The Art Of Sword

*Before the puppet got destroyed – No Name and Jihu*

They were both hiding under the table while watching the bodyguard deal with all the flying swords.

No Name: The person who is controlling those swords isn’t really causing that much disaster, or the bodyguard is really good at dealing with this situation.

“Why do these swords keep shattering after getting in contact with these bodyguards?”

Jihu: It’s because of their ability. These bodyguards all have the same ability called ‘Barrier’. It’s allowing them to create an impenetrable barrier.

No Name: That is one of the most basic abilities. How can all of them rank A?

Jihu: It’s because they mastered the advanced version of ‘Barrier’. Which allows them to create a different foundation to keep the building from collapsing even if the first floor gets demolished. Also to prevent that event.

No Name: Interesting... Also, can you remove your hand from my shoulder?

Jihu: I thought you'd ask about that first instead of the previous question.

No Name: I only asked to see if you also knew what was going on. These ‘Barrier’ people are all in the same company or guild, and that is basic knowledge.

Jihu: If you ask Sunz this, he definitely won’t know what is going on or know that there is a company or guild for specific abilities.

No Name: Now, can you please remove your hand?

Jihu: Then can you conceal your aura again? If I remove my hand, those things will aim for us.

No Name: What are you talking about? My aura has always been hidden.

Jihu: True… I have also been keeping track of three familiar auras, and then suddenly a new aura appeared next to the “Ice” aura.

No Name: You can keep track of aura? Or is this an excuse for you to touch me?

Jihu: No excuses… From what I have experienced, there are two ways to keep track.

“First is sensing, which is pretty common. Using your own aura like a magnet to push other auras away while also being pushed when encountering a stronger aura. The only problem with this way is that it depends on your strength. The stronger you are, the more area you can cover with your aura, and it's also not that good when trying to stay on a specific target.”

“The other way is using your eyes, which is really rare. It’s like having x-ray vision combined with smoke and silhouette. You can see their aura outline, and it leaves a smoke trail to track down that person.”

No Name: The second one sounds kind of annoying. Can you turn it on and off? Also, having that kind of make you seem like a pervert?

Jihu: You’re right. It's kind of annoying and hurts my eyes, but I can toggle it, and it works best when my eyes are close. It only makes you a pervert if you voluntarily use it for inappropriate stuff.

Also, I have only unlocked this new skill for like a day. There is so much I need to learn to get used to it.)

No Name: You’re right. It was wrong of me to call you that.

Jihu: Don’t worry, it’s fine. I’m at that age, so it's pretty normal to suspect that... So, can you hide your aura now?

No Name: You know, there is a saying, “Everything happens for a reason." So I won’t hide my aura for now. Instead…

*She is looking for something in her outfit*

Jihu:…

No Name pulled out a long piece of cloth out of her outfit: Let use this situation for you to train.

Jihu: Is that part of the outfit, or do you always have it?

No Name: Always. Now, if you would like to train, lean closer to me.

Jihu*skeptical*: There is an ulterior motive for this, right?

No Name *annoyed*: You boys are such a lost cause! Always thinking that every small action us girls did as a hint.

She aggressively leans close to Jihu and blindfolds him.

“I’m just doing this out of the goodness of my heart… There.”

Jihu: That was fast, and kind of tight.

No Name: It’s a blindfold, you aren’t supposed to see through it. *deep breath* (Finally, I can put this on pause.)

“So, is everything different?”

Jihu: A lot different. I can see the aura more clearly. Our aura and the Heroes’s aura are so different from those of normal civilians.

No Name: That is expected. So how are their condition? You mentioned before that the three of them don’t know how to hide their aura.

Jihu: Well, Yama is carrying someone with a stronger aura than a normal person, and there are some bodyguards near their area. So they will both be okay.

“For the love duo... They are under attack. Sunz is being useless. Grace summoned a few replicas of her rapier and is protecting both of them.”

