I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

I lost. All too easily.

"This is not enough."

Cheong Ah-hyun withdrew the tip of her sword and shared her thoughts.

‘Fast.’

The match was over in the blink of an eye.

The moment I came to my senses, the blade was already at my neck.

"I've already heard about your abilities. Then I just have to not give you any distance."

It seemed a strategy against magic had been prepared without my knowledge.

It was because my fame had risen.

“…I’ll challenge you again next time.”

“Do as you please.”

Cheong Ah-hyun withdrew her sword and turned away. Looking at her back, I touched my Adam's apple, where the blade had been just a moment ago.

‘She’s strong.’

It wasn't a matter of my internal energy being insufficient due to the aftereffects of the demonic pill, or my mana consumption being severe from constantly moving with psychokinesis.

She was just on a different level.

‘Is this a master who has reached the pinnacle of the Transformation Realm?’

Even among the Transformation Realm, the difference between the beginning and the pinnacle was said to be like heaven and earth. She was on a different dimension from the Transformation Realm masters I had fought so far.

At this rate, there was no answer. I seriously began my analysis.

‘If I had kept more distance, I wouldn’t have been defeated so easily.’

If I had fought from the sky from the beginning, like when I had faced Pa Eun-seong, the story would have been different.

But that way, I couldn't persuade Cheong Ah-hyun.

‘First, I need to be able to withstand one move.’

To do that, I first had to raise my swordsmanship realm.

To raise my level, there was one thing I had to do.

“Can you help me with some practice?”

It was a real battle. I asked Go Du-gyeong to be my practice partner.

“Alright.”

The opponent raised his spear and replied.

Go Du-gyeong's realm was the pinnacle of the super-peak level. To even respond to Cheong Ah-hyun's sword, I had to be able to defeat him, who was one step above me.

With me raising the Demon-Slaying Sword as a signal, we clashed.

After that, it was a repetition of fierce battles for a week.

Swish-!

A familiar spear strike flew in.

I deflected the spear using the Zixia Divine Art. The key was not to use the rotational force by thrusting the sword along the spear shaft.

Of course, just because I knew it didn't mean I could realize it all. Go Du-gyeong's spear was bent by the powerful qi and then aimed at my side like a snake.

Kaaang.

At the attack that was unfolded at a point where it was impossible to dodge, I blocked it with the Demon-Slaying Sword and then rushed in again.

The spear strike that was thrust after getting into a stance.

I immediately deflected it and then approached.

But this time, Go Du-gyeong rushed at me.

He held the spear in a reverse grip and took a thrusting stance. At the sudden blow, the tip of the blade stopped at my heart for a moment. Immediately after, I also brought the Demon-Slaying Sword to Go Du-gyeong's neck.

A response that was just half a beat slow.

Although it might seem similar, life and death are decided by such a single move. If it had been a real battle, the one who would have died would have been me.

But it seemed it was Go Du-gyeong who was surprised in this place.

“You’re getting stronger at a chillingly fast pace.”

He exclaimed in admiration and then withdrew his spear.

“When we first fought here, you were one or two moves slower.”

“I’ve just adapted. I’m still far from it.”

I put away the Demon-Slaying Sword and caught my breath.

‘Still not enough.’

I slowly needed other teachings. Although it was fine to train with Go Du-gyeong and listen to his advice now, the difference between him and me was not that great anymore.

I needed the guidance of a higher-level master.

‘I feel like I’m stagnating somewhere.’

Although other martial artists would curse if they heard it, that was my honest impression.

Of course, from an absolute perspective, I was getting stronger at a tremendous speed. Because it was extremely rare even in the original story to achieve this much in just a week.

But it was also thanks to training so desperately.

I sat cross-legged, replaying the duel with Go Du-gyeong.

And so, as I was operating the Zixia Divine Art alone.

“Is the next challenge still far away?”

I heard Cheong Ah-hyun's voice.

“There’s still a lot of time.”

But it was also a time when a change was slowly needed. I took the opportunity and asked for teachings.

