I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 156 : The Sword God (4)

Early morning when even the most diligent birds were just waking up and chirping to clear their throats.

Lee Yu-jin, who had finished washing her face and come to the training ground, was vigorously swinging her sword.

"Ha!"

She took a big step forward and slashed diagonally downward, then thrust the sword recovered to chest height forcefully.

Busy moving her feet for a one-handed horizontal slash, retreating with a concise downward strike to the head.

The series of movements was as natural as flowing water yet fierce and intense.

It showed remarkable progress, enough to surprise even the Sword God who had examined her sword two days ago.

'Definitely. The me before enrollment and the me now are completely different levels.'

It wasn't simply a matter of estimated rank as an indicator.

The curriculum, competition with fellow cadets, dealing with and overcoming unexpected incidents.

These served as catalysts explosively increasing Yu-jin's skills, who had entered a period of rapid growth.

Simply put, compared to when they could barely catch Oh Chang-seong off guard by attacking in groups while he wore restraints.

Now she prided herself on being able to match and endure against that same Instructor Oh Chang-seong to some extent.

However.

She was never satisfied with her achievements.

The reason was, of course, because of that man, Su-hyeon.

'Su-hyeon has raised his level once again.'

Since losing to Su-hyeon during the final exams.

Su-hyeon had continued that momentum to defeat Seo Jun-seong and Min Hae-na, and then gained wings in the form of mandrake and the Moonless Sword.

A growth rate too high to be achieved in just a few days.

The current Su-hyeon was undoubtedly much stronger than she remembered.

And yesterday.

Su-hyeon received teachings from Lee Un-hak, her grandfather and a great swordsman whom everyone looked up to.

'Su-hyeon keeps pushing forward.'

Looking back, even at the time of enrollment, Su-hyeon had flashes of brilliance.

If she had fought against Su-hyeon at that time, victory would have been hers.

But what about now?

'......I don't want to fall behind.'

She wanted to stand side by side with him.

And the best effort she could make was, as always, endless training.

Tadadadak.

"Huh?"

Then Yu-jin heard the sound of someone jogging.

"Su-hyeon?"

"Lee Yu-jin."

The figure of Su-hyeon, changed into workout clothes, appeared.

"Are you running from the morning?"

"Mm, I felt like I wasn't getting enough exercise, so I thought I'd do some running......"

"As expected, Su-hyeon is diligent."

"You're one to talk."

Su-hyeon chuckled.

"I see you were training."

"Yes."

Yu-jin nodded.

"I won't disturb you. Go ahead and run hard."

"Hmm."

After thinking for a moment, Su-hyeon asked.

"I'm only going to run for about an hour. Want to spar when I get back?"

"!"

At those words, Yu-jin's eyes lit up like a puppy's.

"Sure!"

Chang! Chaeaeng!

Yu-jin, whose posture collapsed unable to withstand Su-hyeon's strength, acknowledged defeat as she saw the Moonless Sword stopped before her eyes.

"I lost. That makes it 3:1 now."

3 wins and 1 loss.

Even the one victory was barely obtained when a gamble move succeeded.

"As expected. I knew you'd gotten even stronger. Since you ate the mandrake."

"The drug effect was pretty good."

Su-hyeon laughed softly.

"But you've become much harder to deal with compared to the final exams. In terms of technique, I'm still far behind."

"I've been working hard in my own way."

The two wiped their faces drenched in sweat, with gold-painted expressions.

"It's really hot even in the morning."

"Summer is summer."

Glancing at Su-hyeon's face as he smiled saying he was thinking of a cool iced latte, Yu-jin said.

"You met my uncle at Gwanghwamun recently, right?"

"That's right. He was really impressive."

"You went through a lot. Jun-seong and Hae-na-sunbae were there too."

"I didn't know they would be there."

"I heard Hae-na-sunbae was close with Jun-seong, but I guess they're closer than I thought."

"It seems that way."

Due to her bomb declaration during the challenge card exercise, Yu-jin's wariness of Min Hae-na was currently at its peak.

'He doesn't seem particularly interested.'

