Chapter 30: Preparation (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: Preparation (5)
Kang Geomma boldly drew his short blade. The Sword Emperor responded, raising his own sword.
The cadets were fully prepared to hurl ridicule at him. In their still-youthful faces, the cunningness of adolescence also coexisted.
Although the fierce battle between Kang Geomma and Nox earlier had been shocking, they did not rate Kang Geomma highly; instead, they devalued his opponent.
They simply thought his skills were decent for a lowly special admission student. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand upon encountering a predator on the plains, they denied reality.
The elitism deeply rooted in their minds would not easily allow them to acknowledge Kang Geomma's strength. It had to be some kind of trick. The cadets quickly jumped to that conclusion.
But that would only last until today. Kang Geomma's true colors would soon be exposed. For reasons unknown, the Sword Emperor had singled out Kang Geomma as his sparring partner.
Why on earth?
They couldn't understand the Sword Emperor's intentions. Jealousy flared deep within their hearts over why he cared so much about that bastard.
Grimacing, the cadets whispered to those beside them. They hoped Kang Geomma would get a proper education from the Sword Emperor and piss his pants.
Such foolish thoughts filled their heads. Having settled on that expectation, they glared forward, waiting for the duel to begin.
But as if betraying their malicious expectations, Kang Geomma readily responded to the sudden duel request by raising his sashimi knife. He warmed up his body, slightly loosening and then tightening his grip on his sashimi knife. His attitude was so confident it was almost bewildering.
Even if it was just a spar, his opponent was the Sword Emperor, a Seven Stars Hero. It wouldn't be enough even if he bowed flat on the ground to show respect, yet Kang Geomma showed no signs of nervousness.
Fweeeet!
The whistle signaling the start of the duel blew. At the same time, the watching eyes narrowed.
“…….”
A suffocating silence settled over the spacious training ground. Soon, a low murmur rose like background noise. The cadets' expressions grew strange. Question marks popped up here and there.
What is this?
Kang Geomma and the Sword Emperor stood facing each other with weapons drawn. However, they merely glared at one another, completely motionless, as if their feet were glued to the ground.
Only the swords gripped tightly in their hands reflected the sunlight, casting a cold gleam.
Soon, an unnatural flow of air brushed past the onlookers' cheeks. It was clearly wind, yet it stung like a razor-sharp gale cutting into their skin.
Still, neither of them moved. Nevertheless, the onlookers' hair stood on end, and goosebumps broke out down their spines.
Despite the obvious lack of movement, there was a bizarre sensation, as if the clashing of blades could be heard. It was as though their eyes refused to perceive the duel, unable to take it in.
From a certain point, not a single cadet dared to open their mouth. Something trickled down their temples.
Beads of sweat formed on Instructor Lee Won-bin's forehead (?). He caught his ragged breath. His wide eyes darted back and forth between Kang Geomma and the Sword Emperor. Neither of them so much as blinked.
Even after several seconds had passed since the start of the duel, there was no sign of movement. They didn't even step closer. Yet, their sharp blade tips were aimed directly at each other's vital points.
When masters clash, what decides victory or defeat is the battle of wits.
They constantly observe their opponent, relentlessly searching for a gap. A single blink of an eye could cost a man his head.
As their mutual calculations and measurements piled up, even the imaginary battle of wits manifested as concrete illusions.
Not just the cadets, but Instructor Lee Won-bin was also seeing this for the first time. Countless blades clashed within the illusion. Though they couldn't see it with their eyes, they could feel it. Occasionally, the sound of rushing wind could be heard.
He was certain that the faint sound of clashing metal tickling his ears was no auditory hallucination. A droplet of sweat gathered at the tip of Lee Won-bin's chin and fell.
Looking at Kang Geomma, Lee Won-bin's face went beyond mere surprise to sheer shock. In his ten years as an instructor, he prided himself on having seen and nurtured many fine talents.
This was Joaquin Academy, the most prestigious institution in the world. Simply entering it earned envy and praise. Moreover, geniuses from all over the globe gathered here.
In his ten years as an instructor, he had raised talents that shone like gems. It wouldn't be strange for some of them to have their names engraved in history books in the future.
Furthermore, this year was the Golden Generation, shining more brilliantly than any since the generation of the Seven Stars Heroes. As an educator, just looking at them filled him with pride.
But the sudden appearance of Kang Geomma completely shattered Instructor Lee Won-bin's standards.
As if mocking common sense, Kang Geomma delivered a numbing shock every time he held a weapon.
He was even exchanging the sword of the mindscape with the Sword Emperor—a feat possible only for swordsmen who had reached the ultimate realm, and at the mere age of seventeen. It was an unspeakable, heaven-sent talent.
Looking at that boy, even the gems of this year's Golden Generation seemed as laughable as pebbles on a beach.
‘…To think he was this good.’
Even amidst this, the invisible battle continuing before him made Lee Won-bin's chest itch. His heart pounded wildly. It was something that stirred a man's soul.
His mind went blank. The situation unfolding before his eyes far transcended the perception of ordinary men. Just then, the atmospheric pressure grew even heavier.
Whoosh—!
A blue energy, like a suddenly rising sea, flared up.
The condensed Sword Energy took shape, wrapping around the straight sword held by the Sword Emperor like a veil.
The blue Sword Aura, the very reason Siegfried von Nibelung was called the strongest of humanity, and something only swordsmen who had reached the ultimate realm could wield. People called it Aura.
The Sword Energy, forged through heaven-sent talent and long years of effort, was already in the realm of magic.
