I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 43 : Growing Wings (2)

[Combat begins.]

After a bright light filled my vision and disappeared, I was facing the One-Armed Trainer in the middle of a desolate plain.

With the sunset beautifully cast, it felt like I was the protagonist of a western movie.

"Nice weather for a fight."

Wheeeeeing.

The wind blew, raising dust and passing through the loose left sleeve of the Ma-in.

"I'll k-kill you."

The Ma-in's eyes flashed with killing intent, faithfully accepting the hatred injected through the program.

With his sunken cheeks, protruding cheekbones, and sharp eyes.

"He really looks like a killer."

His limbs began to give life to the long whip, swaying like a willow tree.

I stood still, waiting for it.

"Do whatever you want."

Despite my relaxed words, I could feel my sword-gripping hand getting damp with cold sweat.

I had to face the hellish barrage of relentless whip attacks head-on, without teammates to help disperse it.

If I wasn't tense, it would mean my senses had become dull, which would be a reason for concern.

'Among Class 1, only Seo Jun-seong with his favorable match-up could probably fight him directly.'

Which just meant that Seo Jun-seong possessed such a cheating-level characteristic.

The One-Armed Trainer was no easy opponent.

"D-die."

Ssswaaack!

The whip, breaking the sound barrier, cut through the air and flew towards my head.

I activated Eye Power and then swung my sword with manifested sword energy to counter the whip.

Jaeaeaeng!

'This resonates to the bone.'

The sword trembled against the blow, which contained terrifying kinetic energy enough to easily tear through a steel wall.

"This is truly no joke."

Thanks to coating it with sword energy, I had gained enough hardness to withstand a direct hit without breaking.

But the whip contained such tremendous power that if I received it even slightly carelessly, my grip would be torn and my wrist broken.

'If that whip also contained aura, it would have been completely unmanageable in my current state.'

Moreover, the whip made from demonic beast byproducts had enough hardness to withstand the sharpness and strength of sword energy even with just physical force, without being coated in mana.

'Sword energy isn't omnipotent after all.'

Just because I manifested sword energy didn't mean I could have easy battles where I sliced through enemies and their weapons.

'If this game ran on such a simple mechanism where sword energy beats swords and sword hardness beats sword energy, I wouldn't have stuck with EoG for more than 10 years.'

Sword energy just provided the merit of wielding a weapon stronger and sharper than the opponent's; it alone couldn't ignore and cut through enemy shields or armor.

But it was also true that this was exactly the weapon I needed most.

Hardness enough to withstand enemy attacks head-on.

Just gaining that alone allowed me to sufficiently fight and win against this Ma-in with an estimated grade four levels higher than mine.

"Y-you're quite strong."

The One-Armed Trainer, who realized I wasn't easy after just one clash, spoke warily.

For me, who had barely managed to deflect and evade during the first fight, this was an evaluation I hadn't heard before.

"Probably a lot stronger than you think."

I smiled and slowly walked forward.

Sswaack! Ssswaaack!

I continued to counter the ongoing whip attacks head-on while closing the distance.

"!"

I could sense the One-Armed Trainer becoming a bit flustered.

Probably, he had rarely or never encountered an opponent who could withstand his merciless whip attacks head-on while approaching.

"I-impudent."

The agitated Ma-in began to attack with even more kinetic energy, as if saying "let's see if you can block this."

'How stupid.'

I scoffed at that simple idea.

His advantage was his uniquely confusing and relentless combo attacks.

But if he abandoned that and focused on power, it would just result in simple and predictable single attacks.

'This makes it easier to aim.'

I aimed for the same part each time the whip attack came.

With Eye Power, it was a skill fully possible regardless of how fast the speed was.

Once, twice, three times.

Chang! Chaaeang!

After several metallic sounds in an instant, eventually the tip of the whip was cut off in chunks.

"!"

"Softer than I thought."

I provoked him by kicking away the cut whip.

'Without sword energy, it would have been my sword that broke.'

"R-rat-like bastard."

Venom rose in the One-Armed Trainer's expression.

Jeoeong!

He used his wrist snap to greatly deflect my sword upward.

'So that's your move.'

A whip flew in, targeting the momentary opening where my upper body was wide open.

It was an attack I could sufficiently avoid by leaning back, but I chose a different method.

'Mana Shield.'

Jaak!

The shield that rose over my left hand easily deflected the whip.

"P-parlor tricks."

'I can comfortably withstand about two or three hits.'

With all his successive tactics failing, the One-Armed Trainer seemed to be getting a bit impatient.

'The next method he'll choose is probably that.'

Sure enough.

"A-annoying guy."

His whip wrapped around my sword.

The intention was to disarm and neutralize me.

"Where do you think?"

Was this body an ordinary one?

