Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

The day after the duel, the Club Union President election went ahead as scheduled.

"The Club Union President election has begun! All students affiliated with the Club Union, please make sure to vote!"

From early morning, students flocked to the polling station set up in front of the Club Union building, but strangely, one of the candidates was nowhere to be found. Having lost his right arm, Seonwoo Jin had returned to the Seonwoo Clan with his father the night before, without so much as a word on when he'd be back or a single instruction left for the BRS executives.

Leaderless, Seonwoo Jin's supporters panicked, and naturally, students who were still undecided ended up voting for what seemed like the only remaining candidate.

Once the polling had wrapped up, in the name of fairness, the Student Council counted the votes.

Now, the supporters of each candidate, the Club Union's affiliated club presidents, and a crowd of curious students gathered to hear the results.

Student Council President Dokgo Jun stepped forward to announce the results. "After tallying the votes… Candidate Hyonwon Kang is the new President of the Club Union!"

Calmly seated, Hyonwon Kang clenched his fist tightly while his supporters erupted in cheers. It was a huge upset, but no one was really surprised.

"Hyonwon Kang! Hyonwon Kang!"

"The Sky Sundering Blade! The Sky Sundering Blade!"

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The duel the day before had been decisive, demonstrating not only Hyonwon Kang's strength, but also the sincerity he'd invested in his campaign. He'd spent countless mornings gathering support, and his conviction was clear.

On the other hand, Seonwoo Jin's dirty campaign shenanigans, disgraceful behavior during the duel, and his father's scheming had cost him much of the student body's favor.

"Thank you! Truly, thank you!" Hyonwon Kang said, rising from his seat and bowing to the crowd. Dressed in the black martial arts uniform of the White Dragon Manor, he cut a striking figure.

Most of his friends from White Dragon Manor, the Student Council, and the SRS executives applauded approvingly, but some of them simply couldn't resist the urge to stick to just verbal congratulations.

"Wonkang!"

"Senior!"

Geo Sangwoong and Ya Suhyeok sprinted over, sandwiching Hyonwon Kang in a tight hug.

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"Ugh! Gah! You muscle pigs! Are you trying to crush me?!" Hyonwon Kang sputtered, squirming and struggling to breathe. While he was no small guy himself, only his head poked out from the muscle hell.

"Hahaha! Do you know how much trouble we went through because of you? Take this!" Geo Sangwoong laughed heartily.

"On a day like this, you're supposed to get beaten up a bit," Ya Suhyeok added with a grin, glancing over his shoulder. "Hey, Wiji Cheon! Want to come over and hit him?"

Approaching cautiously, Wiji Cheon asked shyly, "…Can I hit him with my sword?"

"As long as you don't draw it!"

"Ahem. May I join as well?" Dokgo Jun chimed in with a sly grin.

"E-Even you, Dokgo Jun!"

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The serious atmosphere quickly became rowdy. The students swarmed around Hyonwon Kang, cornering him, then began pummeling him merrily.

"Take this! This is payback for everything you've done before!"

"Now's our chance! Everyone who got hit by Wonkang before, come on up!"

"Step on him more!"

"You damned delinquent! Congrats on winning the election!"

Hyonwon Kang curled up into a ball, bracing himself against the cheerful assault. Despite his training in the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest, the Azure Dragon Academy students didn't pull any punches, leaving him battered and bruised in no time.

"Ugh! Gah! Ack! You guys are really! Ow! That hurts!"

At least, since it was a student event, no adults joined in.

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Watching from a distance, Baek Suryong chuckled, "What a rascal."

The guy who had been an incorrigible delinquent when they first met had matured quite a bit, and this wasn't just about his martial arts. Hyonwon Kang, who had once been like a hedgehog with his spines fully raised, now laughed and joked freely with those around him, which meant that he had grown mentally as well.

As his teacher, Baek Suryong couldn't help but be pleased with his student's progress.

"Keep up the good work, Wonkang. I'm looking forward to seeing you compete at the Heavenly Martial Festival," he murmured.

Baek Suryong turned away. Since it looked like Hyonwon Kang was going to have to endure his friends' violent affection for a long while, he figured he'd offer his congratulations after the dust settled.

"AAAAH! DAMN YOU PEOPLE! YOU'LL REGRET THISSSSS!"

And so, the long-awaited election finally came to an end.

That evening, a party celebrating Hyonwon Kang's election victory was held at the White Dragon Manor. Among the guests were the SRS leaders, the future board of executives, Dokgo Jun, Tang Soso, the Sword Flower Yoo Yiran, and a few instructors close to Baek Suryong. Even his father, Hyonwon Su, was present.

