628
[Chapter 166]
[The Beginning of the End (3)]
The graduation match was an opportunity for Players entering society to showcase everything they had learned at the academy.
Usually, a student with excellent practical skills among the graduating class was selected and would designate an opponent.
Typically, the selected student would choose a junior as their opponent under the pretext of teaching them a lesson.
However, this year was completely different from previous years.
"So is
"That's what I'm saying. But if Noh Eun-ha hadn't participated in the graduation match, would this many people have stayed?"
First of all, Noh Eun-ha, the student selected for this year's graduation match, was not the practical skills excellence awardee.
It went against the academy's tradition.
Nevertheless, people didn't find it strange.
Rather, they thought it was natural.
Noh Eun-ha, who gained a title despite not being a Player, and was receiving public attention.
Who would refuse the opportunity for him to showcase his skills?
Moreover, the academy students almost unanimously thought that only Noh Eun-ha could be selected for the graduation match.
He could be said to be the undisputed representative of the graduating students.
"─Noh Eun-ha has come out." """"...."""
So people came to the arena to confirm Noh Eun-ha's skills.
Soon after he appeared,
People turned their attention to the student coming out from the opposite side.
"─Is that him?" "Is that the opponent Noh Eun-ha designated?" "I heard he chose someone from the same year... Does he have something to see in that kid?" "If there was something to see, he would have tried to recruit him to his clan already."
"Then why did he choose that student as his match opponent?" "Isn't he the kid who joined the Dangun Clan? He has a pretty good mask, so clans were keeping an eye on him, right?"
On Tae-yang appeared on the opposite side.
People focused on him.
The second reason why the graduation match was completely different from previous years.
Noh Eun-ha had designated a peer instead of a junior as his match opponent.
It wasn't against the rules, but it wasn't common either.
So, people whispered among themselves, wondering if there was some hidden intention.
Whether it was good or bad─
""""─If he caught Noh Eun-ha's eye, there must be something about him.""""
People showed strong trust in the name
They believed that if it was Noh Eun-ha, he would show something.
They believed without a doubt, and
Therefore, they were certain that On Tae-yang would demonstrate surprising skills in the match.
Of course─.
"─How long do you think a promising talent joining the Dangun Clan will last?"
"I think he'll last 20 minutes." "What 20 minutes? I say 10 minutes!"
"It's obvious that
Among those seated here,
No one expected Noh Eun-ha to lose.
A match between those advancing from being students to proper Players.
People decided to enjoy watching the match with pleasant hearts.
But─.
"─Did it just end?"
""""...."""
At someone's casually thrown words,
People couldn't say anything.
It was understandable.
Within 1 minute of the match starting.
No, in less than 1 minute,
On Tae-yang, who had rushed at Noh Eun-ha, ended up falling down.
☆
Disappointing.
Eun-ha couldn't help but think that the moment On Tae-yang rushed at him as the match started.
You're putting too much strength into your body.
I understand that you dislike me, but you shouldn't let your emotions get the better of you like this.
The moment their swords first clashed,
Eun-ha frowned.
Relying solely on strength to push forward, as if he hadn't even formed a strategy.
To this, Eun-ha looked at On Tae-yang, whose sword was clashing with his.
"Noh Eun-ha...."
"..."
On Tae-yang gritted his teeth.
His tone was clearly mixed with emotion.
On the other hand, Eun-ha kicked On Tae-yang's abdomen with an indifferent face.
"...Kuhek...!"
Whether he stumbled backward or not,
Eun-ha then suddenly struck On Tae-yang's sword hard.
He, whose posture was already disrupted, had no choice but to lose his grip on the sword.
""..."
With a clang,
The sword fell to the ground.
On Tae-yang looked at Eun-ha with an unbelieving face.
Eun-ha spoke calmly.
"─Pick it up, quickly." "..."
"I said pick it up."
To be defeated by such an attack.
Did you learn swordsmanship from a textbook?
Eun-ha was about to say the words he wanted to say but stopped.
Instead, he waited for On Tae-yang to come to his senses and pick up his sword.
