Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Sparring with Kalli
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***
—Ellimiang's Consideration.
When the earring was suddenly placed on his ear, Cheon-seong was overcome with bewilderment.
It was because Kalli had approached him with such a startling lack of personal space. But afterward, he already had a conceptual understanding of how to activate Ellimiang's Consideration from his knowledge of the novel.
The original author had a habit of over-explaining everything, so it was impossible not to know how to use it.
And the moment I recognized it, I realized.
'This is insane.'
I let out a momentary groan at the absurd load placed on my entire body, but my astonishment was even greater.
If yesterday's spar with Leonhardt had brought me rapid growth, this magitech artifact called 'Ellimiang's Consideration' offered me continuous growth.
It was as if it had presented a more concrete path for me to follow.
...I could engage in training by subjecting my body to a sudden, punishing load. And it would push my limits forward at an unbelievable rate.
Being able to quickly reach an extreme state that was difficult to attain through normal training was incredibly significant.
I couldn't even begin to fathom how much my training efficiency would increase.
“Cadet Han Cheon-seong.”
“Yes, Instructor.”
A smile unknowingly touched my lips at Kalli's call.
...Of course, I wouldn't be able to use this magitech artifact entirely as I pleased, but if I maintained a good relationship with Kalli, couldn't I use it quite often?
As I looked at her with that hope in mind, Kalli’s lips curled into a peculiar smile.
“I was thinking of helping you with your training for a while. What do you say? Are you willing to accept?”
“...You mean you, Instructor Kalli, in person?”
“Yes. I’ll help you myself.”
Her direct reply left me staring at her blankly for a moment.
They say good things happen all at once, and it felt exactly like that right now.
I had been wondering how long I could use this earring today, but if Kalli herself was offering to help with my training, time was no longer the issue.
It felt as though an overwhelming amount of experience, something that couldn't be converted into a numerical value, was shimmering before my very eyes.
“For me... it would be an infinite honor for you to spare me your time, Instructor.”
I expressed my gratitude with a reply that even I thought was overly effusive.
My heart genuinely felt that grateful toward Kalli.
“That’s enough. You don’t have to flatter me so much. I’m just curious about your skills, Cadet Han Cheon-seong. It’s not so much that I’m sparing my time, but rather that I’m spending it the way I want to.”
As I thought about how beautifully she phrased every word, my gaze slowly drifted to the interior space.
Though she called it her personal training room, its scale was anything but small.
It looked spacious enough for four or five people to train in their own spots. As expected of an instructor who held the title of Crimson Dawn.
The support she received from the academy and the empire felt immense.
“Well, since I said I’d help you myself, I should be of some use to you, shouldn’t I?”
“...Ah, yes.”
Her strange comment made me wonder what she meant.
“I heard all about your spar with Cadet Leonhardt yesterday. A clash of sword and spear, no less. So, I think it would be more helpful to try and recreate that situation now.”
As she said that, she casually picked up a nearby sword, and I inadvertently swallowed.
‘...This spar.’
It was not going to be ordinary.
Nevertheless, I immediately nodded my head.
“I would be grateful if you did.”
“Hmph... Your confidence is still a good thing to see. Well then, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, let’s not waste any time and get ready.”
*Tap.*
As Kalli spoke and took a light step, I followed her, gently slinging the spear from my back.
*Shing.*
The distinct chill of steel flowed familiarly through my hand from the well-gripped spear.
Soon after, I settled into my stance on the ground, which felt even more solid than the other areas, and Kalli naturally came to a stop across from me.
She casually loosened her wrist while holding a longsword in one hand, and from that posture, I felt an indescribable sense of ease.
“You can take the first move, just like in a spar, or attack however you wish. Come at me with your full strength, and don't worry about me in the slightest. Do you understand what I’m saying, Cadet Han Cheon-seong?”
“Yes. I understand.”
I replied instantly, a small smile escaping me.
She was telling me not to worry about her, but I had intended to do just that from the start.
—Kalli Ishtar.
Who was she?
Whether I used my full strength or not was irrelevant when it came to her.
She was one of the most renowned figures in this world. A title like ‘Crimson Dawn’ was bestowed upon only twenty-or-so individuals in the entire empire. In other words, she was one of the strongest people in the world.
It was said that the number of monsters that had lost their lives at her hands was simply beyond count.
There was no reason for me to hesitate in unleashing my full power.
“...”
As I calmly steadied my breath, I rotated my waist, loosening my grip on the spear and swinging it in a fluid motion.
*Whoosh!*
The spear spun around me in successive circles, enveloping my body. I slowly tensed up, performing a sort of stretch to loosen unused muscles.
It had been less than a day since I had properly held a spear, yet for some reason, just holding it made me feel at ease.
And in that moment.
I shot off the ground.
