Chapter 74

Monday's first training began with a seemingly simple physical exercise.

Well, at first glance, it didn't seem to be just a simple workout.

The amount of exercises was daunting.

300 sit-ups, 200 push-ups, and many more.

Anyway, all these drills started after running 20 laps around the field.

"Everyone! Maintain your posture and run straight!"

For reference, team assignments were done randomly, and I ended up in Han Siyoung's team.

So, I was running in a line right behind Han Siyoung, and his pace was maddeningly fast.

Normally, the team leader should set a pace so that the members can follow comfortably.

Of course, it didn't bother me much.

"This is actually quite manageable."

It might take some time, but Hajoon decided to take it easy.

If he got tired, he'd use Time Stop (SSS), run again, then use Time Stop (SSS) again when he got tired, and repeat.

He breezed through the physical training this way.

Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't have sore muscles afterward.

As time passed and he was doing sit-ups,

"Ah... When will this end?"

It was when Hajoon lay down on the mat, relaxing and looking up at the peaceful blue sky, that a thought occurred to him.

The reason Hajoon reluctantly participated in this episode was obviously because of the penalty.

Despite all the chaos so far, no penalty had appeared.

So, Hajoon began to reflect more deeply.

He closed his eyes for a moment and thought about the events that would unfold in this episode.

'Nothing major should happen...'

In this episode, unlike the previous ones, there weren't any villain attacks or similar events. It was a joint episode, like an event for the growth of playable characters.

But a fleeting memory crossed his mind.

There was one exception.

Hajoon's gaze shifted to Han Siyoung.

'It was around this time, wasn't it?'

In Hajoon's memory, Han Siyoung suddenly left the training camp that night, heading somewhere. The reason was that the Hermes guild informed Han Siyoung they had found a trace of the Sword King. However, besides that, nothing significant happened.

Han Siyoung simply verified the trace and returned safely to the training camp.

But the problem was the penalty.

If Hajoon's suspicions were correct, and something happened because of the penalty, it would undoubtedly be related to Han Siyoung.

There were no other characters in this episode who would act out prominently other than Han Siyoung.

'Sigh...'

It's a hassle, but I should at least check it out, right?

Hajoon then deactivated the Time Stop (SSS), continued with his sit-ups, and waited for time to pass quickly.

It was 8 PM, after the training had ended.

The students were granted some free time.

Han Siyoung quietly pulled out his smartphone to check a map and some photos.

His calm demeanor concealed a surprising complexity.

Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Han Siyoung left the dormitory, gazing into the quiet darkness of the forest, accompanied by the soft cries of insects and the gentle whisper of the wind.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Han Siyoung moved with incredible speed.

His motion was so fast that it was nearly invisible to the naked eye, moving as silently as if he were stepping on air.

Thud! Whoosh!

Thus, Han Siyoung quickly vaulted over the training camp's fence and entered the shadowy woods. He nimbly maneuvered through the trees, seemingly heading towards a specific destination.

After about 30 minutes passed,

Han Siyoung arrived at a cave located beneath a cliffside.

Staring blankly at the cave for a moment, his eyes began to sharpen.

Slowly turning his head, he looked behind him, addressing someone concealed in the bushes.

"Come out."

"..."

Swoosh-

A boy emerged from the bushes at Han Siyoung's command.

Upon seeing the boy, Han Siyoung's eyes widened in surprise.

Looking at the boy, he asked, "Kim Hajoon? Why are you...?"

"I heard that the guy named Jojang had deserted, so I followed. Why?"

"..."

At that, Han Siyoung merely stared at Hajoon for a moment before turning his gaze back to the cave.

"I just wanted to check something briefly."

"What's in here?"

"Signs of where my master has been. I'll take a quick look and head back."

"Hmm... Alright."

Of course, Hajoon was aware of this.

He wanted to point out that they didn't need to enter since he already knew the Sword King wasn't here. But what could he do? Given that this was related to the Sword King, he couldn't dissuade Han Siyoung's determination.

Han Siyoung once again turned his attention to the cave and began to walk towards its entrance.

Watching Han Siyoung, Hajoon heaved a quiet sigh and followed him in.

Inside, the cave was deeper than expected with just one continuous path.

As Han Siyoung and Hajoon continued down the path, Han Siyoung's brow began to furrow. The further they went, the stronger the scent of blood became.

This scent made Han Siyoung quicken his pace.

Following the winding path, they finally arrived in a large, circular chamber.

And the sight that met them there left Han Siyoung's eyes wide with shock.

"..."

The scene in the chamber was too horrific to put into words.

Blood spattered the walls, with marks of swords slashing through and craters as if something had struck with immense force.

The unmistakable traces of battle were evident everywhere.

Han Siyoung began to survey the entire area with a stern face.

For a moment, he seemed lost in complicated thoughts, his face inscrutable.

"..."

Rumors had long circulated that the Sword King had ascended to another realm.

However, Hajoon knew that the current Sword King was still alive.

Of course, since Han Siyoung also knew this, he was searching for any signs of the Sword King.

Han Siyoung began looking around again, hoping to find even the slightest clue.

Yet, the only traces related to the Sword King were the visible remnants of battles around them.

Seeing Han Siyoung's reluctance to leave the place, an exasperated Hajoon spoke up.

