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Chapter 51
Mujin Sword
Joo Eunseol.
She was in a very bad mood.
Why?
“You took a day off and now you’re hitting me with an emergency call? And for something so trivial?”
…Wouldn’t it be stranger if she were in a good mood in this situation?
“Hoo… damn Manager Kim.”
The department manager at a big corporation had no sense at all.
The epitome of a terrible boss who didn’t consider the work-life balance of their subordinates.
“This guild… I might just quit soon.”
She once again promised herself that she would resign—though only in words—for today.
Her father, Joo Changik.
Being an 8-star Hunter, she could rely on him and avoid this stress entirely, but she couldn’t.
After all, why did she insist on working in an external guild despite her family’s objections?
‘I want to succeed on my own.’
Joo Eunseol wanted to achieve success by her own efforts.
She didn’t want people to say she succeeded effortlessly because of her father’s influence.
Part of it was stubbornness.
Part of it was the rebellion against a father who had always been overbearing.
Because of that, she didn’t participate in the family business and successfully settled in an external guild.
It wasn’t an extraordinary success, but it was more than respectable.
Of course, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to attribute it solely to her abilities.
Without the family’s legacy sword style, Mujin Sword (舞進劍), she could never have become a 5-star Hunter so quickly.
‘Still, I only learned it because I had no other choice back then.’
Now, she was working on creating her own sword style, free from her father’s influence.
A slightly unique gun-and-sword hybrid technique.
The gun, often dismissed by high-level Hunters, could serve as a secondary weapon, and she was determinedly experimenting with it.
‘If only I could reach the 6-star level with this…!’
She could silence her siblings who had looked down on her and even humble her father.
Of course, it wasn’t easy.
She had been stuck at this plateau for several years, unable to reach the 6-star level.
“…Let’s not rush. It just takes time.”
But, for now, that wasn’t the main concern.
“I inadvertently left it unattended, didn’t I?”
Hunter Kim Yujin, who had agreed to teach her swordsmanship for a month.
He was her lifesaver and, surprisingly, a conscientious person who didn’t demand much.
She had intended to give it her all for that month, without regrets or sense of debt.
Because she was a person with integrity.
Yet, that damned Manager Kim had interfered.
“Maybe I should take a long leave.”
It might be better for proper training.
With that thought, Joo Eunseol returned to her personal training hall.
Then…
“What’s this?”
“Ah! Team Leader Joo! You… you’re here?”
“You… a member of Team Leader Baek’s team?”
“…Yes. Kang Hajun.”
Joo Eunseol frowned.
“What’s the matter?”
“Th-that is…”
“I asked, what’s the matter.”
“…”
But Kang Hajun simply kept his mouth shut.
“Are you ignoring me?”
“N-no.”
“Then what is it?”
She didn’t know what he wanted, but she didn’t like the situation.
After all, she had no reason to interact with him at all.
It seemed he had no real business here.
So there was no reason for him to loiter in her personal training hall.
“If you have nothing to say, step aside.”
“I can’t!”
…There was absolutely no reason to block her entry.
No, it wasn’t just unreasonable—it was utterly unacceptable.
“I’ll report you for insubordination—”
Before she could voice her anger, a sound reached her ears.
The clash of iron on iron from inside the training hall.
Clearly, a battle was underway.
‘Hunter Kim Yujin should be alone in there…’
Sure, he could have summoned a virtual enemy via the system, but this didn’t feel like that.
A sudden bad feeling ran through her.
“Team Leader Baek, are you in there?”
“…”
“I see. Step aside.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“I won’t just talk.”
Baek Byungtae.
Always following her like a stalker, giving her unpleasant looks.
A fellow guild member she tolerated, yet the primary reason her guild life was difficult.
It was clear he had come to pick a fight with Kim Yujin.
She had tried to resolve things verbally, but at this point, she could no longer do so.
Thump—
Joo Eunseol grabbed Kang Hajun’s shoulder and pushed him strongly aside.
“T-Team Leader…!”
Kang Hajun tried to resist but had no chance.
He was at best a 4-star Hunter, while Joo Eunseol was a 5-star aiming for 6-star status.
She tried to open the training hall door—
CRASH!
“Sorry!”
“…!”
—But she couldn’t.
She hadn’t expected that Hajun would smash the access panel entirely.
Click.
Bang—!
She reflexively drew her gun and shot at Hajun’s arm—but too late.
The access panel was already disabled.
“Ugh—”
“You need to explain what you’ve done.”
Suppressing her anger, Joo Eunseol aimed the gun at…
Kang Hajun’s forehead.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll accept punishment.”
Hajun lay flat on the floor without even holding his bleeding arm.
“Damn it.”
Thunk!
Plop.
Joo Eunseol hit him with the gun to knock him unconscious.
She couldn’t shoot him properly, but this would suffice to calm her anger.
For some unknown reason, Hajun was loyal to Baek Byungtae.
Unable to extract any information, she had to judge the situation based on guesswork.
“…Not good.”
She bit her finger—a habit when anxious.
The sounds from inside had grown far more intense than before.
In a fierce battle, there would be injuries—perhaps even deaths.
And, most likely, it wouldn’t be Baek Byungtae.
‘Hunter Kim Yujin.’
Most likely.
Though impressive for a 4-star, he couldn’t win against a proper 5-star Hunter.
He had been able to shine in the past due to favorable circumstances, but objectively, he lacked sufficient skill.
