I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

Chapter 118 : The Shaolin Heretics (1)

From the beginning, my decision was set. I immediately pushed through the crowd and walked to the front where the poster was hung.

Perhaps because of the aftermath of the ranking competition, gazes were focused on me. They were probably trying to see the trend of the top students. But in a situation like this, those who were just testing the waters were not cautious, but indecisive.

I wrote my name on the list below the poster.

The reason for having the participants write their names publicly like this was to let them know who the challengers were and to make the other students feel a sense of competition, but surprisingly, it had another positive function for me.

‘Did Baek Hasin also participate?’

It was a means to check the participation of other main and supporting characters. I scanned the list written at the top. Of course, Bong So, as well as Namgung Bihwa and Mo Yonghan, all the names of the top-ranking students in the intermediate class were on it.

It wasn’t just because they were greedy for credits. They also knew. That this mission was a matter that would change the situation in the central plains.

Those who had not forgotten the fact that they had been training their martial arts for days like this did not hesitate.

The essence of a martial artist was to fight. Not drawing the sword when it should be drawn was no different from denying the existence of a martial artist.

I looked at the list, which was less than half-filled, and then turned around. I could see the other students who were still hesitating.

If you just fill up the credits, you won’t be held back even if you don’t overdo it. If you wanted a leisurely life aiming for an intermediate graduation after that, this might be a rational decision.

But as long as you wore a sword, it was just a postponement of the threat you would face someday. Because the difference between those who moved forward and those who didn’t was absolute. In the end, both stability and regret were one’s own share.

The reason for using the extreme measure of deciding on the same day while wanting to recruit as many as possible was probably because of this.

Because in any place, it was the ones who were prepared who survived.

By evening, the training ground, which was the recruitment place, was full of students. Since there was usually a nighttime curfew, everyone who filled this area, except for the instructors, was a request participant.

“I knew you would come too.”

Just then, Baek Hasin came up to me. Besides him, I could see a few familiar faces. Bong So and Namgung Bihwa were also there, and even the senior students Cheon Ga-seong and Cho Min-ha, and Zhuge Pae-gang had also participated.

As if he had felt this side’s gaze, Zhuge Pae-gang glanced at me and then slightly narrowed his brow and turned his head.

It seemed I would have to crush him when I became a senior student.

As I was making that resolution, Cheon Mu-jin suddenly appeared on the platform. At the sudden appearance of the academy head, everyone greeted him in a tense state.

Cheon Mu-jin, who had calmed the commotion, soon opened his mouth.

“This request is dangerous. You could lose your life, so those who want to quit should quit now.”

Everyone was silent at the last merciful warning. Those who had already come to this place had a hunch. That the academy head coming forward was not an ordinary matter.

And besides, a few professors were also standing next to Cheon Mu-jin. Most of the power of the Martial Academy was gathered in this place.

“No one? Then I will divide the groups. The detailed mission outline will be given to the group leaders, so check it later.”

The first one to be called was the top student of the senior class, Cheon Ga-seong. Baek Hasin and Namgung Bihwa were chosen as his members.

“Next, group 2 is Cho Min-ha, Bong So, and Zhuge Cheonwu.”

After that, the other groups were formed into groups of 4 or 5, or an instructor was attached, and as soon as more than 10 groups were divided, we immediately moved out.

‘To be dispatched right away without any notice.’

It was obvious that they had prepared as quickly as possible to catch them off guard. The mission we received was to tighten the siege. Although it was the role of the rear unit, the vanguard among them was our group 2.

We took the waiting carriages and moved out, scattered. The destination was Sichuan. A distance that would take several days.

“It seems it will be a large-scale subjugation.”

Cho Min-ha muttered from the side with his two eyes closed. Because there would be no one among us who did not foresee a war.

“I agree.”

The way there was too smooth. To the point of being anxious. After running day and night for several days, we were able to arrive at the rear base.

“State your affiliation.”

Towards the martial artists of the Martial Alliance who were blocking the front, Cho Min-ha showed the Martial Academy plaque and recited the password. Then, the martial artists sheathed their swords and guided us inside.

“Come in.”

Sa Ma-un greeted us inside the barracks.

As befitting a professor who researched formations and tactics, a map was spread out in front of him. Sa Ma-un explained the general mission we had to do.

“The Blood Cult’s struggle is stronger than we thought. Since we are already annihilating the main force, we would like you to mop up the remnants who have escaped the siege and are running away.”

No one reacted to the words ‘Blood Cult’. It seemed they had vaguely guessed.

Even if they were remnants of the Blood Cult, it was difficult to ignore them. Because, as madmen often were, they were guys who you didn’t know what they would do.

