The Academy’s Unrivaled Professor [Novel] Chapter 20

If You’re Curious, Come Back Tomorrow

‘Huh? Is that…’

‘Who is that?’

The cadets warming up at the training ground tilted their heads.

The capacity was originally five, but a female cadet was hesitatingly approaching them in a track suit.

“Baek Yuyeon?”

Cha Yusik frowned.

No cadet at the Academy wouldn’t know her.

A walking encyclopedia and a genius in Martial Medical Arts.

She was also quite popular thanks to her graceful appearance. Hwang Minwoo, the successor of a decent conglomerate, chasing her around like a madman was proof enough.

“Ahem!”

Spotting Baek Yuyeon, Kwak Dojin cleared his throat and looked up at the podium.

Kang Hyeon sat there, sipping whiskey since early morning.

‘Did you see, Professor? I finally did it! I brought her!’

The way he puffed out his chest and shot glances was exactly like a loyal dog waiting for its master’s praise.

But Kang Hyeon’s reaction was lukewarm.

He knew full well she hadn’t come because of Kwak Dojin’s persuasion, but because she had bitten the bait he threw yesterday and walked in on her own two feet.

“You’re here? Get ready.”

“Yes, Professor!”

With a resounding reply, the five cadets flawlessly fell into formation.

There wasn’t a hint of awkwardness.

“Today is the Three Calamities Swordsmanship, Earth. We begin with a thousand swings.”

“Yes!”

Swoosh!

Five wooden swords cleaved the empty air in unison.

A slash extending straight horizontally.

And at the end of that trajectory, the swords halted heavily, as if supporting a massive boulder.

It was a holding posture that embodied the solidity of the earth.

Standing blankly, Baek Yuyeon held her breath at the overwhelming momentum.

‘That’s… the Three Calamities Swordsmanship?’

As a third-year cadet, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize it.

Strike down, hold, and thrust.

Wasn’t it the most common, basic technique that even neighborhood kids knew nowadays?

Yet, it looked like a completely new martial art.

A flawless group dance she couldn’t take her eyes off!

Their strides, directions, and even the angles of their swords were razor-sharp.

That alone was astonishing, but with her Heavenly Vein Eyes, she saw even more.

‘The energy originating from the dantian flows through the lower body, rides up the waist, passes through the shoulders, and reaches the tip of the sword… with almost zero waste.’

What about ordinary cadets?

Nine times out of ten, their energy would scatter midway.

Whether due to unnecessary tension in the shoulders or a slight waver in their lower body’s center of gravity, there were various reasons.

Even if they drew up 100 energy, would even 30 actually reach the tip of the blade?

Suddenly, Baek Yuyeon got goosebumps.

This was something only she could see.

Because she possessed the special ability to directly see the flow of energy in the blood vessels.

That was why she often gave advice to her peers and juniors out of pity.

Telling them they shouldn’t just blindly draw up strong energy, but rather solidify their foundations so it wouldn’t leak out of their energy channels.

Of course, they never listened.

The problem was that the professors were the exact same.

Even though Baek Yuyeon could clearly see the cadets’ energy leaking out like a sieve, the professors would clap their hands and call it perfect, looking only at the flashy destructive power on the surface.

And yet.

‘Those five have almost zero energy leakage.’

She didn’t even need to ask why.

It had to be thanks to Professor Kang Hyeon.

Did that mean he could also see the flow of energy like she could?

Was that how he could guide them like this?

“You there.”

Soon, Kang Hyeon’s cold voice rang out.

“What are you doing standing there blankly.”

“…Pardon?”

“Didn’t you come out to participate in the class? Come here.”

“Yes!”

Baek Yuyeon trotted over.

She was secretly expectant.

Was he finally going to explain the principle of that concoction method, the one where he told her to leave the cauldron lid open?

Or could it be…!

She saw him skimming through Martial Medical Arts books at the library; had he mastered that field as well?

As she approached with sparkling eyes, Kang Hyeon tossed out a remark.

“Get into stance.”

“What stance?”

“Spread your feet wider than shoulder-width and bend your knees. Until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your back straight, eyes forward.”

“…The horse-riding stance?”

“Are your ears clogged?”

“N-No!”

Flustered, she bent her knees.

It was the beginning of hellish training.

* * *

Three hours later.

“Huff, huuuff!”

Thud!

Baek Yuyeon collapsed onto the ground.

Her neatly tied hair was a mess, and her track suit was drenched in sweat like a drowned rat.

Her legs, from her thighs down to her calves, spasmed uncontrollably as if they belonged to someone else.

‘I think I’m going to die.’

Honestly, she had wanted to give up dozens of times over the past three hours.

She was a non-combatant majoring in Martial Medical Arts.

She even resented him for calling her out just to force her into a horse-riding stance of such ridiculous intensity.

But in the end, she didn’t give up.

Because every time her legs gave out and she was about to collapse, Kang Hyeon would ghost his way over and whisper.

“Aren’t you curious how I knew about that concoction method yesterday?”

“Give up if you want. But you might never hear the answer you couldn’t figure out even after racking your brain your whole life.”

It was practically the whisper of a devil.

She was angry and felt wronged, but her desperation kept her going.

“Hey, Baek Yuyeon. Are you okay?”

Kwak Dojin approached and offered his hand.

Smack.

Baek Yuyeon lightly swatted it away.

“Do I look okay?”

Senior Kwak was the worst.

How could he introduce this hellhole as just a morning workout without any warning?