“Can you teach me how to use the Zixia Divine Art?”

“Why?”

“Am I not a lay disciple?”

It was a position I had obtained through a conversation with the sect leader in the past.

At that time, I had accepted it, expecting to be able to get advice on martial arts, but I never thought it would be used in this way.

Since Cheong Ah-hyun and I were nominally lay disciples, there was enough reason to receive teachings.

“Alright.”

For some whim, she nodded her head.

“Your effort is commendable.”

The words that were added as if muttering made me guess her true intention.

‘It was worth it to have trained hard in swordsmanship for the past week.’

If I had revealed that I was a lay disciple from the beginning and had rashly asked her to teach me, she would have refused, using the bet as an excuse.

Even if she had taught me, the feeling would have been very different.

As I followed Cheong Ah-hyun to the training ground, she looked at me from the front and then hit the nail on the head.

“You’re mixing and using various martial arts, right?”

She had grasped the core at once. It seemed she had seen me changing my martial arts whenever necessary when I was dueling with Go Du-gyeong.

“Was it obvious?”

“Because it was disharmonious.”

“Disharmonious?”

After reaching the proficient super-peak level, the feeling of my moves being cut off had disappeared. It was a mixed method that even Go Du-gyeong had admired as divine, but to say it was disharmonious.

As I asked back as if I didn't understand, Cheong Ah-hyun slowly drew her sword.

“It’ll be faster to show you.”

And then she added stealthily.

“Actually, the swords you’ve shown can all be implemented with just the Zixia Divine Art.”

Cheong Ah-hyun thrusts her sword. A sword strike that seems to dominate the entire space for a moment. In it, I could see a single sword of the Emperor Sword Form.

But the clear purple energy and the characteristic undulating sword path were definitely the Zixia Divine Art.

“…Are you saying it’s a case of all things returning to one.”

“Yes.”

The saying that all things, as they reach their peak, eventually converge to one point.

Originally, the Dao was like that.

As a sword of Huashan that unfolds martial arts based on that teaching, this might have been a natural thing.

“Don’t be conscious of mixing and using. One is all, and all is one. Especially in your case.”

A moment of enlightenment came. I raised the Demon-Slaying Sword and unfolded the Zixia Divine Art.

Although it was the same move as before, the subtlety contained in it had changed.

‘The distinction was unnecessary.’

In the end, the sword I thrust was just one. It was a mistake to have tried to contain everything like a formula, overconfident in my talent.

The purple trajectory gradually became clearer.

As I focused on one, everything was contained. As the sword unfolded more freely at my fingertips, the subtleties mixed.

I felt like I knew now. The difference between Go Du-gyeong and me.

I lowered the Demon-Slaying Sword and looked at Cheong Ah-hyun, proposing.

“Will you spar with me?”

“Alright.”

With the answer, Cheong Ah-hyun's figure disappeared. A change in my mental state came in a fleeting moment.

A sensation of some sign flickering beyond my vision.

It was a realm of premonition beyond the five senses that I had not seen until now.

Although I had had similar experiences a few times, this was the first time it was so clear.

With a state of selflessness, my body was already moving towards the front.

Kaang!

The Demon-Slaying Sword, which had moved at a super-high speed, immediately blocked the sword that had flown right in front of my nose. I had finally withstood one move.

“I’m surprised. I never thought you’d actually do it.”

With Cheong Ah-hyun's acknowledgment, I retreated. Although the impact was enough to make my wrist tingle, a more thrilling sense of accomplishment covered my whole body.

‘I blocked a blow.’

The first time is difficult, but the second time is easy. Because the difference between going from 0 to 1 and going from 1 to 2 was like heaven and earth.

With this, I saw hope. I took the opportunity and floated a First Blade and a Second Blade, aiming for the plum blossom branch that Cheong Ah-hyun was holding.

Just then, a dazzling purple light bloomed from the tip of Cheong Ah-hyun's sword.

“Next time, I’ll attack with a powerful qi, so try to block it.”

