Chapter 84: The Greatest Prodigy of the Demonic Way (3)

For a brief moment, they sprinted using their lightness technique to evade their pursuer, Instructor Chu Il-hwan.

The moment they reached a spot where the foliage obscured Chu Il-Hwan's figure, Il-mok abruptly changed direction.

“From now on, run with all your might.”

"Won't that leave more traces?"

Seong Hwan, who was running leisurely since they had to match the speed of the Lower Class disciples, asked Il-mok.

"We don't need to hide our traces anyway."

"!?"

When the team members showed confused expressions, Il-mok added an explanation.

"Even if we try to hide our traces, it's nothing more than child's play to instructors of their caliber. If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to overlap our traces instead?"

"Overlap traces? What do you mean by that?"

"Just before we dispersed. Team Three ran in this direction."

"Ah!"

Only then did the group members understand Il-mok’s intention.

And thanks to employing their lightness technique at full power, they could easily find traces of people who had passed through.

"These appear to be traces left by Team Three. We'll follow them."

Following Il-mok's direction, they moved along the traces left by Team Three for a while.

At some point, the traces became blurry.

"It seems they started erasing their tracks from here."

At Seong Hwan's remark, Il-mok nodded and spoke.

"Now we're at a crossroads. Do we pursue them, or move in another direction?"

"You mean we're chasing Team Three?"

Perhaps because they had been moving slowly since they started tracking Team Three, Bu Gayoung from the Lower Class, who had regained some composure, asked the question.

But before Il-mok could answer, Seong Hwan exclaimed, "Ah!"

"Are you planning to join forces with Team Three to catch the instructor?"

Everyone looked at Il-mok with faces of admiration at Seong Hwan's prediction. However, Il-mok shook his head.

"An alliance would be meaningless. Remember carefully. Instructor Chu Il-hwan said he would give the highest score only to the 'team' that steals the bell. Even if we form an alliance, only the group whose member directly obtains the bell will benefit, making it an alliance in name only.”

"Then why on earth are we chasing Team Three?"

"Hmm. What if we create a fake alliance with them and then betray them since they might not notice it?"

With Jeong Hyeon as the exception, the rest of the squad members started spouting their own ideas. Il-mok sighed inwardly.

"Think about it. The test rule is simply to survive for as long as possible. There was no rule prohibiting fights between disciples this time. If we subdue Team Three and let them get caught by Instructor Chu Il-hwan, we can at least avoid last place."

"!!!"

Everyone wore shocked expressions at Il-mok's explanation.

Seeing their reactions, Il-mok secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

'Did that work, more or less?'

In fact, there were several problems with the plan Il-mok proposed.

There was the possibility of failing to subdue them, or even being subdued in reverse. And in the worst-case scenario, there was the risk of being pursued by Chu Il-hwan during the fight and being eliminated as a group.

Still, the reason Il-mok proposed this plan was simple.

First, he was confident that they wouldn't be subdued by another team.

And second...

‘Wandering the mountains all day just to avoid someone who could pop out from anywhere at any time is the worst.’

He simply wanted to beat up another group and end the test swiftly so he could rest.

"Then, I think it would be better to pursue Team Three first."

"I think so too. Since we'll be leaving traces of two squads traveling together, it'll make it harder for Instructor Chu Il-hwan to approach, don’t you think so?"

Once Seong Hwan and Lee Gyun supported Il-mok's opinion, the decision to chase Team Three naturally fell into place.

"Then, Disciple Jeong Hyeon, would you mind taking the lead to track Team Three traces? Your tracking skills are likely the best among us.”

Jeong Hyeon, who had been following about three meters behind, showed a surprised expression at the sudden call. But perhaps due to his experience from the previous test, he quickly regained his composure.

"Ah, understood, Young Master."

While Jeong Hyeon stepped forward, Il-mok instructed the other team members.

"The three of you, move while erasing the traces behind us."

At Il-mok's command, the remaining three quickly moved to the rear and began erasing the tracks they had made, as well as the faint tracks left by Team Three that had gone ahead.

This was to delay Instructor Chu Il-hwan as much as possible, should he pursue them.

