Chapter 309: Kang Geom-Ma, the Star Instructor (2)
QQhDGJAll the students looked as if their souls had left their bodies. Like toys with dead batteries, their eyes were lifeless.ksdXOd
Vts23While exclamations of awe slipped from their parted lips…L6jap
3fvSlide.SYXkc9q
EsLI gave Murasame a light shake and sheathed it.Zld
jCRjIThe reverent stares pricked at my skin. But all my focus was already on Murasame, hanging at my waist.mlMOeB
WRBC3‘I’m a bit rusty.’ak4C
7MSsAs I mentioned before, lately I’ve only been using lightning attribute magic.cM7Ammu
ZFiZMaybe that’s why I felt my sword technique had dulled a bit.Jug
RcqYFOf course, that’s by my own standards.UUx7pX
fD0BxV‘I didn’t like how it felt.’wPYVS7P
47QMy slash—one that maximizes the potential of the Sword God’s Blessing—had grown so powerful that it could wound the world itself.HNkEYc7
dzukDY‘That’s precisely why I’ve been avoiding using the blessing.’rAxvDlw
aOoI guess I’ll need to practice on my own from now on.vhQBb8m
corea05As I thought about that, I shifted my gaze from my waist to scan the students.9h1
pgJnK0They were eagerly waiting for me to speak.WxtLYI
b9NIZl‘Their eyes are about to pop out.’ArNrh0i
0UCW7LI let out a small chuckle and spoke.kcQDOwi
eJfC“Sorry, but forget what you just saw. I’m a little rusty, it’s kind of embarrassing.”q0LH7
eGg“Huh? What do you mean…?”mkz5h7M
GA0Wnyq“The last class is in a week, right? I’ll show you properly then. So pretend you didn’t see anything today.”6zD
RE0aMAfter my words, their expressions changed in strange ways.mnGkzyu
FhlXw***qeNF8
AyZhCKang Geom-Ma left the classroom just like that. His classes were always this brief.E6ET
ZI2Though a lesson is supposed to include explanation, he wasn’t very good at talking.Z2j
PpMN7QdBesides, he knew that this wasn’t something that could be explained with words.2ZX9a
b4KHWFor him, the true value lay in making students experience—albeit indirectly through pocket subspace—things they couldn’t normally live through.qOq
SYvoJDKang Geom-Ma was aware that this was a form of evasion.Sbnp
Pc7EvBut he believed that walking away silently was better than giving a mediocre lesson. He didn’t mind making a fool of himself, but his mistakes might negatively affect his wife and the director, Saki Ryozo.ZGV8
fC8osZKThat’s why he left without looking back.yrd
4inc11However, the students’ interpretation of his class was very different.Lx28
aU1xA“Wow.”Ei9
LuO“He’s seriously insane.”Hos
y8DJ9MThey all remained frozen, as if possessed.CCto0
veQuMGThe dropouts who couldn’t handle the Heavenly Sword’s class were peeking through the window.ROZ
Qd2PNo one cared. Those inside didn’t pay them the slightest attention.gNDh
ad7A total silence, as if cold water had been poured over everything.gg7v6
oOgJ“You.”cUzsK
cKXA student murmured to the boy beside her.jzO0
cEAK“Did you see that?”RwOn2W
lPG5R“Yeah. I’ve never seen a slash like that.”5yWod
BF70i0“Pocket space is supposed to be beyond the reach of physical force, right? And he cut it? What was that?”32uV
FtPJLP“That’s why they call him the Heavenly Sword.”u7mVFdd
qCmFun fact she was a special student, and he was from a noble family.raAH
NpZTen years ago, a conversation between them would’ve been unthinkable.OxdQF
5VTlThat change was thanks to the former directors, Media Poison and Saki Ryozo.u7HC7
QtulbGAnd above all, to Abel’s influence, who pushed for reform within noble society.00v
mzhbN8K“I don’t know who gave him the nickname, but it was perfect.”WKaeBK
llqIt was given by the current president of the Association, Sung.lRVnpS
YuQQh“But, can that be imitated?”sSS9oLT
5Ndaxr9“Are you stupid? How would you imitate that?”fKdaWy
kIo1IY“Then why did he show it to us…?”wMGSf
nK2The boy seemed confused, and the girl gave him a cold look.MRkK
skE“It’s not for imitation. It’s to imprint it in your eyes and use it as inspiration. Could you create pocket space just because the founding hero, Balor Joaquin, did?”k1hS
FWdc9WV“No… no.”nNIsEMQ
1JTsO4m“It’s the same. Even if you can’t do it, seeing it with your own eyes and turning it into something real is completely different from just imagining it.”QcKUaV
VF9tcdThe girl slightly lifted her chin.OD4JA
9SCycyNShe was the same one who refused to acknowledge Kang Geom-Ma on the first day.hlgtL
eFWACBut now, she praised him more enthusiastically than anyone. She even joined the fan club called the Cult of the Sword God.zpo
yZjG6“The Heavenly Sword is the very origin of swordsmanship,” she said proudly.liLFblx
YRPDz“It’s like math. Knowing the answer doesn’t mean you know how to solve it, but it sure helps a lot.”rYVjr
SnR9Vc“But… the Heavenly Sword also said he was rusty, that we shouldn’t use him as a reference.”gOCj
sZ5“That was also a lesson. Even someone who has mastered the logic of the sword holds himself to a higher standard. It’s a message for us—mere students—not to get arrogant and to keep working hard with humility.”9vQf7O
39888k“And the fact that he left without an explanation? Is that a lesson too?”EjVgf
1kIpThe girl nodded proudly.4Skmab
5pq“He gave us space to reflect.”xUf1w
r4Wf“God… he’s ridiculously cool. Too sexy.”a5j9Az
Yty“He really is incredible,” said the student, staring in awe at the door.dts
7ZKbbqV“If it were me, I’d be bragging all day about how good I am.”uYwdW
fhWtM“Humanity’s hero teaches on a whole different level from the start.”oxiLr
hNpThus, Kang Geom-Ma’s reputation continued to rise.Ex7kT
XyKVE“…My ears are tingling. Is someone talking about me?”U7JgDCl
uRtLGm***HUnC
XaLzThe sun of Gehenna had such a gloomy color it was unsettling.yXJuyvs
WKNTDgIts texture was thick like oil, and so black that not a single ray of light could pierce through it.StcR5E6
83nLooking at it felt like you were being sucked in. Yes, like a black hole. The tilted sunlight of Gehenna illuminated the surface.LEvD
SpnpAV1On the vast white land, shadows were cast.Cer8
F3Bk9A world where only black and white existed.XY5
51Bwe3Leon van Reinhardt walked across Gehenna. His body was equally covered by the white of the land and the shadows of the sun.K8Wu
XoQL5wSon of an angel and a demon. A Nephilim. It was as if Gehenna itself were revealing his true nature.VBM
3z1BCrunch. Crunch.hroBUp
rZyyAwgThe weeds under his feet crumbled without resistance.Qk5D
CN2K9RDThe edge of his tattered cloak struck his calves with each step—until he came to a sudden stop.Go1dT
YN1hs“What is it, Leon?”jNm
DORjA middle-aged man walking beside him looked over.FmK
FOuFHis muscles were cracked like dry earth, and the scars across them formed a checkered pattern.iINu0
WT9“Ah, it’s… Father.”3Bj
MdW“Hahaha. Still feels good to hear that. Even if this hell is a barren place, just walking with you like this… makes me happy for no particular reason.”Gqw
d0Mr4yThe man let out a hearty laugh.aVql7uC
6mmpS“It’s all thanks to him.”Alsnq4
8CZBcHU“Yes… thanks to him. That we can walk like this, father and son.”2pEolr
6G8iz50His name was Metatron, Leon’s father.WqHcJ2D
5QkvLGvHe had been betrayed by his younger brother, Azazel—also known as Kuarne, former commander of the Second Corps—and tortured by false gods for countless ages.ETQy0us
pLH2But during the Second Human-Demon War, he regained his sanity and freed himself from those false gods.XPqoG
Ihw5uVThe chains that bound his mind to the abyss had been broken.RtAc
83Fs7His son, Leon van Reinhardt, who nearly became an enemy of humanity because of it all, was also freed.fY4e2
AgfThanks to the efforts of Kang Geom-Ma.wCRTa
NvZ“But what’s troubling you?”R0rhY
SQc“Ah, right.”7k5M
MpIJCgLeon raised his hand to point at the sun.g0KSv
n2zOV“Doesn’t it look like the sun’s gotten a bit grayer?”ByKZU
vOy7y8V“Mmm…”Tx55d
C8iuVMetatron also shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the sun.hfy9o
kgG5yh“It does seem a little less black… but why does that bother you?”qah8
vIQf6“The truth is that…”AXJHiv2
Ysw4cLeon explained the strange phenomenon he and Meain Poison (also known as Sah Ha-na) had discovered days earlier.6s1
FzSMAt first, Metatron listened with interest. But as the story went on, his expression grew more serious.sCMDxf
sNKwmnMetatron had been the brightest and most powerful among the celestial wings in the mythological era.X8JZy
rEdeNow that the false gods were gone, except for Kang Geom-Ma and Lycan, he was the being closest to the origin of the universe.UaXff
MpkF“This isn’t normal.”JLxHlr
n373“Really…?”ghmM
nQm4“Yes, but you don’t need to worry too much, son.”NlPwVhT
H2SMetatron affectionately ruffled Leon’s hair.PkNmE
V5gHWdrThough a bit embarrassed to be treated like a child at his age, Leon didn’t push his father’s hand away.Wwg6
kPiCrWpThese were the days he had longed for—like a warm, sweet dream he never wanted to wake from.wnbMwU
uTEfAg“…!”JEiTJMS
K3oLVJust then, Metatron’s hand stopped. Leon also sensed something strange.xs0puN
J49tThey looked at each other and instantly kicked off the ground.xcjqR
7wGYagThe white earth sank deeply, and a boom echoed an instant later.19t
34bCDRunning faster than sound, they arrived in a breath.O51X59
r0C2cLLeon’s cloak flapped violently in the wind.tpFzA6
PNSwlxAs they drew closer, they saw a massive crater.Wbm
VuMS9The landscape of Gehenna was always changing.R5zSN8
drf8RHowever, that change was always a rearrangement of existing elements. New formations like this never appeared.X2Teek
urmLGSo, even for Leon and Metatron, who had lived there a long time, the crater was entirely unfamiliar.fpBr
VWUtpWhooooosh.ti9BZS3
MkXh3ZfThe crater exhaled wind rhythmically, as if breathing. It was like a living creature inhaling and exhaling and had the same shape as the sun in the sky.faxs6
Lv3DLeon and Metatron stood at the edge of the cliff, peering down.kDh7rRq
iB1CEven with their transcendent vision, they couldn’t see the bottom.f5IZb9
YbIjxg7They exchanged a glance, closed their eyes, then reopened them.gVy5
01eQayJust then, feathers fell onto Leon’s shoulder.tx6v
coDA pair of wings unfurled from his back.63e
PULnQ“Let’s go, son.”ERD
4J2l“Yes, Father.”ybBvK
oGmEuqThe angel and the Nephilim plunged into the crater.bOS
lbUAll that remained where they stood were feathers floating in the air.rxaNbX5
AA8q0dV***SPCE
PZzRwSafe Room, Joaquin Academy.mSGEt
Li7nThe Swordmaster and Media were having tea as usual.57zPh
iS8amtChangseong Richard Mura had left the country a week ago due to workload.Vspil
hrhb3xv“Old man, why haven’t you gone?”C3rp1
G6kFL9“Can’t I stay where I want?”dAT
p4ZHZOGMedia’s delicate eyes narrowed.oWYF
2atmgL“You can. But I don’t remember you sticking around this long since you asked to become an instructor ten years ago.”tLr
MicBKYO“Ahem.”RhWAzT
PmnWfay“You always clear your throat when you’re nervous. Anyway, an old man with no tasks has nothing to do but kill time, right?”JOzJ
7Lv“Can you stop calling me old already?”b8fh
TKRMrpm“I didn’t lie…”uo2
mTXBDCcNormally, he would’ve refuted firmly, but this time, Media left the sentence hanging.zv5EN
SApbFbAnd that’s because the Swordmaster looked younger now than he did ten years ago.vz9FiF
6PPtJThe life expectancy of heroes was around 140 years, due to the effect of their blessings, which slowed aging.oxy
VKEhrIThe average life span hovered around 60 because being a hero meant constant combat.yZ2GXUF
mPOjCBack to the point.s1iIdOx
EgT6‘Is this old man taking something weird?’ Media thought.KeYb
xRU14She could accept it in her case, since she was an ancient. But the Swordmaster was just a (supposedly) human.ZCQNkGK
v9fV6Even as a descendant of the Swordmaster, his life span shouldn’t change.3Ch
KxdwEYet, he was rejuvenating.ycWq4
HsOHis wrinkles were visibly softer. The same was happening to Changseong.Af9Oi0
58Nl4Both, nearly eighty years old, were too energetic for their age.9fDtH
BfuS21AAs a friend, she was happy… but also worried.5UpuIt
Ertb‘I’ll need to verify this with the Poet’s Blessing.’5K9w
SEprUThe Poet’s Blessing was Media’s special ability.
It allowed her to see the future.0Cza63
JC3As she pondered this, the Swordmaster set down his cup and changed the subject.Li5
SJ8FWeP“By the way, isn’t the Heavenly Sword teaching classes? What do the students say?”XTn5Yn
RMz“After the first day, many dropped out. But those who stayed value it a lot. Word’s reached me too.”xqXKeK
lNpDe“Looks like he’s good at teaching as well.”tJTjEW
wvN0i“Yes, seems like there’s nothing he’s bad at.”iBpj
novB“Maybe I should give it a shot too.”aUU9
xNiUz8PThe Swordmaster’s eyebrows arched mischievously.Bn7
4WNi“Give what a shot?”2Z8e3W
QNGZJ“What else? Becoming his third wife.”ggB1k
fvgb5p6“……”U0tibkR
jua7“What, huh?”B02
15wuNwMedia flared up at the Swordmaster’s silence.mHO55c
83PnI“I’m an ancient! Age differences mean nothing to me! What a ridiculous man!”B6gn
vEOAge wasn’t the issue, woman…4OUZIuG
bS4gCrYou’re proposing marriage to Kang Geom-Ma, whose wife is your friend—and your granddaughter!SDm
05YEven in this world, where marriages were flexible, that would be an abomination beyond precedent.4CU
88gp5Dz‘Media, you’re insane.’Qgs
YeYKThe Swordmaster thought of replying, but held his tongue.BA0fM
fKEjHe simply closed his eyes, overwhelmed by a chilling shiver.VzC
qTd***WYeA
ikIGmWThat weekend, Yu Sein contacted me.a5Vqp
KtIShe normally doesn’t send messages, so she called directly, and with urgency.xKQo
d9550GOI went to her apartment right away.
For some reason, I was nervous. I turned the doorknob with a slightly tense hand and stepped in.k5k6X
FDHv2z“Oh, you came.”VQ7FZ7
r4laHmsYu Sein greeted me. She didn’t seem too serious.z0qv
Y4pmi2GAt least not judging by the way she was chewing on some soggy chips.OsftSb
qWfYShe probably even bought those with Abel and Ryozo’s blood. A dark red emotion burned in my throat.qE7L1
1pIN“Should I kill her?”Oxx
8gjR“What?”iSP
tpcDQ“Don’t mind me. Just thinking out loud.”C6226Z
PMb“That’s what worries me more. Anyway, come in. I’ve got something to tell you.”UOtLEk
vnRB3ZVYu Sein spoke as she licked her fingers.5mm
HHlI dropped sideways onto the living room sofa, feeling a bit tired, and asked,FcEB
LJT“Why did you call me on this golden weekend?”w0tQ
P5pT“I’ll get straight to the point.”zOk
QkH3VUWYu Sein’s black eyes turned somber.qKl
4pE9“Let’s say this world is like this bag of chips.”SPekUVc
0CC2She sealed the opening of the bag with her fingers. It puffed up completely.BRSb64S
ZvtUNU6“Imagine that the concept of ‘perfection’ is like this bag, fully inflated.”erm
3njXm“That thing’s 80% nitrogen.”CyK7
iT3oM4d“Ugh, it’s just a metaphor, a metaphor!”Xc3UU
yp8She snapped, frowning, and continued.AjO2zW3
UENSdyX“In any case, this chip bag represents the current state of our world. It couldn’t be better. Everyone’s satisfied, and nothing seems to be missing.”HMHPj81
Qlgo1s“Nice metaphor.”DoSUMdr
vqRo1P“But it was just an illusion. Or rather, the initial assumption was wrong. Think about it. Geom-Ma, you killed the false gods, right?”FYafml
xrNeI nodded.d4t
rC7BTi1“But isn’t it strange? Blessings come from gods, so how are heroes still able to use them? That shouldn’t be possible.”srwJ
tJb“That’s…”3x50uq
JLq7An undeniable truth, with no room for rebuttal.OVEBkc
HoB09iY“The current blessings aren’t blessings anymore. A true blessing is like a plug that covers human flaws. But now, humans—including you—no longer have any noticeable flaws. So what remains? The power of blessings just keeps growing without restraint. And what do you think happens if that continues?”enw1e
tLWEYu Sein opened the other hand that was holding the bag.Z3fU
YclN2SGThen smacked the bottom of it forcefully.g7wS8
94poDgNBoom!MgPTv
OBKt9A pop that made the eardrum vibrate.NgHFjl
q7Ms0“With just a small impact, it can explode like this.”R88UFvY
GbdVkThe saint, Yu Sein, issued a warning to the world.GNm
j6Q“That’s exactly what the Force of Suppression is aiming for.”rSIY
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