Don't Hit Me! Please!
Boom—!
The massive silver sword suddenly jerked to a halt, shattered into a thousand fragments, and dissolved into the air like mist. The terrifying destructive force that had been radiating from the wings of swords vanished in an instant. Jo Pacheon’s face twisted in bewilderment. At that moment, a bizarre blood-red pattern manifested across Ya Mi-ang’s face as she hovered in mid-air, and a thick trail of blood began to pour from her nose. Her eyes lost focus, and her body began to plummet toward the deck.
"Now's my chance!"
Jo Pacheon didn't understand what had just happened, but he knew he couldn't let this opportunity slip away. Swish—! His sword light cleaved through the air. The fractured White Cloud Sword in his hand ruthlessly unleashed every ounce of its remaining power toward the falling Ya Mi-ang.
"This is bad!"
Mok Geun-han, who had been watching the situation unfold, gasped in horror. Abandoning the key he was supposed to protect, he threw himself toward Ya Mi-ang to intercept the blow.
"Get lost!"
Jo Pacheon swung his blade with savage force. The sword qi erupting from his weapon surged, creating a violent atmospheric turbulence. Crash—! Mok Geun-han was no match for Jo Pacheon. His own sword shattered instantly, and he was sent flying across the ship, coughing up a spray of crimson blood.
"Captain!"
"Sister Yeop!"
The other three girls lost their composure. Abandoning their respective opponents, they swarmed Jo Pacheon in a desperate, coordinated assault.
"I'll kill anyone who stands in my way!"
With a face as cold as ice, Jo Pacheon swung the White Cloud Sword. Whish! Whish! Whish! Three lightning-fast strikes. Despite the massive boost in strength they had received from the Divine Blessing, the three girls were still no match for him. They were sent tumbling across the deck, vomiting blood from the impact.
"You've lost!"
Jo Pacheon didn't stop. He swung his blade mercilessly toward Ya Mi-ang once more. Her situation was dire. However, as if responding to a faint flicker of her remaining will, the wings of swords on her back instinctively folded inward, wrapping around her like a protective cocoon. Bang—! Enveloped by her wings, Ya Mi-ang slammed violently into the deck. She rolled across the wood, her wings splaying out haphazardly.
A murderous glint flickered in Jo Pacheon’s eyes. He showed no intention of stopping, moving in to finish off Ya Mi-ang, who had completely lost her ability to defend herself. Watching from the sidelines, Im Yeok and the others felt their hearts hammering against their ribs in shock.
Is he actually going to kill her?
They thought about stopping him, but it was already too late. The spectators and teachers watching from the harbor were equally horrified. Even Baek Hae-geum’s brow furrowed with rising anger.
That damned disciple! How can he not control his own temper? Does he not understand the gravity of the situation?
Just as the tension reached its breaking point and the referee on the ship prepared to intervene to stop Jo Pacheon—Flash!
A bolt of light streaked down from the very edge of the sky. Before Jo Pacheon could even react, the brilliant radiance exploded in front of him. The overwhelming silver light blinded him instantly. Then, an incomprehensible, titanic force manifested, completely neutralizing the 4th Grade Master Realm sword qi Jo Pacheon had unleashed.
"Agh!"
With a stifled cry, Jo Pacheon was thrown back thirty meters, stumbling as he tried to regain his footing. When his vision finally cleared, a stunning figure had appeared out of nowhere, standing protectively in front of Ya Mi-ang.
It was Jin Ju-je.
Dressed in a long skirt embroidered with the moon and the Divine Sword Mark, Jin Ju-je boasted a figure that bordered on perfection. Her long black hair billowed out in all directions like a crown of dark flames. Her face, seemingly carved from the finest jade, appeared to radiate its own light. Her otherworldly beauty instantly shifted the entire atmosphere of the team battle. Even the referee standing on the warship was left speechless, staring at her in awe.
The deck fell silent, save for the sound of waves crashing against the hull. Jin Ju-je knelt and gathered the semi-conscious Ya Mi-ang into her arms. Placing a hand on the girl's forehead, she began to funnel her divine power into her body. After a few moments, color returned to Ya Mi-ang’s pale face, and her turbulent Hyeongi began to stabilize. Only then did Jin Ju-je let out a long sigh of relief.
"What... what is this? Interfering in the Academic & Martial Arts Competition! This is a violation of the rules!" Jo Pacheon finally found his voice and shouted. He checked his own condition first, and after confirming he was unharmed, he began to protest loudly.
Jin Ju-je turned her sharp gaze toward the golden-haired boy. It was merely a look, but the moment her eyes met his, Jo Pacheon felt as if his very soul were being encased in ice. Cold sweat broke out across his skin, and he felt the blood in his veins freeze solid.
"I... I was just..." Jo Pacheon stammered, trying to conjure an excuse.
"Ya Mi-ang concedes this battle," Jin Ju-je declared. The massive wings of swords behind her emitted a wave of healing energy that enveloped Mok Geun-han and the other four girls, soothing their wounds. Then, still cradling Ya Mi-ang, Jin Ju-je took to the sky, streaking across the horizon and vanishing from sight.
