episode_0083

Episode 83, Semester 2 (3)

“Why are you attacking this guy? You should be fighting that one.”

I pointed to a different target with my eyes. Then my brother said.

“What are you talking about? Weren’t you going to take care of that one, brother?”

“What the hell are you saying?”

I clearly sent the right signal with my eyes. That I would handle this one. But Veil is just spouting nonsense.

A brief opening was created like that. The monster attacked us. Its forepaws and mouth rushed right in front of us.

“Don’t make a mistake this time. I’m the one in front.”

“…Understood.”

But we leisurely finished our conversation and moved our swords. My brother and I were more skilled than those guys to be defeated by them.

Swish-!

A clean strike split the monster. Blood spurted from the cut surface.

Veil also pierced the monster’s forehead, finishing the target for good. As expected of someone with the greatest talent on the continent, his skills are outstanding.

We killed all the monsters in less than 2 minutes. The vicinity began to be filled with the smell of blood.

Was it because of that? Smelling the scent, monsters began to appear one by one. There was no time to exchange words of congratulations.

I send a signal again with my eyes. My brother nodded, as if he understood well.

And the timing to throw ourselves. My brother ran in a different direction from the instructions I sent.

Gritting, my teeth grind. I don’t know why he’s acting like this since the battle started. I can understand him offering a different opinion on my actions, but this wasn’t it.

But the situation wasn’t favorable for continuing to think. Because twice as many monsters as before were rushing in.

I gradually cleared out the monsters. The monsters’ blood scent and cries became aggro, so the number didn’t decrease, but it wasn’t difficult.

Nevertheless, it was inevitable to be pushed back by numbers. I retreated little by little. Then I bumped into someone. It was my brother’s back.

“Brother, I think there’s a boss.”

“I think so too.”

Monsters surrounding us from all sides. You can see the intention to eliminate the escape route. Ordinary monsters don’t have this kind of thinking ability, so it’s certain that there’s a controlling one nearby.

Thump!

At that time, a huge footstep sound is heard. My brother and I simultaneously turned our gaze in the direction the sound came from.

“It’s an ogre.”

“It seems the professor has great faith in us. To prepare even monsters like that.”

The ogre was well over 5m tall. Usually, that’s about adult size.

“Have you ever fought one before?”

“I’ve fought the black wizard guys’ ones.”

“That’s enough.”

Whether it’s an ogre resurrected by necromancy or a normal ogre, there’s not much difference. It’s just a difference in what kind of power they use. The fighting method is the same.

“First, we clear out the surroundings. It’s not too late to fight the ogre after that.”

“Yes, brother.”

My brother nodded. Immediately, we kicked off the ground and swung our swords.

First, we need to break through the encirclement. My brother and I tenaciously dug into one place. As we launched an offensive with determination, the guys surrounding us could no longer hold out.

“Hoo, this is the first time I’ve had a battle like this at the academy.”

When the number of monsters noticeably decreased, my brother stopped in his place and exhaled.

“What are you struggling with? The black wizards must have been worse than this.”

“That’s because I was with the Knights then.”

“Such exaggeration.”

No matter how much of a genius he is, I guess the difference in physical strength that comes from age can’t be helped. Veil was only 15 years old.

The situation where the monsters have been roughly cleared up. Now, all that’s left is the ogre.

We faced the guy. He was sitting on a tree stump, looking down at us arrogantly. In his hand, he held a club made of jungle wood.

Whoong-!

Immediately after, the ogre swung his club.

Crack!!

The club heads towards us, destroying the tree. The tree was too weak in the face of the ogre’s strength.

Listening to that destructive sound, I made eye contact with my brother. We exchanged words silently in a short moment. And when the attack came right up to us.

I jumped into the air to draw the ogre’s attention. If I do this, a clear gap will be created, giving Veil time to attack.

At that moment, to prepare for what comes next, I was drawing mana from my dantian. Through my vision, I saw my brother staying in the air with me.

The ogre did not miss that amazing timing. He changed the attack trajectory in the middle and struck us.

Kwaang!!

A thunderous noise and pain that breaks the bones of my entire body rush in. I urgently protected my body with mana, but my body was embedded in a tree.

“…Shit.”

I spat out a short curse and got out of the tree hole. Veil also came down from the tree right next to me. I looked at my brother.

“…What’s the problem? That’s already the third mistake.”

“…Why are you being like this, brother? I clearly did as you told me to.”

“You did as I told you, but why are you doing the same thing….”

Yeah. At first, I can think of it as a simple difference in tendencies. My brother and I have different experiences and values. There’s no way our fighting styles wouldn’t be different.

But as this situation has been repeated several times, of course, the probability is close to zero, but this thought came to my mind.

“Brother, are you rebelling?”

“……”

When I said that, my brother’s face hardened slightly, and he answered my question.

“…Aren’t you trying to trick me, brother?”

“This situation? Am I crazy?”

I’m serious in front of monsters, if nothing else. Saying such a thing is nothing short of an insult to me.

In the meantime, the ogre reached us. He was sent to a fairly distant place, so he just arrived. I said to Veil.

“Brother.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Let’s do well.”

“…How about you worry about me more than me?”

“You son of a bitch….”

Immediately after, we rushed towards the ogre again.

***

Koong!

The ogre’s huge body fell over, making a heavy noise. He fell and didn’t move anymore.

Poosh!

When I pulled out Karsa, which I had stabbed, blood gushed out like a fountain from that spot. I put up a barrier of mana to prevent the blood from splattering.