"Is this the level of skill you've been wanting to fight me with all this time?"
It's not even funny.
Eun-ha snorted.
On Tae-yang took his stance.
This time, Eun-ha moved.
He drew "Winter Creeping in Snowflakes".
"...!!"
He probably has no experience facing dual wielding.
Yes, I understand.
But Eun-ha couldn't help but click his tongue seeing him rapidly losing his balance while blocking his swords.
Moon Dance
It's really troublesome if you can't even keep up with this speed.
The Level 2 monsters in Uijeongbu will be much faster than this.
"..." "Pick it up, quickly."
Second, third time.
On Tae-yang repeatedly dropped his sword.
Eun-ha told him each time.
Killing intent filled On Tae-yang's eyes.
But killing intent that didn't even graze a hair wasn't scary at all.
Eun-ha gripped his sword facing On Tae-yang's hostility.
Tap tap tap
On Tae-yang moved.
After several exchanges,
On Tae-yang was countering the swords Eun-ha was swinging.
But that was all.
His growth rate is fast.
He has plenty of talent too.
But this guy doesn't know how to utilize what he has.
It was only disappointing.
While crossing swords with On Tae-yang,
Eun-ha could see how amazing On Tae-yang's potential was.
But he wasn't drawing out his qualities to their fullest.
"Kuk..., damn it!!"
"Your strength isn't your only advantage. What are you doing leaving such excellent dynamic vision unused?"
"Shut up!"
Three years was enough time to develop the students' abilities.
But On Tae-yang's development was half-baked, no, it didn't even reach that level.
He might be excellent among promising talents, but he didn't meet Eun-ha's standards.
He hasn't improved much.
He lacks a lot of practical experience.
His understanding of magic isn't deep either. He's only learned superficially.
His friends had grown, but
Why was On Tae-yang in this state?
Eun-ha couldn't hide his complicated feelings.
Then he realized.
The fact that On Tae-yang lacked a mentor to teach and guide him.
Also, the fact that he lacked comrades growing while walking the same path.
"─You had nothing."
"..."
Looking at him supporting himself with his sword to stand up,
Eun-ha realized the obvious fact.
He had no karmic connections.
He himself had taken all the karmic connections that On Tae-yang should have had.
"So that's why you were this weak." "Watch your mouth. It's not over yet." "No, it's over with this. Because I won't deal with you anymore."
Eun-ha muttered his thoughts.
The hero admired by people,
On Tae-yang was defined as
So he, who had nothing, was nothing more than an unremarkable promising talent.
You become just a nobody when you have no one around you. You're someone who can't live alone.
But I... lived. You're really different from me.
Eun-ha recalled the time before the regression.
He and On Tae-yang had lived different lives.
Unlike On Tae-yang, he had relied on his own strength, not comrades.
Thus, while On Tae-yang was called
Eun-ha came to be called by the title
On Tae-yang, who cannot be defined alone.
Noh Eun-ha, who can be defined alone.
They had lived such different lives, and that was the changed result in this regressed world.
He had become stronger, and On Tae-yang had become weaker.
"I have a lot to be sorry for to you. But I won't regret it." "Noh Eun-ha.... I told you not to look at me with those eyes. Stop looking at me like you're evaluating me."
"This is the last time. So it would be good to give it your all now. Please, don't disappoint me until the very end."
"...!"
It was a conversation drawing parallel lines.
They each said only what they wanted to say.
But it seemed that Eun-ha's last words were conveyed to On Tae-yang.
He made an expression as if he was shaken.
Eventually, he sneered.
"Fine, alright. Let's see you take this."
The device sponsored by the Dangun Group.
He infused mana into his sword.
The sword fiercely absorbed the mana, and the blade turned bright red.
With a whoosh,
Flames arose around the blade.
Swirling flames enveloped the sword, and the fire made a sound as if enraged.
TUKWAANG!!
Eventually, On Tae-yang swung down his sword.
The mana compressed in the blade flew towards Eun-ha at an instant speed.
The flames tried to devour him.
