Chapter 154: Reality (30)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154: Reality (30)
"I heard you reached A-Rank, but it seems your skills haven't improved at all."
Im Hye-rin's cold voice echoed through the training ground.
At those words, Im Hwa-yeon's expression twisted.
"What… what did you say?"
Clenching her fists, she gritted her teeth.
"Your flames may look intense, but in the end, they're nothing more than an uncontrolled blaze you swing around wildly."
Im Hye-rin lightly flicked her fingertips.
Snap.
In that instant, pale blue flames erupted from the floor.
The flames, swirling like a living creature, seemed to distort space and burn away the very air in the training ground.
"…!"
Im Hwa-yeon instinctively took a step back.
"I'll show you exactly what makes my flames different from yours."
Her hand reached forward, and her slender fingers snapped lightly in the air.
Snap.
"Scorching Heat."
The pale blue flames burst out as if exploding.
Space distorted, creating the illusion that reality itself was melting away.
The instantaneous heat was enough to make her skin sting.
"Kgh…!"
Im Hwa-yeon instinctively raised her arms to block, but her own flames vanished futilely the moment they touched the pale blue blaze.
As if they had never existed in the first place.
"Do you understand now?"
Im Hye-rin said, taking a step forward.
"Your flames are still sorely lacking."
Crackle.
The flames heating the air flickered for a moment.
"Hah… hah…"
Im Hwa-yeon fell to her knees. She gasped for air, as if even breathing was a struggle.
Even though she hadn't been touched directly by the flames, her body was slowly giving out.
I watched the scene in silence.
'So that's Im Hye-rin, the Witch of Dreadfire?'
An S-Rank fire-type ability user.
And one of the strongest, ranked within the top ten.
'She's on a completely different level from that gay bastard I fought before.'
The density of her aether was incomparable to back then.
It wasn't just simple fire; I could feel a power so intense it distorted space itself.
'This can't be all she has.'
Im Hye-rin was definitely hiding even greater power.
She walked over slowly and looked down at the kneeling Im Hwa-yeon.
Her expression held none of the warmth a mother would have for her daughter. There was only cold assessment.
"Your flames still lack direction and power."
Her voice was firm.
"With flames that rely on brute force alone, you'll never be able to advance any further."
Im Hye-rin gave a light wave of her hand—
Fwoosh…
The flames heating the air vanished in an instant, as if they had never been there.
"Dammit…"
Im Hwa-yeon bit her lip and clenched her fists. Looking down at her, Im Hye-rin spoke coldly.
"You're not even A-Rank."
Those words echoed deeply through the training ground.
'She's stricter than I thought. She seemed like such a doting mother.'
I folded my arms and watched the scene quietly.
A heavy silence fell over the training ground.
"……."
Im Hwa-yeon kept her head down, biting her lip hard.
Her hands were trembling, but it was impossible to tell if it was from anger, frustration, or shame.
Just then, Jo Han-su, who was standing beside me, spoke up.
"Honey, maybe that's enough. Hwa-yeon has been through plenty…"
His voice was cautious.
But Im Hye-rin looked at her husband with an unwavering expression.
She took a slow breath and said in a low, firm voice,
"Plenty? Isn't it because you spoil her that she's ended up like this?"
"……."
Jo Han-su fell silent, at a loss for words. Im Hye-rin continued to look down at her daughter with cold eyes.
"Take this opportunity to understand one thing clearly. Being arrogant about your A-Rank with such a half-assed attitude will only hold you back."
Her voice was sharp and resolute.
"Do you know what happens when an ability user has mediocre power?"
She slowly shook her head and continued.
"Sooner or later, they get utterly crushed by someone stronger."
A heavy silence fell over the training ground. Listening to her, I silently agreed. She wasn't wrong.
If you're not strong, you're weeded out and devoured by the stronger.
It was the instinctual law of the jungle.
However—
"Hoo… Why is my body so hot all of a sudden?"
Im Hye-rin tugged at her collar, looking uncomfortable.
She was sweating lightly, her skin flushed with a gentle heat. A bead of sweat trickled down into her deep cleavage.
It traced a smooth curve, revealing a luscious silhouette.
I found myself unconsciously staring intently at her cleavage.
Thump.
A powerful force pressed down on my shoulder. I reflexively averted my gaze.
"Turn your eyes away if you don't want to die."
A warning in a deep, low voice.
Jo Han-su's rough hand was gripping my shoulder tightly.
His eyes were sharp, and I could feel an energy coming off him like a growling beast.
I gave a light cough and nonchalantly turned my head away.
"Ahem…"
'Busted.'
The strength in Jo Han-su's grip was considerable. But he was mistaken if he thought this would be enough to make me back down.
I shifted my shoulder slightly and turned my gaze forward again.
"Hwa-yeon, how long are you going to stay like that? If you're this shocked over something so trivial, your mother is disappointed."
"I'm not shocked at all… In fact, this just made me realize who my true goal was."
Her voice didn't waver. It was filled only with firm resolve. She slowly stood up and looked Im Hye-rin straight in the eye.
There was no fear or frustration in her gaze.
Instead, there was challenge and a will that burned like a blazing fire.
Watching her daughter, Im Hye-rin smiled.
