I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

---

“Hey, there’s no need to be so nervous. I don’t want to hurt you. Actually, this is an opportunity for you, you know?”

As the tension in the air reached a breaking point, Luke smiled again and stepped back.

He got up from his seat and crouched down in front of the box.

“You know what these are, right? They occasionally fall from the sky. I’m only telling you this, but the first person to collect something like this was our ancestor.”

Luke rummaged through the box as he continued speaking.

“They’re my treasures. Should I say they’re the only joy in my life? There are many things I don’t even know about, but they’re fun to look at. My favorite is this one.”

He held up a magazine published in August a few years back.

The cover featured a hero posing in a suit.

What’s curious is that even that magazine had a lot of wear and tear.

It was less worn than Diltilli’s, but it looked like it had been seen dozens of times.

“It’s really interesting. There’s so much to marvel at. But there’s no next issue. It never comes no matter how long I wait. Only strange things keep showing up. Huh? Damn it!”

Bam! Bam!

Frustrated, Luke tore the magazine in half.

As if that wasn’t enough, he ripped it into shreds, leaving nothing but scraps of paper.

“It’s unfair! Why can’t I get the next issue? If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have told me about a world like this. Right? Huh?”

Clank! Clatter!

Luke, now on the table, stomped over without caring about the food he stepped on. Plates that had been under his feet fell and shattered on the floor.

With his back bent, Luke’s eyes met Kim Il-shin’s.

“This place is so boring. You know that, right? There’s nothing here. It’s always the same, with no changes at all.”

“How about going outside?”

“Do you believe that kind of nonsense? There’s nothing out there.”

“Have you actually been out?”

“Hell no. Do I need to go out to know that? Don’t be stupid.”

Luke waved his hand, seeming bored. His eyes sparked as if he was about to share something.

“There’s just one thing I want from you. Let me go to the world where these things are. No, you don’t even have to do that. Just tell me how. I’ll handle the rest myself.”

Luke’s voice trembled. It almost sounded like he was begging.

“I told you earlier, right? I’m giving you an opportunity. If you just tell me that, I’ll give you everything of mine. I swear. Once I know the method, I won’t need it anymore. What do you think? Doesn’t that tempt you?”

‘No idea.’

It was the truth.

Even if I cleared a quest, there was no way to bring other people who hadn’t accepted it along.

Even if there was, I had no intention of taking this guy with me.

“I don’t know.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

When Kim Il-shin replied like that, Luke shouted as if he was having a fit.

He drew a long sword from behind and aimed it at Kim Il-shin.

“Let’s see if you still don’t know when your limbs are chopped off and your eyes are plucked out! Huh?!”

Facing those bloodshot eyes, Kim Il-shin calmly said,

“I’ve been very tolerant.”

“What?”

Swish!

Kim Il-shin’s palm immediately slapped Luke’s cheek.

It was a snap strike from a sitting position, without any transfer of weight or speed.

Yet, that strike delivered a heavy shock to Luke.

As he was slapped, Luke spun off in the direction his cheek was hit, sailing through the air like a skipping stone on a pond.

Boom!

His body came to a stop only after crashing against the wall beyond the pond.

But he didn’t immediately regain his senses.

“Cough, cough!”

Blood flowed from Luke’s mouth. His jaw was completely shattered.

And it wasn’t just that. Sa-bak, who was at the entrance of the pavilion, anxiously cried out.

“L-Luke…!”

“Shut up! How dare you ambush me?!”

“N-No, it’s just… your teeth…”

Upon hearing Sa-bak’s words, Luke ran his tongue over where his teeth used to be. The gap where his two front teeth had been was empty.

“That bastard…!”

Luke sprang up, gripping the sword’s hilt tightly.

Even after being caught off guard and sent flying far away, he didn’t let go of the sword. After all, it was basic instinct.

“You. I’ll personally pull out every single one of your teeth.”

Luke caught sight of Kim Il-shin standing at the pavilion.

The way he stood there, without drawing his sword, was incredibly irritating.

“Gah!”

With a fierce yell, Luke lunged forward like a cannonball.

The ground he stood on erupted as he charged ahead, swinging the sword with all his might.

Boom—!!

The impact of that swing split the great pavilion in half.

Thud-thud-thud.

Amid the water and debris that soared into the sky and came pouring down like rain, Kim Il-shin stood tall.

He had caught Luke’s sword with one hand.

“……!”

Luke’s eyes widened. They were filled with disbelief.

‘He’s just a brute.’

Luke’s swordsmanship was awful. Rather than wielding it skillfully, he was more like swinging it carelessly.

In terms of technique, an average person with a few years of proper training would likely be better.

