Which One is the Real One?
"Who do you think is going to win?" one of the teammates on the Tonghan Im Bukjin asked.
That single question sparked a heated debate between the members of Bukjin's team and So Byeong-gam's team. A moment later, the eight students from both sides were leaning against the deck railing, watching the battle between Bukjin and So Byeong-gam from about ten feet away.
"Nice hit!"
"More! Hit him harder!"
"Senior Bukjin! Why are you so weak? Did you skip breakfast?!"
"So Byeong-gam! Put your back into it! Use every bit of strength you got from your mother's milk!"
The eight students were now thoroughly enjoying themselves, cheering and shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Wait, milk?"
Hearing the word 'milk' suddenly made Baek Geum-un hungry. Like the wealthy young lady she was, she pulled out a spatial artifact and began summoning a massive hoard of snacks.
"Here, I've got sunflower seeds and even some liquor. Nothing beats snacks while watching a fight! Oh, look, there's beef jerky too."
Back at the harbor, the citizens watching the battle between the two teams from the spectator stands all wore dazed expressions.
What is wrong with these kids?
Both of those leaders are completely out of their minds!
The two captains are beating the living daylights out of each other, while their teammates are acting like they're at a class reunion, drinking and tearing into meat while they watch...
Im Gun-hyeon burst into laughter. Beside him, the heads of various departments in Unmong City were also struggling to suppress their chuckles.
Strange occurrences happened every year during the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, but this year was proving to be particularly eccentric. Both Bukjin and So Byeong-gam were rare oddballs, the likes of which were seldom seen. And now, two such individuals had appeared in the same year.
While it was already well-known that Bukjin's physical body was terrifyingly strong, So Byeong-gam had never shown much of a presence until now. His sudden display of overwhelming physical power was leaving the audience in shock.
The representatives from the prestigious academies seemed to have developed a certain level of immunity to the constant stream of surprises. They had traveled through many other cities before arriving at Unmong City to recruit talented students, and they had discovered many geniuses along the way. However, this was the first time they had been kept on the edge of their seats, unable to keep up with the rapidly shifting situation.
Earlier, Wang Chung-yeo alone had been enough to blow their minds. But now, it seemed So Byeong-gam was a student of equal caliber.
Since when did Unmong City become such a treasure trove of talent?
The frequency of these geniuses appearing is way too high!
Inside a hidden observation room, a cold, emotionless voice spoke once more.
On the deck of the Ryuchae Jewelry Merchant Ship, the battle raged on. Both Bukjin and So Byeong-gam were burning with fighting spirit.
"You son of a dog! You've been hiding your skills this whole time!"
The more Bukjin fought So Byeong-gam, the more surprised he became. He had thought the boy was just a big, sturdy fellow, but his strength was beyond excessive. Even compared to Wang Chung-yeo after she used her secret technique, So Byeong-gam's raw power was a level higher.
"Your hidden strength is no joke either, Brother! You're the first person I haven't been able to beat to death!" So Byeong-gam gritted out through clenched teeth.
Bukjin continued to throw punches as he interrogated him. "If you're this good, why didn't you show it sooner? Why wait until the final team battle to unleash it? You acted like a total weakling when you were lifting that cauldron earlier!"
So Byeong-gam barely managed to block Bukjin's fist before replying. "Brother, you might make way more money than me through your advertisements, but you can't beat me when it comes to making a grand entrance. If I stay quiet until the very end and then reveal my true power when no one expects it, won't the impact be much more dramatic? What I was aiming for was the shock of the ultimate plot twist!"
This crazy bastard!
Bukjin was genuinely impressed by So Byeong-gam's logic. He really is a lunatic! If I hadn't kept a few cards up my sleeve, I would have been completely fooled by him today!
"Which academy are you from?" Bukjin asked.
"The 2nd Academy. Why do you ask, Brother?" So Byeong-gam replied, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"You creepy bastard! From now on, don't even think about going home after classes are over! I'm going to stand at your school gates every single day and wait for you!"
This wasn't just an empty threat born of anger. Bukjin was seriously planning to block the school gates and give So Byeong-gam a proper 'lesson.' Currently, Bukjin was frustrated that he hadn't found a cultivation method to follow up the Peerless Sword Body. If he had, facing So Byeong-gam's monstrous strength would have been an incredible help to his physical training. He might have even been able to raise the grade of his Sword Bone by another level.
Bukjin made up his mind: after this battle, he would find the next stage of the Peerless Sword Body and then use So Byeong-gam as his personal training dummy. If the two of them clashed and fought like this every day, Bukjin's Black Iron Sword Bone might eventually evolve into Silver, Gold, or even Platinum.
The ranks probably go in that order after Black Iron, right? Wait... why am I being so passionate about fighting when I usually prefer to slack off?
POW! BAM! THUD! CRACK!
Their fists continued to collide for nearly fifteen minutes. So Byeong-gam was finally starting to reach his limit.
