I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

Chapter 73




Kim Il-sin, who had entered a state of ecstasy, concentrated all his senses on perception.

The ability to penetrate space was realized not by the eye but through another sense.

With his eyes closed, Kim Il-sin blocked out everything around him.

His mind was so detached that he couldn’t even evade a single blind attack.

The reason he could manage this in such a perilous battlefield was thanks to Hazuki.

Kim Il-sin believed she would take his life in his stead, and Hazuki repaid that belief.

‘There it is.’

Now that he had located it, all that remained was to wield the sword as inscribed in his body.

Swish.

The sound of slicing pierced the air about three meters away from Kim Il-sin.

Unlike when he faced Bernica, this strike did not unleash as destructive a force.

The technique he had honed through training did not spill unnecessary power like before.

He twisted and delivered the strike precisely to the required area, splitting Berter’s waist cleanly.

Splash.

Blood gushed from the line carved in the air, followed by the bisected body of Berter falling to the ground.

‘It’s over.’

The puppets that had been moving busily suddenly lost all strength and collapsed.

The same was true for the Swords Demon.

Clatter.

The Swords Demon who dropped his sword knelt down. There was no light left in his eyes.

‘Let’s find what we need to find first.’

Turning away from that side, Kim Il-sin approached Berter’s corpse.

As he searched through his belongings, he found a small, bright red key.

An item that allowed entry into the location of the leader at the very core of the Red Sky Church, given only to the upper echelons of the church.

An essential item for progressing through the final scenario.

He had managed to obtain something he could not find during the encounter with Bernica.

Kim Il-sin pocketed the key and glanced at Hazuki.

Hazuki was looking down at the fallen Swords Demon with an unreadable expression.

‘It must not be easy for her.’

Even if it was just a puppet, she had witnessed her father’s death firsthand.

If she felt nothing, that would be more unnatural.

With the intention of offering some comfort, Kim Il-sin approached Hazuki.

Bzzz—

At that moment, Kim Il-sin’s phone rang.

Checking the caller ID, he was surprised to see who it was.

‘Why is Mayor Hwang Deok-soo calling…?’

He hadn’t been in contact with Hwang Deok-soo since they discussed rewards after capturing the rock spirit last time.

Puzzled, Kim Il-sin answered the call.

“Kim Il-sin, where are you?”

As soon as he picked up, he heard Hwang Deok-soo’s urgent voice.

Something seemed to have happened.

Kim Il-sin maintained his composure and asked,

“Is there a problem?”

“Narin is in danger! Hurry to the Mountain Range Workshop!”

His heart sank.

Kim Il-sin wanted to rush out immediately but restrained himself to ask for more details.

“What’s going on? Please, elaborate.”

“Well…!?”

Hwang Deok-soo quickly explained the situation.

Hana-lin had entered the main workshop in a state of mana exhaustion to create a magic tool, and the current situation looked extremely dangerous.

He had insisted not to inform Kim Il-sin, but it couldn’t be helped. He needed to come quickly and intervene with Hana-lin.

Having heard all of this, Kim Il-sin replied,

“I’ll be there right away.”

*

Hazuki looked down at the puppets that had been cut down, pondering.

‘It’s finally… over.’

The end of a goal she had devoted most of her life to.

Hazuki felt nothing other than that sentiment.

She had already drawn a line before coming here.

Her father was already dead, and what remained was merely an empty shell.

All memories and associated feelings for her father had long since flowed away.

Thus, the only emotion she currently felt was relief.

Whoosh—

As Hazuki reached into her pocket and opened it, the Swords Demon’s corpse was sucked inside.

Even if he was a sinner, he had once been family.

Even if only a shell remained, she intended to bring him back to the family mansion for a proper funeral.

Quietly, without informing anyone but the Sword Saint, and while praying for him to atone for the sins committed in the afterlife.

With this, the goal that had kept her tied to the past had finally come to a close.

It was now time to think about the future.

And the future she thought of was one with Kim Il-sin.

“When grandfather spoke of it, I turned it down…”

She didn’t intend to be overly greedy.

Just being beside Kim Il-sin as he walked toward the future was enough for her.

“Still, wouldn’t it be worth trying…?”

