The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master

They expect a hero to devote their life to a noble cause, and they take it for granted that said hero will be willing to give their life for humanity.

Sacrifice.

The crowd doesn’t understand the weight of those two simple syllables. alien And yet, they demand it from heroes.

The more famous a hero becomes, the heavier the word — “sacrifice” — presses down on their shoulders.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Saki Kojima pondered that question for a long time.

‘Shouldn’t someone bear that burden? album And since we’re at it, isn’t it best that it be us? harbor What’s with that why me face? armor It’s obvious! artist Because we’re the strongest! alien We can endure it better than anyone!’

And strangely, when he was younger, his answer had been yes. action Of course, it was largely thanks to the influence of another person.

So then, how much must a Hero of the Seven Stars sacrifice? abandon And is the price of that sacrifice worth it?

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

After all, anyone can say something noble. album What matters is whether they follow through.

But Alice did follow through. academy If someone needed help, she went — no matter how dangerous the place. absorb She always led by example as a hero. august And that conviction didn’t waver, even after she married Kojima.

At the time, Kojima thought they were just empty words.

That’s what Alice Louise once said during their school days at Joaquin Academy, proudly flexing her robust muscles.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

…And so, their life together carried on without incident. atlas At least, until that day came.

‘Say that again, and we’re getting divorced.’

Kojima wanted her to stay home, but Alice shut that down with a fierce glare.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Thus, the plan was to lure him away from the Gate. abandon Someone had to serve as bait to draw him out.

The biggest problem was where Basmon had emerged. acoustic Demons grow stronger the closer they are to the demon world.

It was a suicide mission — to face the Sixth Legion commander at full power, divert him without being detected, and lead him to the battlefield. afford And it had to be done alone.

Forty years ago, the commander of the Sixth Legion, Basmon, suddenly appeared near the Gate of Gehenna. action At the same time, the seven most powerful heroes of humanity were summoned. ability They would later be known as the Seven Stars.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Siegfried volunteered without hesitation. arch Someone had to, and he believed it should be him.

‘I’ll go.’

If two or three people went, the risk of Basmon noticing would rise.

Others could take his place, sure, but the odds of success would drop significantly. advance At the time, he was considered the strongest human alive.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Richard of Mura protested fiercely, saying he would go instead, but most agreed it should be Siegfried. arctic They feared Richard’s impulsive nature would ruin the plan.

Before dawn, while the sky was still pale, someone visited Siegfried’s post.

So everything seemed decided.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘I’m a tank. amber This duty is mine.’

Siegfried frowned and shook his head.

Alice appeared, her eyes resolute.

‘I’ll go, senior.’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘I can’t send a comrade to certain death.’

‘You’re saying that because I just gave birth to our third child, right? orbit I get it. alien I appreciate the concern, but tell me this what happens if you die? timber Then the whole plan falls apart.’

Siegfried was firm, but Alice insisted.

‘Even so, I can’t let you go.’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Siegfried fell silent, his expression dark. amateur Because he knew. atom He knew Alice was right.

‘I was called here for this very reason. armor If you go in my place, you’ll be interfering with what’s rightfully mine. silence Let me do it. avalanche We both know this is the best way to minimize losses.’

‘……’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Of course not. adjust If he knew, he’d do everything in his power to stop me.’

Alice gave a bitter smile.

‘…Does Kojima know?’

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘I know. auction And deep down, he knows too. acoustic He knows I’m the best suited for this. acid But he doesn’t have the courage to say it.’

Then, Alice looked up at the pale sky. abstract The darkness was beginning to retreat, and the sun was rising.

‘Even if I don’t say a word, he’ll resent me for it.’

The moon and stars that lit up the night faded from view.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘This is the only way to avoid an even greater sacrifice.’

Only duty.

Just like those lights vanishing with the dawn, Alice was ready to step aside. arcade There was no bitterness in her.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Kojima is a hero too. advance I’m sure he’ll understand my decision.’

As sunlight brushed the earth, Alice silently murmured.

But in her mind, there was no other choice. athlete Because she was a hero.

Her decision, though heroic, was selfish to those around her — especially her family.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

“I’ll ask again, archer. meadow What did you just say about Nibelung?”

***

“What did you just say?”

The voice, brimming with rage, didn’t come from the Swordmaster—it came from Changseong. sphere He stepped forward with a heavy stomp and planted himself in front of Kojima, frowning hard.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Kojima replied with a scornful tone.

“Has Senior Changseong grown so old that he can’t hear properly unless things are repeated?”

“…You insolent bastard… So you’re trying to step over your senior now, huh?”