Well, Su-hyeon is always like that with everyone, Yu-jin sighed inwardly.

"You know that Ma-in called Rusty Sword, right? The one who fought against Instructor Lee Ho-seung and my uncle."

"Right. He seemed to have gotten stronger than before."

"Do you know his story?"

"Not really."

Su-hyeon answered.

'Actually, I know it well, but.'

"That Ma-in was originally a disciple of my grandfather. He was from the same generation as my uncle and Instructor Lee Ho-seung."

"I see."

"You don't seem very surprised, Su-hyeon."

"I kind of expected it. I heard Ha Jin-su and Captain Lee Cheong-myeong talking."

Yu-jin nodded in understanding and continued.

"The most outstanding disciple of that generation was my uncle, and Instructor Lee Ho-seung had talent comparable to him but caused a lot of trouble and had his own desire for the sword, so he gave my grandfather a lot of headaches. And Ha Jin-su was always third behind those two."

"That makes sense. So he accumulated an inferiority complex in such a position?"

"Right. His temperament was also somewhat violent......"

As a result, after continued friction with the dojo members, one day he was completely demolished by Lee Cheong-myeong who stepped up saying he needed to correct his habits.

"They say he was really shocked. He never thought the gap would be that big, and he was also ashamed of his own situation posing despite that, and it was hard to endure the seemingly mocking gazes around him. There must have been many reasons."

Ha Jin-su left the dojo that very day.

It's said that he almost single-handedly demolished countless dungeons while acting as a freelance hunter, as if wandering.

"Then he became a Ma-in?"

"Yes. According to my uncle, he probably chose the path of Ma-in while pursuing strength after feeling his limitations. It was likely an intentional situation."

"That makes sense."

Su-hyeon said, stroking his chin.

'That was actually the official setting.'

"That person will probably be full of thoughts to harm my uncle and grandfather. Moreover, he's even joined [Sword of Belphegor], the worst group......"

'Rusty Sword' Ha Jin-su was the Sword God's most painful finger.

"......I see."

"But I won't let that happen."

Yu-jin said.

"I'll take down that Ma-in with my own hands."

That was also another goal for her walking the path of the sword.

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

After breakfast, Su-hyeon and Yu-jin visited the training hall where the Sword God was waiting.

"The reason I gathered you two is because, upon reflection, I felt mischievous about teaching the flying strike to you alone while leaving out my granddaughter."

The Sword God joked.

"Any objections?"

"None."

"Good. Then draw your swords."

Sreung.

The two works made by Lim Eun-seo revealed themselves.

"Release your sword energy."

Woong.

From Su-hyeon's Moonless Sword rose dark sword energy resembling the Sword God's color, while from Yu-jin's sword emerged white and clean sword energy that seemed to resemble the caster's temperament.

"Both of you have excellently completed sword energy."

The Sword God smiled with satisfaction.

"As you may feel, projecting sword energy to send a strike is more difficult than you might think. This is because there is no sword as a medium in a flying strike."

So what is the principle of the flying strike? The Sword God asked himself and drew his sword.

"To give a simple example, it's like this. First, extend the sword energy long."

The brilliant sword energy rising from the Sword God's sword extended over 2 meters.

"And like creating a long soap bubble, you cut off the sword energy in the middle. Like this......"

Bwoong!

The sword energy released from the casually swung sword flew as it was and sharply cut the straw bundles set up at one side of the training hall.

"How about it, do you understand? Once you become proficient in this process, you won't need to bother extending the sword energy later. It's like the training wheels attached when learning to ride a bicycle."

"Hmm......."

Yu-jin frowned with an expression that seemed to understand but not quite.

'Indeed. This is how it feels.'

Su-hyeon, who had properly observed the entire process by overlapping Eye Power with Tachypsychia Mode, nodded slightly with a face closer to certainty.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I'll give it a try."

"Hoho. Don't you need to see it one more time?"

The Sword God smiled as if saying go ahead and try, watching like a grandfather seeing his grandchild's antics.

"Well, then......"

Bwoong!

The sword energy that flew following the exact trajectory Su-hyeon had swung cleanly cut the straw bundle.

