Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Imprinting (2)
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Yuri had returned to his true calling as the tiger after so long.
With his hand stuffed into the pocket of his vest, he bellowed at Koban, who had burst out from the forest.
"Hurry up already! Don't you think about the people waiting?"
His tone was like that of someone scolding a friend for being late to a promise.
Koban flinched at Yuri's reaction, which made it seem like he had known they would come here.
But then he spotted his comrades arriving one by one behind him and steadied his shaken nerves.
'Even if he knew we were coming, it doesn't matter!'
If they had been blocked midway or picked off one by one, that would be one thing.
But they had all arrived at the destination safely, without losing a single person.
In other words, they were in the perfect state to take down the tiger.
Koban gave a subtle nod to those who had followed.
A nod back.
The other comrades met his eyes and nodded in return.
'Surround him without delay!'
'Stay sharp and move!'
Their grueling training hadn't been for nothing; they understood the meaning from that brief exchange of glances and poured into the clearing.
Rustle.
The tiger's territory was vast enough for hundreds.
With no trees or obstacles in the way, the 81 members spreading out widely posed no problem.
Koban found it odd that Yuri showed no particular reaction even then.
'I don't know where his confidence comes from, but if he's going to stand there idle, we're grateful!'
Whatever he was banking on, that confidence would soon turn to regret.
As Koban thought this, the 51st Batch finally succeeded in encircling Yuri at the center.
With everything proceeding smoothly as planned, their confidence soared sky-high.
'Got him!'
'This means we've succeeded with half... no, 70% of the plan!'
The formation the 51st Batch had used to surround Yuri was the most basic one for when the many faced the few.
They hadn't properly drilled it, but with 81 against one, even a rough shape would pack considerable power.
Yuri's eyes gleamed at the square formation encircling him.
"Oh?"
A small exclamation slipped from his lips.
Then, recognizing the formation, Yuri smirked.
"You're putting what I taught you to good use."
The square formation surrounding him consisted of eight groups total.
Each group was the very pairs he had assigned when training them.
'Even a makeshift formation like this—if I group guys who've rolled together and bonded for days, their coordination should be decent.'
They probably hadn't had time to practice a formation separately, so they'd chosen this way to sync up.
Whoever came up with it, it was pretty clever.
And the one who thought of it was probably that kid smirking at him from over there.
Yuri flashed the boy the same smile in return.
"Did you come up with this formation?"
"To be precise, Instructor—no, Senior—it's not an exaggeration to say we made it together. Thanks to you, we built enough trust that we don't even need to sync up separately."
The words carried a bite somewhere, but Yuri just grinned, looking pleased.
"Of course! Who taught you?"
"......"
"Come on, why praise the obvious like that? You're embarrassing me."
The 51st Batch felt a surge of something bubbling up inside as they watched Yuri lightly wave it off like he didn't deserve the praise.
Koban shot out a warning, sensing the burning resolve in his comrades, who looked ready to charge at any moment.
"...Let's see how long that leisure lasts."
With those words as the cue, Koban signaled his comrades with his eyes.
'Just like we planned!'
Those who saw it replied with their eyes.
'Until the tiger uses all ten attack opportunities!'
'Play it safe and wait!'
The moment they would hunt the tiger was right after those ten attacks ended.
As they confirmed their prior agreement with these glances.
"You'll end up flirting at this rate. What's with all the eye-fucking?"
"......"
"And how long are you gonna just stand there watching? If you came to fight, come at me properly."
"......"
"What, did you all glue your mouths shut? Who am I even talking to here?"
Yuri pouted and grumbled.
Soon, the corner of his mouth twisted up crookedly.
"Whatever. If you won't come to me... I'll come to you."
With that, Yuri vanished from the center of the formation.
"......?!"
"Whoa!"
By the time the 51st Batch, having missed his movement, searched for Yuri in surprise, he was already at one side of the formation.
Right at the group clustered around Muchi.
And then.
"You too, huh?"
Yuri slipped through the ten-man gap in an instant, reaching right in front of Muchi, and swung his sword lightly with a bright smile.
Slash!
Yuri's sword flew like a hand extended in friendly greeting.
Muchi swung his axe spear to meet it.