"Hohoho! Our Kang has made so many friends!" Hyonwon Su exclaimed, beaming with amazement. Not only had his son defeated the heir of the Seonwoo Clan in a duel, but he had also been voted president of the Club Union. The fear that his own incompetence might lead his son astray had vanished, replaced by sheer gratitude for his son's growth.

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Noticing his father's glistening eyes, Hyonwon Kang asked, "Father? Why are you crying again?"

"Hoho, who's crying? Something just got in my eye." Discreetly wiping his tears, Hyonwon Su hastily changed the subject, asking, "By the way, son. Why do your friends call you Wonkang? Shouldn't they know your first and last name?"

"Oh, that's…"

"That's just a cute nickname we like to use! Hahaha!" Geo Sangwoong laughed, thumping Hyonwon Kang loudly on the back.

Hyonwon Su's jaw dropped at the sight. Is he…hitting Kang with all his strength? Why doesn't Kang seem to mind?

Hyonwon Su grabbed his son and felt him all over. Hyonwon Kang hadn't gained much bulk, but his body was now mysteriously as solid as a lump of iron, yet as flexible as rubber.

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Bewildered, he exclaimed, "What happened to your body, Kang? You're… as solid as a rock."

"I learned proper outer arts from my teacher," Hyonwon Kang replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"By teacher, do you mean Mr. Baek Suryong?"

"Yes, Mr. Baek is…"

"Fufufu…" Ya Suhyeok interrupted drunkenly, cutting Hyonwon Kang off. While no one was looking, he had helped himself to some alcohol. "Did you know? Actually, the reason Senior ran in the election was to repay our teacher's kindness…!"

"Ah, get lost! Let me talk with my father alone!" Hyonwon Kang shooed the interrupters away and warned them to stay away until he was done talking with his dad.

Finally, father and son were alone.

The traces of merriment disappeared from Hyonwon Su's face. "Did you learn that blade technique from Mr. Baek as well? The one you used in the duel," he asked solemnly.

"A-About that…" Hyonwon Kang hesitated, desperately searching for an explanation.

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Thankfully, Baek Suryong showed up at just the right time to bail him out of his predicament. "Sir, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Hyonwon Kang's homeroom teacher, Baek Suryong."

Rising to his feet, Hyonwon Su greeted Baek Suryong politely, "I am Kang's father, Hyonwon Su. Thank you for teaching my unworthy son."

"Unworthy? Wonkang is a prodigy."

"Why, thank you… Wait, did you just call him 'Wonkang'…?"

"Oh my, forgive me. I'm afraid it's become a habit."

"Hoho, no worries. Wonkang, hmm? Now that I think about it, it rolls off the tongue nicely. I think I might start calling him that myself."

"Father!"

"Shut up, Wonkang. Don't interrupt when adults are talking."

"……"

Clearing his throat, Hyonwon Su turned his attention back to Baek Suryong. "When I saw the blade technique you taught him, I noticed a certain resemblance to my family's style. Was I just imagining it, or do you know something more?"

"……"

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"Oh! I don't mean to pry into your martial arts, of course. It's just that… I've often imagined what our family's ultimate martial arts would look like, and the blade technique my son used is remarkably similar to my mental image… so I'm a little curious…"

When Hyonwon Su witnessed his son using a technique that reminded him of the Hyonwon Clan's lost legendary martial arts, he'd almost fainted from shock. How on earth did Baek Suryong know a blade technique so similar to the lost art of the Hyonwon Clan, and why had he taught it to his son? Even though it deeply unsettled him, there was only one explanation he could come up with.

"Could it be… Do you know something I don't about the Crazy Demon's Massacre?"

A brief silence followed.

Finally, looking up at the hazy moon, Baek Suryong shook his head. "No, I don't know anything about that."

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"Mr. Baek!" Hyonwon Su grabbed the hem of Baek Suryong's sleeve, his face etched with raw desperation. "Once again, I have no interest in your secrets. I only want to know the truth. Please, about the incident decades ago…"

"I told you, I don't know anything about that," Baek Suryong said firmly.

"I see… I'm sorry." Hyonwon Su's shoulders drooped, and he lowered his head apologetically. Baek Suryong was his only son's benefactor and teacher. It wasn't right to keep questioning him when he didn't want to talk.

After a pause, Baek Suryong fixed his gaze on Hyonwon Su, a glimmer of something deeper flickering in his eyes. "Although I know nothing about the Crazy Demon's Massacre… but once, a long time ago, there was a certain person who helped me a lot."

"…Yes?"

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"He has passed away now, but he was an absolute master of the blade."

"Could it be…"

"Unfortunately, he never told me his name, but I'm quite sure he was a former Hyonwon Clan master who lived in seclusion."

