6. Flaming First Love

* * *

The red-haired girl burning like fire had made a vow upon entering the academy.

She would never lose to Choi Si-woo, chosen by the Constellation as a Divine Sword wielder, or Yoo Eun-ha, sister of the current Divine Sword wielder Yoo Jin-seok.

Her reason was simple.

Kim Jae-su. The famous S-Class Spear Hunter of Korea. The man who took her in after monsters killed her parents near a Gate.

The benefactor who raised her as the successor of the Flame Spear.

He had one obsession.

Defeating Yoo Jin-seok, who surpassed him to become a hero despite starting later, simply for wielding the Divine Sword. But the gap was absolute – he could never win.

So the girl swore.

She would defeat Choi Si-woo, called the Second Divine Sword, and Yoo Eun-ha, the promising sister.

And ultimately, she would defeat the original Divine Sword wielder Yoo Jin-seok.

Yet on the very first day’s ability test, she lost to both.

1. Yoo Eun-ha – 9999

2. Reina – 1459

3. Choi Si-woo – 1124

4. Park Ji-soo – 1114

5. Han Su-ji – 1057

Seeing the results, she couldn’t believe it.

Impossible. How could anyone score 9999?

Eun-ha must have cheated using her brother’s influence. Otherwise, how could she, disciple of “Flame Kim Jae-su,” rank fifth?

Worse, she even lost to Si-woo.

This was humiliation.

The time for revenge came.

The next day’s combat training.

Those without abilities practiced separately. Only ability users sparred to measure strength.

Si-woo advanced like a true Divine Sword wielder. Eun-ha provoked her opponent and won without using abilities.

Eun-ha was all bluff.

Revising her assessment, she faced Si-woo.

“Choi Si-woo! I’ve wanted this!”

“Haha. Did I offend you?”

That pretty boy, thinking himself so righteous and great.

He drew the Divine Sword.

She raised her Flame Spear, inherited from Master Kim Jae-su.

“Don’t flaunt that Divine Sword! I’ll crush you and Eun-ha!”

She would win. Absolutely.

“Damn. You alone is one thing, but Eun-ha too? Cowardly!”

Si-woo must have fallen for that fraud Eun-ha.

Love makes hunters weak.

She’d never lose to such people.

“Hmph! You’re just obstacles! After you, that white-haired girl’s next!”

“Don’t call my friend ‘white-haired’!”

“Bring it on.”

The battle was fierce.

Were this not practice, she’d stake her life.

CLANG! BANG! SHING!

But something was wrong.

Han Su-ji was considered superior to Kim Jae-su.

Yet Si-woo pushed her back. Chosen by the Constellation alone, with no proper teacher, he was winning.

“Tch!”

She resisted to the end, but it was hopeless.

No matter how spear met sword, she was losing.

They say spears beat swords of equal skill. Yet she was losing.

She had to admit defeat.

Her Flame Spear fell.

Si-woo smiled victoriously, sword at her throat.

As she prepared to surrender, he sheathed his sword first.

“I yield.”

“What?”

Unbelievable. Pity?

“Defeating you isn’t just my right-it’s Eun-ha’s too. Ladies first.”

Not pity-he wanted Eun-ha to fight her.

Humiliating.

Fine. She gripped her spear again.

With the instructor’s permission, she faced Eun-ha.

“Lost to him, but not to you!”

She would win this time. That cheating girl couldn’t beat her.

But Eun-ha just stared blankly.

As if she was beneath notice.

After a long look, Eun-ha gazed skyward.

“The sky’s so clear.”

“Huh?”

“Can’t let a rabid bitch like you ruin such a nice day.”

Was this about her? That fraud.

“Big talk! Think you won’t feel my spear?”

Eun-ha rolled her eyes downward to look at her.

“A mad dog needs discipline.”

Ignoring her completely, Eun-ha drew a knife from her coat.

“One knife against me? Arrogant!”

“Will you darken my sky? Or brighten it?”

What nonsense was this?

The instructor’s bat struck the ground.

“Begin!”

SCREECH!

She would win. Engulfing her spear in flames, she charged.

Eun-ha didn’t move. Victory seemed certain-

THUD!

Pain exploded in her abdomen.

Eun-ha’s fist had struck.

“Guh?!”

“Right now, I’m grateful to be Eun-ha.”

THUD!

“Better a girl hitting a girl-“

THUD!

Too fast. No chance to resist. Faster even than “Flash” Yoo Jin-seok.

“-than a guy doing it, right?”

“Eek!”

“Too slow.”

Dodging her final strike effortlessly, Eun-ha whispered:

[Now’s my chance.]

Before she could counter, Eun-ha kneed her stomach and bent her over for a spanking.

“W-Wait! I surren-“

SMACK!

Eun-ha’s hand burned. She couldn’t even protest properly.

Why this humiliation?

“Didn’t your mother tell you not to bully friends?”

“Ah! You’re not my mom!”

“Talking back? Take this!”

SMACK! SMACK!

“Are you sorry?”

“S-sorry! I’ll stop! Waaah! Stop!”

SMACK! SMACK!

“Consider this tough love!”

“Hic!”

Countless spanks later, something strange happened.

The pain… started feeling different.

“Hng… Hng… Hng…”

Moans escaped unbidden.

She tried to stop, but couldn’t. Why was she making these sounds?

Dazed, she apologized through tears and fled.

Later, she apologized to Si-woo.

Now that she thought about it, he was handsome and mannered. A different Divine Sword wielder than Jin-seok-maybe she could like him.

But when she apologized:

“Apologize to Eun-ha too.”

“Okay.”

She couldn’t bring herself to.

Noticing how Si-woo overly protected Eun-ha, she went to meet her late.

She’d regret not just apologizing and leaving.

MWAH!

Eun-ha was a lesbian.

Seeing her smoking so boldly, Su-ji thought her unfit for Si-woo and meant to teach her a lesson. The apology was separate.

But Eun-ha wasn’t interested in Si-woo.

She liked women-and Su-ji was now her prey.

The sudden adult kiss overwhelmed her. Eun-ha, clearly experienced, naturally groped her breasts and skirt.

Han Su-ji. In the original work, one of Si-woo’s heroines. Her first kiss tasted of cigarettes.

And thus, she awakened to the world of yuri.