The Start of Flag Capture
Upon hearing Han Bul-bu's words, Wang Yeo-ui was both shocked and genuinely impressed by the young man. She deeply regretted having to let go of such a talent as Han Bul-bu. She even went so far as to visit the Seventh Prince, who was staying in the city, and persuaded the military to delay Han Bul-bu's enlistment, if only for a short while. She proposed that if they gave her just three years, she would train Han Bul-bu into an even more outstanding talent before sending him to the military.
However, her efforts failed. The reason for the failure was simple.
"The Empire cannot wait three years for him."
The person who spoke these words was not the Seventh Prince. Yet, the position of the one who uttered them far surpassed that of the Seventh Prince. Wang Yeo-ui could say nothing more and had no choice but to return.
Was it not said that ducks are the first to know when spring arrives and the river swells? Those who looked down upon the entire continent from high places grasped the ever-changing international situation at a glance. A storm was slowly brewing over the continent of Dongdojin. Dark clouds from the east pressed down upon the city. The North Sea Empire was already entering a period of storms. Therefore, the Empire's Ministry of Education had also changed its recruitment policy, allowing for accelerated promotions and the recruitment of students with special talents. This was an era where they could no longer afford to wait for young boys to slowly learn, grow, and mature into capable individuals.
A thick cloud of gloom settled in Wang Yeo-ui's heart. Even with the sun high in the sky, she felt a chill run down her spine.
Just then, bright lights emanated from the ten crystal screens installed throughout the harbor.
The officials from the Ministry of Education, who were hosting the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, had erected giant pillars and installed the crystal screens in the harbor overnight. Each of the ten crystal screens displayed the situation of one of the ten battlecruisers carrying the ten teams.
After a brief ceremony, the student representatives who had ranked within the top 10 of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition entered with their respective team members. The leaders of each team drew lots to select their battlecruiser. Once the drawing was complete, the names of each battlecruiser and the five students were announced on the ten crystal screens. Below them, the names of each team were also written. Each team had chosen its own name. This was a tradition of the Flag Capture event.
The citizens gathered at the harbor watched the information displayed on the crystal screens from their respective viewing stands. Soon, a commotion erupted among the crowd.
Jo Pacheon's White Cloud Battle Team is too strong!
All five of his team members were ranked 1st in their respective categories! And Im Yeok is a strong contender who unfortunately didn't make it into the top 10 because he faced Ya Mi-ang!
There's also Dongbang Jeondo! He was the most anticipated talent in the Academic & Martial Arts Competition! He's very strong in actual combat!
Haha, strong in actual combat? That guy got knocked out by Im Bukjin's single strike?
Im Bukjin? He might be strong, but look at his team members! Mi Yeo-yeon is somewhat decent, but the other three are all nobodies from the 3rd Academy!
He must have such a bad reputation that no students wanted to be on his team!
What's Im Bukjin's team name? Huh? Rainbow Gem Battle Team? What kind of bizarre name is that?
If my memory serves me right, Rainbow Gem is definitely the name of the largest jewelry merchant in Pung-eo-haeng-do...
Did that guy get another advertisement deal?!
The temporarily constructed spectator stands could accommodate 15,000 people. A giant crystal screen hung above the stands, and every seat was filled. The admission price for the viewing stands was one nyang, which was almost like opening it for free. Seven out of ten people in Unmong City had gathered here to watch the battles of the passionate young warriors. It was a testament to the immense popularity and excitement of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition. It was truly a festival for everyone to enjoy.
In the Academic & Martial Arts Competition held over the previous few days, many citizens had legally participated in gambling, and the city's military had reaped enormous profits. Many people within Unmong City also made a fortune and became rich. The popularity of the contestants was soaring. Information about each contestant's abilities, skills, strengths, and weaknesses had already been systematically quantified and analyzed by many citizens, much like how people on Earth collect and analyze information about sports stars.
Bukjin's eccentricities were already well-known, so people were somewhat accustomed to his actions by now.
Just then, ten battlecruisers cut through the waves and anchored in the distant sea. The students from the ten teams boarded speedboats heading for their respective battlecruisers. Under the bright sunlight, the ten speedboats began to cut through the blue waves, leaving white spray behind as they headed out to the distant sea. The sea breeze ruffled the students' hair.
Bukjin stood at the bow of the speedboat, feeling extremely pleased. He had previously secured three high-paying advertisement deals, and the advertisements for the Thousand-Mile Merchant Guild and the Beomdaesa Weapon Shop had already been completed. Only the advertisement for the Rainbow Gem Merchant Guild remained.
After returning from training yesterday, Bukjin had Wang Chung contact President Jeong of the Rainbow Gem Merchant Guild. He proposed renegotiating the contract, increasing the original contract fee of 500 nyang of gold fivefold. President Jeong was furious upon hearing this proposal. However, upon learning that his guild's name would be emblazoned on a Taegeum-class battlecruiser, he immediately contacted the general affairs department, retrieved the money, and accepted Bukjin's offer, paying 2,500 nyang of gold. Furthermore, he sent Bukjin luxury goods worth 100 nyang of gold. With so much money earned, Bukjin couldn't help but be in a good mood. He had pleasant dreams all night and woke up with a bright smile in the morning.
