“Okay, here’s how to do it.”
Lee Han picked up the dagger and swung it gently.
Slurp.
-Petals bloomed at the tip of the sword.
The cadets stared blankly at the beautiful petals, their eyes wide.
Even though it was confirmed that it was not a magical item but an ordinary dagger, the flower petals spread.
It was truly a magical moment straight out of a fairy tale.
The chicks’ eyes became moist like those of a girl in a fairy tale, and the bear and the master recalled the knights’ valorous poems that the old minstrels used to tell whenever they visited the estate or village, and their childhood pride blossomed.
Not only does he scatter flower petals with his sword, he also uses them as a means of attack… .
Isn’t this exactly the kind of skill that knights in a poem of martial arts would display?
Sarak.
The petals melted like snowflakes as they touched the dirt.
However, what remained in the melted place was a sunken floor shaped like a flower petal.
It shows that not only is it beautiful, but its power is also considerable.
Boys and girls looked at the plum blossom sword technique with longing eyes.
“Wow, how is that possible?”
“beautiful…!”
“Please show me again!”
They shouted for an encore.
“Can you stop it?”
It was the tenth encore, and Lee Han was starting to get tired.
Even though it may seem easy, it actually requires a lot of physical strength.
But no matter how hard it is for the clown, the audience doesn’t care.
“Hey, just once, okay? Please… .”
“… Ugh.”
He couldn’t be such a pitiful adult that he could refuse the pleas of crying chicks.
“Oh my, my fate.”
Lee Han, who had become a clown by accident, made plum blossoms bloom again with his sword.
‘If I do a street performance, I might be a big hit?’
It was Lee Han who blossomed into a talent that unexpectedly brought in a salty income.
* * *
There was no other reason why Lee Han acted like a clown.
– Teacher, teacher, can you teach me that technique?
Disciples who desperately want to learn the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Even the elite guys who thought that one speculation technique was enough were secretly revealing their desire for the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
That must be how attractive swordsmanship is.
but.
‘I can’t stand making plum blossoms bloom with a sword.’
Make flowers bloom with your sword and attack with them?
This is a sword technique that has all the coolness of a sword.
That’s why there were many cases in my previous life where the main characters were from the Volcano faction.
…but.
– Sorry, I can’t teach you this yet.
It is not a fundamental problem of martial arts that was mentioned playfully.
The real problem is that this technology is still imperfect and cannot be taught.
Unfinished technology.
The Plum Blossom Sword Technique is an original technique that was learned solely through Lee Han’s special senses and intuition, as well as the method of use.
Not only was there not enough time to establish it as a theory, but even that is still very crude.
There it is.
– This sucks so much energy when you use it.
If the swordsmanship that Roen had shown the day before was a work of art completed with a complex combination of techniques that showed off his genius, then Lee Han’s swordsmanship was simply a manifestation of his sword power that was simply using his entire body’s energy and sword as a substitute.
In other words, it is disposable.
Moreover, it is not only disposable but also very risky.
After using the sword power, there is an unconditional prerequisite of losing the sword.
It is difficult to explain how absurd it is to lose a weapon on the battlefield.
But not only that, but after using it, I feel incredibly tired… .
‘I’m like this too, but they absolutely can’t handle it.’
Even he, who boasts stamina ten times greater than that of an average knight, finds it so burdensome, so it is impossible to know what kind of disability would occur to his body if they were to use him.
It would be fortunate if it ended with just fainting, but the risk to one’s life would be great.
Although he is usually not stingy when it comes to teaching skills, he had no choice but to refuse this time.
I gave such a sufficient and valid reason, and the cadets understood.
– Well, then! Can’t we just take a look?
– Hey, I miss you!
Is there a concept of vicarious satisfaction in any world?
Even though he couldn’t learn the Plum Blossom Sword Technique right away, he really wanted to see them, and Lee Han couldn’t refuse the request of the guys he had grown attached to.
‘Maybe I’m just a bit affectionate, like the old man said?’
