A laugh of disbelief escaped Tang Tae-myeong's mouth.
'To think he would use such a trick.'
Normally, when told to hit with a pouch, it was common to think of hitting by throwing it.
In fact, until just a mont ago, they had been training by throwing pouches at each other, and the students had all thrown pouches at him accordingly.
Of course, he had also told Namgung Il to hit him by throwing it.
"..."
But Namgung Il had completely overturned that common sense.
Even in the unfavorable conditions given to him, Namgung Il knew exactly how to lead the fight in a way that was advantageous to him.
'To be able to make such a judgnt at such a young age... Does that an what I heard back then wasn't a lie?'
Not long after spring had arrived, Seo Shin-won from the Flying Dragon Academy had personally visited the Tang Family.
"I'm sorry. I will be careful to prevent such an unfortunate incident from happening again in the future."
"...There is one thing I cannot understand."
"What is it? If it's sothing I can answer, I will answer anything."
"Did you say that another student defeated the mysterious person who did that to Il-yeong?"
"Yes, that's right."
"What is that student's na?"
From that ti on, Tang Tae-myeong had rembered the na Namgung Il.
Of course, there was also the reason that he had rembered it to express his gratitude soday as the benefactor who had saved his son, but more than that, it was purely out of curiosity.
"..."
The Flying Dragon Academy. No matter how much it was a place where outstanding talents from all over gathered, Tang Tae-myeong was confident that Tang Il-yeong would naturally be among the top five in terms of skill.
It wasn't because he was his son, but it was very natural even from an objective point of view.
But to think that the person who had saved Tang Il-yeong's life was of the sa age, and on top of that, not even a student of the Azure Dragon Class.
From the mont he heard that story, Tang Tae-myeong had wanted to see the person nad Namgung Il with his own two eyes.
'...The Namgung Family. A great guy was born there.'
He wasn't thinking that just by looking at his martial arts.
Rather, the boldness with which he had aid his sword at him. And the cool-headed judgnt that was no less than that.
Tang Tae-myeong had no choice but to admit that those two virtues that a martial artist must possess were more appropriately balanced than in his own son.
"Yes. You won."
"..."
"It was very excellent. It's been a really long ti since I've been so thoroughly defeated."
Although he had been defeated, a feeling of refreshnt was felt on Tang Tae-myeong's face.
If a guy like this were by his side, Tang Il-yeong would also learn a lot from him.
He had been a little worried when he had first sent Tang Il-yeong to the Flying Dragon Academy, but now he was confident that Tang Il-yeong would be able to grow a lot there.
"Next ti, let's compete without any restrictions."
"..."
Hearing those words, a laugh of disbelief escaped Tang Tae-myeong's mouth again.
In fact, Tang Tae-myeong could have fully blocked Namgung Il's palm strike.
However, the reason he hadn't was to abide by the restrictions he had set in advance.
Since it was a situation where he had no choice but to counterattack to block Namgung Il's palm strike, Tang Tae-myeong had ultimately accepted the attack.
'No... my defeat was at the mont I couldn't dodge it.'
Tang Tae-myeong had no intention of making any excuses about that part.
But as expected, did Namgung Il realize that he had stopped his hand in the middle?
If he had competed with Namgung Il without any restrictions, what kind of result would have appeared... Tang Tae-myeong felt it was just ridiculous that he was having such an imagination about a student.
"I-it's over!"
It was then.
At the urgent voice approaching from a distance, the two simultaneously turned their heads that way.
"You hit with the pouch, so hurry up and hand over the antidote!"
"..."
"Hurry up!"
Yeon Jeong-hu was shouting, holding out his hand.
Just from his words, it sounded as if he had hit Tang Tae-myeong, but Yeon Jeong-hu had no such fact in his mind.
The only important thing was the fact that Tang Tae-myeong had been hit by the pouch.
It was the sa for the other students around him now.
"Didn't you say you would give us the antidote if anyone hit you!"
"M- first! Give it to first!"
