novelraw Chapter 57 : Chapter 57
Chapter 57 : Chapter 57
Chapter 57: Pain (3)
“It seems the next turn has been decided. Ryu Jinwoo, are you up for it?”
Kang Mooseong grinned and asked at Lee Junhyeok’s sudden nomination.
“Wow, the next turn after Lee Junhyeok is going to be nerve-wracking.”
“Isn’t being personally pointed out by Junhyeok a kick in the gut?”
“Is there something between them? Rivals? That can’t be it.”
The murmuring voices could be heard without filtering.
Even if I tried to ignore them, all the words popping up from here and there were about me.
Curiosity, ridicule, strange anticipation.
Various emotions were swirling around like a whirlwind.
I slowly moved forward.
Instantly, gazes gathered all at once.
With exclamations of 'Ooh-!', ridicule grew louder from one side.
They were just excited, thinking they were about to see an entertaining show.
Having been pointed out openly, I couldn't back down.
Besides, everyone had to go in at least once during the training time.
‘If I can avoid the beating, I avoid it. If I have to be hit, I take it as early as possible.’
That was my way.
Experience taught me this was the best.
Amidst this, there were two people showing particularly intense emotions.
Seo Seungbeom, who was sending ridicule while burning with sticky ‘Jealousy.’
It was obvious what the guy, who looked back and forth between Lee Junhyeok and me, was thinking.
Because he considered Lee Junhyeok his rival.
He was probably thinking that he should have been the one nominated.
And Lee Junhyeok.
‘Seriously, what is your deal......’
The guy briefly stopped organizing his sword, glanced at me, and clenched his fist to show support.
I knew it meant ‘Fighting! Do well!’
I also clearly knew there was absolutely no malice.
But why to me, is what I'm saying.
If we had at least had a proper conversation, it wouldn't feel so unfair.
“Don't dilly-dally and get in there quickly!”
Just as I was distracted for a moment, Kang Mooseong’s booming shout struck.
‘Oh, seriously.’
Why is everyone so eager to eat me alive?
I sighed and stepped into the simulator.
The automatic door closed, and thick reinforced glass surrounded me.
The surrounding noise gradually faded.
Just as my ears began to feel muffled.
“Stage 1! Focus!”
Kang Mooseong’s shout penetrated through the thick glass, making it vibrate.
Whirrrr—!
The machine began to emit a rotating sound.
Blue light flashed, and the simulator activated.
Hiss-!
Three disks floated into the air and slowly turned toward me.
Zing-!
The disks began to fly in simultaneously.
My sword moved naturally.
Swish- Slash-! Thwack!
I cut the first one smoothly.
The second one snapped as if caught on the blade and split into two pieces.
The last one gave a sensation closer to hitting than actually cutting.
“Phew-.”
Lights spread across the screen inside the reinforced glass.
[Stage 1 Clear]
[Preparing Stage 2]
‘How many were in Stage 2 again?’
If it was around three, I could handle it.
However, when Lee Junhyeok challenged it earlier, I clearly remembered the number increasing significantly from Stage 2.
Whirr-
Sure enough.
This time, three times as many disks floated in line in the air.
‘Is this difficulty spike for real?’
If this were a real game, I would have cursed at the developers.
But right now, I didn't even have the leisure to do so.
Zing-! Zip-!
The disks floating in the air simultaneously changed angles and began to fly toward me.
This time too, I cut the first three.
But 5 disks remained.
“Tch.”
I stepped back, struck down an additional 2 targets, and cut them.
It was a movement driven by instinct.
The problem was that there were still more remaining.
Whoosh-!
Bursting with the rotating sound of motors, a target charged at me.
When I sharply turned my head, it grazed my ear with a swish- sound.
While barely dodging one, two disks crossed each other and dug toward my torso.
“Ugh!”
I raised my hands high and twisted my waist sharply, barely dodging.
Laughter erupted from outside.
Even I thought it was a ridiculous posture.
The evasive maneuvers of [Evasion Instinct] were not something I could choose.
My body simply moved in the most efficient way at that moment.
But the fact that I dodged was what mattered.
I gritted my teeth and cut down the targets that stretched out and rushed back at me in a U-shape one by one.
[Stage 2 Clear]
[Preparing Stage 3]
‘......It's overwhelming from Stage 2. Damn it.’
I breathed roughly and gripped my sword.
Whirrr-
The inside of the simulator was dyed blue again.
This time, from the very beginning, disks were scattered and rotating in all directions.
It was different from the previous stage where they simply rose in a line.
‘......27? No, when Lee Junhyeok did it, there were 30.’
It probably shows 27 at first, then adds three more like a trap.
“Raise your hand when you are ready to start!”
Kang Mooseong shouted.
It seemed they gave a moment to catch breath from Stage 3 onwards.
Of course, they wouldn't wait long.
To avoid Kang Mooseong’s training, I had to clear at least Stage 3.
But at this rate, I couldn't guarantee it.
The ‘objective’ of this mission was the problem.
If it were simply dodging, it would be doable enough.
Since each disk counted as an attack judgment against me, [Evasion Instinct] was activating appropriately.
However, the mission objective was to destroy or cut the targets.
It wasn't something solved just by dodging.
I couldn't evade forever either.
Because I couldn't breathe while [Evasion Instinct] was active.
