020 - Sword Aura Merchant (1)
Baek San-hu's aura shifted.
Already, from what he'd shown so far, their side had suffered devastating losses.
It would be ideal to lure Kim Sun-woo up to Huashan, but a powerhouse like Mugung Guild wouldn't hand him over easily.
In that case, there was no point continuing the spar.
Tsuzuzuzu.
Baek San-hu's sword divided.
What Kim Sun-woo had produced was merely an illusion of shadows, but his sword took on a truly physical form, as if genuinely split.
“......!”
Kim Sun-woo's eyes flew wide open.
A higher realm of martial arts than anything he'd achieved.
He stood rooted in place, tirelessly imitating and devouring the countless plum blossom trajectories crashing down before his eyes.
Finally, when he reached the breaking point.
Kim Sun-woo slowly raised his sword and thrust it forward.
—Kwaaaaaang!
A colossal explosion rocked the examination hall.
Shoved all the way to the platform's edge, Kim Sun-woo dropped to one knee and slumped to the floor.
“...Ugh.”
His internals churned violently.
His limbs felt leaden, his body like a ton weight, his head splitting with pain.
Conversely, drowsiness flooded his mind—he could pass out at any moment.
He hadn't won in sword depth, combat skill, or internal energy volume—not a single thing.
Yet Kim Sun-woo's eyes, every sense, blazed with rapture.
'I managed to watch it all the way to the end.'
If he'd countered with his own forms, he could've blocked it with far less damage.
But he'd abandoned defense to take Baek San-hu's sword with his whole body.
To better comprehend and observe Huashan's sword.
'I've found the path upward.'
In the end, a resounding success.
He'd devoured every technique from the famed Plum Blossom Sword Saint without missing a stroke.
“Well, this is awkward...”
Baek San-hu sheepishly withdrew his sword.
“Since returning to Earth and becoming a hunter, I doubt I've ever taken a bigger hit than this.”
“Thank you for the guidance. I'll repay this debt someday.”
He'd gained plenty.
Much he couldn't grasp yet—he'd need to mull it over calmly back home.
Kim Sun-woo preempted Baek San-hu's complaints with a fist salute.
What could be done about spilt milk?
“Fine, I'll hold you to it.”
Baek San-hu cracked a wry smile, seemingly over it.
“Director Park. This should suffice, no? No more excuses about it being unanalyzable?”
“...Ah, yes. The bosses upstairs say it's enough.”
At Kim Jin-cheol's words, Director Park In-su snapped to and nodded.
His spine prickled; his palms dripped sweat.
A mere five minutes' spar, yet even watching had drained him with tension—a battle on another level.
The onlookers probably felt the same.
“We'll decide within three days and contact Hunter Kim Sun-woo. Good work, everyone.”
C-rank hunters weren't just about raw power—career, experience, all factored in.
But after witnessing this, how could they reject him?
Mugung Guild under Kim Jin-cheol would lean in, and all these witnesses would vouch.
Soon, Kim Sun-woo's name would explode across the hunter world.
The association would welcome a star hunter—especially a promising newbie to exploit long-term...
'Not exactly a newbie? Whatever.'
For the association, Kim Sun-woo was pure profit.
So the rank decision wouldn't drag.
“Good work, all.”
Director Park In-su bowed to the crowd, ending the rank exam.
His home of days away was already dusty.
A single-room studio—where'd the dust even come from?
Stepping inside, Kim Sun-woo scanned around.
Felt oddly foreign after so long.
“...Time to scout a new place.”
Stuck here penniless for ten years—it could've driven him mad.
Good the bigger illness (debt) distracted him, or he'd have cracked sooner.
Treasure vault payout plus guild and association rewards: just over 2 billion won in his account.
They'd said it'd take time, but the guild pulled strings.
No more cramping in this shoebox.
“600 million should snag a small outskirts apartment.”
Living solo, no need for grandeur.
