Chapter 115
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Yanagiya Riki (7)
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In one of the sparring arenas prepared by the Kototsuke Clan, everyone had gathered.
The arena's exterior had a design straight out of an Earth historical drama. It differed in style from the sparring grounds or training fields in the Neutral Nation.
Evidently, since the Eastern Alliance evoked such a thick Eastern atmosphere when compared to Earth, it made sense for the design to lean that way.
Considering that the Kototsuke Clan's clan house itself had an Eastern vibe from the start, this was a perfectly natural result.
In any case, there wasn't any special reason for everyone gathering like this.
It was simply the moment right before Yun Yeon and Riki were about to spar.
'Both sparring partners are Rankers.'
The world's top ten strongest players were referred to as Rankers.
Of course, it wasn't solely based on raw combat power; they were evaluated comprehensively, factoring in influence within this world and more.
'Currently, two from the Neutral Nation, three from the Eastern Alliance, one from the Holy Nation, and two from Taios.'
Two seats were vacant.
Originally, the masters of the former three great clans—Goo Yeon-jeong, Kang Sung-jun, and Hwang Tae-hoon—had held Ranker spots as well. But with all three dead, Yun Yeon and Ha Yu-ri had risen to fill them, leaving those two seats empty.
'One of them will soon be taken by Seo Yu-ju.'
It wasn't wishful thinking. When he'd checked Seo Yu-ju's stats recently, they were already nearly on par with Wi Ho-yeon's.
Given just a bit more time, she'd surpass Wi Ho-yeon—and her experience alone would create a massive gap.
This wasn't dismissing Wi Ho-yeon.
Wi Ho-yeon was a top-tier player known as the Sword Empress. And since she was still growing, she had plenty of room to climb higher with time.
'But her opponent's a Regressor.'
"Yun Yeon, how about it? Body all warmed up?"
"What, you got something to warm? I'm gonna win anyway."
"Ha! Fuck, that cockiness... What if you end up losing embarrassingly?"
"Who knows... Honestly, I'm not sure I'll win, but I don't think I'll lose."
"Confidence is good. But spouting nonsense like that against me..."
"......"
"...won't fly...!"
The moment she finished speaking, Riki drew her sword and charged at Yun Yeon.
"I'm not the old me anymore, so don't cry after getting hit, you bitch!"
Clang—!
'Fuck, what the hell was that sound...!'
The noise from a fist clashing against a sword defied common sense.
This was the second time watching Yun Yeon fight.
The first had been her battle against the Dark Sorcerer Bahn.
But that had been little more than a one-sided beatdown.
Bahn was too pathetic to compare to Yanagiya Riki, so Yun Yeon hadn't felt any tension facing him.
This time, however, Yun Yeon's expression was markedly different from back then.
Compared to how she'd taunted Riki earlier, her face was deadly serious now.
'Of course. She's not someone you can afford to take lightly.'
In fights between true masters, even the slightest lapse could lead to defeat. The one who focused entirely on the battle had the higher chance of victory.
Riki might have spoken flippantly, but her eyes told a different story.
They burned sharp and fierce, refusing to miss a single opening as she clashed with Yun Yeon.
In that instant, Yun Yeon seemed to exploit a gap in Riki's guard, driving a fist toward her side.
Bam—!
Screeech.
Riki blocked the punch with the flat of her blade and skidded back across the ground.
"Ha...!"
"Hoo..."
"Yeah... fuck, that's it! This is what I'm talking about! One-sided fights are no fun. Battles where you can't predict victory or defeat down to the last inch—that's the real thrill!"
"...You psycho bitch. What the hell are you, some kind of beast?"
"What? Being a beast is bad? Humans are part of nature too. Fighting and clawing like animals is the primal pleasure, the ultimate rush."
"......"
Evidently thrilled by the situation, Riki continued in an excited tone.
"Why do you think people go crazy for lowbrow spectacles like gladiator arenas? It's the instinct of creatures born from nature. So me doing this? Totally natural."
"Isn't it just you who's like that?"
"Nah, I founded my clan in the Eastern Alliance and met all sorts of bastards—it confirmed it for me. Humans can't defy their instincts. Now, here's a question. What do you do if you can't dodge?"
"......"
"The answer? Enjoy it."
The words left Riki's mouth at the exact moment a rakshasa's silhouette materialized behind her.
With that, the battle resumed.
Everyone, including me, held our breath as we watched. The air in the arena had shifted completely now that Riki was showing her true power.
Yun Yeon appeared to have heightened her vigilance to the max as well.
Wi Ho-yeon, who seemed unusually interested in spars like this, watched with shining eyes. It was the first time I'd seen her so engrossed in something.
In the midst of the fight, I sensed something off while observing.
'...What's this?'
Clang—!
"Ngh...!"
Yun Yeon's punches and kicks carried more power than before. Proof of that was how Riki was gradually struggling just to block them.
Recalling Yun Yeon's Unique Trait from before, I opened her status window. Her Agility had dropped, while her Strength had risen.
Boom!
"Urgh...!"
Riki reacted in time to block Yun Yeon's sudden thrust kick, but blood trickled from her mouth—likely some internal damage.
