The Youngest Member Chapter 20

Song Yiyeon scratched his head.

"Hah, I don't know if this is right."

The cold image of the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander leaving was vivid. He was the most promising man among the unit commanders of the Martial Alliance. If there were no particular problems, he would smoothly go through the hall master position and occupy one of the highest positions in the alliance.

To be marked with such a first impression by such a man...

Cheon Woojin shrugged his shoulders.

"Young hero Song, why did you choose the Black Tortoise Unit?"

"That's what I'm saying."

The Heavenly Tiger Unit was the most elite ard force with a guaranteed smooth path, and the Black Tortoise Unit was a lower-ranking ard force whose leader could not escape the status of a perennial unit commander.

In his head, he thought it was right to choose the Heavenly Tiger Unit.

'But...'

Song Yiyeon looked at Cheon Woojin with strange eyes.

For so reason, he had a feeling that the Black Tortoise Unit from this year would be different from before.

Of course, there was no basis.

It was true that Cheon Woojin was by far the best among his peers, and a rising talent who was one of the best in the entire history of the alliance.

However, the Martial Alliance was not a neighborhood corner store. The possibility of one rising talent overturning the hierarchy of the alliance was almost nil.

"Phew..."

Song Yiyeon let out a long sigh. He knew everything in his head, but his intuition was saying otherwise.

Although he was ignored in the martial world as being from a rchant's bloodline, his rchant's unique sharp intuition was warning him never to be separated from Cheon Woojin.

At the crossroads of choice, Song Yiyeon agonized between reason and intuition until the very end, and ultimately chose the latter.

'I feel like I've earned the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's dislike for so reason...'

That was sothing to think about later. Anyway, what Song Yiyeon was most confident in was winning people's hearts.

While Song Yiyeon was racking his brain like that.

Thud-!

Through the door that the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander had coldly left, a man with a bushy beard and an impression reminiscent of a mountain bandit appeared.

He had a bright smile on his face.

The mont Song Yiyeon saw that face, a slight regret washed over him.

"You brats..."

The Black Tortoise Unit Commander, Cheol Jiak, slowly approached. His steps were heavy and stealthy, like a bear stalking its prey.

The mont Song Yiyeon unknowingly took a step back.

Whoosh-!

Cheol Jiak instantly rushed at him. He had even started to use his movent skills in earnest.

"Ugh!"

Song Yiyeon, who was instantly embraced by Cheol Jiak, let out a scream. He even raised his internal energy to get out, but his forearm, which was bigger than his head, was as solid as an iron chain.

Song Yiyeon's gaze flickered to the side. Cheon Woojin was already three steps away. Even if it wasn't his full power, a rising talent who could react to a unit commander's movent skills...

The thought that the world was unfair flashed through his mind for a mont, but there was sothing more important now.

"Y-young hero! Save ..."

He was slowly suffocating, and most of all, the beard was too prickly and unpleasant.

Regardless, Cheol Jiak burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha! You should have seen the face of that White Dragon Unit Commander."

The White Dragon Unit Commander had subtly ignored the Black Tortoise Unit in front of everyone. He was the owner of an annoying way of speaking that made it impossible to say anything openly because he put down the White Dragon Unit along with it.

But when the news that the Black Tortoise Unit had received the choice of two of the top five successful applicants, and Cheon Woojin with the highest score at that, the White Dragon Unit Commander's face turned red and he just drank.

Cheol Jiak, who had locked Song Yiyeon's neck with his thick left arm, extended his right arm to Cheon Woojin and said.

"You cute brats! You co here too!"

"..."

Cheon Woojin just shook his head without a word. At that sight, Cheol Jiak's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, are you going to refuse the unit commander's first order?"

"..."

Cheon Woojin was dumbfounded. Since he was not one to hide his emotions, it showed on his face.

Seeing this, Cheol Jiak stealthily released the arm that was holding Song Yiyeon. He had properly captured his next target.

Boom-!

Cheol Jiak's figure shot towards Cheon Woojin. However, his hand only cut through the air.

Cheol Jiak's eyes widened.

"Oh, you dodged this?"

He didn't just react, he dodged it without difficulty. Moreover, Cheon Woojin had just moved half a step to the side. To dodge an attack with minimal movent ant that he had perfectly grasped the movent.

Cheol Jiak was still letting out a mischievous laugh, but he was constantly surprised.

Cheon Woojin lightly bowed his head to Cheol Jiak.

"I am Cheon Woojin, who has officially joined the Black Tortoise Unit. Please take care of ."

"Yes, I'll take care of you too...!"

Cheol Jiak's figure disappeared as if it had sunk into the floor.

