WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 200: The Uninvited Guest Who Visited the Academy (5)
──────
I asked Blood Star, Ak Byeongbi, once more.
“Did you come in your capacity as a department master of the Inspectorate?”
“Does that matter?”
“The person who came to see me yesterday claimed to be from the Inspectorate.”
“...”
“Someone unaffiliated with the Inspectorate dared impersonate its agents. Isn't that a serious crime?”
Even with the air taut with tension, I continued saying what I had to say. Ak Byeongbi's expression twisted further.
“That isn't important.”
He raised his chin, lowered his eyes, and growled.
“What matters most is that I came to see you.”
As he said, drawing the Inspectorate's attention was practically the same as finding myself in danger.
The Inspectorate had the authority to investigate people and uncover their other crimes.
Within the Martial Alliance, the Inspectorate was known as the Grim Reaper.
Anyone taken away by the Inspectorate never came back whole, hence the nickname.
But...
“That is why I'm asking. Did you come as a department master of the Inspectorate?”
“...”
“Or are you using the Inspectorate's authority for personal gain, just as O Ungyeong did?”
“You dare...!”
No matter how powerful the Inspectorate was, it could not simply seize anyone and pin crimes on them without proper grounds.
And I had no intention of becoming just anyone.
“Though the Inspectorate has deployed, I don't see a single person from the Enforcement Hall. Why is that?”
“...”
“In the end, it can only look as though you came to pressure me by exploiting your position in the Inspectorate.”
He had not even produced a command order or identification token.
That meant he had come here not as the Third Department Master of the Inspectorate, but as Ak Jupyeong's uncle.
A smug look appeared on his face.
“You seem to be mistaken about something.”
“...”
“I am the Third Department Master of the Inspectorate. The command order can be issued afterward if necessary.”
“...Is that so?”
I'd heard that when the Inspectorate failed to secure a command order, they sometimes abducted their target first and tortured a statement out of them.
Was that rumor true?
“I knew you hadn't come here without a reason.”
Everything had been exposed to me, including how he had sent O Ungyeong yesterday to impersonate an Inspectorate agent.
Ak Byeongbi could not simply let that pass.
He intended to take me away first, then clean things up afterward.
Now what?
I was no longer the idiot who could only take it like before.
Hah!
I used the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps, creating four afterimages to confuse Ak Byeongbi.
“...”
Yet Ak Byeongbi simply stood there without moving.
The moment I was about to use the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art and rush toward the Academy Head's office...
Ak Byeongbi drove the butt of his spear into the ground.
Crack.
The marble floor of the training ground shattered like dry leaves.
The vibration that began with Ak Byeongbi traveled in strange waves, and the marble I was about to step on sprang upward with a pop.
Blood Star could use a trick like this too?
As I regained my footing and tried to leap again, Ak Byeongbi spoke flatly.
“Where do you think you're going?”
At the same time, rustling came from around the training ground, followed by the presence of people.
One by one...
Martial artists revealed themselves.
Before I knew it, they had surrounded Ak Byeongbi and me.
“The only place you're going is the Inspectorate.”
The speed building in my steps gradually slowed.
‘They prepared this thoroughly...’
Not every Ak Clan martial artist might be an expert, but I couldn't possibly face them if they attacked alongside Ak Byeongbi.
As I racked my brain for a way out, Ak Byeongbi turned and spoke.
“I'll give you a chance to choose.”
His spear pointed toward the Ak Clan martial artists.
“Either break through the Ak Clan's spear formation or escape from me. Choose one.”
“...”
Ak Byeongbi offered choices that were no choices at all.
“I don't want either.”
“Is that so? Losers always run from choices.”
“I don't put myself in unfavorable situations to begin with.”
“That is unfortunate. But the world doesn't always go as one wishes.”
While Ak Byeongbi spoke, my eyes drifted toward the roof of a nearby building.
‘Yayul Geuk.’
Yayul Geuk, who had tried to ambush me again today and strike me from behind, was sneaking across the roof.
I immediately sent him a sound transmission.
-Yayul Geuk! Cause a disturbance right now and draw their attention. Then I'll head straight to the Academy Head's office...
Before I could finish, Yayul Geuk moved.
‘That bastard!’
Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere, Yayul Geuk began retreating as quietly as possible.
I ground my teeth at his betrayal.
“Yayul Geuk! Go to the Academy Head's office right now and tell them the Inspectorate is here!”
