Being Handsome is a Skill!

Bukjin and his group managed to cover the distance of a hundred li in just two hours.

"Everyone, out of the carriage."

Jeong Sam-seok’s voice drifted in from outside. The four students rose from their seats and stepped down. As Bukjin emerged, he felt a crisp, chilly breeze—far clearer than the air in Unmong City—brush against his face.

He turned his gaze toward the horizon, and a vast expanse of green filled his vision. The fields were densely packed with various types of emerald grass and trees. As he looked from the foreground to the distance, the shades of green shifted subtly—deep forest hues in some places, pale lime in others. It looked as though a colossal green carpet had been rolled out across the earth. Where the verdant land met the sky at the horizon, the view was nothing short of breathtaking.

"Now, follow me. We need to register for the selection trials," Jeong Sam-seok said.

As Bukjin began to walk, he glanced back. The carriage they had arrived in was parked outside a manor estate nestled at the foot of a small mountain. To the right of the main gate stood a massive, rugged stone monument.

Four powerfully built warriors stood guard at the entrance. Clad in dark iron armor with solemn expressions, they radiated an intimidating aura that would overwhelm any ordinary person. They appeared to be soldiers dispatched by the military to protect the students and the estate. Even a cursory glance suggested they were no ordinary fighters; they were at least at the Master Rank.

The estate was surrounded by walls built from stacked logs and heavy boulders. The walls stood roughly half a jang high, possessing a formidable presence. It was the kind of rugged, overbearing architecture one only saw in a world where martial civilization had reached such heights.

The four students followed Jeong Sam-seok into the estate. After a brief identity verification and a quick inspection, they were allowed inside. The estate spanned roughly ten thousand pyeong and was laid out in a circular fashion. Despite its size, there were only about ten residential buildings, all constructed from stacked black stone. They were square-shaped and looked more like small fortresses than dormitories. The stone walls appeared incredibly thick and sturdy, as if they wouldn't crumble even under a massive impact. These ten fortresses were distributed evenly throughout the grounds.

In the center of the estate was a small ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plaza. At its heart stood a square stone pillar. All four sides of the pillar glowed with a faint light, reminiscent of the ranking pillars Bukjin had seen back at the 3rd Academy.

Scanning his surroundings, Bukjin gave a simple assessment of the place. Simple and sturdy.

Suddenly...

"Haha! Well, look who it is! If it isn't Teacher Jeong Sam-seok of the 3rd Academy? The representatives of the bottom-ranked school among Unmong City’s six academies have finally arrived!"

A sharp, piercing voice grated against their ears. The speaker was a middle-aged man with a very... unique appearance. There was one specific trait that set him apart from everyone else.

He was incredibly fat.

Usually, people grew vertically. However, Bukjin couldn't help but wonder if this man was a special breed of human who specialized in growing horizontally. The swordsman robes he wore looked large enough to fit all four of the 3rd Academy students inside at once. Yet, his bloated, massive body filled the garment so completely that the fabric looked strained to the breaking point. The sheer volume of flesh made it seem like the robes might burst at any second.

Bukjin had never seen anyone this obese in his life. He figured that if they were back on Earth, a man of this size wouldn't even be able to move under his own weight. But this world had Hyeongi. Thanks to his cultivation, the fat middle-aged man was not only healthy but appeared surprisingly nimble. His stride was light and rhythmic, and he made absolutely no sound as his feet touched the ground.

"I wondered who it was. It’s Teacher Gu Cheon of the 6th Academy. My, it seems you’ve put on even more weight since we last met six months ago," Jeong Sam-seok replied with a mocking smirk.

Bukjin was slightly surprised. It was the first time he had heard Jeong Sam-seok spit such venom at someone. It seemed the relationship between the 3rd and 6th Academies was far from friendly.

Is the competition really this fierce? The trials hadn't even started, yet the teachers were already at each other's throats.

"Hmph! Ridiculous! This old man has already lost half a catty this month alone! Who are you calling fat? If anything, a scrawny, monkey-like frame like yours lacks any sense of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stability. One look at you and I can tell exactly how pathetic the 3rd Academy will be this year!"

The fat man seemed very sensitive about his weight. Jeong Sam-seok let out a loud laugh.

"The 6th Academy is currently ranked 5th out of the six schools. I don't think you're in any position to look down on us. It’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black."

"Hoho, our 6th Academy might only be one step ahead of you, but we’ve produced seven students for the preliminary trials. And you? You only have four! It looks like you’re destined to go home crying again," Gu Cheon countered, pouting his lips.

