I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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“……From now on, I will omit the honorifics for smoother communication, so I hope you understand.”

This was a gathering of all the members of the subjugation team.

Park Eun-ho finished briefing the operation plan once again, signaling that all preparations for the operation were complete.

The location of the main headquarters of the Jeokcheon Cult was deep in a desert far from Korea.

However, all the members of the subjugation team were gathered underground at the Cosmo Academy in Korea.

Park Eun-ho closed his eyes and asked Sun Pan-hae-yul.

“Teacher, are you ready?”

“Of course. Shall we begin right away?”

“I would appreciate that.”

Woo wooong!

Then, a tremendous amount of mana began to surge from Pan-hae-yul.

“Wow.”

“How can such an energy….”

It felt like the energy contained a massive ocean.

Despite that, it was eerily calm, without even a small wave, leaving everyone present in awe.

Swoosh—

Following that, a sound like water draining away echoed, and the mana that filled the area disappeared.

‘As expected, worthy of the title.’

Park Eun-ho realized just how vast and complex the magic that Pan-hae-yul had just used was.

It was a spell that generated a massive anomaly, a feat only the great sorcerer Pan-hae-yul could perform.

But how could he unfold it so quickly and secretly? It felt like his mastery had reached the heavens.

‘If it weren’t for the superhumans with keen sensory perceptions, they wouldn’t have felt the flow of mana… No, if they were just a little farther away, even the superhumans wouldn’t have noticed.’

However, contrary to the thoughts of others, Pan-hae-yul remained calm, speaking as if he had just done something effortless.

“Well then, shall we set off?”

At his question, Park Eun-ho nodded, and Pan-hae-yul waved his arm as if pulling back a curtain.

Swoosh……

Cracks appeared in the dark space ahead, and a path was opened.

“Let’s go in now.”

“Yes. Team One will enter first. Activate detection magic. Set the radius to the maximum.”

With Park Eun-ho’s command, the members of the subjugation team began to enter in perfect order.

“……”

Remaining at the back of the formation as planned, Pan-hae-yul raised his head and looked at a part of the ceiling.

He smirked.

With a demeanor far from his usual gentle appearance, he bore a sly smile reminiscent of his youth’s carefree spirit.

With that smile lingering, he opened his mouth as if looking beyond.

“Surprised, were you?”

Crack.

He had no intention of waiting for a response.

Pan-hae-yul shattered the enemy’s gaze and followed the subjugation team into the path.

‘I managed to pull it off.’

Using time distortion magic and accident acceleration magic, he had dedicated himself to research.

Fortunately, he achieved results, but it felt like the effort drained him of life he had borrowed, even from his youthful vitality.

‘The stress is easing a bit.’

Having dealt a blow like this felt refreshing.

*

“They have arrived.”

In the dark space, Il-ho, an informant of the Jeokcheon Cult who appeared silently, reported on the movements of the subjugation team.

“It seems they have focused all their power on the main headquarters as expected. Baekho Mountain is still remaining in Korea as anticipated—”

The moment the cult leader raised a hand, Il-ho’s mouth shut. He knelt on one knee, waiting for the cult leader’s instructions.

[Now, let’s go in.]

The reason Il-ho’s mouth was closed was simple. It would only be unnecessary and disruptive.

Sitting at the desk, the cult leader was already keenly aware of the situation beyond.

[Yes. Team One will enter first. Activate detection magic. Set the radius to the maximum.]

In the vast desert, the subjugation team gathered at the entrance of the main headquarters was breaching the thick barrier.

“They don’t even realize they’re walking into a death trap. Foolish and disgusting.”

Thunk.

With a slow motion, he brought his hand down on the desk. The reaction to that motion manifested beyond the cult leader’s sight.

[Ku-guh-guh-guh-guhh—!!!]

It was the moment when the subjugation team fully entered the main headquarters.

Suddenly, a powerful tremor rocked the ground, and not only the main headquarters but also the surrounding land crumbled in an instant.

[What, what is this! AAAARGH!!]

[Help me! Help me!]

[Park Eun-ho, you bastard! I didn’t know there was something like this—…Gah!]

[Oh God, please….]

A scene of chaos unfolded. The subjugation team crumbled helplessly under the traps laid out by the cult leader.

The sight of those filled with fervent determination collapsing helplessly was quite amusing.

No one could muster the will to confront disaster, and in the place that had held notions of justice and sacrifice, only resentment and regret remained.

‘……No. This can’t be.’

