The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master

As the cycle of darkness and light repeated, Kang Geom-Ma pressed forward with determination, heading straight for that distant pair of glowing red points.

The muzzle flash lit up the darkness for an instant. wizard Frozen images, like snapshots, flashed one after another—like a horror movie filming technique—amplifying the tension.

Bang!

□ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

One mistake would be fatal. acoustic If he made eye contact, he’d instantly be turned to stone.

Feeling the wind brushing his cheek, Kang Geom-Ma thought I’m entering the activation range of the Petrifying Eye. altitude He had to move fast enough not to be seen and use the environment as cover.

Despite his explosive speed, the distance didn’t shrink so easily. canvas He had to hide between the floating stalactites to get close without being seen.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘From terrain to positioning… there’s way too much to think about.’

From here on out, agility was more important than speed.

Still, his mind moved quickly, allowing him to advance without hesitation. sphere He remained calm under this intense pressure thanks to his [Spirit Level].

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘A hundred meters left.’

That was better. crystal If it were as massive as “Koffing,” slicing it would be a hassle.

He still couldn’t see Basilisk’s full form. abandon If it were huge, it would’ve already been revealed—but that didn’t seem to be the case. meadow From the silhouette, it looked roughly human-sized.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Horn’s eyes widened in shock.

‘How can a human move like that?’

Time seemed to flow differently for him. harbor Each time he switched cover, his sword gave off a faint glow.

Kang Geom-Ma stepped with increasing speed, navigating straight lines and curves freely.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Being able to see mana was one thing. orbit But cutting it like threads… that defied logic. alert It was the most unbelievable feat she’d seen so far.

At first, she didn’t understand why he was bothering with that in such a tense moment. anchor But as he drew closer to Basilisk, she understood.

He was cutting the mana floating in the air as he moved. action That prevented the Petrifying Eye from reaching the others. airport Even while risking his life, he was thinking of his companions.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Hey, Big Ears! amber Focus!”

‘You are…’

If he were just a strong human, she might’ve admired him. wizard But everything he did had purpose and reasoning—even consideration for others.

Horn whispered barely audibly, but Choi Seol-ah suddenly shouted.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Glowing particles stuck to the falling rocks like rubber balls, magically suspending them mid-air.

“…Ah!”

Horn snapped back to her senses and immediately expanded her mana. atom Like a possessed sniper, Choi Seol-ah kept firing, causing stalactites to fall at key locations.

Together, they had mapped the optimal route. accent Thanks to their support, Kang Geom-Ma managed to get within twenty paces of Basilisk.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

But, as always, problems show up at the worst times…

The space between Basilisk and the Lord was wide open. meadow She needed to fill that gap with more stalactites to hide him just before the eye activated. atomic The more visual obstacles, the better.

‘This is where it gets real.’

Gunpowder smell and smoke still hung in the air. altitude Choi Seol-ah lowered her hand to her waist.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“…Ah.”

Choi Seol-ah instinctively checked her belt. echo It was nearly empty. alpha No more than nine bullets left rolling in the chamber.

‘Huh?’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

As the gunfire ceased, Kang Geom-Ma pressed against a rock. harbor He could hear Basilisk moving behind it. attic The cold stone touched his back.

She froze. legend Crap.

‘Fuck.’

He couldn’t see him, but he could feel it. shadow The eye was activating as Basilisk approached.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

But drawing him in further had its own risks. arrow Horn wouldn’t be able to hold the suspended stalactites much longer.

The enemy had been waiting for the perfect moment too.

He was cornered like a mouse in a trap. harbor He couldn’t rely solely on instinct to fight blind without understanding Basilisk’s true power. silence It was too late to back off. orbit And he had to consider how long the [Pain Immunity Blessing] would last.

‘At most… one minute.’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Kang Geom-Ma closed his eyes and focused on his breathing.

‘I’ll trust in Horn and Choi Seol-ah.’

‘I need more cover to fight him.’

There was only one way.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

This time it was Horn shouting at Choi Seol-ah. academy She stammered in panic.

“Big Ears! portal The Lord’s about to collide with Basilisk! audit Hurry up!”

