TL: FoodieMonster007

"T-The Azure Dragon Hero has been defeated!"

The moment Namgung Su snatched Baek Suryong's blue headband, the spectators, who had been watching with bated breath, jumped to their feet in excitement.

"Whew! Who would have thought the Azure Dragon Hero would be defeated?"

"The Lightning Dragon Hero was prepared from the start! He anticipated his opponent's every move..."

"Well, the Blue Team didn't have many strategies to choose from. The difference in their forces was too great from the very beginning. Besides, the Azure Dragon Hero's horse was exhausted just from breaking through the enemy lines."

"At this rate, wouldn't it have been better to just hold a martial arts tournament?"

The intense cavalry battle captivated the spectators, infecting them with the excitement of the Azure Games.

Those who had started watching with a light heart became more and more immersed in the match as time went on. By now, they burst into cheers and sighs each time the cavalry of their favored Blue and White Teams fell.

Most importantly, by the time the Azure Dragon Hero's headband was taken off by the Lightning Dragon Hero, hardly anyone was sitting down anymore.

Announcer Dokgo Jun declared, "The winner of the first Azure Games event, the cavalry battle, is the White Team!"

The riders of both armies, who were still fiercely clashing, all stared at him in unison.

"It's over?"

"Who won?"

"He just said the White Team..."

"So the teachers settled the match between themselves?"

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!

The students and instructors who had put on a magnificent contest were met with a torrent of hot applause and cheers from the crowd.

"The Azure Dragon Hero and the Lightning Dragon Hero! Both were magnificent!"

"It was a spectacular match that will be remembered for a long time!"

"The Azure Dragon Academy students are amazing!"

Finally realizing that the battle was over, the students stopped fighting. The defeated Blue Team students hung their arms down, looking dejected, while the White Team students raised their arms high and cheered.

""WE WONNNN!""

The Five Young Azure Dragons roared the loudest, waving their arms higher than anyone else.

Across from them, Tang Soso ground her teeth in frustration. Mok Hyungwoo collapsed, foaming at the mouth. The other Blue Team riders lay sprawled about like defeated soldiers.

"UOOOOOOH!" Ya Suhyeok let Namgung Su down to the ground, then ran to his seniors, embracing them and sharing the joy together.

Baek Suryong looked at the traitors with a dumbfounded expression. "Are you that happy you beat me? Anyone would think you had avenged your parents' murderer..."

Regardless of whether they couldn't hear him or were pretending not to, the Five Young Azure Dragons didn't even glance in Baek Suryong's direction. They just celebrated amongst themselves.

"These little punks!" Baek Suryong glared at his students, but soon sighed and jumped down from Ak Yeonho's shoulders.

"Hyung-nim..."

"It's alright." Baek Suryong patted the dejected Ak Yeonho on the shoulder. "You did your best. It was my fault we lost, so don't blame yourself. We can make up for it in the next event..."

"That's not it!" Ak Yeonho pointed to his head and shouted. "What am I going to do about this bald spot? Look at this!"

"Huh?"

Perhaps because Baek Suryong had pulled so hard during the cavalry battle, a patch of Ak Yeonho's hair had been pulled out.

Oh shit, I was concentrating too hard on the cavalry battle and wasn't thinking straight.

Baek Suryong stealthily averted his gaze. "...Ahem. Don't worry, you have so much hair, it's not even noticeable."

"I haven't even gotten married yet! What if I go bald? Are you going to take responsibility for me, Hyung-nim?"

"Should I buy you a wig?"

"If you're going to get me a wig, how about we make it by pulling your hair out?"

The two grown men started bickering and trying to pull each other's hair out.

Namgung Su approached them. "Baek Suryong."

"Did you come to gloat?" Baek Suryong spat, glaring at his nemesis.

The corner of Namgung Su's lips rose minutely. It was a subtle movement that most wouldn't have noticed, but to Baek Suryong, that triumphant curl of his lip was crystal clear.

"It might be unfamiliar now, but you'll get used to it," Namgung Su stated smugly.

"...Get used to what?"

"The feeling of defeat."

Ak Yeonho's jaw dropped, and Baek Suryong stared blankly at Namgung Su.

Namgung Su brushed past Baek Suryong. "There are things to be learned through defeat as well," he whispered as he passed by, exercising his rightful privilege as the victor. "Since you don't seem to know, I will take this opportunity to teach you a lesson."

