I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 252 : Tragedy (3)

Su-hyeon unleashed attacks on Lee Cheong-myeong with all his might.

Liberation, Tachypsychia Mode, his left hand and both feet wrapped in Hardening Shield.

And aerial maneuvers through Mana Shield and high-speed movement through Chukji.

'How dazzling! For this green boy, the sword is merely one option!'

However, the sword of Ma-in Lee Cheong-myeong, who maintained his reason but completely lost his mind and had his personality changed, was steadfast, merciless, and fierce.

Chachachang!

After four sword strikes unleashed to disrupt each other's center, it was Lee Cheong-myeong who seized the initiative.

'Damn it!'

Su-hyeon retreated to avoid the sword strike aimed at his waist.

'Where do you think you're going!'

Lee Cheong-myeong's response was one step ahead, immediately taking a deep step forward and thrusting his sword.

Kang!

As the price for deflecting the sword with his left hand, Su-hyeon's Hardening Shield was severely torn.

'Unbelievable sharpness and hardness.'

In terms of sword energy sharpness, even Ahn Byeong-jun's Arming Sword couldn't compare.

'Even with Hardening Shield, blocking head-on is reckless. If I make a mistake, my wrist could be injured or severed.'

Su-hyeon wrapped his right hand in Hardening Shield as well, maintaining deep caution.

'He's targeting my wrist.'

With swords crossed, Lee Cheong-myeong's strikes flew at Su-hyeon from every direction—wrist, head, shoulder, waist, lower body.

The Moonless Sword, left hand, and both legs.

Swordsmanship, boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA.

All the techniques, tactics, and skills Su-hyeon had built up couldn't surpass Lee Cheong-myeong's single sword.

Kang!

A flying strike so powerful and fast that it numbed his wrist and made his body stagger forced Su-hyeon to defend.

Tadak.

Lee Cheong-myeong, who had instantly closed the distance with his footwork, brought down his sword with enough force to bisect Su-hyeon.

Chang!

[Liberation] allowed Su-hyeon's body, drawing out all potential, to withstand head-on an attack from an opponent of much higher caliber.

"Kuk!"

Lee Cheong-myeong sharply targeted the opening exposed by Su-hyeon's staggering body.

Seogek!

Blood spurted from Su-hyeon's deeply cut wrist.

Kagak.

The sword tip that ran along the Hardening Shield scratched Su-hyeon's left hand.

Bak!

The sword's back edge struck Su-hyeon's collarbone, cracking his clavicle.

Pook!

A kick delivered while retreating like lightning stabbed Su-hyeon's shoulder joint.

'Damn it.'

Su-hyeon's face contorted after allowing several attacks in an instant.

'Even though I can see it clearly with my eyes, I can't keep up.'

Not being able to block or avoid attacks even while using Tachypsychia Mode?

Su-hyeon keenly felt how large the skill gap was between himself and Lee Cheong-myeong.

'He's too strong.'

Lee Cheong-myeong lacked the characteristic ferocity and instinctive movements typical of a newly transformed Ma-in.

'Frighteningly calm, frighteningly strong.'

The bigger problem was that Su-hyeon had not initially anticipated such an urgent situation.

'Besides, while we might have had a chance in a 3-on-1 situation like before, in a 1-on-1 situation like now, we're at an overwhelming disadvantage.'

"Why that expression? Do you want to run away?"

Lee Cheong-myeong sneered at Su-hyeon's expression.

"I might spare you if you let me cut your wrists so you never hold a sword again, and bow your head."

"You're quite good at saying things you don't mean."

Kook.

Su-hyeon gripped the hilt of the Moonless Sword tightly.

'No choice. I have to aim for a one-shot reversal.'

Su-hyeon's strongest attack was, of course, an attack using [Chukji].

'You have only one option left.'

Lee Cheong-myeong, who had been interested in Su-hyeon's movements, was anticipating this as well.

Chachachang!

Thrusting, cutting, disrupting the center to look for openings.

Lee Cheong-myeong's sword began to drive Su-hyeon back with mysterious principles fulfilling extremely orthodox purposes.

"Keuk!"

Just when Su-hyeon had suffered three more wounds and was in a crisis so severe that he could hardly hold on any longer.

