Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

RUMBLE!

The dark clouds gathering above the Namgung Clan churned ominously. Lightning flashed several times through the cracks, followed immediately by a crash of thunder.

PITTER PATTER…

Raindrops began to fall, slowly and sporadically at first, before quickly turning into a heavy downpour that hammered down as if determined to wash away the entire world.

However, only the flames that lit up the buildings were quenched by the storm.

GRAAAAGH! KYAAAAAH!

Drenched in the rain, the ghouls went even more berserk, their eyes bloodshot as they let out beastly growls in their hunger for human blood.

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"Jungmyeong! It's me, your father! How can you not recognize your own father?!"

Their ferocity undampened by the rain, the Namgung Clan martial artists swung their swords furiously, roaring at their family, friends, and colleagues who had transformed into ghouls.

Hazy steam rose from all of their bodies. Instead of being diluted and washed away by the rain, the blood they shed seemed to slowly spread throughout the entire murim.

The Namgung Estate had become a living hell on earth.

Just then, a cold voice cut through the pouring rain.

"…It can't be helped. Kill them all," Namgung Hak, the eldest son of the Namgung Patriarch, commanded, leading the Storm Wind Corps warriors who supported him to battle.

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However, the other clan members simply stared at him in shock, as if they couldn't believe what they had just heard.

Frowning, Namgung Hak explained, "These monsters' acupoints can't be sealed, and we can't knock them unconscious. To end this chaos quickly, we have no choice but to kill them."

One of the elders protested, "First Young Master! They may have lost their minds now, but they're our family! How can you ask us to kill them so easily? We should subdue them first, then tie them up and confine them…"

"Elder! They have learned demonic arts. Do you believe they can ever again hold their heads high as martial artists of the Namgung Clan?"

"D-Demonic arts, you say? Why would our children learn demonic arts…" Suddenly, the elder's wrinkled face twitched and his voice trailed off, as if he had just realized something.

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However, Namgung Hak was too distracted by the chaos around him to notice the elder's abnormal behavior. "The situation is dire. If we don't finish this battle quickly, our family may face total annihilation."

"……"

The Namgung Clan had already suffered heavy losses. About two hundred of their mid-level warriors, the core of the Namgung Clan's military forces, had turned into ghouls, and the number of martial artists killed or injured by them was more than double that.

Namgung Hak grimaced with rage. After today, we will no longer be the world's strongest clan. Even our position among the Five Great Clans will be at stake…

Raising his head, he looked up at the sky. The rain continued to pound the earth, as if the heavens were determined to cleanse the world of impurities.

It couldn't, however, interfere with the fight between the two supreme masters.

CLANG! BANG! BOOM!

The Blue Sky Sword King and the Night Emperor were still fighting in the air like dragons from mythology, tearing through the clouds, deflecting lightning in all directions, and displaying their awe-inspiring techniques that resembled divine spells.

Setting Grandfather aside, why is the Night Emperor so strong even though he's around the same age as me…?

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Namgung Hak clenched his teeth, suppressing his rising feelings of inferiority.

Grandfather, please…you must kill him.

Namgung Hak glanced toward where the Namgung Patriarch was. Although slightly less powerful than the energy waves he felt from the sky, he could sense another terrifying clash of qi from his father's location.

He glared at the elder who had questioned him. "The problem is not just the ghouls. The Night Emperor and the Asura Demon Sword have invaded along with a bunch of black-robed sorcerers. While I believe that my grandfather and father will kill them eventually, it's hard to gauge how much damage our family will suffer before that happens."

"Still…"

"We cannot be bound by sentiment and increase the sacrifices further, Elder. I'm sure my father would have made the same decision as me."

In the end, the elder sighed heavily and nodded. He was, after all, part of the faction that supported Namgung Hak as the next Patriarch.

"…I will support your decision, First Young Master."

Namgung Hak stepped forward and struck down a ghoul. "No more mercy! Our opponents are no longer martial artists of the Namgung Clan. They are ghouls who have lost their minds to evil demonic arts!"

SPLURT!

Pulling his sword from the ghoul's heart, he shouted firmly, "Let us clear this area quickly and head to where the Patriarch is!"

Namgung Hak and the Storm Wind Corps warriors following him began their assault.

Rivers of blood trickled across the ground in the rain.

