Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 111
>Chapter Title: Match Made in Heaven (6)
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“Then, you give it a try and ambush us!”
“Pardon?”
Regardless of Gwak Sul’s dazed expression in response to Dokgo Pae and Mak Ho-yeol’s strong-arming.
The two were already poised as if ready to be ambushed, swinging their sword and saber through the empty air.
“…….”
Gwak Sul stared at them with a look of utter bewilderment for a moment before letting out a faint sigh and activating his stealth technique.
Thanks to the lessons from Instructor Eun-ryeo over the past four months, he could at least mask his presence decently enough.
It wasn’t long before Gwak Sul, having concealed his aura and hidden himself.
Dokgo Pae, who had been endlessly absorbed in practicing the Dokgo Sword Style, lowered his greatsword to his side and scowled as he shouted.
“When are you gonna do it?!”
But Dokgo Pae couldn’t finish his sentence.
The moment he opened his mouth, Gwak Sul thrust his spear in a surprise attack.
“Huh!?”
Startled, Dokgo Pae cut off mid-word and twisted his body in a hurry, narrowly dodging the spear.
“You! You’re really sneaky!”
“Uhahaha! Brother Dokgo, you’ve brought yourself a fine partner!”
Dokgo Pae, who had evaded the ambush, and Mak Ho-yeol, who had been watching from the side, bellowed what might have been praise or an insult.
“Haap!”
Dokgo Pae’s counterattack began after dodging the first ambush, and Gwak Sul collapsed without lasting even ten exchanges.
“Ugh…….”
“Junior Gwak, your head seems sharp enough, but you’re too frail.”
Pity flickered across the rugged faces of the two burly men as they looked down at Gwak Sul sprawled on the ground.
Gwak Sul was talented enough to enter the Demonic Path Academy, far from frail by any normal measure.
But purely in terms of martial prowess, he was no match for Mak Ho-yeol and Dokgo Pae, who were top of their cohorts.
“It looks like we should help him with exams when it comes to brains, but first, we need to bulk up Junior Gwak’s body. Brother.”
“I was thinking the same. Brother Dokgo.”
Having suddenly reached an accord, Dokgo Pae and Mak Ho-yeol helped the sprawled Gwak Sul to his feet.
“You’re still too weak! Try swinging while carrying this leather bag!”
“Build some muscle first. Without strength, you can’t even channel your inner energy properly!”
And just like that, they started drilling Gwak Sul relentlessly.
* * *
A few days later.
Baek Cheon and Mak Ho-yeol’s cohort, who had stayed at the Demonic Path Academy for over a month, departed for their next practical training.
But even after they left.
“Harder!! Faster!!”
For some reason, Dokgo Pae was still drilling Gwak Sul hard.
“Ohohohoho!”
And for some reason, Bang Mi-hwa was still lost in her acting trance.
Also, the clearing that Il-mok used to frequent now had only Il-mok and four female students left.
And for some reason, since that day, Il-mok had been experiencing an unusual number of spine-chilling moments while dozing off.
‘What’s going on? Is it because there are fewer men and not enough yang energy?’
Il-mok made a sheepish face as the thought crossed his mind.
‘I’ve become a proper person of this era. Since when did I start believing in yin-yang and the five elements?’
But in a world where qi, inner energy, martial arts, formations, and sorcery all existed for real, denying yin-yang and the five elements would be ridiculous.
Il-mok, lost in such idle thoughts, closed his eyes again to catch some sleep.
And shivered.
Tormented by a nightmare of being chased by Chu Il-hwan.
Then a few more days passed, and the fifth exam arrived.
This time, like the first two, it was a team-based exam, and Gwak Sul and Dokgo Pae were grouped together.
“You promised to follow my instructions exactly, Team Leader Dokgo.”
Was it because of the torment from Mak Ho-yeol and Dokgo Pae?
A venomous glint, absent before, now lurked in Gwak Sul’s eyes as he spoke.
But Dokgo Pae laughed heartily, as if he liked the look.
“Uhahaha! That fire in your eyes, Junior Gwak. I even asked Instructor Chu Il-hwan to pair us together this time!”
As Dokgo Pae said, he had indeed requested Chu Il-hwan to put him and Gwak Sul in the same team.
