Episode 13: Return to the Martial Arts Academy
“Dark arts?”
Cheon Sae-myung’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The instructors gathered around him were equally stunned, their eyes fixed on Yeo Woon-jin.
Questions erupted from the group, each trying to outpace the other.
“Is that true?”
“Dark arts! Unbelievable!”
“How could he have advanced so quickly…?”
Some clicked their tongues, others shook their heads, and a few even cursed under their breath.
It was a shocking revelation.
An instructor from Yongcheon Academy, under the righteous alliance, practicing dark arts?
How could that be possible?
Cheon Sae-myung stepped in to calm the chaos.
“This is a serious matter. We must not jump to conclusions.”
The murmuring instructors fell silent, their attention now on him.
Cheon Sae-myung turned to Yeo Woon-jin with a steady gaze.
“Do you have a reason to suspect this?”
“Absolutely.”
“What is it…?”
Yeo Woon-jin recounted the testimonies from two students and the events he and Deung Bu-hyung had witnessed that night.
After his explanation, he added, “Doesn’t it seem strange? They say Yeom Ja-ryang was stabbed deeply enough to pierce his abdomen. Yet, the wound was shallow? But when we heard the screams and arrived, there was a significant amount of blood on the floor, and the internal injuries that seemed severe were completely healed by the next morning. Nothing adds up, does it?”
“It truly is inexplicable.”
“If Instructor Sa used some kind of sorcery, wouldn’t that explain it? It must be dark arts.”
“But isn’t it too hasty to conclude that? Yeom Ja-ryang might have been mistaken.”
“Even if Yeom Ja-ryang was hallucinating, that’s a problem in itself. Wouldn’t that prove the sword he wielded is a ‘demonic sword’?”
Deung Bu-hyung chimed in.
“Indeed, it’s suspicious how Instructor Sa’s aura changed overnight. I’m sure you’ve all noticed. Even his personality seems different.”
No one disagreed.
It wasn’t just because they were Cheon Sae-myung’s close associates.
The facts were objectively clear.
Deung Bu-hyung nodded slowly.
“Now it makes sense why my Zaharakindo was shattered in one blow. It must have been a demonic sword.”
By this point, the other instructors were nearly convinced.
“Right. When you think about it, there are too many suspicious points.”
“We should have realized when he dealt with the Guiya Chaeju so quickly.”
“We can’t have someone like that as an instructor.”
“He should be expelled from the academy immediately. No, even execution wouldn’t be enough.”
But Cheon Sae-myung remained cautious.
He shook his head.
“But it’s all circumstantial. We lack definitive proof. It’s highly suspicious, but that’s not enough.”
“Leave it to me, and I’ll see this through. But I need something.”
Yeo Woon-jin’s eyes gleamed.
Cheon Sae-myung turned to him.
“What do you need?”
“The Tagma Ink.”
A colorless, odorless powder.
It was used by the righteous alliance during the Great War to identify practitioners of dark arts.
When applied to the forehead, it leaves no trace under normal circumstances.
However, if dark arts are used within half a day before or after the application, a red mark appears on the forehead.
Once the mark appears, it remains for about a month.
This would publicly brand the person as a practitioner of dark arts.
“But do you think Instructor Sa will willingly let you apply the Tagma Ink?”
During the Great War, it was a grave insult to suggest it even to a righteous person.
And now?
Saying, “Your martial arts are suspicious, let’s check if they’re dark arts,” would likely lead to a confrontation.
Moreover, if he truly practiced dark arts, he would find any excuse to avoid it.
And if he refrains from using dark arts for half a day after the application, it would be ineffective.
Thus, there’s only one way to distinguish between righteous and dark arts using the Tagma Ink.
That is…
“We must force him to use dark arts.”
“What do you mean?”
“Instructor Sa won’t accept it willingly. It would be like branding himself. So, I plan to apply it secretly.”
“Secretly? How do you intend to do that?”
Yeo Woon-jin shared his plan.
After a while, Cheon Sae-myung nodded.
