Chapter 65
In all the sports days hosted by my elementary, middle, and high schools, I'd never once been class representative. In races, I placed around fourth or fifth in my class. In PE class games like soccer, baseball, or basketball officiated by the teacher, I barely avoided hearing how bad I was.
And yet here I was, effortlessly overwhelming track and field athletes who were set to represent South Korea at the Olympics.
"No way..."
"This is cheating...!"
"Is he a monster...?"
Rumors swirled that the Olympics might be postponed or canceled due to the pandemic, but as long as it wasn't canceled, it was all profit for me. Why? The longer the delay, the more events I could enter and snag qualifications for.
"Coach. As promised, please step aside for me."
"Hahaha..."
The coach, shocked by his prized athletes' defeats, just laughed in denial of reality. I'd crushed them purely with raw physical prowess, despite their superior technique and experience. It must have felt like a soldier with a gun losing to a kid.
"No need to be disappointed. It's only natural that I outrun you all."
"Natural?!"
"You mocking us?!"
"You little...!"
They flew off the handle just for stating facts. Their faces, once smugly dismissive of swimmers like me, twisted in proportion to their crumpled pride.
"Have you ever felt your whole body getting hacked to pieces if you stop? I had to get faster to survive. If they caught me, I'd die."
The Sword Demons that had outskated even pro skaters were pure terror incarnate.
"You looking down on us?!"
"We train to the brink of death too!"
"Don't cheat!"
But no matter what I said, they wouldn't listen.
Can't be helped.
Sorry, but I couldn't yield or give up track and field—the Olympic event with the most gold medals on the line. There were nearly twice as many as swimming!
100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5km, 10km, marathon. 20km and 50km racewalking. Hurdles, high jump, long jump, pole vault, triple jump... And a variety of throwing events too: discus, hammer, javelin, shot put.
Sweeping track alone would get me close to Nam Hae-su's record.
"Ahem! Kang Moon-soo. I acknowledge your skills. Join training from 7 a.m. tomorrow."
"That won't work."
"...What won't work?"
"I've got a lot of Olympic events I want to enter. All of swimming. And as many track events as possible."
"Ridiculous...!"
"And tomorrow morning I've got fencing, afternoon taekwondo. Day after is booked solid too."
"......"
The coach's lips pressed into a thin line at my grand ambitions. He must think it's absurd. But in this pre-Aptitude Test era, I was confident.
No reason I can't.
Nam Hae-su, whose aptitude was track, became the Swimming Emperor. No law saying a shaman like me can't do the same.
"Kang Moon-soo. This might be an odd question, but..."
"Yes."
"Are you... human like us?"
"Of course I am. That's a really odd question."
"R-right. Haha..."
"Haha!"
"Molrang molrang!"
Compared to modern top-tier athletes, I'm just an ordinary human.
* * *
"Your form's all over the place! Who taught you...!"
The fencing coach fumed.
"So it's invalid? A foul?"
"W-well, no, but..."
I'd learned swordsmanship in the world of the romance fantasy novel I Became the Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family. How to efficiently take lives with a blade!
Valentine...
Our time together was among the happiest in my life. Though our conversations were far from typical romance...
"Kang Moon-soo!"
"Ah, yes."
"Are you listening to me? Foil and épée are thrust-only."
"I did thrust."
"...Épée scores anywhere on the body, but foil only upper body thrusts count."
The fencer whose face I'd stabbed right at the start looked deeply uncomfortable.
"Let's go again."
"......"
Beep!
This time, my foil tip pierced his upper body perfectly. In the blink of an eye, no chance to react!
"Ah...?"
The fencer realized too late what happened, staring blankly.
"That's 15 points, right?"
"......"
Beep! Beep! Beep!
No matter how many times, the result didn't change. 15-0 victory.
On the battlefield, winning 99 out of 100 means nothing. You have to win every time and survive to be the true victor. With that resolve, I didn't allow a single point or invalid hit.
"Ah..."
"Good work."
I don't mean to dismiss or belittle the fencers' efforts and skills.
It's just sports.
Athletes with no killing experience can't beat me. Why? Even if it was a dream, they've never endured the killing intent of a serial killer who's slaughtered countless people. The sheer will to kill you! No matter how trained, the unfamiliar malice makes your body instinctively shrink back. Until you overcome the fear of death and grow accustomed to killing aura.
That said...
All these fencers are total hotties!
I didn't say it out loud, not wanting misunderstandings like with the track athletes if I complimented or consoled them. Long limbs, sleek builds... They reminded me of the handsome guys from I Became the Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family. Standing next to them made me feel shabby! Winning the match but feeling like I lost.
"Ahem! Kang Moon-soo."
"Yes."
"Forgive the rudeness, but are you the same kind of person as us?"
"Of course."
I've just had more varied experiences than most. Plenty have nearly died, but no one's actually died, right? Even Song Seon-yeong, jumping off a building roof, passed out just before hitting the asphalt—hardly counts as experiencing death.
"No need to join training."
