I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

“What is your intention?”

It was not a good time to pretend I didn't know and run away, considering the opponent and the timing.

‘I don’t think I can shake him off either.’

The opponent was someone who had single-handedly dealt with a peak master. It was nearly impossible to face him now when I didn't have a single drop of mana left.

So, I decided to face him head-on.

‘If he was going to report it, he would have done it in front of the instructors.’

As I thought, Baek Cheong spoke with a smiling face.

“I’ve become interested in many ways because of this incident. So, I’ll turn a blind eye, but in return, I hope you’ll grant me a favor.”

He has a gentle-looking impression, but he has a surprisingly cunning side. Still, it was more comfortable for him to express his demands openly like this rather than playing tricks.

Since a formal negotiation was at least possible.

“Speak.”

“It’s nothing much. I just hope you’ll come to the Huashan Sect once later.”

It was a condition that was less significant than I thought. If it was Shaanxi, it was a region close to Hubei, where the Zhuge family was located. It wasn't a difficult place to visit.

“I will. If I get a chance during the vacation.”

“When you come, just mention my name. I’ll be waiting!”

Baek Cheong said that and disappeared, and I turned around and headed to the medical office.

‘What kind of event was there on the Huashan side?’

While thinking if I was missing anything.

* * *

A few days later, after the commotion caused by the intruders had settled down, the final exam results came out.

[Top Student: Zhuge Cheonwu]

[Second Place: Baek Cheong]

‘As expected.’

Considering the activities I had done so far, it was a natural result. I had passed the King of Insects' test and even subdued a peak master of the Heaven-Shattering Martial Sect.

“Congratulations, Great Hero!”

“The gap has widened again. If I don’t make up for it during the vacation…”

“Haha! So it turned out like this. A pity.”

“Hmm! Third place. It won’t be like this next time.”

From Gu Dong and Lee Huimun to Baek Cheong and Peng Geun-u, they each said a word and passed by. I looked around and suddenly noticed one fact.

‘But where is Baek Hasin?’

Baek Hasin, who had performed well in the final exam and had achieved 4th place, was not seen.

In the case of the original work, various routes were divided due to the final grades, so it was necessary to grasp his movements.

I was about to look for Baek Hasin, but I soon shook my head.

‘Let’s take care of what I have to do first.’

It was better to solve the immediate problem rather than holding onto something that was difficult to control anyway.

Now that the semester was over, all that was left for me was the grade-skipping exam.

‘Now I only need one professor to meet the qualifications.’

I thought about who to visit first and soon made a decision.

And so, the place I found was the professor’s building where Professor Baek Yuhwan’s private office was.

In the worst-case scenario, I would try to make a proposal to both Baek Yuhwan and Namgung Dohyeok. At this time, Namgung Dohyeok wouldn’t care about the order in which I visited, but Baek Yuhwan had a possibility of influencing the evaluation.

Thinking so, I was about to enter the professor’s building when I suddenly heard a noise from the back of the professor’s building.

Although it was heard from a distance, it was Baek Yuhwan’s voice. Although it was faint, it felt like a loud voice, so I instinctively lowered my posture.

‘What’s going on?’

To persuade an opponent, it’s also important to check their mood for the day. If some unpleasant event had overlapped right now, it would be a waste of effort to go and ask for recognition.

‘And most of all, I need to dig up information about Baek Yuhwan at least once.’

When I played the original work, I had hardly paid attention to such detailed content, so I was planning to gather information about him when I had the chance. Of course, within a range where I wouldn’t be caught.

I approached, hiding my qi sense as much as possible with the Spirit God Steps, and from a certain point, I even spread a double stealth formation and approached the back of the professor’s building.

‘I might get caught if I get any closer than this.’

Assuming a qi sense of at least a super-peak level, I deliberately stopped several tens of meters away.

I was cautious, spreading a double stealth formation on top of the Spirit God Steps. Because people at the professor level were truly monsters.

‘As expected, I can’t hear well.’

I enhanced my hearing as much as possible with mana enhancement and then formed a giant funnel-shaped hearing aid in the air with a shield to listen to the faintly leaking voice.

Then, although it was small, I could overhear their conversation.

“How foolish. It’s no use overestimating yourself. Do you think I’ll allow it?”

“I believe I am qualified enough.”

I narrowed my brow for a moment at the unexpected voice.

‘Baek Hasin?’

The one talking with Baek Yuhwan right now was Baek Hasin.

“Qualified? You’re not Baek Cheong or Peng Geun-u. And most of all, even those guys haven’t come to me yet. Let alone you having the nerve to step up.”

“According to the rumors, I heard that Zhuge Cheonwu is also moving to skip a grade.”

‘Why am I coming out from there? And more than that, skipping a grade… Is Baek Hasin also taking the grade-skipping route?’

“Ha, to discuss such a scoundrel. You’ve been tainted by the water here.”

Baek Yuhwan snorted and continued.

“Still, that person became the final top student as the top entrant. Although it was a trick, he also performed well in the friendly match and even received the recognition of the King of Insects. And most of all, he has a prestigious family backing him. But you? With what guts are you discussing qualifications?”

A clear mockery. But Baek Hasin did not yield.

“I heard that the requirement to become an intermediate student is at least the first-rate realm.”

“That’s literally the minimum. And that’s assuming you pass the exam after going through a one-year student process. But you’re trying to skip a grade with just that much skill?”

It was literally as he said. The requirement to become an intermediate student was the first-rate level. But skipping a grade was different. To skip the existing process, it was possible only if you showed a martial prowess beyond the standard.

“Yes.”

But Baek Hasin just answered with an unwavering gaze.

In the momentary silence, he slowly drew his sword. Although it was an act that could be felt as rude, Baek Yuhwan just watched.

