TL: FoodieMonster007

After the general meeting ended, Baek Suryong went straight to Namgung Su's office to receive the handover materials from the man who had been the Heavenly Martial Festival Organizing Committee Chairman for the past few years.

THUD!

Namgung Su took out a wooden box filled with a pile of documents and placed it on the desk. "…This is a compilation of all competition records from the Heavenly Martial Festival for the last three years. Besides the Azure Dragon Academy, it also includes a list of the participating students from the Five Great Academies, with their special characteristics and competition records noted."

Baek Suryong examined the pile of documents with a slightly weary expression. True to Namgung Su's reputation as the Azure Dragon Academy's number one workaholic, the amount of data before him was staggering. He complained, "This looks like thirty years' worth of data, not three."

"Rest assured, I am not so thoughtless. I have gathered data exclusively on the competitors themselves, spanning from the time the current fourth-year students of the Five Great Academies were first-years until the present."

"You really are something else…"

Shaking his head, Baek Suryong reached out and leafed through the pile of documents. Though the oldest documents were only three years old, the papers were all worn and tattered yet free of dust. This could only mean that Namgung Su had pored over these documents so frequently that the paper had worn thin.

Baek Suryong looked at Namgung Su. "You seem to have prepared thoroughly. Are you sure you're okay with me taking over as the Organizing Committee Chairman?"

"If I said no now, would you back down?"

"Not a chance."

Grinning, Baek Suryong pulled the entire box of documents toward himself. When it came to work, he never compromised. He would make good use of the data Namgung Su had painstakingly prepared.

"Anyway, thanks for conceding."

"No need to thank me. I owe you a personal debt anyway."

Baek Suryong flinched. "W-What debt are you talking about?"

For a while now, Namgung Su had often made references to a debt he owed, but Baek Suryong was uncertain whether it was a grudge or a debt of gratitude. Worse, whenever he asked, Namgung Su would always evade the question.

"Let's get this straight. What is this debt you keep talking about…"

"That's not the only reason," Namgung Su cut Baek Suryong off slightly wistfully. "For the past few years, I failed to change the Azure Dragon Academy. I did my best, but our results at the Heavenly Martial Festival remained the same, and the Azure Dragon Academy's deep-rooted defeatism only worsened."

"You cheap bastard…" Baek Suryong sighed softly. How can I ask him about the debt after he said that?

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Namgung Su stared blankly at the pile of documents. "There were times when being called the Azure Dragon Academy's Star Instructor sounded like a mockery. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't change anything. I even considered a career change."

He paused. Despite his indifferent tone, this was the first time he had revealed his innermost thoughts to another person.

Finally, he raised his head and met Baek Suryong's gaze. "…You, however, are different. You changed many things in a short time. That's why I yielded the position of Organizing Committee Chairman to you. You are more suitable for the position than I am."

"Hmph! That's right, I'm awesome," Baek Suryong replied shamelessly.

Namgung Su smirked faintly. "The difference in skill between the students of our Azure Dragon Academy and those of the other Five Great Academies, excluding the Heavenly Martial Academy, is not as great as you might think. The real problem is the hostile atmosphere we always encounter at the Heavenly Martial Festival. We also had a lot of bad matchups, and frequently clashed with the Heavenly Martial Academy even in the early rounds."

"What do you mean, we always get bad matchups? Tell me more."

Baek Suryong pulled a chair over and sat down across from Namgung Su. Although it was an impromptu meeting, neither of them seemed to mind. Even during summer vacation, they had often discussed work-related matters. As such, they quickly began reviewing the documents together as if it were completely natural.

"Our top priority is to chose the members for the Organizing Committee."

"I have a list of instructors in mind for that. For now, we'll have you as Vice-Chairman, Pung Jinho under you, and a few of my colleagues…"

"You are shameless beyond compare. Are you telling me to work under you?"

"You were planning to help anyway, weren't you?"

"…As a committee advisor, not your lackey."

"The deadline for submitting the participation roster is right after final exams."

"So there's no need to hastily choose our representatives. Should we select a group of candidates and have them compete?"

"That's a good idea. Last year, few would have even signed up, but this year will be different…"

The two instructors discussed the Heavenly Martial Festival and the content of their respective classes. After all, what the students learned and were tested on was directly related to the festival's selection process.

As usual, Namgung Su elected to teach many classes, aiming to enhance the Azure Dragon Academy students' overall abilities. Baek Suryong, on the other hand, planned to teach only one class to narrow his focus. This was a point at which their preferences diverged.

Namgung Su frowned slightly after reading Baek Suryong's lecture outline. "Are you really going to use this as the class name?"

"Why? Is there a problem?"

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"…The Murim Alliance will likely approve, I suppose."

More than an hour later, the two finally rose from their seats. Of course, it wasn't because they had finished talking, but rather because Namgung Su had a class to teach.

"I have to go now. Are you going to stay here?"

"No, I'm leaving."

The two left Namgung Su's office together.

Baek Suryong glanced at Namgung Su. Since earlier that day, he had sensed an intimidating presence about the man. Even at the general staff meeting, he noticed that most of the instructors couldn't properly look Namgung Su in the eye, and it wasn't just because of the color.

Namgung Su seemed to be trying to contain it, but despite his efforts, his energy was subtly leaking out. This gave him an air of arrogance that seemed to permeate the entire space, as if he were the ruler of the world.

Curious, Baek Suryong asked, "Hey, by the way…"

"Is there something more you want to say?" Namgung Su interrupted, puzzled.

Baek Suryong didn't beat around the bush. "You've learned a new martial art, haven't you?"

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Namgung Su nodded. "When I briefly stopped by home, my father taught me a new sword technique."

One martial art immediately came to Baek Suryong's mind.

