Mars Swordsmanship — Part 2
“Mars Swordsmanship doesn’t have any set movements.”
Baek Sorin spoke softly and carefully.
“Well, um, it might be hard to believe, but it’s all just a few principles and guidelines.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“I’ve heard about Mars Swordsmanship before.”
If I were to explain Mars Swordsmanship in martial arts terms, it would be called a wild beast’s sword style or a practical combat style.
There are no set techniques.
Instead, there’s only intent—pure sword intent.
It’s as if the practical experience of gladiators from the Colosseum has been compressed and injected into it.
That’s the true essence of Mars Swordsmanship.
“The only way to teach this is through sparring.”
“That makes sense. That’s what I’ve heard as well.”
“Be careful. I’m not the same person I used to be.”
“Don’t hold back. Come at me.”
Underestimating Baek Sorin after she awakened Mars Swordsmanship?
That would be an absolute mistake—one only a suicidal fool would make.
Baek Sorin pointed the Holy Sword at me.
The worried look in her eyes had completely vanished.
All that remained was the Heavenly Killing Star, a lioness hungry for blood and craving battle.
“Haaaah!”
Her war cry rang loudly through the training room.
In the blink of an eye, Baek Sorin closed the gap between us.
Even though I equipped her with the [Rampaging Train] trait, her sheer speed was stunning.
In the time it took to blink, her sword aura was already slicing toward me.
The blazing sword energy crackled like a bolt of lightning.
It was the perfect angle for a shield block.
But I suppressed the urge to deploy Aegis.
To inherit Mars Swordsmanship, I had to rely solely on my sword.
Using Aegis, Mjolnir, or the Dasan Rifle was out of the question.
I carefully raised the Black Tiger Sword and parried the Holy Sword.
[Swordsmanship Expert], [Mana Soul], [Close-Combat Mastery]
[Bright Eyes], [Sixth Sense], [Training]
This was my current trait setup.
It leaned heavily into the senses, turning me into a pure martial artist.
This was the optimal condition to inherit Mars Swordsmanship.
Even so, it would likely take months.
Even factoring in Warrior Kim’s blank slate physique and the [Training] trait, it wasn’t a quick process.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of swords clashing echoed dozens of times.
Baek Sorin’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
She charged at me recklessly, over and over again.
Her gaze wasn’t one of a student looking at a teacher.
It was as if she were staring down a mortal enemy.
She thrust, slashed, struck down, parried, swung, and slashed again with the Holy Sword.
And she didn’t stop there.
Light kicks and punches were a given.
She rammed me with her shoulder, threw her body weight into me, slammed me with her elbow, kneed me in the ribs, and even headbutted me without hesitation.
Thud! Smack!
I didn’t just sit there and take it.
Using [Close-Combat Mastery], I returned the blows to Baek Sorin.
Soon enough, both of us were covered in blood.
Our bodies were bruised all over, and something was broken in both of us.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
“Phew… Huff.”
As time passed, the gap between us became apparent.
Our breathing.
While I calmly regained my breath, Baek Sorin was panting heavily, as if she would collapse at any moment.
‘My body’s superior.’
Even at the same level, an SSR-grade character’s overall stats are far higher than those of an N-grade character.
However, because I had taken a reconstruction elixir that used four mutated mana cores, my physical abilities far surpassed those of SSR-grade Baek Sorin.
Even without using trait swaps, I had this much of an advantage.
Baek Sorin, now gasping for air, collapsed onto the floor in a spread-eagle position.
“I give up! Ugh, this is exhausting. Let’s take a short break before continuing.”
“Drink a potion.”
“What about you?”
“I’m fine.”
Leaning against the wall, I took a brief rest.
With the [Undying] trait equipped, my broken arm healed quickly, and the bruises on my body faded away at an equally rapid pace.
Baek Sorin drank her potion, staring at me as if I were some kind of monster.
“Teacher, are you really human? Are you sure you’re not some kind of Troll Reinforced?”
“I’m just a bit strong, that’s all.”
“Hehehe. Still, this was the first time we’ve had a proper fight.”
“Was I holding back?”
“Of course. Swordsmanship is your weakest skill, isn’t it?”
What era was she living in?
That might’ve been true back when I didn’t have [Swordsmanship Expert] or other swordsmanship traits.
