Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 66
>Chapter Title: First Test (1)
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“We’ve hidden ten markers like this one all over Taecheon Peak, where the Demonic Path Academy stands. The letter in your hands shows the locations of five of them, so your mission from this moment is to collect as many markers as possible.”
After explaining the rules of the test, Chu Il-hwan held out a wooden token for them to see.
“The test will last a total of four hours, and points will be awarded based on the number of markers each team collects.”
At Chu Il-hwan’s explanation, everyone nodded, seemingly grasping the rules to some extent.
‘Collect as many as possible to take first place! And earn the Young Master’s recognition to become Lady Jin Ha-yeon’s junior!’
Ju Seo-yeon’s mind was filled with that single thought.
‘Phew. If we’re searching for markers across such a vast mountain, we probably won’t run into many people, right?’
Jeong Hyeon felt relieved at the idea of encountering fewer people.
‘It’s four hours, you say? But in the end, to grab the markers first, we’ll have to run around like madmen? I can’t stand sweating.’
Il-mok’s head was full of nothing but annoyance.
He considered just giving up halfway, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
If word got back to his master that he’d slacked off from the very first test and failed, who knew what horrors would follow.
Il-mok pondered.
How could he achieve a decent score while moving as little as possible and avoiding sweat?
Then, something occurred to him, and he asked Chu Il-hwan.
“Instructor. Does that mean combat is prohibited in this test?”
At Il-mok’s question, Chu Il-hwan grinned and replied.
“You’re all classmates now, even if this is a competition for the test. Anyone who kills or severely injures another will face severe punishment.”
* * *
After a few more explanations, Chu Il-hwan announced the start of the test and departed.
No sooner had he left than Ju Seo-yeon and Choi Woong crowded close to Il-mok, who held the letter.
“Um, me too…”
Jeong Hyeon muttered in a voice as faint as an ant crawling, but everyone was too focused on the letter to hear.
“For now, this seems the closest from here.”
Il-mok pointed to one marker’s location on the map as he examined it.
The map-reading method used by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had already been taught in Instructor Eun-ryeo’s lessons, so it wasn’t hard to interpret.
Led by Il-mok, they unleashed their lightness skills toward the marked spot.
After dashing through underbrush, past towering trees and boulders for a short while.
After about fifteen minutes of running, they easily reached the location shown on the map.
“Search the area around here.”
As they moved efficiently under Il-mok’s orders, Ju Seo-yeon suddenly shouted in an excited tone.
“Young Master! I found it! I found it!”
She was waving an object identical to the wooden token Chu Il-hwan had shown.
“Hahaha. At this rate, we could claim half in just one hour!”
Choi Woong, who had been terrified at first to be grouped with Il-mok, burst into a hearty laugh, his mood lifted.
Having moved together as a team, he seemed to feel something like camaraderie toward the once-fearsome Young Master Il-mok.
Assuming Il-mok felt the same, Choi Woong boldly said to him.
“Young Master! Where’s the next spot? We should hurry and secure it first.”
“It’ll take a bit longer than this one to reach the next.”
“Then we need to pick up the pace! So no other team snatches it. Actually, why don’t we split into four and grab the remaining four faster?”
“Splitting up would be the worst possible move.”
“???”
Choi Woong wore an utterly baffled expression, while Ju Seo-yeon and Jeong Hyeon tilted their heads.
“Think about it. Five teams, twenty cadets, hunting just ten markers. Considering how long it took us to find this one, honestly, all the markers will be found in less than an hour. Yet the test lasts a full four hours. What does that imply?”
On behalf of the clueless Ju Seo-yeon and the startled Jeong Hyeon who’d started to speak but stopped, the relatively composed Choi Woong asked back.
“…But Instructor Il said no combat, didn’t he?”
“Recall precisely. He said no killing or severe injuries, but he never prohibited combat.”
“!?”
In truth, Il-mok hadn’t asked about combat because of the test’s length.
‘I was just planning to take it easy, then beat up and rob whoever we ran into.’
He despised running around sweating profusely.
But after hearing Instructor Chu Il-hwan’s response, doubts arose, and acquiring the first marker confirmed it.
“Assume all markers are found in one hour. Suppose our team has fewer than the others, with three hours left. What would you do? Wait out the three hours for a failing score? Or take a gamble?”
“Ah…”
This test had been designed for fighting from the start.
“And didn’t he say formations are set up outside the mountain in case cadets get lost? That’s a warning: if you run blindly to avoid fights, you’ll get trapped in the formations instead.”
He’d called them precautions for lost cadets, but also warned that falling into one meant automatic failure.
Then, Choi Woong asked with a belated puzzled look.
“There’s one odd thing. Young Master, you noticed it too, but the teams seem balanced in skill. If we’re evenly matched, subduing without injury isn’t easy. Sure, to avoid failing, we’d fight, but wouldn’t that just cause injuries?”
“That’d be true if this were purely a martial arts test.”
“???”
“The purpose of this test is to check everything you’ve trained so far. Martial skills and external skills, plus the non-combat lessons from Instructor Eun-ryeo. All three combined to collect as many markers as possible.”
This test was a kind of guerrilla warfare across the entire mountain. It started as a treasure hunt, but would likely shift to a game of tag later on.
“Whether digging traps, ambushing from hiding, or tracking to find where opponents hide. There are plenty of ways to gain the upper hand in combat. Ah, maybe the no-injury rule is for that too—create an overwhelmingly advantageous position where you can subdue without harming.”