And Chu Il-hwan had gladly obliged to curb Dokgo Pae’s reckless tendencies.
Recalling that, Dokgo Pae said with eager anticipation on his face.
“Then tell me! How should we go after Young Master Il-mok?”
At Dokgo Pae’s question, Seong Hwan from Gap Class and Yeo Gwan-do from Eul Class, who were also in their group, let out deep sighs.
They were thinking from the start that targeting that youngest young master meant the exam was doomed.
But surprisingly, it was Gwak Sul who blocked the recklessness.
“We’re scheduled to face Junior Il-mok’s team last. Survival comes first, doesn’t it?”
“But…….”
Before Dokgo Pae could respond, Gwak Sul cut him off.
“Didn’t you say it yourself, Team Leader Dokgo? That you wanted to learn to use your head to become as strong as Junior Il-mok. So you have to follow my orders. If you don’t, you’ll chase Junior Il-mok your whole life.”
“!!!”
At those near-insulting words, Seong Hwan and Yeo Gwan-do nearby stared at Gwak Sul with faces full of shock and worry.
Worried he’d get beaten by Dokgo Pae.
Indeed, Dokgo Pae’s face flushed red, his body trembling as if he’d draw his sword any second.
Yet somehow, Gwak Sul remained calmly composed before the terrifying sight.
‘Yeah. Go ahead and hit me. Better to get it over with now and be done.’
That was Gwak Sul’s inner thought.
Rather than endure the past few days’ torment forever, he’d rather take a beating once and end it.
But his expectations shattered.
Dokgo Pae, whose face had turned beet red with anger, suddenly burst into hearty laughter as if struck by a new idea.
“Uhahaha! Junior Gwak, you’ve finally become a real man! Of course!! A real man stakes his life when voicing his opinion!”
Dokgo Pae laughed heartily, but Seong Hwan and Yeo Gwan-do, who had overheard, wore strangely twisted expressions.
‘…He’d have to stake his life to stop him.’
‘…He was ready to kill.’
Ready to kill just for trying to stop him from fighting the youngest young master. They were convinced he was utterly mad.
Meanwhile, Gwak Sul sighed bitterly.
‘Just hit me and be done with it.’
His face now coldly impassive, he issued orders in a flat tone.
“Staying in one spot too long risks exposing our position, so let’s move.”
“Where to?”
At Dokgo Pae’s question, Gwak Sul, as if he’d planned it from the start, quickly continued with instructions.
“From what I saw before we scattered, Junior Il-mok’s team headed east. To avoid them first…….”
Gwak Sul thought to himself. This exam was basically won by the team that faced Junior Il-mok’s group last.
The previous exam had already proven it. The youngest young master was on a whole different level from the other students.
Even though Junior Il-mok was grouped only with Eul Class students this time, Gwak Sul saw it as meaningless.
Junior Il-mok could handle four opponents alone.
Perhaps because the stubborn, headstrong Dokgo Pae was following Gwak Sul’s orders to the letter.
Naturally, the other two teammates also began awaiting and following Gwak Sul’s instructions.
After wandering the exam grounds while hiding their tracks for a while.
“I’ve found traces.”
Gwak Sul, spotting a team without the youngest young master, issued detailed combat orders.
“Attack!”
“Uhahahaha!! Hand over your tally stick right now!”
As soon as Gwak Sul’s order dropped, Dokgo Pae charged ahead with a bellow.
Seong Hwan and Yeo Gwan-do, who had split left and right for the ambush and gone into hiding, alternated glances between the idiotically charging Dokgo Pae and the directing Gwak Sul, thinking.
‘What a match made in heaven.’
* * *
The day after the exam.
“Congratulations, Junior Dokgo.”
It was the usual interview, but surprisingly, praise came from Chu Il-hwan’s mouth.
As everyone expected, Il-mok took first place. But defying expectations, Dokgo Pae claimed second.
Thanks to following Gwak Sul’s orders.
After ambushing and subduing one team, Gwak Sul focused solely on evasion for a while.
Thanks to that, all other teams were swept by Il-mok, and in the end, they fought Il-mok’s team with traps already set.
In the end, Dokgo Pae and his teammates were all swept by Il-mok, but they still scored high.
Because they’d managed to take out three of Il-mok’s teammates while restricting him.
