The Great Hero’s Descent
Inside the boundary of the Great Hero, I saw an old man standing loftily in the distance. His lifeless white hair and beard bore the heavy marks of time, yet his overwhelming blue gaze and firmly set muscles radiated a majestic aura. A massive, space-warping energy emanated from the pure white sword he held pointed forward. It was the first time I had encountered someone whose level I couldn't even fathom, even with [Martial God (S)] and [Comprehension (A)]. The gap between the old man and Kim Ilshin was vast. It felt as if I were witnessing a god who had descended from the heavens.
'The Great Hero, Baek Ho-san.'
He was a legendary figure, a hero who had appeared out of nowhere during the Great Cataclysm of 1945 to save countless lives. He was the one who had single-handedly hunted two of the seven disasters that plagued the world at the time. He was a truly legendary figure, etched into the history not just of South Korea, but of the entire world.
'Is that guy the Sword Ghost?'
The swordsman being targeted by Baek Ho-san’s beloved sword, Hobaek, was also in Kim Ilshin’s memory. Once a promising swordsman with genius talent, he had defected to the Red Heaven Cult, leaving behind only the words that he wanted to reach the end of the sword. Since then, he had committed several massacres with his ghost-ridden swordsmanship, earning him the moniker "Sword Ghost." He was one of the main bishops and a primary force of the Red Heaven Cult. While he was a figure of great notoriety, Kim Ilshin didn't know him well. The reason was simple: he was destined to meet his death at the hands of Baek Ho-san. Right here, right now.
Flash.
In an instant, the dawn that seemed to set the night ablaze was imbued into Baek Ho-san’s sword. The brightly burning light illuminated the space. Swish— The light flowed along a trajectory as smooth as a brushstroke. From left to right, from dawn to dusk. Soon, the light followed the absolute laws of this world, moving beyond the horizon before sinking below. However, the light did not vanish entirely. As it sank, it cast rays of light between the sky and the clouds. It was like a lingering resonance.
“That is…!”
“Hah…….”
It was an artistic spectacle that could mesmerize even the enemies. But Kim Ilshin could see its source. Like light passing through a prism, every fragmented ray of light was composed of slashes. Furthermore, there was no time difference between the slashes moving like lightning. Countless slashes rushing forward simultaneously. It was a strike of absolute lethality, one that occupied all of the opponent's paths of retreat to ultimately annihilate them completely.
Splatter!
The body of the Sword Ghost, who had been standing there alone, was shattered into pieces. Blood spraying in all directions soaked the surrounding cultists.
“G, Ghost Bishop?”
“The Ghost Bishop has… no way…….”
The Red Heaven Cultists, who had believed their strongest force would defeat the Great Hero, lost him in an instant. Before they could even react, the sky roared.
Kugugugung—!!
Baek Ho-san’s sword strike exploded high in the sky. A vibration that shook the heavens followed, and beneath it, snowflakes drifted down softly. It was divine retribution descending upon those who served the wrong god.
“D, dodge!”
“If you touch it, you die! Survive on your own!”
An untimely winter had come to the sky above the nameless mountain. Every single snowflake fluttering down as if reaching a snowy field was a sword strike. The cultists grazed by the snowflakes were mercilessly sliced apart, spraying red blood. It was a scene as if a disaster had arrived. Kim Ilshin felt an indescribable beauty in it. It was dreamlike, as if he were in a trance. His mind boiled at the trajectory of the falling snowflakes. Inspiration, rising uncontrollably, made his feet move naturally.
Step. The first step was a snowflake falling limply.
Step. The second step was the wind swaying and digging in.
Step. The third step melted away without a sound; all of this was a cycle.
Snow Trace Steps (Seoljong-bo). The absolute being’s swordsmanship made one create a new footwork technique just by watching it.
Immediately after, Kim Ilshin looked up at the sky and thought, '……I have to get out of here now.'
Though his heart wanted to stay longer, the snow clouds bringing death were rapidly expanding their area. Soon, they would reach the end of the barrier and fill the entire interior. If that happened, Kim Ilshin would not be able to avoid death.
Woo-woong—
Kim Ilshin rang the red bell three times again and escaped outside. There were a few who discovered him and tried to follow, but the door closed before they could.
As he stepped out of the barrier, the surrounding scenery changed drastically. He had returned from a battlefield of screams and bloodshed to a quiet mountain.
“Whew.”
Exhaling, Kim Ilshin quickly descended the mountain. He had to return to the dormitory. Once the Red Heaven Cultists inside were all cleared out, the barrier would collapse, and Baek Ho-san would come out. Since he was fundamentally a good person, nothing would happen even if he were caught here. However, he could end up in a difficult situation. Like being interrogated about why he was here at this hour. The possibility of his lies being discovered was high, but telling the truth was also difficult. Therefore, it was right to leave this place quickly. He had already achieved his goal.
