Chapter 50
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest (3)
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"What! Such a thing happened while I was away!"
After Tuo Jin had left, Pamela went back to making medicine, and while Yeon-hwa and I were calmly drinking tea on the chairs, Arsvald returned.
Since we were in the same group, when I told him about what had happened with Tuo Jin today, Arsvald clenched his fists.
"To think such an event would happen when I wasn't here! Hmph...! But I can't forgive that Tuo Jin fellow! To dare to insult this Fortis, to which I belong! Ishihan! You must crush him!"
"That's already the plan. Did you have a good time at the Game King group?"
At the mention of the Game King, Arsvald grimaced.
"Those guys... when I went there last time, I overwhelmed them with my Berserker Spirit deck... but they immediately made a counter deck."
In other words, he had gone with the same deck this time and had been counterattacked.
"To be so triumphant after just one win... I'll build a new strategy deck to crush their pride by the time I visit them again!"
"Right, do your best."
Wasn't Arsvald the one who was enjoying his academy life the most among us?
"M-Mr. Shih-han!"
Pamela approached, holding a potion bottle.
"P-please drink this tomorrow!"
"What is this?"
"I-it's...! It's a medicine that temporarily gives your body vitality! It doesn't dramatically increase your strength, but... it will give you more energy when you fight!"
So it was something like a stamina potion?
"D-drink this! A-and tomorrow, p-punish that person!"
Pamela, in her own way, was angry at Tuo Jin and was trying to help me.
Since she had given it to me, I should take it.
And it was a stamina potion, after all.
If it was good for my stamina, I should drink it.
"Thank you."
I took the stamina potion from Pamela and put it in my inventory.
And the next day.
Gulp! Gulp!
After lunchtime, before entering the duel classroom with all the Fortis members, I took the stamina potion.
Not long after swallowing the medicine, I could definitely feel my blood circulating faster and my body naturally gaining strength.
"The effect is showing right away. It's a really good medicine. Thank you, Pamela."
"N-no! P-please do your best!"
We entered the duel classroom.
The duel classroom was open for other students to use freely like a gym when classes were not in session.
On several of the duel rings, I could see students who had activated the duel rings and were in the middle of a duel.
And in one corner of the duel classroom, I saw Tuo Jin and other students in Ruong-style clothes.
"The Shing family, the Shen family, and the Lon family are also here."
"Are they all members of the Flame Dragon Society?"
"Yes, that's right. Not all of them are from the Flame Dragon Society... but they are at least people with a certain standing."
It seemed they had come to watch, since Tuo Jin had said he was going to have a duel with me.
As we approached, Tuo Jin, who was maintaining a smile, spoke first.
"Welcome, Miss Shu Yeon-hwa. And... you've also come without being scared."
"Why should I be scared?"
"Ha, that worthless pride will only last for now."
"We'll have to wait and see about that, won't we?"
"You're still protecting this guy, Miss Shu Yeon-hwa. Haha, I really don't know where you see potential in a guy like this. Ah, was it his face that was your type? If you left the Flame Dragon Society just to appreciate a face that you like, then you're truly incorrigible, Miss Shu Yeon-hwa."
"Tuo Jin."
At Yeon-hwa's cool and sharp words and gaze, Tuo Jin was at a loss for words.
"...!"
"If you say anything more, I will consider it an insult to the Shu family. That I... didn't join the Flame Dragon Society just because I liked his face? You shouldn't say things that you yourself think are ridiculous."
"Ahem. I apologize for that."
"As long as you understand. Well...."
Yeon-hwa looked up at me and smiled brightly.
"It is true that I like Ishihan's face. Isn't Ishihan a handsome man?"
It was only natural that Yeon-hwa would like my face.
It was a face that I had spent a full two hours customizing.
"Thank you. You are also a beautiful woman, Yeon-hwa."
[You have pierced through praise resistance.]
"Oh ho ho ho ho! That's an obvious thing to say!"
"...Let's start quickly."
Perhaps because he didn't like me and Yeon-hwa complimenting each other, Tuo Jin hurried the duel.
We went up to the duel ring, activated the duel ring's barrier, and faced each other with a certain distance.
And so, the gazes of the other students who were in the duel room, besides us, were drawn to us.
"Isn't that Tuo Jin? And the Flame Dragon Society members are nearby."
"The one he's facing is... ah, that's the guy who's been rumored to be building up his achievements recently. Was his name Ishihan?"
"You mean the guy who annihilated the bandit gang that was active in Valendia by himself? And he's been even more rampant lately after creating a group."
"Why are those two in the duel ring?"
"Isn't it because someone from a prestigious Ruong family joined the group that guy created, and now they're on bad terms?"
"One is a man called a rising star. The other is the heir of the Tuo family...."
As the murmurs grew, the gazes of the people were drawn to us.