But the flames─.
─Winter Creeping in Snowflakes
A sound incomparable to the previous one burst out.
The flames that rushed to engulf Eun-ha were sucked into his sword without a trace, and
The black dragon sleeping inside the pure white blade woke up.
And Eun-ha─.
─KUOOO!!
He unleashed the awakened dragon.
The dragon that came into the world carrying flames flew towards On Tae-yang with a sound that made one's legs go weak.
"...!!"
On Tae-yang had no way to block it.
He who had believed in his attack without doubt didn't seem to have thought it would be nullified.
On Tae-yang, who had poured out massive mana, was devoured by the black dragon.
"─Congratulations on your graduation."
A moment later, the black dragon disappeared, and
On Tae-yang was half-kneeling on the ground, supporting his body with his sword.
But he didn't move at all.
He had used up all his strength to move.
After assessing his condition, Eun-ha turned his back without showing any lingering attachment.
I can't use On Tae-yang like this.
In the end, it means I need to prepare another method to replace On Tae-yang....
On Tae-yang has no value to use.
Eun-ha completely gave up his expectations for On Tae-yang.
Although there's still time left until recapturing Uijeongbu, the strategy of developing On Tae-yang seemed too uncertain.
In the end, he had to find a new plan.
First, I should think about preparing for the calamity that will happen in April.
Thinking about what he needed to prepare for in the future,
Eun-ha decided to leave the arena.
The referee hadn't declared the end, but even without an official declaration, the result was decided.
Everyone would agree.
So Eun-ha tried to leave without hesitation.
─Is he still thinking of continuing?
Then he felt On Tae-yang's presence.
He moved.
He's approaching.
Eun-ha, clicking his tongue inwardly, decided to knock On Tae-yang unconscious this time.
So he was about to draw "Winter Blooming Coldly" and swing his sword at On Tae-yang who had approached within reach─.
"─NOOOOH EUUUUN-HAAAAA!!"
"...!!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar burst out.
He rushed in with speed and strength he hadn't shown before.
The sensation in his hand was heavy.
At this rate, he'll lose in a contest of strength.
Eun-ha hurriedly tried to seal his sword with "Winter Creeping in Snowflakes".
"KUAAAAA!!"
But as if he had expected that,
On Tae-yang quickly widened the distance.
As if moving instinctively,
He retreated from Eun-ha's domain and let out a beast-like roar.
Immediately after, he leaped at Eun-ha with terrifying speed.
What is this...!
What's going on?
A sudden change.
Not only had his physical abilities increased, but his fighting style had clearly changed.
He's extremely reckless.
But while reckless like a beast, he's extremely quick in judging situations.
Hit-and-run tactics.
Tactics that seem simple are gradually developing into more sophisticated ones.
He's learning.
He doesn't fall for the same method twice.
Conversely, he even imitates it.
He's getting stronger and stronger.
No, as his learning ability develops, he's gradually displaying the qualities he possesses.
It was truly an astonishing rate of growth.
Eun-ha, blocking On Tae-yang's attacks, couldn't help but be shocked.
What shocked him even more was─.
─He's using a Gift.
But this isn't
The fact that he activated a Gift.
The problem was that the Gift On Tae-yang activated wasn't
It was─.
─Similar to
No, it's definitely
Gift
There was no way Eun-ha wouldn't know about it.
☆
I'll take down Noh Eun-ha.
On Tae-yang, who had devoted himself to training with that single-minded determination, met a wall named Mok Min-ho.
Why, how....
Why can't I win?
He had trained so hard.
But he had to taste frustration as he was defeated by Mok Min-ho.
He realized the reality that effort doesn't necessarily guarantee success.
That ate away at his heart.
He felt self-loathing.
And─.
─It's impossible to beat Noh Eun-ha. With my power..., I can't win.
After seeing Noh Eun-ha fight against
On Tae-yang, having confirmed Noh Eun-ha's skills, fell into a defeatist mindset without realizing it himself.
Moreover, in succession─.
'Why? Or do you want to take her?'
