The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

No way out.

There was no more appropriate word to describe Hwang Dong-jae's current situation.

'Why... did the situation become like this?'

Until last year, Hwang Dong-jae had no worries.

He had a firm grip on the power of the Vermilion Bird Class, and there was no one who could say anything to him.

The point where that smooth path began to twist was this year's election for class president.

From the moment the Vermilion Bird Class president of last year had appointed Ak Simin as the class president instead of him, his life at the academy had begun to get twisted.

"Next year's class president is Ak Simin."

"...!"

"Dong-jae, you should also help Ak Simin and lead the Vermilion Bird Class well next year. Then the Vermilion Bird Class will surely be able to fly much farther than this year."

When he had first heard those words, he had thought he had misheard.

Why had he chosen Ak Simin as the class president instead of him, who had been loyal like a dog until now?

The shame of having the class presidency taken away by a brat younger than him. And the sense of betrayal towards the person he had trusted instantly turned into anger.

"Flying far... what a ridiculous thing to say."

"What...?"

"I understand well. Then from now on, I will do things my way."

"Dong-jae! My words..."

"I will no longer listen to the words of a person who is leaving."

Thud—

"The Vermilion Bird cannot fly."

"...!"

"What will happen to a Vermilion Bird with a torn wing... If you're curious, come and see later."

From then on, Hwang Dong-jae had started to build his own faction.

Since there were quite a few brats who had been following him from before, it was not that difficult to create a faction.

Now, all that was left was to surely absorb the first-years who had entered this year under him.

If that were to be achieved, the Vermilion Bird Class could surely become his world.

But.

'Namgung Il...! Why on earth did a brat like that enter the Vermilion Bird Class!'

From the first day, Hwang Dong-jae could tell that his plan was going slightly awry.

Although the other first-years had a shape that could be fitted under his faction from the beginning, there was one brat who had a shape that was sticking out on his own.

Still, he had thought that if he processed him into a shape that suited him, in the end, the brat would also submit.

But that was not the case.

Namgung Il was an existence that could not be placed under him.

The more he tried to force him, the more it tightened his own neck, Hwang Dong-jae realized that too late.

Thud— Thud—.

Just then, Namgung Il slowly approached where Hwang Dong-jae was.

Seeing that, Hwang Dong-jae hurriedly looked around.

Although he had been hit quite a lot, still, there were a few subordinates left around.

"You stupid brats! What are you doing now!"

"..."

"Hurry up and attack Namgung Il!"

Although Hwang Dong-jae shouted, no one moved from their places.

They also already knew.

Which way the tide of this fight had surely turned.

Seeing his subordinates who did not move even at his command, Hwang Dong-jae bit his lip.

Phat—

In the end, Hwang Dong-jae had no choice but to move himself.

Seeing Hwang Dong-jae, who was rushing towards this side on his own, Namgung Il stopped in his tracks.

'I won't just be beaten!'

Hwang Dong-jae also knew well that Namgung Il was stronger than him.

But that and pride were separate matters.

With the intention of landing at least one punch on Namgung Il's face, Hwang Dong-jae raised his right hand.

Whoosh—

A fierce energy was generated from Hwang Dong-jae's raised right hand.

At the same time, the fist that rushed in quickly like a tiger and was thrown out wide.

As if to say, 'block it if you can,' Hwang Dong-jae was throwing a punch from the front in a fair and square manner without any petty tricks.

Thump—

A heavy sound echoed around.

The fist that had accurately hit Namgung Il's forehead.

But even though he had succeeded in his attack, Hwang Dong-jae was rather flustered, and his two eyes widened.

"...!"

Like a stone statue, Namgung Il was standing upright in his place.

How on earth could he stand so fine even after being hit squarely by his fist?

Hwang Dong-jae could not believe that fact at all.

Drip—

Just then, a stream of blood flowed from Namgung Il's head.

'That's more like it.'

Discovering the flowing blood, a slight line formed on Hwang Dong-jae's lips.

It seemed he had tried to show off his own strength, but it was a really arrogant thought.

At this point, Namgung Il must have suffered considerable damage.

The blood that was flowing from his head now was the proof.

'I might be able to win.'

With the successful hit of the attack, Hwang Dong-jae had such a hope.

However.

"What are you grinning at?"

"...!"

"Hold on tight."

At that moment, Hwang Dong-jae's head was thrown back.

"...?"

Why on earth was he looking at the sky now?

As his chin tingled, Hwang Dong-jae lost his balance and staggered.

Grit—

Just before he was about to fall, Hwang Dong-jae barely came to his senses and put strength in his legs.

But his body, which still did not move as he wished, as if he were drunk.

Although he was enduring with the mental strength of not falling, Hwang Dong-jae was now in a state where neither his body nor his mind was sound.

Swish—

Just then, the Beggar's Staff flew towards his right side.

Of course, Hwang Dong-jae could not react to that attack at all, and a heavier sound than when Hwang Dong-jae's fist had hit his forehead echoed around.

Thwack—!

Hwang Dong-jae's figure tilted along with the direction in which the Beggar's Staff was swung.

Although it seemed he would fall to the floor as he was, as if he would not allow him to fall so comfortably, this time, the Beggar's Staff flew in from the opposite side.

Thwack—!

This time too, the Beggar's Staff struck Hwang Dong-jae with a heavy sound.

