Chapter 352: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (70)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 352: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (70)
After finishing my stress-relief session—disguised as a light spar with Oh Hyun—I moved on to a light combat test.
“Hmm… You’ve definitely improved a lot since we first met.”
As expected of the protagonist. He had clearly gotten better.
Of course… by my standards, he still had a long way to go.
“Oh Hyun, that feint just now was good. Drawing your opponent’s attention and then countering at just the right moment was pretty decent.”
I casually tilted the control stick and easily subdued Oh Hyun’s Hound.
“But the problem is what comes next. Changing direction was a good move, but if your opponent figures out your intention, you’ll get countered immediately, just like now.”
[Really? Honestly… I think it would work on most people, as long as they’re not you, hyung.]
“That complacent mindset. I’m pretty sure I’ve pointed that out several times already.”
I lowered my voice.
“Never mind the Colonel, any pilot on the level of the Zeros Code… they’d read that feint of yours 100% of the time.”
A moment of silence passed before Oh Hyun’s comms opened again.
[…Then, what should I do?]
“This time, I’ll attack. You try to counter.”
[…Understood.]
Released from suppression, Oh Hyun’s Hound quietly reset its stance. I also pulled back lightly on the controls, increasing the distance between us.
“Here I come.”
I momentarily boosted the output. The unit shot forward in a straight line before banking diagonally toward him. I swung the training dagger.
Up ahead, Oh Hyun’s Hound reacted quickly. But I didn’t just fly straight. I altered my trajectory mid-course, cutting in at a sharp diagonal.
—KRAANG!
My unit, flying so low it almost scraped the ground, swung the training dagger in its right hand. I didn’t think he could dodge it, but Oh Hyun reacted.
“Oh?”
His Hound barely managed to block my blade, which was aimed straight for its neck, by twisting its arm joint.
A defense that twisted the sharp trajectory of my attack by sacrificing an entire shoulder.
It wasn’t a bad choice.
Even if the shoulder joint was damaged, it was a much better outcome than having the cockpit sliced open.
The distance closed in an instant. Not missing the opening, Oh Hyun immediately turned his dagger and launched a counterattack.
A sharp thrust.
I deflected the attack, twisting my unit to the side as if flicking it away.
That thrust was a reaction he never would have shown in the past. It was clear proof of his growth.
“That was good. But you’re the only one taking damage that way.”
I shifted my unit slightly, creating half a step of distance.
Then I immediately followed up with a second attack.
This time, not from the front, but by subtly shifting my trajectory from a high angle on the right.
Oh Hyun reacted, but it was too late.
[Hah… I guess it’s no use after all.]
His voice over the comms was tinged with exhaustion and a hint of defeat.
“You’re a million years too early to beat me.”
[That was my ace in the hole, too…]
“Still, that last move wasn’t bad.”
Just as I finished speaking, Sheryl’s voice came over the comms.
[Lieutenant. If you have the time… would you care for a spar with me?]
“That’s a fine suggestion.”
I switched communication channels and spoke to Oh Hyun.
“Oh Hyun. Watch our spar and see for yourself what you’re lacking.”
[Yes.]
A moment later, Sheryl quietly boarded the Hound that Oh Hyun had been piloting.
[Lieutenant. I believe this is the first time we’ve fought formally.]
“You’re right. This is our first time facing each other directly.”
[Then, allow me to see for myself just how threatening the Knight of the Apocalypse can be.]
“Same here. I’d like to see for myself just how skilled the ‘White Slayer’ is.”
Then Sheryl added casually.
[Ah, Lieutenant. How about a little wager before we begin?]
“A wager… I like it. What are you betting?”
[To be honest, I don’t have much to bet… so let’s just say the winner gets one wish granted.]
“A wish. Sounds fun.”
I smiled quietly in the cockpit and continued.
“Just don’t regret it. I have some pretty strange wishes, you know.”
Sheryl’s reply was short and firm.
[Same to you, Lieutenant. Don’t come crying to me when you lose.]
The two units’ sensors locked onto each other.
—Beeeeep.
The countdown began.
『3.』
『2.』
『1.』
My unit and Sheryl’s moved at the same time.
*
Oh Hyun was catching his breath a good distance away from the battlefield.
Just then, he sensed someone approaching.
“Oh Hyun, is training over?”
It was a familiar voice. He turned his head to see Mason standing there with his arms crossed.
“Ah, Mr. Mason. Yes, training is done for today.”
“Hmm… Then is that Ms. Sheryl in the Hound over there?”
“Yes. She said she wanted to spar with Seo-yun hyung directly.”
Mason’s eyebrows shot up at his words.
“Hoh… A battle between two monsters. Now this is getting interesting.”
Before long, people began to gather one by one.
Brol appeared, bottle in hand. Mason, who had sat down and made himself comfortable, spoke to him.
“Brol, who do you think will win?”
Brol took a sip from his cup and said.
“I’m… putting my money on Seo-yun.”
Mason slowly shook his head.
“No matter how incredible that man is, under the condition of identical units, I’d have to bet on Ms. Sheryl.”
Brol laughed.
“Heh heh, you still don’t know how terrifying Seo-yun can truly be.”
“And you seem to have forgotten what kind of monster Ms. Sheryl is.”
They looked at each other for a moment, then spoke in unison.
“A bet?”
“You’re on.”
