I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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As I got out of the car and walked towards the entrance, I felt unpleasant stares coming from all around.

These were the gazes of the people standing around.

Some were hidden and could only be detected with the use of stealth techniques.

The young eyes of the enemy blatantly scanned Kim Il-shin and Hazuki.

Feeling their intention clearly, Kim Il-shin furrowed his brow.

‘Look at these guys…’

They were like vultures flocking to the smell of money.

They were sizing up Kim Il-shin’s group.

While they might not rush in immediately, it could lead to troublesome circumstances later if not dealt with beforehand.

“Should I take care of it?”

Hazuki, thinking the same, asked as she placed her hand on her weapon.

“No, that’s not necessary.”

There was no need to draw out a sword. Kim Il-shin released the concealed energy he had hidden away.

Whoosh.

Instantly, all gazes vanished.

Those dare not even lift their heads, scurrying away like cockroaches exposed to light.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yeah.”

Kim Il-shin walked towards the entrance without reining in his energy at all.

In both the current and future situations he would face, revealing his power would be of more help.

The Marketplace of All under Heaven, where the wealthiest and most powerful gathered.

To avoid being disregarded, it was right to show some level of one’s strength.

The entrance to the Marketplace of All was a plain wooden door painted red.

Next to it was a mailbox with a sign that read ‘Marketplace of All’, and behind it stood a square concrete building.

Of course, the concrete building was an empty shell with nothing inside.

“Just drop your entry ticket in here.”

Hazuki pointed to the mailbox.

Kim Il-shin took his entry ticket from his pocket and placed it in the mailbox.

Clink.

Then, the door opened slightly.

Pulling the handle revealed a small room decorated like a reception area.

The method to enter was simple.

If alone, one would close the door behind them after entering, and if there were two, it was just enough to step inside.

The ownership of the entry ticket isn’t determined until one completely passes through the door.

That’s why those vultures were lurking around.

“Go on in first.”

“Okay.”

Hazuki passed through the door first.

Kim Il-shin, not following right away, turned his head while holding the doorknob.

“…!”

There was clearly nothing to be seen, but the view through stealth was different.

There was someone creeping up, looking for an opportunity.

“It’d be wise to buy your friend a drink. That hesitation saved your life.”

That was enough for Kim Il-shin. Leaving those words behind, he passed through the door.

*

Clink.

“Hah, hah…!”

Only after the door closed could Han Yu-chan exhale the breath he had been holding in.

Sweat beads flowed down like rain, dropping to the floor.

‘How did he see through my stealth…’

It wasn’t a coincidence nor was it based on instinct.

The words Kim Il-shin had spoken while looking directly into his eyes replayed endlessly in his mind.

“It’d be wise to buy your friend a drink. That hesitation saved your life.”

‘Had he been watching me from the start…?’

Han Yu-chan had concealed himself the moment Kim Il-shin and Hazuki appeared.

Even when Kim Il-shin released his energy, he hadn’t given up and had followed him closely.

His companion had tried to hold him back, but Han Yu-chan had trusted his stealth skills.

When the door opened, just as he was about to make a move, Han Yu-chan hesitated against his better judgment.

He recalled how his companion’s instincts had been spot on.

And that hesitation saved Han Yu-chan’s life.

If it weren’t for that, he would’ve already been lying on the floor as a corpse.

‘Damn…’

His nape felt oddly tingly.

Forcing his trembling legs into motion, Han Yu-chan distanced himself from the spot.

“Hey! Are you okay? Your head’s still attached, right? I told you not to go in!”

His companion, who had saved his life, rushed over in a panic.

Han Yu-chan, lacking the energy to respond, sighed and said,

“Forget it, let’s just go get some drinks. I’ll treat today.”

“Huh? Why are you saying that? Aren’t we still working? You said there were a lot of jobs today.”

That was true. There were many planned tasks for today.

He came here to kill some time before starting but ended up in trouble.

“Are we really going?”

“…Let’s go.”

Han Yu-chan turned his body without lingering.

Even though he lived life on the edge, he didn’t yearn for death.

‘Guess it’s time to quit this nonsense for good.’

Han Yu-chan realized the importance of life only after getting closer to death.

He had spent his entire life using up all his luck just to survive that monster.

Looking for more here wouldn’t bring anything good.

Splash!

On his way to the bar, Han Yu-chan threw his cherished sword into the river.

He will never wield a sword again.

