Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: A Duel Unlike Any Other - Luna
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***
—Skills.
It was one of the most common concepts found in countless games and novels.
In fact, it was so common that the word "skill" no longer held much excitement, often feeling cliché.
For example, there were ordinary skills like Thrust, Slash, and Triple Slash, which possessed only mundane power. Then there were skills classified as top-tier, like "Meteor" or "Asura's Heaven," whose power levels varied immensely.
An endless number of techniques existed, depending on the fantasy or martial arts concept. That was what a skill was.
But here at the Grand Royal Academy, or GR Academy for short, the meaning of "skill" was 'completely' different.
—The power of a skill is truly overwhelming and special.
One could not acquire a skill easily, nor could one obtain it simply by wishing for it.
Regardless of a trait's grade, one had to be high-level—that is, reach Level 7 in their trait—to awaken a single skill. Another skill could be awakened with each subsequent level.
While there were rumored to be other ways to obtain skills, they were known to be practically impossible.
The only known condition for creating a skill was ‘enlightenment.’
And not just any ordinary enlightenment would do. It required a divergence that broke the bounds of common principles. Only by achieving an epiphany that transcended reality could one obtain a unique skill.
That was why skills were proof of the absolute power wielded by those who had made a name for themselves, a kind of 'exclusive right' that signified their worth.
And right now.
Han Cheon-seong, unbelievably…
…had found a ‘clue’ to one such skill.
…
—! ———!!
As Cheon-seong spun his spear with a light flick of his wrist, anyone could see that his movements were far from ordinary.
Thanks to his duel with Leonhardt, rumors had spread quickly. Han Cheon-seong's appearance in the training hall was more than enough to draw the attention of most of the students present.
Han Cheon-seong's characteristic black hair and black eyes. Of course, he wasn't the only student with black hair, but the color was generally rare.
When the two rarely seen beauties, Luna and Millia, were by his side, it was inevitable that all eyes would turn to him.
"There's not much to show, really."
Even as I spoke, I felt a strange sensation.
Millia's eyes were sparkling with anticipation as she looked at me, while Luna shot me a sidelong glance with a prim expression.
I was giving them a light demonstration of my Level 4 Spearmanship, but there was literally nothing to show.
My proficiency in wielding a mana-clad spear had improved significantly, but it wasn't like I could unleash a brilliant blue light and display immense power like Leonhardt.
And Spearmanship…
—Is intuitive, yet powerful.
That was the essence of Spearmanship as I understood it.
Its purpose was to quickly subdue an opponent by thrusting, slashing, and swinging.
It wasn't a weapon suited for long-drawn-out battles... In my view, Spearmanship's nature was closer to overwhelming the weak. Wouldn't it be stranger if such an art were flashy?
"Just watching you wield the spear... I can feel how strong you are."
"Well, it is Level 4."
I chuckled at their entirely different reactions and slowly withdrew my spear.
Then, I casually looked around. C-Class students had gathered around us at some point.
They were all watching me with curious eyes. For a moment, I considered asking one of them for a duel, but I shook my head.
Demonstrating the power of my Spearmanship through a duel would be best, but the students in my sight didn't seem particularly strong.
‘No, maybe I should see it as me having gotten too strong.’
My first duel, the one against Leonhardt, had raised my standards too high. And then there was yesterday's duel with Kalli.
Honestly... having repeatedly dueled against such unbelievable monsters, I now felt a sense of disconnect just looking for a sparring partner in my own class.
Considering the average student was at Level 2, it would be almost rude of me to rashly ask for a duel.
“...”
As proof, a few students who met my gaze immediately looked away, as if worried I might approach them. How could I possibly talk to them?
"Han Cheon-seong."
Hearing Luna's voice, I turned my head.
"Yes?"
"You. Duel with me."
"...What?"
"I said, let's duel. Didn't you hear me?"
Luna repeated herself as if my question was absurd, the corners of her lips curling up. For a moment, I couldn't understand her intentions.
‘Battle Cure Level 2.’
Looking at her trait alone, Luna's was so limited that it felt like she had been forcibly placed in a combat class.
But it was also a trait that granted a special kind of power.
No, thinking about it…
‘A trait that buffs all damage is just plain overpowered.’
The fundamental effect of Battle Cure: the more damage dealt, the stronger the healing.
Ironically, this translated into the absurd concept of enhancing the damage dealt itself. That was why, as her trait level rose, Luna became established as an overpowered, all-purpose character.
Another advantage was that her trait wasn't restricted to any particular weapon.
*Clack.*
Luna headed to the weapon rack. Despite watching her choose her weapon, I gave her a curious look.
‘What on earth is she plotting?’
In the novel, Luna's weapon of choice was never fixed.
As the eldest daughter of a count, she had received the best support and education, becoming proficient with all weapons and using most of them depending on the situation.
Sword, spear, shield, or any type of magic—she could handle it all, to the point where I wondered what her true identity was…
‘This doesn't make sense, does it?’
How could she handle all of that? I had wondered if the author had shown favoritism because she was the main heroine, but the more I thought about it, the stranger Luna's setup seemed.
"Ah. This should do."
The weapon Luna picked was something I hadn't expected.
