Chapter 2. Academy.
The first dawn of the second week began with the same deafening toll of the bell—dong, dong, dang, dang.
"Rise and shine, you maggots—!" Instructor Andre burst through the door, bellowing at the wriggling trainees. His savage roar drilled mercilessly into their ears.
Rolshar von Kilbape was the first to finish preparing and stand before the instructor, his face smug as if to say, I'm the one who fits the team leader role best, right? Hwang Ja-woo stood tall right beside him. The other three dawdled along at their own lazy pace.
"Move your asses faster—! You think this is a game, huh?! Bunch of lazy grubs looking to make friends—!"
Once everyone was ready for breakfast, the instructor led the trainees out of the dorms. Ji-hyuk glanced around and spotted the orc group by chance. Orc Giranoshi's feral glare was as fierce as ever. He'd just noticed Ji-hyuk too, his face twisting into one that screamed he wanted to chew him up and spit him out.
Of course, Ji-hyuk grinned cheekily and even waved hello.
"That... fucking... bastard...!"
But the orc couldn't act on his temper. If he did, the instructor would grab him and beat the dust off him again.
That asshole's still as retarded as ever. For some reason, Ji-hyuk itched to torment that orc every time he saw him. Probably because of the bastard's shitty personality.
...Well, that's what you get for pissing off a regressor.
Anyway, Ji-hyuk entered the cafeteria, finished his meal, returned to the dorm, and prepared for training. Finally, the mind-numbingly boring indoor lessons of the first week were over. The academy was now entering the second week's curriculum: combat training.
Of course, before actual training, they had to assign roles first. People's personalities varied, and so did their combat aptitudes. You couldn't shove a healer into a tank role, right?
...Ah, sure, there are those damn assholes who tank as healers, but let's call that an exception.
"So, it's important to know what you're good at."
But most people already knew their strengths, so this didn't take much time. It was rare for total newbies to survive the Tutorial anyway. It wasn't called a selection process for nothing.
Instructor Andre already knew the roles of Rolshar, Hwang Ja-woo, and Ungorap clearly. The ones needing clarification were Anna and Kang Ji-hyuk.
"I heard before—you use magic, Anna? How good?"
"Enough to pull my weight for one person."
"No vague bullshit. Give me exact numbers."
"About level 2."
Names varied by world, but levels were roughly like circles in magic. A level 2 mage at Anna's age meant decent talent. Mages were a rare role to begin with.
...And then, all eyes turned to one person. The weakest, the Earthling Kang Ji-hyuk.
At first, the trainees didn't know what an Earthling was, but after a week here picking up rumors, they learned Earthlings were as weak as goblins. So naturally, they figured Ji-hyuk had passed the Tutorial by sheer luck.
"You?"
Andre had zero expectations for the Earthling. They usually had great tech, but combat? Total garbage.
But they got an unexpected answer.
"I use the sword."
"...Sword?"
Hwang Ja-woo perked up most. He used the sword too, so he saw him as a fellow traveler on the path.
"How long?"
"Quite a while."
Even subtracting time spent dabbling in other things, it was at least 70 years with the sword. But saying that straight would get him laughed off, so "quite a while" sufficed.
"Huh."
Andre still looked unimpressed. Earthling bias and all. Ji-hyuk had no intention of forcing them to change their minds. He wasn't low enough to explain himself to every random punk.
Once you're a hero, they'll all grovel anyway.
Anyway, with roles clear, no need to drag it out. They had to find instructors matching their roles. Luckily, Andre handled swords, so Rolshar, Hwang Ja-woo, and Ji-hyuk stayed put. Only Anna and Ungorap went off to find theirs.
"Let's go."
Instructor Andre led the three to the sword training grounds. Soon, other sword users joined—two lizardmen, that was it.
...Well, yeah, blunt weapons, axes, spears are easier and more common than high-skill swords.
The instructor knew this too; no disappointment at the small group. If anything, he seemed proud.
He gathered the mere five and started with: "The sword isn't an easy weapon. You five prove that."
Then came the speech.
"I believe the sword is the weapon closest to perfection. No biases. It might seem outmatched by other weapons' strengths at first, but that's not the sword's fault. It's because you can't wield it well yet. Master swordsmanship, and you can attack or defend in any situation."
