Chapter 48

Chapter 48

I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy.

Episode 48: Kim Seo-hyun (4)

Kim Seo-hyun thought,

“Always be prepared to run away.”

This was a Mine, its limbs severed and most of its body barely functioning.

But if that Mine belonged to the upper rank, the narrative shifted significantly.

The gap between the middle and upper ranks might be a single level, but the disparity in their power was anything but linear.

It was the difference between heaven and earth. If not quite that dramatic, then at least as distinct as a mountain peak is from the sky.

However, when ten individuals on the verge of the middle rank clashed with one freshly ascended to the upper rank, the latter would win nine times out of ten.

Sword Demon, Napak Cheon.

He was a notorious figure.

Refusing the title of hero upon reaching the upper rank, he reveled in the thrill of cutting down his foes and sided with the Mine, massacring a thousand civilians.

He was, without a doubt, the vilest kind of Mine.

That’s why Kim Seo-hyun sought an escape route while Lee Seo-ha engaged Napak Cheon.

Lee Seo-ha was extraordinary.

Shattering all previous records to an unparalleled degree, his strength only seemed to swell.

What was known about him paled in comparison to what lay concealed.

Against someone newly minted in the upper rank, Kim Seo-hyun would have engaged.

But Napak Cheon had set his sights beyond the upper rank, aiming for the pinnacle.

It had been over a decade since he first made his alias known to the world.

Truth be told, Kim Seo-hyun was astonished.

Despite facing death, he was holding his own against the Sword Demon.

Clashhhh!

Their swords met in combat.

Shockwaves emanated, rippling through their surroundings.

I widened my eyes,

Determined not to miss a single one of Napak Cheon’s maneuvers.

With Divine Sight, I scrutinized his every motion,

How Napak Cheon gripped his sword, positioned his feet, executed each move.

I refused to blink, to miss anything.

[Proficiency of Divine Sight increases!]

[Proficiency of Black God Martial Arts increases!]

-This is unbelievable.

Black Heaven murmured under her breath.

But I couldn’t spare the attention to listen. My focus was solely on Napak Cheon.

Clashhhh!

Swords collided again. This time, I was pushed back a bit less.

I maneuvered the black sword with Nyeom.

When Napak Cheon swung his sword, two were shattered.

But that didn’t matter.

If I could reduce his strength with two black swords, it was a gain.

I infused the Energy of Defying Heaven into my sword and legs.

‘I must not lose my balance.’

I moved my legs quickly. My biggest advantage in the fight against Napak Cheon right now was balance.

[Proficiency of Black God Martial Arts increases!]

Black God Martial Arts was about controlling the body well.

Ultimately, it aimed for the perfect body that could even control the units of blood and movements of organs inside.

Napak Cheon’s eyes widened as he put strength into his legs. His arm moved. I saw it with Divine Sight.

The trajectory of the sword was drawn. I dodged in advance.

I could dodge in minute detail, but that wasn’t a good approach.

“I can’t afford even a slight touch.”

I had to avoid any injury.

His talent would continuously worsen my wounds, deteriorating my combat ability.

I changed the trajectory of my body.

Black Shadow Step.

This quick movement technique was the most suitable now.

[Your proficiency in Black Shadow Step has greatly increased. You have partially awakened the Black Flash Sword Technique (B+)!]

-Damn rat!

“Thank you for the compliment.”

My mouth moved on its own.

I didn’t even understand what I was saying. All my focus was on Napak Cheon.

Woosh!

The sword flickered for a moment. Sword Demon, his nickname, wasn’t earned for nothing; his swordsmanship changed dramatically.

His sword was swift, cutting through everything, yet he wasn’t limited to swift swordplay.

Strong Sword, Flexible Sword, Heavy Sword, Illusionary Sword, Transforming Sword – he could use at least five different sword techniques.

This time, he used Heavy Sword.

The characteristic of Heavy Sword was to block the opponent’s path, forcing them into a defensive position.

I surrounded myself with the Energy of Defying Heaven and reached out my hand. The energy climbed up my fingertips.

“No!”

-Kehehe.

I felt Kim Seo-hyun rushing toward me.

Napak Cheon laughed.

So, I laughed too.

Black God Martial Arts.

Black Scales.

Swoosh─!

A jet-black, heaven-defying power wrapped around my hand.

The power, structured like scales, wrapped only around my hand.

It was Black Scales, enhancing the absolute defense of Black God Martial Arts.

I stretched out my hand, aiming to inflict significant injury on Napak Cheon.

Kaboooom!

The straight sword, already half-broken, shattered completely from the impact.

