Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 124
>Chapter Title: Club (2)
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Having finished establishing the Meditation Club, Il-mok headed straight to the Black Dragon Pavilion to rest.
Meanwhile, the trio who had been forcibly dragged into the Meditation Club by Il-mok split off from him and headed somewhere else.
Just as the once-deserted clearing had been Il-mok's hideout, the trio also had their own usual spot where they spent time together.
They headed there intending to vent their resentment from being forced into the club, but soon tilted their heads in confusion.
There was already someone there.
"Kwak Sul, Cadet?"
"What brings you here?"
It was Kwak Sul, the cadet who had been stuck trailing after Dokgo Pae for nearly two months now.
In response to Choi Woong and Mun Gyu's questions, Kwak Sul replied with a schemer's sly smile.
"I've been waiting for you all."
"???"
"Waiting for us?"
At the trio's puzzled question, Kwak Sul brought up something out of left field.
"Do you know there's a sixth exam tomorrow?"
"We do."
"Then how about teaming up with us for tomorrow's exam?"
"Teaming up?"
"The groups haven't even been announced yet. What's the point of forming one early?"
"If we move independently of the groups, the instructors might give us bad evaluations, right?"
As the trio reacted negatively to the sudden proposal, Kwak Sul's lips curved into a long grin.
But his eyes weren't smiling at all.
"Grades are a problem for later. Don't you want revenge?"
"Revenge? Revenge on who?"
"On Cadet Il-mok."
"!!!"
While the trio wore shocked expressions, Kwak Sul nimbly worked his mouth like the schemer he was.
"I heard the story. You got dragged along by Cadet Il-mok again and forced into joining some weird club, right? Don't you want revenge?"
The trio's eyes shook without respite.
'Damn it.'
'We started it, sure, but this time he went too far.'
'Yeah. Once or twice...'
Not content with using them as human shields to block the instructors' view during training sessions, now he'd forced them into a club.
Even if they had picked a fight with him from the first meeting, this felt excessive.
But they couldn't boldly agree to join in.
"Don't you know Young Master Il-mok's skills?"
"Even if we team up, can we really get revenge?"
It had been half a year since the three of them had ganged up on him at the start of their time here and gotten beaten.
Their skills had improved in that time, but Young Master Il-mok's had grown to an absurd level.
Nodding as if he understood their questions, Kwak Sul answered.
"It wouldn't be easy with just the four of us. But this time, Cadet Dokgo Pae will join us too."
"Cadet Dokgo Pae?"
"That wild boar who always charges at Young Master Il-mok alone... You expect us to believe he'll cooperate?"
"Don't worry about that. I've persuaded him somehow."
In truth, it wasn't much persuasion.
He'd shaken Dokgo Pae's resolve by pointing out the obvious: even alone, he'd just exchange a few blows and lose anyway.
And he'd sold the joint attack as a stepping stone for the future.
By observing Il-mok's techniques as many times as possible through the group assault, then building their skills to fight him one-on-one later— that kind of forced logic.
Even the dim-witted Dokgo Pae had sensed something off and reacted uneasily.
- Didn't you say to leave the brains to me?
Having endured two months of torment from Dokgo Pae, Kwak Sul—now brimming with venom—pushed forward aggressively.
And the resolute attitude he'd shown Dokgo Pae was on full display toward the trio as well.
"Even with Cadet Dokgo Pae, there's no guarantee five of us can take down Cadet Il-mok. But."
Kwak Sul paused, and the trio's gazes fixed on his face like nails.
Having drawn their full attention, Kwak Sul twisted his lips and finished.
"If you hold back just because there's no certainty, you'll spend your whole life getting pushed around."
Naturally, images filled their heads of being tormented by Il-mok for the rest of their time at the Demonic Path Academy.
"Kh."
"We'll... do it."
The thought that this was their only chance crossed the trio's minds, but soon a question arose in Mun Gyu's head.
"But putting us aside, why are you targeting Young Master Il-mok, Cadet Kwak?"
It would make sense if he were after Dokgo Pae.
Mun Gyu swallowed the unspoken latter half.
