Now that he had eaten a hearty meal, it was time to move.
Jinwoo entered the training ground of the association branch. The hunters of the Baekpung Corps had already witnessed Jinwoo’s extraordinary abilities, and they were buzzing with excitement at the thought of receiving instruction from him.
“I look forward to working with you.”
First, the youngest hunter, who had joined only recently, bowed to Jinwoo. She was the woman who had been particularly fond of Beolyi. After tightly tying back her long, straight hair, she drew her sword. Like Jinwoo, she was a Swordsman class.
Both held wooden training swords and took their sparring stances. Jinwoo glanced toward Baek San. He was sending a silent inquiry about what level of intensity he should maintain.
Baek San responded with a slight nod of his head.
It was a request to let them feel the “wall” as much as possible.
‘Right, I should fight seriously at first and then give feedback.’
Jinwoo nodded with a determined expression and made a great leap. As soon as the duel began, Baek San shouted.
“Baekpung Corps!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Do not miss a single one of their movements! Keep your eyes peeled!”
“Yes, sir!”
Jinwoo leaped high into the air and drove his sword downward.
*Whoosh—!*
*Crack—!*
Even though the hunter had blocked Jinwoo’s attack by reinforcing her wooden sword with Mana, a splintering sound echoed as cracks began to form on the wood.
Lee Seo-yeon, the hunter dueling Jinwoo, activated a skill. She had faith that Jinwoo wouldn’t be harmed even if she used her skills.
Her sword began to rotate rapidly. The sword spun like a top; a mere graze seemed like it would lead to a fatal injury, but Jinwoo didn’t care at all and walked straight into the center of the rotating vortex.
*Swish—!!*
When Jinwoo struck the ground with his sword, the earth shook, breaking Seo-yeon’s balance. In that moment, Jinwoo moved his feet.
He lightly kicked Seo-yeon’s leg, and she tumbled forward.
*Whirl—!*
“Good work,” Jinwoo said.
Seo-yeon quickly stood up and bowed politely.
“Thank you.”
“I think you need to pay a bit more attention to your steps. It’s a matter of footwork…”
Having experienced the Murim world, Jinwoo began to speak like a martial artist.
“I’ll show you.”
“…Yes!”
*Tap, tap-tap—!*
His movements were smooth and light, as if he were walking on water.
*Tap, tap-tap, whirl—!!*
It created the illusion that the ground was swaying like waves. It was a fast movement with a precise rhythm, and the sword followed it naturally.
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : Of all the footwork patterns, you’re teaching this one? You really have everything planned out, Jinwoo.
(Anonymous 1) : That footwork is perfect for a woman with a lighter build.
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : Indeed.
Seo-yeon nodded again as if she had reached a great realization. She felt that if she followed Jinwoo’s movements, she might even awaken a new skill.
“…Whoa, wow—!!”
Watching the scene, Baek San marveled despite himself. Even to his eyes, Jinwoo’s footwork was a foreign movement he had never seen before. If he were a Swordsman, he would have used that footwork no matter what.
It was a great movement because it was effective for those with light bodies, yet it could also carry the full weight of the power if the user was heavier.
“Is it possible for me to learn that footwork as well?”
Kang-su stepped forward courageously.
In truth, the reason Jinwoo had set up this sparring session was because of Kang-su. Therefore, he also smiled and nodded.
“Let’s have a match.”
“…Mr. Jinwoo, may I ask a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Please go at full power. Just… try not to kill me.”
(Anonymous 1) : Whoa—! Now that’s a man—!
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : I respect that. That’s what a man looks like.
(Cheongha’s Water God) : How could one ignore such a request!
(Father of Crops) : Show him the wall, Jinwoo!
(Endless Waiting) : Perhaps you can help him break through the wall. Since he’s eaten my crops, he’ll learn faster than usual.
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : Today might truly be the last chance for that hunter named Kang-su.
(Anonymous 1) : True. If he can’t promote even with Jinwoo and all those buff-type ingredients helping him, he might never be able to do it for the rest of his life.
Jinwoo gripped his wooden sword.
Knowing Jinwoo’s strength better than anyone, Kang-su gripped his sword, forcibly controlling his trembling wrists. Since he had asked for a full-power fight, a powerful attack was bound to come.
Kang-su was both terrified and excited.
When else would he get to fight such a genius? To have that level of skill at such a young age, he was truly a genius that appeared once in a thousand years. At least, that was what Kang-su thought.
“Then, I’ll start first.”
“Yes!”
At Jinwoo’s words, Kang-su nodded with a look of determination.
*Whoosh—!!*
Jinwoo rushed in at a speed much faster than when he had sparred with Seo-yeon. It was a speed so fast it was difficult to track with the naked eye.
The sword swung down even faster.
Jinwoo already possessed stats that transcended human limits, and hadn’t his status on the Path of the Constellation just increased?
All of his stats had increased by 500%.
Though he didn’t know for sure, he likely wouldn’t lose now even if he fought against Hero-grade Constellations. Jinwoo possessed the Authority of a Constellation, various skills, excellent items, and even overwhelming stats.
While Jinwoo controlled his strength as much as possible, he swung his sword at a speed that most hunters would find impossible to block.
(Anonymous 1) : If Jinwoo were to use his full strength… everyone here would die with a single swing of his sword.
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : You’re right. This level of strength is probably for the best. At this level, they’ll probably mistake it for his full power.
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : He really is strong. To think this is the result of holding back as much as he can.
(Returnee from the Demon Realm) : What I’ve been feeling while watching Jinwoo lately is that he’s walking the most textbook path for a human to become a Constellation. Jinwoo might even be stronger than me.
(Anonymous 1) : Hmm, he likely is.
