Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Han Gyeoul's Weakness (3)
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Han Gyeoul's maximum firepower flames had three weaknesses.
The first was the charging time. The blue light sphere she created rivaled a dragon's breath, but unleashing that level of power required her to focus a considerable amount of time on compressing and controlling the flames.
That time amounted to roughly 20 seconds.
It wasn't a long time by any means, but in the heat of battle, who would give their opponent a full 20 seconds? Anyone except a freak like Ryu Tae-hyun, who actively wanted to tank powerful attacks head-on.
Because of this, her maximum firepower was hard to use in one-on-one fights. That was the first weakness.
The second weakness was the attack range. The flames, compressed to their limit and then released, swept away everything in front of her. However, that only applied to areas near the ground.
Compared to that wide two-dimensional area, the three-dimensional height was relatively lacking. Of course, she could aim at airborne enemies by shooting upward, but it wasn't versatile enough to hit both ground-level and high-altitude foes simultaneously.
And the final third weakness was that Han Gyeoul's movements were briefly paralyzed after firing the attack. The recoil from unleashing maximum firepower stiffened her body, and the intense flash exploding in front blinded her. For about three seconds after firing the flames, Han Gyeoul was completely neutralized.
Each of these weaknesses was fatal in a one-on-one duel, but conversely, it meant there was no weapon more powerful if allies covered those flaws.
However, the current situation was ultimately a one-on-one between Ahn Su-ho and Han Gyeoul.
"...So, how did you do it?"
Ahn Su-ho had actively exploited the weaknesses he knew about.
"Han Gyeoul, you closed your eyes right before firing the attack, didn't you?"
"That's..."
Just as he said, she had closed her eyes. She had no choice against the exploding flash and the scorching heatwave slamming into her face.
"Your maximum firepower is powerful, but it has the weakness of blinding you as well. That's what I took advantage of."
"You used that?"
"Yes. In fact, the moment you fired the flames, I escaped upward, but you didn't see it, right?"
"Pardon? Upward?"
"Yes. That's another weakness."
The instant Han Gyeoul unleashed her flames, Ahn Su-ho released smoke toward the ground and shot into the air. Han Gyeoul hadn't confirmed it in time.
From the safe air—unlike the burning ground—Ahn Su-ho spotted Han Gyeoul's defenseless position. He then adjusted his trajectory with smoke bursts while descending, striking her chest with a kick. That was the full sequence of what had just happened.
"..."
Having heard the explanation from Ahn Su-ho, Han Gyeoul couldn't hide her bewilderment.
Yes, each point made perfect sense when laid out like that.
But understanding the logic didn't mean anyone could act like Ahn Su-ho. A normal person wouldn't even dream of gambling so recklessly in the face of Han Gyeoul's maximum firepower.
It was an action impossible without 100% confidence in one's judgment and abilities. Watching Ahn Su-ho pull it off so effortlessly, Han Gyeoul suddenly felt a familiar sensation.
'He resembles him.'
The way he casually pulled off something reckless that would terrify others reminded her of that man, Ryu Tae-hyun.
"...I get why Ryu Tae-hyun recommended you."
Only now did Han Gyeoul somewhat understand Ryu Tae-hyun's words that Ahn Su-ho was someone on par with her.
"But don't get cocky. The weaknesses you mentioned are all things I already knew about. If I hadn't pushed for maximum firepower and gone for a war of attrition instead, I would've won this spar."
"...You were on the defensive the whole time—what are you talking about? Did you hit your head when you fell?"
"Not the whole time! It was just that you suddenly got faster and caught me off guard! If we fought again, I could handle it no problem!"
Han Gyeoul huffed indignantly, but it was just sour grapes. Deep down, she thought even a rematch would be tough against Ahn Su-ho.
If she had known about his artifacts like the talisman or Whisper of the Morning Star, she might have judged differently, but to her now, Ahn Su-ho was a formidable opponent with Ryu Tae-hyun-level speed plus annoying superpowers.
'Especially that superpower.'
Han Gyeoul knew about Ahn Su-ho's ability from her investigations. D-rank superpower Black Smoke. Spraying black smoke from his hands—it sounded unimpressive just from the description.
Yet Ahn Su-ho had creatively adapted it for combat. Not only obscuring vision with smoke screens, but compressing it for ranged attacks or using explosive bursts for acceleration and aerial maneuvers.
It was a stark contrast to her own straightforward approach of just blasting flames, despite both being emission types.
"...By any chance."
Wondering if her loss stemmed from that difference, Han Gyeoul cautiously asked Ahn Su-ho.
"...Is there anything else you noticed? Like, points I need to improve...?"
Ahn Su-ho looked surprised at her words.
'I didn't expect Han Gyeoul to bring it up first like this.'
She was wrapped in pride and never admitted her weaknesses. He'd given her a bitter defeat this time, but he hadn't thought a single loss would make her reflect.
'Don't overthink it. Good things are good. The sooner Han Gyeoul awakens, the better for progressing the story ahead.'
Han Gyeoul was a key figure in the original story. Her growth would make overcoming future obstacles easier. Helping with her training this time was all for that purpose.
