"Do you want to transfer?"
"Yes."
Facing the question from Elder No, Peng Sahyuk nodded with a determined expression.
Elder No looked at Peng Sahyuk for a moment before asking, "Why now? What's the reason?"
Peng Sahyuk honestly felt uncomfortable in this situation.
However, to transfer to another academy, he needed a recommendation letter from Elder No, the head of the academy.
Bowing his head respectfully, Peng Sahyuk spoke, "I apologize, but I believe there is nothing more to learn at the Azure Dragon Academy. I want to compete with more outstanding students in a better environment."
"Hmm..."
Elder No was momentarily speechless and then let out a small sigh.
"Which academy are you considering for the transfer?"
"The Heavenly Martial Academy."
"Well, at least it's not the White Tiger Academy."
The Azure Dragon Academy and the White Tiger Academy had been long-time rivals.
Located in the east and west of the martial world, the two academies had a peculiar sense of competition, and their results in the Heavenly Martial Tournament were similar, causing both students and instructors to growl at each other when they met.
...
Though that rivalry had become meaningless as the Azure Dragon Academy had ranked last for ten consecutive years.
"I've only thought about the Heavenly Martial Academy."
"What about the transfer preparations? If you start now, it will be tight."
"If you just write the recommendation letter, I'll handle the rest."
Of course, transferring is extremely difficult.
One must have excellent grades from the current academy and pass a practical test several times harder than the entrance exam.
For someone from the Azure Dragon Academy, the lowest of the five great academies, to transfer to the Heavenly Martial Academy, the standards would be even stricter.
"There will be a lot of prejudice too. The instructors and students there will constantly test you."
However, Peng Sahyuk showed no sign of concern, as if all of that was nothing to him.
"It doesn't matter."
"... Is that so? Well, if it's you, you'll adapt well."
No matter how many talents there were at the Heavenly Martial Academy, Peng Sahyuk was a talent who could stand out there as well.
'With that unyielding personality, he might even shake up the Heavenly Martial Academy.'
Elder No suddenly smiled mischievously, causing Peng Sahyuk to look at him with a puzzled expression.
"But you know, I'm not sure how to write about your character in the recommendation letter. You've dominated the club union for three years, created a following, bullied classmates, and almost got into trouble with the authorities this year trying to tame new instructors."
"Sir, Headmaster."
For the first time, Peng Sahyuk showed signs of embarrassment.
Seeing this, Elder No's smile deepened.
"You're quite a problematic student when you think about it. I wonder what the head of the Heavenly Martial Academy would think if they knew about this."
"Headmaster..."
Peng Sahyuk was genuinely flustered.
If Elder No really mentioned 'character issues' in the recommendation letter, the transfer would be as good as gone.
'Damn it...'
The opponent was Elder No, known as the Thousand-Handed Guanyin, a master among masters.
Threatening him with the name of the Peng family from Hebei wouldn't work.
Seeing Peng Sahyuk's flustered face, Elder No chuckled and said, "I'm joking. I'll leave out the character part in the recommendation letter. Although your pranks sometimes went too far, you generally handled things well."
"... Thank you."
Peng Sahyuk sighed in relief and replied.
However, Elder No's words were not yet finished.
"But, think about it for one more day."
"What? Why..."
At that moment, Elder No looked at Peng Sahyuk with deep eyes.
Feeling as if those eyes could see through his innermost thoughts, Peng Sahyuk subtly avoided his gaze.
"The reason you want to transfer. That's not all, is it?"
"... Why do you think that?"
"Because there's lingering regret in your eyes. When you live long enough, you come to know things even if you don't want to."
"..."
"If you want to go to the Heavenly Martial Academy, I'll send you there anytime. But before that, cleanly settle any lingering regrets you have here. If you just leave them, they might become a heart demon."
The words "I've already settled all my regrets cleanly" rose to the tip of his tongue, but Peng Sahyuk was not foolish enough to say such things to a great senior of the martial world and the head of the academy.
"... I understand."
"I'll have the recommendation letter ready by tomorrow afternoon, so come to pick it up then."
"Yes."
Peng Sahyuk stood up, bowed to Elder No, and turned around.
At that moment, Elder No's gentle voice reached his back.
"Three years ago, when you entered the Azure Dragon Academy, the teachers had high expectations for you. I was no different."
"... I'm sorry for not meeting those expectations."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's our fault for not teaching you properly. In fact, I feel sorry. But you know."
Peng Sahyuk slowly turned around.
Elder No, who met his eyes, smiled warmly and said, "I still have great expectations for you."
"... Are you telling me to stay at the Azure Dragon Academy?"
When Peng Sahyuk asked with a hardened expression, Elder No shook his head.
"That's not what I mean. It doesn't matter whether you stay here or go to the Heavenly Martial Academy. Just do your best wherever you are and achieve your goals. That's how you meet my expectations."
"..."
"Of course, it's a bit regretful. I think there will be a lot of interesting things at the Azure Dragon Academy this year. You know why, right?"
Elder No smiled with a pure, childlike smile.
Seeing that smile, Peng Sahyuk couldn't help but smile back.
"I think I know."
At that moment, the same person's face appeared in both of their minds.
- This year at the Heavenly Martial Tournament.
I'll make sure we win.
Baek Suryong, who confidently spoke of winning the Heavenly Martial Tournament.
Of course, it was an impossible task, but it was easy to predict that he would do everything he could to achieve results.
"Won't you regret not seeing that?"
"It seems interesting, but I can't change anything by myself."
That was the conclusion Peng Sahyuk had reached.
"I'll be going now."
Peng Sahyuk bowed his head slightly, turned his body, and left the headmaster's office.
