Uninvited Guest at the Academy (5)
Blood Star Ak Byeongbi once more. "Are you here as the Lord of the Inspection Hall?"
"Does that matter?"
"The one who visited me yesterday claimed to be from the Inspection Hall himself."
"……."
"For someone not even affiliated with the Inspection Hall to impersonate them... Isn't that a grave crime?"
Even in the air taut with tension, as I pressed on with my words, Ak Byeongbi's face twisted further.
"That doesn't matter."
He growled, head held high but eyes cast down.
"The most important fact right now is that I have come to you."
As he said, catching the Inspection Hall's eye meant being in dire straits. They had the authority to investigate and unearth any crimes.
Within the Murim Alliance, they were nicknamed the "Netherworld Emissaries." Once dragged into the Inspection Hall, no one returned unscathed.
But.
"So I'll ask again. Are you here as the Lord of the Inspection Hall?"
"……."
"Or, like Ak Woon-gyeong did, are you using the Inspection Hall's prestige for personal gain?"
"You dare...!"
Even the Inspection Hall couldn't arbitrarily seize and frame just anyone without proper justification. And I had no intention of becoming "just anyone."
"Despite the Inspection Hall's mobilization, I see no Execution Hall members. Why is that?"
"……."
"In the end, it looks like you're just using your position to intimidate the target."
He hadn't even flashed a single order or identity token. In other words, he was here not as the Third Lord of the Inspection Hall, but as Ak Jupyeong's uncle.
Arrogance gleamed on his face.
"You're misunderstanding something."
"……."
"I am the Third Lord of the Inspection Hall. The order can be issued later."
"……Is that so?"
Rumors said that if no order was issued, the Inspection Hall would simply abduct the target first and extract a confession through torture. Was that true?
"Of course you didn't just come empty-handed."
Even sending Ak Woon-gyeong yesterday under false pretenses had been exposed to me. Ak Byeongbi couldn't let that slide.
His plan was probably to drag me off first and clean up the mess later.
What a pickle.
But I was no longer the pushover idiot from before.
Taat! Stepping into the Tae-eul Paeman Sinbo, I created four illusions to confuse Ak Byeongbi's gaze.
"……."
Yet Ak Byeongbi stood stock-still, unmoving for some reason.
And as I unleashed the Heavenly Lone Walker God Step to bolt straight for the academy director's office...
Ak Byeongbi slammed his spear shaft into the ground with a thud.
Crack!
The solid marble training ground floor shattered like dry leaves.
The vibration from Ak Byeongbi rippled out in strange waves, causing the marble beneath my feet to burst upward with a pop.
Blood Star pulling a trick like this?
As I untangled my stumbling foot from the lost footing and prepared to leap again, Ak Byeongbi intoned flatly.
"Where do you think you're going?"
With his words, rustling sounds echoed across the training ground, followed by presences.
One by one... warriors emerged.
They had already surrounded Ak Byeongbi and me.
"The only place you're going is the Inspection Hall."
The acceleration in my steps slowed to a halt.
'To think he'd prepare this thoroughly...'
Not all Ak family warriors were experts, but facing them alongside Ak Byeongbi was impossible.
How could I escape this?
As I racked my brain, Ak Byeongbi turned and spoke.
"However, I'll give you a choice."
His spear pointed at the Ak family warriors.
"Break through the Ak family's spear formation, or escape from me. Choose one."
"……."
Ak Byeongbi presented absurd options.
"Neither is what I'd choose."
"Is that so? Losers always run from choices."
"I never corner myself with bad options."
"What a shame. But the world doesn't bend to your whims."
As Ak Byeongbi spoke, my gaze subtly flicked to the roof of the main hall.
'Yaryul Geuk.'
The boy who'd tried to ambush me from behind today was stealthily crossing the roof.
I immediately sent him a transmission.
—Yaryul Geuk! Cause a commotion right now and draw their eyes. Then I'll head straight to the director's office...
But before I could finish, Yaryul Geuk moved.
