The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master

“You are…”

Welter tensed immediately.

“…Who?”

Even at that moment, those marked with stigmata were still out of control as if they had lost their minds. There was no time for nonsense. Welter frowned cautiously.

“Do you know the Saint?”

“I don’t know her. But she knows me.”

“She? He?”

His way of speaking was unusual. Judging by his appearance, he looked to be just past his mid-thirties.

‘It’s as if he radiates experience.’

Welter observed him more closely.

Black hair. A relaxed attitude that was not influenced by the environment. Hawaiian shirt.

Wait a second.

Black hair? Black eyes?

Welter quickly turned toward Yu Sein.

“Don’t tell me, Saint… that man…?”

“Don’t start with ‘Father!’ or anything like that. Though well, I’m also from Joaquin Academy, so technically he is my father.”

“Saint, if you could explain it in a way that I can also understand… I’d appreciate it.”

Yu Sein introduced him bluntly.

“He’s the founding hero.”

“Eh…?”

Yu Sein, now calm, stated firmly.

“That man is Balor Joaquin.”

Crunch!

The man continued chewing his ice cream.

“I think it’s been almost seven hundred years since I’ve heard that name from someone else’s mouth.”

Balor Joaquin smiled, showing his teeth.

***

Yu Sein stood up, brushing the sand from her skin.

The lace tied at her waist was carried away by a gust of wind.

Welter hurried to cover her by spreading his arms in an X-shape to block her swimsuit.

“Saint! Your clothes, your clothes!”

“Silence before I strip off the swimsuit too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Welter stepped aside.

Yu Sein stared at Balor Joaquin and spoke.

“It shouldn’t be possible for you to exist in this timeline. The Ring’s Eye is a one-time-use ability.”

Yu Sein had glimpsed a fragment of the truth when she reincarnated.

“The Ring’s Eye is an absolute eye. Even if one is a god, its rule must be absolute.”

“Correct. Even I, being a regressor of infinite time, had to sacrifice all my regression power to activate the Ring’s Eye. As you said, even gods can only use it once.”

Answered Balor Joaquin.

Yu Sein’s face, stunned as she listened, immediately turned pale.

“The outer god sacrificed his life to use the Ring’s Eye…”

“And threw me into this timeline.”

Kang Geom-Ma and the outer god were the same entity, but also different.

The outer god was the version of Kang Geom-Ma that did not renounce his divinity. In short, he was a piece of the gigantic system called the universe.

That guy up there, swinging his sashimi in the sky, was simply the god of the sword.

A god who refused to become the outer god, who rules over all timelines.

Or perhaps a human.

“Why would the outer god do something like that?”

Welter, caught between them, looked bewildered. Because.

‘Right. Even ■■■■ like me sacrificed all my power to use ■■.’

‘■■ Gave his life to activate the ■■ of the ■■.’

‘Threw me into this ■timeline■.’

‘Why did ■■ do something like that?’

In Welter’s ears, the words sounded fragmented.

“Hmm. I suspected as much.”

Balor Joaquin glanced at him briefly and continued.

“I suppose he determined that this was the only possibility. In fact, it probably is. This is the first time the Power of Suppression has sent apostles directly to force a server shutdown.”

“Quite convincing. But before that…”

A white light flowed over Yu Sein’s skin. It was sacred power, her authority of redemption.

“I need you to prove that you really are Balor Joaquin.”

“Reincarnators, always so distrustful.”

Balor Joaquin scratched his head with the ice cream stick. However, he smiled.

“That makes me more confident in you.”

Particles of light gathered on the stick, which quickly took the shape of a sharp sword.

The sand on the beach rose as if struck by a cannon.

[The Blessing of the God of the Sword has manifested!]

That voice did not come from Yu Sein.

《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》

“…It’s authentic.”

After witnessing that, Yu Sein could do nothing but nod.

“What do you need?”

From Welter’s perspective, she had agreed to cooperate with Balor Joaquin almost disappointingly easily.

“All the elements that make up a game.”

“For example?”

