Myo-seon, Tang Hwa-rin, and Moyong Hwa had come to speak ill of So-ah.
So-ah, with his mouth loosened, was a god of misfortune in many ways.
“Now, now, stop being crybabies and line up to the left and right.”
“Gasp…”
“Hoo-ha… hoo…”
“Huh? Aren’t you going to hurry? Shall we make the afternoon training even tougher?”
“Line up to the left and right!”
“Line up to the left and right!”
“Line up to the left and riiiight!”
The students, who were scared by So-ah’s threat, got up like a flash of lightning and formed a line.
At that, So-ah said with a somewhat pleased expression.
“Hmm… it seems you’ve become quite nimble… but you’re still pathetic.”
‘What a thing to say…!’
‘A brat who’s the same age as me… I’ll just!’
‘I really, desperately want to hit him just once…’
The students ground their teeth inwardly, but they couldn’t dare to show it on the outside and just clenched their fists.
“Gentlemen. I’ll give you a question, and the person who gets it right will be exempt from the afternoon training.”
For a moment, a strange light appeared in the students’ eyes.
It was a gaze filled with the determination to get the question right at all costs.
“Oh! Your dull eyes have become intelligent. Your determination is not ordinary.”
“Shut… no, just give us the question, Instructor.”
“Hurry up.”
“Ready!”
“Alright. I get it. Now, here comes the question.”
—Gulp.
The students swallowed their saliva nervously.
So-ah’s mouth opened softly.
“In a duel between martial artists with similar levels of martial arts, what is the most decisive factor that determines the outcome?”
“Me!”
“Me!”
“I raised my hand first!”
The students raised their hands and shouted loudly.
It was to the point where one would wonder how desperate they were.
“Han-baek, you answer.”
“Th-That… so… the biggest factor is…”
“Ding! Time’s up, your chance is gone.”
“Oops! Instructor…”
“Now, next!”
“Me!”
“Me!”
“Meeeeee!”
It was truly a chaotic scene.
Tang Il-gi, who saw that, was dumbfounded but soon let out a small laugh.
‘Haha, Young Master Jin is also amazing. He has completely taken control of the students.’
Thinking that, he felt proud.
With a smile, Tang Il-gi also raised his hand to answer the question like the other students.
“Brother Tang. Please speak.”
As So-ah chose Tang Il-gi, protests erupted from here and there.
“Ah! What is this, Instructor. Brother Tang raised his hand last.”
“Look at him being so openly biased…”
“What’s with his personality, really?!”
But So-ah didn’t budge and said.
“If you don’t like it, you can be the instructor.”
‘Bastard!’
‘Son of a bitch!’
‘Bad brat!’
Of course, the students only cursed inwardly.
Just then.
“Hahaha.”
Tang Il-gi burst into laughter and answered.
“The biggest factor that determines the outcome in a duel between martial artists of similar levels is, I can say with certainty, the compatibility of their martial arts. The advantages and disadvantages due to the compatibility of their martial arts, such as the weapons they use, the purity of their internal energy, or the turbidity of their ki, are the most important external variables besides their inherent realm!”
It was an excellent answer.
“Wow…!”
“As expected of Brother Tang.”
“He’s as knowledgeable as he is skilled in martial arts.”
The students were impressed.
Because even to them, Tang Il-gi’s opinion was irrefutable.
But So-ah shook his head with a disappointed expression.
“As expected, it’s you, Brother Tang. Of course, you are right. The compatibility of martial arts is a very important virtue among the factors that determine the outcome of a match. But…”
“…”
“It’s not the answer I was looking for.”
“Hah… then, Instructor Jin. What on earth is that factor? Are you saying there is something more important than compatibility?”
“Yes. Of course, there is.”
“…”
“That is, stamina.”
‘I knew it.’
‘That damn stamina…’
‘Stamina again? Oh my…’
The students cursed inwardly.
Judging from their experience over the past fortnight, every time So-ah mentioned the word ‘stamina’, another round of pain would come.
“That’s why!”
‘Oh… shit.’
‘Again… that brat is definitely going to…!’
‘Sigh, I can’t help it. I have no choice but to shout that I’m dead today!’
“This instructor will do his best to improve your stamina. Everyone, touch the entrance of the mountain and come back up to Manhwa Peak! For your information, the last person will have to run one more time, so if you don’t want to shit blood, grit your teeth and run like crazy!”
So-ah’s tone had changed to a polite one.
It was So-ah’s own way of encouraging and cheering them on.
Of course, the problem was that it was not the slightest bit of comfort to the students who received it.
***
A late hour.
—Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door of the annex where So-ah was staying.
“Yes, I’m coming.”
When he opened the door, the second instructor, Jong Jin-do, who had taken a leave of absence and left the academy for about twenty days, appeared.
“Young Master Jin. It’s me.”
“Young Master Jin?”
“Oops… no, Brother Jin…”
“Are you feeling better now?”
So-ah smiled and spoke politely.
Although So-ah had treated him like a child when Jong Jin-do had left the academy, perhaps because he had a soft heart, he had changed his mind to at least treat him like an adult.
But Jong Jin-do, seeing So-ah’s smile, felt a chill run down his spine, as if his hair was standing on end.
‘This devilish brat…’
“Yes. I worked hard on recuperating, so I’m as good as new.”
“That’s good. You have to come back and work as a teacher from tomorrow.”
