I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

Chapter 65 : Dojo Challenge (4)

Instinctively, I avoided a collision with the opponent.

Although there was no answer from the opponent, I started by denying her question.

“Of course not. I’m just a martial artist who came to rest. Look at the smell coming from my body. Would anyone call me a young master?”

As I lifted my clothes, which were soaked in waste and reeked of a foul odor, she gently frowned.

Whether the woman had never seen a young master in such a shabby state, she seemed to have been convinced to some extent.

But even so, as if her doubts were not resolved, her suspicious gaze was directed this way.

“Then why are you wearing the clothes of the Zhuge family?”

A tense question that followed. I quickly spat out a plausible excuse.

“Ah, that third young master just threw them away after bumping into me. I didn’t even know there was an emblem because my clothes were torn from being hit.”

“Then where did Zhuge Cheonwu go?”

“Since he was disgraced near the formation hall, he’s probably there, isn’t he?”

“Hmm, they said he wasn’t there. That’s strange.”

Judging by her words, it was certain that she was a person who was chasing me. And in [Martial Academy], in this case, it was highly likely that she had a bad intention.

“Perhaps that young master went somewhere else?”

“No, the carriage of the Zhuge family is here.”

A confident tone. I clicked my tongue inwardly at the gaze that was like searching for prey.

‘Damn it. Another problem has occurred.’

I gently prepared for a certain situation. While being conscious of the presence I felt in front.

The sound of footsteps gradually getting closer. Soon, Tang Surin came with a servant, carrying a heated water bucket.

“Gaga! I’ve brought the water!”

I, who had met Tang Surin’s bright expression, changed my complexion as it was.

“Excuse me! Please tell the other people who came with you to all come. This person says there is a distinguished guest she is looking for.”

I raised my voice, praying that she would notice. Tang Surin, who showed a flustered reaction for a moment at my completely different behavior from usual.

“Gaga? Who is that woman?”

No, perhaps it was for another reason. But thanks to Tang Surin revealing her killing intent, I could feel the other escorts approaching.

I put my internal energy into my voice and raised it.

“Everyone, assemble!”

At the voice containing my internal energy, five figures landed in the open space in an instant.

The escorts I had brought with me this time were five peak masters. Although it felt quite a lot for an outing within the territory of the Zhuge family, since there had been the previous attack, I had urged the relevant person and increased the number.

‘To think that would be helpful.’

Since the number also included the martial artists who had been attacked together in the Green Forest Eighteen Fortresses before, I felt a sense of déjà vu. But what was different from that time was that in the current situation, the numerical superiority was on this side.

As I casually distanced myself from the woman, the martial artists, who had drawn their swords before I knew it, surrounded the woman.

“Ah, so you’re Zhuge Cheonwu?”

But whether the woman was slow to notice, or whether she didn’t care, she just threw a question with a languid voice.

“Why are you looking for Zhuge Cheonwu?”

On the contrary, when this side asked a question, the woman tilted her head to one side and revealed her intention.

“To give him a lesson?”

A chilling remark. There was nothing more to hear.

As I hid my body behind Tang Surin without a word, the battle began with that as a starting point.

The swords that had reached their peak flashed in the darkness, and just as the blades were about to cut the woman’s vitals.

Her figure scattered, and a flash flew from all directions.

Clang!

A tremendous strong sword drew a trajectory in the darkness.

‘To break through that encirclement.’

The sword that had come in from a blind spot was dodged by rushing forward, and the rest of the sword strikes that were caught in the range were all struck down at the same time as the sword was drawn.

Even the poison needle that Tang Surin had thrown, aiming for an opening.

‘Incredible.’

I drew the sword that had been left on one side, watching the scene where she was having a life-and-death battle with six peak masters before I knew it.

It was a decision that came from the thought that I had to at least protect my own body.

But it didn’t take long to realize that it was not a good choice.

Until I saw the woman’s white face leaving a long afterglow and shooting straight at me.

‘Fast!’

Just as not only Tang Surin, who was in front, but also I was about to be late in reacting.

Clang!

Someone cut in front of me and blocked the woman’s sword strike.

It was Jo Wihye.

Whether she had been pushed back by the sword power, she coughed, leaving two long footprints on the ground, and then shouted at me.

“This is no ordinary opponent! We’ll block her, so you have to escape…!”

Whether she was angry that her surprise attack had been blocked, Jo Wihye was being pushed back quickly by the continuing series of attacks, and Tang Surin’s explosive dagger art cut in, aiming for the woman’s vitals.

