"I've set your legs again, but... hmm... even if you fully recover, there will likely be lingering aftereffects."

At the physician's calm voice, Ak Jupyeong's face crumpled like paper.

"B-Bullshit! Don't try to make excuses for your lack of skill to treat me properly!"

"..."

"The Medical Pavilion...! Send me to the Murim Alliance's Medical Pavilion!"

"... Only Murim Alliance members are allowed in the Medical Pavilion. You are not an official Alliance member yet."

At the physician's firm rejection, Ak Jupyeong's face turned red and blue with anger.

"You stupid quack physician! How can you not fix something that even my clan's physician could cure!"

At the continuous venomous shouting, the physician's face turned cold.

"You have a foul mouth."

"W-What is your name! I will absolutely not let this slide!"

"Sama Jeong. A Fifth-class special Alliance member of the Murim Alliance."

Ak Jupyeong's face turned sullen at Sama Jeong's words.

Reaching the rank of a Fifth-class Alliance member at that age meant he was different from any ordinary physician.

"Why? Do you want to make an issue out of it?"

"..."

"Today, I will be making an issue out of your words."

"..."

"So I suppose I should finish this treatment quickly."

With those last words, Sama Jeong left the inner room.

"Haa!"

Ak Jupyeong let out a long sigh and ground his teeth.

Even if a mere physician made an issue out of it, he wasn't particularly afraid.

His clan's power was already spread throughout the Murim Alliance, and his uncle was an influential figure in the Inspection Pavilion, the highest auditing organization.

However, the fact remained that he had suffered major injuries from Jin Sowoon's surprise attack.

Even if he were to tear Jin Sowoon apart and kill him later, the pride that was cracked by this incident would not be restored.

"Jin Sowoon... I will tear apart not only your junior siblings, but your sect as well."

BANG!

Ak Jupyeong's brow furrowed heavily as someone suddenly opened the door and entered.

"What bastard dares to enter without making their presence known..."

Upon checking the intruder's face, Ak Jupyeong shut his mouth tight.

The uninvited guest stepped into the inner room, dragging a chair from the center and slowly approaching Ak Jupyeong.

SCREEEECH—

The chair dragging across the floor made a bizarre sound, creating an ominous atmosphere.

Ak Jupyeong forced off the inexplicable sense of fear constricting his body and glared at the uninvited guest.

SCREEECH—

THUD.

The sound soon ceased, and the uninvited guest sat on the chair with the backrest facing forward, staring blankly at Ak Jupyeong.

"Jin Sowoon..."

Ak Jupyeong ground his teeth audibly.

"You bastard... How dare you do such a thing and still...!"

"If you thought I'd let this slide, don't even dream about it."

"..."

As his cut-off sentence was strangely completed, Ak Jupyeong closed his mouth firmly.

Jin Sowoon draped his arms over the backrest and slightly tilted his head.

"Ak Jupyeong. You crossed the line."

"..."

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Jin Sowoon spoke while rhythmically tapping the backrest of the chair with his fingers.

"You crossed it by a long shot."

Soon, he rested his chin in his hand and calmly scanned Ak Jupyeong's entire body.

His eyes were infinitely indifferent, yet at the same time, infinitely cold.

"If it were up to me right now, I'd feel like snapping your limbs and destroying your dantian."

Ak Jupyeong unconsciously shuddered before clenching his teeth and replying.

"I-I am Ak Jupyeong of the Shandong Ak Clan! Do you think you can do whatever you want?!"

SMIRK.

Jin Sowoon curled one side of his lips up to his ear.

"Do you think you're in the Ak Clan right now?"

"..."

"Even if the Ak Clan comes after you become a cripple, what meaning would that have? You'll just be living off porridge in bed for the rest of your life anyway."

"..."

Ak Jupyeong, finally grasping reality at Jin Sowoon's words, shuddered once more.

GULP.

As Jin Sowoon reached out his hand, Ak Jupyeong flinched and backed away.

However, what he felt coldly against his back was a solid wall.

