Chapter 97
Chapter 97
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Ghost Go King (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Having finished lighting the new fire signaling the start of the Spring Dormitory Tournament, Chancellor Kyung Hye-sa-tae stepped down from the podium and took a seat among the dignitaries.
Then, from among the many faculty members, a man with a somewhat familiar face stepped forward, cleared his throat, and took the podium.
"I am Im Tae-ok, in charge of conducting this year's pre-tournament events for the Spring Dormitory Tournament. Before we begin, I offer my thanks to the distinguished guests in attendance and my encouragement to the cadets who have honed their bodies and minds."
It was none other than Im Tae-ok.
I wasn't the only one who found his face familiar; a message came from my master at my waist.
- What position did that middle-aged geezer hold again? Dean of Admissions? Enrollment? Something like that, right? He shows up pretty often!
'From winter to early spring, he's the Dean of Admissions, and from late spring to autumn, he's the Administrative Director. He shows his face at pretty much every major and minor event at the academy.'
So of course we see him often.
- I see. I thought even among the professors, there was something like a graduate student position or whatever.
While I was exchanging thoughts with my master like that...
Im Tae-ok continued speaking.
"As the chancellor mentioned, the Spring Tournament is a festival where the freshmen of each dorm take center stage in various matches. Thus, they may be a bit clumsy, or the young hotheads' tempers might flare. This old man asks the spectators to offer generous encouragement. And to the freshmen involved, I remind you once more: avoid excessive rivalry."
With the customary warnings concluded...
"Next on the program: Freshman Representative and Top Student Eon Yong-un, step forward."
Im Tae-ok called for me—or rather, the academy's Top Freshman.
Since it was a rehearsed procedure, there was nothing difficult about it.
I rose crisply and stood before the flagpole beside the podium.
There were three poles at the flag station. Two already bore flags embroidered in bold, dragon-like script: one for Jeongmu (Righteous Martial) and one for the Justice Alliance.
'The center one is the Righteous Martial Academy flag, and the Justice Alliance flag beside it symbolizes the gathering of the orthodox martial world.'
Anyway.
With those two flags fluttering, one pole stood empty. Im Tae-ok spoke to hang the remaining flag there.
"Now, we commence the relinquishment and raising of the championship flag!"
The championship flag.
Against a background harmonizing the four colors and symbols of the four great dorms, the characters for "Champion" were embroidered, adorned with gold thread.
This flag truly symbolized dominating the other three dorms.
By regulation, it changed hands once at the Spring Tournament, once at the Autumn Tournament, and once at the year-end ceremony.
"The Yunmae Hall Student Council President, bring forth the championship flag and relinquish it to the freshman representative!"
But Yunmae Hall had claimed overall victory for two straight years, sweeping the spring, autumn, and year-end events last year.
As their president shouldered the flag and strode toward the pole...
They began stomping their feet, as if declaring themselves the true masters of the Righteous Martial Academy.
"Yunmae!"
"Yunmae!!"
Borne on those cheers, Yunmae Hall's Student Council President Ho Yeon-chan arrived at the pole with utter confidence, shaking it as if I weren't even there.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—whoosh—
After grandly waving it side to side...
He smirked smugly and slowly lowered the flag toward me.
"Hold onto it for a bit."
"Sometimes 'a bit' turns into forever."
"What?"
I almost said he wouldn't get it back.
But there was no need to voice it.
'No need to say it. He'll find out soon enough.'
I mirrored the smile Ho Yeon-chan had worn and hung the relinquished championship flag on the pole.
'It was yours until I moved it,'
but when it's lowered again, the owner will have changed.
As the returned championship flag began fluttering on the pole, the remaining proceedings unfolded smoothly.
They weren't anything grand.
Representatives selected for the four events of the dorm tournament stepped forward.
They stood behind placards noting their events and pledged fair competition.
Then Im Tae-ok explained the scoring to the athletes.
"The dorm tournament has traditionally featured five events: Composition, Go, Ball Striking, Martial Arts, and Conduct. The highest points come from Conduct, evaluating each dorm's overall order, cheering, and unity. It will be decided by judges' votes, with points from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 10..."
The freshmen listened intently with perked ears.
But the local commoners attending as spectators, treating it like a picnic, chatted about something else.
"I heard the betting boards are right in front of each venue this time."
"Yeah, I heard that too. So, where you betting? On Orchid Hall instead of Yunmae again?"
That something else was the official betting run by the academy for revenue.
"Probably. Honestly, it's about time they won."
"That 'it's their turn' nonsense again."
"And Yunmae's odds are too low. A real man goes for the big score, not like you lesser men betting on Yunmae."
"Even Orchid Hall bettors hitting the jackpot? Lesser man?! This is ridiculous. Don't you need guts like Verdant Hall for that?"
"Verdant? Why bring them up?! That's not guts; it's throwing money away! Even their own don't bet on them!"
"But they look way better than last year, right? Orderly, enthusiastic—could pass as promising juniors anywhere. Oh, and I hear this year's Top Freshman is from Verdant Hall too?!"
Some criticized betting on freshman matches.
