111. I'll yield 3 seconds
111. I'll yield 3 seconds
Yang Hae-yeon has a dream.
The most basic dream that any martial artist who has left home holds.
To engrave their own name upon the world.
She hoped her story would spread far and wide to the next generation.
She hoped her family's status would soar because of her.
She hoped everyone would look up to her in admiration.
Isn't that the aspiration every martial artist harbors deep in their chest?
However, Yang Hae-yeon's was a bit extreme...
-Oh, oh! It's Jang Ryu-o! The one who became the Duchy's Honorary Knight this time...
-Yang Hae-yeon with him? Where are those two headed?
-Han-su... Ah! Hey! Everyone! Looks like those two are gonna throw down!!!
-Ooooooh!!
Wondering how the hell it came to this while goofing around with her junior, Yang Hae-yeon.
Her lips started twitching at the unexpected reactions.
"Heh... Heh heh..."
She, who'd been slouched over, started straightening her back as she headed for the sparring ground.
Fixing that smug, sly grin unique to women putting on a reliable front.
"Is the sparring ground your first time?"
"Yes, it is. B-but the people..."
-swarming
"Ignore them. A true martial artist knows how to keep their emotions in check no matter the situation."
-Oh...
Pulling the coolest line she could muster from her head, she strode forward confidently.
Yang Hae-yeon was feeling great.
Walking with a handsome guy felt nice, and glossing over her verbal fumble without a hitch was even better.
She'd been a tad pissed at her junior's cocky attitude.
But one look at his face and it all melted away...
Handsome guys come with thorns, after all. Mmm...
"Over there."
-Hey, Yang Hae-yeon!!! Can we watch!!!?
Her guildmates hollering from the back of the crowd.
Yang Hae-yeon lowered her voice and glanced at Ryu-o.
"That'll depend on your take, hubae-nim. You okay with it?"
"Mm... Sure."
'Fucking yesssss!'
Truth be told, she wanted to show off. She hoped the rumors would spread everywhere.
-Uwoooo!
-So cool!
-Mine! Come on, everyone place your bets!!!
-Yang Hae-yeon! Yang Hae-yeon! Yang Hae-yeon!
-Jang Ryu-o! Jang Ryu-o! Jang Ryu-o!
'Haaa...'
Yang Hae-yeon felt alive.
Shivers ran down her spine from all the stares, and even the racket sounded sweet in her ears.
From hotshot adventurer straight to superstar status.
Severe attention whore Yang Hae-yeon flung open the sparring ground doors with a beaming smile.
"Come on in. I'll teach you a thing or two, Han-su."
"Yes, sunbae-nim."
'Ugh, sounds so good...'
Giggling to herself, Yang Hae-yeon drew an iron-reinforced wooden sword.
She tossed one to Ryu-o and slung the other casually over her shoulder.
"Feel free to use your internal energy."
Ryu-o nodded, his face tense.
"Whew... Got it."
The two backed off, taking stances, and the onlookers lost their shit.
-Uwooo~
-It's go time!!
-The hyped-up rookie... first time laying eyes on him.
To hype up the crowd, Yang Hae-yeon dropped the line she'd always dreamed of saying.
"I'll yield Sam Cho..."
-No way, even 3 seconds?
-Shut up, dumbass, it's Easterner moves.
-Ah, moves.
-Hey hey! Quiet! It's starting!
For one, Yang Hae-yeon had zero plans to lose.
Makes sense—she could take down an Orc Hero on the 10th floor no sweat.
And no word of her climbing higher after that.
So top end, like 20-30 floors...
"Then we'll begin."
She could win with her hands tied behind her back.
Her realm? Late Jeoljeong.
Even overestimating to 40th-floor level, this'd be a breeze...
-whoosh~
In an instant, Yang Hae-yeon lost sight of Ryu-o's movement, readjusted her stance, and bugged her eyes.
How the hell did he hide that massive frame—swooping in low like a swallow on the wing.
She barely clocked Ryu-o charging, his hand wrapped in clear, thick sword aura.
'This mad bastard...!!'
That form screams Ilryu... hell no, that output Ilryu-level?
Not just deflecting—pure crushing heaviness bearing down.
To block the sideways slash, she pressed her sword to her shoulder and circulated her energy.
-shing... KWAJAJAJAK!!!
The sound that wooden swords should never make rang out.
Savage output steadily crushing and spilling over her internal energy.
The blades gouged into each other, screeching.
-eujjeok! eujeok!
Her iron grip shoved her flying backward.
The shock rattled her organs, but Yang Hae-yeon didn't even flinch.
"Heh heh ho... cough! hack! Ahem! 1 second..."
