TL: FoodieMonster007
"…What?"
When people are confronted with something that is too absurd, they sometimes become dumbfounded instead of upset.
That was exactly how Yayul Hwang felt as he stared at the pretty boy standing in his way.
When was the last time someone lashed out at me like that?
He couldn't remember, which meant that it had definitely been more than a decade. In other words, it hadn't happened even once since he had become the chairman.
Many people might have had their complaints about him, but no one had ever dared to openly rebuke the Murim Alliance Chairman, especially not some random young punk.
Did I not introduce myself as the Murim Alliance Chairman?
The Fist King. Chairman of the Murim Alliance. One of the murim's Ten Supremes. A peerless master whose fists had no equal.
All those titles belonged to Yayul Hwang. Did the young man in front of him mishear him or something?"I'll ask again. What did you just say to me, the Murim Alliance Chairman?"
"I asked what right you had to interrupt our exam."
Ha! Unbelievable! Yayul Hwang fell speechless in disbelief.
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Undaunted, Baek Suryong continued, "Not only that, you also trespassed, destroyed property, and disrupted an official school activity."
"What nonsense are you…"
"Are you really going to deny what you did with so many witnesses present? I could call the constables right now and have you arrested."
"C-Constables?" Yayul Hwang blinked in bewilderment. Which crazy constable would dare arrest me?
Sensing Yayul Hwang's sarcasm, Baek Suryong smiled faintly.
For some reason though, shivers ran down the spines of the onlookers.
"I know just the mad dog who would do it," Baek Suryong said. "And he was recently promoted to Chief Inspector. No matter who it is, if they've committed a crime, that guy will arrest them without hesitation."
"C-Committed a crime?"
"Why? Do you feel guilty?" Baek Suryong taunted.
While Yayul Hwang still exuded a domineering aura, the authority and dignity he had displayed earlier quickly evaporated in the heat of emotion.
"You little punk…!" he shouted. "Are you seriously making such a fuss over the interruption of a mere exam?!"
"…A mere exam?" Baek Suryong's voice turned frosty.
Namgung Su and Mae Geuklyom, who had been watching silently, also glared sharply at Yayul Hwang.
"The final exams are the culmination of six months of hard work for our students. It might seem trivial to you, Chairman, but to these kids, it's anything but."
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"Ahem, that's not what I meant…" Yayul Hwang coughed awkwardly and glanced at the people around him.
That had been a misstep. Since he had come here to persuade the students, to belittle their efforts in front of them was a grave mistake.
This isn't going as planned…
He knew Baek Suryong's argument was logical, but still, he wasn't accustomed to apologizing or explaining himself.
In the end, he could only mutter, "…Your disrespect knows no bounds, young man."
"While I hear words like that often, it doesn't seem like something a trespasser should say."
"You…!" Yayul Hwang raised his fist, but recalling his Chief Strategist's warning against using violence, he grit his teeth and lowered it.
Damn it, if only there weren't so many people watching… I'd beat this arrogant brat to a pulp!
He was an aggressive and straightforward person, he wasn't a muscle-brained thug. Right now, he had no justification to attack the rude young man in front of him.
How did I end up like this?
He had deliberately made a grand entrance, showing off his martial arts prowess. His plan was simple—overwhelm the crowd with his strength, leave them dazed in awe, then explain why they needed to join the war against the Blood Cult.
Somehow along the way, however, he had allowed himself to be cornered by a little punk's eloquence and had failed to utter a single meaningful word.
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I thought that as long as the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva wasn't here, no one would dare talk back to me, but…
The young man before him showed no sign of backing down.
Baek Suryong spat, "Rather than standing there with veins popping in your forehead, shouldn't you apologize? Do you really want me to call the constables?"
Yayul Hwang's brow twitched uncomfortably. For him, the absolute ruler of the Murim Alliance for over a decade, being ridiculed like this was an unfamiliar and mortifying experience.
"…What gives you the confidence to talk to me this way?"
"Do I need something to rely on to stand my ground before you, Chairman?"
