Chapter 19 - Rank Assessment (3)
“Huh?”
Han Su-ah, sitting in the audience, tilted her head.
She had clearly seen the flash of light and Lee Kyung-won flying backward.
But she couldn't even guess when or how Kim Sun-woo had moved.
“Does this mean he passes for C-rank?”
“Hm...”
Even Kim Jin-cheol couldn't judge.
He too had missed Kim Sun-woo's movement in that instant.
'Said to surpass C-rank...'
It was unbelievable even after seeing it with his own eyes.
Kim Sun-woo's skill was far greater than he'd imagined.
Could it be that slaying the black knight alone had unleashed the potential he'd bottled up for ten years?
As the unconscious Lee Kyung-won was carried out, the assessment arena grew a bit chaotic.
A middle-aged man in training robes stamped with the plum blossom emblem had suddenly appeared on the assessment platform.
“That man!”
Kim Jin-cheol's eyes widened as he shot up from his seat.
He leaped over the audience and landed on the platform, where Baek San-hu greeted him with a welcoming expression.
“Oh, isn't it Jin-cheol.”
“What brings Elder Baek here?”
“Elder? Don't call me that so embarrassingly. Anyway, this Kim hunter here—is he from Mugung Guild?”
Kim Jin-cheol swallowed hard, nodded, grabbed Kim Sun-woo's shoulder firmly, and pulled him close.
“He's a promising hunter who's been with our Mugung Guild for a few years. He recently began learning martial arts and showed talent, so we were conducting a new rank assessment.”
“No need to be so tense. I just happened to spot a shining gem after a long time.”
Baek San-hu's eyes gleamed with keen interest as he looked at Kim Sun-woo.
“In any case, a proper assessment might be difficult now, so I thought I'd lend a hand.”
“Your assistance would be a great help, Master.”
Park In-su, the section chief, bowed politely in response.
This wasn't a request for permission—it was a notice.
He would conduct the assessment himself, so proceed immediately.
No one present could refuse the words of Huashan Sect, a great sect, and a B-rank hunter, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.
“No need to overthink it. A C-rank spar should reveal the result quickly. What say you?”
“...I would be grateful for your help.”
“Hm.”
Kim Sun-woo nodded as well, and Baek San-hu looked satisfied.
The association staff began rechecking the facilities to prepare for the rematch.
Kim Sun-woo, who had retreated to the edge of the platform, lightly stretched and checked his condition.
Lee Kyung-won was no longer even on his mind.
He'd realized a normal C-rank couldn't match him.
'A B-rank hunter, huh?'
From the moment he'd first faced Baek San-hu, he'd felt a fierce fighting spirit.
His spine tingled, cold sweat dripped from his hands and feet.
An impulse to draw his sword and charge surged through his brain.
...Of course, he wouldn't win.
No matter how exceptional his talent, the time he'd had was absolutely insufficient.
His opponent was a veteran of decades in the Central Plains, while he was a novice just two weeks into martial arts.
Normally, even a 'spar' like this shouldn't have been possible.
“I am Baek San-hu of Huashan.”
“Kim Sun-woo of the Azure Sword Sect.”
“Azure Sword Sect? A name I've never heard. Might I ask its origins?”
“It's a one-man lineage sect, not widely known. My master was called Baek Ryuk Geom in the Central Plains.”
“Hm.”
Kim Sun-woo watched Baek San-hu's reaction as he named the Azure Sword Sect and Baek Ryuk Geom.
He'd hoped a Huashan expert might know of it.
But it seemed he didn't; he just nodded with a puzzled expression.
'Well, I didn't lie.'
Kim Sun-woo spun his sword lightly.
He had inherited the martial arts of the one-man Azure Sword Sect, and his master who taught him was Baek Ryuk Geom.
Though he'd only learned through internet lectures without ever meeting face-to-face.
Still, no lie there.
“I'll yield the first move. Come at me.”
“Understood.”
Kim Sun-woo regulated his breathing and raised his sword.
In his spar with Lee Kyung-won, he'd moved on instinct.
His shoulders had tensed and eyes flashed before it even started, making his intentions obvious.
But Baek San-hu's presence on the platform felt like facing a massive mountain.
Just looking up at it filled him with a sense of overwhelming blockage.
So Kim Sun-woo decided to admit it honestly.
'My opponent is Huashan's Plum Blossom Sword Saint. A superior master.'
This wasn't a life-or-death duel.
It was a moment to prove C-rank status and fill his gaps.
A chance to witness the famed Plum Blossom Sword Saint's martial arts up close.
“......”
A heavy tension settled over the assessment arena.
By now, all spars and assessments around had halted.
To watch as Huashan's Plum Blossom Sword Saint and B-rank hunter Baek San-hu stepped in personally.
Naturally, attention shifted to his opponent.
Who could make a B-rank hunter conduct their assessment himself?
'...This is bad.'
Kim Jin-cheol, who had stepped down from the platform, sweated inwardly.
Guild members or associates couldn't participate in assessments.
Meaning Kim Sun-woo wasn't from Huashan, so others would start eyeing him.
Tak!
