Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

"We need to work together," Dokgo Jun said. "None of us know what everyone else's secret missions are yet, but moving together is more efficient and safer than going solo."

Twelve pairs of eyes turned to Dokgo Jun at the same time, brimming with trust and reassurance. As expected of the Student Council President! He's the first to regain his composure!

Geo Sangwoong, the only fourth-year student in the class, chimed in, "I agree. If we move separately, the chances of getting defeated one by one will only increase."

However, there were those who disagreed.

"There are more than ten of us. Wouldn't it be more conspicuous if we moved around in a large group? I think splitting into smaller teams would be better." Yeo Min argued. She had the best movement arts and stealth techniques of those present and was confident that she could escape on her own.

"Then how shall we divide ourselves?"

"What if we shared the contents of the secret orders? We can join forces to help each other complete the missions."

"I disagree. Mr. Baek said that these are secret missions. If we reveal them carelessly, we may run into conflicts of interest."

The students' initial panic quickly subsided and they began to assess the situation rationally. After attending Baek Suryong's class for a semester, it had become second nature for them to exploit every advantage in an unexpected situation.

Each of them carefully weighed their options and thought about what would work best for them. Would teaming up be beneficial, or would going it alone be more efficient? Should information be shared or kept private?

Making sure to keep their poker faces on, they glanced inside their scent pouches to check the contents of their secret missions.

What do I need to do to accomplish my mission…?

Being in Baek Suryong's class had taught them to approach problems with a cool and calculating mindset. The real reason they participated in the discussion was also to secure the best hand for themselves.

Unfortunately, the wolves outside did not give them much time to think.

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"…They're already here."

"So soon?"

Sensing dozens of presences gathering outside the classroom, the students stiffened.

"Look out the windows!"

A considerable number of students had surrounded the outside of the building, and their numbers were steadily increasing.

"Everyone!" Dokgo Jun stomped his foot, drawing everyone's attention. "We don't have much time. First, can we all agree that our first objective is to escape from this classroom in one piece? I'm going to the Student Council building, because at least the students there won't attack me. Anyone with me?"

"We'll go with you."

"Me too."

"Sounds good. We can take a breather there…"

Most of the students decided to follow Dokgo Jun. Even if they split up later, escaping the classroom together was their top priority.

"The Club Union is closer. How about we head to the Club Union building?" Hyonwon Kang suggested. He was the Club Union President, and the Club Union building was closer to the classroom.

Dokgo Jun nodded. "That's not a bad idea…"

"SRS (Swordsmanship Research Society), form a perimeter!"

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"HWC (Hidden Weapons Club), deploy the Skynet Formation!"

"Hyonwon Kang! Hand over your scent pouch!"

"Even if we beat you half to death, we can get away with it! Mr. Baek Suryong is on our side!"

…Except for the fact that many Club Union members had joined the encirclement outside.

Hyonwon Kang cleared his throat and glanced at Dokgo Jun. "Ahem! Let's go to the Student Council."

"…I'll lead the way."

"Wait." Geo Sangwoong grabbed Dokgo Jun's shoulder. Lowering his voice, he suggested, "There's an empty classroom below us. How about we break through the floor and go down? It's the shortest route to the Student Council building."

Maybe they thought the exam would only start after they left the classroom, or maybe they were being cautious, but no enemies had entered the classroom yet. Still, there was probably an ambush waiting for them right outside the door.

"Senior, we can't damage academy property…" Dokgo Jun protested. Although he had picked up some bad habits from Baek Suryong's class, he still retained his model student nature.

Geo Sangwoong clicked his tongue. "Didn't Mr. Baek say we could use any means necessary? Don't worry, if something happens, I'll pay for the repairs."

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Spoken like a true scion of the Golden Dragon Trading Company… The students thought unanimously.

Dokgo Jun hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, let's do that."

"Leave the property damage to us." Grinning, Geo Sangwoong caught Ya Suhyeok's eye.

The two bears simultaneously raised their fists and pounded on the floor.

CRACK… BOOM!

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Cracks spread across the floor like a spider web, and eventually, the floor caved in, leaving a gaping hole.

"They'll be on us soon. Let's go!"

With Dokgo Jun in the lead, everyone jumped through the newly opened hole.

A few seconds later, the students outside realized something was wrong and stormed into the classroom, only to find it empty with a massive hole in the floor.

"W-What happened?"

"Where did they go?"

"Where are those bastards… There they are! After them!"

And so, the Defense Against the Unorthodox Arts final exam officially began.

On the roof of Azure Dragon Academy's main building, Baek Suryong and Noh Goonsang watched as the Defense Against the Unorthodox Arts students demolished the classroom building and ran away.

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"Those damn punks… destroying the building right from the start…" Baek Suryong groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. He hadn't expected the students to escape by smashing a hole through the classroom floor.