As expected, it was the Namgung Patriarch's Royal Sword Style… that would definitely work well in conjunction with Namgung Su's Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique. With an aura like an emperor's and the ability to shoot heavenly lightning from his sword, how many martial artists in the world would dare challenge him?

Baek Suryong grinned excitedly. "Damn, I can't let my guard down even for a moment."

His competitive spirit was thoroughly roused. The original Star Instructor of the Azure Dragon Academy was growing stronger by the day, as if to say that he wouldn't easily yield his position to Baek Suryong, or that he could take his authority back at any time Baek Suryong became complacent.

The two men made eye contact.

"See you tomorrow."

"You too."

At a crossroads, the two briefly exchanged greetings before heading in opposite directions. Namgung Su hurried toward his lecture hall, while Baek Suryong went to the Discipline Committee to review the documents he had just received from Namgung Su.

"Hello, Mr. Baek!"

"I registered for your class today, Mr. Baek!"

"Please buy us a meal later!"

As Baek Suryong crossed the grand training ground, many students approached him, greeting him brightly. Since it was the first day of school, they generally seemed happy and excited.

Well, they're probably the ones who were most strongly affected by the change in the Azure Dragon Academy's status. I'll bet they received numerous questions and envious gazes from people around them while vacationing at home.

Baek Suryong grinned smugly. Of course, he was the one responsible for this change.

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"Oh, hey kids! It's been a while. Have you all been well?"

Baek Suryong cheerfully returned the students' greetings. Among them were familiar faces, as well as previously shy children who had only now mustered the courage to approach him.

It was a peaceful day at the Azure Dragon Academy… if not for the presence secretly tailing him.

An assassin? No…

Baek Suryong furrowed his brows. There was no killing intent at all in the stalker's gaze. Rather, it was more eerie and sticky…

He stopped in his tracks and sighed. "Tang Soso! Come out here."

"Fufufu…"

Tang Soso appeared from the shadows behind a pillar, smiling creepily. Her movements were so quiet that it seemed as if she had spent her vacation honing nothing but her stealth skills.

Baek Suryong stared at her in disbelief. "Why were you stalking me?"

Tang Soso blushed. "I wanted to greet you differently from the other students, and I also wanted to show you how much my martial arts have improved."

Baek Suryong sighed and nodded. Indeed, from her stealth technique alone, he could tell that she had improved considerably. In fact, he had initially thought she was an assassin.

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"Yes, you've trained hard," he acknowledged. "A little more, and you could become an assassin."

"Shall I show you my hidden weapon techniques and poison arts, too?" Tang Soso asked, her eyes sparkling.

Baek Suryong shook his head. Even he couldn't avoid writing a letter of apology if poison smoke erupted and hidden weapons flew around in the middle of the Azure Dragon Academy on the first day of school. "I'll see it in class later. You did register for my class, right?"

Tang Soso nodded fervently. "Of course!"

Baek Suryong's class was scheduled for later in the afternoon. Then, he would be able to clearly see how much not only Tang Soso, but also the other students he hadn't seen in a long time, had improved.

"Okay. I'll see you in class later."

Tang Soso was about to turn away, when she suddenly remembered something. "Right! There was someone looking for you at the main gate."

"At the main gate, you say?"

Baek Suryong bid farewell to Tang Soso and hurried toward the main gate. Before long, he saw a menacing man with a buzzcut and scars all over his body arguing with the guards at the gate.

"I told you I know the Azure Dragon Hero!"

"And I told you that you can't just enter without permission!"

"It's urgent! You're new here, aren't you? I visited frequently a few months ago!"

"We are currently confirming that, so…"

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Baek Suryong chuckled. He could see the surrounding students stealthily avoiding the intimidating man. After all, he looked like a demonic master from an unorthodox sect who had come to collect a debt… and that was him being generous.

Naturally, this man was Cheoldu, the Sect Leader of the Rehabilitation Sect.

"Cheoldu?" he called out.

Cheoldu whipped around, while not forgetting to roar at the guards, "See?! I told you we knew each other!"

"Ahem…"

The Rehabilitation Sect, which used to be a group of back-alley thugs, was now gaining recognition as a legitimate sect thanks to the White Dragon Conglomerate's funding, Cheong Cheon's help, and the Rogues' Guild's support. Nevertheless, Cheoldu, the Sect Leader of the Rehabilitation Sect, was still often misunderstood because of his appearance.

"Damn it! " he complained. "Just a few months ago, they let me in without any problems. Why are they suddenly treating me like this?"

"The academy hired new guards to coincide with the start of the semester. There was also an official notice not to let in any suspicious-looking individuals in light of the Blood Cult situation.

Unfortunately for Cheoldu, the guards considered him suspicious enough to be denied entry.

Baek Suryong sized up Cheoldu briefly, then grinned. Just by observing his build, he could tell how much effort the reformed thug must have put into training during his absence. "You've gotten quite strong," he complimented.

"Heh, I've reached a level where even you can say 'quite,' huh?"

"So, what's up?"

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"Let's go somewhere quiet."

The two went to a deserted spot behind a building.

Cheoldu carefully took a letter from his shirt pocket and handed it over. "The old crone from the noodle shop told me to deliver this to you. She said it was important and that I should deliver it in person."

"The old crone from the noodle shop?"

Baek Suryong narrowed his eyes as he received the letter. The old crone was actually the Nanchang Branch Manager of the Rogues' Guild, and the word "Urgent" was written on the outside of the sealed envelope.

“I’ll be on my way now. Stop by sometime later and take a look at the boys' martial arts."

"Got it, thanks."

Cheoldu left as quickly as he had come.

Baek Suryong tore open the envelope and checked its contents. A moment later, his expression hardened.

"…Elder."

The sender of the letter was Wiji Yeol, who had infiltrated the Blood Cult.