episode_0056

056.

“……”

“……”

The two of us fell into a momentary silence.

A tense atmosphere lingered between us.

The wind tousled our hair.

Through the disheveled strands of hair, Isiwoon’s gaze was sharp and clear.

His serious and intense eyes didn’t allow for a blink.

In the brief moment of silence, Isiwoon and I locked eyes.

Our gazes intertwined.

Isiwoon’s frozen face was elegant.

Though his expression was cold, a hint of emotion was visible.

A mix of various emotions.

“Talking now won’t do any good, right?”

“Yeah. Lee Jinhyuk, I want to see what you’re capable of.”

I wanted to resolve this through conversation.

But in this situation, persuasion seemed impossible.

What Isiwoon wanted was not light-hearted banter, but a test of each other’s skills.

“To be honest, fighting you makes me a bit nervous.”

Should I run?

Should I escape now?

I briefly considered it, but it seemed like a foolish idea.

Isiwoon wouldn’t let me off easily.

I hate to admit it, but Isiwoon is a completely different opponent from Kim Yuseong and Cha Won.

If I act as I did with Kim Yuseong, I’ll end up with a blade at my back.

Kim Yuseong, who was at best in the upper-middle ranks, is incomparable to Isiwoon.

Isiwoon is the cream of the crop at the Union Academy, known as the cradle of geniuses. The best of the best.

“Of course, in terms of pure swordsmanship, Baek Yurin might be better, but let’s set that aside for now.”

I let out a deep sigh in my mind.

I had anticipated facing Isiwoon, but I never thought we’d fight so soon.

If we did fight, I expected it to be in a place filled with traps.

“Well, there’s no way I can win if I fight now.”

I admitted it.

The difference between Isiwoon and me was too great from the start.

But that’s okay.

Because, you see, I don’t necessarily have to win by fighting.

“Alright, Isiwoon.”

I tightly gripped my bow and took slow steps, subtly guiding Isiwoon towards the direction where I had set up mines.

As he approached, he could step on a mine.

Considering Isiwoon’s personality, he would probably approach head-on. In that case, boom!

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Sure.”

I quickly drew my bow.

Several arrows were nocked.

But as I aimed, Isiwoon vanished in a flash.

The arrows flew towards where Isiwoon had been, piercing through the wind with precision.

But…

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Isiwoon’s figure disappeared.

The arrows landed on the tree behind Isiwoon with a thud.

Cloud Step.

It was one of the movement skills used in the game, allowing for instant movement to approach the opponent.

“What? Already?”

Why was he so fast?

I didn’t even have time to reload my arrows.

As I blinked rapidly, Isiwoon was almost within arm’s reach.

It was truly dazzling.

It was incredibly difficult to keep up with him with my eyes.

He seemed much faster than during the assessment.

Has he grown this much in just a few months?

“Jumping straight at me again. Are you planning to think before shooting arrows again?”

But Isiwoon.

If you charge straight ahead, you’ll eventually step on something.

The explosive mines laid out in front of me.

“Alright, that direction… Gotcha!”

Isiwoon, who was charging like a flash of light, suddenly stepped on one of the hidden mines.

With a clattering sound, a loud explosion rang out, shaking the eardrums.

Rocks and branches flew in all directions, and clouds of dust billowed up.

I couldn’t figure out how I had fought against Kim Yuseong and his group, so I didn’t think there would be mines planted, as if they were caught off guard.

But Lee Siwoon…

“…It was a mine. I did hear an explosion-like sound earlier.”

He seemed nonchalant, as if it was no big deal.

Despite stepping on a mine, he looked completely unscathed.

I glanced at Lee Siwoon’s condition.

He was protected by a bluish barrier.

Protective Qi.

The moment he stepped on the mine, he formed a barrier of magic to absorb the impact.

‘He activated the Protective Qi in that short moment?’

The other kids were helpless, but Lee Siwoon, one of the top geniuses in the game, knew how to react in that brief moment.

Well, I expected this much.

Of course, he would block it.

What’s important now is that Lee Siwoon’s foot stopped due to the mine and the slight damage it caused to his ankle despite being protected by the Protective Qi.

That means…

It’s time for the next move.

“Lee Siwoon!”

I deliberately shouted his name to draw his attention to me.

I quickly drew my training sword.

I raised the bluish sword energy.

I rushed towards Lee Siwoon with determination.

I had no intention of using the bow anymore.

After all, arrows couldn’t penetrate that Protective Qi.

But a sword could. Or more precisely, it could pierce through upon direct contact.

“…”

Lee Siwoon looked at me with a calm gaze.

He raised the sword at an angle, focusing a considerable amount of magic.

A deep blue light flickered like a flame on his forehead.

Lee Siwoon, in a stance to slash horizontally, was about to swing the sword towards me. It seemed like he was about to use the Sword Qi.

‘Alright, now!’

I immediately used the Spatial Ring.

Oh, why suddenly the Spatial Ring?

I mentioned it before, right?

Unlike in the game, in reality, you can use this ring in various ways.

Just like this.

“…?”

In an instant, one of Lee Siwoon’s feet sank deep into the ground.

As if someone had stepped into a sticky swamp.

Under Lee Siwoon, there was a crack in the ground as if there was gold in it, and his foot had sunk into it.

Because his foot suddenly sank into the ground, even if it was Lee Siwoon, he couldn’t balance properly.

“What’s this?”

‘A gap!’

The reason Lee Siwoon’s foot sank into the ground was because I used the Spatial Ring.

When you use this ring, you can open and close a spatial entrance within a radius of 6 meters.

