Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: 4. Flame Spear Slut
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's not like I destroyed anything but a wooden dummy, so why all the fuss?
"What are you talking about? They're just talkative at the start. In the end, you'll be the famous one as the Divine Sword wielder."
"Kuh. Is this the leisure of a victor?"
His sudden outburst all by himself looked ridiculous, like he was beating a drum and playing cymbals solo.
Ten heroines for a guy like this? Is the author sane?
Ah, what a hassle.
Come to think of it, my phone was flooded with messages from hunter-related companies, somehow digging up my contact info.
I blocked them all, but it's still annoying as hell.
The weather's pretty nice today.
On a day like this, it'd be perfect for a picnic. If only this weren't a dream.
Yoo Eun-ha was always the type with strong loner vibes.
Even after coming to the academy, that hadn't changed, and she'd often ditch using her brother's fame as an excuse.
But still.
"Chatter chatter chatter blabber blabber."
"Grumble grumble grumble."
Why are the esteemed Divine Sword successor and his main heroine Reina orbiting around me, chattering to each other?
It's so noisy. I just want this dream to end already.
Looks like the weather's darkening again.
"Today, we'll do some sparring."
The Blazing Bat declared sparring out of nowhere.
Yesterday was ability tests. Today it's sparring.
Probably checking the overall level of the cadets.
Theory classes aren't that important from the academy's perspective.
Next, they'll split by department. Magic, swordsmanship, spearmanship, that sort.
"Sparring?"
"We did ability tests yesterday, so today it's practice matches. Anyway, first up: Yoo Eun-ha versus Kim Ki-tae."
Blazing Bat Kim Ji-hye. How much of a prospect does she see in me? She's always trying to push me into things.
But I can't reveal my abilities.
If I say using Acceleration and Parallel Circuits once leaves me half-dead, my evaluation would tank hard.
I need to maintain my current level of reputation.
Should I just throw the match?
If it's just surrendering or losing gracefully, I can spin it as "lost but fought well."
And so the spar began.
In front of me stood a scruffy navy-haired boy brimming with hostility.
The Blazing Bat's probably using him as my damage meter.
"Kuh. Acting all cocky in front of the great Kim Ki-tae? Think being the Divine Sword's sister makes you invincible? That video was obviously faked anyway!"
"Hey, you'll get yourself killed."
I mean, I'll kill you.
He's barely mob level one. Using those two skills on him would be overkill, and without them, I'd be weaker than him.
No reason to go all out.
Wasting them on Kim Ki-tae and collapsing would just hurt.
Once I become a hunter, that's it. I probably need to see the ending to wake up from this dream, so like a commoner, I'll stay low-profile.
Everything else is the protagonist's job.
"You dare provoke me? Pick up your weapon now!"
"Don't need one."
I tossed aside the sword hilt in my hand.
Heavy things suck. A small knife suits me better.
I'm gonna lose anyway, so why bother? Just take a hit, scream, and flop over.
"Hah, you dare look down on me? Fine. Come at me first then. A weakling like you... No, even if you hit me with that weapon, it won't hurt!"
"For real?"
That changes things.
He's stronger than I thought. No real role in the story, but maybe he's got power.
That confidence must come from somewhere.
Probably Body Enhancement type. I can take one hit then, and surrender nicely.
"For real."
"In that case, as you've graciously offered."
I circulated mana through my body and grabbed a bat from the pre-sparring weapon rack.
And then...
I swung it from below upward.
Thwack!
I just killed Kim Ki-tae's billions of future children.
He frothed at the mouth and toppled backward. Maybe I went too far.
No, for someone so cocky, isn't this too much?
"Oof. Can't use this one anymore."
"Even if he was fine, could you?"
"Fair point."
Some cadets dragged the foaming Kim Ki-tae to the infirmary.
Uh, um. He said one hit was okay, right?
After the match, opinions split again.
Some guys avoided me, while some girls praised me as girl crush material.
And finally, it was the protagonist Choi Si-woo's turn.
His opponent was Han Su-ji, the spear user already dubbed Spear Girl.
And his second heroine, to be precise.
Her awakening must be spear-related; that orange ponytail looks no joke. Like an unextinguishable lighter flame.
"Choi Si-woo! I've wanted to clash with you once!"
"Ahaha. Did I do something to make you hate me?"
"Stop strutting around with that Divine Sword title! I'll take down you and Yoo Eun-ha for sure!"
Why drag me into this?
Looks like Choi Si-woo needs to beat this girl this time. Flame Spear Slut? Spear whore? Whatever, I hate fighting spear users.
I'm a little fruit knife type, and she's got a spear. Weapon matchup nightmare. From what I remember of the author's character sheets, she even has a phase two.
When she goes berserk, she becomes the Flame Spear Slut, flames erupting from the spear tip as she swings wildly.
"Damn. Alone, fine, but with Yoo Eun-ha too? That's not fair!"