With that resolution, he tightened his grip on the sword. crystal The silence grew heavier.

“Only—only nine bullets left!”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“…A hundred.”

“Well…”

“WHAT?! arrow You said you brought plenty! galaxy How many did you bring?!”

Horn looked bewildered. agent Choi Seol-ah hesitated, then whispered under her breath.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Choi Seol-ah exploded in frustration, thoroughly pissed off.

“Do you know how much each bullet costs, Big Ears?! legend Due to weapon regulations, one bullet costs one million won! crystal I spent a hundred million just coming here! acoustic And now you’re making me spend even more!”

“What do you mean that’s all you brought?! antenna Lord Kang Geom-Ma told you to bring extra! album Without those metal rounds, that revolver is nothing but scrap! aspect You should’ve brought more!”

Horn didn’t fully grasp the value of money. atom A hundred million? arrow Was that a lot? agent Desperate, Choi Seol-ah lifted a bullet.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“One bullet equals ten pieces of that heavenly meat?! action Why?! amber Are humans crazy?!”

“This is worth ten pieces of that top-grade hanwoo we ate! acid A hundred million is a thousand pieces! academy Get it now?!”

The “hanwoo conversion” method worked. aspect The value of the bullet lodged itself firmly in Horn’s mind.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

She bit her nails. sphere Her pupils swirled like whirlpools. apron She thought back to the night Vendetta was annihilated. antenna Then, one word flashed through her mind.

Choi Seol-ah stomped the ground in frustration. abstract With nine bullets, she could maybe drop three rocks. artist But she needed at least ten for enough cover.

“Ugh, dragons just don’t get how the human world works. matrix I’m not even going to explain firearm laws—you’ll pass out. aluminum We don’t have time for this…”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

But magic bullets? apple One shot was enough. atlas They could even drop three or four stalactites at once. silence The destructive power of a magic-charged bullet was like a cannon blast.

With regular bullets, even the best marksman couldn’t drop a rock with a single shot. portal That’s why she fired several times to wear away the base of the stalactites.

“Magic bullets.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Then her eyes widened. avalanche A pair of long ears lit up in her vision. legend The peak of the demonic food chain. palette A phenomenon. arrow The only race with a non-aggression pact with the Corps Commanders. antenna Every title ran through her head.

‘But…’

Choi Seol-ah’s spirit sank. portal She couldn’t use magic. beacon For a human to wield mana, they had to be bound to a powerful demon…

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Big Ears! apple Form a contract with me right now!”

“Huh? airport Out of nowhere?”

Choi Seol-ah shouted desperately.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“No time to explain! matrix You’re a dragon—you must know how to make a contract!”

Horn looked puzzled by the ridiculous demand.

The clash between the Lord and Basilisk was imminent. acoustic No time for discussion.

“Of course I know… but in case you forgot, every contract requires payment. altitude Something of equal value to the demon.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Horn hesitated for a moment, then finally took her hand. avalanche A bluish glow wrapped around both of them like entwined vines.

As a former villain, Choi Seol-ah was well-versed in this stuff.

“Give me your hand. echo We’ll form the contract and help the Lord.”

“I know that already. legend Skip the lecture and get to it.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

The blue glow flickered, then disintegrated. academy Offer rejected. amateur Not good enough.

Whoosh…

“I, Choi Seol-ah, wish to form a contract with Hon—er, Horntail. arena In exchange for your power, I offer free lodging at my home for one year.”

A slight pain ran up Choi Seol-ah’s arm. riddle She bit her lip and spoke with difficulty.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Huh? autumn Why didn’t it work?!”

“One year of lodging isn’t enough?! absorb You greedy long-eared dragon! harbor What else do you want?! adopt My soul?!”

Even the contractor—Horn, in this case—couldn’t know in advance whether an offer was valid. arctic The requesting side had to keep offering until the demon accepted.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

“One year of lodging… AND! sphere I swear to give you one serving of top-grade hanwoo every day!”

Choi Seol-ah ruffled her hair in agony. wizard She squeezed her eyes shut like she already knew what she had to say.