'Now!'

Choosing counterattack instead of retreat, Su-hyeon activated [Chukji] and delivered a diagonal upward slash with all his might toward Lee Cheong-myeong.

'Caught him!'

Lee Cheong-myeong, who had read the timing of the sword's movement and easily anticipated its trajectory, appropriately distanced himself to deflect the attack.

But the result defied both Su-hyeon's and Lee Cheong-myeong's expectations.

Jjanggang!

Lee Cheong-myeong's sword was broken in half and flew high into the air.

Poohwak!

Blood also spurted from a wound on Lee Cheong-myeong's wrist.

'Damn it.'

Lee Cheong-myeong's expression contorted at the unexpected loss.

'The completeness and power of the technique were higher than expected.'

Even though it was an attack that came at the timing he had induced, the motion required to execute the attack wasn't large, and the trajectory was also concise.

As a result, it succeeded in penetrating Lee Cheong-myeong's sword energy, breaking his sword, and even wounding him.

The secret was in output control.

When capturing Spear Devil, if Su-hyeon's attack that exerted all his strength used enough output to travel 10km in one step, this time it was enough output to move 2km.

Nevertheless, exceeding Lee Cheong-myeong's expectations and demonstrating this level of power was clearly an unexpected achievement.

However.

'I rushed too much.'

As a result of the hastily delivered attack, he had to feel intense pain in numerous areas including his ankle, wrist, and shoulder.

"Are you done?"

Lee Cheong-myeong asked with a face that hadn't lost its composure, even while holding a broken sword.

"......."

Seeing Su-hyeon raising his sword again with a resolute expression without answering, he shrugged.

"Fine. Struggle to the end."

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Ma-in Kang Ui-jin's weapon was a trident.

And his characteristic was electricity.

Compared to Kim A-yun's, it was a power with much lower output and versatility.

But he was compensating for that disadvantage by using it in a supporting role for his exceptionally outstanding combat abilities.

'A trident is a terrifying weapon.'

Lee Yu-jin bit her lip.

The uniquely long range of a spear, plus the advantage of being able to bind an opponent's weapon with three blades.

It could be called a weapon specialized for standing wrestling situations where weapons clash.

Also, its structure made it difficult to remove the blade once stabbed, which was another advantage.

Therefore, Kang Ui-jin could pressure Lee Yu-jin with a very simple yet powerful tactic.

Chang!

Stab.

Pajijik!

Send an electric current.

"Ack!"

Lee Yu-jin, who had been electrocuted, hurriedly tried to escape, but couldn't break free without releasing her sword.

'Eek!'

Therefore, the method Lee Yu-jin used was fighting fire with fire using Penetrating Scene.

"Hmm!"

While Kang Ui-jin paused, feeling a shock to his heart, Lee Yu-jin pulled her Willow Water Sword out of the trident's binding and retreated.

"An annoying ability. Just like mine."

"Hoo. Hoo."

Lee Yu-jin breathed heavily.

'My breathing isn't regulated. My muscles aren't responding well either.'

Ma-in Kang Ui-jin.

'I've heard his name before.'

He was someone who had once served as a Senior Squad Leader in the Execution Force.

'...He's similar to my uncle in a way.'

She had heard that, though from a different generation, he was one of the most talented individuals among the juniors under Lee Cheong-myeong and Lee Ho-seung.

'...To have this much strength even after being locked up in White Castle for so long.'

There was good reason why Hwang Won-jae had assigned him to the vacant executive position.

'But I must defeat him.'

Lee Yu-jin steeled her resolve.

Not only were Su-hyeon and Lee Ho-seung not in a position to support her.

'If I don't defeat this Ma-in and join Su-hyeon or the instructor, we'll all die.'

Kook.

Lee Yu-jin, having made up her mind, swung her sword from a distance to launch a flying strike.

Chang!

Kang Ui-jin's body faltered after blocking the flying strike with his spear shaft.

'This kid, can she use her ability from a distance too!'

Kang Ui-jin clicked his tongue.

'First, there's no need to fight within the enemy's range.'

Lee Yu-jin's thoughts were racing endlessly forward.

