Sword Saint Seo Jin-cheol.
He knew Kim Min-woo well—at least, as well as one could know someone through stories. His granddaughter had mentioned the boy several times before.
"That cowardly loser! The way he stares is so creepy and perverted. I almost ripped his eyes out. If it weren't for the Ilseong Group backing him, I'd have shattered one of his legs!"
Public opinion wasn't much different.
Born lazy, crude in speech and behavior.
The only reason he hadn't caused any major trouble wasn't because he had remarkable self-restraint—it was because he was a coward.
That was what everyone said.
Yet—
This is him?
The Sword Saint tilted his head.
His aura was not something an ordinary person could endure.
Most people would have broken into tears—or worse, lost control of their bodily functions.
And yet Kim Min-woo stood before him without the slightest hint of intimidation.
As though he were a seasoned veteran who had survived countless battles.
The Sword Saint examined Min-woo carefully.
There wasn't a trace of mana in his body.
Without a doubt, he was an ordinary human.
A cowardly loser, huh.
A hundred words meant nothing.
What mattered was the reality before his eyes.
And the Sword Saint had to admit it.
Kim Min-woo had potential.
"You have good eyes."
"My sword is even better."
A smile formed on the Sword Saint's lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"One hundred billion won is a great deal of money."
"Which is exactly why moments like this are worth spending it on."
"Have you ever wielded a sword before?"
"A few times."
"Come to the training hall."
The Sword Saint led the way.
Kim Min-woo followed.
When they arrived where the senior disciples were training, everyone's eyes lit up at the sight of their master.
Walking to the center of the arena, the Sword Saint raised a wooden sword.
In that instant, the fierce pressure surrounding him vanished without a trace.
To an outsider, he looked no different from an ordinary old man.
"A sparring match only has meaning if it's fair. I've restricted my physical abilities to your level. Pick up your sword."
"I look forward to learning from you."
Kim Min-woo took up a wooden sword.
The Sword Saint gazed at him with calm, indifferent eyes.
Min-woo knew him well.
After all, he was one of the key characters players had to interact with in the game.
The creator of the Wind Sword Art and one of Korea's greatest awakened warriors.
But at this point in time, the Sword Saint had reached a wall.
At his level, a few miraculous elixirs weren't enough to advance further.
He needed enlightenment.
He'll stay stuck there for another five years.
Only later would he create a new sword style that compensated for the weaknesses of Wind Sword Art and ascend to the next realm.
Thunderwind Sword Art.
A sword style that combined the gentleness of the wind with the speed and force of lightning.
And I learned it myself.
Of course, not as the broken Kim Min-woo.
But as Seo Ye-rim.
A four-star difficulty character.
The Sword Saint's granddaughter.
Using that relationship, he had learned Thunderwind Sword Art directly from Seo Jin-cheol.
The old man truly deserved the title of Sword Saint.
Because Min-woo had never once beaten him.
But things are different now.
This was years in the past.
The Sword Saint had yet to become the complete master he would one day be.
I'll exploit the weaknesses in Wind Sword Art.
There were still flaws he hadn't corrected.
And if those flaws were attacked with the superior Thunderwind Sword Art—
It could create an opening.
In a short fight, I've got a chance.
An ordinary person couldn't last three minutes in a serious sparring match.
Kim Min-woo's body was no exception.
His mind might have changed, but the limits of his body remained.
Seven minutes.
No matter how strong his willpower was, he wouldn't last longer than that.
He had to achieve meaningful results within that time.
Don't get greedy. Just three hits.
Three strikes against the Sword Saint.
As expected, no openings.
Even without mana.
Even with a body no stronger than an ordinary person's.
The Sword Saint was still the Sword Saint.
There wasn't a single wasted movement in the way he held his wooden sword.
A stance that perfectly defended everything from his face to his abdomen.
Seeing it, a competitive fire ignited in Min-woo's eyes.
The Sword Saint felt the same.
And he claims he's only swung a sword a few times?
He was shocked.
Kim Min-woo's stance was far too refined for a novice.
Even his footwork had purpose.
Subtly exposing openings.
Tensing his toes as though ready to charge at any moment.
It was unbelievable.
Yet there was no reason to doubt him.
After all, Min-woo's body clearly showed no signs of sword training.
His hands were free of calluses.
His muscles were pitifully underdeveloped.
By all appearances, he was a complete beginner.
And yet that beginner was engaged in a perfect battle of wits with him.