Jinwoo had learned swordsmanship from Anonymous, who was a Legend-grade Constellation who had lived the life of a Regressor and easily defeated other Legend-grade Constellations.
Furthermore, Jinwoo was exceptionally talented.
(Anonymous 1) : In that sense… Kang-su has really hit the jackpot, being able to fight someone like Jinwoo.
Kang-su was currently having a priceless experience that no one else would ever have in their lifetime. And he felt it the moment he received Jinwoo’s sword for the first time.
‘Ah, I’m truly having a priceless experience.’
This person is already so strong that he can no longer be called a fellow hunter!
Kang-su felt it, and Baek San felt it too.
“…Ha.”
Watching from a distance, Baek San marveled. No, it was to the point of feeling awe.
It was so shocking and such an unprecedented power that he even felt a strange sense of fear. To possess such outstanding abilities as a Summoner while also being this strong as a Swordsman…
Baek San had seen countless swordsmen in his time…
‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’
Every one of Jinwoo’s movements looked calculated. He would launch a truly fast attack, and when Kang-su couldn’t react, he would reduce his strength at the last moment to minimize the impact.
The moment he grasped Kang-su’s physical abilities, he poured out his attacks.
The sword stabbed precisely into spots that would avoid fatal wounds.
He would thrust forward rapidly, then follow up with a horizontal slash at a normal speed that was neither slow nor fast.
Kang-su, who had grown accustomed to the high speed, couldn’t react and tumbled down.
“…Just once! Please let me try one more time!”
Jinwoo had showcased unbelievable swordsmanship even though he hadn’t used a single skill and had only infused a small amount of Mana into the wooden sword.
Kang-su stood up and shouted, his eyes devoid of even a hint of an inferiority complex.
“Please beat me one more time!”
He shouted that at Jinwoo, who was young enough to be his nephew, and grinned.
To that extent, the duel with Jinwoo was an overwhelming experience. The Constellations were also impressed by his pure heart.
(Anonymous 1) : He’s a man, a real man!
(Cheongha’s Water God) : Indeed.
(Last Chef) : Naturally, people feel inferior when they see someone more successful than themselves. I believe that is a human trait. That’s why it’s usually difficult for two people to remain friends if one is successful while the other stays in the same place. However, that hunter named Kang-su is filled with the will to learn rather than inferiority.
(Returnee from the Demon Realm) : People who are pure and clean like that tend to survive for a long time. They have grit when they need it, but they don’t have an inferiority complex and take away exactly what they need to learn.
(Anonymous 1) : That’s probably why he received this opportunity from Jinwoo.
Jinwoo also very much liked Kang-su’s mindset.
“Yes. This time, you come at me first.”
“Understood!”
Kang-su was delighted to have received another chance.
“Mr. Jinwoo, I know you’re holding back on purpose.”
He knew that Jinwoo was even stronger than he had imagined.
(Anonymous 1) : He’s not going to ask him to go harder, is he? Is he literally asking to die?
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : …That would be foolish.
“I’m sorry, but please keep it exactly as it is now. I need to stay alive too, haha.”
(Anonymous 1) : Whoa—! Look at this guy! He’s a real man for not letting his pride get in the way!
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : Wow—!
(Cheongha’s Water God) : As expected, that hunter deserves to break through his limits.
(Father of Crops) : Yes. Asking for more strength here would just be reckless bravado.
(Returnee from the Demon Realm) : There’s a reason Baek San treasures him.
(Martial Artist Who Lives Death) : His mindset is that of a great hero.
Just then.
*Whoosh—!*
Kang-su’s attack grew fierce. He had begun to mimic the footwork Jinwoo had shown Seo-yeon earlier.
Jinwoo marveled slightly at his talent for absorbing it after seeing it just once. He was beginning to realize the joy of teaching.
‘Was this how you felt, Anonymous?’
(Anonymous 1) : Similar. But you were more talented. To the point where I couldn’t understand why you lived as a C-rank hunter.
Jinwoo was feeling that same sentiment now. Why had Kang-su lived as an A-rank hunter his whole life with this kind of talent?
It was the moment he vowed to make him an S-rank hunter today, no matter what.
*Whirl—!!*
Kang-su’s sword split in the air. It was one of his skills, a technique that created clones of the sword and drove them downward. It was the most Mana-heavy and powerful skill he possessed.
*Whoosh—!*
Eight wooden swords fell from the air, and Jinwoo knocked them all away at once.
*Swish—!*
In the opening created by parrying the swords, Kang-su’s fist flew in.
Jinwoo dodged by swaying his head and lightly lifted his leg. Hit by the kick, Kang-su was sent flying once more.
“…Again, let’s go again!”
He used his already broken wooden sword as a cane to stand back up. Baek San was moved by the sight, his eyes welling with tears.
“Hunter Kim Kang-su.”
“…Yes.”
“Congratulations.”
“What?”
“You’ve promoted.”
Jinwoo could feel it.
At those words, Kang-su opened the eyes he had kept shut. He had been squeezing them tight because the impact was so great.
**[Congratulations, you have promoted!]**
The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a message. He saw the System message he had desperately longed for over the past ten years.
“…This, this isn’t a dream, is it?”
“Does it hurt?”
“It hurts. It hurts so much I feel like I could die.”
“Congratulations.”
At Jinwoo’s words, Kang-su spoke while tears continued to stream down his face.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
After turning away to wipe his own tears, Baek San also approached Jinwoo.
“Mr. Jinwoo, thank you.”
“I didn’t really do anything.”
“…Could you perhaps answer one question for me?”
“Pardon? Yes, of course.”
Jinwoo was briefly puzzled that Baek San would suddenly ask a question, but he maintained his smile.
“Are you perhaps an Incarnation of a Constellation?”