Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Delayed Spar
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I looked up at the sky.
“…It’s starting to get dark.”
When I entered the Sky Tower, the sun was still shining brightly, but now evening had come, and darkness was settling in.
“Whew—”
A sigh escaped me naturally.
There had been too many events in a single day.
Winning the sparring training, meeting that mysterious woman named Agna.
“To think I’d actually meet the Sword Sage in person.”
Even for someone with a body that transcended human limits, it was impossible not to feel exhausted.
Especially the conversation with Martes—it had demanded constant vigilance, making it all the more draining.
‘Are all the Empire’s Guardians like that?’
Hadn’t Sword Sage Dariel dragged me straight to the training grounds and pointed his sword at me from the first meeting?
Martes hadn’t unleashed a barrage of spells, at least, but her tongue was more terrifying than any mental attack.
I’d nearly spilled all my secrets to her…
‘I need to be careful.’
Truth be told, I’d been letting my guard down until now.
As long as I didn’t say it outright, there was no way anyone would discover I was the ‘Demon King.’
Unless I was an idiot, I had no intention of saying it.
But now, it seemed I had to stay on high alert.
Who knew when something like this might happen again?
Letting out another sigh, Seo Woojin naturally headed toward the training grounds.
“Are they still there?”
After the sparring training ended, we’d agreed to train together at the grounds.
But unexpected events had delayed me far too long.
Wondering if the heroes he’d promised to train with were still waiting, Seo Woojin quickened his pace.
“Let’s see.”
A short while later, he arrived at the training grounds, where people still seemed to be present.
“They’re working hard.”
Seo Woojin entered with a pleased smile.
“Sorry I’m late… Huh?”
He thought they might be resting from exhaustion, but that wasn’t the case.
Everyone except three was collapsed on the hard ground.
They lay utterly still, as if unconscious.
‘What happened?’
Seo Woojin tilted his head and turned his gaze to the three standing figures.
‘Lee Ji-ah, Goo Dong-hwan, and… Kyesooji?’
Their faces were familiar to Seo Woojin.
But they were panting heavily, utterly spent.
Seo Woojin approached them cautiously.
“Um…”
“Wah! Fuck! You scared me!”
Goo Dong-hwan jumped in surprise and swung his sledgehammer.
The whoosh of air it cut through sounded lethal.
But Seo Woojin easily dodged and raised his hand.
“It’s me, Seo Woojin.”
“Uncle!”
Only then did Lee Ji-ah recognize him, calling out with a joyful expression.
“Where the hell have you been? You said you’d be right back! Do you know how long we waited?”
“S-Sorry.”
Facing Lee Ji-ah’s barrage of questions, fiercer than Goo Dong-hwan’s sledgehammer, Seo Woojin offered an awkward smile and apologized.
“Uhaha! Are you alright? I got startled and swung without thinking… Sorry about that.”
“I’m fine.”
Goo Dong-hwan bowed his head sheepishly.
Even if startled, swinging such a deadly weapon…
Seo Woojin averted his eyes from Goo Dong-hwan in the yellow dress and looked at Lee Ji-ah.
“But what happened? Why is everyone passed out like that?”
Kim Dahye, Kang Byung-gyu, Yoo Hong-seol, Jin Tae-seong.
Even Eirin.
The four lay collapsed, breathing raggedly in disarray.
“Well, you see…”
Lee Ji-ah glanced subtly toward one side.
‘Kyesooji.’
There stood Kyesooji, an A-rank hero with the job ‘Scarecrow.’
“We did some sparring training with her.”
Lee Ji-ah continued her explanation.
‘So… they all got beaten down, huh?’
Only Lee Ji-ah and Goo Dong-hwan had held out.
Seo Woojin looked at Kyesooji with newfound respect.
“Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“We were supposed to have a go at it, right?”
When Seo Woojin acted like he knew, Kyesooji smiled and replied.
“That’s true.”
Seo Woojin had been looking forward to facing her too.
If not for the schedule mix-up, they’d probably be fighting excitedly right now.
“How about now, then…?”
Seo Woojin asked with a subtle glint in his eye.
Kyesooji burst into unladylike, hearty laughter.
“I’d love to! …But honestly, I’m pretty worn out too.”
Fair enough.
Seo Woojin nodded.
No matter how strong she was, sparring with this many people would tire anyone out.
Especially since Goo Dong-hwan was particularly formidable among them.
“Guess we’ll have to look forward to next time.”
When Seo Woojin sounded disappointed, Kyesooji waved it off.
“No. A short rest should be enough to recover.”
“Huh? But it’s too late for that.”
“It’s fine. I have recovery skills—about ten minutes should do it.”
‘Recovery skill?’
Seo Woojin looked at Kyesooji in surprise.
Recovery powers were rare.
In this world, they were granted only to the priests of Iair, and even among heroes, only a scant few could use them.
Like the ‘Saintess’ Sung Yura, for example…
But Kyesooji, a ‘Scarecrow,’ had a recovery skill?
Kyesooji gave a small smile at Seo Woojin’s expression.