Ak Jupyeong squeezed his eyes shut without realizing it.

When he felt nothing even after some time passed, he cracked his eyes open.

"... Gasp!"

Jin Sowoon's hand, which had been heading toward Ak Jupyeong's neck, stopped moving.

Then he changed direction and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of dealing with you myself. If I did, that brat would probably lunge at me instead of you, ready to kill."

"... What?"

"So recover quickly and restart your academy life. You need to recover as soon as possible so that his bullshit finds its proper path and goes to you instead of me."

"What are you..."

Having finished what he came to say, Jin Sowoon ignored whatever Ak Jupyeong babbled, turned his back to him, and walked toward the door.

Then he abruptly stopped.

"Oh right, don't even think about dropping out."

A terrifying killing intent that made one shudder radiated from Jin Sowoon's entire body.

"If you do, I really will chase you to the ends of hell and kill you."

With those last words, Jin Sowoon left the inner room.

"Huk... Huk... Huk..."

Only after Jin Sowoon left did the tension constricting Ak Jupyeong's body dissipate, and he felt tremendous shame at the fact that he had been so nervous around the likes of Jin Sowoon.

"... Jin Sowoon! You damned bastard!! I will definitely, definitely get my revenge...!"

The sound of Ak Jupyeong grinding his teeth echoed emptily throughout the inner room.

* * *

On my way out after warning Ak Jupyeong.

A laugh escaped me as I saw the faces of the people approaching from this side.

Did they hear the laughter?

The instructors and drill instructors all looked in my direction.

"Jin Sowoon... You should be under disciplinary action right now. Who told you to wander around like this?"

"Disciplinary action?"

When I tilted my head, the face of the drill instructor who seemed to be the representative contorted.

"The instructors' meeting has already begun discussing disciplinary procedures against you. Are you unaware that depending on the result, it could lead to expulsion in the worst-case scenario?"

Hah, where do these bastards think they're peddling this bullshit?

"How funny."

"What?"

I was so dumbfounded that a sneer leaked out.

"The disciplinary action isn't finalized until the Academy Director approves it, is it?"

"... Y-You!"

Do you know who I am?

Huh? I'm the guy who became sworn martial brothers with your Academy Director, got it!

"Jin Sowoon, show respect to the drill instructor."

"Respect, my ass..."

When I casually looked at them while picking my ear, the drill instructor and the instructors standing behind him shuddered.

"Furthermore, expelling an academy student is an important matter that even requires approval from the Mantong Bureau. During the investigation of the incident, the issue of negligence by the Murim Academy's drill instructors and instructors will also be brought up. Are you okay with that?"

"... You utterly mannerless brat!"

Wow, high praise just burst out of him.

This was basically the same as the drill instructor admitting he lost the argument.

"Well, that sounds fun. The drill instructors and instructors who stood by doing nothing while an academy student was almost beaten to death. And me, who assaulted the perpetrator to save that student. I wonder who will receive the heavier disciplinary action."

"... Do you think the White Path Council and the Shandong Ak Clan will let this incident slide?"

"On top of that, the drill instructors and instructors, who must remain neutral, have been acting as parasites to certain factions and granting special favors to individual students."

"Urgh!"

I pointed with both hands at the inner room where Ak Jupyeong was lying.

"Hurry up and go kiss his ass. Wouldn't Ak Jupyeong like it even more if you suck up to him when he's feeling weak like this?"

I walked right through the middle of the drill instructor and instructors.

In the courtyard of the infirmary, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran had arrived.

Their faces were filled with worry, likely having heard the gist of the situation.

"Young Master Jin, just what exactly happened?"

"It's nothing major."

"What do you mean, nothing major! The entire academy is in an uproar right now because of that incident...!"

"Well, I might get a minor disciplinary action, but it won't lead to anything like expulsion. Ak Jupyeong's evil deeds were too severe for that."

Even though I said that, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa still couldn't relax their expressions.

The two of them briefly met eyes before Namgung Seonhwa stepped forward and spoke this time.

