episode_0096

096.

In the past, at the Baek Clan’s martial arts training hall.

“Hm?!”

Swish.

The iron sword spun round and round in the air.

The iron sword, soaring up to the ceiling of the training hall, hovered in the air for a moment.

Eventually, the sword slowly began to fall down and weakly rolled on the ground.

“Ugh… Ugh, hah.”

Baek Yurin, who had dropped the sword, gasped intermittently.

Half-bent at the knees, she clenched her lower lip tightly enough to draw blood.

Her beautiful crimson hair was disheveled, and her pristine white uniform was stained with sweat and blood.

She looked far from victorious after the intense battle.

“Hah, hah, phew.”

She lost.

She lost again.

There was no room for excuses.

She had already lost several times.

To think that her grandfather would witness her fall apart like this.

“Hah, hah, you…”

Baek Yurin frowned and glared at a certain man.

Although he wore a dark mask and hat that obscured his face, it was clear that he was around the same age as Baek Yurin.

He seemed to deliberately conceal his identity, but judging by his altered voice, manner of speech, behavior, physique, and build, he could be at most a year or two older than Baek Yurin.

It was humiliating.

Baek Yurin had never lost to her peers since she was young.

As befitting the top genius of the Baek Clan, there was hardly anyone among her peers who could compare.

Most of the children who showed some talent in swordsmanship knelt before the monster known as Baek Yurin.

She displayed such immense skill that even the active heroes of the junior high division could not match her.

Therefore, it could be said that there was no one among her peers who could defeat Baek Yurin.

However.

She suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a boy she had never seen before.

She felt humiliated by the defeat and suffered a great blow to her self-esteem beyond disgrace.

Of course, she had experienced defeat before.

She had tasted the bitterness of defeat several times from the Baek Clan members or figures like the chief instructors.

But losing to someone of the same age, for the first time, was a first.

She swung her sword several times, struggled fiercely, and fought, but she could not bring down that boy.

It felt like facing an insurmountable wall.

She thought her talent in swordsmanship was exceptional, even comparable to her grandfather.

But to be unable to win a single match against that unheard-of boy?

Her, Baek Yurin?

“…You, again, hah, let’s have another match!”

For Baek Yurin, it was an unbearable humiliation.

At the same time, it was unacceptable.

The reality of being soundly defeated by that boy.

Not only in talent but also in skill and experience, she could not accept being surpassed…

“That’s enough.”

At that moment.

“Grandfather.”

“That’s enough, Yurin.”

“But…!”

Baek Yurin protested against the silent dissent of Baek Yeonghyeon, who had been watching quietly.

Just a little more, just a little more fighting, and she could win.

Surely her grandfather did not think that Baek Yurin had no chance of winning?

Did her grandfather really believe that no matter how hard Baek Yurin struggled, she could never defeat that boy?

“Your physical condition doesn’t seem to be very good. How about stopping here?”

“I can still fight!”

“Hmm. Yurin.”

As Baek Yeonghyeon spoke as if to persuade her, Baek Yurin could only fall silent, clenching her lips tightly.

“You’ve worked hard against our granddaughter.”

“No, I haven’t.”

Eventually, Baek Yeonghyun approached the man.

“You had excellent skills.”

The grandfather, who was usually stingy with compliments, praised him like that.

“Even my granddaughter seems to have exceptional skills.”

Baek Yurin’s expression stiffened slightly.

The man’s tone seemed as if he was looking down on others from above.

So, his skills are superior, is that it?

“What do you think, young man? Do you have any intention of learning swordsmanship from me in earnest?”

“I’m sorry. I truly appreciate your offer, but I have other things to attend to.”

The man rejected the grandfather’s proposal.

It could be said that it was the first time the grandfather, who had gained fame as the best swordsman in the peninsula, had made such a direct offer. How dare he refuse?

“I apologize for the inconvenience today, then I shall take my leave.”

“The offer remains unchanged, come again.”

After the man left,

The grandfather sat alone and muttered to himself from time to time.

