Martial Arts Competition (3)

“The medical personnel and safety staff are all prepared.”

Cecilia Freire, the Vice Director of Iroaz Academy, nodded at her secretary’s words.

“Have all the invited committee members arrived?”

“Yes, as per your instructions, we’ve only included those who don’t have any negative connections with the students.”

“Well done.”

Cecilia nodded. Then she spoke again.

“Ah, did the Director say he would participate?”

The secretary shook her head.

“No, there’s been no word yet.”

“I see.”

Cecilia didn’t seem particularly disappointed.

“As usual, he’ll probably show up towards the end.”

---

Martial arts arena.

There wasn’t just one arena where the martial arts competitions took place. With hundreds of students needing to compete simultaneously, there were over 10 arenas in total.

Over the two-week schedule, students would take their turn standing on the arena in order.

Lee Dojin checked the opponent matching notification that appeared on his Iroaz Watch.

<Combat Class 2 – Choi Hyungwoo / Arena B>

Class 2. There was no way he could know who it was. It seemed to be a student he hadn’t met even during the mock exam.

Lee Dojin looked at Baek Hwayeon beside him, who kept taking deep breaths.

“Are you nervous?”

“Of course I’m nervous. My master is coming to watch too. Probably.”

“I see.”

Indeed, it was unlikely that Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah, who had even served as an advisory committee member for the entrance exam, would not come to the academy’s martial arts competition.

“Don’t be nervous.”

At Lee Dojin’s words, Baek Hwayeon puffed out her cheeks and stared at him.

“Of course you wouldn’t be nervous, Dojin!”

“Yeah, I’m not nervous.”

Far from being nervous, he had to try hard to suppress his excitement.

His body was itching. His mind was filled with the desire to stretch out his hand and seize victory right away.

It was fine even if the opponent’s martial arts or skill level was low. He thought it would be enough if there was even a grain of sand worth referencing.

Lee Dojin would be satisfied if he could feel even a little freshness different from the groups he had seen so far.

Because he intended to absorb all of that freshness.

Baek Hwayeon looked at Lee Dojin, who was grinning brightly, as if he were crazy.

---

While the ‘Strongest Fighter Between Grades’ event match of the martial arts competition accepted applications from external applicants, the main martial arts competition was only open to those who had been pre-selected and invited by the academy.

The biggest reason was obviously security for the academy students who were still ordinary citizens, not yet hunters.

Secondly, it was to avoid creating problematic situations. The reason they didn’t invite Ten Venerable Sword Emperor So Daecheol this year, despite inviting him last year, was because friction was expected with the first-year representative Lee Dojin.

The academy did its best to understand such individual student issues and preemptively block any potential risk factors.

Four of the Ten Venerables gathered.

‘Spear King’ Lee Jigwang, Choi Bit-na’s master.

And ‘Fist King’ Kang Taejin, Kang Changhyung’s father.

‘Queen’ Seo Yuyoung, called the most skilled magician in Korea.

Lastly, there was ‘Frost Master’ Jeon Hanseol, famous for his ice attribute.

Jeon Hanseol, wearing a navy blue coat with a fur collar, opened his mouth.

“We’ll have an enjoyable viewing today too.”

Seo Yuyoung standing next to him snickered at Jeon Hanseol’s words.

“Well, whether it’s enjoyable or just laughable will depend on the students’ level.”

Jeon Hanseol quickly scanned the audience seats.

“Among the Four Superhumans… only Sword Empress is here.”

Seo Yuyoung twisted the corner of her mouth.

“It’s not like those people’s heavy bottoms are anything new.”

Aside from the Ten Venerables, most of those sitting in the audience were instructors belonging to the academy.

Once the strongest fighters for each grade were determined and the event matches began, more outside guests would come then.

Spear King Lee Jigwang looked at Fist King Kang Taejin beside him.

“Are you here to see your youngest son?”

Kang Taejin slowly shook his head.

“No, to be precise, I’m here to see the first-year representative who beat up my youngest son in the mock exam.”

“I see. Is this your first time seeing him in person?”

“Yes, it’ll be my first time seeing him in person after only watching videos.”

“I see.”

“Why, have you seen him in person?”

“No, it’s my first time seeing him fight too.”

The conversation between the Ten Venerables wasn’t particularly special.

The tournament bracket appeared on the large electronic display.

---

Group B waiting room

Lee Dojin stretched.

The other members of Group B glanced at Lee Dojin, who was silently warming up with a stern face.

“Look at that. Leisurely and nobly warming up alone.”

The students assigned to Group B stared at Lee Dojin as if looking at a celebrity.

The problem was that those gazes contained more jealousy than admiration.

Of course, Lee Dojin didn’t care about such gazes at all.

-Lee Dojin, Choi Hyungwoo. Please come up to the arena.

An announcement echoed through the waiting room.

Lee Dojin, who had finished warming up and was meditating, slowly got up.

