I’ll Never Talk Back Again
In the fourth round of the drawing, Im Bukjin’s opponent was the class president of Class 10, a student named Geon Jin-geum. She was a remarkably cute girl with a round, innocent face and a bright, cheerful expression. She was easily the most popular girl in Class 10, but her charms meant nothing to Bukjin. He had absolutely no interest in the female students.
Clang—!
Once again, Bukjin defeated his opponent with a single strike.
"Aren't you being a bit too heartless?!" several male students from the audience shouted. These were the boys who harbored secret crushes on Geon Jin-geum. They couldn't believe he had ruthlessly suppressed their idol in one move without a shred of sympathy.
However, the girls in Bukjin’s fan club only cheered louder at the sight.
"That coldness! That ruthlessness! And that face! He is truly the Peerless Sword Immortal!"
The male students were left speechless. They couldn't understand why the girls were worshipping his face instead of his swordsmanship—though, admittedly, his skills were worth worshipping too.
The practical sparring exam continued until only four students remained for the semi-finals: Im Bukjin, Oh So-bang, Mok Sim-wol, and Ak Hong-hyang. The final showdown was finally within reach.
The drawing to determine the semi-final matchups drew more attention than any previous round. A box containing the lots was placed on the first dueling platform. The four students ascended the stage and took turns drawing their numbers. Once the drawing was complete, they checked the slips in their hands. Bukjin looked down at his: number 4.
The supervisor verified the numbers and announced the bracket.
MATCH 1: Oh So-bang (1) vs. Im Bukjin (4)
MATCH 2: Mok Sim-wol (2) vs. Ak Hong-hyang (3)
A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd. While Ak Hong-hyang of Class 8 wasn't quite as famous as Mok Sim-wol, she was still a "goddess" in the hearts of many boys. She was considered one of the top three most popular girls in the entire 3rd Academy, known for her bright, gentle personality and classic beauty. Usually quiet and reserved, her modest and soft aura had captivated many. A battle between two goddesses was bound to be a spectacle.
However, the match between Bukjin and Oh So-bang drew interest for an entirely different reason. The grudge between the two had only deepened since the start of the exam. Furthermore, the miraculous performance Bukjin had displayed so far made everyone curious to see how he would fare against the top-ranked student. The entire academy was focused on this single platform.
"The first match is Oh So-bang versus Im Bukjin. Both participants, take the stage!"
The teacher acting as the supervisor for this round was none other than Jeong Sam-seok. At his call, the atmosphere in the arena reached a fever pitch.
"Senior Oh! Good luck! Show that delinquent what's what!"
"Sword Immortal Im Bukjin! Keep the legend alive! I'm rooting for you now!"
"Senior So-bang! You absolutely cannot lose to that filthy, disgusting Im Bukjin!"
Oh So-bang walked onto the platform one slow step at a time. Hearing the cheers telling him he "couldn't lose" made a curse rise to his throat. Which idiot said that? Me, lose? There isn't even a one-in-a-million chance of that happening!
Bukjin soon followed him onto the stage. The two stood facing each other, separated by a distance of about ten meters.
"The time has finally come," Oh So-bang said with a cold sneer, glaring at Bukjin. "Disciplining your classmates was fun, but it won't be nearly as satisfying as breaking you. You vermin... I'm going to crush you right here so you can never show your face in public again."
In response, Bukjin slowly drew his longsword from his waist. "My thoughts exactly. I'll personally show you what a nightmare looks like."
With his sword drawn, Bukjin began to move forward. Mystic Energy surged within his body. His lustrous, dark hair shimmered under the sun as it fluttered in the breeze.
"Kyaaa! He's so cool!" dozens of girls screamed from below.
The students watched Bukjin as he walked forward with dignified confidence. They had to admit that, in terms of pure looks, no one in the 3rd Academy could surpass him. Oh So-bang, with his fair skin and sharp features, was certainly handsome, but standing next to Bukjin, the comparison was almost embarrassing.
Even before the duel truly began, many students found themselves overwhelmed by Bukjin's presence and began to shift their support to him. Sensing the momentum, Bukjin looked even more imposing. The arena was filled with shouts of his name.
Oh So-bang’s eyes flashed with a predatory light as he drew his own sword. The blade was honed to a razor edge, reflecting the sunlight with a piercing glint. It was a Treasured Sword named Ye-gwang (Trailing Light).
