I'll Stand With Him Too
"Fine. I'm more than confident."
Bukjin let out a cold sneer. Having just lost the reward money he expected from wiping out the bandits, he desperately needed a vent for his simmering rage. Gwan Bi-do was the same bastard who had hatched that bizarre plot against him during the last competition. Bukjin had been looking for an opportunity to teach him a proper lesson; he hadn't expected the fool to come walking right into his hands.
THUD!
Bukjin launched a kick straight into Gwan Bi-do's chest. With a pathetic shriek, Gwan Bi-do was sent flying nearly ten feet before crashing into the dirt. Bukjin didn't give him a moment to breathe. He blurred across the distance, pounced on top of the fallen student, and began raining down a merciless barrage of fists.
CRACK! THWACK! PUMMEL!
He targeted nothing but the face.
"Acting all high and mighty in front of me, are you?!"
CRACK!
"You dare pick a fight with me?!"
THWACK!
"If you've got the guts, try begging for your life!"
PUMMEL!
"I'll beat you until you're dead!"
CRACK!
"Even the Emperor of the Empire acknowledges that I'm mentally unstable! I could beat you to death right here and no one would bat an eye!"
Bukjin roared as he continued to thrash Gwan Bi-do. The surrounding students watched with terrified expressions. This wasn't a fight between peers; it was a one-sided slaughter. Song Wu was currently pressed flat against the ground, shielding his face with both hands, thanking every god he knew that he had been quick to admit his fault.
A startled Baek Geum-un started to rush forward to stop him, but she froze mid-step. She realized that Bukjin wasn't actually using his full strength. He was intentionally landing dozens of blows to maximize the humiliation. While Gwan Bi-do's face was becoming a bloody mess, his life wasn't in any real danger.
Talk about bad luck! Of all the times to provoke him, he had to do it when Senior Brother Im is in his worst mood!
Ak Hong-hyang stood silently, holding her hat in her hands instead of wearing it. She, too, showed no intention of stopping him. She knew Bukjin was a man who understood boundaries. Moreover, since he had stepped forward specifically for her sake, interfering now would be like spitting in his face.
"T-The teachers are here!" a student suddenly shouted.
The crowd parted instantly, creating a wide path. Ryu Gye-hae, the Grade Dean for the 3rd years, was sprinting toward them, flanked by several other instructors.
"Stop this at once!" one of the teachers bellowed. "Im Bukjin! Do you intend to flout the academy's regulations?!"
The shouting teacher lunged forward, his body flickering with speed as he reached out to grab Bukjin.
BOOM!
However, the moment his hand neared Bukjin's left shoulder, an invisible, intangible force repelled him violently. The teacher stumbled back three steps, struggling to regain his balance.
"You arrogant brat!" the repelled teacher screamed in fury, preparing to strike again.
Just then, Ryu Gye-hae rushed forward and blocked the teacher's path.
"Dean?" The teacher looked confused.
Ryu Gye-hae shook his head, then took a step toward Bukjin.
"Student Im. If there is a problem, it is always better to resolve it through dialogue. If you have conditions you wish to meet, why not stop your hands and state them first?"
Only then did Bukjin release Gwan Bi-do. The boy's face was swollen like a bloated pig's head, and he was emitting a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a strangled scream. He was a mess, but he would live.
"Dean Ryu. I want only one thing."
Bukjin rolled up his sleeves, swept his hair back, and wiped his blood-stained knuckles on his collar.
"Expel Gwan Bi-do and this piece of trash called Song Wu from the 3rd Academy. Then, line up every student who mocked Junior Sister Ak's face today and have them apologize to her properly."
"What?!" the teacher who had tried to grab Bukjin shouted. "Expel Gwan Bi-do and Song Wu? Im Bukjin! Have you lost your mind? Do you think you're the Principal?!"
Bukjin ignored the man entirely, keeping his gaze fixed on Ryu Gye-hae.
"I am nobody. I am just an ordinary student who can no longer stand by and watch these 3rd-year thugs run rampant within this academy. Dean Ryu, the 3rd years are under your jurisdiction, so give me your answer. If the 3rd-year faculty cannot meet my conditions, I will take this to the Principal. And if the Principal disagrees, I will leave the 3rd Academy."
Bukjin spoke calmly, his voice devoid of heat. Just an "ordinary student," Im Bukjin.
"That's..." Ryu Gye-hae's expression shifted.
