Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 175: The Swordsmanship Research Society (2)

TL: FoodieMonster007

"See you later, then."

"You go on ahead. I'll stick around a bit longer."

As Hyonwon Kang got up and left the rundown inn, he glanced back at Tang Soso, only to see her fiddling with the bundle she had received from Baek Suryong.

"Sniff… This scent… I can't hold back any longer…" she whispered excitedly.

Hyonwon Kang shivered. Tang Soso had claimed she needed more time to sort out their plans, but it seemed that was just an excuse. Tiptoeing carefully, he pretended not to notice her rough breathing and quickened his pace, inwardly cursing his keen hearing.

"…Tang Soso. She's scary in more ways than one," he muttered to himself.

Strolling down the moonlit road toward the White Dragon Manor, Hyonwon Kang found himself drifting into deep thought. His mind wandered from the Asura Blood Heaven Blade, to the fierce battles at the Valley of Evil, and then to Peng Sahyuk, who had left for the Heavenly Martial Academy. Memories of all the wrongs he'd committed in the past surfaced as well.

Maybe because he'd lived such a simple life, having so much on his mind left him feeling extremely stressed out.

Shaking his head to clear away idle thoughts, Hyonwon Kang decided that moving his body was the best remedy for a cluttered mind. Just as he decided to start jogging though, he felt a piercing killing intent stabbing at his back.

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An ambush!

With lightning reflexes, he drew his blade and instinctively slashed behind him.

CLANG!

Tracing a silver arc through the air, Hyonwon Kang's blade collided with a sword and bounced back, but he endured the recoil and pushed forward, pressing the attack.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Sparks flew as metal met metal. In less than a second, he had exchanged over ten moves with his foe. Realizing the attacker was no pushover, Hyonwon Kang leaped back to observe him…

"Mr. Baek?" he shouted exasperatedly, finally realizing who had ambushed him.

"Not bad. You've improved," Baek Suryong commended, his needle-like killing intent vanishing without a trace.

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Letting out a sigh of relief, Hyonwon Kang grumbled, "What the fuck was that all about? You scared me half to death."

Baek Suryong had surprised him many times by appearing out of nowhere, but this was the first time he'd outright ambushed him with killing intent.

"You were wandering around like you had your head in the clouds. I wanted to make sure you stayed sharp," Baek Suryong said, stepping closer and giving him a pat on the shoulder. "But your reaction just now was good."

"Were you waiting for me all this time?" Hyonwon Kang asked, sulking. Baek Suryong's sudden ambushes were technically part of his training to sharpen his natural instincts, but half the time, it seemed this teacher just wanted to scare him for fun.

"Do I look like I have that much free time? I had some errands to run nearby."

Hyonwon Kang eyed Baek Suryong suspiciously, but this time, he was telling the truth. While Hyonwon Kang had been talking with Tang Soso, he'd visited the Rehabilitation Sect and the Rogues' Guild.

"Did you finish talking with Tang Soso?" Baek Suryong asked.

"Yeah, more or less."

"What did you talk about?"

"Just…stuff…"

Leaving out the embarrassing parts, Hyonwon Kang vaguely explained his conversation with Tang Soso. Besides arranging a meeting with the SRS President, she had also suggested various election strategies. He hadn't actually understood most of it, but she would probably fill Baek Suryong in on the details later anyway.

"…So, she said I just need to do as I'm told."

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"Stupid punk," Baek Suryong scolded, but for some reason he seemed to be in an unusually good mood as he casually reached out and ruffled Hyonwon Kang's hair.

Hyonwon Kang immediately backpedaled, feeling goosebumps down his arms. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You're freaking me out."

Baek Suryong grinned slyly. "Oh, I was just rewarding you for sacrificing yourself to help your teacher and all."

"…What?" Hyonwon Kang felt a feeling of unease creep up his spine. He could only think of one reason why Baek Suryong would make that face.

"Hoho, hasn't our little delinquent has become quite the model student?"

Mortified, the blood drained from Hyonwon Kang's face. Baek Suryong's words had left no room for doubt.

"D-Don't tell me… you heard everything?" he stammered.

"Heard what? That you want to repay my kindness?" Baek Suryong retorted mischievously.

Hyonwon Kang went from pale to beetroot red in a heartbeat. "Ah, so embarrassing… It's not like that!"

"Not like that. Also, a shameless look suits you much better than a bashful one," Baek Suryong chuckled, poking Hyonwon Kang repeatedly with the Black Dragon Pointer.

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Cringing, Hyonwon Kang dodged to the side. "Ow, stop that! Why did you eavesdrop on other people's private conversations?!"

"What can I do if I happen to overhear it as I pass by? If you didn't want me to eavesdrop, you should have put up a qi barrier."

"Do you think it's easy to maintain a qi barrier while talking? Well, maybe it is for you, but you're not normal!"

"Tsk tsk, this is why you should've trained harder."

"Ah, seriously, if you weren't my teacher…" Hyonwon Kang grit his teeth, frustrated. Not only could he not beat Baek Suryong in martial arts, he couldn't win in a verbal sparring match either. It was maddening.

