Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 12: The Beginning of Change (1)
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The memorial service was held.
"Let us commemorate our departed comrades."
The Chief Supervisor of the Divine Martial Academy, White-Clothed Judge Seon In-hyeok, made a rare appearance to deliver the eulogy.
"I, White-Clothed Judge Seon In-hyeok, pay my respects to those who lived righteously. Instructor Eun Hae-wol of Gold Hall, who fought more justly than anyone amid hardships..."
Seon In-hyeok called out the names of the deceased instructors one by one.
"I will now call the names of the instructors who sacrificed themselves this time. First..."
A total of seven sacrifices.
The instructors of Gold Hall and Silver Hall solemnly prayed for the peace of their fallen comrades in the face of their deaths.
Some even vowed revenge.
But overall, the memorial service felt somewhat deflated.
This was because, even though the incident had occurred right in front of Infinite Castle—the front yard of the Murim Alliance—the Alliance had remained silent on any word about the culprit.
Rumors even circulated that they were trying to cover it up.
This outraged the instructors.
"They're going too far."
"Are they treating this lightly because we're mere instructors, not famous figures of the martial world?"
"Why isn't the Murim Alliance taking any follow-up action at all?!"
Their complaints were understandable.
If instructors under the Murim Alliance's Divine Martial Academy had been sacrificed, the Alliance should have been the first to step forward.
Yet despite the rising discontent, the Murim Alliance remained silent.
It was as if they wouldn't even tolerate revenge.
"They're really going too far. It feels like they're treating the instructors who devoted their lives to the Alliance so lightly."
"I agree. I never imagined the Alliance would handle an incident so irresponsibly."
At Yeo Mae-hong and Moyong Seon-ya's words, Chu Un-hwi became convinced his suspicions were correct.
'Double agents, as expected.'
It wasn't that they couldn't reveal the culprit.
'It's that they can't reveal the culprit.'
One of the people lying there might even be the culprit who stabbed a comrade in the back.
Of course they couldn't announce it.
What if someone they thought was a comrade turned out to be a traitor colluding with the enemy?
If that became known, mutual suspicions would arise, potentially causing cracks in the massive organization.
'They must be tearing their hair out over it.'
Well, none of that concerned him.
The memorial service was drawing to a close.
"... heroic spirits who fell upholding the banner of justice. Rest in peace."
With Seon In-hyeok's quiet eulogy at an end, sobs echoed through the hall.
In the midst of a quiet yet swirling undercurrent of grief, the memorial service concluded.
A few days later.
The academy's daily routine slowly resumed.
Suspended classes restarted, and shouts of spirit began to echo once more in the previously deserted training grounds.
On one such day of returning normalcy.
During the morning assembly, which he was attending after a long time, Yeo Mae-hong whispered.
"Instructor Chu. Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"It seems there's going to be a major reorganization at the Divine Martial Academy this time."
A major reorganization?
It sounded exactly like the kind of annoying hassle about to pop up.
"Look over there."
The direction her finger pointed showed the mainstream faction instructors with faces like the world was ending.
"They've been like that ever since hearing about the reorganization. I heard the personnel evaluation system is changing too, so for those who've been coasting along until now, it's pretty despairing news, huh?"
"No way."
Chu Un-hwi trudged along with a face like the apocalypse had arrived.
"Wait a minute. That's not the way."
"My peaceful daily life is shattered..."
"Good grief."
Yeo Mae-hong grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and added,
"Don't worry. This could actually be an opportunity for you, Instructor Chu!"
"Didn't you just say coasting along won't cut it anymore?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
Trudge. Trudge.
As he headed toward the mainstream instructors like a moth to a flame, Yeo Mae-hong grabbed his shoulder.
"Switching to a performance-based system isn't necessarily bad."
"Performance-based?"
"They say from now on, they'll specially promote those who cultivate practical combat talent."
An instructor who's successfully led Bronze Hall's problem children would surely excel.
Yeo Mae-hong added.
"Practical combat talent?"
"In the recent incident, the instructors took damage while protecting students who froze in fear, right? They've realized the need to train students who can be helpful in emergencies."
He roughly understood.
Even Gold Hall students reportedly froze in the sudden real combat, unable to draw their swords.
Forcing instructors to take the blades instead.
'Greenhouse flowers grown in a protected environment, that's all.'
In fact, in the future—or past—the Murim Alliance's younger generation had suffered massive unnecessary losses due to their inexperience.
But separate from his agreement, something still nagged at him.
It was because of what 'Ryul' had said when he visited not long ago.
"My lord."
Dokgo Ryul, the new hope of the righteous factions externally.
In truth, Sima Ryul, the First Seat of the Dark Storm Black Wind Division that even the Demonic Cult recoiled from, said,
"I'm going to bring change to the Divine Martial Academy."
"Change? Why?"
Sima Ryul grinned wickedly.
"If the righteous dogs get stronger, won't there be more ways to make use of them?"
Done for.
The sanctity of the righteous factions was done for.
Sima Ryul added,
"It's not bad for the righteous factions either. No matter how talented the recruits, the current soft training methods limit their growth."
"That's true."
"This time, like when we train successors, we'll turn the human world into hell, give them a push from behind without them knowing..."
He shot him a glare, and Sima Ryul quickly changed his tune.
"Discarding them is too risky, so we'll take a different approach. We need to change the current training methods. The righteous factions' system of judging based on sect or family background over individual potential also needs reform."
