A Mind Beyond Help
"Still, shouldn't you at least try to..." Jeong Sam-seok’s momentum had noticeably wilted compared to before.
Bukjin replied while stuffing his face with food. "Can't you see I'm trying right now? First, I need to eat well and build up my strength. Only then will I have the energy to go out and seduce—I mean, build a faction. Just wait a moment. Once I'm full, I'll go and wrap that famous first-place student, Im Jin, around my finger. Hehe."
Jeong Sam-seok shouted, looking utterly dumbfounded. "If you actually manage to form an alliance with Im Jin, I'll eat this damn table!"
"Whoa! Master, aren't you underestimating me a bit too much?" Bukjin countered, sounding offended. "Don't forget. I'm a lethal charmer. A man with a devastatingly handsome face. No matter how much of a genius she is, if she's a girl, I can handle her with these hands..."
Before Bukjin could even finish his sentence, a sneering voice drifted over from nearby.
"I have never seen anyone with a skin as thick and a soul as shameless as yours."
Bukjin turned his head to see Oh Sobang and several students from other academies slowly approaching. Oh Sobang spoke with a grim expression. "Im Bukjin, you certainly know how to flap those gums of yours."
Is it that idiot again? Bukjin felt his temper rising. This wasn't the first or second time; he was getting tired of Oh Sobang’s constant provocations. Oh Sobang opened his mouth to say more, but a round-faced boy standing next to him waved a hand, signaling him to back off. It seemed this boy was the leader of Oh Sobang’s group.
After pushing Oh Sobang back, the round-faced boy walked up boldly and scanned Bukjin from head to toe. "Are you Im Bukjin? I'll give you a chance to join our faction. Will you follow me?"
Bukjin felt like he was looking at the alpha of a pack of stray dogs. "And who are you?"
Bukjin felt a sense of deja vu. This arrogant and obnoxious entrance was quite similar to how Oh Sobang had first appeared. He figured that birds of a feather really did flock together.
"My name is Do Manseong," the boy replied calmly.
Huh? Something clicked in Bukjin's mind. That was the name he had seen in second place on the rankings in the center of the plaza. It was the name right below Im Jin, the top student of the National Imperial Junior Academy. Bukjin hadn't expected that Oh Sobang, who usually just chased after girls, would find such a reliable backer so quickly.
Tilting his head in thought, Bukjin spoke up. "Follow you? But I'm on bad terms with that 'Oh' guy standing over there. How about you kick him out first and then come back to me?"
Do Manseong’s eyes flared with a threatening light. "Are you trying to set conditions for me?"
Bukjin wiped his mouth. "You're quick on the uptake."
"Hmph, it's been a long time since anyone dared to set conditions for me." Do Manseong lifted his chin, his voice level. "But you were ranked 12th, weren't you? You have the merit for it. I'll praise your courage. Fine. I'll accept your condition. If you follow me, I'll cast Oh Sobang aside."
"D-Senior Do? No, you can't! I..." Oh Sobang’s face turned pale. Do Manseong simply waved his hand as if telling him to shut up.
"Hahaha!"
At that moment, Bukjin burst into a fit of genuine, delighted laughter, as if he were watching a house burn down from across the river. "Oh, you little mutt, did you see that? How does it feel? Are you angry? It looks like in your master's eyes, you're worth less than a dog. You poor bastard."
Oh Sobang’s face was turning a shade of blue that belonged on a long-dead corpse. Do Manseong spoke again. "Well? Will you follow me now?"
"Nope!" Bukjin said dismissively. "I was just speaking hypothetically. There's no need for you to take me in."
"You..." Do Manseong’s expression turned icy. "Are you playing with me?"
Bukjin stood up, using a handkerchief to wipe the last of the food from his lips. He stood straight, looking Do Manseong directly in the eye. "So what if I am? You're just the number two, aren't you? Is that supposed to be impressive? You're acting all high and mighty in front of me, so why shouldn't I play with you a little?"
"Im Bukjin, you madman! How dare you speak to Senior Do with that attitude?" Oh Sobang rebuked him with an exaggeratedly furious expression. In truth, he was secretly thrilled that Bukjin had landed a verbal blow on Do Manseong, who had just tried to discard him without a second thought.
Bukjin sighed. "Can't we just live like human beings? Why do you insist on living like a dog wagging its tail?"
"You're certainly not ordinary," Do Manseong said, his face twisting into a snarl. "But you'll have to pay the price."
As he spoke, Do Manseong’s finger shot out toward the space between Bukjin's eyebrows. A faint Mystic Light shimmered at the tip of his finger. The air split as his finger extended, creating an invisible vortex. It was clear at a glance that he was executing a high-level Finger Technique.
But Bukjin was already prepared.
Swish!
His longsword cleared its scabbard, thrusting forward with the speed of a lightning bolt. It was a strike of incredible precision.
Do Manseong sneered and curled his finger. The technique he used was extremely sophisticated. He snapped his wrist, curling his finger before flicking it out with immense force.
Clang!
A clear, metallic ring echoed as Do Manseong’s index finger flicked the tip of Bukjin's blade.
