Instructor Han Doyun 2

As Doyun headed to the class, the Tank Instructor came scurrying out on tiptoes to welcome him during the ongoing lesson.

“Oh, welcome!”

Having been informed of Doyun’s identity and visit by the Combat Instructor, he awaited Doyun’s arrival.

Quite contrary to his imposing Tank Instructor demeanor, he repeatedly bowed deeply and rubbed his palms together before Doyun.

Observing another instructor’s nervous deference towards Doyun, the Combat Instructor felt an unwarranted sense of pride as he asked,

“Are you conducting a practical session?”

“Yes! Since you mentioned you’d be visiting today, I rearranged the schedule for you to observe comfortably. How about some te…”

“I’d like to see the students right away.”

“Ah, yes! This way, please!”

Following his guidance, Doyun and the Combat Instructor moved to the outdoor training grounds.

Under the assistant instructor’s supervision, the tank class students were engaged in self-practice drills.

After briefly surveying the students, the Combat Instructor inquired curiously,

“That student seems absent. The second-ranked one.”

“Ah, that student had an urgent restroom… They’ve been frequently complaining of stomach issues recently.”

Overhearing their conversation, Doyun asked,

“A tank student?”

Fundamentally, tank students rarely suffer minor ailments. Naturally, without sturdiness and valor, they would be mere corpses in that position.

“Yes, it seems so. Despite their high Endurance level… Likely having difficulty adapting to the new environment.”

“Hmm…”

Although slightly unsettling, Doyun set it aside for now.

With his arms crossed, he surveyed the tank students.

Over 200 years of scouting and mentoring talent, Doyun could discern the upper tiers at a glance.

‘Not bad.’

Indeed, as the Headmaster had said, the overall caliber was high.

‘But…’

While decent, they only met his basic standards.

Doyun sought a genius.

However, none particularly stood out. Although he could scrutinize their status windows individually with [The First Guildmaster], his initial impression was lackluster.

‘I suppose it was unlikely.’

He hadn’t harbored high expectations anyway, having come to pursue a ‘lottery’ chance. Geniuses aren’t so easily found, or they wouldn’t be geniuses.

Having failed at the Cradle, he would have to persistently search elsewhere.

Still, Doyun examined them thoroughly, feeling a tinge of regret.

‘…Huh?’

Then, someone’s figure caught his eye by the other training ground entrance.

“Who is that student?”

“Hm? Ah… That one seems to be slacking off again.”

The Combat Instructor muttered disapprovingly.

“That’s the top student this term. The Curse Mage.”

“Then why are they here?”

In response to Doyun’s question, the Tank Instructor flustered and rambled incoherently.

“Ah, well… That student seems to be rather abusing their position’s privileges. The instructors tend to be… somewhat lenient towards the top tiers, you see. And since the Mage Instructor dotes on that student… Heh, heheh…”

His voice trailed off. No matter what, it was unbecoming to openly loiter and spectate other classes like that.

‘Oh, oh no…! At this timing too…!’

The instructor grew apprehensive about potential repercussions.

The instructors, led by the Mage Instructor, had been overlooking the student’s misbehavior. Strictly speaking, this was a form of minor corruption and bad practice.

Sure enough, Doyun inquired.

“Which guild’s sponsorship does that instructor receive?”

“…Ours. World Tree.”

At the Combat Instructor’s subdued response, Doyun nodded in understanding.

They gauged Doyun’s reaction, but fortunately, that was the extent of it.

The larger an organization’s scale, the more trivial issues were bound to arise. For someone of Doyun’s stature to directly intervene in such matters would be endless. Unless they crossed a line, the system would handle dismissals accordingly.

Doyun was righteous, but a pragmatic realist – not a self-righteous fool.

As Doyun withdrew his gaze, the two instructors exhaled in relief.

‘Thank goodness…’

They had feared Doyun might volunteer for some disciplinary role himself.

If the one backed by World Tree – Skeletonia’s paramount guild, the royal family, the Headmaster, and even the Heroine Brudhild – were to step in directly, it would cause an immense upheaval at the Cradle.

Fortunately, he showed no such inclination.

‘However…’

Even so, Doyun briefly observed the top student intently.

Rather than mere loitering, their demeanor suggested verifying something here.

‘…’

For now, Doyun carefully committed their appearance to memory.

+++

With limited opportunities to observe other position classes,

Doyun spent the following few days without chances watching over the Combat Instructor’s students. He could not simply idle away after securing this rare opportunity.