"……" Realizing that he couldn't win this war of words, Yayul Hwang shut his mouth and glared daggers at Baek Suryong.
Huh? Wait, this guy…!
He narrowed his eyes. Beneath that pretty boy facade lay a tremendous, yet highly-controlled amount of internal energy.
Yayul Hwang wasn't usually interested in other people, and his senses were duller than most supreme masters, but this man had concealed his aura so well that even he hadn't noticed it until he really focused.
Finally realizing who he was dealing with, his rage quickly dissipated. If this was the famous Azure Dragon Hero, then it made sense for him to be so impudent.
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Bursting into wild laughter, he roared, "I see! So you're the Azure Dragon Hero! No wonder you're so bold! Hahaha!"
You only just realized that? Are you kidding me? Baek Suryong grumbled internally, but he clasped his hands together in a formal greeting anyway.
"…That's right, I am Baek Suryong," he said.
"The hero who slew that vile Blood Cult Elder! I've been wanting to meet you for a while!"
The atmosphere, once as tense as a battlefield, turned as gentle as a spring breeze.
Yayul Hwang had dedicated his entire life to eradicating the Blood Cult, so when he heard about the Namgung Clan massacre, he was furious. Needless to say, he also deeply respected the Azure Dragon Hero for his role in stopping it.
"I sent you a letter inviting you to the Alliance. Didn't you receive it?"
"I did, but I'm busy with work right now. I was planning to visit the Murim Alliance headquarters once vacation starts."
Yayul Hwang nodded. "I see."
This time, he did not flare up at Baek Suryong's curt attitude. The Azure Dragon Hero possessed more than enough qualifications to speak to him as an equal.
"I apologize for what happened earlier. I truly didn't know that an exam was taking place. When I saw the smoke, my first thought was that the Blood Cult had launched a surprise attack."
"…You thought the Blood Cult would attack the Azure Dragon Academy in broad daylight, in the middle of a bustling city?"
"Did the Namgung Clan know they were about to be wiped out overnight?"
"……" Baek Suryong could have argued further, but he chose to let it go. He had no intention of making the Murim Alliance Chairman his enemy.
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At least I now understand what kind of person he is.
Yayul Hwang had treated him like an annoying bug until he realized that he was the Azure Dragon Hero.
He's a self-centered and arrogant jerk who only cares about those he's acknowledged.
"…Fine, I get your point. However, you still have to pay compensation for the property damage you caused," he said after a brief pause.
Yayul Hwang readily agreed, "Of course. Just send the bill to my Chief Strategist."
Baek Suryong smirked inwardly. He's going to be in for a shock when he sees the actual invoice.
The compensation he sought would include not only the cost of repairing the infrastructure the chairman had destroyed, but also all the damage caused by the students and the medical expenses of the injured.
I'll bleed him dry.
Now that the confrontation had settled down, the instructors who had been holding their breath finally relaxed.
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[Suryong, you crazy rascal! What were you thinking, provoking the Chairman like that?!]
[…You're insane.]
Baek Suryong ignored Mae Geuklyom and Namgung Su's telepathic messages.
I was surprised too, you know!
Although he was genuinely annoyed that the Murim Alliance Chairman had interrupted the exam, the real reason he had deliberately provoked the man was to undermine his authority by making him look like an exam-interrupting troublemaker.
I can't let the students be mesmerized by him.
Martial artists were instinctively drawn to the strong, and this was especially true for the Ten Supremes.
Ironically, the most glaring example of this was himself. After gaining fame as the Azure Dragon Hero, even the status of the Azure Dragon Academy improved, and the students gained a newfound confidence.
The Chairman arrived today even though he said he would come tomorrow. Moreover, of all times, he came when the principal wasn't here… Could this really be a coincidence?
No, I doubt it. He definitely came here on purpose. Maybe… he's aiming to sway public opinion while the principal is away?
Baek Suryong shuddered to think what would have happened if he hadn't stopped Yayul Hwang. The atmosphere would have turned completely in the Chairman's favor.
Fortunately, his plan seemed to have worked.
