Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

At the highest ridge of the White Dragon Manor's roof, a man stood precariously, surveying the grounds below.

"……"

Rather than exuding strength, he possessed an elegance that could only be described as beautiful. He rested a hand on his sword hilt, prepared for any unexpected intruders as he observed the manor.

In truth, such vigilance was unnecessary. Under his command, the Heavenly Martial Corps had already surrounded the White Dragon Manor with an impenetrable defense. Their sharp, chilling auras alone were enough to prevent anyone from approaching.

And even if our defenses were breached, who would dare harm the Chairman?

Some might think that way, but the man had never once neglected his duty.

My mission is to protect the Chairman.

As the man scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes, remaining ever watchful, a Heavenly Martial Corps warrior leaped onto the roof and bowed in greeting.

The Commander nodded. "Well done. Rotate with the third squad and continue to guard the western perimeter."

Instead of immediately following the order, the warrior hesitated. "Um… Commander," he began.

"What is it?"

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"Have you heard that the Chairman intends to appoint the Azure Dragon Hero as Chief Instructor?"

"So?" The Commander's eyebrow twitched slightly.

The subordinate flinched, but quickly expressed his frustration, "Isn't the position of Chief Instructor equal in rank to the Five Commanders? No matter how much authority the Chairman has, this is unacceptable."

"……"

"Commander, perhaps if you spoke to the Chairman…"

"Return to your post."

"Commander…"

"I said, return," the Commander repeated, releasing a faint killing intent.

The warrior shrank back, intimidated. "…Yes, sir," he said, then left as quickly as he came.

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Despite his words, the Commander actually agreed with his subordinates. No, if anything, the emotions boiling inside him were stronger than anyone else's.

The Azure Dragon Hero.

After meeting Baek Suryong in person, he realized that the rumors were true. The man was certainly extraordinary.

A rising supreme master whose name is now being spoken alongside the Ten Supremes.

As a martial artist of the same generation, it would be a lie to say he didn't feel a surge of competitive spirit.

That's why I tested him.

Half out of curiosity and half out of an attempt to humiliate the arrogant bastard, he had shot a piercing wave of killing intent sharp enough to make even a peak master flinch at Baek Suryong's back.

However, Baek Suryong hadn't even twitched a muscle.

When that happened, the Commander had felt deeply ashamed. Despite his deliberate challenge, Baek Suryong hadn't even acknowledged his existence.

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He made me feel like a reckless fool.

"It seems I still lack discipline," the Heavenly Martial Corps Commander muttered, shaking his head and forcing himself to concentrate on his work.

Nevertheless, the flames of rivalry that had ignited within him refused to subside.

"Ugh…" Yayul Hwang hesitated, unable to answer right away.

Instead, he stared blankly at Baek Suryong, feeling like a gambler who had lost everything but the clothes on his back.

How did I get tangled up with this bastard…

He already knew that he was the one at a disadvantage in this negotiation, so at their second meeting, he had formally apologized and offered Baek Suryong the position of Murim Alliance Chief Instructor. According to his common sense, this should have been more than enough for Baek Suryong to accept.

Demanding the Vice Chairman position must have been a bluff. He must have known it wasn't possible.

…Or so he thought. He never expected Baek Suryong to use that as leverage to make further demands.

This man isn't a negotiator, he's a swindler.

Chief Strategist Jaegal Sojin, who had been quietly listening since the start of the meeting, finally interjected, "Are you suggesting that the Murim Alliance recruit students from the Azure Dragon Academy?

Baek Suryong shook his head. "I am only asking that they be allowed to work there as interns to gain work experience. I'm not asking the Murim Alliance to officially hire them."

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Of course, it would be great if they were officially hired, but even Baek Suryong knew that it was unrealistic to go that far. If he became too greedy, he risked losing control of the negotiations.

"I've heard that Azure Dragon Academy graduates have a hard time even passing the initial background screening process. All I want is for them to be treated fairly and given the same opportunities as students from the other Five Great Academies. This isn't an unreasonable request, is it?"

Among the Five Great Academies, Azure Dragon Academy had the worst reputation. As a result, its students stood a much slimmer chance of being accepted into the Murim Alliance.

"What's your take, Chief Strategist?" Yayul Hwang asked, deferring the decision to Jaegal Sojin.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Jaegal Sojin nodded. "I believe it is a reasonable request. We will consider it carefully."

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Baek Suryong grinned. "Then I will take that as confirmation. Also, one more thing."

"…What now?" Yayul Hwang's thick eyebrows twitched in irritation. His patience was clearly reaching its limit.

Baek Suryong quickly pushed his agenda. "The position of Chief Instructor is equal in rank to the Five Commanders, right?"

"That's right."

"Then that means the Chief Instructor has the authority to recommend new members to the Murim Alliance. I will simply be exercising my rightful privilege."