Lee Won-bin felt awe and fear envelop his entire body. Perhaps because an ordinary iron sword could not withstand the energy, the Sword Emperor's straight sword began to crumble into dust starting from the base of the hilt.
A dry groan escaped from the lips of the watching cadets and Lee Won-bin. A few onlookers rubbed their eyes. In an instant, a dry warmth enveloped the training ground, drying the air. Their lips grew parched, and they couldn't even swallow their spit.
Only Kang Geomma faced the Sword Emperor with unwavering eyes. Soon after, he crouched, as if condensing his strength. This was no longer an illusion; it was reality.
Cold sweat poured down Lee Won-bin's back. His clothes, damp from excessive sweating, clung tightly to his neck.
“Sword Emperor!”
Lee Won-bin called out to the Sword Emperor in a heavy voice. He had to stop them. Otherwise, one of them would die. His intuition screamed a fierce warning.
Despite his shout, the Sword Emperor did not turn his head.
Instead, he bared his white teeth in a grin. His pupils, locked onto Kang Geomma, did not waver in the slightest.
In his topaz-like eyes, a childlike innocence lingered.
As the momentum of the Aura intensified, thick veins began to bulge on Kang Geomma's forearms.
Those two were already in a different space from him. No matter how much he called their names, it would not reach their ears.
He had to step in and stop them. But his trembling knees had no strength. He felt pathetic in his helplessness. Lee Won-bin shuffled forward, trying to reach them.
Creak—
Kang Geomma's upper body leaned forward a bit more. A bizarre stance, with one foot taking a large step forward and the other stretched far back. In his shadowed face, only his eyes gleamed like a wolf's.
Taking a long breath, the Sword Emperor assumed a similar stance to Kang Geomma, dragging the tip of his sword along the dirt ground. Crumbled dust drifted from the half-burnt hilt.
Soon, Lee Won-bin's face turned pale. Just as Kang Geomma and the Sword Emperor were about to leap off the ground simultaneously—
“Hey, you damn geezer!”
A sharp female voice echoed loudly. Eyes blinked as they looked up at the sky. Academy Principal Medea was floating in the air, her black robes fluttering.
Immediately, like a rapid torrent, her fluttering black robes touched down on the ground.
The Sage, Medea. With a face flushed with anger, she marched toward the Sword Emperor.
Striding toward the Sword Emperor, Medea grabbed him by the collar and barked. The metal ball inside the whistle hanging around the Sword Emperor's neck rattled noisily.
“You old fossil! Have you gone senile?! What the hell do you think you're doing against a student!”
Only then did the Sword Emperor seem to snap out of it, shaking his head to clear his mind. It was as if he had been possessed. Medea glared at him coldly.
“Are you out of your mind? If you have dementia, stay quiet at home. I went out of my way to make a spot for you because you said you wanted to be at the academy, and now you're activating a Blessing against a student? Are you crazy? Do you really want to die? Huh?!”
As she shook his collar, his platinum-blonde hair swayed back and forth. The Sword Emperor scratched his cheek, avoiding her gaze.
“I didn't mean to.”
“Bullshit.”
The Sword Emperor wanted to argue back, but swallowed his words. No matter how he looked at it, it was indeed his fault. He hadn't intended to activate the Blessing of the Sword Spirit, but swept up in an endless euphoria, he had unleashed his Aura without realizing it.
The Sword Emperor shut his mouth tight and turned his gaze toward Kang Geomma. Because Medea was shaking him so violently, Kang Geomma's figure appeared as an afterimage.
Before he knew it, Kang Geomma had already sheathed his sashimi knife.
He looked so serene that it was hard to believe he was the same boy who had just engaged in a mental sword fight.
The Sword Emperor fell into thought, touching his neck. The burning sensation of pain scraping his throat was an unfamiliar feeling.
He had felt a golden trajectory of killing intent slide past his neck. He, too, had squeezed out his Aura with all his might to counter it. Just as the match was about to be decided, Medea's shouting had snapped them both out of it.
“Hey! Are you listening to me, you old fossil?!”
“Medea, I'm sorry.”
“Huh...?!”
Siegfried apologized with a nod to Medea, who was glaring at him fiercely. At that, the anger that had risen to the top of her head instantly subsided. It was an unexpected reaction.
For over fifty years, Siegfried had never apologized.
He was the epitome of a stubborn old man, incredibly prideful and convinced he was always right even if it killed him. Sensing something amiss, worry suddenly washed over Medea's face.
“…Sieg, are you really senile?”
“Medea! Watch your mouth in front of the cadets!”
“Pfft.”
A sound that shouldn't have escaped slipped from one of the cadets. Instinctively, the Sword Emperor and the Academy Principal turned their gazes toward the crowd of cadets. A male student with piercings covered his mouth, his eyes darting around.
After glaring at the male student for a moment, the Sword Emperor sighed and brushed off the delicate hand gripping his collar. Medea readily let him go.
“There is still unfinished business. Let's put our conversation on hold for a moment.”
After straightening his clothes, the Sword Emperor turned his steps toward Kang Geomma.
Step, step.
His footsteps were heavy, as if welcoming a long-lost comrade. Soon, the Sword Emperor, Siegfried, stood tall in front of Kang Geomma.
The surroundings fell silent in an instant. After quietly observing Kang Geomma, the Sword Emperor extended his hand for a handshake.
“Siegfried von Nibelung. I have learned from you.”
Kang Geomma, lost in thought for a moment, shook his hand with a calm expression. He felt the wrinkled texture of a hand covered in calluses.
“Kang Geomma. I have learned from you.”
Smiles played on the lips of both the boy and the old man.