In simpler terms, I created a trap by forming an entrance to the Spatial Realm under Lee Siwoon’s foot, causing him to sink and lose balance.

Of course, the spatial entrance opened quite slowly, so I needed to stop Lee Siwoon’s movement and draw his attention.

That’s why I provoked him like this.

‘Take this!’

I had already reached right in front of him and swung the sword.

With one foot sunk into the ground and his balance disrupted, could Lee Siwoon really block my attack?

“…This trick won’t work on me, Lee Jinhyuk.”

Clang!

The sound of swords clashing echoed.

Sparks flew in all directions due to the clash of our sword energies.

Despite losing his balance, Lee Siwoon effortlessly blocked my strike with his sword.

Indeed, this kind of trick wouldn’t be effective in landing a hit.

If it were me, I would have been helpless.

“You just lost your footing. Is that your special ability?”

“Well, maybe!”

But you see, Lee Siwoon…

I had already achieved my goal.

What I wanted was to face you with swords like this!

“Do you not have any special abilities…?”

Ishiwoon momentarily stopped speaking.

His dry expression slightly faltered.

A perplexing emotion flickered in his eyes.

Because he activated the relic stored in his body.

Tears of the moon.

A relic that absorbs and releases magic.

Right now, Ishiwoon and I are facing each other with swords.

What will happen if the relic is used in this state?

The answer is that it will absorb all of Ishiwoon’s energy.

“You? How? My energy?”

As Ishiwoon’s energy disappeared in an instant, he hesitated and quickly took a step back.

Perhaps due to stepping on a mine, he had a slight ankle injury and couldn’t use magic.

Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I took a deep breath and summoned my magic.

With all my might, I swung my sword, using the energy absorption technique.

My magic + Ishiwoon’s magic + the effect of increasing power by 1.5 times when all magic is released, this was the energy absorption technique.

No matter how skilled Ishiwoon was, it would be difficult to block it.

Furthermore, Ishiwoon had temporarily lost some of his magic due to the sudden energy drain.

In such a situation, it was almost impossible to completely block this level of energy absorption technique.

“Ugh!”

Startled by the sudden energy absorption technique, Ishiwoon quickly raised his sword to block it. He staggered back, unable to withstand the force of the energy absorption technique.

The momentum of the energy absorption technique was so strong that Ishiwoon was pushed back several meters.

But that wasn’t all.

Because Ishiwoon used the principle of four ounces moving a thousand catties to divert the energy absorption technique diagonally.

Several trees fell as a result of the diverted energy absorption technique, but Ishiwoon himself was unharmed.

It was a blow that used all my strength.

I couldn’t even land a proper effective hit.

He’s not just any male protagonist, Ishiwoon.

However.

“….Ah.”

Crack, snap!

Ishiwoon’s training sword broke.

With a loud sound, it split in half.

A training sword like that couldn’t withstand the energy absorption technique of my magic + Ishiwoon’s magic + the effect of increasing power by 1.5 times when all magic is released.

If it had been a sword suitable for Ishiwoon’s level, it wouldn’t have broken.

But the sword Ishiwoon was holding was just a mass-produced item for academy students.

“Phew. Thank goodness, the sword broke.”

Yes.

My ultimate goal is not to defeat Ishiwoon.

How could I defeat a talented male protagonist like Ishiwoon?

I just wanted to break the sword and subtly show that I was hiding my strength, making it burdensome to continue fighting without a sword.

“….”

Ishiwoon quietly looked at the broken sword.

It would be disadvantageous to continue fighting.

Of course, you would win 100% if we fought.

But you don’t know that fact. Do you?

“How about it, Ishiwoon.”

I raised my voice as if it was time.

I had used all my strength, so I felt like I would collapse at any moment, but I somehow managed to act calm and composed.

And with my breath under control, I opened my mouth with a calm voice.

“I think this is enough.”

“….”

“I don’t know what you think.”

“….”

Thinking it was enough, I sheathed my sword.

With a slightly tense look in my eyes, I glanced at Ishiwoon.

Is he going to attack suddenly?

He won’t attack just because I sheathed my sword, right? The match isn’t over yet, so he won’t challenge me again, right? You have a cool personality, Ishiwoon.

Fortunately, Ishiwoon just looked at me with a calm gaze.

Yeah, Ishiwoon. Even though it seemed like the match was over when he sheathed his sword, I believe he’s not the type to give up easily. Besides, your sword is broken, isn’t it?

Considering Ishiwoon’s personality, the likelihood of that happening is low. If I know Ishiwoon, then surely. Well, unless he’s a powerhouse.

You’re not in a state where you’re blinded by jealousy, are you?

You don’t really want to see me completely defeated right now, do you?

“…But if he keeps fighting to the end against my expectations, that would be a big problem.”

I have no strength or magic left now.

Honestly, I just want to lie down and give up right now.

Even if it’s Ishiwoon fighting barehanded, I can’t win.

Honestly, even if he fought with one hand, wouldn’t I be completely defeated?

“Ishiwoon, please don’t push yourself, please. Just let it go like this.”

So, I pretended to be strong on purpose.

Do I really want to fight against someone who uses unidentified supernatural abilities and even swordsmanship? I don’t think so.

It would be embarrassing if you were eliminated already.

“…Jinhyuk. Was your archery fake?”

What?

I’ve been practicing archery for ten years.

Did my archery skills look fake to you?

“…Was the way you swung your sword half-heartedly just an act?”

Half-heartedly?

Hey, your words are harsh.

I did my best in my own way.