What? It wouldn’t interfere with her schedule?

Forget the library, she wouldn’t even be able to make it to her classes right now!

“Keuk!”

Forcing her trembling legs to stand, Baek Yuyeon marched straight to the podium.

He had threatened her not to give up, and since she hadn’t, it was time for answers.

“Professor!”

“Good eyes. That venomous look is very much to my liking.”

“Tell me now! That concoction method from yesterday! Just how did you know? There wasn’t a single line about that process in the books I read!”

“Well, alright. A promise is a promise.”

Kang Hyeon swirled his half-empty whiskey bottle.

“It’s five volumes.”

“Pardon?”

“The books you had spread out on the desk yesterday. They are secret manuals that only become complete when all five volumes are gathered.”

“…!”

It felt like she had been struck in the head with a blunt instrument.

‘Five volumes!’

In truth, she had felt a sense of incongruity for days.

It was the nagging feeling that a gear was missing from what should have been a logically interlocking mechanism.

She was just suspecting that there might be a hidden process or another book she didn’t know about.

And that suspicion had just been proven exactly true!

“Th-Then.”

Growing urgent, Baek Yuyeon took a step closer.

“What’s the last book?”

“It’s no fun if I tell you everything at once.”

“…Pardon?”

A wicked grin touched Kang Hyeon’s lips.

“One question a day. If you’re curious, participate in tomorrow’s class too.”

“What?”

“Are your ears clogged?”

“It’s my mind that’s clogged right now!”

She had to take this hellish class again?

Unable to hold back, Baek Yuyeon finally asked with a mix of resentment.

“Just why are you making a Martial Medical Arts major do physical training?”

“Then why should I offer teachings to a cadet who doesn’t even take my class?”

“…Th-That’s playing dirty.”

“Nothing in this world is free.”

The government had actually stopped giving him money for booze.

He needed to start earning his keep soon.

“Instead, I’ll promise you one thing.”

Kang Hyeon’s gaze suddenly sank.

“I will never give you a light answer to any of your questions, equal to the weight of the sweat you’ve shed on this training ground.”

* * *

In the end, Baek Yuyeon had to taste hell again the next day.

“Huff, huff…!”

It felt like her soul was leaving her body, but she gritted her teeth and endured.

Because she had to hear the answer.

“Th-That book! What’s its name?”

Kang Hyeon swallowed a mouthful of whiskey and answered nonchalantly.

“The Essence of Peaceful Origins.”

“The Essence of Peaceful Origins…!”

She couldn’t ask, ‘What kind of book is that?’

That would use up her question.

“Thank you!”

The moment she heard the answer, Baek Yuyeon dragged her trembling legs to the Martial Arts Library.

But no matter how much she searched the library, a secret manual named ‘The Essence of Peaceful Origins’ did not exist.

It wasn’t on Acanet, nor did it appear on secret manual information sites.

Then, she finally found it in a corner of the Chinese global web.

‘It’s right here in broad daylight?’

In fact, just as Kang Hyeon had said, China was selling all five books, including The Essence of Peaceful Origins, as a single set called the ‘5 Principles of Basic Pill Concoction.’

‘Ah.’

This was it.

The reason why China had no choice but to reign as a global Hunter superpower.

While Korea had to go through translations even after acquiring a secret manual, they were innately connected to the linguistic roots.

It was easier for them to absorb archaic language.

Anyway.

‘Then, I need to get my hands on that book…’

The trading of secret manuals is usually strictly controlled at the national level.

It was as hard as plucking a star from the sky for an individual to procure a pill concoction manual from overseas.

Just as she was feeling lost, Kang Hyeon’s words echoed in her mind.

“I will never give you a light answer to any of your questions, equal to the weight of the sweat you’ve shed on this training ground.”

Then…

Would he also know the contents of The Essence of Peaceful Origins?

“Ah.”

Suddenly, she lamented.

In the end, the reality was that she had no choice but to go out tomorrow as well.

She was already addicted.

As soon as training ended the next day, she bluntly asked Kang Hyeon.

“Professor! Could you get that book for me?”

“Hmm, is that a question?”

“N-No! Wait a minute!”

She flustered as if asking what kind of terrible joke that was.

If that became her question?

It would end with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’!

She had to ask differently.

“Please teach me the contents of that book!”

Watching Baek Yuyeon asking while panting heavily, Kang Hyeon smiled.

“I knew you’d come out like that.”

“Pardon?”

Slide.

Kang Hyeon shoved his hand into the inner pocket of his coat.

Then, he pulled out a thick notebook and tossed it into her arms.

⪡The Essence of Peaceful Origins⪢

“Gasp?!”

She was genuinely shocked.

How did he get something that didn’t exist anywhere in the country even after searching everywhere?

Opening it, she saw it was a handwritten copy written in archaic language.

She couldn’t have dreamed that Kang Hyeon was currently transcribing secret manuals.

“Read it. However, understanding it is up to you. Whenever you need an explanation, just take my class and ask. My advice: you’d better not go to other translators.”

“You’ll even translate the archaic language for me?”

“I told you. If it’s a question, I’ll answer it.”

“…Why are you going this far for me?”

Thinking about it, it felt like the professor kept looking out for her ever since the contract incident.

Just like a parent silently supporting from behind.

“You ask why I’m treating you well?”

“…Yes.”

“You just need to remember one thing.”

“Which is?”

“Nothing in this world is free.”

Just keep that in mind for now.

Because later, you might have to walk the terrible path of facing the Demon God.