But now, I had mastered the sword.
Not to mention, I was strongest when mixing Mjolnir, Aegis, and the Dasan Rifle with seamless trait swaps.
“You’ve rested enough. Let’s start again.”
“Wait, wait! I’m not ready yet. I need more rest.”
“You’re Level 5 and have Mars Swordsmanship. This much is sufficient. Oh, I forgot to mention—Mars Swordsmanship isn’t just a combat technique; it’s also a mana cultivation method. Try using Mars Swordsmanship to recover while you rest.”
“What? How?”
“I have no idea.”
Baek Sorin pursed her lips, lost in thought.
Then, she began to move.
Her sword dance unfolded, not graceful or elegant, but fierce and wild—like a frenzied warrior’s dance.
Swoosh.
Mana began to gather.
A whirlwind of sword energy swept through the room.
Particles of light streamed around Baek Sorin like rainfall.
Through my [Bright Eyes], I could see the potion’s effects taking hold far faster, rapidly restoring her mana and stamina.
I smacked my lips, watching the scene unfold.
‘Absolutely broken.’
As I’ve said before, the Big Three Sword Arts are both martial arts and mana cultivation techniques.
They replenish mana and stamina during battle.
Earlier, Baek Sorin hadn’t realized this, which is why her mana and stamina had depleted so quickly.
But going forward, that would change.
“I’m coming!”
Boom!
She charged at me again.
Unfortunately, Baek Sorin hadn’t yet managed to fully utilize the effects of Mars Swordsmanship.
All she could draw upon was its explosive attack power and reckless aggression.
That alone was impressive, but she wasn’t able to tap into the near-infinite stamina and mana the technique offered in the game.
Even as I focused on the sparring session, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.
‘It’s because of her low level.’
To fully utilize a supreme martial art, one must be at least Level 7.
Baek Sorin was still Level 5.
While she could use Mars Swordsmanship, she couldn’t unlock its full potential.
It couldn’t be helped.
At least the transmission process was working, so I had to take solace in that.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
Baek Sorin collapsed again, completely drained.
I sheathed the Black Tiger Sword at my waist.
“Hungry? Let’s eat before continuing.”
“Food!”
“I’ll make something special, so look forward to it.”
“You’re cooking yourself? I’m so excited!”
With my [Cooking] trait, I decided to show off my skills for the first time in a while.
I prepared medicinal cuisine, a type of food well-known in the game for its doping effects.
It greatly boosted stamina and mana recovery.
While I didn’t have the [Medicinal Cuisine] trait, I could replicate the recipe perfectly.
“This is delicious!”
“Teacher, you’re amazing at cooking. You could open a restaurant!”
“It’s even better than the dishes our chef makes!”
Baek Sorin wasn’t the only one eating enthusiastically. Janet and Kali practically devoured the food with their eyes lit up.
Days passed in a similar pattern.
I would spar as soon as the day began, feed Baek Sorin medicinal dishes when she collapsed from exhaustion, spar again, and when she got tired again, I’d give her an expensive healing potion.
At first, she loved the medicinal dishes, reacting with great enthusiasm. But eventually, even the best meals had their limits.
After eating the same food for several days straight, Baek Sorin started whining.
“Teacher, isn’t there anything else to eat? Can’t I have some ramen? I swear I’m going to die!”
“No ramen until the training is over.”
“Ugh! When will it end?”
“Just stick it out for two weeks.”
“Two weeks… Fine. But where are Janet and Kali?”
“They said they went off to hunt in a Forbidden Zone or something.”
“Those traitors!”
Clearly, they had escaped to avoid eating medicinal cuisine.
Even the tastiest food becomes tiresome when eaten every day for a week.
And when it’s healthy, non-spicy medicinal cuisine with no added salt or chili powder, it gets even worse.
In the end, Baek Sorin was the only one stuck eating medicinal dishes.
What about me?
I ate regular meals, including rice platters and ramen.
With [Mighty Body] and [Undying], I didn’t need doping.
Two weeks passed like this.
I sat Baek Sorin down and pulled out a magic pouch.
When I turned the pouch upside down and shook it, dozens of Diamonds spilled out.
Baek Sorin swallowed nervously as she stared at the pile of Diamonds.
