Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Face Smash
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The unit I belonged to was the Cyrus Empire's 2nd Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 4th Company, 1st Platoon.
2341. Easy to remember.
“Haribal, that crazy bastard—more training again?”
“And this time, he doubled the weights.”
“Guess that dungeon run really shook him up…”
It had shaken me. A preemptive mob jumping out like that.
But the real terror was realizing that thing was just cannon fodder.
The man-faced arachnid wasn't even a 7th-tier dungeon boss or anything. If trash like that was that strong, the rest had to be even faster.
In the end, no matter how much weight training you did, if your speed fell short, you'd get smashed. That was the truth.
So I had to get faster.
Not just a little—way faster.
After crawling out of the dungeon, I bolted straight to the nearest smithy and bought up every steel weight they had.
Wrapping them around my whole body and moving—it was no joke. Exhaustion hit like a truck.
Even just standing there drained the strength from my limbs, made me not want to do anything.
But thanks to all the prior weight training, it wasn't completely unbearable.
In that state, I ran every day until I collapsed from exhaustion.
It was brutal.
Before possessing this body, I'd been your average guy. Never thrashed around this hard just to survive.
But when the game turned real, people changed.
Simple reason: I didn't want to die.
No matter what, I refused to die.
If I didn't run now, I'd have to run even more later.
Better to run on my own terms.
But in the end, what mattered was combat.
Training was just training. No matter how much you boosted your speed in drills, you couldn't really feel the gains until it was real.
'Hang on. Monsters respawn, right?'
Terminus Academy's basic farming system was repeat dungeon leveling.
Dungeons reset partially when you exited and re-entered, and the spider dungeon was no exception.
So fighting that man-faced arachnid again would let me check if I was on the right path.
“You heading back in there again?”
“Yeah.”
“Come on, give it a rest. You saved the lady, and your comrades' deaths weren't your fault.”
That wasn't my concern.
“I'm going to become a knight.”
“Haribal, you stubborn shit…!”
The company commander tossed me a few potions with a warning to be careful.
Like that, I dove in and out of the spider dungeon for a month, turning my body into Swiss cheese.
“Got it.”
I whooped at the blue gem floating over my head.
For the first time, I'd stolen the man-faced arachnid's turn.
Its follow-up combo dropped it without a single counter.
“Thank you… really… thank you…”
“It was my duty.”
“Thanks to you, Haribal, he'll be able to pass on in peace…”
Of all days, it was the day the dead comrade's wife tagged along.
Seeing her tears, I was certain.
This was the right path.
'Good call ramping up the speed.'
From that day, I started sparring with the company commander.
“Come at me, Haribal!”
“No holding back.”
I'd expected it, but the company commander was strong.
Insanely fast, above all.
Even with speed surpassing the man-faced arachnid, stealing his turn was impossible.
The instant my turn came, I jammed my wooden sword into his torso, but of course, no one-shot.
“…Couldn't dodge that one either.”
“In a real fight, it'd be different.”
My turn wouldn't have come at all.
“Felt it when I first saw you, but at your age, not many in the world could touch me with a blade.”
“Thank you.”
I hoped so too.
⁎⁎⁎
A medal ceremony was held.
“The Cyrus Empire hereby awards the Meritorious Service Medal to Soldier Haribal Belder for his valor and dedication.”
A soft-spoken girl with silver hair and blue eyes approached, holding the medal.
Turned out the noble lady I'd rescued from the dungeon was the eldest daughter of the Ren family, the empire's famed sword house.
Thanks to that, I got the medal.
But the Ren lady in my memories didn't look like this.
Sword Princess. Cecilia Ren.
One of the game's major heroines, an icy princess type at the academy.
“Senia Ren, step forward and receive your medal.”
But the girl in front of me now was named Senia.
Unlike the original Cecilia, she had a softer, rounder face. Completely different vibe.
“You're the one who saved me that day?”
“By His Majesty's grace.”
“I was truly grateful. You saved my life.”
As the mysterious lady smiled and pinned the medal on me, a sharp voice cut in from the side.
“That guy's the one who saved Sis?”
I turned to see a girl with the same silver hair and blue eyes, but with fierce, piercing eyes.
“Yes. Lady Cecilia, this is Lady Senia's savior.”
“Yeah? He looks weak.”
Right, that's Cecilia.
A bit childish, but spot-on from the illustrations.
Why's she picking a fight, though?
“Look at him. Covered in black burns, filthy.”
Those are burns, you bitch. You think that's something to say to the guy who just got a medal for saving her sister?
“Don't get cocky. Even if you hadn't saved her, I would've.”
“Cecilia! Mind your manners with our benefactor!”
Senia rushed to stop her, but Cecilia ignored her and sauntered over, scanning me head to toe.
At least the sister seemed to have some sense; the little one was outright rude.
Sure, rank difference meant I should bow my head here, but my mood was soured.
Wasn't it bad manners to act like that toward the man who saved her sister?
The urge to deck her rose to my neck.
Just then, one of the duke's aides stepped in quickly.
“Soldier Haribal, state your wish for your injury compensation.”
Injury reward. A game scene I remembered.
The Meritorious Service Medal was the lowest tier, usually just symbolic—no real perks.
Demanding gold or treasures would've been pointless.
But what about this?
“If possible, I'd like to test my skills against Lady Cecilia's sword.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Not just emotional impulse, of course.
Cecilia was an endgame powerhouse in the original story.
Experiencing her moves firsthand would solidify my training direction.
If I went post-turn, focus on speed; pre-turn, power. This spar was purely for that insight.
Absolutely not because I wanted to smash her face.
