Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Special Training (6)
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…You have too much killing intent.
When they first met, the Holy Sword had said that. Looking back now, it was more like a warning, but Yeomyeong hadn’t paid it any mind at the time.
He’d even thought it was natural.
The martial arts he’d learned were meant for killing people from the start. It would’ve been strange if he didn’t have killing intent.
He’d heard similar things afterward too, but he hadn’t cared much.
In Manchuria, at the Academy.
His enemies always preferred swords over words. They swung their blades as if murder and violence were some miracle cure.
So he killed them. If he didn’t, they’d lop off one of his limbs.
He didn’t think it was odd. He just saw it as the natural consequence of great power.
That tendency had grown even stronger after he stole and mastered Pasun’s martial arts.
Was it the influence of those so-called demonic arts? He couldn’t say for sure, but one thing was certain.
The faster and stronger his martial arts grew, the more merciless he became toward his enemies.
He never imagined it would become a problem. Not until a few days ago, when everything had been fine.
But…
Corbus’s explanation just now had made it clear. Something was wrong with him.
‘…Why did I try to kill Ado?’
For daring to insult Seti? Sure, that warranted lopping off an arm, but it wasn’t a death sentence.
He knew that. He knew, and yet…
Yeomyeong had decided to kill Ado and acted on it.
From the footwork to seize the sword, to severing the arm to neutralize him, then instantly striking for the throat.
Every step was far removed from emotional impulse.
He’d targeted Ado’s life with the same calm, cold precision he used against terrorists.
Why?
Enemies were best killed quickly, and misunderstandings cleared up after. But that only applied when they were enemies.
Ado was just your run-of-the-mill rude punk, hardly qualifying as an enemy.
Killing him gained nothing, and letting him live posed no threat. Just that level of guy.
Yet Yeomyeong had gone all out to kill him. Right in front of the principal and Corbus, no less.
It was all his own doing, but he couldn’t make sense of any of it.
Looking back, this wasn’t the first time.
Take the incident with the Saintess’s spanking, for example.
That could’ve been branded blasphemy, but he hadn’t hesitated for a second to lay hands on her.
She’d let it slide without issue, thank goodness… but wasn’t that far graver than trying to kill Ado?
As Corbus had said, something in his head was definitely broken.
The silver lining was that he didn’t have to agonize over a solution alone.
The one with the solution—a beastkin—was standing right in front of him.
With that thought, Yeomyeong looked up at Corbus leaping toward him.
‘…She said I need to shed the killing intent.’
The massive crow beastkin, wrapped in mana, was plummeting down at him.
Yeomyeong gripped his sword tighter, ready to pour out his full killing intent.
***
Thud!
The heavy impact vibrating up from his toes convinced Corbus she’d sent Yeomyeong flying.
But the next instant, she realized she was wrong and laughed.
Yeomyeong was still standing there. The ground had cratered, dust billowed, but that was it.
He’d taken the full brunt of her immense beastkin weight head-on.
Seeing his sword slightly tilted, she figured he’d offset the shock with sword aura… and Corbus was purely impressed.
“More real combat experience than you look, eh?”
Instead of answering, Yeomyeong swung his sword through the air. Mana rippled along the blade in a long wave.
Swordsmanship based on Wave Yang Art, blended with all sorts of stolen techniques.
Honed by slaying nearly three digits’ worth of Shepherds, it poured forth—and Corbus met it head-on.
!!!
Mana clashed with mana, the air screaming in protest.
His sword shuddered against her feathered fist, her grip aching.
Just one clash, but it was enough for Yeomyeong to gauge her level.
A master. One rivaling even a dragon.
“Vicious sword.”
Corbus gave curt praise as she swung her uncommitted left hand.
Yeomyeong unleashed Flying Leg Art to retreat. Her monstrous mana-laden fist crushed the spot he’d just vacated.
Boom!
The earth split, spewing dirt. Nearby trees shivered, leaves scattering.
“Fast too.”
Before the green leaves could hit the ground, Corbus charged again with speed belying her bulk.
The instant she thrust her fist, Yeomyeong’s sword flashed. An improvised sword aura adapted from Pasun’s palm wind.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed. Yeomyeong frowned at the long gash across Corbus’s shoulder.
