Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

"That crazy bastard, Hyonwon Kang. Making such a big deal out of this…"

Seonwoo Jin turned pale when he saw the massive crowd gathered around the duel arena. He had agreed when Hyonwon Kang insisted on choosing the location of the duel, but he never expected it to turn into such a spectacle.

Instead of one of the Azure Dragon Academy's dueling arenas, Hyonwon Kang had chosen the busiest main street in the heart of Nanchang City as their battleground. Even for a formal duel, this was over the top.

How on earth did he get permission from the Principal?

Regardless, that wasn't the only baffling thing. As he looked around at the arena and waiting rooms built with obviously expensive materials and the hundreds of spectator seats, Seonwoo Jin's jaw dropped.

Just where did he get the money to build this duel arena?

The arena was built specifically for one duel, but it had a sturdy floor that wouldn't crack under powerful blows, and some spectator seats were even furnished with luxurious tables and chairs.

"Please line up! We will begin admitting people starting one hour before the duel!"

Even government soldiers were deployed to manage the crowd and prevent any potential accidents.

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"This is ridiculous…" Seonwoo Jin muttered as he took in the surreal scene.

Wouldn't it take a duel to the death between two of the top hundred grandmasters to draw such a crowd, not just a friendly match between teenage prodigies? Even the Azure Dragon Festival, which the Azure Dragon Academy organized every summer, hadn't attracted such a large crowd in years.

Mysteriously, Seonwoo Jin wasn't alone in his shock. Emerging from the waiting room opposite him, Hyonwon Kang looked equally stunned by the scale of the event.

"What the heck, was it supposed to be such a big event?!" Hyonwon Kang exclaimed, surveying the arena with a bewildered expression.

Behind him, Geo Sangwoong grinned with satisfaction. "My father heard about your story and decided to invest a little."

"Senior Sangwoong, if your family has money to burn, why not just give it to me?"

"It's not my money. It's the Golden Dragon Trading Company's money."

The White Dragon Manor students joked among themselves as if it was no big deal, but when Seonwoo Jin overheard their conversation from a distance, his eyes widened so much that it looked like his eyeballs would pop out.

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Did he just say the Golden Dragon Trading Company? Why is the name of one of the Ten Great Companies being mentioned here?!

However, the surprises did not stop there. A constable with an icy expression approached Hyonwon Kang, followed by officers carrying a large bouquet and a letter.

"Hmm? What's this, Constable Cheong Cheon?"

"This is a gift from the Magistrate, and this is a letter from the Prime Minister…"

Hyonwon Kang blinked in surprise. "Huh? Grandpa Gongson sent me a letter?"

"…You might want to use a more respectful term of address."

"Aww, between us, it's fine. Anyway, how did Gramps find out about my duel today?"

"Baek Suryong informed him, probably to get permission to build a dueling arena in the middle of the city." Cheong Cheon let out a deep sigh. For a moment, he wanted to mention that the Magistrate had burst into tears, thinking he'd lose his head when he suddenly received a letter from the Prime Minister, but in the end, he held back.

"Mr. Baek did that? Man, he really spread the news everywhere."

Shaking his head, Hyonwon Kang read Gongson Su's letter on the spot. It contained a brief greeting and words of encouragement to definitely win, as well as a quip that if he lost, he would return to the school and avenge him.

A warm smile spread across Hyonwon Kang's face. "That old man, seriously…"

Meanwhile, Seonwoo Jin, who had overheard the entire conversation, stood frozen, overwhelmed by shock and dread.

D-Did that constable just say the letter came from the Prime Minister!? Not only the Golden Dragon Trading Company, but even the Prime Minister?! Are the richest man and the most powerful person in the Central Plains both connected to Hyonwon Kang? How? What? Why?

If that were the case, even the combined influence of all the Seonwoo Clan's connections wouldn't measure up.

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"Hoo…" Seonwoo Jin steadied his ragged breathing.

Calm down. This must be a psychological trick he's aiming for. The Golden Dragon Trading Company? The Prime Minister? No matter how I think about it, it's nonsensical. It's clearly a ploy to unsettle me before the duel begins… It must be.

Just then, as if all the shocks so far weren't enough, the Seonwoo Clan's Patriarch and his other family members arrived.

With a smile that perfectly mirrored his son's, the Seonwoo Patriarch waved and shouted, "Jin!"

"F-Father? How did you know about this duel?" Seonwoo Jin asked, genuinely puzzled

The Patriarch surveyed the bustling arena, then walked over to his son, saying, "How did I know? I received an invitation. Still, I didn't expect your duel to be this grand. Hoho!"

