Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Many Hands Make Light Work (2)
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"Whoa..."
A gasp escaped Kim Gunja's lips.
He'd hoped she was serious, but this was beyond anything he'd imagined.
In front of Sin Yeji floated eleven training swords, each connected by thin threads of mana.
She truly had an innate talent for mana emission and control.
"You're really going all out, huh?"
"Of course."
Sin Yeji replied with a cocky grin.
This was for Uncle's one wish, after all.
No half-measures.
Her eyes glowed blue as she activated Demon Eye, brushing her hair back.
"I'll admit your swordsmanship is impressive. But that's only in the right 'situation,' right?"
"Well, yeah."
He couldn't argue with that.
The old him from yesterday might've struggled.
"I guarantee you won't get within a step of me."
At her gesture, the floating swords moved in perfect formation.
Like well-drilled soldiers, they spaced out evenly, forming a circle around Kim Gunja.
"You'll be too busy blocking."
Sin Yeji knew Kim Gunja better than anyone.
His single strikes packed a punch, but he couldn't chain attacks.
His blocking and dodging were subpar.
The strategy was child's play.
'Don't give him an opening. Overwhelm him.'
Watching her confident smile and the circling swords, Kim Gunja scratched his head.
"Yeah, this might be a bit tricky."
"H-Hey, no backing out now!"
Sin Yeji shouted in panic.
She feared he'd quit before they even started.
"No way. A promise is a promise."
"For real?"
"Yeah. What, do I seem that flaky?"
"Hmm, not exactly heavy-hitter material?"
Her mood lifted, Sin Yeji shot back with a nasal snort.
Kim Gunja chuckled, spreading his feet shoulder-width and steadying his breath.
The sensation of clashing swords with Ma Ilcheon lingered vividly.
After a quick mental rehearsal, he signaled the start.
"Ready to begin?"
"I'll end it painlessly!"
With her shout, the eleven training swords whipped around him at blinding speed.
Soon, they were a blur to the naked eye.
Swoosh, shwoooosh—!
The swords shot toward him irregularly.
Like spears thrusting from all sides at a man in a barrel.
Impossible to block or dodge.
But that was merely the opening salvo of an illusory masterstroke.
Kim Gunja twisted his left shoulder slightly, and one sword grazed past harmlessly.
Then, a flash erupted from his right hand.
Clang!
Three swords from the right veered wildly off course.
Using the recoil, he spun half a turn into the gap he'd created.
The swords aimed at his original spot sliced empty air.
Riding the centrifugal force, Kim Gunja's sword arced smoothly from low to high.
Craaaang—!
A small whirlwind from Reverse Heaven swept up two delayed swords, flinging them away.
And as if nothing had happened...
Kim Gunja sheathed his sword and returned to stance.
"...Huh...?"
Sin Yeji let out a childish yelp.
The result was worlds apart from her expectations.
And she wasn't alone.
"W-Wow!"
"Hey, hey! Did you see that?"
"...Insane."
The trainees who'd gathered at the news of her sparring buzzed louder.
To them, Kim Gunja looked straight out of a wuxia flick.
In a split second.
He'd nullified attacks from every direction without a waver. Enough to inspire awe.
"A D-rank like that?"
"...Bullshit. No D-rank moves like that."
"I knew it..."
"Re-awakening, right?"
"Whoa, two traits? OP..."
A little misunderstanding came with the territory.
As the trainees marveled at Kim Gunja's moves, Sin Yeji was stunned for a different reason.
The first counter was definitely Single Flash from Heaven-Shattering Sword.
She'd seen it dozens of times; no mistaking it.
'Not once, but three in a row...'
Chaining them was ridiculous enough, but he moved spryly afterward.
With Demon Eye, she spotted why immediately.
Which made it all the more shocking.
'Heaven-Shattering Sword with almost no mana...?'
He used some.
Just a tiny bit.
So the power wasn't full throttle, but that was shocking too.
'He can control the power output now!'
No more dumping everything into one brute-force hit.
Precise force, exactly as needed.
How?
While Sin Yeji reeled, Kim Gunja shook his head, unsatisfied despite the flair.
He regretted it.
'Sensations are sharp, but my body's lagging. Not fully adapted.'
A subtle difference, but one that could mean life or death—something he'd learned through brutal experience.
His 147,258 deaths had honed not just Heaven-Shattering Sword, but his combat instincts exponentially.
'Consistent training and sparring should fix it quick.'
With that light thought, and no follow-up attack from Sin Yeji, he smiled leisurely.
"That's it?"
She flinched, then bristled.
"N-No way! I was just giving you a breather 'cause you looked tired!"
True to form, she wouldn't yield verbally. Kim Gunja grinned.
"No sore loser excuses later, okay?"
A vein popped on Sin Yeji's forehead.
Clatterclang—!
Weapons erupted from the rack behind her: swords, spears, clubs, maces, hammers.
Nearly twenty floated up, and the trainees whoaaaed, backing away.
Scared of getting caught in the crossfire.
"I don't know how your skills jumped like that, but..."
Like a warmup, the varied weapons lined up in formation—a spectacular sight.
"This'll be tough!"
And the barrage launched.
This time, no dodging—Kim Gunja didn't twitch.