“Huh…?”
Caught off-guard by her name, Cecilia scowled.
But it quickly twisted into a sneer.
“Think you're hot shit among some grunts, so you can handle my sword?”
She glanced around, raising her voice deliberately.
“What should I do? He wants it—should I?”
⁎⁎⁎
The medal ceremony had turned into a duel before I knew it.
Cecilia and I faced off in the arena, wooden swords in hand.
“They say you're the strongest in your unit?”
At this point, Cecilia was a tad taller than me.
Maybe that's why. She kept looking down at me.
“No way you think that puny shit can beat me?”
“I just want to witness Lady Cecilia's sword for real.”
“Killing a few mobs makes you think you can hang? You're delusional about your place.”
Yeah. Keep barking.
This wasn't about winning or losing anyway.
For me, stealing even one turn from her would be enough.
Winning would be nice, sure.
“The world's vast, kid. Don't underestimate Ren swordsmanship with your petty tricks.”
“Never underestimated it.”
“ duel start!”
The referee's call barely hit the air before Cecilia's toes dug in and vanished.
Blink, and she was right in my face.
Definitely faster than the man-faced arachnid.
Looked like teleporting at a glance.
But I wasn't worried.
A blue gem glowed above my head.
My pre-turn?
Pow!!
Die then.
“Huhk…!”
Speed was king, after all.
My wooden sword sank deep into Cecilia's side, hurling her body back.
Bit of a shame, though.
Unlike monsters, humans had vitals—easy to trigger [Weak!].
But hammering vitals in a duel? Instant psycho label.
Especially against a lady.
Cecilia clutched her side and yelled.
“You… what the hell was that?! How's a lowly soldier that fast?!”
Tch. No one-shot.
Playable characters tanked like monsters, huh.
And so the time came.
Time to eat hits.
“Answer me!!”
Regaining her stance, Cecilia thundered toward me like lightning.
Her wooden sword plunged toward my solar plexus.
Bam!
[Weak!]
Heartless bitch.
I'd spared her vitals on purpose.
Her combo launched me airborne; I flew meters before crashing into the arena floor.
But I didn't die.
Cecilia wasn't trying to kill me emotionlessly like the arachnid.
Swallowing a scream, I slowly rose.
My turn again.
You hit my solar plexus too?
No mercy this time.
I rammed my wooden sword straight into hers.
“Guh… hngh…!!”
Her breath exploded out as her body folded and floated up.
'Not done yet.'
[Weak!]
Extra turn. Follow-up combo smashed her side again.
Thwack!!
She staggered and dropped to her knees right there.
“Is that the famed Gray Wind?”
“Looks like he hit her twice. Impressive skill.”
Yeah, twice exactly.
Cecilia gritted her teeth, gasping through the pain.
Won't go down, huh.
Guess it's my turn to eat dirt again.
No point dodging what was coming anyway.
“Why…?”
As I slowly walked over and stood before her, a trembling voice rose.
“Why… aren't you dodging…?!”
Can't.
Why assume if you can hit, you can dodge?
What was a turn-based scrub like me supposed to do—cry about it?
But say that straight, and the duke staring in shock would peg Haribal as insane.
So I wrapped it in a plausible excuse.
“A true knight never dodges an opponent's full-powered strike.”
“W-what…?”
Murmurs erupted.
I knew—total bullshit.
Of course you dodge if it hurts.
“I said from the start I wanted to witness Lady Cecilia's sword. Your true sword, with all your heart in it.”
As I offered my hand, Cecilia looked up in confusion.
But her eyes sharpened, and she slapped it away.
“…Fine then. I'll show you. Since you wanted to see!”
She raised her wooden sword high, channeling energy into the blade.
The air prickled, crawling over my skin.
What? Did I talk too much shit?
“Cecilia, stop!”
The duke's voice rang from the stands.
But she showed no sign of stopping. If it's that dangerous, come drag her off or something.
“Ren Sword Style. First Form. Shatter Light.”
Hearing the name, I snapped my fingers inwardly.
'Arts.'
Arts were Terminus Academy's signature system—character-unique skills triggered by conditions.
I'd spammed them in the game. Flashier and stronger than basics.
Problem: I was on the receiving end now.
'That'll fuck me up bad.'
I recalled the original scene: a mob hit by Shatter Light bisected top to bottom.
Was Haribal doomed too?
“Haaaah…!!”
KABOOM!!
A beam of light exploded from Cecilia's sword, spearing straight into me.
ZZZAP!!
Earsplitting roar and body-rending agony choked my breath.
“Gaaahhh!!”
Screamed from the pain, but my voice drowned in the noise.
This was Arts? Several times worse than the arachnid's hits.
Felt like my body was kneaded like dough.
Guts churning, vision whiting out.
When the light faded, my wooden sword was splintered, smoke rising from my charred body.
“Arts in a friendly duel? Are you insane?!”
“Call the healers! Quick, or he'll die!”
Yet I didn't fall.
“Huh?!”
“A commoner tanks Lady Cecilia's Arts with a wooden sword?!”
'Right. Arts. How'd I forget?'
I'd been throwing basic attacks every turn so far.
But if I could use Arts too?
I'd hit harder.
And take fewer hits naturally.
“You… withstood Shatter Light…?”
Cecilia gaped in disbelief, but my eyes weren't on her.
I looked up at the sky.
A gem bluer than the heavens shimmered there.
“Now it's my turn.”
I walked toward her slowly.
Didn't matter how slow.
It was my turn now.
When the distance closed enough, I loaded my fist with everything and smashed it into her face.
Pow!!
Die, bitch.