Chapter 119
"Cult Leader, please drink this before you leave."
Ji-Ah stopped me as I was about to head out for school. She had handed me a bitter-smelling black liquid that wasn't coffee. The color of the liquid was pitch-black to the point where I couldn’t see the bottom of the cup, and a mixture of brown and purple light floated on top of its surface.
"What is this? Poison?"
The water definitely didn’t look consumable. Ji-Ah shook the cup, causing the sediment on the bottom to float up, and then handed me the cup again.
"It's water made with the leftovers of the herbs used in the offering. I referred to the Voodoo Cult’s medicinal arts."
"Ah, so this isn't an assassination attempt?"
Ji-Ah looked at me with round eyes as if she was shocked. "Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Oh? You seem surprised. I knew it. I had a bad feeling the moment you handed me this."
Although it was just a joke, I was a little taken aback because her reaction was very serious.
"Just kidding, thanks for the drink. Are you studying medicinal arts these days?"
"Studying is a stretch, as there isn't much material, but trying to learn from it."
"Oh... Very impressive."
I gulped down the medicine in one go. At first, it didn't taste like anything. If anything, the liquid was even slightly sweet. However, as the water passed down my throat and reached my stomach, a sudden bitterness rose from within.
It wasn't just bitter, but exceptionally so. The bitterness remained on my tongue, and something strange crept up through my throat and crawled out through my nose. Unbeknownst to me, tears were forming in the corners of my furrowed eyes.
"Cough, cough...! This is poison!"
"It's supposed to taste bad. Medicine that is good for the body is naturally bitter. If you just hold on a little longer... "
“No, no. T-this is... this is an assassination attempt..."
Even while saying that, the bitter taste lingered on the tongue. However, as I spoke, the strange smell rising up through my throat gradually subsided and was replaced by the initial faint sweetness and aroma. It didn't take long before I felt a tingling sensation, as if blood was rushing through my body. The sensation felt similar to when I used Bossou's power.
"Woah."
"Is the medicine starting to take effect?"
"Seems like it. What are the effects of the medicine?"
"It says, blood circulation improvement and clearer eyesight. Additionally, it slightly enhances physical abilities and sharpens the senses."
Legba interjected, [One of Baron Samedi’s favorites.]
A medicine that Baron Samedi likes? I had a hard time understanding. Baron Samedi wouldn’t shed a single drop of blood if you stabbed him. As a Loa, his body didn't have blood. Therefore, the effect on blood circulation would practically be nonexistent, and the effect of clearer eyes would also be of little use to him, as he could see everything even without the help of his eyes.
"Does Baron Samedi need to drink this?"
[I'm not sure. It doesn't seem like he drinks it himself.]
Legba's tone was filled with mischief.
What is Baron Samedi always up to? He was truly a person, no, a Loa that I could never fully understand.
*
“Even if your grades were a bit lacking before, you’ll be able to catch up if you start working hard from today, so give it your best! That's all!"
With those cheerful words, Ye-Jin left the classroom. At the same time, a bustling noise began to fill the space among the students. Some students hurriedly left the classroom with anxious expressions, while others chatted leisurely with their friends.
In-Ah approached me and Jun-Hyuk with a bright smile.
"What's your next class?"
Today marked the start of subject-specific classes. Previously, classes were conducted within the respective class of the seven holy names, but now they were divided by subjects. So, even if students were in the same class, they could have different classes depending on the department they belonged to.
"It was a class for my minor. I think it was basic swordsmanship. We’re supposed to be at the sacred training grounds."
"If you’re talking about your minor... is it a crusader class? Then are you taking the class with Jun-Hyuk?"
Jun-Hyuk had been sleeping since morning self-study until homeroom, but he woke up immediately when his name was called.
"Huh? What about me?"
The red blood vessels in his eyes were more prominent than usual. Dark circles drooped below his eyes. He looked extremely tired, more so than usual.
"Jun-Hyuk, you're in the Department of Crusaders, right?"
"No? Oh, no, I am! I'm just sleepy and out of it, ah." Jun-Hyuk absentmindedly replied to In-Ah's question.
In-Ah looked at Jun-Hyuk as if she couldn't believe him, then burst into laughter.
"I can’t believe you would make such a mistake, even if you were that tired... Anyway, what's your next class?"
"Class? What was it... Some kind of theory class? I can't remember. I only remember it's in the multipurpose room."
"Huh? What? But Sun-Woo the Kind said he's taking basic swordsmanship."
"Hey, how many times have I told you to not—"
"You guys have different classes when you’re in the same department? What's going on?"
In-Ah looked at Jun-Hyuk with a puzzled expression, alternating her gaze between Jun-Hyuk and me. I couldn't give her an answer even if I wanted to. The teachers were solely responsible for creating the schedule. I had faith in their ability to avoid scheduling conflicts or disruptions.
"Wait, your next class is swordsmanship?"
