The Path of the Sword

Drip—

“Do you like tea?”

“I’d be grateful.”

“That’s good.”

Professor Han Taesoo’s private research room.

Looking around, the walls were filled with books—not just monster studies, but countless thick volumes.

If I had to take another written exam based on those…

‘Just imagining it is terrifying.’

At least this time, I wasn’t going to rely on that absurd military minister’s power again.

Lost in thought—

I didn’t notice when the professor placed a teacup in front of me.

“It’s brewed from dried Krip Cadium. Helps with recovery.”

“Krip Cadium… grows on the back of wood toads, right?”

“As expected of the top student.”

“I may forget everything else, but not monster studies.”

“A good mindset. Hunters face monsters their entire lives.”

Sip—

The tea was slightly bitter, but the aroma was smooth and pleasant.

And just as he said—

my body began warming up immediately.

Blood circulation accelerated.

Typical Krip Cadium effect.

This stuff only comes from swamp-type C-rank dungeons…

expensive.

“Let me be direct. Have you awakened dimensional magic?”

As I finished half the tea,

his sharp gaze locked onto me.

I expected the question.

Just not this directly.

“Yes.”

“I thought so. You had your reasons for not correcting the misunderstanding.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

I couldn’t hide it forever.

But I had no intention of revealing everything either.

My quests depended on perception.

The more people expected from me—

the harder they would become.

Points were everything right now.

Until I maximized them,

it was better to stay at this level.

“I won’t make it public. But it will be recorded. Professors will know.”

“They already figured it out, didn’t they?”

“Of course. No physical-type clears a labyrinth and defeats a Minotaur barehanded.”

Students might not know—

but the professors had watched everything.

After that,

he explained various benefits.

Scholarships.

Privileges given to the top student.

Things I once thought irrelevant.

When the tea had gone cold—

he smiled.

Seeing him smile…

maybe I was the first student to witness it.

“One last thing. Be careful of Won Jonghyo.”

“…What?”

That was unexpected.

“Jonghyo is intelligent. If he holds a grudge, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”

“….”

I remembered his eyes.

After losing his rank.

That wasn’t just jealousy.

“My instincts are rarely wrong.”

“…I’ll be careful. Thank you.”

I finished the tea and stood up.

“It’s been a while… hasn’t it?”

After being discharged—

and finishing my talk with the professor—

I came straight to the training hall.

It was quieter than usual.

-The last stone will be hard to replicate, you know.

“Yeah. Impossible. That attack… I can’t reproduce it.”

-Then the hunting dog stone?

With no one around, Monas spoke freely.

Thankfully, he stayed silent around others.

Otherwise, people would think I was insane.

“I’m thinking of buying a new stone.”

-Unexpected. I thought you’d save points.

“I learned a lot from that fight.”

-A wise decision. Training with stones is efficient.

I had no regrets about how I used them.

If I had used Monas’s recommended stone during the written test—

I might’ve collapsed before finishing.

-What are you looking for?

“…Something related to swords.”

-Of course. I have plenty. Give me a moment.

His voice faded.

Preparing the list.

Why now?

Because of the Minotaur.

Without the shop—

my sword couldn’t even scratch it.

And the backlash of stronger stones—

left me bedridden for days.

And that message—

[User stats insufficient. Power greatly reduced.]

I couldn’t fully utilize stronger powers.

I needed to grow stronger myself.

And the fastest way—

was still the dimensional shop.

-I’m done.

“Not sorted by price again, right?”

-Don’t worry. I’ve learned your level.

“…That didn’t sound like praise.”

-It’s simply fact. You couldn’t scratch a Minotaur.

“That was an E+ boss!”

-To me, it’s just a Minotaur.

“…Forget it.”

Talking to him was pointless.

Still—

he prepared the list perfectly.

[Namgung Jo – Youngest son of the Namgung Clan]

[Edwin – Apprentice knight of the Lupus family]

……

“Hm…”

-Not satisfied?

They were all good.

Balanced.

Affordable.

But not what I wanted.

“I need someone who can use sword aura.”

-Sword aura… yes, that makes sense.

The biggest issue against the Minotaur—

was exactly that.

Stats could grow.

But sword aura was different.

If I had it—

I could’ve pierced its hide.

More importantly—

it was essential for sword users.

-Then how about these?

“Oh.”

A new list appeared.

The price—

started at 200,000 points.

‘Makes sense.’

Across all dimensions—

those who use sword aura are strong.

“Hmm… this one looks good.”

-Use it immediately?

“Yeah.”

-Understood.

After midterms,

quests had decreased.

So I chose carefully—

300,000 points.

Short duration,

but worth it.

[The power of the dimensional stone flows into your body.]

[Maepung Jo Ik-kyung – 4th generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect]

-A plum blossom swordsman who mastered the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

There were knights, legends—

but I chose a martial artist.

Why?

Because their techniques were refined.

And I recognized the name.

If I could gain even part of that technique—

it was worth far more than 300,000 points.

Buzz—

Mana gathered in my dantian.

Flowed into my hand.

Then into the wooden sword.

Smooth.

Natural.

The result of two days of mana training.

“So this is the scent of plum blossoms.”

As sword aura formed—

a faint floral fragrance spread.

Not strong—

but elegant.

“Good.”

No time was needed.

The moment I activated it—

I could use sword aura perfectly.

Of course,

once the stone faded—

it would disappear.

Unless—

I retained the feeling.

That was the key.

Then—

-A sword is my everything.

A voice echoed in my mind.

Like before—

when I studied through the shop.

But this time—

it was a combat ability.

I froze.

And Monas laughed.

-To synchronize with the stone so quickly…

your talent is remarkable.