Nano Machine (Web Novel KR)

Lee Hameng frowned. He had told the instructors not to be too attached to their cadets, but it seemed they had already done so within three weeks.

‘Whew…’

He couldn’t scold them in front of all the cadets, but there was also an unexpected person within the seven instructors.

‘Oh?’

The instructors who walked up were also surprised. Then three of them then stepped back, deciding to not volunteer anymore. This instructor in his late fifties with a black beard with white hairs hinted here and there was the oldest instructor here.

‘Instructor Hou.’

Hou Jinchang. He was the most experienced instructor at the early stage of the superior master level. He had been an instructor at the academy for a long time and he was also a war veteran. Lee Hameng also respected him accordingly.

‘Oh… if he’s up, then I won’t need to do this.’

Instructor Impeng then looked at him and stood back. He didn’t like Yeowun that much, but he was going to pay him back for helping out with the 8th group to pass the second test by challenging other challengers so that they couldn’t become group leaders. But if Hou Jinchang was here, then there was no need to help.

‘The rest is up to you now, 7th cadet. Whoever’s up here will not go easy on you.’

No one would challenge their own group’s cadet to easily let them become the group leader. They all had similar thoughts as Impeng. As numbers the numbers were matched, Hameng said, “Hmph, we have enough then. So, let’s start with the first cadet. Who will challenge him?”

“I…”

“I will do it, chief!”

Hou Jinchang was trying to volunteer when the 12th group leader Yushun quickly raised his hand to intercept it.

‘He dares?!’

Hou Jinchang frowned. He was interested in Chun Muyeon, who was known to be the closest to being the next Lord. He wanted to check on Muyeon’s talent himself, but he was too slow.

‘I’m sorry, but you would have not gone easy on him.’

Yushun also thought Chun Muyeon was the right individual as the future Lord, and didn’t want him to be embarrassed here. Unlike his interest, Hou Jinchang was not someone who would go easy on them. Hou Jinchang then raised his hand and shouted at Lee Hameng, “Chief! Then I will handle the 18th cadet!”

It almost made him laugh, but Hameng held back and agreed.

“You do that.”

Yushun frowned. He tried to help guide Chun Muyeon away from danger and got his own cadet, Bakgi, in trouble instead. It was the price he paid for angering Hou Jinchang. And as for Chun Yeowun, he was paired with Sang Munyo, the instructor of the first group. He was glad about the outcome since Sang Munyo wanted to fight Chun Yeowun from the beginning.

“Two of you may begin first.”

Chun Muyeon and Yushun looked at each other, bowed, and readied their stances. As they were preparing, Chun Yeowun’s eyes shook and white lights lingered in them.

Chun Muyeon charged first. The Wise Clan specialized in two martial arts techniques: the Wise Demon Sword, and the Flowing Cloud Palm.

“GOOD!” Yushun shouted. Even for the martial artists in the cult, it wasn’t common for them to fight against the members of the six clans. He wanted to fight with his own martial arts, but he had to use the Seven Demon Sword, which was a downside.

Yushun used the defense formation, or the fifth sword, to defend. Chun Yeowun narrowed his eyes.

‘What?’

The movements were familiar, but he couldn’t counter the formation just once. Chun Muyeon then moved onto his next attack. Yushun was astonished by the level of power. It seemed like he would lose if he underestimated Muyeon.

‘Let’s not consider him as a cadet.’

Chun Muyeon was already at the level of a Squad Leader. Yushun unleashed his two swords and three sword skills at the palms that covered his sight. By attacking with the two sword skills, it defended against the shadowy palms coming in.

‘This is a top-class martial art?’

Chun Muyeon was shocked. He didn’t think his palm attack would be blocked like this.

‘This is…’

Chun Yeowun was able to confirm that even if the formation was different, the sword movement was exactly the same as what was left on the blue pearl stone. The difference was that there were twenty-four sword movements on the stone, but the movement from Seven Demon Sword had fewer moves. There were only about eight of them. And from what could be seen, it looked like the Seven Demon Sword had twelve sword movements in total.

‘If it’s the same movement as what was left on that stone… then.’

Was it the Sword Demon who left the trace? It hadn’t been proven yet, but that was very likely.

As Chun Muyeon and Yushun fought for ten formations, Yushun had used all the seven sword formations and shown all of the sword movements. Yet, it was so flexible that Chun Muyeon’s eyes turned cold. They were at a similar level of martial arts, but Yushun had more experience and internal energy that allowed him to defend well.

‘So, he is an instructor after all.’

He couldn’t let it drag on, so Chun Muyeon prepared himself with a different stance. His right hand went back and he pushed his left palm forward. His palm attack then turned in the opposite away as he attacked.

Yushun was shocked when he was attacked from another side. It was the same attack, but this time it came from the left hand, which made it hard for him to make the right adjustments. At that moment, Muyeon’s right hand suddenly appeared and struck Yushun’s shoulder. It was the sword qi, wielded by Muyeon’s right hand.

“Whoaaaa!”

Cadets shouted in astonishment. It was the first group leader who had defeated the instructor and he even showed the sword qi that one would be able to use when they became a master martial artist.

‘He doesn’t disappoint.’

Lee Hameng nodded above the stage.

‘He has learned the martial arts of the First Elder already. He is a genius.’

The First Elder Mu Jinwon of the Wise Clan was known for using his both hands, which placed him as the second most powerful martial artist in the cult.

“Great,” Yushun said as he grabbed his right shoulder that was bleeding.

“Thank you, sir.”

Yushun had confirmed the future Lord’s power and was satisfied. He then gave the yellow tag to Chun Muyeon.

“You are now a group leader for the third test.”

Chun Muyeon bowed. Cadets shouted again. As they all were busy talking about Chun Muyeon’s power, Chun Yeowun was looking at the yellow tag.

‘Take that tag…’

It didn’t seem simple.

‘Is one person only allowed one tag?’

He was told that he could take the tag, but this seemed a bit weird. While Chun Yeowun was being curious, Lee Hameng got up and shouted, “Let’s move on to the next fight!”

‘Oh, it’s my turn.’

Chun Yeowun got up and stood across Sang Munyo. His question for the yellow tag was set aside.

‘What I do here will decide what will happen next.’

He had to prove himself in front of all the cadets.

‘Hmm?’

Sang Munyo thought it was in interesting to see Chun Yeowun who wasn’t tense at all.

‘I thought he wouldn’t even complete the first test.’

Chun Yeowun exceeded the expectation of every instructor in the academy. His growth shocked everyone.

‘But your journey ends here.’

Sang Munyo couldn’t accept Chun Yeowun as the candidate. The only ones he deemed worthy were Chun Muyeon and Chun Yuchan.

‘I will crush you, kid.’