But in an era without much entertainment, it provided culture to locals and funneled hefty fees into the academy's development fund, so it continued steadily.
Anyway.
While Im Tae-ok did his thing and spectators chattered...
The opening ceremony for the Righteous Martial Academy's Spring Dormitory Tournament concluded.
[Go]
Verdant Hall Eon Yong-un vs. Orchid Hall Sima Rang
Yunguk Hall Jegal Seolji vs. Yunmae Hall Baek Ga-gyeol
As the bracket for the first event, Go, went up, the official betting boards under academy oversight kicked off in earnest.
"Go starts first! That's baduk, right?!"
"Sima Rang—the one the higher-ups in the Justice Alliance called to play? Hmm. But Eon Yong-un's the Top Freshman too? Good at Go?"
"No contest! Heard he's a notorious playboy from northern Hebei! Might know some martial arts, but hopeless at this stuff! So, on Sima Rang! Betting on Sima Rang!"
"You, who scolded me for Orchid Hall?! I'm on Sima Rang too!"
That was when.
Just as Sima Rang's odds plummeted...
A female cadet in light blue uniform dashed up, dumped silver from her pouch with a grin.
"All in."
"On Orchid's Sima Rang?"
"No. Young Master Eon—no, Verdant's Eon Yong-un!"
Go is the game of baduk.
Truth be told, I didn't know how to play.
'No time to learn.'
Learning even how to hold a stone was recent.
'Hey! Don't hold it like that. Why thumb and index?'
'Against the rules, Dang Ok-gi?'
'...Huh? Not against rules, I think?'
'Then no problem?'
'No style! And I keep losing to that hold; it pisses me off!'
'Sheesh. You'd be fine if you won.'
'Argh!'
'Fine. How then?'
'Like this: pinch with index and middle, then fan the hand out.'
Snap.
But former Yong-un must not have been great either.
In the preliminary for this tournament, he faced this Sima Rang guy.
"We met before. Remember?"
"Sorry, no memory."
"Ha. Pretending to forget an embarrassing loss? Around age seven, at your great-grandfather Shanxi Golden Peng's birthday. We sat like this and played."
"Did we?"
"Yeah. I spotted you eight points and you still lost."
Makes sense; if former Yong-un had the brains for Go, he wouldn't have squandered the family legacy.
Conversely, my opponent Sima Rang was known among upperclassmen as a Go expert, proud of it.
'In the original, he reached the finals.'
Only to lose bitterly to Jegal Seolji.
As I thought that, Sima Rang sneered and continued.
"Heard you got some martial arts fortune after, but getting kicked out? Doubt your Go improved. How about it? Publicly apologize for besmirching Orchid Hall, and I'll spot you nine."
"No need."
"Pfft. Pride? Verdant Go reps often demanded spots, historically. Not an insult—just fact. Don't nitpick like last time."
But it was worth a shot.
I had my master.
- Chatty bastard. Never seen a big-mouth Go whiz!
'Why get worked up? He's judging my old skills, not yours.'
- You're heir to the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect! Who does he think he is?! Even that Divine Strategist Jegal Mok lost to me at Go!
I got it.
Even in the future, trash-talking someone's game was fightin' words.
Anyway, my master wasn't boasting; he truly had elite Go skills.
'Not just my ignorance speaking.'
Objectively.
When debating Verdant's Go rep...
He insisted I go, even sword-in-hand, boasting as Divine Strategist-beater. Verified via Dang Ok-gi and Yin Ha-ryeon, known players.
Trusting him, I devised the plan.
"Quit fake concern. Want public apology? Put something up."
"Ha. Even no spot, and you want stakes?"
"Tsk."
"...? That tsk?"
"Confirming every time? Slow brain for a Sima. Secretly Three Demon Rang?"
"You little... Ha. Provoking me?"
"Four Demon? I'll decide: your whole fortune and forehead."
Crunch.
"Forehead?"
"...Tsk. Even forehead's too much. Total One Demon Rang? Bet a forehead flick. That hard?"
"...Fine. But I'll kick your ass. When you bow before Orchid Hall! I said I'd spot you— no whining later?!"
"Don't whine when my flick turns you into Brainless Demon."
Thus, our match began.
Snap.
- Start like that. You, under the star point bottom-right.
Suddenly...
I recalled Dang Ok-gi raging at my thumb-index hold.
So, I briefly reverted to it, undoing our practice.
Snap.
Sima Rang's face twisted in mockery.
Like, can't even hold stones, yet betting?
Dang Ok-gi had smirked the same at first.
'Though his was less punchable.'
How long into the game?
- Extend there horizontally.
Snap.
Snap.
- Attach right away.
Snap.
At some point...
Sima Rang's hand froze.
Then my master's cackle echoed.
- Heh heh heh! Pitiful!
Sima Rang had no reversal path.
Master's ko sealed my win.
Of course, Go ends at resignation or finish.
Denying defeat, Sima Rang trembled, unable to place, deep in thought.
"......!"
"Where'd the Go player go?"
I shifted my thumb from index to middle for the stone...
Brought it to my lips and blew.
"Hoo. Hoo."