52: Ma Yeon-hwa (1)

He survived even after I lowered it to three.’

Mumu’s eyes also lit up. He had judged that the old man had suppressed the surroundings with an invisible force, which was strong, and had lowered the dial by a lot. Yet, the old man had only been pushed back without injury.

‘That old man is very strong.’

It seemed like Mumu would have to lower all the dials on his hands and legs to take him down, but there was no real reason to fight.

Hang Yeon was shocked at Mumu’s question,

“The former has been proven, right?”

At that, Elder Hang Yeon, who crossed his arms to avoid being hit by the rubble, bit his lip. Was this shock only to prove his power?

Well, it was clearly proven. However, it brought up another doubt.

‘Even though I am an old man who is going to retire, I was once a ruthless swordsman and this power even makes me feel threatened.’

A person with such power was a freshman. Doubts would arise. Elder Hang Yeon spoke with a serious face.

“You… that power… is completely different from internal energy. It is impossible to produce this kind of weapon with simple muscle strength alone.”

‘R-right.’

Im jong also agreed with this. No matter how much muscles were trained, this was beyond common sense. Even the shockwave which tore down the place. To which, Mumu replied,

“It is possible.”

“What?”

“If muscles are trained enough, anyone can do it.”

“…”

Elder Hang Yeon was speechless. This was nothing? Could it be done only through strength training? Mumu shrugged in response to the reaction of the old man.

“I always thought internal energy was interesting.”

“What do you mean?”

“To be on the same level as the elder who didn’t train muscles but this force is interesting.”

‘… what is he saying?’

Im Jong looked at Mumu, unable to understand. He was talking as if he was from another world. Mumu’s senses seemed different from theirs. The old man narrowed his eyes.

‘Does this child really think that strength training is simple?’

No matter how he looked, this child had gone past simple training. Even the internal energy taken from nature helps the growth of one’s energy. But how could a 17 year old boy push the old man with a shockwave from his fist?

It was like the child’s power was denying reality.

‘No…’

Elder Hang Yeon’s eyes turned and looked at the wrist of Mumu’s right arm. White steam was rising from it. He was intrigued by the bracelet he had on.

‘Is it a strange item?’

Strange items. An item which is unknown to others. Some say it is created by the people of Murim and others say the energy slowly naturally enters the items. One thing was certain, that the piece on his wrist was very strange.

Elder Hang Yeon glanced at the five colored jewels studded glove.

‘It looks like a gilded glove, but because of that, half the residents in the six provinces had turned to ashes.’

The situation would have been worse if not for Eastern River Blade, one of the Four Great Warriors and his disciples.

And now the bands on Mumu’s bracelets were suspicious.

Chiiiii!

Mumu frowned. It was because the band was turning hot again.

‘Again.’

As the number was lowered, the band was hurting him. It was time to turn it back. The heat wasn’t much, but if he didn’t turn it back, then it would get stronger with time.

‘I have proven my strength, so I need to change it back.’

Mumu naturally put his hands behind his head and then turned it.

Kik!

He turned it from three to eight. And then red skin turned back to normal, and the swollen muscles subsided. And Elder Hang Yeon narrowed his eyes.

‘That sound again.’

His five senses were extremely sensitive, and were superior to others. There was no way he couldn’t hear that sound. And this sound was very similar to the previous one, and each time the sound came, Mumu would put his hands together.

Like just now.

‘Is it a strange item?’

If it was a power dependent on an item, he would understand it. Hang Yeon, who was becoming more suspicious, decided to confirm it.

“You…”

Swosh!

Then, he felt a sign of someone approaching.

‘Who would come here?’

“Stop!!!”

A voice resounding the place. And the man approached at the speed of light, it was Dan Pil-hoo, the deputy.

“Uh? Deputy head master?”

Mumu recognized him and Hang Yeon just frowned. He hadn’t informed anyone, not a report sent, so why was he here?

Tak!

Dan Pil-hoo came in and Hang Yeon asked.

“Deputy. How did you get to the underground archive? According to the rules this place….”

“Didn’t you know that with special situations we can cross over the regular rules especially if it involves the safety of students?”

Hang Yeon frowned at it. He knew Dan Pil-hoo, and that he had a strong desire for his own growth and honor. He wasn’t the kind of person to come over for the safety of one student.

“So you came all the way here?”

“Right. And I will take over the student now.”