“It’s a shame, truly… Even if he was born with natural talent, without a guiding mentor, his limits are clear…”

The grandfather missed that man.

It was a reaction that was not even seen from Baek Yurin and Yi Siwoon.

Is that man’s talent truly outstanding?

More so than Baek Yurin?

“….”

Realizing that the man would later be called Vitzilante, Baek Yurin firmly resolved in her heart.

If, if.

If she meets that man again, she will show him clearly how much she has changed.

To everyone, including that man and the grandfather.

***

Baek Yurin’s expression faltered slightly.

“Surrender…? You’re perfectly fine…”

Ironically, it was Baek Yurin, not Lee Jinhyuk, who was injured.

Although Baek Yurin had skillfully blocked the fatal blow, she ended up with a wound. So why suddenly surrender out of the blue?

Look, look. Blood was trickling down her shoulder.

On the other hand, Lee Jinhyuk didn’t have a single scratch.

Clearly, Lee Jinhyuk was in a much better position, so what surrender? Baek Yurin couldn’t understand. That’s why she was furious.

“Do you think I’ll accept surrender?”

Baek Yurin didn’t show anything.

If Lee Jinhyuk surrenders in this situation, what will happen to Baek Yurin?

Enjoying a victory by surrendering without showing anything but a pitiful appearance, while the grandfather, who is likely to be watching this ranking match on television, sees it?

“Don’t be ridiculous… Let’s fight again.”

“Now you know, right? That I’m not that man. And that my skills are inadequate.”

Indeed, the possibility of Lee Jinhyuk being that man seemed low.

If he was the man from the past who overwhelmed Baek Yurin with pure skill, he wouldn’t have hesitated to face her like that.

Creating dimensional rifts by absorbing magic, Lee Jinhyuk was clearly different from the man of the past.

…Of course, it couldn’t be completely ruled out that Lee Jinhyuk was deliberately hiding his identity because he didn’t want to reveal it.

“Lee Jinhyuk.”

He was approaching the judge to declare his surrender.

Ignoring her.

Just like that man.

“Lee Jinhyuk.”

Was Lee Jinhyuk the same as the man from the past?

Honestly, it didn’t matter much now.

What was important was that Lee Jinhyuk had injured Baek Yurin and was in a superior position.

Lee Jinhyuk’s movements were sluggish, his swordsmanship skills were inadequate, and his physical abilities seemed low, but what did that matter?

In the end, the fact remained that Lee Jinhyuk had inflicted wounds on Baek Yurin.

Among the academy students known as the cradle of geniuses, how many could dare to inflict this level of injury on Baek Yurin?

At most, Yi Siwoon and Kang Dae-han?

No, not even that.

Even if they were to be called “them,” they wouldn’t be able to inflict this level of injury on Baek Yurin. Both of them seemed to have become stronger than ordinary heroes after hellish training, but it was not enough, not enough.

Baek Yurin was a swordsman at the level of a superior hero.

“Lee Jinhyuk…!”

The fight starts now, doesn’t it?

If you have the upper hand, where are you going to run to?

Don’t make me laugh. Are you joking right now? Where are you going to escape to, where?

“Trainee Baek Yurin?”

Judgment looked at Baek Yurin with a surprised expression at the sudden intense aura emanating from her.

Even Judgment, who was a former hero, was so tense that he involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

Why is there such a strong aura all of a sudden?

Lee Jinhyuk also noticed that Baek Yurin’s atmosphere was not normal.

As if not hearing Judgment’s words, Baek Yurin tightly gripped her sword as if to unleash it and concentrated her magic power with all her might.

“Trainee, Baek Yurin! What are you doing right now…?”

“Lee Jinhyuk, where are you going?”

In the blink of an eye, Baek Yurin ignored Judgment’s words and immediately swung her sword.

A thick blue aura. The crescent-shaped sword energy rushed towards Lee Jinhyuk, leaving a trace behind.

Lee Jinhyuk reflexively swung his sword.

He had enough time to react, as if he was telling him to block it a little slowly.

