601
[Chapter 161]
[Those Who Oppose Noh Eun-ha (3)]
After losing his mother.
With even his sister turning her back on him.
On Tae-yang lost his reason for becoming a player.
The reason he wanted to become a player was to succeed as a player and thus take care of his family.
But for him who now had no one left around him, with even his childhood friend Jo A-ra leaving, there was no longer a reason to wield a sword.
─No.
This is all because of Noh Eun-ha.
Then from some point.
On Tae-yang looked back on the past.
The past depends on how the subject 'interprets' it when looking back.
And so he created a new justification.
It's all because of Noh Eun-ha.
I did nothing wrong.
Noh Eun-ha is at fault.
Noh Eun-ha made things this way.
Thus his lost heart became obsessed with Noh Eun-ha's existence.
He gained a reason why he should become a player.
If it weren't for Noh Eun-ha... my life wouldn't have turned out like this.
Hatred towards Noh Eun-ha.
And desire for revenge.
That feeling made On Tae-yang wield his sword and grow rapidly in a short time.
Now he was realizing his growth anew while sparring with Mok Min-ho.
But─.
"─You're no match for Noh Eun-ha."
"...Kuk...!"
No matter how much he had grown.
On Tae-yang was hitting a wall called Mok Min-ho.
No matter how much he swung his sword.
He couldn't land a proper attack on Mok Min-ho.
Conversely, Mok Min-ho's sword was heavy.
"Damn it...!"
He's extremely intelligent.
The form of his swordsmanship was very static, but at crucial moments it showed a fiercely dynamic appearance.
Moreover, the moves Mok Min-ho made as if they were nothing connected to the next move and pressured him even more.
The wall called Mok Min-ho was too high.
"Noh Eun-ha is even stronger than me. Yet you say you'll defeat him?"
"Shut up!"
No matter how much he strikes, he doesn't falter.
He's too upright.
Compared to him, I keep wavering and getting caught up in the moves Mok Min-ho creates.
Nevertheless, even though his heart was pounding from consuming internal mana─.
─This is all...!!
...gi...
Entrusting his body to boiling emotions.
Ruminating on anger and hatred.
Burying himself in the past.
On Tae-yang took a step forward.
It's because of Noh Eun-ha!!
...gi...ft...
The reason he wields a sword.
The reason he wants to become a player.
He who engraved a new justification in his heart swung his sword with all his might.
And so─.
─...gi...ft...
Something engulfed his entire body.
A sensation that was vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar.
On Tae-yang tried to swing his sword again while entrusting his body to that sensation.
But─.
─Iron Crusher
Swinging diagonally.
A trajectory curved like an arc fell on On Tae-yang's head.
Ah....
He closed his eyes.
☆
As many people expected.
The match ended with Mok Min-ho's victory without any upset.
From start to finish.
He who showed no signs of wavering led the match.
"...You've gotten stronger than before. I might get caught up at this rate."
At the end, he turned the blade sideways and hit On Tae-yang's head.
Mok Min-ho muttered while looking down at On Tae-yang who had collapsed and fainted on the ground.
Mok Min-ho, who had fought On Tae-yang the most among Noh Eun-ha squad members, could realize On Tae-yang's growth.
"By the way..."
While sheathing his sword.
Mok Min-ho reviewed the match.
Then he muttered while watching On Tae-yang disappear on a stretcher.
"What was that at the end?"
What was that at the end?
On Tae-yang seemed to have run out of strength from using too much mana.
But his atmosphere suddenly changed and momentarily overwhelmed Mok Min-ho himself.
"What on earth..."
It's dangerous.
Mok Min-ho instinctively felt that then.
If he left On Tae-yang like that, there was no telling what would happen.
So Mok Min-ho chose to risk danger and hit On Tae-yang's head with his sword.
As a result, On Tae-yang fainted and the sensation that momentarily made his senses stand on end disappeared.
