Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 391: It Wasn't Necessary

"Are you done for the day?" Bang Baekhyun asked as he approached the closed stall.
Geo Sangwoong smiled, happy to see his friend. "Hey! What are you doing here?"
"I just stopped by to say hi before heading back to the Murim Alliance." Bang Baekhyun tapped a bottle tucked under his arm and smirked. The bottle contained alcohol that he had bought outside the academy and smuggled in. "It would be even better if we could have a drink while we're at it."
"Hahaha! Not like one of those will be enough to get you drunk. Come sit down!"
Geo Sangwoong cleared a space by moving the stall aside. After taking down the banner and roughly stacking the large, empty boxes that had once held snacks around the tent, no one approached them.
"...Is this okay?" Ya Suhyeok asked nervously. "I thought alcohol could only be consumed at designated bars inside the academy."
The two fourth-year seniors stared at their innocent freshman junior and grinned mischievously.
"Fufufu! Alcohol tastes better when you drink it secretly, doesn't it?"
"You're more timid than you look, Junior."
"Who's timid? I just asked a question!"
Since business had ended early and there was no one nearby, the likelihood of getting caught was low. The three of them sat on the floor and opened the bottle. Immediately, the fragrant aroma of booze spread throughout the area.
They each poured themselves a cup and sipped their drinks.
"Suhyeok, want another cup? How's your alcohol tolerance?"
"Thanks to my mountain-dwelling hyung-nims, I have trained in the dao of alcohol since I was a child."
"Mountain-dwelling hyung-nims...?"
"Hahaha! This guy is from a sect in the mountains!" Geo Sangwoong laughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject. Even though Bang Baekhyun was his friend, it wouldn't be good if someone working for the Murim Alliance found out that Ya Suhyeok was a Viridian Forest bandit. "Anyway, how's life in the Murim Alliance? Is it worth joining?"
Fortunately, Bang Baekhyun didn't notice anything strange, and simply replied, "Some seniors look down on me because they think the Chief Instructor is favoring me, but other than that, I'm doing great. Learning the ropes is fun, too."
Bang Baekhyun indeed seemed happy. Unlike in the past, when he had blindly followed his mother's wishes, he was now faithfully pursuing his own aspirations.
"What about you, Sangwoong? How are you these days?"
"I'm fine, too. I'm training hard every day with those stubborn juniors, and I haven't been this enthusiastic about martial arts in years." Geo Sangwoong grinned as he emptied his cup in one gulp.
Bang Baekhyun looked at his friend concernedly. "Have you given any thought to your post-graduation plans?"
It was a question that everyone in their senior year worried about.
Geo Sangwoong told Bang Baekhyun the same thing he had told Ya Suhyeok. "I'm going to apprentice under my father and learn how to run our family business."
"Are you serious? I thought you weren't interested in being a merchant."
"Haha! I was young and naive back then, but now I know I can't just live like a bum after graduation. My father has a lot of gray hair these days."
Geo Sangwoong thought of his parents, who had suffered because of him over the past few years. Although they were both still in good health, he could tell that they had aged significantly since he entered the Azure Dragon Academy.
Baekhyun blinked in surprise. "Wow! The kid who used to boast that he would become the world's number one martial artist has grown up!"
"Hahaha! Let's just say my dreams have changed a bit!" Geo Sangwoong laughed heartily as he downed another cup.
"Hey, Senior. So, when you graduate, will martial arts be a thing of the past?" Ya Suhyeok asked sarcastically, slightly influenced by the alcohol.
"What?"
In truth, Ya Suhyeok enjoyed sparring with Geo Sangwoong more than anything else while training. No one else his age could block his fists, not even Hyonwon Kang. Of course, that meant that once Geo Sangwoong graduated, he would have no one left to do external arts training with.
Naturally, he didn't like that at all.
"After graduation, you're going to give up martial arts and work at your family's trading company, yeah? Damn it! If that's the case, why are you working so hard now?"
"Are you upset, boy?" Geo Sangwoong roughly ruffled Ya Suhyeok's hair with his pot-lid-sized hand. He was the only one who could pat Ya Suhyeok on the head and make it look normal.
"Who's upset..."
"As you should know, you have more talent for martial arts than I do."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Although Geo Sangwoong would win seven or eight times out of ten if they fought right now, they both knew this wouldn't always be the case. After all, Ya Suhyeok was both more talented and passionate about martial arts than Geo Sangwoong.
Ya Suhyeok's expression hardened as he considered a certain possibility. "Don't tell me you're going to become a merchant because you think you can't beat me ? If that's the case, Senior, I'm really disappointed... Guh!"