At his question, Kwak Sul laughed again and replied.
"It's for revenge, same as you."
What revenge? The question swirled in the trio's heads, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask.
His smiling mouth contrasted with eyes overflowing with venom and resentment.
'If only Cadet Il-mok didn't exist!'
Two months of suffering under two martial arts-obsessed mad boars who cared for nothing but sparring and training.
That was more than enough time to nurture hatred for Il-mok, the root cause of it all.
Of course, Il-mok had advised Dokgo Pae to "use his head," but never to torment Kwak Sul.
But that didn't matter to Kwak Sul.
Dokgo Pae, who was tormenting him, got beaten by Il-mok every exam or sparring session anyway, so the vicarious satisfaction was plenty.
No, seeing the true culprit lounging so comfortably grated on him.
So he'd decided to team up with his tormentor Dokgo Pae to take down the source. Their target was the same anyway.
Kwak Sul's demonic art side effect was anxiety disorder, but after suffering under Dokgo Pae and Mak Ho-yeol, it had evolved into full Stockholm syndrome.
* * *
Walking the familiar forest path for a bit.
"Damn."
A curse slipped out naturally.
"I came back early using the exam as an excuse, but I didn't expect the damn thing to be the very next day."
He hadn't even gotten to enjoy the club time he'd looked forward to.
Because the day after its founding was the exam.
Honestly, he was reluctant to draw his sword.
The side effect felt like it was always on standby, ready to deploy at any moment.
'What is this, some five-minute rapid response team?'
Unbidden, memories from his Seo Ji-hoon days resurfaced—the horrors of military life.
Even back in the infirmary, a single prod from his master or senior brother would have him spilling everything fluently, so who knew how wildly he'd rampage if he drew his sword.
Fortunately or not, this exam was individual combat.
Reminding himself it was just a walk, he trudged along the mountain path for a while.
Oddly, no other cadets appeared around him.
Just as suspicion began to creep in.
"Huh."
Far off, a cadet who spotted him in the brush bolted in the opposite direction at full sprint.
Only then did he grasp the situation.
'Like they've run into a tiger on the mountain.'
All the cadets were avoiding him.
Thinking about it, it made sense. The gap between him and the others was huge, so they'd all want to face him last if possible.
'Better this way.'
He was already worried about the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword's side effect, so he decided not to chase the fleeing cadet.
Instead, he found a suitably shaded spot.
"Hmm."
Sitting directly on the ground felt off, so he spread out a rag he'd brought just in case before the exam.
Then he sat on it.
"Good thing I brought this too."
He pulled out a bottle he'd prepared in advance and poured its contents onto his hand.
The cool evaporating sensation and scent of the disinfectant alcohol cleansed his mind.
* * *
While Il-mok leisurely rested and meditated.
Boom!
Some distance away, other cadets were locked in fierce combat.
Bang Mi-hwa, her clothes dirtied in spots and hair disheveled unlike her usual self, still covered her lower face with her fan amid the chaos and shouted.
"I never expected Cadet Dokgo to use such petty tactics!"
As her cry flushed Dokgo Pae's face, Kwak Sul spoke up instead.
"Didn't you team up with Cadet Ha too, Cadet Bang? Seems like a wash."
Even in this individual bout, she was with Ha Yeong as usual. But even she hadn't anticipated five of them forming an encirclement for a group assault.
"Vice President Dokgo. Our target is Cadet Il-mok anyway. These guys are just in the way, so finish it quick."
At Kwak Sul's words, Dokgo Pae—who left the thinking to him—nodded once and raised his massive sword.
"We'll have a proper match next exam. Just forfeit this one, Cadet Bang Mi-hwa."
* * *
"Yaaawn."
How long had he lounged in the shade?
"Things should be wrapping up by now, right?"
Muttering to himself, Il-mok stood and looked at the rag he'd sat on and squashed.
'SShould I take it?'
After a moment's hesitation, he picked it up carefully with his fingertips and tied it to his outer robe. At least keeping it off his skin.
Then he doused his hand with more disinfectant alcohol to clean off the dirt touch, and leisurely combed the mountain, tracking traces for a while.
