Chapter 450: Distortion (2)
Seini’s lecture, which felt like it would last for an eternity, finally came to an end.
I was stuck in the building… no, I began my standby duty.
Several thoughts crossed my mind during that time.
First, Seini is terrifying when he’s angry.
I had always known him as the most sensible of the executives, someone brisk yet gentle. But since he holds the title of education officer—responsible for teaching Linshua and correcting the speech and behavior of The Society’s personnel—it seems he has a side to him I hadn't seen before.
Watching him immediately notice whenever my mind wandered for even a second during the lecture and ramp up the intensity made me wonder if he could actually read my mind.
Anyway, in real-time, it lasted about three hours. To me, it felt like three days. At the end of that marathon lecture, I was thoroughly brainwashed into giving up any thought of going outside.
I grumbled inwardly, wondering why they had called me so early if this was how it was going to be. However, knowing the importance of a standby unit prepared for emergencies, I quietly killed time inside the building by doing various things.
For example...
* * *
“Here I come.”
Like the sparring match I had previously arranged with Ju-rung.
“Go easy on him, Dunmugun.”
The spear’s voice rang out the moment Ju-rung gave the signal to start.
I didn't bother replying. I immediately kicked off the ground to close the distance, but—
“Hup!”
Thump.
The spear in Ju-rung’s hands was nearly four meters long. She slammed the butt of the shaft vertically into the ground.
It was a speed unimaginable for such a massive weapon. And as if that simple action itself was a specific Form—
A powerful shockwave radiated from the spot where the spear struck the ground at Ju-rung’s feet.
Tsk.
Caught in the shockwave, my charge was halted. My plan to stick as close as possible to prevent her from swinging that long spear was thwarted.
Now then, what’s her next move?
The distance was about three meters.
For Ju-rung, who wielded a long spear, this was the perfect range to swing, thrust, or strike.
Out of all those options, the one Ju-rung chose was enough to make me doubt my eyes.
She charged forward with a massive horizontal slash.
She chose to close the very distance that gave her the advantage.
What is she thinking?
I couldn't understand why she would make such an opening move, but regardless of my confusion, my body moved to react.
I ducked and lunged inward.
Whoosh.
The sound of the air being sliced passed right over my head, proving how narrowly I had avoided the attack.
I immediately closed in on Ju-rung.
However, I wasn't within my striking range yet. Just as I was about to react to her next move or continue my charge—
Whoosh.
Ju-rung repeated the same action.
Taking another step forward, she performed a 360-degree horizontal slash.
The second one.
A second attack that completely discarded her reach advantage.
I was flustered, unable to read the intention behind Ju-rung’s incomprehensible choices.
But regardless of that.
Whoosh.
The second horizontal slash, faster than the first, came flying at me.
It was the shaft, not the blade, but the strike carried enough power to shatter a limb or two if it connected.
I couldn't dodge this time.
Not only was it fast, but the trajectory was such that unless I literally glued myself to the ground and rolled, she could slightly adjust the angle to hit either my head or my torso.
Therefore, I slanted my hammer to guard while continuing my charge.
Clang!
The collision of the two metals rang out loudly, fueled by immense strength.
It was a heavy blow, enough to push back my body despite being anchored to the ground with mana.
My hands stung, but I had successfully blocked the attack.
The spear, deflected by the slanted handle of my hammer, flew high into the air. Aside from the slight numbness in my hands, my movements were free.
In this situation, what choice would Ju-rung make?
Naturally.
“Hup!”
A massive overhead strike.
Ju-rung must have let her spear fly upward specifically to set up this exchange.
The downward strike, carrying the full weight and power of the long spear, plummeted toward my head.
It was an attack fast and strong enough to split my skull if I were caught unprepared.
However, I had anticipated this development as well.
Clang!
The spear collided with my hammer handle, which I held up horizontally.
By enduring Ju-rung’s three attacks like this, I was finally able to force her into my range.
Now, it was my turn.
Clang!
I let go of The Hammer handle with one hand and swung The Hammer in a large arc with the other.
The spear, its balance broken from the struggle of strength, was knocked away into the air. Now free, I immediately straightened my posture, preparing to pounce on Ju-rung right in front of me, but—
…She’s gone?
The opponent who should have been right before my eyes had vanished.
Startled, I immediately expanded my senses.
I instantly pinpointed Ju-rung’s location.
Behind me.
And something sharp was thrusting toward my head.
The moment I sensed it, I snapped my head back and leaped to the left.
Whoosh.
Something sharp and unidentified grazed past my ear with the sound of rushing wind.
Confirming I had evaded it, I de-summoned my hammer.
I grabbed the sharp object that had passed my ear with my right hand.
It wasn't what I expected.
I didn't know how she’d done it, but I assumed Ju-rung had circled behind me and delivered a quick thrust with her spear.
However, the sensation in my hand wasn't the hard feel of a spear.
Far from being hard, it felt somewhat soft.
To see exactly what I had caught, I turned my body while keeping a firm grip on it.
Only then did I understand what had been happening.
The spear was planted vertically in the ground.
And Ju-rung was clinging to the spear like she was performing a pole dance, having launched a kick at me.
In other words, it meant this:
When Ju-rung performed the overhead strike, she did intend to hit me.
But when the attack failed, she slammed the long spearhead into the ground and used it as a pivot to perform a move like a pole vaulter.
Because I had lowered my posture and ducked to avoid the first attack, I could only barely see my enemy, leaving me blind to what was happening outside my field of vision.
I don't know if she intended all of this from the start, but Ju-rung had adapted perfectly to the situation.