With a body possessing the best athletic abilities and mana raised to the maximum, tremendous magical power resembling an industrial crane was created.

Hup!

When I applied force to my right hand holding the sword and pulled, instead, the One-Armed Trainer's body floated up and flew towards me.

"W-what?"

The confused Ma-in's eyes widened.

I kicked off the ground and rushed in, inducing close combat.

Even in the midst of that, he twisted his body elastically in the air and delivered a kick full of rotational force.

"Hmph!"

I coated my left forearm with a shield and deflected it.

Ppakak!

'That probably cracked a bone.'

Then I immediately brought down my sword.

Block, strike down.

It was a simple but powerful pattern.

Bwoong!

The One-Armed Trainer, who barely avoided the attack by twisting his body, kicked off the ground to create distance and then swung his whip again to block my approach.

'He's quick.'

His unique mobility, utilizing a flexible body as if it had no bones or joints, was indeed tricky.

"Huuu."

I lowered the output of my sword energy and caught my breath a bit.

'I can't overuse mana.'

I didn't yet have enough mana to freely use sword energy abundantly.

But it takes too much time and consumption to pull it out each time.

Therefore, I was controlling it by maintaining a very faint sword energy and amplifying it as needed.

'It's troublesome, but this is the most efficient method.'

The consolation was that I didn't need to do that for my fists.

The Mana Shield skill was like a macro, so it was fine to activate it as needed.

'Moreover, unlike fist energy or sword energy, it can be manifested anywhere without any medium, whether in empty space or elsewhere, and its efficiency is excellent.'

Such advantages would become less significant as I reached higher realms.

But that was something that still needed some time.

"Are you running away?"

"S-shut up."

The One-Armed Trainer, who had almost suffered a defeat in close combat, tried not to give me any distance.

'Just a temporary measure.'

If he came at me like that, all I had to do was avoid it.

Whirik whirik.

Despite the supersonic whip attacks coming in flexible movements, there was still a definite pattern.

With the superhuman dynamic vision granted by Eye Power, the One-Armed Trainer's attacks became nothing more than futile gestures.

'The agility training is working.'

Sheeik!

As a whip barely brushed past my ear.

I drew a dagger I had been carrying in my bosom and quickly threw it.

Sswaack!

Like fastballs shot by a Major League level pitcher, two daggers flew straight and fast.

An attack with much faster and more ferocious power than the throw that had subdued the Cockatrice in one go.

The One-Armed Trainer avoided one with his unique flexibility, but the other one barely grazed his thigh, tearing a blood vessel.

"Kuhk!"

"How long are you going to pester from a distance?"

I provoked him by wiggling my finger.

"H-how dare you."

The One-Armed Trainer's eyes, which had been suppressing his murderous impulse with vigilance, turned bloodshot.

'He's excited.'

"I-I'll kill you!"

"Wasn't that your intention from the beginning?"

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"Huh?"

Hwang Ji-su, who was glancing at the training room Su-hyeon had entered, imagining what kind of training he might be doing, twitched her eyebrow as she saw Lee Yu-jin walking from afar.

"That's unusual."

"...What is?"

"Nothing. Just that earlier Su-hyeon passed by, and now you're coming in."

"Why is that?"

"What do you mean 'why'? You two have been sticking together every day lately, so I was just wondering why you're apart for once."

"By that logic, Seung-yeon hangs out with him more often."

"Who said what? I'm just saying that's how it is."

Actually.

Yu-jin felt somewhat uncomfortable with Ji-su.

Not only because of always being lumped together with Seo Jun-seong in the top three, making her conscious of it.

It was also natural not to have positive feelings towards Ji-su, who didn't bother hiding her attitude that seemed to suggest Yu-jin wasn't much of a match for her, and that she only needed to surpass Jun-seong.

Moreover...

'I don't understand why she keeps talking to Su-hyeon and paying attention to him while making it obvious she doesn't like him.'

Yu-jin spoke with an expressionless face.

"It's only natural to coordinate when we both have circumstances."

Her words didn't come out particularly nicely.

"But you're really conscious of Su-hyeon."

"What?"

Ji-su's expression changed slightly.

"Me? Of him? Why?"

"How would I know."

Yu-jin answered with a face that seemed to say this was opportune.

"Maybe you want to become the top student by surpassing Jun-seong, but you dislike that Su-hyeon seems to be achieving better results?"

"Ha. Look at you."

Ji-su snickered.

'Why is she so sharp now?'

"We'll see when we actually face each other."

At Ji-su's words, which alluded to an upcoming event, Yu-jin didn't back down either.

"It's better not to rely too much on your characteristic. Su-hyeon has a sense for piercing blind spots no one else thinks of."

"Hmph."

Ji-su crossed her arms.

