episode_0025

Daejeon was quickly prepared. The professor approached directly to hear the situation and was preparing for facility operation.

Perhaps because my status is a special admission, I thought I should pay attention to this Daejeon.

Even the students who were wielding their swords were quietly gathering. It’s definitely worth watching.

Daejeon uses one Daejeon field set up in the training hall.

While checking the state of the sword strapped to his waist, Hong Yeon-hwa quietly approached.

“Ha Yul, are you really okay?”

[Yes, I’m okay.]

“If you accepted it reluctantly, just tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

Then, she said if he’s really okay, she can handle it herself.

Worries were dripping from her eyes. Looking anxiously at this side, then glaring fearfully at the male student on the opposite side of the Daejeon field, then looking back at this side with concern…

…One thing is certain, asking Hong Yeon-hwa for ‘help’ seems like it will lead to something bad.

Perhaps due to being preoccupied, Hong Yeon-hwa seemed unaware that the friend she was just talking to was looking at her with a hostile expression.

“If you think about your situation right now, doing Daejeon is crazy. There’s no need to accept it.”

[It’s okay. I think I need it too.]

She nodded to reassure him.

Don’t worry, it’s not just made-up words.

I really felt that this kind of Daejeon was necessary.

Training received from Professor Atra.

It’s not like something is clearly divided into stages, it just continues as Daejeon from start to finish, so I don’t really know my level.

There has definitely been growth. I can guarantee that. If the me from the first day of running fought with me now, I could knock out the former with one blow.

But what about the other students? I don’t know. Movement is read through spatial perception. I can predict the next move to some extent.

Compared to my movements, I can see that I’ve grown quite a bit.

But if you ask if that means I can win in a fight… I don’t know.

There are few absolutes in fighting. Professor Atra always emphasized that.

The struggles of the weak can sometimes inflict fatal wounds on the strong, meaning to never let your guard down in any situation.

The movements of the students are discernible. Those expected to be in the advanced class seem burdensome, but they still look decent. Below that, it’s quite readable.

But they haven’t fought yet. The outcome is unknown. So, there’s a need to try once.

I tried before and after the Tower of Growth, but it’s not bad even now.

“From now on, we will proceed with a friendly match. Each student, take your position!”

The professor who finished preparing shouted.

Leaving behind the red lotus flower, which looked like a child placed in front of something, I stepped up to the training ground.

The training ground was huge. It was several times larger than the UFC arena I saw on YouTube. It’s natural since it’s not a civilian standard but a superhuman standard.

A male student came up on the opposite side. He held a sword in one hand, stuck in its sheath.

The strange thing is that he looks extremely tense despite having applied for the match. Moreover, he’s sweating. If he’s going to be like that, why did he apply for it? I wonder.

Continuously glancing in one direction, I wondered what it was and checked over there, only to find the formidable red lotus looking at the male student.

Ah, I understand.

The professor, who confirmed that the male student and I had come up, manipulated a holographic keyboard near the training ground.

– Woong!

The magic embedded in the floor of the training ground wriggled and formed a certain shape, shooting up from the periphery.

In an instant, the soaring magic formed a rectangle and enveloped the training ground. Judging from shallow knowledge, it seemed to be a spell of protection.

“The rules follow the friendly match! Strong body and strong spirit are allowed, and it is announced that the match may be stopped at the discretion of the supervising professor.”

I pulled the handle, and with the sound of admiration that it felt cool no matter how many times I heard it, the sword was drawn.

It’s a blunt training sword provided, with a blunt tip and blade.

The tense-looking male student also adjusted his posture.

“Majoring in combat, Aidan Reynolds. Nice to meet you.”

‘…Uh.’

Was he introducing himself? After injecting tension into my body, I pursed my lips.

After a moment of silence, he switched the sword from both hands to one hand and tapped his smartwatch.

[Special admission, Lee Ha-yul. Nice to meet you.]

