Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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Two Middle-Aged Men and the Training Hall

At a training hall in Seoul.

Operating under the name <Prime Training Hall>, this is the largest and most famous private training hall in Dongjak District.

With very neat facilities and private instructors available, student Holders often frequented this place like an academy.

Kim Myeong-hyun, a full-time professor at the Seoul Holder Academy and now even the head of the warrior department, also visited this place frequently in his youth.

In those days when he was bundled up with a bit of arrogance and self-confidence.

He honed his sword skills and tirelessly trained to improve his abilities here.

Especially when he created his own sword style, the [Water Sword Technique], and spared while comparing it to his friend Tak Won-ho’s [Wave Sword Technique].

Though many things changed as he started a family and became a father… His passion from those days,

Kim Myeong-hyun still hadn’t forgotten.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Lost in thought like that, Tak Won-ho, who was wiping his sword next to him, asked.

Kim Myeong-hyun smiled faintly and said, “I was reminiscing about the old days for a bit.”

“The old days?”

“Yes. The days when you and I created our sword techniques at this training hall.”

The memories of creating the [Wave Sword Technique] and the [Water Sword Technique] –

They were truly traces of their distant youth.

At those words, Tak Won-ho let out an awkward laugh.

“Have you been too busy lately that you’re tired? Why are you getting so sentimental?”

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun.

At the academy recently, he was undoubtedly the busiest professor, no matter what anyone said.

Having overseen the ‘Villain Eradication Operation’, he couldn’t rest even after the operation ended.

It was such a large-scale operation that he had to complete reports almost at the dissertation level, and he also spent time cooperating with related detailed investigations conducted by the government and association.

More than two months had passed since the incident, but he was involved in the investigations until the new year approached.

This showed just how much influence the <Villain> clan had exerted domestically, and the magnitude of the impact from taking them down.

Especially recently, with the strong recommendation of the other warrior department professors and Tak Won-ho, he was appointed as the head of the warrior department at the academy… Adding another title to his already busy schedule.

“But you were far busier, weren’t you, Professor Tak?”

Tak Won-ho drank another shot.

Through this incident, he had truly emerged as the core of the academy’s operations.

With the incompetence of the other Tak family successors revealed during the operation, and some even found to have been indirectly colluding with <Villain>… The successors themselves had all dropped out.

This allowed Tak Won-ho to become the central figure of the academy’s operations, acknowledged by the foundation’s chairman Tak Yun-jae and accepted by everyone outside as well.

It was premature for him to succeed the family, but at the very least, he had consolidated all power within the academy.

Thanks to this, the Seoul Holder Academy was finally embarking on a path of reform, and Tak Won-ho had been relentlessly busy recently.

“Well, at least we can rest like this now.”

“Indeed. I thought we’d be stuck at the academy even during the vacation.”

The two had finally gotten a chance to rest after wrapping up all the busy academy affairs, at the start of the new year.

The place for this rest was the training hall.

Tak Won-ho and Kim Myeong-hyun liked to converse while swinging their swords at the training hall.

Even when catching up, they moved their bodies, and even while chatting idly, their hands never rested.

Rest while training!

That had been a kind of routine and slogan for them since long ago, when they created their own sword techniques.

It showed just how obsessed with swords these two were.

“…Did you find that person?”

As they finished preparing at the training hall and were in the midst of displaying their sword skills, Kim Myeong-hyun suddenly brought up a topic.

At those words, Tak Won-ho momentarily paused the busy movements of his hands.

That person.

Without saying it directly, he knew well who Kim Myeong-hyun was referring to.

“Not yet.”

“…You might not be able to find them.”

“They were always like that. Now… And in the past too.”

The person he spoke of is Hwang Seong-yeon.

The worst criminal behind the ‘Gwanghwamun Mass Murder Case’, and the vice-master of the <Villain> clan that recently attacked the academy.

“……….”

Hwang Seong-yeon was… Someone Kim Myeong-hyun and Tak Won-ho could never forget.

Not simply because he was the one who caused a stir nationwide, but in the distant past, tracing back over 20 years… Among the four young men who studied the sword together, Hwang Seong-yeon was one of those members etched in their memories.

One left feeling disillusioned with the world to go on an adventure, and another, Hwang Seong-yeon, became a criminal…

But the fact that they had studied the sword together then would never change, no matter how much time passed.

“That…”

As if to add something more, Kim Myeong-hyun…

Shook his head and swallowed his words.

Shwik- Shwishh-

Then he quietly began to display his sword technique again.

Knowing his heart better than anyone, Tak Won-ho also silently followed, swinging his sword.

For quite a long while,

Only the swords moved in the silence.

“It seems like there will be an interesting newcomer in the new warrior department class this time.”

In the midst of that, Tak Won-ho brought up a new topic to freshen the mood.

It was something Kim Myeong-hyun was also aware of.

“You mean the younger sister of Holder Song Do-hyuk?”

“Yes. Song Hyun-a. Or should I call her Holder Song Hyun-a now?”