While excessive greed was not ideal, moderate ambition could aid in growth.

After all, hadn’t she experienced it most profoundly?

“Should I ask him for a get-together after today? We’ve hardly had any private time, so let’s start with that…”

“Hazuki.”

Just then, when she was lost in thought, Kim Il-sin approached her.

Despite not hearing what he said next, Hazuki recognized the urgency in his voice.

“Something has happened.”

“What is it? Is there still an enemy left?”

“No, that’s not it… Anyway, we need to hurry.”

Kim Il-sin looked so frazzled that he could hardly string together a coherent thought.

‘What on earth happened…?’

Seeing him like this for the first time, Hazuki couldn’t help but be shocked.

Kim Il-sin usually remained calm, even in front of Bishop Bernica.

At the same time, she was curious. What could have happened to make him like this?

“Calm down, take your time to explain. I might be able to help. I can’t leave yet.”

The barrier created by Berter upon the start of the battle had not yet dissipated.

The barrier was established to prevent enemies from escaping the puppets.

It was powered by the mana Berter had infused into it, so it wouldn’t disappear even after his death, and about three minutes remained before it completely vanished.

“…No. I have to go.”

Without hesitation, Kim Il-sin rejected her.

If it were a different situation, Hazuki’s assistance might have been useful, but this was something only Kim Il-sin could resolve.

“I’m sorry.”

Saying that, he turned his back, but Hazuki grabbed him to stop him.

“What will you do about the barrier?”

“I’ll break it.”

“What? No way! Isn’t that dangerous?!”

Berter’s barrier had a reflective function.

If someone attacked the barrier, it would simply reflect the damage of that attack.

“It’s just dangerous; it doesn’t mean it can’t be broken.”

“What do you mean…!”

Kim Il-sin didn’t care for such things at all.

He was thinking of breaking it with an attack strong enough to shatter the barrier and then escape.

He didn’t consider the damage it would cause to himself.

“Where are you going? Just tell me that.”

“To Jangsan Cave.”

Hazuki’s mind raced.

She envisioned a scenario where an incident could occur in Jangsan Cave that would leave Kim Il-sin in such a panic.

“……”

The conclusion came swiftly.

There was only one possible scenario that matched her assumptions.

“Is something happening to Hana-lin?”

“Exactly. So let me go. This is urgent.”

Irritation oozed from Kim Il-sin’s voice.

He was frustrated with Hazuki for blocking his urgent path.

At that reaction, Hazuki felt a painful tightness in her heart.

Yet, seeing him not shake off her hand despite acting like this made her heart soften again.

And as she became aware of how she was fluctuating with each of Kim Il-sin’s slight actions…

‘How pathetic… me.’

She knew she had to let him go. She didn’t know what kind of danger Hana-lin might be in.

Breaking the barrier might be the only way to save her.

But the strength in the hand holding Kim Il-sin showed no sign of weakening.

If she let him go like this, it felt as though he would leave her side forever.

‘If I were the one in danger right now, would you have reacted like this?’

Ugly thoughts that she could barely admit invaded her mind.

A heavy self-loathing weighed down on Hazuki’s shoulders.

‘…I knew it.’

She understood the feelings Hana-lin held for Kim Il-sin and the feelings Kim Il-sin held for Hana-lin.

Hazuki had grasped all of this upon their very first meeting.

Nonetheless, the reason she hadn’t given up hope was that she couldn’t comprehend the extent of those feelings.

“Why are you acting like this? Let go.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about? Just let go quickly!”

But right now, Hazuki was truly feeling the weight of those feelings.

The gravity of the feelings Kim Il-sin held was enough to completely overturn his previously flawless demeanor.

Knowing this, Hazuki thought she might be in the wrong.

‘Should I… be the one to give up…?’

The grip of Hazuki’s hand gradually loosened as she released Kim Il-sin’s wrist.

Without hesitation, Kim Il-sin took off running, his back swiftly disappearing from her view.

The barrier that had been surrounding them just moments ago vanished, allowing his steps to go unfettered.

Hazuki watched in the direction he had run, carefully running her delicate fingers over her lower lip.

The dreamlike sensation she felt in that moment would likely be something she never forgot for the rest of her life.

And it would be the same for Kim Il-sin.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.