Invest decently in safe housing, rest on gear, elixirs, market martial arts.
Like the black knight, Baek San-hu's spar yielded huge insights.
'No need to obsess over one art.'
White Flow Heart Method was top-tier, synergizing explosively with his talent to reach here.
Normals would do best deepening one, grateful for it.
But not Kim Sun-woo.
Seeing Baek San-hu's Plum Blossom Sword Technique, inspiration exploded, stabbing his mind.
Unseen gaps in White Flow filled; comprehension ticked up.
Just from observing and matching another art.
What if he studied more beyond White Flow?
“Whew.”
Thoughts swirling, Kim Sun-woo cleaned.
Windows open for air, dust wiped, laundry done—now livable.
Showered, laptop in undies.
Post-exam dinner filled him up.
Long time no laptop; he booted reverently, mouse in hand.
Never dreamed this starting martial arts.
Life flipped fast.
“Remaining lectures...”
Done with all seven: Internal Arts 1, Footwork 3, White Flow Sword Technique 3.
Only two left—he looked wistful.
But titles hooked him.
One eyed since discovery.
Sword Aura Merchant's Understanding
Unthinkable realm before, but post-raid, internal energy doubled past half-jia.
Regret stung—if pre-dungeon, sword aura easy.
Lips smacked, clicked play.
"This lecture covers the Sword Aura Merchant."
"Sword Aura Merchant—the realm of emitting qi to affect things. The sword aura or aura from wuxia novels or comics. Folks imagine sky-piercing pillars and such."
Kim Sun-woo's shoulder jerked.
No pillars, but yeah—whipping out long sword aura to sweep foes.
"But reaching Sword Aura Merchant, you'll see how ridiculous that is."
Baek Ryuk Geom snatched a stray pen.
Tsuzuzuzu.
A ~3cm light halo bloomed at the tip, radiating presence.
"My power now: ~40 years, just over half-jia. Even this hard to hold... body failing... *cough, cough.*"
The brilliant glow snuffed out.
Pale-faced, Baek Ryuk Geom hacked and hid his hand.
“Wait, blood?”
Kim Sun-woo rewound gravely.
Wondered why video records of Qingjian Sect arts—health crash?
Coughing blood meant dire...
Haggard beyond prior lectures.
“Last upload five years back?”
No activity since.
Meaning...
Somber, resumed.
"...Sorry. Continuing. Sky-piercing sword aura or pillar auras—not strictly impossible. Back in Murim, I had full-jia internals. Sword gang no, sword aura yes. Anyway, topic."
Baek Ryuk Geom coughed on, lecturing.
"You're infusing your sword with internals now too. Infusion amps innate traits."
Blades sharpen, shields harden, arrows fly faster.
"Entry Sword Aura Merchant: emit only on your weapon. Unfamiliar with trait shifts. Master qi handling, extend to others. How? Meridians, incantations—step by step."
Baek Ryuk Geom lifted a body model, explained.
All noted, Kim Sun-woo circulated internals along the flow.
Grabbed writing pen like sword, à la master.
'Key: not blast—circulate like limb, sustain output.'
Smoother flow slashed waste exponentially.
Emitting simple: swing, sever flow.
Maintaining sword aura multiples harder than shooting.
Tsuzuzuzu.
Via White Flow Heart Method, internals rose; focus on pen.
Early fails: pen not limb-like, circulation rough.
Sense once, aced—but reaching it...
Scratched head, snapped pen half, fitted fingertip, circulated as flesh.
Paaaat.
Hazy wisp from nib—unlike before.
Not master's glow, but tip screamed sharpness.
Test target? Spotted empty bottle corner.
Cautious finger-swing.
Sruk.
Severed so silk-smooth, no feedback—top sliced clean.
"Succeeded cutting with sword aura? Congrats—you've entered Sword Aura Merchant, first-class realm. True warrior's first step."
Sword Aura Merchant, first-class realm.
Two weeks into martial arts.