Holding his wooden sword.

There were no cheers or anything like that.

The martial arts competition was ultimately an exam after all.

Even the invited advisory committee members, unlike when watching other students’ matches so far, had quite serious expressions.

Just what kind of guy was he to receive so much attention before even becoming a hunter?

They watched closely for that reason.

From the moment he stepped onto the circular arena.

But─

“…A wooden sword?”

Fist King Kang Taejin’s brow furrowed deeply.

He had heard that Lee Dojin used a wooden sword, but he didn’t expect to see it with his own eyes. And that thought was quite reasonable.

What madman would use a wooden sword in the final exam, the martial arts competition, where grades and future were at stake?

Lee Dojin inevitably had to use a wooden sword, but others wouldn’t know that.

The Group B judge, 2nd year swordsmanship instructor Heo Jiun, approached Lee Dojin.

“This is an exam. You probably know that. Are you still going to use a wooden sword?”

Lee Dojin nodded.

“Yes, I’ll use the wooden sword.”

Heo Jiun, holding a stack of documents, opened his mouth again.

“May I ask the exact reason?”

Everyone else would be using proper bladed swords or spears. The same goes for gauntlets. The medical personnel and healers were gathered for that purpose.

An artifact that could cast a top-grade barrier on one person in an emergency was installed in each arena.

In a situation where a life might be lost, the system of the martial arts competition was to use that artifact and then have the prepared instructors rush in to resolve the situation in that gap.

And that system proved its effectiveness by not having a single death in the martial arts competition for nearly 10 years.

“The wooden sword is most comfortable for me. That’s the reason.”

“…I see, understood.”

Although he couldn’t comprehend it, what could he do if the first-year representative said so? Heo Jiun wrote down those words as is on the document.

“Kuku, it seems he really intends to use a wooden sword.”

Spear King Lee Jigwang let out a hollow laugh.

Fist King Kang Taejin’s brow was furrowed.

“Does this mean he doesn’t even see his first round opponent as a martial artist? I’m not sure if it’s arrogance or confidence yet.”

The Ten Venerables’ misunderstanding continued.

Of course, it wasn’t just their misunderstanding. All the instructor judges in the audience had the same thoughts as the Fist King.

Choi Hyungwoo, with his striking short sports haircut, stood in front of Lee Dojin.

“Hey, nice to meet you.”

In his hand was a real sword with a sharp blade gleaming.

Choi Hyungwoo’s face was filled with anger.

Wooden Sword Lord, Wooden Sword Holy Knight.

He had long known that Lee Dojin in front of him was famous for such titles. But today was the sacred martial arts competition. He thought surely he wouldn’t use a wooden sword even here.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No.”

Lee Dojin answered with an expressionless face.

“Then why the wooden sword? If you’re not making fun of me. Fuck, you should be holding a real sword.”

He’s overly excited.

Lee Dojin thought this while staring at Choi Hyungwoo’s snake-like eyes.

If he didn’t like that Lee Dojin was holding a wooden sword, he should just defeat Lee Dojin and prove his own skills.

Instead of spewing curses like this.

“You’re not laughable.”

Lee Dojin rested the wooden sword on his shoulder.

“But your sword might be.”

“You bastard…!”

Killing intent flickered in Choi Hyungwoo’s eyes.

Judge Heo Jiun raised his right hand in the center.

“Prepare for the match.”

His right hand cut through the air.

“Begin.”

The two swordsmen in battle suits stared at each other.

Kwak!

Choi Hyungwoo charged first. Choi Hyungwoo’s body rushed at Lee Dojin in an instant.

Red sword energy was rippling on the sword Choi Hyungwoo held.

Lee Dojin could clearly see his sword path.

Sak-!

The red line sharply cut through the air.

“Kuaaaap!”

Hong Yeon Cham Gyeok (Red Flame Slashing Strike).

Living up to its grand name, a sword strike wrapped in flames distorted the air.

No matter how tyrannical and threatening the sword energy was, it was useless if it didn’t hit.

Lee Dojin was avoiding the seemingly powerful sword path too easily.

As if he had just come out for a stroll.

Tak-

He avoided all the sword techniques just by lightly stepping backwards.

And he suddenly twisted his foot. Lee Dojin, who had moved completely to Choi Hyungwoo’s side, employed his inner power technique.

And he murmured softly.

“Don’t separate your arm too far from your body. The sword speed is too slow.”

Regrettably, this was the only advice he could give. Other words would probably not be understood even if he said them.

Lee Dojin stretched out his right hand.

As fast as lightning.

Pit!

His palm grazed Choi Hyungwoo’s chin.

It was a palm strike.

Choi Hyungwoo’s pupils rolled back, showing the whites of his eyes.

He had fainted.

Thud!

Choi Hyungwoo’s body collapsed to the floor.

The audience fell silent.

It was already mind-boggling that he used a wooden sword.

But he didn’t even use that wooden sword.