Chapter 42
Chapter 42
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Closed Door Training (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Two months had passed.
*Kwoong!*
A heavy vibration echoed through the air.
A silver arc, like a flash of light, shot through the desolate sanctuary.
“Kugh!”
I desperately tracked the flash and raised my spear.
‘Changnoe!’
*Crackle!*
An arc of electricity spread out in a fan shape, sweeping across the area in front of me.
But.
“You know it’s useless, don’t you?”
A voice came from directly behind me.
Riak, who had been charging from the front, was now somehow standing behind Oh-jin.
“Hup!”
There was no time to think.
I shot my right arm straight up and flicked my wrist.
*Twang!*
A wire shot out, and my body was yanked into the air.
“Indeed. You’re quick on your feet when it comes to running away.”
He sneered coldly, looking up at me as I used the wire to ascend toward the ceiling.
“However.”
As he slightly lowered his stance.
“You can’t win a battle by only running away.”
*Kwoong!!*
He kicked off the ground with explosive force!
“Dammit!”
Oh-jin’s face turned pale.
He was suspended in mid-air.
With his movements restricted, Riak shot toward him like a rocket.
“T-Time out!”
“Do you think such a thing exists in battle?”
Riak’s lips curled into a smirk as he raised his fist.
Just as he swung his fist at Oh-jin, who was clinging to the ceiling like a bug.
“—Well, of course not.”
A grin.
I could see the corners of Oh-jin’s mouth turn up.
“…What?”
Riak’s expression twisted violently.
*Chwa-ja-ja-jak!!*
The wire embedded in the ceiling spread out like a net, ensnaring him.
“Poknoe!”
*Crackle!*
A dizzying jolt of electricity surged through the wires, exploding in succession.
Riak’s body flinched.
“A cheap trick.”
But that was all.
Even after taking the destructive electric shock, Riak’s movements didn’t stop.
*Whoosh!*
Riak raised his hand and lightly swiped at the air.
Claws of lightning formed along the trajectory and shot toward Oh-jin.
“Hup!”
It was impossible to see and dodge.
Oh-jin took a short breath and spun his body around.
He focused the Stigma’s magic into both of his legs.
*Kwang!*
He kicked off the ceiling, his body plummeting downward.
“Too slow.”
Riak said coldly as he ‘stepped’ on the blue lightning flaring around his body.
Landing even faster than Oh-jin, he raised his fist.
The gazes of the falling Oh-jin and Riak met.
And then.
‘Now…!’
Oh-jin raised his spear, using his falling momentum.
He was already well aware from the past two months of sparring that there was an overwhelming difference in their speed.
In that case.
‘Naknoe!’
All he had to do was predict Riak’s actions, based on the premise that he was ‘faster’.
*Kwa-ja-ja-ja-jak!!*
An electric shock, far more powerful than the one from two months ago, opened its savage maw toward Riak.
With a deafening roar, a storm of blue lightning swept through the area.
‘This one landed!’
The corner of Oh-jin’s mouth lifted into a grin.
However.
“—Too weak.”
“Kugh?!”
Riak shot up from within the lightning and grabbed Oh-jin by the neck.
He cocked his body back like a pitcher throwing a baseball, then violently swung his arm.
*Kwang!!*
“Keoheok!”
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Oh-jin’s thrown body skipped across the sanctuary floor like a stone on water.
A dizzying agony shook his body.
“Ugh… Dammit. I thought I got a hit in this time.”
Oh-jin, who had been slammed into the floor, let out a sigh and pushed himself up.
“Kyahaha! Damn, you bounce well, kid. You a bouncy ball?”
With a familiar laugh, Ha-eun appeared.
She placed a bag of ice on top of Oh-jin’s head.
“Your head okay?”
“No. It hurts like hell.”
“Come here, you brat. Nunna will make it all better.”
“Ugh.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, I must have rolled on the floor too much. Suddenly feeling sick.”
“This little punk.”
Ha-eun lightly smacked his head.
It hurt.
“What was the time?”
I asked, rubbing my throbbing head.
Ha-eun casually showed me the screen of the smartphone in her hand.
“52 seconds.”
Dammit.
How come I can never last a full minute?
“Tsk.”
Two months ago.
Considering he’d been completely obliterated in three seconds right after the spar began, it was a huge improvement. Still, he didn’t expect to not even last a minute after sparring with the same opponent for two whole months.
‘He’s just ridiculously strong.’
He glanced at Riak and let out a deep sigh.