“Indeed. But isn’t there a risk? If Instructor Sa truly practices dark arts…”
“Without taking risks, there are no opportunities. If I succeed, even if I fall, it would be a worthy contribution to the academy.”
Though he spoke with a sense of solemnity, he was confident.
Until recently, Sa Bi-gang was the weakest instructor at the academy.
Without the influence of the Vice Head, he wouldn’t have become an instructor at Yongcheon Academy.
‘How much difference could mastering dark arts make for someone like him?’
Cheon Sae-myung nodded at Yeo Woon-jin.
“We can’t let a wolf in sheep’s clothing practice dark arts under the guise of an instructor. I trust you, Instructor Yeo.”
“Heh. Leave it to me.”
Cheon Sae-myung smiled confidently.
Yeo Woon-jin was indeed reliable.
He knew how to address the itch.
The formation of the special class and this situation were no exceptions.
“Without Instructor Yeo, life at the academy would have been quite difficult.”
“You’re too kind.”
And so, the two continued their warm conversation.
**
A cold wind lingered at the tips of Sa Bi-gang’s hair.
Perched on a tree branch, he munched on a rice cracker, his eyes fixed on a distant building.
Just then, a group of people emerged from the building.
Sa Bi-gang’s eyes gleamed as he adjusted his posture.
Cheon Sae-myung and the instructors.
“Heh. Looks like their secret meeting is over.”
Just as expected.
With Yeo Woon-jin and Deung Bu-hyung witnessing that night, they wouldn’t let it slide.
At least, that’s how he remembered them.
By now, they were likely plotting to get rid of him, their thorn in the side.
He had allowed them to approach that night for a reason.
They were of no use to his plans.
If he had to deal with them, it was better for them to make the first move, giving him a pretext to act.
Sa Bi-gang carefully observed the people emerging from the building.
He could guess the gist of their conversation from their lip movements.
Though there was some distance, using the Wizard Eye, which acted like a telescope, he could clearly see their facial expressions and even the wrinkles on their faces.
The instructors parted ways, laughing and in high spirits.
“Heh. Laugh while you can.”
Sa Bi-gang smirked coldly and stepped off the branch.
“Time to stir things up a bit.”
He leaped down from the tree.
**
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
Startled by the sudden voice, Yeo Woon-jin stopped in his tracks and turned around.
“When did you…?”
Sa Bi-gang emerged from between the buildings, smiling broadly.
To think he hadn’t sensed his presence until he was this close.
“I must have been too excited.”
Chiding himself, he forced a bright smile.
“Ah, Instructor Sa. I was just thinking of seeing you.”
“Me? Why?”
The casual tone irked Yeo Woon-jin.
“His personality has definitely changed. He used to be overly formal and avoided eye contact.”
He quickly dismissed the thought and replied.
“Ah, I heard from Instructor Deung. Your martial arts skills are impressive. Truly remarkable.”
“Haha. You’re too kind.”
“Too kind? Normally, one wouldn’t shatter the Zaharakindo with a single blow. Indeed.”
“If you strike metal with a branch, the result is obvious, isn’t it?”
A branch?
Comparing the Zaharakindo to a mere branch.
If Deung Bu-hyung were here, he would have foamed at the mouth.
“Haha. That’s an amusing way to put it. But where did you find such a fine sword?”
“I picked it up on the way.”
“Picked it up… on the way?”
Sa Bi-gang shrugged.
It wasn’t a lie.
It wasn’t something that belonged to anyone in this world, nor was it stolen.
But Yeo Woon-jin, unaware of the truth, only felt that Sa Bi-gang’s answer lacked sincerity.
“Haha. Interesting. But how did you become so strong overnight? If you have any secrets, do share them with me.”
It was a blatant suspicion.
Sa Bi-gang grinned.
“Actually, I had a fortuitous encounter.”
“A fortuitous encounter? Did you consume some elixir?”
“Something like that.”
“Something like that…? And where did you find this elixir?”
Though it could be considered rude, Yeo Woon-jin pressed on with his questioning.
Sa Bi-gang responded with a casual remark.
“I just picked it up on the way.”
By now, a vein was visibly throbbing on Yeon Jin’s forehead.
