The Martial God with Psychic Powers

At Jinjo’s words, Yeom Yu snorted derisively.
“Oh? So being the First of Baekyeong means you can summon people at will now? If he has business, tell him to come himself.”

“You… Keep running your mouth like that and you’re going to regret it…”
“Oooh, I’m so scared! What are you going to do to me, hmm?”
Whooom—

Violent energy erupted from Yeom Yu’s body in a raw surge of hostility.
“Go ahead. Tell me, senior. How exactly do you plan on disciplining me?”
Jinjo shut his eyes tightly.

At present, Jinjo was at the peak of the Eight-Star Mystic Realm.
No matter how much pressure Yeom Yu exerted, it would not affect someone at his level.
Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to smash the brat’s head in with a single blow.

But he held back.
If he had to look at that arrogant face for even another second, he was sure he would lose control—so he closed his eyes instead.
But Yeom Yu saw it differently.

To him, Jinjo had flinched—closed his eyes out of fear.
“Just leave. No need to get yourself humiliated. And do let Baekyeong’s so-called First know—if he’s got something to say, he can come say it himself.”
Jinjo opened his eyes again and sighed.

“…Fine. I’ll pass the message along.”
With that, he turned and left.
The moment he was gone, Shin Dowoon’s group burst into raucous laughter.

“Pffft! Did you see that? Tail tucked and ran like a dog!”
“Can you believe he came in here acting all high and mighty just ‘cause he’s a senior? What a joke.”
“Think he’s going to go cry to Baekyeong’s First now?”
“Good. If Baekyeong’s First gets pissed and shows up himself, that’ll make things fun.”

“So what, we’re gonna have to fight him? Woona, guess that means you’re the First of Baekyeong today.”
Amused by the excitement of his comrades, Shin Dowoon let out a small laugh and shook his head.
“Who’s gonna stop you lot?”

Still, he didn’t look displeased. A faint, satisfied smile formed on his lips.
 
****

When Jinjo returned, face contorted with fury, Sunwoo Baek raised an eyebrow.
“What the hell happened to you?”
Jang Woon chimed in from beside him.

“You look like you’re about to murder someone.”
Jinjo exploded.
“Those damn little brats! I’ve been disrespected before, but this—this was something else!”

Judging by the reaction, it seemed he’d been openly mocked by the younger students.
“What? They actually had the guts to mock you?”
“Mock me? They didn’t stop at that—they ridiculed me. If it weren’t for Woo Jin’s orders, I’d have taken that little bastard’s head off right then and there!”

Still seething, Jinjo relayed everything that had happened.
Jang Woon’s face twisted in disbelief.
“You’re serious? That bad?”

“Yes! Damn it, I’m still boiling.”
As Jinjo fumed, Sunwoo Baek let out a chuckle.
“You’re getting worked up over that? Think of them as clueless kids acting out. It’s more funny than insulting.”

“Exactly. You know the saying? A newborn pup barking at a tiger, not knowing what it’s looking at.”
At Jang Woon’s remark, Jinjo’s scowl faded into a grin.
“Really? So I’m the tiger?”

“Obviously.”
Jinjo’s mood instantly lifted at being compared to a tiger.
Simple-minded as he was, he was remarkably easy to handle.

Then Jinjo added, more seriously:
“But… are we really going to let them act like that? They were mocking Baekyeong’s First like he was nothing.”
“Let it go. As long as they don’t do anything truly out of line, we let them play for now.”

“Still, the new batch of students really are something else.”
“No kidding. They’re on another level compared to our year.”
“If we hadn’t met Woo Jin?”

“Then we’d be stuck bowing our heads to them right now. Living in fear.”
“Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me sick.”
“But why’s Woo Jin letting them run wild like this?”

That was what puzzled them most.
“He must have his reasons.”
“Oh, right—did you hear that Senior Gwak is serving as a Law Enforcement Hall officer here now?”

“Yeah. I heard he’s staying an extra year with us.”
“Let’s go pay him a visit.”
“Good idea.”

 
****
News that the young lord of the Shin clan had claimed the title of top lower-division student at Baekyeong spread like wildfire across the southern region.