No Name: What happened with your friend?

Jihu: I don’t know. But both of their auras are acting very strange.

No Name: How strange?

Jihu: Sunz’s aura is somehow a lot stronger than before, and it is slowly getting weaker for no reason. While Grace is having dead aura in her arms.

No Name: “Dead"Aura"—what’s that?

Jihu: It’s a term I came up with when someone is alive while having no aura.

No Name: Heh, pretty cool.

Jihu: Are you okay?

No Name: I’m fine. What the matter?

Jihu: You sound a lot softer than before.

No Name: Really? I didn’t realize that. I guess the feeling of not being able to do anything just makes me feel relaxed. Despite what is happening, this day off is kind of worth it.

Jihu: It looks like you also have a weird personality.

No Name: It seems so. While I’m enjoying my moment of relaxation, you keep hiding my aura and keep checking on the group.

Jihu: Roger that!

*After the puppet got burned – No Name and Jihu*

No Name: Sounds like everything has dived down.

Jihu: Yeah, I'm not seeing the enemy aura anymore. I think our friends are okay, except for the love duo. Their aura decreased by a lot.

No Name *stretching*: Hnnng… They aren’t dead, which is the most important.

Jihu: You’re right.

No Name: I have hidden my aura, you can remove your hand now.

Jihu: Oh, ok.

No Name: You want me to remove the blindfold, or do you want to keep it on?

Jihu: Let me keep this on for now.

No Name: Then you can keep the cloth. I have plenty of it.

While getting out from under the table, Jihu banged his head.

No Name: Ready to change your decision?

Jihu: I’ll get used to it. Everything takes time.

No Name: Suit yourself. But do you need me to hold your hand to guide you?

Jihu: Sorry, I can’t allow that.

No Name: Why? You can’t really see where you are going…….. Are you dating someone?

Jihu: I am...

No Name: That’s why you were hesitant. You should have told me sooner.

Jihu: Well, we aren’t particularly close, and your personality is kind of cold and intimidating.

No Name: You’re right... So who is the lucky girl?

Jihu: Since we have to wait for them to regroup, might as well do some small talk.

*After the puppet got burned – Yama and W*

Yama: It looks like everything has dived down. You are okay, right?

W *nod* then hold up a slip of paper *That was kind of fun and scary at the same time.*

Yama: What aspect of the situation was fun for you?

W fuses all of her paper slips and shows Yama a picture of him carrying her with a note.

*I’ve never run that fast. 〵(^ o ^)〴〵(^ o ^)〴〵(^ o ^)〴 *

Yama: I’m glad that I can make you feel safe. So what next?

W flips the picture around to reveal a lot of text behind it.

*They are going to round up the people soon.*

*You should return to your friend.*

*Our time today was short, but I really enjoyed it.*

*We’ll meet again.*

Yama: It was great to hang out with you.

After saying their goodbyes, W gives Yama a quick hug, then runs away out of his sight.

Yama (What a strange girl!) returns to where the group originally was.

*Everyone meets up again and has all kinds of questions after seeing each other's condition*

Sunz and Grace are in bad shape. Sunz lost his clothes, and Grace gained new clothes and accessories.

Jihu has a blindfold. No Name hair and outfit look messy.

Yama... nothing changed.

Grace: So did everyone have their own adventure?

Everyone:…

Grace: Great, I’m so tired right now. Let all just sit at this table while waiting for the Heroes to evacuate people out of here.

Everyone:…

Grace: No one is saying anything must mean Yes… Sunz comes and shows me how you sleep in this Windbreaker.

Everyone just rests at the table while waiting for the F.P.S Teams.

After a few waves of evacuations and the police questioning what happened, it was finally the Gang turn. When they all safely reached the ground floor, they (except Jihu) saw a lady in business attire arguing with two police officers. Another officer had to intervene, and only Sunz and Grace recognized who the officer was.

Sunz asks Grace: That is officer Silver, right?

