Bare-Handed Brawl with the Battle Mage
The day after class, Orbis Academy was in an uproar. A student had been exposed as a demon contractor.
There'd been some chatter from the outside world, but "demon contractors" were more common than you'd think, so it blew over without much fuss. If outsiders had stormed in, that'd be one thing—but this was a student who'd made a direct pact with a demon.
Rozien got dragged off by the Demon Contractor Management Association, sparking all sorts of rumors among the students. Overall, though, it was just a shocked vibe. And no one mentioned that I was the one who'd taken him down.
It felt like one of those things only the people in the know would know. I didn't see any need to spread it around, and neither did Orbis, so it was a done deal.
"Why does Orbis have so many demon contractors~?"
Yui-seol said, tilting back in her chair. She nailed it right on the head.
"Demon contractors are pretty common to begin with."
"Yeah, true."
"Han-su-ssi, did you happen to use iaijutsu yesterday by any chance?"
Natasha, sitting to my left, asked with a serious look on her face.
"Nah, why?"
"...I see."
At my answer, Natasha's face fell a bit.
"It must have been Natasha's imagination after all."
"Ugh, why do you talk like that...?"
Yui-seol grimaced at Natasha's third-person speech.
"Criminals have realms of understanding beyond the grasp of ordinary folk."
"... ."
Yeah, criminals like me definitely couldn't comprehend Natasha. Yui-seol was probably thinking the same thing.
"By the way, Han-su-ssi, you were in the swordsmanship club, right?"
"Yeah."
I nodded.
"Hehe, Natasha's joined the swordsmanship guild too. We could train iaijutsu together."
Natasha grinned.
"I don't go to club much."
And just like that, Natasha's world crumbled.
"Wha—why...!"
Why? Well, until some big event pops up, there's no real point in showing up.
Take something like the Sword Graveyard event—it's minor league. You gotta aim for the real prizes, like "expeditions."
Clubs go on group trips overseas or to special spots packed with hidden pieces and fortuitous encounters.
That's why clubs matter. Join some martial arts fist club, and you're screwed.
"Sigh... I had no idea you skipped club so much..."
"Hey, if you don't go to yours, come to ours."
Yui-seol's eyes sparkled as she said it.
"Why would I join a spear club...?"
"You don't know spears are the king of weapons?"
Yui-seol wheezed dramatically, but Natasha exploded in fury.
"That's a false claim!"
"Ah... are we sticking with the same teams for practical training today too?"
Yui-seol muttered, easily dismissing Natasha as crazy.
"Probably?"
"Practical training? So you already have teammates."
Natasha tilted her head.
"Then where does Natasha go?"
"Probably to the team of that guy who got nabbed."
Natasha glanced slyly at me, but Yui-seol shot her down without missing a beat.
.
.
.
Third period was practical training. If it was gonna eat up a ton of time, they'd start from first period—but this one was set to be short.
"We were originally planning combat drills with artificial monsters today, but due to an unfortunate incident, we're short on them. So we'll do demon contractor response training instead."
The instructor bellowed, and the students' faces darkened.
Demon contractor training? It was just code for "fight the instructors."
"We'll also split it by top ranks, mid-tier, and low-tier students. Dismissed."
As soon as he finished, instructors stepped forward.
2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade ones.
Holograms floated above their heads, pointing students to their assigned spots by name.
"This is unacceptable... How can someone who uses iaijutsu like Natasha be mid-tier...?"
"Forgot you're a transfer student?"
Yui-seol snickered at the despairing Natasha. She was probably thrilled to outrank her.
I was top-tier.
"Hey, let's go."
Yui-seol nudged me with her elbow.
****
"Hellooo~."
The instructor gave a light bow.
"I'm Ershil, a 2nd Grade hero and mage."
Ershil, in her mage's pointed hat and cloak, looked like some harmless herbivore.
She continued her explanation.
"Most heroes use weapons. Obviously, they're stronger than bare hands."
I glanced around cautiously. Everyone was armed to the teeth.
Even the bare-fisted martial artists had on knuckle dusters.
"But in gates, crazy shit happens you never see coming. Like ending up without your weapon."
And right as she said that, Ershil tossed—or rather, tore off—her cloak.
Revealing the savage muscles hidden underneath.
The students looked stunned. Her face was straight out of a romance novel, but her body was pure battle manga.
"You look surprised. I slim down when I'm dressed, hehe."
Ershil doffed her hat.
"Demons have abilities that disable 'weapons.' So today, we'll learn some bare-handed combat."
Ershil, 31, Battle Mage. She grinned.
.
.
.
First up was Cha Ryu-jin, the burliest top-tier student, brimming with confidence.
"Nice stance you've got there~."
"Please go easy on me."
And with that, Cha Ryu-jin ate dirt.
Skillful.
—She used a skill.
Tyrbing played know-it-all, even though anyone could see it.
"Next."
"Hmm, no one's jumping in? Guess I'll go first."
Seo Ji-ho stood up.
"Ooh, the freshman rank 1. High expectations~."
"Haha, not confident in bare-handed stuff."
A minute later, we knew exactly why.
After chewing up the students, Ershil grinned and called next.
"Hmm? No takers? Should I pick someone~?"
She pondered, then pointed.
"Yi Han-su-ssi, come on up~."
Ah.
"Hey, do good out there."
Yui-seol patted my shoulder.
.
.
.
Hand-to-hand combat. Not many heroes specialize in it.
Heroes fight monsters, not people, after all.
"Ready~?"
I nodded, and Ershil lunged first.
Shiiieeeek—!!!
Speed that made you question if she was really a mage. Mages can't reinforce their bodies with mana.
Meaning this was pure physical prowess. She'd use buffs or support spells in real fights, sure.
I bent at the waist to dodge.
"Pretty quick~."
No sooner had she spoken than a brutal kick greeted me.
A high kick like the reaper's scythe. In real fights, big moves like that leave you open to counters.
If they're slow.
This one? Blindingly fast. Flawless technique.
Kwaaaaang—!
"Hoo."
Ershil shifted into a hitman stance—flicker jabs, precisely.
Pababababat—!!!!
Her punches rained down.
"...!"
Ershil's eyes widened.
"Hoo...."
Like, 'Oh? Dodging this too?' I'd dumped points into agility.
You gotta dodge to counter, after all.
"Over a minute now."
Ershil grinned.
Then she unlocked magic. The "skill" that'd wrecked Seo Ji-ho.
Wooooong—!!!!
Wind howled around us.
But I took my stance too.
"...!"
Iaijutsu needs a weapon. What if there isn't one?
Woooong—!
Stray mana swirled around me.
No flames, huh.
Skill's called Flame Sword, maybe that's why.
Woooong—!!!
Iaijutsu ends the instant you draw. Yeah.
The draw is the technique's start. Skip the sword, use the "skill" anyway?
Nothing happens. But as a feint? Perfect.
—-!!!!
I drew on empty air.
Whiiiiiik!!!
Nothing occurred, but Ershil sensed something primal and cut her skill short, leaping back.
"...?"
She'd felt it and dodged, but with zilch happening, confusion hit her face.
Yeah. Fake-out.
I closed in fast, mana to my legs, and unleashed a kick at Ershil.
Kang—!
What the—?
Fuck, why did hitting flesh sound like clang instead of thud?
"Excellent work, Yi Han-su-ssi. 100 points."
And with that—
Whiiik!!!!!
Yi Han-su took flight.