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"…Where did you learn about that clause?"

Baek Suryong smiled. "Since I'm going to be holding an adjunct position soon, I thought it only prudent to read through the Murim Alliance's rules and regulations thoroughly."

Under the table, Yayul Hwang's fists trembled with barely contained rage.

Damn it, even the way he smiles is infuriating!

He wanted nothing more than to punch Baek Suryong's smug face, but that would mean throwing away the chance to recruit this useful man, so he had no choice but to put up with it.

Baek Suryong continued, "My request is simple. All I want is to recommend one person to the Omniscient Bureau. I believe there's a sharp-minded graduate this year who would be a valuable asset to the Murim Alliance."

"Hah…" Yayul Hwang snorted. He was no fool, so he immediately grasped the meaning behind Baek Suryong's words.

Baek Suryong was blatantly requesting to plant his own spy within the Murim Alliance, and not just anywhere, but within their intelligence division, the Omniscient Bureau.

Well, at least it's better than sneaking around behind my back.

Yayul Hwang sighed. Unfortunately, the young instructor was right. Recommending staff to the Alliance was a privilege that came with the position of Chief Instructor.

Of course, he had never seen anyone abuse it quite like this before.

He nodded grudgingly, saying, "Fine, but if the kid lacks the ability, he won't last long in the Omniscient Bureau. I won't take responsibility if he gets himself fired."

"Naturally, I wouldn't expect you to," Baek Suryong replied smoothly.

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He had faith in Bang Baekhyun. With that boy's social and martial skills, adapting to the Omniscient Bureau was a piece of cake.

Yayul Hwang turned to Jaegal Sojin. "Send the student to the Chief Strategist here. I've heard they've been short on personnel lately."

Baek Suryong smirked. The Chief Strategist also served as the Commander of the Omniscient Bureau, the Murim Alliance's intelligence division. Turning to Jaegal Sojin, he asked, "You're not going to bully him just because he's an outsider, are you?"

"Of course not. I'll evaluate him fairly. I swear it on my family's name," Jaegal Sojin replied solemnly.

Baek Suryong nodded. Since she had sworn on the name of the Jaegal Clan, there was no risk of Bang Baekhyun being unfairly singled out and expelled. Still, there was probably no avoiding some hazing from the existing members.

He'll just have to endure that on his own.

With that, the general framework of their alliance was settled. The finer details would be discussed later in a meeting with Noh Goonsang and the senior officials of the Azure Dragon Academy.

Suddenly, Baek Suryong suggested, "How about we officially announce the alliance at the upcoming end-of-semester ceremony?"

"Let's do that."

"That sounds good."

Yayul Hwang and Jaegal Sojin nodded in agreement.

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Now that the discussion was settled, Jaegal Sojin stood up to leave, but Yayul Hwang remained seated as if he had something more to say.

"Do you have something more to say, Chairman?" Baek Suryong asked.

"Well…" Yayul Hwang hesitated for a moment before continuing, "There are quite a few people in the Murim Alliance who doubt your skills. If I suddenly appoint you as Chief Instructor, there will be significant pushback."

"Isn't that something for you to handle, Chairman?"

"Of course, I'll deal with it. No one would dare openly protest my decision. Even so, there are limits to what I can do." Yayul Hwang downed the rest of his tea in a single gulp, then continued, "The Five Commanders, in particular, will not accept you, and neither will the captains under them. They'll look at you with disdain and find excuses to reject your martial arts instruction. If all you want is the position, it won't be an issue, but if you actually want to teach the Alliance's martial artists…"

Baek Suryong immediately understood Yayul Hwang's point. What was the meaning in having an excellent teacher if the students refused to learn? If the martial artists of the Alliance were unwilling to follow his guidance, then the title of Chief Instructor meant little.

This was definitely a matter that even Yayul Hwang couldn't fix alone. He would have to personally prove his own worth to the Murim Alliance warriors.

"I understand," he said, nodding. "What do you suggest I do?"

"First, you need to prove that your martial arts are as formidable as the rumors claim."

Baek Suryong narrowed his eyes at Yayul Hwang. Something feels off about this.

He hazarded a guess, asking, "Don't tell me… are you suggesting I fight you in front of an audience?"

Yayul Hwang clicked his tongue in regret and shook his head. "I mean, if that happened, I'd have the perfect excuse to beat you down publicly. Unfortunately, it wouldn't look good if I was the one to do it. No matter how impressive your martial arts are, people will just assume I was going easy on you."

"……" Baek Suryong felt a brief surge of irritation. So he doesn't even consider the possibility of losing?

Well, to be fair, Yayul Hwang wasn't wrong.

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I can't beat him yet.

The Fist King Yayul Hwang was one of the strongest among the Ten Supremes. There was no way he could beat the man as long as he wished to hide the Heaven Defying Divine Art.