I must act faster than Heok, Namgung Hak thought. He understood his younger brother Namgung Heok well enough to know that he would make the same decision. He was probably already leading the Endless Sky Corps, his followers, in their father's direction, cutting down the ghouls along the way.

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This is a great crisis, but if I can resolve it with my own hands, I'll gain a significant advantage in the successor war.

Although the eldest and second sons of the Namgung Clan were in different locations, at that moment, they were thinking the exact same thing.

"There's no time to capture them! Cut them all down!" Namgung Heok shouted.

Just like that, at the orders of the two brothers vying to be the next Patriarch, the Storm Wind Corps and the Endless Sky Corps carved a path of blood through their own family members.

However, even as they obeyed the brothers' orders, the Namgung Clan martial artists seethed with resentment.

Do we really have to kill them all?

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This is too much…

To them, we're nothing more than disposable tools, aren't we?

Everyone knew that Namgung Hak and Namgung Heok were in a fierce competition for succession, but weren't they shedding more blood than necessary just to be the first to overcome this crisis?

Nevertheless, even as their family's blood was shed and the faces of their followers grew darker, the eldest and second sons remained unmoved, cutting down their enemies without a flicker of emotion in their eyes.

"Show no mercy! Those who have learned demonic arts are no longer martial artists of the Namgung Clan!"

SHWAAAAA!

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The rain intensified, rinsing the blood away over and over, but for some reason, the stench of death only grew stronger.

The two brothers, along with the Storm Wind Corps and the Endless Sky Corps, raced feverishly, slaying ghoul after ghoul until finally, they met in front of the central training grounds.

"…Heok."

"…Hyung-nim."

Facing each other in the pouring rain, the brothers' martial arts uniforms were stained with the blood of their kin, a grim testament to their brutal contest.

"Shall we cooperate?"

"It seems we'll have to."

After a brief exchange, they looked in the same direction.

DING! DING! DING! GROOOOWL…

Over a hundred ghouls were gathered in the central training grounds, and black-robed sorcerers walked among them, ringing bells.

"Those damned sorcerers are controlling the ghouls with the sound of bells," Namgung Heok said, a fierce glint in his eyes.

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"We need to kill them quickly."

"Even if we kill the sorcerers, the ghouls won't return to their senses, will they?"

"We can at least break their ranks."

"So, we have to kill them all in the end. It seems you couldn't find any other way either, Hyung-nim."

"We need to prioritize reducing the number of casualties."

"I agree… By the way, have you seen Su?"

"No, not at all."

"Hmph. He was all talk during the training course, but I guess got scared he ran away."

The two brothers looked at the Namgung Patriarch's quarters beyond the central training ground, only to discover that it had been almost completely destroyed by the confrontation between their father and the Asura Demon Sword.

Even the occasional flashes of light and powerful energy waves sent shivers down their spines.

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"We need to join forces with Father and kill the Asura Demon Sword."

"Let's hurry."

Having finished their discussion, the two brothers looked back, ready to lead their followers into an all-out attack, when suddenly…

"NOOOOOO!"

A girl wearing a pure white raincoat came running towards them with her bodyguards and blocked their way.

She was Namgung Mi, their youngest sister.

"Please stop this! Are you going to kill all of our family members?" she screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.

On her way to find her brothers, Namgung Mi passed by countless mutilated corpses. The same family members who had smiled at her that very morning now lay bleeding and lifeless.

"Please don't hurt our family anymore…" she sobbed.

The sight of the girl speaking through her sobs stirred the emotions of the Namgung Clan martial artists. Suddenly, it was no longer clear whether the rainwater running down their faces was pure or mixed with tears.

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The two brothers, on the other hand, remained cold.

"This is not a situation where you can get your way by throwing a hissy fit, Mimi."

"We've spoiled you too much. Can't you even see that now is not the time to be rebellious? Do you want to die at the hands of the enemy?"

Annoyance colored their faces. Normally, they doted on their youngest sister because she was their father's favorite, but now she was an obstacle that stood in their way of proving themselves.

Namgung Mi clung to her brothers' clothes. "But you're both masters, so you can subdue them without hurting them, right? Right?"

"Step aside."

"You're in the way."

