The Academy’s Unrivaled Professor - Chapter 35

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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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Academy’s Absolute Professor Episode 035
No Qualification
“A fake?”
Ma Cheol-ung’s expression grew peculiar.
But he had already pressed the bidding panel button just moments ago.
– 30 billion! We have 30 billion!
Moreover, he’d cleanly burned an extra 5 billion on top of the 25 billion.
– Any higher bids? 30 billion! Starting the countdown! 3, 2, 1……!
“……Wait.”
Ma Cheol-ung’s pupils wavered.
What?
He’d been keeping up just fine until now, so why had the bidding suddenly stopped?
If this happens……!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
– Congratulations! The original Oho Danmun Do Manual has been successfully bid at 30 billion!
Thunderous applause poured down from the first floor.
Normally, he would have been overjoyed.
Even with 32 billion in hand, he’d been half-doubtful he could actually win the bid.
But now he couldn’t celebrate—not with Kang Hyun’s words lodged in his mind.
“What do you mean, sir? You’re saying it’s a fake?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you even know the Oho Danmun Do?”
Ma Cheol-ung couldn’t wrap his head around it.
“How could you identify it as fake if you don’t know the original?”
You have to know the authentic to recognize the counterfeit.
Kang Hyun, who’d been watching him intently, sent a transmission of sound to Lee Se-ah.
– Chick.
‘Huh?’
The woman beside him startled visibly.
She’d heard that a technique called transmission of sound existed, but this was her first time experiencing it directly.
– Tell him you’re the one who figured it out.
Me?
I should say that?
Lee Se-ah’s pupils trembled.
To call an item counterfeit when it was guaranteed by the American Hunter Association and the Daeseong Group?
One wrong move could ruin her entire life.
– Actually, this works out well. Let’s use this chance to build up your reputation as a Secret Scripture analyst too.
What if it’s my life that gets blown to pieces instead?
Lee Se-ah glanced sideways at Kang Hyun.
That carefree man sipping his whiskey.
‘Well…… he’s a Black that even the government can’t touch. He’ll protect me if it comes to it.’
“I’ll tell you what I found.”
Lee Se-ah stepped forward with quick reflexes.
“It appears to be highly likely a counterfeit.”
“……?”
He tilted his head in confusion.
Who was this girl anyway?
Ma Cheol-ung worked in the special ops team on a dedicated basis, but Lee Se-ah was a new recruit—he’d never met her before.
“I’m Lee Se-ah. A Secret Scripture analyst who assists Kang Hyun.”
Her throat went dry and sweat beaded her palms.
But now?
She’d already spoken.
‘Ah, whatever. Come what may.’