However, in that case…

"If not you, then is there even anyone in the Murim Alliance capable of taking me on?" he taunted.

"Hahaha!" Yayul Hwang burst into laughter. It's a shame none of the Five Commanders are present to hear those words. I should have brought at least one of them along with me.

Still, Baek Suryong wasn't wrong to ask.

"I'd say the Heavenly Martial Commander should be able to match you," he replied confidently.

"…The Heavenly Martial Commander? You mean the one who was glaring at me from behind earlier?"

Baek Suryong recalled the blatant hostility he had sensed when he was leading Yayul Hwang to the meeting room. The man's aura had been strong enough that he remembered it clearly. If not for Yayul Hwang's presence, he would have turned around and drawn his sword on the spot.

Yayul Hwang nodded. "That's right. He doesn't seem to like you very much."

"Huh? What did I do to make him dislike me?" Baek Suryong blinked, bewildered.

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I've never even met the Heavenly Martial Commander before. Why would he resent me?

Jaegal Sojin replied on behalf of the Chairman, "Wouldn't it be weirder if he didn't hold a grudge against you? You suddenly appeared out of nowhere, gained a reputation rivaling the Ten Supremes, and now you're about to be appointed Chief Instructor. To top it all off, you're about the same age as him."

"……" Baek Suryong nodded. Now that he thought about it, envy was a pretty good reason to hate someone.

Yayul Hwang remarked, "The Heavenly Martial Commander isn't exactly a narrow-minded man, but he refuses to acknowledge anyone he sees as below himself. Right now, he thinks of you as an nothing more than an unproven upstart who's using connections to take a high-ranking position."

"If you become Chief Instructor, you'll outrank him. I imagine that will lead to frequent clashes," Jaegal Sojin added.

Nodding, Yayul Hwang suggested smoothly, "So, I was thinking… How about arranging a friendly duel between you and the Heavenly Martial Commander to spruce up the Azure Dragon Academy's end-of-semester ceremony?"

Baek Suryong smiled. One after the other, the Chairman and the Chief Strategist were trying to dictate the course of the conversation.

The Heavenly Martial Corps was not affiliated with any of the Five Divisions, they answered only to the Chairman. Moreover, their martial prowess rivaled the best in the entire Alliance. Most importantly, their Commander was so exceptional that he was considered on par with the Five Commanders of the Murim Alliance.

So that's what this is about.

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Baek Suryong could see right through Yayul Hwang's antics. Since the man couldn't personally test Baek Suryong's skills without compromising his dignity, he planned to use the Heavenly Martial Commander as a proxy.

Well, if I want to prove myself to the Alliance, then this is the perfect opportunity for me as well.

"That's fine by me," he replied.

Yayul Hwang grinned. "Then we'll move forward with it. Don't underestimate the Heavenly Martial Commander. He's not far behind the Five Commanders in strength. Give him a few more years, and he might just take the Vice Chairman seat you were after."

Now, even Baek Suryong was growing curious about his opponent. If the Chairman acknowledges him that much…

"By the way, what's the Heavenly Martial Commander's name?"

"…You mean you don't even know?" Yayul Hwang stared at Baek Suryong in disbelief. "His name is Cho Cheonsang, also known as the Proud Sword of Mount Hua. He's one of the most promising young masters of your generation and the direct disciple of the Mount Hua Sect Leader."

"He was also the top graduate of the Heavenly Martial Academy ten years ago," Jaegal Sojin added.

She had been Cho Cheonsang's classmate in the Heavenly Martial Academy, so she was all to familiar with his prodigious swordsmanship.

Azure Dragon Hero… No matter how strong you are, the Proud Sword of Mount Hua will not be an easy opponent.

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Although she had read many reports on Baek Suryong's martial prowess, she wasn't fully convinced that he could truly rival the Ten Supremes.

Cho Cheonsang is already among the strongest of the top hundred masters. If he continues on this path, he may one day challenge the Ten Supremes themselves.

Most importantly, he was proud. There was no way he didn't have feelings about this upstart gaining fame overnight.

If conflict is inevitable, then it's best to settle it now.

Who would win? As a martial artist herself, Jaegal Sojin was genuinely curious. Glancing at Yayul Hwang, she saw that he, too, was smirking in anticipation.

Baek Suryong muttered, "The Mount Hua Sect Leader's disciple and a top graduate of the Heavenly Martial Academy, huh…"

"Starting to feel nervous?" Yayul Hwang teased.

"No, this should be fun," Baek Suryong replied, his lips curving into a wild grin. Far from being worried, he was looking forward to experiencing the Mount Hua Sect's sword firsthand. "Go ahead and arrange it. This end-of-semester ceremony is going to be unforgettable."

"We're looking forward to it as well."

Thus, it was decided that the end-of-semester ceremony would feature a duel between the Azure Dragon Hero and the Heavenly Martial Commander.

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