The Talent Russia Fears and America Covets
A strange stillness had settled over the battlefield once the dust finally settled.
"……."
"……."
Chloe and Anastasia, who had been locked blade-to-blade as if determined to kill each other, both turned their eyes at the same moment toward the empty stretch of ground where a towering giant and a scrawny male student had stood only seconds before.
The massive figure of Johnson and the boy in front of him had vanished together in a burst of white light—the teleportation that marked retirement from the exam.
For the first time, the easy smile that always played on Chloe’s lips was gone. A single bead of sweat rolled down her temple.
"What…? What the hell just happened?"
Even her superhuman dynamic vision had failed to fully track it. Johnson was America’s pride, an S-rank candidate and an overwhelming physical tank. That monster had been retired after a single clash—no, right after some unknown, ominous energy flashed—screaming as he went out. And he had gone out in a simultaneous retirement with that frail-looking male student who looked as if a single brush would snap him in half.
"……Ha."
Anastasia let out a hollow laugh of disbelief. That sniveling coward who had done nothing but tremble behind her back had taken down that absurd bulk in a single instant? Just like that?
Was he hiding his strength?
Had every cowardly display he had shown her been a complete lie? Thoughts tangled and multiplied in her head. If it had been her, could she have dropped Johnson in one blow?
……Unlikely.
This was Johnson they were talking about. The tank-type monster the world’s strongest nation, America, had deliberately selected and raised. The one already being called a future top-tier main tank on a global scale. Even if he had been careless, finishing him off in a one-on-one exchange of mutual destruction with a single strike defied common sense.
Then the frozen Chloe slowly spoke.
"……So that’s why you kept him close."
"……?"
"I just thought your tastes never change, Miss Anya. Dragging around some pretty, delicate little kept man like a pet……."
Chloe clicked her tongue and shot Anastasia a sidelong glance.
"How long have you known? Our intel never mentioned anyone like that……. Korea was hiding a monster like him? Impressive. You’ve gone up a notch in my estimation, Miss Anya."
Anastasia’s insides flinched, but outwardly she did not so much as blink. Of course she herself was dying of curiosity about what the hell that cowardly bastard really was. But that was something she could grab him by the collar and demand later in private. Letting this irritating American girl know “I only just found out myself” and exposing her own ignorance was something her pride would never allow.
Better to act like I’ve known everything all along and been leading him around. That’ll dig under her skin perfectly.
Having finished her quick calculation, Anastasia twisted her lips into a smirk and re-gripped her greatsword.
"You don’t have time to look away, you bitch. If you don’t want your skull split open, come at me right now."
At that murderous provocation, Chloe forced her shaken eyes to steady and twisted her twin blades in her grip.
"……Right. First we finish this fight."
KWA-AAAAANG—!
Once more the weapons of the two monsters slammed together with merciless force in mid-air.
The cold feel of the floor against my cheek made me slowly open my eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling filled my vision. When I came to my senses and pushed myself up, the area around me was filled with medical equipment and white-coated staff bustling about, treating injured cadets.
As I looked around with a dazed expression, one of the medical staff approached me and shouted toward the distance.
"Two retired cadets over here!"
She told me to wait a moment and then hurried off somewhere. In the spot she had left, I turned my head to the side. Johnson was lying there just like me, groaning in pain. That absurdly huge man was clutching his abdomen with all his strength, looking as if he were in absolute agony.
……Huh?
I blankly looked down at my own stomach. There was a throbbing sensation, sure, but it was nowhere near bad enough that I couldn’t even get up like him. Carefully I lifted my school shirt and checked my abdomen. Blue-black bruises covered my skin in patches, and broken capillaries spider-webbed underneath.
"Ugh……."
I instinctively frowned at the grotesque sight—and right then I saw it. The blue bruises and ruptured blood vessels were slowly, in real time, fading away as if being erased.
While I stared, unable to look away from that bizarre spectacle, the medical staff member returned.
"Patient, just a moment. I’ll give you a painkiller first."
She held out a sharp, terrifying syringe.
Eek…….
I had been pathologically terrified of needles since I was a child. Besides, I didn’t really feel like I needed a painkiller. I edged backward little by little and managed to stammer out in a tiny voice,
"……I-I’m fine. P-please give it to this cadet instead……."
The staff member looked at me with puzzled eyes. But when I moved my body to show that I truly seemed fine, she nodded and injected the painkiller into the groaning Johnson instead. Then she placed her hand on his injured area, and a soft light glowed from her fingertips. Only then did Johnson’s contorted expression gradually relax.
Once the staff member had completely left, I pressed a hand to my chest and sank into deep thought.
……So what retired Johnson must have been that red chain that shot out back then, right?
What was the exact name of that ability again? Chain of Causality—Reflection? No, I thought it had a more impressive-sounding name than that……. Without access to a status window I had no way of checking the precise skill name. But one thing was certain. The place I had been punched was my abdomen, and the place that massive man was now clutching in agony was also the exact same abdomen.
It’s clear. The damage I took was transferred straight to him.
I slowly worked through it. With Chain of Causality I force-synchronize the damage I receive onto the opponent. Among my traits is Fragility, which makes me take 30 percent more damage. In other words, the damage I take gets properly inflated and then reflected straight back at the other guy. On top of that I have Super Regeneration that instantly restores wounds and Pain Reduction that cuts the pain I feel in half as passives.
……Wait a second. Isn’t this completely broken?