Just as Il-mok finished speaking, a faint sign of presence rustled from the distant underbrush.
All four gazes snapped toward it simultaneously.
“Kweet?”
A rabbit poked its head from the bushes, tilted it curiously, and hopped away.
Il-mok, losing interest, turned back to his teammates.
“So when heading to the next spot, just moving fast means nothing.”
With that, he handed the wooden token Ju Seo-yeon had given him back to her.
“Cadet Ju, keep that token slightly visible. You’ll act as bait. Your low entry scores are already rumored, so you’ll look like tasty bait.”
It was nearly calling her weak outright, but Ju Seo-yeon didn’t mind at all.
“I’ll do my best, Young Master!”
She was simply thrilled to play bait if it meant high scores and first place.
“And Cadet Choi, you’ll bait with Cadet Ju too.”
“I don’t mind baiting, but will other teams fall for it? Just two out of our four-man team wandering alone?”
At Choi Woong’s point, Il-mok let out a hollow chuckle.
“Didn’t you just suggest splitting into four to grab markers faster?”
“Ah!!”
Realizing he’d said something foolish, Choi Woong averted his gaze to hide his embarrassment.
“But if we’re using bait anyway, wouldn’t it be better to use the E-class pair?”
His gaze fell on Jeong Hyeon, standing alone about a zhang away.
At the suggestion, Il-mok grinned and strode over to Jeong Hyeon.
Flinch.
Ignoring the startled, trembling Jeong Hyeon, Il-mok patted his shoulder with a trustworthy expression.
“In this test, our team’s secret weapon is none other than Cadet Jeong.”
Choi Woong watched Il-mok’s confident face and Jeong Hyeon’s pale, quivering one, grabbed by Il-mok, and thought.
‘…We’re doomed, aren’t we?’
He couldn’t voice it.
Choi Woong still had nightmares of being beaten by Il-mok now and then.
* * *
After Il-mok gave detailed operational instructions, they left the spot where they’d retrieved the marker.
And shortly after.
“Phew.”
Near the bushes where the rabbit had emerged moments ago, Chu Il-hwan revealed himself.
“As expected, sharp instincts.”
Chu Il-hwan’s eyes gleamed as he recalled what had just happened.
To think he’d figure out the test’s true purpose so quickly.
It was impressive enough that he’d realized this evaluation wasn’t just about lightness skills and navigation, but also martial and external skills, plus tracking, stealth, and strategy.
- Ah, maybe the no-injury rule is for that too—create an overwhelmingly advantageous position where you can subdue without harming.
When he’d overheard that last bit, Chu Il-hwan had nearly lost control of his murderous impulse, accidentally making a noise.
Most young martial artists this age blindly followed the overt rules.
But the youngest Young Master had pinpointed the instructors’ exact intent.
It was so fascinating that Chu Il-hwan felt a surging urge to toy with him like a plaything.
“Phew.”
Barely suppressing the impulse, Chu Il-hwan resumed pursuing the direction Il-mok’s group had gone.
‘Sheesh, next time I’ll have to switch teams with another instructor.’
In truth, Chu Il-hwan wasn’t the only instructor stealthily tailing cadets. To prevent accidents and evaluate each individually, other instructors were tracking teams too.
* * *
Four cadets in Demonic Path Academy uniforms pushed through the underbrush.
“There.”
The lead man, guiding his teammates while checking the map on the letter, pointed ahead. They all approached and began searching the vicinity.
As they scanned around, turning their heads for the wooden token.
“Someone’s coming.”
At the low mutter sensing a presence, all four gazes converged.
Two cadets from another team were approaching.
“Tch. Guests already.”
“Then we’ll head elsewhere!”
Spotting the four, the pair turned and walked off toward another spot.
Watching their backs, something clicked for one female cadet, who murmured just loud enough for her team.
“Did you see? Cadet Ju Seo-yeon had a token.”
“What’s that matter? Combat’s prohibited, right?”
“Recall exactly. Not prohibited—just no injuries.”
“!!”
“And Cadet Ju’s bottom-tier in E-class. Four against two, one barely counting? We can subdue without hurting them.”
At those words, greed filled the four’s eyes.
They exchanged glances and nodded in unison without a word, then lunged toward Ju Seo-yeon and Choi Woong, who were just leaving.
The four closed in stealthily, forming a circle around them.
“What is this?”
“Wasn’t combat banned?”
The two asked in confusion, but violence—not words—answered.
“Haat!”
Swords, sabers, fists, or palms unfolded, pressing Choi Woong and Ju Seo-yeon.
“You dare!”
Choi Woong, A-class after all, barely held against the pincer attack, but Ju Seo-yeon was flailing more with each moment.
She endured only because they aimed to subdue without injury.
Clang!
Her spear clashed with one cadet’s saber and bounced away, crumbling her stance.
“Haat!”
The attacking woman shouted with vigor, extending her Golden Crow Palm toward Ju Seo-yeon’s acupoints.
Just as her fingers neared Ju Seo-yeon’s麻穴.
Pop!
Il-mok burst from the bushes at blinding speed, diving at the woman.
He’d approached stealthily beforehand, so he closed the gap instantly.
“This!”
The man who’d deflected Ju Seo-yeon’s spear cried out in alarm and swung his saber to help her.
Or so he thought.
Thud.
“Guhk!?”
Wincing at the pain shooting through his acupoint, the man rolled his eyes as paralysis set in.
Thud.
‘…When?’
His eyes caught an arrow on the ground. Blunt-tipped to avoid wounds.