The coach glanced at his fencers, still reeling from defeat, and said it. Probably figured they'd lose more than gain training with me.
Anyway, "I'll head out. Got afternoon commitments."
"Do as you like."
"......"
It was bittersweet seeing the coach try to erase me from his mind.
"Molrang..."
"Thanks."
I patted my comforting friend atop my head and headed to the next gym.
* * *
Thud!
I saw the gym ceiling. My body lay on the soft mat covering the floor.
"...Huh?"
What happened? I belatedly realized I'd charged in cockily at the start of sparring and got taken down without landing a thing.
"Haha! So you're the monster barging into everywhere! Your movement lives up to the rumors!"
A man in a pristine white dobok with a black belt at his waist laughed heartily. The taekwondo coach and master, a former national team member from taekwondo powerhouse South Korea. He'd told me to come at him freely. And this was the result!
If I'd had a sword or spear, it might've been different, but bare-handed, he was the same. My loss.
"One more time, please."
"Impressive stamina. Most would be gasping for air. Rest up, then..."
"I'm fine."
"Hm. Then come at me anytime."
"...Yes."
This time, I attacked cautiously, minding distance.
Thud!
Result unchanged!
"......"
"Outstanding reaction speed. With proper technique, you'd make a fine athlete."
"...Thank you for sparring."
"Leaving already?"
"Yes. Sorry for the trouble."
I bowed politely to the athletes who hadn't mocked my defeat, then left the gym.
Click.
As soon as I shut the door and stepped out, my face burned. Too embarrassing! I couldn't lift my head.
"Molrang?"
"Yeah. Got too cocky."
Fencing resembled the 'noble swordsmanship' Valentine taught me in I Became the Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family. Valid target areas, scoring, standardized weapons and gear... Just understand the rules.
I thought shamans had combat talent for subduing spirits too...
My misconception. I lacked the aptitude to perfectly replicate an unseen martial art just by watching.
"Molrang?"
"Yeah. I underestimated these old-school athletes."
Not just taekwondo—judo, wrestling, boxing. Events needing tools like balls or rackets, or finesse, were all tough.
Take basketball. Dribble a big ball without losing it and get it in the opponent's hoop. Easy? No.
"Molrang~"
"Don't tease."
I'd practiced basketball alone all night wanting to try it—ended up just chasing the ball. Doggy paddle level. Like when I, a total swimming noob, learned properly from Song Seon-yeong: time and effort essential! Shaman limits exposed.
"So hard~"
"Molrang~"
Couldn't slack on fencing either. Frequent spars would acclimate them to my killing intent. To safely enter Olympics, avoid fencing matches as much as possible.
Bzzz—
"Now which coach... Hm?"
Pulling out my vibrating old-school smartphone, I couldn't help frowning.
「Park Han-hee: Busy?」
A text from 'Nam Hae-su's wife,' someone I had no reason to meet again.
What the?
I thought I'd clearly conveyed I had no interest in getting close.
Couldn't read her intent.
「Park Han-hee: My hospitalized boyfriend freaked out.」
「Park Han-hee: We fought.」
「Park Han-hee: I don't know what to do anymore.」
"...Me neither."
Why tell another guy about fighting your boyfriend? No angle looked good.
Tap tap.
I replied immediately.
「Kang Moon-soo: Doesn't seem like my business.」
「Kang Moon-soo: Sorry I can't help.」
Didn't want entanglement in unrelated drama. Firm rejection.
Should be done now, right? As I let my guard down waiting for no reply, it vibrated again.
Bzzz—
「Park Han-hee: Help me.」
"......"
Her desperate plea froze me like a butterfly in a web. Short but intense!
My fingers moved on their own.
Tap tap.
「Kang Moon-soo: Why me?」
If obvious lies, I'd shut it down cold.
「Park Han-hee: Because you're faster than my national team boyfriend.」
"Hm..."
Her sister had let slip it was a secret: little sis Park Han-hee forced into dating her senior...
「Kang Moon-soo: What'd you fight about with your boyfriend?」
「Park Han-hee: He got mad I gave my water bottle to another guy instead of rushing straight to the hospital.」
"No way..."
Because I'm a guy? Wrong's on her, not the angry boyfriend.
But if she's forced into the girlfriend role for a senior she doesn't even like?
All fault on the self-proclaimed boyfriend senior.
In other words,
「Kang Moon-soo: Meet at the plaza again?」
Hear her side, then judge.
"Hotel ice cream last time, water bottle now..."
No more free favors from mystery women!
「Park Han-hee: Yes!」
「Kang Moon-soo: Text me 20 min before you arrive at the plaza.」
「Park Han-hee: I'm behind you.」
"Hm?"
Strolling leisurely from Player Village to hotel, I froze.
Behind me?
Glancing back casually, there she was.
"Hi!"
Park Han-hee, face mostly hidden by mask and hat.
"...Hi."
Couldn't shake the feeling I'd been dragged into a huge hassle. You think so too, right?
"Molrang~"
My friend molrang'd like it was no big deal.