I Became a Transcendent-Level Genius Trainer - Chapter 172

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Transcendent Genius Trainer Episode 172

Clang!

“Hahahahaha!”

Elder Kim Hwa-ung laughed heartily.
After receiving training from Yujun, he had created an artifact for the first time.

It was the Geumgang Kim Family’s special artifact—one he’d once crafted three of in a single day during his active years.
The sensation returning to his hands after so long.
The mana flowing through his body.
It was truly a fresh feeling.
I am alive.
Right now, I am living as a blacksmith.

“Trainer Kang.”

He didn’t know where he was.
But he couldn’t help expressing his gratitude.
He bowed his head toward the direction where he believed Kang Yu-jun to be.

Kim Hwa-ung, who had lived his entire life for the benefit of the Geumgang Kim Family.
The reason he had turned a blind eye to the misdeeds of family head Kim Hwa-cheon was because he had believed it was the path for the family’s sake.
But now, thinking back, he realized it had been entirely wrong.

“I was foolish. So very foolish.”

Elder Kim Hwa-ung intended to pass on all his knowledge to every blacksmith within the family and entrust it to them.
Moreover.

“Kim Gyu-cheol as family head….”

He would make him like the founding family head of the Geumgang Kim Family.
Elder Kim Hwa-ung closed his eyes.
And his mouth opened.

“Thank you for letting me die as a blacksmith.”

He was grateful that he could end not as an elder of the Geumgang Kim Family, but as a blacksmith of the family.

***

Ding!
Points increase!
Points increase!

‘It seems the elders have begun in earnest with production.’

Yujun smiled as he watched the additional points accumulate.
He was currently in Apgujeong for a meeting.
At the top of the tall building were the words “Heukgang Academy.”
This was precisely his destination for today.

“I’ve come to meet Trainer Do Kang-myeong.”
“May I have your name, please?”
“I’m Kang Yu-jun.”

The moment the desk clerk heard Yujun’s name, her expression shifted to surprise.
She immediately pressed a button.

“I’ll show you right away!”

A trainer school—Heukgang.

‘Korea’s finest trainer really is different.’

With the most outstanding cumulative achievements and no shortage of impact, many ranked Do Kang-myeong first among the Three Great Trainers.
Accordingly, Heukgang Academy was quite large and magnificent.

Hup!
Hah!
That’s not it.
Stronger!

Sounds of trainers being instructed echoed from each training ground.

‘The number of people here is incredible.’

Heukgang Academy, located in a large building, had multiple training grounds, and sounds were reverberating from all of them.

“You have quite a lot of students.”
“Yes!”

The desk clerk smiled brightly at Yujun.

“As Trainer Kang surely knows, there’s a trainer boom happening right now! We really have only to thank Trainer Kang.”
“…Huh?”

At those words, Yujun’s expression turned puzzled.
Then the clerk spoke again with a bright smile.

“Oh, surely you’re aware? Ever since Trainer Kang Yu-jun made his debut, the number of students aspiring to be trainers has increased tremendously!”

It was Yujun who had sparked the trainer boom.

“I’d say all trainer schools in the country right now are grateful to Trainer Kang Yu-jun. Heukgang Academy is no exception!”

Only then did Yujun chuckle and nod.

‘I knew that trainers had increased because of me.’

But he hadn’t expected it to explode quite like this.

‘Not a bad thing.’

Thinking that he had influenced things, his mood wasn’t bad at all.

Not everyone could become a trainer, but at least he hoped those with aptitude would find their way.
After chatting in this manner, they arrived at a room.
A reception room.
Not just any reception room, but a VIP reception room.

‘Nice.’

“Please wait here for a moment.”
“Understood.”

Yujun sat down and was looking around the room when the door opened.
A man entered the reception room.
Do Kang-myeong.
Korea’s foremost trainer, known to nearly everyone.

‘This is the first time.’

He’d seen him in videos and from a distance before, but never this close.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Kang Yu-jun.”

Yujun rose from his seat first and offered his greeting.

“Yes, likewise. Trainer Kang Yu-jun. First, let me offer my congratulations. Becoming the nation’s first SS-rank trainer is truly worthy of celebration.”

Yujun had become the country’s first SS-rank trainer.
Though he had long remained at S-rank and was the frontmost candidate should SS-rank be established, Do Kang-myeong offered his sincere congratulations on Yujun’s promotion.

