Sweeping the Academy with a Wooden Sword

While I was in the middle of chatting with Baek Hwayeon, the door of Class 1 swung open.

“Nice to meet you, everyone in Combat Division Class 1. I’m Park Cheol-woong, your homeroom teacher and instructor for this year.”

It seemed that Park Cheol-woong, who had been in charge of the combat division entrance exam, was now also responsible for Combat Division Class 1.

Park Cheol-woong scanned each person one by one, then stopped his gaze on Lee Dojin.

“…”

Lee Dojin also met Park Cheol-woong’s gaze without avoiding it.
Their gazes intertwined.

After staring intently at Lee Dojin for a moment, Park Cheol-woong continued speaking.

“You probably think you’re strong enough. And that might be true. But strength alone isn’t enough to face monsters.”

Park Cheol-woong brought up a hologram window in the air.

“Combat Division Class 1, you’re the only class that will engage in actual combat from the first semester of the first year.”

The eyes of the Combat Division Class 1 students showed pride-filled gazes.

“As such, thorough preparation is necessary. First, you’ll be participating in a virtual mock raid today.”

“After monitoring each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and points to improve, you’ll be assigned instructors that match each of you.”

An extremely student-oriented system.
Of course, this system only applies to Combat Division Class 1.

A place where only definite talents are gathered.
They can make such a concentrated investment because they have some confidence that they can get results proportional to the investment.

“You’ll be dropped into a forest similar to the Colosseum that was the entrance exam venue. This time it’s not a battle royale. After all, your opponents are monsters. The time limit for the virtual mock raid is 2 hours. During that time, you need to survive and defeat monsters.”

No matter how much it’s Combat Division Class 1.
No matter how much they’ve consistently trained for 3 years in higher education institutions, it might seem strange to have a mock training close to actual combat from the first day of admission. But not a single person raised an objection.

“Combat between students is not allowed. Violating this for any reason will result in severe punishment.”

Even if there are guys with tremendous individuality gathered here, there probably won’t be any crazy person trying to cause trouble from the first day.

“It’s fine to cooperate with students you meet. You won’t be penalized for cooperating. Rather, it’s encouraged. Because when you become hunters and are deployed in actual situations, you’ll mostly be doing cooperative raids.”

Lee Dojin slung the leather case containing his wooden sword over his back.
Baek Hwayeon turned around and looked at Lee Dojin.

“Let’s raid together if we meet!”

“Oh, sure.”

I stepped onto a magic circle similar to the one heading to the .

Instructor Park Cheol-woong stared at me intently.

“A wooden sword this time too?”

“Yes.”

I don’t know why everyone is so obsessed with my wooden sword.

Flash!

Light enveloped me.

My vision returned.

“Oh, new student representative!”

A man with broad shoulders caught my eye. He was holding a huge shield in one hand.

The man extended his large hand to me.

“Nice to meet you! I’m the shield warrior! Park Seonggu!”

“Oh, nice to meet you.”

After shaking hands lightly, I picked up my wooden sword.
Right after exchanging greetings.

Thud-! Thud-!

Huge footsteps were heard from the right of me and Park Seonggu.

Roooaar!

A giant, belonging to the humanoid monster category.
An ogre, a monster nearly 4 meters tall, was rushing towards us.

“Kuhahahahaha!”

Park Seonggu let out a roar that could be either laughter or a battle cry as he rushed towards the ogre.

Crash!

And he was smashed into a tree on the left along with his shield.

A virtual monster created by magic and alchemy.
It seemed too real to be dismissed as virtual.

“Kuhaha! As expected of a high-rank monster! An ogre!!”

Park Seonggu got up again, laughing heartily without even letting out a groan.

Well, the first student I met isn’t normal.

I raised my wooden sword.
How should I cut down that huge thing?

-Whether the thing you need to cut is a demon or a human. Aiming at that target is just the primary step.

Master’s voice, still vividly remembered, echoed in my mind.

-If you can’t get a feel for what you need to cut, just cut the space.

Cut the space.
For something told to do “just”, it was a rather grandiose act.
But I knew what those words meant.

I raised my wooden sword. Beyond the one-dimensional notion of needing to cut the target-

I imbued the wooden sword with the intention of cutting space.
A single beam of light falling vertically split the ogre down the middle.

Slash!

Boom!

The ogre’s body, split in half, fell to the ground scattering light particles.

“…Should I pretend I didn’t see that? Friend?”

Park Seonggu stared at me with an expression like he’d seen a ghost.

“No, it’s fine.”

I moved on.
I wanted to face more, stronger monsters.

Lee Dojin continued walking.
After taking down the first ogre, he defeated two orcs and two goblins.

All with a single sword strike.

Coincidentally, it seemed that the ogre Lee Dojin had defeated first was the strongest monster in this .

From then on, he focused on observation. How other students fight.

Especially, he paid attention to the movements of swordsmen (劍士), who were in the same category as him.

The results of the observation were not very satisfactory.
Everyone had good weapons, good bodies, good movements, but.
The only person who surpassed the line that Sword Emperor Dan Cheonwoo had presented to him was Baek Hwayeon, the disciple of Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah.

