In the Headmaster's Office
Silence ruled the room for a moment—
until it was broken by the Right Guardian's voice.
Right Guardian:
"You know this is not permitted here.
This is not the surface world, nor the other continents."
Jin stood straight.
No bow. No hesitation.
Jin:
"I know.
But I won't be able to grow this way.
I understand how difficult this request is…
but at least test me."
The Guardian's eyes narrowed slightly.
Right Guardian:
"Boy, I'm well aware your ability doesn't fit the academy's learning rhythm.
But rules are rules."
Jin lifted his chin a little.
Jin:
"Have you heard the rumors about the Black Wanderer?"
The Guardian burst out laughing.
Right Guardian:
"Hahaha—don't tell me—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Jin calmly placed the black hat on the desk.
Then the blade.
Both landed softly.
Jin:
"I know entering with storage items and keeping personal weapons is forbidden.
It could even warrant execution.
But honestly—"
Right Guardian:
"Enough."
His expression turned serious.
"I've already heard what happened at the pawnshop last night."
He stared at Jin for a long moment…
then sighed.
Right Guardian:
"Very well.
I'll test you myself.
After that, we'll decide how you'll spend your time here."
A clear, confident smile appeared on Jin's face.
Jin:
"Alright."
The Forest
Not long after—
Deep within the forest, where light shattered between branches,
the two stood facing each other.
Jin drew his golden sword.
Jin:
"I assume a personal weapon is acceptable?"
Right Guardian:
"Yes. Of course."
The Guardian unsheathed his blade.
The next instant—
BOOM!
Their swords clashed.
The ground cracked beneath their feet.
Dust exploded outward like thick fog.
This wasn't a test.
It was a collision of beings.
The Guardian attacked first—
a straight, heavy strike, saturated with internal energy.
Jin blocked it, slid a step sideways, and countered immediately.
The forest trembled.
Strike.
Block.
Turn.
Break the rhythm.
Jin held nothing back.
He fought with full awareness.
With full power.
And the Guardian noticed something unsettling.
Every movement—
Jin saw it, analyzed it, and adapted instantly.
Jin's Mind
I see it.
I see the sword's trajectory.
The world slowed.
The blade before it descended.
The energy before it erupted.
Even the Guardian's breathing was clear.
Minutes passed.
Thoughts piled up in the Guardian's mind.
This boy…
No real openings.
Matching my internal energy.
No delay.
His aura control is absurd…
The Guardian made a decision.
He planted his feet firmly and lowered his stance.
He executed a martial art—
the first movement.
Before Jin's eyes, the technique manifested.
Swords of energy formed around the Guardian—
overlapping circles, translucent and razor-sharp—
Then they surged forward at once.
Jin paused.
He stared.
This is beautiful…
Truly beautiful.
He took the attack—
blocked it deliberately.
Then—
He moved.
He executed the technique.
The fifth movement.
The Guardian froze.
What—?
He just saw the first movement!
How did he reach the fifth?!
He tried to hide the shock.
His eyes failed him.
Absolute Focus
Jin had completely submerged.
Submerged in focus.
Seconds in reality—
but an eternity in his mind.
Swords formed around him.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Dozens.
The number multiplied at a terrifying rate.
They filled the air,
colored in dense darkness,
as if forming a cage around the world itself.
The attack advanced.
It was no longer a technique.
It had surpassed the art itself—
transformed into a destructive authority.
Jin poured everything into it.
And in the Guardian's eyes—
The dragon appeared again.
A dragon of dark energy,
watching…
roaring directly into his mind.
He was stunned.
Even someone who had reached the Transformation Realm,
even a Sword Master—
This was something alien to everything he had ever seen.
Impossible.
There's no way to evade this.
This boy… is a monster.
Impact
The attacks collided.
The earth exploded.
Trees shattered.
Trunks were hurled dozens of meters behind the Guardian.
When the dust settled—
The Guardian was still standing.
His clothes were torn.
His body covered in wounds.
Blood dripped onto the soil.
He stared at the boy before him, still in shock.
Right Guardian:
"You will be transferred to the fourth test immediately.
You are granted access up to the third floor of the library.
And three energy pills."
He fell silent for a moment.
Then spoke in a low, heavy voice:
Right Guardian:
"You are… a natural disaster."
Jin didn't reply.
He was simply—
imagining the beauty of that technique.
And so…
Something that had never occurred in the history of the sect
was set in motion.