Do I Really Have to Wear Underwear While Running?

"Haa!!"

Pa-ba-bat!!

Wrapped in the power of moonlight, I snatched the opposing team's hat away with a lightning-fast hand movement.

"Kyaa-nyang?!"

The first victim was that cat beastkin girl from earlier.

"What the...?!"

Next, I instantly stole the hat the fire spirit had been wearing.

...Though come to think of it, why doesn't the hat burn when it's literally a ball of fire? That's actually pretty interesting.

"Si... Sia, can you ease up just a little..."

"I'm afraid not. This is the most critical moment, so please endure it with all your strength!"

"Ughhh..."

Meanwhile, Jinwoo was currently fighting three separate enemies at once.

The first was the other class's students charging toward him with murderous intent.

The second was the pair of heavy breasts crushing down on the top of his head, the powerful thighs squeezing his face, and the dizzying feminine scent that kept invading his nose.

And the final enemy was...

Please!!! My soul's partner!! Calm down!!!

I'm going to get a nosebleed...

Having lived his entire life as a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠virgin, he now faced the greatest crisis of his existence.

He desperately tried to suppress the blood flow heading toward a certain region, repeating the mantra for a clear and still mind in order to regain control, and then...

...!!!

In that instant, he understood everything.

The flow of mana.

The orbit of the planets.

And... the universe itself.

"Jinwoo?"

"Ah, this humble mortal has dared to glimpse the very principles of the world."

Thud!!

"?"

Jinwoo had overcome every mental trial and finally begun to attain enlightenment.

It felt light.

His head felt refreshingly clear, and the tension that had gripped his shoulders melted away.

From here on, only victory awaited him.

"The score is complete!! Let's go win!!!"

"Ughyat?! H-he suddenly got way faster!"

The great sage Lee Jinwoo, having cast aside all worldly attachments, charged forward with superhuman speed and power.

"Well, that's fine by me!"

Whooooooosh!!

When Ryushia saw Jinwoo's momentum surge, a smile full of competitive spirit spread across her face as if she'd been waiting for exactly this.

She had decided it was now safe to use her full strength.

"We're screwed!! Everyone run!!!"

The students from the other class finally realized something was horribly wrong when they saw the pair charging at blinding speed and tried to flee.

But it was already far too late.

"Full Moon Fist!!!"

Flash!

Ryushia's hand shot out like lightning and snatched away her opponent's hat.

"H-how can this be..."

Defeated before they could even react, the students simply stood there with hollow, dazed expressions.

"Hehe, now this... is quite a dangerous combination...!!"

"What are you talking about, you gamer nerd?"

Arkhis muttered while pushing up the round glasses she'd acquired from somewhere, and Elia gave her a pitiful look as she mumbled to herself.

"Hmph. That's quite enough."

However, the one who stopped the unstoppable charge of the Ryushia and Jinwoo combo was none other than the Dragon Princess Esmeralda.

She sat atop the thick shoulders of the Earth Dragon and glared down at them with an arrogant gaze.

"Ho, our Saintess seems to have been in your debt... This works out perfectly."

"Evil spirit, begone. Worldly desires, disappear. Do not dare lead me into temptation."

Ryushia spoke as if she had been waiting for a chance to take revenge, already gathering magical power into her hand.

Jinwoo stared at them with calm eyes, muttering something under his breath.

Whooooosh...

Both sides were on the verge of exploding into action.

Since every other team had already been eliminated, the outcome between these two teams would decide everything.

Gulp...

The spectators watched with sweaty palms.

"Advance, my faithful subordinate!"

"Yes, I shall obey your command!!"

The first to attack was the princess's side.

"Jinwoo! Hold your ground!"

"Ah, I shall remain unchanging like the pine tree. I shall root myself firmly to the earth like a boulder."

Both Ryushia and Jinwoo steeled their resolve and prepared to meet the assault.

"What exactly got hard?"

"Silence, you wicked temptress."

"...Yes, ma'am."

Jinwoo, unlike his usual self, lightly ignored Ryushia's mischievous teasing and kept his eyes fixed on the enemy.

Ta-da-da-da-da-dat!!

