Chapter 81: Festival: Becoming the Sashimi ■■ (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: Festival: Becoming the Sashimi ■■ (1)
A shiver ran down the spines of the spectators.
The subspace declared the victor.
The winner was Joaquin Academy cadet, Kang Geomma.
The loser was Mao Rang, the Iron Leg.
It was an unbelievable situation.
Mao Rang of the Iron King Family had been cut down in a single clash.
In truth, no one knew exactly how many times he had swung his blade.
To their eyes, it had seemed like a single strike—and they had barely managed to catch even that.
It was the decision of the sacred subspace.
Even civilians knew how foolish it would be to dispute that.
However, reality and perception were entirely different matters.
To the spectators, it looked as if Kang Geomma had simply flicked his sword, and Mao Rang had gasped and died.
And they hadn't even truly processed that single clash.
It was a strike where cause and effect seemed reversed, as if they were experiencing an illusion.
No matter how fast his hands were, was that a speed a human could actually achieve?
As shock rippled through the arena's spectator stands, Kang Geomma slowly took a step forward.
Step, step.
Toward Mao Rang.
At that, goosebumps broke out over the spectators' skin.
‘Is... is that bastard planning to finish her off for good...?’
This was a subspace sparring match, which had no physical impact on the real world.
Though Mao Rang's spirit might be broken, she didn't have so much as a scratch on her body.
A broken spirit can be mended as long as one's limbs are whole.
But once limbs are severed, no amount of grit and determination will make them grow back.
Indeed. That black-haired bastard was planning to cut Mao Rang down—in reality.
The staff watching the match rushed forward in a panic.
They were just as stunned, their bodies stiff with shock, but if they didn't act, a horrific bloodshed would occur.
Seeing this, Kang Geomma's brow furrowed.
‘What the hell are those bastards thinking?’
Did they seriously think he was going to attack her in the real world?
It was offensive. He wasn't some mindless executioner; why would he swing a blade in front of everyone?
He could well imagine how he looked to them.
"Haah."
Sighing, Kang Geomma slipped his knife into his pocket.
He gestured for them to back off. Only when he made it clear he had no intention of attacking did the staff slow their pace.
Relief washed over the faces of several staff members.
To be honest, they didn't want to go anywhere near that cadet either.
Even though he was only seventeen, the aura he exuded was heavy enough to crush their shoulders.
Kang Geomma came to a halt right at Mao Rang's feet.
Her arms, propping her up on the dirt ground, trembled violently.
"..."
Mao Rang kept her eyes lowered. A monster that defied all common sense stood right before her.
Just his presence seemed to drain whatever little strength she had left, pulling it straight into the ground.
Kang Geomma stared down at her. His eyes held a sharp, blade-like edge. He spoke in a low voice.
"Did you drop some coins on the ground?"
At the sudden, sharp question, Mao Rang snapped her head up.
Was he joking? If so, the look in his eyes was far too cold.
He was a cadet who possessed not only overwhelming power but also a brilliant mind.
There was no way he would throw out such an inappropriate joke out of the blue.
Yet, no matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn't fathom the meaning behind his words.
Or rather, she didn't even dare to try.
How could a mere mortal hope to understand such a monster?
In the end, Mao Rang hung her head low.
Deep within her chest, something cracked wide open.
Kang Geomma gazed down at Mao Rang. His eyes were dry, devoid of any emotion.
Mao Rang feared those eyes. Yet, she forced herself to squeeze out a voice.
"You—"
The moment her lips parted, Kang Geomma spun around.
As if he had no intention of waiting to hear what she had to say, he walked away without a word.
"..."
Mao Rang stared at the back of his head.
She had no way of knowing what this blatant disregard meant.
A sparrow cannot fathom the mind of a phoenix.
Step.
Suddenly, Kang Geomma stopped in his tracks.
Slowly, very slowly, he turned halfway back.
An indescribable pressure crushed Mao Rang's sanity.
Kang Geomma glanced down at her and spoke.
"Never call kimchi 'pao-whatever' again. If you do..."
Kang Geomma flicked his wrist. The sheath of his sashimi knife slid back a few inches.
The blade let out a cold, metallic ring.
Mao Rang swallowed hard and nodded.
"...I-I understand."
Kang Geomma didn't say anything more. By now, she would have filled in the blanks herself.
To be honest, he felt a bit embarrassed in hindsight that kimchi had been his trigger.
In times like this, it was better to leave things unsaid. The other party would let their imagination run wild on their own.
This was a lesson he had learned through several threats since falling into this world.
Furthermore, his words carried the weight of the 'Mental Rank' from the [Blessing of the Sword God].
Even a casual remark carried a profound, heavy impact.
Ironically, Kang Geomma himself was completely unaware of this.
He simply assumed Mao Rang had been frightened by his display of strength earlier.
As if in response, Mao Rang completely misinterpreted his actions in an entirely different direction.
‘The fact that he went out of his way to show the sashimi blade at the very end...’
It wasn't a simple threat. It was a political gesture.
A Korean wielding a Japanese sashimi knife. In truth, his intention must be to encompass both Korea and Japan. Wasn't that the very reason he insisted on using a sashimi knife?
And so, he had given her, a representative of China, a choice.
‘Join him, or else...’
"Ha."
Mao Rang let out a hollow laugh. Then, she watched his retreating figure.
A back that looked solitary and lonely.
