Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Promotion Match (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Choi In-gyu froze for a moment at Yang Woo-bin's utterly pathetic first strike.
He had been so tense and terrified just looking at his opponent, Yang Woo-bin. But now that they were actually facing off, the blow hadn't even made his shield budge.
That lapse in vigilance didn't last long, though. He wondered if this opening strike was meant to lure him into lowering his guard, so he tightened his focus, pouring every ounce of concentration into his defense.
"Solar Divine Martial Sword Secret Technique! Solar Greatsword! Solar One-Handed Sword! Solar Twin Swords! Solar Morningstar! Solar Slash Axe! Solar Charge Axe!! Aah—I didn't plan on going this far! Blame your ridiculously tough shield for this! Solar Divine Martial Sword Killing Blow! Solar Piercing Devastator!!!"
Clang-clang! Graaaah! Graaaah! Clang-clang-clang!
"......"
But as Yang Woo-bin's Solar Divine Martial Sword techniques kept coming—each one with those bizarre names like "secret technique" or "killing blow"—Choi In-gyu's tension melted away more and more.
From the start of the match until now, he'd only been blocking, and he hadn't felt even the slightest shock or strain.
'What the hell? This is nothing like the rumors. Why is this guy so weak?'
Right before his eyes, Yang Woo-bin was still swinging his sword with all his might, but he was purely, genuinely weak.
His strikes had barely scratched the shield—at best. They hadn't inflicted any damage on Choi In-gyu whatsoever.
"Hah, hah...... You, you punk. Hoo, that shield...... You're pretty good with it, huh?"
Instead, the one attacking was getting more exhausted.
At this utterly pathetic display—like some loudmouthed thug who was all talk—Choi In-gyu's mind was a whirlwind of confusion.
Then, amid the chaos, a sudden hypothesis formed in his head.
'The real powerhouse is that Fuyuno Tsubaki who beat Han Yu-jin earlier, isn't it? This guy's just a figurehead husband riding her coattails.'
He knew all about the relationship between Yang Woo-bin and Fuyuno Tsubaki from his informants' reports.
Not only did they stick together everywhere, but Yang Woo-bin even fed her by hand.
That intel bolstered his spur-of-the-moment theory, and the shield—which had only a few scratches after dozens of strikes—served as proof that it was true.
'Yeah, that makes sense. All those rumors about the discarded Fuyuno Tsubaki getting bullied in the outer class were just malicious bullshit from the start. How could a monster who crushed Han Yu-jin without a scratch get picked on in some outer class? It had to be sour grapes from some jealous loser.'
Once the hypothesis "The real deal is Fuyuno Tsubaki" took hold, all the puzzle pieces clicked perfectly into place, dissolving his doubts.
"What was all that big talk? 'Didn't expect to use this here,' 'Watch closely,' 'Don't tell anyone'—you were boasting like crazy. And now you're just a total scrub?"
"That loser applied for a promotion match? Challenged a Jincheon Class cadet? Ha, this is why men are hopeless. Spoiled at home, they have no sense of their place."
"Yang Family heir, successor, my ass. If that's their successor...... Pfft. Yeah, that tells you everything about the Yang Family's level."
"One-family secret sword art, Solar Divine Martial Sword! What a joke. What kind of family passes down crap like that as their heirloom? Do we even recognize them as a noble house? Puhehe......"
On top of that, the mocking murmurs from the Jincheon Class cadets behind him gave strength to Choi In-gyu's shoulders—he'd been huddled in fear and tension until now.
'Yeah, that bastard's dogshit. Just a talentless worm who lucked into a pretty girl with his face! No need to be scared of him!'
With that oh-so-plausible theory in his head, Yang Woo-bin's laughably feeble Solar Divine Martial Sword, and the "cheers" from the Jincheon cadets behind him, Choi In-gyu finally mustered his courage.
The courage blooming in his chest gave this perennial defender the will to attack.
"Hoo, alright! No choice now! Solar Divine Martial Sword Super Ultimate! Here I go! Solar Piercing Devastator!!!"
As if slapped together on the spot, the "super ultimate" with the same name as the ultimate—Solar Piercing Devastator—came rushing toward Choi In-gyu's shield.
The sword's wild trajectory looked threatening at a glance, but he knew it was hollow inside.
So, facing the super ultimate head-on, Choi In-gyu unleashed his signature move—the one that had earned him his spot in Jincheon Class: 'Shield Slam'.
"Hup!"
Kaaaang—!!! Ziiiing!
"Wha?!"
Shield Slam: Gather mana behind the shield while blocking, then slam and release it the instant the opponent's attack connects. An essential technique for any superhuman shield user.
His perfect counter shattered Yang Woo-bin's twin blades completely—they couldn't withstand the impact.
Shards of metal flew like shattered glass, leaving only crude hilts in Yang Woo-bin's hands. He stared wide-eyed, alternating between the pair of hilts and Choi In-gyu.
