Murmurs of disappointment rippled through the Azure Dragon Academy students.
"Mr. Namgung, isn't this a bit much?"
"They played dirty first. Why are you being so frustratingly uptight?"
"Anyone would think you taught at another academy..."
"However, I forgot to add one thing."
The relay ended in a tie between Yeo Min and Ok Jin. Namgung Su announced that the final runners from the Azure Dragon Academy and the Heavenly Martial Academy had crossed the finish line simultaneously.
Namgung Su surely felt the resentful glances, but he carried out his duties as referee as stoically as ever.
Since he was the Young Lord of the Namgung Clan and one of the Ten Supremes, no one dared to challenge his ruling. In other words...
"Even if you'd said we were a step ahead, nobody could've said a word about it."
"Honestly, didn't Yeo Min cross first?"
No one took the news harder than the Azure Dragon Academy students. Yeo Min's ferocious charge past the pack had been poised to cause a major upset, and they were so certain that Namgung Su would name her the winner. But instead, he threw cold water on everything.
The Heavenly Martial Academy, in contrast, looked relieved. A tie was unsatisfying, but a dramatic comeback by the Azure Dragon Academy would have flipped the mood in a heartbeat, just as it had on the first day.
"It may be difficult to accept, but the result of the first event was a definite tie. That is an objective fact, entirely free of bias."
Hyonwon Kang could not contain himself and took his frustration straight to Baek Suryong. "Ah, I'm so pissed! Mr. Baek, go say something to him!"
Baek Suryong stared back at the punk in disbelief. "The person involved isn't saying anything, so why are you making such a fuss? What exactly should I say? That Namgung Su ought to make biased decisions from now on?"
"No, that's not it... Can't you help us out a little? You're an Azure Dragon Academy teacher!"
BONK!
"Keuk...!"
An unusually loud thud echoed as Hyonwon Kang clutched his head and dropped to his knees. Students from the other academies stared with wide, startled eyes. The Azure Dragon Academy students, however, took it in stride as an everyday occurrence.
Baek Suryong sighed. His hotheaded student needed to cool down, so he had put a little extra force behind the smack to the head. "Wonkang. If Min had truly won, do you think Namgung Su would have called it a draw?"
"No, I guess not, but..."
"If rumors about biased judging start spreading, who do you think will suffer the most? Would you want Min to be the target of such rumors?"
Baek Suryong stared his agitated student straight in the eye.
"...No." Hyonwon Kang finally seemed to come to his senses, shaking his head as though he had only just registered what he had been saying.
Baek Suryong continued calmly, "I taught you to win by any means necessary, but that doesn't apply to everything. You need to know when to exercise restraint. I can't always be there to point it out."
"...Yes, Mr. Baek."
The other students listening in fell quiet as well.
Baek Suryong chuckled and slung an arm around the slightly deflated Hyonwon Kang. "Besides, take a look at the stands. See how people's perceptions have changed?"
"Yes...?" Hyonwon Kang followed his gaze and flinched in surprise.
""The Azure Dragon Academy is amazing!""
""White Ice Flash! White Ice Flash!""
Somehow, word of Yeo Min's alias had spread, sparking an outpouring of support from the crowd.
All eyes in the arena turned to a single girl with hair as white as snow.
Hyonwon Kang's face instantly soured. Many of those cheering Yeo Min on were young men. "...This isn't entirely a good thing, is it?"
"Haha, that's for you to deal with."
Baek Suryong tapped the back of his student's head and turned toward the girl who would soon steal the show. Yeo Min sat calmly, stretching her thighs and calves. Her expression was the very picture of total focus.
As expected of a descendant of the North Sea Ice Palace. She looks exactly like Master Eun today.
Baek Suryong chuckled softly to himself. Yeo Min was starting to resemble Eun Yerin more with every passing year.
"The second event, the obstacle course, will begin shortly! All participating students, please warm up!"
The second event of the Movement Arts Competition began with the announcer's call.
""Go, Azure Dragon Academy!""
""Crush them all!""
""Show them the power of the Club Union!""
Yoo Yiran and the Club Union students formed the core of the Azure Dragon Academy's roster for the obstacle course.
Although multiple entries were permitted, running the first two events back-to-back was uncommon. In particular, each academy's final relay runner was resting in preparation for the Movement Arts Competition's last and greatest event—the individual contest.
Is there really any need for me to run fast?" Yeo Min teased, coming out of her spin and stopping lightly. Even now, white wind still swirled around her body. "Can't I just beat up all of you, then leisurely stroll to the finish line?"
"Senior Yiran! Do your best!" Wiji Cheon cheered, clasping his hands together nervously as Yoo Yiran ran the course.
Unlike the relay, the obstacle course was a team event in which everyone had to cross the finish line together. This made coordination as important as movement arts.
The Azure Dragon Academy runners moved as a single unit through the obstacle-filled course, dodging, vaulting, shielding one another, and fending off interference from the other academies.
"Those bastards are at it again!"
"Ugh, I'm so pissed!"
The obstruction was worse this time, but the Azure Dragon Academy pushed back. Yoo Yiran shouldered the crucial task of fending off interference, while the others matched her pace and counterattacked.
Ultimately, the Azure Dragon Academy finished the obstacle course in third place, behind the Heavenly Martial Academy and the Vermilion Phoenix Academy.
"You did great! Your coordination was even better than during practice!"
"That was close. If not for the interference at the end, we could have taken second."
"Don't be discouraged! As long as you did your best and have no regrets, that's all that matters!"
The instructors comforted the students whose shoulders had slumped despite their efforts, and the rest of the academy applauded the runners as they finished.