"Fuck, you've got something up your sleeve, huh? Cough... Suddenly your strength's fucking insane. If I'd blocked that with my body instead of the sword, my bones would've shattered."
"You blocked that? I lured you into it so you couldn't."
"Heh... It's obvious."
Spurt—
"...Ugh!"
In the flurry of exchanges, Riki's sword slash grazed Yun Yeon's waist.
"Tch, close one."
"Hoo...."
"But now I get it for sure."
"....."
"Your movements got way slower now that your strength's up."
She seemed to have figured out Yun Yeon's ability.
Yun Yeon's Unique Trait was cheat-level. The power to boost the stat she needed based on the situation was a true wild card.
But it wasn't without drawbacks. The penalty was sacrificing other stats.
"Now that I have a rough idea, the real fight starts here."
Riki spoke and repositioned herself for an advantage against Yun Yeon.
Suddenly, amid the thrill, Riki smirked. Bringing Yun-seong to the Eastern Alliance, making excuses to her subordinates about the drug issue to head to the Neutral Nation—it was all just so she could do this.
She simply wanted to trade blows with Yun Yeon like this.
Whoosh—
As Riki closed in, Yun Yeon seemed ready to counter, firing a fist at the opening.
"Too slow—won't hit."
Riki dodged the punch and swung her sword down.
For a split second, it looked like Yun Yeon's body would be bisected, but whatever the principle, the severed image was just an afterimage.
Before they knew it, Yun Yeon was behind Riki.
'She lowered Strength and boosted Agility.'
But whether Riki had anticipated it or not, she followed up her downward slash with a back kick in the same motion.
Yun Yeon hastily blocked the kick with both hands and was sent sliding back.
"Ha..."
Yun Yeon grinned too, clearly enjoying the moment as much as Riki was.
Players with average combat prowess in this world had plenty of chances for equal fights.
But those at the pinnacle rarely encountered peers, and even when they did, they seldom had the freedom to cut loose.
That's why this opportunity felt so exhilarating.
For Riki, and for Yun Yeon alike.
"Yun Yeon, how about it? Having fun yet?"
"...A little?"
"Kek... Your face says more than 'a little.'"
Yun Yeon touched her lips at Riki's words. Apparently, her enjoyment had shown on her face without her realizing.
"From now on, I'm going all out. You do the same. Unless you wanna die!"
Rrrrrumble—
The aura pouring from Riki shook the entire area. As Yun Yeon unleashed hers in response, their energies clashed, making it feel like the heavens and earth were quaking.
This was the clash of two Rankers. A realm utterly detached from ordinary players' battles.
They had already transcended human limits with human bodies.
In that instant, their auras made it hard to breathe. Unlike Seo Yu-ju or Wi Ho-yeon, my own level was too low.
Noticing my discomfort, Seo Yu-ju began deflecting their auras away from me.
"...Thanks, Yu-ju."
"No problem, Yun-seong."
I thanked Seo Yu-ju and turned back to watch. They were locked in collision.
Clang!
Yun Yeon's thrust palm strike cleaved the air itself, the massive whoosh piercing our ears painfully.
Riki dodged the fist, but a flurry of follow-ups came hot on its heels.
The rakshasa silhouette behind Riki grew larger, emanating a bloody aura. It evoked the image of her class, the Wicked Ghost Rakshasa.
Boom!
I couldn't see it clearly, but Yun Yeon was the one sent flying amid the crash.
"...Kuh!"
Yun Yeon spread her hands to parry Riki's swinging sword strikes.
Deflect the slashes. Block if she couldn't deflect. Her mind focused solely on those two actions.
"Hup!"
Thud!
Yun Yeon twisted her body and kicked Riki's sword away mid-swing, but Riki didn't let go. Her stance crumbled briefly, but she gritted her teeth and held firm.
For swordsmen or spearmen, losing their weapon meant the end. One of the first things they drilled was the grit and mentality to never release it.
No matter how much agony shot through their wrists, they couldn't let go.
In the end, she kept her grip and, from that unbalanced posture, swung her sword down with full force.
Crack—
'Insane...'
No exaggeration—the ground literally split. A mere sword strike had cleaved the earth as if bisecting it.
Yun Yeon blocked with both arms, but she didn't look unscathed. Blood streamed from her mouth, suggesting serious internal injuries.
'Unbelievable. A perfected martial artist's hands and feet are said to rival steel... And she took an attack like that with her arms?'
Normally, Riki would've taunted Yun Yeon for the blood at her lips, but she held her tongue.
Seizing the golden opportunity, she swung her sword down at Yun Yeon once more.
Whoosh—
Crunch!
Yun Yeon barely twisted aside, and Riki's sword embedded in the ground. She tried to follow with an upward slash, but—
Thud—
As if she'd anticipated it, Yun Yeon had already planted her foot on the buried blade and pressed down, pinning it in place.
"You little...!"
Riki spat a curse, realizing the tables had turned against her.
There were nine fundamental sword strikes. No matter how one swung, they couldn't escape those nine motions.
Upward slashes, all verticals and diagonals including them, and thrusts.
In that situation, Riki's only option was an upward slash.
With her offense sealed, Yun Yeon wearily unleashed a palm strike.
Crack—!
Riki failed to block Yun Yeon's palm strike and went flying, smashing into the wall.