Maeng Son-deok's face twisted in an instant.
Did he just call him trash?
That brat?
The same brat who'd been beaten to a pulp and collapsed just days ago?
'So the rumor that he hit his head must've been true.'
He must be insane.
Maeng Son-deok wanted to spew curses right then and there, but he held back.
Wasn't this the venue at Yongcheon Hall, under the Justice Faction, for selecting new instructors?
Feigning composure and dignity, he opened his mouth lightly.
"Young man, don't you think your words were a bit harsh…?"
"Ugh, what a chatterbox."
Sabigang casually muttered, picking his ear.
Maeng Son-deok opened his mouth, utterly dumbfounded.
His expression slowly contorted.
The hand gripping his spear trembled slightly.
'This weakling, who's not even worth the grime on my feet, dares to look down on me?'
There was no point arguing any further.
Brats like this didn't respond to words.
He should've finished him off properly last time.
He should've made him crawl on the ground and beg with hands and feet.
'I shouldn't have knocked him out so quickly! I should've scared him so badly that he'd piss himself just hearing my voice!'
These days, kids who barely know some martial arts act tough because they've grown soft in peace and don't know the fear of the martial world.
And just because he's called an instructor, he held back a bit—look where that got him.
He had originally planned to resolve things without a duel if possible.
If the kid conceded, he would've let it end there.
Having already lost his assistant instructor position, he didn't want the added humiliation of being beaten in front of the students.
But now…
'I won't let you off easy this time!'
He wouldn't be satisfied unless he completely crushed the brat in a duel.
'You bastard… I'll have you groveling at my feet like a dog. This time, I'll make you beg until your hands become your feet!'
Furrowing his brows, Maeng Son-deok turned toward the Headmaster and clasped his fists in a martial salute.
"Headmaster. Now that the participant has arrived, may we proceed with the duel?"
"Hmm. However… since the opponent failed to show up on time, this match might have to be ruled a forfeit…"
Maeng Son-deok cut in loudly.
"Please reconsider! While Instructor Sa did not strictly keep to the appointed time, the fact remains that he has arrived. I believe he should be given a fair opportunity. If I become assistant instructor through a forfeit, the martial world will ridicule me. And the students may refuse to follow someone who won by an unjust method."
At that, Cheon Sae-myeong, seated beside the Headmaster, whispered with a sly smile.
"Headmaster, since Master Maeng is being so magnanimous, I believe allowing the duel wouldn't be a bad idea."
Yeo Un-jin chimed in as well.
"I agree. A duel between instructors will serve as a valuable lesson for the students. Besides, though Instructor Sa was late, the hour of mi hasn't completely passed. I see no issue with proceeding."
The Headmaster paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well. Since Master Maeng is willing, the duel shall proceed."
As the Headmaster declared it, the students let out quiet cheers.
They had been on edge, worried they might miss out on the show.
Then Sabigang stepped forward and suddenly spoke.
"Before the duel begins, I have a demand for this man."
"A demand?"
The Headmaster frowned as Sabigang confidently walked up to Maeng Son-deok.
His bold stride made Maeng Son-deok instinctively take a step back.
Now just an arm's length apart.
Staring into Sabigang's eyes, Maeng Son-deok felt a chill run down his spine.
'W-What's with this guy's eyes…?'
Sabigang gave a crooked grin.
"Apologize."
"W-What? Apologize for what…?"
"You colluded with the juniors and set me up, didn't you? Is that the kind of man who should be an assistant instructor? If you apologize now, I'll gladly yield the position to you. That is, if you want it that badly."
The students began whispering.
"Did you hear that? He said he was set up."
"Is he saying that guy plotted something with the students?"
"No way, that can't be true…"
Meanwhile, the first-year instructors on the platform also looked puzzled.
As the mood grew more tense, the flustered Maeng Son-deok shouted.
"W-What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I ever set a trap with the students…!"
"Are you denying it?"
"Denying—? Of course I'm denying it!"
"Hmph. Did they perhaps promise you the assistant instructor position? With backing like theirs, maybe they pulled some strings."
"W-What the hell are you saying! You think you can't beat me so now you're making baseless accusations?"
