The Academy’s Unrivaled Professor - Chapter 57

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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 Absolute Professor Episode 057
I Exist in This World
The plaza in front of the New Training Hall.
Students already selected as top ten by year stood in formation, and above them on a raised platform stood roughly a dozen faculty members.
Screeeech!
The bus came to a stop.
With a hiss of exhaust, the doors opened.
Word that elite exchange students from the Mongolian Academy had arrived had already spread far and wide, so a considerable crowd gathered at the plaza’s edges.
“……Huh.”
Several of them drew in sharp breaths.
The Mongolian Academy students descending from the bus one by one were far from ordinary.
‘What kind of height…….’
They were massive figures who appeared to easily exceed an average of 190 centimeters.
‘Look at their faces. Are they even students?’
‘Looks like they brought a whole mercenary company.’
They’d supposedly brought only the top ten from each year, and their bearing was indeed exceptional.
Would the forces led by Genghis Khan’s fierce generals, who once ravaged the Eurasian continent, have carried themselves like this?
They wore no school uniforms at all.
All of them were clad in armor reinforced with Demon Beast hide and bone.
“Hahahaha!”
It was then that a massive man escorting the Mongolian students laughed heartily.
At his presence, not only the Korean students but even the faculty members flinched.
‘That fellow…….’
‘An S-rank Hunter from Mongolia!’
‘Professor Batar!’
Batar spoke with open mockery.
“Your uniforms are so impeccably neat. But what a shame—not even the stench of blood, let alone the reek of sweat. Flowers like that stepping into a dungeon will be nothing but snacks for Demon Beasts, won’t they? Kahahaha!”
The interpreter broke into a cold sweat.
If she translated that directly, this would become a serious incident.
“What is he saying?”
Chief Professor Jin Myeong-hun pressed the interpreter.
Eventually, with no choice, she translated it, and Jin Myeong-hun bit his lip.
‘Are they really doing this so openly?’
Fury welled up, but he couldn’t afford to retaliate rashly.
The other side was S-rank, while he was A-rank.
He risked looking far more pathetic if he let pride get the better of him.
“It must have been a long journey, Professor Batar. Thank you for coming.”
Of course, the chief professor couldn’t simply stay silent either.
The students were watching, after all.
Jin Myeong-hun took a step forward, deliberately hardening his expression.
“Our Academy teaches restraint and dignity before bloodshed. Whether one side is stronger need not be said in words—we’ll confirm it shortly.”
“Yes, there’s no need for words.”
The moment Batar smirked and took a step forward—
Thummmmm……!
A savage killing intent exploded from Batar’s body.
“Nngh.”
Jin Myeong-hun’s breath caught.
It felt like a massive boulder was pressing down on his shoulders.
‘Insane bastard. Releasing killing intent at a welcoming ceremony?’
Right.
He’d done it on purpose.
Batar had been waiting for Jin Myeong-hun to speak first, ready to use it as justification to suppress him with force.
Batar’s actions seemed to say this:
– How can your students possibly be strong when even your professors are this weak? You should be grateful we even deigned to exchange with you.
“You enjoy your jokes, Professor Batar.”
Whoosh.
Then, a soft yet overwhelming aura flowed from behind, sweeping away Batar’s presence.
It was Dean Seo Il-hyeon, who had stepped up onto the platform.
“This isn’t a battlefield—it’s an Academy. You came to educate students. If you’re truly that confident, why resort to intimidating with your presence?”
“Hahaha! My apologies, Dean.”
Batar withdrew his aura and offered a graceful bow.
“A mere courtesy, nothing more. I am delighted to see you remain in such excellent form, Principal.”
“The way you say it makes it sound as though you regret my good health.”
“A misunderstanding, I assure you. On the Steppe, an aged beast of prey inspires far greater fear than a young one. Knowing you to be in such fine condition sets my mind at ease—surely you don’t begrudge me a bit of sport?”
The sheer intensity of the verbal sparring made Jin Myeong-hun exhale in relief.
And simultaneously, he found himself grateful.
‘Thank heavens I’m not the supervising professor for this exchange.’
The principal had mentioned it to him.
The supervising professor this time was a contract lecturer named Kang Hyeon.
Ordinarily he would have objected, but for once he found himself wanting to applaud the principal’s brilliant tactical judgment.
‘Only a madman can handle another madman!’
And as if on cue.
Kang Hyeon was walking toward them from a distance.
As always, a Whiskey Bottle cradled in one hand.
‘Ah!’
Jin Myeong-hun’s heart surged.
Who would have thought that the very sight of that distasteful bottle would one day bring him joy?
“Then, who is the Korean professor overseeing this joint training?”
Batar swept his gaze across the faculty on the platform and posed the question.
“There he comes now.”
Seo Il-hyeon, a faint smile on his face, pointed toward Kang Hyeon.
“Our supervising professor.”
Following the gesture, Batar’s brow furrowed.
His hair was disheveled, and a couple of shirt buttons hung undone.
This man, reeking of alcohol as he walked, was truly the supervising professor?
“……Pardon me, Principal?”
“What is it?”
“Surely you jest?”
“As you well know, I am not a man given to levity. I do not make jokes lightly.”
Batar’s face stiffened into stone.
“It appears Korea is content to place such a drunkard in charge of the exchange program?”
“Did you not say just moments ago that he merely lacked proper dress? So I furnished him accordingly. The man possesses the untamed spirit of a wild pony on the Steppe—I suspect he and one such as yourself, who judges by bearing before words, will get on remarkably well.”
Only the interpreters’ lips moved frantically as the two titans conversed.
Batar was displeased.
The sense of being openly slighted set his aura flowing visibly from his frame.
A deep rumble emanated from him.
Rather than diffusing outward, the aura compressed into a sharp spear and lanced directly at Kang Hyeon.
The killing intent was of an entirely different caliber than what had pressed down on Jin Myeong-hun.
And yet.
“……?”
A flicker of surprise registered in Batar’s eyes.
Kang Hyeon continued walking forward with perfect serenity, raised the Whiskey Bottle to his lips, and took a deliberate swig.
‘What?’
It was stunning.
‘He simply… brushed off my aura as though it were nothing?’
Does this man truly possess genuine strength?
The displeasure that had flickered in his eyes transformed into intrigue.
Batar harbored a deep respect for the strong.
His philosophy was simple: if a powerful man exhibited eccentricity, there was a reason for it; if a weak man did the same, it was mere arrogance and folly.
Which was this man—the former or the latter?