But they themselves were not a matter of concern. Although our group was only three people, the power of one super-peak level and two at the peak of the peak was considerable.

“The problem is that there are two super-peak masters among the fleeing forces.”

“Who are they?”

“The Shaolin heretics.”

Bong So flinched at the answer. He must have been surprised to hear it, but in fact, he must have known.

In the original work, it was the Shaolin Sect that had put its strength into this siege. They had dispatched them knowing that the Shaolin heretics were acting as cadres of the Blood Cult in this area.

‘That’s why I made such a proposal to Bong So.’

“From the circumstances, it is highly likely that the Shaolin heretics will go to your assigned area. I don’t want to send you to such a place, but… since more manpower has been lost due to the enemy’s offensive, there are not many masters to entrust that role to. Please be careful.”

Sa Ma-un added, handing out a flute. He said that if we blew this in a crisis, the Shaolin martial artists who were spread around would come to help.

“I’ll try my best.”

I put the flute in my bosom and went outside. Before I knew it, Cho Min-ha had finished a simple check and was ready to run.

“Let’s move.”

Two super-peak masters who had lost their morality were like walking disasters. Since it was an urgent situation, we were about to head to our assigned area right away when.

“Please wait a moment!”

A certain bald young man blocked our path. A familiar face and voice, Gu Dong.

“How did you get here?”

At the unexpected meeting that was not in the original work, I first asked for the reason.

“I had already told them. Because Shaolin also had to resolve this matter.”

At this, Bong So answered instead. Originally, the Shaolin heretics were all apostate monks. From the perspective of the Shaolin Temple, a being who had once been a monk had become a member of the Blood Cult. Of course, they had to be dealt with.

But that was their business.

“Isn’t this a bit much?”

I stepped forward. One of the Shaolin heretics we had to catch in our area was Gu Dong’s father. To call Gu Dong to a place where they were going to kill him.

“Great hero, that was what I wanted!”

“What?”

I thought the development was different from the original work, but it was Gu Dong who had changed.

“As I have been training, I have come to look back on myself more. Myself, and my background and origin. So I gathered my courage and asked senior brother Bong So.”

“There’s no need for that. You don’t need to worry…”

I didn’t know with what kind of heart he had established the relationship between the Shaolin Temple and his blood relative. But I couldn’t easily let him accompany us to a battlefield like this, and on the way to kill his father.

“No. I just wanted to see the end for the last time. Since I have never seen the existence of a father, I just wanted to complete the existence of him within me for the last time.”

At that firm answer, I let out a faint sigh. To think that the growth I had fostered by getting close to Gu Dong would come back like this. To think he had even gotten permission for an outing and had come to the operation area through his Shaolin connections and was waiting.

It would have been impossible if it weren’t for Bong So, who had influence in the Shaolin Temple, or to be precise, his master.

‘What do I do now?’

It was dangerous to take him. But it was also ambiguous to leave him behind. The conclusion came from a surprisingly obvious place.

“You’re all talking nonsense.”

Cho Min-ha interrupted the conversation.

“I’m the group leader. I decide whether to include him or not.”

He declared with a serious face, unlike his usual self.

“This is not a place to play around. It’s not a place to bring someone through personal connections using the Shaolin Temple.”

A sharp qi wave brushed past, and Cho Min-ha glared at Bong So. He swallowed dryly at the momentum of the super-peak master.

“Was it the Shaolin Temple that was playing around? What if the enemy had found out because you leaked information like this?”

He rebuked. Because the entire plan was almost in danger because of a personal feeling.

“…I’m sorry.”

Bong So apologized. Cho Min-ha, who had been staring at him for a moment, soon let out a sigh.

“It’s fine. It can’t be helped since it has already come to this. You didn’t tell anyone else, did you?”

“No.”

No matter how much the Shaolin Temple was in charge of the area, it was troublesome to act selfishly like this. Cho Min-ha looked at Gu Dong for a moment and then turned his head.

“We don’t have time, so we’ll depart right away. If you fall behind, we’ll leave you, so do as you please. It’s your life, after all.”

Even if he seemed loose, the experience of a senior student didn’t go anywhere. At times like this, he had a side of him that was like a group leader.

We started running to our assigned area. The speed was fast. It was a pace that wouldn’t drain our stamina that much, but it would be quite difficult for a junior student.

But Gu Dong gritted his teeth and followed.

‘He’s pretty good.’

The faint qi wave that was blooming on Gu Dong’s entire body was noticeable. The peak of the first-rate, it seemed he was right on the verge of reaching the peak level.