Though he didn't know the full details of what had happened at Bukhwang Mountain, he knew that the current Bukjin was a completely different person from the boy of the past. After the Academic & Martial Arts Competition and the Sword Trial, Bukjin was being whispered about among the elite as the greatest swordsmanship genius in Unmong City. If such a talent left the 3rd Academy, it would be an irreparable blow. Every other junior academy principal in the city would be throwing a feast in celebration. The Principal of the National Imperial Junior Academy would likely show up at Bukjin's door personally with a full scholarship offer.
"Who do you think you're threatening?!" the first teacher barked. "You'd do well to remember who took you in and who hid you within these walls when the War God's Manor fell! Instead of repaying that grace, you dare threaten the academy?"
Hearing those words, Ryu Gye-hae felt the situation spiraling out of control. Does this fool not know what happened at the Sword Trial?
In truth, if one were to speak of "repaying grace," Bukjin's recent exploits had already more than settled the debt. His spot at the school was earned through his own merit when he won the city-wide competition. Furthermore, by securing a spot in the finals of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, he had brought immense prestige to the school. Bukjin owed the 3rd Academy nothing.
"Silence!" Ryu Gye-hae roared at the teacher. "Step back immediately!"
"B-But..." The teacher looked flustered, but under the weight of the Dean's authority, he had no choice but to retreat.
"Student Im. This is a friction between students, so it should be resolved between students. Gwan Bi-do is one of our academy's gifted talents. Therefore..."
Bukjin cut him off mid-sentence.
The other teachers felt their blood boil. In all their years of teaching, they had never encountered a student as insolent and arrogant as Bukjin.
"If Senior Brother Im leaves this school, I'm leaving too," Baek Geum-un suddenly declared.
"Wherever Senior Brother goes, I follow! With my skills, I'm sure there are plenty of schools in Unmong City that would be dying to have me."
A massive commotion broke out among the students. Ak Hong-hyang adjusted her hat, walked slowly to Bukjin's side, and stood firm.
"I feel the same way."
She was also a student who had advanced to the finals. While her talent might not get her into the National Imperial Junior Academy, any other major institution would welcome her with open arms.
The murmuring crowd fell silent all at once. The atmosphere was shifting into something strange. As the students looked at the three of them, a sense of envy began to take root in their hearts. This was a bond of true friendship—the kind most people struggle to find in a lifetime. To have friends who would stand by you and throw everything away when you were treated unfairly was a priceless treasure.
The teachers, who had been trembling with rage, finally realized that this wasn't as simple as they thought. If Bukjin, Baek Geum-un, and Ak Hong-hyang all quit at once... the 3rd Academy, which had only just begun to reclaim its former glory, would collapse back into obscurity. They finally understood just how much weight these three carried.
Ryu Gye-hae was furious, but he was cornered. If he lost these three today, his career as Grade Dean was over. Just as he was about to speak, another voice joined the fray.
"I'll stand with him too."
No one had noticed when he arrived, but Han Bul-bu, the undisputed top genius of the 3rd year, walked forward slowly. Han Bul-bu was a man of few words, never speaking unless it was absolutely necessary. By choosing to stand next to Bukjin, his stance was unmistakable.
Ryu Gye-hae's eyes widened. "Bul-bu, even you..."
Han Bul-bu was the disciple Ryu Gye-hae had raised with his own hands. The Dean's affection for him was no different than Cho Heun's affection for Bukjin. Han Bul-bu carried all of Ryu Gye-hae's hopes and dreams. The Dean had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that his most cherished pupil would choose to stand against him.
Han Bul-bu bowed respectfully to his teacher.
"Master, you have given me many teachings. You told me that from the moment I gripped a sword, I must harbor chivalry in my heart and point my blade toward what is right. Today, Gwan Bi-do and his lot were the first to abandon righteousness and act with insolence, tormenting my friends. If I do not stand up for them now, I would be betraying everything you taught me."
Ryu Gye-hae was momentarily speechless.
Han Bul-bu continued with earnest conviction. "Gwan Bi-do and his clique have long used their strength to bully the weak within this academy. This is not the first time they have tormented others. I believe that if our 3rd Academy truly wishes to reclaim its former glory, we must boldly cut away such cancerous elements. Only when we refine our school's character and unite our hearts will true glory return."
In truth, Han Bul-bu had wanted to say these words for a very long time. He simply hadn't had the opportunity. Now that it had arrived, he did not hold back. He didn't expect his words to have a massive effect, but Bukjin's actions today had moved him deeply. He felt he had to stand by his side.
"Fine. Very well," Ryu Gye-hae said, his teeth gritted.
"...I will accept your conditions."
The moment the words left his mouth, the faces of Gwan Bi-do and his followers turned ashen.