Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Neighbor (3)
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Crack—pop—.
A smile never left Yuri's face as he lightly stretched his body.
'Lucky me.'
He'd only grumbled a bit about the weekly sparring sessions over the past year, and now his opponent had gone ahead and put up points as a wager.
Ten thousand per session, no less—a massive sum.
'Hmm, should I have pushed for more? If they're willing to start the bid at ten thousand points right off the bat, I probably could've squeezed out even more.'
Yuri hated himself for getting swept up in the excitement and accepting immediately, committing such a rookie mistake.
But that self-criticism didn't last long.
Yuri grinned again.
'This is my ticket out of poverty!'
After blowing all his points at the special event last time, Yuri only had 150 left to his name.
He'd been bitter about his empty pockets when suddenly a ten-thousand-point commission dropped in his lap. How could he not be thrilled?
If Theresia hadn't been watching, he might've even done a little victory dance.
On top of that, the first spar started right away.
'Heh heh heh…'
In one corner of the training ground sat a pouch holding ten thousand points, neatly placed.
Yuri gazed contentedly at the advance payment he'd just received and stretched long and hard.
His body felt great, but after five straight days of nothing but sleep, his bones and muscles were a bit stiff.
Crunch—.
With a satisfying crack from his joints, Yuri turned to face forward.
There was Theresia, stretching in the same way.
'This is our second time.'
The brief encounter with Theresia in the Starting Forest.
Back then, he had a clear goal, so he'd avoided fighting her.
Which meant today was the first real clash between them.
'I wonder just how good she is.'
He knew her skills weren't to be taken lightly, at least in a general sense.
But exactly how strong the top of the 49th cohort really was? He'd only know once they crossed blades.
Yuri spoke up in a cheerful voice.
"Alright, before we get into the real action, let me explain the rules for 'Fun Sparring Time with Yuri!'"
Theresia twirled her spear and assumed a ready stance at the sound of Yuri's laughter-filled voice.
Yuri continued his explanation, eyeing her.
With utmost, utmost kindness.
"First off, the fee is ten thousand points per session, and time is unlimited. And since this is a spar, please refrain from any deadly attacks aimed at taking lives."
"...Got it."
"If the total exchanges of offense and defense hit a hundred, it ends automatically! Also, the match concludes if one side gains a clear upper hand! Any objections?"
"None."
As Theresia shook her head, Yuri drew his sword.
The playful expression on his face turned deadly serious in an instant.
"Then..."
Shing—.
"Let's get started."
With a short signal to begin, Yuri's upper body dipped slightly forward.
And with that, his body shot ahead.
Their first meeting with Theresia.
And up until today.
Yuri had always been caught off guard by her sudden strikes.
This time, he took the initiative and struck first.
Slash—!
"One."
Yuri began counting, a faint smile on his lips.
Theresia responded calmly.
Clang—.
The incoming sword was deflected back by the spinning spear shaft.
Using that momentum, Yuri's body spun halfway around and swung again.
"Two."
Clang—.
The spear's trajectory, swirling protectively around Theresia, batted away Yuri's sword once more.
"Three!"
Spear and sword.
The two metal weapons clashed and parted ferociously in the air, over and over.
Each time, Yuri's count rose, reaching fifteen before settling into a brief lull.
Clang!
Screech—.
A swing bigger than any before.
Using the repulsion, they separated from each other.
They stared at one another.
No words needed—they both felt it.
'Warm-up's over.'
'Now it begins.'
The probing attacks were done; this was the true start.
Hummm—.
As they drew up their mana, a faint vibration echoed through the cave.
The air resonated from the mana they summoned.
Whoooosh—.
Amid the growing hum, the tension between them thickened.
'Show me!'
'Your true strength!'
Without a word, they charged at each other.
And swung their weapons without mercy.
Swoosh—.
Two different weapons, but the sound cutting through the air was one.
The exchanges that followed were faster and deadlier than before.
The rules clearly stated to hold back on life-threatening attacks, but they ignored it completely, launching strikes without hesitation.
'Fast, huh?'
'She's fast, as expected.'
Different weapons, but both prioritized speed.
Their clashes were hard for any ordinary person to follow with the naked eye.
Clang—clang—.
Theresia's thrusts.
Yuri's slashes.
Countless attacks flew at each other, visible only as fleeting shadows and sounds.
Even more astonishing: this wasn't their top speed.
They hadn't even unleashed their true ultimate techniques yet.
By the time exchanges surpassed fifty.
Yuri was impressed.
'As expected!'
Of course, Yuri didn't have much experience either.
The only proper spar he'd had was with Moochi.
So having a peer match his speed was just novel and fun.
In the midst of joyfully trading blows.
Yuri's face took on a puzzled look.
He felt an odd disconnect.
'She's definitely fast...'
So why does she feel slow?
Theresia's speed wasn't slow by any exaggeration.
She moved at a pace similar to his own.
But strangely, she seemed slower than when they'd met in the Starting Forest.
Clang—!
Past seventy exchanges.
Yuri realized.
'Ah... it's not that Tetsa slowed down.'
Her speed was probably the same as in the forest, or even a tad faster.
Yet she felt slower because...
'I've gotten faster since then!'
The reason was simple.
It had only been a few days since meeting Theresia.
Even subtracting the time he was unconscious and sleeping, barely two days.
In that short span, Yuri had gone through a lot and gained much.