Song Hyun-a, the direct successor of the renowned Song martial arts family, one of the two great domestic factions, was entering Seoul Holder Academy as a freshman –

This speculative news had just broken today and was already causing a stir in the Holder community.

Kim Myeong-hyun tilted his head and asked, “Wasn’t she a regular person until a few months ago?”

“That’s what I thought too, but it seems she’s awakened since then. Word is that the Dragonfang Sword Clan will be making a shocking announcement soon. I wonder what it could be.”

“Oho…”

Shwik- Shwishh-

This time, Kim Myeong-hyun’s sword moves fluidly,

The opposite movement of Tak Won-ho’s sword that displayed overwhelming destructive force with its straightforward motions.

“Anyway, you’ll be busy again once Holder Song Hyun-a enrolls. After the Judgment of Fire and Royals, now the golden lotus of the Dragonfang Sword is joining the warrior department… You’ll have your hands full.”

Thunk-

But at those words, the movements of Kim Myeong-hyun, who had been swinging his sword, naturally came to a halt.

And soon after, with an incredulous look, he asked Tak Won-ho, “Why will I be the only busy one? What about you?”

“I’ll be teaching the second-year class with Do Jae-hyun.”

At Tak Won-ho’s shameless remark, an aggrieved expression spread across Kim Myeong-hyun’s face.

“No way, that can’t be right. Since becoming a professor, you’ve always taken the same grade every year.”

“It’s time we split up. And the teacher must also walk the path their disciple treads, no?”

Though he spoke in a roundabout way, Kim Myeong-hyun understood the implication well.

Since he worked his butt off this semester, next semester Tak wanted to have some fun teaching Do Jae-hyun.

That’s what Tak Won-ho was saying indirectly.

“Then I’ll take the second-year lectures too. I was Do Jae-hyun’s teacher first, you know.”

“You jest well. If the head professor doesn’t teach, then who will teach the freshmen?”

“Is that why you took the department head position?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

From then on, Kim Myeong-hyun’s nagging continued.

He said things like he knew from when Tak took the position that this would happen, it’s completely an abuse of power by the administration, he wants to teach second-years too, the Song family really is the renowned martial arts family…

The baseless banter went on, and Tak Won-ho just smiled and ignored it.

Childish as it was, this was the playful banter between the two middle-aged friends.

Whoong- Whoong!

Shwik- Shwishh-

As the lighthearted sword sparring and casual conversation unfolded,

Kim Myeong-hyun suddenly asked Tak Won-ho, “Actually, Professor Tak, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“I refuse to resign as department head.”

“It’s not about that.”

At that, Tak Won-ho stopped his sword and turned his head.

“Then what is it?”

“You know my daughter, right?”

“Kim Chae-eun?”

“Yes.”

As if deep in thought, Kim Myeong-hyun spoke, “My daughter has been smiling a lot lately.”

“Smiling?”

“Yes. While eating meals, while resting at home. Recently, even when I have free time and teach her some basic self-defense sword skills… she just randomly starts smiling while swinging her sword.”

“…….”

Kim Myeong-hyun didn’t usually share much about his family outside.

It was because he cherished his only remaining family with all his heart.

And the only person he could open up to like this, was his friend Tak Won-ho.

Kim Myeong-hyun tilted his head, then continued speaking.

“It’s even worse when she enters her room.”

“…Her room?”

“Yes. Or maybe I should say it’s an embarrassing expression… Before entering her room, she always makes that kind of expression, and after coming out, she keeps smiling again.”

“…….”

“Do you notice anything odd? You may not be a Holder, but you have a regular daughter too.”

At Kim Myeong-hyun’s question, Tak Won-ho momentarily froze.

Because there was something he noticed.

After Christmas ended, around the end of the year at the academy, while immersed in his workload…

He had stepped out for a bit of fresh air on the nearby street.

And at that time,

Tak Won-ho saw Kim Chae-eun.

More precisely, he saw Kim Chae-eun walking intimately with her arm linked with Do Jae-hyun’s.

‘……’

Though both were wearing masks and hoods, Tak Won-ho, who had known them for so long, recognized them at a glance.

One was the only daughter of his longtime friend, the other his sole disciple…

It would have been stranger if he didn’t recognize them.

And anyone could easily tell that the two were in a romantic relationship.

“Who knows. I’m not really sure either.”

So Tak Won-ho decided to respect their privacy.

He didn’t know the details, but Kim Chae-eun’s new behaviors were probably stemming from that romantic relationship…

And if the overprotective Kim Myeong-hyun, who dearly cherished his daughter, found out about this…

That usually quiet demeanor of his might just erupt like a tidal wave.

Although Tak used the Wave Sword Technique himself, overly rough waves were best avoided.

“…Professor Tak, it seems like you know something?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You can’t fool the eyes of a friend of over 20 years. Tell me what you know.”

“I should train more. Maybe it’s because I’ve only been doing desk work lately that my disciple is catching up to me.”

Tak Won-ho gritted his teeth and feigned ignorance as he began swinging his sword again.

…Somehow, the secret would stay safe.

Within the peaceful training hall.

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