It was clear that he had no intention of giving a straight answer.
‘Even with all my blatant suspicion, you refuse to say a word. There must be a reason. It’s certain! You’ve mastered the forbidden arts!’
Just then, Sa Bi-gang, who had been quietly observing Yeon Jin, tilted his head slightly.
“That’s strange.”
“What is?”
Yeon Jin snapped back, feigning irritation.
“Just a moment ago, you seemed to be in quite a good mood, Instructor Ye. But now, you look like you’ve bitten into something sour.”
‘Damn it!’
Yeon Jin gritted his teeth inwardly but soon forced a smile.
If he lost his temper here, it would mean admitting defeat.
“Haha. No way. Anyway, I enjoyed our little chat, Instructor Sa.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Let’s meet again.”
“Of course.”
“Oh, and since you didn’t want it, I didn’t punish those kids.”
“Thank you.”
“But let me give you a piece of advice. These days, if you underestimate the youngsters, you might get hurt. Be careful.”
“True, but if anyone underestimates me now, they’ll get hurt even more. I should be the one giving advice.”
Sa Bi-gang’s gaze seemed to linger on Yeon Jin for a moment before he turned to leave.
Yeon Jin clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Sa Bi-gang’s retreating figure.
‘No doubt about it. That guy! He’s mastered the forbidden arts and is full of himself! Fine, by tomorrow night, I’ll strip away your mask completely! Just wait!’
“Spring will be here soon.”
Eun Gi-ryung, gazing out the window, stroked his white beard as he spoke.
Behind him, standing with a straight posture, was the headmaster, Joo Yu-cheon, who remained silent, as if to say it was still too cold to talk about spring.
From the fifth floor of the Grand Hall, the view of Yongcheon Academy was breathtaking.
“When I first saw the view from here, my heart swelled with pride.”
”…”
“And it still does. Looking down at the many buildings and students, my heart swells just the same.”
”…”
“It’s a magnificent sight. But if you look closely, you’ll see a lot of messes here and there.”
There was a hidden meaning in his words.
Finally, Joo Yu-cheon, who had been listening quietly, slightly raised his head to look at Eun Gi-ryung’s back.
Eun Gi-ryung turned with a wry smile.
“So, what do you think of the newly appointed first-year instructor?”
Of course, it was about that.
Joo Yu-cheon nodded inwardly and replied in a detached voice.
“It’s too early to say. I just evaluate according to the rules as a headmaster.”
Eun Gi-ryung smiled gently.
He could sense Joo Yu-cheon’s nature from his response.
“I hear there’s quite a bit of resistance among the students and instructors due to the unexpected appointment.”
“From my position, I just handle things according to the rules.”
A consistent answer.
At times like this, he seemed quite stubborn.
That’s why he was entrusted with the position of headmaster.
Joo Yu-cheon was such a person.
Someone who strictly adhered to rules and order.
As a result, from Joo Yu-cheon’s perspective, the instructors tainted by worldly desires and Sa Bi-gang, who entered with the backing of the Vice Head, seemed no different.
Eun Gi-ryung walked over to the table and filled a teacup.
A clear sound resonated.
“Perhaps a new breeze might bring spring to Yongcheon Academy?”
“Like the saying goes, ‘The Yellow River never clears in a hundred years.’ A wall that’s already cracked won’t mend.”
“You’re quite pessimistic.”
“That’s the way of things.”
“But sometimes, unexpected results come from the smallest cracks. If the cracks are already dangerous, it might be better to let it collapse completely and rebuild.”
Eun Gi-ryung offered the teacup to Joo Yu-cheon.
After a long moment of contemplation, Joo Yu-cheon exhaled lightly and accepted the cup.
“I just follow the will of the Headmaster. That takes precedence over all rules.”
A curious answer.
It sounded like a pledge of loyalty to the Headmaster’s words, but also subtly criticized the Headmaster for standing above the rules.
Eun Gi-ryung simply smiled silently.
‘I believe that one day you’ll understand my intentions. That now, more than rules and logic, we need a wind of change. That’s why I want to place my hopes on him.’