Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Rookie King Tournament (2)
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Ichigaya Ichie's first preliminary opponent was 'Filial Son' Kim Seok-jeong.
I remembered him explaining during his self-introduction why he'd chosen that nickname. Something about awakening his powers so he could live up to his name by taking good care of his parents, right?
His ability was telekinesis, but not the flashy kind you see on TV or in movies where you swing swords through the air or hurl boulders.
He could lift small objects or give a gentle shoulder massage to someone nearby.
He was a student in the same training class as Ichie and me—level 10 and above, under 15—and he often earned everyone's envy by using his telekinesis to fetch a water bottle when he got thirsty or tired during workouts. He also said his power might be weak, but he was confident in his precise control.
On the monitor, Kim Seok-jeong watched Ichie with a relaxed expression. Senior Yu-jeong watched their standoff with a serious look. To prevent coaching or interference during matches, participants' associates had to watch from the waiting room via monitor.
I said to her,
"Ichie will win."
"R-right? I think so too."
Senior Yu-jeong nodded and agreed with me. Was she secretly worrying about what if Ichie lost? I felt a little touched by her warm heart once again today.
"Then, 'Filial Son' Kim Seok-jeong versus 'One' Ichigaya Ichie! Match begin!"
The starter pistol cracked, and the referee's shout rang out. We held our breath, staring at the monitor as if we were the ones fighting. Ichie let her wooden sword hang low and stared straight at Kim Seok-jeong. He spoke.
"You're Ichie, right? Let's both do our best."
Ichie nodded, then pointed behind his shoulder and asked,
"Who's that person?"
Kim Seok-jeong turned around with a puzzled look at her words. The instant he did, Ichie shot forward at blinding speed. Confirming no one was behind him, he whipped his head back—and recoiled in shock, thrusting out his arm.
"Uwaaack!"
With his scream, the dirt on the ground surged upward. Ichie's body floated up as if in zero gravity for a split second, then she swung her wooden sword down at full speed. Thanks to the brief slowdown, Kim Seok-jeong barely dodged. He tumbled across the ground and was covered in dirt in no time. He shouted at Ichie,
"What the heck?!"
Ichie said nothing and swung her wooden sword at his neck. Kim Seok-jeong rolled away nimbly to evade once more. Watching that, I muttered,
"Military vet?"
Senior Yu-jeong shot me an incredulous look at my words. Feeling awkward, I answered her unasked question.
"No, just... he rolls really well."
Leaving Senior Yu-jeong's exasperated chuckle behind, I refocused on the match. The arena was already scarred with wooden sword strikes and slashes. Having lost momentum once, Kim Seok-jeong was panting raggedly, barely managing to flee. Meanwhile, Ichie chased him relentlessly with a perfectly calm expression. Kim Seok-jeong yelled, his face flushed red,
"C-come on, let's fight properly!"
"I am fighting properly. Combat is like the real thing. That's what I learned. From that guy over there."
Ichie pointed behind Kim Seok-jeong again. He reflexively turned to look. Ichie hurled her wooden sword at him with all her might and charged. Realizing his mistake as he turned back, Kim Seok-jeong used telekinesis to block the sword.
Noticing only the wooden sword floating lightly in midair, he looked at Ichie in panic. She smirked at the sword hovering at a perfect grabbing angle. Before he could stop her, her kick slammed into his chest first, sending him rolling across the ground.
"Ack!"
Ichie snatched the floating wooden sword, leaped onto Kim Seok-jeong's prone body. He was still dazed from the impact. As she raised her sword to strike down, the referee's shout echoed across the arena.
"Stop!"
At his call, Ichie's wooden sword halted at the tip of Kim Seok-jeong's nape. His face drained white, he trembled violently. Ichie readjusted her grip on the sword and stood. The referee declared,
"Ichigaya Ichie! Victory!"
Ichie bowed slightly to Kim Seok-jeong and said,
"That was fun."
"Wh-what......"