The two men’s cups clinked together lightly. As the clear sound rang out, the two Hounds moved simultaneously.
Everyone’s eyes focused on the two machines.
The Federation’s greatest monster, ‘The White Slayer’ Sheryl Mortimer. And the man who had recently been sweeping battlefields single-handedly, the rising star known as the ‘Knight of the Apocalypse,’ Jin Seo-yun.
Both were under the same conditions, in the same model of unit. It was a fair fight where only the pilot’s skill would determine the victor.
Most of the spectators were quietly predicting Sheryl Mortimer’s victory. No matter how monstrous Jin Seo-yun’s skills were, Sheryl was, without a doubt, the Federation’s top pilot. Her combat experience, judgment, and the precision with which she handled her unit were all flawless.
At that moment, the two Hounds kicked off the ground and shot forward. The distance closed in an instant as their training rifles spat fire. When Jin Seo-yun’s unit dodged with a minute movement, Sheryl followed up with precise tracking shots.
The second bullet grazed past him, but Jin Seo-yun instantly dove, perfectly evading its trajectory. Then he kicked off the ground and accelerated again, charging at Sheryl.
“Incredible…”
Everyone nodded as if in agreement with Oh Hyun’s quiet murmur.
The training blades in the Hounds’ hands flashed as they crossed. The blades, clashing at high speed, tore through the air with a sharp metallic shriek.
Immediately after the impact, the two units brushed past each other, then spun around to face one another again. Dozens of exchanges took place in the blink of an eye. Sparks from the scraping blades scattered like flashes of light.
“No way… Are they even human, like me?” someone in the crowd muttered, their voice trembling.
“Honestly… I feel pathetic for thinking Colonel Mortimer and Lieutenant Jin Seo-yun were just relying on their mechs…”
Suddenly, Sheryl’s Hound retreated. It quickly took up a firing stance. A masterful maneuver to create distance, executed in an instant. This time, Jin Seo-yun was at a clear disadvantage.
Sheryl opened fire without mercy. The continuous stream of rifle rounds relentlessly pushed Jin Seo-yun’s Hound back, giving it no room to breathe.
But contrary to everyone’s expectations, Jin Seo-yun wasn’t pushed back at all. Instead, he advanced toward Sheryl with even more agile and daring maneuvers, weaving through the bullets.
“Is that even possible?”
Mason watched the battle with a look of disbelief. Brol laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
“That’s the Knight of the Apocalypse for you.”
Eventually, Jin Seo-yun broke through the barrage and closed the distance with Sheryl again. He raised his blade high and aimed precisely for his opponent’s shoulder. Sheryl once again blocked the attack with a precise movement, but Jin Seo-yun’s assault wasn’t over.
One attack became two, then three, putting Sheryl under constant pressure. His attacks were getting faster and faster.
“If I had to face either of them as an enemy… the thought alone is terrifying.”
Oh Hyun’s words spoke for everyone.
The two units pushed against each other, locked in a stalemate. In the tense standoff, no one could tear their eyes away from the insane exchange.
Now, no one could rashly predict a winner. They could only hold their breath and watch the dazzling sparks created by the clash of the two monsters.
*
—CLANG!
The blade grazed the Hound’s head. If I had reacted a fraction of a second later, my head would have been sent flying.
This woman…
When I heard she’d lost to the Zeros Code, I honestly thought I was stronger than her. But now that I was facing her myself, I realized she was unbelievably skilled.
She was the only opponent since I came to this world who made me think I might actually taste defeat.
Sheryl’s Hound instantly created distance. In that brief moment, she had already recalibrated and was diving into my unit’s blind spot.
The trajectory of the rapidly approaching blade.
I’ll lose if this keeps up.
This woman was perfectly keeping up with my reaction speed. On top of that, every single one of her movements was too sharp to predict.
[Lieutenant, surely this isn’t the extent of your skills?]
Her cool, composed voice came through the comms.
I gave a short laugh at her provocation and replied.
“I’ll start taking this seriously now.”
[In that case, I will also fight with everything I have.]
With her declaration, the two units once again exploded into motion.
I focused all my senses to their absolute limit. Moving with a sensitivity that felt like every cell in my body was awake, I precisely parried all of Sheryl’s incoming attacks. Sparks flew and the air vibrated each time our blades met.
And then, I finally found an opening. That minuscule moment of recovery after her attack. Without hesitation, I aimed for her weak point.
I swung my blade sharply, aiming precisely for the unit’s leg. The attack landed successfully, and Sheryl’s Hound lost its balance, tilting heavily. But she was the Federation’s top pilot for a reason. With instinctive reflexes, she caught herself and regained her balance just before collapsing.
I didn’t let even that tiny moment go to waste. I continued my assault with overwhelming speed, giving her no room to breathe. I completely sealed her movements in a suffocating exchange. Sheryl was gradually forced into a purely defensive state.
Once the flow of battle was broken, it wasn’t easy to regain it. To secure my victory, I pressed my attack even more fiercely. She threw a desperate, final gambit. A blade, flying at me with sudden acceleration, swung in a dangerous arc.
With a relaxed smile, I met her attack head-on. An intense collision, and metal screamed against metal as sparks flew violently.
And then—
—CRACK!
With the sharp sound of cracking metal, Sheryl’s blade shattered into pieces. My blade stopped precisely in front of her cockpit.
[Hah, my loss.]
“It’s been a while since I had that much fun.”