Ch. 72
"...Hah."
A hollow laugh escaped from Hwang Dong-jae's mouth.
Soon, Hwang Dong-jae, who was glaring at Namgung Il with sharp eyes.
"Junior, you're holding your head quite stiffly for someone who came late."
"..."
"Come to think of it, I heard there was a brat among the new students who was late for the entrance ceremony today... Is being late perhaps your specialty?"
When Hwang Dong-jae said that, laughter flowed from the surroundings.
Seeing that, Namgung Il said, still maintaining a smile on his lips.
"Isn't a head originally meant to be held stiffly?"
"...What?"
"And in the first place, it's the fault of the person who suddenly called me out this late at night."
"..."
No one was laughing anymore.
Hwang Dong-jae was looking at Namgung Il with a cold smile on his lips.
"...What's your name, junior?"
"It's Namgung Il."
"Namgung... I don't know if people from that family are originally like that, but did you perhaps not receive an education at home to be polite to your seniors when you were young?"
"..."
After talking to some extent, Namgung Il could tell that Hwang Dong-jae was the real power here.
Because all the other people here were busy watching Hwang Dong-jae's expression.
In other words, it meant that besides Hwang Dong-jae, the other brats were nothing special.
Even after realizing that, Namgung Il still did not avoid Hwang Dong-jae's gaze and said.
"Of course I did. Isn't that basic etiquette?"
"Really? Then why are you like that, junior?"
"Because I don't think everyone is a senior just because they're older."
Crack—
Hwang Dong-jae's impression crumpled to the point where it was visible on the outside.
But even while seeing that, Namgung Il did not stop talking.
"Especially when I see brats who haze their juniors, pretending to be seniors, there's nothing more unsightly."
"..."
"Before you discuss etiquette with me, I think you should be polite first, senior."
A cold silence flowed.
The thoughts of the people who were looking at Namgung Il in the midst of that were almost the same.
'That crazy bastard!'
When one lives in the world, there are many times when one has to endure even if it doesn't suit one's taste.
Weren't all of them who were holding the horse stance here now the same?
Although everyone knew that this was wrong, they were all enduring it.
Because they had just entered the society of the Vermilion Bird Class within the Flying Dragon Academy.
This hazing could be said to be a process of adapting to the flow that already existed there without going against it.
"..."
But Namgung Il was now not just going against that flow, but was kicking it.
To his classmates, that action felt too reckless.
"You've come, Captain! Come here and train with us!"
Of course, it seemed one person was not like that... but anyway, most of his classmates did not welcome Namgung Il's action.
Because of that one brat, they would all be harmed, being called classmates.
Given Hwang Dong-jae's personality, it seemed he would surely not just pick on Namgung Il, but would lump all the classmates together and do so.
'Ah... why is that bastard like that?'
'If he just endured it and got through tonight, it would be easier in the future.'
'Because of that one person, I won't be able to sleep tonight...'
In the silence, countless thoughts were coming and going.
Just then, Seon U-jae hurriedly approached Namgung Il from behind and whispered.
"Hey! What are you doing now?"
"As you can see, I'm greeting my seniors."
Seon U-jae was at a loss for words at Namgung Il's calm answer.
Although he had known he was this kind of brat, to think that he would go so far as to be so reckless even after coming here.
Although it seemed the situation had already become quite tense, if he didn't want it to get worse from here, it seemed he had to resolve the situation now.
"Namgung Il, bow your head now and quickly apologize to Senior Dong-jae for being wrong."
"Why should I?"
"Why... can't you see this atmosphere? If we stay like this, it won't just end."
"What is this? Are you worrying about me now? I'm a little touched."
Although Seon U-jae was speaking seriously, Namgung Il's tone was still full of playfulness.
'Worry? Of course I'm worried!'
Of course, not about Namgung Il, but about himself.
Seeing this atmosphere now, it seemed he would be severely scolded by Hwang Dong-jae later just for the fact that he had brought Namgung Il here.
"Seon U-jae."
"...!"
Just then, at the voice calling him, Seon U-jae was startled and moved his head.
The person who had just called Seon U-jae's name was Hwang Dong-jae.
Seeing his expression, it didn't seem he had called him for a good reason.
"Didn't you educate the junior brat properly at all before bringing him here?"
"...I'm sorry."
"Because you can't do your job properly, I'm even hearing that I'm impolite from such a young brat. Do I have to personally educate the kids when I'm a fourth-year student?"
"...No."
As expected, the arrow was directed at him.
Although the job that Hwang Dong-jae had given him was just to bring the juniors here, Seon U-jae just bowed his head at those words and could not refute anything.
"Still, since I'm a nice senior, I'll give you a special opportunity."
Just then, Hwang Dong-jae said with a meaningful smile.
A smile that felt somehow anxious.
Although he didn't want to hear the words that would follow, Seon U-jae had no such choice in the first place.
"What... is it?"
"Educate that brat in this very spot."
"...!"
"Namgung Il. Educate that brat so that he can bow his head to me and be polite, what a senior is."
Hearing those words, Seon U-jae's lips began to dry up.
He had thought it would be over if he just brought him here... what more was he telling him to do here?
Seon U-jae turned his head with a creaking movement and looked at Namgung Il.
"Senior Seon-u, are you going to educate me?"
"Huh? That's..."
"It's interesting. Try to teach me once."
"..."
As expected, it's impossible.
Would a brat who acts nonchalantly even to Hwang Dong-jae listen to his words with even a corner of his ear?
Of course, Hwang Dong-jae meant to educate Namgung Il with force, not with words, but Seon U-jae thought that was even more impossible.
'Wh-what should I do?'
