I Became a Swordsmanship Genius at the Academy

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“I’m going to check if he can handle the future.”

This was the response from the swordsman to Taichi’s question about the reason for inviting Kim Il-shin.

It was a vague statement, leading Taichi to suspect that the “future” mentioned by the swordsman referred to the future of the Endo family.

The inevitable future that the Endo family would have to endure, filled with an unfillable void.

Realizing this, Taichi could somewhat understand the reason for inviting Kim Il-shin at this juncture.

“A marriage arrangement.”

There couldn’t be a more timely reason than that.

Taichi thought that the swordsman himself invited Kim Il-shin precisely to conduct this marriage arrangement.

If it wasn’t something of such grave importance, the swordsman would have no reason to take such unprecedented action.

Moreover, the fact that Baek Hoshan arranged the meeting likely originated from the swordsman’s request.

Even if it couldn’t come out from the barrier, his eyes were still on the world.

It was also strange that Baek Hoshan accepted the meeting without any special reason.

Perhaps there was also a possibility that Baek Hoshan was involved in this marriage arrangement.

Although Kim Il-shin had once rejected Baek Hoshan’s offer to become his disciple during the martial arts exam, the current state of their relationship was uncertain.

If the Endo family and the Baek family were to be connected by blood, it would create an unassailable group.

‘…I can’t be sure.’

The situation was far too chaotic. It was impossible to make an accurate assessment or judgment based solely on predictions and assumptions.

However, one thing was certain: Kim Il-shin was extremely dangerous.

Taichi had known about Kim Il-shin’s talent for a while.

Everything he had done up to now testified to his innate abilities.

“A genius that appears once in a millennium… or perhaps even more.”

Thus, he had to prevent Kim Il-shin from joining hands with Hazuki at all costs.

This applied to both the marriage arrangement and anything else.

Currently, the only weakness Hazuki had was her lack of substantial combat power.

Her talent had yet to blossom, and the strength of her faction could not keep up with Taichi, who had been preparing for great endeavors since long ago.

While her legitimacy and symbolism were assured, those were useless elements in a turbulent situation.

The history of countless revolutions proved that.

Therefore, Taichi was planning to exploit that weakness and seize control of the family through force.

The execution of the plan would commence immediately after the swordsman’s disappearance.

However, if Kim Il-shin became involved, the situation would be completely turned around.

If Hazuki’s faction acquired military power as well, all of Taichi’s ambitions and preparations would become meaningless.

For Taichi, who had been racing toward a single goal ever since Hazuki was designated as the successor, this was an event that must never occur.

That’s why he acted this way.

He was well aware that the matter he was entangled in was merely an excuse.

Although it could be used in various ways, there were limits to how much leverage could be gained from this matter.

Thus, what he initially wanted was to evaluate Kim Il-shin’s capabilities.

To pursue the future he aimed for, he needed to accurately grasp Kim Il-shin’s talent.

But even that completely failed.

With Taichi’s abilities, he could not draw out everything from Kim Il-shin.

And he couldn’t present someone like the elders of the family for an evaluation.

Even if he went back to the past, the results of the evaluation wouldn’t change.

Moreover, Kim Il-shin’s capabilities were even beyond his expectations.

Taichi found himself beset by calamities stacked upon calamities.

“Hmm…”

His gaze, troubled with thought, landed on the man sitting in front of him, Petel.

He was the one who had approached a few days ago, proposing to join in their plans.

Since then, they had met several more times at this hotel.

The proposal was simple: eliminate Kim Il-shin together with them.

“You must make a decision now. I need a definitive answer today. My master dislikes delays in matters like this.”

However, until now, Taichi had maintained an ambiguous stance and delayed his decision. Rushed choices are poison.

“I will hear the plan first before deciding.”

Of course, even if he heard the plan, the likelihood of agreeing to Petel’s proposal was very low.

He still didn’t have a clear understanding of the situation, so there was no immediate action to be taken.

Perhaps in the future, he might regret this moment, but it was better than abandoning the future due to a wrong decision.