He agreed.
'When the real war started, all those flashy novices strutted around and many died pointlessly.'
It wasn't just about lack of combat experience.
He'd had to watch frontline vigilantes die like dogs because those kids fought over command through political maneuvering.
"That's a pretty good idea."
If the righteous factions grew stronger, it would relatively trouble the Heaven-Extinguishing Society too.
"But there are downsides."
"Downsides? What are they?"
"Taking the Murim Alliance Lord's head will become much harder."
Still not giving up?
Fortunately, Sima Ryul seemed to have awakened to a new goal instead of the Alliance Lord's head.
"However. Devouring the righteous factions is trivial compared to finding a principal wife. I have no choice but to yield it with tears."
"No need for tears—just yield it freely."
Good.
That this utterly vile bastard had straightened his priorities.
"So, my lord, hurry and find a principal wife, and sire about thirty little lords."
"You... Am I a stud horse?"
Sima Ryul quickly continued.
"I've persuaded the Chief Supervisor of the Divine Martial Academy, White-Clothed Judge Seon In-hyeok. I've also gotten the support of Flame Light Blade Demon Ma Gil-sang."
"Flame Light Blade Demon, huh."
Red clothes, red hair.
He nodded, picturing the swordsman carrying a red blade.
"Those two are the real powers in the Divine Martial Academy. It might get a bit annoying, though."
"It won't be bad for you either, my lord. Your work in Bronze Hall is nearly done anyway, isn't it?"
"True."
He'd have to confirm during midterms, but he had a rough grasp.
He still hadn't found 'her' traces. Meaning he might need to check Silver Hall soon.
"Well, with your abilities, my lord, you'll rack up merits and promote quickly..."
Sima Ryul's face paled as he looked at the Bronze Hall duty log.
"This won't do. It's done for."
"...Hey."
Not changing that expression?
"You can't do it. It's ruined."
That's not it.
Sima Ryul's eyes spun wildly.
"At this rate, it's over. Wrong. We need to focus solely on special bonus points."
"Is there a way?"
"We make the strategy as we go. How about assigning special missions that grant bonus points from now on?"
"Special missions?"
"Until now, each hall has operated independently, right? Bronze Hall with its own, and so on."
That was true.
Unless it was something major, Bronze Hall students and instructors stayed in Bronze Hall, Silver Hall in Silver Hall—that was the norm.
It was cumbersome, but a time-honored tradition with the advantage of closed operations.
"I've heard upper-hall students bully lower-hall ones a lot. Will they approve it easily?"
Exactly this.
The Divine Martial Academy was fundamentally a martial meritocracy.
The strong looked down on the weak, famous sect disciples scorned the obscure—such things happened constantly.
Even Nangong Yun-ho, from the top-ranked Nangong Family among the Five Great Families, yet called the Ghost of Bronze Hall, had been ostracized.
But Sima Ryul was confident.
"We just need to create a justification. Leave it to me."
The current hope of the righteous factions smiled chillingly.
"I'll train these righteous dogs to be useful enough. You just reap the sweet rewards, my lord."
One stone, two birds.
Or rather, one strike, two kills?
Sima Ryul grinned more wickedly than ever.
The result.
"Indeed, things have been a bit soft until now. For those of the martial world, gaining some experience regardless of skill level would be helpful."
The skilled current hope of the righteous factions—兼 the demonic leader—was excessively competent.
Thorough, passionate, and even righteous enough to earn admiration from Yeo Mae-hong.
"As expected of Great Hero Dokgo Ryul. Already bringing massive change to the righteous martial world—truly impressive."
"Don't you think so too, Instructor Yeo? The real Lone Eye Divine Sword Great Hero is not only cool but capable..."
"Change... It makes my blood boil."
Instructors Jo Hyeon and Yang also buzzed with excitement, heaping on the praise.
Watching the three chatter in感動 and thrill, Chu Un-hwi responded dryly.
"Ah. My. Blood. Is. Boiling."
As someone who knew the true nature of the change, he couldn't agree at all.
'A vicious bastard.'
'Ryul', playing the born hero, had no gaps.
Sometimes in the instructor lounge.
Sometimes on the training grounds.
Even approaching instructors he met on the road, he passionately appealed.
"What the martial world needs for peace is the most painful change!"
"What we must avoid most is comfortable, peaceful change!"
"Everyone, recall the heroic footsteps you dreamed of in your youth!"
With intensely compelling speeches, he won over the instructors one by one.
"For change, I will lead at the forefront."
"If there is responsibility and duty, I will bear it first!"
"If rewards and authority arise, I will share them first!"
Thus, bring change to this academy!
A few days later, no instructor refrained from responding.
On the contrary, they welcomed it.
"Woo-hoo! As expected of Great Hero Dokgo Ryul!"
"I've hoped for someone like you to lead us."
"Well, our daily life has been too monotonous until now."
Even the mainstream faction instructors.
Those whose biggest daily dilemma was what to pair with evening drinks now had a different glint in their eyes.
"Change? Not bad once in a while."
"Thinking about it, I dreamed of being a hero in my youth too."
"That dead passion... Shall we revive it?"
Everyone came to believe the martial world's tomorrow would shine brightly and praised Dokgo Ryul as one.
"The future of the martial world is bleak."
Chu Un-hwi clicked his tongue.