Namgung Hak and Namgung Heok heartlessly shook off their youngest sister's hands and coldly ordered the martial artists they had brought with them to attack.

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"These are people whose minds have been eaten away by demonic arts. Show no mercy and put them out of their misery!"

"Did you hear that? Sweep them all away!"

SPLASH!

Shoved away by her elder brothers, Namgung Mi fell on her butt, but no one paid her any attention.

With grim expressions, the Namgung Clan martial artists drew their swords and prepared to engage the ghouls…

TRULULULU!

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Suddenly, the sound of a flute cut through the rain, followed by a calm, commanding voice.

"Subdue all the bastards with the bells."

The hundred ghouls in the central training ground immediately pounced on the sorcerers.

"Keuaaak!"

"W-What?"

"Ow! Stop it!"

The sorcerers of the Blood Cult frantically shook their bells, but it was useless.

Within mere moments, the ghouls had overpowered the sorcerers, seized their bells, broken their limbs, and subdued them all.

"What's going on?"

"Why all of a sudden…?"

Confusion reigned as everyone exchanged puzzled glances, when a group of people appeared from the direction of the flute sounds.

Recognizing the people at the head of the group, Namgung Hak's eyes widened. "…The Azure Dragon Academy?"

Noticing that the group was maintaining an escort formation to protect someone in the middle, Namgung Heok muttered, "Su?"

Namgung Su, pale and playing a flute, was walking under an umbrella held by Ak Yeonho, while the Vermilion Phoenix and White Tiger instructors escorted him on either side. Behind them, over a hundred ghouls marched along obediently.

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"H-How did you get here?"

"What did you just do? And why are those ghouls following you obediently?"

While the eldest and second son were confused, Namgung Mi quickly rose to her feet and ran to Namgung Su.

"Su-oppa!" Namgung Mi cried, hugging Namgung Su tightly.

Namgung Su gently stroked his sister's head. "Don't worry, I'll end this soon."

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"Su-oppa…" Namgung Mi sniffled and rubbed her tears and snot all over Namgung Su's clothes.

Namgung Su furrowed his brows slightly, but eventually let out a small sigh and let her have her way.

Meanwhile, Namgung Hak and Namgung Heok approached Namgung Su menacingly, their eyes gleaming with greed as they stared intently at the Demonic Soul Summoning Flute.

"Did you just control the ghouls with that flute?"

"You bastard! Where have you been hiding until now?"

Namgung Su scowled. His brothers' blood-soaked uniforms and the countless corpses he'd passed on his way painted a clear picture. Blinded by their ambition to become the next Patriarch, the two of them had shed far too much innocent blood.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Is there only one flute? If you have more, give them to us too…"

Namgung Su's hand lashed out like lightning.

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SLAP! SLAP!

Two crisp slaps echoed through the rain as Namgung Hak and Namgung Heok's heads snapped to the side.

Everyone's jaws dropped in disbelief.

Killing intent flared in the eyes of the two brothers, and their faces flushed with anger and shame. Namgung Su's slap was so unexpected that they couldn't even react.

"You've gone mad!"

"Do you want to die?"

With his characteristic composure, Namgung Su said plainly, "I won the bet."

""What?""

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Sama Yeong and Tang Baekho, representing the Vermillion Phoenix and White Tiger Academies respectively, blocked the Namgung brothers and announced what they had agreed upon on the way there.

"The Azure Dragon Academy is the final victor of the new instructor training course."

"The White Tiger Academy concurs."

Namgung Hak and Namgung Heok were speechless. They finally realized their mistake.

While Namgung Su went to rescue the new instructors, both of them were only concerned with family affairs and neglected the people under their charge.

Since they hadn't even sent a single person to the dorms to check on the new instructors, it was only natural that they were angry.

Namgung Su continued, "We agreed that the winner of the bet would slap the cheeks of the other two, so I slapped you. Any objections?"

"Of all things, in this situation…"

"That doesn't count as fulfilling the bet…"

The two brothers tried to retort, but Namgung Su ignored them and bowed to the martial artists who followed his brothers.

"Please follow my instructions until the situation is resolved. If you do so, I will ensure that no more blood is shed in our Namgung Clan!"

A strange silence filled the air, and the pouring rain slowly began to subside.

This was the moment when the martial artists' opinions of Namgung Su changed entirely.