Doubt flickered on Sin Yeji's face, but only briefly.
Kim Gunja began to move.
Not flashy like before—just a light step forward with his left foot.
In an instant.
His form slid through space like folding it, slipping past the onslaught to right in front of her nose.
"Th-This can't...!"
As flustered Sin Yeji panicked, Kim Gunja smiled and raised his sword.
"Kyaa!"
Reflexively, she poured mana into layered Diamond Walls.
His sword swung lightly atop them.
Top to bottom, left to right.
Heaven-Shattering Sword, Sixth Form: Heaven Scorcher
Like ripping the sky asunder, thin crosshairs slashed across the mana barriers.
And,
Tick, tick—!
The neatly quartered walls crumbled in a heap.
Perfect power control.
Behind them emerged Sin Yeji's pouty, teary face.
Kim Gunja gazed at her quietly. She mumbled something, then sighed in defeat.
"I... lost..."
"Good work."
Incredulous murmurs swelled among the trainees.
#
Clunk—
Kim Gunja handed Sin Yeji a soda as he sat in the instructor's office.
She stared blankly, lost in thought, so he chuckled and pressed the cold can to her cheek.
"Eek!"
"What're you thinking so hard about?"
"You know, and you still ask."
Hiss. She gulped it down, pondered more, then asked.
"What was that?"
"Hm? What?"
He sipped his soda, playing dumb.
Her lips puffed out like a duck.
"...Seriously? It was definitely mana... but darker, heavier than normal. First time I've seen it."
Demon Eye owner, as expected.
Sharp.
"Spot on. Official name's yin mana, but I call it black mana."
"Yin mana? Black mana? Never heard of it..."
Of course not.
It was Shadow Lord Staine's technique and knowledge.
"Simple terms: even strong mana can't break physics, right?"
"Yeah... obviously."
"Black mana lets you bend those laws a bit."
Sin Yeji's eyes widened like a rabbit's.
"N-No way!"
"You saw it yourself."
"...! Then that weird slide earlier..."
His glide over shadows, evoking shrinking-earth steps.
"Yep. Black mana."
"My god...!"
Precisely, Staine's black mana technique.
Her shocked eyes gradually calmed.
Her grip tightened on the can.
"I... just don't get it. Swordsmanship too. How do you know this stuff? How do you improve every time? ...You know? Even today, you changed so much you didn't seem like you..."
Kim Gunja gave a wry smile.
He'd only realized his drastic change after sending off Lawyer Choi Jinseung and hearing it from Brother Chunduk.
"Like a total stranger. And I'm the only one clueless why..."
Her trailing gaze fell to his left leg.
'She knew.'
Yet the sweet kid held back, not prying to spare his discomfort.
If even informed Brother Chunduk was confused, how must she feel?
Time to come clean.
"Yeji."
To her troubled face, he smiled once, then slowly spoke.
Piece by piece, unburdening.
Starting with his grudge against Kang Inhyeok, up to his Customizing ability.
Initial surprise faded.
Then, she hung on every word, eyes glued to his lips.
Story done.
Kim Gunja wet his throat with soda and continued.
"I'll keep changing a lot. Maybe even ways I don't expect, like today."
A bitter smile tugged his lips.
He hadn't anticipated this side effect.
Couldn't predict bigger shifts ahead.
"Maybe... to where being around me feels awkward. If so, anytime..."
"Nope."
"Huh?"
"No matter how you change, it's not awkward at all."
His eyes widened slightly.
Her face looked briefly angry.
Like, why say that to me?
"You said it yourself. Crying, laughing, sulking—you were still Grandpa's pride."
Ah.
"Same here. You're you, no matter what. Not awkward now, or ever. So why say that? It hurts. Ugh. Makes me wanna kill that Kang whatever."
Right.
He had said that.
'Ouch, she got me.'
Closing and opening his eyes, he spoke.
"Thanks. For saying that."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. Really."
"Then the wish is off the..."
"That's separate."
"Tch, like I'm after your money."
Her lips pouted again. Kim Gunja couldn't stifle his laugh.
#
After chatting with Yeji, Kim Gunja left the academy.
He had a meetup with Pentagram's manager.
Heading to the subway, two geared-up hunters walked beside him, chatting loudly.
"For real?"
"Yeah! He takes great care of his contracted hunters."
"Should I sign with him too?"
"Meet him first! No downside."
"What's the name?"
"Infinite Guild's Hong. Sua!"
"Phone number?"
"010-angel angel!"
"Once more?"
"010-angel angel!"
Kim Gunja paused thoughtfully, then addressed the man.
"Excuse me..."
"Y-Yes? M-Me? I didn't say anything!"
Unscripted target interaction threw the actor into panic.
A bit puzzled, but curious, Kim Gunja asked.
"That Infinite Guild..."
Before he finished, trained emergency protocol kicked in—the actor's hand flashed.
"S-Sorry, I'm busy! Call—they'll help kindly. Bye!"
And he vanished like the wind.
Kim Gunja tilted his head, but shrugged it off.
He'd gotten what he wanted.
"Infinite Guild, huh..."
Pocketing the handed business card, he headed to the subway.
Hong Sua's marketing finally shone.