And this was with Riak holding back and going easy on him, not even using his full power.
“Heehee! You loser. How come you get your ass kicked every single day?”
Ha-eun plopped down next to him and teased him.
Oh-jin’s eyes narrowed.
“…But why do you come here every day, Nunna?”
At first, she would visit once or twice a week, but now she came to the sanctuary every day as if she were commuting to work.
She had even slept over a few times.
“I came to make sure my little Oh-jinnie gets his meals~”
Ha-eun hummed a tune as she opened the lunch box she had prepared.
The rectangular container was filled with rice balls that looked like cursed totems created by an ancient demon praying for the destruction of humanity.
‘Shit.’
How do you even make something that looks like that?
“Here, here~ Go on, have a bite!”
“……”
He looked at her with pleading eyes, but it was no use.
Oh-jin took a bite of the rice ball Ha-eun offered.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Why is it delicious?
“Hehe, how is it?”
“It’s good.”
It looked disastrous, but it was perfectly savory and spicy, and actually quite tasty.
So this nunna is capable of improving, after all.
“Heheng~ Right? It’s good, isn’t it?”
Ha-eun puffed out her chest and cackled.
Seeing her act so proud made him want to mess with her, but he held back.
‘I’m not sure if this training is paying off, though.’
Oh-jin narrowed his eyes as he took another bite of the rice ball.
Over the past two months, his physical abilities had improved slightly, and the levels of Changnoe and Naknoe had each gone up by one, but that was it.
He didn't feel like he was growing explosively as he had before.
‘Is sparring not enough?’
The thought occurred to him that perhaps he needed a greater stimulus.
“Ugh.”
While he was lost in thought.
“……”
Riak looked down at Oh-jin, who was nibbling on a rice ball, with a deeply sunken gaze.
*Swoosh.*
Vega gently flew over to his side.
[So. What do you think after sparring with him for two months?]
Vega asked with a faint smile, her arms crossed.
“…What do you mean, my lady?”
[Huhu. Wouldn’t you say he possesses a truly divine talent?]
“……”
Riak kept his mouth firmly shut.
Memories of the past two months flashed through his mind.
It seemed Oh-jin himself wasn't aware of it.
But in those two months, Oh-jin had grown to a degree where the difference was palpable.
However.
“…I cannot acknowledge it.”
Riak shook his head, displeased.
“It’s true that he has a knack for handling a Stigma for a human, but that’s all.”
He didn't think Oh-jin was the hope that could change their fated end.
[Is that so?]
Vega gently stroked the back of Riak, who had transformed into his wolf form.
Riak averted his gaze from her.
[Do not be hasty. You will come to understand in time.]
“…I do not understand why you hold that human in such high regard, Lady Vega.”
[Huhu. It is my intuition.]
Vega shrugged and looked back at Oh-jin.
[That child possesses—the power to change fate.]
Her gaze toward Oh-jin was filled with firm trust.
“……”
Riak, still looking sullen, scratched at the sanctuary floor.
Vega smiled faintly and tickled Riak under the chin.
[And who knows? Perhaps by being with that child, you will find a way to break down your ‘wall’.]
“That will never….”
[Well… I suppose even I think that is a distant possibility. In any case, do not think so negatively.]
A gentle hand brushed against the bridge of Riak’s nose.
“Grrr.”
Riak’s ears twitched as if he was pleased.
After about ten minutes had passed.
*Thump, thump.*
Riak walked over to Oh-jin, who had just finished his rice balls.
“Human. Is your break over?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah, it’s over.”
Oh-jin gulped down the water Ha-eun had brought and got to his feet.
“……”
Riak looked at Oh-jin with a contemplative expression.
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Huh?”
Oh-jin tilted his head and looked at him, but there was no answer.
*Crack!*
Riak transformed back into his werewolf form.
“Then. Let us begin sparring immediately.”
He said, radiating a ferocious aura.
“Wait a minute.”
“Hm?”
“I have something to ask.”
Oh-jin tapped the floor with the tip of his spear as he continued.
“Is there a way to do this like a ‘real fight’ instead of just sparring?”
“…What?”
Riak let out a disbelieving laugh.
To want a real fight when he couldn’t even last a minute.
“I know it’s a ridiculous request.”
Oh-jin smiled bitterly.
“But I want to try a spar that’s as close to a real battle as possible.”
No matter how hard he tried to focus, sparring and a real fight felt completely different.