"The Shandong Ak Clan is the family that holds the most major public offices in the Murim Alliance, even among the Five Great Noble Clans."

"Hmm... Is that so?"

This was a fact I roughly knew as well.

However, I didn't pretend to know in front of Namgung Seonhwa.

Regardless of my own feelings, Namgung Seonhwa's face was somehow stiffer than usual.

"In particular, many of their personnel are stationed in the Inspection Pavilion."

"Pardon?"

Huh? What is she talking about?

I quickly rummaged through the archive in my head and began searching for the personnel management ledger.

Meanwhile, Namgung Seonhwa continued speaking.

"You know that the Third Hall is the most vicious among the Hall Leaders of the Inspection Pavilion, right?"

Not just in the Murim Alliance, but even in the Underworld Murim, it was known that once you entered the Third Hall of the Inspection Pavilion, you would not return in one piece.

"..."

Namgung Seonhwa nodded.

"The Hall Leader of the Third Hall, the Blood Ghost Flying Spear, is Ak Jupyeong's second uncle."

"..."

Right on cue, as I recalled looking through the Inspection Pavilion's personnel records around this time in my past life, I also found the name of the Third Hall Leader.

Third Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion, Ak Byeongbi.

Damn it all, he was definitely someone from the Shandong Ak Clan.

* * *

'Ugh... mm...'

Yayul Geuk, having regained consciousness, was startled by the unfamiliar ceiling and widened his eyes.

"W-Where is this...!"

"Are you awake?"

Startled by the sudden voice, he snapped back to his senses and turned his head.

"J-Jin Sowoon!"

I felt uncomfortable because I thought I saw that disgusting face in my dreams.

"You... If you ever caught my eye...!"

Yayul Geuk instinctively bared his teeth and forcibly drew up killing intent.

However, the killing intent emitted from his unrecovered body was incredibly feeble.

Jin Sowoon, looking at Yayul Geuk, spoke indifferently as if he didn't feel any killing intent at all.

"Why did you give up?"

An incomprehensible question.

When Yayul Geuk said nothing, Jin Sowoon took a step closer and asked again.

"Why did you give up?"

"W-What are you talking about!"

Jin Sowoon's eyes flashed sharply.

"Their strikes were fierce, but still not enough to kill you. Why did you give up?"

"..."

Yayul Geuk lowered his head, forgetting that he had just been angry at Jin Sowoon.

"Why did you give up?"

A persistent question.

"T-That's none of your business!"

He tried to rebel, but.

"Why did you give up?"

Jin Sowoon continued to push Yayul Geuk into a corner.

"Why did you give up?"

At the repeated questions, Yayul Geuk's eyes eventually turned fierce.

"W-What do you even know...! Who are you to meddle!"

"So you really did give up."

"... Crazy bastard."

Jin Sowoon fell silent for a moment before asking in a voice laced with a chill.

"Was it comfortable to give up?"

That question dug into his chest once again.

More painfully than a fist.

Sharper than a kick.

However, the chilling voice showed no sign of stopping.

"I'm asking if it felt comforting to run away."

All Yayul Geuk could do was glare.

Jin Sowoon chuckled as if he found that glare ridiculous.

"If it were me, I think I would've thought of my brothers."

"...!"

In an instant, a fire ignited in Yayul Geuk's eyes.

But Jin Sowoon's indifferent voice continued.

"Specifically, the second brother who died, or the third brother who was crippled."

"... Y-You!"

Jin Sowoon slapped his forehead lightly, as if he had just remembered something.

"Ah! You took the standard exam with the money your oldest brother saved up his whole life, didn't you? That brother of yours is quite pitiful, too. How absurd must he feel, thinking that he wasted his life on such a worthless bastard like you."

Yayul Geuk felt as if he could hear something snap inside his head.

"Y-You son of a bitch...!"

He lunged at Jin Sowoon before he even realized it.

Whether his body was in good condition or not didn't matter.

Because he couldn't endure it unless he threw himself forward in a fit of rage.

