Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 284

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 284

Old Fox (4)

The epitome of swiftness.

Baek Seok-ho’s spearmanship was incredibly fast.

I, too, had seen the limits of swordsmanship, but his spearmanship showed a speed and precision that even I had to acknowledge.

Normally, when an offense is fast, the stance is likely to be slightly disrupted, but Baek Seok-ho’s attacks never lost their precision, even though his speed was multiplied by the weapon’s effect.

Fast and accurate.

It was truly a spearmanship that was faithful to the basics that the essence of swiftness should uphold.

‘Damn fast! If he weren’t the enemy, I would have asked him to teach me while sparring nicely!’

A technique worth learning.

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen something like this.

Since I learned so many techniques and martial arts from a young age, my eye for techniques has become so high that I only feel interest even when I see a good technique.

I’ve never wanted to learn it.

‘I’d rather create a swordsmanship than learn from someone else.’

I’m not at the age to learn from others.

But Baek Seok-ho’s spearmanship had something that dulled that age.

Even though my main weapon is swordsmanship, it’s as if the weapon I’m holding now is a spear.

The end of all martial arts is ultimately connected to one.

Wanryugwijong (萬流歸宗) [The principle that all things eventually return to a common source or unity].

Even if it’s spearmanship, it was clear that the essence of swiftness contained in that martial art would be helpful to me. That’s why it was a pity.

To have to kill someone who has mastered such martial arts.

‘I wish I could just learn the technique and kill him.’

Baek Seok-ho would never teach me spearmanship nicely, and our goals were quite different.

Ilgwanji (一以貫之) [The principle of pursuing a single, unwavering path or truth].

Pushing forward by piercing through all paths with only one principle.

‘It’s the opposite concept of Wanryugwijong.’

Wanryugwijong discusses how ten thousand streams and waves ultimately become one in the sea, while Ilgwanji acknowledges that there is an absolute truth that encompasses all paths.

Anyone who learns martial arts knows.

That both are correct.

─Then which one is higher?

Someone said.

Which is the higher concept and enlightenment.

There was a question that arose because both concepts are correct.

But since that is also an enlightenment, wouldn’t there be a superiority?

─I wish people who have mastered each principle would fight once. Then a conclusion will come out. Don’t you think?

I say again.

Anyone who learns martial arts knows.

Wanryugwijong and Ilgwanji.

That both are correct. But there are fewer than two people in a century who can actually prove those words.

Even those two people rarely meet with the purpose of fighting, having mastered different principles.

But at this moment.

‘We two are fighting.’

I think it’s a good opportunity to see which one is superior.

I looked at Baek Seok-ho, who was holding a spear.

I couldn’t feel anything in his eyes except the desire and longing for victory.

It seems like that guy hasn’t reached the complete state of Ilgwanji.

The various streams converge into one, and one path extends into several. The spearmanship that has reached the extreme of swiftness eventually aims for other realms.

Kugugung───!

The moment the spear and spear collided.

A sound that could never be heard normally was heard.

I intuitively knew what the source of that sound was. I knew it from facing the spear.

‘Damn heavy!’

An enormous weight that could strain my joints was felt through my arm.

Baek Seok-ho’s spearmanship hadn’t changed, but the principle within it had changed.

This principle is definitely.

The principle of weight (重).

‘The so-called easiest principle to enter, which is recommended to beginners first.’

A simple, ignorant, and easy-to-enter principle that only pursues strength resonated through my bones.

Simple but strong.

That’s the advantage of weight.

Originally, things that are easy to learn often show their power well, but in contrast, their disadvantages were also clear.

Slow and heavy attacks.

Heavy attacks are good, but in a battle where constant mind games are played, being slow means losing the initiative and making it difficult to follow up.

Only overwhelming power can perfectly digest the principle of weight.

Because of that, there is a perception that martial artists who master the principle of swiftness are far from the principle of weight, but this is completely opposite to the existing common sense!

While preserving the unique heaviness.

Overcoming the disadvantage of being slow with overwhelming speed.

Even if the speed is slightly reduced in the process. Even if the extreme speed is reduced, it is still fast.

“Speed is weight. You were careless, Clan Head.”

