Chapter 122

Rumors spread throughout the Western High Divisions. Despite Baekyeong having subjugated both Cheongseok and Baekseok, the other high divisions remained passive—because they feared Baekyeong, or so the rumors said. That rumor reached even the ears of Heukseok High Division, the strongest among the Western schools. Bang! “What bastard is spreading this cursed rumor?!” Seongwon, the second-in-command of Heukseok High Division, slammed his desk in fury. “Bango! Are we just going to sit back and let this happen? If we stay silent, people will start thinking that damned rumor is true.” In the corner of the room, Bango lay flat on his back, a twig between his teeth, gazing at the ceiling. Ptuh. He spat out the twig and slowly rose to his feet. “So it’s true that Cheongseok and Baekseok were swallowed by the southern region?” At Bango’s question, Seongwon hesitated, then gave a slow nod. “Yeah. I looked into it... and it seems to be true.” Bango gave a dry, amused snort. “Because of those idiots, we’re being lumped in with them.” He was smiling, but his expression held no warmth. “What about the movements of the other divisions?” “Jeokseok has already headed south. Hwangseok looks like it’s preparing to move too. Everyone’s moving—except us.” Bango spoke quietly. “Let’s observe for now. If Jeokseok and Hwangseok are taken down by this ‘Baekyeong,’ then we’ll move.” “Wouldn’t that be too late?” --> “No. That’s when it benefits us the most. If we strike down Baekyeong then, we’ll dominate both the western and southern regions. And more than that, we’ll restore the honor of the Western region, which has sunk to the ground. Our fame will rise with it.” Seongwon nodded slowly at Bango’s reasoning. Heukseok could not lose. They had a lineup of Apex-level powerhouses, and most importantly, Bango—Heukseok’s top student—was a master of the Third Star within the Apex-Level Realm. Heukseok, at this moment, boasted unprecedented strength in its history. “Be patient. It feels like the heavens have laid this board to gift us both the South and the West.” “Got it.” **** A man stood staring blankly at the scene before him, unable to believe what he saw. He was the top student of Jeokseok High Division, having come from the Western region. “Th-this can’t be...” The elite students he had brought from Jeokseok had been crushed—without even putting up a real fight. He himself had taken heavy damage and could barely stand. “S-so strong...? So it was true, what happened to Cheongseok and Baekseok?” He could understand Cheongseok’s defeat. But Baekseok? He hadn’t believed it. Baekseok had strength comparable to Jeokseok’s. He had thought the rumors had been exaggerated. But the overwhelming force playing out before his eyes said otherwise. If Heukseok—known as the strongest in the West—stepped in, would it make a difference? The top student of Jeokseok looked toward Go Seung. ‘No. It won’t. Not even against him.’ Go Seung wasn’t even the strongest in Baekyeong. And yet, with such power? Baekyeong’s strongest wasn’t an upperclassman. It was a mid-level student named Sunwoo Baek. But was it only Sunwoo Baek who was strong? No. There were other monsters among the mid-level students, not inferior to him in any way. What shocked him the most—among all things—was that even the heir of the Shin Clan stood among them. Even the underclassmen weren’t pushovers. Yet there he stood, quietly, in the formation of the underclassmen—postured with polite humility. Had even the heir of the Shin Clan been tamed? Just what kind of man was Sunwoo Baek? A mix of fear and awe toward Sunwoo Baek welled up in Jeokseok’s top student. What had happened in Baekyeong, once the weakest of the southern divisions, that such mighty forces had gathered there? In the end, Jeokseok’s top student bowed his head before Baekyeong. But he didn’t feel humiliated. The power he faced was too overwhelming to think in such terms. And more importantly, it wasn’t just them who had been crushed. Soon, Hwangseok would fall. And then Heukseok, the last to act, would suffer the same fate. He found that thought oddly satisfying. The top student of Jeokseok was now certain. The Western region already belonged to Baekyeong. **** Crash— Seongwon, the second-in-command of Heukseok, burst in, panic and shock written all over his face. “What is it? What’s going on?” Bango asked, tilting his head. Still panting, Seongwon blurted, “Jeokseok and Hwangseok... they’ve both surrendered to Baekyeong!” “What?” “We’re the only ones left now! And the rumors are spreading like wildfire! They’re saying Heukseok’s hiding in fear!” Bango’s face turned serious as he fell silent in thought. “Bango! We have to act! Let’s make that damned Baekyeong kneel before us! Just like you said—if we do that, we’ll take both the South and the West!” Bango stared at Seongwon. “Bango!” As Seongwon urged him again, Bango finally stood up and said: “Gather everyone. We march to Baekyeong—immediately.” Seongwon’s face lit up. “Yeah! Got it! Let’s go! Time to unify the West and South!” Even as he watched Seongwon treat victory as a certainty, a strange discomfort stirred within Bango. ‘What is this? Why do I not want to go? It’s like my body is resisting.’ Then he shook his head. ‘It’s probably just because it’s far. That’s all. It’s a long way, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} but the reward will be worth it. Let’s get it over with.’ Bango decided to dismiss the unease as nothing more than laziness at the thought of travel. **** “Heukseok has begun its march,” said Yeon Woo Jin. Jang Woon grinned. “So the Western region will now fall to Baekyeong?” He spoke as though victory were already assured. Yeon Woo Jin gave a faint chuckle at Jang Woon’s confidence. That kind of self-assurance was important. But arrogance must be avoided. In the martial world, many concealed their true level. Even Baekyeong’s students hadn’t disclosed their most recent breakthroughs yet. The same could be true for other high divisions. Sunwoo Baek spoke. “Arrogance is a death trap. A small lapse can lead to disaster.” “I know that. But I can’t just sit around all tense, either.” “That’s fair.” “The known level of Bango is Apex-Level, Third Star. That ranking was registered last year—he might be even stronger now. So don’t let your guard down.” Everyone nodded at Yeon Woo Jin’s words. If Bango had grown stronger, he could be near their level. Yeon Woo Jin turned to the underclassmen. They tensed just from his gaze. “This time, you’ll go first.” “What?” “Shin Dowoon. You take command and face Heukseok.” “Understood!” “Yes, sir!” Shin Dowoon shouted with vigor. He was now fully and faithfully under Yeon Woo Jin’s command. The underclassmen, who had already been strong, had grown even stronger through training here. Now, they were being given a real battle. “You know what happens if you lose, right? We’ll be spending some very fun time together.” At Yeon Woo Jin’s words, the underclassmen gulped. They knew all too well what that “fun time” meant. “We’ll devour them whole and come back victorious!” “Good. I’ll be expecting that.” A vicious glint flickered in the underclassmen’s eyes. Now they had to face Heukseok with their lives on the line—just to survive. **** “How long do you think the underclassmen will last against Heukseok?” At Jang Woon’s question, Yeon Woo Jin turned and countered. “Why are you talking like they’re going to lose?” “What? Don’t tell me you actually think the underclassmen can beat Heukseok?” “That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” “Even if Shin Dowoon’s level has risen, he’s still weaker than Bango.” “About one rank difference. But I think that’s still enough to win. And they have to win. The enemies we’ll be facing next are stronger than Heukseok. If we’re going to go up against Jungcheon eventually, we need to raise the underclassmen as fast as possible.” “Ah... right. Jungcheon’s part of this too.” “Exactly. The Western region is the second weakest after the South. Our underclassmen should be capable of subjugating the West on their own.” Yeon Woo Jin glanced around at the leadership gathered before him. “All of you need to get stronger, too. Hochun, the strongest in the North, is at a higher level than any of you. And those around him are comparable to you. The top student of Jungcheon—there’s no need to even mention. We’re still far from the summit.” “Yeah...” “So don’t get cocky just because you beat the Western region. Understood?” “Understood.” “Good. If you understand, that’s enough. Before this year ends, we’ll take every region except Jungcheon. That’s our goal—so prepare yourselves.” “Yes, sir!” **** The students of Heukseok High Division from the Western region arrived at Baekyeong after a day of nonstop travel. They were greeted by a single person. A student in underclassman robes. “Are you from Heukseok?” “Yes. And who are you?” “I’ve come to deliver a message from Baekyeong’s top student.” “What?” “You must be exhausted from the journey. He says you should rest well today—and we’ll meet tomorrow.” “Are they mocking us now? They flee in fear and call that a clever excuse?” At Seongwon’s words, the Baekyeong student smiled. “You’ll see for yourself tomorrow. Our top student simply does not wish to fight those who are weary from travel. Please understand his sentiment.” “Are you insulting us? At this level, we can fight just fine.” “We’ve prepared accommodations for you. As our guests, all expenses are covered by Baekyeong. So please eat and enjoy your rest without worry.” “Are you not taking my words seriously?!” Seongwon exploded. But Bango, who had remained silent, raised his hand to stop him. “Enough.” Seongwon, on the verge of saying more, fell silent. He had simply wanted to demonstrate the dignity of Heukseok’s top student to their enemies. “We’ll accept their hospitality.” “Thank you for allowing me to complete my task safely. I’ll show you the way.” As they followed the Baekyeong student, Seongwon whispered cautiously. “It could be a trap.” “If you’re scared, go back alone.” “W-who’s scared? I’m just saying—they might try something foolish.” “If they pull anything here, they’re the ones who’ll lose. If word spreads that Baekyeong laid a trap because they feared us, do you think their honor will rise—or fall?” It would fall. People would scorn them. No one would send their children to Baekyeong again. “They’re trying to raise their school’s reputation. They won’t do anything so disgraceful.” The student leading Bango smiled quietly upon hearing that. Before long, they arrived at their lodging. It wasn’t lavish, but it was neat and well-prepared. The building’s interior was spacious—enough for all of Heukseok’s students to sleep comfortably. “Please go inside. Dinner will be served shortly.” “Thank you. We’ll eat it with gratitude.” As the Baekyeong student withdrew, all eyes turned to Bango. “Why are you all staring? Rest until dinner.” “They didn’t poison the food, right?” “Maybe not poison, but what about something to upset our stomachs...” Bango lay down and said flatly: “Stop saying stupid things and rest.” “Got it.” **** “Whooaa!” The students let out gasps as dinner was brought in. “They really brought out all the delicacies of land and sea.” Bango looked around at them and said: “With this level of hospitality, we should eat even if it’s poisoned.” His remark drew chuckles and nods. “Let’s eat. Ignoring a host’s sincerity is impolite.” As Bango began eating, the others followed suit and sat down to eat. “Wow!” “This is delicious!” “Unbelievable flavor!” Most of these students were from wealthy families. They were accustomed to fine cuisine and had discerning tastes. But this—this had them singing praises without hesitation. “They really put thought into this.” “It tastes so good, I’m suspicious they did put something in it.” Bango nodded in agreement. Even he hadn’t had food this delicious in quite some time. The tea served alongside the meal was just as refined. The students who drank it were visibly moved. “So good... I feel like my soul’s being cleansed.” “I’ve tasted this before.” “It’s Dongting Biluochun. And a premium grade at that.” “Isn’t this the one they say costs its weight in gold? They’re really serving us this? Why go this far?” “It’s so good, I can’t help but be suspicious. What are they aiming for?” “We’ll know by tomorrow. Let’s just enjoy tonight.”