"Can you eat after hearing something like that?" I said, observing the reactions of the students in the audience.
At first, everyone had expressions as if they were questioning if they heard correctly.
Then, I noticed the student council president's face contorting with anger as our eyes met.
"Did he say his name was Dokgo Jun? Quite the reaction."
The other students' reactions were slightly delayed.
"What did he just say?"
"Did he ask if we can eat?"
"Ha, this is ridiculous..."
"Does he already think he's a lecturer?"
In an instant, the atmosphere began to boil.
The air grew hot, and some directed not just anger but a murderous intent towards me.
Even the female students who had shown me unconditional favor had their expressions harden.
Strangely, I felt relieved.
'It's not the worst yet.'
I turned to look at the gathered lecturers, and they wore similar expressions.
Nogun Sang asked me with a bewildered look.
"What are you saying right now?"
"I just spoke honestly about what I heard on the way here and my thoughts."
"Is there a reason to say such things here?"
"Yes, there is a reason."
As I nodded firmly and was about to continue, a voice as cold as ice echoed through the air.
"Get down from there immediately."
It was Namgung Su.
He glared at me with a murderous expression he hadn't shown even when using the Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique against Myeong Il-oh.
"Before I drag you down myself."
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Cheongryong Academy is not a place for you to evaluate as you please."
"..."
I quietly looked at Namgung Su.
A man filled with pride and competitiveness.
He probably hated what I just said more than anything.
It reminded me of my past self, and I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Truly pathetic."
"Are you testing the limits of my patience?"
"Have you always ignored reality like this? You can't change anything that way."
"Those who know nothing speak so easily. Everyone here is desperately trying."
"Desperate? No one here looks like they're about to die."
"Such nonsense..."
Nogun Sang, who had been watching our argument, shouted with internal energy.
"Both of you, stop!"
As we both fell silent, Nogun Sang glared at me with piercing eyes.
"Applicant Baek Suryong, continue what you were saying."
"Headmaster!"
"Teacher Namgung, stay quiet. If his words cross the line, I will personally remove him."
I met Nogun Sang's gaze directly without avoiding it.
It was not the gaze of the person who had told me last night, "I hope you become a good teacher."
It was the gaze of the highest authority of Cheongryong Academy and a great martial artist who had reached a high level, staring at me as if to pierce through me.
"If you have something to say, say it. But if your intention is to deceive Cheongryong Academy and me... I will personally hold you accountable for that crime."
The terrifying aura emanating from Nogun Sang made the hair on my body stand on end.
'If I'm not careful, I might have to offer my neck.'
Of course, that won't happen.
This entire situation is a picture I intended.
"Thank you for the opportunity."
I respectfully cupped my fists to Nogun Sang and turned to face the audience.
'Yes, this is how it should be.'
Most of the students were glaring at me with displeased expressions.
From now on, they would evaluate and judge every word I said.
"I know my words just now must have sounded unpleasant to you. But I hope you'll listen to my story for a moment."
After lightly cupping my fists to the students, I began to speak with internal energy in my voice.
"I have a knack and hobby for observing people. Watching my surroundings to survive since I was young has become a habit."
"...?"
"What is he talking about?"
The students looked puzzled at my sudden, seemingly unrelated story.
I continued without minding them.
"When you observe a person's words, actions, and appearance closely, you can roughly guess their martial arts, personality, and life."
"Ha! So we have a fortune teller instead of a new instructor."
Laughter erupted here and there at someone's comment.
The mocking and ridicule added to the unpleasant gazes.
I continued my story without caring.
"I met quite a few people on my way here."
I turned my head to find someone.
Gwak Duyong, who was standing blankly among the applicants, looked puzzled when our eyes met.
I gave him a slight smile.
"Someone belittled Cheongryong Academy, claiming Suzaku Academy was the best. He was confident that becoming an instructor at Cheongryong Academy was a simple task."
Gulp.
Gwak Duyong swallowed dryly and shook his head with trembling eyes.
His eyes pleaded for me not to reveal that he was the one.
I smiled slightly and turned my gaze from Gwak Duyong to the other applicants around him.
"There was also this incident. Somehow, I ended up drinking with a wealthy student's group, and the so-called instructors were flattering the student as if they would give up everything for him."
"...!!"
The faces of the applicants who had been at the drinking party that day turned pale.
I glared at each of them one by one.
"Some were bowing to the student, asking for favors, and even pouring drinks for him."
"W-what..."
"When did we..."
They all looked anxious, worried that I might drag them into the mud.
Some glared at me as if they wanted to kill me, sending threats, pleas, and curses through sound transmission.
[Do you think you'll get away with this?]
[Instructor Baek, let's not do this among colleagues...]
[You bastard! What grudge do you have against me to act like this?]
I ignored most of them, but I couldn't ignore one person's sound transmission.
Maek Geukryeom sent a sound transmission with an anxious expression.
[What are you trying to do? Why bring up a story that's already over...]
[Grandfather, don't worry.
I'm not trying to harm the academy.]
I wasn't standing here to expose how pathetic the new instructor applicants were.
"That's enough about the instructors. Now, let's talk about you."
I looked around at the students sitting in the audience.
Most were unfamiliar faces, but there were a few familiar ones.
'That guy is here too.'
I met eyes with Heonwon Kang, who was looking down at me from afar with a crooked gaze.
"I saw a friend with great talent here. He was causing a scene while drunk, and from what I heard, he's a notorious troublemaker in the academy."