"Your weaknesses, Han Gyeoul..."
"Not weaknesses—points for improvement."
"Same thing. Anyway, there's one that stands out."
"What is it?"
Han Gyeoul asked, a mix of annoyance and curiosity on her face. Ahn Su-ho's answer was obvious.
"Control over your ability."
Han Gyeoul's expression stiffened at that.
"I think your firepower is impressive, Han Gyeoul. Even as a student, it's already at a professional level. But your control still has room for improvement. Ignition ability users tend to be weak in control, but with your talent, a little effort could take you far..."
Mid-sentence, Ahn Su-ho checked her face. It had gone coldly pale.
"Did I say something uncomfortable...?"
"No, it's not that. It's just... you pinpointed something I already suspected."
"Ah."
It seemed Han Gyeoul had realized her own weakness during the spar. Just as Ryu Tae-hyun predicted.
"Well, since I'm an emission-type user too, fighting you let me spot a lot of reference points."
"Yeah, well... That's part of it, but actually, someone else once told me the exact same thing. I've been denying it and ignoring it until now."
"Someone said the same as me?"
Ahn Su-ho was surprised someone else had pointed out her control issues. In the original story, no one advised her except Ryu Tae-hyun.
"Did Ryu Tae-hyun say it?"
"No, not Ryu Tae-hyun."
Ahn Su-ho wondered if Ryu Tae-hyun had subtly advised her differently from canon, but Han Gyeoul shook her head with a slightly darkened expression.
"Then who?"
"...Han Yeoreum."
A woman's face surfaced in Han Gyeoul's mind. A woman with the same red hair and red eyes, but an endlessly cold demeanor.
"My proud big sister."
Despite calling her "proud," Han Gyeoul looked somewhat displeased.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At that moment, inside Greenhouse Academy's arena.
Even on a weekend, the packed audience seats focused on the center of the arena, where a red-haired woman, Han Yeoreum, stood tall.
At a glance, Han Yeoreum resembled Han Gyeoul but exuded far more elegance and poise. While Han Gyeoul still had a youthful innocence, Han Yeoreum carried the full aura of a mature lady.
"Why not surrender?"
The man before her, Andrew Spiegel, bit his lip in frustration at her question.
His body—everything but his head—was trapped in a massive ice wall. Normal ice would be no match for a superhuman's strength, but this wasn't normal ice. As Andrew hesitated, Han Yeoreum raised her frost-covered right hand, glaring at him.
"You're not thinking of continuing, are you?"
-Snap!
With a flick of her finger, massive ice spikes erupted behind her like bamboo shoots. Their sharp tips aimed at Andrew. At the sight of those ferocious spikes ready to impale him at her slightest gesture, Andrew finally bowed his head.
"...No, I lost. I admit defeat."
-Overall Ranking No. 2, student Andrew Spiegel surrenders! Han Yeoreum is declared the winner of this ranking match! With her 14th successful defense, Han Yeoreum solidifies her position at the top of the overall rankings!
The referee's announcement triggered cheers from the audience. Even seasoned scouts who had seen countless matches couldn't hide their excitement. The bout had been a masterpiece.
But Han Yeoreum left the arena immediately, as if she couldn't care less. As she entered the passageway, a woman in a crisp suit—her secretary—fell in step beside her.
"Well done, miss."
"Well done? It's just the usual."
"Andrew Spiegel drops back to third with this match. Oh Eun-su, who takes second in his place, already lost to you last week, so you won't need to worry about ranking matches for a while."
"Time passes, and someone else will challenge for first again. It's such a hassle."
Han Yeoreum despised wasting her time on pointless matters more than anything. Ranking matches were one such futility. Why bother fighting underlings when victory was a given?
"Next schedule?"
"Dungeon strategy meeting hosted by the Black Dragon Society at two o'clock. Location: 13th floor conference room, Black Dragon Society headquarters."
"Agenda's the recent double dungeon incident, right? Participating guilds?"
"All domestic S-rank guilds, including Asteroid Guild where you're interning."
"Figures. With an over-rank dungeon, everyone wants a piece."
The world's first double dungeon, dubbed the "Knight's Tomb," had emerged during the first-year Class 1's dungeon training.
All S-rank guild executives were gathering today to strategize its raid.
Han Yeoreum was interning at Asteroid Guild, one of those S-rank guilds. Despite her low-rank intern status, she was exceptionally invited to the executives-only meeting.
This had nothing to do with her powerful backing, Hanseong Group. The simple reason: Han Yeoreum was a superhuman qualified to attend.
Han Yeoreum. Still a student, she was the nation's top rookie, poised for S-rank promotion this quarter. Han Gyeoul was a genius vying for first or second among first-years, but she couldn't even touch her sister's toes.
"By the way, didn't Gyeoul say she's meeting that security guard today?"
"Yes. Seems she arranged it during her hospital visit last time. They're probably meeting now, but shall I track their location?"
"No need. Whatever that kid does is none of my business."
To reiterate, Han Yeoreum extremely despised wasting time on pointless matters.
And that included her little sister.