The daily life at the academy is progressing steadily.
Kang Han spends the mornings learning how to control his mind with the monk and the afternoons endlessly sparring in Berserker participation training, led by an inspector dispatched by the association, alongside other top students at the academy.
Watching from the side, it felt as if Kang Han, a chunk of iron, was being endlessly heated and cooled, forged by a blacksmith.
At the end of this process, will Kang Han become a sacred sword to protect people, or a demonic sword filled with hatred for the world, burning everything down?
One thing is certain—there might be forces hoping for Kang Han to grow into a demonic sword.
I came across the clues to these rumors through communication with Irasol.
It was early morning on the fourth day of the Berserker participation training.
“What did you say?”
“Cultists of the evil god seem to be researching something strange. I thought you should know at the very least, so I contacted you right away.”
Irasol and I had been hunting heretics together for a long time.
Although I hadn’t been able to join recently due to being busy, Irasol seemed to have continued steadily.
It was during her personal mission to eliminate a heretics’ hideout that she stumbled upon new information.
She speculated that the heretics were conducting research related to Berserkers.
“There’s an overwhelming amount of information on Demian Kreuz. I’m sending the data now. These are all files extracted from the heretics’ hideout terminals.”
Files began piling up on my phone in real-time.
Every file name was related to either Berserkers or Demian.
[DemianKreuz_ClinicalRecords7.13_RevB.pdf]
[NeuroStudy_BerserkerSubj#058_Do.docx]
[Pathophysiology_of_Berserker_Inhibition.xlsx]
[Neural_Activity_Tier4_Subjects(Extract).csv]
As I looked at them, I asked, “What exactly are these?”
“Well… In the order I sent them, there are Demian Kreuz’s clinical records from around July 13th, EEG test data, a classification index of Berserker rampage stages, autopsy records of Berserkers worldwide…”
“Stop, that’s enough. I’ll figure out the rest myself.”
Just listening to it made me feel a bit nauseous.
As soon as I clicked on one file, the photos that appeared on the screen were graphic enough to be considered grotesque.
I decided to review them later, once I had mentally prepared myself.
At the very least, they were not images to look at on a refreshing morning.
“Shouldn’t we discuss this with the instructors in charge of Berserker training?”
“You know that academy cadets are prohibited from personally taking down heretics, right? Bringing these directly to them might mean confessing everything we’ve done so far.”
“We’ll have to think about how to pass on this information carefully. Got it. Leave that part to me. If push comes to shove, we can use our guild to expose the situation.”
The call ended, but the clues Irasol left behind continued to echo in my mind.
The heretics seemed to be deliberately driving Berserkers into rampages.
Does that mean that all the rampaging Berserkers so far were victims of the heretics?
Could that include Demian Kreuz as well?
Nothing has been confirmed yet.
But since Kang Han, the protagonist, is a Berserker, it’s something that must be uncovered.
Training didn’t take place only in the sparring arena.
To conduct more precise analyses, there were often days when we trained in a simulation room while wearing specially designed combat suits that transmitted real-time physical data.
On the seventh day of training, the walls of the simulation room were tightly lined with dark blue alloy panels.
The surface, which revealed faint traces of magic circles, glowed softly, and the lighting device hanging in the center of the ceiling silently adjusted its direction to follow Kang Han’s movements.
Next up, Cadet Kim Jinsu.
The voice of Director Han Se-ah, who was in the briefing room, echoed through the space.
Since dying in the simulation room was nothing more than an illusion, she didn’t need to stand by the cadet’s side.
Kim Jinsu’s nervousness was evident.
Gripping a sword with a half-broken handle, he took a deep breath one last time before stepping onto the stage.
The fourth simulation match against Kang Han, Cadet Kim Jinsu, is ready for measurement.
Hearing Han Se-ah’s calm voice through the terminal, Kim Jinsu struggled to swallow the violent pounding of his heart.
It was because memories of his hesitation in the past, stemming from the destructive nature of his
“Severance” ability, came rushing back.
But after facing Kang Han multiple times, he had realized:
“Hesitating won’t make Kang Han go easy on me.”
Especially in the simulation room, where actual combat isn’t involved, Kang Han demonstrated just how terrifying an opponent he could be.
This was the fourth simulation against Kang Han.
It meant Kim Jinsu had faced him three times already and experienced death, brutally, three times.
In the simulation room, he didn’t need to hold back his Severance ability—but neither did his opponent.
On the opposite side of the stage, Kang Han’s silhouette stood, partially releasing his berserker rage.
With his bulging veins and suppressed breathing alone, it was clear this was no ordinary training.
It felt like being a gladiator about to step into an arena with a ferocious beast.
Seeing Kim Jinsu tense, Kwak Dohyeong spoke with a casual grin.
“Let me know if you need a barrier. I’ve upgraded my equipment a bit this time.”
Jin Mugyeol, tapping his spear, scoffed at the remark.
“This time, huh? You always say the same thing.”
“What?”
Ignoring Kwak Dohyeong’s furrowed brow, Jin Mugyeol gave a thumbs-up to Kim Jinsu as he stepped onto the stage.
“Still, make sure to last a bit longer before it’s my turn. Hang in there, Jinsu! You got this!”
