Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Dignity (1)
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"As I said earlier, don't worry about fatal injuries. Just fight with everything you've got."
Kang Cheol-su's words drew nods from Lee Seo-yeon and Asuka.
"Alright, now we'll begin the match. Get into your stances."
Lee Seo-yeon gripped the hilt of her sword while holding her dignified posture.
In contrast, Asuka edged her right foot forward just a bit, crouched low, crossed her arms, and laid her hands atop the hilts of her twin swords.
Kang Cheol-su glanced back and forth between them to confirm they were ready, then nodded and spoke.
"Match start."
With those words, Lee Seo-yeon drew her sword in a graceful motion.
And Asuka...
"Wh-what's that...? Her vibe just suddenly..."
"...She looks like a totally different person."
The instant her fingers closed around the sword hilt, Asuka's expression transformed utterly, as if her sunny cheer had been a lie.
Asuka's face was as coldly intense as Lee Seo-yeon's.
Up in the stands, the crowd reacted with shock to her abrupt change, like they were staring at a stranger.
Watching their reactions, I wanted to pipe up.
Tell them that kind of shift was nothing.
'Asuka's got that 'talent' which is great, but...'
It's a flaw how it turns her into someone else, like a split personality.
Still, her opponent's Lee Seo-yeon, so no major issues should crop up.
She's just that strong.
I had zero doubts she'd shut down Asuka's rampage with ease.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shring!
"......!"
The moment Asuka unsheathed her sword, a razor-sharp aura exploded outward, widening Lee Seo-yeon's eyes ever so slightly in surprise.
She hadn't been fazed much by the bubbly girl's sudden shift, but this was different—this demanded astonishment.
Zzt, zzt.
An intensity she'd never sensed even from Arthur during their third-exam clash.
Her skin prickled like live wires sparking across her body.
'......Battle Aura?'
No.
Lee Seo-yeon rejected the thought at once.
This wasn't the flavor of aura she knew.
'This pressure is...'
......The pressure of a predator.
The savage energy of a beast sizing up its prey.
As a child, during training, she'd hunted wild beasts.
The aura from that encounter matched exactly what Asuka was radiating now.
But it was identical only in type—Asuka's was far more vicious.
And the sole emotion it carried was pure killing intent, bent on her death.
'......A talent?'
Lee Seo-yeon grasped Asuka's condition in an instant.
Asuka wasn't controlling her talent.
She wasn't just failing to—she was its puppet.
'In that case...'
For Asuka's own good, she'd have to unleash her full power.
Lee Seo-yeon's gaze sank into deep shadow.
"......!"
Asuka flinched hard.
Even with her reason drowned the second she drew steel—leaving nothing but instinct—she recoiled from Lee Seo-yeon's aura.
Pure instinct made her all the more attuned to it.
But only for a heartbeat.
Thud!
Furious at her own beastly cringe, Asuka exploded off the ground toward Lee Seo-yeon.
Facing the headlong charge, Lee Seo-yeon stayed rooted and lifted her blade.
Then—clash.
Ccaaaang—!
Asuka's twin blades hammered Lee Seo-yeon's sword.
The piercing screech of steel on steel echoed past the arena into the stands.
Kakakakaka...!
The shrill ring gave way to grinding metal, resounding without end.
Asuka shoved with brute force in the bind.
Lee Seo-yeon didn't twitch from her stance.
She dominated.
One-handed.
Clang!
Sensing defeat in raw power, Asuka rebounded the blade away.
Her eyes—once pink, now bloody crimson—flashed as she unleashed her dual swords in full.
Clang!
Left blade top-down.
Clang!
Right blade bottom-up.
Clang, claaang!
Left to right.
Right to left.
Cclang!
Diagonal cross.
Cclang!
Left thrust, right sweep.
Asuka's breaths grew feral, ragged.
Her hands blurred faster.
From powerful strikes to fluid swordplay.
Fluid to heavy blows.
Heavy to shifting forms.
Shifting to unpredictable variations.
Within those twisting paths, blinding speed wove in—like a tempest unleashed.
Yet against that storm of steel.
Chachachachachang!
Lee Seo-yeon's footing held firm.
Dignified and unmoving, she parried flawlessly.
Power met power.
Flow countered flow.
Paths aligned, blades kissed.
"...Hah... hah."
"......"
Asuka heaved like a cornered animal.
Lee Seo-yeon's breaths? Serene.
The still heart of the gale.
An uncrossable wall loomed before Asuka.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Done.
Lee Seo-yeon had mapped Asuka's sword completely.
Stats already favored her—now paths too.
Defeat was all Asuka had left.
'Picked the wrong matchup from the jump.'
Lee Seo-yeon held an S-rank talent: Sword Prodigy.
Limited to blades, it granted insane buffs.
First grip? Veteran finesse.
Watch any swing, and she'd dissect it.