At this, the other escorts belatedly assisted, and the battle began to turn into a close one.

I left them behind and widened the distance. It was to escape from this place right away.

‘As long as I’m the target, just being in the sight of a super master like that is a suicidal act.’

Because I could have been hit in a moment of carelessness like just now. I knew that I was not in a position to be reckless in a situation like this.

‘Jo Wihye’s martial prowess was also considerable, so she’ll hold out to some extent. It’s better to go and request support.’

Judging by her reaction just now, it seemed Jo Wihye was also a peak master. And a peak-level martial artist who had reached a rather high realm at that.

But even so, it seemed she was no match for the woman.

Even though seven peak masters were launching a joint attack, they couldn’t even subdue her. Considering this, it meant that that woman was a master of at least the professor level.

In that case, considering the worst-case scenario, this was the only way.

I ran to the stable, out of breath, but I had no choice but to stop in my tracks.

“The horses…!”

Since that woman had already slaughtered them all, if I wanted to escape, I had no choice but to leave on foot.

‘It’s difficult to get out of here with just footwork.’

At my level, which was only about first-rate, there was no way to escape the pursuit of a super master without borrowing the power of a horse.

‘No matter how much of an advanced footwork the Spirit God Steps is, there’s a limit.’

Even if I tried to hide with a stealth formation, a hastily made formation would never work on a master above a certain level.

‘It’s better to take a gamble.’

For a commander with a bounty on his head, the battlefield was a stage with a high survival rate. I was about to go back to the inn, but I saw a servant who had run out of the inn and was trembling.

“Hey! I request support in the name of the Zhuge family. Tell them to come, whether it’s the government army or a martial artist, anyone!”

After leaving a short message, I immediately headed to the backyard.

Clang!

The sword strikes were still coming and going fiercely. Although Tang Surin and Jo Wihye were fiercely holding back the enemy for now, they looked somewhat precarious.

Even though their numbers were greater.

I watched the battlefield, hiding my presence.

‘A half-hearted attack won’t work.’

I focused my mind and gathered all the mana in my body to one place.

Woooong-!

Along with a vibration, the circle rotated at a tremendous speed, and an electric shock began to be compressed at my fingertips.

A bullet of lightning concentrated at one point. A radiant electric bullet.

“……?!”

At the overwhelming energy, the woman turned around for a moment, but it was already too late. I aimed the radiant electric bullet at the woman’s blind spot.

Flash!

Soon, along with a tremendous explosion, the radiant electric bullet was shot.

A trajectory of light that rushed in like lightning.

At the unexpected surprise attack, the opponent belatedly swung her sword to block it, but the act of trying to cut the already accelerated electricity linearly was a mistake in itself.

‘She should have responded with a wide area.’

Crackle!

On the contrary, the electric shock, which had been cut into two by the blade, rushed to the woman’s whole body as if a molten iron had splashed.

“Kiaak!”

It was a blow that had pierced through the tough protective qi of Mo Yonghan. No matter how much of a monster she was, there was no way there would be no damage in a situation where her energy had been consumed by a number of masters.

The electric current, which had momentarily torn through the protective qi and dug in, caused the woman to be in a state of stiffness for a very short time. Not missing that moment, the escorts, including Jo Wihye, launched a joint attack.

Swish!

Due to the slowed reaction, the woman’s arm was partially cut.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t cut off, but it was the price for avoiding a near-perfect joint attack.

Just as I thought we had seized the victory.

“Aaaaargh!”

A gust of wind caused by the qi wave arose, and the escorts who had exchanged blows were sent flying in all directions.

‘Damn it! What is this now?’

Just as I was swallowing dryly at the unexpected situation, the woman lifted her head.

Under the bright moonlight, the whites of her eyes were stained red.

“Blood Cult?!”

At that sight, a voice of astonishment burst out from among the escorts for a moment.

The blood vessels that had popped through the skin and the blood crust that covered the whites of her eyes were evidence of the blood art.

“A blood art of this level! A blood demon level! No, is it one of the Seven Evils?!”

But the opponent just clicked her tongue lightly, as if she didn’t care that her identity had been revealed.

“I was trying not to overdo it because I’ve been pushing myself lately… but this is annoying.”

A voice that was gradually changing. The tip of the flexible sword she was holding vibrated, and the sword cried.

‘A sound?’

Just as I was feeling that something was unusual.

Whoosh-

The flow of the wind in the area changed.

“To think the Blood Cult has spread this far. I wonder if this will also count as a meritorious deed?”