You really do live long enough to see everything.
The tension continued to build without either side making contact.
Then—
Kim Min-woo took a deep breath.
This was a duel between masters.
The first to move would reveal their intentions.
But they couldn't circle each other forever.
I'll have to concede the first move.
He thrust forward.
"Not so fast!"
Realizing his intention, the Sword Saint charged like lightning.
He was the Sword Saint.
He had not lived in vain long enough to be granted the initiative by some green youth.
His sword flowed smoothly toward Min-woo's opening.
Clack!
The wooden swords collided.
The Sword Saint's blade slid toward Min-woo with deceptive softness.
Gentle as a breeze.
Fierce as a storm.
Wind Sword Art.
A terrifying sword style that chained attacks endlessly without exposing a single opening.
Barely blocking and dodging by the narrowest margins, Kim Min-woo was steadily driven backward.
The Sword Saint's offensive never ceased.
Min-woo was quickly pushed onto the defensive.
Yet his eyes shone brighter than ever.
Head. Shoulder. Waist. Neck. Shoulder. Arm...
Tracing the flow of Wind Sword Art in his mind, he suddenly thrust his sword forward.
"...!"
The Sword Saint twisted his shoulder to evade.
But Min-woo's attack didn't stop there.
Like a snake, his blade followed through and drove into the Sword Saint's armpit.
Thud!
It happened in an instant.
And Min-woo wasn't the only one who landed a hit.
The Sword Saint's wooden sword slammed into his shoulder with equal force.
Just then—
[Awakening has begun!]
[Achievement blooming in progress!]
The achievement had begun to bloom.
The two men stepped back two paces.
The Sword Saint's face stiffened.
That thrust from moments ago—
It had pierced straight through a flaw in Wind Sword Art.
A flaw even he himself had never recognized.
"...How did you find it?"
"Huff... I just thought... that was the right moment to strike."
Panting heavily, Kim Min-woo grinned.
"...Tell me honestly. Have you truly never learned the sword before?"
"No."
For all twenty-three years of Kim Min-woo's life—
He had never learned swordsmanship.
That was the undeniable truth.
Seeing the unwavering look in his eyes, the Sword Saint nodded.
"My apologies."
"For what?"
"I should have been the one to request this spar."
"Then give this match everything you've got. Until one of us falls."
"So be it."
The Sword Saint accepted it without hesitation.
In pure swordsmanship, this young man was worthy of being called his equal.
No—
Considering he had identified a flaw the Sword Saint himself had missed for years—
Perhaps he was even superior.
The Sword Saint's gaze turned deadly serious.
Cheers echoed faintly through the halls.
Seo Ye-rim, who had been meditating cross-legged with her eyes closed, opened them.
The Sword Sea Pavilion was unusually noisy today.
What's going on? There wasn't anything special scheduled today...
The only unusual thing she remembered was that spoiled brat visiting the pavilion.
Curious, she stepped outside her training room.
Several instructors were hurrying through the corridors.
"Did something happen?"
"The Sword Saint is sparring."
"Grandfather? With whom?"
Her eyes sparkled.
Sword Saint Seo Jin-cheol.
The greatest swordsman in the world.
Naturally, any sparring match involving him was worth witnessing.
Who could possibly be worthy of crossing blades with the man she admired most?
Several names flashed through her mind.
The Divine Spear.
The Fist King.
The Poison Demon.
Every one of them ranked among Korea's top ten awakened warriors.
Only opponents of that caliber would warrant her grandfather's attention.
Then—
An instructor scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh... it's Kim Min-woo."
"...What?"
Kim Min-woo?
Surely not that Kim Min-woo.
No way.
"The same Kim Min-woo who was scheduled to visit today."
The instructor's next words shattered her disbelief.
Seo Ye-rim was stunned.
She hated Kim Min-woo.
She could still vividly remember those snake-like eyes roaming over her body.
A pathetic, disgusting man.
And that man was sparring with her grandfather?
Something even she had never done?
"Why in the world is Grandfather sparring with that pervert? Aren't you mistaken?"
"Apparently... he offered one hundred billion won for the match."
"One hundred billion?"
"Yes. Win or lose, he said he'd donate it all to the Sword Sea Pavilion..."
"Is he insane? One hundred billion..."
Only then did she understand why her grandfather had accepted.
Even for the Sword Saint, that was an impossible amount to ignore.
With that money, the pavilion's facilities could be completely renovated.
