Chapter 4: The Ranking Assignment Test (2)

My first master had been an old gangster.

According to him, he wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill thug, but a man who had once dominated his era with his knife skills.

If that bald, potbellied man had dominated an era, then I would have ruled for a century.

Honestly, I didn’t believe much of it, but if he said so, well…

Despite his bloody past, he once confessed that he had cut one of his wrists as an act of redemption for the many people he had harmed, and that he had opened his Japanese restaurant with the firm resolve to make people happy through the use of knives.

Aside from his nasty habit of swearing, his skill was “authentic,” so I learned a lot from him.

You know the type of person I’m talking about? Someone you want to hate but just can’t.

“Boss, why do gangsters always use sashimi knives?”

“Why do you care?”

“I don’t know, it’s just that in movies, they’re always carrying sashimi knives, even the dog. I wonder if that happens in real life. Do they pull out the knife from under their suit and shout, ‘Let’s get ’em!’ before charging in, all excited?”

“The problem these days is the media’s ruining the youth, tsk tsk. Most of those thugs can’t even afford a T-shirt, let alone a suit.”

Even so, the boss squinted his eyes, spaced his index and middle fingers about five centimeters apart, and looked at me seriously as he said.

“You know that when a blade pierces the skin, the body, whether human or animal, contracts, right? You, who work with knives all the time, should know this. Think about it. If you stab someone with a wide kitchen knife, do you think it would come out easily? Of course not. Sashimi knives are thin, so you can stab and withdraw multiple times.”

“But why stab at all? When it comes to fish, you slice. Can’t you do the same with people?”

“With such a thin knife, idiot, of course you can’t cut well. Fish lie flat, so you can cut them. If they were standing up, you wouldn’t even be able to slice bread in one go, moron!”

“But in comics, they go swish, swoosh, and slice cleanly… Maybe it’s your lack of skill, boss?”

“Not even the God of Swords could do that! Stop spouting nonsense and go sharpen the knives!”

It’s been 18 years, but I still clearly remember that incredulous slap on my back from my master.

* * *

Swoosh―

The sharp blade traced a line through the air, slicing cleanly through the gauntlet-covered arm. Mao Shun’s arm soared through the air before crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

“Huh?”

Even Mao Shun, whose arm had just been severed, tilted his head in confusion, not understanding what had just happened.

The cut was so clean that it wasn’t until several seconds later that a gush of blood erupted from the wound.

“Ahhhhh! Damn it! Chao! Chao ni-ma!”

The heat of the pain finally registered, and he screamed. Kang Geom-Ma quickly spun the sashimi knife in his hand, gripping it in reverse before striking at Mao Shun’s neck.

For a brief second, Kang Geom-Ma’s shoulders blurred as he moved.

That was the last image Mao Shun ever saw.

A thin red line appeared across his neck, and shortly after, his head, which had been screaming, rolled to the ground, landing at the feet of his brother, Mao Jin.

“Shu-Shun!?”

The once arrogant expression on Mao Jin’s face slowly twisted into one of horror and panic. He instinctively took a step back.

He had seen it clearly, but he couldn’t comprehend what had just occurred. The guy in front of him had drawn a line with his knife, and flesh had been sliced as if it were butter.

Even though Mao Jin didn’t know much about swords, he understood that a human body shouldn’t come apart so easily.

It even seemed as though the blade had slid effortlessly between the bones without making a single sound of metal scraping against bone.

Could a human being even do something like this? And with a cheap sashimi knife?

Thump-Thump.

His heart pounded inside his chest.

Thump.

The guy in front of him looked inexperienced, as if it were his first time wielding a knife against a person. He was breathing heavily and trembling, standing just 5 or 6 meters away.

But the knife in his hand was gripped tightly, as if it were an extension of his own body.

Who the hell is this bastard?

Mao Jin thought quickly. Being one of the renowned prodigy twins from the Iron King family, he knew how to assess a situation.

‘I’m not sure what exactly happened, but he’s exhausted.’

If that were true, then there was still a chance to turn things around. As shocking as it was to see his brother cut down in a single strike, the cause had been his carelessness.