A demonstration of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Since I didn’t use my full power like when I fought the Demon King, the dagger didn’t break right away, and I didn’t drain all of my energy.
Unexpectedly, I was also able to practice the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, and by the eighth time I had demonstrated the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, I had succeeded in making flowers bloom with just light hand movements.
But at the price of ripeness.
“Oh my god, I’m dying… .”
“Instructor, are you okay!? Here, have some water and food!”
“…thanks.”
Lee Han, who had collapsed from exhaustion, was lying on the grass, recovering his energy by eating drinks and sandwiches provided by Irene Windler.
Seeing such a strange person, Irene Windler said,
“Hey…! What are you guys doing! How can you make someone who already had a hard time the day before suffer like this!?”
“That, that….”
“Don’t make excuses!”
“… … I haven’t even made an excuse yet.”
She was a girl who got angry like fire, and the cadets had no choice but to look down and watch her.
If you think about it, things turned out this way because Lee Han was too excited to train, but to a girl blinded by love, the other cadets are nothing more than villains.
The girl growled, and the cadets became even more discouraged.
Usually, Irene Windler’s growls were as cute as a Pomeranian’s, but now it was different.
‘How do you stand up to someone who causes natural disasters with magic?’
‘It was incredible magic.’
‘You must never touch the heart. If you touch it for no reason, our territory will be destroyed.’
Haven’t you seen it?
A girl who was thought to be just a stamina-hungry person was able to control the entire lake with magic, and even manipulate the gusts of wind to create a waterspout. This was a thrilling magic.
Even though it was a small eruption, it was powerful enough to sweep away a small territory, and considering this, it was absolutely unacceptable to confront the girl.
Because we have become so close, I realize that Irene Windler, like Roen, is a monster who can be called a genius beyond the norm.
“Don’t say anything to the kids. I was so excited that I even showed off my sword skills.”
“Ugh.”
However, he sat up, calming down the monster girl as if he was training her.
He still looks tired, but he says he must do what he has to do as an instructor.
And he said.
“You must be sick of it by now, right?”
“… … .”
“I’m not hitting you. I’m asking you. What do you think of this swordsmanship?”
“Hmm.”
Only then did the students realize that the instructor had no intention of reprimanding them and was asking them serious questions, and they were momentarily lost in thought.
Even though I wonder why I’m asking such a question, I seriously think about it because I know that I’m not asking the question without any reason.
Before long, the blue-haired girl, a typical example of a top student, raised her hand.
“… I thought it was a technique with a lot of gaps. It’s definitely threatening because the black energy spreads out like flower petals, but it’s not like there’s no way to evade or defend against it. Oh, of course, I’m not saying that it’s possible at my level. It’s just that if it were Arno-sama or Kunta-sama, or Garand-sama or Prince Roen…”
Sigh.
The girl’s gaze met, and the four of them answered with expressions of unfamiliarity at the honorifics being used against them.
“Just Kunta. And you can stop it like Gomsoon said. But it seems like you’ll have to sacrifice one of your arms or legs.”
“Please speak comfortably, Young-ae. … I think I could avoid answering that question. There are certainly a lot of gaps.”
“Strangely… Ahem, like the other guys, it’s a rival that can fight back. However, it seems like it would definitely be a powerful tool against monsters.”
“This is the same class.”
It was their remark, and the cadets blinked.
I thought it was just a flashy and powerful technique, but hearing it like this makes me feel a bit… .
“I told you so. It has no basis.”
It didn’t feel like a very strong technique.
It wasn’t that Lee Han had completely underestimated the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, nor was he playing the clown.
I wanted to make it clear to them.
It may only work on monsters with extremely low intelligence, but it is an incredibly subtle technique when used against humans.
It’s a flashy technology, but it’s still a technology with extremely poor cost-effectiveness.
“Whether it’s swordsmanship or martial arts, there aren’t many cases where a flashy appearance actually has substance. A warrior that this instructor respects once said that someone who has practiced one kick a thousand times is scarier than someone who uses a thousand kicking techniques. Likewise, swordsmanship isn’t about knowing hundreds of swordsmanship techniques, but how well you’ve practiced one cut. So focus on the basics, and don’t envy other guys who use swordsmanship. It’s more important to follow my path.”