* * *
Since the bid had been successful, Ma Cheol-ung went to collect the item.
“Congratulations on your successful bid, Hunter.”
“Mm.”
The Daeseong Group employee flinched at his stern expression as he stroked his jaw with his hand.
“However.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“What if this Secret Scripture turns out to be a forgery?”
“That’s hardly likely, is it?”
“But it’s not impossible, is it?”
“……Daeseong never puts items up for auction without verifying their authenticity. If it’s determined to be a forgery, we’ll compensate you three times the successful bid according to the contract terms.”
Three times 30 billion would be 90 billion.
Even for Daeseong Group, that wasn’t money to throw away lightly.
“First, 30 billion.”
No matter who Ma Cheol-ung was, he didn’t trust Kang Hyun’s word entirely.
He’d seized the opportunity; he’d take the payment.
Then, if it really was a counterfeit?
He’d find a way to claim compensation.
“Process the payment.”
“Right away.”
After completing the transaction and taking the Secret Scripture in hand, Ma Cheol-ung’s expression grew uneasy.
The employee didn’t seem to be lying, judging by his manner.
Rustle.
The more he skimmed through the Scripture by turning its pages, the more astonished he became.
‘This is real?’
As he read the secret script, the imagery of a Tyrannical Way energy bloomed in his mind.
A figure gripping a blade was staining all four directions red with blood.
Snap.
After a cursory examination, Ma Cheol-ung headed back up to the second floor.
He wasn’t the type to show the contents of a 30-billion-won Secret Scripture to just anyone.
But the man who’d called it a fake possessed a power too absurd to ignore—he was like an older brother, and Ma Cheol-ung couldn’t simply brush this aside.
“Miss Interpreter.”
“Yes?”
“Could you verify it again in front of me?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
Lee Se-ah took the Secret Scripture carefully and began turning its pages.
– Turn faster. I’m watching.
Rustle, rustle-rustle!
As she picked up speed, guided by the Transmission of Sound, Ma Cheol-ung’s eyes filled with confusion.
‘She can interpret that fast?’
Of course, Lee Se-ah hadn’t recognized a single character.
So she turned the pages even faster to compensate.
She had no real sense of how long it took a normal interpreter to work through a page.
– Recite exactly what I say.
Lee Se-ah swallowed hard and stiffened her expression.
Kang Hyun’s Transmission of Sound continued.
– That’s trash—three different Blade Methods with Tyrannical Way tendencies clumsily stitched together.
“Three Blade Methods are mixed in quite seamlessly.”
– The framework is the Tianfeng Blade Method with the consecutive strikes of the Blood Lion Blade forced on top, isn’t it? Someone’s inserted Tyrannical Way script between chapters to make it look like a single method. It’s quite a carefully crafted forgery. Most people would fall for it.
Lee Se-ah recited it faithfully.
Ma Cheol-ung’s jaw dropped.
Both those Blade Methods were Grade 3—typically difficult to acquire—yet he’d identified them so easily?
“Haah.”
He exhaled sharply and gathered up the Secret Scripture.
“For now, I’ll take this to the Association and have it officially verified.”
Secret Scriptures had to be registered with the Association upon acquisition.
Normally the contents remained confidential, but in special circumstances like this, access could be granted.
Since this counterfeit Oho Danmun Do was registered along with both the Tianfeng Blade Method and Blood Lion Blade, verification would be straightforward.
“You said you work at the Academy, didn’t you? I’ll be in touch.”
Ma Cheol-ung rose and left, a growl in his throat.

* * *
On the drive back to the Academy.
“What are you planning to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is that Secret Scripture really a fake?”
“Why would I lie about something like that?”
“That’s true, I suppose.”
The fact that Kang Hyun knew the Oho Danmun Do Manual was no longer shocking news to either woman.
Especially for Baek Yu-yeon, who was already experiencing a new world through the Tianmai General Theory and Heavenly Medicine Divine Needle.
“Then who could it be? They’ve got some nerve.”
“It’s probably not Daeseong Group.”
There was no practical benefit for Daeseong to profit from selling forgeries.
With annual revenues in the trillions, they’d never tank their brand reputation over a few hundred billion won.
“So it’s the American Hunter Association?”
“Could be. Could not be.”
“What?”
“One of two things. Either the American Association deceived us, or there’s a specialized organization so meticulous they can produce counterfeits perfect enough to fool even the Association’s own appraisers. And if this is fraud, they absolutely didn’t stop at just this one piece.”
“You’re right about that.”
Lee Se-ah nodded.
“If they’re con artists brazen enough to scam a major corporation, they’re planning one big score before they disappear. This is going to cause chaos everywhere soon.”
“Don’t worry about it. Ma Cheol-ung will handle the whole thing anyway.”
Kang Hyun turned his gaze out the car window.
He’d already read what kind of man Ma Cheol-ung was.
Outwardly stolid and unflappable, but once he bares his claws, he doesn’t let go until his prey stops breathing.
“Once the verification’s complete, your reputation will have risen even higher.”

