Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Orbis Assault (3)
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BOOOOM!
The ground shook with a deafening roar as scorching flames whipped through the air.
-GRRRRAAAHHH!!!
An overwhelming force born from its massive size.
"…."
A monster far beyond what any first-year could handle.
But….
Yoo I-seol stepped forward slowly and spoke.
"Give me a buff."
Yoo I-seol.
Freshmen comprehensive ranking No. 2.
A genius who had perfectly inherited the Yoo Family's 'trait'.
Chains burst from Yoo I-seol's left arm.
Of course, they weren't ordinary chains.
Exquisite chains forged from mana.
Clink-clank-clatter-!
-GRRRRAAAHHH!!!
Yoo I-seol's chains bound the monster.
And then came Yoo I-seol's—no, the Yoo Family's—'technique'.
Air-Rending Spear Thrust.
Yoo I-seol held her breath.
At the same time, mana surged from her heel, racing up her waist to her shoulder, then converging at her fingertips.
Yoo I-seol hurled her spear.
Whiiiish!!!
The air split in two as the spear carved a straight path.
And then the thunderous boom echoed out.
BOOOOOM!!!!
The spear pierced the monster's body, but it was still alive.
"…."
With a gesture from Yoo I-seol, the spear returned to her hand on its own.
Yoo I-seol's 'Demon Eyes' weren't a trait.
They were a mana-altered feature she had inherited.
Yoo I-seol's trait was identical to one of Korea's most famous—the trait of Hero Yoo Kang-cheon.
Trait: Return Weapon.
The ability was simple.
Any thrown weapon would always come back.
BOOOOOM!!!
Each throw brought the monster's screams and explosive blasts.
BOOOOOM!
-GRRRRAAAAHHH!!!!!
BAM! BAM!
BAM!!!!
.
.
.
And finally, as the monster collapsed, Yoo I-seol wiped the sweat from her brow.
The other students around her stared in stunned amazement.
'She's on another level.'
That was when it happened.
-ROOOAAARRRR!!!
-GRRRRAAAHHH!!!
"Huh?"
Five more monsters identical to the one Yoo I-seol had just slain began marching toward them.
"W-what the fuck!"
Yoo I-seol and the students hurriedly raised their weapons, bracing for battle.
She might have handled one alone, but five was impossible.
A bead of sweat trickled down Yoo I-seol's nape.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
'No choice, then.'
They couldn't drag this out.
Unlike her, the other students could barely handle even one.
And worst of all, more monsters might hear the noise and come running.
"Hoo…."
Yoo I-seol exhaled.
At the same time, she undid the tie holding her hair back, retying it.
She brushed back the strands that fell forward, then focused her mana throughout her body.
And gripped her spear with both hands….
That was when a sharp whoosh cut through the wind, followed by a blistering heat wave rushing past.
Shiiiing-!
A red line appeared on the monsters' bodies, blood spraying from it as flames erupted.
Fwoooosh!!!!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The monsters' bodies cleaved in half, losing their balance and collapsing.
Fwoooosh!!!!!
The flames rising from the monsters' corpses burned so fiercely that, aside from Yoo I-seol, no one could keep their eyes open.
Step, step.
Sching… clang-!
The sound of a sword being sheathed rang out, and a lone figure approached slowly from afar.
And no one there didn't know who it was.
"You bastard! You're alive!"
Yoo I-seol shouted loudly.
****
As I hurried toward the outskirts, I spotted a familiar face.
The problem was that the familiar face was a bit too big.
It was the artificial monster that had played the boss during the practical exam.
"H-hey, don't touch that!"
-GRRRRAAAHHH!
Thud!
As the monster fell with a crash, five more lurking nearby revealed themselves.
And they charged toward the source of the noise.
'Hmm….'
I immediately dropped into a low stance.
"…?"
At the same time, a different sensation washed over me than before.
Trait: Sword Saint has activated!
My understanding of the sword surged in an instant.
How to cut faster.
How to make it even sharper.
It felt like gaining the conclusions from swinging the sword tens of thousands of times all at once.
But the blade was still in its sheath.
"Hoo…."
My right foot slid back half a step first.
Heel pressing firmly into the ground, toes angled toward the enemy.
Center of gravity low.
Knees bent but not fully.
Left hand grips the sheath mouth tightly, thumb ever so slightly nudging the blade up.
Click.
A barely audible sound.