With a serious expression, he leaped forward powerfully.

"Foolish...!!"

Earth clenched his jaw at the sight of the boy charging straight at him without fear, even though the mighty Saintess had fallen to his hands.

He burned with quiet fighting spirit toward the fearless youth.

"Haaaaat!!!"

Fwoooooooosh!!!!

Esmeralda, riding atop him, hurled blazing flames from her hands toward their enemies.

As the Dragon Princess who had inherited the strongest blood of the progenitor dragon, she could freely wield the flames that symbolized him.

"I leave it to you."

"Yes!"

Kwaaaaaaaa!!

Seeing the fireball flying in from afar, Jinwoo trusted that Ryushia would handle it and continued charging forward.

"Hup!"

Flaaaaaash!!!

The knife-hand strike she thrust forward split the fireball cleanly in two.

"?! What...?"

"Now it's our turn!!"

Shocked that her magic had been so easily dismantled, Esmeralda's vertical pupils stretched long with fury while Ryushia ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drew out even more of her power.

"Here I come!!!"

"Ha! Mere humans! You cannot possibly defeat us, descendants of the progenitor dragon!!"

Flaaaash!!!

The two girls riding on shoulders clashed at close range.

"Hup!"

Fwoooooooosh!!!

Hot, brilliant flames and cold, gentle moonlight flew toward each other.

"Haaat!"

A flaming fist. Blocked with both hands.

Oooooooooong!!!

She caught it and immediately countered with a punch.

"Kugh?!"

Her gaze wavered for a moment, but she continued glaring.

"...Inferno Blaze."

And then flames flew straight at her face.

This was dangerous.

Oooooooooong!!!

She wrapped even more moonlight around her hand.

Thicker... brighter.

Kwaaaaaang!!!

Instead of taking it head-on, she let it flow past like a gentle stream.

Shrrrrrk...

"Huh...?"

An opening. She drove her fist straight into the opponent's jaw.

"Kugh?!"

Follow-up strike. This time she hit the temple.

Thud!

"You trash..."

Her fist had been caught.

And the opponent gripped it tightly, refusing to let go, while swinging her other hand.

First strike. Knocked upward.

Second. Blocked the flames.

Third. The straight punch was caught in her palm.

Fourth. Flames erupted from the girl's fingers as dragon-like claws grew, trying to tear her hand apart.

Therefore, she sliced downward with her straightened palm and extinguished them.

"Wh-what?! My flame dragon claws...!!"

Fifth.

She grabbed the girl's now-extinguished wrist and snapped it.

Crack.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaah?!"

Sixth.

While the princess writhed in pain, she struck her solar plexus with her freed hand.

"Kuhuuuugh?!"

Seventh.

She didn't stop.

She didn't rest her hands.

She kept striking.

Until when?

Until the opponent's hat came off...

Or until they died.

"You... you insect bitch!!!!"

The Dragon Princess Esmeralda was clearly their enemy. If she was going to kill her, now might be the perfect time.

"Ultimate Skill - Stri—"

"Enough."

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!

"Kh!"

"Whoa?!"

However, a heavy impact shook her body, and the burning heat in her head cooled instantly.

"Ryushia, do you intend to turn this into a bloodbath? Can you still call yourself an honorable duelist after that?"

"I'm a realist."

"...I clearly felt genuine killing intent from you just now."

Earth had judged that the princess's life was in danger and tackled Ryushia and Jinwoo to create distance.

"Huuu... You mere human... my wrist..."

"We concede."

"What?!"

Esmeralda clutched her broken wrist, tears welling in her eyes, while Earth quietly declared their surrender.

"Earth! Have you lost your mind?! I haven't lost yet. That squinty-eyed wench, right now—"

"Your Highness, your power has not fully awakened yet. Moreover, this fight brings more loss than gain."

To the princess whose face burned with humiliation, Earth offered loyal advice as her vassal.

"...There are far too many eyes watching. Even if a ruler loses the battle, they must win the war. It would be wise to withdraw for today..."

"Hmph... Fine. I shall trust your words."

After Earth's serious and courteous persuasion, the princess, though initially unwilling, eventually nodded and began to retreat...