“Teacher, what’s that for?”
“To replicate Mars Swordsmanship. You’ve got your own life to live. You can’t spend months—or years—training here with me.”
“Hehe, I don’t mind, though.”
“Really?”
“Hehehe.”
Instead of answering, Baek Sorin giggled and grinned.
Her expression betrayed her restlessness.
Keeping a Heavenly Killing Star confined in a basement training room for two weeks… it must have been unbearable.
If not for her sense of gratitude, she would’ve bolted long ago.
“With enough Diamonds, we can shorten the time needed for transmission. Mars Swordsmanship is no exception.”
“That’s such a relief. I thought it was going to take years.”
“How could we stick together for years? Save that kind of thing for when you’re teaching your own disciple someday.”
The reason I hadn’t used Diamonds earlier was simple.
The seed of Mars Swordsmanship hadn’t yet been created within me.
In game terms, the progress bar hadn’t even appeared.
You need at least 0% progress before you can use Diamonds.
Thankfully, after the last sparring session, the conditions had been met.
‘This took forever.’
Even with the [Training] trait equipped 24/7, it still took this long.
If it had been any other character besides Warrior Kim, it would’ve taken two months instead of two weeks.
“Let’s begin. Focus on Mars Swordsmanship.”
“And?”
“That’s all you need to do. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Baek Sorin began swinging her sword.
There was no meditation involved.
Mars Swordsmanship was a purely dynamic martial art and mana cultivation technique.
When she performed the warrior’s dance, she was able to focus completely.
I used [Bright Eyes] to examine Baek Sorin.
After confirming her total immersion, I grabbed the Diamonds in both hands.
I pushed them forward gently, imagining myself pressing them into place as if I were enchanting a magical artifact.
As soon as my mana wavelength was transmitted, the Diamonds dissolved into the air.
To be more precise, they dissolved into Baek Sorin.
Her mana wavelength absorbed them.
They flowed toward the mana circuit where her mana was originating.
Flash!
A burst of light.
Her mana circuit emitted a blinding radiance.
As the Diamonds dissolved, they etched a new mana circuit into the void.
The mana circuit of Mars Swordsmanship.
Mars Swordsmanship itself.
I watched the mana circuit intently, feeling nervous.
According to my calculations, I had just enough Diamonds. But you never know.
Mars Swordsmanship is such a powerful technique that it might require more than expected.
That would be a problem.
I didn’t have any extra Diamonds to spare.
Rumble.
Thankfully, it wasn’t insufficient.
The mana circuit was perfectly formed.
It compressed and materialized, taking the shape of a jewel.
A Diamond.
It was as solid as steel and as steadfast as an aged warrior.
I reached out.
The trait jewel wrapped around my hand as if it had been waiting for me.
It resonated with the seed of the trait within me, forcing it to sprout and grow.
“Guhhh!”
The mana circuit was engraved.
The sensation was entirely different from when I had acquired previous traits.
It felt similar to when I combined high-tier traits, only much worse.
It was excruciating, like branding my veins and nerves with a heated iron.
Like hammering jagged nails into every inch of my body.
In the game, when characters used Diamonds to accelerate the transmission process, they often collapsed from exhaustion afterward.
Now I knew why.
I doubled over, my body contorted like a shrimp, and coughed up blood.
Then, I heard whispers.
A god’s voice.
[Kill]
[Dismember the flesh]
[Sever the bones]
[Rupture the heart]
[Cut the throat]
[Devour the flesh]
[Drink the blood]
[Kill them all]
The world turned crimson.
Baek Sorin’s sword dance filled me with hatred.
I wanted to charge at her and snap her neck.
To sever her arms, slice her legs, and stab a hole through her stomach!
‘So this is the Heavenly Killing Star…’
It only lasted a brief moment.
There was no need to equip [Indomitable] or use [Resolve] or [Purification].
It was just an echo, a residual sensation accompanying Mars Swordsmanship.
But in that brief moment, I understood the madness Baek Sorin constantly suffered as the Heavenly Killing Star.
I also understood why, without [Indomitable], she could never fully ascend to SSR-grade status and would remain an SR-grade Heavenly Killing Star.
“Phew.”
Mars Swordsmanship had successfully taken root.
Power surged through me.
My senses had sharpened.
