Ya Suhyeok's first victory put the Azure Dragon Academy in a festive mood.
"Ya Suhyeok! I knew that big guy would show us something!"
The instructors maintained their composure, showing their joy only through slight twitches of their lips. The students, on the other hand, let their emotions run wild.
"One of the Five Young Azure Dragons finally did it!"
"Hahahaha! The Heavenly Martial Academy is nothing special, huh?"
Their spirits were so high that they might as well have already conquered the Heavenly Martial Festival.
Students from the other academies watched in disbelief, yet not one of them dared to ignore or belittle them.
A first-year from the trashy Azure Dragon Academy beat a student from the Heavenly Martial Academy...?
That kid actually beat a Shaolin disciple at external arts?
Does that even make sense?
An upset that no one could have predicted struck in the first match of the day. Only the Vermilion Phoenix Academy, who had trained with the Azure Dragon Academy, broke into celebratory applause. An awkward silence fell upon the other academies.
Naturally, everyone turned their gaze toward the Heavenly Martial Academy.
The Heavenly Martial Academy remained calm for the most part. The instructors discussed the duel between Ya Suhyeok and Ilseong. The students seemed a bit flustered, but they remained composed.
Ilgak, the Heavenly Martial Academy's Student Council President, looked at the students and said, "Victory and defeat are part of a martial artist's life. In a duel, one can win or lose."
"What matters is that we learn from defeat, cast aside our arrogance, and prepare well for the next match."
"That's right."
"Okay, everyone, let's get serious!"
The Heavenly Martial Academy students nodded and encouraged one another. They had lost the first match, yet they radiated confidence.
Just then, the Heavenly Martial Principal, who had watched the match with interest, rose smoothly from his seat. Every eye turned to him at once.
"Student Ya Suhyeok."
Ya Suhyeok, who had just stepped down from the stage, was immediately surrounded by the Five Young Azure Dragons for an affectionate group hug. Puzzled, he looked up at the Heavenly Martial Principal. "Yes?"
"This is your first time competing in the Heavenly Martial Festival, yes? You have no alias yet?"
Ya Suhyeok scratched the back of his head. "Well, people sometimes call me one of the Monochrome Bears, along with Senior Geo Sangwoong... but I don't have an alias of my own."
The Heavenly Martial Principal nodded and smiles. Lacing his voice with inner qi, he addressed the entire audience. "Tradition dictates that when a student competing in the Heavenly Martial Festival for the first time pulls off an underdog victory or delivers an impressive performance, the opposing side bestows an alias upon them."
His words sent a great stir through the crowd. As the Principal said, it is a long-standing tradition for the opposing side to give an unknown student who causes an upset in their first appearance an alias. However, the current situation was unfamiliar.
"...In the last ten years, has the Heavenly Martial Academy ever been the one to give an alias?"
"The opposite has happened many times."
Until now, prodigies from the Nine Sects One Gang had often made a splash at their first festival, earning recognition as promising talents before the vast crowd. However, this was the first time a student from another academy—the Azure Dragon Academy, no less—had received such an honor.
The Heavenly Martial Principal observed the crowd's surprised reactions and spoke again. "However, as his opponent, Student Ilseong, has lost consciousness, the role of bestowing the alias..."
"May this humble monk take on that role?" the Supreme Buddha interjected, quietly rising to his feet from the middle of the Shaolin camp.
The murmuring of the crowd swelled until it nearly rivaled a marketplace.
"An alias bestowed by the Supreme Buddha himself?"
"Hah! This year's Heavenly Martial Festival is off to a surprising start!"
"I'm so envious..."
For one of the Ten Supremes, and the most revered Shaolin master at that, to grant someone an alias was an incredible event. It was no exaggeration to say that it was one of the greatest honors a martial artist could receive.
The Heavenly Martial Principal nodded readily. "Of course. If you, Reverend, bestow this honor personally, I'm sure Student Ya Suhyeok will be overjoyed."
"Uh..." the Viridian Scholar groaned, looking ready to faint. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape in the very picture of disbelief as he glanced back and forth between Ya Suhyeok and the Supreme Buddha.
Ya Suhyeok blushed, bewildered. "No, it's embarrassing to get an alias after winning just one match..."
The Supreme Buddha regarded the young giant with a benevolent smile. "Watching you, Student Ya Suhyeok, I was reminded of a great tiger commanding the mountains. You also seized victory with a fighting spirit that refused to yield until the very end, so I wish to capture that spirit in your alias."
The Supreme Buddha paused for a moment before continuing. "I believe the alias 'Savage Tiger Fist' would suit you greatly, Student Ya Suhyeok. What do you think?"
"Savage Tiger Fist, Savage Tiger Fist..." Ya Suhyeok repeated a few times before breaking into a grin.
It was a peculiar twist of fate. The alias called to mind the Bandit King Maeng Ho'ak's name1 and the Savage Tiger Fist, the very heart of the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest he had created.
He offered the Supreme Buddha a formal bow. "I like it very much! Thank you!"
With that, the Savage Tiger Fist Ya Suhyeok revealed his fangs to the world.
Four people sat side by side, each holding a cold meat bun and watching this scene from afar. Three of them remained untouched by the enthusiastic atmosphere around them. Only one smiled happily.
"That's my Junior Brother!"
Sagon took a large bite of his meat bun. Although it was cold, it tasted just as good as when it was warm, perhaps because he associated the taste with memories of Ya Suhyeok.
Still, the image of the big kid trotting after him and calling him "Senior Brother!" stayed vivid in his mind.
Their relationship began with a single meatbun. At first, he had only taught them out of curiosity. Later, however, he had become deliberately strict out of jealousy.
"Thanks for the free meatbuns! Let's get to know each other! I'm Ya Suhyeok."
"Oh? Hey, if it isn't Meatbun-hyung!"
"Senior Brother Meatbun! Please teach us martial arts!"