Elder No did not stop him any further.
Thud!
As Peng Sahyuk stepped out, he muttered softly, "... I have no more regrets."
Walking through the academy, Peng Sahyuk reflected on the past three years he spent at the Azure Dragon Academy.
No matter how he sugarcoated it, he wasn't a good student.
Most of the classes were not challenging enough and were incredibly boring, and his peers were all weak and uninteresting.
'At least Dokgo Jun is somewhat useful.'
Other than that, most were below standard.
With no proper competitors within the academy, Peng Sahyuk turned his attention elsewhere early on.
'I enjoyed power to my heart's content.'
As the young master of the Peng family from Hebei, it was too easy to have followers within the academy.
Using his followers as a base, he took control of the club union and held power, and now even some instructors were wary of him.
He knew that people whispered behind his back, calling him a petty person satisfied with being the head of a snake, but he didn't care about the words of weaklings.
'It's all just boring.'
At the Azure Dragon Academy, no matter how arrogantly he acted, everything was tolerated.
Whenever he met Heonwon Kang, he would mockingly call him the scoundrel of the Heonwon family, but in truth, the real scoundrel was himself.
...
Now, even that had become tiresome.
- You must have worked hard, consuming the expensive elixirs given by your family, learning from the top masters of your family, and mastering the great martial arts passed down only to the head of the family.
If you're still weaker than me, isn't that pathetic?
"Pathetic fool."
A pitiful face with swollen lips.
Yet, filled with nothing but venom, glaring at him with those eyes.
A person wasting his life pathetically despite having incredible talent that everyone envied.
Once a friend, but now nothing.
Thinking of Heonwon Kang, Peng Sahyuk snorted.
"Live like that here for the rest of your life."
No matter how he thought about it, there was nothing more to learn or any reason to stay at the Azure Dragon Academy.
There were no regrets.
He would aim higher.
By transferring to the Heavenly Martial Academy, he would trample on all those who looked down on him and even take over the Heavenly Martial Academy.
'I should go back and ask for the recommendation letter right away.'
Just as Peng Sahyuk was about to return to Elder No, he heard a voice.
"Peng Sahyuk-!"
With a shout that seemed to exhaust all breath, the sound of someone running with all their might, cutting through the wind, reached him.
'No way?'
Peng Sahyuk turned his head in the direction of the voice.
He saw Heonwon Kang, his face covered in bruises, running towards him.
The fact that the guy had come looking for him was surprising enough, but seeing his miserable appearance made Peng Sahyuk laugh.
'That's not from me...'
He must have been beaten by someone else, as his eyes were bruised like a panda, making him look utterly ridiculous.
Heonwon Kang, who arrived in front of Peng Sahyuk, was catching his breath.
"Huff, huff... There you are. Damn it. I searched for you for a long time."
"You were looking for me?"
For a moment, Peng Sahyuk's expression twisted.
A murderous aura emanated from him, enough to make one's hair stand on end.
"Heonwon Kang. I clearly warned you. If you see me from a hundred paces away, avoid me. If we meet again, then..."
"Hey. Let's fight again."
"What?"
"Let's fight again."
At those brazen words, Peng Sahyuk was so taken aback that he was left speechless.
After a moment, Peng Sahyuk finally regained his composure and spoke in a chilling voice.
"... You really haven't come to your senses. Fine. I'm in a foul mood, so I'll beat you to death. Come at me, you bastard."
"Wait!"
As Peng Sahyuk was about to draw his sword, Heonwon Kang stepped back and said, "Not today, let's fight next time! I came to say that."
"... What? Are you kidding me?"
However, Heonwon Kang's expression was not joking.
He wasn't avoiding because he was scared of being beaten by Peng Sahyuk again, nor was he rushing over out of frustration from losing.
Heonwon Kang looked Peng Sahyuk straight in the eyes and said, "I'm going to learn a new sword technique starting today."
"A new sword technique?"
"From now on, I won't drink, I won't be lazy, and I'll train to death."
"... So what?"
At that moment, Heonwon Kang grinned, showing his white teeth.
"Next time, I'll win."
It was a smile from Heonwon Kang that Peng Sahyuk had never seen in the past three years.
Peng Sahyuk felt as if he had momentarily returned to the past.
- Next time, I'll win!
It was something he had said countless times to Heonwon Kang when they were young.
Now, Heonwon Kang was saying those words to him.
Unconsciously, Peng Sahyuk burst into laughter.
"Crazy bastard... Heh heh heh."
"Why? Is what I said funny? Fine. Laugh all you want now. Let's see if you can laugh like that in a few months..."
Thud!
Caught off guard, Heonwon Kang was hit in the stomach and fell to his knees, gasping.
With tears in his eyes, Heonwon Kang glared at Peng Sahyuk.
"Why did you hit me, you bastard! I said let's spar next time!"
Peng Sahyuk looked down at Heonwon Kang with a sneer.
His gaze was as cold as could be.
"Expect what you can expect. A few months? You'll never beat me for the rest of your life. Scoundrel of the Heonwon family."
"Damn it... Just wait and see."
Watching Heonwon Kang grind his teeth, Peng Sahyuk chuckled.
That laughter seemed quite cheerful.
"Heh heh heh. Fine. Come at me again next time. I'll be waiting with a joyful heart to beat you."
Peng Sahyuk spoke with a much more relieved face.
...
A few days later.
Peng Sahyuk received Elder No's recommendation letter and headed to the Heavenly Martial Academy.
He passed the transfer exam without any issues and became a student of the Heavenly Martial Academy.
<Come to the Heavenly Martial Tournament.
Let's fight there.>
He left a separate letter for Heonwon Kang.