Balor Joaquin drew a line in the air with the ice cream stick. The space tore slightly.

“For ordinary citizens to see the status windows, this world must be wounded. Saint, your status window is the one that can close those wounds.”

“…”

Yes. That was the reason why every time Kang Geom-Ma unsheathed, a status window forcibly appeared.

“Ordinary citizens must also be able to see the status window. Only then can this apocalypse be perceived as a game.”

“That expert is up there.”

“And here too.”

Balor Joaquin pointed at my chin with the ice cream stick.

Yu Sein let out a faint sigh.

“There are many other things that will be needed, but I’ll start with that.”

Yu Sein closed her eyes and recited a spell softly.

“Stop spying and come out already.”

Under Balor’s gaze, Choi Seol-Ah, who was hiding behind a palm tree, flinched.

She was the one responsible for guiding Balor Joaquin from Gehenna to the real world. Although she hadn’t explained anything about it, Choi Seol-Ah was quite perceptive.

From the conversation between Yu Sein and him, she clearly understood that this pervert was the Founding Hero (the real one).

Choi Seol-Ah cautiously approached.

“A-are you done talking? hehe.”

“Thanks to your guidance.”

“I-it’s an honor for me! Oh, founding hero.”

“Before we go, I want to ask you one more thing.”

“W-what would that be?”

“Since this is Gehenna Gate, there’s a subspace portal, right?”

Choi Seol-Ah nodded, still somewhat dazed.

“Yes. It’s just a few steps from here.”

“Guide me, please.”

“A-aren’t you going to fight here?”

“How impatient.”

Balor Joaquin put the ice cream stick in his pocket.

“Don’t you think I need weapons and armor before fighting?”

Ah.

***

Meanwhile.

Thanks to the quick intervention of Speedweapon and the reserve troops of the Gehenna Gate, people were being evacuated safely.

They were moving in line toward the bunkers located beneath the island.

Hawaii, being next to a Gehenna Gate, was a border zone constantly threatened by demons. Of course, there were several bunkers prepared for emergencies.

Speedweapon and his team chose one of them as a refuge.

Since it was a military facility, it could cause security problems later on.

But.

“I’ll take responsibility. Get everyone inside.”

Speedweapon spoke in a firm tone.

“At the very least we should report this to the president of the Association…”

“Deputy Director Lee, you’re from the Joaquin branch, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then surely you carry the insignia of the Hero Association, but you’re also a heroine. Listen well. For a hero, the most important thing is first, the safety of the citizens. Second, the safety of the citizens. And third, tenth, and hundredth as well, the safety of the citizens.”

Speedweapon was known as a kind superior to his subordinates. Many female employees admired him; that said it all.

That same Speedweapon, now with a serious face, emphasized strongly.

“We must not feel guilty about receiving a reprimand from our superiors. We must feel guilty about not having allowed those marked with an unknown stigma into the bunker. That is what should weigh on our conscience.”

“…I’ve been very short-sighted.”

“Let’s give it our all, Deputy Director Lee.”

Speedweapon gently patted her shoulder.

Shortly after.

The worker checked from the rear that the last group entered the bunker.

She was reviewing the list with the tip of her pen, meticulously.

“Bunker 3D-45a3g is full for now.”

“……”

“Chief?”

Speedweapon had a somber expression. And of course, with such chaos, it was natural.

But it seemed his regret was not because of that.

“Ah, yes. Are you done?”

Resignation.

“Everyone who could be identified has already been evacuated to the bunker, Chief.”

“Good work. Let’s get inside too.”

“Chief, excuse me…”

“Yes? Is there anything else to report?”

“Yes. It’s just that… Lord Changseong was about to head to Hawaii, but he said he will have to change destination.”

Richard Mura, alias Changseong, was one of humanity’s key members, part of the Seven Stars.

Far from weakening with age, Changseong grew stronger each day. Although he had left the Association, he was still an active hero.

Since this was a global disaster, Changseong was one of the few superhumans capable of inflicting significant damage on the apocalypse.