"This is ridiculous."
No sooner had Il-mok muttered than five figures burst from the brush, surrounding him from all sides.
"Since when did the exam switch to teams?"
Once more, Kwak Sul replied to Il-mok's question.
"With your skills being all over the place, what choice do we have? There's a saying for outstanding stones getting hammered—'the protruding stone meets the nail.'"
Il-mok let out a hollow laugh at the brazen answer.
Meanwhile, the trio quickly exchanged glances with Kwak Sul, nodded.
Whoosh!
They charged Il-mok from three directions at once.
Choi Woong swung his saber from the front, Seong Hwan supported from the left by thrusting his spear from a slight distance to hinder Il-mok's movements, and fist fighter Mun Gyu dove in from the rear.
'Whew.'
Taking a deep breath, Il-mok drew and swung his sword in an instant.
Clang!
It was astonishing swordsmanship. A single swing simultaneously deflected the saber and spear from front and left, while shoving back Mun Gyu's approach from behind.
But as if waiting for it, the moment the trio recoiled, Dokgo Pae charged with his massive sword swinging.
Clang!
Dokgo Pae and the trio alternated strikes in a coordinated assault, and whenever their movements faltered, Kwak Sul smoothly intervened like lubricant.
Enduring the five's assault, which flowed organically thanks to Kwak Sul's clever spearwork, for a while.
Il-mok's expression began to darken.
"Shut up!"
"!?"
The five wore puzzled looks at Il-mok's sudden shout.
"Keep pressing him!"
At Kwak Sul's urgent command, the four quickly refocused and swung their weapons at Il-mok again.
Sweat beaded on Il-mok's forehead as he blocked and dodged their onslaught.
It wasn't because their assault was too fierce. And the earlier "shut up" wasn't even for them.
- Too slow.
- If you're going to swing like that, why not just hand it over to me?
- I'll teach you real swordsmanship. Heh heh heh.
Il-mok couldn't focus on the fight, battling the other self spouting nonsense in his head—the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword.
Seeing Il-mok sweat while barely defending, the trio's faces lit up.
'Now's our chance!'
'The group attack's working!'
'Revenge at last!!'
Kwak Sul, orchestrating the four's assault, also smiled faintly.
A chance to land a hit on that monstrously capable Il-mok.
'Who knew directing people could be this fun.'
Especially hunting a monster under his command—it was exhilarating.
Amid it all, only Dokgo Pae wore a somewhat sullen expression.
Thus, battered endlessly by five—no, six including the other self's assault, Il-mok retreated ceaselessly for a moment.
Clang!
Right after blocking Seong Hwan's spear.
"Haaah!"
Dokgo Pae's massive sword came flying to cleave Il-mok in two.
Il-mok urgently pulled back, but he was a beat late.
The sword didn't touch him.
Boom!!!
The narrowly dodged blade slammed the ground, kicking up dirt that covered Il-mok's clothes and body.
As Kwak Sul, Choi Woong, and Mun Gyu then charged at Il-mok.
"......"
For some reason, Il-mok blankly stared down at the dirt on his body and clothes.
Seeing their chance, the trio swung at him.
Clang!!
A strange metallic ring echoed, and their weapons bounced away.
It was bizarre. No sword swing visible, yet their weapons flew back, followed by a silver trail in the air.
As Choi Woong, Kwak Sul, and Mun Gyu recoiled from the freakish feat.
"Heh heh heh."
A cold smile crept onto Il-mok's face, which had been flailing moments before.
"Ahh. This cool, heavy sensation. It's been so long."
Muttering while gazing at his sword dripping with superior blood, Il-mok raised his head and scanned the five encircling him.
"After endless scorn and oppression, when I was sick of it all—thank you."
With that, Il-mok's other self swung the sword.
No—in their eyes, no swing was visible.
The process vanished, leaving only the trails filling their vision.
Gazing at the ecstatic silver trails laden with countless insights, Choi Woong, Seong Hwan, and Mun Gyu shared similar thoughts.
'The endless scorn and oppression was what we endured...'
'Why swing the sword if you're thankful...'
'He should've just stayed crushed...'