Students at other academies in the south sank into despair, convinced they would never surpass Baekyeong.
Naturally, the news reached Baekyeong itself.
But among the intermediate and upper division, it caused little stir.

Only the lower division rallied around Shin Dowoon, loudly proclaiming that a new era had begun—their era.
With his new faction solidifying around him, Shin Dowoon began taking real steps toward conquering Baekyeong from within.
To enact his grand ambitions, he needed to seize Baekyeong swiftly and take command.

That was why he’d revealed his identity as the young lord of the Shin clan.
By putting his cards on the table early, he’d hoped the seniors would bow their heads and fall in line, avoiding unnecessary conflict.
But no matter how long he waited, not a single senior came forward.

“…They must be out of their damn minds.”
Shin Dowoon’s expression was grim.
His pride had taken a blow.

“I was going to show them some courtesy as their junior…”
At that, Yeom Yu exploded.
“Didn’t I tell you? There’s no point in showing respect to these so-called ‘seniors’! In Mushincheon, power is everything! Whoever’s strongest is on top!”

Hearing that, Shin Dowoon came to a decision.
If words wouldn’t bring submission, then force would.
He pointed at the documents on the desk—files detailing the intermediate and upper division students at Baekyeong.

“Before the battles begin, it won’t hurt to review our targets. Go through these and pick someone appropriate. Show them what we’re made of.”
“Got it.”
The students pored over the documents, each taking a sheet for themselves.

“What about Sunwoo Baek? Want me to leave him for you?” Yeom Yu asked.
Shin Dowoon gestured toward Eun Hwan.
“You handle him.”

“Understood.”
Standing nearby, Song Ho Won picked up a sheet on Jang Woon.
“Then I’ll take this Jang Woon fellow.”

With everyone’s targets selected, Shin Dowoon gave his order.
“Time and place don’t matter. The moment you encounter them—show them our strength.”
“Understood!”

With determined expressions, the group scattered, each setting off to hunt their chosen opponent.
 
****

Eun Hwan, Song Ho Won, and Yeom Yu moved as a trio.
Eun Hwan glanced at Yeom Yu and asked,
“Why are you holding two files?”

“Oh, these? One of them is for that senior I told Woona to call over last time, remember? I don’t think I showed him how scary I really am back then. This time, I’m going to make it crystal clear.”
“So bullying people weaker than you is your hobby now?”
“No, this is education. A little lesson in humility—never run your mouth in front of someone stronger.”

At Yeom Yu’s smug answer, both Eun Hwan and Song Ho Won shook their heads.
“You sure this is the right direction?” one of them asked.
“According to the others, this is where they went.”

“Why do they all rush off together the moment class ends?”
“Maybe they know we’re coming for them, and they’re trying to ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ escape as a group.”
“Doesn’t seem like it. From what the others said, they’re not acting scared or tense.”

“They’re probably just putting on a brave face. Pretending not to be afraid.”
“Well, we’ll find out soon enough.”
“This place is totally deserted.”

“Lucky us. At least no one will see them getting humiliated.”
“Maybe that’s why they hang around places like this. So if a fight breaks out, it happens away from prying eyes.”
“…Makes sense.”

The three of them chatted noisily as they made their way deeper into the forest.
“Hey, there’s someone over there.”
“You’re right. Who is it?”

Yeom Yu grinned.
“He’s mine. Jinjo, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, the one who got scared and ran off?”

“Yep, that’s him.”
“Don’t go overboard.”
“Yeah, yeah. You two go on ahead.”

Eun Hwan and Song Ho Won split off to find their own targets.
“Hey, senior!”
Left alone, Yeom Yu called out to Jinjo.

“…Did you just call me?”
“Yeah. Who else is out here, besides you?”
“You’ll address me as Senior.”

“Heh. You should be grateful I even call you that. I could’ve just used your name.”
Jinjo narrowed his eyes. His voice dropped to a low, lethal whisper.
“I warned you, didn’t I? Keep this up and you’ll regret it.”

“Ha! This is great. Come on, then—teach me a lesson. I’m dying to see how you’ll do it.”
Jinjo replied with eerie calm.
“Unlucky day for you. I’ve been given permission.”

“Permission?”
“Permission not to hold back anymore.”
“You say that like you were going easy on me before.”