"…Who sent you the invitation?" Seonwoo Jin asked uneasily. He hadn't invited his family. To him, this wasn't supposed to be a significant event.

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Could it be…

The Patriarch's answer was exactly what he had feared.

"I received it from one of your instructors, a man named Mr. Baek Suryong. He said that since you're the star of the duel, we should definitely attend. He even prepared the best seats for us, hoho! I must thank him right away. Where is he?"

"That Baek Suryong…"

"Hey! How dare you call your teacher's name so rudely?!" the Patriarch chided, glancing around in the hopes that no one was listening to their conversation.

"Father," Seonwoo Jin whispered.

"Yes? What's the matter?"

Seonwoo Jin quickly did a mental calculation of the distance between the Seonwoo Clan and the Azure Dragon Academy. Based on the day the duel was decided, Baek Suryong would have had to send an express messenger pigeon to the Patriarch to have him arrive by today.

Which meant…

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"It seems my opponent is severely underestimating me," he said.

A crack appeared in the Patriarch's previously pleasant expression. "What?"

Like father, like son. Seonwoo Jin had inherited his father's temperament.

[I'll explain everything through telepathy,] Seonwoo Jin conveyed, summarizing the events between himself and Hyonwon Kang.

The Patriarch's eyes turned cold. [How dare he?! How strong is that kid?]

[He's quite strong, but he's no match for me. Not long ago, he lost in less than ten exchanges against Peng Sahyuk.]

[Ten exchanges… How long can you hold out against Peng Sahyuk?]

The Patriarch didn't bother asking if his son could win. He knew it was impossible.

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Feeling slighted, Seonwoo Jin bit his lip, but did not deny it. [The last time I sparred with Peng Sahyuk, we exchanged over fifty moves evenly.]

The Patriarch nodded in relief. Ten exchanges versus fifty was a difference that couldn't be bridged within a short period of time. [This might actually be good. Use this opportunity to raise your fame and improve our clan's reputation in the murim.]

[Yes, I think so too.]

Father and son exchanged chilling glances. Like two snakes hiding their venom, they nodded in silent understanding.

[Father, is it alright if I handle him a bit roughly?]

A cold smile formed on the Patriarch's lips as he understood his son's intentions instantly. [Of course. You should at least cut off an arm. Don't worry about the aftermath, our clan's will handle it. Make sure to engrave the way of the Seonwoo Clan into that insolent brat. Permanently.]

"Yes. I will definitely do so," Seonwoo Jin replied, his eyes filled with killing intent as he glared at Hyonwon Kang. With his family's permission secured, there was nothing holding him back now.

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The spectator seats provided by the Golden Dragon Trading Company filled up quickly, and those without seats crowded around the arena, so densely packed that even standing room was scarce.

"Hey, please move in a bit more!"

"Don't push! I can't see the stage either!"

"Get your rice cakes! Sweet rice cakes perfect for watching the duel!"

If the ground wasn't enough, martial artists climbed onto the rooftops of nearby buildings to claim their vantage points, their enhanced eyesight allowing them to watch from afar without much difficulty.

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"Good grief. What's all this fuss over a duel between young prodigies…"

"Doesn't that make you more curious? If they've put this much effort into it, there must be something special."

"Lots of rumors have been coming out of the Azure Dragon Academy lately."

"Yeah, this year does seem different."

Dozens of curious martial artists gathered on the rooftops, chatting about who might win, discussing the unusual events at the Academy lately, and occasionally touching on how the Azure Dragon Hero had crushed the Valley of Evil.

Nevertheless, not everyone came to watch the duel with a light heart.

"Hey, there's still some space over there…"

"Stop! The atmosphere there is too tense. Let's not mess with that guy."

A middle-aged man with a fierce-looking face sat alone, radiating the aura of someone who had lived a hard life. His clothes were dusty, as if he'd traveled a long way, and his beard was unkempt. Due to the heavy atmosphere around him, even the boldest martial artists didn't dare to approach him.

At least, until now.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you? There aren't any other suitable spots around here."

Hearing a voice beside him, the fierce-looking man turned his head to look at the speaker.

…How can someone be so irritatingly handsome? And damn it, he's really strong too…

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The man next to him was so good-looking that "handsome" was the first word that came to mind when he saw him. Upon closer inspection, the man appeared to be middle-aged, probably about the same age as himself. However, that languid smile, the somewhat enlightened aura, and even the fine wrinkles around his eyes seemed more like charms added by the passage of time rather than flaws.