The horizontal slashes and the overhead strike were each powerful enough to neutralize me, and the final kick, while weaker than the spear, was more than enough to incapacitate someone.
Though, I couldn't help but think that the way the battle unfolded felt more like acrobatics or a circus act than a Martial Artist’s technique.
“Well. Good fight.”
I replied while still holding onto Ju-rung’s thigh.
Ju-rung didn't make any further moves, seemingly accepting her defeat the moment her foot was caught.
“I have learned much.”
She replied politely, still hanging from the spear and my hand.
About five seconds passed.
“You may let go now.”
When Ju-rung spoke those words, I realized I had been spacing out.
“Ah. Right.”
I let go of her foot.
Spin. Tap.
With a disciplined, rotating motion that almost made me imagine the sound effects, Ju-rung landed on the ground.
Ju-rung gave a short bow, and it seemed the spar would end peacefully, but—
“Was that not too brief?! The clash of weapons! The sound of steel! The flashing sparks! It is not enough! Not nearly enough, Dunmugun!”
The spear started throwing a fit.
To summarize: it wanted to fight longer.
I was taken aback, but Ju-rung, as if this were a daily occurrence, ignored her spear without a change in expression.
Seeing that, I figured, ‘I guess this is normal,’ and spoke up.
“Do you… need any advice?”
“I shall attain enlightenment on my own.”
And so, the spar with Ju-rung ended.
The spear continued to wail.
“I just heard the sound of metal hitting a hammer!”
And then some crazy fairy suddenly cut through The Wall and barged in.
* * *
Of course, besides meaningful things like that, there were plenty of things that could only be described as a waste of time.
Rattle.
Two cubes, released from a device meant to prevent cheating, tumbled across the board.
My current situation: two pieces on the 6-point, two on the 4-point. And one annoying white piece on the 2-point.
I had plenty of walls.
I just needed to get this piece out.
It was a 32x game.
I was hoping for a good roll to get my piece out.
The dice stopped, showing a 1 and a 5.
An incredibly awkward set of numbers.
I could use both to remove one piece from the 6-point.
However, I didn't want to break my wall.
To prevent the worst-case scenario, I tried to move a piece from the 4-point to the 3-point using the 1, and then use the 5 to bear it off.
“Hmm? You can’t do that.”
Locria, who had been blankly watching the game, chimed in.
At that unsolicited advice—
“What do you mean I can’t? You can bear a piece off using a number higher than the point it’s on.”
Did she think this was Yut Nori where you have to land exactly?
I protested, but—
“Um. While that rule exists, it only applies when there are no pieces on the points behind it.”
Even my opponent, Al’shel, pointed out that my move was illegal.
“No. What are you talking about? Bring me the rulebook!”
I threw a fit for about five minutes.
But thanks to the internet and numerous witnesses, it was proven that my move was impossible.
I had no choice but to use both the 1 and the 5 to remove the piece from the 6-point.
As a result, my field now had one piece on the 6-point and two on the 4-point.
Please, just don't let a 3 come up.
I prayed, but—
My opponent, Al’shel, gave a wicked grin. Instead of rolling the dice—
“64x.”
He turned the doubling cube.
Is this guy insane?
I have three pieces left, and you have seven.
You even have one piece in my home board, and you’re doubling now?
What is this? Is he trying to intimidate me because I’m broke?
In your dreams.
“I accept.”
I took the doubling cube to signal my agreement.
Then, Al’shel rolled the dice with a laugh.
Naturally, a 3 came up.
My piece was hit, and I suffered a legendary come-from-behind defeat.
I mean, how does it make sense that my piece couldn't respawn until the very end?
“Damn you, Backgammoooon!”
Damn it, people in the East don't play this luck-based trash game!
“Haha, accept the results with grace…”
“You’re dead!”
I immediately threw Al’shel out the window.
Now that the villainous creditor was dead, my debt would vanish.
64x stakes? What kind of ratio is that? Gambling is a crime; I don't know what he was thinking.
Anyway, this is how I’ve been spending my time.
The whole world is in a state of war, so my conscience pricks me a bit for gambling, but it’s only been two days of standby duty, so I figure it’s fine.
Even in the trench warfare of the Siberian Front, playing poker for side dishes, cigarettes, and vodka was a daily routine.
However, there was one thing weighing on my mind.
“…Tsk. That guy is there again today.”
Outside the building, in a place where the sandstorm had cleared and people were walking by.
In the middle of that street stood an entity made of black tentacles.
The one who identified himself as Fanaticism, an executive of The Adversary.
Despite an alien monster standing in the middle of a street where people were walking, he remained unnoticed by anyone passing by, staring intently at the building.
I wondered if those shadow tentacles were an illusion only I could see, so I asked Un-ho and The Society members.
They also confirmed that Fanaticism was standing there.
However, I couldn't be entirely sure he was actually there.
The moment I saw him on the first day.
‘Guys! Grab your gear!’
I had shouted and rushed out with The Society members to take him down, but he vanished instantly and couldn't be found.
Of course, that sortie had been authorized.
The Society isn't so moderate as to leave an enemy alone when they’re staring right at their headquarters.
The problem was that after several failed attempts to catch him where he simply vanished, the strategy changed to strictly monitoring him whenever he appeared.
And whenever I looked out the window, I could see that entity still looking up at us.
Not every time, but often enough to be bothersome.
“…What exactly is that guy?”
Muttering to myself, I watched the second sun of Dubai set.
Praying that tomorrow would bring some kind of change.