Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: A Closer Distance
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The tender moment with Kalli was all too brief.
It felt like only a few minutes had passed, a fleeting span of time.
More than anything, I couldn't... hold her any longer.
'Too dangerous.'
Her affectionate words, her actions as she drew near—she was trying to claim far too large a piece of my heart.
It was so much that even I struggled to control my wavering heart.
Holding me,
reaching out her hand first,
Kalli, who understood me and sincerely confessed her love...
was dangerous.
Just by holding her and accepting her feelings, I could sense it.
My firm resolve and attitude could be completely shaken by her affection.
Gently.
So, as I gently slipped from her embrace, I had to immediately compose myself.
“...”
Kalli let me go without resistance. Even the brush of her red hair against me felt incredibly significant.
I met her gaze and struggled to speak.
"I'm just... grateful to you."
She had whispered words of love to me, and I knew I should reciprocate, but I couldn't.
Even as she revealed her true feelings, I couldn't bring myself to say I loved her.
“...Mm.”
Watching Kalli smile at my quiet words, I carefully took her hand.
Slowly.
…The simple act of my hand covering her pale one made my heart stir violently once more.
“....”
Even now, the desire to tell Kalli I loved her was immense.
But I couldn't promise to love only her.
If I were to return her confession of love now, it would feel like I was deceiving her.
'Even if…'
even if Kalli didn't feel that way, I knew I would, so I couldn't say it.
Gently.
A sense of apology washed over me as I carefully caressed her hand.
It seemed I needed time to properly establish my values and changed heart. To be able to sincerely tell someone I loved them while embracing others, I needed to be truly prepared.
…And I felt I had to raise my own worth to match.
So that she, who felt too good for me, would no longer feel that way.
So that I could build a reputation great enough to embrace the people I loved.
If I didn't at least do that…
I felt it would only be harder on me.
…….
The reason I met with Kalli regularly after that.
The fundamental reason for being here.
Recalling it, I faced the heavily shimmering atmosphere before me.
—Vibration.
Kalli’s paranormal Trait possessed an overwhelming power that defied common sense.
The air shimmered violently along the trajectory of her sword, its aftershocks rushing toward me with intense force.
“...!”
As I faced it and thrust my spear, my heart no longer wavered.
*Shwoook—!*
A spiral current bloomed brilliantly from my thrusting spearhead, dyeing the air a new color as it clashed intensely with the force Kalli had unleashed.
*Vweeeeee—!*
The resonant sound of our powers meeting, sharp enough to pierce my ears, was striking.
Still, I didn't hesitate.
*Swish!*
Pivoting on my front foot, I spun my body, letting the spearhead trace another brilliant pattern.
The moment the spiral current scattered magnificently through the air.
The power of the spiral naturally flowed through my body.
The skill activated as naturally as breathing.
“...!”
In that instant, my vision was washed with a strange ripple, and time itself seemed to slow.
Watching Kalli's red eyes track my spearhead as she withdrew her sword, I closed the distance between us with lightning speed.
*Shaaaa—!*
Amidst the brilliantly scattering spiral current, I felt power surge through my entire body.
Thrusting at Kalli with all my might, I expanded the application of my power by activating skills instantaneously.
*Kiiing!*
Immediately after, her sword struck my spearhead like a flash of light, causing it to waver precariously with a strange sound. The spiral imbued in the spearhead was instantly erased, forcing me to manifest the current again.
*Shhhk!*
The moment a faint spiral current enveloped the spearhead, my vision shifted dramatically.
■■■■!!
As the sword imbued with Vibration met the spear imbued with the Spiral, an indescribable sound screamed in my ears, yet the hand thrusting the spear never once stopped.
—! ———!! ————!!
Every thrust was blocked and deflected, and though I felt the strain, I couldn't stop.
Amidst the brilliant sparks scattering from the clash of sword and spear, only one thought remained in my mind.
'I have to endure.'
As I exchanged blows with her, I felt my skills shatter countless times.
The gap, the difference in our power, couldn't be closed.
That's why I could move forward. By being broken by her time and again, I could steel my heart so it wouldn't break in the face of even greater crises.