Not a bad price for teaching a spoiled brat a lesson.
Of course.
Why else would her grandfather bother?
That rich loser was nothing without his money.
As expected—
It all came down to money.
"I suppose we should go watch. Would you like to come too, Instructor?"
Her mood brightened instantly.
She could watch that brat get beaten senseless and upgrade the pavilion facilities at the same time.
Two birds with one stone.
Together, they headed toward the training grounds.
Then—
"That's impossible..."
Ye-rim froze in shock.
Had someone hypnotized her?
Otherwise, there was no way to explain what she was seeing.
It was definitely Kim Min-woo.
And yet Kim Min-woo was trading blows fiercely with the Sword Saint.
Simply enduring the storm of attacks was incredible enough.
Crack!
"He hit him again?"
"Twice already. The Sword Saint has been breached twice..."
"How is that even possible...?"
Between the Sword Saint's relentless attacks, Min-woo found impossible openings and countered.
What is this?
Watching his sword, Seo Ye-rim felt dizzy.
A duel fought without a single drop of mana.
Pure skill.
It was art.
Only then did she understand why the crowd kept cheering.
Holding his ground against Wind Sword Art without taking a decisive hit was already astonishing.
But counterattacking as well?
And with a sword style that clearly wasn't ordinary?
"Excellent!"
"Haa... so are you, sir!"
"Haha! You impudent brat!"
Within the small world of the training arena, the two swordsmen ran wild.
It was the first time she had ever seen her grandfather enjoying himself so much.
Crunch.
Ye-rim bit her lip.
She had devoted her entire life to the sword to earn her grandfather's recognition.
At just twenty-two, she had already earned a title.
Sword Phoenix Seo Ye-rim.
She had pride.
Even if not now—
She believed she would one day become the first swordsman her grandfather truly acknowledged.
But at this rate...
Someone else would take that place.
And not just anyone.
That spoiled brat she despised.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead.
Two minutes.
Four minutes.
Five minutes.
As the spar continued, Kim Min-woo was pushed further and further back.
My stamina's failing.
No matter how much the Sword Saint limited his physical abilities, he was still an S-rank awakened.
Even his natural recovery was on another level.
His speed never slowed.
His breathing never faltered.
But Min-woo was different.
He had spent twenty-three years lazing around.
His stamina was pathetic.
Even the finest swordsmanship was useless without the strength to move.
Most people collapsed after three minutes of sparring.
And this wasn't an ordinary spar.
This was a duel with the Sword Saint.
The endless calculations.
The overwhelming mental strain.
After just six minutes, it felt as though his brain were burning.
His entire body trembled.
He endured through sheer willpower alone.
But he was reaching his limit.
At that moment, the Sword Saint suddenly came back to his senses.
Damn.
He felt a pang of regret.
The wall blocking his path—
He had been so close to seeing beyond it.
They had sparred too long.
If anything, it was absurd that Kim Min-woo had lasted this long.
What incredible willpower.
The surprise faded, replaced by warmth.
Like a grandfather looking at his grandson.
"I got carried away. My apologies."
"...Huff. You haven't forgotten our promise, have you?"
His achievement wasn't complete yet.
He needed to take more hits.
If it ended now, all his effort would be wasted.
Please hit me more!
Naturally, he phrased it more elegantly.
"...Right. Until one of us falls."
The Sword Saint nodded.
The outcome was obvious.
And yet, even though he looked ready to collapse at any moment, Kim Min-woo never backed down.
His eyes still burned with fighting spirit.
Tenacity like steel cables.
An unbreakable will.
A hunger for victory.
This young man was already a complete swordsman.
"Yes. You never know—"
"—until you test it."
Grins spread across both their faces.
"Then take this as well."
The Sword Saint lunged forward.
His wooden sword struck three times in seamless succession.
Head.
Shoulder.
Torso.
I won't block.
If he took these hits, he'd finally collapse.
Instead of defending, Min-woo attacked with the resolve to go down together.
His wooden sword slipped through the three strikes and slammed into the Sword Saint's chest.
Crack!
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Three clean hits.
His objective had been achieved.
As their wooden swords struck home simultaneously—
Kim Min-woo collapsed to the ground.
Flash!
Brilliant blue light erupted from his body.
It was unmistakable.
An awakening.
And one approaching the highest tier.
"An awakening?"
"He's awakening!"
"Just how incredible is his achievement to produce light like that?!"