“I was. Holding back took considerable effort.”
“Oh, you mean when you were trembling? I thought that was fear.”
Jinjo’s lip curled.

“Let me show you what the body really does when it’s afraid.”
Yeom Yu smirked back.
“You mean with your body? I’ll be watching closely.”

“I’ll start by smashing that mouth of yours. Whatever happens from this moment on—remember, you brought it on yourself.”
“You talk too much. Come on, Senior. Let’s go.”
Flash—

Before Yeom Yu could finish his sentence, Jinjo’s figure vanished and reappeared right in front of him.
“What the—!”
He couldn’t believe the speed.

Yeom Yu instinctively tried to leap back—
Whump—!
—but a brutal blow landed square in his abdomen.

“Gahk!”
His body folded like a shrimp, and Jinjo’s knee drove straight into his jaw.
Crack—!

Yeom Yu spun through the air, crashing down like a rag doll.
He scrambled to his feet, rage twisting his bruised face as he glared at Jinjo.
“You bastard… I let my guard down for a second—!”

“Excuses. Pathetic.”
“If I go all out, someone like you—!”
Yeom Yu lunged forward.

Crack—!
“Gurk—!”
He couldn’t even see it coming.

A devastating strike hit him square in the face.
Crack—Crack—Crack—
Blow after blow came, relentless and merciless. Yeom Yu couldn’t react—he couldn’t even think.

Smack—!
Crash—!
“Guh—!”

He went flying.
Yeom Yu stared up at the sky in disbelief.
How could this be happening?

How could he be getting beaten like this—so easily, so thoroughly?
This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
Then he saw Jinjo walking toward him, step by step.

“Why that look?”
“What the hell kind of sorcery are you using?”
“…Sorcery? Sorcery?”

Jinjo scoffed.
“You really still don’t get it.”
Whooom—!

A wave of overpowering Qi surged from Jinjo’s body, pressing down on Yeom Yu like a mountain.
“Ugh…!”
“Does this look like sorcery to you, brat?”

“N-no… no way. You’re stronger than me?!”
“Why not? Can’t I be stronger than you?”
“But—but the information said… there’s no one at Baekyeong above my level…”

“Oh, the intel. We’ve been busy training all winter. I guess no one got around to updating my record.”
“What…?”
“‘What’?” Jinjo mocked. “That’s not how you speak to a senior. Let’s beat some manners into you first, shall we?”

“W-wait—!”
Vmmmm—
Jinjo’s fist began to glow with a deep blue light.

 
****
“One!”

“Senior is—!”
“Two!”
“—the sky!”

In the stillness of the forest, a desperate chant echoed.
Yeom Yu’s voice.
He was grabbing his ears, squatting and standing in rhythm, shouting at the top of his battered lungs.

His face was a wreck. His eyes were swollen shut. His lips were split and leaking blood.
“Head. Down.”
Thud—!

Yeom Yu slammed his forehead to the ground instantly at Jinjo’s command.
Jinjo walked up beside him.
“So… do you finally understand how scary your senior is?”

“Yes, sir!”
“You’re lucky it was me. The others? You wouldn’t even survive them.”
Jinjo stared down at him coldly.

“Get up.”
“Getting up!”
“Sit.”

“Thank you, sir!”
Yeom Yu scrambled into position.
“Want to know my cultivation level?”

“Yes! I’d very much like to know!”
“I’m at the peak of the Eight-Star Mystic Realm.”
…So that’s why. No wonder he was so strong.

Jinjo picked up one of the papers that had fallen nearby—Yeom Yu’s list of targets—and glanced over it.
He let out a snort.
“You were going to go after Bang Woon? Pffft—hahaha!”

He burst out laughing, wiping tears from his eyes.
“You even know what level he’s at?”
“According to the records… high Fourth Stage of Transcendence Realm?”

“Nope. Wrong. Bang Woon’s already at the peak of Fourth Stage now.”
“W-what?!”
“And those two idiots who ran off just now—who were they targeting?”

“S-Sunwoo Baek and Jang Woon, sir!”
“Oh dear. Those two are even higher. I bet they’re groveling by now.”
Yeom Yu stared blankly at Jinjo.

In that moment, he realized something was very, very wrong.
Something had gone terribly off-script.