"That bastard...!"
Heonwon Kang glared at me with an angry face as the surrounding gazes gathered on him.
It was a story known to those who knew.
No matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn't be unaffected by being openly called a troublemaker.
I spoke as if to make sure Heonwon Kang heard me.
"That student was wasting his life despite having tremendous talent. He looked like an old man who had lived his life."
"Shut up! What do you know about me to say such things?"
"Will you tell me if I ask?"
"Damn it!"
Heonwon Kang stood up abruptly and left the audience.
I watched his shrinking back and spoke.
"He's not the only one. I've seen many talented friends here."
I looked at Dokgo Jun, Dang Soso, and Paeng Sahyeok in turn.
Paeng Sahyeok looked uncomfortable when he felt my gaze linger on him.
"A student from a good family subtly showed off his power by inviting prospective instructors."
"..."
Paeng Sahyeok tried to maintain a calm expression, but I could see his fists clenched tightly on his knees.
"I wondered why. Is it because he's inherently bad? Does he want to dominate the academy and play childish power games? I don't think so."
Paeng Sahyeok's shoulders moved up and down slowly as he gritted his teeth.
The surrounding students watched Paeng Sahyeok's reaction.
Seeing that, I clicked my tongue lightly and continued.
"It's because of inferiority."
"How dare you...!"
Ignoring Paeng Sahyeok's murderous gaze, I turned my head.
I looked at the many students whose names I didn't know yet.
"The Cheongryong Academy I saw with my own eyes was, contrary to rumors, a treasure trove of young and talented late bloomers."
"..."
But there was one big problem.
I stood here because I wanted to point out that problem.
"Do you know what you all have in common?"
They were listening to me with a slightly different gaze than at the beginning.
There was still more displeasure and coldness, but among them, some looked at me with curiosity and a hopeful expectation.
At that moment, I smiled coldly and changed my tone.
"You are so steeped in inferiority and a sense of defeat from being the lowest among the five academies that you don't even think you can change."
With harsh words, I shattered even the slightest expectation of the students who wanted to hear a hopeful story.
"Drunk on the thought that reality can't change, you cause trouble while drunk, bully instructors, and comfort yourself by saying you're not a talent to attend such a trashy academy, making excuses every day, deceiving yourselves."
Boom!
With a ground-shaking step, a student stood up.
"That's not true!"
Student council president Dokgo Jun glared at me with eyes that seemed to burn me alive.
"This year, we are different. We are ready to work with the determination to die, and we will show the results of that effort this year!"
Though his confident ambition was admirable, ambition alone wouldn't produce results.
I asked Dokgo Jun.
"What is the student council's goal for this year?"
"To achieve better results in the Heavenly Martial Festival than last year."
"May I ask specifically what rank you're aiming for?"
"That is..."
As Dokgo Jun hesitated, Dang Soso, standing next to him, spoke with shining eyes.
"Realistically, we're aiming to beat Baekho Academy."
Baekho Academy ranked fourth in the overall score at last year's Heavenly Martial Festival.
Their goal was merely to escape last place.
I let out a deep sigh.
"... Why are you sighing? Do you also think we can't do it, Instructor?"
Dang Soso bit her lip and looked at me.
I looked at her, then turned to observe the expressions of Dokgo Jun and the other student council executives.
'They're all anxious.'
They didn't even believe in the goals they set for themselves.
I turned to look at the other students as well.
From the moment the word 'Heavenly Martial Festival' was mentioned, most of the students' expressions had darkened.
'How big is the gap with the other academies?'
The Heavenly Martial Festival.
Since arriving in this city, I've heard stories related to it everywhere.
- Damn it.
Ten years in a row at the bottom...
- This year is different, the student council is determined.
- If it were going to change, it would have changed already.
Last year, the score difference was twice that of fourth place.
It was overwhelmingly last.
- But if it's Dokgo Jun...
I haven't seen it with my own eyes, so I can't know the exact gap between Cheongryong Academy and the other academies.
But one thing is certain: they are terrified of the Heavenly Martial Festival itself.
Watching the students' frightened and intimidated appearances, I slowly opened my mouth.
"Everyone, I came to Cheongryong Academy to become a top instructor."
At my sudden words, the instructors and students looked at me with expressions of disbelief.
"Becoming a top instructor. Honestly, I didn't think it would be that difficult."
Most of them snorted and sneered at my continued words.
I continued without minding them.
"But someone told me to become a good teacher before becoming a top instructor."
"..."
The topic Nogun Sang threw at me last night lingered in my mind all night.
At the same time, the faces of the disciples I had trained in the past also lingered.
"I thought all night about what it means to be a good teacher. It's definitely harder than becoming a top instructor. A top instructor just needs to produce a lot of masters, but if I do that, it seems difficult to be called a good teacher..."
If I teach the way I did in the Blood Sect, I could quickly be called a top instructor.
But that would only repeat past mistakes.
"So I decided to make a new plan. To become both a top instructor and a good teacher."
I smiled and looked at the students who might become my pupils.
We don't know each other well yet, but as we learn, teach, and roll around together, we'll get to know a lot.
"So, what I'm saying is..."
I wondered how these kids would think of me a year from now.
'First, I'll get rid of your inferiority complex.'
I spoke in a nonchalant tone, but with my voice filled with internal energy so everyone could hear.
"This year's Heavenly Martial Festival. I will take responsibility and lead Cheongryong Academy to victory."