After that, I got down from the ogre. My brother was waiting below.

“……”

“……”

But neither my brother nor I said anything. Even though the battle was over, not even a word of congratulations was exchanged.

In that state, we checked our swords and body condition. After finishing the check, we moved on to achieve the mission.

And on the way to the ruins. I said quietly to my brother.

“Brother.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s not be a team again after today. Unless someone else joins.”

“…I think so too.”

“Okay.”

I nodded at my brother’s agreement and moved my feet.

‘Really…’

I’ve never met someone so out of sync in my life.

***

In fact, it is extremely rare for people to not match each other’s actions. Even if you just read the other person’s thoughts and atmosphere and sympathize appropriately, you can assist without difficulty.

This is even more true among skilled people.

Knights and mages are, after all, people who fight. No matter how strong their individualistic tendencies are, or even if they are meeting for the first time and matching up, they get along reasonably well unless they deliberately sabotage each other.

What’s more, my brother is a genius, and I don’t even need to mention myself. But what kind of curse did our brothers receive that we were completely out of sync?

“Hey… are you going to keep getting in the way like that?”

“…I’m doing well. You’re the only one who’s going astray.”

Again, words are exchanged during the battle. The reason is because of the successive mismatches.

Whether small or large, something always happened at least once. The subjects were both me and my brother. My brother interfered with me, or vice versa.

Because of that, the relationship between our brothers was breaking down in real time. Just looking at my brother’s tone, you can see that he’s annoyed. There was not even a speck of respect for his older brother that he usually had.

“Ugh, why did I have to be on a team with you…”

I muttered that out of frustration. But my brother didn’t back down and said.

“I wouldn’t have done it if I knew it would be like this with you, brother.”

“That’s what I want to say.”

Of course, it was a new discovery.

Who would have known? That the brothers of the family called the best in the world would be so out of sync. If it were a third party, they would have laughed.

But while this appearance is fresh to others, we, the people involved, are frustrated. Originally, it was said that from afar it is a comedy, and from up close it is a tragedy.

Anyway, after walking and walking for a long time, we reached the ruins I mentioned earlier. As befitting a building in the jungle, vines and tree roots were covering the ruins in various places.

“That looks like the entrance.”

The ruins were buried diagonally in the ground. Therefore, the entrance also led to the ground.

I combined the oil obtained from the trees and monsters to make a torch.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Illuminating the way, we go down to the basement. My mission is to bring back a certain item from the ruins. It wasn’t very difficult.

Fortunately, there were no living things inside. Instead, mazes and traps replaced them. And perhaps because of what happened while coming here, we kept arguing.

“Brother, please go slowly. Weren’t you almost caught in a trap just now?”

“It wasn’t that I was almost caught, I did it on purpose. I was trying to figure it out and get rid of it.”

“…Don’t lie. Anyone could see that you were caught in a trap.”

Ppa Jjik, a blood vessel popped out on my forehead at my brother’s point. It wouldn’t have had much of an impact if it had been earlier, but I was annoyed for no reason.

“What do you know about this place? Do you know better than me?”

“…I certainly don’t know how to deal with traps and mazes. But at least, I don’t think you know very well, brother.”

…Why is he so hateful today?

I ignored my brother’s words and continued on. Every time, Veil stopped my actions.

After breaking through the ruins in that way, we reached the end of the ruins before we knew it. There, we saw an old box. This is probably the item for the mission.

I spread mana to check if there were any other traps and then tried to open the box.

“Brother, wait a moment.”

“What is it again.”

“It feels suspicious for some reason. I don’t think you should touch it carelessly.”

“Eat shit.”

“Brother!”

Of course, I ignored my brother’s cry and slowly opened the box. Inside, there was a marble.

No, it’s closer to a mana stone than a marble. And it’s a fairly high concentration mana stone. At least high-grade or higher.

I picked it up and put it in my arms. Then the ruins began to shake. Veil shouted loudly.

“Didn’t I tell you it was suspicious!”

“What do you know. Shut up and follow me!”

Leading my brother, I move to escape. Judging from the intensity of the vibration, it wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed right away. Stones were also falling from the ceiling.

Fortunately, I remembered the way, so it wasn’t difficult to go back. Moreover, both my brother and I have excellent senses, so we quickly shook off any dangerous situation.

After going through more dog-like suffering, we escaped from the ruins.

“Hoo…”

“Haa….”

We are breathing heavily because we ran with all our might. We calmed our breathing. And when we became more stable, my brother said.

“Brother, why are you so reckless? I told you it was strange.”

“I had to open it anyway for the mission. And it’s okay as long as I didn’t get hurt.”

“I’m telling you to be a little more careful.”

Veil struck a pose. But I laughed at him.

“Then why weren’t you born earlier than me? Then I would have listened to you.”

At those provocative words, my brother gritted his teeth. He seemed angry.

Veil’s words and actions seem mature, but inside he is just a child. He is only 15 years old, an immature stage formally.

As if proving that, Veil tilted his upper body. He wasn’t facing me like before.

Rustle, at that moment, someone came out brushing through the bushes.

“Brother, you were here! I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

It was Evan. Of course, he wasn’t alone.

“The princess is here with you too.”

“Because I’m on a team with Evan.”

As set, Evan was on a team with Princess Ariel. And the only reason they came to find us was to achieve the mission.

“Veil, get ready.”

I called my brother. I couldn’t handle the two of them alone. But the words I heard were different from what I expected.

“I don’t want to.”

…Haa, this bastard’s sulking.