I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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“Phew…”

Park Eun-ho, who had barely exhaled after overcoming the pain.

The ache in his abdomen and the dizziness from the bleeding were quite severe.

As he was trying to catch his breath, he could hear the voice of Pan Haeyul coming through the communication magic.

[Are you alright?]

[Yes. I can hold on.]

‘Are there… no remaining members?’

Looking around, he saw no one standing.

Everyone from the hunting squad, except for Park Eun-ho and Pan Haeyul, lay unconscious on the ground.

It was impossible to ascertain their survival.

There were a few who still showed signs of breathing, but it wasn’t a situation where he could rush to their aid.

The enemies of the hunting squad were still very much alive.

Getting through the passage to reach the altar was relatively easy.

The enemies trying to block their entry were quite powerful, but they could be dealt with.

The problem arose once they arrived at the altar.

Before the hunting squad, with success in their plans in sight, appeared an enemy—a cult leader.

The incomprehensible yet overwhelming power he wielded caused the members of the hunting squad to gradually collapse.

Despite their struggles, enduring was all they could manage. Given the current situation, even that seemed to have failed.

[Here they come!]

Swish! Boom!

Black spheres charged at them with an incomprehensible speed.

Several members of the hunting squad fell victim to the ambush using those spheres.

It was a simple means of attack, just heavy masses colliding, yet the speed was unbelievably fast.

By the time they saw and reacted, it was already too late.

‘Two in front, one on the right. Is there one below as well?’

If Park Eun-ho were alone, he wouldn’t be able to evade perfectly.

However, if he borrowed the power of magic, it could be done.

Park Eun-ho pulled his heavy body according to the information Pan Haeyul shared in real-time.

Whoosh! Crash!

It was a close call.

Park Eun-ho concentrated all his mind into dodging.

Letting his focus slip for even a moment would mean certain death.

[Now!]

As Pan Haeyul shouted with great effort, the black spheres that were moving all around exploded simultaneously.

They had applied the method used to break through the barrier to counter the cult leader’s attack.

Boom!

Right after that, Park Eun-ho charged straight ahead.

He kicked off the wind, spin up, and launched his fist with the rebound.

Kwaaaah—!!

Yet that strike did not land where he desired.

A black swamp rising from the ground engulfed Park Eun-ho’s attack.

Even with all his strength, he couldn’t gain even a little success.

Swish!

The swamp, which had obstructed his path, had transformed into dozens of chains, flying with complex trajectories.

Park Eun-ho tried to get away as quickly as possible.

Thud!

He allowed a deep injury to his thigh.

‘I’m just glad I’m not dead.’

Park Eun-ho finally reached the spot where Pan Haeyul was and took a moment to catch his breath.

Here, the cult leader’s power couldn’t reach as strongly.

According to Kim Il-shin’s letter, the cult leader’s goal was to complete the ritual through the holy grail where life force was gathered.

Thus, he wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off the holy grail that would be the core of the ritual.

Moreover, the barrier created by Pan Haeyul, who had interpreted the cult leader’s abilities, was surrounding this area.

Within the small range around Pan Haeyul, they could withstand the cult leader’s attacks somewhat.

The sacrifices of those who had fallen to form the barrier were painful, but it was thanks to them that they had been able to hold on until now.

‘We can’t just keep waiting like this.’

It was Park Eun-ho and Pan Haeyul who were being pressed for time, not the cult leader.

If they continued like this, the ritual would be completed.

So they had to break through the cult leader’s defenses and crush the holy grail as fast as possible.

For the fallen members of the hunting squad, they had to stop the ritual no matter what.

[Concentrating on one point also failed.]

[What was next?]

[There’s nothing left now.]

[…This is a big problem.]

But a suitable countermeasure was nowhere to be found.

The restored barrier was blocking the entrance once more, and they couldn’t hope for support; it was nearly impossible to penetrate the cult leader with just their two powers.

[It’s not over yet.]

[Of course. This time, I’ll expand the barrier’s range to create a gap. I need your help again.]

But Park Eun-ho and Pan Haeyul didn’t give up.

They prepared for the next attempt while watching the incoming spheres.

[Wait, just a moment!]

Just as he was about to take action, Pan Haeyul called out urgently to stop Park Eun-ho.

Worried there might be a trap, Park Eun-ho halted his movements and waited for Pan Haeyul’s instruction.

After several seconds, Pan Haeyul spoke softly.

[It seems I have found a method.]

*

‘Disgusting beings.’

The cult leader frowned, revealing his displeasure unabashedly.

