The Night of the Banquet
“Woah.”
From the contact mirrors placed throughout the area, a woman watched the real-time battle with repeated, low murmurs of admiration.
“…”
But the atmosphere around her felt strangely off. After all, watching a bonfire, a hot spring, and a real fight were second only to a roast in entertainment value.
The people gathered here for the welcoming night were no one but her. Not a single small cheer escaped any of their lips.
No, it might be more accurate to say they couldn’t. They were all too busy glancing sideways at the women in pure white dresses and full-face masks covering their entire faces, along with their escorts.
Before long, just like how the senior students from National Academy had rushed up to Crow’s Duck earlier, the mid-tier masters there hurried over and bowed their heads in front of her nonstop.
“Oh, we’ve kept you waiting so long. I-I’m truly sorry! All preparations are complete right now, so please allow us to escort you…”
“I’m sorry. I came without giving any notice at such a late hour. It’s my fault.”
The woman’s apology made the escorts on either side of her frown silently. The mid-tier masters panicked and waved their hands frantically.
“N-No, that won’t do at all! We’re the ones who should be honored to have this chance to escort you!”
“Thank you. Please take care.”
“Of course! This way, please…”
Feeling sorry for the flustered masters, the woman stood up without waiting further and followed them, guiding the way in a hurry.
The others who had only been watching also stood up as the woman left and gave her a silent bow.
“Hmph…”
The hall only exhaled after the woman and her escorts had left, then returned their focus to the situation inside the contact mirrors.
* * *
“U-ugh…”
Kuuung!
Someone who took a rib strike from me let out a single scream and toppled sideways helplessly.
Whoa, how many times is this? I stopped counting after ten, so I have no idea how many I’ve knocked down already.
“Kheh! At Dongye the ruckus wasn’t even a little bit of a ruckus!”
As Teraden said, the battlefield here was no ordinary melee.
Hundreds of people tangled together in combat made distinguishing allies from foes difficult, and friendly fire incidents happened frequently.
“Aaaah!”
“Kheh!”
The screams echoing from every corner drained not only physical stamina but mental willpower as well.
The only saving grace was that, even after an hour into the fight, the top-ranked among the ranks—Hyeondo—still hadn’t shown himself. It was probably thanks to that balance had been maintained so far.
The situation elsewhere was better than here, but… I was starting to worry about Maru.
“Teraden.”
“What do you want, bastard?”
“I probably need to go somewhere for a bit.”
Booong!
“Hey! You bastard!”
Pow! Smack! Smack! Thud!
Teraden dodged the unknown attacker’s strike with lightning speed, then slammed him down and grinned shamelessly.
“Where to? The outhouse?”
“….”
Sigh, even in this situation he’s joking.
“Relax your face. You’re going to check on Maru, right?”
“I’m worried, so I have to see for myself. I’ll feel better after that.”
“Got it. Do as you like.”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to fall over or something while I’m gone?”
“What a sad thing to say.”
“Fine. See you later.”
Uncomfortable, I need to quickly confirm Maru’s situation and come back.
“Ehe! Don’t worry, okay? Stay safe out there.”
After Teraden’s repeated warnings, I finally withdrew my dubious gaze and headed for Maru.
Left alone, Teraden watched Haru’s retreating back and shrugged his shoulders.
“Anyway, he really dotes on Maru. Hmph, oh? Wait, that over there looks fun. I’ll go check it out?”
Carefully scanning his surroundings, Teraden fixed his gaze on a spot and took a step forward with a wicked grin.
* * *
The welcoming night had certain rules.
Although time had passed and the meaning had changed somewhat, the original purpose of the welcoming night was exactly that: a welcome. Therefore, murder was of course forbidden as the most important rule.
Blunt-ended wooden clubs or staffs weren’t a problem, but weapons with sharp edges like daggers were the same.
But here’s the thing.
Klang!
Then what’s this…
Kaaang!
What kind of sound is this?
Out of concern that Maru might have taken a serious wound in her fight with Narak, I ran over in one breath, only to see a scene completely opposite to my expectations.
“Heeheehee!”
Kiaaaang! Crush!
Narak’s staff weapon, unable to withstand the force of Maru’s swinging hammer, shattered into multiple pieces.
“Kheuk!”
Maru pressed the advantage and slammed her single hammer down hard on Narak.
Holy shit…
‘Brother! Let’s go together!’
How had that Maru, who had been clinging to my back like a leech, disappeared?
Jjeong! Flare!
Narak, blocking the hammer, twisted his face into a grotesque expression.
With one hand he spread a veil to block Maru, while his remaining hand summoned a hellish inferno and hurled it at her.
Even though his favored weapon’s power was halved, the attack remained threatening.
“Danger…”
Pooow!
Originally, such heavy weapons should have severely hindered movement, but Maru dodged Narak’s Ineung with perfect flexibility as if it were nothing.
Then she closed the distance again and broke into a wide smile.
“Wow! Maru dodged it again with a swift step!”
