The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Namgung Il was sitting in his seat, listening to the class.

'Good.'

To think that a day would come when he would feel that a class was good.

Compared to being chased all day yesterday, this was paradise.

'Now that I think about it, it was a really absurd thing.'

Although it wasn't exact, it seemed that the number of people who had chased him yesterday was at least two hundred or more.

Moreover, it wasn't just ordinary people, but two hundred martial artists with enough skill to enter the Flying Dragon Academy.

To run away from such brats for several hours was easy to say, but if one were to think about it carefully, it was an almost impossible thing.

'My legs are still trembling a little.'

From last night, his two legs had felt as if they were not his own.

The same went for this morning after he had woken up.

His two legs were proving the fact that Namgung Il had also done his best to not get caught by the pursuers.

'Well... anyway, it's a relief that it ended safely.'

With this, he had secured twenty merit points.

Although he hadn't received them yet, but was scheduled to receive them, would Cheon Hong-ryeon really change her words like last time?

If she did, regardless of whether the opponent was the student council president or a senior, Namgung Il felt like he would clench his fists and rush at her.

'I can go and see her today, right?'

Namgung Il had to secure twenty merit points within today.

Because the deadline set in the bet with Hwang Dong-jae was until today.

If this class was over, Namgung Il was planning to go and see Cheon Hong-ryeon right away.

"Captain."

"..."

"Captain!"

"...Huh?"

Just then, Jong Seo-eon poked him with his elbow from the side and quietly called Namgung Il.

'How dare you touch my body with your elbow?'

How dare a grand-disciple touch the body of a grand-master like that?

As he was thinking that Jong Seo-eon was quite impudent, Namgung Il belatedly realized that the gazes of the surroundings were focused on him.

'What is this?'

It was surely in the middle of a class now, so why were the students looking at him instead of the teacher?

Since he had been thinking about other things in his heart, Namgung Il couldn't understand what was going on in this situation.

"Student Namgung Il."

Just then, someone called Namgung Il from the front.

A middle-aged man with a gentle impression.

It was Gok I-hyeon, the teacher who was currently conducting this class.

"Would you like to answer my question?"

"...Pardon?"

When Gok I-hyeon suddenly said that, Namgung Il couldn't help but be bewildered.

But from the context, Namgung Il realized that Gok I-hyeon had asked him a question about the class.

'I-I'm in big trouble!'

Don't tell me he'll give me demerit points like Cha Yul-ryeong if I can't answer the question?

Although he wouldn't know at other times, in a situation like this, any more demerit points would be quite troublesome.

"Captain, the Go board!"

Just then, Jong Seo-eon whispered in a small voice from the side.

'A Go board?'

Hearing those words, Namgung Il immediately looked to the front.

And so, a Go board was placed there.

Seeing the white and black stones placed on it, it was a Go board without a doubt.

'I have to answer well.'

Although he didn't know why a Go board had suddenly appeared, he had to give a proper answer somehow.

As if he had realized something, Namgung Il immediately got up from his seat and walked to where the Go board was placed.

Click—

At that moment, a question couldn't help but appear on all the students' faces.

Namgung Il, who was placing a white stone on the Go board with a confident expression, unaware of that fact.

Seeing that, Gok I-hyeon opened his mouth with a bitter expression.

"Uh... what is that?"

"This is the best move in this situation."

"...Don't tell me you're really playing Go now?"

"Pardon?"

Wasn't this the correct answer?

Since there was a Go board and stones were placed on it, Namgung Il had naturally thought that the question was to make the next move.

"Ah."

At that moment, Namgung Il realized something.

The fact that the name of the class he was currently taking was not Go, but Heretical Martial Arts.

As the students' laughter was heard from behind, Namgung Il could be sure that he had completely barked up the wrong tree.

Swish—

Namgung Il turned his head and glared at Jong Seo-eon.

'You said it was a Go board!'

In fact, the words that Jong Seo-eon had poked in from the side had played the biggest role in Namgung Il playing Go now.

If one were to point to a Go board in a situation where one knew nothing, wouldn't one naturally think that one should play Go?

As Namgung Il glared with a sharp gaze, Jong Seo-eon hurriedly avoided his gaze and bowed his head.

"It seems you weren't concentrating on the class."

Just then, Gok I-hyeon said with a low sigh.

At that voice, Namgung Il immediately turned his head back to its original position.

Even if he were to argue with Jong Seo-eon later, for now, it was a priority to get through this situation somehow.

"Uh, that's..."

"Well, it can happen."

"..."

"Yesterday was a holiday, after all. Since you're still a first-year, isn't it a time to drink and run around all day?"

Although he hadn't been able to drink, in another sense, Namgung Il had been running all day yesterday.

Unlike his worries, since Gok I-hyeon's reaction felt quite positive, Namgung Il smiled awkwardly, watching his expression.

"Haha... I'm sorry. I couldn't concentrate on the class for a moment because I was tired."

"It's alright. I understand everything."

I'm saved.

Hearing that answer, Namgung Il thought that he could somehow avoid getting demerit points.

'As expected, since his impression is good, his personality is also good.'

On the contrary, look at Cha Yul-ryeong.

Since his impression was so bad, didn't he give demerit points for just being a little late?

Although it was the first time he had seen him today, Namgung Il quite liked Gok I-hyeon.

"Then let's ask the question again."

"...?"

"I've made a formation on this Go board now. You can think of the black stones as the heretical faction, and the white stones as the righteous faction."