Due to the recoil, Hwang Dong-jae's body momentarily stood up straight, and soon, as if his strength had been released again, he was about to fall forward.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Just then, with a cold voice, Namgung Il held out the Beggar's Staff forward.

Thanks to leaning on the Beggar's Staff, Hwang Dong-jae could not fall this time either.

Since he was already in a state where his mind was hazy, no matter what Namgung Il said in front of him, Hwang Dong-jae could not understand at all.

"It's just the beginning."

It was fortunate that he could not understand the words.

If he had heard those words in a situation like this, he might have wet his pants.

As Namgung Il slightly pushed the Beggar's Staff, Hwang Dong-jae's body, which had been leaning forward, stood up straight again.

Thud-thud-thud-thud—

After making Hwang Dong-jae stand up straight, Namgung Il began to swing the Beggar's Staff at a tremendous speed.

As if it were hitting his arm, this time it went to his leg, and soon it went to his shoulder blade.

At that time, the unpleasant sound that was occasionally mixed in.

Even when the sound of bones breaking was heard, the Beggar's Staff that Namgung Il swung became faster, not slower.

"...!"

The faces of the people who were watching from afar were already pale.

How on earth could one beat a person like that?

Not a single bit of mercy was felt in the countless blows that were pouring down like a heavy downpour.

'H-he's going to die at this rate...!'

It was certain that Hwang Dong-jae had lost his will to fight.

No, looking at those eyes, wasn't he already unconscious?

And yet, the reason why he was standing without falling was because Namgung Il was skillfully keeping him up with the staff.

"St-stop..."

Someone had to stop him now.

But no one's voice came out.

What if that merciless Beggar's Staff were to turn towards him this time if he were to speak carelessly?

Since such a fear was dominating their entire bodies, the people could only watch that one-sided beating in silence.

Thwack—

Just then, Namgung Il's Beggar's Staff struck Hwang Dong-jae's chin.

Then, as before, his head was thrown back high.

Although it was clear that Hwang Dong-jae's body would fall back if he were to be left alone, Namgung Il did not move the staff anymore and just stood still.

Thud—

Hwang Dong-jae was finally able to fall to the floor.

The countless traces that had formed all over Hwang Dong-jae's body, to the point where one could not even tell how many times he had been hit.

Hwang Dong-jae did not move at all, with an appearance that made it impossible to tell if he was alive or dead.

'H-Hwang Dong-jae lost...'

He had guessed that to some extent even before the fight had started.

But to think that he would lose so overwhelmingly without even being able to use his hands.

Although he had landed an attack at first, everyone here knew well that that was because Namgung Il had deliberately taken it.

"..."

The surroundings became quiet.

Although the surroundings had been quiet before, as the sound of the rain that had been pouring down without rest until just now suddenly stopped, the silence was felt even more strongly.

Hoo—

In the midst of that, Namgung Il's sigh was heard.

'I beat him up quite seriously.'

The form that Namgung Il had used to beat Hwang Dong-jae just now was a technique called the Dog-Beating Retreat.

A form that could break all the bones in the body in an instant if used with determination.

Of course, since the Beggar's Staff he was holding now was not the one he had originally used, it was difficult to go that far under the circumstances.

"..."

Of course, even at this level, there was no problem in beating Hwang Dong-jae.

At that point, more than ten of the bones in his entire body must have been broken.

Although he wanted to beat him more if he could, since he might really die if he went any further, he had stopped at this point.

"Young Master Il!"

"...?"

"Are you alright?"

Just then, Tang Wol-yeong shouted and rushed to Namgung Il.

'Young Master Il?'

Only then did Namgung Il realize that Tang Wol-yeong was calling him that.

As Tang Wol-yeong approached Namgung Il, she immediately took out a handkerchief from her clothes.

"Blood from your head... wipe it with this for now."

"Ah... thank you."

"Are you not dizzy or anything?"

In fact, it seemed that the person who should be asked that question was Jong Seo-eon or Hwang Dong-jae.

If not, some of the people that Namgung Il had defeated.

As if the people who were lying around did not even enter her eyes, Tang Wol-yeong was only asking Namgung Il like that.

"Uh... I'm fine."

"Still, you have to be careful. Let's go to the Heavenly Doctor Hall just in case."

"..."

The Heavenly Doctor Hall was the infirmary inside the Flying Dragon Academy.

Although they would open the door even if he went there late at night... still, Namgung Il thought that his wound was not at a level that needed to be treated right away.

"I'm fine. More than that, Jong Seo-eon first..."

It was then.

At the sudden appearance of a presence, Namgung Il's gaze became sharp.

'What is this?'

He had not felt any presence at all until it had come this close.

Could it be that there was a tremendous master hidden on the opponent's side?

Namgung Il immediately became wary and glared at the newly appeared person, but soon, his two eyes widened, and he could not hide his surprise.

'S-Seo Saeng-won?'

Why on earth was that brat here?

Although he might not have known at another time, as Seo Shin-won suddenly appeared in a situation like this, Namgung Il could not hide his bewilderment.

"..."

Seo Shin-won stopped in his tracks and looked around.

The students who were lying there unconscious, and Hwang Dong-jae, who had been beaten like a dog on a hot day and was not moving at all.

As if he had roughly grasped the situation, Seo Shin-won said to the students in a low voice.

"Well, I don't know what to say."

"...!"

"For now, all the brats here. Stay."

...I'm screwed.

Not only Namgung Il, but all the other students also thought so in their hearts.

(End of Chapter)