Chapter 71: New Member (3)

—…What is this?

A deafening buzzing sound. aluminum A sharp pain pounded against my eardrums as if they were being hammered.

“#@$$!#%!@#@#☐☐&*(”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

In front of me stretched a world like a blank sheet of paper, without the slightest trace of impurity. orbit However, the confusion only lasted a moment. altitude I knew exactly where I was.

My voice got caught in my throat, reverberating internally. alpha That sensation felt familiar. crystal I slowly opened my eyes and looked around.

The landscape was completely white. alien Everything I saw was covered by a whiteness that seemed to absorb me.

Whooooosh.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Only this time, the place was different.

—A dream.

Yes, I had experienced this type of dream before. amateur Although it disappeared like a mirage the moment I woke up, this one felt as vivid as that. anxiety A sensation of floating and exhaustion enveloped my entire body.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

There was no distinction of up or down, left or right. wizard Every stimulus I should have perceived seemed blocked, except for the buzzing that deafened me.

Before, there had been nebulas, star clusters, and suns scattered like points of light. acid In contrast, now it was a world without a single blemish.

—Last time, it looked like space.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Meanwhile, the annoying buzzing continued to tear through my ears.

It was hard to tell whether my eyes were open or closed.

—This dream is complete shit.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

—‘G.M.’

That will probably belonged to—

I knew that upon waking up, this dream would probably fade from my mind. acid Even so, I tried to stay calm. antique I felt that this dream was a clue, a message from someone. atlas It wasn’t an idea but an indescribable will.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

The moment I thought of that, the buzzing in my ears suddenly stopped.

Black outlines were drawn on the canvas, and the vast void began to take shape.

Then, as if black ink was being spilled over a canvas, black dots and lines began to appear. arcade The world of emptiness started to transform little by little.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

It was a white shadow without facial features. action Its silhouette was outlined only by black lines. amber Although it looked like a drawing, it had volume. zenith Its appearance was strange.

—…What is that?

My gaze instinctively turned toward the origin of that sound. shadow When I turned my head, I saw a human figure.

I was standing—or perhaps sitting—watching carefully. august Then, a palpable silence touched my ears. advance It was an inaudible sound, yet somehow I could hear it. auction What does this mean?

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

Although it had no mouth, I could see lips moving.

I squinted to focus on its shape, but it remained blurry. arena After a while, the figure spoke.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

A strange voice, simultaneously soft like a woman and rough like a man.

“Ah, this is the first time you’ve seen me here, isn’t it? timber My mistake.”

I was stunned by this supernatural experience, and the figure smiled, showing its teeth.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

—Are you perhaps…?

“Sorry, but I’m not G.M.”

Before I could finish the sentence, it shook its head nonchalantly.

—…..

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“But if you think about it, we’re not that different. adopt Or maybe we are. athlete Actually, I could be him, or he could be me. meadow Call me whatever you want, Kang Geom-Ma.”

I felt as if my mind had been read. arrow The figure smiled even wider and said:

What do you mean? orbit I didn’t quite understand what the figure was implying, so I focused again on its words.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Perhaps because it spoke like some sort of philosopher, I couldn’t interpret its meaning at all.

—What are you?

When I said that, it laughed. auction What was so funny? amber Its shoulders trembled, and tears welled up at the corners of its eyes.

However, with every word, there was an overwhelming feeling that couldn’t compare to anything else. matrix I felt sick to my stomach because of that inexplicable sensation. altitude I swallowed my anger and asked.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

—…Are you just going to laugh the whole time?

Then, suddenly, I became certain—it had no eyes or mouth. alien It felt as though my mind was being manipulated, which made me frown.

‘What’s so funny?’

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Tick, tock.

“I’m sorry, I was just thinking about the old days. antique I apologize if I offended you. absorb Well, Kang Geom-Ma, it’s only natural that you’d be curious about me. avalanche But…”

It raised its chin and pointed at something with its gaze. riddle It was a large clock drawn with lines.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Its expression changed slightly. august On its featureless face, a faint grimace appeared as it murmured:

“Explaining who I am would take too long. harbor And we don’t have much time, so I’ll tell you quickly.”

It had no hour hand, only minute and second hands. sphere After observing it for a moment, the figure looked back at me.

“People call me by many names. audit To some, I’m disaster. adapt To others, I’m nature, the universe… or even a god.”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Its eyes slowly opened. altitude It wasn’t an abstract feeling but something physical.

It nodded.

“Yes, but not just any god. palette Specifically…”

—A god?

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

—……!!?

In its dark swirls, I felt a chill run through my body. anxiety A mixture of instinctive rejection and terror paralyzed me.

“The God of the Sword.”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“Well, for now, that’s all I can tell you. absorb I’d like to explain more, but we don’t have time.”

“I’m not the kind of god you might imagine, but you can call me that if you want. action Or call me whatever you prefer. voyage In the end, it all comes down to me.”

When I was deeply shocked, the god smiled cheerfully. crystal There was a huge difference from the image of God I had always imagined.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

—Why are you appearing now?

[The Blessing of the God of the Sword has been temporarily deactivated.]

“Because a seal was recently broken. apple Don’t you remember?”

I pondered it for a moment. alien A phrase quickly came to mind.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

When Agor tried to manipulate my mind with his magic, that voice had echoed. beacon The figure smiled.

Ding, ding, ding.