‘Besides, one never knows.’

Although the tank class was separate, gifted tank talents occasionally emerged among the combat students too.

Harboring that slim possibility, Doyun guided and scrutinized each combat student during classes.

Witnessing this, the puzzled combat students exchanged quizzical glances.

“Who is that guy?”

“He’s dressed as an assistant instructor, but I’ve never seen him before.”

“I can tell he’s an assistant instructor, but…”

As they practiced combat forms, they glanced towards a corner of the hall.

Their regular lead instructor merely observed from the sidelines with an inexplicable satisfied expression, while this new assistant instructor wandered among them, providing guidance.

‘Why is an assistant instructor taking over the class…?’

Of course, none voiced such doubts aloud. The vast majority still felt too intimidated by the instructors.

However, some students inwardly harbored discontent.

“Hey. Who is that instructor?”

“No idea. We’re seeing him for the first time today too.”

Kadish, vying for the combat class’s top three positions, whispered to a friend alongside.

He had recently spent two days in the infirmary following the tournament evaluation.

Perplexed by the unfamiliar face and furrowing his brows, Kadish muttered,

“Why the fuck is an assistant instructor teaching the class?”

“I, I don’t know…”

His friend shrank back at Kadish’s sharp tone.

‘Haah… I’ve already fallen behind two days’ worth of lessons, and now this bullshit…’

He had already grown restless about his abilities after being bested by a student from another class during the tournament.

So even while confined to the infirmary, he had obsessed over getting stronger. But upon returning to class, the lead instructor was slacking off while some random assistant instructor took over.

It was only natural for an assistant to be vastly inferior to the lead instructor.

Swallowing his irritation with a scowl, Kadish silently practiced the forms.

Kadish was not alone in this sentiment. Likely due to the recent tournament evaluation, everyone felt sensitive about their grades and growth. And this atmosphere fueled discontent towards the assistant instructor’s guidance.

Amidst this, the focal point of disgruntlement – Assistant Instructor Han Doyun – approached Kadish with heavy footsteps.

Doyun attentively observed the form Kadish was practicing.

‘…What’s this?’

Already irked, Kadish grew inwardly incensed at the looming presence behind him.

‘Ah, fuck off already!’

He had nearly snapped at the mere assistant instructor when,

“Why aren’t you using your Stance Techniques?”

Doyun’s low baritone reached him.

Flinching.

As if mishearing, Kadish halted his form and turned around.

“…Pardon?”

“You clearly practiced Stance Techniques in your previous dimension.”

Kadish’s pupils dilated.

‘How does he know that?’

He had never mentioned learning Stance Techniques to anyone.

As he floundered in bewilderment, Doyun crossed his arms and gestured with his chin.

“Demonstrate your stances.”

“Y, Yes…”

The very Kadish who had been inwardly cursing moments ago inexplicably lowered his head and began moving his feet.

Face-to-face, this assistant instructor inexplicably exuded an air that forbade any defiance.

Following the Stance Techniques from his previous dimension, Kadish carefully planted each stepping stance – the foundational footwork of the martial art.

Doyun, arms still crossed, observed intently. Kadish perspired profusely, perhaps due to the scrutiny or struggling with the unfamiliar stances.

“Enough.”

Kadish abruptly halted his stance.

“Haah… Haah…”

Reviving this long-untrained martial art caused sweat to pour down his body. His thigh muscles felt like tearing apart.

With eyes as deep as the ocean, Doyun pierced through his state and remarked,

“Quite an advanced set of Stance Techniques, reminiscent of an ancestral secret martial art from your previous dimension, is it not?”

“Y, Yes, that’s right.”

“You transferred here while still requiring extensive guidance. Feeling these techniques did not suit your physique, you likely intended to transition to forms taught at the Cradle.”

Kadish’s mouth fell open.

“You’re struggling to withstand the strain these stances place on your legs.”

“H, How did you…”

Kadish muttered inadvertently, astonished.

This had been his private struggle all along. Yet how was this person so easily articulating it?

‘Could he… have deduced all that just from watching me plant those few stances?’

Was that even possible?

As Kadish floundered before Doyun, the surrounding students’ attention had gradually shifted towards them.

Initially observing the amusing sight of an arrogant top-tier stumbling, they too became engrossed by Doyun’s commanding presence and insightful analysis.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Doyun gestured again.

“Demonstrate the stances once more.”

