Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Chickened Out?
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"What do you want to ask?"
I looked at the guy who'd challenged me and spoke up. He had a total punk vibe. Not as blatant as Park Ho-soo, who dressed like 'I'm a total delinquent,' but just staring at him gave off that sleazy aura.
"Huh? What?"
He grinned with a genuinely clueless look on his face. Was he really that dumb? If he was, he needed an IQ test.
"Why'd you challenge me...?"
I was about to snap at him rudely out of sheer absurdity, but facing this punk, polite speech kept slipping out unbidden. Was this the fear ingrained in our DNA?
Get it together, Lee Seong-hoon. He's the same age as you.
Wait, no—actually, aren't I older? I'm 25 (real age). Alright. Switching to casual speech from now on.
"Ah~"
As those thoughts crossed my mind, the punk smirked, curling his lips upward.
"You know what confidence charging is? It's about warming up and adjusting your condition. If you go all-out from the start, you burn out before the finish line."
In other words, he wanted to beat up some weakling first. What a load of excuses.
Nothing's more trashy than using violence on someone weaker than you. He laughed like it was all a joke, but I couldn't even crack a smile. Why? Because I was the one who'd get hit.
High rank too. A pretty strong guy picking on the bottom rung. I wanted to punish him for being such a prick, but that wasn't happening. So only one option left.
I got into position as the referee's voice began the countdown.
Simple plan. Raise my hands before he attacks at the start. Then shout it once.
Just two words.
Surrender.
Beeeep────!!
My hand shot up with the whistle. The moment I opened my mouth—
I saw it.
His lips moving. I learned today that you can read words just from lip movements.
Each syllable etched into my eyes, one by one.
Just stringing them together stopped my mouth from opening further.
'Chickened out?'
The completed phrase. I twisted my lips.
"You're dead."
Those words from his mouth were unacceptable to any 21st-century Korean guy.
Chicken? Or chickened out? Unforgivable words to a 21st-century Korean man. Magic words that force you to act.
I twisted my lips into a grin and pulled the [Practice Scythe] from my [Inventory]. Slung it over my shoulder and glared at him.
The match had started ages ago, but neither of us had moved a step.
So I stayed put too.
Truth be told, I was faking toughness—sweat was pouring down cold. A 500-place rank gap isn't nothing. Normally, no chance of winning no matter what. But I had to win.
Why? He asked if I'd chickened out. No choice but to win. Us guys? Sometimes you fight even knowing you'll lose. This was that time.
Tick, tick.
In the standoff, Kim Se-hoon moved first. Like he was yielding first strike—go ahead, try it.
No need to refuse. I'm the weak one? Gotta do everything I can.
Gripped the scythe, raised it high. Pulled my arm back like shot-putting, leaned my torso, and hurled it with everything I had—
Threw it.
A blue window covered my vision at the same time.
It arced through the air. The scythe flew at him with ferocious speed and a screeching friction sound, only to—
Clang────!!!
Bounce off Kim Se-hoon's sword with a cheerful ring. Yeah, figures. I threw it, after all.
But that's fine. Never expected it to land anyway.
"Hm. Not bad. Perfect form on that throw—you must have some skill with scythes—?!"
Kim Se-hoon's words cut off. Couldn't continue was more accurate.
Because the scythe was just for blocking his view.
A wall of blue text, followed by vision-obscuring post-its.
You know, those yellow ones everyone recognizes. Each etched with writing.
The writing? Freshly learned rune language.
In Korean terms? Just "explode."
What do I mean? Exploding post-its fluttering around him.
How many did I scatter? No clue. Just tossed 'em on impulse. Maybe 50?
"What the—?!"
He panicked, glancing around. Probably debating whether to slice them, dodge, or charge me.
I'd do the same. Weird shit raining from the sky? Freaks you out.
But a top-500 student is still a cut above. He shook off the surprise, gripped his sword, and charged. So I spoke up.
Hey.
I saw this in a manga.
You know that one with the ninja-mage liars?
From there.
So only one line from me.
"Kaboom!!!!"
Explosions are art.
Top 5 lines I've always wanted to say in life.
Kim Se-hoon was freaking out right now. More panicked than ever in his life.
