Early the next day, using the doctor's cellphone, Yoo Jin called June to inquire about the club and his sister. Through their conversation, he had been surprised to learn that the debt and issue with Na Bi's husband had all been settled the day right after the 'ghost' attack, the day Yoo Jin had agreed to the pheromone stabilization with the alpha. Eun Ha's medical bills as well as the old lady landlord and her thieving son had also been dealt with. All the issues in his life seemed to have been wrapped up nicely in one single day.
Thus was the terrifying reality of the alpha Tae Hyun's power.
Thanks to the large sum of money Tae Hyun had sent to the club and due to Liam being absent as a consequence of the 'ghost' attack, the club was temporarily closed and June had been taking care of Eun Ha along with the beta Na Bi and her eleven year old son. According to June, his sister asked about Yoo Jin often but despite that, seemed to enjoy spending time with Na Bi's son.
After having spoken with June and his sister to confirm their health and the state of things, Yoo Jin had found himself finally being shown around this place they simply called 'The Academy'. The doctor led him to a circular pavilion on a nearby peak of the mountain so that they could see the structure in its entirety.
Upon his first gaze of the Academy, it became immediately evident that the building was incredibly old. Decorative granite walls appeared to spring out from within the mountain with multistory levels and curved roofs adorned with floral and creature designs. The building blended with its surrounding natural elements, the supports carved as though true trunks of trees and in some places, real trees sprung up directly through the expansive building while reliefs of meticulously painted leaves spanned the entirety of the roof and the trimming at bottom of each floor, broken up only by the occasional image of flower or animal or legendary creature.
"Silla architecture. Incredibly rare," said Dr. Yoon as he stood beside him.
Silla? Yoo Jin vaguely remembered the term in a long forgotten history class.
The doctor smiled upon seeing the confused look on his face. "The Silla kingdom fell in 935 and this building was claimed to have been built around the 800s as were the first records of Saerims in our country," the doctor continued, graciously ignoring the dumb look on Yoo Jin's face.
"Oh," Yoo Jin replied, nodding. "Ah." History was not really his thing.
The doctor chuckled.
"What are those?" Yoo Jin asked, pointing down onto the grounds in front of the building. Wooden forms that looked like scarecrows stood in two neat rows.
"Training dummies," he replied. "For those that become hunters, physical training is just as important as mana control." Yoon paused and looked at the watch on his wrist. "In fact, it is about time we witness one of those exercises."
Just as the doctor finished speaking, a line of five young alphas came out from within the building and headed immediately for the dummies. They were all dressed in ancient warrior clothing.
"It is tradition that they've kept alive," the doctor explained. "You'll learn soon that tradition is responsible for a lot of decisions here in the Academy."
Yoo Jin turned to look at him curiously. He swore that he had heard a slight tone of censure behind the doctor's words.
"They're wearing the green robes, these would be the archers."
Yoo Jin turned his gaze back to the group and sure enough he could see the top of a bow sticking out from behind their backs. The five students had lined up about twenty yards away from the dummies. Only one woman stood apart from them. She was significantly older, small and frail, her back somewhat hunched as though she could barely hold herself up.
"Ah, Chief Tak is responsible for their training today," said Yoon, with a small smile, "this will be a treat."
Curious, Yoo Jin trained his eyes on the small woman. He watched as she hobbled forward and shooed away one of the boys that tried to help her.
A soft laugh escaped the doctor's lips. "Still as stubborn as ever."
The woman then yelled something inaudible at the young alpha. The alphas then nocked an arrow into their bows but did not raise them. The woman yelled something again and the alpha on the far left stepped forward, his body facing the dummies and his bow now high.
Just how interesting can it be, Yoo Jin wondered as he gazed at the scene before them and leaned against the railing. All the alpha had to do was hit the dummy that stood only twenty yards away. It wasn't even that far of a distance.
The old woman raised her hands, palms up in the air before turning them and dropping her hands as if pushing something into the ground. Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled and Yoo Jin quickly grabbed at the railing.
