Chapter 60

## Chapter 60. Two Geniuses

It had been three days since Pang Sae-hyuk left for the Cheonmu Academy.

"Come to the Cheonmu Competition. Let's fight there."

"Damn it."

Heon Won-gang glared at the letter Pang Sae-hyuk had left for him.

He saw this letter every morning as soon as he woke up, whenever he felt like giving up during training, and just before he fell asleep, utterly exhausted.

"So, you won and ran off to the Cheonmu Academy, huh?"

If his gaze could pierce through things, the letter on the wall would have been tattered long ago.

"Alright. I'll see you at the Cheonmu Competition. I'll humiliate you in front of everyone."

Grinding his teeth, Heon Won-gang roughly tore the letter from the wall and tucked it into his chest.

With that letter, he packed the few belongings he had.

Heon Won-gang left the dormitory where he had stayed for three years without any hesitation.

At the entrance of the dormitory, Baek Su-ryong and Mae Geuk-yeom were waiting, chatting.

Baek Su-ryong asked when he saw Heon Won-gang.

"Is that all your luggage?"

"......Yes."

Still awkwardly using formal language, Heon Won-gang nodded.

Since he decided to learn from Baek Su-ryong, Heon Won-gang had resolved to discard his pride and focus on training.

It was natural to use formal language with Baek Su-ryong, who agreed to teach him, and he had even cut his long, unkempt hair short.

Scratching his still awkwardly short hair, Heon Won-gang said,

"I've packed everything I need."

"I've finished all the procedures. Grandfather, can I take this guy with me?"

"Come here for a moment."

Mae Geuk-yeom, who was both the student advisor and dormitory supervisor, called Heon Won-gang. His gaze was as sharp as ever.

"Are you truly determined to focus only on martial arts from now on?"

Heon Won-gang met his gaze, which he had always avoided, and answered,

"Yes. Starting today, I will stay at Mr. Baek's house and focus only on martial arts."

Unless there was a special reason, students were required to stay in the dormitory during the break.

They were only allowed to go out once a week, and any additional outings were prohibited.

'How did this strict advisor manage to get him to leave the dormitory after just three days......'

Baek Su-ryong had made it possible for Heon Won-gang to leave the dormitory, claiming he would teach him martial arts at his house.

"Your eyes look better."

Mae Geuk-yeom nodded.

He had guarded the Cheongryong Academy for decades and had seen all kinds of students.

Among them were more unruly students than Heon Won-gang, and some who were so problematic that it was hard to imagine what they would become after graduation.

For example, the thief who stole his daughter......

"Baek Mu-hyun, that bastard......"

"H-Hey, Grandfather? Take a deep breath. Deep breath!"

"Hmm...... Don't make a fuss."

Calmly, Mae Geuk-yeom looked back at Heon Won-gang.

A student with such a determined look wouldn't give up easily.

Mae Geuk-yeom placed his hand on Heon Won-gang's shoulder and said,

"I'll trust you. Even though the break is short, learn as much as you can from Mr. Baek."

"I'm sorry for disappointing you until now. I'll show you a different side from now on."

Heon Won-gang bowed his head. The change in his attitude brought a satisfied smile to Mae Geuk-yeom's face.

Mae Geuk-yeom gave him a few final words of advice.

"Stop drinking."

"......I won't even touch it from now on."

"Stay away from women."

"Yes."

"Let me emphasize this again. If I hear that you've visited a brothel after leaving the dormitory......"

Sssssss.

Heon Won-gang felt his body hair stand on end from the sharp killing intent.

Mae Geuk-yeom continued in a chilling voice,

"I'll cut off both your and your teacher's manhood."

"H-Hey, Grandfather? Why me?"

Baek Su-ryong looked at Mae Geuk-yeom with a shocked expression, but there was no mercy in his face.

"Because a student's mistake is the teacher's responsibility. Remember that, and remember it well."

"Yes......"

"Y-Yes......"

The two men, now pale, nodded vigorously.

