Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 178: I Lost

TL: FoodieMonster007

Everyone watching the duel heard Wiji Cheon's words, but at first, no one quite grasped their meaning.

"What did he just say?"

"He's joining the fight over a title?"

"What's he on about? Wait… does he mean that title?!"

"What's going on? Someone tell me!"

"It's a declaration of war against the Sword Dragon Dokgo Jun!"

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A murmur spread through the crowd as they pieced together the meaning behind Wiji Cheon's words. It wasn't exactly a secret that the Sword Flower Yoo Yiran was after Dokgo Jun's title, the Sword Dragon, but now, Wiji Cheon had announced that he would also vie for it.

It was absurd. No matter how talented Wiji Cheon was, he was still just a freshman. Challenging the top prodigy and Student Council President, Dokgo Jun, in front of a crowd of witnesses was, to say the least, audacious.

"Holy crap, and here I was thinking Wiji Cheon was timid…"

"Look at the people he hangs out with every day. Could a truly timid guy be friends with those guys?"

"Well…"

"I'm starting to think he's the craziest one among them."

Over a hundred students had gathered to watch the duel. Wiji Cheon's declaration would definitely reach Dokgo Jun's ears before the day was over.

CLAP CLAP CLAP!

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Suddenly, loud clapping rang out, cutting through the excited chatter.

"That's my junior!" Hyonwon Kang shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "Everyone! How much longer are you going to let the Student Council hog the Sword Dragon title? I'll bring it to the Club Union! Remember to cast your precious votes for me, Hyonwon Kang!"

"?"

"??"

"???"

Everyone exchanged baffled looks at Hyonwon Kang's sudden campaigning.

Seonwoo Jin clicked his tongue and shook his head. "What does the Club Union election have to do with the Sword Dragon title? Do you think you can just promise anything? Sigh, this is why ignorant people shouldn't…"

Hyonwon Kang scoffed, interrupting, "What are you babbling about? You, who used to be Peng Sahyuk's lackey."

"You little…" Enraged, Seonwoo Jin grabbed the hilt of his blade and glared at Hyonwon Kang.

Hyonwon Kang grinned. "Are you sure you want to pull that out? Think carefully."

"Hyonwon Kang, do you really think you're all that?"

The air between the two grew tense. Their auras flared, and their clothes rippled under the force of their rising qi.

Before the conflict could escalate any further though, Namgung Su's stern voice cut in, "The duel is still ongoing. Show some respect to your fellow students."

"…Yes, sir."

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"Sorry."

Both boys immediately dispersed their qi, bowing their heads in apology. As Namgung Su turned to Yoo Yiran and Wiji Cheon, signaling them to resume the duel, the chaotic atmosphere settled down.

Yoo Yiran bowed respectfully to Namgung Su, then turned back to Wiji Cheon. "You're the first person besides me to say you'll take the title of Sword Dragon away from Dokgo Jun," she said.

"W-Was I being too arrogant?" Wiji Cheon stammered, suddenly sheepish as the weight of all the eyes on him sank in. During the duel, he had been so focused on Yoo Yiran that he'd forgotten about the audience entirely.

His face fell as he mumbled, "I didn't mean it as a declaration of war… Oh no, what if Senior Dokgo Jun gets angry at me?"

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Seeing Wiji Cheon turn timid again, Yoo Yiran giggled, "No. If it's him, he'll actually like it."

"Really?"

"Yes, and… I'm liking you more and more too."

Yoo Yiran's easily misunderstood words instantly sent ripples of jealousy coursing through her army of secret admirers, but fortunately, her next line quelled their agitation.

"Regardless, I have no intention of yielding the Sword Dragon title to anyone," she declared firmly, her eyes shining intensely as she pointed her sword at Wiji Cheon.

"…It's the same for me." Wiji Cheon hesitated for a moment, then took the ready stance of the Unlimited Sword, his inner qi surging fiercely within him and sharpening his senses.

I wasn't planning to use the Unlimited Sword yet… but I can't avoid it forever.