My voice rang out loudly, and he flinched before glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.
That cowardly bastard.
So what if you glare? What are you going to do?
One of the Ak Clan martial artists immediately came up behind Yayul Geuk, subdued him, and threw him before Ak Byeongbi.
Even after being captured, Yayul Geuk glared at me.
“...Jin Sowoon! You dirty, scheming...”
“You bastard! This is all because of you!”
“...Because of me?”
“Yes! Everyone here is from the Ak Clan.”
With his paralysis acupoint struck, Yayul Geuk could only move his eyes as he glared murderously at Ak Byeongbi.
“The Ak Clan...! Jin Sowoon, release me. I'll kill them all...”
“Shut up and stay down.”
I kicked him into the corner of the training ground.
Ak Byeongbi glanced at the loudly protesting Yayul Geuk.
“Are you finished?”
There was no avoiding this anymore.
Yayul Geuk, my last line of defense, was in that state.
That useless bastard.
I adjusted my grip on the Black Dragon Sword.
If I couldn't flee, I only had to break through.
“Have you finally given up?”
I glared at Ak Byeongbi.
“You'll pay for what you've done today.”
“I heard Jupyeong was left disabled...”
Qi gathered around his spearhead.
It was not the clumsy, scattered qi I had seen the previous day, but flawless spear qi, as though it had been sculpted into shape.
“You'll pay the harshest price first.”
It was foolish to measure my martial prowess against Blood Star in the first place.
I raised my internal energy and unleashed the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.
“Try it if you can.”
Six Ten Thousand Swords.
Sword qi gathered around them.
An absurd amount of internal energy poured out, but this was no time to worry about what came after.
I couldn't allow myself to be dragged to the Inspectorate now.
“...Now I understand why you clashed with Jupyeong. You are an insolent brat.”
“You have no right to say that!”
The six Ten Thousand Swords began to move.
As the swords releasing sword qi once again unleashed the Twin Heavens Sword Art...
Countless swords filled the sky above the small training ground without leaving a single gap, all aimed at Ak Byeongbi.
Yet there was not the slightest trace of urgency on his face.
“Come!”
“Haa!”
Ak Byeongbi prepared to swing his spear in a wide arc.
Using the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps, I charged toward him.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The Lesser Heaven Sword Art tore through the air toward his vital acupoints.
The Greater Heaven Sword Art confused his sight.
Ak Byeongbi, who had confidently taken a spear stance, repeatedly retreated to avoid the swords.
Then, when he could retreat no farther...
“Blaze Spear!”
Absurdly, he shouted the name of his martial art.
‘He's insane...’
Wasn't shouting the name of a sword art or move something only neighborhood children did while playing war?
I wondered if he was trying to deceive me, but the spear qi around his spearhead glowed red and began radiating heat.
‘He's actually using precisely the technique he announced?’
Whoosh.
The blazing spear qi swallowed the Twin Heavens Sword Art in a wave of scorching heat.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Pressure burst from the clash of qi and shoved me backward.
I held my ground with the Thousand-Pound Drop technique while directing the remaining Ten Thousand Swords to strike at him from all five directions.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ak Byeongbi evaded the descending swords with movements far swifter than I could believe.
At the same time, I used the Myriad Blossoms Invincible Fist with my left hand to block his retreat.
“Blazing Sky-Piercing Fist!”
“...”
Once again, Ak Byeongbi shouted the name of his martial art and thrust out his hand.
His right fist flashed as it surged toward me.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant, we exchanged three moves, then the shockwaves pushed us apart.
Whoosh!
I braced myself against the force driving me back, but still had no choice but to retreat seven steps...
‘He overwhelmed me in internal energy?’
Unbelievably, he had only taken three steps back.
Ak Byeongbi looked at the fist he had just exchanged blows with, then pierced me with his sharp gaze.
“Bastard... A Taeul Sect disciple has this much internal energy? You are suspicious beyond measure.”
Even if he was one of the Seven Stars, I couldn't easily believe that he possessed more internal energy than I did.
“Does the Ak Clan drink Azure Stone Milk instead of water? You're suspicious beyond measure as well.”
“...Fine. We can discuss everything in the Inspectorate's underground area.”
He gripped his spear with both hands again and assumed a charging stance.
“Ink-Cloud Flash Spear!”
It was the signature spear art that had made the Ak Clan renowned for its spears.
They said only northern tribesmen and villains of the Black Path martial world had seen its true power.