Throwing himself from the bed, Yayul Geuk immediately unleashed the Fierce Thunder Fist Technique, aiming only at Jin Sowoon's vital points.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

However, Jin Sowoon lightly neutralized the fist strikes with one hand and immediately struck Yayul Geuk's paralysis acupoint.

Yayul Geuk struggled and thrashed his body.

"R-Release this! I'll kill you!"

"This is the infirmary where patients are resting."

Lifting Yayul Geuk with one arm, Jin Sowoon walked right out of the infirmary and headed to the training ground.

As soon as they arrived at a small, empty training ground, he threw Yayul Geuk to the ground, having already undone the paralysis acupoint at some point.

Jin Sowoon looked down at Yayul Geuk and provoked him.

"If it's here, it doesn't matter how much of a fuss you make."

Yayul Geuk immediately rolled his eyes wildly and shouted.

"Y-You damned bastard!"

The Fierce Thunder Fist Technique unfolded from Yayul Geuk's hands.

A fist technique as fierce and fast as lightning.

With no intention of dodging, Jin Sowoon grabbed his shoulder, swept his leg, and slammed him onto the ground.

THUD!

Yayul Geuk tried to get up quickly, but this time, Jin Sowoon snatched the back of his neck and yanked him forward.

Yayul Geuk tumbled messily across the floor as if executing the Lazy Donkey Roll.

"What's this? You're going to kill someone with only this level of skill?"

"Aaaaaargh!"

The Torrential Rain Palm Technique poured out, seizing Jin Sowoon's three directions.

Jin Sowoon still didn't dodge; instead, he raised a hand chop to neutralize the palm strikes.

Jin Sowoon's movements as he dealt with the thrashing Yayul Geuk were boundlessly light and effortless.

"At this rate, I don't even think I need to use martial arts."

"..."

Yayul Geuk forcibly held back his rising breath and aimed for one last move.

Jin Sowoon approached Yayul Geuk as if he didn't care in the slightest.

"I understand why Ak Jupyeong tormented you so persistently. Bastards who are all talk are inherently pathetic by nature."

Jin Sowoon's fist flew in violently.

Yayul Geuk, who watched the trajectory of the fist until the very end, grabbed Jin Sowoon's fist and executed the Flowing Cloud Divine Art's Lotus.

It was a decisive move that had caught Ak Jupyeong's gang several times before firsthand experience finally taught them how it worked.

'I got him...!'

Yayul Geuk looked at Jin Sowoon, thinking his attack had worked.

Jin Sowoon's body floated up and spun a half-turn in the air.

If he slammed him into the ground just like this, the impact would shock his senses awake.

If he continued his attack right then...

"To think a guy who lacks even a basic understanding of kinetic force is trying to use the Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees trick."

For a moment, Yayul Geuk doubted his own ears.

Jin Sowoon, who should undoubtedly be panicking, was spouting incomprehensible words in midair.

TAP.

Then, the moment he landed on the floor, he shifted the position of his hand and pulled Yayul Geuk.

Instantly, Yayul Geuk was dragged by an irresistible, tremendous pulling force, and his body floated up into the air.

'The Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees trick?'

No one in the Flowing Cloud Sect had ever produced such a powerful pulling force.

CRASH!

Slammed into the ground, Yayul Geuk felt a shock as if his entire body were breaking; his mind went blank and his ears rang.

He had received back his own force multiplied several times over.

Because the impact was dealt to his unrecovered body, he felt like he would collapse right then and there, but because of the technique he had just been hit by, he didn't even have the time to feel the pain.

Rather than pain, Yayul Geuk was so shocked by astonishment that his entire body felt like it was freezing over.

'T-This is...'

The very thing that everyone in the Flowing Cloud Sect had been desperately searching for all this time.

The ultimate Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees trick.

The true meaning of the Lotus.

"W-Who the hell are you, Jin Sowoon!"

It had just been manifested by the hands of the hateful Jin Sowoon.

Without a doubt, it had been manifested.