Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Amazing. Yoo Yiran couldn't help but admire the boy standing across from her on the dueling platform. Wiji Cheon was small in stature, even compared to other boys and girls his age. He was about the same height as she was, and his limbs were slender, so they probably weighed around the same…

"I'm actually quite slim, you know," she said abruptly, feeling a little resentful.

"…Pardon?"

"I'm not the one who's fat. You're just way too skinny."

"I'm sorry…" Pressured by Yoo Yiran's sharp gaze, Wiji Cheon apologized without knowing why.

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Seeing Wiji Cheon get flustered over a few words, Yoo Yiran let out a chuckle. From what she had heard of him, he always apologized whenever someone said something unpleasant, even if it had nothing to do with him. Wasn't he a little too nice?

However, this overly kind and polite child…

As soon as Wiji Cheon placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his demeanor changed. The gentle expression that had seemed almost frustrating moments before melted away, replaced by a calm and unreadable mask, and the clumsy awkwardness vanished from his movements.

Yoo Yiran gulped. The hairs on her body stood on end, as if a finely honed blade was aimed directly at her.

Am I feeling nervous? Me?

To ease the tension, she cracked a joke. "Since I'm your senior, should I give you a three-second head start?"

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"No, that's not necessary."

"…It was a joke." Yoo Yiran laughed again, a genuine smile that many men had wanted to see but never had. Strangely, she found herself wanting to smile whenever she was around Wiji Cheon.

He was so timid he couldn't even make proper eye contact earlier, yet when the moment he touches his sword, he speaks so confidently. He's really something else.

"Shall we begin?" she asked.

"Yes."

Not underestimating Wiji Cheon just because he was younger, Yoo Yiran made the first move. Employing her movement arts from the start, she closed the distance in an instant, thrusting her blade at his shoulder like a bolt of lightning.

Wiji Cheon quickly stepped back, dodging the attack while drawing the Soul Sword. For the first time in five decades, the cherished sword of one of the greatest swordsmen in history reappeared in the jianghu.

WOOONG!

Yoo Yiran's eyes widened in surprise at the sword's hum, but her movements didn't falter for a second.

CLANG!

Their swords clashed for the first time, but the resulting sound was not particularly loud. At the moment of impact, both swordsmen had quickly withdrawn their blades, envisioning their next moves.

Yoo Yiran retreated to create more distance, dodging Wiji Cheon's slashes with footwork as light as a feather. When she sensed an opportunity, she bent her knees slightly, pushed off the ground with an explosive leap, and once again closed the gap in an instant.

In response, Wiji Cheon took a diagonal step, his keen eyes following her every move and his arms constantly adjusting the trajectory of his sword.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

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Sparks flew as their swords collided. Since both of them were small and lightweight, neither of their sword styles depended on brute strength. Instead, they relied on dexterity, precision, adaptability, and creativity that surpassed any set techniques.

The world called such martial artists prodigies, and these two clearly deserved the praise. The audience was instantly captivated by their graceful sword dance.

"Wow…"

"They say the Sword Flower's skill surpasses even the Sword Dragon…"

"So what does it mean that Wiji Cheon's keeping up with her?"

"I can barely even follow their movements. They're both monsters."

To the untrained eye, the duel seemed like an elaborately choreographed dance, but this was a dance in which even the slightest mistake could prove fatal.

After exchanging dozens of moves, both combatants stopped and backed away, as if by unspoken agreement.

"……"

"……"

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After a brief pause, Yoo Yiran smiled brightly. "Have you warmed up enough?"

"Yes!" Wiji Cheon replied, his expression more lively than ever.

Through their brief exchange, both parties had reached the same conclusion. They had finally met a swordsman their own age against whom they could go all out.

That shared understanding brought matching smiles to their faces.

Yoo Yiran shifted into the starting stance of her sword style, the Soaring Stream Sword Technique. "Do you know what my alias is?" she suddenly asked.

"I've heard people call you the Sword Flower," Wiji Cheon replied.