Song Yiyeon's eyes widened as he looked at Cheon Woojin. The blurry afterimage of Cheol Jiak was heading towards him at a frighteningly fast speed.

Cheol Jiak had a strange smile.

'Even if he's outstanding, he's still a rising talent.'

Of course, the actions Cheon Woojin had shown so far were surprising. He had passed the exam with a high score that was hard to find in history, and in the process, he had killed the Asura Demon Lord, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son.

However, it was already a clear fact that the Asura Demon Lord was suffering from Severed Pulse Syndro and could not even properly operate his internal energy.

Cheol Jiak extended his hand with confidence, looking at Cheon Woojin who had not even reacted yet. He was planning to give a big hug to the lovely and taciturn child who had chosen the Black Tortoise Unit.

"W-what?"

However, Cheol Jiak's pot-lid-sized hand only cut through the air this ti as well. Cheol Jiak blinked his eyes.

At so point, Cheon Woojin had retreated two steps.

'I missed his movent?'

A Martial Alliance unit commander had failed to follow the movent of a re rising talent. Even if that rising talent was called the best, and the unit commander was in a situation where he was constantly failing to get promoted, it was a surprising thing.

While Cheol Jiak was blinking his lips.

"My master told

to always be wary of contact between martial artists."

"..."

At Cheon Woojin's calm answer, Cheol Jiak had a dazed expression. It was indeed a correct statent. It was a strict taboo to touch another martial artist's body without permission.

Because in the martial world, there were rare but existing users of strange internal energy techniques or poison techniques.

Song Yiyeon, who was watching this, beat his chest.

"Aigoo, that inflexible young hero. Still, he's our unit commander now."

Cheon Woojin scratched his head as if he was embarrassed. At that sight, the Black Tortoise Unit Commander, Cheol Jiak, instead had a full smile.

"Yes, this is it."

"...?"

Song Yiyeon and Cheon Woojin tilted their heads at the sa ti.

Regardless, Cheol Jiak still had a sticky smile and continued.

"Our Black Tortoise Unit has never had a guy as sharp as a blade like this. Just like the Heavenly Tiger Unit."

The Heavenly Tiger Unit was an ard force made of only the elite in the alliance, so the individuals tended to be sowhat sharp and have an unapproachable atmosphere.

On the other hand, the Black Tortoise Unit always had the saying 'the kids are nice.'

While Cheol Jiak was laughing heartily without a care.

"What are you two doing here?"

A sharp woman's voice ca from the side.

Cheon Woojin's, Song Yiyeon's, and Cheol Jiak's heads turned at the sa ti.

A woman with an impression as cold as ice was glaring at the three with transparent pupils.

"Oh, deputy commander. You're still on suspension, aren't you?"

Zhuge Lin was on a three-month suspension as punishnt for her arbitrary actions during the exam.

Zhuge Lin answered nonchalantly.

"I'm the eldest daughter of the Zhuge family. Although we're not on good terms."

"Damn world."

Cheol Jiak, who had started from a small rural martial arts school and had risen to the position of a Martial Alliance unit commander, clicked his tongue as he looked at the golden spoon.

Regardless, Zhuge Lin passed Cheol Jiak and approached Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon. Her gaze was as cold as when they had first t on the boat.

Song Yiyeon tilted his head.

"What's wrong, deputy commander?"

Zhuge Lin narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't you two hear? I thought all the successful applicants were told to gather at the grand training ground. They all gathered a long ti ago, and only our proud Black Tortoise Unit newcors haven't co."

"Huh? I didn't hear anything like that."

Song Yiyeon put on his best wronged expression, and Cheon Woojin nodded his head next to him.

At that sight, Zhuge Lin, who had rolled her eyes for a mont, let out a deep sigh.

"It seems the White Dragon Unit Commander deliberately omitted it. That petty human..."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's a guide to the Martial Alliance facilities and various matters for the successful applicants this ti. The person in charge, the Righteous Will Unit Commander, beca like that, so the White Dragon Unit Commander is handling the work instead."

"What? Hahahaha!"

Cheol Jiak burst into a truly hearty laugh.

At that sight, Zhuge Lin asked as if she was dumbfounded.

"Are you laughing now? The White Dragon Unit Commander deliberately left out our newcors."

"I know, I have that much of a brain too."

Cheol Jiak still had a smile.

"How much his stomach must have hurt for him to do such a petty thing. Well, even I would have been a little upset. I'll call that White Dragon Unit Commander separately and pat him, so deputy commander, you take the two and go."

"...Yes."

Cheol Jiak laughed heartily and clenched and unclenched his fist. No matter how long they had been friends, he had no intention of turning a blind eye since he had played a prank on soone else's newcors.

