Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Trash That Won't Burn
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***
Thwack!
Jerad's body went airborne, struck squarely by the spear shaft.
The wind enveloping Jerad failed to meaningfully reduce the force behind the spear.
“Gah!”
The moment he gasped from the excruciating pain, his vision was already rapidly falling toward the ground.
Even so, Jerad desperately moved his hands through the pain.
Whoosh!
As wind surged at his command, it barely cushioned his falling body.
But it wasn't a perfect cushion.
Thud!
Jerad tumbled wretchedly across the ground, just as David had in their previous duel.
“Cough! Ugh... Hah...”
He gagged from the intense pain that followed, unable to even properly control his body.
Yet, Jerad forced himself up and dazedly raised his head.
In his line of sight stood Cheon-seong, calmly holding his ground.
*...Why?*
Looking at the bastard's detestable face, he couldn't understand it at all.
Why couldn't his wind block a mere spear?
He knew the principles of wielding a spear. It was a weapon that focused its power on a single point. Having received various lessons from his family, he naturally understood the basics.
That was why he'd thought it would be even easier to deflect the spear's assault.
He'd believed that if he just slightly twisted the spear's trajectory with a powerful gust, the spearhead would be thrown wildly off course.
Ssk.
But watching the guy casually retract the spear he had thrust, his heart seethed with rage.
Just a moment ago, when he was toying with David in front of everyone, he had felt such joy.
And that guy, too... he was supposed to be the one rolling on the ground before him, his face contorted in a pathetic grimace.
But... why.
“Dammit... Dammit!”
He vented the emotions swelling in his heart and clenched his fists. He couldn't just let this happen.
No matter what, he couldn't lose to that bastard.
Straightening his posture, he forced himself to concentrate on gathering the wind.
Whoooosh!
Focusing on the two powerful gales swirling from his hands, he forced down the pain coursing through his body.
*There's no way I'd lose to someone like him.*
To a Commoner, a mere commoner—there was no way someone like me could lose.
Whoooooosh!
The increasingly fierce wind whipped his hair about, blurring his vision.
Even as he saw the guy through his obstructed view, his heart continued to fill with rage.
*How dare he act so arrogant... so relaxed in front of me.*
A mere commoner dares….
—!!
Just as the wind churned more violently, as if responding to his emotions, a brilliant idea struck him.
A way to completely shatter that guy's composure.
***
Whoooooosh!
As Jerad struggled to his feet, a powerful wind suddenly began to swirl around both his arms.
The wind's intensity grew as if endlessly amplifying, creating a relentless gale. Watching this intently, Cheon-seong narrowed his eyes.
*Is that his full power?*
Just as Kalli had told him before the duel, it felt like Jerad had been holding back against David.
But now, after I've landed consecutive blows on him since the start of the duel...
I wondered if Jerad's true strength was finally emerging. As I thought this, I carefully steeled myself.
*I'll crush him completely.*
Avenging David was one thing, but I felt I had to crush this guy so thoroughly that he'd never dare to meet my eyes again.
Bastards like him, if you only half-crush them, will eventually get back up and bare their filthy fangs at you.
And it wasn't just a problem for me. David would surely be harmed again.
*Therefore.*
I needed to crush him so completely right now that he wouldn't even entertain such thoughts.
“Han Cheon-seong.”
Jerad suddenly spoke, and a strange gaze met mine from between strands of his golden hair, which were being whipped about by the gale.
“To be honest, you're amazing. Your spearmanship is truly... something even I have to acknowledge.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. I'm just... saying what I feel. Now that I've faced you directly, I can see that Trait Level 4 is really something else.”
The guy who had been glaring at me with eyes full of hatred just moments ago had suddenly changed his tune.
He spoke smoothly, his gaze strange, and I couldn't figure out his intentions.
“So, tell me, Han Cheon-seong. What's the deal with that David kid?”
“...What?”
“I mean, forget being a Commoner, you're Trait Level 4, so that's one thing. But what's so great about David that he gets to hang out with you? Someone like you, Han Cheon-seong, is someone I can acknowledge.”
...Listening to his nonsense, I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.
To think he'd open his mouth just to... throw such a pathetic taunt at me.
It was truly absurd.
“Hey, Han Cheon-seong, don't you think it's a bit funny? I'm only saying this because David isn't here, but honestly, I can acknowledge you. But with a worthless kid like him by your side... it kind of lowers your standing and makes you seem undervalued. I feel sorry for you. If you were interested in hanging out with me, it's not like I wouldn't consider it.”
The guy took my laugh as he pleased and doubled down on his bullshit. I wondered just how far he would go.
“So, what do you say? This could be a good chance for us to get closer. As for David... does he even hang out with anyone besides you? His Trait seems pretty worthless, too. I bet it's been tough for you as well….”
“You piece of trash.”
As I cut him off, I felt for a moment that he wasn't even worth calling by name.
The bastard standing before me right now... was just trash.
The kind of trash that wouldn't even burn in a fire. Just looking at him made me want to gag.
“Han Cheon-seong... what did you just call me?”
“I called you trash. Go on, keep spewing your nonsense. What about David?”
Retorting fiercely, I rationally knew this piece of trash was trying to provoke me.
A cheap trick to rattle me by spouting baseless bullshit. But even if it was bullshit, there was a limit to what I could listen to.
If this bastard was trying to provoke me, fine. I didn't care.
No, it would be fine even if I fell for the provocation.
The very mention of David from that trash's mouth filled my heart with disgust.
"..."
