318. Who Bears the Responsibility
Jin Sowoon's incident spread throughout the entire Murim Academy in less than half a day. Compared to the three or four days it took for rumors like "who's got a crush on whom" to circulate, everyone agreed this event was exceptionally destructive.
Reactions were split down the middle. Those unhappy with the sudden instructor changes or the instructors' attitudes toward students felt a rush of satisfaction. On the other hand, some viewed assaulting an instructor as a grave offense. That was mostly the stance of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families.
"What the hell? This lunatic actually dared to assault an instructor?!"
"We can't just let this slide, right?"
"Of course not! But... how exactly do we make it an issue?"
The outraged group suddenly fell silent, not just because of the representative position's authority. The new instructors were at the dangju level. And Jin Sowoon had crushed one with internal energy, making him cough up blood.
"Hoo..."
Few could even match a dangju-level martial artist in an internal energy clash, let alone overpower them. Having witnessed that, the students judged it impossible to challenge him at their level.
"We should tell the instructors... the instructors and seniors!"
"Yeah, yeah! With teaching authority trampled like this, how can we even learn?"
"But... they say it was a fair internal energy duel. Does that even count as a problem?"
That was why the Academic Affairs Division hadn't intervened despite the injured instructor. It was purely a legitimate internal energy contest. And the instructor had started the provocation.
You couldn't exactly reprimand a talented student for being too talented.
But since the injured instructor belonged to the Cheongsung Sect, the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families couldn't stay idle. They couldn't just watch Jin Sowoon—already an eyesore—humiliate their senior.
"Shouldn't we inform the Murim Alliance seniors first? Then they could..."
"Didn't those seniors already come to punish him and get smacked down by Jin Sowoon? What do you think higher-ups would do even if they showed up?"
"...Fuck, what the hell are you? You've been spouting useless crap this whole time."
"No, I'm just calmly stating the situation..."
Though their frustration lingered, with no immediate way to deal with Jin Sowoon, the story inevitably flowed to the Murim Alliance whether the students wanted it or not.
#
"Aigoo, duya..."
Buk Wonpyeong pressed his temples hard.
"How can you frown with such fine tea right in front of you..."
It went without saying that the source of this headache was the bastard calmly sipping tea before him.
Buk Wonpyeong let out a hollow laugh.
"Does that even go down your throat?"
"...The headmaster uses excellent tea."
"Does that go down your throat right now?!"
Unable to hold back, Buk Wonpyeong reached for the teacup. But Jin Sowoon swiftly dodged.
This punk.
He unleashed the Tae-cheong Grasping Hand again. Yet...
Tap, tatap.
Jin Sowoon lightly extended his hand, effortlessly defending his cup.
Hoo...
What was the Tae-cheong Grasping Hand? It was infamous for instantly subduing black path warriors with its floating kill grasp technique.
And this kid, barely past his early twenties, had blocked it without any special moves—then casually kept drinking his tea.
"Kuhng..."
Buk Wonpyeong had privately instructed Jin Sowoon before and knew he wielded considerable internal energy.
Though I didn't expect this much brute force.
But that last move showed Jin Sowoon had advanced even further since then.
Jin Sowoon savored his tea calmly, his eyes gleaming madly clear as he stared back. Gazing at his face, Buk Wonpyeong recalled those idiotic instructors.
They should've picked their targets more carefully.
...This guy's not someone you just poke at.
It wasn't just internal energy. That single defensive move revealed his martial insight had surpassed dangju level.
A spar would have turned them to pulp; even theoretical pressure would have been a tough fight.
If they'd picked a fight over his attitude or expression...
Somehow channeling the instructors, Buk Wonpyeong pondered ways to corner Jin Sowoon—then frowned.
This guy had entered the academy alongside black path scum. What could you do to someone with no backing?
"Haa..."
"As I keep saying, the instructor started it..."
"Shut your mouth."
No need to hear more nonsense.
"Yes! I'll stay silent."
"..."
But seeing that infuriating smirk, he couldn't hold back.
Wanting at least a grimace, Buk Wonpyeong continued. "Don't you know what fallout this could bring?"
"What fallout?"
"Subtle low scores, no recommendation letters. You might not get your preferred assignment."
Jin Sowoon leisurely savored the tea's aroma. "But top ten guarantees your choice, right? Like the current Dragon-Phoenix Tournament."
"Hah, you think you'll make top ten?"
"All my evaluations so far are top-tier. Even at worst, I won't drop out of it."
"..."
The world wasn't fair, right? If you're dumb, you're strong; if strong, usually dumb.
So why was this damn punk so sharp he calculated that instantly?
"Hehe, thanks for the praise."
"...I didn't say anything!"
"That expression. The one enemies make when heaping extreme praise."
Buk Wonpyeong inhaled deeply, staring at the ceiling.
How do you make this guy get it?
One of life's three great misfortunes: early success. Drunk on innate genius, forgetting the world's vastness and heaven's wrath. They soar highest, then crash endlessly from one misstep.
Buk Wonpyeong hoped Jin Sowoon wouldn't crash. But he knew he would eventually.
The brighter he shone, the more worried he got.
"Listen well. Instructors and seniors might bind you with sneakier, dirtier methods. No—they definitely will now."
Like all his seniors who shone alone.
Before five hundred years, genius was just a fleeting spark.
"If not you, they'll drag in your juniors. If not them, your sect and friends."
"..."
"Some might challenge you and fall. But you'll face replacements endlessly while they rotate people to torment you."