Was he hiding a secret move?
I don't know what happened, but it looked quite dangerous....
Anyway, he came down from the arena.
While doing so, he decided to cultivate his mind for tomorrow's match.
Surely tomorrow's opponent will be─.
─Will I be able to face you?
It would be Noh Eun-ha.
Though he felt sorry for Jin Pa-rang.
☆
Day 2 of the comprehensive division competition main tournament.
At the time when day and night intersect.
The stage was terrain with no sculptures.
The curtain rose on the last match of day 2.
Eun-ha and Jin Pa-rang advanced to the center of the arena.
"─Hey, you know."
"What?"
"What if I beat you?"
"...Aren't you being too confident?"
"No, I just have a feeling I might right now."
"Hyung, please use your head instead of just relying on your instincts."
"What? I'm Jin Pa-rang. When have you ever seen me not use my head?"
"Forget it... let's stop talking."
The people filling the spectator seats probably couldn't hear properly.
They might be looking for some meaning in the conversation Eun-ha and Jin Pa-rang were having while facing each other.
For example, that they were exchanging words of encouragement and building sportsmanship.
But the conversation between the two was no different from usual.
Jin Pa-rang always spoke nonsense as if it were the truth.
Eun-ha just sighed.
He opened his mouth.
"I plan to only use this one sword during this competition period. So if hyung can make me use a second sword or artifact, I'll let you win then."
The proposal he also made to Hoshimiya Kaede.
Eun-ha said while placing his hand on Winter Blooming Coldly.
It was his own handicap.
But Jin Pa-rang suddenly─.
"─Use artifacts too."
"What?"
He suddenly said such a thing.
Eun-ha frowned.
To be honest, in Eun-ha's opinion, it only looked like Jin Pa-rang was being arrogant.
But he flicked his wolf ears and snorted.
"It's no fun with just one sword. Is that really winning even if I win?"
"...Don't be overconfident. I'm sufficiently considering your strength..."
"Ah, I don't know! Fine, use artifacts too! Don't regret it later!"
"Hah.... You really have no answer..."
The competition is about to start soon.
Eun-ha couldn't hide his exasperation.
He just couldn't get through to him.
He was trying to be considerate, but Jin Pa-rang said it wasn't necessary.
Eun-ha gave up on talking to him anymore.
Let him learn the hard way then.
They couldn't exchange any more conversation.
The instructor sent them a telepathic message to return to their designated positions.
The two turned around.
They each went to the edge of the arena and waited for the signal announcing the start of the match.
Not long after─.
───!!!
The buzzer sounded.
The people in the spectator seats cheered.
The two took out their weapons.
Wolf Run
The first to move was Jin Pa-rang.
He who rushed out as soon as it started spread both arms wide.
The claw that Byeok Hae-su had newly made for Jin Pa-rang recently.
The red-coated claw immediately reacted to the mana he released externally and transformed.
Ten blades about two fingers wide each shot up.
Not only that, but the blades absorbed mana and grew rapidly.
Wolf Run
Blood Claw
Jin Pa-rang accelerated even more.
When there wasn't much distance left between him and Eun-ha.
He lowered his body and rushed in using Wolf Run again.
The speed that had been dropping increased, and he was able to approach instantly unlike the time Eun-ha had calculated.
Meanwhile, the ten blades glowed a deep red─.
─Fast!
Jin Pa-rang swung his claw before Eun-ha could properly swing his sword.
He quickly pushed in so Eun-ha couldn't properly take his stance and exert his full strength.
Furthermore, Jin Pa-rang was using both hands to push with force, so─.
"─Think you can withstand with just one sword like this!?"
"...!!"
Gift
Blade Arm
His claw transformed again.
From hand to elbow.
His claw was covered in blue fur and grew to a size that could easily crush a human head.
It wasn't just bigger.
The crushing force increased that much too.
"...Kuk...!"