'That bastard!'
Sensing the odd atmosphere, he retreated as quietly as possible.
Betrayal shook me with rage.
"Yaryul Geuk! Go to the academy director's office right now and tell them the Inspection Hall is here!!"
My voice boomed, startling him. He glared murderously at me.
You cowardly punk. Glare all you want—what're you gonna do?
One Ak family warrior swiftly approached from behind, subdued Yaryul Geuk, and tossed him before Ak Byeongbi.
Even captured, Yaryul Geuk glared at me.
"……Jin Sowoon! You filthy scheming...!"
"This is all your fault, you bastard!"
"……My fault?"
"Yeah! All these guys are from the Ak family."
Yaryul Geuk, acupoints sealed, rolled his eyes and glared daggers at Ak Byeongbi.
"The Ak family...? Jin Sowoon, release me. I'll kill them all...!"
"Shut up and stay put."
I kicked him to the corner of the training ground.
Ak Byeongbi glanced at the bellowing Yaryul Geuk and said, "Is that all?"
No more dodging now. My last resort, Yaryul Geuk, was done for.
What a useless guy.
I gripped my Black Dragon Sword tighter.
If I couldn't flee, I'd just break through.
"Given up already?"
I glared at Ak Byeongbi. "You'll pay dearly for what you've done today."
"Jupyeong was left crippled, they say...?"
Spear energy gathered at his spear tip. Not the sloppy aura from before, but perfectly sculpted spear qi.
"You'll pay that price first—and harshly."
Fighting Blood Star head-on to gauge his power was foolish from the start.
I circulated my inner energy and unleashed the Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth.
Six thousand swords. Sword qi enveloped them.
A ridiculous amount of internal energy poured out, but now wasn't the time to worry.
I couldn't let myself be dragged to the Inspection Hall just yet.
"……Now I see why you clashed with Jupyeong. No manners at all."
"Look who's talking!"
The six thousand swords began to move. The sword qi-spewing blades reformed into the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion.
The small training ground's sky was now filled without gaps, countless swords embroidered across it, all aimed at Ak Byeongbi.
Yet Ak Byeongbi's face showed no hint of crisis.
"Come!"
"Chaaat!"
Ak Byeongbi prepared a wide spear sweep. I charged with the Tae-eul Paeman Sinbo.
Shrieeek— Shrieeek— Shrieeek— The Socheon Sword Technique tore the air, targeting his vital points, while the Great Heaven Sword Method sowed chaos in his vision.
Air-rending thrusts at vital points.
Chaos in the eyes.
Ak Byeongbi, in a bold stance, repeatedly dodged the swords and retreated.
Then, when his feet could retreat no further.
"Blazing Spear!"
His spear qi blazed red-hot, spewing heat.
Ridiculous—he'd shouted the technique name.
'Crazy... Shouting technique names is for kids playing war, isn't it?'
I wondered if it was a feint, but his spear qi genuinely heated up, glowing crimson.
'He actually used what he shouted?'
Roar!
The scorching heat devoured the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion.
Boom boom boom! Pressure from clashing energies blasted my body back.
I braced with the Thousand-li Pursuit method while stabbing his five directions with other thousand swords.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
As the thousand swords slashed down, Ak Byeongbi dodged with unbelievable agility.
At the same time, I unleashed the Cartoon Invincible Fist with my left hand to block his retreat.
"Flame Light Soaring Fist!"
His right fist flashed brilliantly as it thrust forward.
"……."
Again, shouting the name as he struck.
Papapapapapak!
In an instant, we exchanged three moves before the energy waves forced us apart.
Shwaa—
I resisted the repelling force as best I could but still staggered back seven steps...
'I was pushed back in internal energy?'
Incredibly, he'd only retreated three.
Ak Byeongbi eyed the fist he'd just used, then pierced me with his sharp gaze.
"You... For a Tae-eul Gate disciple to have this much internal energy. Highly suspicious."
Even at Seven Stars level, it was hard to believe he surpassed me in internal energy.
