Chapter 11

I’ve Finally Found One

National Academy – West Building, 4th Floor

At the end of the corridor hung a plaque bearing two words:

Martial Research Society

It sounded prestigious.

A club dedicated to researching martial arts.

But honestly…

Who at the National Academy wasn’t researching martial arts?

Everyone knew what it really was.

A social club that only accepted cadets with powerful backgrounds—heirs to major guilds, children of influential politicians and business leaders, and third-generation chaebol heirs.

“It’s been pretty noisy lately.”

“You mean because of that contract professor?”

“Tell me about it. The rumors are getting ridiculous. Some people are saying he’s not just a political appointment—that he’s actually a living weapon raised by the Bureau.”

“Rumors should at least make some sense. Have you ever seen an assassin walking around drinking whiskey?”

“Still… if releasing his killing intent once sent almost an entire class to the infirmary, there has to be something unusual about him.”

As conversations buzzed around the room, someone’s gaze shifted toward the window.

“Yoo-sik, what do you think?”

A female cadet asked curiously, causing everyone else to turn toward him.

“I heard you were in that class because of your suspension. Are the rumors true?”

“…”

Cha Yoo-sik didn’t answer.

He simply sat there with his legs crossed, staring out the window.

“A-Ahem… I guess Yoo-sik isn’t feeling well today.”

Embarrassed, the girl backed off.

None of them knew…

That beneath the table, the muscles in Cha Yoo-sik’s crossed legs were trembling uncontrollably.

Is this really right…?

He bit his lip.

Since Sunday’s first lesson…

The contract professor had done nothing except make them hold a horse stance.

Three hours.

Every day.

That was literally all they did.

Nothing else.

Maybe…

Maybe he doesn’t actually know how to teach and is just making us suffer to kill time.

But he couldn’t quit.

Because the others kept showing up.

If he gave up…

And then that professor revealed some genuine secret martial art…

He’d regret it for the rest of his life.

It really feels like I’m getting scammed.

The most irritating part…

Was that he couldn’t confidently call it a scam.

“Yoo-sik? Are you really okay? You look pale.”

The voice of the cadet across from him finally pulled him back to reality.

A crooked smile spread across his lips.

“If you’re so curious…”

“You can enroll next semester.”

“…What?”

“That is…”

“If you’ve got the guts to cross the line he draws.”

Where Is the Busiest Place in the Academy?

Ask anyone.

Every single person would answer:

The New Hall.

A massive, magnificent building that proudly displayed the Academy’s prestige.

Splash!

At the center of the plaza stood a large fountain.

Crowds flowed constantly through the square.

Cadets rushing to major classes.

High school students visiting on field trips.

Tourists taking commemorative photos.

Where are you…?

Kang Hyun sat lazily on a bench in the corner.

Though he appeared relaxed…

His eyes were carefully examining every cadet who passed.

Their physiques.

Their constitutions.

Come on…

Just one.

Someone whose body is even remotely compatible with one of the Seven Elders’ martial arts.

Every morning after class ended…

His real work began.

Searching the Academy for vessels capable of completing the Seven Luminaries Formation.

Why can’t I find even one?

Suddenly…

He remembered the expressions on the elders’ faces when they had discovered him at thirteen.

The boy born with the Heavenly Martial Body.

So that’s why…

That’s why those old bastards danced around laughing like lunatics…

Sometimes…

He still dreamed about it.

He’d wake up thirteen years old again.

Surrounded by those deranged old men.

Being beaten.

Bones breaking.

Blood pouring from his mouth.

And just as he felt himself about to die…

He’d wake up.

Damn old fossils…

Even after dying, you still won’t leave me alone.

He took a sip of whiskey from his tumbler to suppress the nausea.

“Mr. Kang Hyuuun! Huff… Huff…”

Someone came running toward him.

It was Lee Se-ah.

“Chick.”

“Why do you keep wandering around everywhere? Huff…”

“I already told you.”

“Stop following me.”

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she collapsed onto the bench opposite him.

“Following you is my job.”

“I told you that job can take a break.”

“My direct superior is Director Kim.”

“Give me his phone number.”

“No thanks.”

She immediately refused.

Knowing Kang Hyun…

He’d probably call him.

“Anyway…”

“Why are you always walking around outside?”

“If you knew, could you solve it?”

“Of course!”

“Just tell me.”

“I graduated first in my class when I joined the Bureau.”

“I’m in the Special Operations Team.”

“We’ve got information networks.”

“What do you need?”

“Oh?”

“Then find me someone.”

“Someone with the Heavenly Meridian Eyes.”

“Or the Nine Yin Severed Meridian.”

“The Nine Yang Broken Meridian.”

“The Ghost Eye.”

“Hmm…”

“The Heavenly Slaughter Physique or the Vajra Body would also do.”

“…What?”

Lee Se-ah stared blankly.

“…What are those?”

“I thought you had good information.”

“I-I’ll look into it.”

“No need.”

How could she possibly know?

Even in the martial world…

Those physiques appeared perhaps once every thousand years.

He hadn’t expected anything.

Instead…

He quietly watched her breathing finally return to normal.

I wonder…

Why does she work this hard?

He knew.

When he’d moved into the faculty residence…

She had personally furnished everything.

Even stocked his liquor cabinet.

She had even moved into the residence next door…

And practically never went home.

That’s some serious patriotism.

People like that had existed in the martial world too.

Loyalty.