Reflexively, Mao Rang reached out. His black hair came into view between her fingers.
She had seen those hailed as geniuses. During her academy days, there was All Mute, and once she entered society, there were the Seven Stars.
But this boy was walking in a realm that could never be reached through mere effort.
"..."
Squeeze.
She clenched her outstretched hand. At the same time, she shook off her admiration for the genius.
A being who can never be understood is infinitely lonely.
Mao Rang saw that truth clearly reflected in her eyes.
* * *
The hallway leading to the arena's waiting room.
Supported by her aide, Mao Rang stumbled toward the waiting room.
An overwhelming exhaustion racked her body. She could barely even wiggle a finger.
Her aide asked with concern,
"...Lady Mao Rang, are you alright?"
"It was in the subspace, so I don't have a single scratch. I'm fine. More than that... I feel a bit sorry to our citizens. After all, I was representing the continent. But losing to a seventeen-year-old... our international reputation is going to take a hit—"
"..."
A shadow fell over the aide's face. Mao Rang wore a faint smile.
"—is what I'd like to say. But don't worry. Kang Geomma will rise much higher soon. By then, my reputation will naturally recover along with his rise."
The aide admired her inwardly. To make such calculations even after a defeat.
‘As expected, Lady Mao Rang is highly pragmatic.’
She didn't let personal emotions sway her. That was why her aide respected her so deeply.
Mao Rang shrugged. She swept her hair back and added,
"It's actually better to get beaten by him now. It would have been way more embarrassing later. Just wait and see. Whether it's All Mute or Mahatma Sindbad, they'll all be kneeling before him soon. I'll just consider myself unlucky for drawing my ticket early."
"Was that cadet... really that formidable? No matter how much of a genius he is, I find it hard to understand why you rate him so highly..."
Mao Rang replied with a hollow chuckle.
"He's a monster."
* * *
The visitor lounge at Joaquin Academy.
Clack, clack, clack.
Men with cameras slung around their necks were furiously typing away on their laptops. Most of them looked flushed with excitement. For them, this festival was an unexpected windfall.
"Hmm."
Among them, one man's fingers paused. Only the cursor blinked on his retina.
『'Star of the Continent' Mao Rang Falls!...』
He tapped his temple, organizing the floating words in his mind.
"Hey, Reporter Yoon! Why the long face?"
"Ah, Reporter Han."
Reporter Han approached him, sipping instant coffee. His disheveled hair spoke of his years of experience as a journalist. Showing his yellowed teeth, Reporter Han spoke.
"Why are you acting so solemn on a festive day like this, Pro Yoon? Look around, everyone's thrilled. There's already so much to see at this festival, and now a massive scoop has just dropped right into our laps!"
"...Well, that's true."
An hour ago, Mao Rang, the Iron Leg, had been defeated by a first-year cadet. Most had predicted it would be a one-sided beatdown by her.
But the result had blindsided everyone. Reporter Yoon still felt a lingering numbness from the shock.
"What do you think, Reporter Han?"
"About what?"
Reporter Yoon spoke in a dazed tone.
"No, it just doesn't make sense to me. How can an academy cadet defeat Mao Rang? I was right there, and I couldn't even see what happened during the match. Besides, we have too little information on this cadet to write a proper article..."
Reporter Han stroked his stubbly chin as he replied.
"Who knows? I mean, how could ordinary folks like us understand the world of heroes? We should just be happy we got a story. Pro Yoon, a reporter shouldn't think too much. Our job is to season the story with whatever spices the public loves and serve it up."
"I suppose so, but..."
Reporter Han gently massaged the back of Reporter Yoon's neck as he added,
"What's gotten into you today? You're usually famous for framing a story perfectly. Stop being so tense in your shoulders and fingers. Sure, in the old days, we ran around on our feet to report the inside scoop, but nowadays, that's all useless. Just season it moderately and post it. The public will fill in the blanks with their imagination. Besides, we've got a great character here. A genius academy cadet who defeated the Iron Leg. Just slap on some keywords that the public will eat up."
"...Understood."
Reporter Han let out a good-natured laugh.
"That's the spirit. Let's grab some soju after this festival is over. I'll be off then!"
With those words, Reporter Han walked away. Reporter Yoon watched his retreating back and muttered to himself as if chewing on the words,
"I don't know what's gotten into me either."
It was an uncharacteristic worry. He just needed to do what he always did.
Spreading gossip was a reporter's job. Yet, an indescribable sense of incongruity lingered in his chest.
Reporter Yoon shook his head to clear his thoughts. He set his paused fingers back in motion, revising the headline.
People always cheer for a new face. All he had to do was add a familiar element to it.
Once the direction of the article was set, a smile appeared on Reporter Yoon's face.
Clack, clack, clack.
A light rhythm echoed, like fingers tapping on piano keys.
『The monster rookie who subdued the Star of the Continent...』
The typing paused briefly. His fingers were deliberate as he chose his words. Depending on the keyword, many things would change. At that moment, a set of words flashed through his mind.
"...Sensational, but definitive."
Reporter Yoon muttered to himself for a moment.
"This is perfect."
Clack!
Finally, his index finger pressed the final key, completing the headline.
『Sashimi Sword Saint.』
Having finished typing, Reporter Yoon stared intently at the screen.
Then, his face lit up, and he snapped his laptop shut.
"I'll have to buy Reporter Han a drink later."
Smiling brightly, he packed up his camera.