"But you were there that day, weren't you? You beat me until I passed out."
"Lies! You were beaten by someone in a mask—how can you be sure it was me?"
"Oh? How curious. How did you know I was attacked by someone in a mask? I never said that."
At Sabigang's words, Maeng Son-deok's face turned pale.
His eyes darted left and right before he shouted,
"T-That was over two weeks ago! I have ears too, don't I? Everyone's heard about your pathetic little story!"
"Hmph. So that's how you want to play it…"
"S-Shut up! I generously agreed to duel you despite your tardiness, and now you try to frame me with outrageous claims? Unforgivable!"
"Fine by me. Let's duel. If you change your mind and want to apologize, just say the word. I'll still give up the position to you."
"W-What? Give it up?!"
Maeng Son-deok ground his teeth.
All he could think about now was crushing this madman in the duel.
'This crazy bastard… I'll never forgive you!'
He glared at Sabigang as if he'd kill him on the spot, but the Headmaster stood up from the platform and spoke.
"Now then, the duel will begin. I ask both of you to fight with the honor of Justice in mind."
With the declaration made, Sabigang and Maeng Son-deok exchanged ceremonial martial salutes.
Holding his spear with burning eyes, Maeng Son-deok slowly assumed his stance.
'Hmph! I'll show you the true power of the Invincible God Spear. Don't come crying later!'
But then—
Just as he was about to launch his attack, Maeng Son-deok frowned.
Not only him—the entire arena began to stir.
"What's going on? Why isn't he holding anything?"
"Isn't this a test for a spear instructor?"
"Yeah. But Instructor Sabigang is clearly unarmed."
Indeed.
Sabigang stood there empty-handed, calmly staring at Maeng Son-deok.
Maeng Son-deok let out a hollow laugh.
"No matter how nervous you are, how could a martial artist forget to bring a weapon?"
"A weapon? You mean the spear?"
"Of course! Hurry up and get your spear!"
"Oh, no need. There's one right there, isn't there?"
"...?"
Sabigang pointed at Maeng Son-deok's spear.
Maeng Son-deok shouted, dumbfounded.
"That's my spear! You need to get your own—!"
"Man, you talk too much. We're fighting with spears, right? So just come at me. What if you drop your spear mid-fight? Are you gonna wait while I pick it up?"
"W-What?!"
Maeng Son-deok turned to the Headmaster, utterly baffled.
Was this really going to continue?
Headmaster Ju Yucheon nodded gravely.
It meant: proceed for now.
'Hmph! Fine. You've clearly lost your mind. You'll regret this—too late though!'
Maeng Son-deok gripped his spear tightly and let out a loud shout as he charged forward.
'This is the first form of my lifetime-honed Ox-Horse Swift Spear!'
A faint energy clung to the tip of Maeng Son-deok's spear as it shot forward.
And then—
Shff!
"...!"
Maeng Son-deok's eyes widened to the point they nearly split.
Sabigang, who had clearly been standing right in front of them, had vanished without a trace.
'That bastard… pulling some cheap trick? He's behind me!'
Maeng Son-deok hastily withdrew his spear and launched the second form of the Ox-Horse Swift Spear.
A sharp whoosh filled the air as the spear sliced through it, tearing with a sonic boom.
Papapap!
But again, the spear pierced only empty space.
'He dodged?'
Sabigang stood right next to the tip of the spear, his expression utterly nonchalant.
'It… it must be luck!'
There was no other explanation.
Wasn't this the same punk who got beaten half to death and knocked out just days ago?
Maeng Son-deok began unleashing his forms even more fiercely.
The Ox-Horse Swift Spear, named for its unstoppable charge like wild horses and bulls.
True to its name, it was as if countless beasts charged toward Sabigang.
Each path of the spear was heavy and swift.
But that was all.
Each thrust narrowly missed Sabigang by a hair's breadth.
At this point, it couldn't be explained by luck anymore.
In truth, after consuming a top-grade demonic core, Sabigang had undergone something close to a rebirth.
His dantian had expanded, and his internal energy surged from the mana he absorbed.
Not to mention, he had survived countless brutal battles in the demon realm for decades. A duel like this was nothing more than child's play to him.
