Ch.224Chapter 9. S-Class Reader (9)

When Taejo unleashed his ultimate skill “Iron Blood King,” my heart sank.

‘He didn’t have that technique before, did he?’

Armored Taejo’s concept is that of a steel man.

This massive mecha-like, armored sovereign form is something I’ve never seen before.

Neither as a reader of the original novel, nor as a villain who has lived in this world for half a year.

“Yoon Yi-seon, you seem a bit flustered?”

Both Qiongqi and Taowu watched the TV with tense expressions.

“It would be troublesome if our new employee loses there.”

“Setting aside Do Manager’s 1 billion won, if she loses there, doesn’t that mean she won’t make S-rank?”

It’s unavoidable that they’re anxious, considering they’re not the ones fighting, they haven’t provided magical support to Yoon Yi-seon, and they’re watching her fight purely with her own combat power.

“Even if she awakened, if she ends up below Taejo’s level…”

“It means Yoon Yi-seon becomes an S-rank detector of sorts.”

“Hmm. How far is it from here to Jamsil Baseball Stadium?”

I immediately checked the straight-line distance on my app.

10km.

Not too far.

Close enough to cause a disruption if I were to intervene.

“If Yoon Yi-seon loses… does my 1 billion won simply disappear?”

But.

“That won’t happen.”

I’m certain.

“Yoon Yi-seon has been preparing for today with everything she has for the past week. Ymir and I have been by her side helping her every day. Even if Armored Taejo brought out a new skill like that, she can definitely overcome it.”

“Even with that look on her face?”

In the TV screen Taowu pointed at, Yoon Yi-seon’s face clearly showed genuine confusion.

“That’s not acting, it’s real.”

“…I didn’t train her to be so weak that she’d cower at the sight of a mecha king.”

“Then why is she flustered?”

“Hmph. I think I know why.”

Qiongqi lifted his hanbok slightly and smirked.

“Their concepts overlap.”

“What?”

“Concepts?”

“Yes. The concept Yoon Yi-seon was going to transform into—the ceremonial robe, wedding dress—basically a royal princess or queen’s wedding attire, right?”

“…No way.”

My mouth felt completely dry.

“She’s flustered because her concept overlaps with Armored Taejo’s concept…?”

“I think so. Otherwise, what do you think would make Yoon Yi-seon flustered, Do Manager?”

“…Nothing.”

I had prepared Yoon Yi-seon for every possible scenario.

Among those scenarios was even ‘Taejo becoming a demon and going berserk because he’s about to lose to Yoon Yi-seon,’ and naturally, Yoon Yi-seon was mentally prepared for that.

But this was unexpected.

“…So you’re saying Yoon Yi-seon is hesitating because her concept overlaps with Taejo’s and she’s worried they might be shipped as a couple?”

“That’s probably it. There are ability users like that, you know. People who can’t stand having overlapping concepts.”

“What a character. Hmph.”

To think Yoon Yi-seon would be thrown off by the overlap with her chosen S-rank concept and battle style of “traditional wedding bride” attire.

“Wow, he’s firing a mapo. When he shoots that golden light from his dragon robe, it looks just like a gold dragon breathing fire, doesn’t it?”

“…Compared to a real breath attack, it’s like heaven and earth. But I’ll admit it’s an S-rank technique in its own right.”

She’s wavering in the face of Armored Taejo’s incredible mana-concentrated bombardment?

“……”

“Feeling anxious?”

“Honestly, I am a bit worried.”

I never thought I’d be this tense watching an ability user I trained fight instead of fighting myself.

“I wish I could send her a telepathic message. Tell her I’ll let her ride my bike if she wins—”

Whoosh!

Nine fox tails ignited around Yoon Yi-seon.

“Oh. Looks like she’s regained her composure.”

“Is she going to use it despite the overlapping concept? Is that it?”

“No. That’s…”

From within the nine tails of the gumiho, which looked like lotus flowers, Yoon Yi-seon reappeared in her mature form, just like her previous transformation.

Her clothing, however, was quite different from what she had prepared.

“…Not a bride concept, but a celestial maiden concept.”

“Since she’s still maintaining the gumiho, maybe it’s a gumiho who became an immortal…?”

The ceremonial robe that had turned completely pink looked somewhat plain, but the celestial veil wrapped around her arms and the nine flaming tails fluttering behind her back were so impressive that it didn’t look strange at all.

“Hmph, I feel like I’d get along well with her, which is why I’m saying this.”

“You’re a bird.”

“I mean personality-wise, personality.”

Qiongqi giggled and pointed at Yoon Yi-seon.

“I bet her brain froze for a moment because she was changing her outfit concept on the spot.”

“…No way.”

In my mind, someone was saying:

-Creating the illusion of crisis…

The crisis was about deciding on a skin?

“…I admit it.”

Rather than using the prepared ceremonial robe skin and risking being shipped with Armored Taejo, this was better.

“She’s good at improvising.”

“Are you going to compliment her like that later?”

“No.”

After she wins, I’ll definitely tell her.

“I’ll tell her she looks pretty.”

Just as I feel.

* * *

Whoosh.

Yoon Yi-seon put her hands together.

She tucked both hands into her sleeves, placed them on her abdomen, and lightly jumped off the ground.

Whoosh.

The flaming tails continued to flicker, and the translucent veil fluttering behind her arms billowed.

[Impressive. To think you would awaken.]