However, the destructive power was top-notch.

Thanks to the environment in this dimension, where mana density was several times higher than usual.

Having lived in a place like this for decades, he had an overwhelming amount of mana compared to those from the original dimension.

Without the need to perfect his skills, he could unleash great power just by pouring out his mana.

“Arrogant bastard! I’m not letting go!”

Boom!

Manifesting blue mana erupted violently from the sword.

It was a crude swordsmanship generated purely by the quantity of mana, without any insight.

Swoosh!

Thus, it could be shattered with just a small gesture from Kim Il-shin.

“Ugh!”

As the blow struck the sword, it created a gap that could easily strangle him.

Swish!

This time, Kim Il-shin slapped Luke’s cheek again. The stretched skipping stone continued once more.

“Grah!”

Even with the clear skill gap, Luke didn’t give up and kept rushing in.

It wasn’t because he had any concrete plan.

‘This is unreal…!’

He couldn’t believe it.

He thought it was impossible for someone in his position to be so overwhelmed and desperately struggled.

“Urgh… urgh…”

But the harsh reality did not change.

After a few rounds of exchanges with Kim Il-shin, Luke was completely subdued.

He had accumulated so much shock throughout the process that he couldn’t twitch a finger.

Luke realized the overwhelming gap in power.

“Cough, cough.”

But he didn’t plan to back down yet.

Luke glared at Kim Il-shin with swollen eyes that hardly opened.

He grinned sneakily and said,

“Alright. I get it. You’re strong. So what are you going to do now? Use your brain, you dumb bastard.”

Luke had faith in one thing.

Before this whole event started, he had already given Bahum instructions in advance.

If Kim Il-shin didn’t cooperate, to bring his women to him.

“They should be coming soon. They seem pretty precious to you, huh? What are you going to do? I didn’t say to bring them back safe. Heh, cough…! Hah!”

Spitting clotted blood on the floor, Luke continued speaking.

“So you should have listened well. Now, are you coming to your senses? If you want to save those women, even now—”

“Ah… did I get hit wrong? What are you saying? Hey, can you see this? My finger? How many do you think there are? Huh?”

Kim Il-shin looked at Luke with a truly worried expression.

While playfully poking his swollen cheeks, each touch sent Luke spiraling into confusion.

Barely enduring it, Luke gritted his teeth and said,

“…Do you really trust that sword-wielding woman? Ah, I forgot to tell you. It’s not just the Guardians. Bahum went with them too. Do you think she can handle them all by herself?”

“Hmm…”

Kim Il-shin pondered, uncharacteristically. The pouch tied to Hanarin’s waist came to mind.

“I don’t think she’ll make it that far.”

Hanarin’s magical tools are practically a disaster for inferior opponents.

Recalling the vile magical tools in his memory, Kim Il-shin silently wished for the enemies who would face them.

*

“What am I going to do? What should I do…?”

After Kim Il-shin left, Diltilli couldn’t stop pacing anxiously.

“Should I go check on the situation? No, the Guardians are still outside…”

Muttering to himself, he endlessly wandered around the house.

Eventually, Hanarin couldn’t hold back and kicked his leg.

“Just stay still!”

“Whaaa…!”

“You’re being so nervous for nothing. Just stay put.”

Diltilli sat down on the floor, rubbing his legs. But his anxiety wouldn’t go away.

“Aren’t you guys worried? Something big might happen…”

“What’s there to worry about?”

“Of course, I’m worried if the Lords will do anything to the Traveler.”

Hearing that, Hanarin laughed incredulously.

“Those guys against us? Sigh.”

With that, she sighed and shook her head.

Diltilli couldn’t understand her reaction at all. The same went for Hazuki’s words supporting her.

“Maybe it could happen. You don’t know much yet.”

“Right? Don’t worry. Just wait here.”

It was then that Hanarin casually spoke.

Boom!

A loud noise echoed from outside. Diltilli, startled, jumped up and looked out the window.

“Wha…! Bah-Bah-Bahum…! Why is Bahum here?!”

He was so shocked he could barely speak.

“Look! This really might be a disaster! What’s going on?!”

Diltilli’s voice grew tearful. But the others showed him no concern.

“Looks like they’ve arrived!”

“Quick, let’s go out. We can’t let the house get wrecked.”

“Whoa, right! Can I use everything I have? I asked for it to get loud!”

“Yes, but let’s be careful not to hit the house.”

“Okay! Let’s go!”

As they chattered and made their way outside, even Hanarin seemed excited.

‘…Am I the weird one?’

Left alone in the house, Diltilli reflected on himself at an unexpected moment.