Suppressing the growing fear gnawing at him from the inside, Mao Jin picked up his brother’s severed arm.

The other guy was just muttering something to himself, making no other move.

“…24… 23… 22…”

‘Why is he counting?’ Mao Jin shook off the thoughts and fitted his brother’s gauntlet onto his own right arm.

Clack.

“Haaah!”

The weight and pressure of the gauntlet caused the muscles in both of his arms to bulge.

It was the family’s treasure, an S-rank weapon.

‘Safety Gauntlet.’

Passed down to the twins, this weapon only revealed its full potential when both gauntlets were worn together. As energy coursed through his body, Mao Jin grinned.

“I don’t know what trick you pulled, but… you’re going to die, you filthy paocai!” [1]

Though he said that, fear still coursed through his body. He needed to eradicate that fear. Clenching both fists, he activated three of his blessings simultaneously.

The Blessing of Resolution to boost his defense, the Blessing of Intervention to charge at the enemy, and the Blessing of Courage to amplify the strength of his blows. Blessings of a level merit students could never even dream of obtaining.

“I’m going to smash your head in!”

With a powerful thrust of his legs, Mao Jin rapidly closed the distance between them.

At that moment, the shadow of his enemy stretched out and disappeared.

Swoosh⎯

The sound of air being sliced.

A booming noise that echoed all around.

Thunk―

Thunk―Clack―

Thunk―

Clack―Thunk―Thunk―

Simultaneously, a chilling sensation enveloped Mao Jin’s entire body.

His neck stiffened, and he found he couldn’t move his head.

Soon, a heavy sensation in his mouth made him aware of a red liquid trickling down his chin like a spiderweb.

Mao Jin barely managed to move his eyes to check his body.

A knife was lodged in his stomach, another in his neck, four more in his wrists and feet, and three others embedded in his ribs and abdomen.

Nine knives in total, all buried to the hilt.

Ugh―Aaaagh―Ack―

His vocal cords were severed, and the scream was choked off deep within his throat.

His vision gradually blurred.

And in the midst of it all, the guy kept muttering.

“…4… 3… 2… 1.”

At that moment.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!”

With his vision fading, Mao Jin clearly captured the final scene.

A demon in human form.

Crying out to the heavens while clutching a sword.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

As I tried to move, I felt the roughness of a sheet that didn’t seem familiar.

Turning my head, I noticed white curtains surrounding me on three sides, blocking my view, and the smell of medicine filled the air. Was I in a hospital?

“Ugh…”

As I tried to sit up, a soft groan escaped my lips. As I shifted, some bloodied gauze fell from my nose with a light plop.

Click―

At that moment, someone opened the curtain to my right.

“Director, the student has woken up!”

A man in a white coat shouted, and footsteps approached.

“Oh, it seems you’ve recovered.”

“…”

A beautiful woman with green hair wearing a black robe, and an old man with white hair, his arms crossed behind her. The woman gestured, and the doctor bowed before leaving.

‘What are they doing here?’

I didn’t know them personally, but I knew who they were.

Two of the Seven-Star Heroes who had defeated the 6th Corps Commander of the Demon King half a century ago.

The strongest human, Siegfried von Nibelung, known as the Sword Master, and Media Poison, the academy’s director. I was stunned to see these living legends.

“You look much better in person than in the recordings. How do you feel?”

“Ah, yes… well…”

The director sat on the edge of the bed. Every time she moved, the fabric of her clothing shifted, revealing her skin, making it hard not to stare.

Noticing this, she adjusted her robe and leaned in to touch my forehead.

“Hmm, look at that. You’ve still got a bit of a fever, huh?”

Then, she placed her hand near her inner thigh, as if comparing the temperature. Shouldn’t she be touching her own forehead instead?”

With her soft voice and seductive smile, she was too much for a healthy teenage boy like me. Plus, Media, though she appeared young, was probably nearing seventy.

I began reciting the national anthem in my mind.

“I already feel much better, thank you.”

“If you start feeling worse, let me know. This noona can stay and take care of you… just the two of us.”