‘Took that with his body?’
The thought ended there. Corbus had already closed the gap, her fist connecting.
A utterly brutal punch, different in motion and mana quality from the first.
KABOOM!!
It detonated against Yeomyeong’s solar plexus. He gritted his teeth and endured, but couldn’t stop his body from launching airborne.
“Urk!”
Rolling across the ground, Yeomyeong clutched his chest and sprang up. As expected, Corbus was charging again.
He moved to fire another sword aura, then halted at the sight of her regenerating shoulder.
So that’s why he took it—regeneration type, huh.
In that case, spamming improvised auras from range was just mana waste.
Decision made, Yeomyeong gripped his sword and charged Corbus.
Despite wielding a sword, their fundamental size difference kept the distance between them even.
The moment Corbus’s fist and Yeomyeong’s sword entered striking range—when each reflected in the other’s eyes.
They both detonated their mana explosively. Wave Yang Art versus Corbus’s fist.
First clash victor: Yeomyeong.
Shing!
His surging mana sword sliced perilously across both her hands.
It was meant to seize the advantage in close-quarters brawling, but no panic crossed Corbus’s face.
She had more weapons than just her fists.
She deployed parts no human could: bird-sharp talons and beak.
Unlike fists, these tore flesh on a mere graze—and they targeted Yeomyeong.
Reflexively, he twisted his swing to block a talon, dodging the beak stabbing for his throat.
Unfair for Yeomyeong with just one sword.
He desperately missed his shotgun and grenades, but no point dwelling on absent gear.
Gritting his teeth, Yeomyeong activated Blood Acceleration.
His heart pounded, mana raced through his veins, his sword speed visibly surging. Overwhelming beak, talon, and fist.
“Oh! Martial arts and other tricks too, eh.”
Corbus, wielding her whole body as weapons, suddenly voiced admiration.
Still got spare capacity? Yeomyeong scowled and focused on his sword.
And so blade clashed relentlessly with beak, talon, and fist, each vying for the other’s body for a good while.
At some point, red blood and black feathers sprayed everywhere.
Talons embedding in thighs, swords severing fingers, bursting blood, scattering feathers.
A regeneration-reliant melee with minimal defense.
And the first to yield in that melee was none other than Corbus.
“To pit regeneration against a beastkin and win? Are you sure you’re human?”
She retreated, chest gashed long, and spoke.
Yeomyeong stepped forward and replied.
“…Orphan. Don’t know my parents’ faces.”
Hearing that, Corbus bellowed a laugh and countered with talons.
“My slip of the tongue. Forgive my broad-minded self.”
Clang!
Talon met blade with a ring, but they didn’t plunge back into melee.
Corbus had used the sword’s force to rocket backward.
Instead of pursuing, Yeomyeong spat blood pooling in his mouth.
“…We done here? Or taking a breather?”
Now at a distance, Corbus waved it off.
“No, no. Just that martial arts alone won’t settle this.”
“…”
“Your level exceeds my imagination. Honestly, I could applaud. That strong at your age—if not the Saintess’s match, I’d be jealous!”
Sudden praise, but Yeomyeong felt no thrill. This fight wasn’t for compliments.
“So, more beatings?”
“Regrettably, you’re still short. My failing entirely—my apologies.”
“…”
Seeing Corbus bow her head, Yeomyeong swallowed a ragged breath and gripped his sword.
The instant he charged again.
Corbus’s mana shifted drastically. More precisely, the mana pooled inside her surged outward.
A motion encompassing ambient mana—wholly unlike internal mana reinforcement martial arts.
“Do you know why ‘Crossroads’ is in my moniker?”
Crossroads Adept. Yeomyeong recalled Morine’s description of Corbus’s title.
“Because I walk two of the three paths allowed to Superhumans simultaneously.”
As if to prove it, her expelled mana arrayed in the air.
“…Mage?”
“Right. I’m a martial artist and a mage. If you ask my main trade, it’s mage, I suppose.”
“…”
Yeomyeong frowned at the ice spikes blooming around Corbus. Reminiscent of the dragons in Manchuria.
“Now, embarrassing as it is, we enter round two.”
* * *