Chapter 122

The masked woman twisted her smile and pointed her sword.

Lee Junseong held his sword straight and analyzed the situation.

This ambush event was broadly classified into three categories.

First. Delay.

It was a method of holding out against overwhelming enemies until reinforcements arrived, but the world was too noisy to expect any help.

Therefore, this was not a delay event.

Second. Support.

It was a method of helping allies to defeat overwhelming enemies, but the state of the allies was not good enough to expect that either.

If Baek Siyun hadn’t helped, that active martial artist would have been beheaded on the spot.

Therefore, this was not a support event either.

Third. Repel.

It was a method of repelling the enemy, but this was also ambiguous.

For three first-year students to defeat, the enemy seemed too strong.

Crack. The ground stepped on by the masked woman split under pressure. As she kicked off, fragments scattered in all directions.

The masked woman’s sword shot like a bullet towards Lee Junseong.

It was a speed that tested human reaction time. Thanks to that, Lee Junseong activated [Swiftness] half a beat late.

As the world slowed down like in slow motion, Lee Junseong struggled to move his sword.

After the 3-second duration of the C-rank [Swiftness] passed, sparks flew everywhere.

Lee Junseong, who barely blocked the masked woman’s sword, sighed inwardly.

‘The difficulty is insane.’

Even Lee Junseong, who is good at games, found it overwhelming even with ‘bullet time’.

Truly befitting a mid-boss.

“Junseong!”

Kang Sihoo intervened from the side.

Kiiing—. A faint purple aura formed on Kang Sihoo’s sword.

Though not perfect, it was unmistakably sword energy.

It was proof that Kang Sihoo had half-stepped into the realm of mastery beyond the peak of the first-rate.

Like a plum blossom blooming in the first snow, the sword moved smoothly and then suddenly shot up like a flash.

Plum Blossom Sword Technique. First Form.

Falling Petals, Touching Red.

Clang—! The sound of iron clashing echoed everywhere.

The purple aura scattered like fragments, and beyond it, the masked woman’s lips twisted into a long smile.

Her sword was already enveloped in a crimson aura.

As if unable to control the power, a crimson aura burst from the masked woman’s entire body.

A fierce and tyrannical momentum pressed down on all sides.

Under that pressure, the active martial artist trembled as if unable to breathe, holding his sword.

Lee Junseong also clicked his tongue at the sluggish controls.

Kang Sihoo, seemingly in the same state, circulated his internal energy beside him. It was an attempt to quickly shake off the debuff, but the problem was that.

The enemy wouldn’t stay still during that time.

Thud. Creating a small crater, the masked woman charged forward.

As expected, Lee Junseong focused and timed the activation of [Swiftness].

And then.

Swoosh. Baek Siyun slid forward as if gliding on the ground.

The masked woman’s tyrannical sword strike tore through the air, aiming for Baek Siyun.

Baek Siyun’s figure looked precarious, like a lantern before a storm.

As if she would disappear if you blinked, as if she would collapse any moment.

But Baek Siyun held her sword as if nothing was wrong.

As if the enemy before her was of no concern.

Baek Siyun’s sword moved.

Following the trajectory of Taeguk, the sword smoothly cut through the empty air, clashing with the masked woman’s tyrannical strike.

And then.

Thud. Like a lost child, the masked woman’s strike deviated from its path and crashed into the ground.

As if finding it amusing, the masked woman burst into mad laughter.

Whoosh—. This time, the masked woman’s explosive energy condensed inward.

The pressure that had been pressing down on all sides disappeared. But even so, the masked woman felt more threatening than ever.

Scattering crimson sword energy in bundles, the masked woman swung her sword. A deafening roar filled the surroundings.

In front of that.

Baek Siyun once again held her sword as if nothing was wrong.

All things change.

The big becomes small, the small becomes big again.

The black dot becomes a white area, the white dot becomes a black area again.

Opposing yet coexisting, softness becomes strength, strength becomes softness again.

One becomes two (Taeguk creates Yang and Yin),

Two returns to one (Yang and Yin combine into Taeguk).

Thus, all things repeat and return to one.

Taeguk Hyegeom. Ultimate Technique.

All Phenomena Return to One.

For a moment, the world was engulfed in silence.

The reason was simple.

Everything had returned to nothingness because of Baek Siyun’s sword.

The masked woman’s demonic energy, the bundles of sword energy, the sword strikes, everything.

Boom—. Amidst the distant explosion being the only sound, Kang Sihoo and the active martial artist quickly moved.

Taking advantage of the masked woman’s defenseless state, Kang Sihoo and the active martial artist swung their swords.

Plum blossoms bloom, and the heaviness of the sky presses down on the masked woman.

Swords clash, and the atmosphere resonates. Baek Siyun assists in the joint attack, but using big techniques in succession is burdensome, so she doesn’t make much of an impact.

Ultimately, facing the masked woman between the peak and the supreme peak, Baek Siyun, who had just reached the peak, Kang Sihoo at the threshold of the peak, and a first-rate martial artist from the Namgung family were insufficient.

They needed help.

But there was no one here who could provide support.

In other words.

The only one who could help those three was Lee Junseong.

Lee Junseong quietly watched the trio’s joint attack.

Lee Junseong became interested in baseball in the fourth grade of elementary school. It was after his friend brought a baseball manga.

Wanting to become a baseball player after reading a baseball manga. It was a pretty ridiculous reason, but surprisingly common.

Lee Junseong joined the baseball team in the sixth grade, so there was about a two-year gap, during which he constantly pondered.

The number of people who can make a living through baseball is extremely limited, can I be one of them?