Suppressing the resentment and jealousy that naturally bubbled up inside him, the fierce-looking man nodded curtly. "Go ahead. I don't mind."

"Thank you."

The two middle-aged men sat down side by side, keeping a reasonable distance between them.

The handsome man took out a wine bottle and two cups from his pockets. "Care for a drink?" he asked.

"No, I'm good."

"But drinking alone feels lonely…"

Fixing his gaze on the duel arena, the fierce-looking man said firmly, "I'm not in the mood to drink."

The handsome man accepted this with a nod, sipping quieting from his flask. "Did you come to see your son?" he suddenly asked.

"How did you…" The fierce-looking man's head snapped around, and his eyes narrowed. No one knew he had come to see his son. How did this stranger know about it?

The handsome man chuckled, "Because I came here to see my son too. Seeing the worry in your eyes though, I thought you could use some company."

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The fierce-looking man's expression turned serious. "Could you be…"

The handsome man quickly shook his head. "Relax. My son isn't your son's opponent."

"……"

Extending a long, slender finger, the handsome man pointed at Hyonwon Kang, who had just stepped onto the arena. "That boy is your son, right?" he asked.

"Are you a fortune-teller? How did you know that boy is mine?"

"He looks just like you. I guess that fierce face runs in the family."

"…Then, which one is your son?"

The handsome man smiled pleasantly and pointed to a tall, handsome young man in a bright blue martial arts uniform. "My son is that one over there. The Azure Dragon Academy instructor who's pretending to be busy but actually lazing around."

…Even his son is ridiculously handsome. Suddenly, the fierce-looking man felt a bit sorry for passing on his own looks to his child.

Offering the fierce-looking man a drink, the handsome man asked, "Anyway, why are you watching the match from all the way over here? Why not go down to the stage and cheer for your son?"

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Perhaps due to the camaraderie of being fellow fathers, this time, the fierce-looking man accepted the offer. Taking the cup and downing all the wine in one gulp, he sighed deeply, "…Because I'm an unworthy father."

"Hmm?"

"Our family's specialty martial arts were lost, so I couldn't teach my prodigious son proper martial arts techniques. What's the point of being born with extraordinary talent if the family can't support your dreams? So… even though I knew he was going astray, I couldn't really admonish him. I couldn't even bring myself to visit him in school," the fierce-looking man said bitterly.

The handsome man blinked in disbelief. "Wow. How are you subtly bragging about your son while sounding humble and guilty at the same time?"

Ignoring the handsome man's snide comment, regret and sorrow filled the fierce-looking man's eyes as he watched his son from afar. "Well, how could a father who hasn't done anything for his son go and cheer for him? If he loses the duel, he'll resent me…"

The handsome man clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, you're worrying over nothing."

"What?"

"I'm an unworthy father too. My son has been weak and sickly ever since he was born, but even after I searched the whole world, I couldn't find a physician who could cure him. So… I thought that he would stay with me forever."

"……"

"Boy was I wrong! One fine day, that punk declared that he wanted to venture into the murim, so I told him I'd allow it if he could defeat me, then to my utter dismay and disbelief, he actually knocked me down!" The handsome man laughed, a hint of pride in his gaze as he looked at Baek Suryong. "…You know, it's scary how fast kids grow up. Before I knew it, my little boy was a grown man who no longer needed his daddy's protection."

"……"

"I'm sure your son will surprise you too. Let me offer you a congratulatory drink in advance."

"Thank you. And uh, by the way, my name's Hyonwon Su."

"I'm Baek Muheun."

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Suddenly, a roar of anticipation erupted from the audience. The two protagonists of the day had walked out into the arena while the two fathers were chatting.

Hyonwon Su straightened his posture nervously. "Looks like it's about to start."

Baek Muheun offered him a drink. "Care for one more?"

"No, I don't think I can swallow anything until the duel is over." Hyonwon Su clasped his hands together, anxiety evident in every inch of his body.

He had heard that his son's opponent was the heir of the Seonwoo Clan. Although he was confident that his son possessed superior talent, the difference in the quality of their martial arts techniques was painfully obvious.

With only the incomplete Earth Shattering Blade, Kang can't reach his full potential…

Worry clouded the father's eyes as he watched Hyonwon Kang step forward.

A moment later, the duel began.

Hyonwon Su rose to his feet and started screaming.

Translator's Note: Why does Author-nim like the name "Su" so much? Namgung Su, Gongson Su, now Hyonwon Su…