Your Name is Now Puppy
—Kaang! The blunt swords clashed, ringing out with a metallic clang. The training weapons were naturally dulled for safety, just in case something went wrong. A single slip could be disastrous.
"Instructor... Yoon Si-hyun, right? Not bad moves for a powerless guy."
Jin-woo leisurely pulled back his locked sword, smirking at Si-hyun.
"You look a bit rattled. Did you think I couldn't handle a sword?"
"No, I never thought—"
Si-hyun tried to mutter a denial, but Jin-woo swiftly attacked again, cutting him off.
Kagak!
"Sadly, unlike this useless sword class, I'm pretty good with a blade. It synergizes well with my ability."
"No, let me say—"
"Oh, and I overheard earlier—Teacher Eun-ha called you a genius. But..."
Whoosh! Jin-woo swung the sword in his right hand toward Si-hyun's legs—a short-range, efficient slash. The timing favored by trained awakener trainees, a textbook move to disrupt balance.
Chaeng—
Si-hyun instantly dropped the sword in his left hand to block. It was a razor-thin margin; 0.1 seconds slower, and he'd have taken the hit.
"A genius at defense... something like that? You seem busy just blocking."
"......"
"Well, I get it. I'm exceptionally fast."
Ha Jin-woo, 17 years old. Black hair, sharp eyes—an awakener trainee. Not officially registered with the association, but his name was already whispered among people.
He'd dismantled the Disaster-grade ghost story Thunder Weasel, channeling lightning through his body to max out reaction speed and power. Officially Disaster-grade, but his versatility earned him recognition as Catastrophe-grade.
"This spar considers the powerless instructor, so no abilities allowed. Unfortunately, mine's passive. Even without full activation, my base reactions outpace normals."
"......"
"Still, holding out over five minutes deserves some grit points. Though not for much longer."
—Kaang!
Jin-woo grinned slyly as he clashed with Si-hyun again. At this point, the boy's face brimmed with confidence that he'd crush the instructor easily.
* * *
Kwagak!Chwaak!
Si-hyun blocked all of Jin-woo's attacks, but to the watching students, he looked purely defensive. Jin-woo was top-tier in speed at school—a real deal. A normal guy blocking him naturally looked strained.
"Jin's seriously fast as hell. Hard to even track with my eyes."
"But Instructor Si-hyun's holding up pretty well for no ability."
"He's the instructor, so he's managing somehow. But awakeners and normals differ in stamina. He'll tire soon."
No matter how great Eun-ha's son was, he couldn't escape the powerless limit.
<Powerless can't beat awakeners.>
It was the kids' truth, everyone's given.
"What about Teacher Eun-ha? She'll be bummed if her son loses."
"But she's grinning ear to ear?"
Unlike the worried kids, Eun-ha cradled Leah, smiling as she watched. She even cheered mid-spar: "Go son~♡" No concern for Si-hyun at all.
"Must be that redhead girl in her arms. Eun-ha can't resist cute kids."
"Who's she?"
"Dunno. Instructor carried her in earlier—sister maybe."
"Then she's Eun-ha's daughter too. Explains why she's so damn pretty."
Leah, suckered by Eun-ha's coaxing, wore a cheerleader outfit, rooting for Si-hyun.
"If this body cheers in this, Si-hyun will like it?"
"Hahk, hahk...♡ O-Of course~ Let's cheer together, Leah-chan~?"
"Umu, this body will cheer for Si-hyun fervently!"
"Fuaaaah~ Our Leah-chan looks too cute in cheer gear too~♡"
The mother-daughter duo cheering vigorously from the corner drew chuckles from the kids.
"Haha... they're both adorable."
"Yeah."
The students chatted idly, expecting Jin-woo's win.
But.
"......"
While most bet on Jin-woo, one girl watched with puzzled eyes. Expressionless, staring at Si-hyun: Cheon Seol-hwa.
Jin-woo's rival he craved to beat, the genius girl who'd never lost first place since enrolling.
"......?"
Why the quizzical look at Si-hyun?
"Seol-hwa, why stare at Jin like that? He's always picking on you—annoying."
The vice class rep sidled up to the watching girl.
She glanced at her friend, replying softly.
"......Curious."
"Who wins? Jin obviously. He's a jerk but skilled. Powerless can't beat awakeners. It'll end soon."
"Not that..."
—Tap.
Seol-hwa pointed at Si-hyun, tilting her head.
"Instructor's right-handed, but he's only used left since earlier... why...?"
* * *
8 minutes 15 seconds elapsed
Ahh~ Over a minute left? This is annoying as hell.
Left hand only for ten minutes... Mom's got weird requests.
