I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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[Completion of Dungeon Analysis for Team 7. Time taken: 17 minutes 16 seconds.]

The expressions on the faces of Team 7 students, emerging from the artificial dungeon generator, known as the ‘Gate,’ were not pleasant.

They had succeeded in the conquest and even scored full marks. However, they had ultimately failed in their goal of setting a new record.

“I thought this time we’d make it, but here we are, failing again. I mean, getting into the rankings isn’t exactly easy.”

“Seriously, how did the first place time of 4 minutes and 58 seconds even happen?”

“Rumor has it that the top four went in together just for that ranking. They were in third year two years ago, so now they must be fifth years.”

“Whoa, then the dungeon must be super hard, right? The difficulty changes depending on who’s going in.”

“Yeah. But apparently, they just charged in and took out the boss right away.”

“……That’s insane.”

In the dungeon conquest practice, there was a ranking system that recorded all previous records.

This system had been tracking records ever since this class was introduced.

Teams capable of consistently conquering dungeons challenged themselves to break into the top rankings.

If successful, they could carve their name into the academy’s history.

However, the record of 4 minutes and 58 seconds set two years ago still showed no signs of being broken.

It was, to begin with, an almost impossible feat. A record achieved by the brightest students of the year using dubious means.

“But what do you get for being number one? Other than bragging rights?”

“You do get something. They say the scores for that semester’s dungeon conquest class are all perfect. The principal approved it, apparently. But it only came about after they set the number one ranking.”

“……So, it’s just a tease.”

“Pretty much. Honestly, 4 minutes and 58 seconds is ridiculous. Just running won’t get you that time.”

Team 7 stepped out with disappointed faces as the next team was called.

“Team 8, step forward.”

‘When’s my turn?’

Kim Il-shin, who had inadvertently eavesdropped on the conversation of the students next to him, checked his turn number. It was 15.

‘Still a long wait.’

The dungeon conquest practice proceeded sequentially by team, which meant a considerable waiting time.

He figured he had at least another hour to wait.

Leaning back in his chair, Kim Il-shin closed his eyes. He planned to practice his invisible martial arts during this time.

He closed his eyes and spread his mana. If he focused solely on his invisible martial arts, he could expand it up to a 10-meter diameter.

‘Should I try to extend it to 12 meters?’

*

Kim Il-shin began concentrating with his eyes closed. Meanwhile, someone was watching him from a distance. It was Seo Ye-ryeong.

‘……Did she really forget me?’

In their younger years, Seo Ye-ryeong and Kim Il-shin had trained in the same martial arts hall.

They hadn’t had much interaction, as they wielded different weapons and had never faced each other. Their only commonality was their age.

Nonetheless, Seo Ye-ryeong remembered Kim Il-shin distinctly because of the defeat she suffered during a sparring match.

It had been an overwhelming loss, one she had never experienced apart from her older sister.

Except for her two-year-older sister, she believed there was no one her age who could defeat her.

Thus, that defeat hit her harder than expected.

Her original goal had been to catch up with her sister.

However, ever since that day, her goal shifted to achieving a perfect victory against Kim Il-shin in their sparring sessions.

The young Seo Ye-ryeong diligently trained with intense focus and rigor, surprising those around her with her commitment.

But not long after, Kim Il-shin vanished from the martial arts hall as if he had disappeared.

She had no idea why.

Even when she asked people from the hall, the only replies she received were ones of ignorance.

However, she didn’t despair too much.

With Kim Il-shin’s talent, she thought there would come a day when they would meet again.

And so, she tirelessly trained for her goal and, as expected, she finally had the chance to face him again.

During the academy entrance ceremony sparring two years prior.

When she encountered Kim Il-shin in the sparring arena, his face was still that of the boy she remembered.

Seeing him brought back memories of his talent, and she wondered how much progress he had made.

‘I finally thought…’

In that moment, Seo Ye-ryeong was filled with a nearly ecstatic emotion.

She was finally close to achieving the goal she had pursued for over ten years.

‘……What a jerk.’

Then came the unexpected withdrawal just after their spar started. A first in the history of entrance ceremony sparring.

Still, she could accept it by that point.

She thought perhaps his condition wasn’t good. She soothed herself, repeating that the opportunity would come again.

What further crushed Seo Ye-ryeong was the absurd behavior displayed by Kim Il-shin afterward.

