Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Meanwhile, outside the formation, Baek Suryong stood on the roof of the Student Council building with Jaegal Soyeong, observing the fight between Namgung Su and the students.

"I had no idea Mr. Namgung was that strong…" Jaegal Soyeong muttered in shock. She had known Namgung Su since childhood, and he was even her mentor at the Azure Dragon Academy, but ironically, she knew almost nothing about his martial arts.

CRACKLE!

Watching Namgung Su overwhelm the students while emitting pure white lightning energy was like witnessing the legendary Thunder God destroying demons and monsters with bolts of lightning.

"He's indeed amazing," Baek Suryong remarked, though he was more impressed by the martial arts Namgung Su was using than by his skill. "By the way, that's the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique, right? Isn't that martial art said to be notoriously difficult to master?"

"Yes. Even by the Namgung Clan's standards, it's one of the most difficult martial arts to master," Jaegal Soyeong replied, shuddering as she watched lightning engulf not only Namgung Su's sword, but his entire body. "Also, since it involves manipulating lightning qi, I've heard that the training process is extremely painful."

"I see." Baek Suryong nodded. From what he knew of lightning arts, Namgung Su probably felt like he was constantly being electrocuted. Although the unique qi of the sword technique would protect his body and meridians, it wouldn't alleviate the pain caused by the lightning energy. That was something he had to endure on his own.

Frowning slightly, Jaegal Soyeong added, "Additionally, because the technique is so ferocious and destructive, it tends to affect the practitioner's personality, making them unusually short-tempered and prone to violence."

"Which in turn makes it easy for them to fall prey to qi deviation," Baek Suryong pointed out.

Jaegal Soyeong hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "…That's right. The high probability of qi deviation is the reason why lightning-based martial arts are gradually becoming obsolete, even in the orthodox sects."

Even though they had seen Namgung Su use the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique against Myeong Il'oh during the new instructor sparring exam some time ago, both of them had naturally assumed that he'd only learned it as a supplementary martial art. Now that they saw his high level of proficiency, however, they realized that they had been mistaken. The man had probably devoted his entire life to it.

"Even within the Namgung Clan, I think Mr. Namgung Su might be the only one who has mastered the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique to this extent," Jaegal Soyeong declared confidently.

"Hmm…" Baek Suryong stroked his chin as he looked at Namgung Su, who was completely overwhelming the students with white lightning qi. While he couldn't see Namgung Su's face due to the mask and the blinding cloak of lightning, he had the Blood Demon Eyes.

Shall I take a closer look?

Taking a step forward so Jaegal Soyeong wouldn't notice, Baek Suryong activated the Blood Demon Eyes.

Immediately, the expression on Namgung Su's face became crystal clear. Beneath the mask, his teeth were clenched and his lips trembled slightly as if he was in agony.

Normally, Baek Suryong would have dismissed this as his usual constipated expression, but knowing the side effects of the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique changed everything.

He's in a lot of pain. Using lightning qi must take a tremendous toll on him.

From the look on Namgung Su's face, Baek Suryong realized that he was not some masochist who was ideally suited for practicing lightning arts. He was just an ordinary person, and the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique clearly caused him considerable suffering.

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Questions kept popping into his head one after another.

Namgung Su isn't the heir, so he wouldn't be allowed to learn the Royal Sword Style, but as a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan, shouldn't he have been allowed to learn the Infinite Heavens Sword Technique?

The Royal Sword Style and the Infinite Heavens Sword Technique were the two primary sword techniques that represented the Namgung Clan. Despite being more stable, they were no less powerful than the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique, so why did Namgung Su choose a martial art that caused him so much misery?

Jaegal Soyeong voiced his thoughts. "Why would Namgung-oppa choose the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique over the Infinite Heavens Sword Technique?"

Baek Suryong shrugged. "Well, there's no martial artist without an interesting past. There's no point asking him though, I doubt that prick would tell us anything."

"True… Now that I think about it, except for when he was really young, I've never heard him talk about himself."

"Yeah, so let's just watch for now."

Noticing that the fight was reaching its climax, Baek Suryong decided to set aside his curiosity about Namgung Su for the time being.

No, I shouldn't even call that a fight. I asked him to be an examiner just in case the others messed up, but I never expected him to prepare this thoroughly.

"Hah. To think that guy's actually giving a special lecture in the middle of someone else's exam," he chuckled, grinning.

Jaegal Soyeong blinked in confusion. "Huh? A special lecture?"

Baek Suryong nodded and fixed his gaze on Namgung Su, who was pointing out and correcting each student's weaknesses. "Why do you think I asked you all to be examiners?" he asked.

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"…Because if you did it yourself, it would have ended too easily?" Jaegal Soyeong answered uncertainly.

Baek Suryong laughed, "Well, there's that, but it's not the main reason."

His gaze drifted toward the students, who were gritting their teeth and charging bravely at Namgung Su.

"I wanted those kids to learn something from someone other than me."