Yoo Yiran's smile turned bitter. "You know, I don't like that alias at all. The reason is…"

"…Because it has 'flower' in it, which has nothing to do with your swordsmanship, right?"

"How did you know that?"

"Your swordsmanship isn't beautiful like a flower. It's fast, intense, and rough, like a raging torrent."

"You…" For a moment, Yoo Yiran was surprised that Wiji Cheon had grasped the essence of her swordsmanship in such a short time, but she quickly got over it.

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Chuckling, she nodded. "That's right. If I were called the Sword Flower because my swordsmanship was beautiful, I wouldn't mind. Since the alias was given solely because of my appearance, though, I don't like being called that."

Wiji Cheon fell silent, unsure how to respond.

Yoo Yiran shook her head, feeling a little embarrassed. She hadn't intended to ramble like this. Normally, she wouldn't even have told anyone such things, but she wanted Wiji Cheon to know what kind of person she was.

Smiling brightly, she added, "It's okay, though. Because I'll take what I want before I graduate."

"…Take what?"

"I'll take the alias I want from the person who currently owns it."

Wiji Cheon blinked in confusion. What does she mean, she wants to take someone's alias?

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Yoo Yiran's eyes gleamed. "Did you know? The Sword Dragon is the title given to the strongest swordsman in the Azure Dragon Academy."

"Ah… I didn't know that."

This was new information to Wiji Cheon, though he did know who currently held the title of Sword Dragon.

It was Dokgo Jun, the undisputed top prodigy of the academy and the strongest swordsman among the students. Yoo Yiran was essentially saying that she wanted to take that title away from him.

Wiji Cheon recalled Dokgo Jun's swordsmanship. The Nine Swords of Dokgo that he had faced during the entrance exam was sturdy, as if it would never break, and possessed overwhelming strength. Dokgo Jun was already strong at that time, but now, after receiving guidance from Baek Suryong, Wiji Cheon heard from Hyonwon Kang that he had improved a lot.

"…Senior Dokgo Jun is really strong," he whispered softly.

Yoo Yiran smiled resolutely. "I know. I've challenged him many times over the past three years, and my win rate is only around thirty percent. With my current skills, I can't take the Sword Dragon alias away from him."

"…Even thirty percent is amazing," Wiji Cheon said sincerely.

Everyone seemed to think that he had shown an equal level of skill as Dokgo Jun during the entrance exam, but he knew that if they had fought to the end, he would definitely have lost. With his skills at that time, he would have lost ten out of ten bouts.

Could I win if we fought now?

He wasn't confident. Even though he had trained hard and grown stronger, so had Dokgo Jun.

Seeing Wiji Cheon's serious expression, Yoo Yiran said, "I've rambled on about unrelated things. Everyone must be getting bored. Let's continue the duel."

Raising her sword, she aimed at Wiji Cheon's solar plexus, a fierce aura surging from her entire body. She had aimed her first thrust at his shoulder as a warning, but this time was different.

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"I'll defeat you and challenge Dokgo Jun again. This time, I'll take the Sword Dragon title for sure."

If I can beat you, I feel like I can reach Dokgo Jun too. Yoo Yiran swallowed her last words. To her, Wiji Cheon was the kind of person who could spark countless insights about the sword just by standing across from her.

A radiant smile like a flower in full bloom spread across her face. "Prepare yourself," she warned, then shot forward at a speed incomparable to before.

CRASH!!

"Ugh!" Wiji Cheon winced, knocked back by the heavy blow. The impact sent a shockwave through his arm, throwing him off balance and nearly rupturing his palm.

However, this was just the beginning.

"Get it together!" Yoo Yiran shouted, pressing on fiercely, not giving Wiji Cheon a chance to counterattack.

BOOM! SMASH! BANG!

The Soaring Stream Sword Technique that Yoo Yiran favored was characterized by a continuous, uninterrupted stream of attacks. Unable to take a breather, opponents who faced the sword barrage would quickly find themselves on the defensive, blocking and dodging until they were completely worn out.

