Chapter 80: Late-Summer Sea, Training, and... (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 80: Late-Summer Sea, Training, and... (5)
No matter how excellent one’s reflexes are, winning a match in a sport you’ve never played in your life is no easy feat. It becomes even more difficult when your opponent possesses physical abilities equal to or greater than your own.
I had never seen the members of Hunter Killer wrestle before, and in all our conversations, I never even knew if they knew how. Come to think of it, talking about Ssireum might have looked a bit ridiculous anyway. A "fake foreigner" like me, who looks like he knows nothing about sports, suddenly bringing up Korean wrestling...
Regardless, as long as the Hunter Killer members were Korean, they possessed at least a bit of basic knowledge about the sport. It was practically impossible for our executives, who had zero information, to win.
"What? You don't know how to do it at all?"
They had chosen an event that favored them, but it seemed they hadn't expected us to have absolutely no clue. It was a reasonable assumption; from Hunter Killer's perspective, we were long-time arch-enemies. Given how long we’d been fighting, they likely thought we had gathered plenty of information on Korean culture and combat styles.
In truth, that guess wasn't entirely wrong. However, the information we possessed was mostly general cultural data, and our combat intel was limited to analyzing the individual members of Hunter Killer.
"Did you think we would?!"
Seira, who had been easily defeated in the first round, snapped. Yura has a bit of a temper too, so I really hoped this wouldn't escalate into a major brawl.
"Referee."
I jumped at the sound of Yura calling me. Perhaps because she wasn't using the sweet, affectionate voice she usually reserved for me, her emotionless tone felt even colder.
"Is it okay if we count the first round as a practice game?"
"?"
I was stunned that she would offer to nullify a game she had already won. Then again, I realized that was very much like Yura.
However, Seira, who knew nothing about Yura’s personality, pushed herself up from the sand and glared at her.
"What? Are you mocking me because it was too easy?"
"Yeah. It was too easy, so I want to do it again."
She had chosen this event because she wanted a quick victory, and winning fast was the best-case scenario, but Yura was the type who couldn't stand an unfair fight. Moreover, as someone who was active and loved to have fun, there was no way she would pass up a chance to engage in a physical game like this, even if it was with an enemy.
As for me, as long as everyone agreed, I had no problem nullifying the first round.
"Are you sure?"
"We're just playing, anyway. It's fine if I teach her a little."
"What if you get beaten during the actual duel later because of it?"
"...If I were going to be defeated just because I taught her one thing about Ssireum, wouldn't I have lost a long time ago?"
Su-ah and Yura exchanged words, and at Yura's final remark, Su-ah cracked a smile. I hadn't heard the details about the conflict between those two yet—had they reconciled without me knowing?
Looking at the Hunter Killer members, it seemed no one opposed Yura's suggestion.
On our side, Seira looked a bit frustrated, but the other executives had no reason to refuse an offer to nullify a loss.
After confirming the executives' opinions, I nodded at Yura. She said, "Thanks," and slapped my shoulder with her palm. She meant it as a genuine gesture of gratitude, but it made me realize once again that the impact of her touch was vastly different when I was her boyfriend versus when I was a Spacetro soldier.
"Come here."
Feeling humiliated that the match she’d already lost had to be restarted, Seira stood still on the sand, staring at the ground instead of approaching Yura. Getting impatient, Yura reached out and grabbed Seira’s satba.
"Eek!"
Since Yura was physically superior to Seira, Seira couldn't even put up a fight. She was dragged by Yura’s hand until they were sitting face-to-face again.
"I'll just teach you the basics. You figure out how to apply them."
Soon, a strange sight unfolded: Yura was teaching Seira how to wrestle. The next contestants, Luche and Esmeralda, who were just as ignorant about Ssireum as Seira had been, moved closer to watch and learn.
With the atmosphere suddenly becoming relaxed, I, the referee, found myself with nothing to do. I stood there blankly for a moment, watching them.
"?"
Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see a large parasol over my head. Wondering where it had come from, I turned around. There stood Green, having planted the parasol in the sand with an awkward smile.
"It must be hard being the referee, right? Especially wearing that mask."
I knew Green was shy but kind-hearted. I never imagined she would extend such kindness to me, whose identity she didn't even know. Having been quite concerned about her lately, I felt a deep sense of pride.
Since I couldn't speak, I gave a firm nod. Green smiled, bowed her head in greeting, and returned to her team.
"Do you really need to do that for an enemy?"
"But he's out here refereeing all by himself in this heat under the blazing sun."
"You're too kind for your own good."