—!
With a light push-off, I found myself accelerating dramatically.
A preliminary skirmish.
I couldn't unleash my full power from the start; a warm-up was necessary.
I would absorb the heat of the spar and gradually build it up. It was right to unleash my full power only when I had sufficiently steeped myself in that heat.
*Clang-clang-clang-clang!*
The trajectory of the spear, thrust out with my extended arm, was certainly less heated than yesterday.
It lacked the fierce intensity of the moments I had clashed with Leonhardt.
Naturally, the tip of the spear couldn't display the same sharpness as it had then.
My spear and Kalli's sword met for a fleeting moment before her blade angled bizarrely.
A sudden upward flicking motion. The tip of her sword was aimed precisely at the tip of my spear.
The moment I thought they would clash.
“...!”
*Screeeech!*
A sound like a rupture, completely different from before, made me instinctively relax my grip and hastily retreat.
*Shudder…!*
The force I couldn't deflect traveled up the spear shaft and struck my entire body with a powerful impact.
“Ugh.”
My vision momentarily swam, and I was unable to move.
In my line of sight, I saw Kalli leisurely retrieving her sword.
“You’re certainly sharp. Your senses are keen.”
Contrary to her soft voice, I felt a deep chill run down my spine.
‘She’s on a... different level.’
It is often said that the level of an instructor is incomparable to that of a cadet. No, it’s said that the very act of comparison is laughable.
That was common sense in this world.
And yet, the feeling I got from facing Kalli now was one that shattered even that common sense.
Kalli wasn't exuding the same pressure she did when she looked at me in the classroom. Moreover, she wasn't even properly manifesting her Trait.
And yet, this was the situation.
Not only could my spear not reach her, but she also read its trajectory in an instant and struck with a sharp thrust, cutting off the flow itself.
By grazing the tip of the spear... striking the shaft instead of the tip with her sword.
She dismantled my attack in a single move, completely ruining the spear’s continuous flow.
...Comparing her to the protagonist, Leonhardt, was laughable. She existed on a plane far, far above.
“The spear is certainly strong. From its range, the speed of its attacks, to the force concentrated at a single point... Many people underestimate spearmanship, but I don’t think that way.”
“...Is that so.”
“Yes. That’s why I believe your potential for growth is limitless, Cadet Han Cheon-seong. And right now, you’re putting a load on yourself with Ellimiang's Consideration, aren't you?”
Her question, as if she knew everything, made me flinch.
My breathing was abnormally heavy.
The breath control required for each attack was so extreme that it was true my attacks weren't as sharp as yesterday.
And without a moment's thought, my mouth was already open.
“I apologize, Instructor. If you thought I was being arrogant…”
“No. Arrogant? You’re trying to train with a handicap even while facing me, right? I find that mindset commendable.”
As Kalli gently shook her head, I let out a short breath and immediately removed the load being applied to me.
Breathing became much easier, and my body found a greater sense of naturalness.
And more than that, I decided to give myself more leeway. To utilize the power of this earring from Ellimiang to its fullest.
Looking back, I was truly short-sighted.
To think I had faced Kalli, of all people, with a handicap when I should have been giving it my all. How foolish was that?
I should consider myself extremely lucky that Kalli didn't give me a stern look.
“Looks like you deactivated it without me having to say anything.”
“Yes. I’ve switched its effect to assist me instead.”
At my words, Kalli slowly smiled and nodded.
“Then, I’m going to start using my Trait now. Should I tell you about it beforehand? I’m curious to see if you can counter it in any way, Cadet Han Cheon-seong.”
“I’ve come across information about your Trait through various channels... so I have some knowledge of it. You don’t need to explain.”
“Oh? That’s surprising. It seems you’ve always been quite interested in me, Cadet Han Cheon-seong.”
Kalli asked playfully with a suggestive tone... but I couldn't bring myself to smile at her teasing voice.
She had just announced she would use her Trait.
That meant a vision of hell had just opened up for me.
How could I possibly smile?
Her Trait had reached a staggering Level 9.
Its name was ‘Vibration.’
It was an ability-type, a unique Trait belonging to the ‘supernatural phenomenon’ category, not restricted to any particular weapon.
And the prelude to that Trait began to appear before my eyes.
*W-w-w-wooooong—!*
The sword Kalli was holding began to vibrate slowly.
*Gulp.*
Even as I swallowed, I instantly calmed my mind.
I planted a sense of absolute crisis in my heart.
The mindset I had now was completely different from my spar with Leonhardt.
The mana manifesting from my entire body had already enveloped the spear shaft, and a faint amount had also appeared on my arms and legs.
Even so, I couldn't let my guard down for a single moment.
‘The moment my spear meets that sword…’
I’ll probably die.
I had to approach this spar with the mindset that I was going to die.