Reincarnated as a Wandering Swordsman in a World of Magic and Murim

The morning air was crisp as Ren stepped onto the training field. His muscles still ached from sword practice, but today's training was different.

Today, he would learn to fight with magic.

Haruto and Master Takeda stood before him, their expressions unreadable.

"Now that you can summon your Soulfire," Haruto began, "you must learn to wield it in battle."

Ren clenched his fists. He had spent the last two days struggling just to control a small flame. Could he really use it in combat?

Master Takeda smirked. "Worrying already? No need. You'll find out soon enough."

He turned and gestured toward the field—where a masked warrior in black robes stepped forward.

Ren stiffened. "Who is this?"

"Your sparring partner," Haruto said. "You will fight him using only Arcane Qi. No swords."

Ren's eyes narrowed. This was unexpected. He had barely begun to grasp the basics of Soulfire, and now he was being thrown into a battle?

The masked warrior took his stance. "Begin."

---

The Battle of Flame and Speed

Ren wasted no time—he thrust his palm forward, summoning his Soulfire.

A blue flame erupted, surging toward his opponent.

But in a flash, the warrior vanished.

"Fast—!"

Before Ren could react, a crushing force struck his ribs. He gasped as he was sent tumbling across the dirt.

He barely rolled to his feet in time.

The warrior's speed was overwhelming. Ren could tell—this opponent wasn't just a random fighter. He was trained, experienced.

"I can't just throw fire at him. He's too fast."

Ren exhaled, steadying his breathing. He needed a different approach.

He let his Arcane Qi flow—not forcing it, but guiding it.

The Soulfire flickered, shifting. It wrapped around his arms, his legs. The energy sank into his muscles, strengthening them.

The masked warrior charged again, moving like a blur.

This time—Ren saw it.

His body felt lighter, faster. He dodged at the last second, the warrior's strike grazing past him.

This… this is like Martial Qi Enhancement. But with fire?

Ren smirked. He could work with this.

He countered with a spinning kick, and as his foot connected—Soulfire erupted on impact.

BOOM!

The masked warrior was sent skidding backward.

Master Takeda's voice rang out. "Interesting. You're using Soulfire to reinforce your strikes."

Ren clenched his fists, feeling the flames wrap around him. This wasn't just magic. It was a fusion of Arcane and Martial Qi.

But the fight wasn't over.

The warrior recovered quickly, and this time, he charged with Qi-enhanced speed.

Ren inhaled sharply. If I don't end this fast, I'll lose.

He raised his hands, concentrating his flames. But instead of throwing them—he compressed them.

The blue fire flickered, shrinking, focusing—

And then—

FWOOOSH!

A concentrated lance of Soulfire shot forward.

The warrior barely dodged, rolling to the side, but his sleeve caught fire.

Ren seized the moment. He dashed forward, Soulfire-enhanced speed carrying him faster than before.

The warrior moved to strike—

But Ren was already inside his guard.

With a flick of his hand, he ignited a small flame near the warrior's mask, blinding him for an instant.

And in that split second—Ren struck.

THUD!

His palm connected with the warrior's chest, Soulfire surging into the impact.

The warrior staggered back—then fell to one knee.

Silence.

Then—

Master Takeda clapped. "Victory."

Ren exhaled, letting the flames fade. His body felt drained, but excitement burned in his chest.

He had won.

---

The Truth of Soulfire

Haruto approached him, his gaze serious. "You did well. But now, you must understand something."

Ren frowned. "What?"

Haruto knelt beside him. "Soulfire is rare because it is dangerous. It does not just burn—it consumes. The stronger your emotions, the more powerful it becomes. But if you lose control…"

Ren's breath caught. "What happens?"

Master Takeda's expression darkened. "Then the fire will no longer burn your enemies. It will burn you."

Ren swallowed hard. He had felt it—the hunger within the flames.

Was he wielding them?

Or were they waiting to consume him?

Haruto placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must master Soulfire before it masters you."

Ren looked down at his hands. The faint embers of blue still flickered there.

This power… it was both a weapon and a curse.

And if he wasn't careful—

It would destroy him.