Zhuge Lin, who was watching the retreating Cheol Jiak for a mont, shook her head.

Suddenly, Song Yiyeon asked.

"But deputy commander."

"What."

Despite Zhuge Lin's indifferent answer, Song Yiyeon continued with a bright smile on his handso face.

"What exactly is the deputy commander's job? Are you even guiding the successful applicants yourself?"

"...He said he'd lift the suspension if I did. You two are my juniors now, so I'll speak comfortably, okay?"

"Of course, deputy commander. Hehe."

Song Yiyeon let out a friendly laugh, and Cheon Woojin just nodded his head. Zhuge Lin, who was looking at the two for a mont, suddenly asked back.

"But why the Black Tortoise Unit? This one is understandable, but that one is honestly a bit of a waste to choose the Black Tortoise Unit?"

"Deputy commander, who is this one and who is that one? I'm not this one, am I?"

Zhuge Lin, who lightly ignored Song Yiyeon's question, continued again.

"With junior Cheon's skills, you can definitely show a considerable presence even in the Heavenly Tiger Unit. If there are no particular problems, you're guaranteed a smooth path in the alliance."

Song Yiyeon pouted and looked at Cheon Woojin. To be honest, he was inwardly curious about the reason.

Cheon Woojin, who received the gazes of the two, thought for a mont and then answered nonchalantly.

"Because I'm curious."

"About what?"

"What kind of place the Black Tortoise Unit is."

"Really? Is that really the only reason?"

When Cheon Woojin nodded his head, Zhuge Lin had a moved expression. In a word, didn't it an that he had chosen the Black Tortoise Unit because of so inner attraction?

Of course, Cheon Woojin's true intention was a little different. He had co here to judge what kind of place the Martial Alliance was, or more precisely, what kind of people were there, because of the last words of the White and Black Masters.

In Cheon Woojin's eyes, the Black Tortoise Unit seed to be the most human-like place in the Martial Alliance. Although he didn't know much about the alliance yet, just looking at the unit commander and deputy commander, it seed that way.

* * *

When Zhuge Lin arrived at the grand training ground with the two.

The forty-eight successful applicants who were tired of waiting looked at the two with annoyed expressions.

Zhuge Lin also felt that gaze and said as if making an excuse.

"Everyone, you've worked hard waiting. It's not the fault of these two, there was a problem in the process of delivering the guide."

Of course, it was difficult to give faith to those who were already annoyed. Everyone had complaints, but they had expressions that said they couldn't dare to talk back to the deputy commander.

The quick-witted Zhuge Lin also felt it, but she was not a warm woman enough to consider the feelings of the rising talents one by one.

It was then.

"Are you already taking their side because they're your direct juniors?"

Everyone's gaze followed the voice.

A man who was a little taller than others and had broad shoulders, giving him the appearance of a martial artist, was standing there.

Also, his straight eyebrows and chiseled jawline gave him a sharp atmosphere, and at a glance, he did not seem to be an ordinary person.

Zhuge Lin, who confird him, replied with an annoyed expression.

"Do you have a complaint? No, what are you going to do if you do?"

Even if Zhuge Lin was not a warm woman, she was not of this level of personality. However, as soon as she confird that annoying face, her annoyance soared.

The Nangong family, which was called one of the Five Great Families along with the Zhuge family.

The eldest son of that place, and the rising talent who had already obtained the nickna 'Sword Dragon', Nangong Jin.

Since they were the eldest son and daughter of the sa Five Great Families, they had often seen each other since they were young. As befitting the bloodline of the Nangong family, he was extrely arrogant, but since his skills also supported it, he was an even more annoying guy.

"You're sensitive."

Nangong Jin let out a smirk. Zhuge Lin tried hard to suppress her boiling insides.

Although they were of the sa age, Nangong Jin had only taken his first step into the world after Zhuge Lin had beco a deputy commander.

The Nangong family was originally like that. Because of their tendency to pursue perfection, they only allowed their rising talents to leave the family after they had been polished and polished to the point where there was not a single flaw in the family's standards.

'It seems personality is not included in those standards?'

Zhuge Lin shook her head. Anyway, the Nangong family guys were generally annoying, so it was tiring to get involved with them.

For that reason, she was about to just ignore him and leave.

"What complaint would I have with the deputy commander. I should get a direct apology from those who took away other people's precious ti."

Nangong Jin's gaze turned to the two newcors of the Black Tortoise Unit.

In particular, his gaze, looking at Cheon Woojin, was burning fiercely as if looking at an eternal rival.

Cheon Woojin, who t that gaze, smiled slightly, and seeing this, Nangong Jin's eyebrows twitched into an inverted V.

"You're laughing?"

(End of Chapter)