And after quickly giving his instructions, Il-mok walked leisurely behind Jeong Hyeon, who was tracking Team Three's traces at the front.

'Having five team members is certainly convenient.'

Whether it was erasing traces or tracking them, these tasks required constant rummaging through undergrowth and dirt.

For Il-mok, who suffered from a cleanliness compulsion, it was the worst thing possible.

And with more team members, he could naturally pass those dirty tasks to the other four.

***

Yeom Ga-hwi was trailing Il-mok's party from a distance, concealing his presence.

As a warrior of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who had carried out various missions, he was well-versed in the art of stealth.

Watching them divide roles and move in an organized manner, Yeom Ga-hwi thought, ‘It seems Disciple Bang Mi-hwa's assessment was somewhat mistaken.’

It was nearly impossible for someone shy to give such proactive directions. On top of that…

‘Instead of choosing to flee, he chose to subdue another team. Not only is he quick to grasp the essence of the test, but he's also bold.'

For a bold person to be shy was also somewhat contradictory.

In that sense, Yeom Ga-hwi wanted to give Il-mok a passing grade.

From assigning personnel to the right places to his bold judgment and commands, he exuded a level of experience hard to believe for a sixteen-year-old.

'Could the rumors be true?'

The rumors he was thinking of were not the ones circulating in the Hall of the Demonic Way. There were rumours about Il-mok's achievements at the main headquarters before entering the Hall.

Tales about the school program and the meditation hall. Even rumors that he had led the Eldest Young Master to enlightenment.

Yeom Ga-hwi, with his straightforward character, wasn't one to be swayed by rumors, but at this point, it would be foolish not to believe them.

While Young Master Il-mok showed outstanding talent in both martial arts and mental cultivation, there was one thing that bothered Yeom Ga-hwi as his gaze moved past Il-mok to Jeong Hyeon, who was leading the way.

'Hmm. I heard he requested to be placed in the same team as that female disciple?'

Obviously, Instructor Eun Ryeo had reported to both Chu Il-hwan and the Hall Master that Il-mok had made such a request when she put Il-mok and Jeong Hyeon in the same team.

Of course, Instructor Eun Ryeo had granted Il-mok's request because she felt sorry for Jeong Hyeon's severe social anxiety.

And this wasn't special treatment.

Since tests were conducted once a month, teams were initially formed based on friendships or compatibility.

In fact, Bang Mi-hwa was teamed with her longtime friend Ha Young, and Dokgo Pae and Gwak Sul, who had shown good chemistry in the first test, were also paired together for this reason.

The reason Yeom Ga-hwi was concerned about Jeong Hyeon was different.

As Jeong Hyeon bent over to thoroughly examine the undergrowth or ground to track Team Three's traces, Il-mok would move while watching her from behind.

And observing the two of them, Yeom Ga-hwi frowned.

'Was he said to have an eye for women?'

Il-mok's gaze towards Jeong Hyeon's backside as she bent over seemed very suspicious to Yeom Ga-hwi.

Of course, it could be said that it was a perfectly natural posture when following the lead scout.

'Did he request that with the purpose of puting her like that?’

In addition to the instructors' evaluations, Yeom Ga-hwi found it suspicious that Il-mok had specifically requested Jeong Hyeon for his team and had her take the lead.

But soon Yeom Ga-hwi shook his head.

'Sigh. There's no need to view a disciple with unconditional negativity. Besides, it's not a sin for a young man to be attracted to women. Unless he were to force himself on her, that would be a different matter.'

True to his just and upright character, the Hall Master tried to evaluate Il-mok fairly.

And shortly after.

Sensing something, Yeom Ga-hwi stopped first, and soon Jeong Hyeon, who had been tracking the traces, also stopped and relayed information to her teammates through hand signals.

It was a signal indicating that the team they were tracking was not far away.

***

After confirming Jeong Hyeon's hand signals, Il-mok quickly gave instructions.

"Disciple Jeong, secure a good sniping position around here as you approach them slowly. The rest of you, follow me as we approach Team Three."