“Yes, that’s it. beacon But it hasn’t been fully released yet, which is why I can only manifest like this. atomic Being able to talk to you is already a miracle. shadow Anyway…”

The clear sound of a bell echoed three times.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Crack—

I lunged toward the figure, but I couldn’t reach it. apron No matter how fast I moved, the distance didn’t shorten.

Small cracks began to spread beneath my feet, like a spider web, breaking apart the landscape. meadow This dream—or rather, this world—was collapsing.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Crack—

“Ah, and… don’t overdo it with all the cutting and killing without thinking.”

The figure smiled softly, waved without looking at me, and spoke:

The distance increased, and its figure faded. ability I reached out desperately, my heart pounding hard.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

The cracks spread rapidly, destroying the white background. artist I shouted in frustration:

Its voice resonated in my mind. adjust I heard a faint laugh.

—Damn it, I have so many questions!

“For your information, the power you wield is… Well, even if I told you now, you wouldn’t understand.”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

At that moment, the white-paper world shattered.

Total darkness, devoid of light, engulfed my entire body.

Boom!

“Anyway, don’t make any mistakes this time.”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

Flash—

***

== ==

“I trust you, Kang Geom-Ma.”

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

== ==

“Ugh…”

[NEW! silence The synchronization rate has been readjusted from (17.9% ▶ 21.3%).]

I blinked, and suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation in my eyes.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

The sound of the pencil moving rapidly stopped suddenly.

Scratch, scratch.

I abruptly sat up in bed and started jotting down the contents of the dream in a notebook.

Rubbing my eyes as if I had been exposed to an incandescent light, the pain gradually subsided.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

⌜G.M.⌟

⌜God of the Sword⌟

I wanted to remember it in more detail, but it slipped away like sand through my fingers. adopt The more I tried to grasp at the scattered fragments of memory, the more they faded.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“Hmm.”

In the end, only two words remained written in the notebook. arctic I gently tapped the paper with the tip of the pencil while staring at it, and the remnants of the dream completely vanished.

I frowned slightly and looked to the side. antenna Through the window frame, a cloudy sky was visible. acquire Thick, grayish clouds filled the sky entirely.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“Is it already the rainy season?”

Thud.

A gust of wind entered through a crack in the open window. aspect The humid smell seeped into my nose.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

After shaking my head once, I closed the notebook.

Although the sudden increase in the synchronization rate bothered me.

‘The important thing is to gather clues, even if it’s little by little.’

‘At least so far, there haven’t been any disadvantages from the synchronization increase.’

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

In this world, people often compared life to the sky. advance While it might seem superstitious, this world is filled with gods, blessings, and magic.

I slid the window halfway shut and sat on the windowsill. timber A breeze smelling of rain cooled my sweat. aluminum I had always liked cloudy days more than sunny ones.

That’s why they use the sky as a mirror to reflect themselves. armor They only lift their heads on sunny days. meadow On cloudy days, they don’t even look up. arctic But the value of clarity stands out precisely because gray days exist.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“…Wishing for something and reality are two different things.”

“It seems my body has improved.”

I murmured bitterly and hung my clothes over the back of the chair. antique My sweat-soaked shirt hung limply.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

While admiring myself with a satisfied smile, I quickly erased the expression from my face.

I hadn’t done any exercise while hospitalized, but my body had improved.

I touched my abs with my fingers. crystal The abdominal muscles, divided into eight distinct segments, felt firm.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“…Stop being ridiculous.”

My room was on the second floor. auction I couldn’t allow anyone to see me touching my abs with my shirt lifted. acid There was already too much gossip about me among the students; I didn’t want to be labeled as a pervert.

Rolin~

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“It must be Ryozo or Speedweapon.”

Yesterday, the club members had invited me to a meal to celebrate my discharge from the hospital and the founding of the exploration club. palette They told me they had pooled their resources for it. wizard Apparently, there was a new famous sushi restaurant at the academy.

The ringtone of my phone chimed indifferently along with a vibration. matrix I wondered who could be calling so early in the morning and stepped down from the windowsill. beacon Either way, it was time to get ready.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“But I’m a bit picky with sushi.”

But when they showed me their phones with bright, expectant eyes, I had no choice but to accept. canvas Besides, they came from wealthy families, so a meal was nothing to them.

At first, I had firmly refused. canvas There wasn’t any specific reason; I just wasn’t used to being invited to things like that.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

“What I asked…?”

I let out a small laugh and looked at my phone. autumn The sender wasn’t one of the club members.

“Ah, I asked her to look into my family ties and personal information.”

[Media: Did you sleep well, Geom-Ma? harbor I’m writing because I investigated what you asked me about.]

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

I had been constantly worried about what Lei Shen had said before dying, so I personally asked her when I stopped by the academy director’s office.

]Media: Originally, I planned to tell you in person… I suppose I’m being cautious. attic I sent you an attached file, review it and contact me when you can. admire Oh, and I heard you have a new member in your club. echo Good job, our Geom-Ma! anxiety Later, this noona will give you a special reward⎯.]

I slid my finger across the screen. atlas A few more messages had arrived.

I scrolled down a bit more.

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.

The moment I did, a curse slipped from my mouth.

“…What the hell is this?”

It was a message with an attached file. aspect It was protected, so I could only read it. abstract I felt a slight nervousness and wiped the sweat from my palms on the hem of my clothes before tapping the screen.

[Media: Student Data – Kang Geom-Ma.xlsx]

Translation of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 71: New Member (3) by Indra Translations.