Clang!
Yuri felt the crossed arms of defiance from Muchi's spear batting away his blade—like slapping aside a handshake—and grinned.
"Whoa, our little maknae, thinking of standing up to your big bro... All that hard work paid off."
Muchi glared wide-eyed, as if to say he had a temper too, but to Yuri, it just looked like a scared cub bear puffing itself up desperately.
'That old bear's glare might be intimidating...'
But you, Muchi? You're a long way from your grandpa.
Yuri smirked, flicking his wrist to redirect his sword toward Muchi.
Staring at the blade coming at him again to the end, Muchi spun his spear.
Whoosh!
The axe spear whirled in a circle, leaving a ring-shaped afterimage in front, clashing with the white sword aiming for the gap.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Sparks flew in an instant, sharp metal ringing out repeatedly.
Koban, counting them, let a faint smile creep onto his lips.
'Seven!'
The initial attack plus the six clashes just now.
That meant Yuri had attacked a total of seven times so far.
'Just three more!'
As Koban watched the clash between Muchi and Yuri with tense eyes.
Suddenly, Yuri stepped back a pace and casually spun his wrist.
His sword tip shot toward another boy tensed up on his left.
As if giving up on the impenetrable Muchi and seeking new prey.
Swoosh.
Pretty fast speed.
But the already tense boy reacted instantly, dodging sideways.
He deflected Yuri's sword.
Scraaape!
Koban shrugged at the sound of blades grinding.
'Eight!'
The moment he tallied it, Yuri gave up on the fleeing prey and charged back at Muchi.
And.
Clang!
Yuri's sword once more failed to pierce Muchi's defense and bounced off.
'Nine!'
Almost there.
Koban and the 51st Batch gripped their swords, poised to rush forward.
At that instant, Muchi, who had blocked Yuri's attack, hardened his expression.
'Something's off...'
From the very first block of Yuri's attack, Muchi had felt something strange.
'Why... isn't he coming at me for real?'
On the first day of the hide-pelt quest.
Senior Yuri had pierced his defense all too easily.
Because of that memory, Muchi had been on high alert, giving his all every time a sword came flying.
'So why is he wasting his turns on these meaningless attacks now?'
To others, Yuri's strikes might seem sharp and quick enough.
But if anyone in the 51st Batch knew, it was Muchi.
Yuri Holland's swordplay was incomparably sharper and overwhelmingly faster than this.
Yet for some reason, Yuri hadn't shown his full power even once so far.
As if deliberately burning through attack turns.
'...Deliberately?'
Vague suspicion.
Half-guessing, half-not, it flashed in Muchi's eyes.
Clang!
Another strike sparked and rebounded.
Koban beamed and shouted triumphantly.
"Ten!"
The tiger had now exhausted all his attack turns.
Now it was their time to become the hunters.
"Everyone, attack!"
The moment Koban issued the order with a smug smile.
'Huh...?'
Muchi saw it.
Yuri, right in front of him.
"Heh... heh heh heh heh."
Wearing an all-too-pleased smile.
Seeing it sent chills down Muchi's back, goosebumps rising.
It was a warning from his instincts.
'Run...'
That thing smiling at him now was dangerous.
He could never stand against it.
But Yuri's movement was faster than Muchi's instincts.
Zip!
Without even an afterimage, Yuri was already at Muchi's waist level.
'Too late!'
Judging escape impossible, Muchi summoned every ounce of mana with full focus and smashed his spear down at Yuri.
Shunel Axe Spear Art - Cold Wall Splitter
The spear plunged toward Yuri in a red comet trail.
It was the ultimate technique Muchi had used last against Yuri in their best-of-three sparring wager.
Back then, it took long preparation; now he could unleash it instantly in crisis.
This showed how much effort and growth he'd put in over the past year.
But unfortunately, in terms of effort and growth, Muchi could never catch up to Yuri.
"Warm-up's over."
After the playful warning, golden light burst from Yuri's sword tip.
The erupting beam hit Muchi's red trail head-on.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the air, and a groan burst from Muchi's lips.
"Urk?!"
Overwhelmed by the pain shooting through his trembling arms and grip, Muchi gaped.
