After being fooled so many times, I couldn’t help but worry that perhaps this was just another fake awakening. However, he actually looked ready.
The fact that Yuriel was shining inside him made me admit that he was ready.
There was no chance that Yuriel would refuse to lend him power out of spite toward Sung Ji-Hoon, and despite that ridiculous betrayal of his, our loyal Yuriel didn't transform into a demon sword. I had more or less expected it already, but in the end, what mattered were the qualifications.
Those qualifications still eluded me, but what mattered was that he had earned Yuriel’s acknowledgement. Honestly, qualifications or whatever were none of my business. Of course, there were plenty of obvious guesses anyone could make, like the will to protect the weak, the resolve to defend the continent, an unwavering conviction, and a good as well as a righteous heart.
I could go on forever, but personally, I thought the very first condition for earning Yuriel’s approval was purity.
It sounded easy at first glance, but in reality, it would be nearly impossible for an ordinary human to meet its standards. Even looking around right now, it was hard to find anyone who could truly be called "pure." If being "pure" meant being innocent...
‘Then Ha-Yan can qualify...’
For some reason, however, I was second-guessing myself.
‘Hyun-Sung is pure, too...’
Judging by the things he had been doing lately, he seemed to have a surprisingly sly side, so he was out
‘As for Hye-Jin, well...’
Honestly, she would probably get a free pass no matter which holy sword was brought to her, so it felt pointless to even mention her.
People like Commander Jin or Ji-Hye noona would obviously fail, and slick, sly types like Ahn Ki-Mo wouldn’t even be able to touch the sword.
It didn’t really suit him, but I thought Woo Hyo-Yeol—after losing Flower Ki-Young—could barely be qualified. Of course, it would be impossible if Yuriel conducted a visual screening. After all, he had a blind obsession so formidable that it could almost be mistaken for purity.
I believed that was the reason Sung Ji-Hoon in the early days was acknowledged by Yuriel. He had that kind of blind obsession.
Back then, he was filled with the pure desire to save the continent, with no room to think about anything else. When he began to accept this continent entirely as a game and grew numb to killing, Yuriel cut ties with him, but even then, he was still overflowing with a pure yearning to save the continent.
Perhaps the reason he was unable to wield Yuriel for a while was that Yuriel wanted to correct his habits. One could tell just by the fact that Yuriel had never completely left his body.
Above all else, the fact that I could touch it and draw it out was the strongest proof. The strongest evidence was that Yuriel was allowing itself to be embodied by the embodiment of purity, Light Ki-Young.
‘Purity really does seem to be the key to moving Yuriel.’
The Holy Sword Hero had never once lost his purity, and now, he was filled with a pure will that was so overwhelming it defied words. He genuinely wanted to save the continent. He wanted to be with Jin Yoo, and he wanted to become the moonlight that could shine on others.
Right now, he had no room in his mind for anything else.
Meanwhile, Yuriel was still shining within him. There was a faint sense of protest mixed in, but the important thing was that Sung Ji-Hoon could finally draw the Holy Sword on his own.
What caught me off guard was—
‘Why is this idiot pretending that he can’t pull it out by himself?’
—the fact that he still needed my help.
“Then, before training, could you pull the sword out for me?” Sung Ji-Hoon requested.
“Sure, Mr. Ji-Hoon,” I answered.
“...”
“...”
‘I think I know why he’s doing this.’
Perhaps he didn’t want it to look obvious that he was putting on an unnecessary act.
After taking the Holy Sword, he began speaking with a serious, solemn expression.
Since he had just made a promise, it was time to build the foundation to fulfill it.
“S-so, what do you think, Jin Yoo? What should I do to beat him?” he asked.
“...”
“Well, honestly, I don’t think you’re lacking compared to him at all,” I answered.
“R-really?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s just a difference in experience. He never loses his composure, no matter the situation. He’s always calm and flawless, almost like a golem,” I said.
“Yeah, that’s true. I thought he was like a machine, too. It felt like he never lost his cool. I mean, I got way too worked up back then and briefly lost my mind, but still... Ryu Han was really strong. Unshakable, I guess. I tried all sorts of things, but it felt like he saw through everything.
"It was like he was reading my attacks before I even made them...” he explained.
“Honestly, your swordsmanship doesn’t really mesh well with his. If he were just fast, I think it'd be easier for you to handle him. However, his sword isn’t just fast. I don’t know exactly how to put it... It’s like he jumps straight from one to ten in an instant. For him, it's like the process doesn’t exist, only the result,” I explained.
“Yeah... that’s exactly the feeling I got from him,” he commented.
‘It’s not just a feeling. That’s exactly what it is.’
I was not even sure if that could be called "swordsmanship." His sword seemed like it could literally leap through space, but he was just swinging it. That was it.
“Think of his sword like it's teleporting through space, and it might be easier to handle. You just don’t see the process, but the endpoint is the same,” I suggested.