…At least, that’s what she thought.
“I need to stop this.”
Determined, she set her mind.
The panel is broken?
So the door won’t open?
Then she’d just break the door.
Swoosh—
She drew her sword.
Focusing her magic, she summoned Aura Threads.
And with that, she began breaking the training hall door.
Clang!
Click-CRASH!
The door was durable, but it couldn’t withstand the Aura Threads for long.
CRASH—!
She kicked and broke the weakened door.
“Hunter Kim Yujin!”
With concern, she called for Yujin.
And…
“…Huh?”
He stared blankly at the scene.
“Ah… you’re here?”
“Ugh…”
Yujin had partially defeated Baek Byungtae, smiling brightly.
‘…?’
Joo Eunseol froze.
ZZZZAAAAANG—!
The clash of iron bars and steel swords rang sharply.
“What, he’s got some strength?”
Ignoring Baek’s remark, she twisted her sword along the iron bar.
The sword traced the bar, as if to cut his fingers.
“Huuup!”
His eyes widened.
It was an unexpected strike.
She recalled the Mujin Sword she had learned—imperfectly, but enough to fake it.
The initial attack was a feint, but with sincerity mixed in.
As a result, it could be both fake and real.
The essential points of the Mujin Sword, grasped in a short time, were partially like this.
Thud—
Baek stepped back quickly, nullifying her strike.
‘Something’s off.’
She had succeeded in unnerving him, but wasn’t fully satisfied.
Her movements had been more natural when she used it herself.
“You’re using some strange technique!”
It didn’t matter.
“Not scared, are you?”
“Hehe, of course not. I thought it would be boring, but it wasn’t, so I’m actually glad.”
“Good to hear.”
The training dummy still had plenty of durability.
“Hryaap!”
Baek charged again with a focused thrust, unlike his previous swings.
She sidestepped and struck the iron bar’s side.
Thud—!
The recoil was significant.
Strength-wise, he was better than her, at least.
But she had already evaded his attack and noticed a gap in his chest.
Swish—
She swung the sword with intense force.
Clang!
It was blocked.
The bar’s handle rebounded her sword.
“Hoo.”
Baek sighed briefly.
“I was going to just mess with you a little… but no choice.”
At the same time, he ignited Aura Threads on the iron bar.
“Blame your slightly skilled self.”
He didn’t doubt for a moment that she was of equal skill.
“Ugh.”
She preferred not to use Aura.
Even during practice with Joo Eunseol, she avoided using it unnecessarily.
There was a reason for that.
So now, she wanted to practice swordsmanship without Aura…
[If the dummy hits first, there’s nothing I can do!]
“Right. I can’t get killed by a dummy.”
“What?”
“Uh, sorry. Not talking to you.”
“How dare you!”
The iron bar, now filled with Aura Threads, struck faster than before.
An attack no ordinary strike could block.
So she also ignited her Aura Threads.
ZZZZZZAAAANG—!!!
The destructive force of the two attacks collided with a tremendous noise.
“…!”
Baek’s eyes widened; she readied her follow-up strike.
‘Like this… huh?’
She imagined Joo Eunseol’s movements, moving the sword as if dancing.
ZZZZANG! ZZZZZAAAANG!!!
Just recalling her movements made a noticeable difference.
The sword moved freely, striking Baek’s bar.
“Ggh, ggh… what…!”
He was honestly taken aback.
The difference before and after using Aura was greater than expected.
‘So the sword style is completed with Aura?’
What felt lacking before was now filled.
Not perfect, but closer to the essence of Mujin Sword.
At the same time, she understood.
‘That’s why she said not to use Aura.’
Joo Eunseol had forbidden her use of Aura to avoid neglecting the basics due to the overwhelming power.
ZZZZANG—!
Spot! Pop!
Even a clumsy imitation of Mujin Sword improved her swordsmanship.
“Die, you bastard!!”
Feeling desperate, Baek hurled a bamboo strike.
Beyond “just messing with her,” he meant to kill.
[12 o’clock super-strong iron bar!]
‘Got it!’
Prill sounded a useless warning.
Sure, it could happen.
The attack’s intensity suggested death if hit.
Of course, she should have considered evasion…
Step forward.
[Yujin!? Dodge!!!]
She ignored Prill’s alarm.
And thought:
‘Mujin Sword (舞進劍).’
The sword style whose name means to advance while dancing.
Joo Changik intentionally included the notion of advancing in the name.
Instinctively, she understood why the name had to be that.
‘This sword style’s power is maximized when advancing.’
Mujin Sword focused not on the “dance” but on the “advance.”
When advancing without retreat.
Embodying the spirit of Imjeon Muto (臨戰無退)—never retreating in battle.
Whoosh—
Baek’s iron bar came dangerously close, as if to crush her head.
The training sword could easily be shattered.
She met the iron bar softly, dancing with her sword.
───!!
Her instinct was correct.
The training sword not only blocked the iron bar but also reflected its force.
And…
Skakakakak!
She swiftly destroyed the enemy in front of her.
Baek Byungtae’s body was instantly marked with wounds.
Soon after…
“Damn…!”
He dropped to his knees.
CRASH—!
That was when the door broke.
“…Huh?”
Startled, she turned at the voice.
It was Joo Eunseol.
“Ah… you’re here?”
Seeing her stern expression, he smiled brightly.
“I like it, Mujin Sword.”