He endured it after joining the Alliance, but for Jin Sowoon, it started at the academy.
"This unfair structure hasn't broken in five hundred years."
An egg against a boulder. No matter the tries, the egg never wins.
Did he finally grasp reality? Jin Sowoon's grin faded to cold sneer.
...At least better than before.
Some reality check... "If that's the case."
"Huh?" What fresh nonsense?
"I'll just quit the academy."
"Quit? Even then, mandatory service will..."
"Can't be helped. If they torment us, I'll take all Tae-eul Gate people active in the Alliance back home—including my juniors and me."
Still hot-blooded, huh. Buk Wonpyeong tsked at the foolish reply, sensing something off.
"...Tae-eul Gate has no Alliance executives, right?"
"True for blood disciples, but including lay ones, there's one."
"..."
Jin Sowoon set down his cup, eyes locking forward.
Blink, blink.
Buk Wonpyeong's eyes blinked slowly like a cow's.
What, why that gaze...
"...Me?"
"Yes."
"You mad bastard...!"
"If someone at Three Pure Ones Unfettered Sword level quits the Alliance, won't they restrain themselves?"
I knew he was crazy, but this much? Buk Wonpyeong flushed red, yelling.
"What if I refuse to leave?"
"Can't allow that. Master's orders as great disciple are absolute, even if he's older."
Fuck, no one mentioned that when entering as lay disciple!
"It was in the documents. Didn't you check before stamping?"
I never stamped any damn papers!
Jin Sowoon's cold sneer softened to a crescent smile.
"Anyway, make sure it doesn't come to that, Senior Brother. Use your power."
Back to the playful Jin Sowoon. Seeing it eased him somewhat.
It meant Jin Sowoon fully understood his concerns.
Still, Buk Wonpyeong asked once more. "If academy life goes smoothly, no need for me to quit the Alliance?"
"Of course."
He sighed deeply. Suddenly, it hit him: Jin Sowoon's overkill on the instructor wasn't pure emotion.
A calculated excess, confident in an escape route. Rational suspicion.
"Did you do it on purpose?"
Jin Sowoon admitted readily. "To some extent."
"Why bother?"
Tae-eul Gate was steadily growing. Hide power, climb gradually—he could've achieved his goals.
But now, open confrontation made things harder.
Yet no fear on his face.
"We were already targets."
"..."
"If they came this boldly, enduring longer would've been tougher."
His signature cynical smile returned.
"And Tae-eul Gate's already a sharp thorn they can't ignore."
"..."
Was I the shortsighted one?
"...Still, couldn't you endure until the Alliance? They might scatter you all."
Unlike him, who built alone, Tae-eul Gate had many. Now a threat, higher-ups wouldn't gather them.
Jin Sowoon's face chilled for the first time. That frosty expression held deep, desperate years unbelievable for a novice.
"..."
A hurt, displeased look—like "You see me as that naive?"
Buk Wonpyeong realized his misjudgment.
"...Yeah, you've prepared for that too."
What filled that punk's head?
Early success? No, he understood the world, carving his name boldly in its gaps.
By his will.
His words—rebuke or advice—meant nothing now.
"Got it. I'll handle academy matters. Don't worry."
Just do what he could.
...He was the dignified great brother to this youngest junior brother, after all.
#
Leaving the headmaster's office, I headed to the representative room but stopped dead.
Fuck.
I hadn't considered the Alliance with blades at my throat. Post-graduation, juniors' assignments were natural.
Forgetting that...
Now visible, they wouldn't let us gather.
And to smash us, scatter then conquer piecemeal—easier.
Past life, third-rate trash sect ignored even grouped. But now?
Hah, these damn bastards provoke for no reason.
I cursed instructors and seniors, then shook my head.
Enduring wouldn't change it. No—better this way.
Gathering from start then scattering at war? Worse than uniting at war unit formation.
Yeah, definitely better.
Problem: handling juniors' bullying in scattered units.
This is filthy.
Alliance positions and division rules apply. No interference normally.
Can't protect Tae-eul kids in my arms anymore.
Unless super-promoted to force it.
But time limits exist.
Need protection till then.
Hmm, how... Wait.
Do I have to protect them?
I'll be swamped in Baekrang-gak anyway. Turning trash into proper unit.
No time to babysit juniors.
Boils down to: will they get beat like past-life me?
Then don't get beat.
Found Grandmaster's arts, ate O-ryeong-seon-hwa-yu for weak internal energy.
Its prime effect: dantian stabilization.
Jeongsimdan plus this—no issue even with top elixirs.
Quantity solvable at semester event in half-year...
With arts and energy set, no beatings.
Sect weak unavoidable, but personal strength deters superiors bullying subordinates.
Some unfair orders, but without beatings? I'd feel cheated.
How much I rolled in past life...!
"Where you coming from?"
"Huh? Ahem."
Saryeon, entering representative room, asked.
I replied calmly. "From seeing the headmaster."
"Resolved...?"
I nodded big.
"Really?"
Her doubtful eyes. Ahem, why so little faith in big brother?
"Not just academy—handled juniors' Alliance issues too."
"Huh? R-Really? Headmaster'll handle it?"
"No!"
"..."
"I figured the solution."
Saryeon looked anxious. "W-What is it?"
No surer fix exists. Indeed.
I grinned at her. "You all get super super strong."
"..."
"So you can counter any senior bullshit!"
"..."
Saryeon scowled deeply. That face screamed, "I hate hate hate it!"
"Saryeon, why the face?"
This was the perfect solution.