The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 201

Chapter 201
CRASH.

The air shuddered violently, causing the warriors to twist their faces in agitation.

Their expressions betrayed their confusion; they were utterly lost on how to react.

I had expanded the reach of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm as wide as I could to ensnare as many opponents as possible.

While that diluted the concentrated destructive force, the result remained—

KABOOOOOOOM!

A massive blast tore through the atmosphere, sounding as though the heavens were shattering.

The backside of the hill adjacent to the training ground was obliterated.

Because the area of effect was so vast, the force focused on any single point was diminished, yet the onlookers remained visibly shaken by the sheer raw power of the technique.

“He’s attempting to flee! Intercept him!”

The warriors of the Ak Clan held their formation and closed in, but I stood my ground on purpose.

‘There’s no benefit in running now!’

WHOOOM─

Azure Sword Force surged, coating the blade of the Black Dragon Sword.

I lashed out, aiming straight for Ak Byeong-bi, who stood there momentarily stunned.

BOOM BOOM BOOM—CRASH!

The ground of the training yard buckled and ripped upward, carrying the shockwave of my strike directly toward Ak Byeong-bi.

“You wretched dog……”

For the first time, the features of Ak Byeong-bi contorted into a mask of pure frustration.

Precisely the expression I had been hoping to provoke.

Without hesitation, I transitioned from the Minor Heaven Sword Art into the Twin Heaven Sword Formula.

Phantom strikes and solid blades rained down upon Ak Byeong-bi without mercy.

Perhaps his training in external conditioning made his skin resilient, rendering my cuts superficial, but that didn’t matter.

‘I just have to keep hammering away until these scratches become deep gashes.’

Caught in my relentless offensive, Ak Byeong-bi frantically swung his heavy iron spear, managing to parry the strikes of the Twin Heaven Sword Formula.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—CRASH.

I immediately unleashed the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist, flowing directly into the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula.

CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—!

It was as if I were beating a slab of granite into dust.

I poured every ounce of my energy into the onslaught, raining down blows without rest.

Though his iron spear occasionally jabbed through my defenses, I sidestepped each strike by a hair’s breadth, barely moving, and immediately resumed my own assault.

I possessed a singular, desperate resolve: to press forward until one of us fell.

A familiar warmth began to permeate the surroundings as the air near his spearhead turned a deep, scorching red.

He was preparing to activate the signature technique of the Ak Clan, the Raging Fire Spear, once again.

Recognizing his intent, I let out a low, mocking chuckle.

“Do you honestly believe the Ak Clan has a monopoly on flame-based techniques?”

If he intended to unleash the Raging Fire Spear, I would meet him with the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand, a skill forged from the depths of Demonic Art.

I summoned the crimson heat of the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand and bombarded him with the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist simultaneously.

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD—!

The searing heat of his Raging Fire Spear was inferior to the blistering intensity of the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

Caught in the inferno, Ak Byeong-bi was quickly enveloped by the flames of the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

“GRAAAAGH!”

Even a practitioner of external arts like Ak Byeong-bi struggled to bear such intense heat; he abandoned his posture entirely to desperately claw the clinging flames from his armor.

Seizing the moment, I summoned the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula again.

WHOOSH─

The Minor Heaven Sword Art erupted from four directions, seeking his vital acupoints with surgical precision.

“……!”

Ak Byeong-bi swung his iron spear wildly to deflect the strikes that had slipped past his guard before he even processed their approach.

CLAAANG! CLAAANG! CLAAANG!

He parried several blows, but overwhelmed by the searing pain of the heat biting into his skin, he could no longer maintain his defense, and the Black Dragon Sword sliced into his flesh.

SLASH─ SQUELCH─

They weren’t strikes to his primary meridians, but blood began to well up from multiple wounds across his arms, legs, and abdomen.

One of the Ak Clan soldiers bellowed.

“Dammit…… Everyone, group up!”

As Ak Byeong-bi’s condition began to deteriorate, the soldiers scrambled to form their spear formation.

I ignored their tactical shifting and charged directly at Ak Byeong-bi.

“Jin So-un!!!”

Ak Byeong-bi finally looked the part of a blood-crazed fiend.

I leveled a question at him.

“Did you ever think I wasn’t a practitioner of the true Orthodox Path?”

I slid the Black Dragon Sword back into its sheath and tapped into the techniques of the Sword Demon.

Ak Byeong-bi glared at me like a cornered beast.

I did not flinch from his gaze.

“Perhaps that assessment was correct.”

After all, I had never once harbored the illusion that I would be viewed as an elite member of an Orthodox sect.

Three Forms of the White Moon Governing Heaven.

First Form, ‘Extreme Swiftness.’

