Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Baek Suryong fell unconscious the instant he finished transferring the dragon's energy to his students.

"You did this to us."

He drifted into a dream. His old students, caked in blood, stared at him with hollow eyes, and his hands were slick with crimson stains.

I didn't want to kill you all with my own hands.

He tried to scrub the blood from his palms, but no matter how hard he scrubbed, it wouldn't come off. The metallic stench only grew stronger.

This is a dream.

Baek Suryong dropped his gaze, avoiding his old students' eyes. He wanted to wake up from this nightmare right now. He would even have preferred dreaming of the Blood Demon. At least that would have hurt less.

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A surge of fury burned in Baek Suryong, and he lifted his eyes, glaring at his old students.

Damn it! Why bring this up now…

Suddenly, Baek Suryong's eyes widened. His old students had turned into skeletons, and insects were crawling out of their empty eye sockets. Slowly, the skeletons lurched closer, encircling him.

"You did this to us."

"You used us and threw us away."

"You lied to us."

"We believed you, we really believed you…"

Baek Suryong sank to his knees, curling up and wrapping his arms around his head as his body trembled uncontrollably.

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I…

Back then, he had felt no remorse. In order to survive, he would have used anyone, whether children or adults. He had deceived, stolen, plundered, and murdered countless people just to live another day.

He was aware that his brutal training shattered his trainees' emotions and personalities. He remembered slapping a sobbing child, kicking one who was too exhausted, and threatening to kill those who disobeyed.

Had he ever smiled at them? Shown them any kindness?

"Instructor… Please help us…"

"Instructor… it hurts…"

"Can't we rest for a little bit…?"

"Please don't throw us away…"

This was a dream, a product of Baek Suryong's deep-seated guilt, and he knew it. Still, a part of him wondered if some of his former students had survived.

Back then, he had been too busy battling the Blood Demon, so he never saw exactly what happened to the kids who fought his masters.

I recall they were all seriously injured…

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

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His previous life's students became young children, far younger than the ones he was teaching now at the Azure Dragon Academy.

…And their little frames were riddled with numerous wounds that he himself had inflicted.

"Instructor!"

"Instructor…"

The children stared at him with a mixture of fear and reverence.

Come here.

He pulled his young students into an embrace.

Shocked, their eyes went wide, and some of them wriggled uneasily. Their instructor had never done something like this before.

I'm sorry.

He squeezed them tighter, and the children broke into happy giggles.

"Instructor, please don't leave us behind again."

"Stay with us!"

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"We were here before those Azure Dragon Academy kids, right?"

Baek Suryong smiled faintly at these children who were gazing up at him with innocent faces.

Yes. I won't go anywhere now.

He understood that what he was experiencing was qi deviation. The One-Horned Demon Dragon's demonic qi radiated hatred, rage, and malice toward humans, and it had forced all of that upon Baek Suryong.

Fortunately, with the Silver Tiger's help, he had channeled most of that energy into his students before his body gave out. Still, the demonic qi had seeped into his bones, damaging his meridians and acupoints.

Qi deviation was unavoidable.

I'll stay with you all forever.

The instant he made that promise, a strange calm washed over him. He knew the truth, yet he couldn't bring himself to abandon these children.

No, he would protect these children now and atone for what he had done in the past.

He closed his eyes. He was so tired, and sleep beckoned to him. After a short nap, he would cook a meal with his students…

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"Instructor! Wake up!"

"Instructor! Don't listen to those lies!"

"Those are the devil's whispers! Ignore them!"

"Stay with us!"

Baek Suryong forced his eyes open. His old students were clinging tightly to him while glaring fiercely at the sky above them.

""WAKE UP!""

The world quaked, warmth spread through his cold body, and a ray of light penetrated the darkness.

A familiar voice came from within that light. Actually, it sounded like more than one voice.

"His body's ice cold…"

"Let's massage Mr. Baek's arms and legs like he always does for us after training."

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"Should we slap him a few times? I think that'll definitely wake him up."

"Senior! How could you even think of doing that to Mr. Baek when he's in such bad shape?"

"I'm serious! No matter what, we have to wake him up first, don't we?"

Their voices grew louder and more distinct.

Baek Suryong looked toward the light. His mind, clouded by qi deviation, began to clear.

If I don't snap out of this… they're going to slap me? ME?

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That thought sharpened his senses even more.

That has to be Wonkang.

His lips curling into a wicked grin, he reached for the light.

"Instructor! Don't go!"

"Are you… leaving us again?"

"You're a liar!"

"Please, I beg you, don't go…"

His old students wept, tears streaming down their cheeks.

Baek Suryong gently patted their heads. "I'm sorry."

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This was the first time he had spoken so clearly. It was a signal that he was waking from the dream.

