The Reverse Flow Technique? (Part 2)
After returning from the dungeon, Do-hyun's party decided to take one full day of rest and spend the third day of their D-rank stay in their lodging.
Back in his old life, Do-hyun would have been the type to hunt no matter how tired or strained he felt. But today was different.
In truth, the decision to rest had nothing to do with actual fatigue or exhaustion. Do-hyun simply didn't know how to stop.
Naturally, it was all because of the new technique.
The Visionary Heart's Instant Movement was a skill that allowed everyone in the party one use per day. The more the party mastered it, the greater the efficiency became. Learning it was only natural.
Rin and Yu-chan needed to improve their magic and the vision technique, so Do-hyun had suggested a relaxed day to practice.
Even if Yu-chan found mana training difficult, it was still at the level of Do-hyun and Rin. Compared to others, he was overwhelmingly superior.
Yu-chan looked at the translated guide for the Visionary Heart's Instant Movement, found it easier than expected, and boldly declared he would master it within the day before heading out.
‘I'm so bored.’
On the other hand, Do-hyun, who had already learned magic and the instant movement, had nothing to do and grew bored as well.
From Do-hyun's perspective, it would have been nice to have an opponent for some sparring, but he had plenty to do even without one.
He threw mana-constructed orbs into the air, used Reverse Flow to freeze them momentarily, then employed Reverse Flow again to send the orbs spinning back at him. Even that eventually became too tedious, so he stepped outside.
Should he go out alone to hunt? Going out was allowed, but returning to the safe zone required the party. So he didn't bother with such foolish risks.
Do-hyun knew rest was still necessary, so he was pondering what to do when he spotted a familiar face. It was someone who had recognized him on purpose.
“Oh, Mr. Min-woo, hello.”
Do-hyun twitched almost imperceptibly at the words.
It had only been two days since he last saw the understanding instructor, and in that short time he had forgotten his disguised identity.
‘Right, I'm Min-woo, right?’
Recalling his disguise, Do-hyun greeted the instructor with genuine warmth.
“How are you?”
“Hehe, indeed. Usually both parties go hunting early, so we rarely have chances to meet.”
Do-hyun nodded at the instructor's words, then asked while looking at the man inside the lodging at this hour.
“Is Ms. Ha-na's party also on rest day today?”
“Yes, we happened to coincide on a rest day. What a pleasant surprise.”
The instructor spoke kindly, and Do-hyun smiled faintly. The instructor then stared at him as if wondering why.
If Rin and Yu-chan had seen this, they would have warned him to back off. But sadly, the instructor still didn't know Do-hyun well.
The moment Do-hyun smiled, the instructor tried to speak, but Do-hyun looked at him and asked,
“Then, would you like to spar briefly?”
“Hmm, sparring?”
“Yes. I've obtained new techniques and wanted to test them.”
The instructor hesitated at first.
How could he not? He already knew Do-hyun's strength.
That was why he hesitated.
But then he thought this might be a chance and nodded enthusiastically a moment later.
“What an honor. To be honest, I'm worried my skill won't be enough.”
“Oh, it's fine. It's just a simple spar to check the new techniques.”
Do-hyun's confident tone made the instructor relax.
He smiled, thinking he might even learn a move from someone far stronger than himself.
If Rin and Yu-chan had seen this, they would have told him to run away right now. But sadly, he had been under Do-hyun's influence for too long.
“Then I'll bring my equipment.”
“Yes. Meet me in the backyard.”
“Yes! I'll be right there!”
Watching the instructor walk away, Do-hyun muttered that it was convenient and pulled an appropriate training sword from his magic pouch.
He hadn't shown any magic to the instructor, so he couldn't use it now. Do-hyun brought out a sword of suitable length and headed to the backyard.
Much more hunters than expected were already training there.
Some were striking wooden dummies to sharpen accuracy, while others were sparring just like Do-hyun.
The moment Do-hyun appeared, a wave of curious eyes turned toward him.
Not the defeated, dejected stares from before, but eyes brimming with fighting spirit.
‘Oh ho.’
Do-hyun smiled faintly at the aggressive gazes.
Thinking he should have come out earlier, he waited quietly.
A hunter who looked stronger than average approached Do-hyun and said,
“Hey, kid. Newbie, huh?”
“Something like that.”
The blunt slang hit Do-hyun, who grinned and replied in kind.
Mr. Han Mu-yeol was older and stronger, so whatever. But he looked about the same age as Do-hyun, and this guy immediately switched to casual speech and tried to act as a senior?
That caught Do-hyun's interest.
But instead of being put off, the guy got even more excited.
“What? Haha! This one's interesting!”
His calm tone hid the smoldering anger underneath, and his eyes were already locked on Do-hyun as if he wanted to kill him.
Do-hyun looked at the man and said,
“If you want to spar, draw your weapon.”
“...Hah. I wish your tongue could wield a sword as well.”
As the man rushed in, Do-hyun infused mana into the sword he held.
Using Reverse Flow on the blade, he carefully examined its effect.
It only stopped the sword, not the man's mana. Impressed, Do-hyun swung the sword.
Kwaaang———!