Watching them continue their meaningless struggles was so repulsive that he felt he could tear their limbs apart right then and there.

Yet, despite his roiling emotions, the cult leader did not move.

With just a few steps forward, he could easily crush those pathetic beings, but the ritual was of utmost importance.

He would allow no possibility that could disrupt the progression of the ritual.

With the end of the grand operation he had long awaited in sight, there was no reason to fail to control even the smallest impulse.

‘Are they too foolish to accept reality?’

Even if he did not personally intervene, there was no way those two could turn the situation around.

In the barrier they had barely produced, only a future of slow death awaited.

They must have known that too, yet their refusal to give up was painfully pathetic.

‘Are they coming for more? This time, I’ll pierce their heads through.’

The cult leader thought this as he began to scatter [dark matter] around him.

‘…?’

Suddenly, Park Eun-ho, who was about to take a step, came to a halt.

Startled, he trembled and exchanged glances with Pan Haeyul behind him, then regained his stance.

He wasn’t preparing to attack. Instead, he glared at the cult leader with his fists tightly clenched.

As if inviting him in.

Goooooo…

Behind Park Eun-ho, Pan Haeyul was gathering mana with his eyes closed.

He was abandoning the maintenance of the barrier and concentrating solely on that.

“You’re making a fool out of yourself.”

The cult leader instantly recognized that the magical connection between Park Eun-ho and Pan Haeyul had been severed.

The magic that had granted Park Eun-ho near-foresight was gone.

Abandoning the barrier and evading, they were preparing magic instead.

They were likely pinning all their hopes on that single spell.

Even though fate could not be changed by just one spell.

“How foolish until the end.”

Kugugugugu…

With the barrier gone, this space was under the cult leader’s grasp.

With just a small gesture, an overwhelming tide of black spread out.

Sharp chains stretched out from the oncoming waves, ready to swallow anything.

‘I’ll block it.’

Facing that catastrophic sight, Park Eun-ho’s mind was as calm as ever.

Betting his life was far easier than witnessing the death of a comrade in front of him.

Thud!

“…”

He ignored the attacks that wouldn’t kill him in one hit. He couldn’t dodge everything.

Crack! Thud!

With Pan Haeyul behind him, he didn’t need to move any further, so he relinquished his legs.

All he needed was a single fist.

He carefully pulled back his right fist and, with all his strength, launched it at the wave rushing towards him.

What came to mind was his first meeting with Kim Il-shin.

To not fall behind the junior who possessed talents he had never seen before, he had trained in various ways, but ultimately came to understand, 万流归宗 (all rivers return to the sea).

At the moment when his life was at stake.

What Park Eun-ho chose was not some flashy, grand technique, but simply the extreme of fundamentals.

And that was his last step toward the next realm.

Boom!

The tightly wound mana exploded, unleashing a spiraling shockwave that ripped through the waves.

In the brief moment when the cult leader’s face was visible through the gap, there was undoubtedly a look of surprise.

Swish.

As the wave immediately closed back up, it seemed like a meaningless gesture, but the cult leader understood.

That strike from Park Eun-ho had, for a fleeting moment, undeniably halted the advance of the waves.

In that instant, Pan Haeyul’s eyes opened wide, and the mana he had concentrated soared upward.

The flow of mana rose unrestrained as if soaring into the sky.

Having completed his casting, Pan Haeyul immediately charged towards Park Eun-ho and surrounded him with a defensive barrier with all his strength.

Boom!

With just a gesture, the cult leader could kill them instantly.

However, the cult leader had no time to concern himself with them.

“This is…!”

He sensed a massive presence of power from above. The cult leader recognized what that power was.

It was a strength that a mere human could never contain, one that was solely subordinate to that being.

Even having only caught a glimpse of it once, it was etched into his body and mind, making it unforgettable—a terrifying yet alluring power.

“Divine Being!”

The cult leader raised his arms high into the air in ecstasy.

“Aah, how many long years have I endured for this moment!”

He felt the supreme happiness now. So much so that he couldn’t even confirm the progress of the ritual.

“Oh my God, come this way! Please show me the new world with Your eyes…!”

In response, the master of the divine being descended from above him.

The cult leader looked up at the dark ceiling, tears of joy streaming down his face.

To miss the moment of the divine being’s descent would be unforgivable.

Crack!

As the ceiling crumbled, sunlight poured down as if bestowing grace, warmly shining down on the cult leader.

Rustle.

A black sword that descended like a thief sliced him in half.

“I’m glad to meet you too.”

The voice that rang out in that moment belonged to one who should not be here.