Jeong Sam-seok snorted. "Numbers mean nothing if they're just a disorganized rabble. I doubt all seven of yours could handle even one of my students!"

"Hahaha! I heard the 3rd Academy produced a so-called 'genius' for this year’s competition! I believe his name was Im Bukjin? You certainly have a thick skin! Do you really not know what kind of 'genius' your academy has put forward? The infamous scoundrel and good-for-nothing of the city is your representative? Hahaha! You might as well be picking through a sewer!"

Gu Cheon laughed even more boisterously than Jeong Sam-seok, his layers of fat wobbling with every chuckle.

In Unmong City, aside from the prestigious National Imperial Junior Academy which sat at the absolute peak, there were six municipal junior academies. Among them, the 3rd Academy had a history more brilliant than any other, but it had long since fallen into decline. It had been stuck in last place for nearly a decade. Because of this, the 6th Academy felt that as long as the 3rd Academy existed, they would never have to worry about being the worst.

Watching the scene unfold, Bukjin was at a loss for words. It was almost comical to see two grown men, who should have known better, engaging in such petty bickering.

"Hmph. We'll see how things turn out."

Jeong Sam-seok realized further arguing was pointless and signaled that he was done talking. He led the four students toward the center of the plaza to report their arrival.

At the center of the plaza, beneath the stone pillar, sat a desk. An elderly man was seated there. It was Yi Cheong-hyeon.

It seemed that Yi Cheong-hyeon, who had visited the 3rd Academy in his capacity as a Special Inspector, was also one of the primary officials in charge of these selection trials.

"3rd Academy? Submit your names, ages, heights, and weights."

Yi Cheong-hyeon spoke in a flat, indifferent tone, acting as if he had no idea who Bukjin was. Jeong Sam-seok handed over the documents for the four students.

"Go get inspected and change your clothes."

Yi Cheong-hyeon waved his hand. A soldier standing by the desk divided the four students into male and female groups and led them into two separate rooms. The inspection was incredibly thorough and strict. The soldiers checked their bodies, the clothes they arrived in, their personal belongings, their hair, and even their shoes. After the inspection, they were instructed to bathe in a hot spring provided within the room.

Once finished, they were given uniform leather outfits provided by the estate. The clothes and items they had brought with them were confiscated for the duration of the trials and placed in storage. They were told their belongings would be returned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠once the selection process was over. Now, they possessed nothing but the uniforms provided and the weapons they had brought themselves.

"They're certainly strict," Bukjin muttered quietly, gripping his Virtue Sword.

As Bukjin stepped out of the room that served as the men's locker room, he instantly became the center of attention for the crowd outside.

"Who is that? He's incredibly handsome!"

"Oh my, which academy is he from? How did I not know such a good-looking guy existed until now?"

"Whoa... he's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wearing the same leather uniform as us, but with that fair skin of his, it looks like a completely different outfit!"

The surrounding students whispered in admiration. Bukjin smirked inwardly.

What does it feel like to be handsome?

Bukjin felt that he was currently the most qualified person in the world to answer that question. His stunning face was his greatest source of pride.

Being handsome is a skill in itself! Hahaha!

Indeed, Bukjin’s appearance in the uniform was striking enough to overwhelm everyone present. Oh So-bang, who followed behind him, was considered one of the better-looking students at the 3rd Academy. But compared to Bukjin, he looked utterly plain—the kind of person you’d pass on the street a thousand times without ever remembering their face.

Meanwhile, gasps of admiration were erupting from another direction. Mok Sim-wol and Ak Hong-hyang had also finished changing and emerged from the women's locker room. Mok Sim-wol was the top beauty of the 3rd Academy and was famous throughout Unmong City for her looks. Since her reputation was far more established than Bukjin’s, many people recognized her immediately.

"It’s Mok Sim-wol from the 3rd Academy!"

"The People's Princess, Mok Sim-wol?"

"Wow! She’s a literal goddess!"

Male students from other academies watched her with sparkling eyes.

"The girl next to her has an incredible aura too, doesn't she?"

"The 3rd Academy’s standards might have dropped, but their eye for female students is still top-tier!"

Many of the boys couldn't hide their smiles as they gazed at the two girls.

At that moment, Jeong Sam-seok stood before the stone pillar, his brow furrowed. He had never imagined that the 3rd Academy would finally garner the attention of other schools solely because of their looks.

"Master," the four students said, lining up in front of him.

"These are the identification tags you will use within this training camp. Do not lose them; keep them on you at all times. From this moment on, these tags are the only things that prove your identity. If you lose them, things will become very difficult for you."

Jeong Sam-seok handed out the four numbered tags to the students.