I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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Kim Il-shin, who got out of the car, walked into the mansion following Hazuki’s guidance.

As he entered through the large entrance formed by the trees grown on both sides, he saw a spacious wooden mansion occupying the vast grounds.

The mansion was built at the end of a gently winding stone path.

Surrounding it was lush greenery, with clear water flowing in various spots.

The design harmoniously blended with nature.

Despite being an artificial structure, it gave off a strange vibe, as if it were part of nature itself.

A calm energy filled the entire estate, making it difficult to act recklessly.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Just as he was about to step onto the stone path, Hazuki stepped forward.

She retrieved a dark green badge from her silk pouch and held it against Kim Il-shin’s chest.

Kim Il-shin remained calm, understanding it was a necessary procedure.

“There’s a barrier ahead that prevents outsiders from entering. We are unaffected, but outsiders cannot enter without this badge. Alright, you’re all set.”

The badge, magnetically attaching to his chest without any specific means of securing it, emitted a soft glow.

A complex flow of mana emanating from the badge enveloped his entire body.

It felt as though thin serpents of varying thickness were coiling around him.

The continuously changing flow patterns were not easily readable.

The barrier spread out before him seemed that advanced.

“Please be careful not to let the badge fall. Without it, you won’t be able to move your body within the barrier or use mana.”

“Understood.”

With the procedure completed, Hazuki took the lead again, guiding Kim Il-shin.

Kim Il-shin followed her while analyzing the mana flowing from the badge.

Huung.

After walking a few steps, he felt the sensation of passing through the barrier.

He felt a steady pressure wrapping around him.

‘This feeling is new.’

While there was no way to meet the Swordmaster in the game, he had been in the Endo family’s mansion a few times.

Back then, he too had attached the badge and entered, but he had never felt this kind of pressure.

‘Is it because of my talent?’

It seemed that Kim Il-shin’s talent [Mana Affinity (A)] allowed him to sense the barrier’s existence.

Thanks to that, he could analyze the barrier and the badge’s mana more easily.

Experiencing and understanding the field of barriers, which he had previously known nothing about, was quite an interesting experience.

He was so absorbed in it that he almost forgot about the current situation.

“What do you think of our Endo family’s mansion? It’s rare for outsiders to come this far, so I’m curious about your impressions, Kim Il-shin.”

Hazuki turned her head back and asked as their eyes met, allowing Kim Il-shin to finally take in the surrounding scenery.

Coming to his senses, he realized he had already entered the mansion’s central area.

“Um….”

He casually looked around as if contemplating.

The center of the mansion was even more integrated with nature than what he had seen at the entrance.

In the human-made structure, there was an air of tranquility, while the surrounding nature brought a refreshing essence.

Kim Il-shin expressed the fleeting impression he had felt.

“If there were a building in the land of the immortals, it would likely look like this mansion.”

It was immediately clear to Hazuki and the attendants that it was a satisfactory response.

Pride filled their faces, except for Kim Il-shin.

“You’ve seen it well. Our mansion was built with an emphasis on harmony with nature since the early design phase. In a way, it could be seen as an architectural structure ahead of its time. Naturally, it was all directed by the head of the family, who came to realize the importance of nature back during the early days of the Great Rift…”

Excited, Hazuki began recounting the Swordmaster’s history.

She certainly seemed proud of the Swordmaster.

‘Nothing new here.’

However, it was a story that he was already familiar with.

Kim Il-shin feigned attentiveness, nodding his head while continuing his analysis of the barrier.

“In the following year, 1984… oh, we’ve arrived. This way.”

Hazuki stopped at a location far from the mansion’s center, to the north.

She led Kim Il-shin to a small clearing beside the stone path.

At the forefront of the clearing stood a torii gate, serving as the entrance to a traditional Japanese shrine.

The rain-eroded torii bore the marks of time.

It was large enough for a person to pass through—a gateway leading to the Swordmaster’s domain.

“Please wait a moment. I will inform the head of the family about your arrival, Kim Il-shin.”

Just as Hazuki said that and approached the torii, a voice from behind interrupted.

“Hold it.”

A strange man’s voice came from behind.

Turning in that direction, he saw about ten people approaching Kim Il-shin.