* * *
Meanwhile, Kang Hyeon paid no attention whatsoever to Batar’s curiosity.
‘Let’s see.’
With a lazy expression, he surveyed the Mongolian students in a long, measured gaze.
‘Any raw talent worth working with?’
The physical stature was certainly impressive.
A few of them possessed a caliber comparable to Seo Hae-in or Ma Chul-ung.
But that was all.
Not a single one appeared worthy of taking on as a disciple.
‘Tsk.’
The moment disappointment made him click his tongue inwardly.
‘Hm?’
A familiar scent suddenly brushed past his nostrils.
It was faint, but Kang Hyeon’s sense of smell couldn’t be deceived.
‘A musty, unpleasant reek.’
Similar to the stench of blood, yet subtly different.
Like rotting mud and murky blood mingled together.
Of course, ordinary people wouldn’t catch it.
It was a scent only Kang Hyeon, who could push all five senses to their absolute limit, could detect.
Kang Hyeon narrowed his brow and traced the scent to its source.
‘It’s him.’
The man with the copper-colored skin.
‘Where have I smelled this before?’
As Kang Hyeon’s mind raced through his memories, his pupils dimmed for an instant.
‘Ah!’
He remembered.
‘One of Asura’s subordinate factions!’
It was the stench of the Nakshatra.
Asura’s vanguard, which commanded corpses and wielded all manner of dark arts and profane sorcery.
It was only for a fleeting instant, but Seo Il-hyeon and Batar flinched at the aura that rippled from Kang Hyeon’s body.
‘Just as I thought.’
Kang Hyeon murmured inwardly.
‘He’s coming.’
Asura was clearly preparing a descent.
It was evident they had already planted agents in some corner of this world and were making preparations for the descent.
“Listen.”
It was Batar who broke Kang Hyeon from his thoughts.
“I’m Batar. The Mongolia exchange instructor.”
“Kang Hyeon.”
Kang Hyeon replied curtly.
Batar, surprisingly, smiled with a peculiar expression.
“I’m quite looking forward to this exchange match. At least you lot look better than those duds over there. Let’s have a good two weeks together.”
“Sure. Let’s make it good.”
Kang Hyeon gave a slight nod.
His attention was already fixed on that student emanating the scent.

* * *
After the welcoming ceremony.
“Chick.”
“Yes, sir!”
“I need to ask you for something.”
“What is it?”
“Among the Mongolian students who arrived earlier, there’s one with that swarthy, copper-toned skin.”
“Nearly all of them had that complexion, didn’t they?”
“The one in the very back, eyes slightly bloodshot.”
“Ah!”
Lee Se-ah nodded at once, which actually caught Kang Hyeon off guard.
“You know him?”
“He’s probably a student named Kasar. I’d definitely know him! He’s quite famous.”
“Famous?”
“Yes, worldwide. Kasar of the Crimson Eyes! He was once the talk of the world as a prodigious S-rank Hunter prospect. Called ‘the son of Mongolia’ and all that.”
“Once?”
“Yes, once. I heard his performance has been poor recently for some reason. He barely made it onto this exchange student roster, I think?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know that part.”
‘Hmm.’
Kang Hyeon closed his eyes.
‘How long ago was he exposed to those Nakshatra bastards?’
He recalled the scent he had caught moments earlier.
Among the countless demon cultists of Nakshatra, this one bore that distinctive stench of rot.
A Soul Lantern Ghost.
A type of jiangshi that practiced dark sorcery.
This man Kasar must have harbored an abnormally intense desire to grow stronger.
‘Which meant he’d fallen prey to the curse.’
Those exposed to a Soul Lantern Ghost’s demonic energy came under its control without resistance once night fell.
Grueling training by day, a puppet on strings by night—of course he’d be exhausted.
Naturally his performance had suffered.
“But why Kasar specifically?”
“No reason.”
Kang Hyeon’s lips curved slightly upward.
Watch him closely, and she’d be able to pinpoint where the Soul Lantern Ghost was hiding.
‘Asura, I don’t know what scheme you’re hatching in preparation for your descent, but there is someone in this world—and that’s me.’
Not the Martial World she’d been dragged into, but the real world where Kang Hyeon actually lived.
She had no intention of standing idle while that conspiracy unfolded.

* * *
Evening, the sky bleeding with sunset.
A long, measured breath.
Cha Yu-sik sheathed his sword in the open ground behind the New Training Hall.
Whenever he unfolded the Cangqiong Wuya Swordsmanship, his chest opened with a sense of release.
‘The Imperial Sword Form is formidable, but this art is equally so.’
With each session his vision seemed to broaden.
Upon achieving Grand Completion, he would drive opponents back with unbroken combinations until they stood isolated beneath the sky itself.
‘Keep swinging.’
Cha Yu-sik took his stance as Gwak Do-jin and Yun Hyun-jong traded fierce blows nearby.
Seo Hae-in was reviewing a conversation he’d had with Ma Chul-ung that morning, while Han Tae-ho worked a straw dummy, sweat streaming down his face.
To the five of them, the Mongol students had long since faded from view.
The group Kang Hyeon had forged.
To keep his position as team leader there, he had to grow stronger first.
That was their only thought.
“Se, Seniors!”
It was then that an urgent voice cut through the gathering darkness.
Cha Yu-sik stopped his sword and turned.
A junior from the class below was running toward them.
“What is it?”
“Ha, haa! You should come see! There’s trouble at the Old Training Hall’s practice grounds—the Mongol students are fighting with someone!”
“What?”
The four still training halted their movements.
“Fighting?”
“Yes, they’re incredibly strong. Several people are already hurt.”
Cha Yu-sik’s brow furrowed.
Interrupted during his training time, his mood soured.
But.
‘I can’t look away from this.’
Cha Yu-sik was the team leader of this group.
He’d sworn to become Cheonlang’s guardian wolf.
And a wolf must know how to protect its territory and its pack.
With uninvited intruders making a scene in his domain, turning away under the pretense of training would make him not a wolf but a coward.
And the other four students seemed to agree—they were already moving closer to Cha Yu-sik.
He exhaled quietly and looked at the junior.
“Lead the way.”

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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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