Watching Yubin praise and hug Green, it was hard to tell who was the older sister and who was the younger. It gave me a glimpse of how Yubin was a leader who led her members well and fostered a good team atmosphere.
Since Yubin kept everything regarding Hunter Killer a secret from me, it had been particularly difficult to imagine what she was like with her teammates. Seeing it in person, some parts matched my expectations, while others were a bit different.
"..."
Had I been staring at Yubin and Green too intently? I felt Su-ah’s sharp gaze piercing through me. For a moment, my heart felt all fuzzy, and I forgot that I was standing here as a Spacetro soldier.
Then again, I realized how lucky I was to be here as a soldier. If I were here as the "Foreigner A" they knew, a disaster of unmanageable proportions would have surely broken out.
"Is this enough?"
"Good. Let's do this."
By now, Hayoung had also stepped onto the sand to help Yura teach the basics. Once they were finished, both sides expressed their readiness to proceed with the match.
I pushed aside my brief moment of happiness and anxiety to focus on the situation at hand—refereeing.
Yura and Seira sat facing each other and gripped each other's satba again. After confirming they were ready, I stepped back, and the two rose simultaneously.
In the tension-filled atmosphere, I checked the look in their eyes. The moment I blew the whistle to signal the start, Yura and Seira pressed their bodies together, each trying to push the other.
Yura had the physical advantage and the knowledge of Ssireum, but Seira’s vast combat experience was no joke either. She instantly withstood Yura’s attempt to throw her and solidified her stance.
"!!"
Even though she had only taught the basics, Yura seemed a bit surprised that her intended attack was blocked immediately.
Her eyes soon filled with the look of someone truly enjoying the competition. I wondered if she made that same face behind her helmet during our usual battles.
This time, Seira pressed close to try and trip Yura’s leg, but she couldn't easily land an attack, as if she were being blocked by something. The moment her expression crumpled, Yura tripped Seira’s leg and pushed her down.
As Seira fell, Yura, who had pushed her, tumbled down on top of her, sending sand flying in all directions.
"That was a bit tough."
Yura meant it. She couldn't afford to be careless against Seira, who was already using the techniques she’d just learned. Yura had truly given it her all to win.
"Your chest is so big it's hard to get a grip!"
"I was intentionally using my chest to push you back every time you tried to get close. Besides, it's not like yours are any smaller."
As the two women lay tangled together talking about their breasts, my gaze naturally started to drift toward their chests. Realizing that my head would likely be ripped off the moment Seira noticed, I quickly looked up and blew the whistle, declaring Yura the winner.
Yura stood up and offered a hand to Seira, who took it and rose to her feet. Even though they were enemies and this was a match to take over a spot, it was good to see the sportsmanship between them.
"I lost. Sorry."
"It can't be helped. It's your first time."
Luche stepped onto the sand with an air of confidence, as if telling Seira to leave it to her. Yubin came out from Hunter Killer’s side, and following the swimming race, the two were opponents once again.
"Competing in all three events... don't you ever get tired?"
"A leader has to lead by example, you know."
Yubin was full of confidence, but I knew the truth. Yubin had absolutely no experience with Ssireum.
We hadn't explicitly discussed whether she’d done it or not, but I remembered seeing a news clip about Ssireum while we were watching TV together.
Back then, Yubin had muttered, "I don't get Ssireum at all." It was such a passing comment that I hadn't even responded and moved on to the next topic, forgetting it entirely until this very moment.
The problem was, Luche was just as inexperienced. In the end, it was a match between two people who had never done it before, making the outcome even more unpredictable.
"Have you ever done Ssireum before?"
When Hayoung approached Yura as she was brushing off the sand, Yura nodded nonchalantly and said, "Yeah."
Honestly, I was curious too. Ssireum is something you absolutely need a partner for—who on earth had Yura practiced with?
"Back when I first became a Superhuman, whenever kids picked fights with me, I’d just use Ssireum to toss them all."
I’d thought this many times before, but I really shouldn't ever make her angry. If I do, I can see a future where I’m broken into pieces by her hands.
"Watch your swimsuit."
Hayoung adjusted Yura’s swimsuit, which had shifted slightly during the match. Normally, I would have watched, but knowing my current situation, I averted my eyes. Even as I looked away, I made a mental vow never to let her wear a swimsuit like that again.
The result of the second match, which began shortly after, was Luche’s unexpected victory. Even though both were novices, I honestly thought Yubin would win. However, the moment Yubin’s feet got tangled, Luche tripped her to the side, deciding the match in an instant.
"I'm sorry. If I had won, it would have been over."
"It's okay. We still have one round left."
