Useless at Every Turn

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Bukjin took the identification tag from Jeong Sam-seok and examined it. It was a small, oval-shaped stone plaque that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. His name and a number were engraved on the surface. The number he had been assigned was 12.

Bukjin wasn't sure what the number signified yet. Aside from the text, the plaque was covered in intricate, finely carved Mystic Patterns. The way the lines were etched—so precise and hair-thin—reminded him of the circuit boards he had seen back on Earth.

He knew exactly what this was: a Mystic Array. These patterns had been personally inscribed by a Great Mystic Architect. Looking at the complexity of the design, Bukjin realized the tag’s function wouldn't be as simple as it appeared.

"Alright, let's move," Jeong Sam-seok said, leading the four students toward an empty corner of the square. He began directing them to set up a tent.

A tent?

"Wait, are we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠actually sleeping in a tent tonight?" Bukjin asked, a bad feeling washing over him.

Jeong Sam-seok didn't miss a beat. "Of course. The environment of a training camp is harsh. You shouldn't expect any comfort. By participating in this selection trial, you are agreeing to endure any hardship. We didn't come here to play, so staying in a tent is only natural, isn't it?"

It made sense, technically. But then Bukjin pointed toward another section of the grounds.

"Then why are those guys going into the dormitories?"

Jeong Sam-seok glanced over his shoulder. "Ah, those are the geniuses from the National Imperial Junior Academy. They are the true elites being groomed by the Empire. As the top talents in Unmong City, they've earned the right to stay in the dorms."

"What about them?" Bukjin pointed in a different direction.

Jeong Sam-seok glanced again. "Those are the geniuses from the 1st Academy. They are second-year prodigies rarely seen in our city. They also have the right to stay in the dorms."

"But... what about them?" Bukjin pointed yet again.

This time, Jeong Sam-seok didn't even bother looking. He sounded annoyed. "Why do you have so many questions, you little brat? Do you really need me to spell it out for you? Fine, listen well. Currently, besides our 3rd Academy, the other five City Academies and the Imperial Academy are all here. They all have assigned dormitories. If you want to stay in those buildings, you need the talent to back it up."

Bukjin was taken aback. "Are you saying the status of our 3rd Academy is really that low?"

"Yes," Jeong Sam-seok replied bluntly. "It's exactly that low."

Bukjin fell silent. Jeong Sam-seok added one more stinging remark.

"You clearly don't understand the situation. Out of the six City Academies, we are ranked sixth. Dead last. We haven't produced a single student who passed the selection trials in over ten years. We used to be allowed ten candidates, but now we're down to four! Do you understand the reality now?"

Damn it. I didn't realize we were this pathetic! Bukjin had no idea the 3rd Academy had such a tragic and miserable history.

"So... you're saying the 3rd Academy is the only one pitching tents in the middle of the square?" Bukjin muttered. It was incredibly humiliating.

Hearing the question, Jeong Sam-seok suddenly let out a thin smile. "Ho ho, not quite. Besides us, representatives from a few private institutions and minor sects are also staying in the square. Look over there. They're pitching tents too, aren't they? So don't feel too lonely."

Bukjin could only stare in disbelief. Jeong Sam-seok actually sounded proud that they weren't the only ones living like refugees. If anything, knowing they were lumped in with "minor sects" made the situation feel even more shameful. Bukjin hadn't thought much ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of it when he agreed to come, but he would have preferred a bit more luxury if possible.

While they talked, the tent was nearly finished. The one Jeong Sam-seok had brought was simple but surprisingly large. It was divided into two sections. The inner area was for the two female students, Mok Simwol and Ak Hong-hyang, while the outer area was for Bukjin and Oh Sobang. This tent would be their home for the next ten days of the selection trial.

"Wait, where are you staying, Master?" Bukjin asked. Surely he isn't going to stand guard outside the tent for the sake of his students?

"Ah, I almost forgot. The teachers have their own assigned lodging at the hot spring resort," Jeong Sam-seok said.