*Claaaang!!*
With an intense clang, the spearhead was violently pushed back, and I was forced to retreat.
*Scraaaape!*
Scraping my feet across the training ground floor, I hurriedly regained my posture.
If I hadn't tried to deflect her power in that instant, I felt I would have lost my grip on the spear.
“Hah....”
A suppressed breath escaped me. I raised the hand gripping the spear shaft, feeling suffocated.
In my vision, I could clearly see her.
Kalli stood proudly, her blade lowered. Her posture was flawless, and the red eyes staring at me from between strands of her faintly fluttering red hair were cold.
'She's strong.'
Incredibly, overwhelmingly strong.
More than our last spar, more than even an hour ago, Kalli seemed to be demonstrating her strength to me with every passing moment.
A part of me wanted to give up.
*Step.*
Stepping forward again, I activated a skill.
*Shaaaa—!*
The spiral current flowing along the spearhead erupted explosively, and my vision was washed over once more.
I crossed the distance and thrust my spear again.
The brilliantly scattering spiral current began to turn colorless, rushing like a gale toward her sword.
*Shhhhhhhhk!!*
As the spiral current neutralized even the distorted atmosphere, erasing it completely,
“....”
I could clearly see Kalli slightly narrowing her eyes.
I realized I was no longer watching her sword. I was only perceiving the emotions with which she, who accepted me like this, was facing me.
'Complete suppression.'
And so, I could feel the momentum of the sword she was now thrusting.
Even though I had greatly reduced the Vibration in her sword to lessen its power, I knew how Kalli would respond.
So, I instinctively twisted the hand gripping the spear.
*Swirl!*
The spearhead, which had been thrusting straight, shot forward in a spiral rotation, creating an entirely different change as it met her sword, which had been trying to press it down.
*Screeeech!!*
As the spearhead and the blade locked fiercely, emitting a bizarre screech, the spearhead slid along the length of her blade.
'I can reach her.'
At this rate, I could definitely reach her, more certainly than before.
But in that moment.
*KRAAANG!!*
With an explosive sound, the spearhead was irresistibly forced downward.
“....”
The spearhead that had been sliding along her blade was slammed into the ground in a single instant.
Its trajectory had been instantly bent as if crushed by an immense force.
As I stared at the spearhead embedded deep in the ground, the sight of her blade, loftily pressing down on my spear shaft, blankly filled my vision.
“....”
I blinked, my eyes fixed on the spear I had lost my grip on.
*Stumble.*
Then, as my body swayed uncontrollably, a gentle hand pulled me in, and I couldn't help but fall into her embrace.
"Cadet Han Cheon-seong. That was dangerous."
I nodded awkwardly in her gentle embrace, unable to say a word.
'How…'
I didn't even know how she had caught me in my unstable posture. The moment I realized the spearhead had hit the ground, I was already in Kalli's arms.
Was it all Kalli's intention that my spearhead, which I thought had reached her, collapsed so suddenly?
I could only blink blankly at the thought.
"As expected... Instructor Kalli, you're strong."
The words that escaped my lips were weak.
"Cadet Han Cheon-seong, your aim just now was astonishing. Your constant attempts to create change were good, and your timing in controlling your power while activating skills was also fine."
Her voice, praising me as if whispering in my ear, eased my heart, and a faint laugh escaped me.
"Thank you…."
I uttered the words, but my voice was drained of strength, my body overcome with exhaustion.
Being held by her like this, I felt as if I were leaning on her.
At the same time, I became keenly aware.
I had been so immersed in our spar. But being held by her like this, I couldn't seem to think of anything else.
I just felt this happiness…
"Still, Cadet Han Cheon-seong. Do you really have to train so dangerously? I'm going along with it because you wanted me to, but... it seems far too risky."
As I accepted the gentle touch of her hand stroking my back, another faint laugh escaped.
"I feel like... I have to do this. Because I want to grow stronger."
This spar with Kalli was completely different from our previous training sessions.
A method that was quite dangerous, even reckless.
And yet, I had to do it to prepare for the next crisis that would soon arrive.
'I have to be more on edge from now on.'
The third episode.
[Despair Stained with Blood]
…The crises and hardships that would now come without rest.
This was truly just the beginning.