Flaws, flows—laid bare.
Blade met blade? Instant analysis.
Better paths forged.
Like now.
Chachachachachang!
"......?!"
Asuka's guard buckled.
Wounds began blooming.
Panic flickered through her instinct-barren haze.
Same paths exactly.
Posture off, sure—but mirrors in motion.
Closer look: Lee Seo-yeon's diverged, subtly superior.
Bit by bit, refined.
Then—
Clang!
Asuka's right blade shattered.
Power flung against power.
Left followed.
"......Ah."
Reason resurfaced with the shards; Asuka sighed.
Lee Seo-yeon swung once more.
Targeting the lingering grip.
Thwack, thwack!
"...Ow!"
Flat of the blade—not edge—but hard enough to wrench hilt free.
Asuka yelped.
"Hng... it hurts."
She clutched her hand, face crumpling tearfully.
Lee Seo-yeon regarded her.
Noted the eyes—from draw onward.
No crimson bloodlust.
Cherry-blossom pink.
Her own eyes again.
Lee Seo-yeon sheathed her sword.
No beast remained—no need for steel.
"Group B: Lee Seo-yeon wins."
Kang Cheol-su declared, tapping his smart watch.
⚙ MATCH RESULT ⚙ [B] [03] [Lee Seo-yeon] [Win] [04] [Shuhei Asuka] [Loss] The Group B brackets updated.
Kang Cheol-su approached Asuka.
"Impressive skills, Shuhei Asuka. A sword style befitting the Twin Sword Dragon's heir."
But.
Serious-faced, he pressed on.
"You couldn't control your talent. Worse—seemed like it controlled you. Right?"
"......Yes."
Asuka hung her head, mood somber.
Kang Cheol-su scratched his forehead scar, continuing.
"For superhumans like us, talent is identity. Fail to master it, and destruction's all that's left. So, Shuhei Asuka—don't abandon it without learning control. Fail that, and you'll turn Fallen someday."
His words sank the mood—not just Asuka's, but every kid in the stands.
The one thing heroes must dodge.
Devoured by talent, becoming Fallen.
It's tricky yet simple.
Let talent erode you fully.
Early slips—like Asuka's—let sanity snap back if you drop the trigger.
But repetition twists you: villainy creeps in.
Villain unrepentant, fully eroded? Fallen.
Fallen means no return.
Soul-swap different person.
Talent inverts.
Twist becomes pure evil—joy in the unthinkable, power from atrocities.
That's why Fallen get purged on sight—humanity's ultimate foe.
"......I'll work hard."
"Shuhei Asuka, 'hard' won't cut it. Control it. Got it?"
"......Yes."
Asuka nodded through the weight of his plea.
I pitied her deeply.
Game knowledge or not, I knew Asuka inside out—knew her slump's root.
Her cheer? Pure defense mechanism.
Her talent: Mad Dragon Blood.
S-rank gift and curse of Japan's Shuhei line.
Secret art: Dragon Slayer Sword. Kills dragons, flat out.
Dragon-blood family practicing dragon-murder? Why?
Hit 80% favor with Asuka, truth outs.
TL;DR: Ages back, Shuhei forged Dragon Slayer Sword, slew their guardian Mad Dragon. Dying curse: family inherits Mad Dragon Blood.
Curse hits Asuka: draw steel, reason drowns, feral instinct rules.
Childhood on, dad Shuhei Kento drilled control—brutal training.
Still can't nail it.
Terror of self-loss each slip.
Bright mask? Shields the psyche.
'Wanna help now, but...'
Can't.
Later? Maybe. Now? No.
Control Mad Dragon Blood: three paths.
One: Transcend like dad, shatter curse bonds.
Two: Devour dragon heart, swap yours for it.
Three: Grand Saintess Gloria's exorcism.
Damn near impossible.
Quickest: three—Gloria's purge.
1st-gen transcendent, God's darling—her power fixes it easy.
But she's temple-bound in the States unless world-ending.
Drag her out? Befriend Son Noah.
Guy here, favor grind's rough.
But hit threshold: late-semester duel season, he letters mom: "Great friend to meet!"
Duel fest starts—Gloria spectates.
Post-Noah match: event chat.
Target that.
First: Noah bond. Know his likes? Cakewalk.
'Failsafe...'
Hunt dragon, snag heart.
While plotting, Lee Seo-yeon and Asuka trudged back.
Asuka dragged up the stairs, collapsed beside me.
"...I lost."
Hng—tears welled.
Cry-face primed.
Comfort queued—then halted.
Not loss blues. Not Kang Cheol-su's roast.
Torment of talent's leash.
Couldn't dare "It'll be fine."
So.
Pat, pat.
"......Huh?"
Stroked her hair.
Asuka blinked up, dazed.
"...Huh? H-huhh?"
Short-circuited.