"Your bones are way too hard, Brother!" So Byeong-gam felt heat radiating from his entire body; his blood was churning, and his muscles were screaming in pain.
Bukjin laughed loudly. "Hahaha! Do you want to train your body like mine? Do you want a Sword Bone at my level? Then call me 'Big Brother' and serve me! If you do, I'll teach you!"
A moment later, So Byeong-gam was panting heavily, his eyes bloodshot like a bull in a ring. "Brother... how about we take a short break?"
Bukjin shook his head as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Little brother, is your stamina really that pathetic?"
As he spoke, Bukjin activated a recovery function on himself. Instantly, his fatigued body returned to its peak condition. His blood boiled with renewed vigor, and all his physical capabilities were restored to their maximum. Seeing Bukjin completely refreshed, So Byeong-gam's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Brother... isn't that cheating?" So Byeong-gam seemed to have sensed a strange energy.
Bukjin laughed even harder. "This is what we call 'talent'!"
BAM! POW! THUD!
The two resumed their fierce exchange. So Byeong-gam was drenched in sweat, gasping for air, until he finally waved his hands frantically.
"I-I can't do it! Haa... I can't take another punch. Brother, I give up! I lose!"
"Little brother, hold on a bit longer. A man should never say he 'can't' so easily." Bukjin threw another punch.
The exhausted So Byeong-gam was struck squarely, leaving dark bruises over both his eyes. Bukjin didn't stop there; he kept his fists moving, raining blows down on So Byeong-gam's entire body.
THWACK! PUNCH! SLAP!
It had been a long time since Bukjin had found a sturdy opponent to pummel, and he seemed to be having the time of his life. So Byeong-gam screamed and tried to dodge, but it was too late. His nose was already starting to swell and turn purple.
"Hahaha! How's that?! Do you finally realize who you're dealing with?" Bukjin asked, sitting astride the fallen So Byeong-gam while continuing to jab at him.
So Byeong-gam looked like he was on the verge of tears as he pleaded. "Brother, the rumors were true—you really are mentally ill! Didn't I just say it?! I lost! I lost! Can't you stop hitting me?! I'm going to die at this rate! Think of how sad my mother would be!"
Wait, did he say he lost?
Bukjin felt a bit awkward, realizing he had gotten carried away in the excitement of the moment. To resolve the awkwardness, he gave So Byeong-gam a few more knocks on the head.
"You only admitted defeat with your mouth, not with your heart. Are you truly moved by my greatness?"
So Byeong-gam actually started crying now. This lunatic! How can a human being say that? He beats a man half to death and then asks if I'm 'moved'?!
"I'm moved! I'm deeply moved! I acknowledge you! Brother!" So Byeong-gam shouted at the top of his lungs.
Only then did Bukjin stand up and release him. "Then hurry up and bring me the flag."
"No need for that. we already grabbed them," Baek Geum-un's voice rang out.
In her small hands, she held over a dozen flags. She spoke with a triumphant tone. "Haha! We didn't know which one was real, so we just took them all! The real one has to be in here somewhere!"
Looking at the mountain of flags in Baek Geum-un's hands, Bukjin's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. "Why are there so many?!"
"He said he made all of these himself, stitch by stitch! Isn't his needlework impressive?" Baek Geum-un added.
So Byeong-gam covered his face with his hands as he stood up. "It's because of my family situation. My father passed away suddenly, so my mother and I had to return to Unmong City and rely on our relatives. But being dependents, we weren't treated well. My mother and I were always struggling just to get a meal. Since I was at an age where I was growing fast, I had a huge appetite... eventually, I had to rely on various odd jobs and my handiwork to survive..."
As So Byeong-gam's words were broadcast through the crystal screens to the spectator stands, a dark cloud settled over the face of So Un-ryong, the head of the So family.
"Ahem!"
The elderly Great Elder of the So family sitting in front of him also looked extremely displeased.
"Father, I will make sure to investigate this matter thoroughly," So Un-ryong quickly whispered to the Great Elder.
Back on the warship, Bukjin stared at the countless flags.
"So, which one is the real one?"
So Byeong-gam rushed forward and picked out the genuine flag from the pile, handing it over to Bukjin. The audience watched the scene in disbelief.
Good grief!
The fakes and the real one look exactly the same! How could anyone tell them apart?
Bukjin turned to Ak Hong-hyang. "Junior Ak, how did you manage to distinguish the fake from the real one earlier?"
Ak Hong-hyang's lips twitched as she fought back a smile. "I didn't. It was just that they handed the flag over so politely with both hands, and the other teammates looked like they were struggling not to laugh... so I just took a gamble and bluffed."
A look of pure shock washed over So Byeong-gam's face.
Of course... there isn't a single normal person on Im Bukjin's team! It was my own teammates' fault for not keeping their poker faces! If I'd known this would happen, I never should have taken their money to let them join my team!