*

‘How lavish.’

Upon entering the reception area beyond the door, Kim Il-shin felt as if he had stepped into a royal palace.

Everywhere he looked, dazzling treasures sparkled in his eyes.

In the reception area, there were two doors facing each other, each distinctly different.

One was splendid to match the ambiance of the reception area, the other was the plain red door he had just passed through.

Each door served as an entrance and an exit.

The ornate door led to the Marketplace of All, while the red door connected to the previous space.

“Shall we take a break?”

“No, let’s head out right away.”

“Okay! I’ll guide you from here.”

Whether it was a courtesy inquiry or not, Hazuki immediately pushed the ornate door open.

Kim Il-shin followed her through the door.

What greeted them was a seemingly endless line of doors on both sides, with people walking in and out.

‘…I knew this, but it’s even quieter than I expected.’

It was different from an ordinary shopping street. The massive space was filled only with the sound of footsteps.

Occasionally, muffled voices echoed as if underwater.

This was due to a magic used to prevent any information from leaking out.

Every person wore a white mask over their face.

This was a system established by the Marketplace of All to hide the identities of its patrons.

Kim Il-shin and Hazuki also appeared to have masks on in the eyes of others.

Their clothes and physiques remained unchanged, so it was pretty much useless for those who would recognize one another.

“The books are located at door number 192.”

Each item’s location varied depending on the door.

The door in front of Kim Il-shin was marked with the number 92. He would have to walk quite a distance to the right.

“By the way, why are you looking for the books of the Grimoire Magician? I’m just curious.”

While moving, Hazuki asked in a small voice.

After pondering for a moment, Kim Il-shin replied.

“Well… he’s kind of like my master. I want to see if he left anything behind.”

While he didn’t know how the Grimoire Magician felt about this, Kim Il-shin thought about it that way.

He had learned the Illusive Sky-Opening Technique and inherited the awareness by passing the trials he left behind.

Moreover, Kim Il-shin held a grateful sentiment towards him.

During those hellish times, the existence of the Illusive Sky-Opening Technique had become a great support for him.

Every night, he fell asleep expecting the day he would someday gain talent and learn the Illusive Sky-Opening Technique.

Even afterwards, he had greatly benefited from his legacy.

For instance, being able to enter the Marketplace of All was due to the relics he left behind.

If it weren’t for him, there would be no Illusive Sky-Opening Technique, no connection with Lee Yeon-woo, no magical distortions, and no entrance ticket to the Marketplace of All.

“Your master, Kim Il-shin…!”

Hazuki’s eyes sparkled brightly.

Clenching her fists, she nodded resolutely and said,

“I will make sure you get the book…!”

“…Oh. Thank you.”

“Yes…!”

She seemed to be having some strange misunderstanding, but he didn’t bother to correct her.

After their short conversation, they soon arrived at door number 192.

It was an old door, with paint peeling in places and visible cracks.

“Let’s go in right away.”

“Sure.”

Clunk.

As he opened the door, a quaint-looking bookstore appeared.

An elderly man sitting at the counter adjusted his glasses and asked,

“What are you looking for?”

It was Hazuki who spoke up first.

“I’m here to find the Grimoire Magician’s book.”

“Oh, so you’ve come for that. Please wait a moment.”

The old man walked over to the bookshelf behind the counter and retrieved an ancient book.

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

“Is this the one, Kim Il-shin…?”

“That’s right.”

Kim Il-shin replied without even examining it closely.

Though it looked much older, the appearance of this book was exactly the same as the one that contained the Illusive Sky-Opening Technique.

“I’ll buy this. What’s the price?”

“It’s something that’s just been taking up space, so I’ll let it go for 1,200,000 won. Only the cost of transport is being charged.”

Though it was a ridiculous price outside, it was reasonable here.

Kim Il-shin immediately paid and took hold of the book.

As he began to flip through the pages to read a bit from the front, the old man asked.

“Would it be okay to ask why you’re buying such a thing? It may look fine on the outside, but it’s empty inside.”

“…Huh?”

Kim Il-shin couldn’t comprehend the old man’s question.

To his eyes, the pages were packed with writing.

“What do you-”

Just as Kim Il-shin was about to ask back, suddenly—

The back door swung open, and two people stepped inside.

“…!”

In that moment, Kim Il-shin felt as if his breath had stopped.

Standing within a mere step behind him was the bishop of the Evil Heaven Church.