Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Storm's Golden Sun (14)
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“...”
Ryu Jia, clutching her reddened right cheek with both hands, blood trickling from her nose.
From the looks of her flushed cheek and the nosebleed, it seemed my secret weapon—carefully devised over time—had pierced her defenses perfectly. But I couldn't bring myself to feel happy about it.
“Ah...”
It was because Ryu Jia, letting out a faint, dazed moan, looked so utterly pitiful.
What the hell is this? When she was scrapping with kids, she'd get banged up and still be grinning like it was nothing. She was fine last time, so why's she standing there all stunned now?
Seeing Ryu Jia with that fragile, pure-hearted manga heroine face—like she'd just been slapped by the male lead's mom—guilt started flooding in.
And it wasn't just anyone—it was Ryu Jia, a monster way stronger than me. It wasn't like I'd randomly decked her; this was sparring, where hits are expected. Yet here I was, feeling guilty.
Logically, feeling guilty was the weird part, but her pitiful look made it all too possible.
"Um... hey, President. Y-You're... okay, right?"
This was our first spar of the day, a crucial one where I could test and practice the ultimate old-school technique I'd slaved over. But none of that mattered now.
My close female friend standing there, cheek red from my punch, nose bleeding, dazed... No way could I keep fighting. Not with my modern sensibilities and conscience.
Sure, if it were terrorists like Yasuri Yaiba pulling crap, I'd smash them twice as hard till double nosebleeds. But Ryu Jia wasn't a terrorist.
She was just my ridiculously strong, precious senior and club president.
Before I knew it, Ryu Jia had become as dear to me as the kid or Fuyuno Tsubaki... no, more than them, especially thinking how those two might ditch me and vanish someday.
"How about we call today's spar here? Yeah. I'll grab some tissues first. Gotta stop that nosebleed."
Even with finals approaching, I stopped the spar to help staunch her dripping nosebleed, turning toward the tissues.
But I could only turn—I couldn't actually head to the Blast Dragon clubroom's tissue stash.
Thud.
"President?"
Because her hand gripped my wrist tight, refusing to let go.
Turning back, the daze was gone from her face, replaced by urgency.
"Your nose is bleeding! To stop it, I need tissues..."
"N-No. Keep going. Keep going. A nosebleed in sparring's no big deal, right? Right?"
"Huh? But President, you just took a hit and looked totally shocked."
"S-Sorry! I won't show it anymore! I'll grit my teeth and take it!"
"???"
I heard her, but it didn't click right away.
One thing was clear, though—her words were wide open for misunderstanding.
"No, say it like that and it sounds like I'm some abusive husband beating you, and you're the wife begging me not to leave despite the abuse! People will get the wrong idea!"
"No one's here but us, so it's fine!"
"Pardon?"
Panicking, I demanded she rephrase, but got her classic one-track response.
Well, she was right—no one else to misunderstand, and continuing the spar was essential for me. So I sighed softly and nodded.
"Haa, fine. I need to spar with you anyway. If you're okay, I won't hold back anymore."
"Eugh, thanks, newbie! I'll give it my all! So you hit me with everything too!"
"...Sure."
Her asking me to hit her full-force sent chills down my spine.
But landing full-power punches was core to sparring, so despite the unease, I agreed.
"Alright, let's start again!"
The weird fiasco wrapped up, and Ryu Jia instantly cloaked herself in crimson aura, fist flying at my face.
I'd expected it, so I mana-boosted my eyes, read her move, and tilted my head to dodge.
Simultaneously, I drove the same piercing technique that busted her nosebleed straight into her flushed face.
My full-force punch pierced her aura and nailed her cheek again.
“...Ah.”
The brief silence shattered with her moan, and I saw her mouth split—blood trickling from the corner—as she went dazed again.
That heartbreakingly pitiful face made me cry out in distress.
"Come on, President! How am I supposed to hit you if you do that!!!"
"Hah?! Oh, no, sorry! Really sorry! I won't anymore! Please, just one more chance... I'm begging! Okay?"
"...Haa. Do it properly this time, President. I pierced your aura, but it still feels like a love tap to you."
"...Yeah. You're right."
"Then act like it. If you keep this up, I really can't hit you anymore."
"O-Okay! From now on, really, I'll tough it out!"
"Don't phrase it like that...! Sigh. Fine. Starting now."
"Yeah!"
※
A week had passed since the day I first pierced Ryu Jia's crimson aura.
Including that day, we'd sparred daily right up to yesterday, letting me fully master my new ocular prowess and the devastating technique that breached her aura.
Sounds like smooth sailing with two new powers, but hell no.
"...Never again. I never want to spar with Ryu Jia."
From that day on, every spar was pure hell.
Surprisingly, not because my body was wrecked.
It hurt, sure, but as someone who'd self-detonated, I could handle getting pummeled by her in a spar.
The real torture was mental and emotional.
Every time I pierced her aura and landed a punch, my heart felt like it was dying.
She'd freeze on impact, dazed, letting out a faint moan—right up to yesterday's final spar.
That reaction didn't just poke at my guilt; it gouged it out like a knife. Every. Single. Hit.
Hardest wasn't the cheek shots—it was the gut punch. Her abs looked open, so I slammed one in hard. She clutched her stomach, doubled over, knees buckling, trembling... I wanted to kill myself that day.
Ryu Jia wasn't fragile by any means.
She's Dabcheon's strongest cadet not because of her aura, but her monstrous innate fortitude.
Even piercing her aura, my hits weren't decisive.
Indeed, post-technique, I'd never once beaten her in a spar.
She always slammed me down when my eyesight hit its limit.
But separate from that, her heart-wrenching reactions to every hit were the real killer.
But that ended yesterday.
Finals started tomorrow, so today was rest day—no sparring.
Still, I had to bring her dinner, so I headed to the Blast Dragon clubroom instead of the dorm.
"Gonna lounge on the sofa with President, chat idly, eat, and chill."
How long since a peaceful day like this?
Determined to heal my spar-traumatized heart before finals, I opened the clubroom door.
"I'm here, President!"
"You're here! Why're you so late today!"
The second I opened the door, the president—sprawled on the sofa—sprang up at blinding speed, right in my face.
If she had a tail, it'd be wagging like crazy—she was that excited to see me.
Having someone greet you like that feels great, so I grinned.
"Late? I'm right on time, same as always."
"You're late! Think about me waiting every day! Anyway, where're you hitting me today... Uh, I mean, what sparring today? I'm pumped!"
Did she forget yesterday was last? She beamed at me.
I let out a dry chuckle, shaking my head, and answered plainly.
"President, sparring ended yesterday."
"What?"