Chapter 211
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: Who Are You?
"Prepare! At ease!"
Ha Mu-baek repeated the same commands over and over, like some kind of machine.
The trainees followed suit, picking up and setting down their swords and shields like mechanical dolls.
How long had they been at it?
The western sky was gradually turning red.
Sweat poured from their bodies like rain, soaking the ground.
Yet Ha Mu-baek's voice remained steady and unchanging, issuing the same orders without end.
The Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven trainees were drenched in sweat as well.
Dang Jin-san's entire body trembled uncontrollably.
The moment his meager inner energy had been sealed, hell had unfolded.
He was already exhausted from his spar with Un Mu-woong.
And right after came this training.
It looked simple—just repeating basic movements—but it was anything but.
They had to keep swinging those ridiculously heavy swords and shields.
On top of that, Ha Mu-baek called out the durations for "prepare" and "at ease" irregularly.
Sometimes long, sometimes short.
They couldn't relax for even a second.
Training with every muscle tensed to the limit was brutalizing their bodies.
Afternoon practice time was nearly over.
Dinner time was approaching.
Hope lit up the trainees' faces as they gauged the time from the reddening sky.
The hope that this hell would soon end.
But.
Ha Mu-baek's mouth didn't stop.
Dinner time had already begun.
Yet the mad instructor showed no sign of ending the session.
The Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven trainees moved on in silence.
They occasionally cast pitying glances at Dang Jin-san but focused on the training.
They knew exactly what kind of man their instructor was.
A lazy slacker who hated work.
But when he set his mind to it, he turned into a demon.
That's why Squad Seven threw themselves into the training without a hint of complaint.
No, Dan Mok Un-roe was even smirking faintly.
'That training freak...'
Yeon Ha-min shook her head slightly at Dan Mok Un-roe's expression.
Then she turned her gaze to Dang Jin-san.
Ha Mu-baek stood with arms crossed, staring only at Dang Jin-san.
But he wasn't neglecting the others either.
Any trainee who tried to slack off when his eyes weren't on them got punished without mercy.
"Wh-what the hell is this... Seriously..."
Someone finally muttered, unable to hold back.
A first-year trainee training near Cho Mu-ha.
"Why the fuck do I have to do this stupid shit?"
He stopped dead in his tracks.
"Fuck this. I can't do it anymore."
He flung his sword and shield away, his eyes blazing with rage.
Ha Mu-baek turned his head.
Their eyes met.
The other trainees held their breath. They'd all seen what Ha Mu-baek did to the Fierce Dragon Corps instructor earlier.
Yet this guy was rebelling?
The moment Ha Mu-baek's lips curved into a smile—
Smack!
A sharp strike echoed, and the frozen trainee flew backward, spitting blood.
"Urk."
The first-year staggered to his feet.
His lip was split, blood flowing, and his left cheek was swollen.
"Pick up your sword and shield."
But the trainee just glared at Ha Mu-baek.
"If you don't like it, get lost. You're in the way."
Ha Mu-baek didn't spare him another glance and returned to Dang Jin-san.
"What are you waiting for? Prepare!"
At Ha Mu-baek's command, the trainees hurriedly moved their swords and shields again.
Their movements were far crisper than before.
"Y-you dare. Do you know who I am?!"
The trainee who'd been told to leave stayed put and bellowed.
Ha Mu-baek turned cold eyes on him and asked,
"At ease! Who are you?"
"The father of this young master is the leader of the Great Dorim Sect!"
The trainee shouted again, eyes full of expectation. He figured this damn instructor would tuck tail once he heard his background.
If he'd known it'd be this insane, he'd have gone to Wa Dragon Corps instead.
He wouldn't have come here out of curiosity about Fierce Dragon Corps.
The trainees around him looked shocked at his outburst.
It was the first time he'd revealed he was the son of the Dorim Sect Leader.
Ha Mu-baek regarded him indifferently.
"So?"
"I'm Un Do-heon, son of the Dorim Sect Leader!"
Un Do-heon shouted in fury once more.
Ha Mu-baek glanced at Dang Jin-san.