“He’s still useful.”

Right before we arrived, I heard Cho Min-ha’s muttering, and at the same time, we stopped in our tracks.

The mountain entrance that our group was in charge of had many valleys, so it was a place where a fugitive could easily hide.

Since we could be ambushed, we carefully began to search without widening the distance between us too much.

And so, how many shichen had passed.

“There are bloodstains here!”

Bong So’s voice was heard. When I went there, the Shaolin martial artists who were in charge of this siege were hidden, dead, in the bushes. I looked at their corpses and analyzed them.

“They haven’t been dead for long. They’re in this area.”

The rigor mortis hadn’t even set in, and the blood that had flowed out hadn’t completely hardened.

It meant that less than 30 minutes had passed since they had died.

“From now on, the entire group will search together.”

Cho Min-ha gave an instruction. I spread my qi sense for the search. Just as I was examining the area with wind magic, a fishy scent came from the entrance of a rock, carried by the wind.

“This way.”

I forcibly led them, who were momentarily puzzled, to one side of a valley where many rocks were piled up.

On the slope where only the cool wind of late autumn was blowing, I felt a somewhat ominous sensation. It seemed there was nothing, but it was so quiet that it was rather creepy.

- Everyone, stop.

Cho Min-ha raised his hand and sent a telepathic message. His gaze was pointing to one side. At his confident gaze, I took out the Daoist Scholar’s Fan and prepared my magic.

At that moment.

Kwaaaang!

A rock exploded.

“There are two of them! Respond!”

With the shout, Cho Min-ha rushed out. I could see two Shaolin heretics rushing at an incredible speed between the debris of the exploded rock.

One was a sharp-looking man in his 40s with two daggers, and the other was a middle-aged man who looked like a bandit, strangely holding a shield.

The former was the Rakshasa Twin Swords, and the latter was the Asura Heavy Shield. Both were super-peak masters.

They must know that the Shaolin side was aiming for them with this siege. They would know better than anyone that to break through the large-scale Arhat formation that Shaolin had spread, they had to break through our side.

“I’ll take one of them!”

Cho Min-ha shouted, rushing at the Rakshasa Twin Swords. At the same time, they clashed, drawing numerous sword marks in the air.

In the midst of the thunderous clash, Bong So, me, and Gu Dong faced the Asura Heavy Shield.

“You’ve got the kids. How boring.”

He was Gu Dong’s blood relative and father. The man rushed at us with a large shield to kill us. The number of people who had been crushed and burst by that shield was in the thousands.

While Bong So rushed out and blocked the opponent’s blow with his fist, I flew a spear of flame lightning from a blind spot and aimed for the guy’s head.

Unfortunately, it hit his shoulder because he had held the shield at an angle, but I was able to make him flinch.

Perhaps because he was surprised by the attack he had experienced for the first time, the Asura Heavy Shield stood there, wary of each other.

I prepared the next magic and gave a look to Gu Dong.

In fact, Gu Dong was of no help in this situation. All he could do was to save the Shaolin martial artist who was lying on one side, bleeding.

Perhaps they hadn’t killed him because they were trying to torture him for information. Although they had failed spectacularly.

“How strange. The young one is interesting.”

The Asura Heavy Shield muttered with a crazed look in his eyes and then licked the blood on the shield he was holding.

He didn’t even look at Gu Dong. It was probably because he didn’t even remember.

Perhaps that’s why Gu Dong didn’t even try to have a conversation. Because the other side didn’t even recognize his child.

He had to die here anyway. Or we would die.

With Gu Dong’s skill, he could never shake off the pursuit of a super-peak master. In any way, the reunion between the blood relatives was bound to end tragically. In the tense atmosphere, I secretly handed him the flute in my bosom and asked.

“Do you have any regrets?”

“This humble one is just Gu Dong of the Shaolin Sect. Thank you.”

With that resolute statement, Gu Dong left the battlefield with the injured person.

“Now that the nuisance is gone, let’s have a proper fight!”

As Gu Dong disappeared, the man burst into a mad laugh, hitting his shield. Although all the Blood Cult members were crazy, to say something like that even in this situation.

Of course, it was what I had hoped for. Because the shield that guy was holding was in fact one of the three evils, the artifacts left by Zhuge Goya.

‘Now that I’ve released the Daoist Scholar’s Fan, I have to check what happens if I feed it that.’

I reviewed the plan in my head and said.

“You remember when we sparred, right? You just have to buy me time.”

“A good plan.”

With those words, Bong So stepped forward, and I stepped back. In front, the Asura Heavy Shield was rushing like a bull with his shield.

(End of Chapter)