"......?"

"......!"

"......"

After a long silence, the Sword God finally opened his mouth.

"How did you just do that?"

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

The Sword God had to be surprised twice that day.

Because even Yu-jin, stimulated by Su-hyeon's amazing result, had succeeded in producing an incomplete flying strike before lunchtime.

"Well, well."

The Sword God gave a hollow laugh, recalling the achievements of the two that were hard to believe even after seeing them with his own eyes.

"What enviable sword talents."

At first, he wasn't too pleased with the fact that his granddaughter seemed to have taken a liking to him.

But seeing in person, he had to acknowledge it.

'Jeong Su-hyeon. Jeong Su-hyeon, huh.'

To all grandfathers, the man their granddaughter brings home is just a good-for-nothing.

But if she has to find a partner someday, shouldn't he be at least that level?

"Come to think of it, in the old days there was an excellent system called adopted sons-in-law......"

The Sword God's imagination was ripening.

'By the way, Cheong-myeong would be shocked if he knew.'

Why everyone who had seen Jeong Su-hyeon in person was unanimously impressed.

The Sword God now felt he truly understood the reason.

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

That afternoon.

Sword Warrior Lee Cheong-myeong visited the Lee family residence.

"Brothers! Father! It's been a while!"

"Cheong-myeong!"

"Uncle!"

Family members flocked to Lee Cheong-myeong, the pride of the family.

"You've come! I heard you performed splendidly at the square."

"I couldn't catch Ha Jin-su, nor save all the citizens, so I'm only ashamed."

Lee Cheong-myeong shook his head.

"But next time, I will definitely catch him."

"That's enough. When the time comes, it will naturally happen."

The Sword God shook his head.

"You've worked hard. Rest well while you're here."

"Thank you, Father."

Lee Cheong-myeong, who bowed his head deeply, saw Su-hyeon standing next to Yu-jin and smiled.

"We meet again."

"It's an honor."

"What honor."

Lee Cheong-myeong waved his hand dismissively.

"By the way, I heard you received the flying strike from Father?"

"That's right."

"From the square incident and everything, I personally feel very grateful to Su-hyeon."

He said.

"Since I have no other way to express my gratitude, I should repay by teaching you the sword, but you must have already learned the principles from Father."

The Sword Warrior grinned.

"I'll pay back with my body. Let's have a spar later."

"......"

And on this day.

Su-hyeon, who was literally beaten to dust by Lee Cheong-myeong, could somewhat understand why Ha Jin-su had left the dojo and become a Ma-in.

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

After the Blood Plaza incident.

The borders of South Korea continued to be violated by criminal Ma-in from outside.

As a result, despite the already tumultuous internal situation, the Execution Force was dispatching reserve forces to the danger level to prevent illegal entry.

"Damn it. They're really going wild."

The Execution Force members cleaning up the battle site frowned.

"Four civilians were sacrificed."

"On our side, we have one fatality and two injured members."

Squad Leader Song Young-hwan's expression creased.

"And yet more than half of the Ma-in bastards escaped, you say."

"It appears they set out a large bait and slipped away leisurely."

"Vicious methods. Ma-in are all like that, but they don't even have minimal comradeship."

Squad Leader Song Young-hwan wiped his blood-stained mask with cloth.

"Damn it. How many times is this just this month?"

"......It seems reinforcements are indeed necessary."

"The problem is there's no manpower. They say they'll be conducting massive additional recruitment, so we have to hold out like this until then."

"The condition of the members has deteriorated significantly. Since they're not even being guaranteed proper rest......"

"Hoo."

The sense of crisis felt in the field recently was at an alarming level.

The higher-ups were conducting a massive crackdown to suppress citizens' anxiety as much as possible.

But that wasn't the only problem.

'They shake from the inside and draw in enemies from the outside. They're really going all out.'

"I can truly feel the malice to smash this country, the malice to kill all humans."

Squad Leader Song Young-hwan sighed.

"So, which direction did the escapees go?"

"They headed northwest. The expected destination is......"

"Good, contact headquarters and request immediate dispatch of a pursuit unit."

The long night was just beginning.