A Great Treasure
The students screamed. While it was impossible to avoid injury during a practical combat exam, Oh Sobang’s methods were far too cruel. The injuries Jeong Go sustained were severe enough that he wouldn't be able to leave his bed for two weeks without immediate treatment.
WINNER: OH SOBANG!
The proctor announced the result. Students from Class 9 rushed to the stage to support the nearly unconscious Jeong Go and carry him away. Standing atop the dueling platform, Oh Sobang scanned the crowd until he found Bukjin. With a provocative sneer, he turned his thumb downward.
"Hey, Im Bukjin! You better struggle your hardest. I’d hate for you to be eliminated before you have the chance to face me!"
Bukjin stood there, his face a mask of indifference. Oh Sobang let out a mocking laugh and descended from the stage. The surrounding students buzzed with excitement at the tension between the two. With that, the first group’s practical exams concluded. Ten students, including Jeong Go, had been eliminated.
The second group followed. Their duels lasted for about an hour. Just like the first group, ten moved on, and ten were sent home. As the practical exams continued, the fifth group finally took the stage, and with them came the student everyone had been waiting for: Mok Simwol.
Known as the "Goddess" of the 3rd Academy, Mok Simwol had already proven her prowess by taking third place in the previous year’s mid-year competition. This year, she had not only excelled in the written exam but had also stunned everyone during the Hyeongi measurement, surpassing the likes of Oh Sobang, Mu Sae, and Sa Sin-rim. The students could feel the overwhelming aura of a true powerhouse radiating from her.
The area around the platform where Mok Simwol stood was instantly packed. Nearly every student in the training grounds turned their eyes toward her. The other nine platforms were practically deserted; no one cared about the other duels happening simultaneously.
The two combatants for Platform 1 revealed themselves. Mok Simwol wore the blue swordsman uniform of the academy. She had clearly tailored it slightly, as the fabric clung elegantly to her graceful figure. Her silhouette was a work of art—curvaceous in all the right places, lean, and athletic. Her dark hair, tied back tightly, swayed in the wind like a masterpiece in motion. She looked, quite literally, like a goddess descended to earth.
In an instant, the gaze of every male student was fixed on her, their eyes glazed as if under a spell. Bing Ryun, in particular—a notorious womanizer—looked half-delirious with infatuation. Unfortunately for him, his defeat at Im Bukjin's hands meant he had failed to fulfill Mok Simwol’s wish. The "Goddess" didn't spare him so much as a glance. Every time he remembered this, his heart felt like it was being ripped apart. Not only had he lost the favor of his goddess, but he had also lost twenty silver coins. However, after the brutal lesson Bukjin had taught him, Bing Ryun no longer had an ounce of courage left to act.
"Begin the duel!" the proctor shouted.
"I look forward to a good match," Mok Simwol said, drawing her sword and falling into a standard basic sword style opening stance. Unlike Oh Sobang’s arrogance, her demeanor was impeccably polite, drawing even more admiration from the crowd.
Her opponent was Jeong Tak, the class president of Class 6.
"I concede!" Jeong Tak shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Being placed in the same group as Senior Mok was the greatest stroke of luck I’ve had all year," he continued. "Just being this close to my goddess is enough for me. I am no match for you, and I refuse to waste a single drop of your Hyeongi. Senior Mok! I pray that you take first place in this competition!"
With a deep, lingering look at Mok Simwol, the genius of Class 6 suppressed his regret and walked off the stage of his own accord. The duel was over before it began. A massive cheer erupted from the spectators. The proctor stood there looking bewildered for a moment before hurriedly announcing the result.
WINNER: MOK SIMWOL! NEXT COMBATANTS, PLEASE PREPARE!
Mok Simwol offered a polite bow. "Thank you, Jeong Tak." She then turned and gracefully stepped off the platform.
Standing in the crowd, Im Bukjin was shocked, though for a very different reason than the other students. He felt a genuine chill of horror at just how insane these "simp" types were. Whether on Earth or in this world, men who chased after women like that were a breed he simply couldn't understand.
The duels continued. Finally, when the ninth group was called, Bukjin’s name echoed through the grounds. His opponent was Naeng Yeop, a genius from Class 1. While their match didn't cause the same frenzy as Mok Simwol’s, it still drew significant attention.
On the platform, Naeng Yeop beamed with joy. "I'm so happy, hahaha! To think my opponent is the same piece of trash who cheated his way through the exams! My luck is incredible today!"
Bukjin stood with his eyes closed, saying nothing.
"Haha! Senior Oh said it himself—anyone who teaches you a proper lesson gets a ten-silver reward. Hahaha! That money is mine!"
Naeng Yeop was Oh Sobang’s loyal dog. Bukjin remained silent, offering no retort. Below the stage, the students began their usual mockery.
"Look at that degenerate! He's so terrified he can't even open his eyes! Hahaha!"
"Too late to be scared now!"
