Chapter 268
Chapter 268
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 268
Chapter Title: Hot Potato (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A sudden shout echoed through the building.
But the 48th Cohort couldn't take any action upon hearing it.
It was inevitable—they weren't able to properly assess the situation.
The fact that a mere second-year junior had kicked open the dormitory entrance.
The fact that this deranged junior was none other than Yuri Holland.
And the fact that Yuri Holland was suddenly looking for Rhunter.
None of it made any sense to them at first glance.
Meanwhile, Yuri was looking around the dormitory in wonder.
"Wow, this place is like another world."
The fourth-year living quarters he was seeing for the first time were truly a residential area.
It was worlds apart from the wild first- and second-year areas, or the third-year zone that was called residential but was barely better than sleeping rough.
"Well, still not as good as my place."
Even as he said that, he kept peeking around everywhere, and the Krabe siblings watched him in disbelief.
"You... what are you doing here?"
"This is the living quarters for fourth-years only. You should leave right now!"
Yuri, who had been looking up at the second floor, finally turned his gaze toward them.
He replied in a sullen voice.
"There was no one stopping me?"
"......"
"And who says so?"
"...What?"
"Who decided that only fourth-years can enter each living quarters? Who set the rule that only the corresponding years can access them?"
"Well......"
Yerun Krabe, who had been yelling at him to get out, blinked in confusion.
The idea that each cardinal-direction living quarters housed only its respective year.
It wasn't set in stone by anyone, but it had always been that way and was a tradition that would continue.
So when Yuri asked like that, it was only natural he had nothing to say.
No, if any other junior had asked the same thing, he would have been kicked out of the fourth-year quarters without issue.
It was because he was Yuri Holland that he could be so brazen.
The 48th Cohort, including the Krabe siblings, knew that full well.
And the bigger problem was that Yuri knew it too.
"If you don't like me being here, try kicking me out. With force."
...That was why he spoke so obnoxiously.
Seeing Yuri smirk, the 48th Cohort clenched their fists tightly.
But no one stepped forward easily.
The image of Yuri taking down Rhunter was still vividly etched in their minds.
Of course, the vicious rumors about Yuri's personality circulating in Yoram played a part too.
As the 48th Cohort hesitated, Yuri shouted again in a loud voice.
"Rhunter! When are you coming out? Let's play!"
At the shout calling out a senior's name—no, Rhunter Rider of all people—the 48th Cohort flinched.
"Rhunnnter!"
But even as Yuri made a racket, Rhunter didn't show himself.
Instead, someone else appeared.
"He's not here, little owl."
The one who appeared with a calm voice was none other than Goetz.
Yuri tilted his head at Goetz's words.
"Not here? Why?"
"I don't know why, but he hasn't been seen for quite a while now."
"Where is he?"
"Who knows? Probably training somewhere else?"
"Training somewhere else instead of this great spot?"
"Well, this place might be the best for training as far as we're concerned, but it doesn't suit him. He can use places far better than this anytime."
"Is that allowed?"
"Is there any place in Yoram he can't go? The whole of Yoram is his house and front yard."
"...Suddenly I wanna be friends with Rhunter."
Yuri's eyes sparkled.
Goetz shrugged at the sight.
"So, are you done here?"
"Done?"
"Yeah? Didn't you come looking for Rhunter?"
"Oh, that? Just in passing. To be precise, the ones I have business with are the entire 48th Cohort, Rhunter included."
As Yuri swept his gaze over the 48th Cohort watching the scene, those his eyes touched flinched.
"Not Rhunter... but us?"
Yuri, having scanned the 48th Cohort, turned back to Goetz, who was tilting his head.
Then, as if remembering something, he snickered.
"Oh yeah, we had a promise, didn't we?"
"A promise?"
"You'd spar with me once a year?"
"Ah, right."
Goetz, who had acted as a spy for the original council members in exchange for Yuri demanding one annual spar.
Seeing Goetz remember, Yuri beckoned with his hand.
"Let's settle that now."
"Now? Out of the blue like this?"
"I said I'd decide when to collect on the debt, remember?"
"W-Well, you did."
"So, let's do it. Now."
As Yuri lightly stretched and insisted stubbornly, Goetz let out a small sigh.
"Very well, let's go."
Goetz smiled wryly as if he had no choice and shrugged before taking a step.
The rest of the 48th Cohort felt the commotion was ending and began to disperse.
Except...
If not for Yuri's next words.
"You know... honestly, I've always wanted to try this."
At the out-of-nowhere remark, Goetz stopped and blinked.
"Try what?"
"Fights are supposed to happen unpredictably, anytime, anywhere, right?"
"...Right?"
"But ever since coming to Yoram, we've always fought in wide-open spaces! Am I the only one?"
"Hmm, now that you mention it... me too."
"See?"
As Goetz agreed, Yuri's eyes lit up intensely.
"So, don't you wanna try it?"
"Huh?"
"I believe it! They didn't build these buildings in Yoram just for sleeping! This must be a training facility too!"
"You don't mean......"
Goetz's expression hardened at the lengthy explanation, sensing unease.
Shing-.
Meanwhile, Yuri drew his sword with a bright face and declared.
"Alright, real combat training assuming indoor battle."
Flash-.
With those words, Yuri's figure vanished.
Feeling the crisis, Goetz immediately drew his sword.
He assumed Yuri would charge straight at him.
But defying his expectations, Yuri appeared in a completely unexpected spot.
Boom-!
The Krabe siblings, struck in the stomach by the flat of Yuri's blade, shot off like cannonballs and crashed into the wall.
"Ugh!"
"Urk?!"
The siblings, writhing from the unforeseen impact, barely lifted their heads.
They were asking with their eyes.