Because it’s a special admission, there’s no major or grade class. Thanks to that, my self-introduction feels shorter compared to others.

The opponent saw me projecting a hologram… Aiden shuddered. He quickly suppressed his emotions and adjusted his posture.

Even I, as a novice, could see that his posture was balanced enough for me to notice.

I firmly gripped the handle of the sword as well.

All eyes are on me. Occasionally, murmurs can be heard, but overall, everyone is silent and focused on this side.

It’s similar to the self-introduction.

The surroundings are filled with silence, and everyone is looking in this direction. It was a tense moment because everyone was showing interest in this direction.

I was nervous during the self-introduction. My fingertips were trembling, and I made foolish mistakes like speaking nonsense.

“……”

I calm my consciousness. I let all eyes flow over me. I balance my breathing. I naturally grip the handle.

Nervousness. It’s a useless emotion in combat. I learned that from Professor Artra. It’s still the same now. Put aside the useless things and focus on the opponent in front of you.

“Well then, both sides ready!”

*Exhales deeply…*

Manipulating spatial perception while exhaling deeply, I narrow the excessively widened range compared to the training ground and focus on the opponent.

I let go of unnecessary information. I intensify the collection of necessary information.

“Begin!”

As soon as the professor’s words ended, I struck the ground. My body moved forward at a different speed than before. I thrust the sword towards Aiden in front of me.

– Clang!

The sword bounced upward. Aiden’s eyes widened as if surprised by the greater recoil than expected.

Aiden quickly recovered his emotions and his sword came at me unexpectedly. I countered by bringing down my raised sword.

– Clang! Clang! Clang…!

The blades brushed and clashed, scattering sparks. The intensity increased.

I parried and dodged the flying swords. I took advantage of the opportunity to thrust my sword.

The duel is established. At least it won’t end in just one round.

I assessed the situation.

‘My side is slow.’

Gradually, I was being pushed back. It was the simple specs and skills. Gradually, I was being pushed back step by step.

Then, as if not going to miss it, Aiden’s sword stuck to me. The more I swung and blocked the sword, the more burdened my body became.

But.

“It’s worth it.”

More than I thought.

Si Yoram 1st grade. A freshman in the second week who has not even entered the Tower of Growth.

The current Si Yoram 121st generation is rumored to be a golden generation. Right now, Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ah-rin, as well as the overall average, were higher than other generations.

According to the original content, at least it would be a lower-level hero.

Will Aiden in front of me be like that too? Probably, he has his own abilities. Before entering Si Yoram, he must have worked hard at an academy with a fierce education level.

– Jjajak! Chaeng!

Even though their specs are higher, the fight is valid.

Of course, there may be parts where they are lenient. Even now, when they are lenient, their specs are much higher, and they have plenty of energy left.

Although it looks oddly displeased, and seems hesitant, there didn’t seem to be any malice.

In fact, even during the ongoing duel, it seemed like they were reasonably cautious.

But that’s their situation. Just because the opponent is lenient doesn’t mean I need to be cautious. From the start, it’s disadvantageous for me. I just need to focus on winning.

“Then.”

I turned my head in response to Aiden’s continuous attacking and stabbing.

Professor Atla always said. Fighting is a game of patience. It’s advantageous when the opponent doesn’t know my patience, and at an unexpected moment, at a critical moment, I should use that patience.

I asked myself. What am I doing from an outsider’s perspective?

An unprecedented special admission student.

But blind and deaf. A frail body. In other words, a disabled person below average.

The reactions around me are evidence of this. Even the current Sandaejoong is like that. Clearly, strength and energy have been allowed, but Aiden is not using them.

Because I don’t use it. Because I don’t think he will use it.

For me, this is an opportunity. Although I can only use it now, it is clearly a critical opportunity that Professor Atla always emphasizes.

– Chaeng! Chaejaejaeng!

Gradually pushed back. Pushed back a few steps from the protective barrier. Made it look difficult to block the sword.

– Clang! Clack!

