Festival (2)

Lee Sejung was displeased.

With the flow of Combat Class 1.

‘How can it be so different from what I expected?’

Lee Sejung was in a state of genuine anger.

She was what you’d call a child from a well-off family.

She was a child of <Daeyoung>, one of the top 3 corporations in South Korea.

And as she had a lot of money, she received a lot of support. So she became strong. With dual swords, a weapon with notably few users.

A very unusual case of a natural ambidextrous person.

Because she was physically well-balanced, the dual swords shone in Lee Sejung’s hands.

And by entering Combat Class 1, she had proven the fruition of that talent.

So she naturally thought she would now rise as a sacred figure, receiving attention from all members of the hunter world in South Korea.

Lee Sejung wanted to become famous, rather than becoming a hunter to kill monsters coming out of gates and seal dungeons.

And she didn’t think this feeling was such a filthy emotion. It’s not a sin to want to become famous by doing what you’re good at.

But far from getting attention, she hadn’t even had her name appear in the news once.

That first-year freshman representative Lee Dojin, sitting in the second row, third seat from the front, was getting the attention.

-Iroaz Academy freshman Lee Dojin, he conquered the entrance exam with a wooden sword. Interview with a student who took the entrance exam with freshman representative Lee Dojin.

He had been the focus of mass media since the entrance exam results came out. And he rejected it all himself.

He must have received numerous interview requests.

The interior of Iroaz Academy strictly prohibits entry to all outsiders, including reporters.

‘That guy must have blocked all attention at the source.’

As if he really came to the academy just for learning. Not that she felt jealousy or anything like that.

Lee Dojin.

He was too overwhelmingly excellent. She couldn’t even feel an emotion like jealousy.

After seeing his majesty in the mock dungeon exam, all unnecessary competitive spirit had evaporated.

Lee Dojin aside.

The list of expected top students was all twisted.

The information gathered to build connections among outstanding people had all become useless.

Except for Kang Changhyung, the youngest son of King Wang, one of the Ten Sovereigns and master of the huge <Power> Guild, all expectations were off.

‘Baek Hwayeon too, and Ryu Jia as well.’

Kids who hadn’t even graduated from an Awakened high school were occupying the top ranks.

Baek Hwayeon was the Sword Empress’s disciple. And Ryu Jia was a genius who had achieved a level worthy of being called a school of her own, without even having someone to call a master.

And it was obvious just from watching from afar that both of them were close to Lee Dojin.

‘Even if they say nothing at the academy goes as expected…’

For everything from start to finish to not go as expected like this.

‘I have no choice but to prove myself in the martial arts competition.’

Hunter-related people are invited as spectators to the final martial arts competition.

Lee Sejung gritted her teeth. Ironically, in the mind of this girl who liked receiving attention, there was not a shred of anticipation for the festival next week.

---

Friday.

It was the day to receive lessons from the dedicated instructor. Following Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah’s explanation that today he should go directly to receive teachings from the Sword Demon, Lee Dojin headed to the Sword Demon’s mansion.

The training ground at Sword Demon Jung Yong-ha’s mansion.

Jung Yong-ha was facing Lee Dojin.

Compared to Lee Dojin wearing a black suit, Jung Yong-ha was merely wearing a black martial arts uniform.

Killing intent.

The killing intent emitted by Jung Yong-ha was so sharply honed that it didn’t feel like it was flowing from the body of an old man who appeared to have nothing but terribly dry muscles.

It was as if he would cut down the Lee Dojin before his eyes at any moment.

Killing intent also burst forth from Lee Dojin’s entire body.

Jung Yong-ha raised the corners of his mouth.

“As expected, you’re a very interesting fellow.”

Black sword energy wrapped around the longsword in Jung Yong-ha’s hand.

“You’re not suppressing fear with fighting spirit, but truly emitting only fighting spirit.”

The atmosphere rippled with Jung Yong-ha’s footsteps.

“The name of my sword is Manghon (望魂, Longing Soul).”

Manghon Sword.

The Sword Demon’s recitation continued.

“My sword has been mixed many times for survival. Sairm Sword Technique, Soul-Departing Sword Technique. All the sword techniques my subordinates learned were mixed together. Inside the Tower. In situations where we didn’t know who would die next, we exchanged our swords. It wasn’t as beautiful a sight as the words I’m saying now.”

Lee Dojin had to see.

The clear anger contained in the old man’s blurry eyes.

“Literally. It was something done to survive. It was a struggle for as many people as possible to survive.”

So that even one more person could survive.

Jung Yong-ha still didn’t avoid the faces of his subordinates visible behind Lee Dojin. He couldn’t avoid them. After all, these illusions appeared every day.

The psychiatrist said it was an illusion induced by PTSD. Jung Yong-ha decided to bear this illusion. He thought of it as a punishment he created himself.

