Sparring (3)
Crack! The water, infused with Aqua's Destructive Power, shattered the water tank and ceiling in an instant, pouring down toward Jeong Ri-on like a thunderbolt.
Whoosh! Jeong Ri-on, sensing it was too late to dodge, swung his sword upward. With his A-rank Physical Enhancement active, his speed was nearly invisible to the eye.
Splash! The sylphs were using the wind to push back the water as best they could. But that was their limit. No matter how skilled a swordsman Jeong Ri-on was, he couldn't slice through tons of water crashing down from above—especially water empowered by Aqua's Destructive Power.
Splaaash! In the end, Jeong Ri-on was drenched from head to toe. In front of a water spirit who controlled water, being soaked like this was as good as defeat.
"Stop!" Mulsuja shouted. With an expression of astonishment, she thrust her hand toward me.
Kang Hyunwoo wins!
I stood there blankly for a moment, absorbing her words. I could hardly believe it myself. I had beaten Jeong Ri-on?
"Ooooh!"
"Impressive, young friend!"
"Great fight!"
The watching knights erupted in cheers. At the same moment, Aqua latched onto my leg.
[Splendid!]
[Sisssit!]
Mandu, who had scurried over, quickly climbed onto my shoulder and rubbed his face against mine. A hot surge rose in my chest, and I scooped Aqua up into my arms. Only when I saw her sparkling face did the victory feel real.
We won.
The thrilling sensation of victory spread through my entire body.
"Ahahaha!" I laughed carefully, not too loudly, and hugged Aqua tightly to my chest.
[Heeheehee!]
Aqua, her face flushed with victorious satisfaction, asked me,
[Where did you learn to sense the location of water before the battle?]
Before the sparring started, I'd scanned the walls surrounding the arena and sensed the faint presence of water. With my Spirit Affinity up to D-rank, I could just barely detect it. I'd only been aiming for the drainpipes, but stumbling on that massive water tank was pure luck—even for me.
"From wild undines."
Wild undines rarely stray far from water. Even if they do, they always note the nearest water source. It was instinct, like kids checking a safe spot before playing.
[As expected, you are strong!]
"Aqua's the strong one, not me."
[You have a strong head!]
A strong head, huh. It was a new phrase, but I got what she meant.
"Still, I couldn't have won without you."
If the water from the tank had poured out even a second slower, Jeong Ri-on would've dodged it all. It was only possible thanks to the power of a supreme-grade spirit like Aqua and her Destructive Power.
[It's our victory together!]
She was right. Spirit and contractor are one. It didn't matter whose strategy or whose power—it was ours.
"Yeah. A victory we earned together."
I lifted Aqua onto my shoulders. She hugged my head tightly, the thrill of victory still lingering.
[Heeheehee!]
I was just as happy. As we basked in the win, Jeong Ri-on approached, completely soaked, fainted sylphs cradled in his arms.
"That was a fantastic spar."
"Thank you."
"Your use of terrain and skills was brilliant. Especially the Water Shield—masterful."
Grateful words. For someone who'd spent the last five years honing and adapting just that one skill, they meant even more.
"I've sparred with plenty of spirit users, but this is the first time I've closed the distance only to lose—and so quickly. Haha, it's embarrassing."
Most spirit users don't need close combat. In gates, they play ranged DPS or support. For those focused on distance training, facing Jeong Ri-on must've been brutal.
I smiled back. "It was an honor to witness the aerial swordsmanship I'd only heard rumors about. I know if you'd gone all out, it would've ended in the first clash."
Jeong Ri-on hadn't used his full power. He hadn't even activated Physical Enhancement until the water tank burst. It was a near-S-rank versus a D-rank—and he thought I was F-rank. An S-rank going all-out against an F would kill them and get blacklisted from hunter society.
"Ahahaha. Still, it's hard to believe this came from someone who's had a spirit contract for less than a month."
"Thank you."
Jeong Ri-on turned to Aqua. "You were amazing too. That water came so fast I couldn't even dodge."
[Heeheehee! This is the power of a supreme spirit!]
Aqua laughed happily and extended a hand to him.
Splash! The water soaking Jeong Ri-on's body drained cleanly to the floor, following her gesture.
"Thanks."
He expressed his gratitude now that he was dry.
[Welcome!]
Aqua's hand didn't stop there—it moved to the fainted sylphs. I felt spirit power flowing, and their eyes fluttered open.
[Ugh...]
[Ugh... What happened?]
The recovered sylphs looked around, then understood.
[We lost.]
[Mm. Good fight!]
[Lost, but fought well!]
[Impressive against Lady Aqua—we're proud!]