Noh Goonsang chuckled. Unlike Baek Suryong, he actually found the students' antics rather amusing. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Baek. We have a very generous budget this year. A little property damage won't be a problem."

Although the students were teenagers, this was an examination for martial artists. It was natural for people to fight, for things to be broken, and for riots to break out when their skills were being assessed.

"Well, in the case of this exam, it seems like the entire academy will be in an uproar…"

"I'll step in if they cross the line. We can't have them disrupting other exams," Baek Suryong said firmly.

"Right! I'm counting on you," Noh Goonsang giggled as mayhem raged across the campus. "Hoho! This is the first time that exam season has felt so lively."

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"…Honestly, I didn't expect the kids to go this far," Baek Suryong admitted. It was almost bizarre how many students seemed to have appeared out of nowhere… No, were there always this many students enrolled in the academy?

"It's only natural," Noh Goonsang said with a grin. "The reward is personal instruction from the Azure Dragon Hero, plus priority enrollment in your class next semester. A year ago, nobody would have cared about such an announcement, but now?"

Spurred on by the prize, both the hunters and the hunted were charged with excitement. A chorus of shouts and jeers echoed throughout the school grounds.

"Woohoo!"

"Catch them!"

"Stop running away, you cowards!"

The students' fervor could be felt even on the rooftop.

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"Hoho! Such is youth!" Noh Goonsang exclaimed wistfully, thinking back on the academy's struggles over the past decade.

The Azure Dragon Academy's repeated failures at the Heavenly Martial Festival had eroded everyone's self-esteem. The number of talented applicants had dwindled, and the students no longer felt pride in attending the academy.

Most of the instructors had also lost their drive. Only a handful, such as Mae Geuklyom and Namgung Su, had persevered in their efforts to restore the academy to its former glory.

"Mr. Baek Suryong," Noh Goonsang suddenly called out, looking at the young instructor next to him. He recalled the bold declaration Baek Suryong had made when he first joined: that the Azure Dragon Academy would triumph at the Heavenly Martial Festival this year.

He no longer dismissed those words as mere bluster.

Baek Suryong blinked in confusion. "Yes?"

"Thank you," Noh Goonsang said sincerely. "You've changed the Azure Dragon Academy. You've restored faith that things can improve and inspired the students to strive for greatness."

"You're giving me too much credit," Baek Suryong replied, waving off the praise.

Noh Goonsang shook his head. Baek Suryong had gone from slaying the Bloody Ripper in the Valley of Evil to killing a Blood Cult Elder in the Namgung Estate. He was now well known throughout the murim as the Azure Dragon Hero, bringing fame to the Azure Dragon Academy where he taught at too.

"You're already a Star Instructor," he said.

"What? Where did that come from…" Baek Suryong felt his cheeks redden. "It feels weird when you praise me that much."

"Really? You're capable of feeling embarrassed? You?"

"Huh?"

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"You're always bragging, so I thought you were incapable of such a thing."

"What the hell…?" Baek Suryong laughed. "Anyway, let's hold off calling me a Star Instructor until after we win the Heavenly Martial Festival, okay? I don't think I deserve it just yet."

"Hoho! You're quite ambitious," Noh Goonsang laughed heartily.

While they were talking, the group of students led by Dokgo Jun finally entered the Student Council building. Not a single one had fallen behind.

Baek Suryong turned to Noh Goonsang. The night before, he had told Noh Goonsang about the Murim Alliance Chairman's objective, which he had heard from Cheong Cheon, but Noh Goonsang had said that he needed some time to think and suggested they meet on the rooftop the next day.

"Principal."

"Hmm?"

"Regarding yesterday's topic… have you decided what we should do about it?"

Noh Goonsang organized his thoughts. "You're referring to how the Chairman wants to make the academy a subsidiary of the Murim Alliance so he can draft the students for war? Well, that certainly sounds like something he would do."

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"But we can't agree to it."

"Of course not."

Baek Suryong breathed a sigh of relief. If Noh Goonsang had sided with the Chairman, things would have become far more complicated.

Noh Goonsang gazed at the students scrambling in the distance. "They're still children. I don't want to see them dragged into war."

"I share that sentiment… but it won't be easy to dissuade the Murim Alliance Chairman."

Baek Suryong was confident that the Blood Cult would only start a war if their victory was certain. That meant that the entire murim would have to use all its strength to stand a chance against the lunatics.

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I know these students won't be able to avoid the war just because they're young, but…

The Azure Dragon Academy's students were stronger than most martial artists from small or mid-sized sects. There was no way the orthodox murim would ignore such valuable assets.

"War is inevitable," Baek Suryong continued. "However, if we must fight, it should be on our own terms. We're not part of the Murim Alliance. We don't have to obey their orders."

"That's right," Noh Goonsang replied, his expression grim. He was prepared to defy the Murim Alliance Chairman, no matter how difficult the road ahead.