“It’s not the kind you’re thinking of. Can’t use it on others, and it’s limited to stamina recovery.”
Not the type that healed wounds or injuries.
Just a skill to restore depleted stamina.
And it couldn’t help others, which was a shame.
“But how do you have a skill like that? You’re a combat job, sis.”
Lee Ji-ah asked.
“Check your own skills. You’re a ‘Fist Master’ too—bet you have a few unrelated ones.”
“Ah…”
Seo Woojin and Lee Ji-ah nodded.
Skills that didn’t match one’s job did pop up sometimes.
Even Seo Woojin, a ‘Demon King,’ had several that knights or swordsmen might use.
“True. I’ve got some magic skills too.”
With that, Lee Ji-ah reached into the air and shouted.
“Lightning!”
Rumble—!
A bolt struck from the clear sky.
The training ground floor where the lightning hit was charred black, smoking.
“You had a skill like that?”
Surprised, Seo Woojin asked, and Lee Ji-ah grinned and nodded.
“But I never really use it in real fights. Costs a ton of mana, and more than that…”
She raised her gauntlet-clad fist.
“My punches hit harder.”
A fist stronger than lightning.
In the past, he’d have laughed it off as nonsense, but not now.
Lee Ji-ah’s fists were definitely that strong.
Swinging them was far more efficient than casting a spell or two.
“Fair point. Still, there might come a time you need it, so get familiar with it.”
“How?”
“Hmm. We’ll figure it out together later.”
“Got it, Uncle Teacher!”
…Could she drop the ‘uncle’ bit already?
Seo Woojin made a wry face.
“Then wait just a bit. I’ll recover quick.”
“Ah, sure. Okay.”
As Seo Woojin replied, Kyesooji went to a corner of the training grounds and activated her skill.
A faint green light enveloped her body.
He didn’t know the details, but it seemed to amplify her natural recovery.
“Did everyone get taken down by Kyesooji?”
Seo Woojin pointed at the fallen ones.
“Uhaha! Some fell to me too!”
Goo Dong-hwan proudly stroked his sledgehammer.
Kyesooji and Goo Dong-hwan.
With their skills, it was no surprise the others were exhausted and down.
They’d grown stronger training together, but these two were standout A-rank heroes.
“How strong is she?”
Truth be told, Seo Woojin hadn’t seen Kyesooji fight properly.
It ended too fast with Lee Ji-ah, and later fights weren’t clear enough to analyze.
But she definitely used something close to mixed martial arts.
“Sis is insanely strong! I went in fully prepared this time and still didn’t last long.”
Even Lee Ji-ah, no pushover, said that—so she must be the real deal.
“Ahem, regrettably, my magic didn’t work well either.”
When Goo Dong-hwan said it bashfully, Seo Woojin was startled.
‘Goo Dong-hwan’s magic didn’t work?’
He knew Goo Dong-hwan could use magic.
He was a ‘Magical Girl,’ after all.
The power was one thing, but Seo Woojin found Goo Dong-hwan’s magic frightening in another way.
‘The mentally scarring names, the sparkly effects.’
And the bits that showed each time he cast…
‘Don’t think about it.’
Just recalling made his stomach churn.
The spells packed a punch, but the visual assault was as lethal as Martes’s.
Shaking his head to banish the image, Seo Woojin quickly approached the fallen ones.
“Let’s clear them away first.”
Once Kyesooji recovered, they’d have a proper bout.
Better to tidy up beforehand.
“Yes, sir!”
“This is getting exciting.”
Lee Ji-ah and Goo Dong-hwan grabbed the legs of the downed and dragged them to the corner.
They still hadn’t regained consciousness—Kyesooji must’ve gone hard on them.
As the grounds were cleared, Kyesooji finished recovering and stood.
“All done?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“No problem.”
Seo Woojin was eager for his match with her too.
And he was the one who’d been late, so she had nothing to apologize for.
The two faced each other in the center of the training grounds.
“Oh, congrats on the win.”
Kyesooji smiled with congratulations, but her eyes burned with fighting spirit.
She’d faced Baek Siwoo, who’d been defeated by Seo Woojin.
The thought of clashing properly with such a person had her thrilled.
‘She’s got a fierce competitive spirit.’
Most would be intimidated, but she was fired up instead.
‘That’s how people get stronger.’
Ambition.
Those who didn’t settle for the status quo, always striving to improve.
Seo Woojin smiled gladly at such a Kyesooji.
“Come at me first.”
Seo Woojin drew his sword.
The new blade ‘Rune Dea.’
Its pure white edge gleamed, radiating a chilling sharpness.
Feeling the sword’s aura, Kyesooji’s eyes sharpened.
Facing battle, she grew serious.
“Here I go!”
Boom—!
As her words ended, Kyesooji’s right foot aimed for Seo Woojin’s temple.
No—it was blocked by his arm just before impact.
‘Strong.’
Seo Woojin frowned at the heavy impact on his left arm.
But shock was shock; reflexively, he swung his sword upward.
No fancy technique or skill—just a simple upward slash.
Yet its speed far exceeded Kyesooji’s expectations.
Swoosh—!