A hot spring resort?!

That was some serious special treatment. The students were left speechless.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the sun began to set. All hundred-plus students participating in the trial had completed their check-in. Simultaneously, a list of names appeared on the stone pillar in the center of the square.

Driven by curiosity, Bukjin walked over to the pillar to examine the roster.

"National Imperial Junior Academy: 30 students. 1st Academy: 16 students. 2nd and 4th Academies: 10 each. 5th Academy: 8 students. 6th Academy: 7 students. Private institutions: 10 students. Minor sect representatives: 5 students. And the 3rd Academy with the lowest count... 4 students. Tsk, tsk. Truly the bottom of the barrel."

Bukjin let out a long sigh. He finally understood why the 3rd Academy had been so willing to accept a notorious troublemaker and degenerate like him. As it turned out, the 3rd Academy was basically a collection center for problem children.

On the other side of the stone pillar, another list was posted. This one was a ranking based on the participants' overall academic and martial performance from their respective academies' annual evaluations.

As Bukjin scanned the rankings, he finally understood what the number on his tag meant. On the comprehensive leaderboard, Bukjin was ranked 12th.

"Whoa. Even with a perfect score in the three academic subjects, 7th-grade Mystic Energy, and taking 1st place in the practical duels, I couldn't even break into the top ten? Are the geniuses from the other academies really that monstrous?"

Bukjin felt a slight sting to his pride. He looked up and down the leaderboard.

Bukjin stopped reading there. In his mind, anyone ranked below him was basically a background character, and there was no point in memorizing their names.

Looking at the list, he had to admit the sheer dominance of the National Imperial Junior Academy. Out of the top twelve, eight of them were from that school. After a moment of thought, he decided to look up the rankings of his teammates.

Mok Simwol was 67th. Oh Sobang was 91st. Ak Hong-hyang was 92nd.

Even though the Special Inspector Lee Cheong-hyeon had acknowledged Mok Simwol as a genius, she was only 67th when compared to the entirety of Unmong City. Bukjin had to accept the fact that there was always a bigger fish in the pond.

As Bukjin was studying the rankings, a crowd of students had already gathered around the stone pillar, buzzing with excitement. The blunt, public announcement of the rankings was the perfect way to grab everyone's attention.

"Which one of you is Im Bukjin?" a sharp voice suddenly rang out from somewhere in the crowd.

"Who is Im Bukjin? Step forward!"

In an instant, every student's gaze shifted toward the speaker. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was a boy with a plain build, a long face, and brown hair. His expression was dripping with arrogance, and his eyes were cold and predatory as he scanned the area for Bukjin. His intentions were clearly not friendly.

Bukjin had no intention of stepping forward just because someone called his name. It wasn't that he was afraid; he just felt that complying so easily would hurt his pride. But then...

"That's him," Oh Sobang said, pointing directly at Bukjin.

Damn it. Bukjin glared at Oh Sobang. That bastard is useless at every turn.

Oh Sobang met his gaze with a triumphant sneer. Since he couldn't torment Bukjin with his own hands, he was more than happy to use someone else's.

The long-faced boy pushed through the crowd and stood before Bukjin. His eyes were as sharp as blades. After looking Bukjin up and down, he let out a scoff.

"Hmph! So you're the one with the pretty face taking the spot ahead of me, Ji Musshang? Do you really think someone like you has the right to be ranked higher than me?"

Ji Musshang. He was ranked 13th overall and had been the top student at the 5th Academy's annual evaluation. He had been confident that his skills would land him in the top ten, but he had ended up missing the cut for even the top twelve. He couldn't bring himself to pick a fight with the geniuses from the Imperial Academy or the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Academies, but the 3rd Academy—which was basically a gutter—was a different story.

Moreover, everyone in Unmong City knew that the Im family had been purged by the Empire.

This degenerate isn't the young master of a prestigious noble family anymore. He's just a rat crawling out of the sewer.

Ji Musshang glared at Bukjin, his face twisted in a savage expression.