Fortunately, Jin Yuha avoided the worst-case scenario that Baek Seol-hee could have imagined.
"Even if you are my master’s master, I can’t agree to beco your disciple without her consent."
Jin Yuha remained loyal to his master, even in the face of Sword Emperor’s persistence.
This ti, it seed like he was seriously considering the offer, which made Sword Emperor think that the little monster had really gotten to him.
’Tsk, I almost had him.’
Sword Emperor glared at Jin Yuha with disappointnt, then changed her mind.
’No, there’s still ti. He’s not going to be here for just a day or two. He ca here to learn the sword, after all.’
Yes, he had co to her to learn the sword, so she could win him over by sticking close and teaching him diligently.
Eventually, he would open up to her. Those obsessed with the sword were ultimately selfish creatures with a screw loose sowhere.
’Hmm, since he seems to respect that little monster so much, maybe sharing so stories from the past will help him open up faster?’
She would slowly win him over, like taming a cautious stray cat. She would teach him in a way that would make him feel like he couldn’t do without her guidance.
Sword Emperor’s eyes narrowed with determination.
’Eventually, he’ll co begging to accept him as my disciple. I’ll make him so dependent on that he won’t be satisfied with anyone else as his master.’
She was confident.
"Fine, if you’re that determined, I concede. I give up on recruiting you as my disciple."
Sword Emperor pretended to give up, though she didn’t really an it, and Jin Yuha breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be done with this uncomfortable conversation.
"Well, since I did promise to look at your sword, I should keep my word. Show what you’ve got. Show everything you’ve learned from my ’disciple’ in front of your ’grandmaster’."
"Yes, I understand."
"Don’t disappoint ."
Ssss—
Jin Yuha cald himself and drew his sword.
Thinking that he was demonstrating his swordsmanship in front of his master’s master, Jin Yuha felt a surge of nervousness.
She was the one who had taught his master the sword, so she must have a keen eye for it.
’I must not disappoint her.’
His master’s reputation was at stake here.
’She asked to show her everything.’
I recalled all the swordsmanship I had learned and cald myself.
My master was not one to speak unnecessarily. Every word she uttered was carefully chosen, and each sentence carried multiple anings.
’Just like the Moon Shadow Sword Technique.’
Now that I thought about it, the Moon Shadow Sword Technique truly resembled my master.
The essence of the technique was simplicity and conciseness, encapsulating a multitude of possibilities in a single, straightforward movent.
Those possibilities included ’speed’, ’direction’, ’intent’, ’posture’, ’mana’, and ’flow’.
By combining these elents in various ways, the technique could branch out into infinite possibilities, allowing one to choose the most appropriate attack depending on the opponent and the timing.
’So, when she says show everything, she ans show the simplest movent that contains the most possibilities.’
Yes.
I don’t need to demonstrate my skills with nurous sword strikes.
A single strike will suffice.
That single strike will be all that I can muster at this mont.
And the strike I’m most confident in is—
’A straight downward slash from above my head to the ground.’
This was the first sword technique I learned when I first ca to the Academy and t my master.
Back then, I spent an entire day just trying to draw a straight line with my sword held above my head.
Now, I return to the beginning, deconstructing the thick, solid strike I’ve mastered into—
Swish!
Hundreds of lines.
Hundreds of points.
Further, into countless possibilities.
I raised my sword above my head, just as I had done on my first day at the training ground.
"Ssss—"
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
Swoosh!
With a single downward slash,
Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeech!
Hundreds of sword trails materialized in the air, a first for .
"!?"
I was taken aback, as I had never seen the sword energy take on such a solid form before.
And then.
Thud!
Sword Emperor, who had been watching with her arms crossed, suddenly fell on her backside, her eyes wide in shock.
"You crazy bitch..."
Sword Emperor cursed, her voice shaking.
"What the hell... What have you taught this kid!?"
Her loud exclamation echoed throughout the training hall.
’Crazy...’
Sword Emperor finally snapped out of her daze and stood up, rubbing her face.
She couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed.
It was just a simple downward slash, nothing special.
When Jin Yuha first raised his sword above his head, she was excited, expecting to see sothing amazing.
His upright posture, precise body balance, flowing energy, and the signs of dedication in the way he held his sword—all of these spoke of a brilliant raw talent.
But.
That expectation shattered the mont he brought his sword down.
She prided herself on her ability to discern the sword, having never once parted with it and never slacking in her training.
And so, she saw and understood.
She understood just how absurd the sword Jin Yuha had just wielded was.
If she had to describe his sword in one word, it would be—
Insanity.
How could one not be driven insane by the delusion of encapsulating all the swords in the world in a single strike?
’Well, anyone can have that delusion.’
The problem was that this insane swordsmanship wasn’t just a fantasy.
She looked at Jin Yuha with trembling eyes, wondering what kind of training he had undergone to bring this delusion into reality.
He must have died hundreds, if not thousands, of tis. Not taphorical deaths, but actual deaths. He must have walked the tightrope between life and death every day, performing this absurd sword technique over and over again.
A normal person would have had their spirit broken, their mind shattered, and their brain fried long ago.
’That bitch and this kid... They’re both insane.’
Just like that little monster, who threw herself at death every day, driven by her obsession.
-Kid, do you really dream of dying soon?
-I’m not a kid. I’m going to perfect my sword.
-Ha, do you call that a sword?
Back then, I thought I had crushed her spirit with my strength, but—
It seed she had continued doing the sa thing even after leaving here.
And so, she had created this sword.
’They’re both out of their minds.’
She couldn’t accept this as a sword.
It lacked the Way, the Heart, and the Intent.
It was just sheer insanity and arrogance.
Shiver—
Goosebumps rose on Sword Emperor’s arms, like the skin of a plucked chicken.
’You crazy bitch... That monster kid has given birth to a Sword Demon...’
Of course, she didn’t know that Jin Yuha’s first nickna was ’Sword Demon’.
.
.
.
"Are you alright, Grandmaster?"
I approached Sword Emperor, who had suddenly shouted and was now glaring at with a fierce expression, and asked with concern.
"..."
However, Sword Emperor remained silent, so I asked again.
"Did I do sothing wrong?"
She shook her head.
"No, before that, let ask you one thing."
Sword Emperor grabbed my shoulder and asked urgently, "Did that Baek Seol-hee perfect the sword you just swung?"
’She said she failed... That’s why she wanted to perfect it...’
I considered whether I should protect my master’s pride, but I knew she would prefer the truth.
I shook my head.
"No, Master said she failed."
"I see, that makes sense. This is the kind of sword that can’t be perfected. That kid could never perfect this sword..."
"Huh? What do you an...?"
I was confused by her response, but Sword Emperor remained serious, her face stern.
"Seeing this, I can’t ask you to beco my disciple anymore. But you must still inherit my sword."
It was a contradiction.
She said she wouldn’t ask to beco her disciple, yet—
"Now I understand why Lina sent you to . Damn that brat..."
Sword Emperor rubbed her temples and sighed.
"Starting tomorrow, you’ll learn to fear death again."
That was how she described the training she would put through.
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