Her shriveled guts made some weird noises, but she played it cool with a grin.
Ryu-o swallowed hard at the sight, then nodded.
"As expected... is this the gap?"
The crowd gasped in awe at Ryu-o's sharpened gaze.
'Shit, shiiiit...'
Cold sweat trickled unnoticed down Yang Hae-yeon's thick sideburns.
Powering up obvious as day.
No clue who trained him, but he'd crammed his energy down tight inside—no wasted internal power leaking.
"Here I go..."
"Mm."
'Oh god, stay back you psycho...'
Against Yang Hae-yeon's desperate prayers, Ryu-o hoisted his sword high like he was about to defy gravity itself.
Against his eerily still body, that elevated blade gleamed beautifully, cloaked in dark light.
-Oooh! Ooooo!
-That level already? No way?
-Yang Hae-yeon... the real deal!
-Look! Yang Hae-yeon's smiling!!!
It was a disbelieving, hollow laugh, but like the crowd would know.
Her guildmates gawked with mouths agape, heads tilted.
-Tsk... Huh? That looks risky...
-W-what, she doping or something today?
-Hah... fuck... at that level...
She wanted to scream for her guildmates to save her ass.
-Uuuuung!!
Spotting the onrushing Ryu-o, she clenched her core and yanked out her energy.
Yang Hae-yeon's body glowed faintly, and the instant she swung her sword upward...
-ching———
A clear crack rang out as the overwhelming frontal power shattered her guard.
Off-balance Yang Hae-yeon couldn't even widen her eyes—she squeezed them shut and weathered the blade clash.
Shoulder felt like it was shattering, but she just toughed it out.
Her whole body quaking, face locked in tension—philtrum puckered, brows arched in a ridiculous grimace.
'Hup!! Krghuuuup?!?!'
-No way she's that strong? Still got leisure...
-We should... step it up too.
-Yeah!
'That ain't it you crazy bitches.'
Eyes fluttering open amid tremors, Yang Hae-yeon steadied her internal injuries and tugged her lips into a smirk.
-tremble tremble...
"2... seconds..."
Ryu-o, genuinely shocked this time, retreated once more.
Gritting his teeth, muttering some Oral Formula under his breath...
"Com... ing..."
With those words, Yang Hae-yeon's memory blanked out for a moment.
When her eyes snapped open, she was plastered into the wall, clutching only the hilt of her sword.
'...? Did I... block...? No...?'
Her survival instincts kicked in hard.
Regretfully chugging three top-grade potions she'd never waste outside the Labyrinth.
-whirwhirwhirwhirwhir...
-W-what the! Dust everywhere, can't see shit!
-She flew! Jang Ryu-o wins?
-Hae-yeoaaaaan!
As the ringing in her ears faded, Yang Hae-yeon's wits returned.
With nothing but pride left, Yang Hae-yeon bolted upright on sheer superhuman willpower.
Gripping her busted sword hilt, she staggered through the dust.
Smoke cleared, Ryu-o came into view, and she flashed a smile.
"Well well... impressive stuff? Hahaha! Ahem! Sword's busted, so I guess that's my loss, hubae-nim!"
'I'm fucking dying here...'
Yang Hae-yeon played the part of the 'cool sunbae who can't bring herself to swing at a junior, so she gracefully concedes defeat.'
The act landed—Ryu-o blankly stared at her casually shaking the hilt.
A glint sparked in Ryu-o's eyes...
"Learned a ton!"
Yang Hae-yeon got goosebumps watching Ryu-o bow brightly.
Not a hint of letdown—pure eyes of someone hell-bent on self-improvement.
For real, no telling how strong this guy would end up.
Today, Yang Hae-yeon had birthed a monster.
'J-just... shoulda gone all-out from the jump...'
Sure, the output was nuts, but the enlightenment gap—she still would've won.
Who to blame... her own damn fault for getting cocky and eating an internal injury.
Might as well ride the pride train to the end, Yang Hae-yeon figured.
"Hubae-nim! Y'know, you still gotta introduce yourself to everyone, right? Celebration time! Drinks on me tonight!!!"
-Waaaaah!
-Yang Hae-yeon is the best!
-She's a real one! Booze with a dude aaaah!
Drunk on the electric hype, Ryu-o flushed a bit and scanned the crowd.
The spectators' eyes went feral, and the mad party kicked off.
She figured it'd be a blast...
"Gulp! Sunbae-nim! Hurry up!"
"N-no, we can't get tangled in th—"
"Didn't you say it yourself? Agreements must be honored, win or lose!"
"Uh... uh..."
How the hell did it come to this...?