After all the talk was done, Heon Won-gang followed Baek Su-ryong out of the Cheongryong Academy.

"Serious training will be quite tough."

"I'm fully prepared."

Heon Won-gang answered with a determined expression in response to Baek Su-ryong's words.

Three years.

His wandering had been too long.

He felt like dying from the regret of wasting so much time.

From now on, he planned to focus on one thing and run with it.

The Cheonmu Competition.

There, he would meet Pang Sae-hyuk again and avenge his past defeat.

And he would finish the conversation he couldn't complete last time.

Seeing Heon Won-gang's tense body, Baek Su-ryong chuckled.

"Relax your shoulders. People might think you're going to collect debts."

"......Yes."

Their destination was not far.

They soon arrived at a large mansion after leaving the Cheongryong Academy.

"You'll be staying here and learning martial arts from now on."

"......Here?"

The size of the mansion was much larger than Heon Won-gang had imagined, and he looked at Baek Su-ryong with wide eyes.

"Are you rich......?"

Baek Su-ryong smiled contentedly and answered,

"It's not my house, but my friend's. His name is Hyeon Cheon, a friend who does big business in the area."

He looked proud as if he was boasting about himself while talking about his friend.

Heon Won-gang thought that Baek Su-ryong must be really close to this Hyeon Cheon.

"You can use it as if it were your own. I've already talked to him!"

A short while later, the two of them entered the mansion through a large gate that could accommodate a carriage.

The mansion was so large that it even had a training ground inside. However, there were almost no signs of people.

"This mansion was recently purchased, so there aren't many people here yet. Originally, I planned to build the Baegryong Academy here if I failed the final exam......"

"......What?"

"Forget about that."

Shrugging his shoulders, Baek Su-ryong smiled at the signs of life he felt from inside.

"Also, you're not the only one practicing martial arts here."

"......Who else is here?"

"My secret weapon for winning the Cheonmu Competition."

"......What?"

"And a soon-to-be junior."

As Baek Su-ryong smiled, a young boy, around fourteen or fifteen years old, came out from inside the mansion.

"Brother Su-ryong!"

"Call me teacher."

The boy, who seemed a bit smaller than his age, called out happily upon seeing the two of them.

He had an innocent face and a pure, bright smile.

Except for his pale skin, he looked like a typical country boy.

"Chun-ah. How have you been?"

"Fine!"

Baek Su-ryong ruffled the boy's hair roughly, as if he were a dog that had found its owner.

"Why did you take so long to come? How long have I and Grandfather been waiting?"

"I've been busy lately. But from now on, I'll see you every day. I'll commute here from tomorrow."

"Really?"

The boy smiled brightly, genuinely happy.

Heon Won-gang, who had been a notorious troublemaker at the academy for years, felt a bit uncomfortable with that kind and innocent smile.

Noticing his gaze, the boy turned to Heon Won-gang and asked,

"By the way, who is the person next to you?"

Only then did Baek Su-ryong introduce the two to each other.

"This is Heon Won-gang. He'll be staying here from today. He's a third-year student at the Cheongryong Academy."

"......I'm Heon Won-gang. I'll be in your care from today."

Unlike Heon Won-gang, who only nodded gruffly, the boy bowed deeply and greeted him politely.

"I'm Wi Ji-cheon! I'm fifteen this year! Please feel free to talk to me, senior!"

"......Senior?"

Heon Won-gang looked at Baek Su-ryong with a puzzled expression, and Baek Su-ryong explained,

"He will take the entrance exam this year. So, he'll be your junior soon."

"Is the entrance exam something anyone can pass......? Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to belittle you......"

Heon Won-gang looked at Wi Ji-cheon with an apologetic expression, but Wi Ji-cheon smiled brightly as if it didn't bother him.

"Hehe. No, it's fine. I've been preparing hard because the Cheongryong Academy entrance exam is known to be difficult!"

"......Good. Work hard."

Heon Won-gang nodded with a somewhat skeptical expression.

Baek Su-ryong looked at the two, who seemed as mismatched as water and