Why had he attacked them instead of Goetz?
To their aggrieved looks, Yuri rested his sword on his shoulder with a 'clack' and answered.
"I told you, my business today isn't with Rhunter—it's with the entire 48th Cohort, including him."
As he pointed his sword at the 48th Cohort in the hallway.
"50th Cohort Yuri Holland, here on business with the 48th Cohort seniors."
Flash-!
A blue bolt of lightning struck inside the building.
* * *
Boom- Boom-crash-!
Each roar made the dormitory shake.
Along with shouts.
"Wait, hold on!"
"Don't come this way!"
Lightning flashed, and people tumbled down the hallway each time.
The already narrow hallway became a chaotic tangle of several people and weapons—couldn't get more disorderly than that.
The 48th Cohort, caught off guard by Yuri's sudden attack, quickly regained their composure.
"Damn it, don't get tangled with each other!"
"Don't just stand there—clear some space!"
Those who judged quickly moved in unison, soon utilizing the terrain.
"Push him to the first floor!"
"Don't let that side break through!"
The dormitory had two floors total.
The first floor had a large hall.
Knowing they couldn't leverage their numerical advantage in the narrow hallway, the 48th Cohort tried to force Yuri into the hall alone.
Yuri's eyes gleamed as the 48th Cohort swiftly cleared the hallway and counterattacked.
'They're different.'
Situational judgment and crisis response.
And individual skill too.
Even in this near-ambush, the 48th Cohort showed a completely different side from the 49th.
'Definitely... worthy of the golden cohort title.'
The 48th Cohort, called the greatest golden cohort before the 50th arrived.
Even without their center, Rhunter, they weren't weak.
They were proving the golden cohort name wasn't given lightly.
And another reason they couldn't be underestimated.
Excluding Rhunter, the 48th had one more powerhouse.
The one called the tragic eternal runner-up.
Now demoted to eternal third place.
But with first and second being outliers, he too was a genius among Yoram's top historical talents.
Swish-.
"It's Goetz!"
"Open space for Goetz!"
Amid the 48th Cohort's cheers, a red rose bloomed in the first-floor hallway.
And in an instant, it swallowed the blue lightning.
'Hmm......'
Trapped in the maze of red sword light, Yuri swiftly swung to parry Goetz's blade.
His eyes gleamed in those moments.
'Definitely, the cramped space restricts movement a lot.'
Experience really is the best teacher.
Fighting in a tight hallway—not avoiding traps, but sustaining combat—was a truly novel experience.
'The way to handle space is completely different.'
Movement paths.
Blade extension length and speed.
Everything differed vastly from normal situations, making it incredibly valuable for Yuri.
And he wasn't the only one feeling it.
Goetz, clashing swords with him, felt the same.
'Tight.'
Swinging a sword in such confined space was a first for him too.
It gave Goetz a fresh sensation.
'Never imagined swinging my sword in the dormitory......'
He hadn't even thought of training, let alone swinging, always staying quiet to avoid harming his hypersensitive peers.
But kicking off walls, floors, and ceilings freely while swinging felt liberating, easing his pent-up frustration.
Scraaape-!
Blue lightning slipped leisurely from between the red sword lights.
Yuri and Goetz faced each other, having gained some distance.
Then Yuri smiled at Goetz and spoke.
"You look like you're enjoying it?"
"Me?"
"You're smiling."
Goetz, slightly surprised, touched his mouth.
'...I am.'
Just as Yuri said, he really was smiling.
At this point, Goetz had to admit it.
"Yeah, I am."
How long had it been since he swung his sword without a care?
Goetz's face flushed even more with delight.
Seeing that, Yuri grinned.
"Right? Wanna hear something even more exciting?"
"There's more?"
"Know what I like most about Yoram?"
"No idea. What?"
To Goetz's question, Yuri silently lowered his sword.
Humm-.
Along with it, a golden demon blade rose, resonating.
Yuri aimed it at Goetz and grinned.
"That I don't have to pay for any damaged property."
Goetz's eyes widened slightly at the utterly unexpected words.
"Hah?"
But he soon burst into laughter.
"Haha... hahaha! Puhahaha!"
Laughing so heartily tears welled in his eyes, and Goetz raised his rainbow-hued demon blade.
Humm-.
He aimed it at Yuri, eyes alight with excitement, and shouted.
"That's some damn exciting news!"
"Right? You get it!"
As their booming shouts echoed.
The two charged at each other.
Their demon blades gouged the hallway walls refreshingly.
Rumblecraaash-!
The 48th Cohort cried out in horror at the hallway shredding in seconds.
"You crazy bastards?!"
"D-Don't do it!"
"Stop! It's gonna collapse!"
To their shouts, Yuri and Goetz replied.
With the massive explosion from their two demon blades.
KABOOOOM-!
* * *
Over an hour after Yuri entered the dormitory.
"...Huh?"
A 48th Cohort member returning from a brief outing froze at the sight before him.
Rubbing his eyes repeatedly, wondering if it was an illusion.
But no matter how much he rubbed and looked, the devastation was real.
"W-What the hell?!"
Shattered entrance.
Every window smashed.
Cracked walls and collapsed roof.
The dormitory, perfectly fine just an hour ago, now a ruin.
What bizarre event had happened?
As he stared blankly at it.
Someone walked out through where the entrance had been.
Step-.
Brushing dust from his clothes, it was, of course, Yuri.
The surviving 48th Cohort member froze upon recognizing him.
Instinct told him.
The dormitory's ruin stemmed from that guy.
"Huh? What? One got away?"
Spotting the frozen 48th member, Yuri patted his shoulder as he passed.
"You're lucky."
Then he grinned and walked off.
All the 48th member could do until Yuri was fully gone was sweat coldly.