Of course, I was miserably broken by the ensuing continuous strikes.

***

Another week passed.

Today, after being briefly knocked out by Cheong Ah-hyun's sword hilt, I got up and touched the back of my head, making a decision.

‘As expected, I need to develop in areas other than swordsmanship.’

Although I had gained enlightenment, my swordsmanship was still absolutely weak compared to Cheong Ah-hyun.

In that state, to break the plum blossom branch she was holding, there was one way.

‘I have no choice but to catch her off guard with the use of magic.’

But when I thought of magic, there was one thing that bothered me.

I looked at the sword that was tied to my waist. It was the sword I had taken from Pa Eun-seong.

He had erased magic with this.

Depending on how I utilized this, the aspect of the battle could change.

I had been contemplating it continuously since I had obtained the sword. Leaving aside whether I could use the power of anti-magic, what I could do with this.

And the conclusion I reached was one.

‘It’s not a power suitable for use now.’

The power to nullify magic had no particular use in a fight with a martial artist. But that didn't mean it was completely useless.

As expected, the power of anti-magic would be able to erase even psychokinesis and formations.

‘It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s a power that nullifies external changes.’

Although I didn't know why such an ability was activated, this was a special power.

A meaningless ability that had no meaning against a normal martial artist.

‘It won’t help me get stronger right now.’

And so, I decided not to worry about anti-magic for the time being.

Although there was a big problem that magic didn't work, then I just had to raise the realm of my martial arts.

‘If it comes to it, I also have the Daoist Scholar’s Fan.’

Because it seemed it couldn't completely erase the power imbued in a divine object.

As I was floating the Daoist Scholar's Fan in the air, I recalled the time I had fought with Cheong Ah-hyun recently.

‘Most of the battles are decided in three moves. It’s the same no matter what magic I use.’

I got an idea from that.

If it was mana that I couldn't use all of anyway, then let's burn it hot from the beginning.

‘I’ll pour all my firepower into a short-term decisive battle.’

A First Blade and a Second Blade float around me. And on top of that, a Third Blade.

Thanks to breaking the three evil objects and reaching the 5th circle, I was able to take out up to the third fan rib.

‘Now I’ll grant magic to all the blades.’

A huge density of flame lightning is imbued in the fan ribs. A flame wraps around the tip of the blade, and a sharp electric shock jumps up, dyeing the three fan ribs white.

The blades were acting as a guard, surrounding me as if forming a triangle.

A Flame Lightning Three-Blade Formation.

It was a finishing move to prepare for Cheong Ah-hyun's surprise attack.

Now all that was left was to maintain this throughout the battle.

My final goal was to be able to shoot a Flame Lightning Three-Blade Spear at all times, just like when I had blocked Cheong Ah-hyun's sword.

Although it was a similar strategy to what I had used in the past, since I was constantly consuming mana to be on standby, its activation speed was different.

Now that I could react somehow, I was planning to catch her off guard by attacking with the blades as soon as I blocked with my sword.

‘For the remaining two weeks, I’ll melt this down so I can use it in a real battle.’

And so, ten days passed. Even though the new year had dawned, I did not challenge. Because I was planning to enter the bet with my chances of winning raised to the maximum.

Finally, when four more days had passed after entering the last week of the promise, I went to find Cheong Ah-hyun.

“I will challenge you.”

Considering the recovery to full condition after mana depletion, this was practically the last chance.

“There are only three days left, so I thought you had given up. It seems you’ve made quite a bit of progress in the meantime?”

“Yes.”

With the answer, the three blades that had come out of my sleeve surrounded me.

The Flame Lightning Three-Blade Formation was unfolded, and a total of three Flame Lightning First Blade Spears floated in the air, ready to be shot at any time.

As soon as I had sensed her presence, I had prepared.

“Are you in a battle stance?”

“Yes. I plan to use all my strength.”

I immediately rushed at the opponent. The target was the plum blossom branch.

This time, it was time to defeat Cheong Ah-hyun.

(End of Chapter)