Winter Split in Half

Winter split in half.

Just a single gesture silenced the audience.

The blizzard that had raged until now came to a halt, revealing the arena's landscape.

The paper legion lay utterly shattered, their wielders collapsed on the ground.

And standing tall alone was Choi Yeon.

Pado Yun's shout ignited thunderous cheers and applause across the entire arena.

But Choi Yeon, ignoring the noise from the stands, stared blankly at her sword, its blade vanished.

She glanced at the slowly opening gate and walked out toward us.

"─Choi Yeon!"

"─Choi Yeon!"

"─Choi Yeon!"

"─Choi Yeon!"

Even as her name echoed, she trudged straight toward me.

"...This."

"Huh?"

"Say we broke it together."

"...What?"

"We're accomplices from now on."

Even if I said we were accomplices, it'd probably just end up with her taking the blame...

Still, if I didn't nod here, she'd stay sulky forever, so I agreed.

"Sure."

"Promise."

It'd recover on its own with time anyway.

She's way too scared about stuff like this, huh?

"Yeah, promise. So let's call it a day. Everyone, good work."

* * *

Now, only one match remained tomorrow.

The remaining club's name was 'Knight Order'.

Apparently, it was a group of pro-go players calling themselves a knight order, but Latte's words from last night lingered in my mind.

'The club's name is Knight Order. It's a recently formed club. The weird part is they sustain themselves through academy internal tournaments? Most are ones even regular students don't know about. They probably hold their own tournaments and sweep all the prizes.'

As she said, Knight Order wasn't an ordinary club.

They were essentially the private soldiers of the academy's president, Ray Pendragon.

The internal tournaments Latte mentioned were the same.

Ray personally hosted student council tournaments for them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to win prizes, keeping the club alive that way.

And not just that. The members weren't ordinary either.

They called themselves a non-combat club, but the actual members were mid-tier second- and third-years.

In other words, the mercenaries they'd hired so far were just smokescreens.

They only needed to beat me from the start.

That's why.

"I'm dying with excitement. For real."

Nothing beats the thrill of perfectly crushing a fully prepared enemy.

The trap they'd set, without properly analyzing my full power, was laughably predictable.

Probably the whole Knight Order charging in together, right?

That's what I thought...

"Death to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Han Yujin!"

"""Death! Death!"""

"Despair to Familia!"

"""Despair! Despair!"""

Guess I had to take back saying they underestimated my power.

An army had come personally to face me on the day of my match, in the academy's afternoon.

"This is cheating! Aren't they a non-combat club?! What non-combat club shows up in full plate armor?!"

Jinwoo protested at the absurd sight before us.

The Knight Order's vice-captain, clad in full plate armor, waved it off awkwardly.

"The student council approved full-force battle this morning. No issues per academy rules."

I hadn't expected a full-force challenge today.

Full-force approvals come from the student council.

To think they'd openly point their blades at us like this.

"Full-force?! Fine. Then we can join right now!"

Jinwoo, fuming, yanked off his tie, but then the Knight Order members parted, and a girl stepped forward.

Seo Yeon-su, head of the student council's club department.

"──Per academy rules, for student safety, full-force battles can't happen the day after a match... You all qualify?"

She flipped open her booklet and stated flatly.

Jinwoo rushed toward her, shouting.

"No way there's a rule like──"

"Here. See for yourself?"

Seo Yeon-su showed him a page.

Jinwoo frowned, checking it.

"No... It's really there?"

Confirming Jinwoo's stunned face, she closed the booklet and scanned us.

"Normally, Kim Sea-a from the first match could join, but she's not here?"

Sea-a was out for mentoring and match review.

Meaning, only I could participate in full-force here.

"Boss, hold on. I'll call Sea-a right now."

"No."

Young-je hurriedly pulled out his phone, but I stopped him.

"The match is soon. She won't make it in time."

"But then you'll face them alone?"

The Knight Order here numbered 12, all fully armed—a joke for a non-combat club.

"Yeah, probably."

"Boss, why not file a protest? They don't look non-combat at all."