“Hey, are you crazy?!”

I never thought Baek Yurin would go this far.

“Ugh!”

Crack, creak!

Baek Yurin’s sword energy clashed with Lee Jinhyuk’s sword.

It was so dangerous that it was like being able to cut through flesh like a training sword.

It was by no means a power that could be used in a sparring match.

Of course, he wouldn’t die because there was a healing ability waiting, but there was a risk of having one arm cut off.

He used the Moon’s Tears without a choice.

Although he was quite exhausted physically, he couldn’t afford to have his arm cut off.

The sword energy shattered into pieces and scattered into the air like magic shards.

Baek Yurin laughed as she watched that scene.

A mere trainee like her was not an opponent that could be easily blocked. But she blocked it so easily? Can she really absorb magic? Anyway, what’s the point? The fact that she blocked it is important.

“Haha… ha…”

With a smile that seemed to be expecting, she looked at Lee Jinhyuk with a sinister smile.

“Good, you managed to block it…?”

“Subdue her immediately!”

Security guards rushed in.

Several security guards surrounded Baek Yurin.

Baek Yurin looked at the security guards for a moment. Then she felt like she had been doused in cold water. Ah, this is bad. I got too excited and caused trouble.

The excitement that had flared up like a fire suddenly subsided.

It had been a long time since she had been this excited, so it felt like there was nothing in her eyes.

This shouldn’t have happened.

“Trainee Baek Yurin! Drop your sword immediately and surrender!”

“….”

“Baek Yurin!”

“….”

What should I do?

Baek Yurin pondered for a moment.

Glancing at the spectator seats, she realized that Ban Namil was watching. His father was personally watching, indeed.

“….Lee Jinhyuk.”

Suddenly, Baek Yurin put down her sword and assumed a surrendering posture.

“This match was fun. Let’s watch it again next time.”

As the safety agents escorted her away, Baek Yurin looked at Lee Jinhyuk and murmured quietly.

Soon after, a disciplinary committee was convened at the academy to discuss Baek Yurin’s actions.

Due to her use of lethal force against an opponent who had surrendered during a major event broadcast, the academy could not overlook the matter, even if Baek Yurin was a direct descendant of the Baek clan.

Ultimately, Baek Yurin was disciplined with one month of suspension and 150 hours of community service.

The most talked-about event in the ranking competition was undoubtedly the showdown between Baek Yurin and Lee Jinhyuk.

This was because Lee Jinhyuk fought exceptionally well beyond expectations, countering Baek Yurin several times, breaking her sword in half, and even blocking her sword energy.

It was truly impressive.

Would other trainees have been able to do the same?

It was clear that they would have likely been defeated by Baek Yurin’s swift movements and precise attacks.

However, Lee Jinhyuk was different.

Despite his low ranking in the practical exam, he managed to block all of Baek Yurin’s attacks.

Although Lee Jinhyuk’s surrender resulted in a recorded loss, based on the match itself, he was close to victory.

Baek Yurin suffered a significant injury to her shoulder, while Lee Jinhyuk remained unscathed.

Many trainees wondered what would have happened if the match had continued without Lee Jinhyuk’s surrender.

As a result, rumors began circulating at the academy after the match.

There were whispers that Lee Jinhyuk might have been hiding his true abilities.

Additionally, comments from Yoo Seolhyun like, “Oh, he said he would lose, but he actually put up quite a fight,” and Lee Siwoon’s, “You were hiding a lot, weren’t you, Lee Jinhyuk? I enjoyed watching the match,” added credibility to the rumors.

The children discussed and debated about Lee Jinhyuk and Baek Yurin’s showdown for a while.

And on the weekend, at Lee Jinhyuk’s house.

*Ding dong.*

As the doorbell rang, Baek Yurin, dressed in casual clothes, stood at Lee Jinhyuk’s doorstep.

“Hello… I don’t need to be so guarded… I came to apologize for the last time.”

She said, as if she hadn’t threatened to kill him with her sword energy.