However, the cult leader soon sensed something was off.

Even though they were all dying, he felt absolutely no vitality being absorbed by himself.

Although their numbers were relatively small, their power was vast, and even during the ongoing ritual, he shouldn’t have missed it.

“An illusion……. Is it Pan-hae-yul, that person?”

He could immediately tell from whom this phenomenon originated.

Even the cult leader, who believed he could see through the logic of the world, was momentarily deceived by an illusion so exquisite and realistic.

Unlike regular illusions, this one blended perfectly into the original space, exuding a tangible mass—without a doubt, it was the work of Pan-hae-yul.

Swoosh……

At that moment, the cult leader sensed the presence of the intruder.

He felt that the path he had blocked with his abilities had been opened.

‘How did they find this place… Is it Kim Il-sin?’

The cult leader thought about this but quickly shifted his gaze toward that location.

He could see the subjugation team entering the fully opened path.

‘How did they breach the barrier.’

Questions kept piling up. It was indeed a remarkable situation for the cult leader.

He thought it would be impossible not only for them to breach the barrier but even to locate it.

After all, the foundation of the cult leader’s ability, [Dark Matter], resided in another dimension, making it impossible to see or touch without his permission.

There had never been a case where a place or object hidden with [Dark Matter] was discovered.

Not even Kim Il-sin had sensed or seen it, so there was no doubt about the efficacy of the ability.

Moreover, unlike the previous instance where there had been complex designs involved, this time it solely focused on preventing intrusions and stealth.

He shouldn’t even have known of the barrier’s existence.

‘…Kim Il-sin. Did he manage to relay information amidst all that?’

The cult leader had no choice but to think that way.

He couldn’t bear the thought that a mere human could dare to unravel powers received from a deity.

Thus, he quickly assumed that it was something done by Kim Il-sin, who was not a being of this world, and prepared defenses.

‘……!’

However, at that moment, the occurrence that took place caused the cult leader to swallow his words and widen his eyes.

Since he rarely displayed emotions, Il-ho desperately tried to hide his surprise by lowering his gaze.

The cult leader had no time to worry about others’ gazes. His eyes locked onto Pan-hae-yul, who was beyond his sight.

It was not an illusion.

The eyes encircled by dark matter were pierced through by Pan-hae-yul, a mere human.

[Surprised, were you?]

Pan-hae-yul’s words hit the core of the cult leader.

In fact, he was shocked enough to ripple on the emotions he had buried long ago.

When Kim Il-sin had pulled down the veil and revealed his true eyes, it was understandable.

He thought that since he was an alien entity, he might deviate from the powers of a deity.

But Pan-hae-yul was different. He was just an ordinary human.

Though he was called a great sorcerer in their society, to the cult leader, he was merely an inferior being who needed salvation.

‘He needs salvation.’

That thought had not changed.

Having received the talent to cast off the imperfections of humanity from a deity, he had to be judged for failing to fulfill his due responsibilities.

Crack.

With a small sound, the view went dark. The cult leader spoke to Il-ho, who was still staring at the ground.

“An intruder.”

“……!”

This time, Il-ho couldn’t hide his emotions and flinched significantly.

How they found this place, how they breached the barrier.

There were numerous questions, but they were left unspoken.

Il-ho could feel that the cult leader was extremely displeased.

He thought he could die if he said the wrong thing.

So he waited for the cult leader’s orders in silence.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The cult leader tapped his fingers on the desk while organizing his thoughts and opened his mouth.

“They are merely a group of unbelievers. I must finish the ritual soon, so release the ascetics.”

The conclusion of the ritual.

It was the process of transferring the life force gathered from the sacrifices of the believers to the deity, which could only be done by the cult leader who was linked to the deity.

During that time, the cult leader couldn’t move, so he had planned to use the same people he had employed to pressure Kim Il-sin last time to deal with the subjugation team.

“Yes. Understood.”

With that response, Il-ho stepped back, and the cult leader moved toward the altar.

“For the sake of the deity, I willingly offer my life.”

“Ah, finally with Him….”

Fwoosh. Fwoosh.

The believers gathered in the vast space were committing suicide with ecstatic expressions.

The cult leader walked among them and ascended to the altar.

As he reached the place closest to the deity, all distractions vanished from his mind, leaving only faith.

‘The resurgence is beginning.’

Kuh-guh-guhng……

Vibrations echoed from above. The cult leader began to immerse himself in the ritual, ignoring them.