After giving additional instructions to the three, Il-mok advanced toward the direction Jeong Hyeon had indicated, employing his stealth technique.

The moment he confirmed the figures of five people gathered beyond the bushes—

Pat!

Il-mok unleashed his lightness technique at full power and lunged toward a disciple whose face he didn't even know.

The fact that he didn't even know their face meant that they were a Lower Class disciple.

No matter how uninterested Il-mok was in other disciples, he knew the faces of all the Upper Class disciples he studied with. After all, there were only ten of them.

Similarly, even though there were only ten Lower Class disciples, Il-mok barely remembered their faces because he didn't take classes with them.

At most, he only recognized Ju Seo-yeon and Jeong Hyeon.

“What the—!?”

When Il-mok suddenly emerged from the bushes and approached rapidly, the Lower Class disciple drew his sword in surprise, but—

Swoosh.

Il-mok dodged it with a graze and simply pressed an acupoint.

The remaining members of Team Three quickly tried to surround Il-mok for a joint attack.

"Haaa!"

"Attack!"

Seong Hwan, Lee Gyun, and Bu Ga-young, who had followed behind Il-mok and joined in, each faced one opponent.

In the midst of this.

Shriek!

When Jeong Hyeon unleashed supporting fire from afar, the battle naturally became one-sided.

Clang.

"Ugh."

Meanwhile, Il-mok subdued another Upper Class disciple in just three exchanges.

Thanks to the insight he gained from his previous duel with Baek-cheon, his skills had advanced considerably.

'Damn. Should I be happy about this?'

But Il-mok's expression wasn't particularly bright.

Perhaps due to his compulsive disorder, his sword moved along the most optimal path even when he wanted to fight half-heartedly.

To the point that he felt an ominous feeling that he might receive another enlightenment.

As Il-mok glared at his sword hand with an unpleasant expression after subduing two people alone, Yeom Ga-hwi, who had been watching the battle between Teams Three and Four from afar, nodded and thought, 'Indeed.'

'At least he is sincere when it comes to the sword.'

Despite reaching an overwhelming level compared to his peers, it was clear to Yeom Ga-hwi that Il-mok was still not satisfied with his swordsmanship.

***

Around the time Il-mok and his team were subduing Team Three.

Team One, where Dokgo Pae had appointed himself team leader, had stopped walking and was standing somewhere.

"Let's rest now and prepare for the decisive battle."

The team members showed puzzled expressions at Dokgo Pae’s instruction, and one of them, Gwak Sul, stepped forward and asked.

"Are you perhaps planning to fight another team and eliminate them first?"

Gwak Sul had also reached a conclusion similar to Il-mok's.

But there was one thing he overlooked. Namely, Dokgo Pae's way of thinking.

"What are you talking about? As the eldest son of the Dokgo Family, shouldn't I naturally aim for the best?"

"???"

Concealing his inner thoughts of what kind of bullshit is that? Gwak Sul pondered for a moment before reaching an ominous conclusion.

"D-don't tell me. Are you aiming for the instructor?"

At Gwak Sul's question, Dokgo Pae nodded as if it were obvious.

"Hahaha. If we just catch Instructor Chu Il-hwan, we get the highest score. Why bother chasing other teams?"

Gwak Sul felt an inexplicable headache at Dokgo Pae's nonsense.

Meanwhile.

"What an excellent idea, Disciple Dokgo! Indeed, a disciple should aim for the highest score, shouldn't they?"

Suddenly, Ju Seo-yeon, who was ranked last overall, supported Dokgo Pae's opinion.

Her thinking was simple.

'I need to get the highest score and quickly rise to second place!'

Her only thought was to become Jin Hayeon's junior by reaching second place.

But for some reason. Dokgo Pae furrowed his brow when Ju Seo-yeon took his side.

"Ahem. Call me Team Leader!"

It was purely because of the title.

"Understood, Team Leader! Let's catch the instructor together!"

"Hahaha. A student who speaks my language! Let's get the highest score together."

Watching the two laugh boisterously in agreement, Gwak Sul thought.

‘I wonder if defecting to another team is against the rules?’

Somehow, this test felt doomed as well.