The more I thought about it, the more insane the synergy was. Past me had really outdone himself with the concept design—excellent work! Even if I took far more devastating and lethal injuries, it wouldn’t be a problem. I still had the insurance abilities of Death Delay that let me keep going even after my life force was gone, and that mysterious Immortality. At this point I was basically invincible. The only real concern would be mental limits. Pain Reduction didn’t erase pain completely, so if I kept experiencing the disgusting sensation of my organs bursting like just now, my mind might give out first.
"Hoo……."
Then a heavy sigh sounded beside me. Having received enough treatment that his condition had improved, Johnson heaved his bulk up from the floor and sat down heavily. He turned his head and looked straight at me. Even if the exam was over, this was still the guy who had just been slamming cannonball-like fists into my gut without mercy. On top of that, with a mountain of a body and a face that looked downright ferocious staring steadily at me, my real-world shut-in DNA activated on pure instinct. Still sitting on the floor, I shrank back without meaning to and quietly lowered my eyes.
I’m scared, so please just pretend you don’t know me and go away…….
But contrary to my desperate wish, Johnson opened his mouth in his heavy voice.
"……That was a clean hit, Chopstick Boy. Never expected you to have power like that."
"Y-yes? Ah……."
"Sorcery type? Magic? I didn’t see anything with my eyes……. I’m pretty clueless about that side of things, honestly. Anyway, taking me down in one shot—impressive."
When the monster prospect backed by the U.S. government praised me with genuine respect in his voice, this timid hikikomori felt like his whole body was itching with embarrassment. Excessive attention from others was poison to a loser like me. Overcome with awkwardness, I fidgeted with my fingers and twisted my body, then finally forced out a single line in a voice that barely crawled out of my throat.
"……J-Johnson-ssi…… you were really strong too……."
Johnson listened quietly to my deflated reply and then abruptly asked,
"……What’s your name?"
"H-Han Siyul……."
"Hmm…… Korean?"
"Yes……."
At my answer Johnson nodded lightly and muttered,
"Korea. Nice country to live in……."
I blinked and carefully asked back,
"J-Johnson-ssi…… don’t you live in America……? Isn’t America…… a nice country to live in too……?"
Johnson gave a short, faint smile.
"Well, except for a few states, yeah, it’s a good place to live."
Still gazing at the ceiling, he continued calmly.
"Truth is, I’m not fully American-born. I was born in a poor tribe in Africa. Then the U.S. government scouted me after they took notice of my abilities."
He clenched and unclenched his fist, speaking with a note of pride.
"America’s different from the hometown I came from. As long as you prove your ability, it doesn’t matter where you came from—you can achieve anything. Land of opportunity."
Faced with that grand line that made him sound like an official American promotional ambassador, I just silently nodded. Then Johnson turned his gaze back toward me and threw a heavy straight pitch.
"How about it, Chopstick Boy? If you want, I can put in a good word with the American Awakened Association."
"Huh……?"
"Talent like you would be welcomed with open arms over there. We’re already in the middle of putting together the strongest party in the Association, and we happen to need a powerful sorcery-type Awakened just like you."
A scouting offer from the American Awakened Association. Most people would have drooled over a proposal like that, but I hurriedly waved both hands.
"N-no, no! I-I’m fine……."
Inside I was so dumbfounded I almost laughed out loud.
He’s got it completely wrong. He thinks I used some incredible magic, but all I did was reflect the damage he dealt me right back at him.
At my firm refusal Johnson smacked his lips in disappointment.
"That so…… Well, alright. Still, if you change your mind, tell me anytime, Chopstick Boy."
……No, but why do you keep calling me Chopstick Boy?
I had just clearly told him my name was Han Siyul with my own mouth. A chilly feeling suddenly brushed through my mind.
Don’t tell me…… is this some kind of Westerner-specific racial discrimination like with Anastasia? Looking down on Asians?
When I flinched and gave him a subtle look, Johnson seemed to realize something and quickly spoke up.
"Ah, don’t get the wrong idea. Calling you Chopstick Boy isn’t meant to look down on Asian culture. It’s just that the first time I saw you, you were so skinny and stick-thin like a pair of chopsticks……. Hmm, sorry. My bad."
Looking at the embarrassed giant of a man, I awkwardly lifted the corners of my mouth.
"A-ah, yes……. It’s fine."
"Appreciate you understanding."
Johnson nodded lightly in relief, then turned his gaze away and muttered,
"Looks like it’s wrapping up soon."
Following his line of sight, I saw the large monitor mounted on the wall. On the screen Anastasia and Chloe were still being broadcast, fighting savagely in a cloud of dust. Both of them looked terrible. Their clothes were shredded to rags, and their entire bodies were covered in cuts and scratches.
Wow…… at that rate do they have to buy all new clothes later? Having to keep spare uniforms while attending the Academy is going to be a pain…….
I was in the middle of that completely useless practical worry when—
Uuk—!
"……?!"
A horrific headache that felt like a blender was shredding the inside of my skull suddenly crashed over me. My vision spun violently and the world twisted into something grotesque. I clutched my head with both hands and gasped.
"Hey, you okay?!"
When my face went paper-white in an instant, Johnson rushed over in alarm. But I couldn’t even get my mouth to form a reply.
"Kkugh……!"
Strength left my legs and my body crumpled limply.
"Chopstick Boy……! Stay with me! Medical staff!!"
I heard Johnson desperately holding me up and shouting loud enough to shake the infirmary. But even that sound grew distant and muffled, as if I were sinking deep underwater. As my consciousness was sucked into pitch-black darkness, I squeezed out the last of my remaining reason and silently cursed inside.
I told you not to call me Chopstick Boy…… you bastard…….