At that moment, Jun-Hyuk's eyes widened in surprise.
"Why are you acting so surprised?"
"Are you talking about the training at the sacred training ground? I heard that the Department of Crusaders members of the Class of Patience also have swordsmanship as their next class."
"You're lying."
"I’m not. I wish you the best of luck~ You might end up sparring with Jin-Seo,” Jun-Hyuk teased with a faint, sly smile.
Do-Jin's swordsmanship class was focused on building practical skills through sparring. According to him, the fastest way to improve skills was to directly engage in sparring through clashing blades rather than just studying theory.
"Surely we won't start sparring on the first day."
"Apparently, you are. I heard from other students that they sparred throughout the entire class without any breaks in between..." Jun-Hyuk continued.
According to what the students who took Do-Jin's basic swordsmanship class said, his class put much more emphasis than other classes on sparring with high intensity. It was to the point where some students would pass out and get sent to the nurse’s office. If there were an injury during sparring during class-level sessions, the class would be put on pause, but there was no such thing during department-level classes. According to rumors, Do-Jin's gaze was almost poisonous, his eyes filled with venom. No one knew why.
"Usually, they pair up students with similar skill levels. You probably would be paired with Jin-Seo, right? After all, she’s the Holy Name of Patience, and you're the Holy Name of Charity."
"No way..."
I tried my best to deny it. I hadn’t faced Jin-Seo in a match till now. Although there’s a saying you never know till you try, I didn’t think I could beat her.
Lost in pessimism, I lowered my head. Meanwhile, In-Ah seemed a bit upset as she listened to our conversation and interrupted us.
"Hey! You’re not somebody’s punching bag, right? You’ll end up beating her in the end, even after you act like this. Don't worry."
"Her...her strength is not something you can comprehend with common sense. When I think about the time I got hit for three minutes straight at the training center... ugh, my head..."
Jun-Hyuk rubbed his forehead with exaggerated gestures and frowned.
In-Ah came closer to me, trying to smile, and lightly tapped my shoulder with her loosely clenched fist as if encouraging me.
"Don't listen to this guy. If by any chance you get beaten up, I'll scold her."
"Who's going to scold who? Are you scolding Jin-Seo? You might end up dead."
Jun-Hyuk interrupted before I could answer.
I didn't think Jin-Seo would actually kill In-Ah, but In-Ah could get seriously hurt.
"...She’s that strong?"
"Yeah, I’m telling you."
Jun-Hyuk raised his voice in frustration, and I nodded silently beside him.
Suddenly, I remembered the words of encouragement Ye-Jin had given during homeroom.
“Even if your grades were a bit lacking before, you’ll be able to catch up if you start working hard from today, so give it your best!”
In other words, if I didn't work hard today, I could fall behind regardless of the good grades I had already received. The first class of the day was a sparring class for my minor, not my major. To make matters worse, my opponent might be Jin-Seo. How devastating.
Legba comforted me. [There's a high possibility that it's just a rumor to scare the students. Don't worry too much.]
Well, come to think of it, there was no way the class would start sparring from the first day. It was just an exaggerated rumor that had been spread among the students. Those thoughts brought some peace to my soul.
*
"As you all may have heard already, we will be sparring today," Do-Jin said as soon as the class started, as if he were stating the obvious.
For me, it was like a bolt from the blue.
He held up a single sword lying on the floor and showed it to us.
"This is the sword you will use in sparring. It's not the silver swords that crusaders usually use, but an old-fashioned iron sword. Now, you might wonder why we use outdated iron swords instead of the silver swords used in real combat. Anyone want to answer?"
"...Is it because of money?"
"Correct. Silver swords are expensive and difficult to supply for training sessions. Buy them with your own money when you earn your share after becoming a crusader yourself.”
The reason was very practical. Do-Jin brought his finger close to the blade and started moving the sword up and down in a sawing motion. Yet, not a drop of blood came from Do-Jin's finger.
"Also, these swords have very dull blades. In addition, we'll put foam on the blade before sparring. That way, there won't be much chance of getting hurt. Well... it still hurts if you get hit hard. I’m speaking from experience."
Do-Jin closed his mouth tightly after explaining and looked down at the sparring sword in his hand.
After staring at the sword for some time with a serious expression, he finally took his stance. Then, he fixed his gaze on the thin air before him.
Swoosh–!
And then, he swung.
No, was it a swing or a thrust? I couldn't tell. Do-Jin's movements were too fast to follow with my eyes. After delivering a flurry of attacks to his invisible enemy, Do-Jin lightly exhaled.
"As you all already know, demons and demonic beasts are vulnerable to attacks from silver weapons, so it's best to attack with the parts that are coated with blessed silver if possible."
Clank.
Do-Jin placed his sword on the ground and said, "When you become an apprentice crusader, you will receive iron swords with only the tip coated in silver. The only technique that can effectively damage demons or demonic beasts with those inferior swords would be stabbing."