"Dang Jin-san. Let me teach you how sloppy you were today. First, you have to accurately gauge your opponent's strength. That's where you went wrong."
He pointed out that Dang Jin-san hadn't properly assessed Un Mu-woong's skill.
"And once you've decided to act, don't drag it out. Do it right there, with full power."
As the words ended, Ha Mu-baek's figure vanished.
Smack!
Another sharp strike rang out.
"Dorim must have really gone downhill. Seems like they've only got one decent guy lately."
Un Do-heon slammed into the ground.
"Gahk."
Both cheeks swollen red, he rose and drew the sword from his back.
They hadn't forbidden bringing personal weapons, so Un Do-heon had his dao.
Drawing it, he unleashed his sword arts at Ha Mu-baek.
A tremendous aura exploded from him.
Ha Mu-baek shouted at the sight.
"Prepare!"
The trainees hurriedly adjusted their shields and swords.
Right after.
Bang! Bang!
Loud clashes rang from the shields around Un Do-heon, forcing the trainees to stagger back.
But none fell or were injured.
Their now-familiar "prepare" stance had blocked Un Do-heon's massive aura.
"Has Dorim really hit rock bottom? Every mutt and mongrel pulling out Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade?"
Ha Mu-baek muttered in disbelief and stepped forward.
Un Do-heon charged with the final form of Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade: Soaring Heaven Demon Annihilation.
Thud!
Thwack!
Thud thud thud!
But Ha Mu-baek casually swung his fists, shattering Un Do-heon's sword arts.
Then came the barrage of dull thuds.
Ha Mu-baek's fists relentlessly pounded Un Do-heon without pause.
"Keurk."
Un Do-heon let out a ragged scream.
Ha Mu-baek glanced at Dang Jin-san.
"And once you've decided to act, smash them completely. Well, I think I did that right here."
Un Do-heon writhed on the ground.
Ha Mu-baek grabbed his nape and flung him aside.
Then he looked around.
Everyone had reacted properly to his commands, and their stances were solid.
"That's it for today."
Ha Mu-baek left those words and departed the training ground.
The remaining trainees collapsed immediately.
"Huff huff. Thought I was gonna die."
"But he definitely said Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, right?"
Someone asked in disbelief.
Cho Mu-ha, nearby, had heard it clearly too.
"Yeah. He did."
Cho Mu-ha nodded.
"And he smashed it with bare fists?"
"Urgh. I told you. We've got one monster instructor."
Dang Jin-san, who had approached, plopped down.
"Ah, Senior."
Cho Mu-ha tried to stand hastily, but Dang Jin-san waved him off.
"Nah. You don't even have the energy to rest..."
"That spar earlier was awesome."
Cho Mu-ha said as it came to him.
"Bullshit. Didn't you see our monster instructor crush you just now?"
She had.
That's why she couldn't understand.
How could he reprimand her after that brilliant spar?
"Why are Dorim people always like that?"
Dan Mok Un-roe sat beside Dang Jin-san and said.
"How should I know."
Yeon Ha-min glanced at Un Do-heon sprawled on the ground, then turned and left the training ground.
Last year's unpleasant memory had resurfaced.
"Um, will this be okay?"
Only then did Cho Mu-ha cautiously ask, as if it just occurred to him.
"What?"
"If he's the son of the Dorim Sect Leader, that's a huge status..."
Cho Mu-ha.
He was a disciple from some nameless martial arts school in Wu-chang.
To him, a Dorim disciple—let alone the sect leader's son—was an unimaginably lofty figure.
At his question, Dang Jin-san and Dan Mok Un-roe exchanged looks and chuckled.
"It'll be fine."
Dang Jin-san's answer.
"If it's not, Dorim's the one in trouble."
Dan Mok Un-roe's answer.
The two now had some understanding of their instructor.
The instructors sprawled on the ground were no different.
Han Seol-bing had ended their training right after Ha Mu-baek finished with the trainees.
"Ughhh. Let's move quick. If we're too late, no food at Devouring Dragon Pavilion."
Dang Jin-san forced his unresponsive body up.
"Oh yeah, we skipped lunch too, right?"
Dan Mok Un-roe stood as well.
