Chapter 77: Martial Arts Competition (2)

Hearing unexpected cheers, I instinctively turned to look behind me.

Meeting the gazes of my classmates mixed with faith and expectation, I couldn't help but think.

'Why are they suddenly acting friendly?'

I couldn't understand at all why the guys who had been distant until now were suddenly acting like this.

Of course, I was the one who drew the line in the first place, but even taking that into account, it still didn't make sense.

'...Well. I don't really need to understand the thought process of these lunatics anyway.'

Just as I was about to brush it off like that, Ju Seo-yeon suddenly stepped forward and began to lead the cheering.

"Young Master Il-mok! We believe in you! The Demonic Way's Number One Prodigy, Young Master Il-mok!"

She waved the spear slung on her back vigorously as if it were a cheering prop.

‘...Don't tell me she thinks I actually like being cheered on?’

Her intentions were obvious. She was trying to get on my good side so she could become my attendant after graduating from the Hall of the Demonic Way.

‘I don’t know what the other lunatics are thinking, but why the fuck can I grasp the intentions of the craziest one?!’

I decided it was because I had already met Ouyang Mun who was similar to her.

Seemingly inspired by Ju Seo-yeon's boldness, Bang Mi-hwa also stepped forward and began spouting nonsense.

"Hohoho. Young Master Il-mok! If you avenge us, I'll make time for you!"

Due to these two women's absurd comments, the cheering from my peers grew even more intense.

Meanwhile, Jeong Hyeon, who couldn't adapt to the heated atmosphere, was standing alone far away, silently mouthing words in my direction.

I shook my head at the chaotic scene and turned back around.

"Hoho. He seems quite shy, doesn't he?"

Bang Mi-hwa's strange comment reached my ears, but I chose to ignore it. Because a crazier person no less than Bang Mi-hwa was approaching head-on.

"Young Master Il-mok. I lost, but I believe that you'll flatten that good-for-nothing's nose."

Even Dokgo Pae was looking at me with burning camaraderie in his eyes, as if we had been close friends all along.

There were lunatics everywhere.

***

Watching the Eighth Young Master receive passionate support from his peers, Baek Cheon thought to himself.

'It's as if I've become the villain here.'

He wasn't particularly bothered by it.

Because the satisfaction of crushing someone with such high expectations was unparalleled.

Dokgo Pae's assessment of Baek Cheon was somewhat accurate.

Baek Cheon, who had been known as the Baek Family troublemaker before entering the Hall of the Demonic Way, hadn't actually reformed.

He had simply discovered a more efficient approach.

Acting with dignity rather than wreaking havoc by acting as he pleased made it easier to get what he wanted in the long run.

'Defeat the Eighth Young Master and win the Hall Master’s favor.'

It was absolutely necessary to strengthen his position within the family after graduating from the academy.

But that didn't mean he underestimated the Eighth Young Master. Since he had won against that boar-like Mak Ho-yeol, he must be a formidable opponent.

But Baek Cheon believed he would win if he gave it his all.

'Hehehe. I get to see the disappointed faces of the juniors and gain the Hall Master's attention. Killing two birds with one stone.'

While Baek Cheon was inwardly chuckling sinisterly, he maintained a confident expression outside.

Il-mok had already taken his position opposite him, and the instructor's shout rang out.

"Begin!"

Despite the instructor's signal, Il-mok didn't rush toward Baek Cheon.

"Hmm?"

Noticing the defensive stance, Baek Cheon waved his fan leisurely and said, "Hohoho. You are more timid than I expected. Very well, I shall come to you."

As he finished speaking, Baek Cheon swung his arm through the air, sending hidden weapons that had been concealed between his fingers flying toward Il-mok.

He had secretly drawn these weapons from his sleeve while talking.

As several projectiles cut through the air toward him, Il-mok employed his footwork, darting here and there to avoid them.

"Hehehe."

Seeing Il-mok desperately dodging or blocking without daring to approach, Baek Cheon continued to press his attack with the expression of a predator toying with its prey.

***

"Hmm."

Not long after the most anticipated final match began, Chu Il-hwan slightly furrowed his brow.

'I clearly warned him that there would be a special interview if he hid his skills again.'

The sight of the Eighth Young Master merely dodging and blocking rather than attacking was concerning.

Instructor Cha Eun-young, watching alongside him, spoke mockingly to Chu Il-hwan.

"They called him a genius, but he doesn't seem like much."

As Chu Il-hwan was considering how to respond to his rival's provocation...

Swoosh!

Suddenly, a feathered dart flew directly toward his face.

Pat!

Having been momentarily distracted, Chu Il-hwan hurriedly swung his right hand, barely managing to block the dart.

'Whew. I almost made a fool of myself.'

The dart had been thrown by Baek Cheon toward Il-mok. It was just that Il-mok had dodged it, and it happened to fly toward Chu Il-hwan who was standing behind him.

To be hit by a stray hidden weapon thrown by a disciple. If that had happened, his reputation as an instructor would have plummeted.

"Pfft. Look at you floundering."

Cha Eun-yeong provoked him again, and Chu Il-hwan began to feel the side effects of his Demonic Art rising.

'If the Hall Master weren't here, I'd smash your skull right now.'

As murderous intent unconsciously rose within him, causing his right hand to twitch, and just as Chu Il-hwan's gaze shifted to Cha Eun-yeong...

Clang!

An unpleasant metallic sound rang out.

Swoosh!!

A shuriken shot toward Chu Il-hwan at tremendous speed.

"!?"

Having been momentarily distracted, Chu Il-hwan barely managed to block the shuriken.

And he didn't miss it.

"Tsk."