— "Son~ Can you defend with just your left hand for exactly ten minutes~?"
— "Huh, why?"
— "So our kids can watch and learn a bit~ If you use your right, it'll end in seconds~"
— "Then after ten?"
— "Hehe~ No mercy needed then~♡"
Classic Eun-ha mom—extreme hedonism applies to students too.
Shuk!Chaeng!
Recalling mom's request, Jin-woo's sharp blade incoming.
"Genius at defense... or something?"
This kid keeps interrupting me with his own lines.
Wanna smash his smug face before ten minutes!
Sigh, good me holds back.
His initial jabs puzzled me. Powerless this, parachute that—poking nerves casually.
A tactic to shake my mental? Tough luck.
It's all true—no damage. Kid!
Powerless? Check. Nepo via Eun-ha mom? Check.
No anger, so I skipped the annoying spar.
Then, genius idea hit!
Play along, lose dramatically at end.
No more instructor duty! Play sword tag with Leah in corner!
If she recalls past? Jackpot!
Perfect plan!
...Or so I thought.
"Si-hyun...! You must win! This body cheers for you!!"
Leah, purple eyes sparkling, cheering in cheerleader gear.
Eun-ha mom dressed her again. Ahem, cute though.
Bouncing, waving—SD character cute.
With a cheering beauty like that, lose on purpose...?
No way!
Fine, since I took mom's request—might as well—
10 minutes elapsed
"Time to get serious."
* * *
—Kwaang!
"Kuhk...!!"
"Jin-woo, right? You're fast, sure..."
—Shuk!
"But that's it."
"...!"
Si-hyun slipped into the boy's blind spot in a flash. A simple overhead flow, yet his blade traced a graceful river.
"Wha, what the...? Jin's getting pushed?"
"Pushed? He's getting wrecked."
The sudden reversal left onlookers stunned. The "powerless" instructor gripped his right hand—and transformed, unleashing ferocious offense.
Fast yet beautiful sword.
Strong yet soft.
"Like dancing..."
"I've thought since start... Teacher Si-hyun's kinda hot, right?"
"This girl's eyeing his face even now."
As kids spaced on Si-hyun's sword dance, Jin-woo's mental shattered live.
Me... pushed by a powerless...?
Right-hander using left only, defending to go easy?
I'd smugly thought I was dominating...!
—Kkaduk!
Shame burned his heart.
That powerless scum...!
He craved a counter, but no openings. Slack off? Instant loss.
—Chwaak!
"Eut...!"
The man's sword was blindingly sharp.
Flow stolen, Jin-woo barely clung via defense, vision blurring.
Then.
Ughk!
"Uk...?!"
An unwanted voice echoed in his mind like panorama.
— "Useless! What are you doing at school?! Can't beat one girl?!"
"N-No... I-I..."
Chijijijik!
Sparks flew from Jin-woo's fingers and skin.
"I won't... lose...!!"
Pajijijijik!!
Lightning surged his body, exploding heart, muscles, nerves to limit.
Thunder Weasel ability maxing physicals.
Sensing defeat, Jin-woo broke rules unconsciously.
"Hey! Jin used his ability!!"
"That's cheating! Look at his crazy eyes!"
"Teacher Eun-ha! Stop Jin! He'll kill Teacher Si-hyun!!"
Kids stomped, pleading to Eun-ha, but
"Hehe, it's fine—calm down, kids~♡"
She flipped her hair, utterly relaxed.
"Teacher Si-hyun has no ability! He's in danger!!"
"Uwaa...! Jin's gearing for attack!!"
Pajijijik!!
"I won't lose to some powerless!!!"
As lightning-wrapped Jin-woo wound for final blow, Si-hyun lowered stance, murmuring last words.
"Jin-woo, one last lesson. Don't use words that strong."
"...?!"
Shuk!
Blink. Si-hyun's blade perfectly grazed Jin-woo's throat.
"Makes you look weak."
"Ah......"
—Thud.
Despite breaking rules and powering up, Jin-woo never countered, eyes rolling back in KO.
Shiiiii......
Soiling pants in "death" terror.
*
"Kyaak!! Teacher Eun-ha!! Teacher Si-hyun... killed Jin!!"
"Calm down~ Blades are blunt—no cuts. Just fainted~"
"Oh, right."
10 minutes 57 seconds elapsed
Jin-woo's arrogant spar with the "powerless" ended in under a minute real-time.
He left a strong impression!
"Puhaha! Jin pissed himself unconscious!!"
"17-year-old wetting pants... gross."
"Ebi~! Seol-hwa, stay back! Stinky stinky! Dirty!"
"Is that so...?"
Too bad the impression was bedwetter.