The teachers were all masters, and there were also a great number of warriors that accompanied them on the journey.
With this in mind, Kang-hyuk relaxed, and decided that it wouldn't be too problematic if he returned to the Academy a little early.
He was suddenly approached by Ok Hae-mi.
"Kang Seonsaengnim."
She smiled as she spoke.
"We're planning on resting for a while when we get to that place over there."
Things had turned out well.
***
Kang-hyuk immediately set out for the Academy after reporting to Yun Hseong that he was planning on leaving a little early.
He said that he had something important to do that he couldn't directly reveal. While Yun Hseong seemed to have misunderstood his words, he told Kang-hyuk that he could leave.
And so, Kang-hyuk was able to arrive at the Academy without any further issue.
He had arrived within an hour of setting out, and went straight to his residence upon his arrival.
"Huh? Seo-seonsaengnim!"
"You're here so quickly, what happened?"
Byeok Ae-rin and Baek-gap, who had arrived earlier, were in the midst of cleaning Kang-hyuk's residence when Kang-hyuk unexpectedly appeared, asked in surprise.
Kang-hyuk responded after putting Deuk, who he had been holding in his arms onto the floor.
"Ah, it's nothing much. There was something I was personally curious about. That's all."
He then turned to look at Baek-gap.
"I can meet the Clan Leader right now, right?"
Surprised by Kang-hyuk's unexpected question, Baek-gap hastily answered, "Ah! Yes!"
Kang-hyuk continued.
"Tell him to come to Yeongyowon immediately."
"Understood!"
Baek-gap put down his broom, and rushed into the forest behind the residence.
Byeok Ae-rin looked concerned.
"Why are you asking for the Clan Leader?"
"He said that they've found out the location of the Black Snake Sect."
"Ah, I too had been curious…."
Byeok Ae-rin grinned, and continued.
"About where the fellows whose livers jumped out of their bellies [1] were hiding."
*Woof….?*
Deuk, who had been playing with the morning glory vines in the garden, looked towards Byeok Ae-rin, taken aback at the rush of ferocious energy emanating from her.
Kang-hyuk spoke as he stroked Deuk, "I guess we'll find out when I go to Yeongyowon."
Kang-hyuk soon left for Yeongyowon.
Mu-jin, who left as soon as he had received Baek-gap's message, was already standing there, waiting.
"Greetings Hyung-nim."
"You must have exerted a lot of effort, good job."
Mu-jin bowed at Kang-hyuk's praise.
"It was nothing at all."
"So, who was it?"
Kang-hyuk was straight to the point.
Mu-jin responded, "The man who we caught was a librarian named Hong-bae, he was the man that switched Woo Cheon-baek's earring."
"I see. Right now, I'm actually more curious about the whereabouts of the Black Snake Sect."
"Their location is on the border between Nakyang and Sanseo...by any chance, are you planning on going there?"
Kang-hyuk nodded.
"Do you remember what I said to you before? That my only work now is to be of some help to the students."
"I remember."
"I also said that I would a.s.sist them with things that they wouldn't be able to handle."
"I remember you saying that too."
Kang-hyuk took a breath in, and continued.
"I was deliberating over this last night, and I thought I'd add something to those two things."
He spoke whilst clenching his fists.
"It's also my job to eradicate those that try to harm my students."
But what Mu-jin seemed to have heard was, 'It's my job to eradicate those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds that made things bothersome for me by troubling my students.'
Mu-jin revealed the exact details of the Black Snake Sect's whereabouts as he sensed the murderous energy that was slowly diffusing out of Kang-hyuk.
"I see. Then, I'll see you later."
Kang-hyuk had turned to move almost as soon as Mu-jin spoke of the exact location.
Mu-jin shouted out at Kang-hyuk with urgency.
"Hyu-hyung-nim! You should at least take some weapons with you!"
Kang-hyuk took an item out of his sleeve, and waved it at Mu-jin.
"Weapon? This will be sufficient."
The pupils of Mu-jin's eyes were trembling.
He had seen the item a few days ago, and had almost been beaten with it.
It was none other than…the attendance book.
***
At the same time.