If that was the case, what reason did I have to show restraint?

SHIIING─

The sound of the Black Dragon Sword sliding from its scabbard rang out with chilling clarity.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ak Byeong-bi scrambled to initiate his own ultimate technique, but—

The martial arts of the Sword Demon were not meant to be countered so easily.

SWISH──

The blade of the Black Dragon Sword remained clean, not a single drop of blood staining the steel.

However—

SLIP.

The belt of Ak Byeong-bi’s outer robe fell away, and a thin, crimson line appeared across his rock-hard chest.

“W-what is this……?”

SPLIT──

The red line deepened before their eyes, blossoming into a long, gaping wound running from his left shoulder to his right hip.

Watching the blood stream down, Ak Byeong-bi collapsed to his knees, unable to process his defeat.

“COUGH……”

“Y-you villain! How dare you strike the Hall Master like this!”

The Ak Clan warriors had finalized their spear formation and were ready to strike.

TREMBLE TREMBLE TREMBLE.

My body, conversely, had reached its limit; I had exhausted my internal reserves and had nothing left to continue the fray.

From the beginning, my strategy had been to dismantle Ak Byeong-bi using overwhelming internal force.

I had never intended to engage the entire Ak Clan spear formation in a head-on battle.

As I struggled to remain standing, a cold, authoritative voice cut through the air above me.

“If you had only complied peacefully, your life would have remained intact.”

The warrior staring at the fallen Ak Byeong-bi was filled with murderous intent, his desire to finish me off radiating outward.

“Whatever consequences follow, you will meet your end here today!”

He scanned the group and roared.

“Advance!”

Following his command, the Ak Clan members leveled their spears in unison with a deafening shout.

It was an undeniably precarious situation.

“But what a pity for you……”

A smirk played on my lips.

Because the fight was already over.

“How dare you act in such a manner within the hallowed halls of the Murim Academy!!”

A voice, booming and sharp as a blade, tore through the tension.

The warriors forming the spear formation turned, stunned.

There stood the Academy Head, a man long oppressed by the suffocating power structures of the Taeul Sect.

Buk Won-pyeong, the Three Pure Ones Peerless Sword, swept his intense gaze over the courtyard.

Dammit, the presence of that man was incredible.

He was truly imposing.

‘Senior Brother, you’re just in time!’

Indeed, he was a Senior Brother as great as the sky itself.

“Who do you think you are?!”

Under the crushing pressure of Buk Won-pyeong’s aura, the Ak Clan soldiers went silent.

Buk Won-pyeong’s eyes shifted to the insignia on their robes.

The crest of the Ak Clan was plain to see.

Even so, he demanded an answer again.

“I asked to know your identities!”

When he channeled his internal energy into a Lion’s Roar, the soldiers looked visibly rattled.

I immediately dropped to one knee, clasped my hands in a formal greeting, and declared.

“Academy representative Jin So-un reporting the situation. These individuals infiltrated the Academy without authorization, and I was forced to intervene to stop them.”

“……Is that the truth?”

The question was posed to the Ak Clan, not to me.

He demanded to know what they were doing inside the Murim Academy, but they couldn’t even manage a coherent reply.

I took the lead and answered in their stead.

“I suspect they may be linked to the current unrest in Sichuan.”

As soon as I spoke, chaos erupted among the crowd.

“Spies from Sichuan?”

“W-what is the meaning of this……!”

The Ak Clan members looked visibly unnerved.

Even if they felt wronged, their hands were tied.

At that moment, I was the only one in control of the narrative.

“Last night, someone attempted to abduct me while falsely claiming to be from the Execution Pavilion.”

I retrieved the nameplate I had taken from the previous attacker and presented it.

“They were wearing Ak Clan attire, utilizing Ak Clan techniques, yet masquerading as agents of the Execution Pavilion. During such a critical period, with the Murim Alliance already stretched to its limit, impersonating the Pavilion is a sign of clear, malicious intent.”

Buk Won-pyeong took the nameplate, his gaze hardening as he looked at the Ak Clan group.

“Is this true?”

“……N-no, that’s……”

Right now, the full focus of the Murim Alliance was on the Sichuan region.

If they had been abusing the authority of the Execution Pavilion during this time, even members of the Ak Clan would find it impossible to avoid the fallout.

The warriors turned pale, trapped by the impossibility of their defense.

Buk Won-pyeong’s grip tightened around the nameplate.

“Did the Execution Pavilion officially sanction this?”

“……”

“If so, produce the written orders immediately!”

As if they possessed such a thing.

Buk Won-pyeong’s furious voice echoed in the heavy silence.

“Why are you silent? Are you truly spies, as Jin So-un suggests?”