"Ha! What a pathetic group of losers. Four Heavenly Dragons, indeed!"

"...What?"

"Ryushia?! Wait!"

However, at least one girl had not yet cooled her fighting spirit.

"Well, the princess is in that state, so what can you do? The dragonkin are nothing but losers from the previous era!"

Ryushia still wanted to fight. If she defeated the princess here and retired Earth as well, the future war against the Dragon Empire would become much easier.

For Jinwoo and her comrades, removing them as quickly as possible took priority.

Rather than let countless people die later, it was better to eliminate them right here, right now—

"You appear to be staggering."

"Eh...?"

However, Earth's sharp observation momentarily shook her mind.

Drip.

When she wiped her mouth with her hand, she realized red blood had already ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠begun flowing from it.

"Ughhh..."

Slump.

Only then did her brain finally register the wrecked state of her body. The adrenaline that had been surging through her suddenly plummeted, and her body lost all strength.

She hadn't even noticed her condition until the heat of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠battle had pushed her this far.

"Huk?! Sia!!"

Jinwoo's face, which had been standing still, was suddenly buried in her massive chest. Unable to see anything, he flailed about in panic.

"It would be best for both sides to withdraw. Today's victory belongs to you."

"Hmph! Just you wait!"

Step. Step.

They each spat a final remark, turned their backs, and left.

"Hmmnya..."

"Sia! I can't see anything in front of me! Ooh!! Merciful Buddha! Please illuminate the path for this humble mortal!!"

"The... the winners are the Jin-Ryu-El... whatever team!!!"

The match ended, and the next time Ryushia opened her eyes was five minutes before the running event.

.

.

.

"Ugh... So it ended up like this after all..."

"Yeah. You went a bit too far earlier, Ryushia."

When she came to, Jinwoo was scolding her with worried eyes.

...Perhaps she had overreacted and made an unnecessary gamble.

This was reality.

Unlike the original story, there could be cases where they didn't need to be hostile.

"It seems I got a little too excited."

She might have let her game knowledge cloud her judgment... From now on, she would have to act more carefully.

For the time being, it seemed best to simply observe them.

"Right. Don't push yourself too hard."

"Hey, it's almost our turn. Can you still run?"

Arkhis asked worriedly as she looked at Ryushia's battered body, but she firmly declared that she was quite sturdy and perfectly fine.

"Of course! Ah, I'll just make a quick trip to the restroom."

However, the Kevlar underwear she had been wearing had been torn to shreds during the earlier battle.

She secretly removed the ruined underwear and put the tracksuit top directly over her bare upper body.

"Well, it's not like it matters if I go without underwear for a little while."

After all, they weren't running that far.

It had been a bit difficult during the snack-eating event, but if she used her movement skill, Moon Step, she could cross the distance in an instant.

No one would notice.

"Hmm? Sia... it looks like your skin is showing through somehow..."

"It's just your imagination."

"Haha, right? No matter how empty-headed she is, what kind of girl would run without a bra!"

"..."

Of course, after changing, she was almost caught by Arkhis on the way, but she somehow made it to the track...

And finally, the highlight of the day—the running event—began.

"O God!! Grant me wings!!"

"Run!! Run!!! Don't stop!!"

"Let's gooooooooo!!!!"

The first, second, and third runners sprinted like madmen.

Then it was time for the final runner—her turn.

Thud!

"Ryushia! I'm counting on you!"

"Yes!"

Flaaaash!!

She received the baton from the panting Arkhis and immediately shot forward.

"Moon Step!!!"

Ta-da-da-da-da-da-dat!!!

Like a fairy scattering moonlight as she flew.

"Haha! Too slow!"

"Wow, just take the boss."

Her movement skill was so overwhelmingly superior that she easily passed every other runner and reached the finish line in the blink of an eye, but...

"Waaaaah!!! I wi—"

...

Even though she had crossed the finish line, the spectators' reaction was strangely cold and awkward.

Huh? Why is everyone acting like that?

"...Ryushia cadet, twenty demerit points for public indecency."

"Eh."

On top of that, she even received penalty points.

Wait, what did I even do?!