Pushing Mareu to its limits searching for the special arena had revealed new possibilities.
The low-grade mana enhancement potion had greatly increased his mana.
And above all...
'Hundred Steps Rite.'
In that hellish rite, he'd surpassed his limits time and again.
The limits of fear.
Physical limits.
Mental limits.
Stepping beyond extremes into new realms had evolved him in that brief time.
'Back then, it felt like I was dying...'
Now facing his grown self, he felt he could endure that pain over and over.
At the same time, he couldn't help but be amazed by Theresia.
'If we'd really fought in the Starting Forest, it would've been dangerous.'
She hadn't pulled out her true ultimate yet, but she was matching his current level.
Which meant in the forest, she had clearly been superior.
'Good thing I ran.'
As Yuri inwardly patted himself on the back with satisfaction, Theresia's face hardened further.
'Is this really the newbie who just joined a few days ago?'
But she soon nodded to herself.
'Yeah, he has to be this good.'
At the same time, Theresia gritted her teeth.
'If I did the Hundred Steps Rite now... could I make fifteen steps?'
She could answer that question with a firm 'no.'
That confirmed it.
The guy in front of her was holding back against her.
Strength filled her eyes.
'I want to draw out everything he's got with my own strength.'
The power she'd seen when they clashed at the Dragon Badge Trial.
And the desperate miracle of those fifteen steps just days ago.
The guy before her was strong.
Even as a mere 50th cohort, that strength wasn't something a senior like her could underestimate.
Moreover, Yuri Holland was undoubtedly a 'true genius.'
Countless geniuses in the world.
And the Cradle gathered them all.
Yuri Holland possessed talent standout enough to call the absolute best among them.
No—perhaps the greatest in Cradle history.
Hadn't those fifteen steps proven it?
That's why she wanted to clash.
To see if the effort she'd poured in over the past year could surpass that wall of talent.
[You're a rock, Tetsa. That hard shell around you won't break easily. So... go to the Cradle.]
Those were the words of the person she respected most.
Words that had become the guiding light of Theresia Winchester's life.
[In the Cradle, where countless geniuses gather, you'll always compare yourself to them and to your own talents—the gap might crush you. No, it definitely will. But Theresia, my dear Tetsa...]
Rough hands callused like stone from hardened skin.
Those hands she wanted to emulate stroked her cheek.
[You have to clash. Clash against their sharp, shining talents... and carve yourself down. Until the gem that is you, deep within that hard shell, is revealed.]
That person had said it.
Carving yourself against shining talents would never be easy.
It would be excruciatingly painful and grueling, a daily chain of frustrations, always tempting you to quit.
Even so, Theresia had followed those words and entered the Cradle.
And they were true.
Compared to the commonplace talents at the Cradle, her own was utterly mediocre.
So she'd constantly compared herself to others, disappointing herself every single day.
It was probably inevitable as a human.
But there was one thing she never did.
Give up.
Even comparing herself to others.
Even berating her own shortcomings.
Even in endless despair.
She never gave up.
Over the past year, she'd gritted her teeth, clashed against countless talents, and carved herself down.
From the Dragon Badge Trial, she'd risen to top of the 49th cohort.
And claimed the Golden Dragon Badge in this Dragon Badge Trial.
Yet she kept rolling, kept carving herself without rest.
Now, she sought to clash against Yuri Holland—the sharpest, most brilliant talent.
Following the words left by that person, May Winchester.
[Tomorrow's you will surely be stronger than today's.]
'Tomorrow's me is stronger than today's.'
Words she'd reaffirmed thousands, tens of thousands of times.
Following that single thrust she'd driven thousands, tens of thousands of times, palms tearing and callusing over and over.
Theresia's spear shot forward, finally transforming into a comet with a long tail that hurtled toward Yuri.
Winchester family secret mana martial art.
Star-Seizing.
Yuri's face hardened as he watched the pure white spear trajectory bearing down on him.
'This one's dangerous.'
It didn't look particularly fast or threatening.
But his instincts screamed in alarm.
This was the most dangerous attack yet.
'Alright, I'll deflect it.'
Seeing the comet-like spear incoming, Yuri unleashed his Mareu.
Whirrr—.
The Star-Seizing Theresia unleashed coiled around Yuri's Mareu, struggling against it.
At the same time, the trajectory aimed at Yuri was swept into the deflection and veered off course.
Yuri figured that was enough.
But.
Tsssk—!
The Star-Seizing, deflected and now veering off, suddenly twisted its head again.
'...?!'
Bypassing the deflected force, Theresia's spear righted itself and came flying back.
Yuri couldn't help but panic at this first-time experience.
The silver lining: riding the flow against itself had sapped much of the spear's power.
Shimmer—.
Yuri blurred as he unleashed Phantom Step, and the Star-Seizing pierced his afterimage.
And then.
Boom—!
Yuri's sword and Theresia's spear collided with an explosion before parting.
After a brief standoff, the two lowered their weapons and spoke at once.
"One hundred."
"...One hundred."
The promised hundred exchanges had ended just moments ago.
No one had seized complete dominance—the first spar drew to a close.
Yuri glanced at the small hole near the left shoulder of his clothes and muttered softly.
"...What a loss."
This was all he had to wear, and yet last time and now, why did it always end up full of holes?
He grumbled, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at Theresia brimmed with interest.
'Nice.'
This spar.
It looked like it wouldn't just be about pocketing ten thousand points.