Taejo began to clap as Yoon Yi-seon rose to the exact same height where Taejo had been flying earlier.

[There have been S-ranks who overwhelmed me, but you’re the first to awaken during a battle with me.]

“…Hey.”

Yoon Yi-seon stretched her hand upward with an expressionless face.

“I’m 3 years older than you, you know?”

[……]

“And I don’t plan to drag this out.”

Yoon Yi-seon stretched both arms to the sides.

“Bloom.”

Soon, the nine tails spread like a fan, each creating a fox fire at its tip.

“Scatter shot.”

Whoosh!

Countless sparks burst from the tips of the nine tails, racing through the air like small foxes.

They numbered in the dozens, and their speed was like light.

Boom!!

The foxes carrying flames quickly reached Armored Taejo’s body and exploded.

Just like before, they created pink explosions, but the color was deeper and the explosions more intense than before.

[…Urgh.]

Soot appeared on Armored Taejo’s outer armor as he emerged from the explosive smoke.

Even more, the shoulder area that received concentrated attacks had holes punched through it.

[That’s hot.]

“That’s an understatement, isn’t it?”

The steel atoms recombined through mana at the hole crumbled to dust from the fox fire explosion.

He had inflicted clear damage on Taejo, who had created the massive armor.

[I-I can’t believe it—! Awakened Yoon Yi-seon! She successfully attacked Taejo!!]

Waaaaaah!!

Cheers erupted.

Especially the men’s cheers were louder.

“Damn, I believed in you!!”

“That’s our Yoon Yi-seon! Yes! How dare Ray Huang compare himself to Korea’s pride!”

“Owuaaaah!!”

The reason for those cheers was probably because Yoon Yi-seon, who had been one-sidedly pushed back, had awakened and successfully counterattacked.

It definitely wasn’t because what was previously met with “ahem” could now be openly drooled over.

Probably.

“Heh, hehe. Yes, this is what makes a battle worth fighting!”

The Iron Blood King’s body turned to dust again.

Armored Taejo emerged from the rising metal dust, removing even the steel suit attached to his body, and took a stance while his white formal suit fluttered.

“Full power deployment!”

“Likewise.”

At the same height.

“Come, steel dragon! Dwell in my legs, be with me!”

“Ignite.”

The two ability users are gathering power to unleash their full strength against each other.

Everyone holds their breath.

The audience, the commentary booth, everyone watching through TV monitors—all watching the two people’s “preparation.”

Reality is not a fighting game.

Reality is not a manga.

To win a battle against an opponent, it’s important to win by any means necessary.

But.

The era of special abilities has arrived.

Reality has become romantic.

Kyaoooo!!

The metal dust gathered again and transformed into a silver dragon.

With gleaming sharp eyes, it circled around Taejo, coiled itself, and then soared into the sky with him.

Higher than Yoon Yi-seon.

As if to show he was still above her, Taejo soared high with the steel dragon.

“Even if you’re S-rank!! I’ll prove that I’m stronger than you!!”

Taejo jumped off the dragon’s head.

At the same time, the reddish-gold mana gathered in his right leg began to glow red.

“Uoooooh!”

With a battle cry, Taejo fell toward Yoon Yi-seon.

With his mana-infused leg extended, he rushed toward Yoon Yi-seon like a falling comet.

The steel dragon followed behind Taejo, opening its huge mouth wide to devour Yoon Yi-seon.

“Ignite.”

Yoon Yi-seon spoke in a calm voice, then brought her hands together in front of her chest.

Whoosh.

A small fox fire burst forth.

This fox fire was smaller than any previous fox fire, but a crown-like shimmer began to sparkle on its surface.

It was like the sun.

“This is the end.”

The nine tails behind her stretched forward to form a circle, and Yoon Yi-seon flicked the sun-like fox fire into the circle made by the nine tails.

“Corona Blaster.”

Kwaaaaaaaa!!

An explosion of firepower erupted, similar to the lightning bolt Armored Taejo had fired in his Iron Blood King form, but even more overwhelming.

The beam bombardment of deep pink flames instantly flew toward Taejo.

Kiaaaak!!

The steel dragon instantly melted.

As if melting in the intense heat, not even leaving dust behind but turning into gas, the steel dragon was instantly incinerated.

Kigigik!

But from inside, from inside the bombardment, a sound was heard.

The sound of mana clashing with mana.

Just as Yoon Yi-seon had done before, Taejo broke through Yoon Yi-seon’s bombardment.

Whoosh.

When the bombardment stopped, Yoon Yi-seon’s tails faded like mist.

The clothes that had transformed into those of a celestial maiden returned to normal, and Yoon Yi-seon gradually fell downward.

At the same time, Taejo burst out from the dissipating smoke of the bombardment.

With fox fire covering his body, he flew toward—

“Huh.”

Not toward the now-smaller falling Yoon Yi-seon, but toward the empty space where Yoon Yi-seon had been before she fell.

“Oh no…!”

In front of him.

“Ha, shit.”

The remnants of fox fire were fluttering like embers.

Kwaaaaaaang!!

In the sky, a massive explosion occurred.

Thud.

Someone fell spread-eagle onto the burning mound.

The remaining fox fire burning below cushioned someone’s fall.

And the one who gently landed in the middle of the stadium.

“……”

Was a small girl brilliantly shining with a soft pink light.

On this day.

Korea welcomed its 8th active S-rank.