They soon stopped in front of the clearing, and one man leading the group stepped forward.

He was a long-haired man dressed in traditional Japanese clothing.

At first glance, one might mistake him for a woman due to his stunning beauty.

But Kim Il-shin knew all too well that a misguided ambition lay hidden behind that appearance.

His name was Endo Taichi, someone aiming for the head of the Endo family.

“It’s been a while, Hazuki. I hope you’ve been well?”

Taichi greeted Hazuki with a friendly smile.

Hazuki ignored him and asked, “What brings you here?”

In response to Hazuki’s suspicious question, Taichi’s gaze shifted toward Kim Il-shin.

“What business would I have here? I’ve come to see the guest who was personally invited by the head of the family. Good day. I am Endo Taichi.”

Taichi bowed slightly, but Hazuki blocked his path.

“Then you should return. I won’t tolerate any further rudeness.”

“I’m not sure what rudeness I’ve committed, but would the heir care to enlighten me?”

“I never thought you would be foolish enough to not understand that.”

Hazuki and Taichi’s gazes clashed.

A long staring contest ensued, and it was Taichi who broke first.

“I apologize for the rudeness.”

Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.

“However, I cannot leave.”

“What?!”

“It’s for the sake of the family’s tradition.”

At Taichi’s mention of tradition, Hazuki faltered.

Seizing the moment, Taichi continued.

“Did Kim Il-shin undergo verification before entering the mansion?”

Verification was a test that outsiders had to undergo to enter the Endo family’s mansion.

It involved demonstrating one’s long-honed martial arts skills before the members of the Endo family to prove the purity of one’s spirit.

“There hasn’t been a verification process in several decades…!”

However, this was a tradition that had nearly fallen into disuse.

The verification emerged shortly after the Great Rift was quelled, during a chaotic time in society.

The purpose behind it was to filter out beings that appeared human.

Naturally, it was a procedure that had become completely unnecessary by now.

“Isn’t those several decades the real issue?”

“This person was personally invited by the head of the family. Are you doubting the head of the family now?”

“That’s certainly not the case. How could I dare doubt the head?”

Taichi dismissed Hazuki’s words with a wave, glancing back at the people behind him.

“However, the head’s perception and our perception are not the same. What I worry about is whether our family members will be thrown into confusion.”

“Ha…”

“In the future, what if the heir leading the Endo family discards the family’s tradition…?”

‘What a nuisance.’

Though his words were eloquent, the summary was clear: he was trying to pick at an obsolete tradition for any little reason possible.

‘If that’s the case, it seems like he’s trying to gauge my abilities.’

It was unprecedented for an outsider, someone merely a student from the academy, to be receiving a personal invitation from the Swordmaster.

For someone like that to be close to Hazuki would likely have been quite a considerable threat to Taichi, who wanted to dethrone Hazuki someday.

Moreover, it wasn’t just a matter of the White Tiger Mountain being involved; he had orchestrated the meeting from the beginning.

‘It feels like there’s more going on, but… I can’t grasp everything.’

All in all, it seemed Taichi was using the pretext of verification to assess Kim Il-shin’s strength.

If he were to refuse, it likely meant Taichi wanted to find a way to throw Hazuki off, even just a little.

“Who is the opponent for the verification?”

“Kim Il-shin!”

Having assessed the situation, Kim Il-shin stepped forward.

He passed by Hazuki, who was trying to stop him, and approached Taichi.

Taichi spread his arms as if welcoming him.

“I will be your opponent.”

“Sounds good.”

“…Oh.”

Taichi looked surprised at Kim Il-shin’s prompt acceptance.

Kim Il-shin stared directly into his eyes and continued speaking.

“However, I’ll decide the time and place.”

“Of course, do as you wish—”

“Now, here.”

“…What?”

At the same moment Taichi spoke, a liberated aura enveloped the air, pressing it down.

The drawn Hyeonwol Sword was now aimed at Taichi, and tension crossed his face.

After savoring and analyzing the oppressive feeling of the barrier constricting his body, he came back to the present.

Beyond Kim Il-shin’s gaze, countless flashes of light flickered and sparked in his mind.

It was an emerging inspiration, wriggling and rising.