The moment I ran out of breath and my breathing was disturbed, I would immediately be pummeled.
Maybe I would end up hospitalized as is.
So I had to cut them down somehow.
‘When it comes to attacking, my speed can't keep up.’
The speed at which the disks rushed in was fast.
Moreover, in Stage 3, the speed of each disk would be even faster compared to Stage 2.
Their number would also increase.
Dodge and cut simultaneously targets that are more numerous, faster, and more persistent?
‘This is driving me crazy.’
It was a problem without an answer.
“Are you still not ready? Starting in ten seconds. Ready!”
Kang Mooseong shouted once more.
As expected, he didn't wait long.
‘Ah, whatever.’
[Stage 3 Start]
Simultaneously with the notification, the simulation resumed.
I checked the direction with the fewest disks and ran straight for it.
Slice- I swung my sword and destroyed three in an instant.
‘Damn it! Run!’
And throwing my body as is, I ran like crazy.
Thud-thud-dash-!
I kicked off one wall hard, stepped on it to run up, and changed direction.
While running on the wall, I confirmed the disks were concentrated on one side, then threw my body into the air.
Whoosh-!
Creating a rough wind, I floated in the air, narrowly avoiding the flying disks.
Crash-! Crashh-!
Several disks slammed violently into the reinforced glass and shattered into pieces.
‘For now, it's a success, but......’
Swish-! Swoosh-!
But that was only a tiny fraction.
Countless disks were still drawing trajectories and rushing toward me.
Hiss-! Zip! Zing-!
I stepped on the floor and threw my body as if rolling, narrowly dodging the rush of the disks like a matador.
The metallic wind brushing past my skin stung as it scraped my flesh.
‘This is literally walking a tightrope.’
My whole body was soaked in sweat, trickling down my spine.
Short, rough breaths burst out.
Amidst the tension that my torso would be blown apart if I slipped even once, I stumbled this way and that, ducking my head, jumping, and twisting my body.
“Puhat! Is this a circus!”
“Run, run! That's crazy!”
“Someone buy some popcorn!”
Before I knew it, spectator mode had long been turned on outside.
In the immediately preceding turn, Lee Junhyeok didn't move a single step and cut everything down.
Unlike him, I was running around inside the large rectangular device.
Perhaps the entertainment value was higher on my side.
The enthusiastic cheers proved it.
However, the problem was that there were no entertainment points in this mission.
‘There are still so many left. Damn it.’
Is this what it feels like to be chased by a swarm of bees?
The mechanical buzzing sound—like giant hornets from all directions gnawed at my nerves.
My lungs began to constrict heavily, and I even felt the metallic taste of blood leaking from my throat every time I exhaled.
Just as the thought that I truly couldn't hold out anymore raised its head, I made eye contact with a guy outside.
It was Seo Seungbeom and his gang.
Seo Seungbeom, exchanging some words and sneering.
The moment I became conscious of that unpleasant gaze, a memory flashed in my mind.
‘Back then.’
When I fought Seo Seungbeom in the alley, there was a moment I was exposed to his ‘current.’
At that moment, my Agility definitely increased.
My body became lighter, and my reactions became faster.
‘If my Agility increases, it would be much easier to respond to those targets. Both dodging and cutting.’
I instinctively scanned my surroundings.
With the strange question, ‘Is there any way to get electrocuted on purpose?’
However, I soon shook my head.
Upon rethinking, it was an incredibly stupid idea.
‘There's no way, and besides, the moment I get electrocuted, my muscles will be paralyzed. Then I'll just get hit and it's over.’
It seemed all sorts of thoughts popped out when cornered.
Just as a deep sigh rose to my throat.
Gurgle- Gurgle-
A strange resonance revealed its presence inside my body.
‘......Pain.’
The unknown energy that began to flow inside my body.
A nauseating sensation from it surged throughout my body.
Zap-!
A sensation like a stinging electric shock brushing my spinal cord spread.
“Huh?”
Just as I unwittingly let out a questioning sound.
Fzzzt-!
With a flash, a tingling pain exploded inside my body.
“Aaaagh-!”
Simultaneously with the scream, my concentration momentarily faltered.
The disks persistently chasing me dug in right before my eyes.
‘Ah, I can’t react to this.’
Because I possessed the passive [Evasion Instinct], I could judge instinctively instead.
Too fast. And too many.
I can't respond to all of them.
Just as I was about to resign myself.
Whoosh-! Zip! Hiss-!
My body moved on its own.
At an absurd speed.
The sound of disks screeching—past me and changing direction in the air echoed.
‘......How did I dodge that?’
In my vision, gasping for breath while steeped in doubt.
Ding-!
[Tactical Manual]
[Ryu Jinwoo]
[Agility : 18 (+9)]
A change was captured.
Swoosh-!
Soon, the disks that changed trajectory rushed in again.
Slash-!
My sword cut through the air, severing all those trajectories.
Even though the buzzing pain spread throughout my body, my muscles did not stiffen in the slightest.
What remained was only pure pain, and a body accelerated explosively using that pain as fuel.
Clatter-
The fragments of the last disk shattered and fell, leaving behind a roar.
[Stage 3 Clear]
The notification on the electric board flashed, announcing the clear.
“......”
Speechless and breathing roughly, I realized instinctively.
This energy flowing through my body.
The essence of ‘Pain’.