Kim Seok-jeong staggered out, shaking like he'd seen a ghost. Confirming the match's end, we headed to the arena to greet Ichie. Just like when she and Senior Yu-jeong had come for me, the arena's pure white light enveloped her. Spotting me, she bounded over like a rabbit and sheathed her wooden sword at her waist.
"I won."
"Good job."
I nodded to her. She looked delighted at my praise, her red eyes sparkling as she said,
"Su-hyeon oppa. See you in the finals. Not many matches left now."
"You've passed the preliminaries now. But there's still one more match, right? Let's stay sharp until then and keep pushing hard."
"No slacking. I'll give it my all. Next opponent: Kim Ju-seong. I saw him in class—he looks super strong."
"Ah, yeah."
'Triple 500' Kim Ju-seong. With his buzz cut and straightforward vibe, he dominated popularity in class. On top of solid physical stats, his strength enhancement ability was versatile and powerful—a top contender for the win. Rumors said Diamond Club was backing him, and I wondered just how intensely he'd trained and what real combat experience he'd gained.
I asked,
"Ichie. You okay with that?"
"I'll win for sure."
Ichie said it with full confidence. Senior Yu-jeong encouraged her too.
"You got this, Ichie. You have to win."
"Yeah. I'll win. Then we can all go out and have fun."
"Ahahaha."
Senior Yu-jeong laughed brightly.
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After the match, we piled into Senior Yu-jeong's car. Ichie was in high spirits from her win, glued to her phone sending texts nonstop. I asked,
"Ichie, who are you texting so much?"
"My uncle. Bragging that I won. He said we'd eat something tasty today."
"What're you having?"
"Sushi."
"Ah."
Seemed they were heading to a fancy Japanese place. Senior Yu-jeong asked in an excited tone,
"Oh? Should I drop you right by the restaurant then?"
"Yes, please. Thanks, Yu-jeong unnie."
"No problem. I'm grateful you're working so hard."
In the cheerful atmosphere, the car headed toward Myeongdong. Ichie hummed a tune and asked to be dropped at the street entrance. She waved goodbye warmly before heading off. The moment she was out of sight, Senior Yu-jeong grinned mischievously at me. I couldn't help smiling back at her cute expression. She said,
"Well then, just us... let's celebrate your first win......"
Just before she finished, her phone rang suddenly. She glanced at it with a startled face, frowning slightly. Parking in an alley, she smiled at me and said,
"Gimme a sec to take this. You know our guild exec, right? Thunder Sword."
"Ah, yeah. I do."
"It's him calling. One moment."
She opened the driver's door and answered.
"Yes. What's up?"
Her voice, clear right beside me, faded as the door shut. I fiddled with the steering wheel while watching her. Standing a bit away from the car, she suddenly yelped in surprise.
"What? Really?"
Then a louder shout came from the other end. She grimaced, trembling slightly, then nodded and said,
"Ah, yes. I'll head there right now."
She looked dejected. Nothing like her usual hurried energy. Shoulders slumped, face drained, she turned to me. Worried about what happened, I asked,
"Senior. What's wrong?"
Senior Yu-jeong sighed deeply and looked at me.
"Remember how our clan leader went to raid that A-Rank Gate last time?"
"Yeah."
"He got badly hurt there, and now there's a guild-wide muster. Sorry. It's a happy day, but I have to go."
I was dumbfounded. A guy who seemed like he could tank bullets without dying, hurt? The Black Dragon Clan leader I'd met felt like an immovable mountain. Hard to believe such a man was laid up in a hospital. Senior Yu-jeong scratched her head, looking truly troubled.
"Ugh, seriously...... Sorry."
"No, it's fine, Senior. Your guild's bigwig is hurt—you should hurry over. Don't worry about me."
"I'll at least drop you on the way."
Senior Yu-jeong bit her nails and furrowed her brow. That's what she did when she was fretting. The car rolled forward between the streetlights, carrying us both.