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The day after the advertisement incident was exceptionally clear. It was a beautiful day, with a gentle breeze and warm sunlight bathing the world in gold.

Inside Training Hall 2 of the National Imperial Junior Academy.

"I am O Bonggok, and I will be the chief supervisor for today's examination. The second trial to be held today is the Sword Technique Exam."

The role of chief supervisor was rotated among officials from the Bureau of Education. O Bonggok was an official of the same rank as Lee Yak-so. He appeared to be in his fifties, a middle-aged man with graying hair, a broad nose, a ruddy face, and a slightly plump build. His voice carried a heavy sense of dignity.

In the center of the training hall stood a rack filled with weapons. Twenty steel longswords were displayed on the rack—each one identical in shape, weight, material, and sharpness.

Next to the weapon rack was a small platform, about three meters high and nine meters in diameter. On top of the platform sat a black stone table, and upon that table rested a single, round watermelon.

"The first event of the Sword Technique Exam is the Contest of Sword Speed!" Chief Supervisor O Bonggok announced in a booming voice.

"Students will ascend the platform in the order of the numbers they have drawn. Within the duration of a single breath, you must draw your sword and strike the watermelon. The more times you swing your sword and the more pieces you slice the watermelon into, the higher your score will be!"

His voice rang out clearly through the training hall.

What? Bukjin was flabbergasted.

What kind of bizarre test is this? Did they get a sponsorship deal from a local watermelon vendor or something?

Bukjin had never imagined in his wildest dreams that one of the events in a sword technique exam would involve slicing fruit. He scrutinized the watermelon on the table. It was perfectly round, with a vibrant green rind that looked quite appetizing. However, there were no brand stickers or labels on it.

Doesn't look like a sponsored ad for a fruit shop, then.

To be honest, Bukjin wasn't particularly confident in his ability to slice watermelons. He was much more confident in his ability to slice off people's heads. While Bukjin was lost in these thoughts, the Contest of Sword Speed began.

The first person to step onto the testing platform was a female student from the 5th Academy. She selected a longsword from the rack, gripped it, and gave it a few experimental swings to get a feel for its balance. Then, she slowly ascended the platform toward the table.

She had bronze skin and a modest build, dressed in standard swordsman attire. She looked very composed. Standing before the table, she slowly circulated her Hyeongi and took a deep breath. Countless eyes were fixed upon her.

Having slowly drawn her sword, the girl nodded toward Supervisor O Bonggok, who stood nearby.

"Begin!"

At the supervisor's command, the girl drew her sword with ferocious intensity. She started by slicing the very bottom of the watermelon.

Shink—!

The sound of air being rent apart echoed as a single slice of watermelon flew into the air. In the next instant, silver sword-light flashed repeatedly, accompanied by a continuous barrage of whistling air.

"Stop!" the supervisor shouted.

The "single breath's time" he had specified was exactly that—the duration of one inhalation and exhalation. It was an incredibly short window. The girl retracted the sword she had thrust forward. The watermelon slices that had been tossed into the air by her blade fell back onto the table. The girl used the flat of her blade to lightly tap the fruit.

Immediately, the round watermelon split open like a blooming flower, crumbling into numerous pieces across the stone table.

"Whoa..." Bukjin let out a rare exclamation of admiration. The students around him turned to look at him.

"Man, I'm getting a little thirsty," Bukjin said, licking his lips. The other students looked at him with expressions of utter disbelief.

Supervisor O Bonggok announced her results in a loud voice. The grades for the sword speed exam were divided into A, B, C, and D (Gap, Eul, Byeong, Jeong), and each grade was further subdivided into High, Mid, and Low (Sang, Jung, Ha). For a student like Ryu Yeong, these were excellent marks.

A faint smile appeared on Ryu Yeong's serious face. She sheathed her sword, turned, descended the platform, and returned the weapon to the rack. The exam continued.

The representative students of the 3rd Academy participated one after another, and their overall performance fell within the middle-to-lower range. These results were consistent with the 3rd Academy's student recruitment standards and average educational level. In fact, compared to the 3rd Academy's historical performance in the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, the scores these three had received were already considered superior.

Ryu Gye-hae, who had accompanied the students, was relatively satisfied with their performance. However, his greatest hope still rested on Bukjin. For him, the most pressing question was what kind of incredible display the miracle-working boy, Im Bukjin, would show in this round.

Cho Heun and Ban Oe-min were also pinning high expectations on Bukjin.