He seemed to struggle to even control his mana, as if he had completely lost the talent he once had.

‘What on earth happened?’

She was dying to know, but she couldn’t ask him directly. He didn’t remember her.

Despite encountering him multiple times, he reacted as if she were a total stranger. It was humiliating beyond belief.

To approach him and ask if he remembered her, or what had happened before, was something her pride wouldn’t allow.

And so, she kept these bitter feelings locked inside for two years.

‘But why now…!’

Just as her thoughts wandered until that moment, the voice of Gu Han-seok, the teacher in charge of the dungeon conquest practice, called out.

“Team 15, step forward.”

*

It was Kim Il-shin’s turn. Thanks to his training, the waiting time passed quickly.

As he withdrew from his invisible martial arts and opened his eyes, he found himself standing before a large gate connected to various devices.

“…….”

Even though he was ready, there seemed to be no sign of moving on to the next step.

Kim Il-shin’s gaze turned towards Gu Han-seok. Gu Han-seok raised an eyebrow and asked.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

“Arrogance isn’t good. How about finding a team now?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“……Alright then.”

Judging that he had sufficiently persuaded him, Gu Han-seok operated the device.

As the gate opened, a wavy entrance appeared within the steel frame.

Kim Il-shin slowly stepped forward.

‘What will happen?’

This device creates an artificial dungeon based on the collective strength of the entering individuals.

Its assessments had been largely accurate so far.

However, Kim Il-shin’s strength was rather peculiar.

Physically, he was still among the lower ranks of the academy, but in terms of actual strength, he was incomparable.

‘I’m feeling hopeful.’

If the dungeon were generated based on his actual strength, it could serve as excellent training.

But reality did not bend to his will.

The first monsters he encountered in the cave-like pathways were weak enough to handle barehanded.

He faced five of them simultaneously and didn’t even break a sweat.

If this was the case, there wouldn’t be much difference as he progressed.

His visible stats would never catch up to his true strength.

‘Good thing I practiced beforehand.’

He stabilized his breath and lowered his posture. The swirling energy of his mysterious martial arts compressed his muscles.

Boom!

An enormous impact shook the cave. The ground beneath his feet suddenly sank, and Kim Il-shin shot forth like a cannonball.

*

‘The end of arrogance won’t end well.’

As the thought indicated, Gu Han-seok did not believe Kim Il-shin would successfully conquer the dungeon.

There is no consideration for the number of people entering during the process of creating an artificial dungeon.

It is merely generated based on overall strength.

Thus, there had never been a case of successfully conquering an artificial dungeon alone thus far.

Cases of entering alone were extremely rare as well.

‘He’s not doing anything I’d like to see.’

He knew Kim Il-shin had improved recently.

He had heard from Jo Chae-rin, and the aura around him was noticeably different.

But despite that, Gu Han-seok couldn’t bring himself to like Kim Il-shin.

He was the one who had recommended Kim Il-shin as the representative for new students two years ago.

And everyone knew that Kim Il-shin had withdrawn during that sparring match.

He had experienced such a disgrace; there was no way he could feel any good feelings towards him.

‘As soon as he’s out, I’m going to lecture him.’

To repay the previous humiliation and give him some advice as a teacher as well.

“Uh…? Why is that happening?”

“What? ……Huh?”

“Hey! What’s going on?!”

Suddenly, the practice room erupted into chaos.

They hadn’t stopped chatter during the wait, but this had gone too far.

“Shut up.”

“Has it been five minutes? Hasn’t it?”

“Isn’t this a bug…?”

“That can’t be a bug!”

However, oddly enough, the noise did not subside. Instead, it grew louder.

Some students appeared to be on the verge of going wild, making Gu Han-seok think they had gone mad.

“Shut it, I say!”

“Mr. Teacher!”

There was a student trying desperately to calm the situation, pointing towards the gate beside Gu Han-seok.

As Gu Han-seok turned his head towards it, his jaw dropped, nearly hitting the ground.

Boom.

With a mechanical sound, the gate slowly opened. Kim Il-shin wanted to come out.

He looked just as clean and unscathed as when he entered, not a speck of dust on him.

‘W-What, did he withdraw midway…?’

At that moment, the sound flowing out from the gate solidified this question-filled situation into certainty.

[Completion of Dungeon Analysis for Team 15. Time taken: 3 minutes 12 seconds.]