SMACK!
Ya Suhyeok's mouth fell open from the shock of the palm that struck his back. That blow would have broken the bones of an ordinary person!
Geo Sangwoong chuckled, "What are you talking about? I'm telling you not to get cocky just because you have some talent."
"That fucking hurt...!"
Seeing Ya Suhyeok in genuine pain, Geo Sangwoong laughed heartily, "Don't be stupid. Why would I quit martial arts? My dream has changed a little, but not a lot."
He met his junior's gaze, his face more serious than ever.
"One day, I will become both the Fist King
and
the Merchant King," he declared.
"What...?"
Both Ya Suhyeok and Bang Baekhyun widened their eyes in shock.
An awkward atmosphere descended upon them, and time seemed to stop.
"Hahaha!" Suddenly, Geo Sangwoong burst out laughing and patted Ya Suhyeok on the back. "So, don't let your guard down, even when I'm not around. Keep training hard. I'll visit often, even after I graduate. Also, I plan to request private tutoring from Mr. Baek so I can keep training at the White Dragon Manor, and because sparring with you is the most fun."
"...I think so too." Ya Suhyeok nodded, looking visibly relieved.
The moment Geo Sangwoong revealed his ambition to become the Fist King, a new dream flashed through his mind.
If that's your goal, then I'll become the new Viridian Forest Bandit King.
Ever since Bandit King Maeng Ho'ak unified the Viridian Forest decades ago, no bandit had dared to use the character for 'King (王)' in their alias. Even Ya Suhyeok's foster father, a respected figure, was content with being known as the Viridian Scholar.
At that moment, however, Ya Suhyeok was overcome by a sudden urge to follow in the footsteps of the legendary bandit who had shaken the murim decades ago.
"If you're going to become the Fist King... then I'll become the Brawling King."
Geo Sangwoong smirked. Although Ya Suhyeok had said it in a roundabout way because Bang Baekhyun was present, he understood what he meant right away.
"Hahahaha! What a cute fellow." Geo Sangwoong ruffled Ya Suhyeok's hair as if he were a cute younger brother.
Ya Suhyeok brushed the big hand away, looking annoyed. "Cut it out, will you?"
"Since this senior will soon be making a name for himself, you should graduate quickly and follow suit."
"But before that, you need to make sure to crush that Fist Tyrant Cho Il guy at the Heavenly Martial Festival!"
"Hahaha! Of course!"
Bang Baekhyun chuckled as he watched the two bicker. "I'd believe it if someone told me you two were brothers."
"Nyaaang!" At that moment, Silver Tiger, who had been playing outside, burst into the tent.
Ya Suhyeok caught the creature in midair. It had smelled the sweet scent of alcohol and was about to snatch the bottle. "Hey, furball! How dare you try to steal my alcohol?"
Despite his words, he dipped his finger in his cup and offered some wine to the squirming furball.
LICK, LICK...
Silver Tiger licked Ya Suhyeok's fingers a few times, then quickly fell asleep.
Ya Suhyeok carefully cradled the mochi-like creature in his arms.
"...Your spirit beast is very obedient," Bang Baekhyun remarked curiously, when he heard the sound of cheering.
"WOOHOO! WOAH!"
"...It's already this time, huh?" he whispered, rising to his feet.
They had started drinking in the afternoon, and now night had fallen. Judging from the commotion, it was time for one of the most anticipated events of the Azure Dragon Festival.
The three of them went outside together.
"Wow..." Ya Suhyeok exclaimed in admiration at the sight he had never seen before. "What are those?"
The two seniors smiled warmly.
"Those are sky lanterns."
"There are a lot this year."
The highlight of the last day of the Azure Dragon Festival was the sky lantern release ceremony.
Hundreds, then thousands, of sky lanterns floated into the night sky, their soft lights coloring the cityscape. There were more lanterns than in the past few years combined, each carrying its owner's wish.
Geo Sangwoong mumbled, "There's a legend that if a couple release a sky lantern together at the Silver Scale Lake..."
"...They'll be together forever?" Bang Baekhyun finished his old friend's sentence.
"Fuck, I haven't done it once in four years. Should I give it a try next year?"
"What, you? Ahahaha!" Bang Baekhyun roared in laughter, then glanced at Geo Sangwoong's side profile. "Hey, Sangwoong. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Why did you drink the booze I offered without hesitation? I could be an assassin, for all you know."
Geo Sangwoong scratched his chin. "Do you think I can't tell the difference between a friend and an assassin?"