“I have to… but, Brother Jin.”
“Why?”
“Th-The secret from last time, you kept it, right?”
“What secret? Ah! The incident where my younger brother, feeling jealous of a nineteen-year-old newcomer, drew his sword and even performed a sword ki to kill him, but was beaten to a pulp in return?”
“Excuse me… th-that’s going too far…”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Thank you. In fact, I was worried about that, so I came to see you, Brother Jin, as soon as I came back.”
“I’ll keep it a secret in the future, so don’t worry.”
“Brother Jin is truly a great hero who doesn’t match his age!”
“Enough with the flattery. But you haven’t forgotten either, have you, younger brother?”
“What do you mean?”
“The promise that you would set the stage so that I can take control of the academy.”
“Aha! Of course, I must help you with all my heart and soul.”
“Be prepared. There are a lot of things I’ve done in the meantime. It’s more like shit than work, so you’ll have to work hard, younger brother. You know what I mean, right?”
“What on earth… have you done…”
“You’ll find out tomorrow.”
***
“Instructor Jong!”
“Why didn’t you send a word?”
“The academy has become a mess while you were gone, Great Hero Jong!”
In the morning, the instructors’ outcry,
“Instructor. Don’t we in the Heaven division have special training or something?”
“The shabby training method of the Human division is shaking the entire academy! Is it okay to leave them like that?!”
“Insignificant brats are muddying the waters. Please take appropriate measures!”
After noon, the students of the Heaven division, which he was in charge of.
In a word, most of the people in the academy expressed their complaints about So-ah and the Human division.
Jong Jin-do was terrified after hearing from them how the academy had been run for the past fortnight.
But…
“Ahem! Why is everyone acting so rashly? Young Master Jin is the chief instructor of the academy, and strictly speaking, he is our superior. But you’re badmouthing your superior? Everyone, restrain yourselves. As disciples representing the thirty-something generation of the Orthodox Path, you should be a model!”
He gave a stern warning to the instructors,
“Tsk tsk. Are the students of the Heaven division, who are evaluated as the most outstanding rising generation in the Orthodox Path, so flippant! The newly appointed chief instructor has personally become the head of the Human division, which has weak martial arts, and is training them, isn’t he? But what’s with all this? Muddying the waters? A shabby training method is shaking the academy? Aww… you incompetent brats! Immediately go and reflect while facing the wall for three shichen!”
He quelled the protests against So-ah and the Human division by giving punishment to the students.
‘I’m sorry, but I can’t help it…’
Somehow, Jong Jin-do, who was supposed to be the biggest obstacle, had become So-ah’s loyal soldier.
“Brother Jin… I have suppressed the public opinion of the academy. For a while, no one will raise any complaints!”
“Good job, younger brother. You’ll keep doing that from now on, right? You know?”
So-ah praised Jong Jin-do in a tone as if he were dealing with a house dog.
It was a remark that could be considered ridicule.
But the problem was that Jong Jin-do no longer considered it ridicule.
‘This is strange… it definitely feels like he’s teasing me, but I don’t feel bad… damn it! What am I thinking right now, shit!’
Jong Jin-do desperately shook his head and erased the unpleasant thought.
***
—White Martial Academy Head Instructor’s Office.
“Head Instructor. A guest has arrived.”
“Who is it?”
“It is Young Master Namgung.”
“Let him in.”
Namgung Mun visited Namgung Won, the head instructor of the White Martial Academy and his father.
“Father.”
“Don’t call me that within the academy.”
“I’m sorry, Head Instructor.”
“What is it?”
At the head instructor’s question, Namgung Mun glanced around and then cautiously opened his mouth.
“I have something urgent to tell you…”
The head instructor, Namgung Won, nodded his head and then gave an order to the servants and the chief to leave.
“Everyone, leave for a moment.”
“Yes, Head Instructor.”
A little later…
After everyone in the room had left, Namgung Mun spoke.
“Head Instructor. No, Father! Are you really going to just stand by and watch?”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Jin So-ah. That colt-like brat is running wild and turning the academy into a mud puddle. I find it hard to understand why such a person was appointed as an instructor, and why no sanctions are being imposed on him even though he does not hesitate to act like a scoundrel.”
A look of surprise appeared on Namgung Won’s face.
It was because he had rarely seen his son so enraged.
“Are you angry?”
“Yes. I am angry. What Moyong Family of what era is this? It has been quite some time since the God of War, Moyong Cheon, died. Isn’t the parachute appointment too much? Even if I concede a hundred times and understand the appointment of an instructor, I cannot overlook that person’s vulgar behavior. He changes the division of a student as he pleases, and what’s with the infinite stamina? Body remodeling? He’s misleading the world with such nonsensical words! I can’t just stand by and watch this.”
Namgung Won also nodded his head at Namgung Mun’s words.
In fact, the person who was most dissatisfied with So-ah’s current behavior was Namgung Won himself.
“Mun-ah. But that person is under the strong protection of the Alliance Leader, Abbess Hong-ryeon, and Hong In-geol. To censure and expel him or regulate him, a justifiable reason is needed.”
“A reason, you say?”
“Yes.”
“If an instructor’s martial arts are weaker than a student’s! Would that be a sufficient reason?”
“Then there would be no greater reason than that.”
“I will create a reason for you.”
“You mean…?”
“I will request a duel with Jin So-ah.”
(End of Chapter)