'W-what?!'
Downward smash versus upward block.
Naturally, the downward should carry more force.
But.
'No way!'
That natural order was shattered.
Yuri's upward sword strike had perfectly countered his spear.
His spear ricocheted the opposite way, and his upper body arched back, body lifting off the ground.
Muchi, who had never imagined being overpowered in strength, was stunned.
Only then did he catch sight of Yuri's golden sword in his vision.
'That...?!'
Realizing what it was, Muchi was stunned again.
'T-the magic sword!'
The golden light Yuri created was a technique like the mark of a certified Rank 4.
But by the time Muchi realized it, his body was already flying backward.
And.
Crash!
He slammed into a tree trunk with a thud, sprawling on the ground.
All this unfolded in a split second.
The 51st Batch, witnessing only the golden flash and Muchi flying away, froze in place, forgetting to attack.
The unexpected turn had locked their thoughts.
"Eleven? He went over the ten-attack limit?"
Someone muttered in a daze.
Zip!
Yuri vanished again, appearing before Koban.
He kicked Koban's calf to force him to his knees, then rested his sword on his shoulder.
"......?!"
Koban's eyes shook.
It wasn't just the cold edge against his neck keeping him still.
The tiger, said to have only ten attacks, had just done eleven... no, twelve including this.
"H-how?"
"What? Different from what you knew?"
Yuri smiled as if he knew exactly what Koban was thinking.
"Tch, are you guys naive or just stupid?"
Yuri gave Koban a pitying look at his trembling voice.
"No matter how green you are, doesn't it feel fishy to humans when things go too smoothly?"
"What do you... mean..."
"Still haven't figured it out? That's disappointing. I picked you thinking you had some brains."
"What the hell are you trying to say!"
"What else? You got played for suckers."
Koban met Yuri's mocking gaze.
In those golden eyes, he glimpsed memories reflected.
"During break time, was Arin blabbing about last year's quest in front of you just for your entertainment?"
Arin naturally mingling among the 51st Batch, chatting happily.
Yuri watching her with meaningful eyes.
"After a full day of hellish training, you still had stamina left... Was that really because your bodies adapted?"
Yuri subtly adjusting the training intensity so the 51st Batch wouldn't notice.
"No hiccups the whole way here—was that just because the others were scared of 80 people?"
After consulting the quest overseer, Yuri telling the forest beasts not to touch the 51st Batch.
"And the tiger's attack limit being ten per person... is that all true?"
With that, Yuri shouted toward one side of the forest.
"Hey, Arin! Didn't you tell these kids the tiger's limit is ten attacks per person?"
Rustling from the trees above came with a reply.
"Oh, right! I forgot! Hehe."
She feigned a mistake, but anyone could hear the teasing lilt.
Only then did the 51st Batch realize this was all Yuri Holland's setup.
Koban, speaking for them all, asked.
"Why... what the hell for!"
Why go this far for a quest ending in a few hours?
He couldn't understand.
Yuri answered with a deeply serious, wistful expression.
"...Back in my day."
"......?"
"It was ten days."
"Huh?"
The 51st Batch wondered if they'd heard right.
As question marks popped over their heads, Yuri bellowed with a straight face.
"Back in my day, we did this crap for ten days, and you think it's fair you finish in just a week!"
"......"
"This violates fairness! So I had to even it out!"
...Wait, this lunatic?
Why are you the one evening it out?
The 51st Batch stared at Yuri in unison.
But Yuri was utterly shameless.
"Alright, now we'll make up those three missing days of training for the 51st Batch!"
"Right... now?"
"Yep! Night training!"
As he shouted and donned his red hat, the 51st Batch blinked.
'Dear God...'
'What... the hell is that?'
Instructor in tiger vest: tiger or instructor?
Instructor or tiger?
Faced with this sudden horrific hybrid, the 51st Batch was at a loss.
Meanwhile, the 50th Batch and older cohorts, who had gathered after hearing about the spectacle and were hiding nearby, watching everything.
'I...'
'We...'
They all thought the same thing upon seeing Yuri.
'...not being that bastard's juniors was the luck of a lifetime!'
Every spectator sincerely, fervently breathed a sigh of relief.