“Bullshit.”

I said harsh words, but it was quite impressive.

To unfold the opposing principles so naturally.

Seeing that the speed has been slightly reduced, it seems that he has not reached the point of fully handling the two principles, but is he stepping on the borderline?

This is dangerous. I should kill him in advance.

Dangling.

A piece of flesh was half torn off and shaking.

I thought the impact from just now had only affected the bones, but it seems that I had cut off a piece of flesh with the spear without me knowing.

To be growing while fighting, even though you’re an old fox with not much life left.

‘First, recovery.’

Clang!

The earring with the yellow jewel trembled.

「Causality Reversal」

Golden light enveloped me.

Then the injured arm returned to normal, and the spear shaft, which was about to break, returned to the state just before defending against the attack.

“What is it? Is it a regression to the past?”

“Think of it as you like.”

Regression to the past?

Magic related to space-time is Nam Hwa-yeon’s specialty. It’s not my specialty.

This is just reversing the cause and effect.

The result of blocking Baek Seok-ho’s attack with a spear, causing injury and almost breaking the spear, is reversed. But it wasn’t a complete reversal.

Originally, this ability is established by removing the cause of the injury.

So, normally, I would have forcibly broken the opponent’s spear to completely reverse the causality, but Astrape is not something that can be broken by luck.

Only the fact that I forcibly blocked the attack disappeared.

In return, the earring consumed a huge amount of miracles.

“Why not just cast a recovery spell?”

“Do you think my eyes are as narrow as yours?”

“Oh, have I already been caught? I really didn’t expect this.”

“You flowed electricity into my body at the same time as the impact. What nonsense are you talking about, not expecting it.”

Of course, I can use recovery magic.

Although my knowledge is shallow, my knowledge was sufficient.

However, fragments of lightning permeated between the injured area and the bone.

If there are signs of recovery, these fragments will destroy this fragile flesh from the inside. Of course, that level of attack wouldn’t cause me much damage.

Nevertheless, it would buy me a considerable amount of time.

In the world of martial arts, one second is a very meaningful time.

There are often cases where victory, defeat, and life are determined by just one second.

Moreover, that one second was enough time for Baek Seok-ho, who showed lightning-like movements, to capture and torture someone.

So I made it as if I had never been hurt in the first place.

Even if it meant that I couldn’t use half of the earring’s ability for the time being.

‘I can’t use the yellow jewel with this.’

The cross-shaped earring.

The ability given to the yellow jewel embedded in the center is a shield and causality reversal. The shield blocked his attack once and was destroyed, but it was the best way to block his attack.

I lost a valuable card.

It is very unfortunate to lose a card in hand.

In fact, Baek Seok-ho smiled as he looked at the left earring that had lost its light.

It is clear that he recognized that the earring had temporarily stopped functioning.

I smiled as I watched him.

Yes, I can’t use half of the earring.

But there is another earring on the other side.

Although there are no items of this level, I have quite a few items prepared in the ring.

The moment I lost a card, I thought.

‘Should I invest all the cards instead?’

Reveal all the cards in hand one by one.

Then I’ll see a way.

Swish.

I took out a sword from the ring.

An unnamed sword that I didn’t give a name to. I aimed for Baek Seok-ho’s neck with the sword that Gu Yaja made as an experiment.

Clang─!

The spear broke the sword faster than the sword cut the flesh.

The A-grade sword was torn into dozens of pieces like that.

The moment the fragments of the blade obscured the two’s vision.

Whoosh!

The red spear accurately aimed for Baek Seok-ho’s forehead.

The left hand wielded the sword.

The 「Dawn Spear」 that I had been holding in my right hand was unleashed with the essence of swiftness.

─I’ll assist you!

Strength was added along with the essence.

Magical power permeated the muscles, and black letters descended.

The spear aiming for the forehead with the assistance ability that forcibly increases muscle strength by several levels now went forward, making a tearing sound.

The flesh of the forehead.

It was only a matter of time before the spear pierced through it, reached the blood vessels, and a fountain of blood spurted out.

Eventually, only the spear would pierce through the skull and burn the brain, but the spear stopped after piercing only the flesh and blood vessels.

Was the speed insufficient?