As the tension in the arena mounted, sword qi abruptly surged around the two combatants' blades, making them glow with a brilliant light. The crowd, which had momentarily fallen silent at the sight of Wiji Cheon's Unlimited Sword, erupted into chaos once more, and all eyes turned to Namgung Su.

"Sword qi!"

"Isn't this dangerous?"

"Should we stop them?"

"……" After hesitating for a moment, Namgung Su nodded, permitting the use of sword qi.

"I'll allow it, but you must refrain from aiming at the vitals. Everyone watching, take two steps back," he warned sternly, then erased his own presence to allow the duelists to concentrate without distraction.

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However, Namgung Su's consideration was unnecessary. Wiji Cheon and Yoo Yiran were now completely oblivious to the world around them, their focus solely on each other. Every breath, every subtle muscle twitch was tracked with painstaking attention, neither of them missing even the smallest detail.

In the end, Wiji Cheon made the first move. In their earlier exchange, Yoo Yiran had seized the initiative and dominated with her aggressive, preemptive strikes, giving him no room to counter. He wasn't about to let that happen again.

If the fight drags on, I'll be at a disadvantage, he admitted honestly. Whether it's inner qi, physical stamina, or technique, I'm lacking compared to Yoo Yiran. So… what's my advantage?

"Kill!"

A familiar voice echoed in Wiji Cheon's mind. The Killing Sword had been silent for a while, but the moment he began using the Unlimited Sword, it reappeared, whispering in his ear.

"Kill her! I'll lend you power."

If he let go and surrendered to the Killing Sword, he was certain he could defeat Yoo Yiran. He could even kill her. He instinctively knew exactly where to strike to cause the most pain, how to torment his opponent—not because he wanted to, but because it was muscle memory.

CLANG!

Yoo Yiran blocked his first strike and immediately launched a sharp counterattack, her sword qi slicing across his thigh.

Feeling the sting, Wiji Cheon winced.

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"Kill!"

The temptation to give in grew stronger. His barely-contained killing intent leaked out, and he saw Yoo Yiran's expression shift, ever so slightly.

"Kill! Cut her neck and drink her blood!"

The Killing Sword's voice roared in his head, giving him a throbbing headache.

Meanwhile, Yoo Yiran pressed her offense.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Her sword strikes poured down relentlessly, each one as fierce as a raging storm.

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Quickly realizing that it was impossible to block or dodge them all, Wiji Cheon focused only on protecting his vitals, allowing attacks that would only cause minor wounds to slip through.

SPLAT! SQUIRT!

Blood splattered, soaking his martial arts uniform.

"W-Why is he being so reckless…?"

"He's pretty good for a freshman, but…"

Wiji Cheon's struggle elicited different reactions from everyone watching. Hyonwon Kang's expression hardened, while Seonwoo Jin leered, relishing the sight. Namgung Su, who had been watching quietly, unfolded his arms and took a step forward, concern visible on his face.

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Unknown to everyone, Wiji Cheon's vision blurred and his world turned red. The Killing Sword's voice echoed louder, threatening to plunge him into a fit. Between blocking, deflecting, and dodging Yoo Yiran's sword, he desperately tried to suppress the violent urges building up inside of him.

"Kill! Kill! Kill, I said!"

Suddenly, right before he was devoured by his inner demons, Baek Suryong's words echoed in his mind.

"Cheon, as you grow stronger, the Killing Sword's temptation will also grow fiercer. It will whisper to you endlessly, especially when you're using the Unlimited Sword. You're probably going to need a few more years to completely overcome it."

"A few years… Should I avoid using the Unlimited Sword until then?"

At that time, he had mostly resigned himself to giving up the Unlimited Sword. No matter how powerful the technique was, he didn't want to endanger the people around him.

"Why should you? The Killing Sword isn't necessarily bad."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Think about it. There are a lot of evil bastards out there who deserve to die. At times like that, the Killing Sword can be useful."

"But… what if I lose myself?"

"I'm not telling you to surrender yourself to it. Instead, you must command and control it. The Killing Sword is something you created. Don't deny it. Acknowledge that you're its master, then grasp it firmly and wield it with your own will."

"Ah… Mr. Baek, I…"

"Don't rush. Take it one step at a time. You can do it, I believe in you."