"You..." Baek Suryong's fingertips trembled. All his life (and his previous one), he had been the one teaching others. To him, the words 'I'll teach you a lesson' might as well have been a declaration of war.

"So this is how you want to play, huh?"

Baek Suryong's gaze changed. He had already been serious, but now he decided he would no longer hold back.

sep

As the winner of the first Azure Games contest, Namgung Su was allowed to choose the second event. He put his hand into the box prepared by the Student Council and pulled out a slip of paper.

Dokgo Jun took the paper from him and unfolded it. "The second event is the Five-Person Six-Legged Obstacle Relay!"

Dokgo Jun was ecstatic. Having staked his life on the success of the Azure Dragon Festival, the Student Council had done its best to prepare for the Azure Games. Even so, the entertainment value of the games required some luck.

Fortunately, the Five-Person Six-Legged Obstacle Relay was one of the events they had put their heart and soul into.

Yes! Luck is on my side today!

Dokgo Jun couldn't stop himself from grinning. Although the Obstacle Relay had more variables and was potentially more dangerous than the cavalry battle... its unpredictable outcome would make it that much more entertaining for the audience.

"The rules are simple. Five people will form a group, tie their legs together, and run through an obstacle course with traps. When one group finishes a lap, the next group starts. The team whose final group crosses the finish line first wins."

WHOOSH!

As soon as Dokgo Jun finished speaking, a Student Council member pulled away a large sheet covering a pile of items on the edge of the training ground. All sorts of traps and obstacles were revealed, including poles, barbed wire, nets, ladders, and bizarre contraptions whose purpose was anyone's guess.

"Get a load of these beauties! Every single one of these traps was created by Instructor Jaegal Soyeong! Miss Jaegal, would you like to have a word with everyone?"

Jaegal Soyeong rose from her seat and clasped her hands together shyly. Contrary to her face, however, her excitement was barely contained as she said, "I am truly happy to have an opportunity to exercise my specialty after a long time. I did my best to create these traps, so I hope the students will be careful not to get hurt. Especially since it gets more dangerous towards the end..."

""...Pardon?""

Be careful not to get hurt?

Does that mean we can get hurt if we're not careful?

The students stared at Jaegal Soyeong suspiciously.

"Haha! Relax, folks. There aren't any cowards at the Azure Dragon Academy who are afraid of traps, right?" Dokgo Jun smiled brightly and looked around at the students participating in the Azure Games. "The best physicians are on standby at all times, so fellow students, please do your best without any worries!"

Yes. For the sake of the Azure Dragon Festival's success, a little sacrifice is inevitable.

On the surface, Dokgo Jun appeared to be an ideal orthodox martial artist, with a kind face and gentle demeanor. Beneath this facade, however, he harbored a seething ambition.

The quick-witted students exchanged sickened glances.

"Even the Student Council President has gone crazy..."

"Didn't you know? Dokgo Jun is a fiend who would do anything to satisfy his ambition."

Dokgo Jun sneezed. "You two over there. Did you perhaps say something about me?"

""N-No, President!""

While Dokgo Jun explained the rules, the Student Council members hurriedly moved the traps to the grand training ground under Jaegal Soyeong's guidance.

"Ah, I nearly forgot to mention something! The commanders from each army are not allowed to participate directly in this event!"

Baek Suryong and Namgung Su can't participate?

Everyone was puzzled by the unexpected rule.

"However, the two teachers will play a very important role in the contest. Namely..." Dokgo Jun's voice trailed off playfully.

The spectators' gazes shifted between Baek Suryong and Namgung Su, then back to Dokgo Jun.

"...I'll tell you that later."

""BOOOOOO!""

Although the audience booed Dokgo Jun's nasty prank, they could not leave their seats.

"While the traps are being installed, there will be a performance by the pride of our Azure Dragon Academy, the Martial Dance Club!"

Students wearing colorful martial arts uniforms took the stage, and their performance began in sync with instrumental music.

The audience could not take their eyes off the dancers.

sep

Once the traps were installed, the Blue and White Teams each formed five groups of five.

The first group from each team came out and stood at the starting line. Since the fist and last runners were the most important members of a relay, the fastest and most coordinated athletes were chosen to double as both the first and final teams.

"Who are we?!" Hyonwon Kang shouted.