Magic using the principles of the 5th rank over-rank monster Blade Wolf.
Eun-ha judged he couldn't respond head-on to the tremendous force.
In the end he─.
─Ox Walk
He kicked the ground with his foot.
Instantly he moved to a position far from Jin Pa-rang riding the flow of mana.
"─Wolves never let go of prey they've decided on once."
"...!!"
The Blade Wolf principle Jin Pa-rang used wasn't just that.
Wolves are sensitive to smell and hearing.
He leapt to the place where Eun-ha appeared instantly without even checking his surroundings, using Blade Wolf's abilities.
Not long after moving positions, Eun-ha had to block Jin Pa-rang's attack that suddenly jumped in from behind.
"...Okay, I'll admit it. I guess I was underestimating you, hyung."
"You just realized that now? Did you think I'd be that weak?"
"You've reached this point by maximizing a style that relies on instinct without using your head that you're supposed to use."
I'll lose in a simple battle of strength.
Eun-ha said while deflecting Pa-rang's attack.
He had been underestimating Jin Pa-rang's skills until now.
He had already perfectly made the power of his gift his own and established Jin Pa-rang's unique style that was called
Eun-ha genuinely admired Jin Pa-rang's growth.
Nevertheless─.
─This hyung really doesn't use his head. Did he come straight from the wild...
In his previous life and current life.
It was Jin Pa-rang's weakness, if it could be called that.
Jin Pa-rang didn't use his head.
He just pushed with strength and speed unconditionally, and relied on his instinctive senses.
As a result, Pa-rang's combat style was bound to be very monotonous.
"Still, I can tell your mana efficiency is better than before. But you should also learn how to make strategies..."
"Do you really think so?"
Noh Eun-ha's evaluation.
Jin Pa-rang sneered.
Then he placed his hand on his head with his hand returned to normal.
"I'm actually using my head right now, you know."
"...Okay. I'll admit your tactics just now were pretty good."
"This guy doesn't believe me. So─."
─Wolf Run
Ox Walk
In the middle of speaking.
Jin Pa-rang accelerated midway, aiming for Eun-ha's lapse in attention.
Of course, Eun-ha wasn't fooled.
The arm not using his gift.
Judging he could sufficiently block it, he used Ox Walk.
"─Don't try to attack straightforwardly, think about being attacked from behind too."
Eun-ha appearing behind Jin Pa-rang.
He swung his sword bent behind his shoulder towards Jin Pa-rang with all his might.
Their eyes met.
Jin Pa-rang was grinning, showing his canine teeth.
"─That's why I said I'm using my head. Did you think I wouldn't have considered this case?"
Gift
Blade Armor
It happened in an instant.
Jin Pa-rang's back was covered in fur.
The hair standing straight up reflected Blade Wolf's characteristic of even breaking blades.
Eun-ha's sword didn't work.
Furthermore─.
"─I never planned to take you down head-on from the start."
Jin Pa-rang took a headbutt stance.
It was the arm he had placed on his head earlier.
When he spread his hand wide─.
─Hair?
Eun-ha's eyes widened seeing blue hair fluttering before his eyes.
Then he suddenly realized.
But by then it was already too late.
Gift
Blade Needle
One of Blade Wolf's magic.
It was magic that shot fur sharpened like blades at the enemy.
Though it wasn't perfect.
Jin Pa-rang had plucked his own hair and applied Blade Wolf's magic.
...I can't block this!
Eun-ha inwardly panicked.
The distance was too close.
There was no time to dodge.
In the end he had to block, but his sword was stuck in the fur sticking up like a mountain and couldn't get out.
So he had to deploy a protective magic, but he wasn't confident he could properly block with hastily deployed protective magic.
In the end, Eun-ha─.
─Pride's Counterattack
Used the power of an artifact.
The necklace flashed brightly.
The thorns flying towards his face now changed direction and flew at Pa-rang.
