episode_0092

092.

“My gravity ability isn’t working?”

Ju Jiyeon looked at Jin Soyeon, who was furrowing her brows and vigorously attacking, with a puzzled expression.

Usually, her gravity field was strong enough to immobilize even Hero Trainees.

But it seemed insufficient to restrict Jin Soyeon’s movements.

No matter how many times she tried to send out a dense gravity field, it seemed almost useless against Jin Soyeon.

Although she could delay Jin Soyeon’s movements for a moment when the gravity field touched her, Jin Soyeon managed to push forward, enduring the gravity field.

“She weakened my gravity… no, neutralized it?”

Ju Jiyeon marveled briefly in her mind.

The ability to weaken or neutralize others’ supernatural abilities was quite rare.

“I knew about abilities that enhance or weaken objects that come into contact with the body.”

Could it be possible to weaken supernatural abilities as well?

“Why did she challenge me to a ranking battle? She must have had some confidence in herself.”

She couldn’t have hidden such a useful ability until now.

“Is this an extension and transformation of her supernatural ability?”

Sometimes, there are.

Transformations and expansions that occur as supernatural abilities develop.

In Jin Soyeon’s case, her ability to interfere with objects expanded beyond interference to become a phenomenon… in other words, it seemed to have expanded to interfere with supernatural abilities that come into contact with the body.

“It’s interesting that she weakened my gravity. But well, so what?”

Ju Jiyeon was slightly surprised, but that was it.

Weakening supernatural abilities was intriguing, but even if that was the case, it was just a weakening.

It was not a complete neutralization.

Seeing Jin Soyeon’s movements slow down for a moment when she touched the gravity field, she realized that weakening supernatural abilities required some time.

“Did I appear to rely only on my supernatural ability?”

Relying only on supernatural abilities was only half-hearted.

And Ju Jiyeon was not someone who became complacent by relying solely on her powerful supernatural ability.

Defeating numerous geniuses in South Korea, no, around the world, and confidently entering Union Academy as 12th place was a remarkable achievement that could not be achieved solely with talent and effort.

Ju Jiyeon was a genius and hard worker at the same time.

She was stronger now than she was during the entrance exam.

No, not just a little bit, but much more.

“Alright, then I’ll fight properly too.”

Concentrating an enormous amount of supernatural power that made the ground tremble, she placed her hand on the sword handle.

A high-gravity swordsmanship technique she developed by combining gravity abilities and swordsmanship.

It was not about shooting out sharp sword energy like a sword aura, but a biased and wide-ranging attack using gravity and mana.

“Wow.”

Ju Jiyeon took a sword stance.

Suddenly, Jin Soyeon reached the range.

With all her strength, Ju Jiyeon drew out the blade and swung a gravity and mana-infused strike towards Jin Soyeon.

Crack, aah!

The intangible force shook the battlefield.

As the ground cracked, debris flew in all directions.

The gravity wave that spread out in a fan shape swept everything in front of it.

It was quite powerful, so it could be dangerous, but if it was Jin Soyeon’s ability that she had shown so far, she should be able to withstand it.

“Hup!”

With a furrowed expression, Jin Soyeon wrapped her body in a shield, enduring the mana and gravity waves, and slowly stepped forward.

It was as she expected.

Taking advantage of the moment when Jin Soyeon’s movements slowed down, Ju Jiyeon changed the direction of gravity and moved.

It was a high-speed movement using gravity.

In the blink of an eye, she reached Jin Soyeon and swiftly swung her sword.

“Let’s see how you handle this.”

“!”

One sword technique.

Utilizing a change in the direction of gravity, the swordsmanship was a reckless style that allowed the wielder to attack the opponent wildly without losing momentum or inertia.

During the entrance exam, it was considered a brilliant swordsmanship that even the renowned Yu Seolhyun was unable to read the sword’s path, causing her to step back.

Thanks to the freedom of the center of gravity through the change in gravity direction, it was possible to wield the sword with full force in any position without losing strength.

…However.

“Indeed, you’re fast. Even at three times the speed, it was hard to see.”

“Huh?”

Jin Soyeon was effortlessly dodging the blade.

With a calm gaze, she avoided, parried, and blocked all attacks with a paper-thin difference, as if she was dancing in a different time, leaving Ju Jiyeon dumbfounded.

Wait, what?

Did she dodge by reading the sword’s trajectory?

It would be difficult unless she had the level of perception and reflexes as Lee Siwoon or Kang Daehan.

Does she really possess that level of visual acuity and reflexes?

Jin Soyeon?

“What?!”

Ju Jiyeon scattered her extraordinary abilities in all directions.

The powerful gravity pressed tightly around her.

Due to the immense gravity, Jin Soyeon’s movements slowed down.

Ju Jiyeon quickly swung her sword, utilizing enhanced gravity. A high-speed sword strike. Jin Soyeon, who had momentarily paused her movements, eventually blocked Ju Jiyeon’s attack.

Clang!

The swords clashed.

With a clear metallic sound, sparks flew.

The swords, reinforced with gravity and magic, emitted sparks.

‘I have to finish this now.’

I have to end it before neutralizing the gravity.

Just lower the sword.

“It’s useless to block…”

“Ha!”

Clang!

Ju Jiyeon’s sword broke.

It shattered like a glass sword.

The sight seemed as if it couldn’t withstand its own gravity. She had clearly used only enough gravity that the sword could handle, so why?

“Ah, ugh?!”