“I know that, so shut up already!”
“Hehe.”
Whoa, seeing her like this, Maru really knows how to rattle people’s insides.
There was no malice in Maru’s innocent words or actions. They probably knew that fact, so every time they heard something like that they couldn’t reply and only felt weaker.
In reality, Narak’s hair was disheveled, his cheeks trembling, and his eyes half-inverted. Anyone could see he wasn’t in his right mind.
No, what on earth did Wolhyang teach Maru?
At the unexpected change in Maru, I instinctively closed my eyes.
Ugh… It felt as if I’d seen something I shouldn’t have.
The worry that Maru might be hurt had vanished like washed-away dirt, but it was replaced by another worry. Still, having directly confirmed Maru’s growth felt deeply satisfying.
Either way, Maru had grown enough, so next I’d head to the rear entrance where Blanser was.
Blanser wouldn’t lose, but there’s a reason for the phrase “better safe than sorry,” so going wouldn’t be bad.
“You bastard without an Ineung are acting cocky!”
“Hey! That’s really too much!”
Pooow!
Another collision of voices echoed, and I hid my presence as much as possible and slipped out of the women’s dormitory.
Leaving Maru behind, the next place I arrived at was the rear entrance, where a bloody fight was happening on the same level as the front entrance.
The representatives of both sides were Blanser and Jinbun.
In their case, it was different.
The way they exchanged attacks once each didn’t feel like a fight at all, but rather like playing a game.
Jjeok! Shlur!
Seeing Jinbun pushed back by one strike, Blanser’s eyes sparkled.
“Oh? Even with a fist packed with one-tenth strength, you’re still standing?”
The word “one-tenth” made Jinbun wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth and let out a snort.
“So that was one-tenth? I’ve only been using one-hundredth strength all this time.”
“Hmph! Then I’m one whole!”
“You crazy bastard! Whole what? Say something sensible!”
It seemed like they’d started an argument, so they stopped fighting, pressed their faces close, and spat at each other while raising their voices.
What the hell are those two doing… I don’t know anymore either. They’ll figure it out themselves, whatever.
* * *
Outside the front entrance.
Right now Junior was alone, fighting a lonely battle.
No matter how much Daerang and Imdun were watching, he was facing dozens of coordinated attacks single-handedly and still showed no sign of fatigue.
“As expected, true to his reputation. The next generation’s The One belonging to that man wasn’t just empty words.”
“Pfft! Heeheehee!”
“…?”
The group’s heads turned in unison toward the direction of the mocking reaction from beside them.
On the wall where their gaze landed, Teraden sat with his chin propped up, openly laughing.
“What’s this? What’s this? Senior-nim, how many people are you planning to fight together?”
Junior, noticing Teraden, bowed his upper body respectfully toward the wall he was sitting on.
“It’s been a while.”
Teraden, lightly leaping down beside Junior, waved his hand casually in greeting.
“Indeed. Only a month has passed? That said, were you planning to face that number alone?”
“I planned to try as far as I could.”
“You’re amazing in every way. Both you who are going to take on all of them and those seniors who are bullying the weak.”
“You bastard, putting on airs with that sloppy mouth of yours.”
“Well, let’s just leave your conscience out of it.”
Daerang, who had been trying to seize the initiative, took a hard hit to his pride from Teraden’s crude speech.
“Let’s do it together. The more the merrier, right?”
“Teraden, there’s the saying ‘too many is too much.’”
“…Then let’s go with too many this time. Let’s see how strong the seniors really are.”
Teraden’s over-the-top arrogance made Daerang’s temper snap.
“…Imdun.”
“Yes, senior.”
“I can’t swallow him without tearing his head off. I’ll handle that one personally, so you take command of the rest.”
“Understood, senior.”
Whether he liked it or not, Teraden’s provocation showed no signs of stopping.
“Haha, even alone? It might be a bit tough, no?”
“You really are a spiteful man. Not even Hyeondo. I’ll tear you apart with my own hands.”
“Since you say so, I won’t take that guy.”
“I’ll handle the rest.”
“All the rest? Are you sure?”
“It should be easier than facing Daerang.”
Crack!
“Gah!”
Junior’s clear view of them as inferior made Daerang and the rest grind their teeth in frustration.
The group, unable to contain their anger, gradually closed in. Teraden and Junior, back to back, exchanged final words.
“Hold on until dawn.”
“Yes, you too.”
Thud!
After finishing, Teraden kicked the ground hard and leaped over the wall. Daerang didn’t miss the chance and leaped after him.
“Let’s play a bit!”
‘This bastard, why is he using banmal from the beginning? He’s too young for that.’
“You damn arrogant bastard! I’ll crush you with whatever method I use today!”
‘Eh? Why is this guy so angry? Weird one.’
“If you’re fighting, shut up and come in! You talk too much, bastard.”
Eventually, beyond the wall in the garden, the fight between Teraden and Daerang began.
“Shall we begin again?”
Outside the front entrance, the battle between Junior and the others resumed.