But Dokgo Pae, who had taken second, didn’t look satisfied.
“It’s still not enough, Instructor.”
In the final battle, he couldn’t last even three exchanges against Il-mok.
Despite following Gwak Sul’s orders and even using ambushes and traps.
“You’ve grown a lot, so it’s a fine result. Reflect on your shortcomings and aim for the next exam.”
“I’m planning to meet Junior Gwak this afternoon to talk it over anyway.”
Watching Dokgo Pae speak with fire in his eyes, Chu Il-hwan thought.
‘Gwak Sul, was it?’
He started feeling sorry for that student.
* * *
That afternoon.
“Junior Gwak!!”
Dokgo Pae went ahead with his plan to kidnap Gwak Sul.
“Haah. I’m here.”
Gwak Sul, already resigned to his fate, sighed in response, and Dokgo Pae asked.
“What do you think of yesterday’s exam?”
“I think Junior Il-mok is truly amazing.”
“That’s not it! Didn’t you watch my spar with Young Master Il-mok from behind? Did you notice any weaknesses in my martial arts, or anything about Young Master Il-mok’s?”
The two dove straight into discussing martial arts. It started with talk about Il-mok but soon reviewed every battle from the exam.
After conversing for quite a while.
“This won’t do.”
“???”
“You’ve got the brains, but your body’s the problem! Your analysis is spot-on, but since you can’t execute it yourself, you can’t truly feel it!”
“Pardon?”
How was he supposed to recreate that monster Junior Il-mok’s swordsmanship?
‘If I could, would I be getting dragged around by you right now?’
The words swirled in Gwak Sul’s throat, but he couldn’t spit them out.
“Come on! Swing harder!”
“Uwaaaak!!”
Before he could say anything, the damn Dokgo Pae’s special training resumed.
‘This is all Junior Il-mok’s fault!!’
The culprit behind it all came to mind, but he couldn’t voice it.
Because Junior Il-mok was stronger and scarier than even Team Leader Dokgo.
* * *
“Who’s badmouthing me?”
Il-mok muttered as he dug in his ear while crossing the Demonic Path Academy toward the clearing.
He’d just bathed, but his ear suddenly itched, which was suspicious in all sorts of ways.
Then, from far off, came what sounded like a scream or a shout.
“Uwaaaak!”
Il-mok turned his head that way and nodded in satisfaction.
‘Now that’s a perfect pair.’
It was the same before the exam, during it, and even now—Dokgo Pae and Gwak Sul oddly clicked so well.
On top of that, thanks to Dokgo Pae latching onto Gwak Sul, they no longer came bothering him, which was a delightful sight.
Il-mok had no inkling that it was because of him.
* * *
Late at night. Somewhere in the Demonic Path Academy.
- Has that guy been sticking around the youngest young master lately too?
- Yes, he has.
Two men conversed via transmission across a wall.
- As expected, the Academy Master seems to have caught on. He’s stationed his pet dog by the youngest young master’s side.
- If you hadn’t tipped me off, there might have been trouble.
The man leaning against the wall in the shadows nodded.
After the last incident, they’d been watching the situation just in case.
In the midst of that, a nagging suspicion led the man to scout around the youngest young master, and he belatedly noticed Chu Il-hwan hovering nearby.
Thanks to the man’s caution and his higher realm than Chu Il-hwan, he’d barely figured it out.
Right after, the man informed his subordinate of the fact.
As the man recalled that, a transmission came from beyond the wall.
- Any separate orders from him?
- …After the last incident, surveillance might tighten, so no contact for a while. Handle things on-site as you see fit.
The man sending the transmission gritted his teeth silently.
“Handle on-site” my ass—it was half-abandonment after the previous failure.
If he couldn’t deal with the youngest young master before graduation, it might not be half, but total abandonment.
‘I can’t waste my life teaching bratty kids.’
He wasn’t satisfied with his current position.
And after the current Heavenly Demon ascends. If that one takes the next Cult Leader position, he could rise much higher. Especially if he succeeded in this mission.
The problem was that the inflexible damn Academy Master and his pet dog had caught on to some extent.
‘The Academy Master leaves often, but that pet dog…….’
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
As the man brooded deeply, an idea struck him.
‘What if instead of dealing with the pet dog, I use him?’