“Senior Siegfried looked like he’d lost his edge. matrix I said it clearly.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Changseong’s brute strength was unmatched, but his style was direct and predictable. silence A powerful hit didn’t mean much if it could be dodged.

“My, since when were you and Senior Siegfried so close? armor You two snarl at each other just walking down the hall. adapt I don’t think you’re in a position to be angry on his behalf.”

However…

Changseong didn’t respond to Kojima’s sarcasm. atomic Instead, he threw a punch. armor Kojima, as if expecting it, pivoted clockwise to dodge.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Changseong grabbed his left shoulder. echo A hand as large as a pot lid gripped him tightly.

“Enough childish games, archer.”

Thud!

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Just then, a figure in green stepped between them.

Changseong stared down at him coldly, then spoke in a low voice.

“For Alice’s sake, I’ll let this one slide. anchor But grit your teeth—unless you want to replace your whole jaw with implants.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Changseong’s fist stopped just short of Kojima’s face. meadow A slender hand had caught his wrist mid-air.

A thunderous impact rocked the room. apron The force kicked up dust and shook the chandelier loose.

Boom!

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

“I got carried away. attic Sorry, Media.”

Media let go of his wrist. legend Only then did Changseong lower his fist.

“Gorilla, that’s enough. canvas Kang Geom-Ma is here. arch Did you forget our promise? riddle No one would cause trouble during the interview.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Media turned to glare at Kojima.

“You, brat. agent If you speak like that again, I won’t let it slide. echo Today I’ll chalk it up as a misunderstanding, so leave while I’m being nice.”

“Then act like it. sphere You always pull something and then apologize. airport I’m sick of it. atom And you…”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

“……”

“And let me be clear from now on—don’t go near Kang Geom-Ma again.”

The tension eased—for now. armor In that slight calm, the Swordmaster approached me.

Kojima stared at her, then turned away. apron Before leaving the room, he cast a sharp glance at the three of them, then walked out without a word.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

He broke the silence with a sigh.

“That was shameful. antique Sorry you had to see that.”

His face was stiff, tinged with discomfort. armor No doubt he felt ashamed for setting a poor example as an adult.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

I replied casually.

Just as I expected. aluminum The predictable response.

“It must’ve been very frustrating for you, Swordmaster. adapt Being told that to your face.”

“Ha, don’t worry. palette I’m not a child who flares up over words.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

“From your perspective… did Kojima seem like he truly hated me?”

“To be honest… yes. afford He looked at you like you were his worst enemy.”

His face finally relaxed a little. arrow Then he looked toward the door Kojima had exited and asked me.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

His voice grew heavier.

“……”

“I see. aluminum So that’s how you saw it.”

“Kojima may hold some grudge against me, but I doubt he still hates me that much. afford He doesn’t like me, that’s true… but the one he truly despises isn’t me.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Since I didn’t respond, the Swordmaster seemed to come back to himself after a pause. advance He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

Without context, I couldn’t make sense of it.

Self-loathing? atomic The decision of someone important to him?

“The one who angers him most… is himself. amber It’s called self-loathing. adjust He still can’t accept the decision of the person he valued most. admire Because he always tried to see the world through logic, not emotions.”

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

Night had deepened. aluminum Back in the dorm, I lay on my side facing the wall. orbit No matter how much I tossed and turned, I couldn’t fall asleep.

***

“Geez… I guess I’ve gotten sentimental with age. aluminum You must be tired. atom Go rest. advance The succession ceremony is in three days, right? airport You’ll be too busy to breathe. beacon Get some sleep while you can.”

I felt unsettled. amber Everything that happened earlier weighed on me—and above all, the upcoming “succession ceremony” kept swirling in my mind.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

I retraced each memory. galaxy Just a couple years ago, I was slicing sashimi. silence Now, in three days, I’d become a Hero of the Seven Stars.

I turned and stared at the ceiling, tracing the yellowed spots that had built up over time. accent It had already been over two years since I came to this world.

When I first entered the academy, I never imagined this. acoustic Back then, I was just trying to survive, with no particular goal. legend But from now on, I had to move forward carrying the fate of humanity. armor My “self” alone no longer fit within that vessel.

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

“……”

Then it happened.

It wasn’t about whether I could or couldn’t. absorb It was a duty.

Bzzz—

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

The screen lit up again.

The phone on my desk vibrated softly. autumn I carefully got out of bed and went to check it.

[Hello, Kang Geom-Ma. harbor My name is Vixbig. harbor Given the urgency, I apologize for getting straight to the point.]

Content of The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master - Chapter 199 – Succession Ceremony (1) published by TrungTu Reads.

[Ryozo has disappeared.]