'I’ve gained a lot.'
A smile formed on Kim Ilshin’s face. The harvest from tonight was very high. In the process of fighting the assassin, Moon’s Wailing Scripture had developed, and he had created a new footwork from Baek Ho-san’s swordsmanship. Those two things alone were a huge gain, but there was something even greater. It was the ability to witness the swordsmanship of a Great Hero with transcendental power. His insight, which had been stuck at a relatively low level, seemed to have expanded significantly. His goal for strength had been newly established. What would it feel like to handle a sword if he reached the level Baek Ho-san had attained? He couldn't help but be excited. He couldn't copy his swordsmanship yet, but he would be able to unfold it someday. He also wondered what an even higher level would be like.
'Let's grow step by step.'
He didn't feel impatient. If he continued to train like this, he would be able to aim for that level before long.
Dozens of minutes later, Kim Ilshin returned to the dormitory, showered, and lay on his bed. Until he fell asleep, he kept thinking about Baek Ho-san’s swordsmanship.
The next afternoon. Having finished his preparations, Kim Ilshin opened the dormitory door and stepped out. It was almost time for the sparring exam. On Kim Ilshin’s hands as he walked out were white gloves. They had a sleek surface. They were gloves that Hana Lin had made for him using the scales of a Four-Kings Snake. It had cost a large sum of 3 million won to make, but he had no regrets. It was a relatively cheap price for such excellent performance. It had a defensive power capable of blocking mana-infused swords, and a function that repaired itself in a few hours even if cut. The performance far exceeded the standards Kim Ilshin had wanted.
'Hana Lin’s skills are good.'
He walked while thinking such thoughts. The academy streets were incredibly crowded today. People who had received permission in advance could watch the academy’s sparring exam, and the number reached hundreds, even thousands. So, it was bound to be crowded.
“Come try the academy’s special chicken skewers!”
“We’re renting out binoculars! You can’t see well with the naked eye!”
Merchants at the academy were also busy moving to seize this opportunity. Because of this, there was an atmosphere that felt like a festival was in full swing.
Kim Ilshin headed to the exam site at the time he had been notified. It was a large building modeled after the Roman Colosseum, so it could be seen at a glance from afar.
“Hey, don’t cut in line!”
“Students, come this way! Wait a moment! Outsiders, you cannot enter!”
The area around the exam site was more crowded and noisy than anywhere else. When he broke through the crowd and reached the front of the waiting room, a staff member checked Kim Ilshin’s student ID and let him inside.
“Student Kim Ilshin, confirmed. The previous sparring hasn’t finished yet, so please prepare in waiting room number 3.”
He passed through a long hallway and opened the door to the waiting room marked with the number 3. Inside the tense waiting room, there were many students waiting for their turn to spar. Kim Ilshin sat in an empty seat and watched the TV mounted on the wall in front. He could watch other spars on the waiting room TV. He could see students fighting in the six sparring arenas in the middle of the large Colosseum. Among them was Seo Ye-ryeong, who was pushing her opponent with wind-infused arrows.
“Hey, the Wind God Guild was here earlier.”
“I heard the Black Dragon Guild leader came in person?”
“I heard someone like Kim Seong-man in Class 2 already finished talking. He’s getting support in exchange for joining right after graduation.”
Scouts from external guilds also participate a lot in watching the academy’s sparring exam. They watch the spars to find the talent they want, and students work hard at their spars to catch the eye of the guild they want. Most students’ goal is to become a high-ranking hero in the future and enjoy wealth and honor. Because of that, the sparring exam, where they can reveal their strength to the outside world, is a good opportunity.
“Hey, hey! B, B, Baek……!”
“What, what is it? ……Whoa.”
Just then, the students in the waiting room suddenly started making a fuss. Not only that, but the spectator stands, which had been noisy with cheering and the like, went quiet in an instant. It was to the point where students who felt the anomaly stopped their sparring for a moment and turned their heads.
'Did he finally appear?'
Kim Ilshin was not surprised by such a phenomenon. He knew in advance what would happen at today’s sparring exam.
“That person is Baek Ho-san, right…?”
“Add the honorific, you rude brat.”
“Oh, right. Mr. Baek Ho-san.”
The Great Hero, Baek Ho-san, had appeared in the spectator stands of the exam site. He walked in radiating an unmistakably massive aura and sat in the front row of the spectator stands. While everyone was busy watching Baek Ho-san, Kim Ilshin quietly took a deep breath. Without any expectation of what would happen after this.