But Seo Yeon-su answered again.

"Knight Order members haven't done any matches except midterms and finals. Per rules, they're recognized as 'non-combat'... Sorry."

She apologized quietly, as if there was some reason.

But Jinwoo lunged at her, yelling.

"What kind of loophole is that?!"

"Jinwoo, stop."

They were Pendragon brats from the start. I'd expected tricks like this.

"Why're you so worked up?"

"Well, those guys..."

"From the beginning."

I took off my jacket and tugged off my gloves.

"Guys like them are perfect for blowing off steam, right?"

"...Boss!"

And only one understood my feelings.

"Yujin. Jealous."

The problem was that it was Choi Yeon.

She'd be jealous even if I fought 100.

The booming announcement blared through speakers, met with cheering students.

As a full-force battle, it was held not in the arena but an outdoor field.

Full-force draws crowds inevitably.

Plus, my name had spread lately.

Around the field gathered far more than at Familia's first full-force—way more serious numbers.

I felt gazes from the crowd.

Not just hostility. Worry, clear goodwill too.

Proof my actions weren't wrong. Felt good.

"I'll wrap it up quick."

"Huh? Wrap it up quick?"

I patted Young-je and Jinwoo's shoulders, heading into the field slowly.

Far off, student council members gathered.

Ray with his nauseating cool smile. Yuri staring blankly.

But her hand at her chest clenched tight, waving hard.

Cheering me on, her way.

Entering the field, I saw Knight Order checking gear.

I lightly stretched, bouncing in place.

Then Pado Yun's voice from the field speakers.

"Somewhere dark."

"The darkest field, please."

The brightly lit field plunged into darkness.

Like a stage blacking out, the landscape shifted.

Chilly wind tickled my hair; hard ground turned to soft soil.

"Start!!"

Night plains field, lit only by moonlight.

Far off, clanking armor— the group charged.

All 12 in perfect formation, advancing.

Expert training obvious.

I smirked.

Reaching into my cube, I gripped Tommy's handle harder than usual.

Yeah, no big deal.

Compared to what I'd done, kid stuff.

But still.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't piss me off."

Pulling such a blatant joke.

So.

"You'll be my punching bags this time."

That way, Ray Pendragon won't pull crap like this again.

Slowly aiming Tommy at them, I stepped forward.

A booming voice from their side.

"His weapon can't pierce shields! All units, activate shields and advance!"

The front line's shields glowed, translucent barriers enveloping them.

Tommy gun, used many times— they'd researched it.

But.

"...When exactly are you talking about the enemy?"

Outdated info.

Al Capone's Tommy spat flames, roaring horrifically.

Impacts boomed massively.

"Wh-what! Cracks! Shields are cracking!"

"Mages! Reinforce shields now!"

"It can't pierce shields!!"

Just a light greeting, and their formation wavered.

Even a brief burst got this reaction.

"Haven't even started properly."

Walking toward them, pouring aura into Tommy.

"Urgh, change formation!"

They halted, no more advance.

Shields buffed with flashy lights, barely holding.

And then.

"Fire!"

Arrows flew from shield gaps, mid-line sniping me.

Textbook play.

Would work on average clubs or decent foes.

If decent, yeah.

Arrows incoming, I accelerated into a sprint.

Swapped Tommy to Billy the Kid's Shotgun.

Shoulder-mounted, charged at them, max aura infusion.

"Bl-block it! Block him!"

Front liners rushed to intercept.

"Yeah, try ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠holding."

Shotgun that downed dragons— they'd block?

Massive boom; they couldn't take the shock, screaming as they flew back.

"Cr-crazy! One-shot KO?!"

"Buff everything! Debuffs, curses, whatever!"

"Too bad, useless."

Double-barrel blast, spun the shotgun one-handed for spin-cock reload.

Aimed the menacing red barrel again.

"Cr-crazy!"

"All scatter!"

One can't beat an army.

But we call those who overcome such singles heroes.

What about now?

Toiling an army.

Overwhelming an army.

For them, we say:

"M-monster!"

Monster.

Not a bad ring to it.