It seemed something bad would happen if he rushed at Namgung Il.
But if he didn't do anything, he would surely be severely scolded by Hwang Dong-jae...
Seon U-jae had no idea why such a trial had befallen him.
"Senior Seon-u."
"...?"
"I'll go easy on you, so just come."
Just then, Namgung Il quietly said to Seon U-jae.
He'll go easy on him... is it okay to believe those words?
Since it seemed there would be no more choices even if he thought about it further, in the end, Seon U-jae raised his fist towards Namgung Il.
"I'll teach you some respect for your seniors!"
Seon U-jae shouted at Namgung Il and swung his fist.
But Namgung Il, who easily dodged the fist by just moving his head slightly.
At the same time, Namgung Il grabbed Seon U-jae's arm with both hands and instantly threw him back.
"Huh?"
Seon U-jae's body floated up in the air.
Why did the world suddenly seem to be turned upside down?
Seon U-jae could not understand the reason until his body fell to the floor.
Whack—!
With a rather intense sound, Seon U-jae's body was thrown to the floor as it was.
'This bastard... he surely said he would go easy on me.'
No, by that brat's standards, was this going easy?
Although it seemed his back would be a little sore tomorrow, the damage was not as great as he had thought.
'This is it.'
In front of Hwang Dong-jae, he had swung his fist at Namgung Il.
Although the result was like this, anyway, hadn't he carried out Hwang Dong-jae's order?
Now it seemed he just had to lie here quietly until everything was over.
"...!"
As Seon U-jae was knocked out in one blow, the people's two eyes widened in surprise.
Just then, Namgung Il dusted off his two hands and said to Hwang Dong-jae.
"Now, will you come out yourself, senior?"
"..."
"You knew it wouldn't work with just Senior Seon-u anyway."
As he had said, Hwang Dong-jae had known from the beginning that Seon U-jae would not be a match for Namgung Il.
The reason why he had still ordered Seon U-jae to do so was to find out to some extent Namgung Il's skills.
'A useless brat.'
Hwang Dong-jae clicked his tongue as he looked at Seon U-jae lying on the floor.
If he was defeated so futilely, he couldn't gauge Namgung Il's skills at all.
If it had been as usual, he would have come out himself, but there was a reason why Hwang Dong-jae was being so cautious.
'According to the rumors, that brat defeated more than a hundred people in the entrance exam spar...'
Of course, since most of them would have been brats with poor skills, it was not that great a thing when you think about it.
Moreover, rumors are usually exaggerated.
The number of more than a hundred people did not feel that credible.
"..."
Besides that rumor, what really bothered Hwang Dong-jae was Namgung Il's name.
The Namgung Clan. In the Flying Dragon Academy now, there were two more brats with the name Namgung besides Namgung Il.
Especially Namgung Cheon... because of the memory of having fought with him in the past, Hwang Dong-jae could not rashly step forward to Namgung Il.
"...What are you doing, you guys?"
"...?"
"All of you, go and fix that brat's habits!"
Hwang Dong-jae shouted at the people around him.
And so, a man from among the dozen or so people who were standing around blankly cautiously said to Hwang Dong-jae.
"That... for all of us to rush at just one first-year student, wouldn't that look a little bad?"
"Then is it okay for that brat to continue to be arrogant?"
"..."
"Whether one person goes or three people go, just educate that brat!"
"...I understand."
The man answered and sent a glance to the people.
And so, four people who came forward.
As if they had judged that this would be enough to subdue Namgung Il, only four people were approaching Namgung Il.
"C-captain! Should I join in too?"
Just then, Jong Seo-eon asked Namgung Il from behind.
Since they were attending the Flying Dragon Academy, their skills would by no means be to be taken lightly.
No matter how much it was Namgung Il, he thought it would be too much for him to face four people alone.
"Never mind. You just watch from there."
"But..."
It was then.
Before Jong Seo-eon's words could even end, Namgung Il's figure instantly disappeared from the spot.
"...!"
The place where Namgung Il's figure appeared was right in front of the four people who were walking forward.
As if they had not expected Namgung Il to move first, the four could not immediately react to Namgung Il's movement.
And Namgung Il did not miss that opportunity.
Whack—!
Namgung Il's palm strike hit the abdomen of the man right in front of him.
The man's figure, which was strongly thrown back by the recoil.
And so, another person who was behind him also collided with the man and was thrown back together.
Swish—
Just then, a woman belatedly aimed for Namgung Il's back.
"...!"
But at that moment, Namgung Il's figure disappeared right in front of her eyes.
In the end, the woman's attack lost its target and could only cut through the empty air, and the woman moved her head back and forth, trying to find Namgung Il.
"Above!"
"...!"
Although someone shouted, it was already too late.
The woman, who was kicked in the back of the head, fell forward as she was.
The woman, who had hit her nose on the floor, could no longer move.
Screech—
Just then, the remaining man drew his sword.
Of course, it was a real sword, not a wooden sword.
Although he had not originally planned to draw his sword against a first-year student, he had drawn his sword without realizing it as he saw the other three being knocked out so futilely.
"Did you... draw your sword now?"
"...!"
"You drew it with determination, right?"
Namgung Il asked the man.
Although it seemed he was just asking normally on the outside, to the person who was facing him directly, it was a voice that felt extreme fear.
Swoosh—
Just then, Namgung Il's right hand also slowly went to the sword at his waist.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, at the voice heard from somewhere, Namgung Il's right hand stopped.
At the same time, the people's gazes all gathered in one place.
"I came out for a walk and happened to see it."
"...!"
"...That's enough, right?"
As if he had come to end this situation, Ak Simin said to the people.
(End of Chapter)