Baek Suryong laughed, "Aww, want to get back at me? Should I give you a chance for sweet, sweet revenge?"

"Huh?"

Baek Suryong lifted one foot slightly, balancing on the other. "How about a movement arts race from here to the White Dragon Manor? Don't worry, I'll give you a handicap and use only one leg. If you win, I'll let you hit me once without dodging."

"Really?"

No matter how abundant one's inner qi, movement arts were ultimately performed with both legs. At least, Hyonwon Kang had never heard of a master who could do it with only one.

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Thinking it was worth a try, he nodded eagerly. "Okay, let's do it!"

"By the way, if I win, I'll tell the others everything you talked about with Tang Soso."

"What?"

"Especially that you're only taking the election seriously to repay your debt to me." Smirking, Baek Suryong took a ready stance.

Realizing he'd been tricked, Hyonwon Kang hurriedly shouted, "W-Wait a minute! Give me some time to rethink…"

"Ready set go!" Baek Suryong shouted in one breath, then executed his movement arts and dashed off, ignoring Hyonwon Kang's objection.

Panicking, Hyonwon Kang sprinted after him, but even on one leg, Baek Suryong quickly pulled ahead.

"Ahhhh! You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Hyonwon Kang screamed desperately. Even though he knew that this race was part of his training, all he wanted to do right now was catch Baek Suryong and strangle the bastard.

Unfortunately, the eventual winner of the race was Baek Suryong.

The next evening, Hyonwon Kang returned to White Dragon Manor feeling completely drained. He had campaigned so hard that his voice was hoarse.

"Yo, the teacher's pet is back!" Geo Sangwoong teased.

"Shut up!" Hyonwon Kang snapped, throwing a half-hearted punch at his friend.

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After losing the race the previous day, everyone had found out why he was running for Club Union President. Now, he was the butt of every joke.

"Did you repay any debts today, Senior?"

"I heard Mr. Baek is working overtime. How could you come back alone?"

Flopping down onto the porch, Hyonwon Kang waved them off dismissively. After so much teasing, it barely affected him anymore.

"Just get back to training, all of you. I need some rest before I head to the SRS. Damn election's taking up all my training time," he groaned.

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Geo Sangwoong plopped down beside him. "Good luck, man. I heard the Sword Flower is the most beautiful woman in the Azure Dragon Academy."

"You heard? Aren't you a fourth year? You've never seen her?"

"Says the guy in the same year who has no idea what she looks like."

Hyonwon Kang's eye twitched. Come to think of it, although he and Geo Sangwoong were both crazy about alcohol and gambling, neither of them had much interest in women.

Yawning widely, he added, "What does her beauty have to do with me? It's not like she's mine. Anyway, where's Wiji Cheon?"

"He went to get etiquette lessons from the Headmaster and hasn't returned yet."

"Isn't it about time he came back?"

"That's what I'm saying. He's late today."

"Hmm…" Hyonwon Kang glanced at the sky. If he didn't leave soon, he would be late for his meeting with the Sword Flower.

I know Tang Soso told me to bring Wiji Cheon, but I can't afford to be late because of that kid.

After pondering for a moment, he made up his mind. Standing up, he said, "I'm going ahead. When Wiji Cheon comes back, tell him to go straight to the SRS."

"Got it. Take care."

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As Hyonwon Kang left the White Dragon Manor, Yeo Min and Ya Suhyeok, who were training in the yard, chimed in.

"Don't cause any trouble!"

"Make sure to repay lots of kindness today!"

"Damn these punks…" Shaking his head, Hyonwon Kang stormed off.

As he entered the Azure Dragon Academy, he plastered a forced smile onto his face and greeted students he passed with exaggerated cheerfulness, even though his facial muscles felt cramped from the effort.

"I'm Hyonwon Kang! I humbly ask for your precious vote!" he shouted periodically.

Unbeknownst to him, his forced smile and sharp glances gave him the appearance of a serial killer hunting for prey, sending students scurrying away in fear.

"…Why are they running away when I'm just greeting them? It's not like I'm going to eat them," he muttered, watching the students do their best to avoid him.

Just like that, while chasing away all the students who came in sight, he arrived at the Swordsmanship Research Society.

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As befitting a club of significant size, the SRS occupied an entire large building, with a separate training ground off to the side. Everywhere, swordsmen were either sparring or sitting in the pavilion discussing swordsmanship.

Looking around the entrance, he grinned at a short student who was probably a freshman and greeted, "I'm here to see the President. We have an appointment today."

"J-Just a moment, please. I'll inform the others!" the freshman stammered nervously, taking a few cautious steps back before charging into the building at full speed with movement arts.

Waving cheerfully, Hyonwon Kang shouted, "Don't run! You might fall! I'll wait, so take your time!"

Unfortunately, although he meant to be friendly, somehow the freshman's speed increased even more.

After a while, another student came to escort him. "This way please. I'll guide you to the President."

"Oh, thanks."

"By the way, it seems you frightened our freshman earlier…"

"What? When did I do that? I'm not that kind of person." Hyonwon Kang smiled warmly.