"I'm sorry. There are students waiting for me outside too. I don't want to hurt them the way I did you."

Their faces began to blur.

He cast one final glance at them. He wouldn't forget them, but he wouldn't remain imprisoned by his past.

"I have to live in the present."

He woke up.

"Gasp!" Baek Suryong's eyes flew open, and he glanced around.

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""Mr. Baek!""

Delighted, his students, who were busy massaging his arms and legs, suddenly leaned in so close that they headbutted each other.

""Ouch!""

All five clutched their heads.

Confirming that all five of his students were okay, Baek Suryong breathed a sigh of relief. "Is everyone alright? Any injuries?"

"No one's seriously hurt. I feel a little sick, but it's probably because I absorbed too much qi…"

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Baek Suryong examined his students. Even though they were trying to act tough, they were covered in cuts and bruises from head to toe. It was obvious they had endured a tough fight.

"Well done, all of you. Fighting spirit beasts isn't easy…"

"Mr. Baek," Wiji Cheon said gravely.

"Yes?" Baek Suryong blinked in confusion. This wasn't like the kind, timid boy he knew.

"Sometimes, I think you're too overprotective of us. You train us so hard, but when push comes to shove, you always fight alone."

"…Did I do that?"

The others students nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! You nearly kill us during training, but then you try to sacrifice yourself for us!" Hyonwon Kang blurted.

"We're not children," Geo Sangwoong added firmly.

"We might not meet your lofty standards yet, but we're working really hard!" Yeo Min insisted.

"Yeah, stop treating us like kids," Ya Suhyeok chimed in.

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Baek Suryong scratched his cheek awkwardly. Guilt over his past had likely made him overprotective with his new students at the Azure Dragon Academy, as if he were trying to atone for what he had done before.

"…I'm sorry," he whispered, realizing his mistake after meeting his old students in the dream. "I'll stop doing that. If I need help, I'll ask for it, and I won't protect you just because you're my students."

The five students nodded, satisfied with Baek Suryong's response.

With Hyonwon Kang's help, Baek Suryong rose to his feet. His body was a wreck, and he would need at least ten days to recover.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Where's the mother Silver Tiger?"

"She's waiting for us," Ya Suhyeok replied, cuddling the exhausted, dozing furball in his arms. "She said that time was of the essence, so we should go see her as soon as you woke up."

[…You're here.]

The mother Silver Tiger was in a cave hidden deep within the mountains. When the group found her, the finally realized why she had not gone searching for her cub.

Her side had been ripped open, organs exposed, and black blotches of the One-Horned Demon Dragon's poison spread across her body.

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She was dying.

The cub, now awake, nuzzled his mother. In response, she licked him slowly, her saliva healing the small cuts and scratches all over his tiny body.

[…I don't have much time left.]

After the cub dozed off again, the mother Silver Tiger turned toward the humans, and her eyes settled on Ya Suhyeok.

[Thank you for looking after my child.]

"You don't have to thank us. This little guy helped us a lot too," Ya Suhyeok mumbled, scratching his head awkwardly. He had lost his father to a tiger attack, yet here he was being thanked by one. Life was full of surprises.

[Still, I must repay my debt.]

A soft white light flowed from the mother Silver Tiger's body into Ya Suhyeok.

"W-What?" Ya Suhyeok stared at his body, but the light had already vanished, leaving him with only a gentle warmth.

[From now onwards, the beasts of the mountains will follow you, the trees and birds will welcome you, and the flowers will guide your path.]

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He looked completely bewildered. The white light was the Silver Tiger's blessing.

The Silver Tiger, looking paler than ever, cast a weak glance at the other humans.

[I would like to bless you all, but I don't have the strength for that.]

"It's fine. That kid's the only one who roams the mountains. The rest of us don't need it," Baek Suryong said, stepping forward and examining the Silver Tiger.

I suspected as much, but she's probably a divine beast.

An ordinary spirit beast wouldn't have a purifying aura or the ability to bless and heal.

"Why did you call us here? What kind of favor do you need from me?"

[Human who defies the heavens. How much do you know?]

Baek Suryong narrowed his eyes. "…All of you, step outside for a moment," he commanded sternly.

Sensing Baek Suryong's seriousness, the students quietly filed out of the cave.

Once they were gone, Baek Suryong asked, "How much do I know? What are you talking about?"

The mother Silver Tiger met Baek Suryong's gaze, her eyes shimmering with a holy blue light.

[The world will soon fall into chaos. More demonic beasts like the One-Horned Demon Dragon will appear, and strange occurrences that you humans call 'mysterious phenomena' will become commonplace. Most importantly… you are destined to play a major role in that turmoil.]

Translator's Note: Suhyeok is now officially a Disney princess. See you next week!