"No, first! I feel like my breathing has beco uncomfortable since a while ago!"
The students were shouting and holding out their hands to Tang Tae-myeong, vying with each other.
Tang Tae-myeong watched such students silently, then put his hand into his bosom.
"That, give it to ."
"...?"
"I'm the one who hit the Family Head. So don't I have the right to receive it first?"
Just then, Namgung Il said to Tang Tae-myeong.
It was certainly right that if they were to set a priority, it would be right to hand over the antidote to Namgung Il first.
Tang Tae-myeong, with his hand in his bosom, stood still for a mont, then smiled aningfully and took out the antidote.
"Yes, that would be right."
Tang Tae-myeong handed the bottle containing the antidote to Namgung Il.
Namgung Il calmly received the bottle with one hand, and like baby birds looking at their mother bird, the students' gazes all turned to Namgung Il.
"..."
However, Namgung Il, after receiving the bottle, just stood still without any movent.
If you received the antidote, why are you just standing there without drinking it?
The insides of the students waiting for their turn were now burning black.
Clang—.
Just then, an unbelievable thing happened in front of their eyes.
A sound as if the world had shattered.
As if to tell them that what they had heard was not an illusion, broken glass pieces were scattered on the ground.
"Uwaaah—!"
At that mont, the students' screams echoed.
Thinking that the only antidote that could save their lives had just been spilled on the floor, it was almost impossible to maintain their sanity.
"Namgung Il! What on earth are you doing!"
Just then, Yeon Jeong-hu shouted at Namgung Il.
"To throw the antidote on the floor... Are you crazy!"
"Crazy? From what I can see, you're the one who looks crazy."
"...!"
"In the first place, it's none of your business what I do with the antidote I obtained, right?"
Of course, Namgung Il had delivered a decisive blow to Tang Tae-myeong.
However, no one thought that the ownership of the antidote belonged entirely to Namgung Il.
"So I gave you the first sip!"
"..."
"But to throw it on the floor... It's sothing you can't do unless you're crazy!"
Namgung Il hadn't drunk the antidote himself either.
If he wanted to commit suicide, he could do it himself, but he had no intention of joining in that suicide act.
"Do you really believe that?"
"...What?"
"Do you really believe that we will die in two shichen?"
"..."
Yeon Jeong-hu couldn't understand what Namgung Il was saying.
It was the sa for the other students.
Looking at the students who were looking this way with foolish expressions, Namgung Il sighed.
"The story that we were poisoned is all a lie."
"...?"
"You guys were properly played by this person. You foolish fools."
Saying so, Namgung Il pointed at Tang Tae-myeong with his thumb.
Tang Tae-myeong, while receiving everyone's gazes, still maintained an expressionless face, and at that mont, Yeon Jeong-hu spoke to Namgung Il in an excited voice.
"A lie? Why would the Family Head lie to us!"
"Then why would the Family Head kill us?"
"That's..."
At that question, Yeon Jeong-hu was at a loss for words.
Co to think of it, no one knew why Tang Tae-myeong was trying to kill them.
They had just been scared by Tang Tae-myeong's expression and tone and hadn't had any questions... but with that one word from Namgung Il, it seed everyone now realized that sothing was strange.
"That's... to show us the true face of the Tang Family..."
Yeon Jeong-hu forced out a reason and replied.
However, Namgung Il, as if he had known he would answer that way, calmly retorted right away.
"Is killing all the students of the Flying Dragon Academy who ca on a field trip the true face of the Tang Family? That sounds like an insult to the Tang Family."
"N-no, that's not what I ant...!"
"The Tang Family is a family that has proudly placed its na among the Five Great Families. From the mont the head of such a place said he had poisoned the students, I didn't believe it."
Of course, Yeon Jeong-hu had also found that part strange.
He had just been crushed by the montum of Tang Tae-myeong standing in front of him and had believed everything he said.
It was the sa for him and the other students.
"And there's a decisive reason why there can't be poison in our bodies."
"...?"
"It's because of that person."