No, her sword technique is not just about speed and relentlessness! Wiji Cheon thought desperately.

Each of Yoo Yiran's attacks flew along a planned trajectory, anticipating the opponent's next move. For every thrust and slash he deflected, she would use the recoil to attack faster and harder, while cutting off escape routes so that it was impossible to dodge.

I can't win by just blocking, he realized instinctively.

Across from Wiji Cheon, Yoo Yiran felt a great sense of liberation as she swung her sword.

Has there ever been someone among my peers with whom I could wield my sword so freely? Well, there's Dokgo Jun, but that guy's swordsmanship is…

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Dokgo Jun's usual battle strategy was to stay firmly on the defensive, wait patiently for an opening, and then decide the match with a single strike. Because of this, she couldn't fully unfold the Soaring Stream Sword Technique against him. Their respective fighting styles weren't a good fit.

"Wiji Cheon's sword, on the other hand…!"

Wiji Cheon was responding to each of her attacks, deflecting them while constantly attempting to counterattack. Even if his reactions were slightly slow for now, he would soon adjust to her pace and style.

As the sole heir of the Soaring Stream Sword Technique, she knew well how difficult that was.

He's even getting faster at adapting.

Yoo Yiran was beyond impressed. She was astonished and amazed.

In a year, there will be no swordsman at the Azure Dragon Academy who can match Wiji Cheon… However, not yet. Not now.

Her sword became even faster and rougher. Even if her opponent was a genius of immeasurable talent, she did not want to lose.

This year, I will be the Sword Dragon!

However, she didn't realize that by meeting a genius like Wiji Cheon, her own swordsmanship was also advancing.

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"Ugh!" Wiji Cheon groaned. Even as he struggled to block Yoo Yiran's relentless attacks, an unfamiliar emotion came over him.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to read her moves, trying to create an opening where there was none.

SPLAT!

Blood spurted from his shoulder.

Namgung Su, who had been carefully watching the duel, moved to stop it, but suddenly halted. Wiji Cheon's intense gaze was telling him not to interfere yet.

I absolutely don't want to lose in swordsmanship, Wiji Cheon thought. He was often told by his seniors at the White Dragon Manor that he lacked competitive spirit, but that was a misconception born from the fact that none of them were swordsmen.

He glared at Yoo Yiran, determination burning in his eyes. "I won't lose!" he shouted, sending a streak of light slicing through the raging torrent.

Yoo Yiran abruptly ceased her attack and retreated. If she had been even a second slower, she would have been cut.

"Huff… Huff…" Wiji Cheon panted. His face was pale, his breathing was rough, his martial arts uniform was badly torn, and blood was seeping from cuts all over his skin.

"……"

Yoo Yiran paused her attack. This was an opportunity to push the offensive, but she didn't want to win like that. She was more concerned with how much she could glean from this duel, how much higher she could climb.

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When he had caught his breath, Wiji Cheon said, "Senior, please allow me to join in too."

"Join in what?"

Instead of answering, Wiji Cheon assumed the starting stance of the Unlimited Sword. In an instant, the martial arts of an absolute swordmaster who had dominated an era manifested in his body.

WOOOONG!

Sensing the martial arts it was so familiar with, ingrained over decades of accompanying the strongest swordsman, Soul Sword hummed in delight.

An aura sharper than anything else filled the space and spread out.

"Gasp!"

"Ugh!"

The spectators shuddered, as if they themselves had been cut by a sword.

The most surprised person, though, was Namgung Su. Throughout the duel, he had maintained a calm expression, but now his eyes were so wide that his eyeballs looked like they were about to pop out.

"What on earth is that sword technique…?" he muttered.

All his life, he had learned the art of swordsmanship from the Namgung Clan, known as the world's greatest family of swordsmen. He prided himself on his eye for good techniques, but Wiji Cheon's style was unlike anything he had seen before.

A supreme sword technique I don't know about… Where did Wiji Cheon learn something like that?

Wiji Cheon grinned. "I'm going to join the fight over that title."