It was as if a thought in the back of his mind, ‘it’s just a spar anyway,’ couldn't be erased.
“Hmph.”
Riak smirked and crossed his arms.
“There is a way.”
“Oh, really?”
Oh-jin’s eyes sparkled.
Just then.
[—That is not possible.]
Vega said in an urgent voice.
“Huh? Why?”
Oh-jin looked at her with questioning eyes.
Riak turned to Vega and said.
“It is possible, is it not? If you use your ‘Sanctuary,’ Lady Vega.”
[You are being insolent.]
“You were the one who said that human has the power to change fate, Lady Vega.”
[…….]
Vega bit her lip and glared at Riak.
‘What’s going on?’
It was hard to follow the flow of their conversation.
As if noticing Oh-jin’s expression, Riak added an explanation.
“Within the Sanctuary, it’s possible for Lady Vega to bend the laws of physics to her will.”
“…Then.”
“Yes. It means she can make it so that even if you die, you are ‘instantly resurrected’.”
“What?”
*Gasp.*
Oh-jin’s jaw dropped.
Even for a Celestial, there was no way something that absurd was possible.
“Of course. This is only possible because we are inside a sanctum and you are a Apostle of Lady Vega, same as I.”
“I see.”
If Vega could create a space where he could be resurrected immediately even if he died, as Riak said.
‘I can have a spar that’s practically a real fight.’
Oh-jin looked at Vega with eyes full of anticipation.
However.
[You cannot.]
Vega shook her head firmly.
“Why?”
[While it is possible to resurrect you from death, the pain and shock of death itself cannot be erased.]
“……”
If the pain and shock of death couldn’t be erased.
[There is a risk that your mind will not be able to withstand it and will collapse.]
‘So that’s why.’
He could understand why Vega had refused so firmly.
‘But.’
Oh-jin lightly clenched his fist and looked back at Riak.
Even though he had just chugged the water Ha-eun brought him, he felt a strange thirst.
“I’m asking you, Vega.”
[But.]
“I’ll try it once, and if I feel like I can’t handle it, I’ll tell you.”
[Haa.]
A deep sigh escaped Vega’s lips.
[…If it looks dangerous, I will stop it immediately.]
“Got it.”
Oh-jin grinned and nodded.
[It will take time to prepare, so wait.]
Vega closed her eyes and muttered an incomprehensible incantation.
After waiting for about an hour.
*Wooooong!!!*
The entire sanctuary blazed with a brilliant silver light.
A mysterious sensation washed over his body.
‘So this is the Sanctuary.’
Oh-jin touched the sanctuary wall, from which a faint light was emanating, with a sense of wonder.
“Are you ready to experience the real fight you wanted?”
“I am.”
Oh-jin gripped his spear and lowered his stance.
A cold smirk formed on Riak’s lips.
“Well then—struggle to your heart’s content, human.”
*Rumble!!*
As the entire sanctuary began to vibrate.
“……!!”
—Killing intent exploded forth.
“Keoheok! Kack!”
He couldn’t breathe properly.
His vision blurred, and his legs gave out.
*Thump, thump.*
His heart pounded like a mad drum.
The fear of ‘death’ crept up his spine and consumed his mind.
“Hmph.”
Seeing Oh-jin unable to compose himself as soon as he released his killing intent, Riak snorted as if he had expected it.
But that was only for a moment.
“…Hm?”
Riak’s eyes narrowed.
“Haa, haa!”
Oh-jin gasped for breath.
It was difficult to even stand still.
The dizzying killing intent that washed over him like a tidal wave had scorched his mind white.
‘This is it.’
Riak’s true power.
“Ha, haa!”
It was on a completely different level from the spars he had had until now.
‘This is real.’
Riak genuinely intended to ‘kill’ him.
“Haa, ha, ha!”
Cold sweat dripped down.
*Thump. Thump. Thump.*
His heart pounded like a giant drum.
It felt as hot as if a red-hot iron skewer was being shoved into his brain.
‘I’m scared.’
An overwhelming fear engulfed him.
The sensation of all the blood in his body drying up.
‘Scared, scared, scared.’
But why was it?
“Ha, haha, hahaha!”
An unbearable thrill.
An insane ecstasy.
It set every sense in his body ablaze.
“Ha.”
He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
“What, you’re not coming?”
He looked at the motionless Riak.
“Then.”
He gripped his spear.
And kicked off the ground.
“—I’ll go first.”
*Twang!*
The wire shot out like a bullet, aimed at Riak.