Namgung Il said and pointed at soone with his finger.
Following that, the students' gazes focused on one person, and there, Tang Wol-yeong, who was startled by the sudden attention, stood.
"He said he injected poison into everyone here. That ans Tang Wol-yeong is also included."
"...Ah—"
"Do you understand now?"
Everyone here knew that Tang Tae-myeong was a huge doting father.
For such a person to do such a thing knowing that his daughter would be in danger... It was a story that didn't make sense in the first place.
Blank—.
Yeon Jeong-hu, as if he had received a considerable shock, stood with his mouth open and couldn't say anything.
The futility that ca in proportion to the passion he had shown here.
Just then, a hearty laugh was heard from sowhere.
"Hahahaha—!"
The person laughing so was none other than Tang Tae-myeong.
Seeing that, Yeon Jeong-hu ca to his senses and said as if to argue.
"Did you really deceive us!"
"Yes, it was all a story I made up."
Tang Tae-myeong admitted that fact.
Confirming that there was no poison in their bodies, most of the students let out a sigh of relief, but that was not important to Yeon Jeong-hu right now.
"Why did you play such a prank!"
Because of that, he had abandoned his pride and even knelt.
But to think that was all a prank... It was a situation where he couldn't help but be angry.
"Didn't I tell you the reason earlier?"
"...?"
"How I would teach the students who ca here, that freedom is mine."
"Does that an... everything you've done so far was education?"
"That's right."
At that mont, the smile disappeared from Tang Tae-myeong's face.
"How the world thinks of the Tang Family. Of course, as the head, I also know."
"..."
"Poison and hidden weapons are cowardly ans. Most of you are probably people who think so."
No one could refute those words.
Looking at the students who were avoiding his gaze, Tang Tae-myeong continued to speak.
"But how about it? You all were almost killed by the ans you thought were cowardly."
"..."
"Of course, you weren't actually poisoned. But the story that I could have injected poison into everyone here at any ti is true."
At that mont, the students' breath caught in their throats.
If this had been a real situation and not a play, and if the opponent had been an enemy, what would have happened to us?
Recalling their own appearances, flustered by the re fact that they had been poisoned, the students' expressions couldn't help but darken.
"A cowardly ans. Yes, I won't bother to deny that fact."
"..."
"But I wanted you to realize that in the martial world, losing your life due to that ans is much more frequent than you think."
There is a saying that seeing is believing.
By indirectly experiencing the situation of being poisoned, the students clearly realized how scary it was.
A lesson they would never have learned without an experience like this.
At first, they had resented Tang Tae-myeong, but as they realized his true intentions, the students instead felt grateful for giving them this experience.
"Thank you!"
"It was a truly aningful lesson! Please continue to teach us during the remaining ti!"
Thank yous from the students were heard from here and there.
A proud smile also appeared slightly on the blunt Tang Tae-myeong's lips.
'He's a good person.'
Namgung Il thought, looking at Tang Tae-myeong.
It was by no ans an easy thing to teach students who were not even from the Tang Family with such passion and sincerity.
But to have done so ant that Tang Tae-myeong's character was that outstanding.
At least the students here would be wary of poison and hidden weapons in the future through this experience.
"Tang Cheol-go, how do you want to raise your son?"
"...A person who can make not only himself but also the people around him laugh."
"Give up on that. If he inherited your blood, a guy like that can never co out."
Tang Cheol-go. It seems he didn't grow up to be the person you said back then, but still, your son grew up to be a fine person.
Namgung Il looked at Tang Tae-myeong and recalled that conversation.
"Namgung Il."
Just then, Tang Tae-myeong approached and called Namgung Il.
At that action, Namgung Il ca out of his mories and listened to Tang Tae-myeong's whisper.
"If you do anything to my daughter, I will never forgive you."
"...?"
"At least while you're at the academy, don't touch even a single fingertip. Keep that in mind. I'll be watching."
"..."
Like father, like son.
It seed he had also inherited an annoying obsession with soone.
(End of Chapter)
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