Iron swords were heavy and crude, but they were cheaper compared to silver-coated ones. Therefore, the newly appointed apprentice crusaders were usually supplied with iron swords.
"Therefore, the goal of today's sparring is to hone your stabbing attacks to the point that they can subdue the opponent in one strike. The condition to win the spar is to successfully land two stabbing attacks on your sparring partner. Blessings are allowed. Any questions?"
Do-Jin's words prompted the students to buzz with excitement. Until now, Do-Jin had always avoided taking questions, citing tiredness or annoyance as his reasons. But now, he wore a gentle smile he had never shown before.
"I slept well yesterday, so I'm not tired. Feel free to ask. "
"I have a question."
Someone raised their hand as if they had been waiting. It was Jin-Seo.
"What happens if the opponent loses consciousness before the successful execution of two attacks?"
"In that case, the one who loses consciousness will be considered the loser. Subduing the opponent before fulfilling the victory condition I mentioned earlier is also a skill," Do-Jin replied.
Jin-Seo's question carried a chilly vibe, implying that she was confident in her ability to subdue her opponent before fulfilling the victory condition. I could definitely see her being able to do it.
Do-Jin smirked, seeing the frozen expressions of some students who shared the same thoughts as me.
"Of course, there has never been such a case before. As you can see, this is not a sword that can be used to dominate and control the opponent. Unless you stab with considerable force, you won't lose consciousness."
"Phew..."
A sigh of relief seemed to escape from somewhere. With the foam-wrapped dull blades, it was very unlikely to pass out from a hit. Although I didn't openly sigh, I was also secretly relieved.
Do-Jin picked up two swords scattered on the floor and put foam covers on the blades.
"For the first spar, let's have the two most skilled students face each other to set an example. If your name is called, come up to the dueling ground with these swords."
However, there was no time to relax.
"Sun-Woo, Jin-Seo."
*
As I stepped onto the dueling ground, I first grasped the sword. Even though my overall strength had improved through the Blessing of Superhuman Strength, the sword was still quite heavy. I doubted if I could even swing it, let alone stab.
On the other hand, Jin-Seo was warming up, handling the heavy sword as if it were a toy.
"Phew."
I took a deep breath to relieve tension, but it had no effect. When I looked up, Jin-Seo stood across from me, looking at me with sleepy, narrow eyes. She smiled faintly when our eyes met. Unlike me, her face was filled with ease.
In the silence, Do-Jin raised the whistle hanging around his neck.
"Let's start without delay."
The whistle blew, and the duel began. Jin-Seo took her stance. Unsteadily, I also went into my stance. The tips of our swords were facing each other. The sword in Jin-Seo's hand, though dull and covered in foam, looked as threatening as a real blade.
On the other hand, the sword in my hand was nothing more than a toy.
‘No, don't get nervous. You'll end up losing if you panic even before the fight even starts.’
I kept my calm and kept an eye on Jin-Seo's movements. She flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Swish!
And in the blink of an eye, she was right in front of me.
I barely managed to block her downward strike. Beyond the clash of our swords, Jin-Seo's sharp gaze was fixated on me. Thanks to the Blessing of Superhuman Strength, our strengths were on the same level, but I lagged behind in speed and sword-handling skills.
"...I have a question to ask."
While we were locked in a tense standoff, our swords pushed against each other, Jin-Seo spoke in a small voice. She seemed to be relaxed enough to talk to me in this situation. It hurt my pride a little because it felt like she was looking down on me.
Jin-Seo pushed me aggressively with her sword and continued.
"Are you close with Ha-Rin?"
Her sudden question caught me off guard. Using the Blessing of Superhuman Strength, I gathered strength in my legs, lowered my center of gravity, and then transferred the force to my upper body. Taking advantage of the flow of the moving force, I swung my sword, deflecting Jin-Seo's sword.
Clang!
The sponges collided, making a sharp sound. I had successfully created distance between us. I made it over the first hurdle.
I smiled slyly and stared at Jin-Seo's face.
"Maybe?"
I responded to Jin-Seo's sudden question. I couldn’t really afford to respond, but I had replied to provoke her and make her lose her composure to gain an advantageous position in the duel.
"...Maybe?"
At that moment, Jin-Seo's face lost all composure.
Immediately after, she raised her blade with a natural and fluid motion. It seemed like she was about to attempt a second attack. Her movements were larger and more monotonous than before. It seemed like my provocation had worked.
"..."
I prepared for an attack while blocking. I couldn't defeat her with speed and skill alone. The only element we were on similar footing was strength. I would use Bossou's power and create a standoff like the one we were in before and overpower her with strength.
I started to believe that maybe I could win.
"Bo—"
Stab.
"Ugh...!"
Before I could even call out Bossou's name, something long pierced through the pit of my stomach, and with a sharp pain, I lost consciousness.
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