No, the speed was more than enough.

It was a power that could sufficiently cave in not only the human skull but also the skull of a 4th level monster. However, the rapidly moving lightning spear aimed for the spear shaft of the 「Dawn Spear」 that was aiming for the forehead.

The spear shaft broke with a snap.

Although the end of the spear, which had lost its direction due to the breaking of the spear shaft, grazed Baek Seok-ho’s glabella [the space between the eyebrows], leaving a long wound, his skull was intact.

“I’ll go one more time.”

After that, I repeated taking out weapons and breaking them.

B-grade, A-grade, S-grade…….

I didn’t discriminate against the grade, and I wielded all the weapons in my hand.

The wreckage of weapons piled up on the floor.

What piled up as much as those wrecks was Baek Seok-ho’s blood.

Drip, drip.

The blood soaked the floor and began to form a small puddle.

The factors that caused his injuries were diverse.

Once, he was stabbed by fragments of a broken weapon, and sometimes he was caught off guard by swordsmanship containing dozens of essences.

Baek Seok-ho was slowly bleeding and getting tired.

I was also getting tired.

My already weak stamina was running towards the bottom, and my muscles were tense because I was using all kinds of weapons that I randomly took out from the space in the ring.

Even those weapons were all breaking.

Still, I had a smile on my face.

It’s not the meaning of ridicule. I was purely happy.

To be able to exchange martial arts with someone to this extent.

It was the first time I had experienced this since I was born.

This was a blessing. At this moment of confronting a spear master who could handle my swordsmanship, it didn’t matter what kind of villain the opponent was.

Joy bloomed in my heart.

The soul of the swordsman, who I thought was dead, burned and began to sincerely enjoy the fight with Baek Seok-ho.

However, that emotion burned so much that it turned to ashes.

“Hey. Don’t eat that.”

I stopped him.

A black sphere of magical energy.

The item that Baek Seok-ho, who was injured, took out from his chest was an item of disgusting demons. It was an item that defiled the joy of this fight.

The moment he took out the sphere from his chest, Baek Seok-ho’s posture faltered.

I didn’t miss that moment and aimed for him.

To be exact, Baek Seok-ho’s left hand holding the sphere.

However, that aim lost its direction the moment Baek Seok-ho threw the Astrape he was holding in his right hand to the ground.

The weapon that had to be destroyed falls to the floor.

Instinctively snatching the spear, I couldn’t stop him from swallowing the sphere.

─────!!!

The wounds disappeared from Baek Seok-ho’s body after swallowing the sphere, and his body gradually began to turn black. Magical power leaves his body, and magical energy fills the void instead.

Black magical energy that emits lightning in the atmosphere just by its existence.

Facing the magical energy, I could understand why Baek Seok-ho had let go of the spear.

I could understand why he threw away Astrape.

Now he has given up being human. By becoming a demon, he gained more strength and speed than before.

Baek Seok-ho became stronger.

But for some reason, I didn’t feel like I was going to lose.

Rather, the conviction that I would win began to become clearer.

I grabbed his spear, which had been on par with me, and said.

“……You’ve turned black.”

Like me.

You’ve become a black-haired fox that you hated so much. Don’t you have any thoughts when you see your own appearance?

─There’s no mirror, so how can he see himself.

Ah, that’s right.

To see our own tails, we have to stretch our tails long and wrap them around our bodies, or turn our heads back. So we usually rarely see our own tails except when we’re grooming them.

After hearing my words, Baek Seok-ho finally looked at his own tail.

“W-what is this?”

The first words that came out of his mouth were questions.

Pure questions without any other emotions mixed in.

But the question soon became anger. The anger soon became confusion.

Self-blame, anger, despair, guilt.

The emotions that flashed through Baek Seok-ho’s eyes gathered and began to be emitted towards me. There was no special reason in the process. He just wanted someone to blame and hold accountable.

He just happened to find me as the opponent.

I muttered as I watched him quietly.

“How pathetic. You.”

Until just now, even though he was a villain, he was a martial artist whose well-built martial arts were worth acknowledging.

Now Baek Seok-ho was just a lost sheep.

A mountain goat with two horns on its head.

That’s exactly what he was.