"…Okay."

Wiji Cheon lowered his head, realizing that he had been deceiving himself all along. Due to his fear of unintentionally killing people again, he had ignored, hated, and resisted the Killing Sword. However, the more he denied it, the stronger its voice became…because to begin with, the Killing Sword was a shield he had created to protect himself while he was crazy from qi deviation.

He glanced at Soul Sword.

"Cheon, I want you to become a martial artist worthy of this sword, someone the previous owner wouldn't be ashamed of."

SPLURT!

Wiji Cheon snapped out of his thoughts just as Yoo Yiran's sword grazed his earlobe.

"Kill! Kill! Kill, I said!"

The Killing Sword screamed in his head again, but this time he commanded it.

Be quiet!

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Following Baek Suryong's advice, he decided not to deny or ignore the Killing Sword anymore. It was part of him, and he would accept that.

I won't pretend you don't exist anymore, but in exchange, you have to listen to me. Got it?

For the first time, the Killing Sword fell silent. Wiji Cheon gripped his sword tighter, smiling.

From now on, don't tell me who to kill. I'll be the one to make that decision. Well?

The Killing Sword didn't reply, but he could sense it reluctantly nodding.

Lend me your strength. Today, I don't want to kill anyone, but I really want to win.

WOOONG!

Soul Sword hummed loudly, snapping Wiji Cheon back to his senses. Sensing the Killing Sword settling into it, he whispered, "Thank you."

Finally, amid Yoo Yiran's raging torrent of slashes, Wiji Cheon saw his chance. The one opening he had been waiting for.

CLANG!

Yoo Yiran slid backwards, eyes wide with surprise. Wiji Cheon's powerful strike had not only thrown her off balance, it had scattered the sword qi coating her blade.

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"You…" she mumbled, noticing that Wiji Cheon's aura had changed.

Did he gain enlightenment during the duel?

A hollow laugh escaped her. She was speechless, too astonished to be angry, but strangely, she felt good.

Smiling helplessly, she said, "Congratulations. You're truly a monster."

"This is all thanks to you, Senior," Wiji Cheon replied sincerely. After all, it was Yoo Yiran who had fired up his competitive spirit and made him bring out the Unlimited Sword, which in turn had led him to confront and control the Killing Sword.

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It's not only her. Mr. Baek Suryong's teachings guided me, and Soul Sword is always here at my side. Without all their help, I could never have achieved this, he reflected.

For a moment, Yoo Yiran looked at Wiji Cheon with envy, but she quickly shook her head, saying, "Even so, I won't lose."

WOOOONG!

Yoo Yiran's sword hummed in response to her resolve. Wiji Cheon wasn't the only one who gained something through this battle. Though not as grand as enlightenment, she too had found inspiration for her swordsmanship.

She gathered all her remaining inner qi and prepared to unleash her strongest technique.

"This is my final attack," she declared.

Wiji Cheon nodded. "…Okay."

In an instant, the tip of Yoo Yiran's sword trembled, and a towering tsunami appeared before Wiji Cheon's eyes, more overwhelming than any wave she'd sent at him before.

It worked! Yoo Yiran's smile widened. In that moment, she knew she had reached the next level of mastery in the Soaring Stream Sword Technique.

"Haap!" she cried out, her voice filled with the exhilaration of a martial artist recognizing their own progress.

Across from her, Wiji Cheon watched the tsunami, admiration filling his eyes. "What amazing swordsmanship," he praised.

Soul Sword hummed softly in agreement.

The only way I can properly honor her is to respond with my strongest attack, Wiji Cheon thought.

Their figures blurred as they crossed paths in the center of the platform.

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"……"

"……"

A few strands of Wiji Cheon's hair fluttered down. Shallow wounds marked his cheeks and forehead.

Both swordsmen turned to face each other.

THUD!

Yoo Yiran fell to her knees. Although her face was pale, she looked refreshed. She had poured everything into that last attack, leaving her too drained to stand, but she didn't let go of her sword.

"I lost," she admitted, her voice soft but clear.

The Sword Flower was defeated.