Baek Suryong skillfully mixed truth and fiction. Even if he said he knew the Crazy Demon who died fifty years ago, no one would believe him, and if he didn't say anything, Hyonwon Su's doubts would only grow.

"I can't believe it… Are you saying that a former master of my clan survived the massacre and went into hiding? Why would he do that?"

"He told me that he had committed a great sin against his clan and was too ashamed to return, so he wanted to live a life of suffering and repentance until his death."

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"A great sin…?"

Baek Suryong took a book out of his front pocket and handed it to Hyonwon Su. "Here, take this. That man said that if I ever met one of his family members, I should give this to you."

Puzzled, Hyonwon Su looked at the book. On the cover, written in ink that wasn't even completely dry yet, were the words: "The Earth Shattering Blade."

Immediately, Hyonwon Su's eyes widened, and he almost threw a fit as he cried out, "T-This! This is…!"

Luckily, Baek Suryong had already set up a soundproof barrier to prevent their conversation from being overheard. Raising his hands in a calming gesture, he explained, "Calm down. This isn't exactly the same martial art as the Earth Shattering Blade of the past."

Well, that doesn't mean it's inferior. It's an upgraded version of the Earth Shattering Blade, created based on Master Crazy Demon's martial arts, with my own interpretation added to make it even better than the original.

"No way, this can't be…" Hyonwon Su muttered, his hands trembling as he turned each page of the martial arts manual with delicate reverence. Even a cursory glance told him that this was the real thing, a masterpiece beyond anything he'd dared to hope for.

This was truly the secret manual of the Earth Shattering Blade, a lost legacy that he had dedicated his entire life to restoring. As far as he was concerned, no treasure in the world could compare to it.

Tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes, Hyonwon Su looked at Baek Suryong. "How… How on earth could I ever repay you for this?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Baek Suryong smiled gently. "The master who passed this on to me is the one you should thank, not me. Still, it's just as well. Right before he passed away, he asked me to deliver one final message to his family."

"I'm listening," Hyonwon Su replied, dropping to his knees to hear his family elder's final wish.

However, Baek Suryong stopped him and pulled him firmly back to his feet. These aren't Master Crazy Demon's words, but…if he were still alive, I'm sure this is what he would've wanted.

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With a steady gaze and a serious tone, Baek Suryong said, "That man wanted you to know that the one behind your family's massacre wasn't the Crazy Demon Hyonwon Hu, but an imposter."

"What?"

"He claimed that Hyonwon Hu couldn't possibly have done it, so it must have been some sort of conspiracy. I know you probably find this hard to believe, but…" Baek Suryong hesitated. For a moment, he wanted to accuse the Blood Cult, but he still wasn't sure if it was really them or some other sect behind the Hyonwon Clan massacre.

"No, I believe you," Hyonwon Su said with conviction. It was a wild story, but he wanted to trust the man who had returned the Earth Shattering Blade to his clan.

Or maybe… he just wanted to believe that it was true.

"From now on, I'll make sure that everyone knows it wasn't the Crazy Demon Hyonwon Hu who committed those atrocities. The real villain is someone else," he added.

Baek Suryong felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Recalling the weary face of the man who had worried about his family until the moment he died, he thought, Master Crazy Demon… now that your name has been cleared, I pray that you can finally rest in peace.

"No, don't tell everyone the truth yet. For now, please keep this conversation and the manual strictly private," he requested.

"Understood. Thank you. Truly, thank you, Mr. Baek."

Smiling, Baek Suryong lifted the soundproof barrier he had set up around them. "Come on, let's go back to the party," he said.

The two men walked in silence, each lost in his own thoughts, Baek Suryong of Master Crazy Demon, and Hyonwon Su of the future of his clan.

All of a sudden, Hyonwon Su halted, looking as if he had just remembered something. "Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. I met your father yesterday."

Baek Suryong's mouth fell open, and his eyes glazed over. "…Huh?"

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Seeing Baek Suryong's flustered expression, Hyonwon Su burst out laughing, "Hoho! You're a real chip off the old block, you know? Especially with that annoyingly handsome face…!"

"…Wait, you really met my father?"

"Your father's name is Baek Muheun, right? Have you not met him yet?"

"Good grief, he really came here…" Baek Suryong muttered under his breath. Why the hell did that guy show up here unannounced? And if he really came all this way, why didn't he come straight to me, his own son?

"Hey… Did you just say Baek Muheun?"

Suddenly, a voice, colder than ice, froze the atmosphere. Startled, the two men turned to face the speaker, a living sword—no, an old man. An old man who had come out because he was worried about his grandson, who hadn't returned after leaving the party for quite some time.

Fingering the hilt of his sword, Mae Geuklyom asked, "Where is that scoundrel right now?"

Translator's Note: Happy Diwali/Deepavali! Happy Halloween!