He was also suspicious of an opponent who showed up so conveniently with such a proposal.

It was as if Petel had read Taichi’s inner caution regarding Kim Il-shin.

So he intended to listen to the plan before rejecting it.

Whether to participate in the plan was entirely up to him.

“All you need to do is let us inside the barrier. After that, we will handle everything. If you wish, even the successor-”

Swish.

Petel could not complete his sentence as Taichi’s drawn sword was now at his throat.

“You crazy bastard. Did you think I would comply with such demands?”

He loved his family as much as he desired to become the head of it.

No matter how challenging the situation, if he had to give up on his goals, he wouldn’t let an unknown outsider into the barrier.

“To come to me with such a ridiculous plan, it’s astounding how foolish your master is.”

“How dare you…!”

Petel bristled at the mention of his master and reached for his waist, but in an instant, one of his ears was severed.

At the same time, three swords were aimed at him.

They were the swordsmen waiting behind Taichi.

“Kugh…!”

“If you wish to keep your life, disappear. And never show your face again.”

Taichi warned coldly as he stepped back. That was when an unexpected event happened.

“Kihhih…”

With a manic grin stretching across his face, Petel lunged at Taichi.

His demeanor was a complete departure from the politeness he had feigned earlier.

Thud!

Immediately, the three swords pierced Petel’s neck. Still, his movements did not cease.

“Kaaak!”

With his long, blood-stained nails raised, Petel wreaked havoc.

“Ugh, ugggh!!”

One of the swordsmen closest to him lost both of his eyes.

Although it was a small wound, he appeared to be in severe agony, and soon his eyes were oozing with blood.

An incomprehensible situation and a madness so terrifying that it instilled fear in the faces of the swordsmen.

At that moment, Taichi, who had been backing away, was also about to join the fray.

Thud.

Something was placed on top of his head. A bone-chilling cold felt as if it were freezing him to the marrow.

Crack!

That was all Taichi felt.

Before he could even turn his head, five daggers had penetrated his skull.

*

In a hotel room soaked in blood, Bernika stood in front of the gruesomely sprawled bodies.

“You’ve done well.”

“It is my duty.”

Petel, who had been rampaging and howling like a madman, answered as if he had returned to calmness.

Though his clothes were stained with blood, his severed ear and pierced neck were clean without a scratch.

Bernika’s retainers gain an undying power as long as her strength doesn’t wane.

“You never disappoint me. I will grant you a great reward later.”

Bernika had obtained information that the swordsman had invited Kim Il-shin before Im Se-chun reached him.

More precisely, it was information that Petel had gathered while thoroughly collecting data on Kim Il-shin.

And Bernika concluded:

The time when Kim Il-shin would be in the Endo family’s mansion, having responded to the swordsman’s invitation, would be the most opportune moment to eliminate him.

The only ones present within the vast estate would be members of the Endo family.

No outsiders could intrude, preventing any potential variables, and the swordsman could not come out from the barrier.

It was indeed the perfect moment for Bernika, who aimed to take Kim Il-shin’s life.

The problem was the barrier.

No matter how much Bernika wished it, she could not breach the Endo family’s barrier.

Even if she somehow managed to break through, her mana would be rendered useless, leaving her without a method.

Finding an alternate route was also impossible.

No one from the Endo family would leak information regarding the barrier.

Therefore, Bernika decided to forcibly uncover that information, which is why she had Petel approach Taichi.

Whether he accepted the proposal or not was of no concern.

The true intention was to slowly adapt Taichi’s soul to Bernika’s power within Petel.

So that the moment of death would leave him with no chance to resist.

“The method to breach the barrier has been arranged, so make sure to prepare the children.”

“Yes.”

She would not destroy the barrier. There were two reasons for this.

One was to cut off external assistance, and the other was to ensure Kim Il-shin’s complete demise.

‘If I cannot use mana, then he will merely be prey.’

Without a badge, he too would be affected by the barrier and incapacitated from using mana.

In that case, his threatening power would also vanish.

Bernika’s red lips curled into a smile. She anticipated the upcoming moment of slaughter.