In her right hand, she equipped a small hammer, and in her left, a kite shield... I was so dumbfounded that I had to ask.
"...You really want to duel me?"
"Did you think I was joking?"
She was quite bold in her retorts now. The look in her eyes as she stared at me was incredibly pure.
She was looking at me with pure malice.
—A look that said she truly despised me.
It was a gaze filled with the desire to land a blow on me and humiliate me somehow. Realizing this, a laugh escaped my lips.
She was like a child whining because someone took her toy.
At this point, I was even starting to find Luna's behavior cute.
"Alright. Fine. Let's duel."
I accepted the challenge nonchalantly and immediately looked at Millia.
"Han Cheon-seong, there's a two-level difference between your traits, Level 2 and Level 4. Are you sure this is okay? I think this duel could be dangerous."
She voiced the exact concerns I had, making me think that Millia was certainly more mature than Luna.
"You're right. That's why, Millia, could you please call the training instructor? Just in case. I'd like a supervising instructor to be present."
"Okay. I will."
Millia left immediately and soon returned with the C-Class training instructor.
The instructor was a woman with kind eyes and green hair.
Her name was 'Ludmina.' She had a Unique-grade trait at Level 7, one level lower than Avalanche, the A-Class instructor.
"I heard that Han Cheon-seong and Luna will be dueling. Is this duel the result of a dispute or conflict?"
Despite her gentle eyes, her voice was quite calm as she asked. I shook my head.
"No, it's not."
"It's not."
Our answers overlapped by chance, and Luna shot me a displeased look. Her expression only made me want to smile more.
'She's really like a little girl.'
It wasn't just a thought; it felt like I was looking at a girl whose mental age had stopped at around elementary school.
Her speech was direct, and her current emotions were written all over her.
Because of this, I didn't feel any ill will toward Luna.
"Alright, then. If that's not the case, I always welcome duels between students. Please take your positions."
At the gentle voice of the instructor, a clear departure from Instructor Avalanche who had supervised before, Luna and I created some distance between us.
As we did, I could feel the piercing gazes of the students who had gathered around.
Somehow... this situation felt both familiar and entirely different.
'This is strange.'
Just a few days ago, during my duel with Leonhardt, there had also been numerous spectators. A-Class students had flocked to watch me and Leonhardt duel, and back then, I had received completely different looks.
The voices of the A-Class students who openly called me pitiful, looked at me with pity, or condescendingly belittled my Common trait were still fresh in my memory.
But now, standing in this training hall, the gazes I received were completely different from before.
I could confidently say that almost none of the C-Class students in the training hall looked down on me. In fact, more than half of them were looking at me with genuine anticipation.
‘Is this... how they looked at Leonhardt?’
As I slowly raised my spear, the feeling was incredibly strange.
Of course, the way people looked at Leonhardt—with his Legendary trait, handsome face, and towering figure—couldn't be the same as how they looked at me, but I felt it might be a little similar.
—The kind of gazes the protagonist of this world received.
Right now, I was experiencing it, albeit indirectly.
"Begin the duel."
As the instructor's gentle voice signaled the start, I didn't take the offensive as I had in my previous duels.
I simply stood there calmly, waiting for Luna to charge at me first.
The difference in our trait levels was obvious. The gap between Level 2 and Level 4 was not a simple two-level difference.
It was an incomparable chasm.
If I took the initiative and gained an advantage, the relationship with Luna that I had painstakingly improved would be ruined.
Moreover, this duel was different from when I was Level 3 against a Level 2 Leonhardt. Now, my opponent was different, and I was stronger, creating an absurd disparity.
It wasn't that I was underestimating Luna.
—I recognized the difference between my opponent and myself.
And because of that, I would not show off. I intended to approach this duel with the concept of control.
"Han Cheon-seong, you're Level 4. I won't go easy on you either."
When Luna spoke with confidence, a smile touched my lips.
"Alright. Luna, you can attack first."
I repeated the same words Leonhardt had said to me in our last duel. Luna kicked off the ground without hesitation and charged.
—!
As I stood my ground and watched, I realized something new.
Now that I clearly knew I had the upper hand over Luna…
…it was surprisingly difficult to keep my excitement in check.
And.
‘Is this how Leonhardt felt when he looked at me?’
Yet, Leonhardt hadn't looked down on me; he had proceeded with the duel calmly. That fact resurfaced in my mind.
'...The protagonist really has things you can learn from.'
And I, too, had to be like that.
I must not look down on Luna but treat her as a proper dueling opponent.
With that thought, I calmly took in the sight of Luna as she entered my field of vision.
—! ——!
Luna kicked off the ground, rapidly closing the distance. The way she held her shield was quite impressive.
As expected of someone from a prestigious noble family, there was no hint of inexperience in her form. Watching her, I composed myself.
In that moment.
*Sshk,* the hand gripping my spear underwent a slight change.
I may not have reached the level of a skill yet.
But just because my trait level wasn't rising didn't mean I was completely stagnant.
A new stance I had come to realize, a concept I could now pursue.
—[To pierce a single point and twist it.]
If I cannot break the attack…
…I will twist and erase the opponent's attack.
And with this duel, I would unveil it for the first time…