Blossomed

Four days had passed since the martial arts competition began.

After winning against Jung Jiwoo, Lee Dojin had secured 5 more consecutive victories.

A total of 7 consecutive wins.

Now there were only two matches left until the strongest fighter determination match against the winner of the 1st year magic department.

The fact that he had only used his wooden sword 3 times out of 7 matches had become famous in the academy.

Following “Wooden Sword Lord”, he was given the bizarre nickname “Hand Blade Lord”.

Lee Dojin was sitting in the audience seats. A martial arts match that many students were paying attention to was about to unfold.

The two female students in front of him were both very familiar and precious people to Lee Dojin.

“You’ve exceeded expectations, Hwayeon.”

The blind swordswoman and.

“…I knew I’d meet you if I climbed up, Jia. I didn’t know you’d come up this far though.”

The heir of the Plum Blossom Sword.

Lee Dojin couldn’t one-sidedly cheer for either of them. They were both too close friends for that.

Lee Dojin watched the women handling their weapons and inwardly gauged who would win.

The level of martial arts.

Physical ability.

Judgment.

Inner power.

If he were to average all of these, surprisingly, the levels of the two were neck and neck.

‘It seems Jia will win by a hair’s breadth though.’

Lee Dojin thought that the blind swordswoman Ryu Jia was slightly ahead in terms of experience and mastery of martial arts.

Baek Hwayeon still didn’t consider the Plum Blossom Sword technique handed down by Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah to be completely her own.

Something too generous.

A martial art that still needed to go through countless processes of training and refinement.

That’s how she judged it.

On the other hand, Ryu Jia believed in her own sword path. She had no choice but to believe. She was blind and had no master.

To acquire martial arts alone, one needed bold self-belief.

Ryu Jia inevitably had a grounded belief in her own martial art, the Shadow Flashing Sword Style.

Because she had proven it.

The fact that Ryu Jia had been assigned to Combat Class 1 after defeating everyone with her ‘Mind Sword’ in the entrance exam was quite an issue among the Iroaz Academy instructors.

The problem was that Ryu Jia received relatively less attention because of Lee Dojin, who had swept the entrance exam with a wooden sword.

“Begin!”

The judge’s voice echoed in the arena. The two women narrowed the distance towards each other.

White sword energy rose from Baek Hwayeon’s sword. Lee Dojin narrowed his eyes.

No.

The white sword energy emitted a slightly more pink light.

Lee Dojin was certain that Baek Hwayeon had grown.

It was clearly more concentrated sword energy than when they sparred at Yoo Seol-ah’s villa at the beginning of the semester.

“Let’s have a match with no regrets.”

Ryu Jia said with a smile in her eyes.

“…Yeah, let’s.”

Baek Hwayeon smiled brightly too.

She didn’t think she could win. Ryu Jia’s previous martial arts match.

Baek Hwayeon had watched Ryu Jia’s match then.

The sword Ryu Jia showed then was quite sharp. Unlike herself, who still had difficulty swinging her sword at opponents, Ryu Jia had no hesitation in inflicting wounds on her opponents’ bodies.

Whenever she saw Ryu Jia, she felt more like an elder than a peer. She wouldn’t feel out of place calling her “unnie” (older sister).

The two were moving one step at a time, staring at each other while holding their swords.

Swish-

Lee Dojin didn’t pay attention to the white-haired old man who sat down in the empty seat next to him.

The white-haired old man opened his mouth.

“Are you the freshman representative?”

Only after hearing the old man’s voice did Lee Dojin look at him.

“Yes, I am.”

The white-haired old man who had returned to Korea last night, Jin Un, the Director of Iroaz Academy, glanced at Lee Dojin.

Unlike what he had heard from his secretary, just looking from the outside, he didn’t seem to enjoy standing out that much.

‘They said he was an oddball who only fights with a wooden sword.’

Jin Un turned his gaze away from Lee Dojin and stared at the two martial artists standing on the arena.

“Do you know those two?”

Lee Dojin became curious about who this old man was who suddenly started asking questions, but since he wanted to focus on their battle now, he decided to just answer the questions.

“I do know them.”

“Who do you think will win between the two?”

After a moment’s thought, Lee Dojin answered the old man’s question.

“I don’t know.”

If it had been before seeing Baek Hwayeon’s changed white sword energy, he would have answered without hesitation that Ryu Jia would likely win.

However, Baek Hwayeon had grown. So now he couldn’t predict.

“I see.”

The old man, Jin Un, didn’t ask any more questions. He sensed that Lee Dojin wanted to concentrate on the martial arts match in front of him.

“Hey.”

Lee Dojin turned his head back to the familiar voice. A female student with silver hair was looking down at Lee Dojin from the seat behind.

“Senior, why are you here?”

It was Yeon Simun.

“I’ll win the year if I win just one more time. But it’s next Monday, so I have quite a long time of freedom, junior.”

“I’m envious.”

“Both of them are your friends.”

Lee Dojin nodded.

Yeon Simun said with a rather serious expression.

“Order jajangmyeon for the friend who wins.”

“What?”

“And for the friend who loses, just give them the pickled radish and onions that come as side dishes.”