A voice that suddenly came from the roof of the inn. A man with a twisted mouth and the impression of a playboy.

His figure, which had been sitting on the eaves in the blink of an eye, disappeared, and then he landed next to me without a sound.

‘What is it?’

He was right behind me, but I hadn’t felt any presence at all.

“Ah, don’t worry too much. I’m from the Wudang Sect, you see.”

He winked at the wary Tang Surin and the escorts and then drew his sword.

Although I felt a strange sense of déjà vu at that sight, I didn’t have time to think for long.

Because a monster was running wild in front of my eyes in real time.

“It would be cleaner to just take care of them all.”

Along with her low words, the flexible sword rushed in all directions at a tremendous speed.

The blade, which was trembling at a high speed, sent the escorts flying like a living whip and then suddenly popped up.

A speed that was impossible to even follow with the eyes. Along with the lump of iron that was flying in, filling my vision, the sound of the air being torn rang out.

Crash!

As I barely came to my senses in the shockwave of the exploding atmosphere, the young man from the Wudang Sect was striking the opponent’s sword in front of me.

‘What kind of sword strike is…!’

Just the clash of the swords made a sound like a cannon exploding.

As I frowned and stepped back, the woman revealed her fangs outside her red lips with a hideous face.

“I thought you were emitting an annoying energy for some reason… of all things, the Wudang Sect.”

The woman, who had been nodding, suddenly whipped her flexible sword on the ground.

Craaash!

A cloud of dust that soared. At the same time, her presence also disappeared.

No matter how strong she was, it would be difficult to face seven peak-level martial artists and a master from the Wudang Sect.

“Crazy.”

The dust cloud cleared, and what was revealed was an open space that was dug out to the height of a child, as if it had been hit by a bombing.

“Gaga! You’re not dead!”

“Are you alright?”

As the incident came to a close, the escorts, including Tang Surin, who were approaching. But their number was only seven.

“Where is that master from the Wudang Sect?”

As I expressed my doubt at the appearance of the benefactor who had suddenly disappeared, a loud noise echoed from beyond the wall as if he had heard me.

Crash-

A murderous commotion continued for a moment and then gradually moved away.

“She’s quite fast. This, do I need to train my footwork more?”

A moment later, what returned to the inn was the figure of the young man from the Wudang Sect, whose sleeves were in tatters.

I expressed my gratitude along with my identity, as is customary in the martial world.

“Thank you.”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

The opponent waved his hand lightly. Even though I had revealed that this side was from the Zhuge family, his reaction was indifferent. Thinking that it was because he was a master from the Wudang Sect, I asked an additional question.

“May I ask for the benefactor’s name?”

“Cho Min-ha.”

A name and a face that flashed through my mind like a flash of light. I released my cupped fists and raised my voice additionally.

“I am indebted to you. You were my senior.”

Cho Min-ha, a name I couldn’t help but remember.

‘This person is the current second-in-command of the upper-class students.’

A being I would have to compete with someday if I were to aim for an early graduation.

“Was that so? It’s nice to see a junior.”

When I revealed the situation, Cho Min-ha clung to me, acting friendly.

Looking at him like this, he seemed like a nice neighborhood older brother. I couldn’t believe that he was the man who had shown that monstrous martial prowess just now.

Cho Min-ha, who had been talking, chewing out his supervising professor for a while, suddenly narrowed his brow and held his nose.

“By the way, little brother, you smell a bit?”

“Yes. Because I haven’t washed after training.”

“Gaga, shall I wash you?”

I pushed aside Tang Surin, who was casually sticking to me, and finished my pleasantries with him.

“The bath water is all ready!”

Just then, the servant said that the hot water was also ready.

And so, I made an offer that was hard to refuse to Cho Min-ha, who was about to turn back into the inn for the last time.

“Since this is also a connection, please visit the Zhuge family once. I will treat you as a benefactor.”

“Oh, then I’ll ask for a short favor.”

‘With this, I can prevent an enemy’s surprise attack to some extent on my way back.’

Because I didn’t know where that woman would be aiming for this side. With just one word just now, it was like protecting myself and repaying a favor at the same time.

Since the subordinates would be the ones to treat the distinguished guest anyway.

In fact, if I had my way, I would have wanted to run away in the middle of the night, but it was better to rest in a place where there was a master from the Wudang Sect rather than being attacked by that woman if I moved recklessly.

And so, after spending a day at the inn, I headed to the main house with the troops that had been dispatched additionally from the family.

Without even imagining what kind of things I would experience in the family after that.

(End of Chapter)