It was at the location of the Black Snake Sect, on the border between Nakyang and Sanseo.
Thousands of warriors clothed in black seemed to be moving busily.
"Move quickly!"
"You aren't even close to doing well!"
Watching the warriors from the fourth story of a magnificent building was a middle-aged man, with a man clothed in black next to him.
"Have the preparations all been made?"
The man in black replied promptly at the middle-aged man's query.
"All we need to do now is to leave, Munju-nim!"
The middle-aged man was none other than the Black Snake Sect's head, Cho Soh.
There were only two managing leaders of the sect left now, but this was of no real concern to Cho Soh.
The managing leaders weren't men that he had personally trained, but were men that were akin to products that 'that person' had given to him for use.
The only thing that was of importance to Cho Soh was to fulfil the expectations of 'that person'.
That was the only way that he could enjoy wealth and prestige.
"Let them start setting off then."
"Understood!"
Cho Soh grinned as the managing leader left.
He had suddenly recalled the reward that he would receive if today's mission was successful.
Lines of Black Snake Sect warriors were heading out towards Snaketail Valley.
Around two hours had pa.s.sed.
A figure had entered.
Wearing a blue teacher's uniform, and rolling an attendance book in his hand, it was Kang-hyuk.
He looked up to read the signboard of the building in front of him.
'Black Snake Sect'
"I guess I've come to the right place."
His mutter alerted the attention of two warriors who were guarding the entrance of the building, causing them to approach him.
"Who are you?!"
Kang-hyuk replied to the warrior's cry calmly.
"Me? I'm Hwacheon Academy's horticulture teacher."
"What? Horticulture teacher?"
"Pwahahahaha!"
The two warriors began to laugh dumbfoundedly at Kang-hyuk's response.
"So you're not even a martial arts teacher, you're a horticulture teacher?"
"If it's horticulture, then you must be a liberal arts subject teacher?"
"It seems like this teacher is insane!"
"How dare you come here!"
Kang-hyuk responded to their taunts unperturbed; "I think it's actually you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds that have no fear."
"What?
"How dare you touch the students of Hwacheon Academy that I'm teaching at?"
Kang-hyuk smiled.
An unexpected jolt of fear ran through the two warriors at the sight of his smile.
"I guess the school did receive a blow eh?"
*Pak!*
As the warrior spoke, a ferocious energy exploded from Kang-hyuk, sweeping the two warriors away with such a pace that they couldn't even let out a scream. The neck bones of the two warriors were crushed, and they died on the spot soon enough.
Kang-hyuk confidently entered the Black Snake Sect headquarters.
"Who are you!?"
"Reveal your ident.i.ty!"
Warriors that were inside the building then rushed towards Kang-hyuk, brandishing a variety of weapons.
*Swoosh-!*
*Pok-!*
*Clash!*
Despite their attempts, it was impossible for their weapons to strike Kang-hyuk's body. The powerful enraged energy that was surrounding his body was blocking them.
Their weapons were in fact broken by the attempts.
Kang-hyuk addressed them, "I'm busy. Stop acting uselessly and call the Head!"
"You won't be able to see the Head till you get through us!"
"d.a.m.n it. I guess you'll all have to die."
The warriors had overlooked Kang-hyuk's personality.
As Kang-hyuk took a step forward, a warrior put his arm out to stop him from doing so.
This was foolhardy.
Kang-hyuk's energy field had broken a sword made of iron, therefore, there was no possibility of an arm surviving it.
"Arghhhh!!"
Despite the man wailing loudly, clutching his missing arm, Kang-hyuk paid no notice.
His attention was on observing his surroundings, and his gaze soon fell upon a four story building.
He could feel the energy of the Head of the Black Snake Sect residing in that location.
"Oh ho? So it's there, huh!"
As he had found his goal, Kang-hyuk made no delay in his movements, the speed of movement of his youthful body was akin to that of a flying arrow.
"He's heading towards where the Head is!"
"Stop him!"
"100 gold coins will be given to the warrior that brings me that man's head!"
At the sudden sound of someone's voice, the almost dead fighting spirit of warriors sprang back to life.