Woooong-

And soon, a faint black sword qi lingered on the blade. It was also a sign that he was just beginning to set foot in the realm of the peak.

Baek Hasin continued, holding his sword.

“I have already received recognition from two people. Professor Baek Yuhwan is the last.”

“…Sword qi doesn’t say everything.”

“If you don’t allow it, I plan to go to another professor. I feel like that person will judge based on skill, not family.”

“Knowing that, why did you come to me?”

At Baek Hasin’s provocative remark, Baek Yuhwan asked back instead. It was a question about why he had bothered to come when he knew it wouldn’t work anyway.

“To check for the last time. Where I am right now.”

“So, have you grasped your place?”

“Yes, seeing your reaction, it seems I’m at a point where I can barely start to stand on my own. Because I’ve learned where I need to leave.”

Along with a bold answer, Baek Hasin turned around. It was a back that seemed to have thrown away its hesitation.

Baek Yuhwan watched the scene without a word. The declaration, which was close to a resolution, echoed in his ears. It was a word and deed that reminded him of her, whom he had once admired.

Baek Yeon-seo. He, who was briefly recalling her, Baek Hasin’s mother and the shame of the family, soon turned his feet.

‘I don’t expect anything anymore.’

So the seal in his bosom would not be stamped. At least not this year.

Baek Yuhwan, who had returned to his private office, sat down and closed his two eyes.

Knock, knock-

But a little later, there was a student looking for him.

“I hope you’re not bothering me with something trivial. Zhuge Cheonwu.”

Baek Yuhwan said, glaring fiercely this way. A tone as if he had at least let me into the professor’s office because I was the top student.

The atmosphere was quite heavy due to his prickly attitude. Without yielding to it, I opened my mouth.

“I hear a strange rumor. That Baek Hasin is preparing for the grade-skipping exam. Don’t you want to make that guy fail?”

In the silence, Baek Yuhwan’s gaze rested on me.

* * *

‘Hmm. This works.’

I came out of the professor’s building with the seal on my junior student pass.

Earlier, I had received the seal from Baek Yuhwan under the pretext of checking Baek Hasin.

When I showed my intention to eliminate a competitor and my ill-fated relationship with Baek Hasin, I was able to slightly lower his guard.

And on top of that, when I even showed a cunning side, asking about Baek Hasin’s weaknesses and casually asking about the content of the exam, Baek Yuhwan also seemed to think that it was worth getting on the same boat in the end and obediently stamped the seal.

For Baek Yuhwan, who was trying to check Baek Hasin, he had no choice but to accept my proposal.

‘Of course, I have no intention of doing so.’

I plan to backstab Baek Yuhwan. Because I’ve already received what I wanted in advance.

Even if the other side finds out they’ve been tricked late, it will be too late by then.

‘Because I’ll be active as an intermediate student.’

Although I’m a little worried about retaliation, if I talk my way out of it and endure with my family’s backing, he won’t be able to do anything. Because he won’t be my supervising professor then.

I took the pass with a total of four seals and went to the chief instructor’s office to finish the application for the grade-skipping exam.

And so, a few days passed.

‘How did it come to this?’

Right now, I was standing in front of Chief Professor Gu Jabeom’s office with my junior student pass.

The chief professor’s office, located in the most central and auspicious spot on the academy grounds. Besides the academy head’s and the nominal vice-head’s offices, it was the highest and best place.

‘Originally, it was a matter that would be handled after talking to Chief Instructor Jeongmuk. But it suddenly turned out like this.’

For some reason, the chief professor, Gu Jabeom, had changed it to a direct application, and a directive had come down, so I had come like this.

There was a custom of checking the grade-skipping applicants once as a way of scouting for talent…

‘It’s another development different from the original work.’

I waited in front of the door, keeping in mind some kind of variable. A master of Gu Jabeom’s level would have already felt my presence with his qi sense.

If I wait like this, he will call me at an appropriate time. As I was waiting for a while, I suddenly felt another presence from the hallway.

“You?”

It was Baek Hasin.

He had a surprised look, but he soon nodded his head as if in understanding and stood in front of the professor’s office, similar to me. Since I knew, I was calm, but it seemed he didn’t know.

“Oh?”

Next, the large-bodied man, Peng Geun-u, came up, and finally, when Baek Cheong also came up, the hallway became quite crowded.

“Don’t tell me, it turned out like this.”

“On the contrary, it’s good. I’ll show my skills properly.”

As Baek Cheong said with a grin, Peng Geun-u burned with fighting spirit.

‘Four. It’s beyond my expectation.’

To think so many would challenge the grade-skipping exam. As I was thinking so, just then, the door opened, and at the same time, a voice containing internal energy was heard from beyond.

“Come in.”

As soon as I walked in as if I had been waiting, the rest of the students also followed into the professor’s office.

A spacious interior finished with high-quality wood. Gu Jabeom was sitting at the desk by the window.

I swallowed dryly, looking at that sight.

‘He opened the door without even touching it.’

Telekinesis. The ability to exert physical force on an object with only the qi released to the outside. A technique that only those who have reached the Transformation Realm can do.

‘As expected, the level of the chief professor is different.’

Seeing it in person, he was so strong that it was difficult to guess his realm. The other students also seemed to have felt this, as their gazes were full of tension.

Gu Jabeom looked around us once and then opened his mouth.

“The reason I called you today is to talk about the grade-skipping exam.”

‘As expected.’

It was as I had expected. Although the fact that Gu Jabeom had called me directly was different.

“I heard that this year’s batch has many outstanding talents, even considering the past few years. The fact that four of you have applied for the grade-skipping exam must be because of that.”

But the explanation that followed was something I had not thought of at all.

“However, not everyone can skip a grade. Only two of you can go up to become intermediate students.”

(End of Chapter)