The speedboat stopped in front of the Taegeum-class battlecruiser. Bukjin and the others used their movement techniques to step onto the ropes and board the battlecruiser.
"Wow, it's so big!" Baek Geum-un exclaimed, surveying the wide deck.
Bukjin, too, felt his heart tremble as he examined the battlecruiser. The thirty-zhang-long metal warship was visually stunning. It was comparable to the technologically advanced warships he had seen in movies back on Earth. At this moment, Bukjin realized for the first time that this world's military power, based on martial arts and alchemy, had reached an incredible level.
The name 'Rainbow Gem' was written on the tall mast.
Mi Yeo-yeon and Ak Hong-hyang felt an involuntary blush creep up their faces.
'This name is...'
'It's even worse than those strange names mentioned earlier.'
The other students were also embarrassed. But Bukjin's mind was much calmer. He had largely overcome his thalassophobia.
With a solemn face, Bukjin said, "Everyone, I have an important announcement. No matter what happens in today's battle, you must protect me. You absolutely must not let me fall into the sea."
As Bukjin's voice was broadcast through the crystal screens, tens of thousands of spectators burst into laughter.
Is he afraid of the sea?
With such weak morale, what a shame...
The ten Taegeum-class battlecruisers and their crew members appeared simultaneously on the ten crystal screens. Not only was the video transmitted, but also the sound. The statements of the other team leaders were also broadcast, and their words were much more inspiring than Bukjin's frightened remark.
"Our goal is one! Victory!" Jo Pacheon, at the forefront, declared with a spirited voice.
"The one who laughs last will surely be our team, blessed by the gods." Ya Mi-ang said to the four female members of her Divine Grace Battle Team.
"Let's do our best until the very end." Chang San-seol said with a cold, resolute expression. Behind her, a flag emblazoned with 'Flying Snow Battle Team' fluttered on the tall mast.
Gun Mong-ham, who had been gazing at the sea surface, turned his head and said to his team members, "Let's fight to the end and win, placing everyone beneath the feet of our Reigning Over the World Battle Team!"
So So-yeon also stood with her team members, her face filled with fighting spirit. Determination blazed in her eyes. Behind her, a sail with a wolf design and fiery wings was unfurled.
Joo Ga-a's team was named 'Lingyunji', a team name with poetic meaning.
"Lingyunji, let's spread our wings today, tread upon the sea, soar high, and bring defeat to all!"
Wang Hyeong-yeo's team displayed a relatively calmer and more composed atmosphere than the other teams. Her team members were all men, dressed in unified uniforms. Her team name was 'First Academy Battle Team'. All the members were students from the First Academy.
"Let us prove the glory of our First Academy." Their resolve perfectly matched their team name.
Jwa Gu-mu-ssang's team name was 'Peerless Battle Team', derived from his own name. The proud young Jwa Gu-mu-ssang said to his team members, "Let's write a legend of peerless might with our swords and hot blood!"
The last team was So Byeong-gam's. His team consisted of boys who all exuded a somewhat gloomy aura, and upon seeing So Byeong-gam's team name, people almost had their eyeballs roll out.
'Hateful Im Bukjin Battle Team'.
The boys stood with their arms crossed in front of the mast and said, "Let's work together to give Im Bukjin such a painful moment that he won't even recognize his own mother!"
Laughter erupted among the spectators in the harbor.
What's going on?
Since when did So Byeong-gam harbor such resentment towards Im Bukjin?
In the VIP section of the viewing stands, Young Master So, whose facial swelling had not yet fully subsided, sat with his father. Both of them gnashed their teeth and cursed Bukjin.
'My cousin, So Byeong-gam! You must avenge me against Im Bukjin and make him writhe in agony!'
The images of all the teams were displayed on the screens for the people to see. Woooong-! A pulsating sound, like the roar of a giant beast, echoed, and the ten Taegeum-class battlecruisers slowly advanced towards the deep sea. The final event of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, the team battle Flag Capture, had finally begun. Everyone held their breath and watched the screens. They watched, anticipating the birth of the hero who would claim the glory of victory.
On the battlecruiser, the Rainbow Gem Merchant Guild Ship.
Bukjin used his movement technique to climb to the top of the mast. A golden triangular flag was hung there. It was the most important flag, called the Samgakgwangyeomgi (Triangular Flame Flag), which must not be captured. Protecting this small flag was the most crucial mission in this round.
And at the front, back, left, and right of the battlecruiser, four guardian formations were deployed, and within them, metal boxes were fixed to the deck. Inside them were keys. Obtaining a key by opening a metal box would allow them to deactivate the strongest formation protecting the Samgakgwangyeomgi and capture the flag.
Each battlecruiser was piloted by a military expert. The deckhands who had been stationed on the deck all went down to the cabins below to assist with the ship's operation. The military soldiers who entered the cabins were strictly forbidden from coming out during the team battle and could not interfere with the students' combat. The only people allowed to remain on the deck were the judges dispatched by the Ministry of Education. All future battles would take place on the deck.