The moment he blocked the shuriken, he caught the Eighth Young Master quietly clicking his tongue.

"Hehehe."

Finally understanding the situation, Chu Il-hwan let out a quiet laugh touched with madness.

'So this is how you want to play?'

The Eighth Young Master wasn't hiding his skills. He was merely pretending to struggle.

The reason for doing such acting was.

Clang!

To send the hidden weapons Baek Cheon threw towards him, just like now.

‘Revenge, is it?’

Understanding Il-mok's intention, Chu Il-hwan felt more amused than angry.

'I thought he was a genius, but I didn't expect this.'

In the midst of a martial arts match with a senior disciple—and not just any senior, but Baek Cheon, the top student of the second year’s Upper Class—he was accurately gauging Chu Il-hwan's position and altering the trajectory of Baek Cheon's projectiles.

Moreover...

Swoosh!

When Baek Cheon's projectile collided with Il-mok's sword, it actually accelerated toward Chu Il-hwan.

This defied common sense. When a projectile collides with a sword, the repulsive force should naturally reduce its speed and power.

Yet, the Eighth Young Master was using the principle of fluidity to alter the projectile's path at the moment of impact and even pushing the projectile with his sword at the last moment to accelerate it.

And he was doing this during an intense martial arts match while precisely targeting the moments when Chu Il-hwan was distracted.

Though he could have been annoyed at being targeted this way, Chu Il-hwan found it amusing instead.

'Hehehe. The disciple has set up such an entertaining game; I can't possibly spoil it.'

Having come up with a good idea, Chu Il-hwan approached Cha Eun-yeong, who had been provoking him.

With his back to the ongoing match, Chu Il-hwan glared at Cha Eun-yeong and retorted, "What were you saying earlier?"

"Hmph. You should separate public and private matters. The Hall Master and Vice Hall Master are watching."

In response to Cha Eun-yeong's sarcastic remark, Chu Il-hwan outwardly displayed anger while inwardly using his energy sense to carefully monitor what was happening behind him.

"You think I'll hold back just because they're here?"

"Just move aside, would you? I can't see the match."

As he was about to respond to her...

Il-mok, seeing an opportunity with Chu Il-hwan's back turned, applied the Floral Substitution to a shuriken thrown by Baek Cheon and sent it straight towards the back of Chu Il-hwan's head.

"Hmph. It's because you're so short..."

Chu Il-hwan, who was retorting to Cha Eun-young, suddenly ducked sharply the moment Il-mok's redirected shuriken neared the back of his head.

Whoosh!

He dodged the shuriken with impeccable timing.

Cha Eun-young, whose attention had been fixed on Chu Il-hwan, only noticed the shuriken flying towards her face when her view cleared, but it was too late.

"Eek!?"

Startled, she let out a strange shriek and hurriedly swung her arm.

Befitting her position as an instructor of the Hall of the Demonic Way, she managed to deflect the shuriken despite the unexpected attack.

"Hahahahaha! D-Did you just squeal 'eek'? Kuhehe."

Chu Il-hwan, already bent at the waist, grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter, causing Cha Eun-yeong’s face to turn bright red with embarrassment.

Just then, a telepathic message from the Hall Master Yeom Ga-hwi reached both instructors' ears.

—The students are watching. Show some restraint.

Following the Hall Master's instruction, both instructors quickly straightened themselves and looked back at the arena.

Pfft.

Hearing Chu Il-hwan's snicker from beside her, Cha Eun-yeong finally lost her temper.

"Disciple Baek!!! How long are you going to let your junior play you for a fool?!"

***

Hearing the female instructor's shout from behind, Il-mok looked back and clicked his tongue.

'Tsk. Caught already?'

Chu Il-hwan was grinning playfully while the female instructor beside him had a flushed face.

It seemed there was no point in targeting Chu Il-hwan anymore.

Turning his attention back to the front, Il-mok thought, 'Looks like he's caught on too.'

Was it because he had been scolded in public during the match? Baek Cheon, who had maintained a relaxed and dignified attitude until now, had a face contorted with rage.

"How dare you humiliate me like this?! You truly wish to die, don't you?"

Even his manner of speech changed.

"I'll kill you!!"

As if forgetting this was merely a martial arts match, Baek Cheon let out a murderous cry and threw more projectiles.

"Tsk."

Realizing it was too late to target Chu Il-hwan, Il-mok moved boldly.

Pat!

Closing in on Baek Cheon by the shortest route, he deflected the thrown projectiles with minimal movement several times.

"Oh? You blocked that? Try blocking this!"

Seeing Il-mok rapidly approaching, Baek Cheon swung the fan in his right hand.

The internal energy condensed on that fan sliced through the air like a sharp blade, flying toward Il-mok.

Clang!

Il-mok easily deflected that fan energy with a sword energy he created, and as he stepped forward one more time...

Pat.

"Kuhehe. Now die!"

From the folded part of the fan pointed at Il-mok's face, iron needles suddenly popped out.

'What the fuck!?'

Not expecting hidden weapons to be concealed in the fan, Il-mok desperately twisted his body to avoid getting his head pierced.

Thanks to his extremely heightened concentration, Il-mok saw the iron needle passing by his nose in slow motion.

'Whew. I almost died for real.'

To think he would resort to such underhanded methods in a martial arts match, not even a real-life-or-death duel.

As Il-mok breathed a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping death...

"Damn you! How dare you dodge my attack! Just die already!"

Baek Cheon, who had retreated again, continued to hurl insults and throw projectiles.

'...Is this why he was called a troublemaker?'

With his mask removed, Baek Cheon was displaying verbal skills that surpassed even the rowdiest street thugs.