Lee Dojin discovered another swordsman.

A black-haired female swordsman was standing still with her sword lowered.

Even though seven hobgoblins were surrounding her.
Slowly narrowing the distance.

Lee Dojin watched the woman, completely suppressing his presence.

The hobgoblins approaching slowly, as if tightening a noose.

When the woman remained still until they were right in front of her, within arm’s reach, the hobgoblins seemed to be certain of their victory and stomped the ground hard.

Kiaaak! Kaaaak!

The seven hobgoblins rushed in simultaneously from all directions.

Sharp teeth that could smash a human skull in one bite and hands like dozens of daggers lunged in like lightning.

At that moment, the woman’s hand moved towards the hilt of the sword at her waist.

Shing!

After the sharp sound of a sword being drawn.

Whoosh!

A cutting wind swept through.

Slash!

The head of the hobgoblin that had thrust its head in first flew upwards.

The sword wind didn’t end.
The woman danced a sword dance.

Her feet were light as if taking a stroll.
The sword was ferocious.

The limbs of the seven hobgoblins flew up in succession.

Arms.
Legs.
Heads.

Over a dozen limbs soared with light.

All seven hobgoblins were chopped into pieces and scattered.

“…”

Lee Dojin found himself raising the corners of his mouth without realizing it.
He had finally found a swordsman who surpassed a certain level.

The woman who had butchered seven goblins into meat chunks with 30 consecutive strikes sheathed her sword.

Shiiing…

And slowly turned her head.
Towards where Lee Dojin was, staring at her intently.
A clear, pure voice seeped into his ears.

“Are you Student Lee Dojin?”

Lee Dojin’s eyes widened.

‘How did she know?’

Without even seeing his face.
Lee Dojin slowly approached the woman.

“How did you know?”

The woman.
Had her eyes closed.

“You can speak comfortably to me. I’ve just gotten into the habit of using polite speech.”

The woman stood in front of Lee Dojin.

“My name is Ryu Jia. I’m blind. I can’t see.”

Blind.
The swordsmanship Ryu Jia had just shown was etched in his mind. It was hard to believe she was blind.

“That’s amazing. It’s pure admiration. It was an excellent sword dance.”

“You’re kindly calling it a sword dance when I just swung my sword recklessly. Thank you.”

Ryu Jia took a step closer to Lee Dojin.

“After learning divine techniques. I started to feel the presence of certain people. Usually top-tier hunters who have survived on the raid frontlines for a long time. Those who have crossed the death line dozens of times.”

Ryu Jia opened her eyes. Her two gray pupils were accurately staring into Lee Dojin’s eyes.

“But. Why do I feel the same presence from Student Lee Dojin’s body as from those people?”

To be precise. She felt an even greater presence than them. As if he were someone who had crossed the death line hundreds of times more.

“So I was surprised. When you stood on the platform as the new student representative, I could see you so clearly. Only you.”

-The virtual mock raid is ending. All monsters will disappear.

An announcement signaling the end of the virtual mock raid echoed through the forest.

Ryu Jia closed her eyes again.
And smiled faintly.

“Let’s have a chat again later. Um, over a meal perhaps?”

“…Sure.”

Lee Dojin nodded.
He also had many questions for Ryu Jia as a martial artist.

The night of the first day of admission deepened.
South Korea’s 5th ranked guild.
The mansion of Guild Master So Daecheol.

Tremble…

So Yueun’s hands trembled.
The doorknob of her father’s room, which she had to open right now, felt so heavy.

“What are you doing?”

A deep voice rang in her ears.

“Don’t waste time and come in quickly.”

At So Daecheol’s words, So Yueun hurriedly opened the door.
So Yueun barely composed her trembling body and bowed her head deeply.

“You called for me, Father.”

“I heard. The mana inability trash you brought during Athena’s 2nd year summer vacation has become the new student representative of Iroaz Academy.”

So Yueun’s face turned white.

“Y-yes. It’s really strange… It seems he really solved his mana inability.”

So Daecheol furrowed his brow deeply.

“You really disappoint me from beginning to end. My youngest.”

Disappointment.

‘Disappointment, disappointment, disappointment…’

Those two words stirred up So Yueun’s mind.
Her head grew hot. Father.

For years, she had made countless efforts to gain recognition from Sword Emperor So Daecheol before her eyes.

To not hear those words of disappointment.

“Mana inability is a disease impossible to solve by oneself. The effect of the mana refinement solution I provided must have manifested a little late.”

So Daecheol truly thought so.
That the mana refinement solution injected into Lee Dojin by Changcheon during Athena’s 2nd year summer vacation had taken effect.

“In other words, that Lee Dojin’s combat power, his body. All of it is the asset of this Changcheon, of me, So Daecheol. Although it seems that thing doesn’t know who its real owner is.”

So Daecheol’s eyes glowed fiercely.

“I’ll lend you 15 members of the 1st Attack Team. Each one is a top-tier hunter.”

That sharp gaze choked So Yueun’s neck.

“Bring that guy before me tomorrow.”