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"The Principal is currently away," he said, testing to see if his hypothesis was right.
Yayul Hwang shrugged casually. "I know."
Baek Suryong's frowned slightly. So he did know?
That meant he had deliberately chosen to come at a time when Noh Goonsang was away. Doubt turned into certainty.
"Please come inside. I'll serve you some tea."
"What about the exam?"
Baek Suryong looked around. The students, who had already lowered their weapons, stared blankly in his direction and blinked as if dazed. The fighting spirit in their eyes was gone.
"I'd like to let them finish, but they don't seem to be in any condition to do so."
"Hmm… sorry about that," Yayul Hwang apologized, but his expression did not look the least bit apologetic.
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"It's fine," Baek Suryong said curtly.
Fortunately, he had observed the students long enough to grade them. He was only disappointed that he couldn't see the final result of the game he had so painstakingly designed.
Right now, dealing with the Chairman is more important. I have to keep him busy until the principal arrives.
"Allow me to escort you to the reception room. The principal will be here soon, so please relax and enjoy a tea break until then."
"Sure, but before that…"
BOOOOM!!! RUMBLE…!!
Suddenly, the Chairman stomped his foot, causing the ground to shake violently as if an earthquake had just occurred. At the same time, a ferocious aura exploded from his body.
The oppressive presence of an absolute master weighed down on the entire area, suffocating everyone caught within its radius.
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"W-What?"
"What are you doing?!"
Startled, the instructors cried out in surprise, while the weaker students collapsed. Only a handful of students remained standing.
Baek Suryong was equally stunned.
What the fuck is up with this Murim Alliance Chairman? I'd believe it if someone told me he was Master Maeng's brother!
Chills ran down his spine, and goosebumps erupted all over his arms. He gritted his teeth and glared at Yayul Hwang, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.
A sense of despair similar to when he had faced the Blue Sky Sword King and the Night Emperor washed over him, but he wasn't as afraid as he had been then. He was significantly stronger now than he was at that time.
Is he picking a fight…? he wondered, when Yayul Hwang spoke.
"Greetings, I am the Fist King Yayul Hwang, Chairman of the Murim Alliance."
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Baek Suryong wiped a drop of cold sweat. Fortunately, Yayul Hwang's goal wasn't to destroy the Azure Dragon Academy.
"I'm sure you've all heard the news. The Blood Cult is trying to drench the murim in blood again."
"…!!" Baek Suryong grit his teeth.
Although he had successfully undermined the Murim Alliance Chairman's authority with his words, he had forgotten one most important fact—the stature of a supreme master could never be diminished with mere words.
Unfortunately, Yayul Hwang knew this, and had remained unbothered even when mocked.
"When that day comes, you'll have to make a choice. Will you hide behind these walls, believing they're safe, or will you step forward and fight?"
Yayul Hwang's eyes gleamed as he glanced at the students. Most of them avoided his gaze, but a few gritted their teeth and met his eyes.
There are more bold ones than I expected.
Yayul Hwang chuckled, then continued, "Even if you follow me, I cannot, and will not, guarantee your survival. However, if you do, I promise you will see more Blood Cult corpses than anyone else. After all, I have dedicated my life to eradicating them."
His speech was direct, aggressive, and reckless, but as a supreme master, no one questioned him.
"You won't have much time to think it over, so make your choice wisely, young heroes."
With those words, the Murim Alliance Chairman withdrew his aura. The crushing weight that had pressed down on the space vanished as if it had never existed.
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Turning back to Baek Suryong, Yayul Hwang said, "Alright, let's go to the reception room."
"…Yes."
Then, he strode toward the main building.
As the tension dissipated, the students collapsed to the ground, their hearts pounding.
It wasn't only because of what they had just experienced, but because the Chairman of the Murim Alliance had ignited a burning flame in their hearts.
"You're dismissed! The final exams are now officially over!" Mae Geuklyom announced.
Meanwhile, Baek quietly glared at the back of the leaving Chairman's head.
Translator's Note: Happy (or lonely) Valentines Day!
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