This was not a teaching given only to cadets.
Through this battle, Lee Han had to realize how inadequate he was.
What would have been the outcome if he had trained in swordsmanship like Baltar, capable of decapitating a monster with a single stroke of the sword?
Perhaps it wouldn’t have been such a meaningless defeat.
‘It’s because you believe too much in power.’
I thought that rather than just believing in the functions of the body, it was time to dig deeper into what I had.
The basics are basic, but the level of technical achievement must be increased.
Geumgang.
After death.
Gungshin Tanyeong.
Hundred Steps Divine Right.
I am a repeater.
Gwanilchang.
And this time, I also acquired the plum blossom sword technique.
You must practice all of this deeply to perfect your skills, not just your power.
And if that happens.
‘At that time, I will kill the ghost king or whatever with my own hands.’
It was a decision not to let anyone else determine my fate.
Lee Han hoped that his disciples would not make the same mistake as he did, putting off important matters, and so he imparted to them his most important teachings.
* * *
Meanwhile, Derek, who had become a burden to others without realizing it, was sighing.
‘How did I end up here…?’
He’s not the athletic type, so why is he the ultimate athlete in this world?
‘Is this the life of a debtor?’
‘If you’re going to pay your debt, do it with your body or with information?’
– He was the one who forced him into the swordsmanship department with that remark, and Derek was extremely embarrassed, but since he had done something to him, he had no choice but to accept his unreasonable demands.
However, Derek didn’t stay by his side just because of the debt.
‘I also need to take the initiative.’
Haven’t you realized this through this incident?
We can’t just be bystanders forever, and we can’t wait for help like this.
It would be a better choice to be in a place where there are trustworthy people and leading figures.
If something happens, you’ll be able to respond.
So, coming to the swordsmanship department was not just to pay off a debt, but also with a strong determination to take the first step.
But if you look at it this way… .
‘Hey, now that I look at it, it’s only named people gathered here?’
Derek realized that everyone gathered at the swordsmanship department was a named class.
The bloodline of the Barbarian and the swordsman, the disciple of the mercenary king, etc. are characters who can be your best allies or enemies.
Originally, they were also characters who were expected to play a big role in
…now.
‘It seems like even the villainess Youngae isn’t really a villainess Youngae.’
I don’t know where the plot went wrong, but the villainess character Young-ae seems to have disappeared, so I don’t know what the other important supporting characters will be like in the future.
‘The Northern Grand Duke is like that, and so is the villainess Youngae…’
A reality that is already 180 degrees different from what you know.
Derek’s neck was sore, but he tried not to pay attention to it.
I don’t know if by some butterfly effect the man who was supposed to be the Duke of the North became an Academy cadet, or the villainess turned into an innocent girl, but one thing is certain…
‘If you do your best, you can turn your fate around.’
As he showed.
A rebellion against fate demonstrated by an unheard of hero class.
After seeing this, Derek decided not to treat this world as a game anymore.
So what’s important right now is to use the information you know wisely and appropriately without getting carried away.
Okay, for example.
Swish… .
‘…I have to decide whether I should prevent the misfortune of someone who will become a great person in the future, or whether I should leave him alone.’
Derek’s gaze fell on a girl with matching blue hair.
It was so different from the face I knew that I couldn’t recognize it at first.
But when he hears the name and confirms the girl’s last name, he realizes.
In reality, she is a girl with an interesting setting who was supposed to be the ‘second protagonist’ during the planning stage, who may be more important than Roen or Irene Windler.
‘… … What should I do with the saint?’
A girl who will later ascend to the throne as the saint of mercenaries after the death of the King of Mercenaries.
‘Mercenary Queen [Levi Jeanne d’Arc].’
15 years later, Derek looked at the girl who was called the fear of the nobles as the vanguard of the ‘revolutionary war’ with pity.
…because I know that the girl’s ending doesn’t have a happy ending as the name suggests.