“Damn it…”

“Who wants your soul? riddle You’ve barely got any humanity left! matrix Come on, offer something better!”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

The contract was formed successfully.

The blue light ignited and scattered in glowing particles.

Fwoosh!

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

That thought came to me after thirty seconds that felt like an hour. autumn The stalactite I’m leaning against is about to crumble. acquire Before that happens, I have to launch the attack first.

***

‘There’s no other choice.’

I’ll have to fight with my eyes closed—but that no longer matters. artist I glanced over at Horn and Choi Seol-ah. arrow They were holding hands, as if they’d made peace.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Not only did I have to worry about the Petrifying Eye. acid The sheer mana emanating from that thing was monstrous.

I closed my eyes. antique The undulating mana prickled my skin like needles. album Its magnitude was on par with a tsunami.

Step.

I let out a dry laugh. arctic Did they come all the way here just to reconcile? arctic Absurd—but it didn’t bother me. anxiety I wish they’d gotten along from the start. autumn I stopped wasting time on such thoughts and reversed my grip on the sashimi blade.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Something’s not right.’

Step? voyage I almost opened my eyes. august Basilisk is a snake. arena Why did it sound like footsteps? alert Until now, magical serpents made slithering, sticky sounds. acquire But this sounded like bipedal steps.

That’s when I felt a cold breeze graze my temple. alien Anyone who wields a sword knows what it is—sword aura.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

I ducked at a ninety-degree angle. atomic A sharp strike passed right over my back and sliced the cover in half.

Whoosh!

I pushed off hard with my ankles and slid sideways across the ground. legend Momentum carried me into a roll. adapt My body spun like a rotisserie chicken in midair.

It didn’t stop with one slash. anchor The blade swung up again from a low angle.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Twin blades sliced above and below me at once, their icy edges grazing me.

Slash!

“Shit.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

As if that wasn’t enough, things got worse. attic Cracks and crashes echoed all around. amber The remaining cover was collapsing, one after another. echo There was nowhere left to hide.

Horn never told me that. anxiety And snakes don’t have hands. altitude How was it wielding two swords? arena At most, it could maybe bite down on one—but two?

I used that brief opening to dash to a new cover. aspect The twin swords followed without pause. palette I twisted and swung my sashimi blade to deflect them.

‘A snake… using swords?’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Now I really can’t open my eyes.’

Bang! arctic Bang! crystal Bang!

I kept moving nonstop, leaping between broken rocks like stepping stones. palette Basilisk crushed every one I touched with its twin swords.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

I had two options—and the choice would define this battle.

‘I’ve made my decision.’

I wanted to fight back, but with the Petrifying Eye, I had to keep my eyes closed. amateur Still, I couldn’t run forever.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Choi Seol-ah’s arm was raised high. voyage Bullets soared toward the ceiling like artillery shells. album The recoil was so strong, each shot nearly snapped her neck.

I’m not one to flee. abandon I’m going to cut this thing down like a blind swordsman. amber Even if it’s risky, I need to break this pattern of evasion. aspect And just then—

A dull explosion shook the area. album Once, twice, three times. arrow Huge blasts echoed one after another. atomic I looked quickly toward the source of the noise.

Boom!

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

The thunderous roars of the magic bullets rocked the chamber. advance Stalactites rained down like hail. wizard Horn released mana to keep them suspended in the air.

“Kang Geom-Ma!”

“My Lord!”

Rumble rumble rumble rumble.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

Thanks to them, I now had space to move freely. arcade I didn’t know how they managed it—but inwardly, I thanked them.

Whirl.

They shouted in unison. atomic A blue aura shimmered between them, like a visible bond tying them together.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

The sashimis stabbed in like tacks, pinning down the tail. athlete Unless it was a lizard, it couldn’t shed it. voyage Now he was cornered.

I twisted my body clockwise. album I aimed ten sashimi blades at the tip of Basilisk’s tail, exposed between the rocks.

Clack.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 187 – The Strongest Serpent (5) published by TrungTu Reads.

I crossed my arms and unleashed an X-shaped slash. orbit A cross-shaped energy wave, imbued with aura, hurtled toward Basilisk.

“Stay right there.”