The blade wasn't visible yet.
A chill seeped from the gap between blade and sheath.
At the same time, my right hand grasped the hilt.
Not squeezing tight.
Wrapping the palm fully, but tension only in the pinky and ring finger.
Just enough to keep it from slipping; the other fingers relaxed and flexible.
Mana scattered throughout my body.
Then I inhaled.
As I breathed in, my abdomen tightened first, chest barely moving.
The breath shallow, quiet, and long.
Silence.
The mana spread through my body began to connect.
Feet, calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, shoulders, arms, fingertips.
Fwoooosh-!
At the same time, a small flame kindled inside me, growing into a roaring blaze.
Sching-.
As I drew the sword, a small domain formed around me and rapidly expanded outward.
'Now.'
Elbow stays down.
Shoulder doesn't rise.
All motion in a straight line.
Waist twists, hips follow, rotation transfers to the arms.
Shiiiing-.
The quiet slice through the air rang out pleasantly.
Szzzzzz-!
Scorching heat poured from the blade.
And moments later.
KWAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!
.
.
.
Yoo I-seol took a deep breath and slowly approached me.
"Hey, thought you bit the dust."
She looked at me with a playful grin.
Seeing that expression made me want to say something back.
"Got nothing to say?"
"Huh?"
As Yoo I-seol tilted her head like what're you on about?, I pointed at the bisected monster corpses.
"I just saved your ass. Say thanks."
"What the hell did you just say, you little—!"
"Try saying, 'Thank you.'"
Yoo I-seol's face turned fierce in an instant.
Was she embarrassed? Mortified? Or just plain pissed? Hard to tell.
"Th-tha…."
"…."
"Th-tha… fuck!"
Hmm.
Familiar flavor.
Quintessential Yoo I-seol.
She had this narrative about finding a 'true friend' to heal the scars from before Orbis, but she sucked at expressing it outright.
Yoo I-seol fidgeted restlessly, staring at me.
She usually kept her hair tied up, but now with the ribbon undone, a passing breeze sent her silver locks fluttering.
'She steeled her resolve.'
Her face grew redder and redder until she finally spat it out.
"Th-thanks for… helping me…!"
Yoo I-seol squeezed her eyes shut as she said it.
The first thanks from a girl who had never accepted help from anyone.
She peeked up at me slightly with her head bowed, her expression demanding a response.
Fine, I'll play along.
"You actually said it."
Yoo I-seol scowled.
Her lips twitched like she had a ton to say, but nothing came out.
"…."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
But this wasn't the time to goof around.
****
So dark….
Clinging to the faint flicker of a single dim bulb.
I didn't know if it was that ragged hand's doing, but I couldn't twitch a single fingertip.
Han Ain tried to summon mana from within, but of course, it was impossible.
"…."
Using the faint light like a flashlight, she scanned around and saw other students in similar straits.
All bound by something, unconscious.
'Am I the only one awake…?'
Han Ain sighed inwardly.
It had been about an hour since that mysterious ragged hand dragged her here.
She had no idea what the goal was or why the kidnappings.
For money?
No way.
Anyone capable of pulling this off could make cash anytime.
Then a grudge…?
"…."
That seemed plausible.
Many Orbis students had heroes among their parents or relatives.
Suddenly, Han Ain thought of her grandfather.
Orbis's chairman—the man she despised.
He'd vanished somewhere with no contact for quite a while now.
It had happened before, so those around treated it like no big deal.
He was a 'special-grade' hero, after all.
'Frustrating….'
Han Ain tried wriggling, but her body wouldn't budge.
Flicker….
The bulb flickered, plunging the world into darkness.
No escape in sight, and now she couldn't even see.
Flicker….
It flickered again, the faint light barely pushing back the dark.
Rrrumble!!!!
Then the door flew open with a savage bang.
Step, step.
Footsteps echoed from the pitch-black beyond.
Han Ain clamped her mouth shut.
Cold sweat poured down her face.
Actually, it was streaming from her neck, hands—everywhere.
Step, step.
The footsteps, impossible to pinpoint, drew steadily closer.
"…!"
Han Ain's face twisted.
As the steps grew nearer, her face flushed purple.
Thump-! Thump-!
Her heart pounded wildly.
And one hopeful delusion crossed her mind.
What if it's someone here to save me…?
"So here you were."
But disappointingly, it wasn't a student's voice.