Of course, Pa-rang defended against the counter magic with Blade Armor.
Afterwards, he who had distanced himself from Eun-ha looked back at Eun-ha.
"─See, what did I tell you? I said you'd end up using artifacts, right? If it weren't for me, you would have lost to me breaking your handicap. Got it?"
"...Okay, I'll admit it. Well done."
Jin Pa-rang with a broad smile.
Eun-ha had no choice but to acknowledge it.
"So stop living so arrogantly. I'm telling you this because I've lived 1 year longer than you."
Though his tone was annoying.
Eun-ha silently gripped his sword.
☆
Eun-ha had to admit.
Jin Pa-rang was much stronger than expected.
He not only appropriately controlled the power of his gift to add variation to the battle.
Sometimes he also used clever moves to confuse Eun-ha.
Depending on who was on the receiving end, he would surely be called cowardly─.
"─How can there be cowardice in a fight!?"
"I agree. That was good just now too."
Eun-ha praised Jin Pa-rang.
The corners of Jin Pa-rang's mouth twitched up.
Thus Eun-ha and Jin Pa-rang's battle progressed without repeating patterns and was drawing people's enthusiasm.
Crazy Dance
Blood Claw
The sound of metal.
Sword clashes with sword.
At that moment, Jin Pa-rang launched a roundhouse kick to block the attack.
Eun-ha quickly retreated.
Jin Pa-rang who approached lowering his body cast magic in succession.
Gift
Blade Needle
The same method as before.
Eun-ha smiled slightly at the magic deployed while their swords were locked.
Pa-rang surely knew Pride's Counterattack could only be used once a day.
So he used the same method.
But there was no way Eun-ha would fall for the same method again.
He also deployed magic.
Spirit Summoning
Magic belonging to high-level control techniques.
A spirit body that oozed out of Eun-ha's body interfered with Jin Pa-rang's magic.
It was simple to disrupt the magic.
Jin Pa-rang, who didn't know the countermeasures to high-level control techniques in detail, had to click his tongue at the failed magic.
He did a backflip to distance himself from Eun-ha.
But─.
"─What are you doing now?"
"What? I'm taking off my clothes because it's hot?"
"Who in the world takes off clothes like that..."
Pa-rang had suddenly ripped off his school uniform blazer.
Eun-ha's eyes widened at Jin Pa-rang's sudden action in the middle of the match.
But Jin Pa-rang gave a vague answer, then rushed at Eun-ha.
Gift
Blade Arm
Eun-ha dodged the attack.
The wolf's arm fell to the ground.
The ground shattered.
Jin Pa-rang kept running towards Eun-ha without caring.
His stamina is really ridiculous...
Eun-ha clicked his tongue.
Jin Pa-rang showed no signs of tiring.
Though a long time had passed since the battle started, his speed hadn't dropped.
On the contrary, Eun-ha was now gradually getting tired and minimizing his movements.
So he chose to dodge attacks rather than block them.
As a result─.
─Huh?
Eun-ha suddenly found himself stepping on the spot where Jin Pa-rang had taken off his blazer jacket earlier.
He felt energy.
Boom boom boom boom!!
A mine-type trap.
Jin Pa-rang had hidden it with the blazer that was processed to have resistance to magic.
Eun-ha was caught in the explosion triggered by the trap that worked like a landmine.
"Really... his cunning is top-notch."
If he had used Winter Blooming Coldly, he could have blocked the explosion.
But he who promised to use only one sword had no choice but to take the explosion head-on.
As a result, his uniform was badly damaged.
Eun-ha walking out of the explosion could only laugh.
He liked the fighting style that would do anything to survive.
But again─.
"─Why are you taking off your shirt now?"
"I told you I'm taking it off because it's hot!"
Jin Pa-rang suddenly called for a time-out.
He loosened his tie.
Took off his vest.
And finally ripped off his dress shirt.
""""──!!""""