At that moment, Supervisor O Bonggok's voice, filled with sudden excitement, thundered through Training Hall 2. Gasps of shock erupted from all sides.

"Forty-four slices in one go!"

"She swung her sword forty-four times in a single breath!"

This was a score that transcended the normal boundaries of possibility.

"Good grief! Forty-four times in a second? What kind of speed is that!" Bukjin was also deeply shocked. That's way too fast! Is that priestess's hand speed so high because she hasn't seen a boyfriend in too long...? No, no, that's a low-class thought. Bukjin quickly folded away his straying thoughts.

The incredible speed Ya Mi-ang displayed caused the confident expression on Jo Pacheon's face to sink into a heavy frown. Then, O Bonggok's voice, still brimming with amazement, rang out again.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Im Jin's beautiful eyes. With an expressionless face, she carried her sword down and returned it to the rack. As she was returning to her seat, her gaze met Ya Mi-ang's. For a moment, it felt as if sparks were flying between ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them.

Though it was unclear when it had started, a certain animosity seemed to have formed between the two girls. In yesterday's Strength Trial, Ya Mi-ang had lifted the No. 5 cauldron and received a High rank, which was one rank lower than Im Jin's. In today's Sword Speed Trial, Im Jin had sliced two fewer pieces than Ya Mi-ang, allowing the priestess to settle yesterday's debt. The competition between them had only just begun.

The Sword Speed Trial continued, and many good scores were recorded.

Finally, it was Jo Pacheon's turn. Chief Supervisor O Bonggok's voice underwent another 180-degree shift in tone.

The supervisor's voice echoed through the hall. The genius students stirred once more, murmuring in admiration. Jo Pacheon's score matched Ya Mi-ang's and surpassed Im Jin's. He truly lived up to his reputation as the genius boy of White Cloud City.

Yesterday, although Jo Pacheon had been heavily outmatched by Bukjin in the Strength Trial and ended up coughing up blood, the record of five jeong of force he had shown was already an incredible feat. It was simply his misfortune to have met a monster like Bukjin, which caused his own monstrous talent to be overshadowed. In today's sword speed exam, Jo Pacheon had finally demonstrated his true talent by outperforming Im Jin.

Jo Pacheon felt a surge of joy in his heart upon confirming his score. However, outwardly, he maintained a dissatisfied expression and shook his head. Sheathing his sword, Jo Pacheon slowly descended the platform and placed the weapon back on the rack. As he turned, his gaze met Bukjin's, and a provocative light shone in his eyes.

By coincidence, Bukjin was the very next person in the order after Jo Pacheon. Supervisor O Bonggok called out Bukjin's name, and Bukjin slowly made his way toward the platform. He grabbed the first sword his hand touched from the rack and ascended the stairs.

Countless eyes were focused on Bukjin. In the previous written exam and the Strength Trial, he had shown a monstrous performance that completely overwhelmed his peers. Consequently, people were highly anticipating what he would do in this Sword Speed Trial.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on him. Many people were staring at Bukjin with bated breath. Even the spectators watching the broadcast within Unmong City held their breath at this moment.

On the Hyeongi crystal screens, Bukjin was seen nodding toward Supervisor O Bonggok with a very demure expression.

"Begin!"

O Bonggok announced the start of the test in a loud voice.

Bukjin raised his longsword high and slammed the flat of the blade down onto the watermelon on the table with all his might. To be precise, the sound was not a sharp shink, but a dull thud.

"Behold as my single strike brings peace to Unmong City!" Bukjin shouted at the top of his lungs.

SPLAT—!

Watermelon juice sprayed into the air. The large, round fruit was completely pulverized, and countless fragments flew in every direction. At a glance, there appeared to be at least seventy or eighty pieces.

Everyone watching was stunned by Bukjin's thick-skinned antics. For a moment, the massive training hall became deathly silent. The citizens watching the exam through various crystal screens felt as if food had gotten stuck in their throats, unable to swallow.

It was the first time anyone had seen someone take a test meant to measure sword speed in such a manner. While the crowd was still staring with wide eyes, Bukjin began to move again.

He stepped in front of the Thousand-Mile Eye camera, gave a light cough, and struck a pose exactly like one he had seen in a modern advertisement. Then, he summoned a small, round object from his dark green storage ring, held it up, and began his pitch with a bright smile.

As Bukjin continued his prepared speech, he slowly raised his hand. Resting upon it was a single bar of white soap, polished to a luster like white jade.