"Ah… I think I get it." Jaegal Soyeong nodded in understanding. Until now, whether they realized it or not, the students had relied heavily on Baek Suryong's guidance, but he couldn't teach them everything on his own.

There were countless masters in the murim, each with their own unique martial arts, personalities, and habits. Exposing the students to a variety of experiences would greatly benefit them when they eventually entered the jianghu. For example, Baek Suryong could not give them the experience of fighting a lightning qi master.

"Look at these punks go. They were so messy a moment ago, but now they're already beginning to adapt to Namgung Su's swordsmanship," Baek Suryong said.

At first, the students couldn't even muster an attempt to defend themselves from Namgung Su. However, as time passed, their movements gradually improved, and they were now fighting quite well.

Just then, Namgung Su sneered, "Is that all you learned while freeloading at Baek Suryong's house? Failures will always be failures, I suppose."

"Shut up!"

"If you want to even touch my collar, pay attention to your footwork first."

"Argh! So frustrating!"

"A true master can read an attack just by looking at the direction of their opponent's gaze, but that also means you can trick them by simply pretending to look elsewhere."

"We know that already! Mr. Baek said that before!"

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"Then why are you still like this? Sigh, I feel bad for Baek Suryong. He must be so tired of nagging at you."

"Now you're really making us angry!"

Baek Suryong folded his arms and smiled. Namgung Su was shrewdly leveraging the students' trust and faith in him as a tool to incite them into fully engaging in his special lecture.

"His approach is different from mine, but I must admit that Namgung Su is a pretty good teacher."

"…You're probably the only one who would say a Star Instructor is a 'pretty good teacher', Oppa," Jaegal Soyeong groaned, shaking her head.

Baek Suryong grinned. "Well, that's because I'm a million times better than him."

"Seriously, you… Sigh, what did I expect…?"

Chuckling, Baek Suryong turned around and peered into the darkness. "Hey, look who's here? I thought you two went home already. Why'd you come back?"

Ak Yeonho and Myeong Il'oh, who he thought had already gone home, were walking toward them.

"We felt a ridiculously powerful clash of qi and felt curious," Ak Yeonho replied.

Myeong Il'oh added, "Mr. Namgung Su… he's really amazing."

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the four new instructors quietly observed Star Instructor Namgung Su's special lecture. Minus Baek Suryong, who was completely unmoved, the other three were torn between admiration for Namgung Su and shame over their earlier conduct.

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We were blinded by Hyung-nim's reward and only thought about playing around with the kids.

When did he analyze each student's strengths and weaknesses in such detail…?

While the Star Instructor was working so hard, what were we, the new instructors, doing?

Ak Yeonho, Myeong Il'oh, and Jaegal Soyeong felt so embarrassed that their faces turned beet red. Still, they didn't ignore or deny their own shortcomings. With unblinking eyes, they watched intently as the Azure Dragon Academy's one and only Star Instructor finished his special lecture.

I should learn from him!

We'll do better next time.

Someday, I too…

Baek Suryong smiled contentedly at the determination on his colleagues' faces. From their clenched fists and tightly pressed lips, he could clearly see that they were serious about becoming better teachers.

It's not just the students who are growing. Teachers and students influence each other, and as a result, everyone improves together.

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Baek Suryong smirked. The preparations for winning the Heavenly Martial Festival were now in full swing.

"Oh, looks like it's coming to an end," he murmured, noticing Namgung Su releasing lightning qi from his entire body.

"Do you want to become a failure?"

That was his late mother's favorite saying. As a lowly concubine in the prestigious Namgung Clan, she carried a deep-seated inferiority complex, and that frustration drove her to raise her only child exceptionally strictly.

"If you don't want to be a failure, you must dedicate yourself to martial arts. You must become the next patriarch!"

Namgung Su always thought that his mother's dream was unrealistic. While the Namgung Clan did not openly discriminate between the children of the main wife and those born to concubines, there had never been a case where a concubine's child became the heir.

"With your talent, it's definitely possible. Su, you'll fulfill your mother's wish, right?"

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He was born with remarkable talent for martial arts, but it wasn't enough for him to surpass his older siblings. Over time, perhaps out of growing impatience, his mother made a decision.

"Su, you should learn the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique. I've heard that while it might be a bit painful, you'll be able to master it much faster than the Infinite Heavens Sword Technique. Once you reach full mastery, also known as the realm of the Lightning God, I guarantee none of your siblings will be a match for you."

When he began learning the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique, though, he quickly realized that it was much more painful than his mother had made it out to be. Nevertheless, he quietly followed her wishes, and even though she passed away before he reached adulthood, he continued dedicating himself to mastering the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique as if it were her dying wish.

Before he knew it, his mother's favorite saying became his own motto.

"Get up. If you just sit there, you'll become a failure."

He'd repeated those words every time he taught the ordinary warriors of the Namgung Clan as part of his training to become a martial arts instructor. The proud warriors would grit their teeth and stand up, their eyes filled with anger and hatred toward him, but he never cared.