The plan was for him to fly immediately, meet Kang Geom-Ma, and begin containment from Hawaii, extinguishing the flames of the apocalypse one by one.

However, the world situation turned out to be much worse than the initial report.

As a hero, he could not ignore it just to save face. His conscience tormented him.

So, he suddenly changed course.

“And even if it’s not the same, the Sword Master will come to Hawaii as soon as possible.”

“It’s unfortunate, but I understand the former president of the Association. We’re barely holding on thanks to you and the others. Elsewhere it must be much worse.”

Speedweapon spoke bitterly.

“And I also have to fight among those guys…”

At that moment.

Bzzzzzt!

His smartphone vibrated. It was a call from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

— Ah. It’s Yu Sein.

“Yu Sein? That Yu Sein?”

— How many Yu Seins do you think there are? Anyway, I need you to do something. There’s no time to explain in detail, but it’s something crucial to save the world.

Thump!

“Save the world? Me?”

— Among the healers I know, you’re the most competent.

“Can you repeat that?”

— Which part?

“That among the healers you know, I’m the most competent?”

— For now?

Speedweapon placed his hand over his chest.

“Whatever it is, tell me. I’ll do everything I can.”

— Don’t tremble like that when you talk… Anyway…

Speedweapon nodded again and again. And as soon as he hung up, he shot out as if he had been launched.

A subordinate shouted after him as he saw him run.

“Chief! Where are you going?”

Speedweapon replied without even looking back:

“To Hawaii’s regional broadcasting station!”

It was the only place from which the entire sound system of the island could be controlled.

“I…”

He repeated to himself as if it were self-hypnosis.

“I’m going to save the president and the world.”

Speedweapon was more motivated than ever.

***

Hands did not stop. My group and I had been cutting down lightning bolts for almost thirty minutes.

Everyone showed clear signs of exhaustion.

After all, this was only a temporary solution without a definitive answer. I knew it, and so did they.

‘We have to buy time.’

Close combat was my role. Strategy belonged to Yu Sein.

‘I must trust.’

When the time came, somehow, she would communicate with me.

Zzzzzzt!

A gigantic eye gleamed. I dashed forward and, with Murasame, cleaved the lightning in a single slash.

Damn it. Kali Yuga was doing everything possible not to give us even a breath.

The lightning and explosions erupting everywhere clouded our minds.

The constant fear of being marked with a single strike, the ceaseless repetition of movements—everyone was at their limit.

If I felt that way, how were the others? It was a miracle they had held on until now. Truly admirable.

I raised my gaze to the sky. The giant eye squinted.

It seemed to have noticed my attention.

‘Should I cut that eye?’

I wanted to do it right then.

“…I can’t.”

Just looking around was enough to understand the reason.

The giant eye had spread red threads across the island. They were spiritual cords that connected it to the civilians.

If I cut them, they would die.

Kali Yuga had taken hostages. What a miserable end.

It had managed to pinpoint exactly my greatest weakness.

Lightning bolts tightened from the sides, pressing us. From above, a persistent gaze.

Kali Yuga’s combined technique pushed me to make an extreme decision.

Do it.

Cut it all.

Isn’t it enough to just swing the sword?

It was as if it were telling me. The gigantic eye curved twistedly. A mocking smile?

It sure knew how to get on someone’s nerves.

Fwoooosh!

A bloody aura covered my Murasame.

I felt an impulsive temptation to cut that eye here and now. Even if a large-scale massacre erupted with a single slash.

There seemed to be no other way out.

At that instant.

Toot-toot!

A recorder’s melody reached us from somewhere.

We all turned instinctively. It was from Speedweapon.

His music was so powerful that it created waves even on the sea’s surface.

[The Blessing of Regeneration is activated!]

[Divine energy is added]

[The Sung Blessing of Healing is activated!]

In that fleeting moment, I heard Yu Sein’s voice inside my mind. It was only one word.

‘Cut.’

I see.

Suddenly, the whole picture became clear in my mind.

I smiled.

And with the sashimi, I cut the thread I hadn’t been able to release in my mental image.

[The Blessing of the God of the Sword dissipates!]