“Ah.”
“You can definitely block him. The key is to stay calm and play defensively while getting used to Ryu Han’s sword. Of course, it’d be even better if you start getting used to it now,” I said.
“Yeah.”
“Since Rusvilla, Hamgardia, and Rainelpia are helping, I think you’ll get proper training,” I said.
“Okay.”
‘Simple, but effective.’
The training involved Rusvilla’s large-scale invisibility magic. It was short-term, but it was practical and not particularly difficult to do. All senses except vision would be blocked, invisibility would be cast, and Sung Ji-Hoon would be hit repeatedly. Invisibility magic would usually disappear right before impact. For Ji-Hoon, the sword’s path was completely hidden, leaving only the result of being hit, making this a suitable crash-course training.
“Your sword is based on smooth, flowing movements. It will be hard for you to adapt, but if you can, you’ll be able to easily do what you want. You need to move in a way that maximizes your strengths instead of blindly following me. Don’t twist or change your sword’s natural path. Do you understand?” I asked.
‘Elegant and refined... like painting a picture. You know what I mean? The thing you always do.’
“But... Jin Yoo, you really know my sword well,” he commented.
‘Do you think this is my first time doing this?’
“You think it's just your sword?” I questioned.
“Huh?”
“Do you know how many swordsmen I’ve worked with?” I asked.
‘You can’t even imagine, damn it.’
'From the first ray of sunset until now, I've seen countless swordsmen who were far better than you. Honestly, you can’t even compare to them.'
“So of course I know a lot about swordsmanship,” I said.
“H-huh?”
‘Why are you so flustered?’
I felt like it was just me, but there was a hint of disappointment in his face. Could it be...
“I-I wasn’t... your first master?” he asked.
“...”
“...”
‘This guy really takes things to the extreme.’
I felt this sudden urge to smack the back of his head just for giving so much meaning to something so trivial. I was at a loss for words. His face looked strangely anxious, and he looked like he had been desperately hoping that he was my first master, but there was no way to take back what had already been said.
I didn’t know why I had to be cautious, but I found myself speaking cautiously anyway.
“Yes,” I answered.
“S-so, the first master... what were they like?” he asked.
“Why do you ask?” I asked back.
“I-I’m just... curious, that’s all. How about the other... masters? I’m just curious. It’s purely curiosity... yeah. Naturally, you're a holy sword, so it makes sense that you had other...” he answered.
“...”
“...”
“S-so, the first master—”
“His sword was really fast; he moved fast and swung. It wasn’t just raw speed. He had great stamina, as well, but his technique surpassed any swordsman I’ve ever seen...
"Honestly, among all the swordsmen I’ve ever encountered, he was the most perfect technically. A genius among geniuses, you could say. His strength was incredible, his magical power was high, but the thing I remember most was his agility,” I told him.
“Ah... ah... really? And the other masters...?” he asked.
“The second master wielded a long sword that ordinary people could never handle... which meant I had to adjust my form as well. His sense of distance was so precise that it was nearly impossible for an opponent to come close to him,” I answered.
“And... the others?” he asked.
‘Why so many questions, damn it?’
Still, I decided that telling him everything wasn’t so bad. There was something in Sung Ji-Hoon’s eyes that made me think that it mattered.
“One master barely had any formal swordsmanship training. He relied almost entirely on instinct and wielded his sword with his innate talents. He was the roughest, but... on the opposite end, there were masters who focused strictly on fundamentals,” I replied.
“I-I see.”
“I also had a master capable of wielding his sword as if it were a brush to paint in midair. There was even one called the Gray Warrior... He pursued balance and wielded a heavy sword without becoming exhausted, thanks to his endless stamina,” I continued.
“Wow... that’s... more than I expected. Out of all of them, who was the strongest...?” he asked.
“...”
“...”
“Among all the masters I’ve met, the strongest one was still the first master,” I answered.
‘Seriously, relax.’
“S-so, your old masters... Could they beat Ryu Han?” he asked.
“...”
“...”
“I'm sorry?” I asked.
“Could... they beat him?” he asked again.
“Y-yes...” I answered.
At this point, it was obvious that Ryu Han would win.
Even Rafael, who I liked the least, would have little trouble defeating Ryu Han.
After all, Rafael was unlike Ryu Han. The swordsmen I mentioned had long surpassed the limits of humanity.
‘But I feel like I was too honest.’
I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but he looked genuinely disappointed.
True to the Holy Sword Hero’s nature, his emotions were plain for me to see.
“B-but... you’re the warmest master of all. The first master did leave me behind at times... and was hard to read...” I quickly added.
I tried to comfort him with that, but...
“I... want to train,” he said.
“Mr. Ji-Hoon?”
“Right now,” he added.
“...”
“Hurry up and get ready,” he demanded.
It seemed like I couldn't console him at all.