Ye-gwang was sharp enough to slice through solid steel like tofu. Oh So-bang had prepared this weapon specifically for this match, having kept it hidden throughout the previous rounds. He intended to use this masterpiece to perfectly crush Bukjin at the moment of peak attention, ensuring he would be remembered forever as the hero who defeated the "source of all evil."
"Should I pierce your leg first, or your arm?"
Oh So-bang’s pace quickened until he suddenly blurred, shooting forward like an arrow. His change in speed was so abrupt it left an afterimage. Seeing him charge, Bukjin also accelerated. He unleashed the first form of the Close-body Triple Link: Thrust!
Bukjin’s body and sword became one, transforming into a streak of light like a falling star.
"It's over!" Oh So-bang roared, thrusting his sword forward in a rapid, fierce succession.
Swish—! Swish—! Swish—!
The rapid thrusts overlapped, and a chilling frost began to flow across the platform. The afterimages of the blade coalesced into the image of a silver python, its maw agape as it prepared to swallow Bukjin whole.
Watching from the sidelines, Jeong Sam-seok’s heart skipped a beat. This is bad. That's not a basic technique. That's the Cold Python Seven Illusion Sword! It's a 1-Star martial art!
Jeong Sam-seok hadn't imagined that Oh So-bang had already mastered a technique beyond the basic level. Every martial art was categorized by a Star-rank, from 1 to 9. The moment a technique was assigned a Star-rank, its power far exceeded any basic martial art. If a Star-rank technique was used against a basic one, the outcome was almost always a foregone conclusion.
Jeong Sam-seok’s mind raced. In the spectator stands, Cho Heun also stood up. While he was proud that his student had progressed so far, his primary concern at this moment was whether Bukjin could avoid a serious injury.
Clang—!
The sound of clashing metal rang out. A broken blade fragment flew through the air as Bukjin and Oh So-bang crossed paths. It was a single collision. The illusion of the python created by the Cold Python Seven Illusion Sword vanished instantly.
Bukjin looked down at the sword in his hand in shock. It had been snapped in half.
Wait, what? Dammit! Wang Chung swore this was a Treasured Sword passed down through his family! It broke after one hit? This sword is just like its owner—completely useless!
Bukjin felt a headache coming on. On the other side of the stage, Oh So-bang burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! You vermin! Where did all that bravado go? Your trashy sword is broken, so how are you going to face me now?"
In truth, Oh So-bang was also quite startled. His sword, Ye-gwang, was a masterpiece, and he had used a 1-Star technique. He had expected to inflict a major wound on Bukjin and create a dramatic scene. Instead, he had only managed to break a common sword. Furthermore, the recoil from the clash had been so immense that he had nearly dropped his own weapon.
Is this trash actually this strong?
A sense of extreme caution began to bloom in Oh So-bang’s heart. He unleashed the Cold Python Seven Illusion Sword once more. Chilling energy erupted from the blade as it shot toward Bukjin.
But Bukjin didn't flinch or retreat. His intuition told him that if he took even a single step back, he would lose. A frontal confrontation was his only path to victory. He thrust forward again with the jagged, broken remains of his blade.
Thrust! The Close-body Triple Link was unleashed once more.
Clang—!
The clear ring of metal echoed as sparks flew in every direction. Another fragment of the blade shattered and flew into the air.
"Hahaha! Now all you have left is the hilt! Come on, how are you going to fight now?" Oh So-bang laughed mockingly.
Dammit... am I really going to lose? Bukjin was speechless. Without a sword, he had no way to demonstrate his skills.
"You piece of trash. I'm going to trample you into the dirt today!" Oh So-bang shouted. "You wanted to avenge those losers from Class 9? Too bad! Your end is going to be even more pathetic than theirs!"
Right then.
"Take this sword."
Jeong Sam-seok, the supervisor, maintained an expressionless face as he unbuckled his own longsword from his waist and tossed it to Bukjin. Catching the weapon, Bukjin felt so moved he could have cried. In that moment, Jeong Sam-seok looked like an angel.
Master! I promise I'll never talk back to you again!
Seeing this, Oh So-bang began to protest loudly.
"W-wait a minute! This is unfair! A supervisor helping a student? This is blatant cheating! I won't accept this!"