My hand, wrapped in Black Scales, aimed for Napak Cheon’s heart.

-Cough!

Napak Cheon coughed up blood and was knocked back by the shockwave.

[Your proficiency in Black God Martial Arts has increased!]

“What a pity.”

I retracted the Black Scales.

Though I had only used it for about 2 seconds, about 30% of the Energy of Defying Heaven was gone.

That’s how much power Napak Cheon had required.

I kept my eyes forward.

Napak Cheon’s eyes trembled.

A look of disbelief.

I stepped back, nursing a slight injury on my hand.

“Is it not yet perfected?”

Still, the effect was quite satisfactory.

Black God Martial Arts worked. Even against someone far stronger than me.

-Vermin! You! I will kill you no matter what!

Napak Cheon raised his sword high.

-I’ll tear you to shreds!

This time, he wasn’t using his usual concise movements but a powerful technique.

However, I didn’t prepare to dodge.

A master of his level could change his attack path at any time.

[You have mastered the Black Flash Sword Technique! You have awakened a part of the Black Flash Sword Technique!]

[You have fully awakened the Black Flash Sword Technique (B+)! The Black Flash Sword Technique (B+) is added to your skills list!]

-That’s the advantage of the Black Flash Sword Technique. It allows you to evade any attack at least once, regardless of the form.

I beheld Napak Cheon and looked ahead.

Napak Cheon raised his sword.

Whoosh!

Black and grey flames, which seemed to erode the mind just by looking at them, enveloped his sword.

‘Extreme Soul-Destroying Sword.’

I naturally knew what technique he would use.

I had defeated Napak Cheon more than once or twice.

It was an attack technique with a massive range.

Used properly, this crazy technique could split a mountain in half!

In other words, Napak Cheon was desperate.

I raised the Energy of Defying Heaven.

He was particularly wary of the Black Scales.

He checked my defensive area.

And if it was the Extreme Soul-Destroying Sword, mere Black Scales wouldn’t be enough.

Black Scales boasted absolute defense, but their coverage was incredibly small.

The flames rose.

Black and grey, the colorful flames elongated along the sword, stretching over 3 meters.

‘Stay calm.’

-Stay calm.

Napak Cheon spoke.

I held Black Heaven and charged forward.

-Just die.

It was a verdict.

The world’s laws trembled at Napak Cheon’s words. He swung his sword down. At the same time, I slammed all the remaining Energy of Defying Heaven into Napak Cheon.

The flames soared. The demonic sword that cut through everything swung wildly. It indiscriminately sliced through everything.

When I was right in front, I slammed Napak Cheon into the ground and exploded the Energy of Defying Heaven.

Whoosh!

Black God Martial Arts.

Secret Technique.

Abyss.

A profane, black storm engulfed everything.

It was a black storm.

A storm of negation, negating everything.

‘What is this?’

He didn’t know.

Napak Cheon had never seen such a martial art, a martial art using such profane power.

Mines crafted their bodies with external methods (外法).

They received power from outer gods, accepting it to distort the world’s laws.

And if such a Mine reached the upper rank, they could use contaminated powers in this world.

The power of this boy was similar to that of external methods.

But it was different.

Napak Cheon was unfamiliar with such power. The boy even denied external methods. What kind of principles did he possess?

Whooosh!

Napak Cheon didn’t use any powers.

He simply reveled in the thrill of slicing people with his sword.

However, this time he used his power.

His sword, which could slice through everything, was swallowed by the storm.

The inextinguishable profane flame, the power that distorts everything, was engulfed by the storm that negates everything.

-What is this!

Thus, he screamed in despair.

His power was vanishing.

The storm negated everything that was him.

His martial arts, accumulated over years, his body obtained by sacrificing his own and the world’s magic, and even his notorious name engraved in the world.

It swallowed everything.

-What the hell is this!

It was terror.

He felt this terror when he first faced an extraterrestrial enemy, an outsider. Powerful and yet utterly unbeatable, an absolute being before whom he was hopelessly inadequate.

He was an exceptional swordsman.

That’s why he could feel it. This world would eventually be defeated. By them.

That’s why he became a Mine.

-Kehehe.

He sneered.

He raised his sword. The demonic sword, with only the hilt left and about 3 cm of the blade remaining. And he swung it.

Ssssh.

A slicing sound was heard. The black storm that negated everything grew in intensity.

Sssshssssshsssssh.

He sliced. And sliced again. But the storm engulfed everything.

Like an abyss, it sucked in everything. The sword qi that could slice through everything was eventually swallowed by the storm that devoured everything.

And that was his end.