Chapter 78 : First Class (1)
Glance—
Jong Seo-eon stuck his head out and looked towards the entrance of the lecture hall.
'Where on earth did he go?'
The class would be starting soon.
And yet, Namgung Il, who still hadn't appeared in the classroom.
He had suddenly disappeared with Ak Simin from the dining hall this morning, and since then, he had no idea where he had gone.
'I brought the textbook, at least...'
But since the student who would use the textbook was not here, he could only sigh.
Don't tell me he's late for the first class again.
If it was going to be like this, why had he woken Namgung Il up like that in the morning... Thinking that it was all in vain, Jong Seo-eon bowed his head and sighed again.
Creak—
Just then, the door opened, and someone entered the classroom.
Swish—
As soon as he heard the sound of the door opening, Jong Seo-eon immediately looked that way.
If Namgung Il were to enter the lecture hall even now, he would not be late for class yet.
"...Ah."
But as soon as he confirmed the person who had just opened the door and entered, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Cha Yul-ryeong, who was walking towards the podium in front with an expressionless face.
With just his appearance, the students in the lecture hall instantly became quiet.
'It's over.'
Following the entrance ceremony, to be late for the first class this time.
No matter how much Namgung Il was a benefactor of the Beggars' Sect, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but wonder what kind of brat he was.
Thud—
Cha Yul-ryeong stopped in front of the podium and looked at the students.
Although his emotions were not well revealed because of his expressionless gaze, in Cha Yul-ryeong's gaze as he looked at the students, it seemed that contempt was felt a little more strongly than goodwill.
"The first class of this year is the first year of the Vermilion Bird Class... a very different experience."
"..."
"I am Cha Yul-ryeong, who will be teaching you Practical Martial Arts Studies from now on."
Cha Yul-ryeong said simply to the students.
In fact, even without such an introduction, the students already knew Cha Yul-ryeong well.
Because Cha Yul-ryeong had left a rather strong impression on the students from the entrance exam.
Perhaps because of that, most of the students here were feeling considerable difficulty in dealing with Cha Yul-ryeong.
"I will briefly explain the outline of my class."
Cha Yul-ryeong was now using informal language, not honorifics, to the students.
Although he didn't know if it was because of that change in tone, the students were listening to Cha Yul-ryeong's words with even more concentration.
'I have to be on my toes for this class, at least.'
'I can't doze off. Then it's over.'
All the students were nervous.
Although they hadn't taken any other classes yet, they probably thought that this class would be one of the tough ones.
Everyone was vaguely feeling that much more effort would be needed to get a good grade in this class.
"From now on, I will teach you things that you can use in real combat when you go out into the martial world."
"..."
"I will give unstinting praise to the students who understand my education well and follow it. On the contrary, I have no intention of taking along the students who fall behind."
He has no intention of taking along the students who fall behind.
With that one sentence, most of the students could understand what Cha Yul-ryeong's teaching method was like.
"One more thing. I hate being late very much."
Wince—
"If there is a brat who is late for my class, don't even think about getting a good grade in this class from now on."
Excuse me... what do you do with a student who was late before you even said that?
Jong Seo-eon forcibly held back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
"That's all. Are there any students who have questions so far?"
As soon as he asked, a student raised his hand high.
Cha Yul-ryeong immediately turned his head to that student and said.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Jeong Hyeon-yeong."
"Yes, what is your question?"
When Cha Yul-ryeong asked, Jeong Hyeon-yeong got up from his seat.
Only then could Jong Seo-eon see Jeong Hyeon-yeong's face properly.
'That man is...'
He remembered.
He was surely the man who had first expressed his dissatisfaction with Namgung Il's passing on the day of the entrance exam announcement.
Since the impression of that time was strong, Jong Seo-eon remembered Jeong Hyeon-yeong's name and face clearly.
"You just said that this class is a class that teaches real combat that can be used in the martial world, teacher."
"..."
"I understand that Practical Martial Arts Studies is important as it is one of the required subjects. But with just the explanation just now, I still don't properly understand what kind of class I will be taking in the future."
Although the person who had asked the question was Jeong Hyeon-yeong, in fact, the other students here all had similar thoughts.
Practical Martial Arts Studies, one of the five required subjects.
A required subject was a class that had to be taken unconditionally, regardless of one's personal will.
So, as he had said, everyone was aware that it was an important class, but there were many ambiguous points with just the explanation just now as to what on earth they would be learning.
"..."
The students thought that Jeong Hyeon-yeong, who had just asked the question, was amazing.
To ask Cha Yul-ryeong so confidently.
No one had been able to muster the courage to ask a question because they thought they might be disliked by Cha Yul-ryeong if they asked a question for no reason.
"...Come forward."
Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong said to Jeong Hyeon-yeong in a low voice.
Although he hadn't said it to them, the students flinched slightly without realizing it when they heard that voice.
'Come forward... what on earth is he going to do?'
'I'm glad I didn't ask a question.'
Most of the students were thinking that in their hearts.
But as much as he had asked the question confidently, Jeong Hyeon-yeong approached Cha Yul-ryeong right away without hesitation.
"Do you use a sword?"
Cha Yul-ryeong asked from a distance of about one foot.
Jeong Hyeon-yeong immediately nodded and answered that question.