The team comforted Yubin, who had grown gloomy after her loss. Having watched from the closest distance how much Yubin had looked forward to this trip with excitement, it didn't feel great to see her lose. I even thought that if the prize was just a spot to play on the beach, it wouldn't have mattered if she lost.
"Leave it to me."
The next member from Hunter Killer was Su-ah. Standing at over 170cm, she was the tallest among the Hunter Killer members. And the Team Leader from Spacetro was Esmeralda. Like Su-ah, Esmeralda was the tallest among the female executives, and her eye level was slightly higher than Su-ah’s.
Honestly, this was a match I was looking forward to. Esmeralda had been famous for her combat prowess since the days I served directly under her in space. And Su-ah was the only one in Hunter Killer who fought using martial arts.
As someone who had been hit by both of them, I couldn't help but be excited.
The two gave each other a light bow, sat down, and gripped the satba. Despite being enemies, they showed respect to an unfamiliar opponent—well, that applied to Esmeralda. Su-ah just seemed to be following along because Esmeralda bowed first. I just hoped she wouldn't start swearing during the match.
The moment they were ready, I blew the whistle. I could see them pitting their strength against each other with the naked eye. Their rigid power clashed, then suddenly became fluid as they gauged each other's movements without letting up. Just following the power struggle with my eyes was thrilling, and being the final match, the tension was even higher.
"Yellow! Fighting!"
"Go for it!"
"Esmeralda, please win!"
"Go, 1st Team Leader!"
Both teams cheered loudly for their members. While the two heard the cheers, their eyes and physical senses were entirely focused on their opponent's movements. I knew the match would be decided the moment a split-second opening appeared, but I couldn't predict when that would be.
It was like watching two assassins with hidden blades facing off.
The cheering died down as everyone became overwhelmed by the suffocating atmosphere between the two. It felt as if even a single word might break their team's concentration.
And as the referee, I had to watch this tense moment with as much focus as the competitors themselves. I didn't know when or how it would be decided. I had to watch more closely than anyone else to make an accurate judgment.
At that moment, Su-ah shifted her center of gravity and pushed against Esmeralda. However, Esmeralda twisted her body to the side, taking the force Su-ah sent and redirecting it. Just before she went over, Su-ah slammed her foot into the sand, threw her entire weight onto Esmeralda, and pushed her down.
The moment the match was decided lasted barely three seconds. The spectators couldn't even let out a sound at the sudden turn of events. Having watched the match closer than anyone, I needed to announce a fair result to everyone. Even if someone let out a sigh of disappointment, the referee's role was to make an unbiased call.
I blew the whistle and raised my hand toward the Hunter Killer side, signaling their victory. The Spacetro personnel all let out sighs of regret.
In those sighs, I didn't sense disappointment over losing the chance to play, but rather regret that our team had lost a fair and square fight. To everyone who had become engrossed in the match, the issue of occupying the beach was no longer the priority.
"Waaaaah!!"
Meanwhile, the Hunter Killer members were genuinely rejoicing, huddling around and hugging Su-ah. It was funny to see Su-ah’s flustered expression at the unaccustomed physical contact, but seeing them so happy about winning their first collective competition—not a battle—I couldn't help but smile behind my mask.
I knew I’d have to hear this story over and over from each of them once the trip was over, but I decided I would listen happily.
"That was fun."
Esmeralda approached the Hunter Killer members as a representative and offered a handshake. Su-ah, who had been her final opponent, accepted it.
Since we were enemies, the atmosphere wasn't quite right for applause, but having refereed a match where no one used dirty tricks and everyone fought fairly, I began to clap. As if it were contagious, applause broke out here and there.
We were enemies, and the match had started as a way to take a spot, but we had learned something new: that neither side was dishonorable.
"Shall we head back, then?"
Following the greetings, at Esmeralda’s word, we began to pack our things one by one.
"Excuse me."
As we were slowly packing, a voice called out to us. We turned to see the Hunter Killer members looking our way.
"It feels a bit weird for just us to be in this huge space. How about one more game of beach volleyball?"
Yubin spoke to the Team Leaders. They exchanged glances, and then Luche stepped forward with a cynical smile.
"Just don't go crying when you lose."
It seemed this relatively peaceful time was going to last a little longer.
Feeling deeply grateful that there was a time, even if only for now, when Hunter Killer and Spacetro could be at ease with each other, I packed my things to return to the lodging.
"Referee! Where are you going?!"
I stopped in my tracks at Yura’s booming voice and turned my head back.
It seemed my time to walk on eggshells wasn't over yet.