Chapter 18
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Sword Breaker
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'...I'll come back next time.'
Erika muttered in a dejected voice as she glanced at the torn envelope, then turned to leave. Lee Se-hun stroked his chin, recalling her slumped shoulders.
'Even this doesn't form a bond...'
Defining bonds varied from person to person, but for Lee Se-hun's unique skill, Blacksmith of Bonds, it was simple.
How prominently he existed in that person's heart. And how much he himself recognized and understood them.
That alone determined if a bond formed and its level—no matter the emotions involved.
In that sense, Erika's current behavior and interest should have more than enough to establish a bond, yet it stubbornly refused to appear.
'Not a case of two-faced...'
Before his regression, Blacksmith of Bonds had made him adept at spotting such insidious inner thoughts. So only one possibility remained.
'Her core is just fundamentally different.'
Her values diverged so sharply from ordinary people that conventional means couldn't forge a bond.
That had to explain the current situation.
'What a tricky one.'
She seemed somewhat friendly on the surface, but their connection could snap at any moment.
The saying "even brushing sleeves forms a bond" apparently didn't apply to Erika.
'Annoying, but... the more twisted they are, the more unique the bond stones—and thus, the more useful.'
Still, progress wouldn't happen like this. He needed to dig deeper into what kind of person she really was.
As Lee Se-hun pondered his next approach,
[Now entering 'Aqar Quf'.]
The speaker blared its announcement. Lee Se-hun turned his head and peered out the window at the scenery.
Unlike other areas, this one sprawled sideways with massive buildings packed in tight—the domain of Aqar Quf, where combat-track cadets lived. He gazed at it in wonder.
'Surface area-wise, it's about 1.5 times the other department zones, right?'
Combat tracks needed vast spaces, but Aqar Quf's dominance in Babel also played a role.
'They've claimed first in inter-department tournaments for decades.'
Other departments occasionally snatched the top spot, but they usually lost it by year's end.
'While Borsippa languishes in perennial third.'
Not just the Forging Department—technical tracks as a whole tended to yield against others, and it was unavoidable.
Unlike visible martial prowess, technical skills lacked flash and persuasiveness, so they got pushed aside.
'The sorrow of tech tracks...'
As Lee Se-hun mulled this over while sightseeing,
[Next stop: 'Martial Combat Department'.]
The Martial Combat Department housed the Body Control class Ricardos Miles had recommended.
One of Babel's oldest departments from its founding days, it once focused solely on pure martial arts using body and mana. Now it blended diverse techniques.
Arriving before its main building, Lee Se-hun whistled at the sheer scale.
'Whoa. This has to be twice the Forging Department's size...'
And it was considered small among Aqar Quf's buildings—highlighting their prestige.
As he took in the surroundings and entered the main hall, he started spotting affiliated cadets. Their gazes converged on him.
"Should I ask?"
"Nah, he's just a freshman. What're you expecting?"
"He made a Rare-grade armament, though. You never know."
Unlike the hostile vibes from the Support Department, this felt welcoming. Lee Se-hun smirked unwittingly.
'Personal commissions, huh.'
Cadets at Babel acquired weapons in two main ways.
First, buying from outside. Second, purchasing from fellow cadets—which was cheaper for finished products.
Cadet-made gear received Babel subsidies, undercutting external prices.
'But custom orders change everything.'
Finished goods let you pick and choose, but customs offered no quality guarantees.
Commissioning an unproven cadet was a gamble—especially a freshman.
'Still, as department topper, they're giving me some credit.'
In Martial Combat, where armaments weren't crucial, this interest was notable. Other departments might actually place orders.
'Too early, though.'
First-years could officially take commissions from second semester. Before that, Babel didn't subsidize materials, so few risked it.
True to form, no one proposed despite the murmurs. Lee Se-hun strode deeper inside to the farthest classroom.
'This is it.'
The plaque read Body Control.
Tucked in a corner with a small room, it looked poorly regarded—but you couldn't judge without trying.
With that thought, Lee Se-hun stepped in.
"I've told you a hundred times, you got nothing to teach!"
"Please, just this once!!"
He spotted an old man bellowing and a young blond clinging desperately to his pant leg.
"......"
Lee Se-hun stared blankly at the scene.
Not just because the blond pleading from his pant leg was this year's Aqar Quf topper, Jake Myers—but due to an utterly unexpected figure.
"...And who the hell are you?"
The old man noticed him late and snapped irritably.
His close-cropped hair and snow-white mustache blanketing his philtrum. His sharp eyes and crooked mouth screamed foul temper—but that wasn't the point.
"You deaf? I asked who you are."
As Lee Se-hun stood silent, the old man scowled. Snapping to, Lee Se-hun pulled out his recommendation letter.
"Lee Se-hun, first-year Forging Department. Sent on Professor Ricardos Miles's recommendation."
"Ricardos? That bastard sent you?"
The old man eyed him up and down disdainfully, as if baffled by the endorsement. Jake, still clinging, explained instead.
"This guy's Borsippa's topper this year. He outshone me at the demo too."
"Hmph."
The old man turned back, scanning Lee Se-hun overtly again.
That unchanged first-impression gaze from past and present confirmed it for Lee Se-hun.
'Everyone hits rock bottom sometimes. What's the rush with money?'
'Who's stiffing who?! Just wait!'
'Ahem! Lost it all on a "small investment." Need a little extension... Wait, stop! Fine, I'll pay—just don't break the sword!!!'