Weakling. That's what he thought at first.
Makes sense, right? Rank 1028, D-Rank. Justitia's fair student evaluation. Couldn't be wrong.
So when he yielded first strike, he figured he was spot-on. The thrown scythe was weak sauce. All flash, no power—the kind of attack that embarrasses you for even giving it a shot.
Mission easy. Life's good~ He was chilling with thoughts like that.
Until now. What the hell was this?
Yellow papers filling the area around him.
Post-its, as everyone calls 'em.
If they were normal paper, fine. But he saw the writing.
Runes.
Engraved magic. Dozens of enchanted sheets. Too many to count quick.
'Someone still using outdated relics like this?'
He shoved the stray thought aside, assessed in a flash. Attack over retreat—went for it.
But the opponent was faster.
"Kaboom!!!"
A pumped-up roar hit his ears.
Runes glowed. One lit up, then chain-reaction style, the rest followed.
'This is bad.'
No dodging it. Explosion too fast; too late to move.
Single runes? Pathetic blasts. But the chain? Problem city.
Each pop amplified the next.
First ones just singed skin. Now? Beyond dynamite.
Survive this inferno? Wrong plan from the start, or mana shield it.
One choice.
'Damn it.'
Explosion massive. Near-total mana dump for a shield to barely block.
"Hoo."
Insane blast. Beyond what ancient rune magic should pull.
Honestly impressed. Weaklings got their own tricks, he thought.
But over now.
Kim Se-hoon endured. Mana nearly gone, but damage minimal.
Probably his trump card. One-shot finisher.
Pity—months to prep that many runes?
Trump failed. What's left? That throw trick? Done. 1028th place falls easy without mana.
Dust from the blast cleared slowly. A smile crept onto Kim Se-hoon's lips.
"Man. No wonder the pay was so good."
1028th put up a fight. Victory assured, he regripped his sword when—
He doubted his eyes.
"Huh?"
One thought.
What is this?
Post-its everywhere. First he blinked, then questioned if they were real.
'Just normal post-its for a smokescreen.'
But no—all runes, glowing with mana, primed to blow.
Haha. A dry laugh escaped him.
"This."
Makes no sense. Even pre-engravable magic—stockpiling this many for one match? Got a mana tank at home?
"Huh? Still in one piece?"
A voice answered his thoughts. The guy laughing mockingly, face screaming 'now what?'
Irritation surged, but he couldn't move. One step, and chain explosion.
Mana depleted—no blocking it.
"Wanna call it a draw?"
Kim Se-hoon grinned. Lee Seong-hoon grinned back.
"Chickened out?"
"Huh?"
Before answering, Lee Seong-hoon pulled more post-its from somewhere.
'He has more?'
Not just the ones on the ground? Goosebumps everywhere. Realization hit quick: this was for him.
Lee Seong-hoon tossed one.
Boom! Minor skin-scorch blast.
He pulled two more.
Chain explosion—bigger blast.
"Chickened out?"
Three.
"Chickened out?"
Four.
"W-Wait!!"
"Chickened out?"
Five.
"S-Stop—"
"Chick?"
Six.
"Chick?"
Seven.
Endless blasts shredding him. Gripping fading consciousness, he glared—the guy was laughing. Enjoying it. Like sweet revenge.
This bastard doing this over that taunt—
"Chick???"
Eight. Kim Se-hoon knew: no stopping. Fine, surrender here—retry tomorrow when post-its run out—
"Surr—!!"
"Surr? Surr what? Not surrender, right? No way a chicken like you surrenders? Rank 520 candidate vs. 1028th?"
He spread his arms wide. Scouts caught his eye—black suits, sunglasses, scribbling notes.
Mission failed, fleeing from 1028th—
Kim Se-hoon swallowed tears.
"No way."
"That's right!! Hero candidate material!!"
After that? Nothing but torment.
"Chickened out?" until blackout.
Didn't even spam runes nonstop. Near KO? Dialed to one for control. Toughing it? Ramped up.
'Demon.'
This guy's a demon.
'Beat this crap?'
Kim Se-hoon passed out to "Chick?" echoes, cursing the client.