"Hmph! You're both just obstacles! I'll crush you quick and make that white-haired bitch over there kneel!"
So arrogant. Her master's S-rank hunter Kim Jae-su, right? Also a spear master, and she mastered all his techniques.
Later, she loses to the protagonist and falls for him.
Her trait's masochism. Gets beaten by the protag, reforms, and turns full maso.
If Reina's tsundere, this one's... ugh, don't even start.
"Don't call my friend white-haired bitch!"
Well, she is white-haired.
"Hmph. Just come at me."
Choi Si-woo's gray hair turned silver in an instant, and the sword he held gleamed ethereally.
Unlike yesterday's dummy, this was a real spar, so he fully unleashed, summoning the Divine Sword.
The Flame Spear Slut summoned her spear too.
Why do only you guys get weapon summons? Gimme one too.
Clang! Kang! King!
Spear and sword clashed fiercely.
Twisting and tangling like they were mating.
"A battle between the goddess-granted Divine Sword and the fire god's spear. Even as a spar, it's quite the spectacle."
"Indeed."
The instructors gave high praise, saying it stirred their blood.
Now that I think about it, compared to those two, my fight with Kim Ki-tae was way too lame.
Choi Si-woo slipped into the Flame Spear Slut's blind spot and raised his sword high in one breath.
"Kuh!"
She backstepped, swinging her spear to deflect the Divine Sword.
Wait, is this even okay?
After a few exchanges, Si-woo, being male, pressed with stamina advantage. Yes! Kill her! Beat her so bad she never comes at me again! For your friend!
Just as I started feeling goodwill toward the protagonist beating the Flame Spear Slut...
He betrayed my expectations.
"Let's call it here. I surrender."
"What?"
After pressing the blade to her throat, he declares his own surrender instead of taking hers.
Lady first or what? Chit-chatting like girls around me, now showing pointless chivalry?
No. Wait. This is different from the original.
—I think you'll get even stronger if you drop the arrogance. So how about we end today's match here? We can go again later.
—F-Fine. I surrender.
Right, that's the original flow. But now the protagonist surrendered.
What happens to the Flame Spear Slut now? No redemption arc?
Because of me?
"Taking you down isn't just my job. It's also Yoo Eun-ha's, who's been insulted."
No, I'm fine, really.
"Instructor."
"Mm, good. This spar is Choi Si-woo's loss. Next, per his request, Yoo Eun-ha versus Han Su-ji."
No, I don't want to. Look how they accept the protagonist's request just 'cause Divine Sword.
Anger surged in an instant.
The sky's darkening again.
And that Choi Si-woo... his eyes are sparkling.
He's not usually the type to push this, but with him staring and cheering, just throwing it would look bad.
In the end, I had no choice but to step into the arena.
The stares pouring in were irritating. Should I Acceleration and poke all their eyes out?
"I lost to Choi Si-woo, but I won't lose to you!"
"The sky's awfully clear today."
"What?"
"On a day like this, I can't just watch a rabid bitch bounce around cluelessly."
Yeah. If she's maso, that's par for the course.
Since the protagonist set the stage, time to show her how ugly her masochism really is.
"Watch that mouth, or getting skewered won't hurt less."
"Crazy dogs need a good beating."
I pulled a thin, sharp knife from my pocket.
The one I used to peel an apple on the way home.
"Acting all high and mighty! You think that little knife can beat me?"
My taunt must've hit home. She enchanted her spear with flames.
"Should I make the sky I see dark for you? Or dazzling?"
Whenever my condition's off, the weather turns bad. Tried a cool line, but it didn't fit, so I sighed.
"Enough talk, both of you. Begin!"
Tweet!
The whistle blew, and she charged with her spear.
I activated Acceleration.
She's a maso. Need to crush her thoroughly here, maso-style.
Like, say, a uterus punch.
A guy doing it might get MeToo'd and canceled, but right now, I'm a girl.
[Grit your teeth?]
I Acceleration-d into her guard.
Even Choi Si-woo's Divine Sword couldn't react in time. No way the Flame Spear Slut with her spear could block me.
Like time froze. I slipped into her bosom fast and clenched my right fist.
Then infused mana and punched her lower belly.
Thud!
"Guh?"
"Right now... I'm so glad I'm Yoo Eun-ha."
Not enough. Twice.
Thud!
"Better than a man hitting a woman."
Not enough. Thrice.
Thud!
"Don't you think girl-on-girl looks better?"
"Eek!"
"Too slow."
She swung desperately, but no way she could stab me freely Accelerating.
The Flame Spear Slut lost balance dodging and toppled.
[Knew you'd do that.]
I hauled the dazed Han Su-ji up.
A few gut punches, and she was already drained.
Now for the public humiliation. Butt's best, right?
"Wh-what now? St-stop. I'll be good."
Smack!