"Does he think beating Bing Ryun makes him some kind of Sword Immortal?"
"I mean, Im Bukjin might be a loser, but isn't he really handsome? If a loser looks like that, I almost want to cheer for him."
There were one or two female students who had been completely smitten by Bukjin’s looks. Dressed in his blue robe, with skin as smooth as jade and a face that could launch a thousand ships, his appearance was more than enough to flutter the hearts of young girls.
"Begin the duel!" the proctor’s voice rang out.
"Hahaha! Im Bukjin, I'm going to break you today!" Naeng Yeop continued his provocations.
Bukjin’s eyes snapped open. A cold, predatory light flickered within them.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Bukjin’s longsword cleaved through the air with a sharp whistle. Before Naeng Yeop could even register what was happening, a cold sensation bloomed in his left shoulder. He looked down, his eyes widening in shock. Bukjin’s sword had already pierced clean through his shoulder.
For a moment, Naeng Yeop just stared blankly, his mind racing. 'Wh-what? What just happened? Why is Im Bukjin’s sword in my shoulder?'
Then, the agony hit him.
"Ugh... AAAAAAGH!" Naeng Yeop screamed in pain.
Squelch!
Bukjin ripped the sword out. Blood sprayed from the puncture wound. With a flick of his wrist, Bukjin brought the blade up to rest against Naeng Yeop’s right cheek. The terrified boy’s screams cut off instantly.
"A defective product like you... you dared to provoke me?"
Bukjin lowered the sword and wiped the blood off on Naeng Yeop’s clothes. Then, with a powerful kick, he sent Naeng Yeop flying off the stage.
Thud!
Naeng Yeop crumpled onto the ground below and immediately lost consciousness. The stunned proctor stood frozen for a moment before looking toward Cho Heun in the spectator stands. Cho Heun gave a small nod.
WINNER: IM BUKJIN!
An uproar broke out among the students. A student from Class 1, his eyes darting around as he thought of a way to retaliate, shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Im Bukjin! You've gone too far! This is just a school exam, yet you ran a sword through Senior Naeng’s shoulder? You're a monster!"
"This isn't a duel! It's assault!"
"To inflict such an injury on a fellow student! You're subhuman!"
"Teachers! Please disqualify Im Bukjin!"
The students worked themselves into a frenzy of protest. Bukjin simply pointed his sword toward the student who had shouted first.
"What? You got a problem? If you can't accept it, why don't you hop up here and settle it with me?"
"I... I..." The student stammered, unable to find his voice. Even though Bukjin’s sword was far away on the stage, the student felt as if the tip of the blade was pressing against his throat. Cold sweat poured down his face, and he fell silent. The other students followed suit. Every time Bukjin pointed his sword toward a group of protesters, it was like pouring ice water on a fire. They instantly shut up.
Clink!
Bukjin sheathed his sword and slowly walked down from the platform. A stray breeze caught his black hair. For a moment, the sunlight hit his face perfectly.
"Kyaaa! He's so cool!" Several female students, overwhelmed by his appearance, covered their faces and squealed.
Watching this from the sidelines, Jeong Sam-seok, the Class 9 teacher, was staring at Bukjin with an intense, burning gaze.
'A genius. A true genius of the sword! Even if someone practiced the Close-body Triple Link from the womb, it would be impossible to reach his level of enlightenment! This boy is a talent that belongs in legends! Hahaha! This is the disciple I’ve been looking for!'Jeong Sam-seok seemed to have made a firm resolution.
Further up in the spectator stands, a smile Cho Heun couldn't hide spread across his face.
"Hahaha! Inspector Lee, what do you think of Im Bukjin’s skill?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon narrowed his eyes. "The opponent was too weak to make a proper judgment."
Cho Heun, his grin widening, replied, "Haha, keep watching. You'll see."
In Cho Heun’s heart, Bukjin had already become a priceless treasure. Although they had announced yesterday that Bukjin’sHyeongi results were void, that was merely a public excuse. The teachers understood the truth of his power perfectly well. Claiming the Mysterious Stone was broken was just a lie they were forced to tell at the demand of Inspector Lee Cheong-hyeon. Once the 6th-grade stone arrived, the truth would be undeniable.
'Hahaha! Finally, a massive treasure has rolled into our 3rd Academy!'Cho Heun couldn't contain his joy, already imagining how he would brag to the other grade deans at the next inter-academy exchange. 'Just wait! Everyone, take a good look at our academy’s treasure!' He felt triumphant just thinking about it.
The practical exams continued. Half an hour later, the first round for all ten groups was complete. Fifty students had been eliminated, and fifty moved on to the next round. Every duel had been conducted under the strict and fair supervision of Cho Heun, Lee Cheong-hyeon, and over ten proctors. To ensure further fairness, the 3rd Academy had the remaining fifty students draw lots to determine their next opponents.
The number Bukjin drew was 47.