“To be honest, the situation is rather peculiar in several ways.”

It was indeed a situation that would wound one’s pride.
But the achievements Kang Yu-jun had recently accomplished were worthy of surpassing him and reaching SS-rank.
His accomplishments were so remarkable that they rendered his years of work as a trainer insignificant.
Moreover, he had elevated the status of Korea’s trainers and sparked a trainer boom across the nation.
As someone running Heukgang Academy, Do Kang-myeong felt this more keenly than anyone.

“Thanks to Trainer Kang Yu-jun, our trainer school has seen many more students enrolling. And among them, there are those with outstanding talent.”

Even Heukgang Academy, while not operating at a loss, had seen modest profits.
But recently, with revenue skyrocketing, operating profit had climbed alongside it.
Honestly, whenever he looked at the ledgers, he couldn’t help but smile.

“I imagine all other trainer schools have seen significant profit increases as well. In essence, all trainers in the country are indebted to Trainer Kang Yu-jun.”

Everyone now owed a debt to Yujun.
A single person was now leading an entire industry.
So even if they were giving SS-rank to Yujun for the first time, the feeling was bound to be complex.
Honestly, his pride was no longer wounded.
Would such a boom have come if Do Kang-myeong had been the first to achieve SS-rank?
It would have simply become another moment in history.
So Do Kang-myeong felt more gratitude than envy or jealousy.
Sensing the sincerity in Do Kang-myeong’s words, Yujun replied respectfully.

“I simply trained diligently. I did it to increase my own value, not for any grand reason.”
“That makes it all the more admirable.”

Do Kang-myeong smiled.

“Please speak at ease. You’re my senior in this field.”

Yujun bowed slightly and invited him to speak more casually.

His relationship with Do Kang-myeong was not yet deep.
In such circumstances, proceeding with formality was advantageous.

“…Well then, let’s do that. I apologize that I couldn’t reach out directly—there simply wasn’t an opportunity.”
“I’ve been quite busy moving around.”

Yujun smiled and accepted the words.

‘There probably were opportunities to contact me directly.’

For example, Baek Do-gyun.
Baek Do-gyun and Do Kang-myeong were said to be quite close.

‘But Trainer Baek probably wouldn’t have readily given him my contact information.’

Baek Do-gyun cared for Yujun considerably.

‘I never thought the connection from the Uijeongbu Gate Front would lead to this.’

After that, he had continued to promote Yujun through interviews.
Even when negative stories about Yujun occasionally emerged, he steadfastly supported him.
So Yujun felt considerable gratitude toward Baek Do-gyun.

‘And he also resolved my Mana Circuit Contraction.’

Thanks to that, Baek Do-gyun was said to be enjoying a second golden period recently.

‘According to what the association chairman told me, he’s quite remarkable.’

Thanks to that interview, Baek Do-gyun, who had been called washed-up, had made a complete comeback and was being sought after everywhere.
Moreover, Baek Do-gyun himself was inspired and even succeeded in attempting training that had previously failed.

“So I made contact through the association.”

Do Kang-myeong raised his teacup and sipped while continuing.

“You know that the Geumgang Kim Family and Cheonrae Choi Family strongly opposed your S-rank promotion, yes?”
“Yes, I’m aware.”

Of course, at this point, it was a moot matter.
He had risen to SS-rank in this latest rank subdivision measure.

“The Kim Family… I heard you’ve already trained them. That insular Geumgang Kim Family even announced their full support of you.”

He had just heard this news.
A new family head had ascended to the position of the Geumgang Kim Family, and the previous family head, Kim Hwa-cheon, had fled overseas.
The new family head was Kim Gyu-cheol.
He was even a member of Trainer Kang Yu-jun’s team.

It was an odd affair, but naturally, Do Kang-myeong had no thought that Yujun had removed the previous family head and elevated his own associate to the position.
It couldn’t be otherwise, as such a notion bordered on conspiracy theory.

“That’s a very risky place to work. Impressive indeed.”

It was one thing to succeed at training, but what amazed Do Kang-myeong was that Yujun kept accepting training jobs that didn’t seem to have a winning angle.
Yujun possessed a great deal now.
One misstep could tarnish his reputation and break his momentum.
In such circumstances, it was prudent to accept only low-risk jobs with high success probability.