He looked like a total idiot refusing to accept reality, so Choi In-gyu lowered his shield with a smirk.
"All done? Now it's my turn......"
"First punch, bitch!"
Smaack!
Choi In-gyu's original plan—to sneer at his disarmed foe, land a cheap kick, then deliver a proper beatdown—went up in smoke the moment he lowered his shield. Yang Woo-bin's massive fist came flying into the opening.
"Gurk?!"
His weapon was in pieces, yet the moment the shield dropped, Yang Woo-bin punched without hesitation.
Choi In-gyu's head spun at this guy's apparent lack of attachment to his own gear.
But as a Jincheon Class cadet—even dead last—he shook it off quickly, snapping his head side to side to refocus and lock eyes on Yang Woo-bin.
That Yang Woo-bin was cockily smirking with one corner of his mouth raised, pointing at Choi In-gyu's nose with his finger.
"......?"
He didn't seem poised to attack right away, but who knew when he'd switch back and swing again? Choi In-gyu huddled behind his shield and wiped his nose.
"Huh? N-Nosebleed?!"
One punch, and both nostrils were gushing.
"Not just a nosebleed—a double nostril gusher. Honestly, if you take a clean hit like that and start double-bleeding, doesn't that mean you're the loser?"
"What the hell does that have to—"
"Kuhuhu, fighting with blood pouring out looks bad. Just surrender. It'll be easier for you."
"Hah......"
Yang Woo-bin's punk-ass words and expression—like this was some kids' playground scrap—left Choi In-gyu speechless.
But the absurdity faded quick.
This weakling still provoking him without knowing his place? Rage boiled up, blasting through Choi In-gyu's stunned silence as he roared at the mocking punk.
"You worthless third-rate thug! Time you learned your place!!!"
It was a declaration of beatdown.
Gripping his shield tight, mana surging through his reinforced legs, Choi In-gyu kicked off the ground and charged at Yang Woo-bin.
Whoosh—!
For a month and a half, he'd endured incident after incident, honing himself in Jincheon Class. This full-power charge from dead last was impressively fierce.
It wasn't far to begin with, and his enhanced legs made it blindingly fast—so it didn't take long to reach Yang Woo-bin.
Rumble rumble!
"I'll ram you flat!!!"
A reckless all-out shield charge, packed with his full strength, mana, and raw intent to crush.
Facing it head-on, Yang Woo-bin let out a weary sigh, like this was all too much.
"Guess this is enough to leave a solid first impression."
"?"
He muttered something incomprehensible to Choi In-gyu, then lightly cocked back his right fist.
That fist accelerated through his ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow joints right before impact, thrusting toward the shield.
Against a superhuman's all-out shield rush, Yang Woo-bin's punch looked utterly ordinary to anyone watching.
"Opening!"
But as Yang Woo-bin threw it with a weird mutter—
Thwack!
His fist pierced the shield like splintering wood—despite all those sword strikes barely scratching it—
Boooom—!!!!
The ensuing explosion swept Choi In-gyu behind the shield backward, slamming him into the wall. The entire arena fell deathly silent.
Two swords did nothing, but one punch pierced the shield, blasted the opponent flying, and knocked him out cold.
Unable to process it, everyone's eyes locked on Yang Woo-bin.
Meeting those stares, Yang Woo-bin smirked like a total thug and opened his mouth.
"See that!? That's the Solar Divine Martial Sword, you bastards! Don't fuck with me anymore!"
He hadn't even talked to them before, let alone provoked anyone. His Solar Divine Martial Sword did jack shit, his swords broke, so he just punched once—and now he was claiming it was the sword art's win. Anyone could see he was a weirdo.
Thus, his first impression on the Jincheon Class cadets solidified as: 'No idea what this Yang Family successor is about, but I don't want to get close.'
Yang Woo-bin, Promoted to Jincheon Class!!!
※
"Chief, that guy's the new recruit who just joined the Explosive Dragon team. We still don't know what his deal is, but he struggled this much just to beat someone like Choi In-gyu, so no need for the discipline committee to keep a special eye on him......"
"No. Yang Woo-bin. I mean, Cadet Yang Woo-bin will be under my personal surveillance from now on."
"Pardon? You personally, Chief? Why would someone of your stature bother with such a bizarre, disgraceful guy......"
"Watch your mouth. What do you know about him to call him disgraceful?"
"S-Sorry, ma'am."
"Anyway, spread the word. I'll be handling Cadet Yang Woo-bin myself."
"......Yes, ma'am."
In the circular arena's special seating for the discipline committee executives, the chief covered her mouth with her hand propped on her chin, smirking faintly.
'Yang Woo-bin, you disgraceful little punk. Finally met you......'
It was the first day Dabcheon Academy's Discipline Committee Chief, Jin Se-jeong, used her authority for personal gain.