Only then did Jo Pacheon let out a ragged breath. For a moment, he had truly felt the shadow of death looming over him.
"Senior Brother."
"We won!"
"Senior Jo, we actually defeated Ya Mi-ang!"
Im Yeok and the others rushed over, their faces flushed with excitement. Jo Pacheon merely nodded dazed, still struggling to recover from the shock of Jin Ju-je's presence.
"You shameless cowards!" Mok Geun-han spat as he struggled to his feet. "Senior Sister Ya was already injured and unable to fight! And yet you still tried to deliver a killing blow! Jo Pacheon! You are a man without a shred of martial integrity!"
The other girls glared at Jo Pacheon with pure fury.
"You ignorant fools! What do you know?"
"If you lost, just leave quietly! Are you going to keep barking without any sense of shame?" Jeong Seok and Mo U-chon shouted back.
Jo Pacheon suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Didn't someone say that every battle is a war where defeat cannot be accepted? In a war, it's only natural for people to die."
Before the four girls could retort, he continued, "There's no need for useless chatter with them. Take the flag."
With sneers on their faces, Im Yeok and the others took the key, deactivated the formation on the mast, and seized the flag of the Sineun-ho. The battle was over. Mok Geun-han and the girls watched the Baekun-ho sail away, trembling with suppressed rage.
"That Jo Pacheon is truly a vile piece of work!"
"It's frustrating that we aren't strong enough to avenge Senior Sister Ya!"
"Now, our only hope is Im Bukjin..."
"You're right. No one else is left who can stand against Jo Pacheon except that rascal. But it's a shame his teammates are so weak... If it were an individual match, there might be hope, but in a team battle..."
"No, looking at the current situation, it's hard to say Bukjin has a high chance of winning. The true strength Jo Pacheon showed at the end... he's already reached the peak of the 4th Grade Master Realm."
The four girls stood on the deck with heavy hearts. With Ya Mi-ang gone, their part in the team competition was effectively over. The rest of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition no longer concerned them. After a brief discussion, they were forced to admit that Jo Pacheon was the most likely candidate for victory, a realization that left them deeply unsettled.
"But what happened to Senior Sister Ya? She clearly had the chance to defeat Jo Pacheon... Why did she suddenly..." the girl named Chang-wol asked.
Mok Geun-han’s eyes filled with regret. "She must have drawn upon too much divine power for her body to handle... She lost control at the most critical moment. I heard once that there is a tiny fragment of the Divine Lord's will residing within her body."
The other three girls gasped in shock at his words.
At the same time, aboard the Grieving Im Bukjin.
"Well, isn't this a coincidence," So Byeong-gam remarked, watching Baek Geum-un and her team charge toward their warship like a pack of wolves that had spotted prey. He turned his head to look at Im Bukjin, who was watching for an opportunity from a distance, and flashed a smile.
"Hmm... to run into Brother Bukjin's team! This must be fate! Honestly, I'll tell you the truth! The person I admire most in this entire competition is you, Brother Bukjin!" His face beamed with a sincere, friendly smile.
"Then how do you explain that ridiculous name for your team?" Baek Geum-un asked, pointing to the large characters written on the mast that read THE GRIEVING IM BUKJIN. Since she hadn't had a chance to fight in the previous battle against the 1st Academy, she was itching for combat and looking for any opportunity to show off her skills.
"Ah... beautiful young lady. Please, let me explain my excuse... I mean, my reasoning," So Byeong-gam said hurriedly.
"It's all for the sake of popularity!" So Byeong-gam claimed with an aggrieved expression. "The lovely ladies here, and Brother Bukjin, you might not understand, but for a mediocre student like me, it's incredibly difficult to get people's attention..."
He paused to wipe away a fake tear before continuing. "In the previous trials, I did everything I could to boost my popularity. And in this team battle, I had no choice but to use this method to get people to notice us. If we can get enough attention, we might even get some sponsors and earn a bit of pocket money."
Hmm... he actually has a point. Mi Yeo-yeon and the others turned to look at Bukjin.
Standing on the mast and watching from afar, Bukjin’s face twisted into a scowl. Where did this freak come from? He's trying to out-clout me? And he's got a silver tongue to boot.
"Beat them all up and bring me the flag!" Bukjin barked savagely.
Facing So Byeong-gam, Bukjin felt an inexplicable sense of crisis. This weirdo is trying to steal my reputation as the number one eccentric in Unmong City! Not just his actions, but even his way of speaking is bizarre!
"Brother! Please! Don't hit me! Please!" So Byeong-gam raised both hands in surrender, flashing a good-natured smile. "I-I'm your biggest fan... No! You are my idol! We don't need to fight! Just say the word, and I'll hand over our flag with the utmost respect!"
Huh? He's just giving me the flag? Bukjin’s interest was piqued. Has someone finally appeared in this world who recognizes my majesty and bows their head voluntarily?