“Pardon? B, But my legs are too…”

“Shift your weight distribution from being evenly placed on both feet to 70% on your rear foot. Invert the forward direction of your front foot, moving in a clockwise motion.”

“Huh?”

Bewildered by the rapidfire instructions, Kadish reflexively questioned him.

However, Doyun did not speak further. He simply crossed his arms and watched Kadish with profound eyes.

‘Like I can just do that on command…!’

Suddenly adjusting his weight distribution and inverting his direction practically meant performing an entirely different footwork.

Moreover, his legs already ached so much!

“Y, Yes…”

Yet Kadish could not defy Doyun’s piercing gaze. Resigning himself, he attempted the stances per his words.

‘Weight distribution… Clockwise…’

However, as he began the footwork, Kadish could only widen his eyes in shock.

‘Huh…?’

Easy?

Essentially practicing an unfamiliar set of footwork, yet strangely, it felt far easier and more natural than the original he had demonstrated.

Not only that, the strain on his legs had significantly decreased as well.

In essence, the footwork had become far more stable than before.

‘Wh, What is this…?’

Kwung.

Kadish planted the final stepping stance in a stable manner, completing the footwork sequence.

Yet unlike before, he felt no breathlessness whatsoever.

Doyun nodded at the dumbfounded Kadish.

“I incorporated insights from other Stance Techniques I know to enhance stability and reduce burden. Engrain that feeling.”

“Pardon?”

Kadish doubted his ears.

Had he really improvised and refined their ancestral Stance Techniques in that brief moment?

“From now on, excuse yourself from regular classes for self-practice, focusing solely on lower body conditioning. Since it’s at least a B-rate martial art, dedicate yourself to raising your martial prowess.”

“Y, Yes…”

“With diligent practice, you might even contend for the second rank before graduation.”

Second rank.

That phrase resonated intensely with Kadish, who had been fixated on his grades after the tournament.

“Now, continue.”

Having said that, Doyun turned away as if his task was done, heading towards the other students.

Prompting Kadish to call out to him.

“W, Wait…! Please observe me a bit longer!”

As an elite from a renowned lineage in his previous dimension, Kadish sensed this instructor’s visit was a pivotal opportunity for him.

However, Doyun’s response was indifferent.

“There are many other students, so that’s enough for you.”

“Ah, ahh…”

Kadish deeply sighed in disappointment. An entirely reasonable response.

Fortunately for him, however, Doyun favored talented individuals.

“If you require further assistance, seek me out individually after class.”

At those words, Kadish flushed with elation and exclaimed,

“Yes! I will definitely seek you out! Thank you!”

The once arrogant and prideful Kadish deeply bowed.

Though drenched in sweat, his expression felt refreshed, as if an obstruction had been cleared.

Doyun moved on to observe the other students.

“…”

And from then on, the students’ eyes towards Doyun changed completely. Everyone earnestly practiced their martial arts, awaiting Doyun’s guidance.

Their attitude towards Doyun had undergone a 180-degree shift.

Now, instead of questioning ‘Why is an assistant instructor teaching?’, the combat students wondered, ‘Why is someone like him an assistant instructor?’

Unknown to anyone present,

Doyun was a pinnacle martial artist who had spent over a century researching the supreme Hecleus’s Style, as well as a peerless mentor who had nurtured countless geniuses – second only to the continent’s foremost talent cultivator.

This term’s combat students had stumbled upon the tremendous fortune of receiving tutelage from Doyun – an opportunity the rest of the continent could only dream of.

‘As expected of Doyun.’

The Combat Instructor who had entrusted him with the class smiled proudly as he observed Doyun.

Then, someone entered the training grounds and approached that instructor, casting a looming shadow over him.

“Frrrruuurr…”

“Hm?”

Some strange gurgling sound…

“Ah, ahh!”

Turning around, the instructor jolted in fright at the nearly 4-meter tall giant’s appearance.

“Gah, you startled me…! Why are you here instead of the tank class?”

“Frrrruuurr…”

The small commotion drew the students’ attention, and soon the individual’s distinctly unique appearance captured everyone’s gaze.

“Wow… Wh, What is that? A monster?”

“Is that them? The second-ranked one?”

As the class atmosphere grew disorderly, Doyun too glanced towards the instructor. And then…

“…!”

His eyes flashed as he swiftly accessed that student’s status window via [The First Guildmaster].

After a moment, Doyun smirked.

‘Found them.’

The long-awaited moment of a ‘winning lottery’ had arrived.