"Yes, I do..."
It was then.
Cha Yul-ryeong's two hands, which moved so quickly that Jeong Hyeon-yeong could not even react.
Through the technique of Geum-na-su, Cha Yul-ryeong instantly snatched the sword that Jeong Hyeon-yeong was wearing at his waist.
"...!"
Of course, Jeong Hyeon-yeong's two eyes couldn't help but widen.
To have his sword snatched so easily.
Since that was no different from having his own life snatched, Jeong Hyeon-yeong was about to tell Cha Yul-ryeong to return his sword right away.
"Return my sword right now..."
"You have no sword in your hand. So what are you going to do now?"
"...?"
"For reference, I am now your enemy."
When Cha Yul-ryeong asked, Jeong Hyeon-yeong maintained his silence and was lost in thought.
A situation where a master with much superior skills was in front of him.
Moreover, since he had no sword in his hand, he could not even properly display half of his usual skills now.
"...I will aim for the opponent's opening."
"..."
"So I will first retrieve my sword and then fight again."
"Wrong."
At the answer that Jeong Hyeon-yeong had given, Cha Yul-ryeong said without hesitation.
"The correct answer is to run away."
"...Pardon?"
"The opponent is a master with far superior skills than you. And you're going to continue fighting when you've even lost your sword? That's no different from a suicide act."
"..."
"If you had encountered a situation like this later, you would have surely died."
Cha Yul-ryeong's words sounded quite logical.
Although that might be the correct answer... Jeong Hyeon-yeong immediately refuted, as if he still couldn't accept it.
"Your words may be right, teacher. But I think my choice was also right."
"..."
"If the opponent is a master to the point of snatching my sword, what are the chances of me successfully running away in that situation? Rather than betting on such a slim chance, I think it's better to fight to the end, protecting my honor."
When Jeong Hyeon-yeong refuted like that, a cold silence instantly fell in the lecture hall.
'That brat is crazy too...'
'Why are all my classmates like that? Is there no one sane here?'
No matter how much he thought his own thoughts were right, to say such a thing in front of Cha Yul-ryeong... to the students, that looked almost like a suicide act.
As proof of that, Cha Yul-ryeong's two eyes had become much colder than before.
"To fight to the end, protecting one's honor... that wouldn't be bad either."
"..."
"But a student with such thoughts does not need to take my class."
When Cha Yul-ryeong said that, Jeong Hyeon-yeong's pupils trembled slightly.
Looking straight at those trembling eyes, Cha Yul-ryeong continued to speak.
"The one who survives to the end is the strong one."
"...!"
"Practical Martial Arts Studies is a class that educates students to survive in any situation when they go out into the martial world. But to fight to the end to protect one's honor... a student with such an ideology is not needed in my class."
Swoosh—
Cha Yul-ryeong said and held out the sword he was holding to Jeong Hyeon-yeong.
"If you want to take my class in the future, it would be better to put aside such thoughts."
"..."
"If you have the mind to do so, take this sword and go back to your seat, and if not, leave the lecture hall right now."
Jeong Hyeon-yeong had no choice.
Because this class was a required subject, he had to take it no matter what.
Otherwise, he might be expelled in the middle, let alone graduate from the Flying Dragon Academy.
"..."
In the end, Jeong Hyeon-yeong took back his sword and went back to his seat.
Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong's voice was heard from behind.
"Jeong Hyeon-yeong, I will give you five demerit points."
"...!"
When Cha Yul-ryeong said that, Jeong Hyeon-yeong stopped walking and turned back again.
"Five demerit points... I can't accept this."
To give him demerit points just for asking a question.
In the Flying Dragon Academy, there was a system of merit and demerit points.
Literally, if a student did something worthy of praise, the teacher could give merit points, and on the contrary, if he committed a wrong act, he could give demerit points.
But a slightly unusual point was that although the merit and demerit points were given to an individual, the score was applied to the entire class.
In other words, the demerit points that Jeong Hyeon-yeong had just received would become the score of the Vermilion Bird Class.
In that way, the total score of all the merit and demerit points for a year would be tallied at the end of the year, and with that, the ranking of the classes would be selected later.
Jeong Hyeon-yeong could not bear the fact that the score of the Vermilion Bird Class had been deducted from the first day because of him.
"You challenged me. I think that's enough reason to receive demerit points."
"That was just me expressing my opinion..."
"In class, my words are the correct answer. But to refute that is no different from denying me."
"..."
"Do I need to explain further?"
No matter how much he spoke, Cha Yul-ryeong would not bend his opinion.
On the contrary, he might use this as a pretext to increase the demerit points, so in the end, Jeong Hyeon-yeong swallowed his words and went back to his seat.
"With this, I think everyone has understood what kind of class my class is."
"..."
"Even so, is there any student who still has a question?"
There was no way there would be.
After seeing such a thing in front, who on earth would ask a question?
As everyone was quiet as if they were dead, Cha Yul-ryeong lowered his head and opened his mouth.
"There's no one."
"..."
"Then before we start the class... that one brat who is crawling in like a rat."
Cha Yul-ryeong said and turned his head.
"Where have you been until now?"
"Uh..."
A rat, no, Namgung Il, who had just entered, was standing there.
(End of Chapter)