"I'll stand with you."

"Hoho, having the Azure Dragon Hero on my side is heartening. Shall we talk more in my office?"

"Sure, Principal," Baek Suryong replied.

They left the rooftop for the principal's office.

Baek Suryong mulled over his plan. For now, he had managed to secure Noh Goonsang's cooperation. Nevertheless, he still needed a backup strategy, especially since the Murim Alliance Chairman didn't seem like someone who would back down easily.

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"By the way… your students' martial arts have improved considerably," Noh Goonsang suddenly remarked, putting the serious discussion on hold until they reached his office.

"They still have a long way to go."

"You said that they have to carry out secret missions while being hunted by the entire school, right? That's quite a challenge."

"I doubt even half of them will complete their missions. I designed the tasks to be extremely tough."

"That makes me even more curious. What sort of missions did you give them?"

"Well, for starters… they're not missions that can be accomplished with martial arts skill alone."

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"Oh?"

"Only the ones who truly understand Defense Against the Unorthodox Arts will succeed."

Baek Suryong grinned slyly. Unless those kids put themselves in the shoes of unorthodox martial artists, it'll be impossible to get a good grade on this exam.

"Whew…"

"We barely made it…"

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"Everyone alive?"

The examinees who had taken refuge in the Student Council building stared at the tightly closed door, panting. Thankfully, the students who were chasing after them dared not enter the building recklessly.

Dokgo Jun scanned the group. "Did anyone lose their pouch?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"I have a proposal," Dokgo Jun said. "How about we all share the contents of our secret missions? We'll use this place as our headquarters and tackle the missions one by one together so that everyone can pass."

For some reason, he had been more proactive than anyone else since the exam started, but there was a good reason for that…

"Oh…!"

"That might work."

Some students were intrigued by the idea, but not everyone agreed.

Hyonwon Kang shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't reveal mine."

Several others also looked away.

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So I'm not the only one whose mission absolutely can't be shared, huh? Dokgo Jun nodded and said, "Okay then, I won't force anyone to reveal their missions, but you can rest here regardless. The Student Council is safe. I'll also go meet with the council members now and see if we can beef up security around here."

The students nodded, grateful to Dokgo Jun for offering them sanctuary. Their trust in the Student Council President deepened.

Dokgo Jun left and returned a few minutes later.

"I'll share my secret mission first," he said, taking a piece of paper out of his scent pouch, unfolding it, and holding it out for all to see.

Break into the principal's office and steal his seal.

"…Baek Suryong is out of his mind."

"Won't we be expelled if we get caught?"

The students' jaws dropped at the ridiculous difficulty of the mission. Noh Goonsang was a former Top 100 master, so sneaking past him to get the seal seemed almost impossible.

"We won't be expelled because it's part of the exam, but that doesn't make my task any easier," Dokgo Jun explained. "I can't do it alone, but if someone lures the principal away while I sneak in, it might be feasible."

"That makes sense…"

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Certainly, working together would make it much easier to accomplish the missions.

After Dokgo Jun, some of the other students also revealed their missions.

Collect thirty Azure Dragon Emblems.

Slip laxatives into Mr. Ak Yeonho's food.

Steal Mr. Namgung Su's wallet.

"These seem doable."

"…Not that last one, though."

"Well, if we put our heads together, we'll figure something out."

All the missions were difficult, but some were truly outrageous.

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"I-I'll show you mine too," Wiji Cheon said hesitantly.

Shave off Headmaster Mae Geuklyom's beard.

""Holy crap!""

Everyone recoiled as if they had seen a ghost. Of all people, it just had to be the notorious Headmaster!

"He might as well tell you to kill yourself!"

"I can't do it. I'll be cleaved in half the moment I touch his beard."

"……"

No one wanted to help Wiji Cheon with his mission, not even Dokgo Jun.

Wiji Cheon hung his head dejectedly. "Sigh…"

Only Hyonwon Kang approached Wiji Cheon. Putting a finger to his lips, he sent a telepathic message. [I received the same mission as you.]

"What?!"

[I kept quiet because I doubted anyone would help. I didn't think anyone else would have the same mission.]

[Then…]

Grinning, Hyonwon Kang nodded and patted Wiji Cheon's shoulder. [If we work together, couldn't we find a way to pull off this crazy stunt?]

[Right!]

[Okay. From now on, let's stick together till the end of the exam.]

[Yes!] Wiji Cheon nodded, smiling brightly.

Unfortunately, the naive boy believed his delinquent senior without confirming the actual contents of his secret mission.

Steal Wiji Cheon's sword.

Those were the words on Hyonwon Kang's mission slip.

---

Translator's Note: Thus begins the tale of trust and betrayal…

p.s. I'm not sober enough to finish another chapter today, but watch out for special Spring Festival updates on Wednesday and Thursday.

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