"...Haven't you heard that Deathshroud assassins' disguises are so good that even their families can't recognize them?"
Geo Sangwoong's lips curled upward. "I know what you're trying to say, but there's no need to warn me. I was already prepared."
FWOOSH!
Grinning, he expelled the alcohol from his body using inner arts and tapped the specially enchanted Azure Dragon Emblem in his pocket. The badge, which had been silent moments before, now vibrated faintly, signaling the presence of demonic practitioners nearby.
"By the way, who sent you? I doubt it was Mr. Baek," he asked.
Bang Baekhyun nodded while keeping an eye on his surroundings. "It was Mr. Namgung Su. He said that three is better than two, and wanted us to stick together in case of an emergency."
"I appreciate it, but..." Geo Sangwoong took a step forward, smirking. "The next time I meet him, I guess I'll have to tell him it wasn't necessary."
WHOOSH!
An assassin leaped from the shadows, but Geo Sangwoong countered by grabbing the man's wrist and snapping it. The assassin did not scream, however, instead aiming the throwing knife in his other hand at Geo Sangwoong's neck.
Geo Sangwoong tilted his neck to dodge the blade and grabbed both of the assassin's arms. Veins bulged on the giant's hands as he pulled with all his might.
POP! SQUELCH!
Finally, with a sound of tearing flesh, he ripped both of the assassin's arms from their sockets and tossed the now-armless assassin to the ground.
"Pathetic."
The other assassins, who had been about to rush forward, froze at the unreal sight of a man ripping off another human's arms without using any inner arts.
Their professional training quickly took over, however, and they shook off their fear to attack as one, releasing a downpour of whistling hidden weapons upon their target.
SMACK! WHACK! THWACK!
Geo Sangwoong simply stepped forward, planting his feet like ancient tree roots as the barrage of sharp projectiles struck his body.
None pierced his impossibly thick skin.
"...!!" The assassins went speechless with shock.
"Don't let a single one escape, Suhyeok."
"Understood."
Ya Suhyeok, who had been behind Geo Sangwoong, charged forward like a starving beast.
CRACK! BAM! POW!
The Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest was the world's best external martial art. That didn't mean, however, that its creator, the Bandit King, overlooked the value of inner arts. In fact, training in the inner arts furthered one's mastery of the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest.
That said, the nature of the martial art itself varied slightly depending on the practitioner's disposition and goals. For instance, while Geo Sangwoong sought an unyielding shield to block any attack, Ya Suhyeok sought the overwhelming destructive power to shatter everything in his path.
Meanwhile, the Third Shroud lurked in the shadows, observing the battle. To his specially trained eyes, translucent qi flowed like mist over the two giants' bodies.
Our information was wrong. Among the students of the Azure Dragon Hero, they said these two were pushovers, but...
Geo Sangwoong and Ya Suhyeok weren't just young prodigies, they were masters of external arts rarely seen in the entire murim. On top of that, they were defensive specialists whose compatibility with assassins was especially bad.
And that thing flowing around them, is that enhanced qi armor? No...
Whatever it was, it couldn't have been true enhanced qi. That wasn't a realm any teenager or young adult could attain, no matter how talented they were.
Nevertheless, it was a type of qi armor that was as solid and sturdy as enhanced qi. Such a feat was only possible by learning an extraordinary martial art.
We can't pierce their skins with sword qi or poison...
Geo Sangwoong had reason to believe he wouldn't be affected by poison. According to Maeng Ho'ak, external arts were martial arts that trained the entire human body, including not only the bones and muscles, but also the skin and organs. In theory, this meant that mastering the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest could grant Myriad Poison Immunity.
Of course, Geo Sangwoong and Ya Suhyeok were far from that stage, but even so, common poisons and venoms no longer affected them.
I have to be careful.
The Third Shroud's gaze hardened. As the third-best assassin in Deathshroud, he was confident that he could overcome these students' defenses and kill them.
Nevertheless, he had to be careful. Even he needed to concentrate intensely to pierce these students' solid defenses with a single strike.
"Found you!" a cold voice suddenly mocked from behind him.
The Third Shroud flinched. He had been caught in a rare moment of carelessness, caused by being too focused on his prey and failed to notice the approaching hunter. Still, his reflexes were quick, as he swiftly spun around and swung his sword.
SWISH!
The sword cut through empty air. The next thing the Third Shroud knew, he was looking at his own reflection in his opponent's blade.
"...Damn it. You completely defied Skykiller's expectations," he muttered hollowly.
CRASH!
The Third Shroud's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.