"This is unusual. Were you always this type of person?"

"What do you mean?"

"I wonder."

Ji-su shrugged.

"How would I know."

Their gazes clashed in the air.

'...The atmosphere over there seems heavy.'

Seo Jun-seong, who was heading to the water dispenser for a drink, quietly closed the door again.

'I'll drink later.'

What was unfolding 20 steps ahead was a world he somehow didn't want to know deeply…

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Kwajik!

Not only grabbing the whip but also stepping on it to halt it, Su-hyeon pulled strongly as if hauling up a net.

"!"

Despite the clear difference in mana quantity.

The One-Armed Trainer, unable to overcome that strength, decided to use the situation instead of struggling in vain.

That is, he approached in a zigzag pattern by kicking off the ground, planning to deliver a spinning back kick full of rotational force to break Su-hyeon's ribs.

'Sharp!'

However, Su-hyeon, who read that intention slightly earlier, used his dynamic vision to avoid the kick by bending his body diagonally.

'Opportunity!'

Then, simultaneously hooking his left arm behind the Ma-in's knee, in the popliteal area, he swung his arm and smashed the Ma-in into the ground.

KWAANG!

"Kuhk!"

The One-Armed Trainer's lungs, having received a tremendous impact instantly, expelled air and trembled with excruciating pain.

Su-hyeon didn't miss this opening and stabbed down with his sword, but had to take two steps back due to a desperate kick that pushed away his abdomen.

"Where to!"

But Su-hyeon didn't give the One-Armed Trainer time to retreat, continuously closing the distance and pressing him.

"P-persistent!"

Feeling anxious under Su-hyeon's continuous pressure, the One-Armed Trainer manipulated his whip exquisitely to aim for the back of Su-hyeon's head, but.

Kaang!

Su-hyeon safely blocked the attack from behind with his sword coated in sword energy.

The fighting style of the strong is not putting just one purpose in one action.

'You can't escape!'

Therefore, Su-hyeon simultaneously launched a surprise attack and created a Mana Shield with weak intensity behind the One-Armed Trainer, who was trying to escape from his position.

"W-what's this."

The One-Armed Trainer, who hit his back against an unexpected obstacle, was momentarily flustered, and in that gap, Su-hyeon instantly delivered three thrusts, successfully drawing blood.

"M-mosquito-like bastard."

Relentless pressure was his specialty.

The One-Armed Trainer showed an anxious look on his face at the realization that he was being pressured by this young fellow instead.

"Does it feel like your limbs have been cut off?"

Su-hyeon smiled with satisfaction.

Of course, he could have subdued him with a quick attack instead of dragging out the fight like this.

'It would be a waste to end it that way.'

Su-hyeon believed there was much more to gain by countering and neutralizing each card the opponent played.

'I've properly grown wings. What an increase in combat power.'

Su-hyeon's heart beat rapidly with excitement as he realized a strength that surpassed even his own expectations.

Sword energy, Mana Shield, increased mana quantity.

Having gained these three weapons, he had achieved such an enormous power-up that he could wage such an overwhelming battle against the One-Armed Trainer, whom he previously had difficulty even landing an effective hit on.

'It's truly encouraging to have gained this much power at this point.'

If he could just get through the upcoming Ma-in attack event.

He could certainly get much closer to clearing than in previous iterations.

"Let's end this now."

Seoguk!

Su-hyeon gripped the sword with both hands and swung it strongly, cutting off the whip.

"!"

Even the subsequent follow-up attack resulted in a disappointing whip cut.

Su-hyeon walked slowly forward, cutting the whip with each sword swing.

"I-impossible. M-my whip."

The One-Armed Trainer was flustered by this unforeseen situation.

"Will you run away?"

"D-damn you."

The One-Armed Trainer bristled at Su-hyeon's provocation.

"Are you concerned about the weapon? Then let me make it fair."

When Su-hyeon even ostentatiously put his sword back in its scabbard, the Ma-in immediately lost his reason and charged in.

"KAAARG!"

It was a final desperate struggle, but the pattern of charging in and kicking didn't change at all.

"Your skills are lacking."

Su-hyeon smirked, blocked the kick with his Mana Shield, then grabbed the ankle with both hands and slammed it to the ground.

KWAANG!

"Kuheok!"

The One-Armed Trainer fell into a groggy state from the intense slam that dented the ground.

Su-hyeon drew his sword again and pinned the Ma-in's one arm to the ground by stabbing it.

"Subjugation complete."

[You have defeated the One-Armed Trainer (B-rank) alone!]

[Rare achievement! If this fact becomes known, everyone will view you differently!]

[Achievement points 600 awarded!]

"Hmm."

Su-hyeon muttered.

"He was adequate as a sparring partner."