At that, Hang Yeon sighed.

“… sigh. I see. Please give me some time. This incident has damaged some of the trial room, and injured our Master Hwang Won too.”

Dan Pil-hoo frowned at it. Receiving a report that Mumu had fallen into the basement, he ran over here, but seeing around it seemed more of a mess than he imagined.

‘Oh. What did I get myself into.’

Even in accidents the kid stuck out? Still, he couldn’t let the kid go.

‘It seems like they know of his powers and want to investigate him as a suspicious one, but I can’t let them take him out of the school.’

Since Dan Pil-hoo was experienced in this field and was a member of the Murim Association he could grasp the situation by looking at it. And Dan Pil-hoo spoke to Hang Yeon.

“I can’t let what you want happen. According to special rules for accidents in the academy, and as the second head of the academy, I will be in charge, and I’m taking this child with me.”

Hang Yeon came out of the basement. His usual kind face disappeared and his face was stiff. The deputy had pointlessly pointed out special rules and had taken Mumu with him.

The kid had such a person on his side? Right when he was about to find out the power of the child, all this happened.

‘… is the deputy related to him too?’

It seems like the deputy knew something about the child. They could be related because of some incident too. But he couldn’t understand.

‘Hmm.’

Was it okay to leave this child alone? He made a pact with ‘that’ person to take care of this place for 10 years. And that time would end soon. And what happens in the academy wasn’t really his concern.

Despite the damage of the trial rooms and the teacher, the academy and items were safe. He thought the child was suspicious but the child didn’t touch a single thing. If he had touched anything, then he would have been poisoned by the cases which had poison rubbed on them.

‘… he didn’t aim for the third basement.’

If the child had gotten his strength from that item, then the academy should confiscate it. Otherwise, such accidents would occur. And it was a piece which enhanced a person’s strength.

‘Should I check it out myself?’

Right when he was thinking this,

“Elder.”

A man standing in the shadow of a tree called out. Hang Yeon smiled.

“Ahh. I am sorry for leaving you alone.”

“It is fine. Even if I was left behind I had an amazing time with this alcohol.”

“Oh. Right, you must have.”

With that, the unhappy mood had improved for Hang Yeon. And the man asked,

“There seemed to be a problem. Was it resolved?”

“Uh. You mean that…”

At the man’s question, Hang Yeon touched his face. And then said,

‘Right.’

Didn’t he promise that man to not get involved in the academic affairs? Then he didn’t have to go out by himself.

“Hm. I am sorry, but can I ask you for a favor?”

“You don’t have to put it like that. Please ask for anything.”

“Huhuhu. Drinking indeed is fun.”

And then he whispered it to the man. And the Hang Yeon slowly left. The man standing in the shadow smiled.

‘The power is due to the item?’

He was just bringing alcohol, but he got unexpected information.

“Euk.”

Mumu limped. He was brought to the main office and Dan Pil-hoo nagged for half an hour. He heard all kinds of nagging in his life, but this stood on top of it. And thanks to that, Mumu felt tired.

‘Are the others back?’

He remembered his friends shaking their heads as he was dragged by Dan Pil-hoo. It was late, so they must have gone to their rooms.

‘Hmm. I need to go to sleep.’

And do the roll call too. He was physically exhausted because of the constant dial changing he did. And right when he was heading back,

“Wait a second.”

Someone called Mumu. And there stood a beautiful 19 years old with her bangs cut to her eyebrows.

Just looking at it, she wasn’t less than Baek Yeon. Except for the fact that her eyes were like foxes, raised up.

‘Ah!’

The girl was a bit dazed as she looked at Mumu. Unexpectedly she was startled at the young face he had.

“Who are you?”

At Mumu’s question, the girl said,

“Third year student, Ma Yeon-hwa.”

Ma Yeon-hwa, third year. A student who was still in the academy and was ranked too. And was known to the Flowers of Heaven along with Guyang Seorin, who was in the 2nd year, and was popular because of her looks.

“Ah, a senior?”

“Right.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I have been waiting for you.”

Mumu tilted his head and asked,

“Why?”

“I have something to say. It is a bit strange here, can we talk over there?”

She pointed to a dark alley which was dimly lit. and with sullen eyes Mumu responded,

“I am tired today, can’t we just talk here?”

“I don’t want other people to hear.”

“Then talk small, no one will hear.”

“But we never know, let’s go.”