The world looked completely different.
Even though I deliberately unequipped all my other traits aside from Mars Swordsmanship, I could clearly perceive every weakness in Baek Sorin’s wild movements.
‘This is incredible.’
I couldn’t suppress the excitement welling up inside me.
My body brimmed with joy.
Gripping the Black Tiger Sword tightly, I charged at Baek Sorin.
[Giant’s Strength], [Mighty Body], [Undying]
[Mars Swordsmanship], [Close-Combat Mastery], [Grand Assault]
This was the Mars Swordsmanship-oriented build I had planned from the start.
Baek Sorin reacted immediately.
She swung her sword to meet my charge.
Her instincts guided her blade, deflecting the Black Tiger Sword and striking toward me like a serpent.
A deadly strike aimed straight for my chest!
Before I could even think, my body reacted on its own.
The Black Tiger Sword, along with the mana circuit, roared like a wild beast.
The Black Tiger Sword twisted in an arc, deflecting her Holy Sword.
Then, it lashed out violently, targeting Baek Sorin’s neck.
Baek Sorin didn’t falter. She lunged at me, refusing to back down.
In turn, I leaped into the air and launched myself toward her.
Our swords clashed repeatedly, sparks flying with every collision.
Our bodies slammed against each other, producing dull thuds.
The intensity of the battle was unlike anything before.
Mars Swordsmanship versus Mars Swordsmanship—our duel was savage, relentless, and blood-soaked.
And I mean that literally.
Blood sprayed everywhere, as if it were raining red.
Both Baek Sorin and I were once again covered in blood.
The pace was faster than anything we’d done so far.
And the bleeding… it was incomparable.
“C-Congratulations.”
Baek Sorin gasped, struggling to stay upright.
Her face was pale, her lips bloodless.
She’d endured so much.
No matter how incredible a Heavenly Killing Star she was, there was no way she could overcome a Mars Swordsmanship build based on a trinity of synergy.
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”
“Is it over now?”
“Yes. It’s completely over.”
“Yahoo! I’m going to go eat some ramen!”
She wanted ramen that badly?
Without even drinking a healing potion, Baek Sorin bolted out of the room.
Soon, the fragrant aroma of spicy ramen wafted from the small kitchen.
It made my mouth water.
“Teacher, you’re going to eat some too, right?”
“If you offer me some, I won’t say no.”
As I ate the ramen, I thought to myself.
‘I need to hit Level 6 soon.’
And one more thing.
I also needed a top-tier mana cultivation technique.
Even though Mars Swordsmanship is technically a mana cultivation method, I couldn’t rely solely on it. Its inherent mana attributes weren’t compatible with the Nephilim Sword or Kalaratri.
I had to refine my mana attributes with a cultivation method I’d already planned out, so I could seamlessly switch between the Big Three Sword Arts during combat.
‘Should I drink Nectar?’
Not yet.
My instincts whispered that my body and mana circuits weren’t ready.
I was just one step away.
One tiny step.
A bit more activity and experience, and I’d reach it.
‘The Terror Alliance has already been annihilated.’
Unlike in the game, the Terror Alliance didn’t put up much of a fight in this world.
They were crushed by a combined operation involving the national military, the Eastern Army, and the Western Army.
Their leader, Massacre Empress, along with a few key members, had managed to escape. But it seemed unlikely they’d be able to rebuild the organization.
Still, remnants of the group lingered.
The government was currently working with the Superhuman Union and other superhuman organizations to hunt them down.
‘Maybe I’ll go after them.’
That seemed like the best option.
It was better than staying cooped up at home doing self-training.
But I couldn’t just head out without any information.
After some thought, I made a call.
To someone who was perfect for situations like this.
[Ah, Black Tiger Swordmaster!]
Manager Choi’s cheerful voice came through the smartphone.
He sounded thrilled.
[You called at just the right time! There are a few requests that specifically named you, Black Tiger Swordmaster!]
“Do you have any recommendations?”
[Of course! Two of them are particularly interesting. I think they might be worth your time.]
“What are they?”
[One’s from the Hunter Association, and the other’s from Monster Village. From what I’ve gathered, it seems the two groups are fighting each other.]
They’re fighting each other?
What in the world is going on?
–TL Notes–
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Nice chapter