* * *
At that moment, on Akanet.
[Hey, hey, you guys hear about this?]
└ What?
└ That drunk professor actually made a bet with the full professors?
└ Huh? A bet?
└ What kind?
└ Tell us, tell us!
Ten professors had gone to the Dean’s Office to protest.
There was no way all of them could keep their mouths shut, and naturally the rumor began to spread.
[HUGE STORY! Contract Professor O In-bang bets that using only the Samjae Sword Method on the midterm exam he WILL vs WILL NOT make Top Five!]
└ Note) If he doesn’t make it, Professor Kang Hyun gets fired immediately.
└ For real?
└ So that’s what the bet with the full profs was about? ㅋㅋㅋ
└ Samjae Sword Method making Top Five…… thought that was just school legend but it’s actually real
└ Ten full professors stormed the Dean’s Office as a group
└ Wow, even the dean can’t stop that…
└ Hated that drunk professor anyway, serves him right…… ㅃㅃ He’s not getting out of this one
And the rumor reached the ears of the five cadets without fail.
Gwak Do-jin immediately opened a group chat and invited the other cadets.
[Gwak Do-jin : (link) Check this out. Everything’s going crazy right now.]
They were all watching—the user count dropped instantly.
[Yun Hyun-jong : I saw it too, senior. The professor is throwing away his position because of us.]
[Gwak Do-jin : Yeah, that’s why this is complicated. It’s nerve-wracking, but also kind of moving.]
[Yun Hyun-jong : We just need to prove ourselves, don’t we?]
[Gwak Do-jin : Me and Yu-sik can hold our own. What about you? And the rookie?]
[Han Tae-ho : No problem for me!]
[Gwak Do-jin : Seo Hae-in, what about you?]
A brief silence followed.
[Seo Hae-in : I’ll definitely pull it off.]
Everyone else calls him a drunk professor, but these five know better.
They know just how extraordinary Professor Kang Hyun is.
What an incredible stroke of fortune it is to study under him.
But those damn full professors keep throwing obstacles in their way!
Trying to drive Professor Kang Hyun out!
[Cha Yu-sik : I’m gonna be honest here.]
Cha Yu-sik especially felt the urgency—he was caught up in a succession struggle.
[Cha Yu-sik : Honestly, sitting in those mandatory classes right now is a total waste of time.]
[Gwak Do-jin : You too, Yu-sik?]
[Cha Yu-sik: Ah, Gwak. Is it true that Baek Yu-yeon’s been commuting to Professor Kang Hyun’s office lately?]
[Gwak Do-jin: Yeah, that’s what I heard. She’s become his official disciple, apparently. Dropped all her other classes and spends the whole day in his office learning.]
The group chat fell silent at those words.
‘What?’
‘His disciple?’
‘……She gets to study with him all day?’
What was this feeling?
Betrayal? Disappointment?
Or jealousy?
[Cha Yu-sik: What about us? If I could take the professor’s classes, I’d drop everything.]
[Gwak Do-jin: Me too.]
[Yun Hyun-jong: Same here.]
[Han Tae-ho: Obviously.]
[Seo Hae-in: Me too.]
Especially for Seo Hae-in—attending regular classes had become torture ever since the incident with the professor.
No matter what she did, the other cadets whispered about her.
[Gwak Do-jin: We can’t leave it like this. Let’s all go together.]
[Yun Hyun-jong: Go where?]
[Gwak Do-jin: Let’s go find the professor.]
[Yun Hyun-jong: Huh?]
[Gwak Do-jin: Let’s go and ask him directly. Ask him to keep teaching us. Ask him to take us as disciples too.]
All five of them shared the same thought, and within moments they had banded together and made their way to the professor’s office.
“Professor!”
Gwak Do-jin called out.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Just as the rumors suggested, Baek Yu-yeon was inside, practicing needle insertions.
They were the three-hundred-million-won needles she’d received as a gift.
“What brings you all here?”
Kang Hyun, who had been inscribing a Secret Scripture with his brush, asked indifferently.
At that calm question, Cha Yu-sik stepped forward on behalf of the five, his fists clenched tight.
His hands were trembling with tension.
“We heard that you gave up your professorship because of us.”
“How is that because of you?”
“Sir?”
“And if that’s what’s worrying you, you shouldn’t have come here. You should be out there swinging a wooden sword instead.”
“That’s not it. Please teach us directly, Professor.”
“What?”
“We’ll drop all our regular classes.”
“That’s right!”
Gwak Do-jin, standing beside him, burst out as well.
“Why are you taking only Yu-yeon as your disciple? Please accept us too!”
“Take us as disciples!”
Yun Hyun-jong, Han Tae-ho, and Seo Hae-in all bowed their heads in unison.
Baek Yu-yeon blinked in surprise.
That stiff, proud Cha Yu-sik—bowing like this?
After Ma Cheol-ung, she’d been seeing many strange things lately.
A moment of silence fell over the room.
Tap.
Kang Hyun set down his brush.
He surveyed the bowing cadets carefully, then shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but you five don’t yet have the qualification to be my disciples.”

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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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