Wouldn’t it be okay to just enjoy it as a hobby?

After racking his small brain, Lee Junseong finally joined the baseball team.

Because he concluded that even if he failed, he would regret not trying more.

So even when blocked by the wall of talent, Lee Junseong didn’t particularly regret it.

Lee Junseong first became interested in movies in his second year of middle school.

Around the time he quit the baseball team and poured all his energy into studying, a movie he happened to watch captivated his heart.

This time, it took him a year to make a decision.

In his third year of middle school, Lee Junseong joined the film research club, and that determination lasted until his second year of high school.

Unfortunately, Lee Junseong had no talent for creation.

Once again, the wall of talent blocked him. But this time, Lee Junseong didn’t regret it.

Similarly, he moved forward because he thought not challenging himself would be more regrettable.

He does think about it.

What if he had started a little earlier? Would something have been different?

Thoughts like, maybe the walls he thought were talent could be broken someday, and the only thing lacking was time.

But that was different from regret.

Regret is something done by those who want to change their choices, and even if Lee Junseong went back, he wouldn’t change his choice.

And.

As Kang Sihoo said, the “Quick Sword” might not have been the right fit for someone like Lee Junseong.

“Quick” means speed. Speed means lightness, and no hesitation.

It’s a style for those who can abandon everything, even themselves. That’s what the Quick Sword was.

For someone like Lee Junseong, who, no matter how slow, makes decisive choices, a swordsmanship with the subtlety of “striking second but arriving first” might have been more fitting.

Lee Junseong agreed with that.

He only agreed.

He didn’t think his choice was wrong.

Baek Siyun’s sword brushed past the blindfolded girl, and Kang Sihoo and Namgung Se’s swords were deflected by hers.

Lee Junseong still waited.

The blindfolded girl, having regained her momentum, emitted a crimson energy. Kang Sihoo and Baek Siyun were pushed back. Namgung Se’s warrior swung his sword with difficulty, but it didn’t reach.

Lee Junseong still waited.

The blindfolded girl’s sword pierced through the air. Not yet. Kang Sihoo blocked it, but it was tough, and he stepped back. Not yet. Baek Siyun and Namgung Se’s warrior attacked together, but it was futilely blocked. Not this either.

A little more. Just a little more—.

“Not bad for a brat—!”

The blindfolded girl shouted as she raised her sword high.

And Lee Junseong gripped his sword tightly.

Now.

Crack. Lightning sparked.

Lee Junseong had also pondered. He thought about what swordsmanship suited him, and in the end, he chose the Quick Sword.

The reason was surprisingly simple.

Since it already takes him time to make decisions, shouldn’t he at least be fast after making them—!

The lightning wrapped around the sword like a sheath.

Holding the lightning sheath with his left hand, Lee Junseong dashed forward and activated [Swiftness].

Entering the time zone of lightning speed, Lee Junseong slowly, yet like a beam of light, drew and swung his sword.

Seven Thunder Swordsmanship. Ultimate Technique.

Genesis Pre-Thunder.

The world turned white, then faded.

And then.

Thud.

The blindfolded girl collapsed to the ground, breaking the silence.

“Junseong!”

Kang Sihoo ran over joyfully.

Lee Junseong recalled the energy that had gathered on his sword at the last moment.

Sword energy… I learned it….

“…….”

Baek Siyun’s eyes met Lee Junseong’s.

Her gaze was still as cold as ice, but there was a warmth somewhere.

Perhaps, through the recent battle, Baek Siyun had come to understand Lee Junseong’s life.

Lee Junseong slowly opened his mouth.

“Baek Si—”

“Junior. Are you okay? Ah. You seem fine. Awakening sword energy in a life-threatening situation. Are you perhaps the protagonist?”

“Senior. Please time it better.”

Cut off mid-sentence, Lee Junseong sighed lightly and looked at Shin Yoori.

Her fists were covered in blood, yet she had no wounds.

It was proof that she had single-handedly slaughtered the remnants of the Demon Sect.

“Senior. You’re really strong.”

“Of course. Not just anyone can be the chairman of the Martial Arts Club.”

Lee Junseong hadn’t expected Shin Yoori to be this strong.

Well. Han Yoorim, whom Lee Junseong knew, was also incredibly strong. If Thierry’s slaughtering of enemies was any indication, it wasn’t surprising that Shin Yoori was this strong.

“What about the other places?”

“All taken care of.”

Fortunately, it seemed the battle would end once the blindfolded girl was defeated.

Lee Junseong sighed in relief.

Honestly, the blindfolded girl’s difficulty level was too intense, and he hoped this would be the end of it.

“Junior. You look really tired. It’s because you’re holding something like a sword, an external object.”

Listening to Shin Yoori’s nonsense made him feel at ease. It felt like a chapter had concluded. Finally, the feeling of everyday life beginning.

“From what I see, using a sword consumes less stamina than just using fists.”

“That’s not true. As evidence, I’m perfectly fine, right?”

“You’re just a monster, Senior.”

Responding casually, Lee Junseong muttered to himself.

‘So. What should I do now—.’

Thump.

Lee Junseong paused mid-thought.

‘Heart…sound?’

At the same time, a chilling BGM spread everywhere.

There’s a theory called Chekhov’s Gun.

If a gun appears in the first act, it must be fired by the third act.

This is similar.

If the sealed body of the Heavenly Demon appeared in the first act,

It must be resurrected by the third act.

Shin Yoori spoke in a calm voice.

“Junior. This is an order from the chairman of the Martial Arts Club. Run away now.”

Immediately after.

―――!

The Heavenly Demon’s left arm struck the world with full force.