With preparations complete, Kim Sun-woo took his first step, immediately employing Flash Flow Step.
He held nothing back.
Aiming for a short decisive battle, he poured his internal energy without restraint and charged straight at Baek San-hu.
As his momentum built and the tip of his Flying Thunder Flash, loaded with full power, pierced the air—
Shyaaak!
Baek San-hu swung his sword in a graceful arc.
'...Flower scent?'
A clear fragrance wafted through the sword wind.
The moment he spotted countless petals scattering around—
Creeeang—!!!
An immense rebound hit his sword, sending Kim Sun-woo flying back.
For the first time since learning martial arts, Flying Thunder Flash had been perfectly blocked.
His sword hand burned like fire, his arm stung as if pricked by glass shards, and reversed internal energy shook his insides, bringing the metallic taste of blood up his throat.
He'd clashed or canceled strikes before, but never been blocked head-on like this.
Kim Sun-woo retreated further, frowning deeply.
“......!”
Baek San-hu was equally shocked.
He'd planned to counter immediately after blocking.
But the unexpected heavy impact forced him to focus on defense alone.
Glancing down, he saw he'd been pushed back half a step.
Impossible. Unthinkable.
'...Hah.'
He'd taken interest because of the brilliant glimpse of talent, but it was already blooming?
Baek San-hu regripped his sword.
Vast internal energy surged, flowing along the blade and scattering into the air.
Kim Sun-woo clicked his tongue at the sudden change, steadying his churning insides.
'Didn't account for a direct block like this.'
Thus, he had no leeway to deflect the returning recoil.
Good lesson learned—he'd need to factor this into future forms.
Saaah.
Then, petals began scattering over the arena.
Plum blossom petals, pure white.
As countless petals bloomed profusely, Kim Sun-woo jerked his head up.
'That’s...'
Behind Baek San-hu, sword in hand, an illusion of a fully blooming plum tree rose.
Was this Huashan's swordsmanship?
Kim Sun-woo was purely awestruck.
He'd only learned the White Flow Heart Method so far—this was his first encounter with another art.
If he'd paid tens of millions to join Huashan and shown talent, could he have learned arts like Baek San-hu's?
Saaah—!
A fierce wind shook the plum tree.
The scattering petals shifted direction, raining down toward Kim Sun-woo.
Snapping out of admiring the spectacle as a chill ran up his spine—
'...Each one has substance.'
His eyes moved ceaselessly, tracking trajectories.
His opponent wielded martial arts among the Central Plains' elite.
A chance to quench the thirst from learning only via internet lectures.
“......”
His eyes bloodshot, head burning like it might boil.
Yet Kim Sun-woo never averted his gaze.
Connecting dots and arcs, voraciously devouring the intent within.
No process needed for comprehension.
The instant it entered his mind, all senses focused, dismantled, and converted it to absorbable essence.
He just had to swallow it whole.
As the countless petals closed in—
Swish.
Kim Sun-woo moved.
Starting with Illusion Flow Step.
Amid the seemingly erratic petals, there was a consistent pattern.
Likely unconscious steps from Baek San-hu.
Tsz, tsuzuz.
Petals grazed his form.
Most hit afterimages, but some sliced his body or aimed for vitals.
Slash. Slash.
Kim Sun-woo kept his eyes locked on the plum flow, swinging mechanically.
Prioritizing evasion, blocking only lethal strikes.
His priority: absorb as much as possible, even for a second longer.
'Without mental pain substitution, I'd be covered in blood by now.'
His body felt heavy, as if sleepless for days.
If this dragged on, he'd collapse like Lee Kyung-won, fainting into sleep.
Paat!
Kim Sun-woo roughly surged more internal energy, shaking off drowsiness.
This wasn't enough yet.
He craved the sensation from his desperate fight with the black knight.
Kwak.
The platform cracked and dented.
Without hesitation, he kicked off, charging through the petal storm.
Creeang!
Another fierce shockwave erupted.
His shoulder jerked, left fingertips numb.
In real combat, his left arm would have exploded reaching Baek San-hu.
Boldness enabled by the illusion field.
Kim Sun-woo circulated energy furiously, as if bursting meridians, driving out creeping fatigue.
Kang! Crajk. Thud!
He relentlessly assailed the unmoving Baek San-hu.
As if saying, show me everything you've got, Kim Sun-woo gritted his teeth and swung.
While Baek San-hu of Huashan traced consistent graceful arcs, Kim Sun-woo's style shifted in real time.
Shyaaak!
Lightning-fast charges.
Shisashak.
Or scattering like phantoms.
Srulk.
Suddenly vanishing, startling onlookers.
“......”
Baek San-hu, parrying the barrage on himself, narrowed his eyes.
It felt like sinking into a swamp.
His gaze sharpened too.
Even mid-swing and leap, those eyes fixed solely on his sword.
Watching Kim Sun-woo's evolving style, Baek San-hu let out a hollow chuckle.
'Terrifying talent.'
He'd meant to teach just a move or two.
Now, it felt like the kid would suck him dry to the marrow.
A heavy heart was natural.
In this era's Huashan, was there any later-generation disciple who could match—or even chase—this man before him?