Her fingers reached for the first button of her robe. Just as I finished reciting the fourth verse of the anthem, the Sword Master spoke up with obvious displeasure.

“Media, stop playing around.”

“Ugh, you’re such a killjoy. Fine, fine.”

Media adjusted her robe, which seemed ready to slip off, and glared at him.

I felt a wave of relief.

‘Damn it, Sword Master! I knew I could count on you!’

If my body had reacted to her temptation, it would have been over for me.

Being expelled would be the least of my worries. If the reason for my expulsion was something like, “The new student who got aroused by a seventy-year-old director,” I’d rather just kill myself and prepare for a third life.

“…Are you really going to keep calling me that? Even in front of a student?”

“Didn’t you, with your code of chivalry, always say, ‘Once you say something, you stick to it’? Are you going to contradict yourself now, you great Sword Master?”

Siegfried ignored Media’s teasing and slowly turned his gaze toward me, releasing a bit of his aura, as if testing me.

His golden eyes pierced through me with such intensity that I felt my ribs tightening.

“Tell me your name.”

“Kang Geom-Ma.”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Kang Geom-Ma, what exactly did you do?”

“…”

To be honest, my memories of what happened were vague. Flashbacks of me cutting down those garbage twins with the sashimi knife played briefly in my mind. And after that, the last thing I remembered was the blue-tinted world seeping into my vision.

“…”

That sensation didn’t feel entirely like it was mine, but I knew it had been me.

As I hesitated to answer, I noticed Siegfried’s sword at his hip slightly shift.

‘I wouldn’t gain anything by drawing this monster’s attention.’

I needed to tread carefully.

I had a good idea of what kind of personality he had.

The typical rigid “grumpy old man” type. But I knew how to handle people like him.

After 20 years in the restaurant business—essentially, 20 years of dealing with customers—I’d learned how to navigate these situations.

Time to show the world-class service spirit of Korea to the strongest human alive.

Clear explanations, short excuses.

“Even though it was just a class placement test, I felt the twins’ behavior was excessive. However, I acknowledge that my response was extreme. I’ll accept any punishment you deem necessary and will abide by your decision without complaint.”

The Sword Master stared at me.

Honestly, I thought it was a good answer, but his expression didn’t reveal much satisfaction. Still, I couldn’t afford to appear more submissive.

Sometimes, a man has to show some bravado, a little confidence.

The art of bluffing.

In Korea, they called that ganao. [2]

“…”

“…”

The silence between us became uncomfortable.

Media, who had been watching us, sighed.

“Huff, how can you be so awkward with young people, old man?”

She clicked her tongue briefly and spoke, then immediately furrowed her brow and approached me.

“Even though he says that, it was Siegfried who unlocked your energy channels while you were unconscious. They say the older you get, the more stubborn you become. But thanks to me, he decided to let it slide, hehe!”

“I told you not to mention that, Media.”

“Oh, you’re getting shy now.”

‘The Sword Master? Embarrassed?’

Contrary to the aches I felt in my body, I suddenly felt surprisingly light, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders… well, maybe not that light, but at least I didn’t feel crushed anymore.

“While you were unconscious, we reviewed the recording of what happened in the subspace. You were quite the gallant knight, rushing in to protect that poor girl! A heroic act, without a doubt.”

Media gave me a provocative wink. Those eyes… she looked at me like I was prey, almost as if she were drooling a little.

“Don’t worry, we’re not here to criticize your behavior during the test. Honestly, those twins were admitted because their families bribed certain academy council members. But in the end, they both dropped out on their own volition, so it’s a win-win!”

The thought of having to study alongside those guys had sent shivers down my spine, but hearing that they had withdrawn brought instant relief.

“We didn’t come to interrogate you. We’re here to inform you of something.”

“To inform me of what?”

A brilliant smile spread across Media’s face.

“Kang Geom-Ma, you’re the top of your class! Congratulations!”

T/N:

1: Paocai: A traditional Chinese pickle made from vegetables fermented in brine, similar to Korean kimchi.

2: Ganao: A Korean term referring to the “dignity” or “presence” someone projects, especially when trying to maintain an image or status in front of others.