'It was fun all this time.'
On this day, On Tae-yang saw his younger sister and Jo Ara turn their backs on him and go to Eun-ha.
Anger boiled inside him.
At the same time, he resigned himself.
He let them go to Noh Eun-ha's side, like an animal that had lost in the world of survival of the fittest.
With such a mindset, he came to the match, so there was no way he could wield his sword well.
I can't beat Noh Eun-ha
Frustration, despair, resignation, giving up, defeatism.
All sorts of emotions wrapped around him tightly, making his movements dull.
Before he knew it, he was swinging his sword aimlessly.
He just waited for this moment to end.
But Noh Eun-ha, as if mocking him, kept urging him to pick up his sword every time he was defeated.
That bastard....
Do you want to make me look so pathetic?
On Tae-yang held back his resentment.
At least he didn't want to show his emotions to Noh Eun-ha.
He didn't want to show them, but─
"─You had nothing."
"..."
He suddenly said such a thing.
On Tae-yang hesitated.
A tone as if disappointed.
And a tone as if mocking him.
I have nothing?
Whose fault do you think that is!
Anger surged in that moment.
The rage sleeping beneath his defeatism made his heart pound violently.
It's all..., because of you.
I lost my mother.
I lost my younger sister.
I lost my friend.
I lost many other things.
But Noh Eun-ha seemed to be scolding him as if it was his fault, not Noh Eun-ha's.
It was ridiculous.
"So that's why you were this weak."
If it weren't for you.
I would have been happy.
On Tae-yang felt his body heating up intensely.
If Noh Eun-ha hadn't taken everything, his academy life would have been a series of satisfying days.
Noh Eun-ha ruined that.
I can never forgive him.
His emotions towards Noh Eun-ha boiled over.
That crushed his defeatism.
"I have a lot to be sorry for to you. But I won't regret it." "Noh Eun-ha.... I told you not to look at me with those eyes. Stop looking at me like you're evaluating me."
Don't apologize as you please.
And don't look at me like that.
Noh Eun-ha was always like that.
As if he knew something.
He, Noh Eun-ha, always looked at him with such eyes.
His gaze was too uncomfortable.
No, it was unpleasant.
What do you think you know....
A gaze as if appraising.
A gaze as if judging.
On Tae-yang hated Noh Eun-ha's gaze that seemed to look down on him so much.
And also when he looked with such eyes and then made a disappointed face as if something didn't meet his standards.
It was the same now.
Don't look at me with those eyes.
I've thought this since I first saw you.
I really don't like it.
Nevertheless, On Tae-yang didn't have the skills to express his emotions to Noh Eun-ha.
And not just skills.
Power, wealth.
He lacked everything.
Unlike Noh Eun-ha, there was no one around him to help him.
No, even the few people he had were all taken away or lost to him.
"─Congratulations on your graduation."
If it weren't for you, my life surely wouldn't have been like this.
On Tae-yang, after his final struggle, collapsed to the point where he could barely support his body.
Noh Eun-ha's parting words felt so humiliating.
If only you weren't here....
I wouldn't have been frustrated.
I wouldn't have lost anything.
I wouldn't have lost anything at all.
In his fading consciousness, On Tae-yang recalled the day he entered the academy.
Thump thump
That time was good.
That time when he was overflowing with confidence after receiving admission to the Player Academy as a result of his efforts.
On Tae-yang immersed himself in the past.
Thump thump
He sinks into the past.
He sinks endlessly.
He's intoxicated with past glory.
Thump thump
Where is his will?
And where is his heart?
Right in the past.
Not here in this moment.
As if filling that space, a maddening impulse creeps up.
His heart pounds thump thump.
Thump thump
He feels a sensation as if blood is circulating throughout his body.
On Tae-yang's consciousness drifted away.
Only instinct takes the lead.
His blood boils.
Strength surges.
Strangely, his body was aware of the phenomenon happening now.
To this, On Tae-yang decided to move his body, surrendering to the impulse.
"─NOOOOH EUUUUN-HAAAAA!!"
Gift