'What I need to be careful of is the electrical ability. But it's not at a level that has killing power.'

'If his tactics are similar to mine, then the countermeasures might be similar too.'

Moreover, it couldn't be said that the matchup was entirely unfavorable.

'If it's not electricity at A-yun's level, I might be able to withstand it sufficiently.'

The more mana an awakened one has in their body, and the higher their control ability over that mana.

The higher their resistance to forces penetrating internally tends to be.

In that sense, mana penetration, which could reach the enemy's heart with the same mana, could be said to be a far superior ability.

'In a battle of martial arts, I won't lose to you.'

The current Lee Yu-jin had that much confidence and conviction.

'Arrogant kid!'

Kang Ui-jin launched a surprise thrust at Lee Yu-jin, who was closing the distance while firing flying strikes.

Kang!

Lee Yu-jin lengthened her sword energy to block the trident's blades with her sword tip.

'This time I'll electrocute you with maximum output!'

Pajijik!

Powerful sparks flew from the spear tip, but.

'What's this?!'

Lee Yu-jin's nimble response of releasing her sword energy caused Kang Ui-jin's electric shock to lose its target and scatter into the air.

'Now!'

And Lee Yu-jin's sword tip, targeting that opening, scraped along the spear shaft and cut off Kang Ui-jin's left index finger.

"Aaaagh!"

Lee Yu-jin unleashed an offensive against Kang Ui-jin, who was retreating in pain.

'I have to end this now.'

There was no need for mercy.

No need to hold back.

Not only was she already too accustomed to fights of mutual life and death.

The motivation to stop her fallen uncle's sinful acts and make him atone was transforming even her gentleness completely into aggression.

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"Hack!"

Blood stained Lee Ho-seung's cough.

"Senior! What's with that pathetic state!"

Ha Jin-su mocked his appearance.

"Making a big fuss about sword breathing and whatnot!"

"Whew. My head is ringing, so keep your voice down."

Lee Ho-seung sighed and wiped the blood on his palm by rubbing his clothes.

His mask was already destroyed, revealing his bare face.

Having received several major impacts, Lee Ho-seung's body was in tatters, though he hadn't sustained any sword wounds.

"You forgot what condition your body was in and ran your mouth off, so you end up like this after just crossing swords a few times. Stupid bastard."

The injury that had forced him into retirement long ago was now holding him back.

Not only had he been continuously wielding his sword in real battles recently.

Crucially, today, due to the extreme anger he felt toward Lee Cheong-myeong, he had exerted strength beyond what his body could protect, and had crossed a river of no return.

"Looks like you'll soon die or become a cripple who has to put down the sword, even without me lifting a finger."

Ha Jin-su sneered, seeing Lee Ho-seung's physical condition.

"How about it? If you become a Ma-in too, you could easily recover from such wounds."

"Bullshit."

Lee Ho-seung laughed at Ha Jin-su's mockery.

"I'd rather cut my tongue and die."

"You don't die from cutting your tongue, idiot. Have you watched too many movies?"

"Well, when I tried it before, people died."

Hack!

As Lee Ho-seung coughed again, a rather large piece of internal organ flew out.

"Damn it."

Lee Ho-seung looked up at the sky with a hollow laugh.

'Ah. This is the end now.'

"What are you doing? Thinking about your last words?"

'I have no choice.'

Lee Ho-seung looked at Lee Yu-jin and Su-hyeon with a face that had made some decision.

'I'm sorry, kids.'

The child who was his master's granddaughter and his disciple-niece in terms of family relations.

And the guy who had been captivated by his overflowing talent and whom he had made his disciple and taught the sword.

And the disciple who deserved to be cursed to death, and his senior who had lost all his glory to that disciple and become a Ma-in.

"Fuck. What an extremely unfortunate life."

Lee Ho-seung laughed.

'If I hadn't brought you here, you wouldn't have been in this predicament.'

Since he had brought them.

Shouldn't he at least help those kids escape?

'Su-hyeon, Yu-jin.'

Lee Ho-seung, rising again on trembling legs, wiped the blood from his mouth and smiled.

'Live. You are not the ones who should die here.'

The man now forged an irreversible resolution in his heart like a single sword.