Grace: It seems so…

Sunz: His outfit is soaked in blood. How bad was the situation down here?

Grace: Really bad. The first floor nearly got destroyed.

“Onto other matters, they just kissed, and now they are approaching us.”

…

Silver: I think this is the group you were worrying about.

Lady: They all look a bit different, but this is the group I was worrying about. Thank you!

Silver: Just doing my job, also next time you don’t have to act like that.

Lady: Of course, who doesn’t go into meltdown mode when their family member is in a life and death situation?

Both of them just smiled at each other, then Silver left.

…

Sunz: Do we know you, Miss?

Lady: You don’t remember me? I’m Han Jun. Jihu’s sister.

Sunz:… Jihu, can you confirm this?

Jihu: Yep, that is my sister.

Jun: Now everything is clear. I’ll drive you all home.

*Everyone follows Jun to her car.*

When Grace saw the car, she spoke up: I think we have a problem. That car is for five people. We have six.

Jun: You’re right… Since you noticed first, do you have any solutions?

Grace: hehe… I do.

She then organized everyone into the car. Jun and Jihu are seated in the front, followed by Yama, No Name, and Grace in the back. While Sunz is forced to sit on Grace’s lap, by Grace.

Jun: Is everyone comfortable?

Everyone except Sunz: Yes!

Grace is restraining Sunz’s movement with one arm while the other arm is covering his mouth.

Jun: I can’t believe I agree to this.

Jihu (blindfolded) gives his phone to No Name: Take a couple pictures of them for me if you don’t mind.

No Name: Gladly!

Jun (A car with five people and a life-size stuff animal is not a plan I expected.) starts driving.

While the car is moving, Sunz can feel Grace's head lean against him, and her restraint has loosened. Knowing the situation he’s in, Sunz decided to close his eyes and quickly fall asleep to pass the time.

…

*While sleeping, he started dreaming*

Inside the dream, Sunz is standing in a graveyard behind someone who is mourning. Sunz then steps aside to see whose tombstone it was, but for some reason, everything on it is blurry to him.

The person who was mourning stood up and turned to Sunz to reveal that it was Sword.

Sword: So we meet again. What brings you here today?

Sunz: Nothing? I just fell asleep, and now I’m here.

Sword: If it wasn’t me or her that called you here, that means something unusual happened with your body.

Sunz: I don’t think anything strange happened.

Sword: Really? What about that moment when your brain was shredded into pieces?

Sunz: That? How did you know about it?

Sword: I had thousands of students before you. So there are many common causes that led to this conversation.

Sunz: Then I guess the random headache I got is why I’m here.

Sword: So… Did your headache start out strong, then slowly get weaker the fewer enemies there are?

Sunz: I think so.

Sword: Then, what happened to you was that your mind got overloaded with information. Simple as that!

Sunz: Really? It just that.

Sword: So be prepared in the future, the more skills you learn, will be the cause of your death.

“Seriously, at least half of my students die because of that. So try your best to keep your thinking simple.”

Sunz: Ok, noted.

Sword: If you have nothing else to ask, then you can leave.

Sunz: One question. Who are you mourning?

Sword: Someone… who used to be close to me.

Sunz: Oh… sorry for asking about that.

Sword: You know this happened like ages ago, right? Also, I died like within a year of her death.

Sunz: Yeah, I think I should leave now.

Sword: It was a nice conversation.

Someone shows up and throws Sunz into an empty grave, then that whole grave disappears.

Sword (You will have the worst headache out of everyone here, and your relationship won’t last long. I hope the second won’t follow my pattern.)

…

Sunz woke up from the dream and saw that he was lying on the floor of his hotel room. When he stands up to stretch himself, he sees a note taped to the back of his hand.

*Take shower and rest. Everyone meeting for dinner in the evening. I got patched up. Windbreaker being washed due to blood. That’s all.*

Sunz: Today finally end. Tomorrow will be rough.