Ji-hyuk nodded lightly. Spot on. That's why he chose the sword.
"Outside the academy, sword-vs-sword fights are rare—few users. So you must learn to fight other weapons. That's the sword's fate."
Instructor Andre drew his sword with a shing. A finely honed master blade.
"But it all starts with basics. 'The sword begins with basics and ends with basics.' Technique matters, but without solid fundamentals, it shines nowhere. ...Though that's true for all weapons."
He demonstrated basic slashes, thrusts, parries lightly. Not top-tier to Ji-hyuk's eyes, but respectable anywhere.
"Exaggerating a bit, master this and you'll never starve. So learn well in the time we have."
He told Rolshar to fetch the iron barrel of training swords from the corner. Rolshar went with a why me and not the Earthling? look.
Andre had them pick swords fitting their hands, watching closely.
Ji-hyuk tested each one, swinging lightly. Not trash, but no masterwork—just standard iron swords. He picked the least bad.
Wouldn't take it for free normally, but beggars can't be choosers.
Two weeks felt fresh gripping a sword again, despite the time. Changed body, situation, blade—must be that.
"Alright, all picked? Spread out."
Trainees spaced into personal areas. Andre scanned them, nodded. Ready.
"I assume you all have some skill. But we'll build step by step. Got it? If you're good enough, we'll skip ahead."
"Yes."
Andre started with slashes. They mimicked his form, repeating. Awkward at first—natural, swords unfamiliar.
But repetition refined them. The self-proclaimed perfectionist instructor wasn't satisfied, though.
Ji-hyuk slashed too. Awkward start, but he adapted fast. His realm transcended tools long ago. In martial terms: man-sword unity.
"You're calling me a genius, but I've never seen one like you. Achieving that before thirty? Unheard of in my life. ...You reincarnated or something?"
Cheonma had said that to Ji-hyuk on his 14th regression.
...Fair, after dying and reviving that much.
"Sometimes you scare me. Like you see through everything. As if you know it all, looking down from above. ...You wouldn't get it. Of course not. You're just that good. You've experienced it all, brutally so."
Ji-hyuk had tried everything: sword, spear, axe, blunt, scythe, fists, thrown weapons... Not for variety—for survival. Desperate learning.
He chose sword ultimately, but no regrets on the rest. It forged him stronger.
"A weapon is just an extension of your arm. Think of the sword as your arm. You'll know the most effective swing. Only you know."
His old swordmaster's words. Ji-hyuk learned volumes there.
Arm's extension. He slipped into no-mind trance.
Andre, scanning trainees, fixed on Ji-hyuk—and couldn't look away.
...Huh...?
Ji-hyuk slashed. Once, twice, thrice, four times... Each built on tens of millions prior.
...Impossible in one lifetime. But permitted to him.
Repetition honed it sharper than a whetstone. Surpassing the instructor's.
Andre was entranced, eyes wide, staring piercingly.
To outsiders, all slashes looked same. To experts? Night and day. Novice piano vs. master's—micro differences. Finer than a hangnail.
What Andre hadn't reached in decades.
...That Earthling did it.
"...Instruc... Instructor?"
Andre snapped to. Rolshar caught his gaze.
"Ah, uh... What?"
"This good enough for the next step?"
Rolshar looked bored of endless slashes. Andre glanced back at Ji-hyuk—calm, as if nothing happened.
What did I just see?
Andre blanked. Aftershock of the unbelievable. Ji-hyuk smirked at the dazed instructor.
Eyes aren't just for show, huh.
This encounter was Andre's once-in-a-lifetime boon. A top-continent hero's strike—priceless beyond gold.
"Then... on to thrusts."
Andre thrust with full effort. But his own felt off now.
Trainees started thrusting. His eyes locked on the Earthling again.
Did I imagine it?
Doubt in his eyes. Ji-hyuk's lips curved into a deep smile.
Been a while—time to redeem one soul. He gripped his sword.
Stance set. Eyes closed, then opened—his aura shifted utterly.
Hero Kang Ji-hyuk had descended upon this land once more.