“A guy who said he scribbled poetry as a hobby named my sword, mixed with dead subordinates. The name Manghyang (望鄕, Longing for Home).”

The old man smiled bitterly.

“And that poet guy died the next day too.”

Still, he didn’t feel like abandoning the name of that sword technique.

Jung Yong-ha gripped his longsword again.

“Your sword technique is excellent. Unlike me who ate various things haphazardly, your sword technique has a proper framework. But Seol-ah says she’s never seen the being presumed to be your master. It’s a curious thing.”

There was no way to find his master. Because all of Lee Dojin’s masters were in Mistilteinn’s world.

Only Jung Yong-ha, who was now trying to teach Lee Dojin something, was breathing in reality.

The Sword Demon raised his longsword.

Lee Dojin gripped his wooden sword again. A chill circled the air.

Thud!

The two swordsmen stomped the ground simultaneously. Black light and white light collided. The arms and legs of the two martial artists didn’t stop.

Kakakakak!

A chilling dance unfolded. The sword wind scratched the ground and walls several times.

Lee Dojin felt it.

That the Sword Demon before his eyes was matching his speed.

But to the eyes of any considerable masters, both would only appear as blurry afterimages.

Ten Sovereigns.

There was a realm referred to in the world for martial artists included among the Ten Sovereigns.

Those who have entered the Transcendent Realm (超越領域).

Lee Dojin had already entered that Transcendent Realm.

The simple reason he still couldn’t keep up with the Sword Demon’s speed was:

Lee Dojin was a rookie newcomer who had just entered that realm. And the Sword Demon was the most senior existence at the very top of the Transcendent Realm.

Jjeoong!

The swords continued to clash. Black light and white light met to form a wave of gray light source.

The Sword Demon began to speak. Despite swinging his sword incessantly with an old man’s body, there wasn’t the slightest disturbance in his breathing.

“I’ll say it again, but your swordsmanship is excellent. Your thrusts and slashes achieve the marvel of unity between mind and sword. But that alone will still be difficult to match those at your level or face those above you.”

Of course, there wouldn’t even be 100 such guys in this world.

“It’s because your inner power is still only at 3-star. What I can help you with most in the short term is footwork.”

Lee Dojin was surprised. Because Jung Yong-ha had perfectly pointed out what he himself was feeling.

“Footwork accounts for half of the sword path. That’s natural. Because feet and sword move together.”

The Sword Demon slowly widened the distance from Lee Dojin.

“Watch.”

Lee Dojin closely observed his footwork as the Sword Demon said.

The shadow condensed at the Sword Demon’s toes suddenly curved. Like a crescent moon.

“I just sprouted energy at my toes. Energy containing killing intent to kill you.”

Jung Yong-ha’s body shook. At the end of an afterimage. Another afterimage is attached.

But there was no sound in those footsteps.

“This is intent. The energy I raised at my toes distorts the shadow. And if I awaken the energy a bit more strongly, my body appears distorted like a ghost like this.”

Intent.

One of the mystical skills achieved by martial artists who have reached the Transcendent Realm.

“Erase all the common sense you had.”

The Sword Demon’s body stretched like taffy.

Kaang!

The Sword Demon’s longsword stopped near Lee Dojin’s neck. Lee Dojin had barely managed to meet the sword.

“Martial artists who have entered the Transcendent Realm begin to achieve the impossible. It’s breaking common sense one by one.”

Kakakakak!

The blades of the two swords fiercely supported each other.

Sweat beaded on Lee Dojin’s forehead.

Not ki, but distorting this world with energy flowing from the body.

It was monstrous.

A smile formed on Lee Dojin’s lips. Would Sword Emperor Dan Cheonwoo, his undisputed master, not have been able to do this?

That couldn’t be.

The final form of the Reverse Heaven Sword that Dan Cheonwoo showed was:

Not just distorting the world, but to the level of erasing a world.

‘Even if he taught me, I probably wouldn’t have grasped it.’

Now that the Reverse Heaven Divine Skill had reached 3-star.

And swordsmanship itself was much more proficient due to numerous real battles, he could grasp it now.

Then the conclusion was simple.

He just needed to absorb that from the Sword Demon now.

That terrifying power.

“What’s the name?”

“Manghon Step (亡魂步, Lost Soul Step).”

“It suits it.”

Lee Dojin’s eyes were burning with academic enthusiasm. The Sword Demon chuckled.

“Anyway, you’re a peculiar fellow. Kid.”

When shown such a huge wall, ordinary martial artists despair.

Even if they don’t despair, they hesitate.

But this guy is different.

He doesn’t despair. He doesn’t hesitate.

He was immediately thinking of breaking that wall.

Energy rose from the tips of Lee Dojin’s toes. The shadow tilted very slowly.