Finally, a tough sensation was transmitted through the heel. At that moment, Aidan tightly gripped the handle.

“I’m caught.”

He took the bait. Aidan’s attack, which confirmed victory, became stronger. That was what he wanted.

Gradually, the defense wavered. That’s how he wanted it to appear.

– Clang!

At once, the sword twisted. Unable to withstand the shock, one hand let go of the sword. The other hand bounced off while holding the sword.

The defense was opened.

Confident of victory, Aidan raised the sword. From top to bottom, a powerful downward strike.

Perhaps the system of the training ground thought it would intervene just before the shock.

– Hoooooo…

The sword falls. The sound of the blade cutting through the wind is heard very clearly.

I can’t respond as I am now. My arm shook, and I was too slow to dodge.

I have to time it well. Focus all my nerves, and it felt like the world slowed down.

– Hoooooo…

As the sword gradually descended, leaving about a foot, I struck the core. A fiercely released magic spread throughout my body.

– Boom!

Vitality surged from the core. While the world slowed down, my body accelerated in the opposite direction and twisted.

“What—”

Hardening Technique. Basic reinforcement of the body through magic.

The descending sword barely grazed my cheek. It was a close call. Aidan’s face was filled with astonishment.

A gap after the attack. In other words, an opportunity for counterattack.

He didn’t use the Hardening Technique. I did. For the first time since the training, my specs matched Aidan’s.

I pulled the sword that had bounced off to one side. The body activated by hardening showed a different performance than before. The sword approached at a speed several times faster.

Aidan panicked and pulled the sword.

– Clang!

“Kkuk…!”

Due to the sudden blow and the urgent defense, his inadequate defense against my power caused Aidan to be pushed back, dragging his feet along the ground.

His eyes widened in disbelief. It was a very bewildering reaction.

I didn’t wait for him to recover. I immediately slammed the ground.

Failure, a different sound erupted from before. I put the force of the ground into the tip of my sword and thrust it in. The sword, filled with magic, cut through the air.

The momentum of magic rose over Aiden’s body. He was rigid. The belatedly exerted magic activated his body.

With this, the balance of power shifted again. If this blow is blocked, things will return to their previous state.

Aiden made a few misconceptions.

First, he misjudged my skill.

He didn’t know about the training he received from Professor Atra. Without information about me, he misjudged. He mistakenly thought I wouldn’t be able to predict his movements.

Second, he expected me not to use rigidity.

It was a normal judgment, but he didn’t consider the possibility. That’s why he exposed this vulnerability.

If it had only been up to here, there wouldn’t have been a big problem. The advantage of power shifted back to the other side. Their skill was superior. Perhaps they would have repelled this attack and turned the tide again.

If it had only been up to here.

– Oooong!

Magic pulsed again. The sword, imbued with magic, trembled together. The magic contained in the sword changed.

Rough but with a certain form. It wasn’t properly imbued with nature, but it had a foundation.

– Kkagagagak…!

The tip of the sword trembled. The recoil felt in the arm was severe. Still, a faint smile appeared.

“……”

Aiden’s expression continued to change.

When he requested a duel, he looked puzzled, as if wondering if this was right. When the duel began, he looked amazed. When he used rigidity, he looked astonished.

Now, an endlessly blank expression. It was an expression of doubt about whether what he had witnessed was true.

– Jjeanggeurang

The sword, spinning in the air, fell to the ground. There was no handle. The part called the crossguard was the same.

What hit the ground was just the blade without a handle. The handle was gripped in Aiden’s hand.

My sword was stopped in front of Aiden’s neck. It wasn’t stopped voluntarily. The shield at the tip of the sword was blocking it.

The end of my sword was shimmering with a blue aura. It was a color and shape distinct from the blue shield.

The technique that a hero in the front position must master.

It was the manifestation of strong energy.

Aiden’s third misconception.

I mistakenly thought I wouldn’t be able to use the strong energy technique.

In other words, hooray for magical affinity.