I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game-Chapter 264: Moon Sword (1)

After Returning to the Academy from China.

I dismissed the party members and headed straight to the training ground.

The training ground had become so familiar to me that it now felt almost monotonous.

Even though the facility was equipped with devices that automatically restored it after each session, there were still deep footprints where I had repeatedly stood, and scars from countless sword swings that hadn’t fully healed.

‘Hmm.’

I stared at the training ground. It felt strange to be here, doing nothing but looking around. This was the first time I had ever entered the training ground and just stood there, doing nothing.

Then, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

Usually, she would move so quietly that you wouldn’t hear a thing, but she always made sure to make her presence known in front of me—such was her subtle consideration.

Yes, it was my master.

Baek Seol-hee.

“Master.”

I turned my head to look at her, and there she was, with the same expressionless face as always.

“...”

She squinted her eyes at me, her eyebrows twitching twice.

“You’ve mastered the sword.”

I had intentionally refrained from drawing my sword to surprise her, but it seemed my plan had failed right from the start.

‘Well, even two eyebrow twitches are a sign of significant surprise.’

A double eyebrow twitch was something you rarely saw, even when she was deeply impressed. I chuckled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. I mastered it during the mission in China.”

“Hmph, that was fast. I thought it would take at least a few months...”

Though she let out a small laugh, her voice carried an air of ‘I’m not even surprised anymore.’

‘Not only did my rank increase to 3-stars, but my swordsmanship specialization also rose to SS rank.’

The synergy of these two advancements had drastically improved my ability to grasp sword techniques. Still, receiving my master’s acknowledgment filled me with a sense of pride.

I was glad I had come to see her right after the mission ended. Although, that wasn’t the only reason I had come.

‘Now that the topic’s come up, should I ask?’

“Master, how did this happen? I was surprised too. When did you teach me this sword technique?”

Looking back now, it was all a bit perplexing.

At first, she had given me the cryptic instruction to ‘contain multiple sword strikes within a single swing,’ and left me to figure out the rest on my own. Honestly, it felt overwhelming at the time.

But now, I understood. She had already taught me everything through our past training. Everything I had learned came together to form this sword technique.

My master, who had been staring at me quietly, finally spoke.

“This sword technique is called Wolyeong Swordsmanship.”

“Wolyeong Swordsmanship...”

“Yes, it’s the essence of my swordsmanship, my everything, and yet, it’s still incomplete.”

Her words shocked me.

“It’s incomplete?”

I couldn’t believe it.

This swordsmanship, which perfectly balanced speed, direction, destructive power, offense, and defense, all seamlessly linked together—how could it be incomplete?

Honestly, when I first used this technique, I felt an overwhelming sense of invincibility, as if no opponent wielding a sword could defeat me.

‘If it’s completed, just how powerful will it become...?’

It felt as if I had scaled a mountain, only to find an even higher wall standing before me.

As I pondered this, my master spoke again.

“You asked when I started teaching you.”

“Yes, I did.”

“I began the moment I accepted you as my disciple.”

“...”

“To begin with, this is the only sword technique I can use. But I’m a failure who couldn’t complete it.”

“Failure? Why would you say that...”

“Hmph, as you know, I’m not very good with words. So, I’ll explain the rest with my sword.”

Swish

With that, my master drew her black sword from her waist.

I, too, lowered my gaze and drew my sword, Wolgwang.

“Please, guide me once more.”

Clang!

Clang!

Chaaang!

It had been a while since the master and disciple sparred.

From afar, their sword dance didn’t seem particularly flashy or dazzling.

But anyone watching closely could tell just how extraordinary this duel was.

Their swords would sometimes seem to hang suspended in mid-air, only to accelerate in an instant, striking at the opponent’s vital points in the blink of an eye.

The rapid changes in speed created an illusion, making the intense exchange between them even more fierce.

Swish!

Whirr!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Chaaang!

Their swords clashed relentlessly, with the sound of metal ringing out continuously.

Sweat beaded on Jin Yoo-ha’s forehead, while Baek Seol-hee exerted considerable force to fend him off.

Chaaang!

As she blocked Jin Yoo-ha’s strike, a surge of intense emotion welled up inside Baek Seol-hee.

‘...Incredible.’

Sword strikes seemed to crash over her like tidal waves from all directions, with illusions mixed in, creating a dizzying spectacle.

Everything was an illusion, yet at the same time, it was all real.

‘He truly has mastered the Wolyeong Swordsmanship.’

To be honest, when she first started teaching Jin Yoo-ha, she wasn’t sure if her disciple would ever reach this level.

But it took him only a year to get here.

Even she, who was once called a prodigy, hadn’t grown at such a pace.

It was astonishing how quickly her disciple had grown. But despite his monstrous growth rate, Baek Seol-hee still couldn’t fully understand Jin Yoo-ha.

If someone like Kang Do-hee, Sophia, or Im Ga-eul had shown such growth, she would have acknowledged it, but not found it as remarkable. After all, they had been talented from the start.

But Jin Yoo-ha’s sword was different.

If she had to describe his sword in one phrase, it would be a “desperate sword.”

His sword carried the heavy weight of shackles he was born with, yet it also bore the traces of his relentless struggle to break free from them. And despite that burden, he surged forward faster than anyone else.

‘Perhaps it’s because of this struggle that I can hope for him to complete the Wolyeong Swordsmanship.’

The essence of her life’s work, the swordsmanship she had devoted her entire life to, had found its place in her disciple’s hands.

Even though her disciple had successfully inherited her teachings, Baek Seol-hee couldn’t bring herself to smile with joy.

Because this also meant there was nothing left for her to teach him.

She was a failure who had not been able to complete the Wolyeong Swordsmanship. If she interfered any further, Jin Yoo-ha would only follow her down the same path of failure. From now on, he had to complete it on his own, without anyone’s help.

Yes, the end of their master-disciple relationship was drawing near.

‘It’s a shame...’

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Of course, just because she could no longer teach him didn’t mean their relationship would end. But still, the thought of no longer being his master made her feel a complex mix of emotions—regret, sadness, and something else she couldn’t quite define.

‘Is this what they mean when they say a master with a talented disciple is bound to feel left behind...’

A small smile crossed her lips.

Chaaaang—

Jin Yoo-ha’s sword was blocked by Baek Seol-hee’s, and the two of them stood still, their swords locked together.

The tip of Baek Seol-hee’s sword was at Jin Yoo-ha’s neck, while Jin Yoo-ha’s sword stopped a hand’s breadth away from Baek Seol-hee.

“Huff... Huff... Huff... I... I lost...”

Jin Yoo-ha, drenched in sweat, withdrew his sword and bowed his head.

Baek Seol-hee silently watched him.

The time had come to talk about the end of their master-disciple relationship. She hadn’t expected it to come so soon, so she hadn’t prepared any words or thoughts for this moment.

‘First, I should praise him.’

Praise for a disciple who had blossomed so brilliantly under such an unworthy master.

“You’re truly, truly remarkable, my disciple.”

Baek Seol-hee spoke, trying to convey her sincere feelings despite the awkwardness.

Jin Yoo-ha responded with a beaming smile, clearly pleased.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Master.”

“...”

Baek Seol-hee found it hard to speak as she stood in front of Jin Yoo-ha, who was smiling so brightly.

‘The longer I hesitate, the more I’ll hold Jin Yoo-ha back. I have to tell him. That it’s time to stop.’

Baek Seol-hee steeled herself once more.

Yes.

It was time to say it.

But before she could speak, Jin Yoo-ha addressed her first.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“Um, could you close your eyes for a moment?”

“Close my eyes?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

Baek Seol-hee closed her eyes.

“Now, could you open your mouth?”

“My mouth?”

First, he asked her to close her eyes, and now he wanted her to open her mouth? Baek Seol-hee couldn’t understand what her disciple was up to.

But since it was Jin Yoo-ha asking, she saw no reason not to comply.

Ah.

Baek Seol-hee, with her eyes still closed, opened her mouth.

“...”

For some reason, it felt more embarrassing than she had expected, perhaps because it was a part of her body she didn’t usually reveal so openly. Standing in front of her disciple with her mouth open felt surprisingly awkward.

After a moment, she felt something Jin Yoo-ha was holding approach her mouth.

‘What is this, a stone...? No, it has mana in it. Is it a mana stone? Hmm, is this just a silly prank?’

The tension she had felt dissipated, leaving her feeling somewhat deflated. Her disciple would sometimes play light-hearted pranks on her.

‘Well, it’s ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) a sign that he feels close to me, so I don’t mind... But I was hoping to have a serious conversation today...’

Despite these thoughts, Baek Seol-hee obediently followed Jin Yoo-ha’s instructions, keeping her eyes closed and her mouth open.

The mana stone touched her tongue.

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And then...

Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation.

A warm flush.

‘What? My tongue... feels hot?’

Her tongue had lost sensation long ago, hadn’t it?

Before she could make sense of it, something else entered her mouth.

Baek Seol-hee’s eyes shot open.

A moment of blissful sweetness so intense it made her head spin. It was the first time she had experienced taste since she was a child.

In front of her, Jin Yoo-ha was smiling, holding a white mana stone.

“It’s tanghulu. I bought it from the most famous place in China. I thought something sweet would be a good first taste.”

With her cheeks puffed out from the tanghulu, Baek Seol-hee stared at Jin Yoo-ha.

“How does it feel to taste sweetness again after so long?”

“It’s... sweet.”

Baek Seol-hee answered in a muffled voice, the tanghulu still in her mouth, while she continued to gaze at Jin Yoo-ha.

‘As expected, I want to remain your master for a little longer...’

Yes.

Then, I’ll just have to break through this wall myself.

‘If there’s no sword left to teach, I’ll just create something new to teach. If it’s incomplete, I’ll find the key to completing it.’

Baek Seol-hee’s eyes grew determined.