'Skills! I'll teach you skills! Just stop!!'
The old codger who perpetually delayed payments, brazenly took commissions, then taught half-baked "interest" techniques.
Retired S-rank hero and pre-regression regular customer: Sword Breaker Ma Gwang-su. Lee Se-hun gaped at the sleazy bond's reappearance.
'This guy's a professor?'
Gambling addict, booze hound, human trash.
He'd only hunt when broke for drinking money, nitpicking every hero wielding weapons on TV. Personality wreck.
Skill aside, he wasn't professor material. Why was he here?
"Tch. Still looks like crap... You sure you're recommended?"
Ma Gwang-su clicked his tongue contemptuously—just as Lee Se-hun remembered. He produced the letter again.
"Here's the recommendation."
"Hand it over."
Ma Gwang-su snatched and read it. Lee Se-hun glanced down at the gaze from below.
"...Haha."
Jake met his eyes and gave an awkward grin.
Clinging to a pant leg looked ridiculous, but considering the man, it made sense.
'Yeah, you'd grab pants for this guy.'
Human garbage, sure—but skill-wise, few matched him.
Babel's president and Summit Climber, Ascendant Emperor Ludwig Schubert, had counted him among his few active-era comrades.
'Even Ludwig publicly admitted learning a few tricks from him...'
True or not, he had teaching talent.
Lee Se-hun himself had profitably used Ma Gwang-su's techniques pre-regression.
"You made swordsmanship?"
Finished reading, Ma Gwang-su eyed him skeptically. Lee Se-hun nodded.
"Yes. Nothing impressive."
"Obviously. No need to explain—I know."
"......"
As Lee Se-hun's eyes twitched, Ma Gwang-su stroked his chin, then glanced at Jake.
"You. That desperate for my class?"
"Yes! Absolutely!"
"Yeah?"
Ma Gwang-su smirked. Lee Se-hun narrowed his eyes at the foul-tempered grin.
"Then spar with this punk. Win, and you're in."
Jake's eyes gleamed at the proposal.
A small training hall at the classroom's rear.
Unlike the shabby exterior, facilities were top-notch—including the latest training gear.
'Old comrade perks, huh. Keeps it nice.'
As Lee Se-hun surveyed, Ma Gwang-su glanced at them.
"Face each other."
They took positions in the arena.
Lee Se-hun grabbed a training sword; Jake, like at the demo, went barehanded.
Weapons favored Lee Se-hun superficially, but considering departments? Laughable.
'He held back at the demo too.'
Even then, the gap was huge—plus Ludwig's enrollment gift likely boosted him further.
Depending on the gift, he could be leagues beyond opening ceremony levels.
'Pitting me against this guy...'
Testing his swordsmanship, sure—but no need to hype Jake up.
Irritated by the hassle, Lee Se-hun frowned as Ma Gwang-su grinned.
"Single round. First clean 'effective hit' wins, any means. Gear and I've got you covered—no injury worries."
Ex-S-rank hero. Stopping cadet spars was trivial.
Trusting that, they locked eyes, ignoring risks.
"Ready..."
Ma Gwang-su's right arm rose slowly; they assumed stances.
Tension peaked, gazes piercing—
"Go!"
Jake exploded forward at terrifying speed.
'Here he comes...!'
Frontal win against Jake? Suicide. His only shot: spot a 'gap' in the 10m charge and exploit it.
'Counter swordplay's safest, but...'
Ricardos advised restraint outside lethality—and it might not work on Jake anyway.
So Lee Se-hun opted for another pre-regression Ma Gwang-su technique: a self-defense art.
'Looser Force Release... stride width...'
His rigid stance softened fluidly. Ma Gwang-su noted it with interest.
'Kid's got Force Release down pat.'
Releasing power without collapsing form to maximize flexibility.
Easy in words, brutal to balance.
Demanded deep body mastery. Impressive for Forging—but...
'Not enough.'
Just that level.
'Force Release, huh.'
Jake adapted too: lowering, extending hands for a grab switch, mana reinforcing against counters.
Whumm!
No escape visible. Ma Gwang-su tsked at the gap.
'Tch. Hate cocky ones.'
No teaching urge, no fight thrill.
Wanted to boot them, but Ludwig's request bound him.
Bored and annoyed, he glowered—
Thud!
Lee Se-hun suddenly launched forward.
Unexpected charge. Looked set to parry with Force Release—Ma Gwang-su squinted.
Worsening a bad spot? What was he thinking?
'This kid...'
As Ma Gwang-su stared puzzled, Lee Se-hun's sword hand moved.
Whoosh—
Limp swing—barely a feint. Jake casually punched.
Clang!
Sword flew off; his already loose guard gaped wider.
Last merits—range and weapon—gone. Jake closed instantly, left hand thrusting like lightning.
Grip!
Arm caught effortlessly. As Jake slammed him down to nullify Force Release—
'Burst Ring.'
Ink Spider Ring on left wrist shimmered blue.
"?!"
"...!"
Surrounding space flipped; vanished gravity accelerated downward.
BOOM!!
"Guhk!"
Pain lanced from back through body like lightning.
Head-first would've been fatal. Lee Se-hun winced up at—
Ma Gwang-su gripping Jake's arm, eyes bulging down at him.
Drip.
Jake, nose bloodied from a facial, mouth agape. Lee Se-hun grinned at the duo.
"I hit first."