The Ak Clan soldiers kept their lips sealed, looking like men who had lost their tongues.

Buk Won-pyeong’s frustration was palpable as he ground his teeth.

“Then I shall formally place you under arrest on suspicion of espionage!”

“T-that is……!”

The soldiers were completely at a loss.

“I will clarify the situation, Brother Buk.”

Just then, Ak Byeong-bi stepped into the center.

What was wrong with that guy?

‘Are his bones made of iron?’

I had struck him while utilizing the Three Forms of the White Moon Governing Heaven; he shouldn’t have been able to stand, let alone walk.

Yet, though he leaned on his subordinates, he had clearly recovered enough to move on his own.

“Ak Byeong-bi?”

“I apologize for the commotion.”

The two clearly shared a history, but Buk Won-pyeong’s demeanor remained frost-cold.

“You came yourself?”

“I did.”

“And you arrived without a single official order from the Execution Pavilion before starting this incident?”

“……”

Buk Won-pyeong’s brow furrowed in disdain.

“It is clear you had none.”

Ak Byeong-bi hung his head, appearing suitably humiliated.

Buk Won-pyeong clicked his tongue.

“You brought Ak Clan warriors and dishonestly passed this off as a sanctioned operation by the Execution Pavilion…… Do you realize the weight of this offense?”

Ak Byeong-bi hunched his shoulders.

“……I will explain it all.”

“Good. Then we shall move to my office.”

“Right now?”

Ak Byeong-bi grabbed his wound, feigning agony.

Such petty theatrics from a man of his size were pathetic.

Regardless, the chill in Buk Won-pyeong’s eyes did not waver.

“You have until the investigators from the Execution Pavilion arrive. If you must, go seek treatment first.”

Seeing that his act was failing, Ak Byeong-bi nodded reluctantly.

“……No. I will go now.”

“Academy student Jin So-un, you will come as well.”

“Understood.”

Buk Won-pyeong turned and strode away, his back radiating a sense of dependability.

Wow, our old Senior Brother really was the finest.

Not even a cup of tea was served in the Academy Head’s office.

The atmosphere was thick with tension, broken only by the occasional groan from Ak Byeong-bi.

“Explain yourself.”

“……”

At the inquiry, Ak Byeong-bi’s eyes shifted nervously.

What could he possibly say?

When the silence stretched, Buk Won-pyeong slammed his fist onto the table with a BANG—.

“Do you not comprehend how urgent the situation in the Murim Alliance is? I demand to know why you acted this way!”

As our old Senior Brother continued to hammer the table, delivering a passionate reprimand, Ak Byeong-bi kept his head bowed like a man confessing a mortal sin.

It was time for me to intervene.

“Ahem, Academy Head. Is this man an acquaintance of yours?”

I asked with feigned innocence.

Buk Won-pyeong assessed me briefly, seemingly trying to deduce my motive, before nodding.

“That is correct. He is a friend from my days of study, and a member of the Ak Clan.”

“Then the chance of him being a spy is likely slim.”

“……That is indeed true.”

Ak Byeong-bi lifted his head as I continued.

Did he think everything was resolved just because their friendship was revealed?

Why was he looking so relieved?

“In that case, I have another theory.”

“What is it?”

“I could not stand by and watch Ak Ju-pyeong’s cruelty, so I disciplined him. I believe the Ak Clan is merely seeking retribution against me because of that.”

“What?!”

“……!”

Ak Byeong-bi’s eyes, previously so hopeful, went wide.

“Academy Head, you heard about the disciplinary measures, surely? I believe they harbored a grudge, claiming the punishment was insufficient, and used the name of the Execution Pavilion to try and punish me.”

Buk Won-pyeong glared at Ak Byeong-bi and asked,

“Is this true?”

Ak Byeong-bi opened his mouth, then closed it again. He could not find the words and bowed his head once more.

BANG!

“I asked if this was true!”

Before anyone realized, the table began to splinter under the pressure.

Pressed by Buk Won-pyeong, Ak Byeong-bi, for all his massive stature, replied in a voice no louder than a whisper.

“……I have no comment.”

“That is as good as an admission.”

“……”

Buk Won-pyeong sighed heavily, looking completely drained.

“What were you thinking, misusing the name of the Execution Pavilion at a time like this?”

Ak Byeong-bi must have felt like he was facing his end.

Meeting the Academy Head had never been part of his calculations.

His plan had simply been to drag me to the Execution Pavilion and toss me into a cell.

Then, as he always had, he would have used “the truth of the water” to force a confession for crimes I never committed.

After that, he would have publicly verified the legality of the Execution Pavilion’s actions.

It was just his usual habit of operating.

Buk Won-pyeong glared at his former comrade with eyes full of utter disappointment.