They all began to rush towards Kang-hyuk.
The mere sight of five hundred soldiers rushing towards a person would be enough to make someone tremble with fear, but Kang-hyuk was completely indifferent.
He instead sighed deeply.
"Why are you all being like this when I said I'm busy!"
Kang-hyuk brandished his attendance book.
He never spared anyone who purposely tried to attack him.
"You b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!"
Kang-hyuk's body immediately moved into action as he cried out.
*Swoosh-!*
*Pok-!*
Dozens of warriors were struck down by Kang-hyuk's sword-like attendance book.
One strike of the attendance book was enough.
The warriors were unable to even approach Kang-hyuk. The fierce energy field surrounding him was still present.
As he continued, bodies of the slain warriors were stacking up around Kang-hyuk. Nut there was no sign of the Head of the Black Snake Sect.
Kang-hyuk clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk. Despite your warriors all dying, I can't even see an inch of your nose. I guess you don't really suit the position of the head. Of course, I've known that for a while anyway."
After having knocked out all of the attacking warriors within a timespan of fifteen minutes, Kang-hyuk tenaciously entered the four story building.
Kang-hyuk looked up.
He could feel the energy of the head on the fourth floor of the building. Kang-hyuk could see that there were stairs that led up to the various floors.
But, ignoring their presence, he moved to stand in the direct middle of the building.
And then.
*Bam*
He stamped his foot.
His body began to fly upwards.
*Pabababak!*
Everything that surrounded the whirlwind that was Kang-hyuk's field of energy instantly shattered upon coming into contact with it, and Kang-hyuk rose up through the floors of the building.
Having reached the ceiling of the third floor of the building, he lightly flew up through to the fourth floor.
In front of him stood a man clothed in black, as well as a middle-aged man.
Kang-hyuk was already aware that the middle-aged man was the Head. There had been a time in the past when he had seen him from a distance.
He spared him because he hadn't been after Kang-hyuk's life, and behaved somewhat meekly at the time.
"It's been a while."
The middle-aged men clenched his jaw at Kang-hyuk's casual greeting, unable to grasp his true ident.i.ty from his age-reversal process.
"You're quite rude, aren't you? Being a young man, you should know to respect your elders."
Kang-hyuk smiled at the Head's words.
"I apologize, but it's because I'm more of an elder than you are."
"I thought you were just rude, but I guess you're crazy as well."
"Ah, I'm sorry, but just calling me crazy won't really have an insulting effect on me as I've already heard it too many times. So if you want to curse me, it'd be better to choose another curse."
The man in black stood in front of the Head and drew his sword.
"No more joking, I guess!"
Kang-hyuk looked at the man in black, then addressed the middle-aged man.
"You should face me directly instead of this rookie! Aren't you ashamed at hiding behind your men, being the Head?"
"I don't care. His job is to protect me anyway."
Another man in black flew out as soon as the Head had finished speaking, brandishing a sword intended for Kang-hyuk's neck.
The sound of cutting air could be heard.
The man was one of the two managing leaders of the Black Snake Sect that were still remaining.
The Black Snake Sect had a slightly unusual management system. All of its managers were made managing leaders, and so they were to follow the orders of the Head unfailingly, at the cost of their own lives. Therefore, only the strongest of the managing leaders would survive.
The most powerful of all of the managing leaders was the man which was the Head's personal guard.
The man that was currently standing in front of Kang-hyuk.
*Clash!* *Clash clash!*
But, the man's sword was unable to penetrate Kang-hyuk's powerful energy field. Despite the man's sustained efforts, he couldn't even get close to Kang-hyuk.
"Ah! What is that? What kind of magic are you using?"
The man in black spoke whilst groaning at the aftereffect of his energy beginning to flow backwards. Kang-hyuk replied, "Ah, are you asking about my energy? It's my force field."
"I've never heard of such a force field."
"Of course you haven't."
Kang-hyuk smiled murderously.
"The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds that experienced the effects of my force field by attempting to attack me are all dead now."
[1] Korean idiom that describes someone who is overbold and foolhardy, ignoring apparent hardship.