"The Invincible Five Young Azure Dragons!" Drunk on their victory in the first contest, the boys sang with their arms around each other's shoulders.

Yeo Min alone covered her face with her hands. "This is so embarrassing..."

Nevertheless, the boys, led by Hyonwon Kang, were in high spirits. Having demonstrated their superior skill in the first event, they were confident they would win the second as well.

The five students stood in order from left to right: Wiji Cheon, Yeo Min, Hyonwon Kang, Ya Suhyeok, and Geo Sangwoong.

"On your mark! Get set... GO!"

As soon as Dokgo Jun announced the start of the race, the Five Young Azure Dragons rushed forward at an incredible speed.

WHOOSH!

It was as if there were no ropes tying their legs together. Despite having different stride lengths, they ran as one, perfectly in sync.

"It's the first obstacle!"

A rock of considerable height blocked their path. With five people's legs tied together, even one person breathing incorrectly could cause them all to fall.

However, none of the students were worried.

"One, two, jump!" Hyonwon Kang commanded.

The Five Young Azure Dragons jumped at the same time, easily clearing the first obstacle.

"LET'S GOOOO!"

The subsequent traps were the same. Neither the slippery floor nor the device shooting arrows from both sides nor the barbed wire requiring them to crawl on the ground could stop the Five Young Azure Dragons.

"How are they so fast?!"

"How are we supposed to catch up?"

By the time they reached the halfway point, the Five Young Azure Dragons had gained a considerable lead over the Blue Team, despite the fact that the Blue Team's first group included Tang Soso, Bang Baekhyun, and Mok Hyungwoo.

That couldn't be helped. This was the difference between the Five Young Azure Dragons, who had trained together for a semester, and a hastily formed team.

Meanwhile, Dokgo Jun, Baek Suryong, and Namgung Su stood at the halfway point of the Obstacle Relay.

"You may interfere with the opposing team's students here," Dokgo Jun explained. "However, physical interference is against the rules."

"Then what can we do?"

"You can interfere by giving the students commands."

"Be more specific."

"For example, you can tell them to run backward from here onwards, or to do a hundred laps on the spot before starting..."

"So we can make them do anything?"

Dokgo Jun shook his head. "It must be something that can be done here, so completely impossible commands are not allowed. Using the Airwalking Technique or producing enhanced sword qi, for example, would not be permitted."

This was also a test of the two instructors' creativity.

Who will give a more devilish command to torment the students?

Based on the two instructors' personalities, neither would easily let the enemy pass.

Good. The more provocative their commands, the more exciting these Games will be, and the more successful the Azure Dragon Festival would become!

Dokgo Jun grinned inwardly, feeling proud of himself for thinking of a way to ensure the festival's success without getting his hands dirty.

"Oh, the White Team is already here!"

Baek Suryong had little time to think. The Five Young Azure Dragons were charging toward them like mad dogs foaming at the mouth.

"Ha! Order me to do anything! I'm confident in anything that uses my body!" Hyonwon Kang shouted with a grin when he reached the halfway point. He had clearly heard Dokgo Jun's explanation as he ran.

The other students were just as confident. Whatever Baek Suryong asked of them, they could definitely could do it much better than the Blue Team students behind them.

"A command..." Baek Suryong hesitated.

"Mr. Baek Suryong," Dokgo Jun said anxiously. "If you do not give a command by the time I count to ten, I will let them pass. One, two..."

"Kukuku..." Baek Suryong laughed maniacally. "I didn't want to go this far, but you betrayed me first."

He exploited his students' enemies' weakness mercilessly.

"Solve this problem! The Four Heavenly Kings have a total of 36 dumplings. The sum of the dumplings held by the Cold-Blooded Asura Demon King and the Supreme Demon Spear is equal to the sum of the dumplings held by the Infernal King of Annihilation and the Primeval Witch. Furthermore, the Infernal King of Annihilation has 4 less dumplings than the Supreme Demon Spear. If the Cold-Blooded Asura Demon King has 8 dumplings, how many dumplings does the Primeval Witch have?"

""...Huh?""

The eyes of the Five Young Azure Dragons shook so hard it was as if an earthquake had struck them. Within the span of a few words, Baek Suryong had ripped their overflowing confidence to shreds.

"...Damn these idiots."

Recalling the Five Young Azure Dragons' math grades, Namgung Su had no choice but to close his eyes in resignation.