Eventually, Jin Soyeon’s blade grazed Ju Jiyeon’s shoulder diagonally.

Swoosh!

The training sword had safety measures and was even wearing protective gear, but the protective gear tore apart, and blood splattered.

“Hey, how dare you?!”

“Sorry. I’m still inexperienced in controlling it.”

Ju Jiyeon, with blood dripping from her lower lip, quickly retreated, grimacing in pain.

She tried to deflect Jin Soyeon by changing the direction of gravity, but it was futile.

Therefore, Ju Jiyeon quickly used gravity on herself to create distance from Jin Soyeon.

Ouch. My shoulder, my shoulder…

It hurts a bit, but it’s not enough to stop fighting.

Due to the broken left collarbone, she couldn’t use her left hand, but it didn’t matter. Let’s create as much distance as possible and use the surrounding objects to attack.

Ugh, really, what a disgrace.

People… people are watching.

“Should we end it here, Ju Jiyeon?”

“?!”

Behind her.

Jin Soyeon had suddenly taken the upper hand.

Wait, when did she get so close?

Startled, Ju Jiyeon tried to respond immediately, but it was too late.

Jin Soyeon struck Ju Jiyeon’s chin.

In an instant, Ju Jiyeon suffered a concussion and staggered.

And then she fell to the ground.

“Ugh, ugh, Jin Soyeon…”

“You’re stronger than I thought, really.”

Jin Soyeon casually brought the sword closer.

Ju Jiyeon, still dazed from the concussion, couldn’t gather her thoughts properly. She struggled to get up, but her body wouldn’t listen.

10 seconds, I have to get up in 10 seconds… ah.

“That’s enough.”

The referee intervened.

She was already subdued, and it had been 10 seconds since she fell. Therefore, the winner of this match…

“End of Group F, Match 6.”

Judgment silently checked the time and declared casually.

“Jin Soyeon, victory.”

Jin Soyeon’s victory.

“Wait, did I, did I lose…? Oh, no, this can’t be happening…”

Ju Jiyeon muttered helplessly.

There’s no way I could have lost to someone like Jin Soyeon.

The match was almost a one-sided defeat, so she couldn’t hide her sense of helplessness.

“…I won against Ju Jiyeon, ranked 12th.”

Jin Soyeon blinked her eyes. Was she feeling a bit dazed?

She had thought she would win, but actually knocking her opponent down so easily didn’t feel real.

She hadn’t even used all her strength.

In the past, she would have been defeated without even being able to move a muscle under the gravity field.

But Jin Soyeon now was different.

After the kidnapping incident, Jin Soyeon’s latent abilities had blossomed to the point where she could be considered a top student at the academy.

Jin Soyeon glanced at the stands.

Many people were buzzing with excitement.

This time, she looked towards the trainee waiting room.

They must have all watched the match.

Lee Jinhyuk, Yoo Seolhyun, Baek Yurin, Lee Siwoon, Kang Daehan, and someone Lee Jinhyuk liked.

“…”

Jin Soyeon knew very well.

That Lee Jinhyuk didn’t have romantic feelings for her.

After being hurt for so long in a fake relationship game, she found it better to have no feelings at all.

That’s why Jin Soyeon needed her own confidence.

To compete with the people Lee Jinhyuk might like… So, with Yoo Seolhyun, Roxanne, and others, she needed her own competitive edge.

She also wanted to realize through this fight.

If a situation arose, whether she could protect Lee Jinhyuk.

“…At this level, I can handle even formidable enemies.”

Kidnapping.

Yes, kidnapping.

Jin Soyeon was kidnapped at home.

There was no guarantee that such a thing wouldn’t happen again.

When she was kidnapped, she was helplessly bound, watching Lee Jinhyuk almost die.

If that video had been real?

Jin Soyeon would have lost Lee Jinhyuk forever.

Surely, while acting as a hero, such incidents could happen again.

That’s why Jin Soyeon needed strength.

Strength to protect herself and Lee Jinhyuk from threats.

She didn’t want to be helpless and lose him again in such a situation.

Never again.

…The memory of that day had become a kind of trauma.

Although quite some time had passed, it still haunted her dreams.

She was worried but didn’t say anything, still waking up in anxiety, fearing another kidnapping and Lee Jinhyuk’s death.

Unknowingly, Jin Soyeon’s fear had started to transform into obsession and a thirst for power.

Little by little.

Very slowly.

***

“…Hmm.”

In the trainee waiting room.

Baek Yurin quietly stared at the monitor.

The match between Jin Soyeon and Ju Jiyeon just now was quite impressive.

Honestly, Baek Yurin wasn’t interested in the matches of other kids, but she found Jin Soyeon slightly intriguing.

Because Jin Soyeon used a sword and was strong.

Well, she didn’t really show off her sword skills, but still, a swordsman is a swordsman, right?

Honestly, Ju Jiyeon was foolish to get so close and lose so easily, but that didn’t mean Jin Soyeon should be underestimated.

Jin Soyeon doesn’t seem to have used all her power.

If she did, what level would she be at?

“…It’s quite interesting, but now is not the time for that.”

Baek Yurin shook her head slightly to clear her mind.

Her match against the person who had ruthlessly shattered her self-esteem two years ago was about to begin.

“… It won’t be like that time.”

He will show her.

How much she has changed.

“But that guy keeps saying no… Well, it doesn’t matter.”

After all, she will find out once they stick together.

…It was truly unfortunate for Lee Jinhyuk, but Baek Yurin was someone who preferred communicating with a sword rather than words.