“Furthermore, you hold a grudge because Ak Ju-pyeong was hurt? Do you even grasp the reality of what occurred?”

“……What do you mean……?”

“For the past six months, Ak Ju-pyeong and his cronies bullied and assaulted a fellow student, bringing him to death’s door. Jin So-un used force against Ak Ju-pyeong only in the effort to save that student.”

His gaze moved from disappointment to pure contempt.

BANG—!

Buk Won-pyeong struck the desk again and bellowed.

“He was the one referred for discipline, but from the very beginning, the one who deserved the punishment was not Jin So-un, but Ak Ju-pyeong!”

Ak Byeong-bi’s face darkened to a charcoal gray.

It seemed he had finally grasped the severity of his actions.

“In any case, this event will be reported officially to the Execution Pavilion and the Mantongbu. Be aware of that.”

Buk Won-pyeong’s stance remained immovable.

Ak Byeong-bi, having failed to manipulate the situation through personal connections, slumped before he could even attempt a rebuttal.

As Ak Byeong-bi turned to leave the office, I spoke up.

“Academy Head, you don’t intend to just leave it at this, do you?”

“……What?”

It would be a shame if it ended this simply.

I gestured toward Ak Byeong-bi with my chin.

“That man brought his clan here, ran rampant in the Murim Academy, and damaged its property. Isn’t that clearly an act of using armed force within the grounds of the Murim Academy?”

“And?”

I widened my eyes and replied.

“Naturally, he must pay damages.”

Buk Won-pyeong looked at me with an expression that said, ‘Of course.’

What was with that look?

I take back what I said earlier, Senior Brother.

To think he couldn’t see the tactical genius of his Eldest Senior Brother.

The younger generation of disciples had truly gone soft.

While I was busy reflecting on the need for stricter discipline, the junior disciple—no, Buk Won-pyeong—shifted his gaze toward Ak Byeong-bi.

“Naturally, the Ak Clan will compensate for all damage incurred. Is that not right?”

Oh, as expected, our Senior Brother was the best!

Ak Byeong-bi ground his teeth and answered.

“……We will do so.”

He reached for his wounds and prepared to depart again.

Why did that man keep trying to leave when I wasn’t finished?

The most critical part was yet to come.

“Hold on. What about me?”

“Hm?”

“……Ahem?”

Confusion registered on both their faces.

I tilted my head, meeting their gazes.

“I nearly ended up dragged to the Execution Pavilion, where I would have been tortured into confessing to imaginary crimes. Furthermore, given that the Execution Pavilion suddenly stormed in, I’m quite anxious and doubt I’ll be able to sleep for some time……”

I crossed my arms and put on my most sorrowful expression.

“Why hasn’t there been a word about compensation for my mental and physical trauma?”

Buk Won-pyeong stared at me, dumbfounded, then looked to Ak Byeong-bi.

“What will you do?”

Ak Byeong-bi trembled with fury, his teeth grinding audibly.

Look at this ill-mannered Ak Clan cur.

“It appears he intends to let it slide.”

I looked at our Senior Brother—no, Buk Won-pyeong—with a piteous gaze.

“Haa…… Then I suppose I have no choice but to vent my frustration on Ak Ju-pyeong. I already broke both of his legs, perhaps I should break his arms this time?”

Buk Won-pyeong gestured to Ak Byeong-bi with an expression of deep disgust.

“A-ahem…… Are you truly going to leave it at that?”

Ak Byeong-bi glared at me with bloodshot eyes and spat out.

“GRIND…… I will pay the compensation.”

“How much will you pay?”

“……How much do you demand?”

“Only the value of Ak Ju-pyeong’s life.”

“……Can you promise not to touch Ju-pyeong again?”

I nodded firmly.

“I will not lay a finger on him.”

“Fine. I will pay.”

“I’ll be waiting. For the price of Ak Ju-pyeong’s life.”

As I beamed at him, Ak Byeong-bi ground his teeth and fled the office.

The moment the door shut, Buk Won-pyeong asked me, looking quite baffled.

“When I visited the Taeul Sect, its finances didn’t seem that dire. Why do you act as if you’re possessed by a demon of greed?”

As a rule, even in a second life, one fundamental truth remained unchanged.

“Do you really think the money made there finds its way to me? They’ll be busy squandering it on my junior brothers. So, I have to pinch every coin I can find.”

The more wealth one had, the better.

And anyone who caused destruction had to pay ten times the cost.

Thinking about the payment for Ak Ju-pyeong’s life heading my way, a cunning smile spread across my face.

Buk Won-pyeong looked at me with an expression that clearly read, ‘What kind of person is this?’

But so what?

You had to seize every opportunity while it was still within your reach.