Tuo Jin noticed those gazes and smiled sweetly.
"I'm sorry."
"What do you mean?"
"Even though you're getting attention as the 'Rising Star of the Academy'... you're going to be miserably broken here. And after the duel is over, you should head straight to the theology school or the infirmary."
Tuo Jin took out a Chinese-style broadsword and took a stance.
"I'll let you off with one arm as the price for your arrogant attitude yesterday and today."
He was saying it in a very considerate way, as if he was going to take off one of my arms.
He was probably saying that because even if an arm was cut off, it could be reattached with the healing magic and recovery potions of this world, even without a skill like regeneration.
And to such a provocation, it was a common rule to return it like this.
"I'll return those words... right back to you."
I took out the Crescent Moon Spear from my inventory and aimed it at Tuo Jin.
"I'll let you off with one arm for your words and actions that insulted our entire group."
"Hah, your arrogance really pierces the heavens! I'll teach you your place!"
Tuo Jin kicked off the ground and charged, maintaining his stance.
"Hah!"
With a shout, as soon as he got close, Tuo Jin's sword was swung.
Tuo Jin's movements were faster than the bandit captains, probably because he had been active to some extent after entering the academy.
But my agility, as well as my stamina and strength, were much higher than when I had caught the bandit captains.
And the spear path that was displayed based on my increased stats, thanks to Spearmanship Mastery, showed not only evasion and defense, but also a trajectory of how I could defeat Tuo Jin in one blow.
I could have just blown him away in one hit, but... if I did that, he wouldn't acknowledge it and there was a possibility that he would get even more agitated, which would be very annoying.
So, instead of finishing him off in one blow.
'I'll show him an overwhelming difference in skill.'
In other words, I would completely toy with him.
In the middle of the path of the broadsword that Tuo Jin was swinging.
I placed the shaft of my spear at a position slightly to the right of my chest and put strength into it.
Claaaaang!
Before it could be fully swung, Tuo Jin's broadsword was blocked by my spear.
"Hmph...!"
Tuo Jin, seeing his broadsword blocked, put more strength into it, but he couldn't push my spear away.
It had taken a bit of effort, but on the outside, it would look like I was completely overpowering Tuo Jin with my strength.
'It would be good to invest in strength later.'
While Tuo Jin was struggling to push my spear shaft away, I sent a front kick.
Thwack!
"Keoheok!"
Tuo Jin, who was hit in the abdomen, was caught off guard and couldn't even dodge, and was sent flying back.
But he wasn't completely unskilled, as he immediately took a breakfall and stood up.
"You bastard...!"
Perhaps because being hit in the abdomen was a humiliation, Tuo Jin grimaced and glared at this side.
In a situation like this, it was good manners to provoke him even more.
"If your attack is blocked, you should either create some distance or try a different attack. Haa, what were you thinking, foolishly engaging in a power struggle? That's not how you attack."
I shook my head and pointed it out like a condescending old man, and activated the penetrating mouth-jutsu.
[You have pierced through taunt resistance.]
"Ugh...! Who are you to give me advice!"
Tuo Jin, his face flushed red and purple, started his attack again.
As he closed the distance in an instant, flames engulfed his broadsword.
"Flame Sword Dance!"
Seeing him say it before he had fully swung, it was a skill that involved swinging a flame-engulfed sword consecutively.
After readjusting my grip on my spear, I responded to Tuo Jin's skill.
The moment Tuo Jin showed the motion of swinging, I kicked off the ground and retreated to a moderate distance, and swung my spear.
Clang!
I parried Tuo Jin's blow with the blade of my spear.
But as the name "dance" suggested, the broadsword did not stop and continued its attack after being deflected.
And I parried each and every one of the following attacks.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
With each clash, the flames that engulfed the broadsword scattered in all directions and died down.
When not only the scattered flames but also the flames that had engulfed the broadsword had completely died down.
"Ugh...!"
It was when Tuo Jin had finished his skill and was looking at me in disbelief.
"D-did you see that just now? He deflected all the skills."
"Does that even make sense?"
"I couldn't even see properly how he deflected them."
"To so easily deflect Tuo Jin's Flame Sword Dance...."
"Oh ho ho ho ho! As expected of Ishihan!"
The admiration of the students in the duel classroom, the shock of the Flame Dragon Society members, and Yeon-hwa's laughter reached my ears.
"Are you not going to attack anymore? Or is this all you've got?"
"T-to be so proud just for blocking a few attacks. How ridiculous! There's no way this is the end..."
"Then I'll attack this time."
"What...."
I first hit Tuo Jin's chin with the back of my spear.
Thwack!
"Keoheok!"
One of the ways to completely toy with someone.
After completely nullifying the technique that the opponent had used with confidence, you beat them down like a dog.