"Gasp!"
Hyonwon Kang exhaled sharply as the blade he had swung in a hurry missed by a wide margin. He tried to regain his balance, but his one-eyed opponent was not the kind of martial artist to let such an opening pass.
"Hey, kid. Are you playing around?"
Ryu Seol's eye arched playfully, her smile as chilling as a predator's as her ebony hair brushed past Hyonwon Kang's side.
THWACK!
Struck in the abdomen with the back of her blade, Hyonwon Kang dropped to one knee. Rubbing the sore spot, he looked up at Ryu Seol. "Ugh..."
He'd suffered defeat after defeat. So far, he had neither won an exchange nor gained the upper hand. Although it was just a light spar without inner arts, his opponent, Ryu Seol, was also fighting using only one of her dual blades.
Ryu Seol grinned. "I heard you cut down one of the Ten Great Villains. Was that just a bluff?"
"I-I didn't do it alone..."
Ryu Seol casually rested her blade on her shoulder. "Excuses won't help. People will assume you did it yourself. And if your skills don't match the rumors, they'll be really disappointed, won't they?"
"......" Hyonwon Kang fell silent.
He recalled what Baek Suryong had told him about the One-Eyed Demon Blade, Ryu Seol, the previous night.
"Not only is she the Commander of the Murim Alliance's Elimination Corps and a supreme master counted among the Five Supreme Blademasters, she's probably the martial artist closest to the title of world's greatest blademaster right now. This is a good opportunity for you to get as much out of her as you can."
"Isn't the Black Snake Alliance Chairman the world's greatest blademaster?"
"Ahem!" Baek Suryong coughed, finally remembering that the public did not yet know about the former Black Snake Alliance Chairman, Blade Demon So Jigwang, losing his qi center. "...Well, let's just say she's next in line for now."
Hyonwon Kang wasn't sure exactly what his teacher meant, but since he had called Ryu Seol the greatest blademaster, she must be skilled. He sought her out and asked for guidance, to which she willingly agreed.
At first, he had been confident. The enlightenment he had gained from the Asura Blood Heaven Blade on the battlefield, combined with real combat experience, surely that would count for something.
Unfortunately, Ryu Seol was still too high a wall for him.
He caught his breath, then stood and raised his Black Dao again. His body was stiff and reluctant, and his injuries were not yet fully healed. Still, he burned with the desire to grow stronger.
"One more time, please!" he shouted.
Ryu Seol grinned. "Oh? You've got spirit, at least."
Deep down, though, she was shocked.
The Azure Dragon Academy was overcoming its wounds and growing stronger, and it was channeling that strength toward one clear purpose.
What kind of crazy monster has the Chief Instructor raised? This kid's long since surpassed the level of a prodigy.
Hyonwon Kang had already built the perfect physique for a bladesman, and his battle instincts and senses were on par with experienced Elimination Corps elites. He still lacked what he needed to fully deserve the title of Sky Sundering Blade, but at his age, it was only a matter of time.
The confidence he had earned from killing one of the Ten Great Villains crumbled quickly into humility.
The only thing missing was experience and polish, and this boy's blazing eyes told her he intended to fill in that gap by force.
I didn't think something like this could happen, but I'm seriously impressed by this brat.
She taunted him anyway, "Pfft! That look in your eyes is quite insolent, you know?"
"Hyaaaap!"
Ryu Seol sneered. She had a good idea why Baek Suryong had sent this student to her. Because of that, she absolutely couldn't let her admiration for the kid show.
He wants me to teach his overly cocky student a harsh lesson, reminding him that the real gulf between a rookie and an expert isn't so easily bridged, huh?
Well, she would do exactly that. A supreme master of her caliber would never be careless against a prodigy. While appearing relaxed, she focused intensely on Hyonwon Kang every movement even as she crushed him with overwhelming skill.
There's no way I'll let myself be embarrassed by some junior who's so far below me!
THWACK!
Hyonwon Kang hit the ground again.
Ryu Seol let out a small sigh. "That's enough for today."
"Kuh... I can do more. One more time, please!"
Ryu Seol shook her head. "Any more, and your scabbed wounds will reopen . If that happens, I'll never hear the end of it from your teacher."
"Just a little more..." Hyonwon Kang crawled forward, reaching ahead as if he was about to grab her leg.
Ryu Seol scratched her head, exasperated. "Ah, fine! Get back into the stance you used for that technique earlier. Let me take a look."
"Thank you!"
Hyonwon Kang took his stance, once again full of spirit.
After that, Ryu Seol gave her junior, who might one day become her rival, a priceless private lesson.
Hyonwon Kang wasn't the only student immersed in training. Scenes never before witnessed were unfolding all over the Azure Dragon Academy training grounds.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
In one such place, the ringing of clashing swords echoed ceaselessly. Wiji Cheon and Baek Muheun sparred, captivating the surrounding swordsmen and swordswomen, including those from the SRS.
"Your fundamentals are sound, but your sword technique could use some polishing. This probably stems from ingrained habits formed during real combat. Your technique will work fine against lesser opponents, but anyone at your level or above will easily see through you."
Baek Muheun deflected all of Wiji Cheon's strikes, pointing out areas for improvement as he went.
"You won't find many opponents your equal at your age, Cheon, but if you're aiming to win the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, you'll need to refine your skills. Unexpected monsters show up there sometimes."
"Yes!" Wiji Cheon replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
He shared the same feelings as his grandson, and he also understood what the upcoming Heavenly Martial Festival meant to the young man.
For the first time in a while, he threw himself into every exchange, honing his swordsmanship with every swing and thrust.
Baek Muheun chuckled. From the other guys' perspective, you're already plenty of a monster yourself. It's just... sigh...
"I wondered why Mr. Baek Suryong was so strong. It must run in the family."
He parried Wiji Cheon's next strike hard.
CLAANG!
"That's enough for now. This time, I'll attack. Relax your wrist and deflect my blows smoothly."
Wiji Cheon blinked in surprise before breaking into a bright smile. "...Yes, Mr. Baek!"
The watching students gasped in admiration. Most of the existing instructors struggled to block Wiji Cheon's sword, but Baek Muheun not only managed it, he also took complete control of the flow at will. It was a textbook instructional spar.
"Relax your wrist about ten percent. Don't rely solely on instinct. Track my sword to the very end, then deflect it diagonally rather than meeting it with force."
"Like this?"
Wiji Cheon absorbed every word like a sponge, gradually refining his form. Having mostly sparred against Baek Suryong and Mae Geuklyom until now, this was a fresh and enjoyable experience.
"But we can't even properly follow his swordsmanship?"
"...Good. You pick things up fast."
Baek Muheun smiled and nodded.