A sound like something exploding rang out, and the bulky man crashed to the ground.
Do-hyun scratched his head and said while watching him lie there, “He's not dead, right?”
The words made the instructor's face turn pale as he hurried to back away.
Do-hyun spotted him and waved.
“Here!”
“...”
The instructor thought for a moment.
‘Should I run?’
Then he shook his head. No.
If a man had drawn a sword, he had to cut him down! Even though the instructor was an archer, he still had to see it through once started.
He lifted his bow with that resolve.
Backing down now would hurt his pride too much.
The bulky man had fallen, but he was still one of those new D-rank hunters who had only been there for less than a month.
By contrast, the instructor had been a D-rank hunter for a full year and was already a veteran party leader who earned respect in D-rank.
When the instructor stepped in front of Do-hyun with his bow drawn, Do-hyun smiled as if asking if he was ready.
“Are you prepared?”
The instructor felt a chill at Do-hyun's casual tone but nodded.
He replaced his arrows with blunt-tipped ones and stepped back while facing Do-hyun.
As a longbow specialist, distance was an advantage, so he created a sizable gap. The watching hunters murmured.
“The instructor is keeping that far from a newbie?”
“Yeah, I heard he one-shot Ham Tae-sik earlier.”
“With one arrow?”
“That's right!!!”
“Ham Tae-sik's a tank! One hit and he's out?!”
“Hey! We all saw it!”
“He's insane.”
When the others heard that Ham Tae-sik, a tank, had been dropped by one arrow, they understood why the instructor was holding back.
After all, one-shotting a tank meant real skill.
But.
“Wait, isn't the other guy a newbie too?”
“What's his name? Min-woo?”
“Yeah, that's what he said.”
“A newbie took down Ham Tae-sik in one shot?”
“Hmm, maybe he's got some trick up his sleeve?”
Many straight people didn't believe it.
Getting careless here was never just a one- or two-day thing.
Even though Ham Tae-sik was tough, if he had been hit straight on, no one would have known.
So instead of sparring among true experts, most people had simply come to watch because it was boring.
Whatever the case, Do-hyun was seen as a strong newbie by some and a cheater by others. Everyone held the same opinion.
No one thought Do-hyun could win, not even a little.
While everyone was still thinking that, the instructor said to Do-hyun,
“Then I'll begin.”
Do-hyun nodded. The instructor, who had a clear view even from afar, nocked an arrow and shot.
Piyuuu———
The heavy sound of the blunt arrow slicing the air made Do-hyun's expression twitch with disappointment.
The blunt tip meant it couldn't be as fast as a normal arrow. Do-hyun casually swatted it aside and lightly stomped the ground.
Thud!
A crisp, light sound rang out, but Do-hyun's speed was far faster than expected. The instructor, anticipating it, shot again.
Piyuuuuu————
Do-hyun swatted the incoming arrow with a surprisingly calm expression, then caught the arrow coming around behind him with his empty left hand without even looking.
He had calculated the speed and trajectory perfectly, shooting arrows in front and behind. The instructor's eyes widened in shock.
But the spar wasn't over yet, so he nocked three arrows at once and fired straight at Do-hyun.
The blunt arrows flew with the same heavy sound. Do-hyun knocked two aside with his sword, then threw the third he had caught earlier toward the arrow curving in at an odd angle. They collided in midair.
Ting———
Metal rang sharply. Do-hyun's speed surged even faster, closing the distance in an instant. The instructor pulled back his arrow while stepping back, but at that moment Do-hyun smiled and raised his left hand.
The instructor tried to infuse mana into the arrow.
The moment Reverse Flow activated, the arrow and the instructor's body froze.
Reverse Flow only froze the flow of mana. It could stop mana in anything infused with it.
Do-hyun had used Reverse Flow the instant he intended to infuse it into the weapon, letting it seep into the instructor's body and freeze him.
The time was only 0.1 seconds.
But Do-hyun knew the magic that could create a forced gap and open a space. The instructor, who didn't know about that gap, had no choice but to accept it.
Before the mana-infused arrow could even leave his hand, Do-hyun accelerated sideways in a blur, brought the sword to the instructor's neck.
Fwaaaara———
Chuk.
The instructor couldn't even feel the instant freeze. He wondered why he couldn't shoot as his head spun. The cool touch of the sword on his neck made him shiver and he returned his arrow to its original position.
“I lost.”
The instructor's surrender brought cheers from everyone watching.
“He's insane!!!”
“A, a newbie won!!!!”
“N, no way!? The instructor really lost!?”
The unbelievable result made the late-arriving Ham Tae-sik, who had crashed to the ground from behind, go pale.
“Who the hell did you piss off?”
“W-well, surely you won't forget someone like me?”
Ham Tae-sik's words made Do-hyun, who had finished sparring with the instructor, smile and look at him.
“Oh, you're up. Want to try again later?”
Watching Do-hyun grin and wave, Ham Tae-sik trembled all over.
“Uuuu.”
He must have taken a solid hit.
Some of his comrades watched him with pity, but they knew it was his own fault. So no one comforted him.
They just watched from a distance, afraid sparks might fly again.