The countless life-and-death memories of the battlefield had taken over his body.
"Hyaaaah! Die!"
Enraged beyond reason, Maeng Son-deok roared and slammed his spear down.
It was the Falling Bull Spear, one of the forms of the Ox-Horse Swift Spear.
Named so because it supposedly struck with the force of a falling ox from the sky.
It wasn't a stabbing attack, but a normal person hit by it would be crushed to death.
And yet—
Ta-at!
Sabigang instead charged straight into Maeng Son-deok.
The downward strike narrowly missed him as he slipped through and got right up in Maeng Son-deok's face.
"Heh."
A chilling grin.
Maeng Son-deok shuddered from head to toe.
'W-What the hell is this guy…?'
In that instant—
Tak!
"Huh?"
Sabigang snatched the spear from Maeng Son-deok's hands.
He tried to hold on, but it was too late—the spear was already gone.
Sabigang grinned.
"Well then. Let's begin the correction."
"W-What are you—?!"
Shiiik! THWACK!
"Aaagh!"
Without hesitation, the spear shaft came crashing down onto Maeng Son-deok's crown.
Immediately after—
Shiiik! THWACK! Shiiik! THACK!
"Ugh! Kyaaagh!"
Sabigang whipped the spear like a cane, repeatedly and ruthlessly thrashing Maeng Son-deok's body.
CRACK! SMACK! THWACK! SWOOSH! SMACK!
"Gugh! Hrk! Hrrk! Guaaaah!"
It was a one-sided beating.
Cheon Sae-myeong, watching, leapt to his feet in shock.
Even seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn't believe it.
Sabigang's attacks were so unorthodox, he couldn't even properly gauge his skill.
The same went for the watching students.
"H-Hey… what is even happening?"
"I-I don't know. Is Instructor Sa just that strong… or is Maeng Son-deok just that weak? I can't tell anymore."
"This isn't some performance, is it?"
"Look at him—he's crying. This isn't acting."
While the murmuring continued, Sabigang's punishment showed no sign of stopping.
There was no form or technique.
It looked no different from a thug swinging a club wildly.
And just as the students noted—Maeng Son-deok was actually crying.
His entire body ached unbearably.
"Guh! Aagh! Please… urk! Stop…! Aaagh!"
SWOOSH! THWACK!
"Guh! I give u—gugh!"
Struck in the stomach with the spear shaft, Maeng Son-deok collapsed to the ground.
He retched violently.
He could barely breathe.
Sabigang slowly walked toward him.
"Well? Feel like apologizing now?"
"Ugh… I… I…"
"Hm? Can't hear you. What was that?"
Sabigang crouched beside the fallen Maeng Son-deok.
Maeng Son-deok, drooling and trembling, barely forced his lips to move.
"I… I've lost…"
"No, no."
"…What?"
"I asked if you were ready to apologize."
"W-What are you talking about… I have nothing to apologize for…"
"Then I guess there's no helping it."
Sabigang lifted the spear again without hesitation.
Maeng Son-deok's eyes went wide as saucers.
And just as the spear shaft began to fall—
"H-HIIIICK! I-I'm sorry! It was my fault! Please forgive me!"
Maeng Son-deok desperately grabbed onto Sabigang's pants leg.
The silent arena.
Only Maeng Son-deok's trembling voice echoed faintly.
He was literally groveling.
"S-Senior! I was wrong! I was wrong!"
Sabigang stared at him for a moment, then tossed the spear aside.
Clatter.
The match was over.
But no one moved.
No one had expected such an outcome.
And no one could've imagined how the duel would unfold.
One of the first-year instructors on the platform stammered to the Headmaster.
"H-Headmaster… the result…"
"Ah… right."
Ju Yucheon got up, still dazed.
"T-The result of this duel is…"
Then—
"Headmaster. I will yield the position of assistant spear instructor to him."
"W-What? What are you saying…?"
"I promised that if he apologized, I'd give up the position. And he just did."
What now?
Even the other instructors wore baffled expressions.
The students also stirred again.
Sabigang grinned and continued.
"In return, I would like to formally request the position of senior sword instructor."
"W-What?!"