"How long are we going to stay here?"

"Just a little longer. I need to check a few more things."

"You don't seriously believe that blood is the Sword King's, do you?"

"..."

His gaze turned to the dried bloodstains on the surrounding walls.

The blood had long since darkened and appeared old.

At Hajoon's words, Han Siyoung merely bowed his head in silence.

"There's no point in staying here; nothing new will appear."

"..."

"Let's go back."

At this, Han Siyoung nodded in agreement.

From the battle traces, it seemed impossible to believe that the blood was that of his master, the Sword King.

Everywhere the blood had splattered, there were also marks of his master's swordplay.

If a battle had taken place, the only logical conclusion was that the opponent had been utterly dominated.

Han Siyoung said, "Alright."

As he turned to retrace their steps, that's when it happened.

This time, it was Hajoon who stopped in his tracks.

"..."

"?"

Hajoon's eyes widened in surprise.

Noting Hajoon's unusual reaction, Han Siyoung looked at him quizzically.

Hajoon stared at the system window that had suddenly appeared before him.

[A penalty is given due to the altered future.] [The difficulty of the episode increases.] [Episode 1-2 'Field Training' will undergo significant changes.] [Episode 1-2 has been changed.] [Episode 1-2 'Mage of Destruction' has been initiated.]

Immediately after,

Thud- Thud-

Footsteps echoed from the entrance where Hajoon and Han Siyoung had entered.

The footsteps grew louder, drawing nearer to the duo.

And as the footsteps stopped, a man stood blocking the only exit of the space.

Draped in a black cloak with a hood hiding his face, the man spoke.

"Has the Sword King already departed?"

The moment the man appeared, Han Siyoung instantly channeled his power, readying himself.

Then, an oppressive force emanated from the man, pressing down on both Hajoon and Han Siyoung. Without paying much attention to them, the man scanned his surroundings.

And slowly, the man's gaze turned towards Hajoon and Han Siyoung.

The man asked, "So, who are you two?"

Simultaneously, Han Siyoung's face twisted in agony. The moment the man set his eyes on Hajoon and Han Siyoung, a malicious magic emanated from him, sweeping across the space, piercing through the protective magic around Han Siyoung.

Yet, Hajoon remained impassive amidst the maelstrom of magic. His demeanor was eerily calm, almost as if he was in an entirely different world.

The man, finding the young boy's expression puzzling, intensified his magic, warning them once more, "I asked, who are you-"

Clang! Thud!

Before the man could finish, a massive impact hit his head, burying it into the ground. Successive blows followed.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

With each hit, the man's head was driven deeper into the ground. Groaning in pain, the relentless assault continued.

The surrounding area was enveloped in a thick dust storm due to the impacts. When the final blow landed with a loud crash, everything went silent.

As the dust gradually cleared, Han Siyoung was unable to discern what had just transpired. Over time, as the dust settled, Hajoon stood there, golden hammer in hand, behind the fallen man.

Hajoon's expression was fierce, almost irritated.

Swiftly turning his head, he looked at Han Siyoung and grumbled, "Did I really have to go through all this because of you?"

Lying face down, the man had clearly fallen due to Hajoon's hammer. Hajoon recognized him.

An S-rank villain of the Villain Alliance.

A sorcerer who could employ one of the forbidden spells in the tower. Merely for his ability to wield that spell, the Korean Heroes Association had classified him as an S-rank villain. Famously known in Korea as the 'Destroyer' – a grand mage.

He was the same man who had battled the Sword King in this area. Ideally, he shouldn't have reappeared in this domain, but it seemed he had been brought back due to a penalty.

More irritating for Hajoon was the fact that this man wasn't really someone he needed to confront. In a future episode, this man was destined to fall at the hands of the Sword King.

"Such a nuisance," Hajoon muttered, gripping his hammer once again, ready to strike down the man. While the initial hammer blow had inflicted damage, the man had a protective shield around him, which had absorbed some of the impact.

Just then, there was a roaring sound.

A massive column of fire erupted around him in an instant.

In that brief moment, he had activated some form of magic.

Soon after, the fiery column began tearing through the ceiling of the cavern, creating a large hole.

He then soared into the sky through the column, aiming to escape the cavern, even as he coughed up blood painfully.

"Damn it."

Hajoon immediately activated Time Stop (SSS).

Leaving Han Siyoung behind, he stepped out of the cave and confirmed the man's position, hovering in the dark night sky.

Approaching him, Hajoon released the Time Stop (SSS).

He looked up at the man who, upon spotting Hajoon, began to speak while gazing down from mid-air.

"So, it was you... the Irregular... Cough!"

As the antagonist spoke, he coughed up blood.

It seemed some damage had been done.

Still, Hajoon clicked his tongue in annoyance, looking up. He should have finished him off when he was vulnerable on the ground. Now, with him floating in the sky, Hajoon was at a disadvantage.

Then, the man began chanting something in the air.

A massive magic circle appeared before him, drawing all the mana emanating from his body.

Hajoon quickly realized what he was attempting.

At that moment,

BOOM!

A deafening roar shook the ground as clouds parted, revealing a meteor roughly 30 meters in diameter, spewing flames.

A forbidden spell from the Magic Tower, known as "Destruction of the Stars" or commonly referred to as "Meteor," had been unleashed.