And helped Cho Mu-ha up.
"Let's go eat. Gotta fuel up to endure."
Was it because of that brief connection at Devouring Dragon Pavilion?
Or because he kept politely calling them "senior"?
Dan Mok Un-roe and Dang Jin-san looked after Cho Mu-ha.
As the three moved, the other trainees followed suit, slinking along.
Once everyone left, two trainees approached Un Do-heon.
The two who hadn't dared intervene and had just watched in silence.
They were disciples assigned to Un Do-heon by Dorim.
Due to Dragon Training Pavilion rules forbidding escorts or attendants, they'd entered as Fierce Dragon Corps trainees with him.
The two hoisted Un Do-heon and headed for the infirmary.
"Heh, already blew up? Haha."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul chuckled, wetting his lips with tea.
"Dorim. What the hell's wrong with that place?"
"How should I know? Ask the Alliance Leader if you're so curious."
Pang Do-yul set down his teacup and said.
"Tch. Maybe I should pay a visit."
Ha Mu-baek muttered, frowning.
Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong.
He didn't want to seek him out on purpose.
They were battle comrades who'd entrusted each other's backs and crossed life and death together.
But that guy's slyness was unrivaled under heaven.
To Ha Mu-baek, he was even more awkward than Heavenly Eye Pavilion Lord Gong Son Dan-gyeong.
"Not there again?"
Ha Mu-baek eyed Pang Do-yul.
"What?"
"You know, more in Fierce Dragon Corps who aren't normal Fierce Dragon Corps."
"Well, a few more."
Pang Do-yul soon listed the other trainees from special sects like Un Do-heon.
"Not mad?"
Pang Do-yul tilted his head.
Last year, he'd been furious.
"They're not my direct trainees. Just overseeing group training. No big deal."
Ha Mu-baek replied nonchalantly.
"You're in charge of the whole Fierce Dragon Corps."
Ha Mu-baek smirked.
"There are other instructors too. Right now, we gotta drill them, but in a month or two."
His eyes gleamed.
"Planning to whip 'em hard, huh."
"Gotta, if you're an instructor. Today's just the first day—a little taste."
Pang Do-yul just smiled faintly.
It wasn't his problem.
Fierce Dragon Corps matters were now entirely Ha Mu-baek's.
"What about Dorim? Their sect leader won't stay quiet."
"Un Gyo-cheol?"
Ha Mu-baek named the current Dorim Sect Leader.
Pang Do-yul nodded.
"If that punk makes a fuss? Thinks he can take me on?"
Pang Do-yul thought it over and shook his head.
Dorim was Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong's home sect.
In the last two wars, they'd fully backed him, with current Sect Leader Un Gyo-cheol at the forefront.
He'd faced Ha Mu-baek on the battlefield multiple times.
He wouldn't step up over something this trivial.
Even if his son got pulped.
The trainee had rebelled and attacked during training.
Ha Mu-baek had the justification.
And above all, Ha Mu-baek was stronger.
Recall last year's incident with Han Pyeong.
He'd shattered his knee, yet Dorim did nothing.
Han Pyeong was the fool who challenged Ha Mu-baek without knowing him.
Un Do-heon opened his eyes on the infirmary bed.
There wasn't a spot on his body that didn't hurt.
His face ached fiercely in particular.
A dim lamp barely lit the small room.
Un Do-heon stared blankly at the ceiling. He wanted to move but couldn't due to the pain.
'This isn't how it was supposed to go...'
The thought surfaced in his mind.
He'd heard stories from last year's Dragon Training Pavilion Tournament.
About envoy Gwan Ha-kyeong, and champion Joo Woo-myeong.
This year, he'd joined Fierce Dragon Corps with ambitions to win the tournament himself.
'A tournament champ from Fierce Dragon Corps sounds cooler than from Wa Dragon Corps.'
That's what he'd felt upon hearing the news.
Maybe then his father would look at him differently.
But to end up like this.
"Goddamn Fierce Dragon Corps. Fuck. Just you wait."
Style no longer mattered.
Un Do-heon's venomous mutter quietly echoed in the dark room.