As I slowly channeled the mana enveloping my body into my spear, I didn't suppress my rising anger.
An intense desire to slam that trash's face into the ground and grind it into the dirt.
Ssk. I gripped the spear tighter, my eyes locked on him.
“Hah. Good grief... This is why uneducated bastards are hopeless. To think things of indistinguishable lineage have entered the academy...”
As he muttered in disbelief at my words, I leaped forward without a word.
Just listening to that trash's words felt like my ears were rotting.
—!
Since I had transferred the mana from my body to the spear, my leap was noticeably slower than before, but it was still fast enough.
Jerad stopped talking at the sight of me and slowly extended both arms forward. I had a good idea of what he was about to do.
*...Is he going to shoot the wind straight at me?*
It was something I'd felt while watching Glacia in the training grounds before, but the essence of wind, as I saw it, was close to freedom.
The Trait of wind had endless applications depending on the student wielding it. Normally, it would be difficult to even predict an opponent's attack.
Whoooooosh!
However, seeing Jerad keep both his hands aimed in my direction as I leaped, I could clearly read his move.
The intense wind swirling around his arms right now.
It was obvious he would fire it straight at me if I got any closer.
—! —!
I naturally added erratic movements to my leaps. As I moved in a zigzag pattern, the anger that had filled my heart began to cool.
Two options for a counter came to mind.
Test 'that' again, the concept of which became more concrete during my duel with Luna.
Or, thrust my spear like a feint to lure Jerad's gale in the wrong direction.
I was conflicted between the two choices.
Against a gale of that magnitude, it would be impossible for me to endure it and advance like before, or to deflect it with my spear. Even if I used a feint, there was no guarantee it would work properly.
“My, you run around like a little rat, don't you?”
A triumphant smile spread across the trash's lips, and I couldn't help but smile myself.
*What the hell, let's do it.*
I chose the first option.
Although 'that thing' whose concept had become more concrete was still incomplete, seeing this piece of trash gave me an inexplicable surge of confidence.
A feint wouldn't allow me to advance. So it was right to choose the option that would.
Even if I failed, I was confident I wouldn't lose, so there was no hesitation.
—!
The moment I leaped, I focused all my concentration on the tip of my spear.
As the distance between us rapidly closed, I could see his smugly smiling face and his arms aimed at me.
In that instant.
A massive gust of wind erupted from his arms.
—!!!
Even though the wind was formless, I could clearly feel the outline of the blast shot toward me.
Chak!
At that moment, I planted my foot firmly on the ground as an axis and twisted my waist.
I thrust out with the right hand gripping the spear, launching it as if to confront that bizarre wind head-on.
—[Pierce a single point and twist.]
The moment the massive gale rushed in, I met it directly.
—!!
The instant I intensely pierced a single point of the gale.
Booooom!
With a sound like a drum bursting, the massive gale exploded in front of me like a raging storm.
Screeeech!!
My planted foot was naturally dragged back, sliding across the ground, yet I didn't even blink.
And when the wind that had rushed at me vanished completely, a sense of satisfaction filled my chest.
*I can do it.*
It might not have reached the level of a skill, but this... In my eyes, it was already no different from one.
A bizarre power that defied logic.
As I grasped that concept more clearly, I could see him.
“......”
The piece of trash, his mouth agape, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.
In that opening, I leaped again, closing the distance rapidly.
“Aaaah!”
The trash, startled, belatedly tried to summon the wind, but the spear had already moved.
Shhhk!
The spear, shot out like a flash of light, pierced the empty air right next to his cheek by a hair's breadth.
“......”
Looking at the guy, so stunned he couldn't even react... the boiling anger slowly subsided.
Thump!
I turned the spear and pressed down hard on his shoulder. Seeing him collapse weakly to the ground, an intense urge rose within me.
I wanted to lift my foot right then and there and completely stomp and crush him.
But….
After that guy's trashy remarks earlier, my mind seemed to have regained its reason.
*If I just stomp on this trash right here...*
I'd feel better. Without much thought, I knew I would feel incredibly refreshed.
Because I would be crushing the trash who had relentlessly toyed with David.
But right now, there are countless students watching this duel.
I instinctively knew how I would appear to Kalli as well.
It would probably be….
*The same as how this trash showed off to David.*
Although I had the justification of avenging David, that was purely from my own perspective.
Jerad, kneeling and defeated before my spear, had completely lost his will to fight.
"Ughhh..."
Looking at the guy, who was completely terrified by my gaze, I shook my head.
Jerad couldn't even make a move.
A few strikes with the spear shaft. Then, after I neutralized the wind this bastard shot at me and pinned him down with the spearhead...
The opponent showed no will to fight whatsoever.
Right now, the duel's outcome was decided.
If I were to unleash ruthless violence... no matter my reasons, could that truly be justified?
Suddenly.
I felt that if I resorted to violence, I would become just like this piece of trash.
That... wasn't good.
I slowly turned my head and looked at Kalli.
My eyes met Kalli's, who was looking at me at that very moment. With a look of genuine surprise, she finally spoke.
“...Duel's over.”
At her words that ended the duel, I withdrew the spearhead pressing on his shoulder.
Then I moved close to the dazed guy's ear and quietly left him with a few words.
“If you want a rematch, feel free to request a duel anytime. But... be prepared. I'll crush you so completely it won't even compare to today."
If he ever spewed bullshit at me or David again, I would make him suffer a fate worse than this.
I had to make sure the fear of this moment was properly etched into his heart.
"......"
I gave the silent trash one last look, then turned away.