“What was the reason you accepted despite knowing the risk was high?”
“I prefer high-risk training.”

Yujun answered readily with a smile.

“So I accepted intentionally.”

At that, Do Kang-myeong fell silent and looked at Yujun.
Words Baek Do-gyun had spoken came to mind.
See for yourself.
You’ll understand when you see.
Swoosh!
It was just as he’d said.

“As you well know, Trainer Do, a trainer is someone who provides training to those who need training, is that not so?”

If that were the case, there was no need to deliberate on the condition of the recipient.
Providing necessary training to those in need.
That is what a trainer is.

“I see. Yes. I asked a foolish question.”

Do Kang-myeong could only laugh in exasperation.
The Kang Yu-jun he saw in person was polite yet at the same time confident.
Normally these two things could not coexist, yet they did.
Without realizing it, he smiled faintly.

“The request from the Cheonrae Choi Family was negotiated beforehand by Ryu Jeong-hwan, the association chairman.”

Ryu Jeong-hwan had struck a deal with the Cheonrae Choi Family side, promising rank subdivision.

“In exchange for the Cheonrae Choi Family supporting you, they’ve agreed to issue a training request. A training request, that is.”

Do Kang-myeong showed him a Smart Pad.

-Cheonrae Choi Family training request.

“The Cheonrae Choi Family has long carried a problem.”

From the past to the present, they have actively worked to resolve that problem.

“The reason the Cheonrae Choi Family opposed your rapid S-rank promotion was because of that problem.”
“I’m not privy to the details, but I heard there was an incident in the past.”

Following that shocking incident, the Trainer Association had been forced to change several regulations.
Moreover, though the Cheonrae Choi Family was renowned as a trainer family, they failed to prevent an outside trainer’s incorrect training, earning them the shameful epithet of being a facade family rather than a noble house.
From their perspective, they could not allow such a thing to happen again.

‘If we granted S-rank too quickly again, a similar incident could occur.’

Do Kang-myeong sighed and spoke.

“This is an extremely difficult task. It’s never been resolved even once in the history of the Cheonrae Choi Family.”

He then explained about the Cheonrae Choi Family.
The great problem they carried was the powerful strength passed down through their bloodline itself.

“Lightning Mana. Thanks to this powerful Lightning Mana, whether in training, Awakener abilities, or numerous other fields, they’ve achieved overwhelming results. This Lightning Mana is efficient and destructive.”

Particularly, they were famous for their major contributions in Tower clearing from the early days.

“The Cheonrae Choi Family was able to rapidly become a prominent family of South Korea because of this bloodline ability.”

But that bloodline ability itself was the problem.

“The Lightning Mana is so powerful that it consumes the Awakener themselves.”

Until now, not a few trainers had suffered severe injuries attempting to resolve this problem of the Cheonrae Choi Family.

“That lightning burns everything. The Awakener, and any trainer who touches it as well.”

Do Kang-myeong paused briefly before asking.

“Will you still do it?”

At Do Kang-myeong’s words, Yujun nodded without hesitation.

“Yes. If the Cheonrae Choi Family needs me, I must.”

Of course, Yujun had to train the Cheonrae Choi Family unconditionally for the sake of the “Great Blood” achievement.
But Do Kang-myeong, unaware of this, could only admire him.

“Indeed…!”

It was like seeing himself from his passionate days.
Though he had not possessed Kang Yu-jun’s abilities back then, he had approached training with that same mindset.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go with you. If it comes to it, I’ll help.”
“If you’re willing to come along, it would be an honor.”

‘If Trainer Do comes with me, there’s nothing better than that.’

Yujun bowed respectfully as if expressing his gratitude.

‘If Trainer Do comes along, there’s nothing better. I’ll be able to learn from his training methods as well.’

No matter how insular South Korea had become, Do Kang-myeong was Korea’s finest veteran trainer.
There would naturally be much for Yujun to learn from him.

“The Cheonrae Choi Family request is set for two weeks from now. However, since I’ve set this tentatively, you can reschedule whenever you like.”
“Two weeks. That works perfectly.”

Yujun nodded readily.

‘I have something to do first.’

“If there’s anything else you need for the training, I’ll have it prepared.”
“Then.”

Yujun smiled slightly.

“Could you prepare this for me?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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