The student guide flinched. "I-I see. Please wait here."

Stopping in front of a meeting room, he knocked on the door and said, "President, Senior Hyonwon Kang is here to see you."

"Let him in."

Inside, the SRS executives were already gathered, waiting for Hyonwon Kang.

Standing up, a girl who could only be the Sword Flower greeted, "Greetings, I am Yoo Yiran, the President of the SRS."

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"Wow…" Hyonwon Kang exclaimed unconsciously. Now, he finally understood why Yoo Yiran's alias included the word 'flower.' She indeed looked like a delicate yet noble and elegant flower.

Seeing him staring, momentarily entranced, Yoo Yiran furrowed her brow slightly. "Aren't you being a bit rude?"

"Ah, I'm sorry," Hyonwon Kang apologized, snapping back to his senses. He was briefly surprised by Yoo Yiran's beauty, but he wasn't one to gawk foolishly at women. "I'm Hyonwon Kang, the President of the Medicinal Cooking Research Society. Since we're in the same year, we can speak casually, right? Ah, you already did," he added.

"…Have a seat," Yoo Yiran said expressionlessly, motioning to a chair in front of Hyonwon Kang.

Inwardly though, she was surprised. Usually, when men saw her for the first time, they either fumbled over their words or pretended not to stare while sneaking glances at her. However, Hyonwon Kang was only momentarily surprised and quickly regained his composure.

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In her eyes, his first impression was good, even if his face seemed a bit ferocious.

"I heard from Soso. You need our help?" she asked.

"That's right."

Hyonwon began to persuade the SRS with the proposal that Tang Soso had drilled into him, starting with what they would gain by supporting him and how he would govern the Club Union.

His earnestness surprised Yoo Yiran and the SRS executives.

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"You're a lot more serious about this than I thought."

"Thank you."

"Still… supporting you will still be difficult."

"Huh? Why?"

Yoo Yiran hesitated. She had agreed to this meeting as a favor to Tang Soso, but she wasn't exactly eager to involve herself in school politics.

After thinking for a while, she replied, "It's too risky. If we endorse you and you lose, we could face significant backlash from the BRS in the form of things like budget cuts."

"W-Wait, as I said earlier…"

"I'm sorry," Yoo Yiran interrupted. Her tone was final, leaving no room for negotiation. "We don't want to involve ourselves in the Club Union's internal affairs. Each member of the SRS will vote as they see fit."

"Ugh…" Hyonwon Kang scratched his head in dismay. Persuading Yoo Yiran was turning out to be much more difficult than he'd thought. As he pondered his next words…

KNOCK KNOCK!

A sharp-eyed student opened the door a crack and stuck his head inside, stammering, "P-President, someone else has come to see you. He says he was supposed to accompany Senior Hyonwon Kang but got delayed…"

"Sorry, but send him away. We're done here."

"But… it's Wiji Cheon."

Yoo Yiran froze. "…What?"

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Hyonwon Kang blinked in confusion. At the mention of Wiji Cheon, not only Yoo Yiran but all the executives suddenly became restless. The atmosphere was completely different from when he'd arrived.

Is Wiji Cheon that famous within the SRS? he wondered.

Yoo Yiran looked around the meeting room. Seeing her fellow club members' eager gazes, she said, "…Let him in. Now. Immediately."

The door opened fully, and a small boy entered.

Bowing politely, Wiji Cheon apologized, "I'm sorry I'm late! Some seniors I met on the way kept talking to me…"

Although Wiji Cheon was an adolescent boy with a timid demeanor and big puppy dog eyes, not a single person there dared look down on him. No swordsman in their right mind would.

So he's Wiji Cheon!

The prodigy who fought the Sword Dragon Dokgo Jun to a draw…

I already knew he was short, but he's even smaller up close.

I want to spar with him just once…

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Without exception, the SRS executives were all sword enthusiasts. Thus, the freshman who had held his own against Dokgo Jun during the entrance exam had become something of a legend among them. However, since Wiji Cheon usually only traveled back and forth between the Azure Dragon Academy and the White Dragon Manor, few of them had actually met or talked to him before.

"…So you're Wiji Cheon," Yoo Yiran mumbled, carefully scrutinizing Wiji Cheon from head to toe, then staring closely at the sword hanging at his waist.

Despite feeling uncomfortable under the intense stare, Wiji Cheon greeted politely, "Ah, hello. It's a pleasure meeting you."

"……"

President? The executives thought, surprised. No matter how much of a sword genius Wiji Cheon was, it was the first time they'd ever seen Yoo Yiran so openly ogling a male. After all, she was famous for always keeping her distance from men, having been bothered by too many annoying admirers since she was young.

Suddenly, the Sword Flower Yoo Yiran stood up and walked up to Wiji Cheon.

"Um, did I do something wrong…?" Wiji Cheon asked, shrinking back nervously.

Trembling from excitement, Yoo Yiran asked, "You. Are you close with anyone right now?"

"…Eh?"

Everyone in the room dropped their jaws in shock.

Translator's Note: That's all folks! See you next week!