The sylphs laughed boldly, as if no consolation was needed.
[At this rate, you'll surpass Lady Aqua soon!]
[Not long now!]
[Get ready, Lady Aqua!]
[Very well. Challenge me anytime!]
As we wrapped up warmly, Mulsuja approached.
"Wow... That was incredible."
Jang Gilsan joined her, wearing a faint but genuine smile, as if he'd expected my win all along.
"Jeong Ri-on?"
Jang Gilsan pressed with a sly grin. Something must've passed between them—Jeong Ri-on sighed and shook his head.
"I know. Sigh, what a shame."
I half-worried he'd request a rematch, but no. He just wanted to test our synergy as contractor and spirit.
"Truly an amazing spar," Mulsuja said admiringly.
"Not every academy student fights like that. Special combat training somewhere?"
Ahaha, I chuckled softly. The secret to victory? Only one thing.
I stroked Aqua and Mandu. "The power of our bond."
[Heeheehee!]
[Sisssit!]
"...?"
Jang Gilsan stared like it was nonsense.
"Kuh! Right! That's what a spirit user is!"
"Academy kids really have the fundamentals down," Jeong Ri-on said, thumbs up in admiration.
Mulsuja nodded warmly too. Jang Gilsan glanced between us, face saying Am I the weird one?, then shook his head. Nah, can't be.
"Spirit users, huh..."
* * *
We headed to the restaurant for lunch. It was a famed luxury spot at Phoenix Resort, where the Spirit Knights always ate after training.
As expected of a major guild—the treatment's on another level.
With so many people, the meal was set up on the outdoor terrace.
"Come on, sit here with us, Hyunwoo."
Jeong Ri-on guided me to his round table in the garden.
"As for our uninvited rival guild spy, take the corner table over there."
Jang Gilsan ignored him and sat with us anyway. Mulsuja took the seat beside Jeong Ri-on.
[Yup!]
Aqua climbed onto the table and plopped down next to my right arm—her favorite dining spot.
"Heh."
I chuckled and stroked her back. She giggled too.
[Sisssit!]
Mandu settled near my left arm, as if saying Don't forget me. As I petted him too, the other knights filled the seats noisily. Super casual vibe.
Orders must've been placed ahead—the food arrived right away in waves.
"Our kids don't like formal stuff, so we skip appetizers and salads for straight meat. Want salad? We can order extra."
"No, this is fine."
Soon, a massive steak landed in front of me, plus Aqua's cola and Mandu's mini-steak.
[Cola!]
Aqua chugged a sip.
[Kyaah! Nothing beats a post-work drink!]
I snorted at her construction-worker lingo and sliced the steak. I wasn't an expert, but the salty-crisp exterior and juicy, nutty interior? Top-tier.
As we ate, knights carved meat freely. Still work hours, so no booze, but they poured cola and cider like shots to liven things up. Some even came straight to our table.
"Captain! Thanks for the direction—have a drink!"
"Ahaha! Listen to this guy? Like bossing me around's fun?"
"I bet on the loser, heh. Reverse bet paid off big."
"Then lunch's on you today?"
"Ehehe, why you gotta do me like that, Captain?"
Jeong Ri-on bantered with his knights, glass in hand.
"Hyunwoo, right? Great spar—mind if this promising junior buys you a drink?"
"Happy to."
Some even poured for Aqua.
"Aqua! Loved the fight. My undines are your fans!"
[I'm a fan of your undines too!]
Aqua gulped it down eagerly.
[Lady Aqua!]
[Drink with us!]
[Me too!]
Darkened undines gathered around her one by one.
[Of course! More fun together!]
Aqua welcomed them with a beaming smile, petting her "little siblings" like a big sister—her head a full head taller than theirs.
With her spot by my right, my space shrank as they crowded in. But I happily yielded it. Watching Aqua and the undines was joy enough.
Mandu, who'd wolfed his steak, hung with other salamanders. They huddled around him, sharing warmth, even licking him clean.
"Everyone's worried about a baby salamander out in the human world," a fire spirit user said.
Heh, the spirit user continued softly. "Salamanders with such warm faces... Babies must be precious to spirits too."
Salamanders looked pudgy, but I could tell Mandu was getting all the love.
A new water spirit user showed me her phone camera. "Photo together?"
"With Aqua?"
"No, with you."
"Me?"
I blinked in surprise. First time anyone's asked for a pic with me—I'm no celeb.
She laughed. "You're the one who started the Little Mermaid Challenge!"
"...Little Mermaid Challenge?"
Weird. Never heard it, but it rang a faint bell somehow.