Duty.

The greater good.

People who threw away their entire lives under noble banners.

“You can relax a little.”

Kang Hyun spoke lazily while taking another drink.

“Even if you sacrifice your whole life like that…”

“No one’s going to appreciate it.”

Those weren’t empty words.

They came from twenty years of sacrificing himself to save the world.

Country.

Loyalty.

Duty.

If you couldn’t even take care of yourself…

How could you ever do anything properly?

“I don’t mind if nobody notices.”

“…Hmm?”

“I’ll know.”

“I know that I’m doing something important.”

“…Do you?”

A mission you’ve chosen for yourself…

He’d met plenty of people like that.

Admirable.

But foolish.

“Do whatever you want.”

“After enough hardship, you’ll eventually—”

He stopped mid-sentence.

The laziness disappeared from his eyes.

…What?

On the opposite side of the fountain…

A female cadet was walking through the crowd.

Short black hair swayed gently.

Her pale blue eyes contrasted sharply against it.

No way.

Kang Hyun’s heart pounded.

The Heavenly Meridian Eyes!

Eyes capable of directly perceiving the flow of qi and meridians.

Kang Hyun possessed similar eyes.

But his…

Had been artificially forced open.

Those lunatic old men had literally poured the juice of poisonous herbs into his eyes until the ability awakened.

This girl’s…

Were natural.

A true pair of Spirit Eyes.

This…

This is unbelievable.

A chill ran through him.

A legendary physique that appeared perhaps once in a thousand years…

And only a few days after arriving at the Academy…

It was walking right in front of him.

How is this even possible?

“You said you didn’t want to go home, right?”

“…Huh?”

Blinking in confusion, Lee Se-ah looked at him.

“That cadet.”

He gestured toward the black-haired girl.

“Investigate her.”

“Who?”

“The girl with the blue eyes.”

“…Understood!”

Among the Seven Elders…

The physician known as Mad Hand had been responsible for the Water Luminary Formation.

He constantly lamented that without the Heavenly Meridian Eyes…

Its true power could never be fully unleashed.

But if it were her…

She might surpass even Mad Hand himself.

She might become the perfect user of the formation Kang Hyun needed most.

The formation capable of purifying Asura’s corruption.

A smile slowly spread across his face.

Not long afterward…

Lee Se-ah returned with the student’s information.

“Her name is Baek Yu-yeon.”

“Nineteenth-year cadet.”

“And?”

“One moment.”

Tapping…

She opened the student records on her tablet.

“Wow…”

“She’s an incredibly famous genius.”

“Top grades.”

“And most importantly…”

“She possesses perfect memory.”

“Anything she sees once…”

“She never forgets.”

“So she even has a nickname.”

“…Nickname?”

“‘The Walking Encyclopedia.'”

“They say she can memorize even the most complicated formations or martial formulas after reading them only once.”

“Even the professors are amazed.”

Kang Hyun silently swirled the whiskey in his tumbler.

The Talent of Never Forgetting…

That ability naturally accompanied the Heavenly Meridian Eyes.

Those eyes perceived essence rather than appearances.

Things like complicated formulas…

Were impossible to forget.

“Major?”

“Martial Medicine.”

Perfect.

Inside, Kang Hyun cheered.

Exactly the same specialty as Mad Hand.

“One more thing.”

“She’s Professor Hwang Ye-rim’s favorite student.”

“Professor Hwang is considered Korea’s leading authority in martial medicine.”

For the first time…

He understood, if only slightly, how those old men must have felt.

Finding the right vessel…

Really was exhilarating.

Of course…

Understanding them didn’t mean he intended to imitate them.

Now then…

How should I approach her?

That was something to consider carefully.

A genius devoted to martial medicine…

Would naturally possess endless intellectual curiosity.

And in that field…

Kang Hyun had complete confidence that no one in this world could surpass him.

The setting sun painted the Academy crimson.

Sitting atop the roof of the New Hall…

Kang Hyun leisurely watched below while drinking whiskey.

There she is.

Baek Yu-yeon.

The black-haired girl carrying a stack of books nearly as tall as herself.

His future disciple with the Heavenly Meridian Eyes.

Having already decided on her…

He no longer paid attention to anyone else.

He quietly observed her from above.

Then—

Tap.

Someone stepped directly into her path.

A tall, handsome male cadet.

Does she have a boyfriend?

Resting his chin on his hand, Kang Hyun watched with interest.

But…

The atmosphere didn’t resemble a romantic meeting at all.

“Baek Yu-yeon.”

The girl stopped.

“M-Minwoo.”

The young man called Minwoo pulled a crisp document from inside his jacket and held it in front of her.

Even from a distance…

Kang Hyun could tell.

It was a contract.

“It’s an agreement.”

“After graduation…”

“You’ll work in our guild’s medical corps for ten years.”

“…”

“Just stamp it.”

“…”

Baek Yu-yeon bit her lip and tightly closed her eyes.

Watching from the rooftop…

Kang Hyun frowned.

What’s going on here?

A ten-year exclusive contract?

Who decided that?

His relaxed gaze instantly turned cold.

Then—

“Hey.”

“What are you two doing here?”

A rough, unruly voice cut between them.

“…Huh?”

Kang Hyun blinked.

Kwak Do-jin?

What’s he doing here?

Well…

This just got interesting.

He’d been drinking alone and was lacking something to accompany his whiskey.

It seemed…

An excellent show had just begun.