Only now could Namgung Il understand the reason why there was a Go board in this class for no reason.

To explain a formation, it would be more eye-catching to use Go stones like this rather than just explaining with words.

Gok I-hyeon lifted the white stone that Namgung Il had just placed and continued.

"In this situation, how would student Namgung Il deal with the formation of the heretical faction?"

"..."

When Gok I-hyeon asked, Namgung Il looked down at the Go board again.

'This... is that?'

Namgung Il immediately knew what that formation was.

The formation that he had faced countless times in the Righteous-Demonic War in the past.

Recalling his experience at that time, Namgung Il answered the question.

"If it were me, I would place the most skilled one in the center, and spread the rest evenly to the left and right."

"Oh... what's the reason?"

"This formation, at a glance, seems to have put the most strength in the center, but in fact, the purpose is to support the troops on both sides more easily than the center."

"..."

"So if the troops are spread on both sides according to that intention, and then a small number of people break through the center, the enemy's formation will be completely destroyed."

When Namgung Il answered, Gok I-hyeon maintained his silence for a long time.

A moment later, returning to his usual expression, a smile appeared on his lips.

Gok I-hyeon clapped his hands and said to Namgung Il.

"It's a perfect answer."

"..."

"I never thought that student Namgung Il would answer so perfectly."

Did you see that, this is what experience is.

At the students' admiration from behind, Namgung Il felt proud for no reason.

"Since you've given a good answer, there should be a suitable reward for it."

"...?"

"I will give you five merit points."

Wait a minute, this situation... haven't I seen it a lot somewhere?

Rather than being happy about receiving merit points, Namgung Il felt a little anxious.

'Don't tell me he'll give me demerit points after this like Cha Yul-ryeong?'

Because he had had such an experience once, Namgung Il was not careless until the end.

However.

"You did well. You can go back to your seat now."

"...Is that it?"

"Then what else is left?"

Unlike Cha Yul-ryeong, Gok I-hyeon did not give any demerit points.

As expected, since his impression was good, he didn't play such a mean trick like Cha Yul-ryeong.

Namgung Il liked Gok I-hyeon more and more.

"No, sir!"

Namgung Il, who answered immediately and returned to his seat.

Although Jong Seo-eon was watching his expression from the side, Namgung Il no longer had any intention of arguing about the previous matter.

'What. Am I a better student than I thought?'

If he were to get twenty points from Cheon Hong-ryeong a little later, the total merit points would be twenty-five.

Weren't there almost no students who had received so many merit points now?

Namgung Il had unintentionally become one of the top students in the academy.

"To add a little more detail, the name of this formation is the Blood Dragon Wing Threat Formation."

"..."

"It was a formation frequently used by the Blood Dragon Cult in the Righteous-Demonic War in the past, and many righteous faction martial artists lost their lives due to this formation."

When Gok I-hyeon said that, the smile on Namgung Il's face disappeared.

The Blood Dragon Wing Threat Formation.

As he had said, many of his comrades in the past had lost their lives unnecessarily due to that formation.

'When we didn't know the method to break it, we were swept away by the enemy's intention, and the damage was considerable.'

If one knew the intention of the Blood Dragon Wing Threat Formation, the method to break it was easier than one thought.

But if it was the opposite, the fear of the Blood Dragon Wing Threat Formation was that it would cause irreversible damage.

The terrible memory of that time was still clearly engraved in Namgung Il's mind.

Swoosh—

"Teacher, but why do we have to study the martial arts and formations of the heretical faction?"

"..."

"The Righteous-Demonic War is already over, and isn't the Blood Dragon Cult completely dismantled?"

A student raised his hand and asked.

As he had said, the Blood Dragon Cult, which had once driven the martial world into fear, no longer existed in this world.

It had been naturally dismantled with the death of the Blood Demon, who could be said to be the center of the Blood Dragon Cult.

In fact, the students here were wondering why they had to study the Blood Dragon Cult, which had already disappeared.

"Who can guarantee that the Righteous-Demonic War is completely over?"

"...?"

"A war is something that can never be completely over. Especially when one is living in peace, a war is something that suddenly happens."

The gaze of Gok I-hyeon, who was saying that, felt cold, unlike before.

"This time, it might not be the Blood Dragon Cult, but somewhere else... no, perhaps the remnants of the Blood Dragon Cult, which might still exist, might start a war again."

"...!"

"The reason why Heretical Martial Arts is designated as a required subject is to prepare for such a situation, just in case."

"..."

"The difference between knowing and not knowing will be very big. If a war breaks out, every single thing you learn here will become your sword and armor."

In an instant, only a cold silence flowed in the lecture hall.

That was how seriously the students had taken Gok I-hyeon's words, not as a joke.

Gok I-hyeon, who returned to his usual face, opened his mouth to the students who had turned pale.

"Although I said that, you don't have to worry too much."

"..."

"The Blood Dragon Cult has been completely dismantled, and the Martial Alliance is working hard to prevent a tragedy like the Righteous-Demonic War from happening. In fact, the possibility of you experiencing a war again is very low."

Clap—

"I said that because I wanted you to concentrate on the class. It seems I scared you too much."

Gok I-hyeon clapped his hands and smiled.

Only then did the atmosphere inside the lecture hall begin to return to its original state.

Gok I-hyeon had played a prank to scare them, everyone thought so, and now there were even some who were smiling.

"..."

But Namgung Il was still not smiling.

The remnants of the Blood Dragon Cult. Only those words remained in Namgung Il's mind and were constantly circling.

(End of Chapter)