"Does the Ak family drink public oil instead of water? That's suspicious too."
"……Fine. We'll settle all this in the Inspection Hall's basement."
He gripped his spear with both hands in a charging stance.
"Silent Cloud Lightning Spear!"
The signature spear art that made the Ak family a spearhouse. Only northern barbarians or black path villains had witnessed its true power, they said.
Ha, now I get to see it.
Thud.
He kicked off so hard the marble cracked, stones scattering everywhere.
Even as he charged straight, I couldn't think of dodging.
'Dodging means death...'
The true terror of Silent Cloud Lightning Spear lay in the hidden trap within its straightforward assault. The moment the target evades, the second thrust pierced wherever they fled.
A technique exploiting the spear's superior reach over swords.
I abandoned dodging, switched the Black Dragon Sword to my other hand, and charged.
"Fool!"
Thud! The second thrust shattered marble, dirt spraying like waves.
Ak Byeongbi's form merged with his spear, hurtling to impale me.
I raised the reverse-gripped Black Dragon Sword desperately to block.
Kigigigik.
Pressing the flat against my forearm dispersed the impact, but the residual shock nearly snapped my arm.
Then, grabbing the shaft with my other hand, I unleashed the Lotus variation to the extreme.
"Hup!"
Caught off-guard by the sudden grafting, he couldn't halt his momentum and was pulled toward me along the shaft.
I followed with the Snow Flower method, hurling his massive frame with full power.
Kwakwang!
Ak Byeongbi crashed outside the training ground, slamming into the wall amid flying sand and dust.
I unleashed sword qi wildly at the dust cloud.
Pupupupupupung! Over twenty strands exploded in one breath.
As some encircling Ak warriors flinched and moved toward Ak Byeongbi, I burst through the encirclement with Heavenly Lone Walker God Step.
"Formation!"
But Ak family warriors blocked my path. I scattered Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion to brush them aside and charge—
'Already?'
The massive energy wave from behind hit before I could turn. I desperately stepped into Tae-eul Paeman Sinbo.
Kwakwang! A thunderbolt exploded, cratering the ground.
At the pit's end stood Ak Byeongbi, spear planted.
"Why not shout the technique this time? Cowardly."
"……."
He wiped blood from his mouth.
"I'm curious about you. How can an academy student have this skill?"
"I could answer without going to the Inspection Hall."
"……."
This exchange confirmed it. He wasn't the internal energy monster I'd feared. He'd been absorbing and deflecting energy impacts externally.
And...
He clearly feared the commotion spreading outside.
'A golden opportunity for him.'
When I'd turned my back to fight his warriors, I'd been careless. Despite knowing, I hadn't prepared, relying on the Cheonjam-bo.
Yet Ak Byeongbi let it slip.
'Because fighting here risks outsiders noticing!'
Shouting technique names was to focus attention on him, preventing glances outward.
"……So that's it."
A smile crept across my lips. I saw through him completely.
"Pretending bold and straightforward. A sly fox in a bear's hide."
Ak Byeongbi scowled, displeased.
"……What did you say?"
"You don't want this commotion to spread outside, right?"
"……."
"That's why your spear formation failed to catch me."
Ak Byeongbi's face hardened for the first time—not in suppressed rage, but desperate panic.
"……Even if you figured it out, nothing changes."
"You really think so?"
This was why I loved fighting arrogant bastards. They got complacent, skipping proper investigations.
And when they let their guard down, smack to the back of the head.
'Nothing more thrilling.'
Koooooo.
The air trembled violently, wind surging fiercely.
Like air sucked into a cave, currents gathered wildly in my palm.
Watching me focus the airflow, Ak Byeongbi ground his teeth.
"What are you plotting...!"
Blood Star couldn't dodge Radiant Heaven Divine Palm, but that was fine.
If it exploded in the Murim Academy, people would notice this place whether they wanted to or not.
Kwagwagwagwang!
The hearty explosion roared outward.
A signal flare announcing Ak Byeongbi and me here.