Vrrrrm!
The blade of the Virtue Sword vibrated violently from the impact, causing Bukjin's sword form to collapse. A strange tremor traveled down the length of the steel, reaching all the way to Bukjin's wrist. Simultaneously, the collision of Mystic Energy between the two sent a powerful gust of wind howling in all directions.
"You still haven't let go of your sword?" Do Manseong sneered.
Bukjin felt his wrist go numb. The vibration that had traveled down the sword contained a bizarre power. For a split second, he felt as if his wrist was about to snap. However, just as that intense pressure hit his joint, Bukjin's body reacted instinctively.
A solid, heavy force surged from Bukjin's arm, easily dispersing the tremor that had struck his wrist. Bukjin was internally startled. He realized that his Peerless Sword Body cultivation had kicked in on its own.
Just as Bukjin was about to make his next move, a hand landed lightly on his shoulder from behind. A gentle flow of Mystic Energy surged from that hand, traveling down Bukjin's arm to protect him. The one who had stepped in was none other than the 3rd Academy's instructor, Jeong Sam-seok.
"Young man, this is supposed to be a duel between students. Why are you using such a vicious move?" Jeong Sam-seok stared at Do Manseong with cold, sharp eyes. He had realized the moment the Imperial Academy's top-tier genius attacked that there was malice behind the strike.
The technique Do Manseong had used was the 1-star martial art, Heaven-Severing Finger. It was a move designed with the principle of Striking the Ox Across the Mountain. Even though Bukjin had parried it with his sword, the force was meant to pass through the blade and shatter Bukjin's wrist. It was enough power to permanently disable a student's hand. At the very least, it would have ensured Bukjin couldn't hold a sword for the duration of the ten-day selection trial.
To think a boy so young could be so calculating and cruel.
"Haha, Master, what are you talking about? I was merely having a light 'discussion' with student Im Bukjin here," Do Manseong replied, maintaining a polite facade.
"Does a discussion require such a heavy hand?" Jeong Sam-seok asked icily.
Do Manseong gave a thin smile and spoke with barbed words. "I simply struck out as my hand moved. I just didn't expect that the top student of the 3rd Academy wouldn't be able to handle a casual move like that."
Turning his mocking gaze toward Bukjin, Do Manseong continued. "Im Bukjin, I heard you took the top spot at the 3rd Academy this time. Surely you didn't get that rank by hiding behind your teacher's back? Only a baby who hasn't been weaned yet clings to its mother's skirts. Haha! I heard you got a perfect score on the written exam and that your swordsmanship was excellent... but it seems you're not all you're cracked up to be!"
The moment he heard those words, Jeong Sam-seok knew things were about to go south. There was no way the notorious delinquent Im Bukjin, famous for his fiery temper, would stay quiet after hearing that. Panicking, Jeong Sam-seok tried to stop Bukjin before he could fall for the provocation. But then...
"Haha, Do Manseong, are you using your rank to bully others again? You're bringing shame to the face of our National Imperial Junior Academy!"
The voice of another student rang out. Looking toward the source, they saw a tall boy with a clean-cut appearance and slightly curly black hair. He looked like he came from a noble family as he walked over slowly with his own entourage. The boy looked at Oh Sobang with a neutral expression before turning a smiling face toward Do Manseong.
"Junior Do, how many times must I tell you? It's best not to keep such low-class trash by your side. For a famous figure of our Imperial Academy to have such poor taste in people..."
Hearing that, Oh Sobang’s blood boiled. This noble-looking boy had just called him trash. Yet, Oh Sobang didn't dare to get angry or talk back. He had recognized the newcomer as Lee Do, the genius of the National Imperial Junior Academy who held the 3rd place in the overall rankings.
"Lee Do, watch your mouth. I am your senior... Hmph! Are you meddling in my private business again?" Hostility flickered across Do Manseong’s face as he looked at Lee Do.
Lee Do replied calmly, "Private business? From where I'm standing, it looks like you're bullying the weak and ruining our academy's reputation..."
Turning to Bukjin, Lee Do clasped his hands in a formal greeting. "I am Lee Do of the Imperial Academy. I apologize for Do Manseong’s rudeness. I heard that you, Student Im, received a perfect score in every subject of the 3rd Academy's written exam. Truly impressive. I've been wanting to meet you."
Bukjin pulled Jeong Sam-seok behind him, as if telling him not to worry. He sheathed his longsword and stepped forward, speaking with a flat tone.
"You talk even more than this idiot Do Manseong, don't you? I'm not really the type to play humble with others. You're all just thirteen or fourteen-year-old brats, so why are you all acting like arrogant old foxes? Doesn't it get exhausting?"
The faces of the surrounding students were washed with shock. They had all assumed that Bukjin would have been in deep trouble if not for Jeong Sam-seok’s intervention. It was obvious that the good-natured Lee Do had stepped in to give Bukjin a way out of the situation. Yet, Bukjin's attitude was incredibly insolent.
The students all had the same thought: This guy isn't just a little crazy—his head is completely messed up.