After the war with the Blood Cult ended, the Namgung Clan focused all their efforts on the academy business. The wealth, honor, and connections they accumulated from these academies placed them at the top of the Five Great Clans. As such, it was only natural that the Patriarch's sons were expected to become the best in the business.

"You must become Star Instructors."

Each son had to work as an instructor at one of the Five Great Academies for at least five years and earn the title of Star Instructor to be recognized by the family's elders.

And so one fateful day, when the Patriarch had gathered his young sons.

"Who will go to the Azure Dragon Academy?"

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The Patriarch's words were met with silence as everyone avoided his gaze, staring down at the ground instead. The Azure Dragon Academy was the lowest-ranked among the Five Great Academies and was expected to be expelled from this elite group soon. No one would willingly choose to go there…

"I will go."

Namgung Su was the only one who had raised his head and volunteered. Some of his siblings had looked surprised, some had given him pitying looks, while others thought it was only natural.

"Are you giving in to your siblings because you're the son of a concubine?"

"No, I'm going there because I want to build my career from the ground up."

In the end, the Patriarch gave his permission. Namgung Su packed his belongings and headed for the Azure Dragon Academy.

"You're a failure after all. A failure!"

All the way to Azure Dragon Academy, he heard the haunting echoes of his late mother's voice in his mind. That was when, for the first time in his life, he made up his mind to defy her.

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Just you watch, Mother.

Namgung Su worked hard, and within five years of arriving at the Azure Dragon Academy, he achieved his goal of becoming a Star Instructor.

However, despite his success, the academy's overall standing did not improve. They still ranked last in the Heavenly Martial Festival, the students' confidence continued to wane, and the caliber of the new students deteriorated with each passing year.

It was an endless, vicious cycle. Eventually, he had to accept that he couldn't change anything.

"Do you want to become a failure?"

Whenever his mother's words came to mind, he harshly reprimanded the students the same way she had scolded him. He drowned himself in work, going to school earlier than anyone and leaving later than everyone else. Still, nothing changed.

That is, until a new instructor arrived at the Azure Dragon Academy.

"Ugh…"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

"He's too damn strong."

"Huff… Not yet, let's try one more time."

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Namgung Su studied the students in silence. They were talented but lazy, avoiding challenges and giving up easily even when given a chance. As a result, he'd labeled them as failures and abandoned them.

On the contrary, Baek Suryong had taken those same youths under his wing and reformed them. Hyonwon Kang and Geo Sangwoong, in particular, had changed so drastically that they seemed like completely different people.

And now, the seeds of change the new instructor had planted were sprouting before his eyes.

I can hardly believe how much they've grown compared to last year. What's the difference between me and Baek Suryong in the eyes of these kids? What on earth did he do to ignite such a fiery determination in their eyes? How did he inspire them to fight on even when their knees are trembling with fear? I don't think my teaching method is wrong, so what am I missing?

…I don't know.

Namgung Su was curious, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out. Nevertheless, he had to admit the truth.

Halting his attack for a moment, he said, "I take back what I said earlier. You are not failures."

"Huh?"

"All of a sudden?"

All the students' jaws dropped in unison, as if they couldn't believe what they had just heard.

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Looking around at the students' skeptical faces, Namgung Su continued, "I can see the potential in all of you. If you continue to grow as you have, you'll definitely excel at the Heavenly Martial Festival. I'm looking forward to it."

"Uh…?"

"Really?"

The bewildered students' mouths twitched slightly in glee. Namgung Su was known for being stingy with praise, so for words like that to come out of his mouth was nothing short of a miracle.

Namgung Su nodded firmly. "Also, since the time limit for the exam is up, I won't take your name tags. Congratulations, you've all passed."

"Uh, really?"

"Sigh…"

"Thank goodness…"

"It's over, right? Right?"

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"It's a shame we couldn't land a hit, but…"

Relieved, the students lowered their weapons one by one. However, Namgung Su wasn't finished yet.

"Now, if you can block this next attack, I'll give you my mask," he announced, suddenly doubling the lightning qi flowing through his body.

The students instinctively stepped back, their faces pale.

"What? W-Wait a minute!"

"The exam is over, so can't we stop now?"

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"We don't want your mask!"

At the sight of the frantic students, Namgung Su smiled coldly. "You have no right to refuse."

He stepped forward and swung his sword. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though the entire world had been bathed in blinding white.

SIZZZZZLE!

Amid the massive bolts of lightning that engulfed the whole battlefield, the students' screams reverberated through the Azure Dragon Academy.

"You devil… KYAAAAAAAAH!!!"

THUD! FLOP! CRASH!

One by one, the students collapsed to the ground, their faces charred black and their hair frizzled.

"Don't let your guards down. You kids still need to work harder," Namgung Su remarked, then turned to leave, having finished the day's special lecture.

Translator's Note: My mental image of Namgung Su: