The road back to the Azure Dragon Academy was quiet.
The severely injured, who still struggled to move, were placed in carriages and closely guarded by martial artists from the Murim Alliance Branch. Meanwhile, members of the Beggars' Gang volunteered to scout hundreds of kilometers ahead, checking for any suspicious individuals.
The atmosphere was subdued. The journey to the branch had taken only a day using their rapid movement arts, but the return trip was deliberately slow to protect the injured.
Most walked in silence, their gazes fixed on the passing scenery. The only sounds were the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot and the soft whoosh of an autumn breeze sweeping past them from time to time.
"It'll be winter soon," someone muttered.
Quite a few students nodded. Some pulled their collars tighter against the cold wind.
The weather had grown noticeably colder during their ten-day stay at the Murim Alliance Branch. It seemed as if winter had snuck up on them while they weren't looking. The trees lining the main road swayed, their bare branches shivering in the cold wind.
"Ugh, it's freaking cold! When we get back, I'm going straight to the White Dragon Inn for a warm bowl of noodles," Hyonwon Kang grumbled, rubbing his hands and blowing on them. He looked around, but the students from his team who had fought against the Ten Great Villains alongside him remained silent. Grinning mischievously, he asked, "You guys wanna come too? It's my treat this time!"
The other students smiled weakly. They could tell that Hyonwon Kang was forcing that grin.
"Why's everyone so down? Didn't you guys eat properly before we left..."
THWACK!
Hyonwon Kang staggered from the impact to the back of his head, but quickly regained his balance and whipped around. Baek Suryong stood there, holding the Black Dragon Pointer.
"Hey! Why'd you hit me?" he whined, glaring at his teacher.
Despite his words, though, he looked almost pleased. The familiar farce of him talking back to Baek Suryong only to get beaten up again might lighten the heavy mood.
However, Baek Suryong did not hit him again. Instead, he simply regarded the boy calmly. "Hyonwon Kang."
"Y-Yes?" Hyonwon Kang flinched, realizing he had done something wrong.
Baek Suryong led him to a less crowded area and gently said, "You don't have to force yourself to be cheerful just to lift the mood."
"Huh? No, I'm just..." Hyonwon Kang scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "...Still, I'm a third-year. Everyone's so down, so I wanted to cheer them up, even just a little..."
"You brat. What are you, a grown-up?" Baek Suryong sighed softly, then grabbed Hyonwon Kang's ear and pulled.
"OWW!"
"Everyone is shouldering their own burden, so don't be too nosy. Some of your friends need some quiet alone time."
"Ah, I get it, so let go! It really hurts!"
Baek Suryong chuckled and released the boy's ear.
Hyonwon Kang clutched his ear, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. Baek Suryong's ear-tugging had truly hurt!
"Before you worry about others, tend to your own wounds first," Baek Suryong advised.
Hyonwon Kang nodded reluctantly. "...Okay."
Baek Suryong motioned for the boy to go.
His advice seemed to have helped, as Hyonwon Kang seemed a little more relaxed after returning to his spot.
The other students were the same. Geo Sangwoong and Ya Suhyeok were with the Student Council, taking care of the injured students. Yeo Min plodded along in a daze, often looking back at the road they had traveled. Wiji Cheon looked after his grandfather with utmost devotion.
The Five Young Azure Dragons weren't the only ones who were affected. All the students were healing their injured bodies and minds in their own ways.
Baek Suryong watched over them with a mixture of pity and pride.
"You really shouldn't pretend to be so mature when you're as childish as the rest of them," a familiar voice chimed.
Baek Suryong groaned and turned around. Namgung Su was staring at him.
Namgung Su continued, "Or perhaps the evil inside you has emerged..."
No wonder the back of my head has been tingling.
Fed up with the suspicious glare, Baek Suryong grumbled, "Mr. Namgung Su, you must have a lot of free time on your hands."
Namgung Su scoffed and stepped closer, unfurling a sound barrier as he whispered, "Have you already forgotten? You were the one who told me to watch you closely, to make sure the monster inside you doesn't come out."
He had also suffered a serious injury, losing an eye, but thankfully, it did not greatly impair his mobility.
"I did say that, but..."
There were limits. For the past few days, Namgung Su had literally stalked him everywhere he went, and it was uncomfortable, to say the least.
Holy crap. At this rate, he'll start following me to the latrine.
Baek Suryong tried to propose a compromise. "I told you, I'll be fine for a while. It's only been a few days, so it's not going to appear again. Besides, if I see any signs, I'll be the first to let you..."
"Nonsense. Do you think I would tolerate even the slightest lapse in vigilance?" Namgung Su interjected, dismissing Baek Suryong's request outright.
Once again, he carefully examined his colleague's eyes, ready to subdue Baek Suryong at the slightest hint of suspicious behavior. He was even clutching a pair of handcuffs borrowed from the Murim Alliance Branch. A faint dark light shimmered from them, suggesting they were made of precious dark steel.
Baek Suryong looked at the handcuffs sullenly. Fuck, I think I went through something similar at the Murim Alliance...
That time had been intentional, and he barely knew anyone at the Murim Alliance. Now, he would rather die than be dragged back to the Azure Dragon Academy in handcuffs.
Forcing an awkward smile, he joked, "Anyone would think I've become a public enemy of the murim."
Unfortunately, the joke did not land at all. He was met with an even colder expression.
"Baek Suryong."
"...Mm. That was a bit much, wasn't it?"
"So you do know." Namgung Su shot Baek Suryong a sharp glare, tapped the handcuffs at his waist, then turned away. "Stay in my sight and behave yourself."
His words sounded more like a warning to the Blood Demon inside Baek Suryong than to Baek Suryong himself.
Baek Suryong let out a small chuckle. Having Namgung Su around was reassuring. The man was perceptive enough to notice the Blood Demon dwelling within him, and he was capable of making firm decisions in an emergency. He was convinced that telling him to repay his debt was the right call.
"...Still, I'm sorry."