#Side Story, Sword Master - 2
Just as Seok-ho had made his decision and was about to turn and run quickly down the stairs attached to the spectator seats, it happened.
- Next match in 10 minutes will be between Kang Mu-heon from Suun High School and Yu Jeong-ho from Daejong High School.
"Woaaah!"
'What's this?'
As loud cheers suddenly erupted throughout the arena when the next match announcement played, Seok-ho stopped with a start, and immediately the voices of a man and woman closest among the excited spectators beside him could be heard.
"Big sis, I knew you had a thing for young guys from before, but this is too much! The guys coming out here can't be more than a year older than me at most, so do you even know how many years apart you and they are... Urk!"
"Say that again, little brother. This is pure appreciation from one martial artist to another! A weakling like you wouldn't understand him."
"Why would I need to understand that? I'm already tired from hearing about that Jung whatever guy from earlier... Besides, seeing those terrifying weapons being swung around is enough with just you sisters... Ugh! Urk! Urk!"
After muffled groaning sounds came from the darkness for a moment, the woman spoke again while catching her breath slightly.
"Anyway, Jung Min-hoo, stop saying unnecessary things and just watch quietly. He's really, really amazing."
"Cough cough... urgh... but... I..."
Thwack!
The weakly uttered small voice was immediately drowned out by a deep impact sound. Just then, another person who approached from the opposite side and sat next to the siblings exclaimed with a fuss.
"I'm back... Oh my, is our Min-hoo sleeping? Not watching the match? Min-jung, you should wake him up."
"He's unconscious, so I'll wake him later."
"The youngest ones are all cute except for their mouths. When he's sleeping, he looks so handsome like his father."
"Anyway, next is that captain from Suun High's match!"
"Really? I was disappointed he got a bye, but he's finally coming out. So who won the previous match?"
"Suun High's side. The Gyeongui High kid who showed signs of not having trained long couldn't have won anyway. Though he was amazing considering that, wasn't he?"
"I really liked the Gyeongui High kid's style too. What was his name again? Jin..."
"Oh, it looks like it's about to start. I'll wake Min-hoo up."
Having heard that much, Seok-ho felt the need to postpone going downstairs for a moment. From listening to those women who seemed to know more about the youth kendo world than him, it appeared that one of the next competitors had remarkable skills. Thinking it wouldn't matter to watch one more match before going down, Seok-ho quietly took a seat in an empty spot right in front of those siblings, moving down the stairs slightly.
And at that moment, as brighter lights came on over the freshly cleaned arena, the announcement for the competitors' entrance rang out. As if on cue, two competitors wearing belts and men that hid their faces began walking out from opposite sides far away.
To tell the result first, Seok-ho couldn't believe what he had just seen.
- Waaaaaah!
As he stared intently, trying to get a better look at the boy with the white belt who had an exceptionally straight posture and upright way of walking among the two competitors returning after exchanging bows, Seok-ho recalled the match scenes he had witnessed.
The match ended so quickly it made the name semifinals seem hollow. The sword tip of the white belt competitor, the boy called Kang Mu-heon, remained remarkably steady throughout.
If there was someone who could execute both defense and attack perfectly, he would surely belong in that category. He was quiet but overwhelmingly strong. It was a perfect victory with precise attacks that left absolutely nothing to criticize.
If there was one flaw, it was that he slightly lacked the massive presence, the strong charisma that could be felt from those who had reached a certain level in martial arts, but that was only in comparison to adult masters, and instead of charisma, the boy with his face hidden behind the men showed intense fighting spirit befitting a young person that was no less impressive, so no one would have felt that he had looked down on his weaker opponent or fought halfheartedly.
His opponent seemed to feel this more directly, as when exchanging bows after the match ended, he showed the rare sight of giving a genuinely grateful bow without any trace of defeat or frustration.
That level of skill at that age, and the bearing of one with such skill. Even to Seok-ho's eyes, calling him a genius seemed insufficient praise.
A short rest period was given after the match. Seok-ho used this opportunity to listen again to the siblings' voices from behind him.
"So this year's finals will be between Suun High students?"
"That's right. But since they're both excellent kids, I don't think we can complain. Besides, it's originally a specialized martial arts school."
Suun High...
Seok-ho made a mental note of that name, thinking he must visit there after this competition ended. After that, without any particular information, just listening to the sound of two older sisters teasing their younger brother and laughing enjoyably, the time for the finals had drawn near before he knew it.
Just as Seok-ho looked down at the watch on his wrist, the arena announcement rang out.
- The next finals match will be between Kang Mu-heon from Suun High School and Jeong Seung-jo from Suun High School.
Now two people from the same school would meet in the finals. Being from the same school, they might be quite close. From that perspective, it might be quite an awkward match for them personally.
Thinking this, Seok-ho watched the two competitors walk in with disciplined steps. The bare feet stepping forward under their kendo uniforms were resolute, and there seemed to be no hesitation anywhere.
After they exchanged bows, the referee's flag rose energetically. It was the signal for the match to begin.
In the early stages after the match began, both competitors' momentum was so even that neither could attack carelessly, and only a few minor attacks were exchanged as they measured distance and looked for opportunities. Only the hard sounds of bamboo swords clashing echoed through the tension-filled arena.
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Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.
"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."
In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.
"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."
And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.
"For now, until then, let's sleep..."
As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.
'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'
Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.
Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.
"Since when have you been watching me?"
Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.
"From the very beginning."
Graduate student Yi-han finds himself reborn in another world as the youngest child of a mage family.
– I’m never attending school, ever again!
‘What do you wish to achieve in life?’
‘I wish to play around and live comforta-‘
‘You must be aware of your talent. Now go attend Einroguard!’
‘Patriarch!’
My future would be guaranteed once I graduate. For my future!
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