"It'll be a million years before you can surpass me."
"Tch, just you wait! I'll definitely surpass you."
Her eyes still blazed with a fiery fighting spirit.
At that moment, Im Hye-rin laughed lightly and opened her arms.
"Hehe, that's my girl. Come, give your mother a hug."
"Ah, no! Stop it!"
She tried to back away, but it was too late.
Im Hye-rin instantly pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.
"Hehe, how cute."
Trapped in the firm embrace, Im Hwa-yeon struggled, but the difference in their strength was still apparent.
"Mom! I'm an adult now!"
"You'll always be a baby in my eyes~"
She chuckled, playfully stroking her daughter's head.
The tension in the training ground had vanished, replaced by a warm atmosphere.
Im Hye-rin slowly released her daughter from her embrace and walked straight toward me.
Her red eyes glinted sharply.
"Now, shall we see what you've got?"
I met her gaze without looking away.
"Alright. But could I borrow a sword?"
She smirked and snapped her fingers.
Snap.
Instantly, a sword from the side of the training ground rose into the air.
Wreathed in red flames, it flew slowly toward me.
I caught the sword naturally.
A heavy weight settled in my hand, and I could feel a faint heat flowing along the blade.
Just then, Jo Han-su started stretching as he moved to the center of the training ground.
His powerful energy spread through the air.
"I'm not the type to go easy on people," he said in a low, firm voice.
"So come at me with everything you've got."
I raised my sword slightly and looked at Jo Han-su.
His eyes shone sharply, but it wasn't just from fighting spirit.
They held dissatisfaction and wariness.
'As I thought, he doesn't like me hanging around Hwa-yeon.'
I smirked to myself. It's not like I planned on holding back either. Gripping my sword, I slowly took a step forward.
"Then, if you'll excuse me."
Facing Jo Han-su in the center, I observed him carefully.
His solid muscles and massive, bear-like frame. I could see his well-balanced lower body and thick forearms.
'A physical-type ability user?'
Suddenly, Jo Han-su pulled something from his coat.
Clank.
With a sharp metallic sound, he equipped a pair of knuckles.
The matte black metal reflected the light, giving off an intense presence.
Jo Han-su tapped the knuckles with his fingers and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"Hwa-yeon has been staying out all night a lot recently. That wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it?"
His gaze sharpened. I smirked and retorted.
"And what if it does?"
At that, a shallow, humorless laugh escaped his lips. He muttered in a low voice,
"I'll fold you in half."
I raised my sword and slowly got into my stance.
"Bring it on, Father-in-law."
The moment I said that, Jo Han-su's eyebrow twitched.
"Who's your father-in-law, you son of a bitch!"
He stomped his foot hard on the ground.
BOOM!
Jo Han-su vanished from my sight. For his size, his movements were unbelievably fast.
'So he's not just pure brute strength; he's got speed too.'
I gripped my sword tightly and reacted at once.
CRASH!!
A deafening roar tore through the air behind me as a powerful shockwave blasted forward.
I instinctively dropped low, dodging on reflex.
WHOOSH!
The spot where I had been standing just a moment ago was shattered to pieces.
A massive fist had slammed into the ground, leaving a deep crater. Broken stone fragments flew up, and dust spread in all directions.
'This… if that had hit me, I'd be dead.'
I raised my sword into a defensive stance and searched for Jo Han-su, who had disappeared again beyond the smoke.
As the dust settled, a low, rumbling voice could be heard.
"Heh heh… So you do have some skill."
He grinned, knocking his metal knuckles together. Jo Han-su took another step forward.
This time, he wasn't just charging recklessly but was deliberately controlling the distance between us.
'That last attack wasn't just based on raw power.'
His shockwave wasn't just about destructive force; it was designed to spread its impact over a wide area.
In other words, even if I dodged, just being nearby meant the vibrations would spread and rattle my entire body.
If I had taken a direct hit, my bones wouldn't have just broken—my internal organs might have ruptured.
WHOOSH!
He moved again. This time it wasn't a simple linear attack, but an unorthodox movement, approaching quickly from a diagonal angle.
'One, two… three!'
I counted silently, timing his approach.
BOOM!
His fist flew at me, carrying a compressed shockwave.
'This time, I can't just block it. I have to deflect it.'
I angled my sword, guiding the flow of his power.
The moment the knuckle and sword collided, a massive impact was sent flying.
CRACK!
A violent ripple spread through the air, and I used the repulsive force to quickly pull back.
And at the same time—
"Moon Shadow Slash."
I swung my sword from the side. A bluish sword strike swirled out, a moon-like slash that cut through space.
SHIIING!
For an instant, his shockwave scattered, and the air around his knuckles trembled faintly.
Jo Han-su narrowed his eyes and lowered his arm, noticing a faint cut on the back of his hand.
"This bastard…!"
He knocked his knuckles together and reset his stance.
VMMM!
A vibration that seemed to make the very air tremble spread out.
I let out a light breath and tightened my grip on the sword.
"How was that, Father-in-law?"
I had only sneered slightly, but Jo Han-su was taking the bait all too easily.
"Grrrk!"
Jo Han-su charged again. I smiled, giving my sword a light shake.