“I’ll handle it.”
Kim Jinsu shook his head and focused on the upcoming battle.
Finally, the operator Han Se-ah gave her approval.
“Begin combat.”
BEEEEEP!
The buzzer echoed through the simulation room.
Kim Jinsu dreaded this moment.
The buzzer felt like a harbinger of death, severing his lifeline.
Every time it rang in the simulation room, fear of death enveloped the world like a fog.
Within the blurred battlefield, it was hard to distinguish anything.
Kim Jinsu’s breathing became erratic.
Thud!
Through the mist, a figure surged explosively.
It was like the arrival of the Grim Reaper, bringing death.
The movements were so swift and sharp they left no trace in the air.
Kim Jinsu strained to keep track of the trajectory, immediately lowering his stance and checking behind him.
A murderous aura swept past, making his scalp tingle, as Kang Han suddenly descended from above.
BOOM!
The ground dented under the force of Kang Han’s landing, prompting Kim Jinsu to quickly retreat.
“Kang Han, respiratory rate increasing. Sympathetic nervous activity rising,” the system reported.
Kang Han, having unleashed his berserker rage, seemed to struggle to maintain his sanity.
However, the sheer force he exerted rippled through the environment.
The simulation system projected an illusory terrain—massive rocks and tangled trees unrealistically rose, filling the battlefield.
Kang Han smashed through structures with his right fist, recklessly charging forward as if to corner his opponent.
“Ugh!”
Kim Jinsu braced against the initial shockwave, quickly raising his sword.
Though he could use his Severance ability without restrictions in this simulated environment, his opponent wouldn’t hold back either.
Having already faced three brutal deaths here, he pivoted on his right foot, twisting his body halfway to Kang Han’s side, and swung his sword horizontally.
Kang Han narrowly dodged, his arm muscles taut as he reached with his left hand to grab Kim Jinsu’s arm.
Barely slipping away, Kim Jinsu felt a mixture of fear and frustration at his missed opportunity.
At that moment, a heavy sensation spread through his left hand.
It had been a long time since he properly unleashed his Severance ability.
The misaligned blade cleaved through the rock behind, splitting it cleanly in two, with the shattered fragments collapsing violently.
Witnessing the raw power of his ability once again, Kim Jinsu was reminded of just how devastating it was.
Simultaneously, the thought struck him—if this technique were to hit Kang Han, it could instantly reduce him to pieces.
That momentary hesitation created an opening.
Kang Han seized the opportunity, slipping behind Kim Jinsu with precision and grabbing the back of his neck with a firm grip.
“Urgh-?!”
The speed was dizzying, but Kim Jinsu had no room to retreat.
Resolved to attack rather than succumb to fear, he twisted his torso and channeled all his energy into his right arm.
The shockwave of his Severance ability extended from the tip of his blade, splitting even the massive illusory trees nearby.
The sharp sound of the wood tearing apart was almost surreal.
Branches cleanly severed fell in a heap at his feet.
However, Kang Han dodged the blade with monstrous reflexes, lowering his body and twisting Kim Jinsu’s wrist with his left hand.
Pain seeped deep into Kim Jinsu’s bones, nearly forcing him to drop his sword, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
The brief stalemate ended when Kang Han slammed Kim Jinsu into the ground with overwhelming force.
BOOM!
The ground, a mixture of rocky and wooded illusions, cracked, and Kim Jinsu gasped as the impact forced the air out of his lungs.
If he couldn’t escape this predicament, he was certain he’d experience death yet again.
But his strength was spent.
As Kim Jinsu lay powerless, the operator’s voice echoed within the simulation room.
“Berserk Infiltration Rate: 42%… Confirmed increase to 47%.”
Kang Han exhaled heavily, raising his arm like a boulder.
Kim Jinsu, seeing the hand approach, shut his eyes tightly.
“It’s over,” he thought.
Although he was improving, he couldn’t predict how many more gruesome deaths he’d have to endure before he could fight Kang Han on equal terms.
For now, he could only hope this moment would pass quickly, holding his breath.
“…?”
But what came next wasn’t the searing pain of torn flesh. Instead, he heard a faint voice.
“…Get up.”
It was Kang Han’s voice.
Moments ago, he had been consumed by berserk madness, seemingly ready to tear him apart.
Now, with half-awakened eyes, Kang Han extended his hand.
Kim Jinsu flinched instinctively, not trusting the gesture, but Kang Han didn’t launch another attack.
Standing amidst the wreckage of shattered rocks and splintered wood, Kang Han slowly helped Kim Jinsu to his feet.
Startled, Kim Jinsu asked, “You… are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Kang Han’s reply was brief.
His eyes were still bloodshot, but his breathing had calmed.
Was he truly overcoming his berserk state?
Kim Jinsu wasn’t the only one with that thought.
Operator Han Se-ah’s voice soon filled the simulation room.
“Simulation complete. 39 seconds, 54 milliseconds. Good work. Please return to the briefing room.”
The simulation system began clearing away the illusory rocks and trees, restoring the cracked floor to its original state.
On the seventh day of training, Kang Han had shown faint but undeniable progress in maintaining his sense of self within the berserk state.