Screams from people in the spectator seats could be heard all the way to the arena.
Whether they were cheers of approval.
Or jeers of disgust.
Eun-ha couldn't tell what meaning the screams held.
Regardless, Jin Pa-rang draped the dirty dress shirt over his shoulder.
Wolf Run
He rushed in.
What move would he use this time?
Eun-ha took his stance while paying attention to Jin Pa-rang's footsteps.
This is enough to confirm.
Really amazing, he's grown well.
Eun-ha decided to start wrapping things up.
Surely Jin Pa-rang had also prepared this as his final move.
Grrrr
Jin Pa-rang growled lowly.
His upper body was now covered in wolf fur.
His arms grew huge.
Ten blades shone sharply.
Then he─.
─Is it just a feint?
Just before approaching Eun-ha, Jin Pa-rang suddenly threw his dress shirt.
Eun-ha was inwardly disappointed by Jin Pa-rang's final move.
But─.
─Gift
Blade Coat
The dress shirt fluttering in the air.
Reacting to Jin Pa-rang's mana, it instantly transformed into metal.
In other words, it was a dress shirt made of material that could even block swords, reflecting Blade Wolf's characteristics.
To think he could transform not just his body but even his school uniform...!
Eun-ha couldn't help but be shocked.
He hadn't expected this at all.
Because in his previous life, Jin Pa-rang didn't use his gift in this way.
Perhaps it was natural.
In his previous life, Jin Pa-rang had a stronger image of charging recklessly.
He didn't try to use his head.
He only tried to rely on his instincts.
That difference showed here.
Gift
Blade Arm
At first Eun-ha didn't pay attention to the existence of the dress shirt.
But as the dress shirt became metal and suddenly pounced on him.
He had no choice but to deal with it.
And no matter how he dealt with it, Jin Pa-rang would have prepared countermeasures hiding behind the dress shirt turned metal coat.
Then─.
─Burst Counter
He would render all the countermeasures Jin Pa-rang had prepared completely useless.
Eun-ha swung his sword down on the ground, not the metal coat.
Due to the successive battles so far, residual mana was fully charged in the surroundings.
They writhed.
And exploded.
Boom boom boom boom!!
The arena exploded.
Ox Walk
And Eun-ha used Ox Walk to narrowly avoid the explosion.
He could have been caught in the explosion and taken damage too.
Meanwhile, Jin Pa-rang─.
"─Damn it..."
He was safe even in the explosion.
There was also the reason that Eun-ha had weakened the intensity of the magic.
Originally, he could use Blade Wolf's principles which excelled in physical defense.
He who blocked the impact of the explosion by raising the fur that had grown all over his body collapsed flat on the ground.
His internal mana had run out.
"If I had a little more mana, I could have broken through just like that..."
"Who told you to use it all up like that? It's good that you know how to use your head, but you should have distributed your mana well."
"Hey, how can I pay attention to that kind of thing against you? Of course I had to push with firepower from the start."
Eun-ha approached Jin Pa-rang.
Jin Pa-rang raised his upper body.
He grumbled.
Eun-ha smiled bitterly.
"So how was I?"
"Do I have to say it?"
"Ah, tell me! Hurry up and tell me!"
"You did well. Now I can use you as a proper person."
"Is that so?"
At the words 'proper person'.
Jin Pa-rang burst out laughing.
Eun-ha held out his hand.
Jin Pa-rang grabbed that hand and stood up.
""""──!!!""""
Though they couldn't tell what was being said.
The people in the spectator seats stood up and gave them a round of applause.
The two watched that scene quietly while catching their breath.
"Hey, Eun-ha."
"What?"
"Can't you lend me your uniform?"
"What?"
"My uniform got burned because of you, and I can't go out looking like this. Give me what you're wearing on top."
"Geez..."
Eun-ha took off his school uniform blazer.
Jin Pa-rang put on the tattered blazer.