He watched with wide eyes as the ground above the first alpha rose and began to undulate. The other students stepped back, scrambling away from the first in shock as he fell to the ground, having lost his footing.
"What?" said Yoo Jin, his eyes wide with interest. He watched as the alpha scrambled onto his knees and launched himself toward the bow he had dropped but it was simply carried away by the still moving earth.
When it became evident that the young alpha would not be able to complete his task, the ground stilled and Yoo Jin turned to face the doctor.
"It is rare," he said, still gazing at the scene before them, "but occasionally there will be a Saerim that is born with the ability to contain air. This is particularly difficult as the technique and amount of mana needed to restrain and manipulate it is unimaginable. Air is not tangible and it is thus difficult to wrap our minds around how to contain it. Chief Tak is the only one who has been capable of doing so in the past century."
That tiny little lady....
"Look," said the doctor, "you'll now see a demonstration from someone who is a bit more experienced."
And sure enough, a tall figure, wearing similar garbs but of a much darker green, walked into the field. Yoo Jin couldn't see his face as he wore a cloth about his head and his bow was still strapped to his back. He watched in awe as Chief Tak repeated her earlier motions and the ground rolled beneath the newcomer. But the man held his footing, legs shoulder width apart and knees bent. He nocked an arrow into his bow, his eyes presumably locked in the direction of the training dummy. Then the ground beneath the dummy also shook and the figure swayed as though dancing. He raised his bow just when the ground beneath him cracked open.
Yoo Jin watched as the bowman narrowly missed the violent wave of air that shot up from the ground by flipping onto his free hand, the other still grasping his bow, before rolling back onto the ground, one leg bent and the other knee flat against the grass, his bow raised once more.
He sent the arrow flying.
And hit his mark exactly.
Yoo Jin let out a loud whoop and all heads beneath them turned in their direction.
"Ah," said the doctor, laughing softly. "Normally, cheering is not allowed. Again tradition."
Yoo Jin gazed back at the group, watched as the tall alpha removed the cloth and met his eyes.
He paused. Staring back at him was no man.
It was a female alpha.
One he recognized.
"It's her..." he said.
"Hmm?" said the doctor as he turned to him. The class below them continued with their exercises.
"She was with the other two alphas last night," said Yoo Jin.
"Ri Sera?" said the doctor as he peered back at the figure who was now standing beside Chief Tak. "That is odd, I don't know her personally but from what I have heard, she tends to be a bit of a recluse. She is one of our top hunters. Even if she did have friends, Won-il and Seok would not be the type of people I'd peg her to be around."
"She seemed pretty friendly with them," said Yoo Jin.
"If that is true then, I would be very cautious of her. She isn't someone you want as an enemy. I would even venture to say that she is as powerful as Tae Hyun though her status is not as high."
"It isn't?" Yoo Jin said curiously. "Why? Does it have something to do with how long you're a hunter?"
The doctor frowned. "No, I'm afraid not. Sera is thirty, she's been here longer than Tae Hyun by a number of years and she has always exhibited great control and power. It's simply because she is a woman."
"But," said Yoo Jin, his brows scrunched in confusion, "she's an alpha."
He nodded. "It was said that secondary genders did not exist during part of the Silla Dynasty, there were only men and women, the latter of which were considered the inferior gender. In the ancient texts, only male alphas were identified as hunters here in the Academy. In a sense, I think they tried to continue that tradition by refusing positions of power to women. Chief Tak is the only female chief and yet, she is still not one of the seven council members despite her arguably being the strongest hunter to have graced these walls this century."
"You mustn't be too worried about your meeting with the council tomorrow," said the doctor upon seeing the look on Yoo Jin's face. "Having Tae Hyun backing you is a significant advantage. His family is exceedingly powerful. In every generation at least one member of his family has sat on that council. He is not a man the current members would want to anger."
"However," the doctor continued, his voice grave as his gaze met his. "I recommend that you still be cautious as their reverence for tradition seems to border on the extreme and tradition is something that is immensely difficult to break."