…Wouldn’t I get beaten to death for that?

“Then the friend who lost might win next time. Because they’ll feel so frustrated and resentful.”

It would be frustrating and resentful to be told to eat pickled radish and onions while someone else is eating jajangmyeon next to you.

“Either way, I think I’ll die.”

“You won’t die. Because I didn’t die.”

Yeon Simun answered firmly.

From that answer, Lee Dojin could infer that Yeon Simun herself had actually done what she just said.

He was just amazed that she was still alive after doing such a devilish act that would make even demons cry.

Yeon Simun glanced at the white-haired old man, Academy Director Jin Un, and slightly bowed her head. Jin Un also nodded with a faint smile at that gesture.

Although she was glad to see the Director after a long time, the situation was awkward to act too familiar.

Kwak!

Ryu Jia stepped forward first, trampling the ground. She made the first move. The swift movement characteristic of the Shadow Flashing Sword Style stretched out as if to disrupt the world.

Baek Hwayeon was momentarily flustered by the disorderly blue sword energy slashes rushing in, but quickly regained her composure.

White plum blossoms bloomed at the tip of Baek Hwayeon’s sword. The plum blossoms destroyed the blue sword energy.

‘Reach.’

Baek Hwayeon’s eyes sharpened.

Essence.

That was Baek Hwayeon’s essence. Transformation, illusion. Those were the core of the Plum Blossom Sword, but Baek Hwayeon added her own color to that core.

That was the only way she could break down Ryu Jia’s perfected sword.

Ryu Jia, with her eyes closed, awakened her energy sense. Her five senses touched the entire arena.

Tak!

Baek Hwayeon’s stepping foot.

The breath she exhaled to unfold her technique. After feeling all of that, she decided her sword path.

Jjeojeojeojeng!

The white sword energy faintly emitting a light pink glow and the blue sword energy clashed incessantly.

The brilliance of the Plum Blossom Sword matched the sharpness of the Shadow Flashing Sword Style.

Kagagagagak!

The arena floor was covered with sword marks caused by the slashes they had thrown at each other.

It looked like two dragons ascending to the sky, constantly trying to bite each other.

There were sword marks all over Baek Hwayeon’s arms and thighs. Blood was flowing down. The heat of the blood soaked her entire body.

Her light pink hair, which had been neatly tied in a ponytail, had become disheveled and was fluttering messily at some point.

Baek Hwayeon took a deep breath and exhaled.

The feeling of defeat hadn’t stirred in her mind yet.

She would just acknowledge it.

That Ryu Jia was stronger than her. She could accept that calmly.

“…”

Ryu Jia gripped her sword again. She had clearly cut countless times. More than 10 times.

All those sword strikes had landed as effective hits.

The strike that cut her back could be called a fatal blow. Yet Baek Hwayeon didn’t fall.

Ryu Jia smiled faintly at the fighting spirit flowing from Baek Hwayeon.

Ryu Jia raised her sword to her shoulder blade.

The inner power in her dantian stirred.

She intended to end it with this strike.

Blue sword energy wrapped around the sword like waves.

Shadow Flashing Sword Style

4th Technique

Raging Sea Flow (狂海流)

Ryu Jia’s body shot towards Baek Hwayeon.

And her body soared high up.

She intended to end it with this.

She swung her sword down at lightning speed.

An explosive slash cuts across the front. Waves surged from the empty arena floor.

They were ferocious waves made of dark blue sword energy.

Like waves trying to capsize a huge sailing ship. The black sea sword energy rose from the floor and rushed to envelop Baek Hwayeon’s entire body.

“Is it over?”

“At this rate, we should intervene quickly.”

The instructors murmured. They were worried about Baek Hwayeon’s safety.

“Such a fuss.”

Yeon Simun said disinterestedly.

And there was another voice following hers.

“That’s right.”

Lee Dojin looked behind. A red-haired woman was standing there.

It was Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah. The Sword Empress stared at her disciple.

The black waves enveloping Baek Hwayeon in a circle rippled.

Cheolsseok-

Cracks appeared in the black waves. Plum blossom petals fluttered within the cracks.

The black waves shattered completely. The moment Ryu Jia rushed urgently towards Baek Hwayeon.

Something was blocking Ryu Jia.

Despite being totally blind, she could see it clearly.

A plum tree.

It was a single plum tree.

A tree that bloomed in the black sea.

Plum Blossoms in Full Bloom (梅花滿開)

Ryu Jia immediately moved her body that had stopped momentarily. Ignoring the plum blossom scent that tempted her nose, she extended her sword.

Kiing!

Before Ryu Jia’s sword could reach Baek Hwayeon’s body.

Baek Hwayeon’s sword was aimed at Ryu Jia’s white neck.

“Ha…ah.”

Baek Hwayeon’s rough breathing was heard not only by Ryu Jia in front of her, but by everyone sitting in the audience.

There were dozens more deep and shallow wounds on Baek Hwayeon’s suit than before. They were wounds caused by the black waves.

The judge had to make a decision.

“…Winner, Student Baek Hwayeon.”

The conclusion that Ryu Jia, who didn’t have a single wound on her body, had lost.