Hah, and now I was seeing it.
Boom.
He pushed off the ground so fiercely that marble cracked apart and stones scattered in every direction.
Though he was charging straight at me, I couldn't bring myself to dodge.
‘If I dodge, I'll die...’
The true terror of Ink-Cloud Flash Spear came from the hidden trick within its simple attack.
The instant its target avoided the frontal clash, its user took a second step and pierced through them no matter where they fled.
It was a martial art that took advantage of a spear's reach, longer than a sword's.
I abandoned the thought of dodging, took the Black Dragon Sword in my opposite hand, and rushed at him.
“Fool!”
Boom!
With his second step, marble shattered and clumps of dirt sprayed outward like water.
Ak Byeongbi became one with his spear and shot forward as though he would pierce straight through me.
I raised the Black Dragon Sword in a reverse grip and desperately blocked the spear.
Screech!
I pressed the entire flat of the sword against my forearm to lessen the impact, but the remaining force alone felt enough to break my arm.
Then I grabbed the spear shaft with my other hand and used Lotus at its fullest extent.
“Hup!”
Perhaps he had not expected the Flower-Grafting maneuver, but Ak Byeongbi could not disperse the force of his charge and was dragged toward me along with his spear.
I followed with Snow Flower and threw his massive frame away with all my strength.
Boom!
Ak Byeongbi was flung outside the training ground.
The instant he struck the wall, sending sand and dust spraying in every direction...
I frantically fired sword qi into the cloud of dust.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Twenty sword qi blasts shot out and exploded in a single breath.
As several Ak Clan martial artists maintaining the encirclement flinched and moved toward Ak Byeongbi...
I immediately used the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art and broke through their formation.
“Advance!”
But an Ak Clan martial artist quickly blocked my path.
I scattered the Twin Heavens Sword Art and was about to brush past them in one stroke when...
‘Already?’
Sensing a tremendous shockwave behind me, I desperately used the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps without even turning around.
Boom!
The ground caved in with a sound like a Thunderclap Bomb exploding.
At the edge of the crater, Ak Byeongbi stood tall with his spear lowered.
“Why didn't you announce the name of your martial art this time? How cowardly.”
“...”
He wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth.
“There are so many things I want to ask you. How can an Academy student possess this level of skill?”
“If that's all you want to know, I can answer without going to the Inspectorate.”
“...”
That exchange had made one thing clear.
He did not possess as much internal energy as I had expected.
He had only absorbed and redirected the impact of the shockwaves with external cultivation.
And...
He was clearly afraid that this disturbance would spread outside.
‘This must have been the perfect opportunity for him.’
When I had turned my back on him to deal with the Ak Clan martial artists...
I had definitely let my guard down.
I knew it, yet I had not prepared for it. The situation had caught me off guard, and I had complacently trusted in the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe...
Yet Ak Byeongbi had let that perfect opportunity pass.
‘Because if we fight here, people outside will notice what is happening!’
The fact that he had been announcing his martial arts and calling out each move was likely part of the same concern.
He wanted me focused on him so I couldn't turn my attention outward.
“...So that is what it was.”
A smile formed on my lips.
I could see straight through him.
“You acted bold and straightforward, but you're a cunning fox wearing a bear's skin.”
Ak Byeongbi frowned deeply, as though he disliked the sight of me.
“...What are you talking about?”
“You don't want this disturbance to grow large enough for people outside to notice, correct?”
“...”
“That must be why you couldn't deploy the spear formation and capture me.”
For the first time, Ak Byeongbi's face went rigid.
It was not the expression of someone suppressing anger, but that of someone desperately trying to hide his panic.
“...Nothing changes just because you realized that.”
“Do you really think so?”
This was why I loved fighting arrogant bastards.
They were complacent, so they never properly investigated their opponents.
And when they let their guard down like that, and I struck them from behind...
‘Nothing could feel better.’
Whoooooosh.
The air shook violently as a fierce wind rose.
Like wind being drawn into a cave, currents gathered wildly in my palm.
Ak Byeongbi ground his teeth as he watched me focus on the flow of the air.
“What are you planning...!”
There was no way Blood Star would fail to evade the Mad Heaven Divine Palm.
But that did not matter.
If the Mad Heaven Divine Palm exploded inside the Martial Arts Academy, people would have no choice but to look this way.
Kwooooom!
A thunderous blast erupted in every direction.
It was a signal flare announcing that the Ak Clan and I were here.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried