Chapter 314: The Transfer Student is a Singularity (2)

The restrained admiration erupted into thunderous applause. It was so loud that even the clouds seemed to scatter.

“Uoooooooh!”

The arena was in a frenzy. The roar violently drew in passersby. Among them was Lee Won-bin, the head instructor of the Wolf Class.

“W-What is this?”

For a moment, he thought it was a riot. Moving like he was swimming, he pushed his way through the crowd.

As soon as he entered the arena, the sunlight struck his eyes harshly, forcing him to squint. His bald head—which some joked was like a sun of its own—was nothing more than a firefly compared to the real thing.

In any case—

Lee Won-bin, eyes wide at the packed arena before him, couldn’t help but let out a stunned exclamation.

“What are those two doing there…?”

Kang Geom-Ma, the Heavenly Sword, the greatest of all time.

And twenty paces from him, the “aspiring” hero, Leon van Reinhardt.

Kang Geom-Ma was flicking the sheath of his sashimi blade, while Leon drew Balmung, the sacred and demonic sword.

Yes. The two of them, long past the title of “hero,” were now preparing for a duel in a subspace.

For a brief moment, Lee Won-bin nearly vaulted over the railing to stop them. He feared that a cut from the Heavenly Sword could tear space itself. It was for the safety of the students—but then he remembered those two were no longer students.

And besides, once the duel began, any intervention would be meaningless.

‘Surely the Heavenly Sword knows how to restrain himself.’

He had already learned from experience that clumsy interference only made things worse. And he had paid for it—with his hair.

At that moment, his gaze drifted to a corner of the stands.

He didn’t know why exactly, but a particular group caught his attention instantly.

Third-year students. Technically still apprentices, but the aura they gave off was entirely different.

‘How to describe it…?’

Almost petty, perhaps.

It was a controversial opinion for an instructor to have, but he couldn’t help it—their behavior and mannerisms were undeniable.

A paper fan in the 21st century? Discrimination by status even now?

Apparently, others noticed too. Students within a 30-meter radius began to subtly distance themselves from the third-years.

‘Children of political figures.’

At the center of the group was Princess Victoria. Her hair, a scarlet blonde like molten gold wrung down to its essence, inevitably drew every eye.

She must have come to the arena as soon as she heard. No doubt she skipped morning classes without hesitation.

He considered saying something to her, but shook his head. Instead, Lee Won-bin curled his lips into a crooked smile.

“They’re the same ones who wish to see the Heavenly Sword fall and constantly pressure the director.”

The current director, Saki Ryozo, and Kang Geom-Ma were like children to him. Even after graduation, Kang Geom-Ma, Saki, and Abel had stayed at the academy, in constant contact with him.

By now, their bond was practically that of family.

Technically, that group of third-years were also his students—but even teachers have favorites.

And Lee Won-bin, at the end of the day, was human too. Even if he was in the TOP 100 heroes of the year (with the special issue of TAMES magazine framed and hanging at the entrance of his house).

Chuckling at himself for being a failed educator, he took his seat.

And with a burning gaze, he looked toward the center of the coliseum.

“Show me.”

What it means to be a true hero.

***

The density of the air was overwhelming.

The arena was vast, the size of several football fields. Even so, with thousands of people sharing the same oxygen, the air felt thick.

“There are a lot of people here.”

“Yeah…”

Leon scanned the arena as he opened the conversation.

For some reason, his expression turned nostalgic. His emotions must have been incredibly complex.

Ignoring that, I asked a casual question.

“How long has it been since you were at the academy?”

“Ten years.”

We both knew the answer, but saying it aloud was a way to dispel the heaviness. Leon understood and gave a wry smile.

“Time flies. Ten years…”

“Ten years.”

I slightly unsheathed my blade while emphasizing that number.

“Ten years—maybe it’s time you stopped digging that hole in your heart.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“With that face and still such low self-esteem. You’ve lived like a condemned man since that day. Spare a thought for those of us around you.”

Leon pressed his lips together. He knew I had hit the mark.

Right now, he was a walking target. That’s why he accepted Metatron’s proposal without hesitation.

I kept going.

“I’m fine with it, but think of your father, the Archangel. How do you think he feels, watching his only son fall apart day after day? He has to force a smile until his lips tremble.”

“…”

“That’s why he asked me to give you a little push, you idiot. As his son, you shouldn’t allow that.”

“…”

“When you carry too much weight, the people watching you get tired. So learn to let go once in a while. Look.”

I gestured toward the stands with my eyes. Leon looked up as well.

There were a few students who looked at him with disdain, sure. But not many. Most watched him with admiration.

The world hadn’t forgotten Leon’s mistake.

But neither had it forgotten his sacrifice during the Second Great Human-Demon War.

‘If not for Leon…’

While I was dealing with the false gods, the Human Realm would have fallen to Kuarne.

If I was the one who destroyed the culprit, the ones who truly saved humanity were Leon and his father, Metatron.

Thanks to them, we won. And the Joaquin Academy was able to rebuild.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the new arena was built on the foundation Leon helped lay.

That’s why I brought him here—so he’d remember that.

“Kang Geom-Ma… you…”

“Come on, let’s not get sentimental between men. There are students watching. Besides, I have wives.”

“Hahaha…”

Leon let out a freeing laugh.

As he wiped his tears with his thumb, his deep blue eyes gleamed.

‘Yeah.’

Now he looks like a true hero.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Just hold out.”

“How long?”

“One minute.”

Leon nodded.

“It’ll be tough, but I’ll try.”

The protagonist of that game that cost me so many hours of free time on Earth raised his sword with resolve.

Chiiing.

The natures of good and evil resonated in harmony.

The entire arena vibrated with a mechanical hum.

[Deploying subspace barrier.]

[May the Hero’s Blessing be with you.]

I, too, rattled the sheaths of Murasame and Eternal Frost.

[Manifesting Blessing of the God of the Sword.]

The blades sang.

+++++++++++++++++

《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》

+++++++++++++++++

The man stepped forward and launched himself into battle.

***

An eagle soared through the sky. A purple membrane gently gnawed at its translucent retina.

Again.

It was something that often happened when flying over the rugged Chiaksan Mountains in Wonju, Gangwon Province. For the Eagle family, who had settled in that region for generations, it was nothing new.

‘Tsk. Today’s hunt didn’t go well… I’ll circle around and watch a bit.’

So decided the 14th of the Eagles, diving straight into the veil of distorted space. In that brief instant—

Flash!

Lightning burst from the ground. Once, twice, countless times.

The 14th Eagle shuddered in surprise. Some of its feathers disintegrated among the clouds.

‘What the hell is that?!’

With wide eyes, its retinas captured the events unfolding in the coliseum. Thanks to the Eagle gene and its 8.0 vision, it could see everything clearly.

Clang!

A sharp metallic sound shook the world. Two swords clashed—one wielded by a black-haired man, the other by a golden-haired one.

From the eagle’s perspective, they merged into a single point.

But…

The frequency.

The speed!

It was as if time itself was being shattered into a thousand pieces.

Was it just the speed? No, even the shockwaves pierced through the clouds. A flock of migratory birds scattered in utter chaos. That said it all.

Only earthquakes triggered reactions like that. This was an omen of catastrophe!

The two combatants clashed and separated again and again. The glow of their swords and the trails they left kept growing. The eagle’s pupils spun endlessly.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

It was like hearing the heartbeat of the world.

The kids sitting in the stands barely understood what they were seeing. Only an eagle could follow the flow of the fight.

But even the pride of its species wasn’t enough—the blasts were relentless.

The air stirred so much that even it lost its rhythm.

That irritated the eagle. So it decided to fly even closer.

The outlaw of the skies slowly descended.

***

The sashimi sword sliced through the air. The altered space cracked under its edge.

The sword’s trajectory was straight and honest, but the energy it carried was infinite.

Clang!

Leon managed to block the strike, but was pushed back, dragging dust under his feet.

“Ghh!”

Gasps echoed here and there.

The students of Heavenly Sword identified with Leon.

The third-years felt as if the tip of the sashimi blade was pointed directly at them. It was the classic fear of the guilty.

‘It’s gotten heavier.’

Amid his disheveled blond hair, Leon’s blue eyes flickered.

The only reason he hadn’t lost his footing was because Kang Geom-Ma was holding back. Leon knew this, and yet showed no signs of despair.

He twisted his wrist and slightly tilted Murasame.

A subtle shift in his center of gravity.

Then, he moved his foot back a few centimeters.

Thrust!

The tip extended like a lance of light.

Kang Geom-Ma dodged sideways.

He closed in on Leon’s blind spot with a shift and counterattacked.

Their swords clashed.

As sashimi and Balmung scraped against each other, their eyes met.

A dark gaze.

Kang Geom-Ma, though restraining himself, walked dangerously close to the line between divine and human.

It would only take a push to cross it.

“Grrrgh.”

Leon groaned. He wouldn’t last even forty seconds, let alone a full minute.

It looked like an even match, but the fight was one-sided.

And Kang Geom-Ma was holding back.

‘I can’t keep going like this.’

It was his first time back at the academy in ten years.

Though he spoke lightly, deep down he wanted to prove he was still worthy.

That’s why he didn’t reject the challenge and dared to return to Joaquin.

‘Then.’

He had to be at peace with himself.

‘And not just that.’

The sword is a mirror of a warrior’s soul. In Kang Geom-Ma’s sashimi blade, he felt solitude.

He was born for the sword.

And deep down, he hoped for someone who could endure even a single blow from him.

He didn’t want to disappoint him.

It wasn’t friendship.

It was a duel of pride between men.

“Kang Geom-Ma!”

Leon roared and stomped forward.

Boom!

He advanced with a powerful step, leaning his weight forward.

He planned to use the length and strength of his sword to press in.

Grrrrrrk!

Kang Geom-Ma stepped forward in a quick motion, pressed down on Balmung’s path, and pinned it to the ground.

He did it at near-light speed, skipping all intermediate steps.

“……!”

Leon tried to retrieve Balmung too late. Then he shuddered. He looked up and his left shoulder was blurred.

At the same time, his world split in two.

The slash that tore the world stretched all the way to the distant mountains.

Slash.

Leon’s vision blurred.

Even so, he recovered Balmung and was hurled backward.

“My… my… body!”

Is it intact?

Why is it still together?

Didn’t he just slice me in half?

Leon, lying far away, rubbed his neck.

His lips moved like a madman’s.

All the students stared at him.

Silence spread.

Maybe that’s why Leon was able to think clearly.

And then…

“Hahahahaha!”

He burst into laughter, head thrown back.

The students’ faces turned pale.

It was a surreal scene.

Humans blessed by divine grace often suffered from emotional paralysis.

That’s why they were less sensitive to death than normal humans.

Even after surviving a battle royale in subspace, they’d recover from the trauma in hours.

But now, they trembled.

As if they had witnessed something forbidden.

Amid the commotion, the laughter ceased.

“Kang Geom-Ma, you…”

Leon spoke with difficulty.

“Did you just cut death itself?”

“……”

Kang Geom-Ma didn’t flinch.

He simply sheathed his knives into his forearms and wiped away the blood.